tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31008468938963063042024-03-05T11:14:49.406-08:00Rich BurlinghamRich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-35190241600306986752020-10-23T14:07:00.003-07:002020-10-23T15:55:21.806-07:00American Rights<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTypwRA4GJ3iB6d9xr1lL4V5ueWop8EWA1K1-0K7s9ZiVfGfBLvBpbznPOs27CN7KqtEH1chcD61EP2BJV1ep7IImSPZnY7eMlaZvxPAV11WlLNBEStx6Cw0EoGWM-68xNZGCt_b2p6Vm/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="472" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTypwRA4GJ3iB6d9xr1lL4V5ueWop8EWA1K1-0K7s9ZiVfGfBLvBpbznPOs27CN7KqtEH1chcD61EP2BJV1ep7IImSPZnY7eMlaZvxPAV11WlLNBEStx6Cw0EoGWM-68xNZGCt_b2p6Vm/" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here are parody song lyrics I wrote for the times we are alivin'. I would love for someone who can sing and play guitar (or piano) to record this, even if just on your phone, that would be great! Please send me a copy. Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZVALq2HOeE" target="_blank">here</a> for an instrumental version of American Pie</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">American Rights (to the tune of American Pie by Don McLean)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Written by RA Burlingham</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A short, short time ago</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I can still remember how</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The country used to make me smile</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And I knew that if I had my chance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That I could make my family dance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And maybe they’d be happy for a while</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But January made me shiver</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With every Fox News story delivered</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bad news on the TV screen</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I would just look and scream</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I can’t remember if I tried</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">To find a place where I could hide</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And something ached all inside</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Did you write the book of laws</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All so perfect, and without flaws</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If the White man tells you so?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Do you believe in equality?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Can honest acts save humanity?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Without ever, losing your mind?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Well, I knew you wanted out of this</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">‘Cause I could feel your angst and fading bliss</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We broke those sacred rules</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Man, you made me get the blues</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I became an aging office schmuck</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With a broken marriage and a bad prenup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And I knew the country was out of luck</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I started singin’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For three years now, it’s the same old tone</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">While people flounder, foreign countries moan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But, that’s not how it used to be</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When a woman pledged to you and me</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With hope she borrowed from a Kennedy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And a voice that said that all of us are free</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And when our heads were looking down</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A businessman stole the woman’s crown</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The courtroom was adjourned</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A no-guilty verdict returned</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And while Putin sat in his hallowed halls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He smiled and thought, I have his balls</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And we all wondered why the gall </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We were singin’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Helter skelter in a Covid swelter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Staying home in our fallout shelters</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Cases rising and deaths grow fast</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It doesn’t really matter who it grasps</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Health officials warn the plague will last</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But the businessman says, the virus will soon pass</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Then a Black man lost his voice too soon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And the people marched to a frightful tune</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We all got up to rant</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Black lives need a chance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And when the players made the open field</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They refused to sing while on one knee</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Do you recall what it revealed?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We started singn’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And here we are sheltered in one place</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Generations lost in space</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">With little time to start again</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Come on Don be nimble, Don be quick</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Donny boy sat on a candle stick</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">‘Cause fire is the devil’s only friend</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And as I watched him on the stage</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My hands were clenched in fists of rage</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All the top men who fell</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Couldn’t keep us from his hell</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As the protests chimed into the night</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Asking for our equal rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I saw Satan laughing with delight</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He was singin’</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I went online to fight the blues</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I hoped to see some happy news</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But I just had to turn away</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I keep my distance, mask on face</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And try to drown out the rants of race</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But the noise there just continues to play</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And in the streets, the people screamed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The mothers cried and the children dreamed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But no good words were spoken</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The church bells all were broken</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The founding fathers I admire most</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">George W, Tom and Johnny’s ghost </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">They caught the last train to the coast</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The day democracy died</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And they were singing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This’ll be the way that I lie</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And they were singing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Bye, bye Miss American Rights</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Drove with Sally to the rally but the rally was hype</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And them good ole boys were tweeting racist bytes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Typing this’ll be the way that I die.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p></p>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-20269325407411550572020-10-17T23:17:00.003-07:002020-10-23T13:27:34.028-07:0025 of the Best Movie Ending Scenes of All Time - Part II<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIZD5j53eyWuIiP614335a2wWtIxhyphenhyphen5IlqCY9Qcn1R0DFPY8FHrJv45Th8Cki1hZoY7GYDGlrj4fvfyjv2zShCkUExdJWppogaIVaGV9vTb_B2Qqcm1xuaWCSqd8icS7wEvv6FHnCHhQ4/s1123/TheGodfatherPoster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="794" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIZD5j53eyWuIiP614335a2wWtIxhyphenhyphen5IlqCY9Qcn1R0DFPY8FHrJv45Th8Cki1hZoY7GYDGlrj4fvfyjv2zShCkUExdJWppogaIVaGV9vTb_B2Qqcm1xuaWCSqd8icS7wEvv6FHnCHhQ4/w167-h236/TheGodfatherPoster.jpg" width="167" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>ere is part II of the 25 best movie ending scenes. Now, I realize that any kind of “best” list is very subjective, but I do have some gauges that I use to determine what I believe is a great ending scene. I’ve alluded to these within my remarks on individual movie endings, but I thought I’d mention some of these before finishing the list.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Are the images captivating, artistic, unique and elicit an emotional response beyond what most films do?</li><li>Are the performances compelling, rise above the normal and layered?</li><li>Does the scene sum up or put a big exclamation point on the entire film?</li><li>Does the scene linger in the mind after the credits have finished and either moves you emotionally or makes you think or both?</li><li>Is the dialogue such that it is not only memorable but contains lines that have entered into the national consciousness and repeated often. </li><li>Is the scene one that is mentioned often by critics, fans and others when talking about the film and cannot be left out of discussions about the film.</li><li>Does the music not only complement but becomes as memorable as the rest of the elements in the scene?</li><li>Does the scene provide a message or commentary about social, political, philosophical, or other issues that continue to resonate or be examined years after the release of the film?</li></ol><p></p><p>I do not mean a scene has to include all of these to be great, but several of them for sure. Without further ado, here are the next 11 great endings to complete this list. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjhA_-fcTcRLY_2JiAicojew-hFddvhsNI41mkcafMoJHGJVGMUu4F9iExh4QgHVfLIUYfEUuIgwndjp_eEtMtYysO9z7Lc6ADTclOl0rfa4y1QF0bNHRTjVYgUeCWeFt-qV351Hy2Oum/s1280/TheGodfather_ending.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjhA_-fcTcRLY_2JiAicojew-hFddvhsNI41mkcafMoJHGJVGMUu4F9iExh4QgHVfLIUYfEUuIgwndjp_eEtMtYysO9z7Lc6ADTclOl0rfa4y1QF0bNHRTjVYgUeCWeFt-qV351Hy2Oum/s320/TheGodfather_ending.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><i>The Godfather (1972)</i></b> is another film on many top 10 lists, as well as its sequel, <i>The Godfather Part II</i>, almost in tandem. Not only does it have outstanding performances (Brando, Pacino, Caan, Duvall, Keaton, Cazale, Vigoda), but dialogue that is still quoted today and that has entered into the world’s lexicon, thanks to Mario Puzo, such as: “I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.”; “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”; “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”; and “Sleeps with the fishes”. Simply hearing Nina Rota’s score also conjures up images of all things mobster and phenomenal direction by the great Francis Ford Coppola, the “Don” of this classic series. Even the poster is memorable. And, of course, it has a great ending. It is a combination of performance, writing and visuals that together act as a revelation of the completed transformation of the main character. Michael Corelone (Al Pacino) begins as a youthful, innocent youngest son of an Italian-American crime boss, Don Vitto Corelone (Marlon Brando), who marries outside his ethnicity as the story begins. As the tale progresses Michael goes through an emotional osmosis and like a piece of metal to a magnet is pulled into the family business by necessity, becoming the antithesis of what he was at the beginning of the film – the ostensible heir to the family business. The ending is simple, solidifying Michael as the new Don, meeting with a consigliere, his hand being kissed to show respect and status, all shown from his wife’s perspective - down the hall and through a doorway. It is the coda on his metamorphosis. The door then closes, shutting his wife out of the conversation, which he would not have done at the start of the story. But it also means that he has also shut out all his morals and ethics and has now committed to become a crime boss, shedding any sense of his incorruptibility or virtuousness that he may have had in his past. Cue music. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zBwKbq02ds" target="_blank">See ending here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGs0H5pfWWcaxa1eyNIR94ZgmscgDLcUE4HiLQquf48Z7rxbwAP57ejJx4EIC67pJnfm123GnCdulHcN-VzFqzVFYq4LsYnAD6Ek26TzB9CGgP4yMuhklijQyeNB7kv7m4hpmzUiIoam1/s600/Chinatown_ending.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGs0H5pfWWcaxa1eyNIR94ZgmscgDLcUE4HiLQquf48Z7rxbwAP57ejJx4EIC67pJnfm123GnCdulHcN-VzFqzVFYq4LsYnAD6Ek26TzB9CGgP4yMuhklijQyeNB7kv7m4hpmzUiIoam1/w282-h141/Chinatown_ending.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><b><i>Chinatown (1974)</i></b> is a mystery film noir directed by the infamous Roman Polansky and written by academy award-winning screenwriter Robert Towne about the water wars in Los Angeles during the early 20th century. More than any other film, <i>Chinatown</i> has been studied by film students since its release and the ending is considered its most innovative scene, checking most of my criteria boxes for great endings. The imagery and setting create more than it seems. Noir films, as the word implies, take place mainly at night (and mostly shot in black and white, yet not this one), symbolizing the corruption that infests a city and this final scene unfolds in the title’s location. The protagonists and villains square off. Polanski keeps the camera at eye level, with little cutting and no extreme closeups to allow the audience to emulate one of the onlookers watching the confrontation. Like <i>Sunset Boulevard</i>, there are no winners, just death and despair among the main characters. The performances from Jack Nicholson (Jake), Fay Dunaway (Evelyn), and John Huston (Noah) shine, with all embodying their characters to a tee. Finally, it has a final line that sums up the entire film’s theme that also ties into the title. “Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown.” Like the Trump equivalent, “It is what it is.” or “You can’t beat City Hall,” Jake is basically told you can’t change it so why try. Though guys like Jake don’t listen to that kind of advice. The perfect noir ending. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjSshSvQWQA" target="_blank">See ending here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWYJgfMt6DY1ag-Feo2ELSBrvttIpQmErup-cVS5Kah6If0jOb9P5CtjBsitCZpd-2wiuVJDsfhFczmLKepUDd1IZgi-rSe0B2QMogOmFiZAAuQ96E4jLVIeGq7TvF21G67O7IQ7odoiT/s1200/InvasionoftheBodySnatchers_ending.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWYJgfMt6DY1ag-Feo2ELSBrvttIpQmErup-cVS5Kah6If0jOb9P5CtjBsitCZpd-2wiuVJDsfhFczmLKepUDd1IZgi-rSe0B2QMogOmFiZAAuQ96E4jLVIeGq7TvF21G67O7IQ7odoiT/w286-h144/InvasionoftheBodySnatchers_ending.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p><b><i>Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)</i></b> is the only sci fi monster horror noir film on the list and this version is actually a remake of a 1950’s film of the same title. The update includes not only an upgraded cast and improved script, but also a move from a small-town setting to a big city (San Francisco); add to that superb direction from Philip Kaufman (<i>The Right Stuff</i>) and you have top notch eeriness. If you haven’t seen it or even its predecessor the story revolves around an alien invasion who are replacing humans with alien duplicates; each a perfect copy of the person replaced, only devoid of human emotion. After the film was released the term “pod people” entered the populist glossary signifying conformists who act mechanically. The gelatinous aliens manifest themselves as pods and take over humans while they sleep. Mathew (Donald Sutherland), a San Francisco Health Inspector, is attempting to keep himself from being transformed. The end scene shows Mathew inspecting a field of pod plants growing in the middle of the city. One of his colleagues who has been helping try to find a way to fight off the aliens sees him from afar, calls after him and approaches him in a hush voice, but then Mathew suddenly demonstrates the characteristic pose by which the "pod people" identify unconverted humans and points at the woman with a high pitched, ear-piercing scream signifying that he has been converted. The ending still makes you shimmer as if you were yourself discovering that the end of humanity was inevitable. Just writing this makes me uncomfortable. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP_SdjD5ms" target="_blank">See ending here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDzHV75S-udbSTUO8EVhMTmLSbbLUNhvNsnoRrvCWA_450aS6y-22eGu65DhcPJJXnk92MHjlWE6of6n90JHc75buuFBcSFRDZQLPpMm3YL3JANJxmLwnupUSvBP5Ls1Az8EOoJpkhdrO/s1280/the-shining-final-scene-photograph-988853-1280x0.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1280" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDzHV75S-udbSTUO8EVhMTmLSbbLUNhvNsnoRrvCWA_450aS6y-22eGu65DhcPJJXnk92MHjlWE6of6n90JHc75buuFBcSFRDZQLPpMm3YL3JANJxmLwnupUSvBP5Ls1Az8EOoJpkhdrO/w284-h160/the-shining-final-scene-photograph-988853-1280x0.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p><b><i>The Shining (1980)</i></b> is yet another Kubrick film, this time based on superstar horror writer Stephen King’s book of the same name about a possessed hotel. It stars Jack Nicholson as an inspiring alcoholic writer who takes on the winter care-taking job at a Colorado resort and brings his wife and son along with him. The son, Danny, has psychic abilities along with the hotel’s cook and is a threat to the hotel’s possessed entities: the previous caretaker it seems murdered his family and killed himself. Jack (also the name of the character) slowly descends into madness as he is being manipulated by the evil hotel and attempts to murder his son, nothing getting in his way. Wendy (Shelly Duvall) and Danny (Danny Torrence) get away by trapping Jack in a garden maze where he freezes to death. But the story doesn’t end there. The last scene is a slow truck into a black and white photo on a wall in the hotel ballroom. As Kubrick continues to cut closer and closer the photo reveals an early 20th century party with a man looking exactly like Jack, with a devilish smile at the front and center of the revelry, then the camera tilts down to reveal an inscription that reads: <i>Overlook Hotel July 4th Ball 1921</i>. Huh? One can surmise that Jack has been indoctrinated into the supernatural entities that haunt the hotel and will contribute whenever the hotel feels threatened again. The film got mixed reviews when it came out. King had been one of the harshest critics since it deviates from his novel. But as the years have gone by it has gained cult status and even King has come around, somewhat. It is now considered one of the best horror films of all time. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abey64kpZws" target="_blank">See ending here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35a2pyp9sQ72fY4J6_yWQbQZ2uqdAB2tSH8elc-Cpm0Fy7Hv-EaTBWLrwcwUFH2WdiIbCvngOsRglQ0B3El5lrYu8D5FSXeViFhdTeELUwwTtUGkk0E79HyORIBniSUZINPevdeH4kr1f/s2000/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-warehouse.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35a2pyp9sQ72fY4J6_yWQbQZ2uqdAB2tSH8elc-Cpm0Fy7Hv-EaTBWLrwcwUFH2WdiIbCvngOsRglQ0B3El5lrYu8D5FSXeViFhdTeELUwwTtUGkk0E79HyORIBniSUZINPevdeH4kr1f/w270-h135/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-warehouse.jpg" width="270" /></a><b><i>Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)</i></b>. It’s surprising that there aren’t more Stephen Spielberg films on this list and many have pretty good endings, such as Jaws, but none more so than the first of the Indiana Jones films. Written by Lawrence Kasdan, who also wrote The Empire Strikes Back from a story by George Lucas and Phillip Kaufman (sound familiar). It’s the well-known story about Indiana Jones and his trek in finding the mysterious and powerful Ark of the Covenant. It’s full of iconic scenes and familiar archetypes: The Nazis, the hated snakes, “throw me the idol”, the giant boulder, the poison dates, shooting the guy instead of getting in a sword fight, the guy getting chopped to death by a plane propeller – you know, adventure of a high order. After the climax, where the ark is opened and its supernatural power melts the villains, comes the true ending, one of those that kind of sums up our society in one slow crane shot out. It’s a coda to the story and one that reappears in the opening of the fourth installment. Previous to this last scene Indy and his university cohort question a government man about the whereabouts of the ark, Dr. Brody saying it “is a source of unspeakable power and must be researched.” The man promises that they have “top men” working on it. After a scene of Indy lamenting to Marion about how they’re all “bureaucratic fools”, Spielberg cuts to a series of close ups of a large crate being nailed shut, locked up and dollied off somewhere. Cut to the slow crane shot revealing an extremely large warehouse full of thousands of like crates, representing the great government bureaucracy that stymies any productive work. If only Indian Jones could run for president. He could whip things into shape, (sorry for the pun). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5pd1U6yXe0" target="_blank">See ending here.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M-WqJHSK3-99fNWpvszorUveFMbZHcikjDsJ-344z0kBpRaNOrfbl6P9Dz4jZRaiutWXZ2EfZLl9AxlXUyp1xLJl8jlGuHmWOVmpEE1PKHwvd9GDKVLQH_ZW5p41GuN-UId-uUyd3CWQ/s1280/CinemaParadiso_ending.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M-WqJHSK3-99fNWpvszorUveFMbZHcikjDsJ-344z0kBpRaNOrfbl6P9Dz4jZRaiutWXZ2EfZLl9AxlXUyp1xLJl8jlGuHmWOVmpEE1PKHwvd9GDKVLQH_ZW5p41GuN-UId-uUyd3CWQ/w252-h142/CinemaParadiso_ending.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><p><b><i>Cinema Paradiso (1998)</i></b>. I didn’t originally have this film on my list, but I was reminded about it, and such, took another look at the ending. This film is very sentimental to me, reminding me of the time spent in my father’s small Southern Mexican hometown where my grandfather ran the local open-air movie theater adjacent to the hotel my grandmother operated. As a kid I would sneak to the roof of the hotel where you could see the movie screen - the second feature often an R-rated flick (the modern equivalent being unsupervised <i>HBO</i> or <i>Netflix</i>). The protagonist of the film, Salvatore, lives in a small worn-torn Italian town with a similar (though with a roof) movie house. He befriends the projectionist, Alfredo, and hangs out in the projection booth with him (as I did sometimes), witnessing him cutting out all the kissing scenes and steamy shots per orders from the town’s priest. The two share a dislike of the censorship. As he grows up, Salvatore falls for a girl and takes over as the projectionist, but Alfredo keeps telling him he needs to leave the small town and seek his passion for filmmaking. The film ends with the now middle-aged Salvatore, a celebrated, though pompous, film director who one day finds out Alfredo has died and realizes he had not seen him in years. After the funeral he is given a reel of film that was a gift left to him by his mentor. He watches the film in a screening room and discovers that it is a compilation of all those clips that had been cut out of the movies of his youth – the kiss reel - as it is referred to. Salvatore sheds tears as the amazing Ennio Morricone’s lush score crescendos. The message: What is important in life are those human connections we’ve made during our lives. I cry each time I watch the end and sometimes in other parts because of memories in my mind, much like Salvatore. A note. When first released on international screens 51 minutes were cut from that which was first shown in Italy. It seems it didn’t do very well on its initial run, but after winning Cannes, things turned around. In 2002, they released the “director’s cut” in the U.S. with 171 minutes restored. Make sure you watch this version because it really is better, and surprisingly doesn’t feel longer. BTW - This is the only foreign-language film on the list. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQHkTCq5e8c" target="_blank">See ending here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdXBW5drXhNvzh94IBs5bO8ntMJSTFNPnQG57-u18fQQruoxqG1SdfhEFGGf_EjkNziDk6F90vvPK3hshIME8AqQ7NLcvu0FjskkV2RtM0eUhkKv2ezA4HLC4UtYp4M9-Gv5FE0B-tkkR/s1280/Thelma%2526Louise_ending.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdXBW5drXhNvzh94IBs5bO8ntMJSTFNPnQG57-u18fQQruoxqG1SdfhEFGGf_EjkNziDk6F90vvPK3hshIME8AqQ7NLcvu0FjskkV2RtM0eUhkKv2ezA4HLC4UtYp4M9-Gv5FE0B-tkkR/s320/Thelma%2526Louise_ending.