Face Lift Complete!

Well, almost complete. The only thing left to do is stain the front door and hang the house numbers. On Saturday, we finished the painting, planted flowers around the rose bush, and hung the light fixture and the doorbell.

I have a new appreciation for the careers chosen by my brothers Phil and Joe. Remodeling a house is an orchestrated effort from start to finish with a myriad of details in between. And then there is always the unexpected . . . like the roof tiles Joe discovered fused in place when he began extending the roofline. He was not happy about that hot, frustrating job.

Joe and Gene are off on an adventure helping a friend deliver his power boat from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. When they return in eleven days, the Christmas decorations should all be up and ready to greet Terri and the girls when they arrive on Christmas Eve. We hope they don't recognize the place!

The Children from Nicaragua

A group of twenty children from Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos Nicaragua visited Phoenix last week, part of a fundraising tour sponsored by Friends of the Orphans. FOTO held its annual "Faces of Hope" fiesta at a Scottsdale resort, which included a dinner, auction and a performance by the children.

NPH now has children's homes in nine countries: Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatelmala, El Salvador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia and Peru. Next to Haiti, Nicaragua is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. The children of Nicaragua lived on Ometepe Island until this past week when they moved off the island and onto the mainland to their new home, about an hour's drive from Managua. The volcano on the island has been threatening to erupt and it was necessary to move the children for safety reasons.

My sister Joan and I volunteered in the office prior to the fiesta and helped organize the silent auction items that had been donated. Brother Joe offered his house in Flagstaff where the kids stayed for one night on their way to visit the Grand Canyon, a treat following their final performance at Most Holy Trinity school. Joan and Fritz also hosted Fr. Ron Hicks in their home. Fr. Ron is the Central American Director responsible for the homes in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Next October, children from El Salvador will be visiting the Valley.

Time for a Face Lift!

There comes a point in your life when you start thinking "face lift". Out with the old. In with the new. Put on a new facade!

Since moving into the house eight years ago, we've made lots of changes. We've converted the carport to a two-car garage, remodeled the kitchen and dining room, turned the "Arizona room" into a tiled patio, resurfaced the pool, added a barbecue and fire pit, created a mosaic on the back fence, remodeled both bathrooms and tore out grass and planted desert loving plants. But one area was a bigger challenge than we were ready to face up until now. The arch in the front of the house was outdated, the planters had to be hand watered, and the iron gate had rusted off its hinges. It was time for a change.

The photos above show the house with the arch, my brother Joe (who is a contractor) beginning the demolition, and the arch partially destroyed. As I look out the window today, the arch is gone and the eave has been rebuilt. We've picked out stone for the front wall, and next week the new front door and side window will be delivered. The final steps will be stucco, paint and new pavers for the entryway. When the face lift is completed, I'll post a new picture of our updated look.

Home Again, Home Again

We are now back home in Phoenix after spending five months on the road. Our last week was spent in the San Diego area. Gene loves it there having lived in San Diego off and on during his Naval career. He zips around town with ease, and I get to go along for the ride.

We visited our friends Ellie and Dennis Knight in Fallbrook for a few days, lounged around their pool, picked avocados and fruit from their trees, and headed back to Fiddler's Cove near Coronado with bags of goodies. The Knights have such a beautiful home and property . . . it's always a treat to visit them.

As we were sitting in the RV gazing out the front window at San Diego Bay, the Coronado Bridge and the city and mountains beyond, we began counting our blessings. Safe travels, good health, five years of marriage, visits with family and friends, and a "room with a view" wherever we go. We love "RV-ing". And the climate in San Diego is the best in the country. We truly believe that.

Which is why we decided to make a donation to Friends of the Orphans. We are enjoying ideal conditions while the children's home in Haiti has been damaged by recent storms. Four storms, some hurricane strength, to be exact. Despite their own problems, they extend a helping hand to their community by delivering water and supplies to areas of their country that have been totally wiped out. Hundreds have died. Thousands are homeless and without food and water. Crops and houses have been destroyed. So, if you, like us, have much for which to be thankful, consider sending a donation (any amount will help) to: Friends of the Orphans, 85 Algonquin Road, Suite 395, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Mark it "Haiti Flood Relief". I know firsthand that it will be put to good use. Thank you.

