Birthday Trip to Tucson

Posted on November 13, 2014 by admin

My sister, Edith, and I have birthdays five days apart so each year we do something special to celebrate them. With having many fly miles with American, I was able to get both of us round trip tickets to Tucson. We left Cedar Rapids on the 29th of October and returned on the 4th of November. I’ve documented by the day our adventure and I hope you enjoy the read.

October 29: We flew out of Cedar Rapids at 3:40 PM and arrived in Tucson at 9:05 PM with a stop in Chicago. There were no problems and we arrived in good…but tired…spirits. Got our rental car, arrived at the Best Western Royal Sun, checked in and received an upgrade to a suite, got into our suite, and went to bed.

October 30: Sent a note off to Steev and Greta, went to breakfast at the hotel, walked to 4th Avenue and discovered none of the shops were open except Epic Cafe where we purchased coffee. After returning to the hotel, we decided to find WalMart so Edith could get her favorite cappuccino mix; they did not have the mix but I did pick up some flowers for Steev and Greta plus a book for Savanna. We headed over to Steev’s where everyone was home. We decided to go to lunch at Roma; Greta stayed behind to do some work from home. After a delicious meal, we returned to Steev’; Savanna fall asleep during the drive back so she was down for the afternoon. Edith had reserved a massage and facial for me at the Karma Day Spa; what a relaxing, refreshing experience! I need to pamper myself more. We then did another WalMart run so Edith could have another look for her cappuccino mix; we did not find the store so ended up at Safeway where the mix was available. Another return to Steev’s where Greta was preparing a delicious meal of pasta, salad, and bread; Steev got home from work around 6:30 and we sat down for a great feast. Both Edith and I were quite tired so we did not stay to even help clean up. Went to bed upon our return to the hotel.

October 31: After breakfast, we headed to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The 98 acre museum is made up of zoo, botanical garden, art gallery, natural history, and aquarium exhibits. There are 21 acres with two miles of interpreted walking paths, 230 animal species, and 1200 types of plants. Upon arrival, we went to the gift shop so Edith could purchase a hat. She did not find one that she would wear all the time, so I purchased one for myself and loaned it to her for our stay…I also got some cactus candy for Mary and Joe. We hurried outside to get to a spot where they were letting raptors fly. Fun experience. After the flight, we stuck to the main path and wandered around; it was a great time. Had late lunch at Mother Hubbard’s in Tucson; burger was good but took a long time to arrive. We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around our room; Edith took a nap while I read the paper. We took a walk down to a gas station where Edith bought some lotto tickets. After showering, we headed over to Steev’s; Greta was still at work. She had ordered pizza from Magpie for the evening and it arrived just when she did. It was very good! After eating, they gave each of us birthday cards and brought a cake with candles along with singing Happy Birthday into the living room; that was so kind and thoughtful of them. I cleaned up the kitchen and we the headed back to the hotel where we retired around 10:00. Tomorrow all of us are going for a drive up Mt. Lemmon.

Raptor in flight

Graceful swan

Time for a nap

Wild flowers in desert terrain

Teddy Bear Cholla

Sweet Savanna

November 1: We had breakfast and relaxed at the room until Steev picked us up around 10:30 or so. Because Savanna has been fighting ear infection, we decided not to take the long drive to Mt. Lemmon but visit the Tucson Botanical Gardens instead. The Gardens consists of seventeen specialty gardens within 5.5 acres; it was originally the home of Bernice and Rutgers Porter, dating back to the 1920’s. The featured exhibit was Butterfly Magic; within the greenhouse, we were able to see some of the most beautiful and exotic butterflies of the world. What a delightful, tranquil oasis; we walked through all the gardens and enjoyed every moment of it! We left the gardens and came back to the hotel to pick up our car; Steev, Edith, and I went to lunch at World Wide Wrappers while Greta went to their home to put Savanna down for her nap. After lunch, we took Steev home and then returned to 4th Avenue where we did some shopping. I found three neat things at the store Greta, Savanna, and Steev gave me a gift certificate from for my birthday. Because Savanna had broken out with a rash the night before, Greta took her to the emergency room; we waited at the hotel until we heard from them on whether we were going out to eat at the Mexican restaurant or staying in. We sat outside and relaxed; when we did hear from Steev, we decided to stay here and give them a night to relax without having to cook and entertain us. So we ate at the motel restaurant and both of us enjoyed our meal. Lights were out by 9:30.

Savanna ready to go

Butterfly Eating

Blue Frog

Family enjoying gardens

Lovely cactus garden

Edith and I

Savanna likes water on the rocks

November 2: We went over to Steev’s for coffee and left with them for Cyclovia Tucson which is the local interpretation of an international phenomenon known as Open Streets events. Open Streets events are exactly what they sound like – they open streets to people by closing them to cars for one day, and allow people to explore different parts of their city by jogging, walking, bicycling, skating and just playing. They are non-competitive and there is no start or finish line. There are all kinds of activities, such as rock climbing, that everyone can enjoy. This event had approximately 30,000 people participate. Edith and I broke off from Steev, Greta, and Savanna; we continued to walk the route but stopped at Caruso’s (an Italian restaurant) on 4th Avenue for lunch. On our way back to our car, we ran into Greta who was taking leftover Halloween candy to Steev, who was volunteering at one of the cross street intersections, to hand out to folks are they passed by. That evening, Steev and Greta got a baby sitter and took the two of us out for a birthday dinner celebration at Proper, an upscale restaurant which features fresh, straightforward food with quality ingredients from local and regional sources whenever possible. My lamb curry was excellent! After the meal, we went to another establishment for ice cream…yummy! We were dropped of at the hotel where we made plans to drive up Mt. Lemmon the next day.

Getting wagon ready for Savanna

Animals out of paper

Rock climbing

Arizona Party Bike

Greta/Savanna delivering candy

November 3: Before leaving on our ride to Mt. Lemmon, we went to Steev’s where Greta had made us scones…delicious!! After eating the scones, we were driving off toward Mt. Lemmon. Mount Lemmon, with a summit elevation of 9,159 feet, is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains and is located in the Coronado National Forest. Mount Lemmon was named for botanist Sarah Plummer Lemmon who trekked to the top of the mountain with her husband and E. O. Stratton, a local rancher, by horse and foot in 1881. The Catalina Highway, also called the Mount Lemmon Highway, runs up the Santa Catalina Mountains from the east side of Tucson up to Summerhaven, at the top of Mt. Lemmon. What a beautiful, curving road; it is no wonder it has been recently designated as the Sky Island Parkway, part of the US National Scenic Byway system. Summerhaven is a very small community and it did not take us long to explore all four shops in the area. We had lunch at the Iron Door Restaurant, across from Ski Valley. It was a relaxing lunch in very pleasant surroundings with a personable waiter. After our drive back to Tucson, we went to our hotel where we packed for our departure the next day and took showers. Greta, who had taken Savanna to the doctor that afternoon, called with an update and invited us over to hang out while waiting for Steev to return home from work. However, he got home before we were able to get out of the parking lot so Steev/Savanna picked us up for the drive to La Indita, a Mexican restaurant, where we ate dinner; Greta had biked to her work place so met up with us at the restaurant. Every time I am in Tucson, I love going to La Indita’s because of the great tasting food in a relaxing and family friendly environment. And they love Savanna! Because of an early flight in the morning, we said our “good byes” to Greta, Steev, and Savanna after dinner.