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><i>Thelma & Louise (1991)</i></b>. The ending of this female buddy film is similar to another film on this list by using a certain <i>effect</i> to great effect. Before we get to that let’s recap Ridley Scott’s antihero movie. A timid housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon), a single waitress, on a short fishing trip. Things go sideways when Louise shoots and kills a man at a bar who tries to rape Thelma. Louise decides to flee to Mexico, with Thelma joining her. On the way, Thelma falls for sexy young thief J.D. (Brad Pitt) and a sympathetic Detective Slocumb (Harvey Keitel) tries to convince the two women to surrender before their fates are sealed. The authorities catch up to them as they hide out on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Resolute in not getting caught they make a pact, kiss, rev their car, hold hands and drive straight for the cliff. The car is seen flying over the canyon but as it begins to descend the frame freezes and then fades to white, much like Butch and Sundance. You can debate the psychology behind their fatal decision or their relationship if you want, but it’s a simple reflection on how women are treated in our society. A bevy of men (loads of police cars and a helicopter) try to suppress them. Slocumb, who continued to fight for them until the end, represents the enlightened male trying to make things right. This film should have been the beginning of the <i>MeToo</i> movement, but it took another twenty years and Harvey Weinstein to turn the tides towards true gender equality (which still has a long way to go). Thelma and Louise are celluloid symbols for all those women who have fought the good fight for freedom and parity throughout history. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66CP-pq7Cx0" target="_blank">See the ending here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWGD6hx29FOL0t6pdluMsxkU8Rf4QRzI_I1Ut8LTegqzZmwrddEmmSrFCooTQbOzjuPPbY4Wt1QxhF3kYnNVVduuJEVSGGWl44eJkGWSd9SXPxOkS98lY8c7Qr4pHrG9EHiaUlJ3Pjy9b/s300/TheUsualSuspects_ending.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWGD6hx29FOL0t6pdluMsxkU8Rf4QRzI_I1Ut8LTegqzZmwrddEmmSrFCooTQbOzjuPPbY4Wt1QxhF3kYnNVVduuJEVSGGWl44eJkGWSd9SXPxOkS98lY8c7Qr4pHrG9EHiaUlJ3Pjy9b/s0/TheUsualSuspects_ending.jpeg" /></a></div><p><b><i>The Usual Suspects (1995)</i></b> may be in the dictionary as the quintessential example of a twist ending, much like the last film on this list, the <i>Planet of the Apes</i> from earlier and others that have big reveals such as <i>Vertigo, Boogie Nights, Get Out, Fight Club, Arrival </i>and <i>The Crying Game</i>, but I think this film’s twist is the least expected of all those. Most of the film is told in flashbacks from the point of view of Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) a con man with cerebral palsy. He tells the story about a bunch of inconsequential criminals who come under the control of an unseen crime lord by the name of Keyser Soze, who they had stolen from unknowingly. Soze subsequently blackmails them into stealing drugs from a ship from one of his rivals. Everyone on the ship is killed except two, Verbal, who claims he hid on the docks while Soze killed his co-conspirators and burned the ship, and Arkosh Kovash (Ákos Kovács), one of a rival gang of Hungarian mobsters who ends up badly burned in the hospital. Verbal is taken into custody and interrogated by US Customs agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri). Verbal tells this elaborate story that pins one of the criminals, Keaton, as the real Soze. Verbal makes bail and leaves the police station. Soon after Kujan notices all the names and other information Verbal confessed to all came from things that appear on a bulletin board or from other items in the office – thus it was all made up. Kujan runs out of the building to try to find Verbal but misses him. Meanwhile, Kovash had gained consciousness at the hospital and gave officials a facial composite picture of Soze, which appears on the station’s fax machine while Kujan searches for Verbal – the drawing looks very much like Verbal. Director Bryan Singer then dollies on a tight shot of Verbal’s body as he walks like a gimp down a city sidewalk. But then Verbal slowly loses the limp and contorted arm, finally appearing normal before the shot widens out to reveal Soze getting into a car driven by his subordinate, who had appeared throughout the film as his representative. You then hear Verbal/Soze say, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist, and like that…he’s gone.” I guess you have to watch the movie for yourself to really grasp the effect. Some critics said at the time that they felt cheated because they spent two hours watching a story that was just a ruse, but what they didn’t understand was that the script, and any script for that matter, is a fabrication, even if based on true events. Plus, the point of the movie is to be more of a cathartic experience, so by the end we should feel the same as the Kujan character – that we were bamboozled by someone smarter than we. On a side note, a lot of my thoughts about this film come from hanging out with Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote the screenplay, for an evening during a screenwriters conference back when the film first came out. I asked him if he believed any part of the story actually happened or was it all made up by the Verbal character. His response, “a film that answers all of your questions is pointless.” That was a fun evening.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtSldnuKBEs" target="_blank"> See ending here. </a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LT0I_wEKBuyfCJfPMFQxIsPq_c88CmVOWpqRsMSKEtgoFj3zKWKwebER5S3LwlcLJMc_uVCrWcXW5E92kdxZTFwu67Wd5eFcU1bpD_6N-4q4gN-aoQtXaIHkwNZ4g2FDaK5S6mv9iImd/s700/BigNight_ending.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LT0I_wEKBuyfCJfPMFQxIsPq_c88CmVOWpqRsMSKEtgoFj3zKWKwebER5S3LwlcLJMc_uVCrWcXW5E92kdxZTFwu67Wd5eFcU1bpD_6N-4q4gN-aoQtXaIHkwNZ4g2FDaK5S6mv9iImd/s320/BigNight_ending.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><i>Big Night (1996)</i></b> is a small independent personal film mostly from the artistry of Stanely Tucci who co-wrote, co-directed and co-starred, along with the great Tony Shaulhoub as Italian emigrant brothers in the 1950s who run a failing restaurant along the New Jersey shore. An uncle has invited them back to help with his restaurant in Rome but the younger brother, Secondo (Tucci) and manager of their endeavor wants to try to make it in America. Primo (Shaulhoub) is the genius chef who can’t understand why Americans do not prefer his authentic dishes over their rival restaurant’s subpar Italian food. He wants to retreat back to Italy which creates tension between the brothers. Secondo goes to his rival Pascal for a loan but gets rejected because they have refused to come work for him, but with a bit of generosity tells Secondo he will call his friend Louie Prima, a very popular singer, to dine at their restaurant when in town; perhaps the publicity will bring in customers. Excited about the possibility, the brothers use all their savings to buy the best ingredients to prepare a winning meal for their “big night.” A big part of the film is the preparation of the food, which becomes like another character. They invite reporters and a large contingent of friends, including Pascal and his wife, who Secondo is having an affair with. When they realize that Prima isn’t coming, they begin indulging in the meal themselves. Then everything unravels – Pascal admits he never called Prima in order to push them to come work for him. Secondo’s girlfriend discovers he was having an affair with Pascal’s wife which ends with a rift and the brothers battle each other, culminating in division and heartache. The ending is simple and contains no dialogue. It is the next morning, Secondo makes an omelet in their kitchen, maybe for the very last time, and divides it into threes. He gives one third to their waiter Cristiano (Marc Anthony) and places the third on a plate he sets next to him when Primo reluctantly enters the kitchen. Primo sits down next to his brother and begins eating. While the two keep their eyes on their plates, Secondo pats his brother’s shoulders and then after a few moments, Primo puts his arm around his brother in solidarity. They then return to eating while it fades to black. No big twists, no fancy effects, just a reminder that family is important and even in disagreement love perseveres. It also recaps the pervasive importance of food throughout the film by showing the entire process of making the omelet. Anyone who isn’t hungry after watching this film must be an android. There’s something for everyone. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oerP7FRMWa8" target="_blank">See ending here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWn_c2DIL9SqF9iAPxg4FXjMWVZdfQhqx51s1uSZSbYcE3iCarmj7apLgI_RtmIQIA3Jq5GN4uYSS-2ibBplurJPvkYKv283l2W9lKGZeZamAoWxledeOlw8XDOiaXbCki5prd_3dRDXQ/s600/fargo-8a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="600" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWn_c2DIL9SqF9iAPxg4FXjMWVZdfQhqx51s1uSZSbYcE3iCarmj7apLgI_RtmIQIA3Jq5GN4uYSS-2ibBplurJPvkYKv283l2W9lKGZeZamAoWxledeOlw8XDOiaXbCki5prd_3dRDXQ/w282-h165/fargo-8a.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><p><b><i>Fargo (1996)</i></b> is a classic Coen Brother’s black comedy thriller and has given birth to an equally critically acclaimed television series. It has an ending that many people forget because what sticks in their minds is the previous sensational wood chipper scene. After the conclusion of the kidnapping, murders and deceits our protagonist pregnant police chief Marge (academy award winning Frances McDormand) retreats to her bedroom to join her husband Norm (John Carol Lynch), who reveals that the post office picked his mallard painting to be on a stamp, but he laments it’s only the three cent one. Marge comforts him saying, "whenever they raise the postage people need the little stamps,"(with that “Fargo” accent). As they snuggle Norm pats her tummy and they both say, one after the other, “Only two more months”, referring to the arrival of their baby. And it fades to black. What’s important is the contrast between the extraordinary dark events that fill most of the film and what happens to most people on a daily basis - having babies, loving each other, going to work, etc. The Coen Brothers are trying to put things in perspective. An enduring part of all their films is that they try to reassure that there is good in the world and you should not get too cynical from all the bad. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCLhut4KEs" target="_blank">See ending here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhV5QHIP-Ysii4iztv10uOxTXkUfOWHaidAzzQWcOhMTWDuUTDHFg0g0Dp9vfgQCpPK61gFtIjraK8IhBkfB_n7VJPN7TI4T197l9xR-YQEqUDJofizYtQ-b3UTs7Ni-gIJRnbeySD2JN/s1272/TheSixthSense_ending.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhV5QHIP-Ysii4iztv10uOxTXkUfOWHaidAzzQWcOhMTWDuUTDHFg0g0Dp9vfgQCpPK61gFtIjraK8IhBkfB_n7VJPN7TI4T197l9xR-YQEqUDJofizYtQ-b3UTs7Ni-gIJRnbeySD2JN/s320/TheSixthSense_ending.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b><i>The Sixth Sense (1999)</i></b> is the last film on the list and probably the film with the best-known twist ending. As I have done before, if you are one of the few people on Earth that hasn’t seen this movie then skip the following comments. I’m not sure how many people figured out the ending beforehand (I place myself in that category) but I’m guessing not too many. Along with the <i>Crying Game,</i> it was one of those films people tried their best not to reveal to their friends and family who had not seen it. I remember people biting their tongues because they really wanted others to experience the ending on their own. The trick ending became a staple for writer/director M. Night Shyamalan who has been tasked to try to one-up this film. That’s been really hard to do. The film contains one of the most quoted lines in film history, told by Cole (Haley Joel Osment), “I see dead people,” which is repeated during the final sequence reveal and was an omen to it. Suffice it to say, without having to repeat the whole storyline, Malcom (Bruce Willis) discovers he’s actually dead and comes to terms with that before disappearing. The ending is more than just a twist – it nicely sums up the themes of the supernatural, fear, communication, human connection and what I believe is the most important, self-love, as Cole learns to like and accept himself for who he is - a boy with special attributes. This realization leads to better experiences and happiness. It is something we can all learn from.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj0JDnQIZf0" target="_blank"> See ending here</a><a href="See ending here." target="_blank">.</a></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hat’s a wrap. I hope you enjoyed this list and perhaps it initiated some thinking about other films with great endings that you can come up with. Of course, this list is not definitive in any way as these things are so subjective. I would be thrilled to hear about some of your favorite endings and your reasoning. Perhaps I will create a new list with additional entries, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but sometime during the rest of my life. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzuxw4oSDD4BPgJcd6qsmzmU4HR8u_qemQaaGKecH_KnR-FXk0QlDhnqXoVoXmhQgwYKMbzvgaE12s3iaHdLXtQHBRnkkOsL3td1saXZMO7tKEbAQsJjuSERx-n9mp05luIfS1CcIpnhZ/s1280/Fin_img_5949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzuxw4oSDD4BPgJcd6qsmzmU4HR8u_qemQaaGKecH_KnR-FXk0QlDhnqXoVoXmhQgwYKMbzvgaE12s3iaHdLXtQHBRnkkOsL3td1saXZMO7tKEbAQsJjuSERx-n9mp05luIfS1CcIpnhZ/s320/Fin_img_5949.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">copyright 2020 Rich Burlingham</div><br /><p></p>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-12627462267115260532020-10-12T12:49:00.005-07:002020-10-12T18:15:12.049-07:0025 of The Best Movie Ending Scenes of All Time - Part I<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf70HRhnRRlX-0A1sibBnTa4WUe2N_mfbBqVfIeWrBj3bDuhbd2NVkrDWgY0W9IKv7vXAhcCamz9LsNT5TCsim-zMXLQSszUHPJsoMLMMKg9nJdDTzNsnp7wwBL3ioydEYEELyHlqYaAR/s273/GWTW.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf70HRhnRRlX-0A1sibBnTa4WUe2N_mfbBqVfIeWrBj3bDuhbd2NVkrDWgY0W9IKv7vXAhcCamz9LsNT5TCsim-zMXLQSszUHPJsoMLMMKg9nJdDTzNsnp7wwBL3ioydEYEELyHlqYaAR/s0/GWTW.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> love movies and I’m sure you do also, and as a filmmaker I know that it’s really hard to pull off a great ending. Even though many movies have been made over the last 100+ years there are not that many GREAT endings. I know it is subjective, but there are some that I, and many others who do these lists, believe are memorable and worthy of pointing out. I limited my selection to include only the very last scene or sequence in the film. There are a lot of movies with actions that take place near the end that are great, such as <i>The Empire Strikes Back,</i> where Han’s life is up in the air and Luke hears those words that rocked the galaxy far, far away, “No, I am your father”, but that all takes place earlier than the actual ending where Luke is saved from Cloud City. Now some of these have a series of scenes that together create an ending, but they all take place in one setting and some include a separate end shot that acts as a coda or exclamation point. So not to delay any further here are my top ending scenes, in order of release date. I have divided the list into two parts so here are the first 12. SPOILER ALERT – if you have not seen any of these films and wish to do so then I recommend skipping those, unless you don’t care to find out what happens at the end first. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b0RZ6hrlwCCaDcUI1jLhdz4MOkiK1HET290OPZe6cQOFxst6sol1iX3LEpQqS0zemQpS27mA_P_Dv2fE8-tzsCiifAfktgir8Q8vfAKYIWj3cCK7muXtX33fDnzak3WFTQXA0a1oedlG/s259/GWTW_endshot.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b0RZ6hrlwCCaDcUI1jLhdz4MOkiK1HET290OPZe6cQOFxst6sol1iX3LEpQqS0zemQpS27mA_P_Dv2fE8-tzsCiifAfktgir8Q8vfAKYIWj3cCK7muXtX33fDnzak3WFTQXA0a1oedlG/w218-h164/GWTW_endshot.jpeg" width="218" /></a></div><b><i>Gone with The Wind</i></b> (1939). A classic historical drama with lots of notable scenes throughout, but the ending is by far the most memorable. First, you see Rhett Butler (Clark Cable) say goodbye to his wife, Scarlett (Vivian Leigh), who he finally got fed up with, and utters those famous words after she asks what she should do, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!” It was scandalous back in 1939 and you can guess what a modern equivalent word would be. The camera follows Scarlet sobbing until she figures out, in close up, that she can go back to her childhood home of Tara and rebuild her life (symbolizing the rebuilding of the South) and she utters the somewhat less famous line of, “After all, tomorrow is another day.” Then cut to the coda shot of Scarlet at sunset standing under the famous oak tree with the plantation house in the distance and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Steiner" target="_blank">Max Steiner</a> theme filling up the theater. This film still holds the top spot for all-time box office, adjusted for inflation. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4HPnio2wyA" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadieNj7mPGmgBLRMpI2hpnw8bmaUskLyVGr9DcQOWPDH5_MdmLdvkjfE_5K4JUV5PmA3xMvUBN_dJeAGV0iNbmz6iLP_AxeabP3NcloENOjCCD-DTU7pwir3P6_JMefMHGvf01NRVz0j3/s639/main-qimg-fda37c585feaf88d9cbe2b405e488091.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="639" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadieNj7mPGmgBLRMpI2hpnw8bmaUskLyVGr9DcQOWPDH5_MdmLdvkjfE_5K4JUV5PmA3xMvUBN_dJeAGV0iNbmz6iLP_AxeabP3NcloENOjCCD-DTU7pwir3P6_JMefMHGvf01NRVz0j3/w250-h125/main-qimg-fda37c585feaf88d9cbe2b405e488091.png" width="250" /></a></div><b><i>Citizen Kane</i></b> (1941) is another classic film by auteur Orson Wells and on the top of many best film lists. It’s a fictional story about the life of wealthy newspaper baron Charles Foster Kane, based eerily similarly on the real-life newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. The film is told in the guise of a mystery with a reporter being asked by his editor to find out why Kane’s last utterance was simply, “Rosebud”. The film paints a picture of an arrogant, callous publishing tyrant who alienates everyone, including those who love him, and though he gained success personified by his giant mansion called Xanadu, eventually loses everything. The narrator never truly finds out what made Kane tick. After dying, dropping the infamous snow globe, the end scene shows Kane's belongings being cataloged or discarded by the staff. They find the sled on which the eight-year-old Kane was playing on the day that he was taken from his home and his mother. Deeming it junk, they throw it into a furnace. As the sled burns, the camera reveals the brand name, ignored by the staff: "Rosebud." Besides the antifascist political themes, Wells also tries to tell us that you can have all the trappings of wealth, but it is human connection that matters. The sled representing the last time Kane ever felt safe and loved. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr93wwtiKQM" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDWSKo87X5jufJuVakApBgf7ZkpyyOCUhNCXaqXO-0spFOSx_G4Jn7-TUGlyqJEOaE2U8w6go8DO5wWoDeqgZskSHyidJ8Qm2J6U13PivZ85eDTPbIIf7UNON1h-g93H6453bs3qeZhOq/s659/BeautifulFriendship.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="659" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDWSKo87X5jufJuVakApBgf7ZkpyyOCUhNCXaqXO-0spFOSx_G4Jn7-TUGlyqJEOaE2U8w6go8DO5wWoDeqgZskSHyidJ8Qm2J6U13PivZ85eDTPbIIf7UNON1h-g93H6453bs3qeZhOq/w233-h143/BeautifulFriendship.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><i><b>Casablanca</b></i> (1943) is famous for its ending and bevy of memorable lines, such as, “Play it Sam, play As Time Goes By.” Though it is usually misquoted as, “Play it again, Sam.” Coming out during WWII, Casablanca is all about putting country above self and that is capsulized by the ending scene. The story is about Rick (Humphry Bogart), an American expatriate who runs a club in German occupied Casablanca and remains neutral in the war between the Allies and the Nazis. He comes across some very sought-after travel papers that would allow those trapped in Casablanca to escape the German occupation. One day Rick’s ex-lover Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) walks into his bar to ask him if she and her husband could use the papers, but the fallout is their love reignites. The problem, her Nazi-hating husband Laszlo (Paul Henreid) is in the way. Rick, though angry that Ilsa left him with no explanation, could easily have his friends in right places take care of Laszlo, but she explains that during their affair she thought he was dead, but when discovered he had escaped a concentration camp alive, she had to go back to him. In the end Rick’s conscious gets the better of him and decides to help. The end scene begins with Rick telling Ilsa she can’t stay, she has to leave with Laszlo on the plane because she would regret it, “maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but for the rest of your life.” Rick says goodbye, saying the famous line, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” Then, as the plane taxis away, the German military officer Strasser (Conrad Veldt) arrives wondering why the local French police prefect (Claud Raines) hadn’t arrested Laszlo. The weasel Renault tells Strasser to ask Rick, but before Strasser can call for backup Rick shoots him. Renault covers for Rick, telling his men to “gather up the usual suspects.” Renault points out to Rick that now he’s no longer neutral. Renault offers Rick a way to escape to a free French outpost as payment for gambling debts. The two walk off into the night fog with Rick saying, “Louie, I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” <div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G62tkd2t7qk" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6lehueuWSHs2YnX0YSuxoX_nf8EYZ0-yilr6E4asz838mOYq1fBiASs2hMyiunp9J89znCs6HYDGpBziprDy2MlPD15DH1CbmKoYu8h9SXc4piuVW8uL_TkXMFVnduKxnXJivSJK1YFv/s328/SunsetBLvd_endshot.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="328" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6lehueuWSHs2YnX0YSuxoX_nf8EYZ0-yilr6E4asz838mOYq1fBiASs2hMyiunp9J89znCs6HYDGpBziprDy2MlPD15DH1CbmKoYu8h9SXc4piuVW8uL_TkXMFVnduKxnXJivSJK1YFv/w210-h98/SunsetBLvd_endshot.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><b><i>Sunset Boulevard</i></b> (1950) is another film on many top 10 lists. As directed by Billy Wilder, it is a film noir about washed up silent film star Norma Desmond (real-life silent film star Gloria Swanson) who befriends a washed-up screenwriter, Joe Gillis (William Holden) who convinces her he needs to rewrite a Salome script she wants as her comeback film. Gillis is desolate, after having been rejected by every studio in Hollywood. The film opens with the death of Gillis floating in a swimming pool and the story is told by Gillis. In the end the senile Desmond is discovered as committing the murder but to get her into police custody, her dedicated butler (Erich von Stroheim) arranges for the press to have cameras and lights ready as a guise that they are shooting her film. She makes a grand exit down the staircase while thinking the famous Cecil B. DeMille is directing her. As she approaches the cameras, her butler posing as the director, she says dramatically straight into the camera lens, “Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my closeup,” and then continues forward, filling the frame with her face. Like most noirs nobody really wins in the end, showing that both good and evil lie in all of us. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9lFsiut2Q" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kTAbZsqwiQxGKIzC0Z7RSEpGOj0NpclpBo_TLsqSMlb4tflSSIqFZBwb90EfX0LQORwEEm00Mi58Ef6rkNGx8nXJF3b7_s_F_6DODPT7U8r-bFzvjtbzEQnlnO6eh0Fx68mduI-EhzLG/s512/Shane_endingshot.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kTAbZsqwiQxGKIzC0Z7RSEpGOj0NpclpBo_TLsqSMlb4tflSSIqFZBwb90EfX0LQORwEEm00Mi58Ef6rkNGx8nXJF3b7_s_F_6DODPT7U8r-bFzvjtbzEQnlnO6eh0Fx68mduI-EhzLG/s320/Shane_endingshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Shane</i></b> (1953) A classic western starring Alan Ladd as the titular Shane, a drifter gunfighter with a mysterious past. He ends up helping a homesteading family in the Wyoming territory as a ranch hand. He especially befriends Joey, the young boy in the household. He uses his skills to protect the boy and help defend the family from greedy landowners who want to take over their land. But his past catches up to him and he knows he has to leave to protect the family. The famous ending has Shane riding off into the distance, the Wyoming mountains looming over. Joey, who admires and wants Shane to stay, runs to watch him leave but continues yelling out reasons for him to return, finally screaming in desperation, “Shane, come back!” I don’t think even macho men could keep their eyes dry during this ending scene. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVSzr-2_E3A" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghygGGGRr3Uq8-D6bWshPaqvY188MxmW1reX9QafXgyYSOZnQ57gpeIWXQVtz234mWpw7ONOChmsSXVyJ6iwemGxeAyuR2dvbt03mzeh8N1cOYzryPWrUGudeZQ1qB0ftXVgupFXx2sBjC/s436/the-searchers_endshot.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="387" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghygGGGRr3Uq8-D6bWshPaqvY188MxmW1reX9QafXgyYSOZnQ57gpeIWXQVtz234mWpw7ONOChmsSXVyJ6iwemGxeAyuR2dvbt03mzeh8N1cOYzryPWrUGudeZQ1qB0ftXVgupFXx2sBjC/w189-h213/the-searchers_endshot.png" width="189" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>The Searchers</i></b> (1956) is the most iconic western ever made. Director John Ford, John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Ward Bond and the Monument Valley landscape. When I visited Arizona many years ago my friend Steve and I stayed in the same hotel the cast and crew stayed at while filming. This film actually has both a classic opening and an ending shot that act as bookends – most of the ending scenes in this article are famous because of the performances and dialogue but the ending here is iconic because of Ford’s and his cinematographer, Winton C. Hoch’s artistry. Both the beginning and end show John Wayne either arriving or leaving a Texas homestead, showing the front door opening or closing, with strong contrast of light and dark. The ending represents victory, tragedy and iconic imagery all wrapped into one. There is also symbolism of good vs. evil, with John Wayne’s Ethan Edwards coming in from the light and exiting into it at the end. Is he an angel or the devil? It depends on your perspective. He returns his niece after she had been abducted by Comanche warriors, but he searched for her in order to kill her, as she was, in his view, contaminated by the Comanche. Once he finds her and discovers how well she assimilated unscathed he changes his mind and instead takes her back to friends, to what he considered civilization. It all depends on interpretation. The door opening at the start could symbolize a nation coming out of the devastating civil war, which occurred not too long before the story begins. The film as a whole is an allegory about manifest destiny with white supremacy justifying taking over Native American lands. It is what makes it such a great film: Layered with so much that you’d need a whole college course just to dissect it, encompassing history, psychology, philosophy and film studies. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvfIsbhIQLA" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4I-ThQu4aTrIADLSHyoJXbgr8imQSClKRfHDfpseMcswoQfFxiK1Lr_vFIrU1yJSY55_Cud-hGJnKOBoUbI25WQbyiugkiK0De99vV4BlpFxGMNi5KsaOvul8wwCnBEvGBZOGlzwtyoK/s1440/SomeLikeItHot_ending.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4I-ThQu4aTrIADLSHyoJXbgr8imQSClKRfHDfpseMcswoQfFxiK1Lr_vFIrU1yJSY55_Cud-hGJnKOBoUbI25WQbyiugkiK0De99vV4BlpFxGMNi5KsaOvul8wwCnBEvGBZOGlzwtyoK/w236-h133/SomeLikeItHot_ending.jpg" width="236" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Some Like It Hot</i></b> (1959) brings us to Billy Wilder again. The wizard of endings. I could have easily included his film <i>The Apartment</i> (1960) as well, but I didn’t want this to be the Wilder show. This is the only full-out comedy on the list – the antics of two musicians on the run from the mob dressing up as women to hide among an all-girl’s band. It stars Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marylin Monroe. It’s a farce with pratfalls, misinterpretations and misguided antics perfectly put together. The ending is one of the best ever - comedy or drama. Jack Lemmon, who was posing as Daphne (but really Jerry), had been courted throughout the film by Joe E. Brown’s Osgood, a true millionaire and the only character not trying to hide their true selves. As they escape on Osgood’s motorboat Jerry comes clean, taking off his wig and revealing he’s a man. Osgood doesn’t miss a beat and says, “Well, nobody’s perfect”. The most faultless ending line ever. Like with <i>The Apartment</i>, Wilder leaves it up to the audience to determine what happens to the characters in the future, and it is this nebulous rim “shot” that makes it the best comedic film ending ever. </div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHhr-aaLnI" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><p><i><b></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8flPWWJ6CS681PjWFRDG2iccw02ljT0z94lRcfY2ZMCqwYTAt8I7eA-lGtg7cpjr-me7NRVunvwquh0Nj0TxiTyvdnKdvRwd0ip54pIpAtWfWIfDLkT8-yXrPF1mviE3CvicHCtFkGyI/s720/mushroom1_Strangelove.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8flPWWJ6CS681PjWFRDG2iccw02ljT0z94lRcfY2ZMCqwYTAt8I7eA-lGtg7cpjr-me7NRVunvwquh0Nj0TxiTyvdnKdvRwd0ip54pIpAtWfWIfDLkT8-yXrPF1mviE3CvicHCtFkGyI/w187-h124/mushroom1_Strangelove.jpg" width="187" /></a></b></i></div><i><b>Dr. Strangelove, or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</b></i> (1964). In the middle of the cold war, when the fear of nuclear war was at an all-time high, director Stanley Kubrick came out with this antiwar film, a black comedy exposing what many people dreaded - that the leadership of the two most powerful countries in the world couldn’t protect the Earth from complete annihilation. One of the most famous scenes from this film occurs near the end and shows Maj. T.J. "King" Kong (Slim Pickens) riding an H Bomb like a bronco as it falls toward its explosive end. But it wasn’t the last scene in the movie. The last scene with actors takes place in the White House War Room, with the title character played by Peter Sellers (who also played the US President), a disabled German scientist in a wheel chair who stands up and says, "Mr. President, I have a plan" and then walks a few steps and declares as Armageddon approaches, "Mein Führer, I can walk!” Then it cuts to a series of nuclear bombs exploding to Vera Lynn singing an upbeat WWII ballad, <i>We'll Meet Again</i>. But that wasn’t the original ending. There was more to the scene, much more, but it was cut after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which occurred soon before the film was to be released. The conclusion of the scene had Dr. Strangelove falling on his face, followed by an enraged General Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott) throwing a custard pie at the Russian ambassador after seeing him take pictures of the War Room. The Russian ducks, and the pie hits the President, triggering an all-out pie fight amongst all in the room - a comical exclamation mark on the absurdity of war. During the fight Turgidson declares, "Our President has been struck down in his prime!" The studio thought this ending would be seen as disrespectful by audiences so soon after JFK’s death. Only stills of the scene survive. I would love to see the whole scene as Kubrick intended and believe it would have made the ending even more significant than as released. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSZJbJ4Mfis" target="_blank">Check out released ending here.</a></div><div><p></p><p><i><b></b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyKkefst5zOo8TdaW3uJQ8IqBODw1QpJ5CB83nmq4tO9YNaYKpI7IrMINGkEJK1hIVy3HFVmATRq_hEmBY2Wh4oqljEelnxicClvMwfx-3SPbneq2Ekjym757eHr_KZ9hNQj28iYO9azq/s600/bonnie-and-clyde-1967-ending-warren-beatty-faye-dunaway-shootout-review.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="600" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyKkefst5zOo8TdaW3uJQ8IqBODw1QpJ5CB83nmq4tO9YNaYKpI7IrMINGkEJK1hIVy3HFVmATRq_hEmBY2Wh4oqljEelnxicClvMwfx-3SPbneq2Ekjym757eHr_KZ9hNQj28iYO9azq/w214-h135/bonnie-and-clyde-1967-ending-warren-beatty-faye-dunaway-shootout-review.jpg" width="214" /></a></b></i></div><i><b>Bonnie and Clyde</b></i> (1967) was a pioneering film ushering in a time when filmmakers were breaking many Hollywood norms. Director Arthur Penn turned a group of criminals and made them sexy, human and almost sympathetic, while making the law enforcers the villains. The ending was also groundbreaking by not only killing off the protagonists but in such a violent and over-the-top manner. The idea of antiheroes would continue throughout Hollywood during the 60’s and 70’s and continues today with the likes of Deadpool, the Dude and Prof. Snape, among others. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrmUpso_xT8" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2g4ktxaUP6ZrZLUuQrUoEw-08QhGkxnREEN4-1NrbaZgScVjwmI0_y0HcEcAWIIJ8bk1DFa9dvFJ6_vViBDfO5ei-zS9FKxNbHMVKw0j7RzEgqlMPk7urABKTZctgrkrSHy6JChUjGLD/s308/TheGraduteEndShot.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF2g4ktxaUP6ZrZLUuQrUoEw-08QhGkxnREEN4-1NrbaZgScVjwmI0_y0HcEcAWIIJ8bk1DFa9dvFJ6_vViBDfO5ei-zS9FKxNbHMVKw0j7RzEgqlMPk7urABKTZctgrkrSHy6JChUjGLD/s0/TheGraduteEndShot.jpeg" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>The Graduate</i></b> (1967) has gone down in history as having one of the most famous end shots of all time (and a few other great scenes and lines, as well.) If you’re one of the few people who has not seen the film and its ending it shows Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) and Ellaine (Katherine Ross) sitting at the back of a city bus after Benjamin having just rescued Ellaine from marrying someone pressed on her by her mother, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), who had an affair with Benjamin earlier in the film. What makes the scene great are the expressions displayed on the faces of the lead characters. Though they remain silent and do not interact with each other, so much can be interpreted by the viewer. The film is symbolic of a period in history called the youth or counterculture revolution, summing the period up in one shot: They have broken conventions on how kids are supposed to act (albeit listen to your elders as personified by the “plastics” line at the beginning of the film), and even though they really don’t know what the future will bring, at least now they will choose their own path. The last shot is of the bus driving off down the road to their future as <i>The Sounds of Silence</i> plays. Kudos to both director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry. The equally famous soundtrack, by Simon & Garfunkel and Dave Grusin, makes the film just that much better. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahFARm2j38c" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkxLnyd4V_9SYgSCF3t05J1bzVBwrg3BMB4OtTuahXhH9V3447rCDnKeFJNolZAUBnqfY-WdS77oJ6mo74pLibR5vXEGHM8X0kkXkrcFTSVSttnKrpOgBlu8-LOZZ24gE6vqDPAsSmNhB/s1400/42463-planet-of-apes-68.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1400" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkxLnyd4V_9SYgSCF3t05J1bzVBwrg3BMB4OtTuahXhH9V3447rCDnKeFJNolZAUBnqfY-WdS77oJ6mo74pLibR5vXEGHM8X0kkXkrcFTSVSttnKrpOgBlu8-LOZZ24gE6vqDPAsSmNhB/w264-h160/42463-planet-of-apes-68.jpg" width="264" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Planet of the Apes </i></b>(1968) has spawned countless sequels and reimagined versions, I think more than any other film series in history, except for maybe the James Bond films. The first one I believe is the best and is remembered for countless dialogue and imagery, such as the line, “Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape!” voiced by Charleston Heston’s character, Taylor. It is the surprise ending that had everyone talking in 1968 and still does. After finally escaping his ape captives, Taylor and his mute human girl companion ride a horse along the desolate coast of an unnamed ocean when he comes across something that takes his breath away but is only slightly revealed to the audience. He jumps off the horse and falls to his knees in anger and despair. He cries out, “Oh, my God. I’m back. I’m home. All the time. We finally really did it. You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! God…damn you all to hell!” It cuts to the girl who looks up and then the camera zooms out to reveal the remnants of the Statue of Liberty sitting on the edge of the beach, signifying that Taylor had been on Earth the entire time and not on some distant planet. Remember, this was during the height of the cold war, students, such as myself, were being taught in classrooms to “duck and cover” to naively guard against a nuclear attack. It sent chills all over me when I first saw the movie, especially at such a young age. The Vietnam War was raging, and it seemed a very good possibility that nuclear bombs could blow up the world...and then repopulate with simians. The ending still sends chills. </div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvuM3DjvYf0" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWGpSmU1sQSy_i7tP-9I3cUbuZN3vsGguym4-EUOKkJYS-_9Tc88Zy4pv_Gsay6zMnR98iVr__tFJyDzB0w4-bL0WoM3BUPEbfWJgjVKK1EKCyEx9Vinu66G75ZzyOAE6X86oNOMdEBSc/s1280/2001_endshot.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGWGpSmU1sQSy_i7tP-9I3cUbuZN3vsGguym4-EUOKkJYS-_9Tc88Zy4pv_Gsay6zMnR98iVr__tFJyDzB0w4-bL0WoM3BUPEbfWJgjVKK1EKCyEx9Vinu66G75ZzyOAE6X86oNOMdEBSc/s320/2001_endshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i></b> (1968) came out in a banner year for great films: <i>Funny Girl, Rosemary’s Baby, The Odd Couple, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Thomas Crown Affair, Ice Station Zebra, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Night of the Living Dead, The Swimmer</i>, the above mentioned <i>Planet of the Apes</i> and its sci-fi counterpart, Kubrick’s masterpiece. Like <i>The Searchers</i>, you could have a whole course designed around this film and there have been many. It was all conceived by Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, but Clarke came out with a book version ahead of the film to give it some prestige. I saw it with my father and sister at the Princeton Playhouse theater on Witherspoon Street when there still were great single screen theaters. I was in 70mm awe, mystified and in love with science fiction. The meaning of the ending is still being talked about today. Clarke and Kubrick have said that they left it open to interpretation on purpose because the theme of the film couldn’t be expressed with dialogue or even conventional visuals – it needed to be felt. Kubrick said, “I think the power of the ending is based on the subconscious emotional reaction of the audience.” The Star Child approaches Earth to spawn a new age of enlightenment? Maybe? If you’ve never watched the film, then you must, and then you can come up with your own interpretation. All while hearing <i>Also sprach Zarathustra</i>" in your head. Check out this video that goes more deeply into the ending: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLujOXs8wg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLujOXs8wg</a>.<p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDzy8iPygnoiWdW-q3E_Rv-R4tILxab612TGG8fzp3ztHuc4tH9xAP5JJDPcp8Fo0NAVEHylffPzCxiEwfB63bxTFgw34FSsyMvhrTZkZG9bVeYuJvtKlokHHZy1G7uTH2fCyTGr1opdm/s640/EasyRIder_end.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="640" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDzy8iPygnoiWdW-q3E_Rv-R4tILxab612TGG8fzp3ztHuc4tH9xAP5JJDPcp8Fo0NAVEHylffPzCxiEwfB63bxTFgw34FSsyMvhrTZkZG9bVeYuJvtKlokHHZy1G7uTH2fCyTGr1opdm/w207-h119/EasyRIder_end.jpg" width="207" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Easy Rider</i></b> (1969) is one of those counter-culture films made by those in the middle of it, Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Terry Southern and like others on this list changed filmmaking forever. The box office hit independent modern Western explored the changing societal landscape at the time, especially generational tensions and issues such as drug use and communal lifestyles. Instead of horses they rode motorcycles or choppers, traveling through a Western landscape, such as the iconic Monument Valley (remember The Searchers). Wyatt or Captain America (Fonda) and Billy (Hopper) are cash infused from a cocaine sale and take a cross country motorcycle trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Along the way they pick up an alcoholic ACLU lawyer named George (Jack Nicholson). In Louisiana while sleeping under the stars they are accosted at night by rednecks who beat them up, killing George. After tripping on LSD in New Orleans they head to Florida. On the road two rednecks in a pickup truck shoot them dead just for kicks. The ending puts an ugly coda on the problems facing America during the 60’s and helps usher in a new era of films that expose the ugliness in America that had been sanitized by Hollywood up to that time. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYAEtO-Ohk" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iNAljS2jP3iAq0emUwHMr3uvDGxgT3X1QEtunpFAN34qYiM2OL4vky3sCada2kBAVEmSBZYz_Ru6vQfgXSWw7S5XP1BK2fSZ-kCpeVRjpSlDNdm8RkjUkUdBwBVhSNsQ68Pr3PTOlBeA/s1080/butch_cassidy_ending_banner.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iNAljS2jP3iAq0emUwHMr3uvDGxgT3X1QEtunpFAN34qYiM2OL4vky3sCada2kBAVEmSBZYz_Ru6vQfgXSWw7S5XP1BK2fSZ-kCpeVRjpSlDNdm8RkjUkUdBwBVhSNsQ68Pr3PTOlBeA/s320/butch_cassidy_ending_banner.png" width="320" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid</i></b> (1969) came out the same year as <i>Easy Rider </i>and was a more traditional Western about real-life train and bank robbers during the late 19th century. It was written by the great screenwriter William Goldman (<i>Princess Bride</i>), directed by George Roy Hill (<i>The Sting, Garp</i>) and starring Paul Newman (Butch) and Robert Redford (Sundance), along with Katherine Ross as Sundance’s girl. The film takes the likable antihero concept introduced with Bonnie & Clyde and expands on it to where you don’t just sympathize with these criminals, but you root for them to succeed. It is the ending that lifts this film as the best Western in the modern era. Hill uses the freeze frame technique to great effect at the end, the first major Hollywood film to do so. It’s now used all the time – just look at all the Rocky movies or a film I talk about in part II, <i>Thelma & Louise</i>. In this case though it is not a cliché, because it is not only used for emotional effect but allows the filmmakers to leave the visualization of Butch and Sundance’s death (the guns shots are still heard) better left to the audience’s imagination and thus keeping them from getting distracted by what would be gruesome deaths (what had happened with <i>Bonnie and Clyde</i>). The still frame also harkens back to the pair’s non-criminal “good times” spent in New York, shown in a sepia-toned photographic montage earlier in the film. I do not believe the film would have received as much praise and adulation all these years if not for that freeze at the end. It helps it linger in one’s mind far longer than most films. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UucXz3ZGmF4" target="_blank">Check out ending here.</a><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hat’s the “end” of Part I. Come back next time for more great endings from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Please note that I believe it takes years for films to enter the movie zeitgeist, including great endings, thus I ended my current list in the year 1999, but there have been some films with great endings during the past 20 years. Here are some of those you may want to check out and I’m sure you have some of your own: <i>Call Me by Your Name, Inception, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Moonlight</i>, and this film... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm69eoT_LoqKsgb2nldMNveo3rDu5gmAGic48omnrtn6QezGB8plZJIq2VKLCoNEkWy3Kt2SmJj7FX43L7XOo-GqazfP4lyfm4wQcxLbW73MQVpymPu4EdiPLbV8cY0nzmr5m77dZZFyt/s717/Whiplash_endshot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="717" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdm69eoT_LoqKsgb2nldMNveo3rDu5gmAGic48omnrtn6QezGB8plZJIq2VKLCoNEkWy3Kt2SmJj7FX43L7XOo-GqazfP4lyfm4wQcxLbW73MQVpymPu4EdiPLbV8cY0nzmr5m77dZZFyt/w206-h137/Whiplash_endshot.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br /><p>Can you guess the movie?</p><p>Please share in the comments any thoughts or other film endings that you think are great. Thanks for reading.</p><div><br /></div></div>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-80695751763659489182020-10-06T15:03:00.000-07:002020-10-06T15:03:10.024-07:00Are You Full of Schadenfreude?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCp2e1pNDPRHqZO8cD4fRjazlLQw82q4rIfFcnbJfvE6Jk_rrvWajb1K9sohJl0b4WDdUYjuPWIYSo0RNHfObLAdRvRUbNO1cPvxB0Xr-FELwD8cwbt4QLQybf2zkY-XRdCRbtOaEwuSK/s317/schadenfreude.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCp2e1pNDPRHqZO8cD4fRjazlLQw82q4rIfFcnbJfvE6Jk_rrvWajb1K9sohJl0b4WDdUYjuPWIYSo0RNHfObLAdRvRUbNO1cPvxB0Xr-FELwD8cwbt4QLQybf2zkY-XRdCRbtOaEwuSK/s0/schadenfreude.jpeg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a term that has been battered around the interbabble lately, schadenfreude, a German word that translates to “pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. Why have many news anchors used this term lately? After the announcement that President Trump tested positive for and is experience symptoms from the Covid19 virus many people have felt joy after hearing the news. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s understandable that moat people will experience schadenfreude when an apparent evil person, such as a pedophile serial killer, finally gets caught and convicted or even executed. But is it okay to have schadenfreude towards people who you may simply dislike or share different opinions over certain social or political issues? Now, I realize that there are feelings that we openly display publicly and those we reserve for ourselves or those closest to us. If a co-worker who you believe undermines your work or makes fun of how you dress gets a bad disease, such as cancer, is it okay to have schadenfreude? It is a fair question. The problem is that there is no official schadenfreude scale that can inform us on how we should feel. At the same time, should we feel guilty when we experience any kind of schadenfreude? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I believe that you need to be honest with yourself, whether your honest with the world or not, is another matter. If your true feelings are joyful when you hear about someone who you believe has acted malevolently experiences something harmful then it is an honest feeling and you should own it. Having the feeling is okay, but openly displaying that enjoyment is another matter. My son displayed schadenfreude when he heard that President Trump was sick with the Covid19 virus and hoped he would die from it. I told him that it’s okay to feel that way but even though you do not like how the President acts you shouldn’t desire that the result of his sickness ends in death. Yes, we can dislike what people do or say but if we wish that they get hurt or at worst, killed, then we are open for others to do the same to us. Do you desire people who may not like you, for whatever reason, wish you dead? I don’t know about you but I would not. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You may believe that Trump is partly responsible for the over 200,000 Corona virus deaths in the United States but expressing a desire for him to die from the virus goes too far. We can feel schadenfreude, but we shouldn’t let those feelings affect our own moral balance. Know it’s okay to experience schadenfreude. Don’t feel guilty but at the same time don’t let it escape too far from your heart. We’re all human and if you want more people to act humanely then you must act that way yourself. </span></p><p><br /></p>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-66500956807506845282020-09-23T16:46:00.002-07:002020-09-23T22:52:09.318-07:00Trump = New Coke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY9QJzyN90kiqRCS742ijEcN3rWQ8TYBQWfTY-XxZOgf8wbciylRknhlQLb03aoqmkmosC1hZMue9eBRW_0j45D5Yv1R-1MZUvCaPkdu3YMndAOQP2EcITGEyx-BRTPI-SC_NzfyCzrHe/s630/new-coke-trump.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY9QJzyN90kiqRCS742ijEcN3rWQ8TYBQWfTY-XxZOgf8wbciylRknhlQLb03aoqmkmosC1hZMue9eBRW_0j45D5Yv1R-1MZUvCaPkdu3YMndAOQP2EcITGEyx-BRTPI-SC_NzfyCzrHe/s320/new-coke-trump.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is my analogy of today’s political atmosphere equating political leaders to certain beverages.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Trump presidency could be thought of as akin to the experiment with New Coke. Focus groups told the Coca Cola Company that people liked Pepsi’s sweeter taste so they changed the formula and created New Coke. But in reality people didn’t like it and wanted the classic Coca Cola back. In political parlance, in 2016 it was thought that we needed something new, a candidate that would stir things up, drain the swamp, shake up Washington, but in reality, we need and want classic Republicans and Democrats.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today sugary beverages are on the outs - studies show they are really bad for you and a leading cause of obesity. I believe people want just plain, down-to-earth drinks, which goes to show the increase in various flavored waters. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Politicians = Drinks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Trump = Mountain Dew (as worst example of sugary drinks). High octane, high sugar content, not really good for you except to cram for a test for which you waited to study for until the night before, hence bad choices. Bad for your long-term health care. Pretends to be exciting and one of the people, but really isn’t. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Hillary Clinton = plain tonic water. At first the fizziness is nice but then it just becomes annoying and then there’s that aftertaste. Yuck.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Bernie Sanders = High priced, Whole Foods spring water. Good for you, but too pricey, would break your bank if you drank it everyday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Schumer or Pelosi = coffee house drinks, hot or cold. Too expensive, too fancy, too urban. Satisfying on an occasional basis but can make you high strung. Good if beans from organic, Fairtrade sources but is it worth the price?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Rand Paul or Mitch McConnell = Bourbon. Stuffy and staid. Often goes with cigars (also bad for you). Hits you hard and at first loosens you up, but quickly makes you unable to think straight and many times turns you into a mean drunk. Also, often watered down at bars, but most don’t realize it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What the American people need is a plain cup of Joe (pun intended) or unsweetened iced tea (a little mint stalk or lemon wedge wouldn’t hurt). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I think John Kasich on the Republican side fits the bill, but unfortunately, he’s not running. He’s a Midwesterner who speaks plainly and is level-headed = a nice tall glass of iced tea. Refreshing, inexpensive but with a little kick and you can drink it all day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For those who are running, good ole Joe Biden seems to have a similar sensibility, centrist views for the most part. Down to Earth, experienced, been there done that and reliable = A cup of diner or street vendor coffee. May not be all that exciting but will get the job done.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQodVhLCEthkUMFnO3z8_JuBq9ZE8A2ZlEp7WIZiL3Qli5tWIB8CB9NgcN4jQ-aFHAfiqtNYml8vKBhOWgQ3i3KOIwG2DJB8Rn3Q0AkTdJvnbOfY3nHfZ1WrIc3rBlixO-I8z8Uz4EwWqr/s475/Real-Cuppa-Joe-1-387x475.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="387" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQodVhLCEthkUMFnO3z8_JuBq9ZE8A2ZlEp7WIZiL3Qli5tWIB8CB9NgcN4jQ-aFHAfiqtNYml8vKBhOWgQ3i3KOIwG2DJB8Rn3Q0AkTdJvnbOfY3nHfZ1WrIc3rBlixO-I8z8Uz4EwWqr/s320/Real-Cuppa-Joe-1-387x475.png" /></a></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /><p></p>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-46440581253396715912020-09-16T16:33:00.002-07:002020-09-17T13:43:13.026-07:00Race Isn’t Real, Racism Is<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg186fw1Lflc2vP5na3gVPvnJyHUrPPx5ZWSOvTo08K88xwk8VTGVD_USUozIyblJLo5fE_1jaKH3TtpT-NZy5CuC9a3hsFdIRFAJB1Fai6dwacZJuxaRZe1guF9S6NvgFG7-RsQROXfObt/s612/AntiRacism_people.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg186fw1Lflc2vP5na3gVPvnJyHUrPPx5ZWSOvTo08K88xwk8VTGVD_USUozIyblJLo5fE_1jaKH3TtpT-NZy5CuC9a3hsFdIRFAJB1Fai6dwacZJuxaRZe1guF9S6NvgFG7-RsQROXfObt/w200-h200/AntiRacism_people.