For a report on the damage in Haiti and what FOTO is doing to help, go to: www.friendsoftheorphans.org.

A Rose Named "Sue Streeper"

How'd you like to have a rose named after you? Barbra Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell and Queen Elizabeth are a few who can claim that honor. So can a friend of ours, Sue Streeper. Sue is married to Dick Streeper who grew up with Gene in the foothills of Pasadena. He also attended the California Maritime Academy a year after Gene, along with another buddy, John Cade. John contacted Dick, and the six of us, including John's wife Phyl, spent an evening together in the Streeper's backyard garden this week.

Imagine this setting: a yard 200 feet deep terraced with block walls, fences and wood trellises; a sun getting ready to set and long shadows playing across the lawn and glancing off an array of colors; hundreds of rose bushes lining winding paths and climing over walls; and a table set with candles aglow waiting for twilight. It was magical.

Dick is an expert rose grower (there must be a more professional title). For years he's written a column for the San Diego Union-Tribune and is known internationally as a judge in rose competitions and a designer of gardens as far away as China. He was a founder and inspiration for the rose garden at Balboa Park, one I've visited again and again. Sue is his partner in this labor of love. They bought their home in El Cajon over 40 years ago and slowly turned the garden into the showcase it is today.

Each morning Sue is outdoors early, weeding, trimming, feeding; Dick comes out a bit later, heads to the potting shed or greenhouse where his genius takes over and he creates new varieties . . . like the "Sue Streeper", a living, growing reflection of his love of life and the love of his life, Sue. I am jealous!

I can imagine my roses in Phoenix in shock and suffering through the heat of August while the Streeper's garden is flourishing. I can't imagine what it must be like in Spring at its peak bloom, but I hope we can get back to see it.

A Tug Boat Ride

Our main purpose for being in San Diego this week, besides NOT being in Phoenix where it is still too hot, was to attend a reunion of the California Maritime Academy, Class of '53. The classmates and longtime buddies are all in their mid 70's and they have vowed to get together every two years while they are all still mobile and eager to do so.

The Pete Mattsons and Lou Tejedas (photo attached) organized this year's events, the first being a cocktail party at the Mattsons in Coronado, CA. They live on the water in the Coronado Cays area south of Fiddlers Cove where Liberty Call once was berthed. They have a dock right off their back patio where they tie up "After Hours", their Nordic tug.

On day two of the reunion, those who wanted a ride across San Diego Bay showed up at the Mattsons. Many of these grads had careers on the water . . . Gene in the Navy, others in shipping or engineering. They took turns at the helm and enjoyed being back at sea, if only for a few hours.

We visited again that night at the South Bay Fish & Grill in Chula Vista and selected Tom Hunter as chairman of the next reunion. Out of a class of 61, 17 attended, 25 are deceased, 4 can't be located and 15 were unable to attend. Attached are a few photos from the reunion.

Thanks for the Memories

There are a few great new sculptures next to the Midway in San Diego. One is of Bob Hope standing in front of the troops. All are bigger than life size and all branches of the military are represented. Another is a GIGANTIC sculpture of the sailor kissing the nurse which was from a photo taken in NYC at the end of WWII. If you get a chance . . . stop and see these great pieces of art.

A Day at the Races

Their slogan is "Where the surf meets the turf---in Del Mar!" The month of August is racing month at the famous track. I remember visiting here as a teenager. My Uncle Jack and Aunt Margaret moved here from Chicago. He had been transferred by the USPS and ended up delivering mail in La Jolla. He was lucky not to have been restationed in Phoenix. We always wondered why Mom and Dad stopped in Phoenix (in August 1956) and didn't keep driving to the coast.

Each summer promised one or two weeks at the beach. My cousin Carol was a year older, so I buddied up with her. Everyday we'd grab our beach gear, head down the hill, cross Highway 1 and then billy-goat our way down the steep bluff to the shore. I tried to learn body surfing and more than once got pounded into the sand by a misjudged wave. A healthy fear of the ocean is still engrained in my psyche . . . pun intended.

