Jen’s dad is on his way home. We had a great time while he was here, and Max loved it. I wish he could have stayed longer.

I took the day off on Friday (hence my silence here). We decided to go find this German restaurant in West Virginia we missed going to last time Jen’s dad was here. We took a great drive down Route 7 from Leesburg to West Virginia through the rolling hills and the pastoral beauty of changing leaves, farmland and small towns.

We made it to the the Bavarian Inn and Lodge in beautiful Shepherdstown. It sits on a hill high above the Potomac River. The view was gorgeous. Since it took us less time to get there than we thought, we let Max stretch his legs and run around. He took off over the well-groomed lawn, climbed up and down the stairs, and explored the grounds. Then, we had lunch, which was kind of a disappointment. We we seated and instantly became aware of the fact that Max was the only patron sitting in a high chair, and that Jen and I were the only diners under the age of 45. There were matronly old ladies wearing hats, old men in sweaters and their middle aged children leading them around by the hand saying, “Yes, mother, the ladies’ room is this way.”

The food fell into a category I’d call “upper-class cafeteria”. The food was “ok”, but bland and not up to a setting like that.

To make up for it, we stopped on the way home and picked up a freshly made apple pie from an orchard on the way back.

On the way home, I felt more like a father and protector as I ever had before. They slept, and I drove. Their safety was in my hands. It was a strange feeling to realize that Jen and Max are my responsibility to provide for them, keep them safe and healthy.