Over the spirited reservations of both Papa Williams (NanaT’s father) and NanaSlo (me), NanaT (Pretty) moved full steam ahead with her plans for our granddaughter’s first car trip “up the road” as we say in our family whenever we drive to the upstate foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Landrum.  Mama Caroline gave NanaT just the encouragement she needed to override my worries about packing our grandbaby Ella who is just 11 weeks old today into the back seat of our old Toyota Camry yesterday for the wild adventures of her first road trip.

I’m wondering what this contraption is? 

Thank goodness I have my cap, blanket and favorite pacifier.

My NanaT has the prettiest smile – 

she’s so happy I’m in the back seat with NanaSlo

our first stop was to get NanaT an iced tea for the road from Rush’s

NanaSlo whispered to me that NanaT never went anywhere without 

picking up an unsweet iced tea from Rush’s

are you telling me I have to watch from the Back Seat

and Face Backwards until I’m TWO Years old?

If I could walk, I’d stage a protest march.

Hey, hey, ho, ho – facing backwards has got to go.

Papa Williams and his wife think I’m a Rock Star!

I think Papa Williams is the Bomb – he’s focused on the Big Things…

like milk and impeachment.

it’s a big responsibility being the entertainment for an entire family

Aunt Darlene thinks I’m up to the challenge, though

all good things have to come to an end so I said goodbye to the upstate

and got back in the car to go home.

I tried to sleep going home but NanaT stopped the car and NanaSlo woke me

to feed me my last bottle.

Did somebody say Last Bottle?

Get me outta here, Percy.

And so we did get Baby Ella home safely last night after an awesome day with lots of smiles from everyone in the upstate. NanaT was brave to make this first trip, and I freely admit my trepidations were unnecessary. Ella is a trooper just like her NanaT. They are lucky to have each other. I predict many more trips to the upstate and look forward to sharing our love of the foothills and family with our granddaughter.

Stay tuned.