Yesterday, Gene and I picked up my son Glen and his girlfriend, Julie, who is visiting him for the weekend. We headed to the race track with Glen humming the "surf meets the turf" tune. He's heard it over and over on the radio. Attendance is way down this year. A day earlier they'd had their lowest attendance in years.

It turned out to be a fun afternoon. Glen had never been to a horse race, and Julie had a perpetual "glad to be out of hellish Phoenix" grin on her face. Gene and I each bet $2 per race for 7 races. Total spent: $28. We had two small wins early and then picked the winners in the final two races. Total winnings: $33. Net gain: $5 and lots of laughs. Pretty cheap entertainment. Maybe next year we'll double our bets.

The RV is parked at Adm. Baker Recreation Area in Mission Valley. We'll be here until Sept. 7 and then move to Fiddler's Cove near Coronado for four nights. On Friday, September 12, we'll head to Phoenix. Hope it's a little cooler by then!

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!

Having grandkids in an RV can be interesting. After a big breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, toast and juice, Shawnda bet Riley that he couldn't eat a HUGE piece of cake (left over from the anniversary picnic) in five minutes. If he did, she'd give him $5. I think the money was the big incentive. As he struggled with the final bites, I grabbed my camera. A great photo op! Here are photos of Riley eating the cake and waving his winnings.

Fifth Anniversary Beach Party

The big day finally arrived. We spent the morning running errands . . . picking up the catered food, cake from Costco and a fish balloon. Got to the beach and had help setting everything up. We counted 60 people . . . family, friends and DPYC buddies. Everybody had fun visiting, eating and drinking and enjoying the beautiful day. Some swam in the ocean, a few played bocci ball, but most of us just sat around talking and catching up. Wendy gave the boys some money to rent bikes (see photo of Riley). Dave Booker took the boys out fishing that day and they caught lots of fish!

We sang Happy Birthday to all those with August birthdays, then cut and served the anniversary cake. Dennis and Ellie Knight brought avocados from their grove to share with the crowd. Toward evening, we built a bonfire and, of course, made s'mores.

Thanks to all who came and shared this special day with us. We loved it!!!

Phil's Kayak

Phil bought a kit in December of 2007 to build this beautiful kayak, assembled it in his workroom in Phoenix and had it finished by May. The first launching was his backyard swimming pool, the second, and a wet one, was at Lake Mary. He's had it in the water at Lake Mary about eight times (only tipped twice) and can now comfortably paddle eight miles. A piece of carpet stablizes the boat on the shore while he gets in, then its off he goes to explore the lake, look at nesting osprey and goldfinch feeding on milkweed pods. He says, "they looked like they had a toothpick in their mouth" as they chewed off the seed then spit out the fluff. Who knows where it will take him next.

Nebraska to Arizona

View from the Arizona Welcome Center

Soybeans, silos and corn as far as the eye can see. The scenery heading west out of Nebraska was purely agricultural. I-80 follows the Platte River and passes by attractions that didn't quite pull us off the highway: A Pony Express Station, the Sod House Museum and a ranch once owned by Buffalo Bill Cody, whose Wild West shows once featured sharp shooter Annie Oakley and entertained folks across the country and as far away as England. If it had been spring or autumn, we might have been lured to one of the wildlife refuges to see the sandhill cranes that migrate along the Platte.

The corn began thinning out and getting shorter as we entered Colorado, then was replaced altogether by cattle and open prairie. I couldn't wait to see the Rockies, but was disappointed. As we neared Denver, dark, billowing clouds camouflaged the mountains. The rain never did reach our campground at Cherry Creek State Park, but it did cool the air, and we slept with a quilt that night.

Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico were green from recent rains. We got lucky and saw a few pronghorn antelope along the way, and luckier still when we reached Albuquerque. Thirty minutes after checking in to the RV park at Kirtland Air Force Base the skies opened up and it poured!

The next morning we were headed west again and soon entered Arizona. We were home! Our first stop was the Arizona Welcome Center where we stocked up on a new map and magazines on the Navajo Nation and other sites. One of these days we'll do some local touring. We arrived in Heber and the Munzinger cabin, were greeted by Joan and Carol and in no time were playing Upwords and Scrabble. Cabin sweet cabin.

