Goodbyes Part II
After the Canadian Henley Addy and I returned to Oklahoma and Nate headed back to the boat to face more upgrades. I also had an important appointment for bone graft surgery in my mouth next to my right front tooth. I was born without adult lateral incisors and have always had two fake teeth. In preparation to finally get implants I have had braces for over a year and needed a bone graft on my right side to have enough bone to hold a screw. The bone graft takes several months to heal and I wanted to get the surgery done before we left on the boat.
My braces came off and the same day I had my surgery. Someone 18 years or older had to pick me up. So Addy took me home. The worst (most sore) part was actually the roof of my mouth. The next day my dentist attached temporary crowns to hold my fake teeth until I return to Oklahoma next year. I was so focused the the procedure that I did not ask enough questions about recovery. Ouch!
A few days later Nate flew back to Oklahoma and we packed up Addy's car for college. It was full! Nate and I decided to drive the car to California and Addy would fly out in time for move in day. I love a good road trip and was looking forward to some time with Nate
Luckily I had good dorm college lists to work with from Jennifer Tipple who did this whole process a year prior.
Nate and hit the road with a northern westward route to avoid some of the summer heat. Our first stop was at a National Park of course!
Kansas. Nicodemus the oldest and only remaining Black settlement west of the Mississippi River.
While we were driving Addy hit a big milestone of FINALLy getting her braces off after over four years!
We made our way through Wyoming and stopped at Fossil Butte National Monument. The bathroom wall at the visitor center was a display of fossil poop! We had a nice hike along a spring which fed trees in an area without very little shade.
We didn’t make many stops in Idaho but spent the night in Boise. We did almost run out of gas/charge between Boise and Ashland OR. Luckily a lake resort with a boat ramp had a gas pump! Those were some nerve-racking few miles. From Ashland we stopped at the Redwoods National Park once we entered California. Hope to return as this park is huge and so magical.
From the redwoods we went to pick up Addy at the airport. We barely fit her in the car and after dropping off our luggage, Addy promptly wanted to go to the beach. Nate and I were feeling a bit on edge in anticipation to leaving Addy at college. She seemed mostly excited with a small dose of nervousness. She might have been the most nervous about meeting her roommate. However, at least she had the comfort of knowing her roommate was also a rower (same early mornings!). This was my first time seeing the town and campus which helped me focus on the newness instead of the dread of the good-bye.
The next day was move in day. Addy got a double room on the first floor with a sunny window overlooking the quad. It is a small room but came with a fridge and microwave. Addy’s roommate Nadia was already in the room and it did not take long to get her room set up. The big drama was that Addy threw her very important parking spot sticker away and luckily found it in the dumpster.
Back in Oklahoma, Tricia stayed with Josephine and held down the fort. Josephine wanted to stay in OKC and say her goodbyes to Addy there.
