This is a shot taken as we were leaving Uchee Creek campgrounds where the cabin we stayed in during our visit to Ft. Benning GA was located. The campgrounds is part of the base and is actually located in Alabama. Ft. Benning is both in Alabama and Georgia.

During our visit there was often a thin veil and sometimes a thick veil of smoke shrouding the area. My son said it was because they were doing controlled burns in order to cut down on the chance of wildfires later on as the warmer dryer weather approaches.

This particular morning we were treated to some mist mingling with the smoke over the marsh. Unfortunately it was the morning we were leaving to come home. This was actually shot from the parking area of the camp store. I grabbed this shot while Mark dropped off the key to the cabin. I had no time for a tripod, or to look for the best vantage point, and could only take a few quick snaps before jumping back into the car for the 19 hour ride home.

The rest of this post is really long, even by my standards, so bless you if you read it all the way through. It covers the details of our visit with Rob. Much of what is written here was also on my other photoblog, with slight editing.

The visit was wonderful and the boys fell into a routine of being brothers within minutes. I got lots of snapshots of them together, but not much in the way of photos that I will post. I never did get to do the family portrait I had wanted to get, but oh well. The boys didn't want to pose and Rob was being his usual when it came to the camera. He hates having his picture taken so suffice it to say the snapshots of them playing cards and just hanging out are good enough.

The first night there we spent in a local hotel. The remainder of the visit was spent in a pretty nice little cabin at the campgrounds that is located right on the base. The cabin had both heat and central air, a kitchenette and large bathroom, a master bedroom and bunk beds in the living area for the boys. You have to be military or military family to use the cabins.

The only problem, which wasn't really a problem, and was actually kind of cool, was that the airfield was just the other side of the campgrounds which made it interesting since we were often in the flight path of some very large, very loud military aircraft. The Airborne jump school is on Ft. Benning. The planes came so low that the shadow covered the cabin and when you looked out the window it appeared as though they were almost skimming the pine trees. Fortunately it wasn't constant and only occurred a couple of times at night and early morning when we were sleeping.

I wasn't able to take many pictures on the base for obvious security reasons and I didn't even try since I was unsure of where it was ok and where it wasn't. I figured better safe than sorry and limit it to the places I knew would be ok like the campgrounds. Even so, I didn't take that many photos. I was really too busy running here and there getting things taken care of.

A lot of the photos I took were on the dull side. It was somewhat overcast and the entire area was shrouded in a thin veil of smoke much of the time that we were there. They were doing controlled burns all around in Georgia and Alabama, which was actually where the campsites were. Ft. Benning is in GA and AL.

We didn't have time to explore much outside of Ft. Benning either. The only thing we really saw were tons of shopping. Strip malls with chain stores and restaurants were everywhere. I've never seen so much shopping outside of the cities in one place in my life. It was big box store and discount store heaven.

There were more restaurants than I can count all of which were along the lines of the chains like Applebees, Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, Outback and others that are found down south. My stomach is paying the price for it all. It was hard to find "healthy selections" at these restaurants and we only BBQ'd at the cabin a few times.

The visit ended much too soon and was emotionally draining when it was time to drop Rob off at his apartment for the last time. He had to run up and get me some papers for me to take home so that I could look after his affairs while he's gone. After he gave me the papers, we said our heartbreaking, tear filled goodbyes and had a silent ride back to the cabin which is nearly a 30 minute ride.

When we got back to the cabin I took the packet of papers to file them away with all the other papers I had. I opened the packet and in with the assorted pages was Rob's Will. At that point my heart tore in two and I lost what little composure I had left. I couldn't stop crying and it still brings on the tears to think about it. I had refused to think about that possibility but that document haunts me now and has forced me to think about the previously unthinkable.

To avoid thinking about Rob leaving I did most of the driving on the way back to NJ from GA. I probably should have split it more evenly with Mark since I think I really overdid it driving more that 13 of the 19 hours. But it was the only way I could keep my mind off things especially after Rob called us late afternoon when we were driving to let us know that he'd been bumped up yet again and was leaving in only hours. He was going to be boarding the plane before we even made it home.

I have actually spoken with Rob on line twice since arriving home, thank God!!! I know he is safe at least for now. He has sporadic internet connectivity, but we will take what we can get. Thank God he brought his laptop!!! I spoke with him Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning.

There is a bit of good news though. For those who may remember the ongoing saga of our leaking underground heating oil tank, the light is blaring at the end of that tunnel. We were told that the water samples all came back clean!!! That is really excellent news since it means that all that is left is one more sample in 3 months, which should come back clean. This means no well to monitor the water so we can start to put the property back together and repair all the damage done by the remediation. The homeowners insurance adjuster came out today to look at the property and see what repairs will need to be done, which includes our driveway, the curbing along the driveway, front steps, walkway, sidewalk, and repairing the landscaping. At least that nightmare is pretty much over. I'm sure the neighbors will be happy as well, since our property looked like hell for so long, a little over 1 year in fact. I will be so happy to have a real driveway again and no more mud, huge holes, and smelly piles of contaminated soil!!!

Check out my other Photoblog:
"Parallel Universe"

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