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It irks me every time I have to check off a “race” box on any form asking for demographic information. It’s not that I don’t want to provide accurate information about myself, but it’s because the very idea of race as we use it today is a human construct created to keep “white” Europeans at the head of the food chain. The idea that humanity can be divided into four or five types of humans is relatively recent. The word race was used infrequently before the 1500s and used to identify groups of people with a connection, such as a race of clergyman. In fact, the ancient civilizations would have laughed at how we use race in this country. During most of human history a mixture of cultures, body types, ethnic traits was commonplace. The bottom line is that we are all 99.9% the same biologically, all deriving from the same group of people in Africa. There is no scientific basis that we are genetically any better than anyone else. We may look different but that’s because some humans ventured out from Africa looking for food sources or to simply explore strange new worlds because we’re naturally curious. These new environments changed our make up a tiny bit here and there depending on climate and other geographical reasons. While race isn’t real, ethnicity – that which makes us who we are based on the culture and customs of a society – is real. You can criticize me for not being able to dance well or how I like to watch hockey or how I was born in New Jersey, but not because my skin is white or eyes blue. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The idea of race as used today began with Europeans, more notably the English, for our purposes, and their belief that they were superior over other people, more specific, the Irish, who they believed were savages. They brought this idea to the New World in the 1500s where they needed large amounts of labor to tend to the new lucrative crop of tobacco. After discovering they could not count on the Native Americans to help them (a great many died from European diseases), they turned to indentured servants from Europe, including many Irishman, but also some Africans and others brought in from the Caribbean islands occupied by the Spanish and French. Indentured servants were not slaves, but they were treated almost like slaves, but once they fulfilled their contracted servitude, they were free to do what they wanted. Some Africans became farmers and businessmen on their own right, free to do what they wanted alongside their European friends. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7nI4K7BVR-zBhcSngnUBdDr3kh_0UOTfNORiCk_DuUez4EKXviB3DWv3Oy36RNDQgEp71P1JZiqNK3DJbl64bFu9-fMQuzGc3WHWdVqIV-4CjID85jipgKlHe4COv4I-wfviaNQDXYNd/s720/3a8122198273315a6e54bcac08ed0e7a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7nI4K7BVR-zBhcSngnUBdDr3kh_0UOTfNORiCk_DuUez4EKXviB3DWv3Oy36RNDQgEp71P1JZiqNK3DJbl64bFu9-fMQuzGc3WHWdVqIV-4CjID85jipgKlHe4COv4I-wfviaNQDXYNd/s320/3a8122198273315a6e54bcac08ed0e7a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>At this time in early colonial history many ex-indentured servants, both Europeans and African, were kindred spirits, with economic similarities bringing them together. During the famous Bacon’s Rebellion, it was the indentured – of all types - who felt disenfranchised by the wealthy plantation owners and fought for their rights to help their plight, but they were put down. When the stream of indentured from Europe slowed to a trickle, due mostly to economics and increased land cultivation, and, the fact, that Native Americans were not an option because they could easily escape into the frontier, the landowners had to find new sources of labor that they could control, and many traders were willing and able to fill the gap. The reason Africans became the choice labor source was due to their skills at cultivation and craftsmanship. These landowners hid behind Christian beliefs to justify enslaving these Africans, creating a hierarchy of humans with White Europeans on top and others below. They had to separate them out in order to say they were inferior, and thus okay to treat inhumanely. The color of their skin was just a convenient way to distinguish these <i>heathens</i> from their white superiors. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The color-coded system of determining a person’s place on the hierarchy began to take place during the 1600s in colonial America. The term “White” previously was used to distinguish privileged women who stayed at home and did not labor, but not men, who were to venture out of the home to work, as did poor women. With the need for vast amounts of labor to fuel the economic engine in the colonies slavery was instituted and to justify the enslavement of Africans and other “colored” peoples, the color hierarchal system was put into place, and race, as a common term, was born. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Race, as a way to distinguish groups of people, is an English colonial invention. Slave traders of all types were very willing to take advantage of this, bringing boat loads of Africans to the shores of first, the English colonies, and then the American states. The idea of white privilege was so intertwined with religion and economics that with each generation it became engrained in the psyche of Americans and thought of as natural. Soon, generations of enslaved Africans became Americans who had no idea what a life of freedom was or could be. The boxing of people into categories also became part of the psyche of America and continues until today, becoming part of the bureaucracy of government…and thus the need for the race boxes on almost every form you fill out. At least lately you have a choice – you do not have to check a race box, you can decline, and I urge that everyone do this so that we can finally put an end to using race in demography. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But while using race can be eliminated more easily, racism, is another factor altogether. The <i>Oxford Dictionary</i> defines racism as:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized”</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So even if we eliminate race as a way to distinguish people, it doesn’t eliminate racism because we still use ethnicity as a way to refer to different groups of people. Racism is like the fuel behind the fire. It is the philosophical ideas that were behind the initial idea to categorize people in the first place – that one group of people was fundamentally better than another. Unfortunately, racism is engrained so tightly in American culture that it will take a long time to sniff out. This idea that I’m better than you simply because I’m a certain color is so flawed as to be laughable, but so many people still believe it, because it’s what they were taught. But people also think that because one group says things a certain way or eats different foods or has different rituals that they’re below them on some sort of hierarchal scale is also ridiculous. And that is where we must begin. We must admit that race should not be used to separate groups of people, but we must also admit, as Americans, that racism is deep-seated in our psyche and must be surgically removed. It is a tumor that we must find a way to expunge without killing our country and the values we find important: life for all, liberty for all and happiness for all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Citations</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(18)30363-X</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-concept-of-race-is-a-lie/</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/historical-foundations-race</div><div><br /></div></div>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-12110668683184124532020-09-15T11:03:00.001-07:002020-09-15T11:08:03.877-07:00It's Been A Long Time<div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">September 15, 2020</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hello World,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGSwl4bUoDvn8sthmwjzYgL6qU4GlLxAallfh5Jm7rp6jL4d5tNHdYdGu7uPuAwo62_B-uH2eXYpgyjtM56At3XYWoEd1Pwx9kMJP_n8vJju-wSQPx79RP4WHbJApas5obXqVGOkNh6rW/s2048/Rich_CSUCI_graduation02_5-19-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGSwl4bUoDvn8sthmwjzYgL6qU4GlLxAallfh5Jm7rp6jL4d5tNHdYdGu7uPuAwo62_B-uH2eXYpgyjtM56At3XYWoEd1Pwx9kMJP_n8vJju-wSQPx79RP4WHbJApas5obXqVGOkNh6rW/s320/Rich_CSUCI_graduation02_5-19-18.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2018 Graduation</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's been a long time since I contributed to this blog and a lot has happened since 2014. I continued my path into education, first becoming a substitute teacher, then entering a credential program. And then another, after a very bad stint as an intern teacher. I finally received my single subject social science preliminary credential from California State University - Channel Islands in May of 2018 and then soon after my Career Technical Education credential in Arts, Media and Education. But I have been unsuccessful for the past two years in securing a full time teaching position and especially this year where there have not been many opportunities. Only a few interviews that haven't panned out. I have been tutoring part time and was driving for Lyft until the pandemic hit. Now, my job search has expanded to include my old work as a writer, director, producer, editor, actor, journalist. And I have decided to regularly contribute to this blog. So if you stumble upon this and decide to read either old or new blogs, feel free to leave a comment so I have an idea that SOMEBODY is reading and I'm not just screaming to the wind. Thank you and see you in the funny pages.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Rich</span></div>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-59149845504171261032014-07-20T23:49:00.001-07:002014-07-21T01:14:12.999-07:00The Magic Moorpark Apricot<span style="background-color: orange;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">NOTE: The following is an original short story written a few years ago. Though based on real people this is a work of fiction and by no means represents any person portrayed in the story. </span></span></blockquote>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Times;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Magic Moorpark Apricot</span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By Rich Burlingham</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Times;
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Times;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
--></style><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">It had been
years since the hamlet known as Moorpark was the epicenter for the apricot
trade in Southern California. A bad freeze in the 1920s wiped out most of the
trees and either a decline in demand or a lack of desire to wait for young
sprouts to grow into fruitful trees ended the rein of the Moorpark Apricot and
only a few trees remained in the now bustling city. The largest groves of the fruit were part of the Little Simi
Ranch bought from the Pico Brothers by town founder Robert Poindexter in the 1880s. Poindexter was
proud of his town and his apricots but the untimely death of his young wife
Adele left him not only a widower but also a single father to a six year-old
daughter named Helen. After the
great freeze put Poindexter out of business he transferred his remaining estate
and other land holdings to his daughter and died shortly after. Helen was only ten years old.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Many years
later on a sunny but breezy fall day a 13 year old girl named Olivia was
escorting her six year-old brother, Avery, from school down a residential
street in their hometown of Moorpark.
Avery was wearing his brand-new backpack as they walked to meet their
mother at the Neighborhood for Learning Center where she volunteered. They were passing under a tree when a strong gust of wind
almost knocked them over. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyxD9kDFtc24ZqQE1x6H6Saf2AEu3IJSQknu3BXN2KVe0hT1IzvyHD_Xd_mVtK2nTQzkF4CTg0Claqam0d50FmoZR75o8z9ASyOVbp950LflSNm4enm-khUReCAR_kgEKgmj1Vl_iPd0J/s1600/Brother&Sister_walking_woods_cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyxD9kDFtc24ZqQE1x6H6Saf2AEu3IJSQknu3BXN2KVe0hT1IzvyHD_Xd_mVtK2nTQzkF4CTg0Claqam0d50FmoZR75o8z9ASyOVbp950LflSNm4enm-khUReCAR_kgEKgmj1Vl_iPd0J/s1600/Brother&Sister_walking_woods_cropped.jpg" height="320" width="178" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> They saw
the tree sway and its branches flutter as though someone had shaken it. The tree grew out of a yard separated
from the sidewalk by a white picket fence and stood next to an old gingerbread-style
house painted robin egg blue. It
was the home of an old woman kids called Old Mother Hubbard, but whose real
name was Helen Poindexter, daughter of the city’s founding father. Helen was over 90 years old and rarely
left her house. Care givers would
be seen entering and exiting, sometimes the occasional doctor would visit, but
that was the extent of it. No one
knew much about Helen except that she was sent away when her father died to
live with an Aunt in England and then returned to Moorpark many years later
when she was in her 60’s to live in the last remaining Poindexter holding – the
little house on Charles Street that once was the home to the ranch foreman.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia and
Avery stopped after the gust because they discovered in front of them on the
sidewalk a bright yellow-orange round object that glistened in the sunlight.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “What’s
that,” Avery asked his older sister.
“I don’t know,” she replied.
“It must have fallen from this tree.” Avery, always the curious one, quickly bent over and picked
up the object. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Orange?” he
questioned. Olivia, looking at it
more closely, answered, “I don’t think so…it looks more like some kind of
peach, but it’s smooth. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> They both
looked up at the tree but were astonished to find that there were no other
yellow-orange round objects in the branches, just green leaves, limbs and a
trunk – like most regular trees.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjrVZRobts6_380zszGLdH7pufE2KnpfjmAW95pdTwZ3JNxDdooT6IpR6JQzIvgZQSTq_CsA9NmmmQk5k2FtdR_kYDDXRnh_MvwHxacEjsZcSpHznRHwinGPlQrzAmPkFxYYAhE-DwtqS/s1600/apricots_fruit&blossoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjrVZRobts6_380zszGLdH7pufE2KnpfjmAW95pdTwZ3JNxDdooT6IpR6JQzIvgZQSTq_CsA9NmmmQk5k2FtdR_kYDDXRnh_MvwHxacEjsZcSpHznRHwinGPlQrzAmPkFxYYAhE-DwtqS/s1600/apricots_fruit&blossoms.jpg" height="111" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">“That’s
odd,” Olivia said, softly to herself.
“Can we eat it?” asked Avery, who was placing it near his mouth. “No!” exclaimed Olivia, grabbing
the fruit away from her little brother, “We don’t know what it is…it could be
poisonous.” </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia was
about to throw it into Mother Hubbard’s yard when an old woman’s voice rang
out. “I wouldn’t do that if I were
you,” she said in a raspy, breathy voice. The children looked over and saw this
very old, thin woman hunched over with a cane in one hand and a wheeled oxygen
tank standing next to her with a tube running to her nostrils. “That’s a special piece of fruit you
have there,” she said, struggling to breath after every third word
spoken. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia and
Avery stood frozen. They had never
really seen Old Mother Hubbard before – all they knew was the playground
chatter kids passed down from one generation to the next. These stories were usually old ghost or
monster stories simply revamped to include Old Mother Hubbard. “It is not poisonous, my child,” the
old woman directed at Olivia, with pointed eyes. “It is a special apricot. Whoever takes a bite will have their most desired dream come
true,” she said from her doorway, the push of air from the tank punctuating her
words. "But only one."</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery was
fascinated by the old woman, yet his shyness kept him quiet. Olivia, her
maternal instincts kicking in, held her brother tightly by his shoulders before
addressing the senior citizen.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “You’re just
a crazy old woman who’s trying to scare little kids,” Olivia yelled at the
woman before looking at her brother, “C’mon Avery, we better go.” Olivia quickly walked off, dropping the
apricot to the sidewalk. Avery
remained standing looking directly at Helen, her eyes dull and her face
wrinkled. He bent down and picked
up the apricot and put it in his backpack. He then smiled at the old woman and
nodded, as though he knew something that only he and Helen understood. He then
ran to catch up to his sister.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery tried
to keep up with Olivia but she walked unusually fast. “Do you think what she said is true?” he asked. “Are you nuts, Avery?” she responded
with irritability. “Old
Mother Hubbard is a crazy old woman.
There are no magic apricots that make dreams come true, you got it?” she
said sternly, stopping to make sure her point got across to her brother before
returning to her fast gait. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery
wouldn’t leave the notion alone.
“But what if it was true and you could bite into the apricot and get
your wish…what wish would you want?” he asked his sister.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia kept
walking but did ponder the thought of a wish. “I don’t know…perhaps I’d have all my math homework done and
would get A’s on all the tests,” she said. Avery was about to speak when she added to her wish
list. “Oh, and I’d have Luke
Taylor ask me to get ice cream after school…he’s so cute,” she said looking up
towards the hills, forgetting for a moment why she was so flustered. Avery looked up in that direction but
couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. He wondered if all girls were as strange as his sister.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia
finally looked down at her brother and asked, “What about you, what dream would
you want to come true?” </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> With all the
talk of dreams and magic apricots he hadn’t thought about his own wish. He hummed to himself but didn’t say a
word. Olivia pressed. “C’mon, I
know there’s stuff you want…what about that…” Olivia was interrupted by the
screams of her mother from a block away.
“Hurry you two. We need to
get to the hospital. Your Poppa is sick again.”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The kids put it
in high gear and ran all the way to the car, which was running and ready to
speed away. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
Olivia asked nervously. Her
mother, Johanna, was short, “We’ll find out when we get there,” she snapped
while helping Avery get buckled up.
They all remained silent on the way to the hospital. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Somber silence filled the air during the twenty-minute drive to Thousand Oaks. At the hospital they met their
Dad, Rich, who told his kids that their grandfather had been rushed into
surgery due to complications with the cancer that had ravaged his body. Moments after arriving the surgeon came
out to tell the family their loved one had just gotten out of surgery and was
stable in the ICU. The doctor took Johanna and Rich aside, telling them they
weren’t optimistic and perhaps it was best to be prepared to say their
goodbyes. After a short discussion
the couple thought it would be best for the kids to say goodbye to their Poppa
while he was still coherent. They
each took a kid and prepared them for what they may see. Avery just nodded to his Dad without
any questions. Olivia asked her mother about twenty questions, all in a
staccato, rapid style that left Johanna spent.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Johanna and
the kids entered the ICU – the cold, dark and noisy room was full of beds with
extremely sick people. Avery and
Olivia followed their mother to the bed that held their </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5XOO_z0kJXWzYXTAQDB7wprlugpgxxB5zvP5ySIgGLe8dL-a67H4PY0KaPx-_xT-5Xa24tIlWADcc7nCKS-OZVuQO7XSEUkLoGd6nJWyiMhawtGXkEvZCegyQ46q_nT59xRbZZnxI0zN/s1600/old-man-in-hospital-bed_brush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5XOO_z0kJXWzYXTAQDB7wprlugpgxxB5zvP5ySIgGLe8dL-a67H4PY0KaPx-_xT-5Xa24tIlWADcc7nCKS-OZVuQO7XSEUkLoGd6nJWyiMhawtGXkEvZCegyQ46q_nT59xRbZZnxI0zN/s1600/old-man-in-hospital-bed_brush.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">grandfather. He looked very pale with all sorts of
wires connecting him to a slew of noisy machines with flickering lights and
LEDs monitoring every life function imaginable. Avery was most interested in the breathing machine and
though all the noise was enough to scare an adult, he was calm and collected,
never wincing at the disturbing environment.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The kids
approached their Poppa’s side – the opposite side from all the machines. The nurse on duty took off the
breathing tube and looked at the kids.
“Be quick, now. He can only
speak in short single words. Don’t
excite him, okay?” She waited for
an affirmative nod from both kids before leaving them alone.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Olivia began
to cry as her grandfather moved his head to look at her. “Oh, Poppa,” she muttered quietly
before bursting into silent tears.
She backpedaled to her mother who stood near the end of
the bed. But Avery wasn’t scared
nor did he move from his grandfather’s side when he looked at him. Actually, he moved in closer, and put
his face right up to his grandfather’s, almost touching it and said, “I have
something for you, Poppa.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Is that
so,” his Poppa eked out, gulping for air afterwards. He gathered enough strength to focus on who was
talking. Avery continued, “Yes, it
will help you. It’s magic.”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The old man
forced a smile as Avery took off his backpack and proceeded to take something
out. Johanna became alarmed,
“Avery, what are you doing?”
Before she could react Avery had taken out the apricot and was placing
it by his Poppa’s mouth. “Take a
bite, Poppa. Old Mother Hubbard
said it’ll make your dreams come true,” he said with confidence. The gaunt ash-faced man with sunken eyes
and gravelly voice, barely able to keep his eyes open, looked directly into his
grandson’s bright blue eyes and said, “Thank you”, before opening his mouth.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “No!” yelled
Olivia. “That’s that fruit…from
the old woman…Old Mother Hubb…it’s POISONOUS!” she screamed. Both Johanna and Olivia tried to
intercept the bite but they weren’t in time. Their grandfather gathered all the
strength he had to take a small bite of the magic fruit and to chew and
swallow. Avery smiled. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Then all
hell broke loose.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Poppa began
gasping. The machines went
haywire. Alarms sounded and a
horde of nurses and doctors rushed into the room, pushing Avery against the
wall. An excited nurse </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7pegbrtsyzyZ4ZYRliOOtjN5JRQKrDEEQuLV_azuP1tQGOVxiXGMQH0yKhF4a8qiuG2z4QnqRX6uTXSQ0KyAkdC8uiyIX3p44cCwqwtb-co3YkcHQRqJGo1ZnaM9qI6oguNL4rJdMgp4/s1600/nurse-patient_b_w.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7pegbrtsyzyZ4ZYRliOOtjN5JRQKrDEEQuLV_azuP1tQGOVxiXGMQH0yKhF4a8qiuG2z4QnqRX6uTXSQ0KyAkdC8uiyIX3p44cCwqwtb-co3YkcHQRqJGo1ZnaM9qI6oguNL4rJdMgp4/s1600/nurse-patient_b_w.gif" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">asked for
Johanna to take leave with the kids while they worked on the patient. Johanna complied as she tried to
comfort her hysterical daughter.
Avery calmly followed.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Upon exiting the ICU Johanna was a mix of fright and ire. She knew she couldn’t scold her son in
the middle of the hospital so she quickly rushed them down the crowded hallway
to the waiting room. Once there
they found Rich pacing the tiny room while Anderson Cooper of CNN reported from
the middle of a hurricane on a TV perched above. “That was quick,” he told the trio as they entered. Olivia
rushed to her father for a reassuring hug. “What’s wrong…what happened?” he asked. Johanna simply looked at her son. “I don’t understand what happened in
there. Avery, talk.”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery sat in
a chair opposite the TV, the apricot with his Poppa’s bite mark still in his
hand. He was about to explain when
the squeaky waiting room door opened.
The same doctor from earlier slowly entered, now frazzled with sweat
stains all over his greens.
Everyone in the room looked up, except for Avery. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “I’m
sorry….”, the doctor began.
Johanna wailed, knowing what was about to be said. “We tried everything but I guess the
surgery was too much after all. We
did everything we could, but Mr. Brooks has died.” The doctor gave a sympathetic look to the family and was
about to turn and leave without a further word when a small boy’s voice rang
out. “Thank you, doctor,” Avery
told the surgeon. “For trying to
help my Poppa.” The doc looked at
the six year-old that sounded forty. They exchanged a half smile and the doctor
turned quickly around towards the door in order to hide his tears. He left the
room, closing the squeaky door behind him.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> After
comforting his wife and daughter Rich sat down next to his son, who simply
stared at the TV, not shedding one tear.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “You know
it’s okay to cry when someone you love dies,” he said, as he placed his arm
around his son’s shoulder. “I
know, Dad, but I don’t have to because Poppa is better now,” he said with
wisdom beyond his years. Rich was
aptly confused. Avery showed him
the apricot. “This is magic. I let
Poppa take a bite so his dream would come true…and it did.” Rich was at first extremely perplexed,
but looking at his son and then at the piece of fruit, for some reason it all
clicked in his head, but he needed confirmation.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5q1gTej9BYbxjrQxVRHfD8clSfbnt1wah3YtLbjmyNwxu3RH2vfLDMdDBqBjM4Qcyzff470dkmNYBMrBbwKIrO_tYwy3EuROj6dfwIeTnpVVWgtnI4R8mGqkLEWdU81en_o1BjbJwYpR/s1600/MotherConsolingDaughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5q1gTej9BYbxjrQxVRHfD8clSfbnt1wah3YtLbjmyNwxu3RH2vfLDMdDBqBjM4Qcyzff470dkmNYBMrBbwKIrO_tYwy3EuROj6dfwIeTnpVVWgtnI4R8mGqkLEWdU81en_o1BjbJwYpR/s1600/MotherConsolingDaughter.jpg" height="200" width="158" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">Olivia and
Johanna looked over as they overheard the conversation. Avery put on a confident face and
looked at his family, speaking assuredly.