Today we are in Flagstaff parked, leveled and plugged in outside of Philand Tricia's house. Phil took his kayak to Lake Mary yesterday. This is the kayak he built from a kit . . . and it is beautiful. He's learned to load and unload it from his SUV by himself, launch it without going overboard and comfortably paddle around the lake. It's his escape from reality vehicle.

We'll be in Flag until Friday morning, then head to Camp Pendleton and the California beach. Looking forward to seeing Glen, Jack and Wendy and friends over the next few weeks.

Norfolk, Nebraska and the Taylor Household

Photo: Gene and daughter Lori Taylor at the Missouri River

We've had a relaxing five days with our RV parked along side the Taylor house in Norfolk, Nebraska. Lori arrived home from India on Saturday after a grueling 51 hour journey from Hyderabad, India, via Dubai, London, Washington, DC and Chicago. Rerouting was required due to Lufthansa being on strike. I don't know where she gets her energy, but she got back on the Nebraska clock like she had never left.

Sunday brought a stream of people through the house . . . mostly teens who look to Dale and Lori for guidance and friendship. The role they have chosen at their church is to mentor young people, thus Lori's trip to India to a school they support and Dale's trip to Mexico and the mission where they spent 20 years. Theirs is a mission of faith in action, they proactively participating in outreach programs positively affecting members of their church community, youth and the poor in other countries.

Yesterday, we had some fun. We hopped in the car and drove northwest to the town of Lynch, Nebraska, population 246. Lynch is the smallest city in America with its own hospital, all privately funded. It's right on the border with South Dakota and MILES from just about everything. Ben Davy's grandmother Beth (Ben is Lori's son-in-law) has lived on a farm here for the past 50+ years. Her closest neighbor is miles away, and at 77 years, she still raises cattle and hay. Even mows her own hay two or three times during the growing season. A few winters ago Beth spent 10 days snowed in without electricity or phone. She kept the pot bellied stove burning, stoked the fire every few hours and hung in there until the electricity came back on. Fifty years of "hanging in there" have prepared her for every eventuality. She's a wonderful woman greatly admired by all of her family and friends.

It was interesting to see the farm and fun birdwatching. As I was looking at cardinals, bluejays, goldfinches and swallows, I heard a strange clucking. The sound turned out to be three turkeys headed for the mulberry tree loaded with plump berries. Took a drive down to the Missouri River where Beth's family go fishing when they visit her. Directly across the river is the Rosebud Indian Reservation and the rolling green hills of South Dakota. We hope we can get back here to visit again one day.

Lincoln, Nebraska

If you make a big "X" across a map of the United States, we are right about where the two lines intersect . . . smack dab in the middle or heartland of the country . . . Nebraska. We arrived on Saturday after a long, hot drive. The AC in the dash went out again. This time we decided to install a new compressor. That job has been completed, so now we feel confident about getting through the desert without dying on our way to California in August.

Gene's granddaughters, Crystal and Melissa, and grandson, Ben, live here. We stayed with Crystal, husband Ben and baby Addison (2-1/2 months old---see photo) while the RV was in the shop. The baby is adorable, and it was fun being able to spend time with Crystal. I went with them to their church on Sunday, Grace Chapel, and saw Crystal leading the congregation in song as their music director. Addison will be baptized into their community in September. Ben Taylor also attends this church and is a wonderful, capable uncle, taking charge of Addison at every opportunity.

Melissa and her dad, Dale, are in Mexico right now, and Gene's daughter, Lori, is in India with a church group. We will see all of them when we head to Norfolk tomorrow, the day they all arrive home from their journeys.

The photo of the flowers (above) is from the Lincoln Sunken Garden. The garden was rehabbed about two years ago and is just one of Lincoln's outstanding parks. Tonight we plan to take a picnic to another park to hear a concert and enjoy the outdoors. Hopefully, by 7 pm it won't be too warm. It's been in the 90's everyday this week.

Drove to Omaha on Tuesday and found a Costco. Gas was $3.56/gal. and they had Diet Snapple, which Gene craves and we can't find many places. We had lunch at Lewis and Clark Landing on the Missouri River at a new Omaha park and watched a river boat making its way up and down with tourists aboard.