Edith at scenic turn out

San Pedro River Valley

Aspen leaves turning yellow

Five of us at La Indita

November 4: Because our flight was leaving at 7:00 AM, we were up at 4:30. Got our bags in the car, checked out of the hotel, and headed for Hertz car rental drop off at the airport. Returned our vehicle, checked in at the American counter, and got through security. Since we had such a short time in Dallas, both of us decided to check our bags. We then found a place for coffee and breakfast. And it was time to board; however, American announced that their aircraft did not have any lights in the main cabin and maintenance was working the issue so there might be a slight delay in departing. After 15 or 20 minutes, American announced it was ready to board so on the plane we went. However, the captain came on the public address system and announced there was still a problem with the electrical but maintenance was working the issue. After another 15 to 20 minutes, the captain announced that our flight was being cancelled so we should disembark the plane, retrieve our luggage, and check back into the American ticket counter to be placed on another flight. Once we got to the ticket counter area, American personnel handed us an 800-number we could call to see if our problem could be resolved before getting to the counter. At this point, Edith took off to retrieve our luggage while I called the 800-number on my cell…and, miracle of miracles, I got a gal on the first try!! She was able to get us booked on a 9:45 AM flight which got into Cedar Rapids around 4:00 PM. Again, we went through Security and, while waiting at the gate for us to board, I called Mary and Joe to let them know the change in travel plans. And, of course, there was a slight delay because of bad weather in Dallas. However, we got off the ground about the original departure time and arrived in Dallas about 1 hour and 15 minutes before our next flight. But there was another problem…there was no gate for us pull into so another wait. FINALLY, we arrived at the gate and had 15 minutes to get from one terminal to the other for our next flight. Needless to say, that flight was delayed about 15 minutes which helped; once we arrived from Terminal C to Terminal B, we heard the announcement of “last boarding call to Cedar Rapids” so I took off running! Made it to the gate where they assured me that we would be able to get on the flight. Once Edith arrived, we boarded and encountered another 20 minute wait before we took off. The flight went well and we arrived in Cedar Rapids shortly after 4:00; it was wonderful to be back home with Mary and Joe greeting us with smiles on their faces.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Posted on September 25, 2014 by admin

September 19 – 21: My friends, Mary and Joe, and I decided to attend the 2014 Minnesota Renaissance Festival the week end of September 21/22. If you have not heard about this festival, here is some history. It began its journey in September of 1971 on a 22 acre field in Jonathan, MN. More than 25,000 people visited the two weekend grand opening of the festival than named “A Celebration of Nature, Art, and Life!” That celebration has since relocated to Shakopee, MN and has grown to be the largest Renaissance Festival in the United States with an annual attendance of 300,000. Organizers of the Minnesota Renaissance may consider moving a short distance south if the annual celebration of medieval life has to give up its current site. Its lease expires in 2016. The owner of the annual festival is negotiating with the landowner to stay at the grounds where so many visitors to the staged village fair have watched jousting and eaten giant turkey legs. The Minnesota Renaissance will remain where it is for at least three more years. There will be a festival in 2017 — whether it be at the current site or a new site.

We left on Friday, the 19th, and drove to Chaska, MN. via IKEA where we had reserved lodging at the Grand Stay Inn and Suites for Friday and Saturday night. Our lodging was approximately 5 miles from the festival. Friday evening we had a very enjoyable meal at Tommy’s Malt Shoppe which is next to the hotel. After dinner, we went to our respective rooms where I answered email and watched the special on public television regarding the Roosevelts; the last sequence will be shown on Saturday evening.

On Saturday, we met for breakfast in the hotel dining area. After eating, we decided to take off to the festival even though we would arrive before the gate opened at 9:00. I have been many times to this festival but, this year, the entrance was at the Queen entry instead of the King’s; a deep gravel pit has replaced the open space where thousands of visitors used to park their vehicles by the side of the King’s entrance so it is not accessible. Once we entered the kingdom, we decided to walk all the way around the festival while keeping to the outside wall. Besides having stalls of people selling their wares, there was entertainment on the stages along with many of the visitors dressed in costume of medieval time.

At the Queen’s Entry

The bouncing flame

Selling shoulder animals that are furry and move

It’s a family affair

The first entertainment we watched on stage was called Puke & Snot. Their act was opened by a musician called Monkey Boy who did a fantastic job with music and humor. After his act, it was time for Puke & Snot who put their own spin “trademark brand of mock-Shakespearean vaudeville to audiences composed mostly of morbidly obese, turkey-drumstick devouring, semi-conscious yahoos.” Their act is audience-participation, and provides many hilarious and memorable moments! They started out at the 1975 Minnesota Renaissance and have performed at the festival every year since. Their comedy is cleverly disguised in Shakespearean Wit and Verse. It is not an act that I would recommend for families with young children. But it is an act I remember from previous visits with my late husband who really enjoyed them.

Monkey Boy

Puke & Snot

More of Puke & Snot

After Puke & Snot, we wandered and came upon the Black Isle Belly Dancers. This group performs tribal fusion dance which is the modern form of belly dancing. They incorporate elements from both folk and classical dance styles. We did not watch their whole show because we came upon them when their show was almost over. The hardest decision of the day was where to get lunch; with over a 100 food vendors, it was difficult to choose. While having lunch, the parade of people participating in the festival came by.

The parade

Black Isles Belly Dancers

Elephant ride anyone?

It was now time to make our way to the joust track where full combat armored jousting was taking place. For those of you who do not know what jousting is, it is a martial game of the Middle Ages between two horsemen who use lances. The primary aim is to strike the opponent with the lance while riding towards him at high speed, if possible breaking the lance on the opponent’s shield or armor, or unhorsing him.

Parading down the track

Time to mount up

Armor adjustment

I’m on the horse; he’s on the ground

After the jousting, we made our way to the stage where Cale the Juggler was performing. For those of you who do not know juggling, it is the manipulation of one object or many objects at the same time, using one or many hands. From the time of William the Conqueror, a ‘King of the Jugglers’ appeared at the court and would continue to appear through the Middle Ages. Whoever held this title had many rights to go with it. There is also a medieval legend of a juggler who, having nothing else to give, made an ‘offering’ of his juggling skills before a statue of the Virgin and Child in church. According to some variations of this story, the Madonna or Jesus caught one of the balls. This performance was going to be our last act of the day.

Turtle pulling wagon with beer barrel; notice the driver.

Cale is getting warmed up

Playing with fire

We decided it was time to go back to our hotel; our parking spot was quite close and we made it back to the hotel within 10 – 15 minutes (it took people over 3 hours to get back later in the evening). Our evening meal was a walk up the street to the Patron Mexican Restaurant. While eating, the sky opened up and there was a downpour of rain; we were glad to be inside! On our way back to the hotel, we stopped into Tommy’s for a hot fudge sundae; not something I needed but something I wanted. We went our separate ways and I watched the final installment of the Roosevelts on public television. Got up the next morning and, after breakfast, we headed home. What a wonderful week end! Thinking back brings a smile to my face. A wonderful time with two beautiful friends; who could ask for anything more?

Enjoying Mexican food

France Adventure: Southern and Home

Posted on September 24, 2014 by admin

August 26: We had our luggage placed outside our cabin door by 7:00 so personnel could load it onto the buses taking us to Monaco. I had breakfast with Jan, Rob, and Ginni; afterwards, we boarded a bus for our journey to Monte Carlo. Halfway to our destination, the bus stopped at a convenience store where we could purchase lunch, drinks, etc. Ginni and I decided we would wait to have our lunch once we arrived at the Fairmont Hotel where we were spending the night. Shortly after 1:00, we arrived at our hotel; because we could not check in until 3:00, we took our luggage to a room reserved by Avalon. Ginni and I had lunch in the hotel dining room where we had excellent food and wonderful view of the harbor. We took a walk and stumbled upon the Japanese Gardens; a lovely, quiet place. Upon returning to the hotel, we were able to check in; we retrieved our luggage and went to our room which was very nice. Both of us signed up for the evening tour which consisted of driving by bus to the “Rock” where the palace, governmental buildings, cathedral where Princess Grace and Prince Rainier were married and buried, and other landmarks were pointed out to us by a local guide as we walked the area. The guide told us that Monaco is the world’s second-smallest country and has an unrivaled density of millionaires and billionaires; it does not have taxes. In 1297, the fortress was captured by Francesco Grimaldi; in 1997, the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi Family Dynasty was celebrated. Prince Albert oversees the governing; his wife, Charlene Wittstock, is expecting their first child in December. After the walking tour, we traveled to the Vista Palace Hotel & Beach Resort for our evening meal. Appetizers and drinks were served on a terrace overlooking Monte Carlo; dinner was in the dining room. It was a wonderful way to “cap” off our evening!