He said, “Poppa wanted to be with Nana more than anything. He missed her so much and now he is
with her. That was his only dream.”</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery then
put the apricot back in his backpack, sat back and looked up at the TV. They
all stared at Avery while he stared at the screen. For the first time in a long time a quiet comfort enveloped
the entire family. Avery then
looked to his parents. “I’m
hungry. Can we go get some McDonald’s,” he said as though nothing out of the
ordinary had happened.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Johanna
looked at her husband and then back to her son, “Sure, sweetie.” She rose, walked over to Avery and
kissed him on the top of his head.
“We can surely do that.”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Avery held
his backpack tightly and looked up towards the TV screen. “Say hi to Nana for me,” he said to
himself. A single drop of a tear
finally rolled down his cheek.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
© 2014 Rich Burlingham</div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-20300641808405742982014-04-19T09:02:00.000-07:002014-04-19T09:02:01.369-07:00Diary of a New Middle-Aged Substitute Teacher - Entry 1<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>NOTE:</b> Periodically I will be posting diary entries chronicling the trials and tribulations of becoming a substitute teacher at my age (52). I hope they shed some light on the good and not so good parts of this under-appreciated profession. </blockquote>
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Professions in the creative arts are difficult to sustain or
make profitable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you have a
family to support it just compounds the problem and so alternate professions
are usually sought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am no
exception and the impetus for becoming a substitute teacher, and hopefully a
fully certified teacher at some point, was obvious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here in California, where I live, they have placed some of
the most stringent standards for those wanting to become substitute
teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear in some places
any Joe off the street can become a sub with little to no proof of
ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In California and Oregon
you need to pass a standardized test called the CBEST: California Basic
Educational Skills Test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV3D519KhIFodrrSzcIDz_kD3ftIm_iOvPq7dKCiUa9X_nmTmZ5aBPiSy2K2Bu_dK3VdM7j3zMy4GDeVWGliBlcNVtsLOaoPuU7zFKLn6zX1fdjk-BSRNCNQeBfFReC76Z63AXx_htBtj/s1600/cbest-practice-tests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV3D519KhIFodrrSzcIDz_kD3ftIm_iOvPq7dKCiUa9X_nmTmZ5aBPiSy2K2Bu_dK3VdM7j3zMy4GDeVWGliBlcNVtsLOaoPuU7zFKLn6zX1fdjk-BSRNCNQeBfFReC76Z63AXx_htBtj/s1600/cbest-practice-tests.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
It is a
computerized-based test consisting of three sections which you can take
individually or all together in one session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a reading comprehension section, a math section and
a writing section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t too
worried about the reading and writing – heck, I’m a writer but the math…I was petrified
after looking at the practice tests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew I had to cram in order to pass as it had really been since high
school that I took any kind of math class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, in college I took a statistics class to satisfy a
prerequisite but I barely got through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As you can tell, numbers are not my specialty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reading comprehension wasn’t all that easy, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took several practice tests to see
the type of questions to know how to read the passages efficiently – and they
try to trip you up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the
writing section I would have to rely on my years of experience but I realized
quickly that I would need to stick to basic academic essay style and format –
no free verse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time was critical
so I decided to take all three parts in one long session given at a designated
testing center located at a local school district facility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before testing my wife tutored me on
math (that’s her thing) and I took as many practice tests as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be the first test of this kind
I had taken since the GRE many, many, many…did I say many years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddS3_i79BKddJjX7aPuWvPM1dLkNmC6Chfbssqd06s8B-K_s3bn8CLmTfh4V6zJIJWVmTIH8nW05-zQ_vgTDy5pu16V_iydY3ihSwJ5CxxSkJ2hB8gj_GsyFRsRZmsMRPx8RRihubwFGb/s1600/Quantitative+Depositphotos_6278282_xs-500x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddS3_i79BKddJjX7aPuWvPM1dLkNmC6Chfbssqd06s8B-K_s3bn8CLmTfh4V6zJIJWVmTIH8nW05-zQ_vgTDy5pu16V_iydY3ihSwJ5CxxSkJ2hB8gj_GsyFRsRZmsMRPx8RRihubwFGb/s1600/Quantitative+Depositphotos_6278282_xs-500x500.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the evening of the test I was a bit nervous as I was
shown my computer station in a room with about 30 stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were already about ten people
taking various tests at different stages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I sit down and log on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had already watched a tutorial at home on how to navigate their system and so
it wasn’t totally foreign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it
came time to hit the GO button.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was timed and a little countdown clock in the upper right of the screen
constantly reminded you how much time you had left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had four hours.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My strategy was to tackle the math first – you could do any
section in any order and mark questions in any section that you would like to
come back to later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I
might as well get the hard stuff done first since I could whiz through the
reading and writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My strategy
proved correct since the math took two thirds of the time to complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They give you white boards to use
instead of scratch paper but when you run out of space they bring you another
white board – I guess it was environmentally better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used two white boards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time I got to the two essays I had about 30 minutes
left and used almost all my time<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-
I think I logged off with three minutes to spare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t leave me much time to edit the essays so I hoped
they made sense and had topic sentences and enough supporting paragraphs, oh,
and a conclusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once completed my passing the test was certainly in question
due to the math.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was aware that
I would receive my scores on math and reading after before leaving the center –
the writing score and thus the overall passing score would come via email in
ten days or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was nervous when
they handed me the print out of my scores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reading pretty good but math…just barely enough depending
how I did on the writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
waiting game.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not passing a basic education test would make me feel like a
real putz, even though it’s been decades since I was in school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finally got the email with my
writing score I was anxious to look and even hesitated slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleasantly surprised to have done
extremely well on the writing and so passed the CBEST on the first try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would later find out that for many
subs took two or three times to pass all three sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtl651rQPGMHb-K8m3qZe6r9AYB9nhafGo3zshZBbHg3MPvZD7A2V-4tO8Qkx4vOdgVCwN1lO-rTXuC-oUyXb9euh_1I1KTDzk4_1GWmVqpxxQ6TsCTesKZksSyC-X5jH6a9c0q9qa8YJU/s1600/RB_CBEST_passingcert_Feb2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtl651rQPGMHb-K8m3qZe6r9AYB9nhafGo3zshZBbHg3MPvZD7A2V-4tO8Qkx4vOdgVCwN1lO-rTXuC-oUyXb9euh_1I1KTDzk4_1GWmVqpxxQ6TsCTesKZksSyC-X5jH6a9c0q9qa8YJU/s1600/RB_CBEST_passingcert_Feb2014.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Passing the CBEST was just one of many steps (and costs)
before I could enter a classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Districts are all different but all required to see your Social Security
Card, not just the number but the actual card…I had lost mine a long time ago
and have never needed the actual card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had to request a new one from the SS Administration, which took 10
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some school districts
required sealed college transcripts so they had to be ordered from my
university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All need me to be
fingerprinted for clearances by the FBI and Dept. of Justice – at my cost and
it’s not cheap, though for substituting the resulting report goes into a county
database accessible by all districts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then there was applying for a 30-Day Permit from the state through the
county – another cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all it
was about $400 – four days of teaching to pay off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some districts also required you to sit through a bunch of
training videos on child abuse and mandated reporting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The funny thing – no training on
actually being a substitute or teaching – it is totally on the job training and
something for the next installment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-88380302007194719572014-03-06T15:36:00.002-08:002014-03-06T15:36:55.909-08:00The Times They Are A Changin’
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">NOTE: The following was written a month after 911 happened while I was living in Manhattan. It was written to the members of the Dallas Screenwriters Association of which I was past Vice President. In the wake of the recent international crises such at with the Ukraine and Syria among others that have put the world on alert again, I thought it appropriate to republish. </span></b></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">New York. Oct 11, 2001. </span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the fallout of the World
Trade Center attacks there has been a conscious and unconscious change in the
way we Americans look at entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not since the Great Depression and World War II has an industry been
thrust into a situation that can make it glow in the eyes of a nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As screenwriters we have the ability
and in many respects the responsibility to guide our fellow citizens through
anxious and fearful times that will define our future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is through documentary-style
realism or escapist entertainment, we can both enlighten the populous and take
their minds away from the terror that fills our heads.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
in New York, the entire communications industry – from the news organizations
to the television dramas shot on the streets of Manhattan – has a distinct
difference in their attitudes towards what they offer their viewers and how
they do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a writer in New
York in the wake of what has happened, you cannot, not change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From walking down the street and seeing
posters on every lamp post and phone booths from friends and relatives of the
missing to the vigils set up in parks with candles and flowers to the pictures
of killed or missing fire fighters that adorn the facades of every fire house –
it’s a different world than it was September 10<sup>th</sup>, 200l.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of
course, there is the welcome patriotism that has come across the nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there is also a Ford F150 full of
emotions, from fear to anger, that also has blanketed this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These emotions are swirling about like
an Okie twister and it is the screenwriter who can capture them and turn them
into compelling storytelling – features and TV shows that will help a nation,
not just a demographic, heal and gain a sense that the future will be better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not
that I was ever an aficionado of the big action adventure genre that has
dominated theaters for the last twenty years but for the most part you can
safely say that it has had its day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry Andrew Marlowe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Americans of all ages are gong to want compelling dramas that help
relate to the feelings that are dominating their lives, flat-out funny comedies
and romantic comedies that can make them laugh and forget about the troubles at
home and abroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can bring
back quality family entertainment that can put a smile on not only a child’s
face but that of their parents and grandparents who try to shield their kids
from all the bad stuff in the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So
remember DSA’ers, as you sit in front of your word processors (or manual
typewriters for you purists), that YOU have the power to help heal and lift a nation
over this hump of terror, war and economic uncertainty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may find the uplifting screenplays
you churn out might also help lift your own spirits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Good
luck and good writing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rich
Burlingham</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">DSA
Vice President (ret.)</span></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-78823221259988475022014-02-17T09:48:00.000-08:002014-02-17T09:59:54.165-08:00WHO'S THE BEST HOLLYWOOD PRESIDENT?<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
h1
{mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-next:Normal;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
page-break-after:avoid;
mso-outline-level:1;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-font-kerning:0pt;
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-locked:yes;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:bold;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in .5in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<h1>
<span style="font-size: small;">NOTE:<i> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In honor of President's Day I thought of reprinting an old article that first appeared November 2006 for the on line news mag, In The Fray. It's a list of the best film and TV presidents up to that point in time. There have since been other screen presidents, such as James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) in White House Down and Jackson</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Evans</span> (<span style="font-weight: normal;">Jeff Bridges)</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> in</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">The</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Contender</span>, <span style="font-weight: normal;">that may or may not make the list but I will let you decide if any of them should be included. </span></span></i></span></h1>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></h1>
<h1>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Critically Speaking: <span style="font-weight: normal;">Who’s the best Hollywood President?</span></span></span></h1>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">BY RICH BURLINGHAM - November 2006, IN THE FRAY</span> </span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before all the holiday blockbuster and Oscar<sub>© </sub>bait
movies get to a theater near you I wanted to do a little politicking myself
with a self induced caucus on the best fictional president in film or
television. I decided to conduct
my own very unscientific poll with a very biased pool of one person,
myself. I limited the possible
candidates to those films or television shows after 1960 and I came up with
certain criteria based on what Mr.& Mrs. Joe Schmo would use to help make
up their minds. I graded each on a
scale of 1-10 with 1 being bad and 10 being excellent on the following
criteria: Character, Intelligence & Ability, Charisma, Family Life, Trust
& Honesty, Experience, Decision Making, Political Skills, and Leadership. I
added up the scores from all the categories with the result being what I call
their Q Rating. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The group consisted of 16 candidates from 11 films and three
television shows. They must have
all been fictional characters (no biopics) and they had to be either the lead
or a very major supporting role.
After exhausting study and analysis here are the results of the best
Hollywood presidents, according to me.</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
top president is <b>James Marshal</b> from the action blockbuster <i>Air
Force One</i> portrayed by Harrison Ford. His Q rating was 77 out of a possible
90. Marshal scored high in all
categories by showing his ability to not only thwart a group of terrorists
threatening to kill his family but by being a president that we’d all want on
our side...and women tell me he’s not bad to look at. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next is a tie. First in line is <b>Andrew Shepherd</b>, the widowed
head of state played by Michael Douglas, who
becomes smitten with Annette Bening’s lobbyist
from Rob
Riener’s romantic comedy <i>An American
President</i>.
Shepherd was able to gain a 72 Q rating by being tops in most categories
save for political skill. Dating a
lobbyist trying to persuade your administration to change opinion on key
legislation isn’t the smartest of career moves but again, he’s not bad to look
at.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also gaining a 72 Q rating is
a president from another blockbuster, <b>Tom Whitmore</b>, as portrayed by Bill Pullman, the jet
flying, alien busting president from the action sci-fi film, <i>Independence
Day</i>.
Whitmore’s only bad marks come in the family life category because he’s
too busy saving the world to worry about his wife, though he does give a good
pep talk.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We go back to the 1960’s
and to Henry
Fonda in the film <i>Fail
Safe</i> where he’s simply referred to as <b>The President</b>. <i>Fail Safe</i> is a cold
war thriller directed by Sidney Lumet (who cut his teeth on live TV) and reflects on
all the fears of nuclear annihilation brought upon by the Cuban missile
crises. Fonda’s president is cool,
collected and able to make hard decisions that will affect the entire world. If he wasn’t willing to let his family
die in a nuclear blast just to save the world he may have gotten more than a 69
rating.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The highest TV president
on the list is <b>Jed Bartlett</b> of <i>The West Wing</i>
played with a mix of pathos and sincerity by the politically active Martin
Sheen. Bartlett gets a 68 Q rating by bringing intelligence and a conscious to his presidency
and a heartfelt desire to lead the American people through challenging
times. If he hadn’t lied about his
medical problems he would have scored a lot higher.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Next we have another sci-fi president in <b>Tom Beck</b>, the first
African-American Chief played by the Academy Award winning actor Morgan
Freeman. In the film <i>Deep
Impact</i>, Freeman’s president has to play the tough father
figure to a world that is certainly going to be hit by a giant comet. Beck lacks charisma but if push
comes to shove I wouldn’t mind having him in the oval office whenever a large
celestial object is heading our way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We go
back to television for our next president, the greenest member on the list and
the first female, <b>Mackenzie Allen</b>, played by another Academy Award winner, Geena
Davis. In <i>Commander In
Chief</i> you have a Vice-President who assumes the presidency
after her boss dies off. She has
to battle public opinion and a ruthless Speaker of the House, played to the
hilt by the venerable Donald
Sutherland. In the Allen
White House you have a husband who assumes a greater role than most first
ladies have before him and three kids all face the hardships of growing up
with a mom who could drop a bomb whenever she pleases. She still has some proving to do,
experience to gain and political moves to master but given time McKenzie Allen
could move up in the polls and raise her 61 rating.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We change networks for our next president, <b>David Palmer</b> as portrayed by Dennis
Haysbert from the first couple seasons of the Fox show <i>24</i>. After facing not only a threat on his
life and an actual assassination attempt he had to deal with a back-stabbing
evil wife turned ex-wife who would do anything to get her man back. Being able to help keep both America and Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland) safe
is a lot for any president to handle.
I’m sure his advice would be to get rid of a crazy wife before running
for president. His Q Rating, 58.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, one of my favorite presidents
isn’t really a president - he just plays one on screen. In Ivan Reitman's <i>Dave</i> Kevin
Kline plays <b>Dave Kovich</b>, an everyman who happens to look like the
president and assumes those duties when the real president falls into a deep
coma after a sexual dalliance with an assistant. Dave’s "President" wins the hearts of the people, balances the
budget and falls for the real first lady.
The only problem is he’s really just an owner of an employment agency
and can’t really be president. If
only it were that easy. Dave only
gets a 58 because...well...he's not really the president - but he deserves more. Perhaps in a sequel where Dave can move from
city council to the Presidency of the United States he'll be able to move up on
the list, legitimately.</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are the rest of the Presidents and their ratings. No time for explanations but since
they’re the worst of the lot, who cares.
<b>Matt Douglas</b> (James Garner) and <b>Russell
Kramer</b> (Jack
Lemon) from <i>My
Fellow Americans</i>, 57 and 54 respectively; John
Travolta’s <b>Jack Stanton</b> from <i>Primary
Colors</i>, a 49 rating; <i>Mars
Attacks’</i> <b>James Dale</b> gets a 47 as played by Jack
Nicholson; a 42 is awarded to Peter
Sellers' <b>Markin Muffly</b> in Stanley Kubrick’s cold war classic <i>Dr.