Our plans are to be in Norfolk for five days with Lori and Dale, then leave for Arizona on Aug. 7th, arriving in Heber on Sun., Aug. 9. Hope everyone is finding a way to stay cool. Looks like the entire country is HOT!!!

Irish Tenors in Branson

Can't believe over 13 days at Lake of the Ozarks has come to an end. Today's our last day, and we plan to tour a cave in the state park and do some laundry (and blog).

On Tuesday, we drove to Branson, where there are over 100 musical shows from which to choose. Everything from Yakov Smirnoff to country to Andy Williams and Ann Margaret. We chose the Twelve Irish Tenors and were not disappointed. All of them had beautiful voices, were good looking and energetic. A great show! I'd like to go back and spend a week taking in two shows a day. And even that would not be enough time.

Yesterday, we drove to the south end of Lake of the Ozarks and found the New Tribes Mission grounds where Gene's daughter Lori went to language school. It sits on a cove on the lake with manicured grass, flowers and trees. A very inspirational setting for the 200 students studying for their mission work. These students will end up in various part of the world bringing the Bible to tribes who have never had the opportunity to hear the good word. We took lots of photos to show Lori. The housing of 30 years ago is still there, but there are also many new buildings as NTM grows to meet its needs.

Bombarded by Buns!

It was featured on the Travel Channel. Lambert's, home of the "throwed buns". One of the top ten restaurants in America to pig out. I checked the map, but it was too far out of the way. So we were totally surprised when on the road to Branson we saw a billboard . . . "Be prepared to be bombarded." There it was, a branch of Lambert's in Ozark, MO.

It was only 11 a.m., but we decided to have an early lunch. This was too good to miss. And it was. We were entertained by buns arcing across the cafe, waiters hawking free sides of black eyed peas, fried potatoes, sorghum molasses (to put on your tossed bun), fried okra and more. I ordered chicken and dumplings, but was disappointed. It was no where near as good as Mom's. Gene had a skillet sized slab of ham that was delicious.

Antique butter churns, hand-cranked wringer washers and even an old green outboard motor like the one Joe used to use on the Colorado decorated the rooms. The walls were covered with old tin signs, dollar bills and license plates from all over the country.

If you're ever in Missouri, this is a not-to-be-missed attraction. And, get there early. When we left at noon, there was a 45 minute wait and a front porch full of hungry people.

Back Into Boating

The offer was too good to refuse . . . $105 per week for the use of a bass fishing boat. We signed up and had a great time exploring Lake of the Ozarks where we are now camped. Bought a fishing license and even caught a few large mouth bass, catfish and white bass. Threw back a bluegill and a small catfish. It was fun! Drove over a swinging bridge too.

Lake of the Ozarks was created in 1929-31 through private funding. It created thousands of depression era jobs and a new tourism industry for central Missouri. The lake is beautiful, with over 1100 miles of shoreline surrounded by oak and cedar forests. We've seen deer and lots of birds, including great blue heron, green heron, summer tanagers, Carolina wrens, tufted titmouse, indigo buntings, red headed and pileated woodpeckers and lots of turkey vultures.

Next week we plan to explore one of the caves in the state park, do more birdwatching and try to find the New Tribes headquarters where Gene's daughter, Lori, went to language school when she was 20. We'll also take a day trip to Branson and try to take in a musical show.

We'll be here until July 25, then head to Nebraska to meet Gene's new great granddaughter, Addison Davy.

At Home with the Chris Browners

The 4th of July weekend came to a reluctant close, and we departed John and Beth Crabbs' farm and headed west. Our overnight choice was Lincoln Trail State Park, a wooded park with a lake and lots of birds: bluebirds, golden flickers, red headed woodpeckers and pileated woodpeckers. And of course . . . robins. Abraham Lincoln passed through here on his way from Kentucky to Illinois.

Next stop, the home of Lisa and Chris Browner (my brother Jack's son) in Edwardsville, IL. The family, including daughters Katie (11) and Rachel (9) moved here from Phoenix last August. They have now seen the four seasons, and the lot on which their house sits is perfect for enjoying them all.