On our way to Monte Carlo

“The Rock”

Japanese Gardens

Waterfall in gardens

In the Cathedral

Outside the Cathedral

Changing of the Guard

Palace Entry

Harbor of Monte Carlo

Myself and Ginni on the terrace

Monte Carlo at night

August 27: Ginni and I were picked up by a driver who took us to Nice where we had booked lodging at the Holiday Inn for the night. A friend of mine, Monique, lives in Nice and I wanted to have the opportunity of seeing her while I was in France. The driver dropped us off at the hotel where we stored our luggage and received a room number from the hotel staff before starting a 3-hour tour of Nice; our room was to be ready for us when we returned around 12:30. The tour started with a visit to Castle Hill where we had a breathtaking view of old town and the port. From there, we proceeded to the Cimiez area where we could view the Fransciscan Church, referred to Church of Assumption, and walk through the Mediterranean gardens. Within the gardens, we visited the Les Musées À Nice and viewed the roman ruins located within the area. Next, we went to Old Town where we walked the flower market; I purchased some fresh flowers to give Monique when we caught up with her later in the day. Upon arrival at our hotel, we were told they were giving us an upgrade but the room would not be available until 3:00 (we believe our original planned room was given to a large group who registered around noon). I contacted Monique and asked her to delay her arrival until 3:15. We had lunch at the restaurant within the hotel and, at 3:00, our room was ready. However, we discovered it was two beds put together as one; I called the lobby and said we needed a room with two beds. One of the staff brought us keys to another room and, when we entered the new one, it was exactly like the first one. We went down to the lobby and the manager approached us with the question “What is wrong with the room?” We explained that we needed two beds and not one; he explained they had no rooms with two beds and they could not separate the two as one because of the headboard. Our comment “We don’t need a headboard; move it away from the headboard and it will be fine”. During all of this, Monique was sitting in the lobby waiting for us. After introducing her to Ginni, off we went to the shopping district but neither of us found anything to purchase. Monique took us to her apartment where she served us appetizers plus spritz, a drink made with champagne. Then on to Davisto, an Italian restaurant, where Monique had arranged our meal of fresh fish (acquired that morning from a fisherman) along with accompaniments; it was excellent! Since we had to be up and ready to journey to the airport at 4:15 the next morning, we said our “good byes” shortly after 9:00. It was an evening filled with lots of laughter and cheer; I was so glad to have the opportunity to see Monique once again!

Nice from the hill

Church of Assumption

Les Musées À Nice

Roman Ruins

At dinner

Home: We got up around 3:30 in order to be ready for our transportation to the airport at 4:15. The driver was on time and, upon arrival at the airport, we discovered that the American Airlines personnel were not on duty yet so we waited about an half hour before we could check in. After going through security, we went to the lounge where we stayed until our flight was called. The flights back to the good old USA were uneventful; Mary and Joe were at the airport to greet me as planned. In summary, the overall trip was excellent and I am glad I finally got to see France. All of the country is beautiful and the people friendly. Paris was too crowded with rude tourists but I was happy to visit this beautiful city with the added bonus of spending time with Jeannette and Allan. If you are planning on traveling to France, my recommendation would be not to go in the August time frame since that is their holiday season so there were large crowds and many stores closed. The cruise was very relaxing and I was able to meet some wonderful people. But next time I would consider a different airline than American. As always, it was good to go but it was good to be home with my cats, pond, and flowers!

Beauty and Cutie

My pond

Flowers

Backyard

Watching the world go by

France Adventure: Riverboat Cruise

Posted on September 18, 2014 by admin

August 19: We checked out of the Pullman and waited with our fellow passengers for buses to pick us up. The buses took us to the train station where we boarded the TGV train to Dijon; the train traveled about 183 mph and we got to our destination by riding through the beautiful French countryside. We got off of the train and boarded a bus heading to Beaune which is the unofficial capital of the Côte d’Or area. Beaune owes it wealth to the production, aging, and selling of fine wines. And it is also known for its mustard production. A local guide provided us with a tour of Hôtel-Dieu charity hospital which was built in 1443 after the Hundred Years’ War left many of the town’s population destitute; it was paid for by the chancellor of Burgundy. The chancellor felt this goodwill gesture would buy his way into heaven. Today it houses Van der Weyden’s painting of The Last Judgment and is one of France’s architectural highlights. We had some free time to wander the streets of Beaune before getting on our bus and continuing south to Chalon-sur-Saône, where we boarded our cruise ship called Avalon Scenery. Our luggage had been brought from the hotel and awaited us in the cabin. We settled in and then went to the lounge where we met our crew at a welcome reception. As we cruised on the Saône River toward Tournus, we had our evening meal in the dining room. All evening meals consisted of wine, an appetizer, soup, main course, and dessert. This evening I choose slow roasted Veal Loin with fresh herbs as my main course. After dinner, we went back to our cabin for another glass of wine and bed.

Train station in Paris

French Countryside

Carousel at Beaune

Streets of Beaune

Courtyard Hôtel-Dieu

Avalon Scenery

August 20: After breakfast, a local guide took us on a walking tour of Tournus, a delightful town tucked away in the southeast corner of Burgundy. Tournus is one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in the region with the superb Abbey of Saint Philibert, a fortress-like Romanesque church with many interesting features. Dating mainly from the 11th century with a 10th-century crypt, it boasts an impressively tall nave with an unusual vault, carved capitals, an important Romanesque statue of the Virgin and Child, and newly-discovered 12th-century floor mosaics depicting the zodiac. It was well worth the visit! We had some free time to stroll through the quaint streets and explore the arts and crafts shops near the abbey. After lunch, Ginni and I joined a tour of “Chardonnay & Mâconnais – Wine Tasting”, an area between Mâcon and Tournus. When giving thought of the Burgundy region, a person would think there would be more reds produced than whites; however, this area produces 60% white and 40% red. All the vineyards are groomed by 95% hand labor vs. 5% machine. And all pruning is done by hand. The process takes a total of 8 years from start to when the wine is drinkable. Many local people, upon the birth of their children, will purchase wine intended for the child’s future wedding reception with the thought the wine will be properly aged. Our wine tasting took place in the cellars of a historic medieval castle, one of the several we passed along the way. The landscape was spectacular, and we had a stop at the dramatic prehistoric site of the rock of Solutre which is now flanked by vines. That evening we had dinner with two couples, Pat and Chris, and Jan and Rob from Australia. A delightful evening of getting know our fellow passengers; both couples seem very nice.

