Vanessa's overnight with Mama Row

I'm copying/pasting the words of my Grandma Rowena who documented Vanessa's time with her last week.  Vanessa was ecstatic to be going somewhere on her own not surrounded by siblings!

My grandma writes:

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AN OVERNIGHT WITH MAMA ROW --JUNE 26, 2014

"Vanessa,  would you like to spend the night with Mama Row?" I asked on Wednesday morning.  She had turned four years old, and had not done the overnight that Violet and Calvin had experienced.  Vanessa had eagerly eyed the older two had each packed suitcases for the trip about 10 minutes away to leave their familiar and secure home and entrust their time for a brief vacation. 

The answer was an enthusiastic,  "Yes!"

So we loaded the car seat, plugged it into the back seat belt strap and set out for an overnight.  Arriving at my WesternHome townhouse, she found her bedroom, unpacked the clothes from suit case, providing the essential tooth brush, underclothes and dress for tomorrow. she identified her bed and pillow, and once comfortable with her overnight accommodations, we set out to fix supper. 

She enjoyed veggies and chicken and after the last bite.  Then, she explored the surprise and discovered it was a hollow egg to which she could do some zandangling designs with a colored pencil, creating a decorated egg.  This was amusing until she dropped the egg, and poor Humpty Dumpty broke! 

After a few stories, she decided it was bed time, and that was a ritual in itself:  tooth brushing, pajamas, songs, and prayers all put her to sleep in her new bed with night light turned on. 

The next morning, she woke me and we prepared for the day.  First getting dressed, then, prepared breakfast of OJ, oatmeal with craisins and cream.  We decided to take a walk, and immediately met the neighbors' dogs.  First there was Biscuit who has come with her owner from TX. She was friendly and Vanessa got to pet her.  Next was Maria, a neighbor's dog who lived across Thyme Road, who has white socks and especially liked little girls as well as the neighbors.  Then came Annie whose name came from the musical, an all white curly haired poodle.  Vanessa liked Maria best. 

We noted the new construction happening at the end of Shooting Star Street, where big cats were moving gravel to make the foundation of a new dwelling for patients who needed more care. Once put in place, the building was to be completed during winter months. 

We decided it was time to go home, and we piled packed suitcases in the car, I got my purse, and decided to call Mama Maria that we were on the way home - when I tried to enter the garage door to my home and grab the phone, it was LOCKED!!!  No way to enter my home with three doors - front, back, and garage all locked, and I was without a key, for I never lock the garage door!  Well!  What to do?  I decided to go to the office at WesternHome.  We drove there, I asked for the attendants to open my door.  Linda said she would call service to do so, for they were on campus somewhere.  I took Vanessa home, she was greeted with open arms by the family.  I told Maria of my situation, and she said,  "Welcome to my world!" 

I returned home, able to open my Garage door with the overhead button, and also the front door, for it had been opened by the attentive crew, and I got into my dwelling, and remembered the fun overnight we had at Vanessa's first night with Mama Row.  

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