The backyard is surrounded with towering trees, and when the leaves changed colors and dropped last Autumn, they discovered neighbors houses to the rear, as well as a friend for Katie. Winter on the sloping yard brought more friends over with their sleds. In Spring, Lisa planted a garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, broccholi, zucchini, peppers, and string beans, which is wildly growing with little encouragement. Their new house is already a home.

This summer has already brought visitors from afar. Jason, Mandy and kids were here last week, we arrived two days ago, and a few more groups are scheduled in July and August. Maybe they can take in one of Katie's softball games as we did last night. The game ended tied (15-15), and Katie got a hit!

We've played Scrabble and Boggle, gone out for Chinese, grilled chicken and made little cholocate pies with the girls, listened to a beatifully moving Debussy solo played on the piano by Lisa, and got a busman's tour of the town from Chris. We loved hearing Katie play several pieces on her violin. She is advancing quite rapidly with an excellent teacher to help her and will play in the school orchestra this Fall. Rachel will entertain us with her flute and a piano duet with Lisa before we head for Lake of the Ozarks this morning.

Final report: The Browners are happy and healthy and loving their new home and surroundings. And they welcome visitors with open arms!

Amish Country

Saturday was a "tourism" day. John and Beth took us to northeast Ohio where their son-in-law Rick had set up a booth at a Horse Progress Days exhibition. His booth promoted an upcoming plowing competition. Other exhibits sold farm products and held educational seminars. The day's finale was a parade of draft horses pulling surreys, wagons, stage coaches and buggies. There were beautiful teams of Percherons, Clydesdales, Morgans, Leopard Appaloosas, Friesians, Dutch Warmbloods and Spotted and Belgian drafthorses. Gene fell asleep.

The best watching of the day, however, was of the Amish families attending this event and the auctions taking place in a nearby town. These two annual events are social gatherings for the entire family, and literally hundreds of black buggies were parked at each location. All the women and girls wore their white bonnets and long dresses in varying shades of solid colors. The men wore home-sewn trousers, short sleeved shirts and suspenders. Married men had beards.

There were auctions underway all day hawking tools, Amish furniture and horses. But my favorite, and by far the largest, was held in the quilt barn. Hundreds of quilts were hung on rods for previewing, each with an identifying number. The Amish auctioneer described the quilt, including size, then opened the bidding. Most sold from $400 to $600. In a retail shop the best quilts would bring $800 to $1200. I'm sure many shop owners were in the audience.

We passed dozens of horse-drawn, black Amish buggies on the two-lane roads as we drove through the hilly farm country and made a few more stops . . . one for lunch at an Amish restaurant and another at a hardware store catering to Amish farmers. We stopped in Berlin and wandered through country craft stores, then hit a discount fabric outlet. Beth and her daughter Anne bought bolts of cloth to be used in making authentic shirts and pants for their Civil War reenactments. Beth and John's "Ezra Barnhouse Goods" business is gaining a good reputation as a source of supplies for this group. John's made a wagon they use for this purpose, and he and Beth have been featured in a documentary on the history of salesmanship.

The Horses are Loose!

It was 4 a.m. and I awoke to loud whinnying, a snort and banging sound. Next came the pounding of galloping hooves and a flash of white streaking past the RV window. More galloping. As I peered out the window, the white horse disappeared around the far side of the barn.

"Gene! The horses are loose." I fumbled for the cell phone and called John. After a sleepy "hello" and explanation, he and Beth were out the back door in two minutes flat. John approached the barn, "Guthrie, what are you doing?" The white horse was waiting patiently by the pasture gate for John to let him back in. Beth plodded across the back yard in pajamas and black rubber knee high boots (I wish I'd remembered to take a photo) and checked the inside the barn. Guthrie was the only horse that had gotten loose. He'd leaned against the west fence trying to reach the "greener grass" on the other side and in the process a board swung loose. Once out, the board sprung back and he was stuck outside the pasture and panicky since he was now separated from his herd.

By 4:26 a.m. John and Beth had settled the horses down, John had mended the fence, and they were back in bed. Another exciting horse story from the Crabb farm . . . one of many!

