Move-In Day 2019

It's go time!  Move-In Day (2 of 2) for the University of South Carolina.  It would have really been nice to have the first move-in day.  At least Coco drew the first time-slot of the day.  "First one to the park.....first one to leave."
     Overall, I would say it was a good move-in experience.  It is still organized chaos though.  The volun-tolds were there.  There was not a clear leader.  They didn't seem to have been give clear and consistent instructions.  Coco's dorm was not cart friendly.  Good news is that we were provided a cart and two volunteers to help move.  Bad news is the cart was a cardboard box on an unattached set of wheels.  On uneven ground, that cart design is poor. 
     The RM was extremely nice and very helpful.  Bonus points = he is a Red Sox fan.  Coco even got his bed elevated while we were there.  UofSC didn't want students or parents messing with the bed frames.  I wish Auburn had felt that way.  Coco had his priorities.  Get the smart TV up and running, then XBOX One.  I will say, Demi did far less nesting than she did in Caz's room.  That meant we were able to make our third Target run a lot earlier. 
     Coco was anxious.  But all in all, I think he held it together.  He was nervous about this book order.  We all walked to the bookstore.  I will say, it wasn't clear where to go or what to present.  Coco got it done in the end.  He could have done it alone but hey, he felt better with us there.  A target to vent on, but what are parents for? 
     Best news of the day?  When we went to pick up Coco for dinner, he texted that he would be a bit late.  He was at the Strom Thurmond Health & Fitness Center, playing basketball with his roommate and with some new friends.  That's right.  He was out of his room.  And he was meeting new people.  I can't tell you how relieved Demi and I were.  We knew our boy would be ok.

Off to USC

Off to South Carolina!  This is it.  We are taking Coco to college.  A short flight to Charlotte, then a short drive to Columbia. 
     We got an early flight.  We wanted to have plenty of time to drive down, check into the hotel and then go to Target.  One thing we did really well with Caz for preparing to take him to college, was to order things from Walmart and have it all delivered to the store closest to campus.  For Coco, it's Target. 
     Move-in day is tomorrow.  We have an 8 am time-slot.  I made sure to remember the Move-in packet.  It has a parking placard for the car.  It also has a placard that Coco needs to check-in and to receive his room key.  We have to leave the house at 4:30 am.  Man, is it early.  I actually couldn't sleep.  I was up at 2 am.  I watched most of the Predator before I meditated, stretched and made coffee.  I heard Coco up pacing too.  He was definitely nervous, which in turn, made me nervous.  I know in my heart, Coco will be alright.  My heart needs to tell my head that.  And then convince it.

Last Night: Transformers

Last night with the 4 Chins in one place.  Caz leaves to go back to Auburn tomorrow morning.  Early.  Really early.  Somehow I seem to frequently draw the early morning airport runs.  But I digress.
     Caz gets to pick dinner.  We offered to take him out.  However, he procrastinated packing.  Procrastination is not an uncommon occurrence.  Chinese takeout is the call.  Takeout from Tsangs’s Village Cafe in Hanover to be precise.  Nothing but the best.
     We all have a good talk at the dinner table.  Family time is so important.  We talk about everything and anything.  We talk even when the subject isn’t an easy one.  I think that has helped the boys be prepared to go off to college and off on their own.  The boys may not talk much at times.  But when it is important, they know they can talk with us.
     It won’t be the same after tomorrow.   It’s the beginning of the breaking of our fellowship.  The start of the emptying of the nest.  A family transformation.

Let’s Talk About S@x, Baby

Another son going off to college.  The same rules apply.  While packing up Coco and ordering supplies to Target in Columbia, it is an opportune time for The Talk.  It’s not the first time.  It won’t be the last time.  Demi and I are straight forward.  We don’t want to be grandparents yet.  Coco, you’re going to college.  Wrap it up.
     We have had discussions about STDs (or STIs I believe they are calling them these days).  He knows Demi is going to send him to college with a box of condoms.  While packing clothes in his room, Demi finds a condom.  “Is this the brand you want?”
     Silence.
     “What size?”
     At first, more silence.  Then, “Extra large.”, with a smile and a chuckle.
     Without missing a beat, “You know it doesn’t do any good if it’s too loose and falls off, right?”
     The smile fades and Coco exits the room.
     “So what size?”, as she follows him.
     Coco can’t get away fast enough.

Griswolds' Vacation 2019

This year's vacation was epic!  Top 5 for sure.  It's funny, it didn't start out that way.  The idea of it rankled me from the beginning.  Personally, I wasn't happy that we had to go to North Carolina to celebrate our son’s high school graduation with that side of the family.  Over 20 years, we have requested them to be in one place, all together, at once, and by us, 4 times.  Two times at about each end of those two decades.  I was a bit sour about it.  But Coco didn’t seemed phased, so I just went with it.
     We started in Raleigh, NC.  In a 24 hour period, Demi and I went to three open house and caught up with old friends.  My college roommate, his wife (also a Colby alum) and kids have lived in Cary, NC for 15 years.  Demi’s high school friend and husband moved there 4 years ago.  The six of us had a great time out in Cary.
     Team Griswold drove out to Topsail Beach over 2 1/2 hours.  It was a straight shot.  Was the reward for that drive ever worth it!  Our first time using VRBO and we struck gold!  This beach house was amazing.  Three floors, a huge garage, fenced in back yard with an enormous deck for walking the dog, two front deck balconies with clear views of the ocean, great open kitchen and living space, all had our own rooms and bathrooms and private beach access.  What a HQ!
     I was in the ocean every, single day.  The water was warm.  The waves were huge but not overpowering.  One did need to beware of riptides.  I swam and floated in that ocean for over an hour at a clip on party day.  The beach was sandy.  Instead of hunting for beach glass, people were searching for shark teeth.  The weather was perfect.  Even at close to 100 degrees, we were happy.  There was one overcast day.  No rain.
     The party was a huge success.  We spent a lot of time with the family.  We had an amazing dinner at my sisters-in-law’s in Snead’s Ferry.  She did a shrimp boil for 30, with two sets of spices.  There was an incredible Vietnamese/Thai restaurant in Wilmington.  We got ice cream, then walked the riverwalk in Wilmington.  The highlight was the jet ski trip.  About ten of us cruised a 9 mile stretch of the Intercoastal.  The boys had so much fun they went back another day.  Caz had an ear to ear grin, permanently spread across his face the whole ride.  I saw dolphins twice, with one diving under my jet ski.  Forget swimming with dolphins, go jet ski with them.  Caz and Coco perfected their bodysurfing.  Caz was at it daily.
     A truly marvelous vacation.   The Griswolds won this one!

Decision making - Weighing Risk, Rewards & Consequences

The boys have quite the operation going this summer.  I do admire it.  Caz hasn't been able to get out with all his pals often.  They have have crazy work schedules.  Dix has been deployed to CA.  Argonaut has been deployed to NC.  When they do manage to get out, Caz hasn't wanted to pay the consequences of misbehaving.  He often has to get up early for work.  A few times though, he has tip the scales the other way.  For those times, he uses his head.  He gets a ride from a friend who is not misbehaving or he sleeps over.  Now Caz has negotiated a deal with Coco.  For the prices of a trip to Taco Bell, Coco will pick up Caz from his friend's house.  They both seem happy with the deal.  And they are both safe in the end.  I give them a lot of credit.  A lot of kids their ages don't even stop to think about the consequences or to mull over options.  I am proud of them.

Independence Day 2019

Happy 4th of July USA!
     Thank you to those who serve and to their families!  Land of the free, because of the Brave.