Strangelove: Or How I learned to Love the Bomb</i>; and the two most vile presidents on the list,
each getting a 42 and 34, not respectively, are Gene Hackman’s <b>Alan
Richmond</b> in <i>Absolute
Power</i> and Dan Aykroyd’s <b>William
Haney</b> from <i>My Fellow Americans</i>, each putting themselves way
ahead of the American people.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The fortunate thing is that all of these films and
television shows are first rate and deserve to be viewed many times over. I’d also like to hear your opinion on
the best Hollywood president. I’ll
tally up your votes in an upcoming column – no hanging chads, please. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-14768387318903723502014-01-31T20:34:00.001-08:002014-01-31T20:34:34.932-08:00Recognizing the Artist Within<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">NOTE: The following is an Op-Ed that appeared in the Ventura County Star in 2010 as part of the ArtsLive Initiative. My father-in-law recently wrote an article about my wife's grandmother, an artist, poet, cake designer and a regal Southern lady. It made me think about her influence on me and the world and so I share this again.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Courier New";
panose-1:2 7 3 9 2 2 5 2 4 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Recognizing the
Artist Within</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I have been involved with creative endeavors for all of my
life but I never really ever thought of myself as an artist or creative person,
mainly because my creativity was part of what I did to make a living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote, produced and directed while
working for an advertising agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also wrote screenplays, newspaper columns, speeches, you name it, but
it was just something that I did because it came easily to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until I met my wife back in
1999 and she introduced me to her grandmother, Gertrude Smith, an
eighty-something visual artist from a small town deep in the middle of
Mississippi. Gertrude was the epitome of Southern belle charm who had spent her
life in the rural country-side raising four kids, working hard and being the
dutiful wife who catered to all her husband’s needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she had begun a life-long love of visual art as a young
girl when her grandmother bribed her to milk the cows with a box of crayons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being resourceful, she took those
crayons to school and sold them to friends and earned enough to buy two boxes. She
then drew on anything she could get her hands on and never stopped.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1mMQ5OfBhsHAGstPXjC6_F4cMJjpt6UvC2_a8L3upa9qYFctuacQZ6qz2dT4h-2I66M9RJeZEBx7F3jMiJv_0X_Ew4N5J0PfXqJbbLAaLhbrpfBdK4AGLi3QrgijrXAlCshnNw-M4Wu/s1600/Gertrude+at+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1mMQ5OfBhsHAGstPXjC6_F4cMJjpt6UvC2_a8L3upa9qYFctuacQZ6qz2dT4h-2I66M9RJeZEBx7F3jMiJv_0X_Ew4N5J0PfXqJbbLAaLhbrpfBdK4AGLi3QrgijrXAlCshnNw-M4Wu/s1600/Gertrude+at+3.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Her artistry had to be suspended since Southern girls in the
30’s weren’t able to seek careers in the arts or careers in anything, for that
matter – they married a handsome boy in town and followed him on HIS
journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Working in factories on
both coasts during World War II Gertrude did get a taste of the world outside
Mississippi but returned with her husband Percy to start a simple life back in
their hometown of Collins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
never abandoned her artistry totally and to this day remnants still remain from
her younger days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was never
trained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just inside her to
replicate what she saw and felt onto paper, canvas, mason board or anything
that she could find around the house. As a devout Christian she always insisted
it was God’s work but as we all know God works in mysterious ways and you could
see in her abstract paintings and collages that her art was the means to which
she could express her independence, her true self that was hidden to everyone
else, perhaps even to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God may
have given her the tools, but it was obvious she was the creator.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3Z56HuvyQ-BoYNGZw4gzFp3P5q6h9IAb_ZnB0qcxk7pjo0USz6tw-nbN3lDGHXgL9N3anCzNY5KPTsyLT27Cdc_a7RPAQyjRXt-_vqmfIAXLySIn_vUOVOTDUKaPhhrXXgF56GG08IOl/s1600/GertrudeEarlyArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3Z56HuvyQ-BoYNGZw4gzFp3P5q6h9IAb_ZnB0qcxk7pjo0USz6tw-nbN3lDGHXgL9N3anCzNY5KPTsyLT27Cdc_a7RPAQyjRXt-_vqmfIAXLySIn_vUOVOTDUKaPhhrXXgF56GG08IOl/s1600/GertrudeEarlyArt.jpg" height="317" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It wasn’t until the kids all left home and her husband
loosened the reins that she became more serious with her art and began spending
more time painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Percy even
converted their cow barn into an artist studio for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began attending art colonies and
selling her work, but it was local and mostly to friends and neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife had always wanted to spend the
time to help promote and market Gertrude’s work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I came along, being another kindred artist, it became a
reality and we took on the challenge of inventorying and photographing her
works (over a 1,000 filled her studio).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We created marketing materials, formed an LLC, got articles in Southern
Living and other publications, got her on TV, flew a gallery owner from New
York to evaluate and offer advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She received honors and art shows and she and her art were beginning to
gain a reputation around the country – all in her eighties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By helping Gertrude blossom as an
artist so late in life, especially after her artistry was stifled for such a
long time, I became more introspective about my own creativity and realized
that I was an artist, as well, and that I had not allowed myself to “blossom”
as I should have if I had known that it was possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes when a talent or skill is so innate or natural its
importance goes unnoticed by the very person who possesses it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gertrude passed on a few years ago but
her art lives on – I look at it every day as a reminder that I not only need to
realize that the arts are a part of me but that I need to let people help me
gain deserved recognition. This help comes from all of you who can help promote
the artists in our communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through patronizing galleries and attending performances or simply by
just appreciating the artists that reside here in Ventura County you can spread
the word on how they all enrich our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gertrude never forgot the smell of those first crayons she
received from her grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ll never forget the first book I wrote in second grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Gertrude and myself, art doesn’t
imitate anything, life is art and hopefully, with a little help, we can give
others the same thrill we get when creating our art as when it is experienced.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7ZINvap-THna-5j0iZYxkzSYN6yxaK9PJrC0rKDidSQpP7ChNmv-FVdVbZ9BFnaFCo9NupW34B01YHOb__vRbnVCD6yL3aAGHRWLC5Ox5p-9VNXiurAnlGgtDxWIkiuROS7YP5cVbScv/s1600/GS_primitive_tree&sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7ZINvap-THna-5j0iZYxkzSYN6yxaK9PJrC0rKDidSQpP7ChNmv-FVdVbZ9BFnaFCo9NupW34B01YHOb__vRbnVCD6yL3aAGHRWLC5Ox5p-9VNXiurAnlGgtDxWIkiuROS7YP5cVbScv/s1600/GS_primitive_tree&sisters.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March Wind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJDPQuNISCgiicQEM26wN5hvuiQ5y7xPLq59-Vy_3a7cV-pfd1Qtv9emBvuaHFLGBi4Y42x5kL92DsEwDiA5em41obgT2lWew-fvFbuVPWcX2hAN5Lso3TN5h-IjsZa9-0IFJp7CCEXF3/s1600/GS_BlueBayou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJDPQuNISCgiicQEM26wN5hvuiQ5y7xPLq59-Vy_3a7cV-pfd1Qtv9emBvuaHFLGBi4Y42x5kL92DsEwDiA5em41obgT2lWew-fvFbuVPWcX2hAN5Lso3TN5h-IjsZa9-0IFJp7CCEXF3/s1600/GS_BlueBayou.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Bayou</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rich
Burlingham - Writer/Filmmaker and Actor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He resides in Moorpark, CA with his wife and two children and is working
on a documentary called Brain Games: The Amazing Story of Academic Decathlon.</span></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-67504466584920035742014-01-26T23:52:00.003-08:002014-01-26T23:52:39.246-08:00Why Women Can Rule the World Without Being On Top
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was listening to NPR’s <a href="http://onpoint.wbur.org/ways-to-listen" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Point</i></a> the other day and the topic was why there were not more women running
Fortune 500 companies. They had on an expert who had just written a book, of
course, with her theories and explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people called in with various comments, theories and
suggestions but nobody had the simple revelation that men and women simply
think and do things differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It doesn’t mean that either is right or wrong or better or worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think in your own lives – those
you know of the opposite gender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can come up with a multitude of examples of how they did something
in a way that just astounds you - which you can’t comprehend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.marsvenus.com/" target="_blank">John Gray</a> was right with the whole Venus-Mars
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I racked my brain and came
up with one reason why 95% of men occupy the top spots in companies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men have an innate need to be on
top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure if this has a
genetic or evolutionary component to it, but they like to be above everyone
else in order to feel successful and fulfilled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Women, generally don’t have that strong need to be number
one, but they have a stronger need to feel desired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t just mean in a sexual manner but a need for the
people around them to think they are needed, respected, and wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, a man doesn’t necessarily
need compliments to feel superior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He needs to show off his prowess and in business this is done either through
sports, such as golf or through normal business life, such as besting a co-worker
in front of a boss. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Imagine a split picture - on the one side a giant mountain of people
with one man standing on top in triumph, while on the other side is a woman
surrounded by a group of people telling her she’s smart, looks great, is a
terrific mother, wife, boss, colleague, human being, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not that men don’t crave the same
desire for validation or that women don’t have an aggressive drive to be the top dog but their core
modus operandi are different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
that’s okay.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other issue is that men and women manage people differently. Women have had to bow to the way men do things in order to get ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that women make up 50%
of middle management positions female leaders can now manage their own way,
but they have to figure out a means to convince or train the men under them to go along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And since men aren’t as savvy when it
comes to changing behaviors and attitudes or how they do things, it will be
difficult for women to take the reins of business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once women figure that out I believe there will be far more women running corporate America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women are as cutthroat as
men but they are also more collaborative and work better in groups. Men tend to work more alone and manage with a more aggressive style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just as a bunch of men trying to
get on top can be ugly, a gaggle of women all trying to be the one that is more
desired than all the others can be just as or even uglier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men come out physically bloody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women come out emotionally bludgeoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it’s just a matter of time that the majority of
companies will be run by women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
businesses will have daycare or child care as part of their systems of
management so kids are near where their parents work so women can have it
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More husbands will be primary
childcare givers but work itself will be done more organically – 9-5 work
days/5 days a week will be gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People will work a few hours here and few hours there that fit in with
their overall lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course,
there will still be workaholics but that’s an issue for another time.</div>
<br />Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-10200767313590067112014-01-23T19:48:00.001-08:002020-09-15T10:50:51.372-07:00PLEASE BE PATIENTDEAR WORLD,<br /><br /><div>It's been a long time since I've updated this site. A lot has happened in six years. I continued my path to becoming a teacher, which had a lot...and I mean a lot...of twists and turns. I finally gained my single subject social science teaching credential in 2018 and soon after my CTE credential in Arts, Media, and Entertainment. Unfortunately, the job market was tight and I have yet to find a full time teaching position. In the meantime I tutor with C3 Education part time and I was driving for Lyft until the pandemic hit. This summer's teaching job search came up empty with only a few interviews. So it's back to also searching for jobs from my past work as a writer, director, producer, editor, actor. We shall see what happens but as it may, I will try to contribute to this blog more often and hopefully someone out there will read it. Please, if you do, let me know and comment so I know there are actual eyeballs on this material. See you in the funny pages.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rich</div>Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-63684941325062661692013-12-25T00:37:00.003-08:002013-12-25T00:37:33.781-08:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV82GBq5Lih0c96zrI8GJtjqLpDIBNPZjvjNyQef9jBXHvUSL50bm9-mWsHxez1fahHjOjuYoBfEF7xf5iLuVxdOpMGz0XSQELj2IRQ8__w1v2PcqQZoULjZjoMq4mhSg3DKYOVKwdKNew/s1600/BurlinghamXmasCard_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV82GBq5Lih0c96zrI8GJtjqLpDIBNPZjvjNyQef9jBXHvUSL50bm9-mWsHxez1fahHjOjuYoBfEF7xf5iLuVxdOpMGz0XSQELj2IRQ8__w1v2PcqQZoULjZjoMq4mhSg3DKYOVKwdKNew/s640/BurlinghamXmasCard_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-36205898497351029132013-11-22T18:59:00.003-08:002013-11-23T08:21:01.369-08:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Fourteen<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 40.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
--></style><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Who has not known a
journey to be over and done before the traveler returns? The reverse is also
true: many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.”</i></b></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> John Steinbeck, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Travels
with Charley</i></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 40.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaej6K46i57-RImOpo0pDOtbdK-51SY9uSr2EWTBdI7Ox4-axnVE-rX_MpJX2M_SrPXEDUzBjTanCSGbMIrOJtPLC9BVEdu8PBQ3ezLeyJIA882BAT-qLSpeXMUBzB82PaGC4Ym17rNslc/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-20+at+12.01.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaej6K46i57-RImOpo0pDOtbdK-51SY9uSr2EWTBdI7Ox4-axnVE-rX_MpJX2M_SrPXEDUzBjTanCSGbMIrOJtPLC9BVEdu8PBQ3ezLeyJIA882BAT-qLSpeXMUBzB82PaGC4Ym17rNslc/s320/Screen+shot+2013-11-20+at+12.01.35+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
--</style><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I awoke to the
sounds of boys playing, mixed </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">in was</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> my daughter’s voice egging them on to do
something that would make them even louder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery was still asleep next to me and I struggled to try to
get a couple of more winks in before getting up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t last very long as Avery’s eyes opened and he
heard his cousins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was out of
bed and out of the room quicker than a mouse at a cat convention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN4GckzYep_QvqVz9K0U8lsnqxBbDaXBDuZ4Twafe0UO1phifcjDyG1w2qChwlwERiHxNcGhSuQV4YElAB1OmoeZptyRZ3d_qLLIsB8gM7i3ZDuOh_xdGYR-JDIsdwwuyczJNYLCIpv2x/s1600/IMG_9979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN4GckzYep_QvqVz9K0U8lsnqxBbDaXBDuZ4Twafe0UO1phifcjDyG1w2qChwlwERiHxNcGhSuQV4YElAB1OmoeZptyRZ3d_qLLIsB8gM7i3ZDuOh_xdGYR-JDIsdwwuyczJNYLCIpv2x/s320/IMG_9979.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Avery & Cousin</span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was
Thursday morning - the last day of our road trip adventure across America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of me didn’t want it end and if I
stayed in bed it wouldn’t, but then I thought about seeing Johanna and her
kisses and our house and…well, I jumped out of bed so we could get on the road
and home as quick as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, I didn’t exactly jump but extended a lot of energy considering I had
just driven through three states with two wild kids and sustaining on only
five hours of sleep.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBum7f-iWGzG1E5RcjwShdv4M_WAStI7C6WUvbcc-yCo3rN9vXZkNXKsVF7qePWQcgUsj_UCqgk9PVqaLExLpMml4VNsi6rJea_p6uXI_-m8lOuOOrSXWzC_10Ir94m7IvCG2eyDWZ5HP/s1600/Kristen_house_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBum7f-iWGzG1E5RcjwShdv4M_WAStI7C6WUvbcc-yCo3rN9vXZkNXKsVF7qePWQcgUsj_UCqgk9PVqaLExLpMml4VNsi6rJea_p6uXI_-m8lOuOOrSXWzC_10Ir94m7IvCG2eyDWZ5HP/s320/Kristen_house_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>Kristen and new house</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was early,
like 6am, and Nick had already left for work several hours earlier. That’s just
crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen was struggling to try<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and </span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> get
her boys dressed and ready to leave, but </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">since the four kids</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> were enjoying each
other’s company<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think it was easier to just let them be.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their dog was
also in the mix<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">with abundant energy that added to the chaos</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52MtEtrQJga1rZH4gatsJ3sxi-t7AKdabv-qQxeLFkOcNpEj29op_KFP6j_oAbpEbB3J3_OIeVq7CuoFY9S2QjWN_z6Zy8yBOdmxInmJW-OQSDRH5D6nrYKbQrhyoEi8ED5RJEBNj4cs2/s1600/IMG_9997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52MtEtrQJga1rZH4gatsJ3sxi-t7AKdabv-qQxeLFkOcNpEj29op_KFP6j_oAbpEbB3J3_OIeVq7CuoFY9S2QjWN_z6Zy8yBOdmxInmJW-OQSDRH5D6nrYKbQrhyoEi8ED5RJEBNj4cs2/s320/IMG_9997.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Haskell new house</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOS6jq14rHWtzN7SCcRwNrGmFcFVY02NUskLBEnovC5fPg3lzFNb9DrydNXus4skzdc50ven8ZsgZpqsugWAdCkq-Kz5OctnShUSCXVV7iJWGqJK6L-3P0XggR1jSKhSqfpkkx0L1XI6m1/s1600/IMG_9988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOS6jq14rHWtzN7SCcRwNrGmFcFVY02NUskLBEnovC5fPg3lzFNb9DrydNXus4skzdc50ven8ZsgZpqsugWAdCkq-Kz5OctnShUSCXVV7iJWGqJK6L-3P0XggR1jSKhSqfpkkx0L1XI6m1/s320/IMG_9988.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqZ9pRC2Po3wzGSXvqMdawyFvP8A47cTLHoKiYjWd45D52N752gcAg2ESf9Sh8TJznBy9d53-KGsERBfTL-zExk_NozdUzboPtvK4w0N4uOKKdH1KF7iIBsHpuAyLwjsKoGJtP3MveZ-T/s1600/IMG_9984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqZ9pRC2Po3wzGSXvqMdawyFvP8A47cTLHoKiYjWd45D52N752gcAg2ESf9Sh8TJznBy9d53-KGsERBfTL-zExk_NozdUzboPtvK4w0N4uOKKdH1KF7iIBsHpuAyLwjsKoGJtP3MveZ-T/s320/IMG_9984.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Relaxing before the big drive</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I tried to break
up the mayhem while Kristen was on the phone with the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">were telling</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> her she was on hold and didn't have to come in </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">at that time but</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> they
may need her later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
meantime we let the kids have fun tog</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ether</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> as </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she and I</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> chatted for a while. But soon it was time </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to get
</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the kids dressed </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">for </span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">daycare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFvaiqRYNN_6LQuVFyP2hLCbizUljXPpRAYj7AIJd2ZgH-TbI17bVIqyKQb-DRhGB635Iziiryba-H55zh_Zt0fHGvkPWXb5tHzhFVSwTnt-GPoA7PK04dmaZdywk3rVvWwoGldXptaOj/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFvaiqRYNN_6LQuVFyP2hLCbizUljXPpRAYj7AIJd2ZgH-TbI17bVIqyKQb-DRhGB635Iziiryba-H55zh_Zt0fHGvkPWXb5tHzhFVSwTnt-GPoA7PK04dmaZdywk3rVvWwoGldXptaOj/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I got my kids cleaned and dressed and packed up what little we brought
into the house. As I was load</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ing</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> the car<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I lamented over the</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> poor
Honda that had been sparkling after its detail back in Dallas but after a trip to
Mississippi and the several days on the road since leaving Winnsboro it had succumbed
to the bugs, dust and spilled Capri Sun and </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">C</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">heese </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">N</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ips droppings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I stuffed
our bags in the car I noticed I forgot to bring in my Great Grandmother’s
cacti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been diligent in carrying them into every hotel room and making sure they had water but I guess it was inevitable that a
couple of spills would occur along the way as they were jostled around during
blind searches for snacks and drinks while </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">driving</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looked a little weary but they
were hanging in there and with just 8-9 hours to go until they would be in
their new home I hope they weren’t mad at me for leaving them in the car
overnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cacti can be cruel
sometimes.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After thanking
