Tourist, Doctor, Doctor, Shopping, Dinner



Montpelier

June 23 – It started raining before we went to bed and didn’t let up all night.  It was windy out and noisy all night.  It showed no signs of letting up this morning either.  What a nasty day!  We finally set out for Charlottesville around 11 when there was a lull in the rain so Bill could get to the car without getting drenched.  It was a nasty drive and my eye was hurting.  I think since the surgery my eye gets a “headache” from the change in air pressure.  It’s strange.

Montpelier station

We actually drove through Charlottesville to Orange, VA where Montpelier, home of James and Dolly Madison is.  Again, this is a place we’d been before and it has also really changed.  They too have a new fancy visitor center with a café and theatre.  The cost of the tours was a bit pricy and that’s the only way to also see the movie so we passed.  It’s about 20 miles past Charlottesville on some narrow, winding roads, Route 20, and in the

rain and mist, it seems to take forever to get there.  We browsed the gift shop and visitor center and took some photos, then headed back.  We stopped at the Montpelier Depot which is now a mini museum and the local post office.  It was interesting that they restored the building to include the marked doors for entry of White at one and Colored at another.  Just down the road on the way back was The Gilmore Farm, home of a Freedman, c. 1860’s.  It was tiny and we would have liked to visit but it was chained off and we gather it’s part of the tour.

The drive back to Charlottesville was quicker now that the rain had stopped and I was familiar with the roads.  It was lunch time and we had driven past the Riverside Lunch and Bill wanted to eat there so we stopped.  The lot was packed but there were seats inside so we felt lucky.  They have such fast service.  I went with a philly cheesesteak and Bill opted for a burger and fries.  Once again it was good.  They bring the fries straight from the fryer so they are piping hot.  His “half” order was large enough for us to share.  They also do a lot of “to go” but as fast as they are you don’t have to call in, just stand at the counter for 3-4 minutes.  They have they whole operation down to a science for sure!

The rest of the day was spotty drizzle here and there, so it was jackets on, jackets off.  We attempted to go to World Market before my eye appointment but somehow we either didn’t get on the right road or we didn’t get off when we should have so we rerouted and headed to the eye doctor.  I was a little early and that was good as they took me in right away and did the question and answer session and part of the exam.  Then I had to wait a bit for the specialist and he said he didn’t see many floaters and the point of surgery looked good and if I was to have another tear it normally would had happened in the first or second week after the original tear, so he thinks I won’t have another.  He said the light arcing should gradually lessen and it has gotten less and less, I hadn’t actually thought about it as it has been less.  I have to see my Ophthalmologist in 3 months and got copies of all my records for that.

We were done and gone in plenty of time to get to Bill’s Podiatrist on time at 4.  He seems to be having less pain and we discussed with him getting the stem cell injection.  He doesn’t do it and so we will be heading back to Florida on the 27^th.  Bill really likes this Dr. so if we’re ever back and in need of a podiatrist again, we know who we’ll go to.  Once we got in the car Bill called his FL doctor to make sure they order the serum as we learned it’s not something they keep on hand and the nurse assured him it would be ordered an available for his July 1 appointment. 

Bummer that we (I) will have to drive home so soon.  Our plan is to drive the RV to Galax, VA where we have friends with RV lots along a river, and leave the RV there and drive the car home.  We plan to drive back on the 2^nd or 3^rd and stay a couple of days with them and then just wing it!  I had to cancel our CT plans as if they’d OK for us to come and just me work, I’d have to work 3 days a week, 8 hours a day and I just can’t do that and take of care of Bill with his immobility and do all the “normal” daily tasks without being exhausted.  So we’ll see how it pans out!