Cruising Along

More Cruising

Abbey of Saint Philibert

Floor Mosaic

Narrow streets

One of many vineyards

Rock of Solutre

Castle of Wine Tasting

August 21: This morning we cruised before arriving in Lyon around noon. Lyon is France’s second largest city and is considered it gastronomic capital. It was founded by the Romans in 43 BC, and it prosperity dates back to the 16^th and 17^th centuries when it became specialized in the fields of silk-spinning and textiles, banking, and printing. It is also the place where both the Sâone and Rhône Rivers flow thru the city. After lunch, a local guide showed us Fourvière Hill where we got an wonderful view of the city along with the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière which was built between 1872 and 1876 over an ancient Roman forum and next to the existing Chapel of the Virgin. We were taken to a area of over 100 murals plus Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways and Place des Terreaux, a popular area with cafés, monuments, and a famous fountain often seen on postcards. This evening we joined Jan and Rob for dinner; the dinner was prepared by a local chef and the ship’s chef. There was a local Parisian singer who performed in the lounge that evening.

Entering Lyon

Botanical Gardens/Park

Lyon from Fourvière Hill

Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière

One of many walls of murals

Old Town area

Famous fountain

Dinner with Ginni, Jan, and Rob

August 22: Ginni and I participated in a tour of the Maison des Canuts, a living museum which reveals the richness and quality of silk industry in Lyon and is the only place where manual looms, invented by Jacquard, are in use. After getting a demonstration of how the loom works, we went across the street where we heard the history of silk, the life of the “canuts” (silk workers of the 19^th century) and how the regional textile industry has evolved since the late 20^th century. We then had free time to shop within the gift shop; however, the price of the lovely silk pieces were too high for my wallet. We were then transported to a local fresh market which had meat, wine, poultry, cheeses, flowers, etc.; it was very interesting to wander by all the various merchants. The only purchase I made was some wine for my cabin on the ship. Once the tour was completed, we had lunch on the ship and spent the afternoon reading/relaxing. That evening we had dinner with Rob and Jan. The ship was cruising its way to Tournon this evening.

At the market

Ginni looking at cheese in the market

Chickens with heads

Leaving Lyon

August 23: This morning we were docked at Tournon; instead of doing the walking tour of the city, I went with Jan and Rob to the local fles market running along the shore. I did find a couple more Christmas presents for friends back home. We left Tournon before noon and made our way to Viviers. On the way to Viviers, the ship went through another lock and dam; I believe we had a total of 12 we went through over the week of the cruise. Ginni and I had signed up for a tour of the ship’s galley which we enjoyed; it is unbelievable the amount of food with such good quality that comes out so small of a space. Another treat we had today was a chocolate tasting in the lounge in which we sampled three types of chocolate and all were Yummy! Upon arrival at our destination, a local guide provided a walking tour of the city which I did not participate in; I think, after all these days, I needed one day of not doing any tours while being able to “veg” out on the ship.

Approaching low bridge

Jan at the market

Cruising thru French countryside

Going thru a lock and dam

Part of galley

YUM–Chocolates

August 24: Today we are in Avignon; it is the capital of the Vaucluse region and very picturesque. The city sprang to prominence when it became the papal residence during the 14^th century and many of the buildings from that period, including 3 miles of defensive fortifications, have survived almost untouched by time. A local guide provided us with a walking tour of the “City of Popes”. We saw the Palace of the Popes and the Bridge of St. Bénézet in which the popular song Sur le Pont d’Avignon is based. After the tour, Ginni and I did some wandering on our own; I purchased a watercolor painting from a local artist. We made our way back to the ship and had lunch. This afternoon we went on a tour of the famed wine cellars of Châeauneuf-du-Pape; there are 13 allowed varieties in Chateauneuf du Pape (14 if you count Grenache Blanc separately from Grenache Noir). Grenache is the primary variety, followed by Syrah and Mourvedre as well as Cinsault. About 97% of the wines here are red, and emit wonderful flavors of gamey spice, blackberries and currant, as well as the herbs and spices that are known to grow in the region. One thing of special interest are the grapes grow on soils covered with stones; the stones reflect and absorb the heat which quicken the ripening of the grapes and they help hold in moisture so the soils do not dry out by the southern French sun. This evening we went to the lounge to listen to the activity director provide information on the disembarkation process. And it was a farewell dinner in the dining room with Rob, Jan, Ginni, myself meeting Anne and Paul from Australia for the first time. After dinner, a group called “Gyspy Kings” entertained in the lounge. During the night, our ship sent sail to Port St. Louis at the mouth of the Rhône.

Walls at Avignon with Palace in background

Another view of the wall

Bridge of St. Bénézet

Entering Palace of Popes

Hall within the Palace

Sculpture in palace courtyard

Wine tasting room

Notice the rocks in the soil

Another view of the vineyards

August 25: This morning I went to breakfast before Ginni (who did join us) and had an opportunity to spend time with Paul and Anne; they seem like a very delightful couple. Jan and Rob, who have been great companions for most of the journey, joined us. During breakfast, our ship sailed toward Arles. Arles is located on the northern tip of the Camartgue and is the capital of the Provence region. Once docked, a local guide provided a walking tour of the city; however, Ginni and I opted to explore it on our own later in the day so we spent the morning reading, catching up on emails, and closing out our tour accounts. The chef made French crepes for lunch and they were delicious! We then went into Arles stopping at various shops and viewed the Roman Amphitheater from the distance. Upon returning to the ship, I decided to get my packing completed for leaving the ship the next day. The ship sailed away about 6:30 that evening; we were in the lounge for a champagne reception with the Captain and port talk given by the activity director of what was scheduled for the next day. After the embarkation dinner, I went with Jan and Rob for a night cap on the outside deck.

France is a place of flowers in the windows

Chef preparing crepes

Fountain at Arles

France Adventure: Paris

Posted on September 7, 2014 by admin

Since an early age, I had always wanted to tour France. Avalon Waterways had a riverboat tour of France on Saone and Rhone Rivers; I contacted my traveling friend from St. Louis, Ginni Campbell, and we decided to take an August tour plus some additional days in Paris. Jeannette and Allan, who reside in Ireland, decided to join us for the week end in Paris.

August 12: Mary and Joe picked me up this morning around 10:00 a.m. Got checked in at the airport, had lunch with the Robinsons, said “good bye” and headed thru security. Once we got to the runway, the pilot announced an hour wait since Chicago had closed down all traffic because of bad weather. Finally got the word from traffic control that we were cleared to fly; at Chicago, we waited outside the gate area for American personnel to be available to “swing” out the gate; the wait was approximately 20 minutes. Found out where Ginni’s flight was coming in and went to her gate; her flight had been delayed an hour also. Once she appeared, we headed to the Admiral’s Club were we spent time until 30 minutes before our scheduled flight to Paris at 5:50 PM. Arrived at the gate to find out that there was a delay because the plane we were to board had refrigeration problems. About every 20 – 30 minutes, another delay was announced. After an hour or so, American announced they were bringing in another plane; however, when it arrived, it was discovered a bird had gone into the engine and needed maintenance. Finally, at 11:00 p.m., they announced the flight was cancelled. Luckily, Ginni and I were standing at the front of the ticket counter so we were the first to get reservations for the next night. We were given vouchers for lodging, taxi from/to the airport, and food. They did not let us know that only certain taxis would take the vouchers so we had to wait for a taxi which would accept them. We had not eaten, believing we would eat once on the plane, and all the eating places at the airport were closed. Got to our hotel, registered, and found out there were no eating places opened where we could walk to so we called a company which delivered sandwiches to our room. By this time, it was 1:30 in the morning and both of us were exhausted!