Kristen for her kindness we all left the house at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave us directions to get to the
interstate and we were off under the bright Arizona sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There was
nothing until we got to I10 and a couple exits down I saw a large retail area
so I exited for gas and breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We filled the car up and then found a Dunkin' Donuts to fill
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nice hot cup of
coffee was just the thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
sure filling the kids with sugary donuts wasn’t ideal knowing I’d be cooped up
with them for six hours but I knew we’d be home soon so what the heck.</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnYrNaWjGCr-Iv_t_tSSzP8roobo8WqvAYayXEg4OkKfXHDbuiardj4p7yjojmeK7BhjXMXIe1XwN1_Xd4lyjrvEFwtQmCrEi35ZCMbqK0YlxbXsQg8WydrU0m5jvr03qSTJEgxfnIfZI/s1600/ArizonaDesert01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnYrNaWjGCr-Iv_t_tSSzP8roobo8WqvAYayXEg4OkKfXHDbuiardj4p7yjojmeK7BhjXMXIe1XwN1_Xd4lyjrvEFwtQmCrEi35ZCMbqK0YlxbXsQg8WydrU0m5jvr03qSTJEgxfnIfZI/s320/ArizonaDesert01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>between Phoenix & Quartzsite</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The road from
Phoenix to California is as nondescript as they come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flat Sonora desert was sandwiched between various
mountain ranges that loomed far in the distance only to be used to judge how
far we’ve driven. </span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKbLYwfamr8S1SHYNSULS8vvkDbD2zMY6x9vMK6NJDpXrHt4AH7PfYHbwsXpoWOd7d33lcQu6M4DhNjAw18dARgOp_cHRFgdkr2vvn4PqNtNt5LqT2hQVgjglbVCZvMQKVAA7CUQZx-K5/s1600/ArizonaDesert_roadsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKbLYwfamr8S1SHYNSULS8vvkDbD2zMY6x9vMK6NJDpXrHt4AH7PfYHbwsXpoWOd7d33lcQu6M4DhNjAw18dARgOp_cHRFgdkr2vvn4PqNtNt5LqT2hQVgjglbVCZvMQKVAA7CUQZx-K5/s320/ArizonaDesert_roadsign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The only real town you go through is Quartzsite until you get
to Blythe, CA on the other side of the Colorado River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDFSU47Obg3wGxyqInLpHpAN7Dg7fpYOz3SrRLAdnC0dnEIWxjDqCht0U6wBHu5MIq-BekA_10VRTrRPXDi9cDFzwvIRrNn7TLSXRb6fl0_8_IRMYOzQWF5c9qTG0YqbAEbG_HALlU5cO/s1600/CA_welcomesign_I10West.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDFSU47Obg3wGxyqInLpHpAN7Dg7fpYOz3SrRLAdnC0dnEIWxjDqCht0U6wBHu5MIq-BekA_10VRTrRPXDi9cDFzwvIRrNn7TLSXRb6fl0_8_IRMYOzQWF5c9qTG0YqbAEbG_HALlU5cO/s320/CA_welcomesign_I10West.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2KKM_udpYr-U8pDLYdUbaDIq-ODyNTDqnf9UZgFve_DnxnuwoXr9b1rgBzpxykjq3tAohcy9fqs7Tiu9nOtqLjghLoMJiyOeViv8ssPItQIc0G_YEEvECNO2uyqUoxb1FGgFSI0lFhuX/s1600/CA_sonora_desert_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2KKM_udpYr-U8pDLYdUbaDIq-ODyNTDqnf9UZgFve_DnxnuwoXr9b1rgBzpxykjq3tAohcy9fqs7Tiu9nOtqLjghLoMJiyOeViv8ssPItQIc0G_YEEvECNO2uyqUoxb1FGgFSI0lFhuX/s320/CA_sonora_desert_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Sonora Desert</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The same is said for the stretch from
Blythe to where the California Sonny Bono desert communities begin to spring up
– Palm Desert, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Thousand Palms and the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never understood the names – Thousand
Palms, 29 Palms or Thousand Oak</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">s that's next to Moorpark.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did someone count the amount of palms or oaks and decided why not name the
town that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if they planted
more or cut down some to build a Walmart – what then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they change the name to 898 Palms or Five Thousand
Oaks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just saying. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While passing
by the exit to the George Patton Memorial Museum (I wonder if they have a huge
American flag) I got on the phone with Johanna and she had a request for us to
delay our arrival as she was trying to get the house in order before we got
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I just wanted to
get home as soon as possible I had been in that same position and understood
her dilemma. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Remembering
that somewhere along this route were those roadside dinosaurs that appeared in
the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure</i> –
where Pee Wee Herman, on his search for his stolen red bike, meets the Paris
pining waitress, Simone, whose mammoth jealous boyfriend thought Pee-Wee was
going to steal his sweetheart away after seeing them emerging from the giant
plaster T-Rex where Pee Wee urged Simone to follow her dream as they sat in the
T-Rex’s mouth (that was a mouthful).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She responds by telling him, “oui oui, Pee Wee.”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTsQVB0aVsmTW5wKTO80js-GZcd_BvP9uphlzv7OkdcOattR6iXlTpLD3fGyllXF8APWcOaDSqGo1miDmBPNkl2v6Q86PIjdzgHJtSFBh-wd8WALJOn0hUTfk3kShVtHVllSrqaDadOx8/s1600/Pee-Wee%2526Simone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTsQVB0aVsmTW5wKTO80js-GZcd_BvP9uphlzv7OkdcOattR6iXlTpLD3fGyllXF8APWcOaDSqGo1miDmBPNkl2v6Q86PIjdzgHJtSFBh-wd8WALJOn0hUTfk3kShVtHVllSrqaDadOx8/s320/Pee-Wee%2526Simone.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>still from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, 1985</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anyway, I
looked it up on-line and found that the place still operated – Robotic Dinosaurs
and Museum and promoted their place as having the “world’s biggest dinosaurs”
and an <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">educational adventure featuring work from scientists
around the world. Our desire is to help the young and old explore what is
known and not known about dinosaurs, man and the creation of the world in a
practical, factual and fun way.”</span> <b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were right off the
interstate in Cabazon, just passed the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm – it would
be a good divergence for the kids and enough delay to satisfy Johanna.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD91W3cVcRGtWdUrm1TGFZkFc41xWqLBE9SNIG4JT4E_gNwXmOtGVFen4KpINyxbyeEqkRxC9GR_Bgw_3Y3AwBw_qbpwuZbsSZhH39rluV1iZMvfnBCVI7-PPCZiM5XgNQU5T86xwx57xZ/s1600/CA_windfarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD91W3cVcRGtWdUrm1TGFZkFc41xWqLBE9SNIG4JT4E_gNwXmOtGVFen4KpINyxbyeEqkRxC9GR_Bgw_3Y3AwBw_qbpwuZbsSZhH39rluV1iZMvfnBCVI7-PPCZiM5XgNQU5T86xwx57xZ/s320/CA_windfarm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>San Gorgonio Wind Farm</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The good ole
GPS was in fine form again as it sent me to the opposite side of the highway
and to an abandoned shack which didn’t even pos</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">sess</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>one dinosaur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly deciphered that I needed to
go back over the highway where I quickly spotted the T-Rex and Brontosaurus
(actually I think you’re supposed to call it an Apatosaurus but we won’t get
into that now).</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJ3_k1NWz8Az2Yljv7qImFixQtkA41wFCudfZ60ObzA6cu_oYfOSJMx3ePR1DPez0vN3Lv7S5-SDxwB84So4sml-d4z7n6aUoj_QtCwSsuZUHBjMvceVRahBM7NrJZBKTWDl6UW8-NT9w/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJ3_k1NWz8Az2Yljv7qImFixQtkA41wFCudfZ60ObzA6cu_oYfOSJMx3ePR1DPez0vN3Lv7S5-SDxwB84So4sml-d4z7n6aUoj_QtCwSsuZUHBjMvceVRahBM7NrJZBKTWDl6UW8-NT9w/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Cabazon Dinos</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The kids were
excited about our stop and boy was it blazing hot outside the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quickly purchased tickets and went
inside the “museum” where the robotic dinosaurs were located and conveniently
on the other side of the gift shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDrmKQZpDEqd8y3w3PPiEUxt6vTEAeUyOCJo2Zs1omeKC8rpDlS8al5vYB_LKPv6lQtwHMq0ud4F7BmVSgWlT2vqmapRTMOQwrt-bwtAY9XgWbXk2m5LZK5Aj-e3VcDcRot2FixBEIdHH/s1600/CabazonDinos_exhibitsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDrmKQZpDEqd8y3w3PPiEUxt6vTEAeUyOCJo2Zs1omeKC8rpDlS8al5vYB_LKPv6lQtwHMq0ud4F7BmVSgWlT2vqmapRTMOQwrt-bwtAY9XgWbXk2m5LZK5Aj-e3VcDcRot2FixBEIdHH/s320/CabazonDinos_exhibitsign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It wasn’t crowded at all and we pretty much had the place to
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids were more
interested in all the toys on display than the robotic dinosaurs, which were
okay but a far cry from those we saw at the Discovery Museum in Tyler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did have a bronco dino ride that
Avery had fun on – for a brief minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was our last day so I allowed the kids to get something from the
shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery got some dinosaur eggs
so he could grow some little dinos at home.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEQ9ir2mHyfajOHO5wzO0okAX2M6qHWCTCMnL70jPm_FAO1UKtJT1-fG1Y8FYtLlcrCG3Urv3HAMRtUVhY39fAGJ1VxZt5SDBiHrnhINU5cdlB1-UH0c3AmliYvv0f8D0VVy214DAxACB/s1600/CabazonDinos_robotic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaEQ9ir2mHyfajOHO5wzO0okAX2M6qHWCTCMnL70jPm_FAO1UKtJT1-fG1Y8FYtLlcrCG3Urv3HAMRtUVhY39fAGJ1VxZt5SDBiHrnhINU5cdlB1-UH0c3AmliYvv0f8D0VVy214DAxACB/s320/CabazonDinos_robotic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH9w5LGvnoo52C8bVg7_n9mj-AjJ8Kso_J3zelQTnWZmRUiyJ2BMlQaf9fPstFfgiDM9FYS-T3lap3PW-JDQKXpd4pz6cQACNJadUDCMJ50WofZ40Q-DYkB9nxrhYCk0GxZhZ1BlK3h6_/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH9w5LGvnoo52C8bVg7_n9mj-AjJ8Kso_J3zelQTnWZmRUiyJ2BMlQaf9fPstFfgiDM9FYS-T3lap3PW-JDQKXpd4pz6cQACNJadUDCMJ50WofZ40Q-DYkB9nxrhYCk0GxZhZ1BlK3h6_/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0HI8fSnB85PLSSOa-AG37Zdg23G_ZABsCBZFCSfz0xZ7Q_EAimZYdPQ6L3EH2uh7OOwNIkzTrwN-sDKl_lwkkIZ6ijFSzd7DPz-3hr-lO-SlXc9GcRJGx1cgv2J6wCv4E8_WrbbTwFyQ/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0HI8fSnB85PLSSOa-AG37Zdg23G_ZABsCBZFCSfz0xZ7Q_EAimZYdPQ6L3EH2uh7OOwNIkzTrwN-sDKl_lwkkIZ6ijFSzd7DPz-3hr-lO-SlXc9GcRJGx1cgv2J6wCv4E8_WrbbTwFyQ/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Here little kitty...</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVtLAGbFIcYBV8DMiWPxNL5W6o4fhp0oVJsZuvwAClIFiJFWXc24ME_zr69dGt6uV7LHXeb3yqUsA8nC0nRt-ek670WQ8FGcssdZPmukOZPXj5E-EWJ9wq2Job11fFeZcTFR2Hy3TbQNb/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVtLAGbFIcYBV8DMiWPxNL5W6o4fhp0oVJsZuvwAClIFiJFWXc24ME_zr69dGt6uV7LHXeb3yqUsA8nC0nRt-ek670WQ8FGcssdZPmukOZPXj5E-EWJ9wq2Job11fFeZcTFR2Hy3TbQNb/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuzn0sXvQwvWNqIIGGcbI5YrXbwaJGguzNlG2JfP13fES1whzPMPX0YAClzi6WNGRpORQi8TJPjQbWndQp8NLY1_mj7NxWN3d6kP6swopYbshbeFe_mIYtUBS7-OA8PW81B_lAJHUcof2/s1600/CabazonDinos_AveryDinoBronc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuzn0sXvQwvWNqIIGGcbI5YrXbwaJGguzNlG2JfP13fES1whzPMPX0YAClzi6WNGRpORQi8TJPjQbWndQp8NLY1_mj7NxWN3d6kP6swopYbshbeFe_mIYtUBS7-OA8PW81B_lAJHUcof2/s320/CabazonDinos_AveryDinoBronc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Yeehaw!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After the
museum we ventured outside to walk the trail of dinosaurs, a walk where every conceivable
type of plaster dinosaur was on display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcC2LXeGR9E7S7R9wUf0SKq-MicfsFycx8fzFm4xBQU1VlbBCsvbp5uC4jGN6Au5F6jWV_uEBQGunMfypllde6_2p69qrVDIkZhk52eL92cmmXRIC7YQp4tjAwmXLD8MVgJIC1aehQ44J/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcC2LXeGR9E7S7R9wUf0SKq-MicfsFycx8fzFm4xBQU1VlbBCsvbp5uC4jGN6Au5F6jWV_uEBQGunMfypllde6_2p69qrVDIkZhk52eL92cmmXRIC7YQp4tjAwmXLD8MVgJIC1aehQ44J/s320/IMG_0064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>they're so life-like</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0qVw7mDRG87IFsOg7ssDr4WgVwjNyb2_ErDouCP9aU3enKzd3BUxgqXQSjiIbVCi-oVcG9yuZ18YYXEucRge-IZnd-Yg9Un2q3bwww8pas15lCpb2PeG2olW6GJK_6FPXRC_zPC78p-z/s1600/IMG_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0qVw7mDRG87IFsOg7ssDr4WgVwjNyb2_ErDouCP9aU3enKzd3BUxgqXQSjiIbVCi-oVcG9yuZ18YYXEucRge-IZnd-Yg9Un2q3bwww8pas15lCpb2PeG2olW6GJK_6FPXRC_zPC78p-z/s320/IMG_0044.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>dino dinner?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2F64SyzPPl2C-BFeVK4Vjd1HahaW6BuyLtTQjJTNNX2Qt1cJ6mPmo6_LwmxoqYEp0KkhrUYtyMF5Cv7NNo-lZVJRGaPZmpymcSw3yK3cyLiJ-0k3ymbzyVR97yHW4agFk9L4uRZSJSdW/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2F64SyzPPl2C-BFeVK4Vjd1HahaW6BuyLtTQjJTNNX2Qt1cJ6mPmo6_LwmxoqYEp0KkhrUYtyMF5Cv7NNo-lZVJRGaPZmpymcSw3yK3cyLiJ-0k3ymbzyVR97yHW4agFk9L4uRZSJSdW/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>scene from Jurassic Park X</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They also had a “dino dig” where the kids dug for fossils and got a
prize if they found one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
there was the mini-panning sloop where they could pan for fossils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_GDX3InT9Cm6eniJrXA-a9OuEQO0Ydj-7ZYW6RU7wdg3fhOX-8MT6UJEmdZQEoHiMxoRsslYwinDBssasebTtKa0L_9tpTOrRU4gE8oDeUTqnS3JKDNBK3yJpYgCTNnNjTJCOAi-RaXa/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_GDX3InT9Cm6eniJrXA-a9OuEQO0Ydj-7ZYW6RU7wdg3fhOX-8MT6UJEmdZQEoHiMxoRsslYwinDBssasebTtKa0L_9tpTOrRU4gE8oDeUTqnS3JKDNBK3yJpYgCTNnNjTJCOAi-RaXa/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>digging for fossils</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagUBCBzg7ji_HfdgsjhAOB5l5pu8zn4LXP1fRVhwS5d7cc8Y6LrwCr-7a_Og4fuwUdosXOaM2WdQE-fBzEEzp-R8fLNJUTJashA4ngHOMkJA5peaLTejAAqg6B42j1Ym-8s2Okja8OvmB/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagUBCBzg7ji_HfdgsjhAOB5l5pu8zn4LXP1fRVhwS5d7cc8Y6LrwCr-7a_Og4fuwUdosXOaM2WdQE-fBzEEzp-R8fLNJUTJashA4ngHOMkJA5peaLTejAAqg6B42j1Ym-8s2Okja8OvmB/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>panning for fossils</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We then ended up at the giant T-Rex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia was scared to walk up the steep
stairs to the head but Avery was up on top and in the head before I was half
way up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t like the movie,
which I’m sure was shot on a sound stage, as there isn’t much room to sit, but
it was a cool experience none-the-less – staring out through the T-Rex’s teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could see our car from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery tried to get his sister to come
up but she just wouldn’t do it.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XozjA246uMbBX7SQBsYKc0mzw6keSxDu5NPUQRX8mnFicuBO7LboGK3gQVfuuTBapdNQZIEVbEMyL5wjkp-CwD7NiJKg57JIkKlGgzuxRvoWhOVyOIwAlXoZymVKMafPSHOX2JRmHQ9A/s1600/CabazonDinos_TRex_AveryStairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XozjA246uMbBX7SQBsYKc0mzw6keSxDu5NPUQRX8mnFicuBO7LboGK3gQVfuuTBapdNQZIEVbEMyL5wjkp-CwD7NiJKg57JIkKlGgzuxRvoWhOVyOIwAlXoZymVKMafPSHOX2JRmHQ9A/s320/CabazonDinos_TRex_AveryStairs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>climbing in the guts of T-Rex</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZlvEr_o5CLARU9KYRzCFWlLyEwZxJkiYSak_f8VUdzLt_QhkqcqZEn4-e2sBIuFJIPLnOt0f5bH1PIWvwHZx3jnao3aDFhgNtEfUl0lJvNGHW7uWGSPRyJ4NeA84hyphenhyphenIKsl8-7FOsF8UH/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZlvEr_o5CLARU9KYRzCFWlLyEwZxJkiYSak_f8VUdzLt_QhkqcqZEn4-e2sBIuFJIPLnOt0f5bH1PIWvwHZx3jnao3aDFhgNtEfUl0lJvNGHW7uWGSPRyJ4NeA84hyphenhyphenIKsl8-7FOsF8UH/s320/IMG_0057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>in the mouth of T-Rex</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0i8CfRydnbLDWGHqpHO2hPTWEXrJIhDF1QAyU8qz2x4lqUHVSTKBi6wD6Vcfh1qNnQ72MPOiOiCWWYPcuTlwXCpJH4GNkJOydafizLKiMtEiGxdlZ2KWFtbQu-F9htGaJdjBnlLUNB-J/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0i8CfRydnbLDWGHqpHO2hPTWEXrJIhDF1QAyU8qz2x4lqUHVSTKBi6wD6Vcfh1qNnQ72MPOiOiCWWYPcuTlwXCpJH4GNkJOydafizLKiMtEiGxdlZ2KWFtbQu-F9htGaJdjBnlLUNB-J/s320/IMG_0063.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After a
bathroom break we gladly headed out, with a stop in Burger King next door to
cool off and get lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in
all, we were able to kill three hours and give Johanna the time she needed.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before getting
into San Bernadino – the birthplace of McDonald’s – we veered off the 10 and
took the 210 North and then West, which would take us to the 118, the Ronald
Reagan Freeway, that would take us all the way into Moorpark and a couple of
miles from our house.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By the time we
got outside Pasadena it was late afternoon and the traffic situation turned
sour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We slowed down to a trickle,
which for Johanna was a good thing but not so much for two tired kids who were
anxious to get home.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvicXNaVz-XaVT31TOp68hlgu-zIoGQnS547SeU_tva-4ghu8TAf7RXM6-SkBM6Hv7Jhos_8vMRElFF_v3AGWn7vtQXJGAFCO6Ngjf7MDpkxuFVUeF-iCgDdp95auKzfPYD5ZOtx4_CLqf/s1600/Interstate210_traffic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvicXNaVz-XaVT31TOp68hlgu-zIoGQnS547SeU_tva-4ghu8TAf7RXM6-SkBM6Hv7Jhos_8vMRElFF_v3AGWn7vtQXJGAFCO6Ngjf7MDpkxuFVUeF-iCgDdp95auKzfPYD5ZOtx4_CLqf/s320/Interstate210_traffic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>typical LA traffic</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As is
commonplace in Southern California, the traffic suddenly loosened up for no
reason at all and it was smooth sailing as we veered off North again and away
from Pasadena and towards the Northern San Fernando Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anticipation snuck up on us as we drew
closer and closer to home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First
we passed the 5 and then the 405 and then we went through the Valley and up
through the Santa Susana pass and finally into Ventura </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">County</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>,</b> down the hill into Simi Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSs_apYMlf3yANdj2kljU36jMmjDEjAd8mR_ZSwg5UG-EW6FRz1SnjVaFubUEIABuG_GdQ1FtNJ_h0U8YXhC0KyAbOigbAiBBAOUB2MKP_nXfXMnk3qtJDQC_ddi1yKrGvQDPsDITP3mM/s1600/VenturaCountyLineSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSs_apYMlf3yANdj2kljU36jMmjDEjAd8mR_ZSwg5UG-EW6FRz1SnjVaFubUEIABuG_GdQ1FtNJ_h0U8YXhC0KyAbOigbAiBBAOUB2MKP_nXfXMnk3qtJDQC_ddi1yKrGvQDPsDITP3mM/s320/VenturaCountyLineSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ventura County Line</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was sinking
in that our adventure was coming to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>School would start next week with Avery starting
Kindergarten in a new school, which just happened to be right across the street
from our house, and Olivia entering 7<sup>th</sup> grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for now they had a few more minutes
of the summer to enjoy and reflect…okay, they were playing on their EDs and I
was reflecting on all the places we had been: </span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqARd7v2a94xsouI0OZoyfh_1IOEkEaNuxd5P0N6e6sBkRUxKv_uwyJEhXQLjtVn_rwDG4IE6kFJJ-9ZkoITx7afrytLV6CB-5cILwsNFoVcnaIMAhF4Ge3K5naOh4FMpY98ozt2EnFnXk/s1600/Avery%2526Olivia_usingEDs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqARd7v2a94xsouI0OZoyfh_1IOEkEaNuxd5P0N6e6sBkRUxKv_uwyJEhXQLjtVn_rwDG4IE6kFJJ-9ZkoITx7afrytLV6CB-5cILwsNFoVcnaIMAhF4Ge3K5naOh4FMpY98ozt2EnFnXk/s320/Avery%2526Olivia_usingEDs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We began in
June, with our first stop Death Valley and then Las Vegas and the infamous
Sam’s Town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was Hoover Dam and
my computer, which I’m glad didn’t stay in Vegas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our luck in getting a cabin right inside the Grand Canyon
and seeing the majesty of Monument Valley and almost getting left in the
dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wvGo2ircp0-oJfZiEEqgyE7ao7mMpcRVQyPpKnrrtQsYCxSgWL_8-CSJaL4H6e0WT079PPnecRvcqjkxNz4DFuRGJVsoANSrsskB3N1315SLibrCSmxrk4OF4qm_M6_vzHcYMavhRxYt/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wvGo2ircp0-oJfZiEEqgyE7ao7mMpcRVQyPpKnrrtQsYCxSgWL_8-CSJaL4H6e0WT079PPnecRvcqjkxNz4DFuRGJVsoANSrsskB3N1315SLibrCSmxrk4OF4qm_M6_vzHcYMavhRxYt/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There was not
seeing the Four Corners and getting sick in Bandelier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nice visit with the Brooks clan in Colorado
Springs and th</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">e personal tour of</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Garden of the Gods and</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b></b> the Air Force Academy that spawned an idea in a little boy’s
head about seeing where his Poppa trained before going to Vietnam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifZxXrSGdkfe99gRXHeqks6MZbnS-KGTtbU-vf5dmAG6ipBYmeV6H6CiD4JUR0LqZNSW02lU-H4yk4aSijkBDj4Z7gWwUOPBnDUhV9m6EpQh2szt3orvtYW5ZVTsLzJDofZNCfxTYLEtk/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifZxXrSGdkfe99gRXHeqks6MZbnS-KGTtbU-vf5dmAG6ipBYmeV6H6CiD4JUR0LqZNSW02lU-H4yk4aSijkBDj4Z7gWwUOPBnDUhV9m6EpQh2szt3orvtYW5ZVTsLzJDofZNCfxTYLEtk/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>explo</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">red</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ancient</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> geology and the kids became Junior Rangers at Capulin
Volcano. Then it was </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> tour<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">of</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Ft. Sill<b>, </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">including</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>the artillery museum and the grave of Geronimo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNZ77l8ZWnRBfmE2NOvjz2jqq3cllR9Ake4WaXCztTzJB1FiK9g4VJ36szfiniG5SFEP6tiwXRB6U8ZVqeOSxmadVEkOkizf5YHjIgiPQ3SMaLFzW13jlWHQ3o8HAOFhreARo2FENTReB/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNZ77l8ZWnRBfmE2NOvjz2jqq3cllR9Ake4WaXCztTzJB1FiK9g4VJ36szfiniG5SFEP6tiwXRB6U8ZVqeOSxmadVEkOkizf5YHjIgiPQ3SMaLFzW13jlWHQ3o8HAOFhreARo2FENTReB/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finally getting to </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Texas</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and the
love of family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was fun in the pool, Olivia's drama camp and performance, </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Avery and Carla at C</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">amp<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Deer Run</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, losing a first tooth</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>fun with grandma Helen<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">all in picturesque Winnsboro.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X2mhAkr8Dbkcle_HSrRxgnlnFDmPbhTZmfEh7gWA7yEFD2nIZS7_Tp94WCw2J-LMaxWB-EgCVWOfBCMteJDUymL9mWv6yAH8q6pztk-DFEgR4HUcpdqOQf70dtVFo3TScK-jD3EtqJTZ/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X2mhAkr8Dbkcle_HSrRxgnlnFDmPbhTZmfEh7gWA7yEFD2nIZS7_Tp94WCw2J-LMaxWB-EgCVWOfBCMteJDUymL9mWv6yAH8q6pztk-DFEgR4HUcpdqOQf70dtVFo3TScK-jD3EtqJTZ/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part4.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ranger’s baseball, visits with cousins </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ashley and Cooper in Allen and a ride on</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> the Tarantula Train from Grapevine to
the Ft. Worth Stockyards and back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwwyrOA8LGRuvmXWwnOPoiMq-PFMVjwm2ZtRYatzpD_2tzrv26vpxOFslzxNJ7JJcfnOi2xraT_BW-gLJ6ExHyI5u5Da5d1s5E9XV8nQOcX8UH0qofnj5Ertdz2323XDfLtn6dOcugZoK/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwwyrOA8LGRuvmXWwnOPoiMq-PFMVjwm2ZtRYatzpD_2tzrv26vpxOFslzxNJ7JJcfnOi2xraT_BW-gLJ6ExHyI5u5Da5d1s5E9XV8nQOcX8UH0qofnj5Ertdz2323XDfLtn6dOcugZoK/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The mini road trip to Mississippi where BB guns, water parks, scooter & tractor
