April Update

Checking in after a bit of an absence. All is well in the Crabb household in Phoenix, AZ.  We are just about finished adding a new room to the house and began moving furniture into the room today. Can't wait to lean back in the recliner and watch the Dbacks!

 

We visited Pasadena, CA in January and drove by one of the houses that Gene and his family lived in when he was a boy. The neighborhood is filled with beautifully kept homes.

80th Birthday Celebration!

Gene celebrated his 80th birthday with daughters Lori and Terri at a campout along the Missouri River. The RV was home base with four tents circling the motorhome.

 

Gene blowing out the matches on his birthday cake . . . we forgot the candles!

 

 

The Taylors borrowed a friend's boat for fishing, water skiing and pulling the kids on a tube. Gene won the fishing contest: the biggest, the first, the most . . . and the only fish caught.

 

Doesn't he look proud!

 

We played games, napped in the hammock, sang songs around a roaring campfire, viewed wildlife (wild turkeys, deer, redheaded woodpeckers). The most fun, however, was watching old 8mm films of the Crabb family circa 1968 and earlier. The projector hadn't been used in about 35 years and when it was started up everything worked, even the light bulb. Gene started it up like it was yesterday.

 

 

Our favorite photo of all 15 of us crammed in the RV watching old family movies. Cozy huh?



Family Visits Norfolk

The RV is currently parked on the east side of Gene's daughter and son-in-laws' home in Norfolk, Nebraska . . . and it was the perfect resting spot for Shawnda, Janet and their two boys who are on their way to Phoenix for a vacation.

They only had one day with us, for which we were grateful, and we filled it up with lots of activities to keep Jack busy. The Discovery Zone at the Elkhorn Valley Museum is filled with toys, crafts, a stage with costumes for dressing up and a train that runs around the perimeter of the ceiling. Jack had fun scanning food items in the pretend grocery store, decorating his arm with body paint, and playing with all the toys.

Early Saturday they were back on the road with a stopover planned for Denver. We can't wait to see them again!

Jack scanning a box in the pretend grocery store.

Janet, Shawnda and one-month old Finnley. We think he will be a redhead!

Shawnda and Jack in the attic of the Dederman cabin on the grounds of the Elkhorn Valley Museum. The cabin was built in the 1860's and ten Dederman children used to sleep in this room.

Johnny Carson's six Emmy Awards are on loan to the museum. Johnny grew up in Norfolk, graduated from Norfolk High and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. A room at the museum is dedicated to Johnny's life.

A poster of Johnny Carson.

Jack and great grandma Sue eating cookies!

Mama and Babies

Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area near Yankton, South Dakota, is a great place for viewing wildlife  . . . like this doe with twin fawns. We spotted this trio from our RV while we were working on a crossword puzzle and, of course, grabbed the camera.

A Vist to Phoenix

Gene's brother from Hawaii, John, and his sister Linda who lives in California spent a few days with us in Phoenix in early November. We had a great time and lots of laughs. Hope they will visit again soon!

John ready for a swim.

The cold water didn't keep John out of the pool!

John, Gene and Linda.

Linda loves her tea.

Beached!

It was a dark and stormy night . . . literally! The wind was blowing hard, so hard that we couldn't stand outside of the RV because sand was stinging our faces. Ten or fifteen emergency vehicles were driving up and down the beach, shining their beacons into the water in search of something. Then we spotted it, the Fiesta Cruiser that takes tourists out for sunset dinner cruises was aground and slowly moving toward the beach. The high winds and heavy surf were a factor. So was the tidal current.

The boat, which at times carries 200 to 400 people, had attempted to enter the harbor at low tide and struck ground around 9 p.m. Losing its rudder, the storm easily pushed the boat toward the shore. Many of the 44 guests aboard were rescued by the Mexican Navy. A few jumped overboard and swam ashore. One woman had a heart attach and died during the incident. As the tide switched and started coming in, the boat was pushed higher and higher up on the beach. The next morning, the Fiesta Cruiser sat high and dry.

Rocky Point, Mexico

We spent the month of October in Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), Mexico. The highlight of the month was having Gene's daughter, Lori, and her family with us for a full week. They stayed in the highrise condo next to the RV park, The Sonoran Sky.

We chartered a fishing boat and headed out for a fun day. Caught about 80 fish!

Dale poured tequila in layers into shot glasses: carmel flavored tequila, then a layer of cafe, topped by reposada aged 6 months.

The boat crew baited our hooks, took the fish off the line and fileted all the fish on the way back to the harbor. We had baked fish one night for dinner and used some in our ciappino the next night.

Dale reeled in a trigger fish!

Jay's wife, Liz, caught the most fish and was queen for the day!