August 13: After waking up, we placed a call to our travel agent. She had already gotten us seat assignments for the evening flight, had contacted the hotel that we would not be there this evening (we still had to pay for the night since we did not give 3-day notice), and was in the process of contacting Travel Bound, the tour agency where we had paid for a full day tour of Paris, to see if it could be moved from Thursday to Saturday plus include Allan and Jeannette. We checked out of the hotel, took a taxi back to the airport, checked in, got through security, and had lunch at Wolfgang Puck; each of us had $24 worth of vouchers from American but we still had to add some of our own money to cover the cost of lunch. Ventured to the Admiral’s Club lounge where we spent the afternoon waiting for our 5:50 flight; while waiting, I heard back from our travel agent that the tour had been moved without any additional expense and would include Jeannette and Allan. The flight was announced, we wandered down to the gate, got on board, found our seats, had a glass of champagne, and the plane took off on time. After having drinks, appetizers, and dinner the cabin lights were lowered and I went to sleep.

August 14: Woke up to the cabin crew distributing breakfast; mine consisted of fruit, yogurt, and french rolls. Landed in Paris on time, got through passport control, and picked up our luggage (no Customs to speak of); our driver was waiting for us. At this point, both of us were all smiles! Got to our hotel, Montparnasse Pullman, checked in, and then decided to take a nap before adventuring outside. After three hours of napping, we got ready to explore. From what I had read and heard, the Montparnasse Tower, provided an excellent view of Paris for a lower price and less lines than the Eiffel Tower. So we headed to the tower but, on the way, found a cafe whose special was beef burgundy…it was excellent! Got to the tower and rode it to the top. A little history about the tower: it was inaugurated in 1973 and reaches 689 ft. in the air. The lift that connects the ground floor to the 56^th floor reaches it in just 38 seconds. What an amazing view! After taking in the sight on the 56^th floor, I walked up to the outdoor terrace on the roof (3 more floors up). On our way back to the hotel, we found a store where I purchased socks plus both of us wine for our room. Got back to the hotel and decided to have a couple drinks in the hotel lounge which proved to be interesting. While sitting by the windows, we saw hotel security being very active outside. This went on for awhile and we finally learned that the President of Sudan was arriving. His family was dropped off at the front of the hotel but we never saw the president; guess he was taken in a “secret” door. Tomorrow we are going on a tour of Giverny and Versailles Apartments.

Paris, we’ve arrived!

On our way to hotel

Beef burgundy, YUM

Our hotel from tower

Know what this is?

View of Paris from tower

August 15: Had breakfast in the hotel dining room, found a taxi, and made our way to the city center where we got our tickets for the tour and boarded a bus. It was a beautiful day with sun and blue skies. We drive to the village of Giverny where we visited Monet’s home with its beautiful gardens. Monet’s house is pink and has colorful décor along with charm. The beautiful flower gardens and famous Japanese bridge spans over 2.5 acres. On our way to Versailles, we stopped at a country inn for lunch. What a beautiful setting with green countryside, an old mill, and water flowing by. And it was now time for Versailles, a reminder of the grandeur of classical French architecture. The decoration and layout of the entire site reflects the will of King Louis XIV, who was known as the Sun King. The beautifully decorated State Apartments (which contain the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen’s Apartments) would have been more enjoyable if there would not of been wall-to-wall people who were rude and obnoxious! The tour guide said the sight receives 27,000 visitors per day…and I believe they were all there during my visit. When we got back to Paris and our hotel, we hooked up with Jeannette and Allan who had flown into Paris that morning. After getting a drink and toasting to Tom’s memory (he passed away 2 years ago today) we decided we wanted to find a “local” eatery for our evening meal and found it at Les Tontons; part of Montparnasse that is not touristic so it was mainly locals we saw. Good atmosphere, food, and conversation. After dinner, we decided to go into a place down from our hotel that had live jazz for a drink. Good time was had by all!

Monet house and garden

Garden at Giverny

Myself and Japanese garden

Lunch site

Enjoying the moment

Courtyard Versailles

Statue of Louis XIV

One of many fireplaces

Queen’s bed chamber

Waiting for food

August 16: This morning we were scheduled for a full day tour of Paris and our driver, Max, appeared at the hotel right on time. Allan and Jeannette were going on the tour with us. Max took us to see major sites; Notre Dame Cathedral where we had time to walk through and around, Marais district, Louvre museum, Garnier’s Opera, Vendome Square, Concorde square, Champs-Elysées avenue, Arch of Triumph, Invalides, Montmartre and the Place du Tertre, the Sacré Coeur Basilica which is on top of a hill and provides a fantastic view of the city. After three hours of Max providing an excellent history lesson on Paris, he retrieved tickets for us to go up to the first level of the Eiffel Tower later in the day and provided us with tickets for lunch on a boat of the company “Bateaux Parisiens”. The boatfrom the River Seine gave us a completely different view of Paris; we viewed the miniature Statue of Liberty given to the French by America. There was live entertainment on board after lunch. When we docked, we proceeded to the Eiffel Tower where we got a marvelous panorama view of Paris. Then made our way back to the hotel via the subway; thank heaven Jeannette and Allan seem to know which one to take. That evening we found a seafood restaurant, Vin et Marée, for our evening meal. Everyone was quite pleased with their food except for me; I had a hard time eating fish that still had a “little” wiggle to it.

Notre Dame

Arc de Triomphe

Opéra de Paris

Place du Tertre

Sacre Coeur Basilica

Paris view from hilltop

Bridge over Seine River

Mini Statue of Liberty

Cruising Along

Under the Eiffel Tower

View from Eiffel Tower

Another view of Paris

Ginni and I

Jeannette, Allan, myself

August 17: We were to meet Allan and Jeannette in the lobby at 9:00; however, neither of us woke up until 9:00 so made it to the lobby around 9:45. Off we went to the Orsay Museum which is located in the center of Paris on the banks of the Seine; the museum was installed in the former Orsay railway station and was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. Ginni and I explored the second and fifth floors while Jeannette and Allan went off on their own. We saw works by Salle, Rodin, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Cachin; these are just a few of the artists displayed from collections dating 1848 to 1914. By the time we left the museum, we were hungry for lunch so we found a place across the street of the museum who made crepes. All of us were really disappointed; lesson learned is never eat at a place across the street from a museum. After lunch, we found our way to Tuileries Gardens which we walked through and had a glass of wine at a table by the pond. Then we made our way to the courtyard of Louvre. Ginni and I decided to grab a taxi while Allan and Jeannette stayed to get more pictures. We made it back in time to attend a Welcome Reception by Avalon for those passengers who had arrived in Paris; out of the 120 passengers scheduled on the cruise, 42 of us attended the reception. That evening we had dinner at the Losserand Café which had decent food and good atmosphere. However, they would not take my credit card because it does not have the international chip required by some places. Since my credit card company told me before the trip that my card did have the chip, I will have to discuss this with them when I get home.

Tuileries Gardens

Refreshment time

Gardens and Louvre

Pond with Louvre in background

Glass pyramid in Louvre courtyard

Another meal

August 18: Ginni and I decided to explore by ourselves so we headed to the shopping district of Rue Cler; once we got there, we discovered that many of the shops were closed due to the holiday. However, I did find an item for Savanna in one of the few stores opened. After walking both sides of the street, we went into a cafe to look at the map in order to determine where we would go next. The waitress could not speak English but she did send another worker over who did. He advised us to go to Rue du Commerce where there are two blocks of authentic French shopping without tourist shops. As we proceeded to walk toward the area, a gentleman stopped us and explained he was part of the local Chamber of Commerce. He asked us some questions, gave us a survey with self addressed envelope to fill out, and recommended we shop the Rue Saint Dominique street. So we went to both areas; once again, many shops were closed. It was well into the afternoon; we found a cafe where we ordered lunch and tried to figure out where we were located. Unfortunately, the waiter did not speak English so we looked at the nearest intersecting street to get our projected location. After eating a delicious lunch, we headed in the direction we thought our hotel was located. We kept looking for Montparnasse Tower to use as our guide; after walking for what seemed like many hours, we located the tower in the distance so we headed in that direction. We had walked 6.5 miles before making it back to our hotel. Allan and Jeannette joined us for dinner that evening; we went to Le France, a cafe up the street from our hotel. Another good evening which was livened up with another patron getting upset over her bill; a shouting match between her and the waiter entailed. She left the premises but came back with another gal; both of them started yelling at the waiter and the manager. Both waiter and manager kept walking away, probably to gather their composure, and would return to the women for more shouting. Finally, the waiter pulled out his wallet and gave the woman some money; both the manager and waiter walked away while leaving the two gals sitting on the stools. They wanted to argue some more but gave up and left. I don’t think I have ever heard such loud confrontation in a restaurant; all of us felt sorry for the waiter so we gave him an enormous tip. Since we were leaving Paris the next morning, we said our good byes to Allan and Jeannette and went back to the hotel for our last night’s stay there. I was glad for the time spent in Paris but, to be honest, I will be glad to leave.