The Fourth of July

After a night at a state park in Fort Boonesborough, KY, where Daniel Boone set up camp in 1775 after fighting indians and trailblazing his way west, we headed toward Ohio. We got a bit lost trying to find the Bluegrass Parkway (which we thought would be scenic). Luckily, our meandering took us past elegantly manicured and white-fenced horse farms . . . Man O' War calibre.

We had lunch in Cincinnatti with Gene's granddaughter Jessica and her maternal grandparents, Ruth and Mert Gassert, whom Gene knew quite well. We then drove through heavy rain to Irwin, Ohio, and the Crabb homestead. Gene backed the RV close to the barn and plugged in. This would be home for the next five or six days.

The 4th of July was spent catching up on e-mail, baking pies, phoning the kids and grilling steaks. As we headed out to the RV that night, we paused on the port and John pointed out fireflies blinking their way across the fields of hay out back. It reminded me of childhood days in Illinois when we'd catch them and put them in glass jars with clumps of grass and lids with holes so they could breathe. Ah, the country life!

Thank You Colonel Sanders

Dateline CORBIN, KENTUCKY
We left the Great Smoky Mountains behind and headed north, quickly passing through Tennessee (it's a skinny state). Not far north of the Kentucky border, we saw a brown sign, "Birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Museum", next right. I looked at Gene. "This is it! The only place I've ever been in Kentucky. Want to go?" A nod of his head and we made our exit off I-75.

Corbin, KY, is just a dot on the map along Hwy. 25, once known as the Dixie Highway and the major artery for vacationers headed to Florida. When they built the interstate, they bypassed Corbin, and the gas station and restaurant that built its fame on Harlan Sanders' chicken dinners went bust. Col. Sanders began peddling his chicken recipe across the country, and Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC today, was born.

Today, the Corbin store is a KFC franchise. As the site of the first store, I had flown there from Phoenix to accept an award on behalf of Fr. Bill Wasson, founder of Friends of the Orphans. He had been named an "Amazing Senior" (along with John Glenn that year) and received the Colonel's Way Award and a check for $5,000. It was a big deal for this town. Tony Randall was there, they broadcast the event from a huge media tent, and Randall interviewed Fr. Bill, who was in Europe, by phone.

The museum has lots of memorabilia from the early chicken restaurant days. Gene and I took our photos with a Col. Sanders statue, bought a bucket of chicken for dinner and were on our way after our brief visit. Thank you, Colonel Sanders, for our fun little detour!

BIG Problem and a Lesson Learned

On Sunday morning we awoke to a big problem . . . our awning was sagging under the weight of hundreds of gallons of water. We'd noticed that the bathroom door was swinging open but didn't realize it was because the entire RV was listing to starboard under the awning's weight.

What to do? I could barely squeeze out the door---the drooping awning was blocking the way. Once out, I pushed upward underneath the awning, but it was so heavy I couln't lift it. Only a few gallons spilled over the edge. I did this several times, then had Gene hand me a plastic bowl. Standing on top of the picnic table, I was able to bail a few more gallons out.

Finally, Gene squeezed his way out the door, released the side pole holding up the right side of the awning, and all the water came down in a deluge . . . and Gene landed on his butt in a pool of muddy water! We didn't laugh at the time.

Anyway, we've learned a valuable lesson in physics: always have one corner of the awning much lower for drainage purposes. Duh!?

PS: The awning has dried out and shrunk back to its original form, and nothing and nobody was bent or broken.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This 520,000 sq. mile national park is the most visited park in the USA . . . yet there were vacancies in the RV park and tent campground. The park straddles the Great Smoky Mountains between North Carolina and Tennessee. Park land was purchased from private parties with a $5 million donation from the Rockefellers and $7 million from the people of TV and SC. Its old growth hemlock, oak and pine forests are now protected for all to enjoy. This time of year, the rhododendron are in bloom on hillsides and creek bands. The sight is just beautiful. It's also the month of the heavies rainfall, and we've had thunderstorms every afternoon.

