Well Tuesday found us playing tourist in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley as we lunched with sister Dee in the old town of Woodstock and then a traveled up the Valley Pike(Rt 11) to Winchester during the afternoon. We made a couple Civil War stops at Hupp's Hill and then again at Belle Grove Plantation which was the center of the Battle of Cedar Creek. We then stopped in Middletown and visited the Wayside Inn which is still operating. The ceilings are so low between the rooms you must duck your head and the stairwells are so narrow as well. It was built in the 1700's and one of the original rooms still exist and left as it was back then with hand hewed tables, etc.
We continued up the Pike to the area called Bethel Church where Paw Paw use to live after leaving the Mt. Williams home. It was run down and not nearly as manicured when when they use to live there. A couple of the other farms are also run down and left alone since the home folks have moved away. The old barn is left standing alone with weeds and grasses over grown. So sad to see these once used barns just standing and left to rot away.
We headed over to Piccadilly Street in Winchester to visit with Paw Paw for a couple hours before the rest of the girls attended this meeting to decide what's best for him. He must leave leave this 3 storied house with the bathroom on the second floor which is a hazard for him at his age. He fell once a couple years ago and it nearly took his life, so we are making the decision for him as he can be stubborn at times. The rest of the girls arrived and we ordered pizza and then helped him with making the decision for him which was easier than we anticipated. Since all four of us was there he knew he had to agree to go and live with the second sister Pat in Wardensville W.Va. She is now retired and has made it know he can live with her. He has been going there on weekends so as to get a feel for this change which he likes.
We left just as a huge thunder storm hit the area and on the way back south we had to pull over for a few minutes as the wind and rain made driving to difficult. We drove the back roads and stayed off the interstate which is always congested with huge trucks. We got back to Woodstock safely around 9:30 and it wasn't long afterwards the hot shower called my name, LATER