Allison’s Wedding

Posted on July 22, 2014 by admin

Tom’s niece, Allison, was getting married on July 9th in Denton, TX to Josh Fuel so I decided to fly in for the wedding and stay for the reception which was being held on July 11th. The day-by-day activities are outlined below:

July 9th: I arrived a few minutes late on American Airlines which was no big deal since I got into Dallas at 9:30 AM. Lynda and Jim picked me up; we returned to the Red Roof Inn where all the family was staying. Nephew Michael got in about an hour later and, while Jim went to collect him, Lynda and I filled out registration forms for my room and Michael’s. Note: the staff at the Red Roof Inn could use a course entitled “How to Be Efficient With Staff”. The four of us spent part of the day running errands for the wedding reception on Friday; we went to Hobby Lobby, Target, Barnes and Noble, and Costco. Temperatures were quite high…above 100…the whole time in the area so I took lots of showers while there. Sarah and Mike, Tom’s sister and brother-in-law, arrived around 4:00. The Barnes’ left for the chapel for picture taking; we went later and stopped at Burger Time Machine for our evening meal on the way. The wedding was held at Little Chapel-in-the-Woods on the campus of the Women’s Christian College in Denton; the chapel was difficult for us to locate and we were almost late. The chapel is beautiful and the ceremony was simple, short, and very nice. My camera did not work the best so please excuse the quality of the pictures.

Inside chapel

Mr. & Mrs. Fuel

Silly wedding party

The wedding party

Family picture

After the wedding, a reception was held at the Italian Villa where there was beer, wine, appetizers, and cake served with the option of ordering off the menu if you wished. A good time was had by all with toasts given and stories told.

Card house

Time to relax

Brother to brother

Cake cutting

Got back to the hotel around 11:30…late for this old lady…I read briefly and turned out the lights.

July 10th: Slept quite well and did not wake up until 7:00 A.M. We went for breakfast at Denny’s where the service left something to be desired; our waiter did a good job but there were not enough wait staff for the amount of people being served. After breakfast and once Jim ran some errands for Allison, we went SHOPPING. We went to Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Froggy’s (where I got a couple Christmas gift ideas for Savanna), Restoration Hardware (very disappointed they do not carry gadgets anymore), The Container Store, and Macy’s. Lunch was at the Old Fashioned Soda Fountain which made an excellent Chocolate Malt. Got back to the room about 5:00; after checking and responding to emails, I went to the Barnes’ room with a glass of wine. Allison called and it was decided we would meet her/Josh at the Texas Roundhouse.

Making a Point?

Listening intently

We returned to the hotel where everyone went to their respective rooms. I made some phone calls and read before turning off the lights around 11:00 p.m.

July 11th: Once I got up, I looked online for the news, organized my suitcase for an early departure the next morning, showered, got ice for my cooler, and met everyone for breakfast at Danny’s. Mike, Sarah, Lynda, and I decided to visit The Sixth Floor Museum located in Dealey Plaza, the place where John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Even though it would of been better if the exhibits were further apart, the details of before and after the assassination was quite impressive.

Where JFK was shot

We had lunch at Chick Filet; it was the first time I had ate at one and their soup/salad was very good. When we returned to the motel, everyone went to their respective rooms to rest and get ready for the wedding reception that evening. The reception was held at the Jackson Pavilion at Lake Grapevine; Lynda, Jim, and I arrived a few hours early in order to assist in the preparations. The affair was quite nice with excellent food, good conversations, casual & beautiful setting, and a very happy newly married couple!

Let’s sign the rock

Myself with Lynda

Getting tables ready

Unloading time

Food preparation

Starting to gather

Isn’t love grand?

We are having fun!

Allison & Daddy-in-Law

Sibling caring

Since some of us had early starts the next morning, we did not stay for the fireworks. Made it back to the motel, read, and fell asleep. Lynda came to my door at 6:00 the next morning, the 12th, to make sure I was awake. I said my good byes to Lynda and Jim who were driving back to their home in Ohio. My flight was leaving at 7:20 a.m. so I took the 6:50 shuttle to the airport. There was no problem getting through security and my departure gate was right by the secure area along with a Friday’s restaurant so I ordered breakfast…the service at the airport was significantly better than at the Danny’s. No problem with the flight, got to my car, and drove home with arrival around 11:30 a.m. I was so glad I could attend Allison’s wedding along with meeting her new husband and in-laws; I believe she and Josh are going to have many, many happy years ahead of them.

Michael and Sara’s Wedding

Posted on June 6, 2014 by admin

Nephew, Michael, was getting married on May 16th at the White Star Park in Fremont, OH so I left on Tuesday, the 13th, heading to the home of the groom’s parents, Lynda and Jim. My plans were to get to their home on the 14th by early afternoon so I drove for about 4 hours and stopped at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Ottawa, IL for the evening. Upon the recommendation of the staff at the inn, I had dinner at Woody’s Steakhouse which was excellent both in food quality and service.

On the 14th, I left the hotel good time and was pleased to discover the traffic around Chicago was not bad; all the years of road work around the area has finally paid off! Because of the good start, I arrived at Lynda’s around noon their time. The rest of the day and evening was spent visiting with Lynda, Jim, and niece Allison who had flown in from Texas. Allison will be getting married in July so Lynda and Jim are experiencing both of their children weddings within two months of each other!

The next morning we had breakfast and then got ready for a shopping excursion at a nearby town called Defiance. Sister Sarah, from Adrian, MI, joined us. While going from one shop to another, we ran into Michael. Since it had been years since I had seen him, it was great to talk to him and see how happy he seems to be. We had lunch at Kissner’s, the restaurant where Michael and Sara first met. Because of having to be at the rehearsal by 4:30, after seeing sister Sarah off, we got ready and left for the park. Upon arrival, we discovered everyone was going to be late except Michael and the wedding coordinator. What a cold, drippy evening! Once everyone arrived, the rehearsal began. When it was over, everyone drove to the Residence Inn where the wedding party and out-of-town guests were staying; a rehearsal buffet had been set up.

Waiting

Stand here?

The happy couple

That’s funny!

Sara, keep warm!

Jim at the buffet

The morning of the wedding, Lynda and I went back to Defiance to return an article of clothing I had purchased the day before. When we arrived back at Lynda’s, Linda and Mike Morley arrived from Niles, MI. They have been friends of Lynda and Jim for years and years. We had lunch and then got ready for the wedding. Since my vehicle had the most room, we took it with Jim as the designated driver. First stop was at Michael’s where Jim, the best man, helped Michael with his tie. Second stop was the park for the wedding whose theme was based on Moonrise Kingdom, the first film Michael and Sara saw together and related to. Many of the guests came dressed from the time period of the movie. Third stop was the reception which was held at Ole Zimm’s Wagon Shed in Gibsonburg, OH.