One of the park's goals is to preserve the log buildings and Appalachian culture of the area. At 7 pm on Friday, one of the rangers gave a tolk on story telling. She wove a tall tale and got many of the younger campers involved in playing roles. The next night was music night and we gathered in front of a small stage and tapped our toes to banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar music. The six piece "Apalachian Bluegrass" played and sang for 1-1/2 hours, just before the sky opened up. It poured most of the night (see the next story).

We've driven part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and are now in Gatlinburg on the northern boundary of the park and close to Dollywood. Saw a farm in the backwood that was in use from 1883 to 1925. The chestnut wood log cabin and barn are still standing.

We leave on Wednesday for one night in a Kentucky state park and then on the John and Beth Crabb's home in Ohio for a 4th of July celebration.

From the Sea to the Mountains

Being close to the Atlantic Ocean was a treat. There are flocks of shorebirds flying overhead, miles of grassy marshes, creeks and dunes, and quaint villages of antebellum houses. But, it was getting hotter and muggier by the day . . . so we headed up the coast and inland to northwestern South Carolina and the home of Ruth and Eugene Crabb, Gene's father's cousin. They live in Inman, near Spartanburg, on several acres of land once farmed but now a manicured lawn abundant with trees.

The Crabbs are in their 80's (Eugene is 89). They divide their year between Delray Beach, FL and the farm. There are three houses on the far: the "big house" built in the 1880's which is reserved for guests; a small house they rent out; and their own one-bedroom cottage with screened in porch overlooking a pond and golf course next door. Ruth used to tend the garden, but they now hire a man to cut the lawn and trim the trees. There are apple, pear, peach, fig and lovely shade trees all around! Paula and David would love it here.

Eurgene drove us into Spartanburg (yes, he still drives quite competently), for a tour of Converse College where he once served as dean of the music dept. All of Eugene's siblings played musical instruments in their family band. His granddaughter, Susan, now assistant athletic director at Converse, greeted us at the gymn. Converse is a college for women, and Spartanburg and nearby Greensville each have serveral colleges, some with religious affiliations.

We had a great visit . . . the Genes told family stories and brought each other up to date, I gathered info for the Crabb family tree, and Ruth made homemade peach icecream. We departed feeling very welcomed and wanting to return one day.

Kings Bay and the Georgia Coast

We are now at the US Navy Submarine Base in Kings Bay, GA, at a very nice RV park surrounded by pine trees, ponds and swamp. There are lots of shore birds here, and we've seen flocks of ibis, tricolored herons, little blue herons and egrets passing overhead. Wood storks can be seen in the afternoon riding the thermals with the turkey vultures. Pretty neat.

Everything here is steeped in history. Old St. Mary's on the St. Mary's river is the launching spot for boats going to Cumberland Island Nat'l Seashore. This is an island once frequented by the wealthy, and there are ruins of mansions that the park service will walk you through. Wild horses run up and down the beach and the entire island is a preserve. John F. Kennedy, Jr. was married at a small chapel on this island.

Last week we drove down to St. Augustine, found The Fountain of Youth (a spring and historic site), had lunch at an open air treetop restaurant with a cool breeze blowing, and tried to tour the old fort on the waterfront. But it started to rain and there were a few lightning strikes, so the park service closed it up. St. Augustine is where the Spanish set up their first colony.

Patti Pratley and Tom Regan are now in Brunswick, GA with Tom's boat where they will leave it for the summer. We drove up there yesterday and they joined us for a tour of Jekyll and St. Simons Islands . . . also old, old, old buildings, plantation ruins, all amid live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. We tried to have a drink at an exclusive resort, but they wouldn't let us in! Still quite an exclusive tourist area. We did get into the Sea Turtle Preservation Center and learned all about several species of turtles. They perform surgery on the critters here and rehab them in tanks for all to see.

Tomorrow we leave for northern South Carolina (Spartanburg) to visit Eugene Crabb, a cousin of Gene's dad. They live up in the mountains where we hope it will be cooler. Then it's off to Great Smoky Nat'l Park for five nights before heading to Ohio for the 4th of July with John Crabb, Gene's son.

Attached are photos of Patti and Tom, the fort at St. Augustine and the Fountain of Youth entrance. Hope all is well with family and friends.

A Few Favorite Photos from Trip to Spain