Friends

Dad “teaching”

Cool Ties!

Groom & Mom

Bertholds & Groom

Groom’s Shoes

Mom with friend

Allison

Father & Bride

Coming Together

Wedding Party

Mr. & Mrs. Barnes

Neat wedding cake

Cousins

Newlywed Table

First Dance

The morning of the 17th, Linda/Lynda/myself drove to Adrian in order to visit with Sarah and Mike. After lunch at El Chaps, a Mexican restaurant, we went to see niece Jana and her family. I had never seen her youngest son, Joey, who is 2 years old and full of energy. Daughter, Megan, is 6 and seems very mature for her age. Upon leaving the Schutte residence, Mike provided us with a tour of Adrian. And we just had to shop at a couple stores! When we returned to Lynda’s, the Morleys decided to spend another night. We went out to eat at Mom’s Diner in Archbold. Since I was leaving early in the morning, I said my “good byes” to Allison and Mike/Linda.

After a cup of coffee and ‘good bye’ hugs from Lynda & Jim, I headed to the toll road and drove west. Stopped for lunch at Wise Guy’s Grill in Princeton, IL. Got home about 2:30 central time. It was a great trip! I am so glad of the relationship I have with Tom’s family and it was wonderful to spend time with them. My new vehicle, Subaru Forrester) drove well and averaged 33.1 mpg. The wedding and reception was based on the Moonrise Kingdom theme; it was casual, fun for all, and it was great to see how happy Michael is with his new bride…I hope they have a many years of happiness as Tom and I did.

Savanna’s First Birthday Trip

Posted on May 28, 2014 by admin

From April 20 thru the 29th, I drove to Tucson and back in order to be there on Savanna’s first birthday. Since this is the first driving trip of such distance where I drove it by myself, it was interesting to discover I really enjoyed it!

April 20: Beauty and Cutie decided to pull over the trash can in the bathroom at 4:30 a.m. so I did not have to worry about waking up early enough to get an early start; I left my property at 7:00 a.m. As I approached Kansas City, I noticed the cottonwoods were blooming and I became excited about seeing colors besides the brownish/green back home. Stopped for lunch at Perkins in Gardner, KS. Very uneventful day with some rain drops in Kansas. After driving 9.5 hours and 610 miles, I stopped for the night at Best Western Night Watchman Inn located in Greensburg, KS. Upon checking in, I found out the town only has ONE sit down restaurant and it was closed because of it being Easter. There was a deli at a local gas station where I purchased a chicken sandwich plus raw vegetable tray that I ate in my room. Spent the evening reading, sipping on wine, and watching some TV. Tomorrow I am heading to Alamogordo, NM.

April 21: Left the hotel about 7:00 and headed south on Highway 54. Today I crossed four states; Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. The terrain was the same in all the states except New Mexico where there were hills. I saw lots of irrigation equipment in fields, cattle either in pastures or lots, wind energy towers, and tumbleweed flying across the road in front of me. And only in Texas does the speed limit for narrow two lane roads be 75 mph. Had lunch at Tucumcari, NM at Denny’s and filled up with gas. The “Road Work Ahead” signs were out in force in New Mexico. On my way into Alamogordo, I stopped at a couple pistachio farms for shopping and wine tasting. I stayed at Holiday Inn Express and, upon the recommendation of hotel staff, I drove across town to a local establishment called Pepper’s for dinner. It was excellent! Returned to my room, called friend Ginni to discuss our future trip to France, and read. An overall summary of the day found me thinking alot about Tom because we had traveled many of the places I saw when we considered retiring to New Mexico; this brought smiles at the good memories but longing for his company. I traveled a total of 590 miles for 9.5 hours of driving.

Terrain in KS, OK, TX

New Mexico Hills

April 22: Slept late this morning, walked 2.5 miles which felt good because traveling without exercise makes me feel like a Goodyear blimp, showered, had breakfast, and got on the road about 9:30 mountain time. Once I drove onto I10, I went through a Border Patrol checkpoint which is kind of a joke because the patrol looked at me once I had stopped and said “Good morning and have a nice day”. Had lunch at a Subway. Arrived at Steev’s around 2:00 pacific time; as I was driving into Tucson, the temperature was in the mid-90’s so I started up the air conditioner only to discover it was not working. Greta arrived home from work about 2:40 and Steev left for his video shoot which would last through the evening. Sweet Savanna woke up from her nap; she has really grown and changed since Christmas time. I went to the Best Western Royal Sun for check in; they gave me a full suite for the price of a standard room. After unpacking, I returned to Greta’s where she made vegetable pasta plus toss salad for our evening meal; as is usual with Greta’s cooking, it was very good. Greta gave me the address and phone number of where they take their vehicle for auto repair so called and made an appointment to take it in the next day. That evening I made a deal with Savanna: I would read to her if she slept thru the night; she agreed so I read her three different stories with reading one of them four times…it was fun! The evening was so nice temperature wise that we ate and visited on their patio. Savanna fell asleep in her mother’s arms about the same time it hit me that I was tired so went back to the motel quite early. After checking email, I got ready for bed; read in bed briefly before felling asleep. Today I had drove 340 miles and 5 hours; overall trip was 1540 miles with 24 hours of driving. This is the first time in my life that I drove that far on my own; I am proud of my accomplishment!

Let me go Mama

Grandma Reading

Keep reading Grandma

Grandma’s Future Hawkeye

April 23: Woke up shortly after 6:00; before I knew it, it was 7:30 so I quickly got dressed and headed over to Steev’s. After a cup of coffee, I took my car to repair shop with Greta/Steev/Savanna leading the way. After getting the car checked in, they dropped me off at the University so I could walk back to the motel while they headed to the hospital for Savanna’s six month check up. The walk was 1.5 miles to the motel where I had breakfast and showered. Steev picked me up on their way back from the hospital; Greta went to work and the three of us “hung” out at the house. We went to lunch at an Italian deli which was very good. After making a visit to Greta’s place of employment for a short visit, we headed to a splash pad that Savanna had liked in the past but was not excited about it on this visit. On the way back to Steev’s, we picked up my car which they did not fix because it was an air compressor and would of cost +$1200 so I decided to wait until I got home in order for me to be able to discuss the matter with the service folks at the local Nissan dealer. When Greta came home from work, Steev left for another evening of video shooting. The evening was spent having good conversation while playing with Savanna. Upon my return to my room, I read for awhile and went to sleep.

Splash pad fun

Front yard landscape

Chicken Yard

Backyard Garden

April 24: Took a walk and had breakfast at the motel. Went to Steev’s where he made me another great cup of coffee. I watched Savanna while Steev went grocery shopping. We had lunch at the Mexican place on 4th Avenue; Greta was able to join us for some conversation. After lunch, we went to the children’s museum in downtown Tucson; what a great adventure! Savanna especially liked the tunnel with mirrors and pinwheels on the wall. Went back to Steev’s; he did some work while Savanna took a nap and I read. Greta came home and Steev left for his video shoot; Greta went to the bank while I watched Savanna. For dinner, Greta fixed frittata with fresh eggs graciously laid by their chickens. Went back to the motel around 8:30.

The tunnel of mirrors!

Does air do that?

Pinwheels are fun!

Want to be friends?

April 25: Once again I took a walk and had breakfast at the motel. Then I went to Party City to get some pinwheels for Savanna’s birthday party. Did not do much at Steev’s except “hang out”. Steev made lunch and we cleaned up the kitchen afterwards. He worked inside and outside of the house while I read and Savanna napped. In the evening, Greta fixed the pasta salad for the party tomorrow. We went out to eat at the Thai place where we have eaten on previous visits. Back at the motel around 8:30.

Dogs thinking PARTY

The family relaxing

April 26: Today is Savanna’s birthday so I had an early breakfast and headed to Steev’s. After wishing Savanna “Happy Birthday” and getting a cup of coffee, we skyped with Allan & Jeannette who moved back to Ireland the previous Monday. After the call, Greta prepared scones and brownies while I cut up fruit for a salad; these food articles were being taken to the party which was a picnic in a local park. Upon arrival at the park, we spread out blankets and placed the food on a table. Besides Savanna, there were 10 people which included Savanna’s maternal grandmother and husband, Savanna’s brother and cousin on the maternal side, Savanna’s aunt, uncle, and cousin on Greta’s side. Everyone had a good time but especially the kids with trying out the playground equipment, flying kites, blowing bubbles, and spinning pinwheels. Rain came about the time Savanna thought a nap would be good. This evening I said my good-byes to all since I am leaving early in the morning.

Cousin & Savanna

Melon cake

Cake Time

Kite flying

Let’s Play!

Sisters & Savanna

Rainbow @ day’s end

Trying new chair

April 27 – 29: Left Tucson around 7:00 in the morning on the 27th and reached Tucumcari, NM early evening where I registered at the Best Western Discovery Inn. Had my evening meal at K-Bob’s Steakhouse which was across from the hotel. On the 28th, I drove to Ottawa, KS where I stayed at Comfort Inn and ate at Applebee’s next to it. Both of these days proved to be very stressful driving with dust blowing across the interstate causing very poor visibility and VERY high winds which pulled on the steering wheel. It was not until I got into Kansas that dust blowing discontinued. On the 29th, I got on the road good time and made it back home by 1:30 in the afternoon. Beauty and Cutie were happy to see me; I was glad to be home. It was a great trip with lots of time with Savanna…I already miss not being able to hold her, tickle her, and read to her…I’ll just have to make it back to Tucson in another three or so months.

Trip to Arkansas

Posted on April 11, 2014 by admin

On Sunday, March 9th, Mary and Larry Nelson along with myself left Cedar Rapids about 10:30 am for an adventure to Arkansas. In Kansas City we visited the Nelsons former babysitter for about 1.5 hours. Larry, our driver, was not tired so we drove to Joplin, MO where we registered for the night at the Fairfield Inn. Since it was after 8:00 when we stopped, we decided to walk across the street to a pub/grill for a late dinner. We spent the next morning exploring downtown Joplin (there are still areas that have not rebuilt after the tornado which swept through the town a few years ago) and than drove back roads to our destination of Bella Vista, AR where friends Joyce and George Sheldon live. After greeting our friends, we headed to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (crystalbridges.org) located on 120 acres in Bentonville. What an experience! The museum was very well put together and we spent a delightful afternoon walking through it; the sad part was we did not have enough time to spend on the outside walking the various trails and seeing sculptures.

One side of museum to other

Outside sculpture

Nelsons, myself, Sheldons

We did have time to visit the gift shop where I found a birthday present for my grandbaby Savanna. That evening we ate at Gusanos Pizzeria in Bella Vista.

The next morning, March 11th, we had breakfast at a local cafe and then headed to War Eagle Mill located outside of Rogers, AR. It has been located on the site as early as 1832, but was destroyed three times, and last rebuilt in 1973. The mill currently operates as an undershot gristmill, and houses a store and restaurant. After making some purchases and walking the grounds, we headed to Garfield where the Pea Ridge National Military Park is located. The park maintains the battlefield of the 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge. We spent time going through the museum and watched a film which was a re-enactment of activities that transpired months before and through to the battle. The day ended with our taking a self-guided driving tour around the battlefield. On the way back to Bella Vista, we ate at the Whole Hog Cage which is a BBQ place located in Bentonville. It was a very nice, warm day so the evening was spent on the patio off of the Sheldons apartment talking and sipping some wine.

After having coffee on March 12th, we headed for Lake of the Ozarks to visit Linda, a friend of the Nelsons. We had dinner at Shrimp Daddy’s in Sunrise Beach with a single’s group that Linda belongs. The evening was extended with our having a couple drinks at a local bar which was enjoyable. Reservations had been made at the Guest House Inn & Suites at Osage Beach so we headed there once we said “good bye” to Linda. The next morning, after breakfast and checking out of the motel, we did some shopping and had lunch at a French bistro. It was time to head back home; we arrived at the Nelsons around 5:30 or 6:00.

Another good trip which was not very long but long enough that I was happy to get home to Beauty and Cutie.

Off to Visit Sister in Austin, TX

Posted on March 21, 2014 by admin

On February 23, I flew from Cedar Rapids to Austin, TX to visit my sister, Edith, who had 4 days off from her traveling nurse job at a local hospital. After a slow drive due to heavy traffic, we stopped and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Los Pinos, not to far from the campground where Edith has parked her camper. Lucky for me, I was able to rent a cabin right across the street from Edith which meant I was able to “visit” with Junior, Midnight, and Mama; these are Edith’s three cats. I have to admit Mama was not a very good hostess; she hissed and hide away every time I came to the camper. The morning of the 24th was warm and sunny. Got an early start because of the distance we wanted to travel that day. We headed for the Wildseed Farm close to Fredericksberg, TX. This is one of my favorite places to visit! I purchased a top and necklace which goes nicely with a skirt I have in my closet. Then we headed to Pipe Creek, TX where we planned on visiting with one of Edith’s old neighbors, Jack. Along the way, we stopped at Luckenbach, TX which is 10 acres that has, as its oldest building, the Post Office-General Store-Bar which opened in 1849 by Minna Engel whose father was an itinerant preacher from Germany. The community, first named Grape Creek, was later named after Minna’s husband Carl Albert Luckenbach. While there, Edith and I were entertained by the bartender who played guitar and sang.

Singer, guitar player, bartender

We arrived at Jack’s around 1:30 in the afternoon and had a very good visit. Since it was warm and sunny, we walked Jack’s yard looking at his cactus gardens and swing/overlook of the valley.

Enjoying view from swing at overlook

Jack’s cactus garden

Jack and Edith

On our way back home, we stopped for dinner at a brew pub in Johnson City. Arrived home and, after visiting with Midnight/Junior, headed back to the cabin to read and prepare for the next day’s activity of shopping at two huge outlet centers along with visiting Sam (Edith’s grandson) and his family.

Woke up on the 25th to light rain and cold temperature of 47; not the type of weather I expected for Austin. After having coffee, we headed to the San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger Outlet Center; these outlets are on the same side of the road but separated by a street. The rain did not let up and the temperature did not get higher throughout the day. But we did have a good time shopping. We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant located by the outlet centers. When we got back to the Austin area we traveled to Sam’s apartment to see him and his children, Cameron and Autumn. Sam is my great nephew.

Grandma Edith with Sam

Cameron and Autumn

After our visit with Sam, we stopped at a local grocery store and picked up some soup/bread for our evening meal which we ate in my cabin. We spent the rest of the evening talking. Because of the heavy traffic Edith experienced on her way to pick me up from the airport on Monday, we decided to leave early the next morning for the airport where I would check in and we have breakfast together before my departure. However, when we arrived at the airport, I did check my bag but we discovered that there was no breakfast being offered outside of security. So we said our “good byes” and I went through security. The travel from Austin to Cedar Rapids was uneventful. Mary and Joe were waiting to pick me up; on our way to my home, we stopped to eat dinner at Coop’s in Shellsburg.

All in all, a good trip with great conversations with Edith, Sam/his family, and Jack but it was very short with our trying to “cram” much activity in such a short time.

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