rides<b>,</b> playtime with Nana and Poppa and watermelon at Aunt Annette's were lo</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ads</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> of fun, oh and eating at Mack's</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria;">, of course</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFnPsdHD6aIXoZQou0N8CAn3Rlqt_SmLR-FDNK3k7J-rQaNqe5vmEW8pQrjxZ12OnhuMRiDvsmFWgdKWmgq98TZ8ZP5eXh4QNGUnFZ0_Pp2qXu8K9OtBzJOq3R1JBT_w4bqZIe6sP5FFn/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFnPsdHD6aIXoZQou0N8CAn3Rlqt_SmLR-FDNK3k7J-rQaNqe5vmEW8pQrjxZ12OnhuMRiDvsmFWgdKWmgq98TZ8ZP5eXh4QNGUnFZ0_Pp2qXu8K9OtBzJOq3R1JBT_w4bqZIe6sP5FFn/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There was
visiting with old friends and making new ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spending quality time with Grandma, Aunt Kim, Uncle Van,
Molly, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Kimberly, Ashley and two-legged Cooper and the
four-legged Cooper and Lola and </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Quinn</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> and Freidolin and Harry and saying
goodbye to </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Molloy</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>.</b></span></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR88y-p4kx34pTeQmTziZXqNx5BqPENYy7w81zM7kllJF2uyXDH0Dd4ALqre9si7T2xnlu5Lowjwtz0iuUYPu6Kw-Xb2UDnQYu4P0UgttIOyzbeq2E7aPzIVw3AMiEktccHMwN58F9goYD/s1600/SummerRoadTrip_part7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR88y-p4kx34pTeQmTziZXqNx5BqPENYy7w81zM7kllJF2uyXDH0Dd4ALqre9si7T2xnlu5Lowjwtz0iuUYPu6Kw-Xb2UDnQYu4P0UgttIOyzbeq2E7aPzIVw3AMiEktccHMwN58F9goYD/s320/SummerRoadTrip_part7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There was a
train ride to downtown Dallas and visiting where JFK was shot and showing the
kids where Dad learned to make movies - at his alma mater, SMU.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t forget about learning how you
milk cows at the Southwest Dairy Museum and giving the moon in the U.S.’s only
all-mirrored public bathroom in Sulphur Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hot Tyler zoo and letting imaginations go wild at the
Discovery Center.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DwXfyPldb_5yhM12HgZwSA7mtbX05AdcFRtVbo5obhNRiHjq2vjDwHXcJjJi8wagUeQZaahr9PQQFOrLgESLcm-5F3rv5Aa-5F9BvZgT0y5JXSWQt_P9Eo5bXhwEVrL5ncAGaE4MRxzD/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DwXfyPldb_5yhM12HgZwSA7mtbX05AdcFRtVbo5obhNRiHjq2vjDwHXcJjJi8wagUeQZaahr9PQQFOrLgESLcm-5F3rv5Aa-5F9BvZgT0y5JXSWQt_P9Eo5bXhwEVrL5ncAGaE4MRxzD/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Then leaving
family behind and blasting off to Space Center Houston and dipping toes in the
Gulf of Mexico off Galveston Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The debit card scare and resolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finding where the nectar of the <b>g</b>ods - Blue Bell Ice Cream -
is made. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wX1h0GJivezDc_2HBYRxPRuMoSSjXkHd0z2zU1Kq_M5iVIL7NUs71nyXdwrw6wSrLtmI91x_KgGhcpe_hXHtoiWhSse41eQktNkUtRnTl2n3eoltqwNb-dLSYWFDOOAV5oOlOx5NlNpI/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wX1h0GJivezDc_2HBYRxPRuMoSSjXkHd0z2zU1Kq_M5iVIL7NUs71nyXdwrw6wSrLtmI91x_KgGhcpe_hXHtoiWhSse41eQktNkUtRnTl2n3eoltqwNb-dLSYWFDOOAV5oOlOx5NlNpI/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We go<b>t <span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">close to history while seeing the hallowed Alamo where Texas
bravado was born. </span></b>I can't forget d</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">riving 85 mph in
the middle of West Texas<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> g</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">oing down into the New Mexican earth to </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">explore</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>
</b>Carlsbad Caverns. <b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria;">V</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">isiting cousins…again...</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and getting eaten by T-Rex.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a trip full of amazing
experiences that I hope will be in our minds for the rest of our
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KpMNgzOiOK8j2iAljQjMdjs8EuHHLpVGJyByLag7Tthdz-k2VgfwyPfA71mRCBxwCPDjMdkSaRzNdPwA0GbmB5vjjH7mG225C_A-Fd99WrYkHIWaU7cB1qba0P3bPEvncUg9n75Y__ZB/s1600/SummerRoadTripMontage_part10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KpMNgzOiOK8j2iAljQjMdjs8EuHHLpVGJyByLag7Tthdz-k2VgfwyPfA71mRCBxwCPDjMdkSaRzNdPwA0GbmB5vjjH7mG225C_A-Fd99WrYkHIWaU7cB1qba0P3bPEvncUg9n75Y__ZB/s320/SummerRoadTripMontage_part10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But we had to get home first. Our collective
hearts began to pound as we entered Moorpark and drove down Los Angeles Avenue
towards home</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> passing familiar hangouts</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm1fdmk9GV9uN-_74GrmORBXWXzTzFV9MGNmvrmzgT4rp-G4f5VYbaHuB5BnVjiXddYHLREUNP4K0YH6VIG4_E1fZZHXE5oXJOkpyKbcNm0TJ4Mp-aswn-HCcXaK9ayH5z8lLWL-qFS5W/s1600/AveryCarHappyHome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm1fdmk9GV9uN-_74GrmORBXWXzTzFV9MGNmvrmzgT4rp-G4f5VYbaHuB5BnVjiXddYHLREUNP4K0YH6VIG4_E1fZZHXE5oXJOkpyKbcNm0TJ4Mp-aswn-HCcXaK9ayH5z8lLWL-qFS5W/s320/AveryCarHappyHome.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well, at least Avery and I were excited. Olivia was fast asleep<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">after a long summer.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><br /></b></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0LGz79BQdVs5Uch5Vwc1VeBFf24UGfiR1Hk3Qu-r7deNQChfl5T-HYT4ozZnw7C99HCG9hsI9Huqsffkra28yQEPy4OG0-i26Nyw5QYddzfEqC2-unKxv3jXthpVedZKW68Y6oa7zYzU/s1600/OliviaSleepingCar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0LGz79BQdVs5Uch5Vwc1VeBFf24UGfiR1Hk3Qu-r7deNQChfl5T-HYT4ozZnw7C99HCG9hsI9Huqsffkra28yQEPy4OG0-i26Nyw5QYddzfEqC2-unKxv3jXthpVedZKW68Y6oa7zYzU/s320/OliviaSleepingCar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When we got to the
house there were no parking spaces so I had to just </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">stop</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let the kids out to ring the
doorbell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVKBbjzCesfLaIwNtjGLHA3Z3DxZlGZ7PPEkZtT_cX4KXoruwOUiEdO5bBmBIuMP_aURuma-TVmpzofPHv1ox2NmjbIRu1gZLPxK-dWl9xW0qY5-JRcRG9JiTXnplPobwQnvqXqaftg_K/s1600/KidsDoorHome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVKBbjzCesfLaIwNtjGLHA3Z3DxZlGZ7PPEkZtT_cX4KXoruwOUiEdO5bBmBIuMP_aURuma-TVmpzofPHv1ox2NmjbIRu1gZLPxK-dWl9xW0qY5-JRcRG9JiTXnplPobwQnvqXqaftg_K/s320/KidsDoorHome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ubpCnJ-UxXVdvHaphGowje70RVF8eMhDMffVM7suD22pP55NAwi8qdLc8jN9wzlCbDYBBYheZw5Z57ipV-erV7OOUH2st6zXsB8FxyFJbOJ927zVfCUKWxrfZZAl-3s3Xk6-tGVnX5Hp/s1600/KidsDoorHomeMom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ubpCnJ-UxXVdvHaphGowje70RVF8eMhDMffVM7suD22pP55NAwi8qdLc8jN9wzlCbDYBBYheZw5Z57ipV-erV7OOUH2st6zXsB8FxyFJbOJ927zVfCUKWxrfZZAl-3s3Xk6-tGVnX5Hp/s320/KidsDoorHomeMom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You don’t know how
wonderful it was to see Johanna in the flesh – not on a </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Skype or Facetime facsimile</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very clean home…all thanks to Mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CS-39ut8z1N3AQc99VMBgT5vjxbK499zR2qe63k0WfxzDTpngYV8UidUd8Qlqq72QTePp7yZNQ7A-7WUXz7ksCCKnlsPaBK5mdQA_k_V9Pcp47PNM2avjtiLpfo1mHo-1ZsOLS7mR3qx/s1600/JohannaGreeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CS-39ut8z1N3AQc99VMBgT5vjxbK499zR2qe63k0WfxzDTpngYV8UidUd8Qlqq72QTePp7yZNQ7A-7WUXz7ksCCKnlsPaBK5mdQA_k_V9Pcp47PNM2avjtiLpfo1mHo-1ZsOLS7mR3qx/s320/JohannaGreeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I hope you
enjoyed these recollections – it was fun reliving the trip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep coming back here for more – it may
not be about travel but I hope my posts will make you think a little, maybe
learn something and most of all entertain and make you feel a little
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until next time, safe
travels wherever you may go.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-51013950110138805352013-11-17T12:43:00.001-08:002013-11-17T13:01:42.555-08:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Thirteen<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you realize
we know less about the earth we live on than about the stars and galaxies of
outer space? The greatest mystery is right here. Right under our feet!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">From the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journey
to the Center of the Earth</i>, 1959</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPyx6FgH8xyGOreKMH4B20EduJ4kKMjb0lku-tCQCDtNrMSFlTOynv3p9fo7_PkTMf57YctUxo8dKvCAuOUpWirfkdDqUE22Rns2kFwHlm8wC1X5XxJhlhvHgCnFTf_06r_2Z3Y2rNkVH/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-17+at+9.22.18+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPyx6FgH8xyGOreKMH4B20EduJ4kKMjb0lku-tCQCDtNrMSFlTOynv3p9fo7_PkTMf57YctUxo8dKvCAuOUpWirfkdDqUE22Rns2kFwHlm8wC1X5XxJhlhvHgCnFTf_06r_2Z3Y2rNkVH/s320/Screen+shot+2013-11-17+at+9.22.18+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Waking up in a
cigarette smelling room in a rather unattractive, need of renovation motel
surrounded by ugly petroleum vehicles in the middle of the Southern New Mexican
desert wasn’t the cheeriest thing to have happened to us, but the knowledge
we’d be exploring the wonders beneath our Earth in a few hours made it
tolerable. </span></b><b></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Like most
mornings on the road getting the kids clean and dressed required channeling a
drill sergeant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shower…now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clothes packed…now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Idiot check…NOW! I moved the car a
little closer so we wouldn’t have to lug all our stuff from the second level,
all the way down the walk way, down stairs and across a parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the oil field guys had gone a lot
of parking spaces opened up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">After another
quick complimentary (read barely ok) breakfast in the “lovely” dining hall – I
saw ghosts dressed in white shirts and skinny ties sipping coffee – we headed
to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, with a little side trip to fill up the tank
at the gas station next to the Walmart that didn’t have a gas station despite
what the desk clerk at the motel told me.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">It was an easy
trip down the highway through the </span></b>Chihuahua Desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not much to look at except a lot of
prickly pear cactus and abandoned Indian trading posts, but interesting
none-the-less since I’d never been around those parts before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxPlIDASw-WFAXdM_AA-5wzEyJh0ZEHMAqLpSeq_or1ac99Z0v6H0P1mNomhhloQm8dUDj2NHDLdrtvfKENrosHdoO46CJ1X1vOOmhs2zp41Ota6ps8edAOgX8ziiPf_Kei7-He9J6SJF/s1600/CarlsbadCavernsBillboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxPlIDASw-WFAXdM_AA-5wzEyJh0ZEHMAqLpSeq_or1ac99Z0v6H0P1mNomhhloQm8dUDj2NHDLdrtvfKENrosHdoO46CJ1X1vOOmhs2zp41Ota6ps8edAOgX8ziiPf_Kei7-He9J6SJF/s320/CarlsbadCavernsBillboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfRLHokoKqwRKNU9T_RoG7loEb_HCRErHeAy5QrP0ZEcRW8sW8yc8NIa1mbGz6kU3zC3dByLWmItVahMDAT6Rp0R37WEtKx2RHIDM5Ko0mHCwK_xWXjaOIQbDKQW1BBPyrpFshGHb-n1J/s1600/ApacheTradingPost_nearCarlsbad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfRLHokoKqwRKNU9T_RoG7loEb_HCRErHeAy5QrP0ZEcRW8sW8yc8NIa1mbGz6kU3zC3dByLWmItVahMDAT6Rp0R37WEtKx2RHIDM5Ko0mHCwK_xWXjaOIQbDKQW1BBPyrpFshGHb-n1J/s320/ApacheTradingPost_nearCarlsbad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilpch5Azx6hPBEbXI0m0pEnUWpiUmU6jqYcWZNiAGZf3WESZ8aLHuWac2c37kIrGi-ECTXAby-Dn-sdytQozs0Saom8jTNW0TIrQUKMtLAajVN4wemVp3LfRKoLf6yMIJnh9X50ufldvI/s1600/RoadToCaverns02_cactus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilpch5Azx6hPBEbXI0m0pEnUWpiUmU6jqYcWZNiAGZf3WESZ8aLHuWac2c37kIrGi-ECTXAby-Dn-sdytQozs0Saom8jTNW0TIrQUKMtLAajVN4wemVp3LfRKoLf6yMIJnh9X50ufldvI/s320/RoadToCaverns02_cactus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prickly Pear Cactus</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Once we got off the highway and on the
road to the caverns it became a little mountainous and picturesque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive seemed to last longer than
expected (7 miles) as we slowly wined upwards, but isn’t that the case always
when you drive someplace for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The return trip back down that same road (also 7 miles) went
a lot faster, amazing how that occurs.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapkJNtQNaAmLPTCJx2LD7tg3wNHOPllN_L1g8UviFkGpIvz8AUknS9xMQM0DJborclBWad0moYhMxo7A_Jql1asF30xXS93BWYC6PfZGYiwsDWvXSFfhSNfymvpu9nrnk8isjylrvnICk/s1600/CarlsbadCavernsNP_roadsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapkJNtQNaAmLPTCJx2LD7tg3wNHOPllN_L1g8UviFkGpIvz8AUknS9xMQM0DJborclBWad0moYhMxo7A_Jql1asF30xXS93BWYC6PfZGYiwsDWvXSFfhSNfymvpu9nrnk8isjylrvnICk/s320/CarlsbadCavernsNP_roadsign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYggYEHqIPbWs3d6yYPFmdmeN7e5FUsaYXEhGmPsQf7VNKkfSg5pdVyFV0s9tfHeyV6UTTrTl7iiDv2zx0-f7zyHvz-sNothGR1gQqZIZtLCUlRhwbbUTNS9edGbi0TuLU-xo7FNJ6KQ0/s1600/Road_to_Caverns01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYggYEHqIPbWs3d6yYPFmdmeN7e5FUsaYXEhGmPsQf7VNKkfSg5pdVyFV0s9tfHeyV6UTTrTl7iiDv2zx0-f7zyHvz-sNothGR1gQqZIZtLCUlRhwbbUTNS9edGbi0TuLU-xo7FNJ6KQ0/s320/Road_to_Caverns01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTpp_vcMz9mm5gjLiYxI-DsBXWqfRfD_lgKPbbugsTWx0Sex7-vjTY1nCBvN0mcQb57zGgf5ky8VXtsMOBZqzXMaQ3_GWk0FMkEN4Wr3tKcCGsdkQXi8jGvlnORdpNNWxr5hc7inRPkYr/s1600/IMG_9879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTpp_vcMz9mm5gjLiYxI-DsBXWqfRfD_lgKPbbugsTWx0Sex7-vjTY1nCBvN0mcQb57zGgf5ky8VXtsMOBZqzXMaQ3_GWk0FMkEN4Wr3tKcCGsdkQXi8jGvlnORdpNNWxr5hc7inRPkYr/s320/IMG_9879.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Avery from near the visitor center looking South</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The visitor center sits atop a small mountain in the
Guadalupe Range of which the caverns lay below, with a modern Southwestern
architectural flair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The buildings
seemed fairly new and I wonder what it was like decades ago when they first
opened in the 1920’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It became a
National Park in 1930.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YwoCpgacYIYwaFiIuXZXRm9LOpOKbApC2nEtEsxqyvFjqsbJikDxzY3fbeLnpW-2__-KymVyOett1X36e4DtoLEepIZ09RyyeaHbQgtaGQndoVhdgx-4FGcRaLVKT30BxlhYfUwpQdsY/s1600/CarlasbadCavernNP_visitorcenter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YwoCpgacYIYwaFiIuXZXRm9LOpOKbApC2nEtEsxqyvFjqsbJikDxzY3fbeLnpW-2__-KymVyOett1X36e4DtoLEepIZ09RyyeaHbQgtaGQndoVhdgx-4FGcRaLVKT30BxlhYfUwpQdsY/s320/CarlasbadCavernNP_visitorcenter.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Carlsbad Canyon Visitor Center</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zeA_ZiQXeRfUyr6_4S_P_yj4GA3uD4rWuE_j98y7m9tqAW78QZChd6xHNipfjUCx9MC2DrGYn5OgJ18gHK9e5S7Qu7PSZ6uQyj3lDmKVG21_1Gl9ff5XKXmytxsP7Yvv7QcBf8APX5rA/s1600/IMG_9709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zeA_ZiQXeRfUyr6_4S_P_yj4GA3uD4rWuE_j98y7m9tqAW78QZChd6xHNipfjUCx9MC2DrGYn5OgJ18gHK9e5S7Qu7PSZ6uQyj3lDmKVG21_1Gl9ff5XKXmytxsP7Yvv7QcBf8APX5rA/s320/IMG_9709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the parking lot we noticed a variety of license plates
from all over the country, including another blue compact from California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvGLOiu-Mb4xuj0Qm93j3qP40uQfEkqGHuO3Lroc_ZE7Fmrg8JaEWt2KYJ1NZvp1yP0HvEfTYR7OzFoF_3gvehjr8tRMsA0AnjreAJ1OeHh0WFkEmcBV-b5QjZGcEEJPr7MTvJCOJNQko/s1600/CC_BlueCarParkingLot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvGLOiu-Mb4xuj0Qm93j3qP40uQfEkqGHuO3Lroc_ZE7Fmrg8JaEWt2KYJ1NZvp1yP0HvEfTYR7OzFoF_3gvehjr8tRMsA0AnjreAJ1OeHh0WFkEmcBV-b5QjZGcEEJPr7MTvJCOJNQko/s320/CC_BlueCarParkingLot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The heat of the day was creeping up
towards the triple digits so it would be nice to get down in the caves for some
cool temperatures, usually hovering around 53 degrees or so they say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was easy entry – you just have to
wait for the elevator to come back up and a ranger takes you down into the
cavern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B4xQ9xtGXAW0ncEH-amGxzMyuwE7sdjxHM4JnQhDwZbcwKkTMq5DFCBP-3XJxNEUl36TpbTS56j7l0b_NANGlwwnFUCJdFXlnDv6CPHWVCyeJtxHogCnT-r119Tp3kmNufXWdGyMQA7V/s1600/CC_elevatorsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B4xQ9xtGXAW0ncEH-amGxzMyuwE7sdjxHM4JnQhDwZbcwKkTMq5DFCBP-3XJxNEUl36TpbTS56j7l0b_NANGlwwnFUCJdFXlnDv6CPHWVCyeJtxHogCnT-r119Tp3kmNufXWdGyMQA7V/s320/CC_elevatorsign.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>waiting to go down 750 feet</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains more than 118
limestone caves, the most famous of which is Carlsbad Cavern and though popular
thought is that they were carved out by running water like many limestone caves
in the world, rather these caves were dissolved by very aggressive sulfuric
acid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One fact not known to most
is that the caves sit atop a field of natural gas and oil, which are the source
of the sulfur-bearing water that formed the caves. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNYPL4gzSG3wk3oSwk5JUbq9v9GVsOsqnbtPZlazAYTCzTFV7upXSZOxktOnYbtXa4Ua2YLPwvNpCXgnAPQENpdwlEr31-MpsiBon_75Sx5Bi7gu3f-OAumtJVKI6wTNnqOLICeRiQpNA/s1600/IMG_9749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNYPL4gzSG3wk3oSwk5JUbq9v9GVsOsqnbtPZlazAYTCzTFV7upXSZOxktOnYbtXa4Ua2YLPwvNpCXgnAPQENpdwlEr31-MpsiBon_75Sx5Bi7gu3f-OAumtJVKI6wTNnqOLICeRiQpNA/s320/IMG_9749.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>rare ceiling to floor speleothem</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The magnificent speleothems
(cave formations) that continue to grow and decorate Carlsbad Cavern are due to
rain and snowmelt soaking through limestone rock, then eventually dripping into
a cave below and evaporating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wherever that water drop evaporates and releases carbon dioxide in an
air-filled cave, a small amount of mineral-mostly calcite, is left behind.
Thus, drip-by-drip, over the past million years or so, Carlsbad Cavern has
slowly been decorating itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
you know something new.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGVyzmEJGJBpGL1xYpBhv4eeeWTcVIPvx_8guEPqlacaNOSPaRfEP0AKhrWWhznAzY-rj3okLRjeEYIgjMLrVhGx8k62tJrGPw0s2PbORwcoHZR4q_kJnURByQjHoF_uoJvEFFxOVaeiz/s1600/IMG_9727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGVyzmEJGJBpGL1xYpBhv4eeeWTcVIPvx_8guEPqlacaNOSPaRfEP0AKhrWWhznAzY-rj3okLRjeEYIgjMLrVhGx8k62tJrGPw0s2PbORwcoHZR4q_kJnURByQjHoF_uoJvEFFxOVaeiz/s320/IMG_9727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The ranger explained to us that we were going 750 feet down
into the cavern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a long
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once down we decided to take
the Big Room self-guided tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was dark, so we had to let our eyes adjust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia was a little apprehensive at first but as time went
on she got used to the dark and damp alien surroundings and became
comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery…well, he wasn’t
scared at all…maybe a little, at first, but don’t tell him I said so.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpVF5p_OFtjl0xWFdh4JkVVU_DkdTug53TRUEGf4_tfcnJMbMr5Gl-XjRILYytP-5CTB3Z-FTjR2jlTTMiGJDkheYOk_z3mHYGtcOl_YbgQRu2V1p-sgtZwPJ3dTStuYDm9oy1oFZS9no/s1600/CC_BigRoomSign%2526Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpVF5p_OFtjl0xWFdh4JkVVU_DkdTug53TRUEGf4_tfcnJMbMr5Gl-XjRILYytP-5CTB3Z-FTjR2jlTTMiGJDkheYOk_z3mHYGtcOl_YbgQRu2V1p-sgtZwPJ3dTStuYDm9oy1oFZS9no/s320/CC_BigRoomSign%2526Map.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>where we were heading</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I won’t give a moment-by-moment tour, suffice it to say,
it’s an amazing journey everyone should see at some point in his or her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a geological wonderland and I just
wish I had a better camera to capture the beautiful images that you saw
everywhere you looked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJpXuPtqPmQJTvwzxfrSD379I9iIDWHsSmgbgkb-5gLhkajXhfGvF0mUr63ochLghZlYNr_BPFR_y_B56Oen0S8yR3tBHt02ZD1jFWe5NT437U1VYIb_sZhMPu5lx9Jk1BoXSZImg5YNy/s1600/IMG_9766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJpXuPtqPmQJTvwzxfrSD379I9iIDWHsSmgbgkb-5gLhkajXhfGvF0mUr63ochLghZlYNr_BPFR_y_B56Oen0S8yR3tBHt02ZD1jFWe5NT437U1VYIb_sZhMPu5lx9Jk1BoXSZImg5YNy/s320/IMG_9766.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EKX54jJSnLX4Z4URdabnIgG_7Ud1cjC7kqJXqyO3My1nzf6KGpmiDo-rYkm_pfuSe63EM4GqW1APFokbz7xsBV-QO3t36POvA1MNa9TqZM2i6UTgvb7NHMvzh-kh1XNHK2VkU2ikDnks/s1600/IMG_9800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EKX54jJSnLX4Z4URdabnIgG_7Ud1cjC7kqJXqyO3My1nzf6KGpmiDo-rYkm_pfuSe63EM4GqW1APFokbz7xsBV-QO3t36POvA1MNa9TqZM2i6UTgvb7NHMvzh-kh1XNHK2VkU2ikDnks/s320/IMG_9800.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>crazy spelunkers</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXcd0mZI_wElq_k_Y34hke3IYbrrln0cy24ybig-AsiriQbnKZI0BtvTlRYZfJIX9BGWiwGtRArIu0xjYYAbDhoBjc0xesKY4SYy4bEXiEF3yxaOhWlAZ5vUSzIAYKOEgNDuosgoPfnbF/s1600/IMG_9824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXcd0mZI_wElq_k_Y34hke3IYbrrln0cy24ybig-AsiriQbnKZI0BtvTlRYZfJIX9BGWiwGtRArIu0xjYYAbDhoBjc0xesKY4SYy4bEXiEF3yxaOhWlAZ5vUSzIAYKOEgNDuosgoPfnbF/s320/IMG_9824.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPWqNKv3NnWU0CNhjCdnw6oXQJiEpozkD7NW2b-5xaEOBR76PAXFv87hhK20bPawq0dZRn4Y7azOz0ZSG4eYMHW35PhG4u9Fl74LHoM4Lgs89u3V9mGY3OoiM_IfyjJoWtk9bi24gN2Rx/s1600/IMG_9865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqPWqNKv3NnWU0CNhjCdnw6oXQJiEpozkD7NW2b-5xaEOBR76PAXFv87hhK20bPawq0dZRn4Y7azOz0ZSG4eYMHW35PhG4u9Fl74LHoM4Lgs89u3V9mGY3OoiM_IfyjJoWtk9bi24gN2Rx/s320/IMG_9865.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WWbb9E19dE58XR3X-Ip8NxTVeRtdy2A8m2loCBRBrK2GxQsRWChAAU9mrmzuXN-FGnICm7NyKHVjku8Pchg0UeWdDGBdn0_5jrfpZaiO4uVX1wWvCd0R1MI7r8Ug9lWN8PXQqWA1VUZp/s1600/IMG_9868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WWbb9E19dE58XR3X-Ip8NxTVeRtdy2A8m2loCBRBrK2GxQsRWChAAU9mrmzuXN-FGnICm7NyKHVjku8Pchg0UeWdDGBdn0_5jrfpZaiO4uVX1wWvCd0R1MI7r8Ug9lWN8PXQqWA1VUZp/s320/IMG_9868.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Avery holding our hometown paper</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It took us
over an hour to walk around the Big Room, which covers 8.2 acres. If we had
time we could have hiked to the Natural Entrance 79 stories above, which would
have been a site to see – emerging from the cave and into the sunlight, but we
had places to go and people to see.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlkEHnIKqlqBlYyY6kPlejZ0dB1b4BC0aiyMTTgWaQc6Mt4X0k99X9BtxC_9ueMAdIOIyjzrWKRv-v05JWiIdrkwsb1y1pbrckyzgZQ_53Nq2DJFPnZCdnkrLPtghqxc0f0qVOSRBQa49/s1600/CarlsbadCavernEntrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlkEHnIKqlqBlYyY6kPlejZ0dB1b4BC0aiyMTTgWaQc6Mt4X0k99X9BtxC_9ueMAdIOIyjzrWKRv-v05JWiIdrkwsb1y1pbrckyzgZQ_53Nq2DJFPnZCdnkrLPtghqxc0f0qVOSRBQa49/s1600/CarlsbadCavernEntrance.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Carlsbad Cavern Natural Entrance</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The kids wanted to eat in the Visitor Center lunchroom and
of course get stuff in the gift shop, which I negated on both counts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told them their gift shop allowance
was all used up and that we’d stop for lunch in El Paso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After getting some entering shots out
front and some pictures by the park main sign to send to the relatives we
headed out to begin the long and winding road to Phoenix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6_aM0ZemoLC3pOlvKdBfVXv_-bojo_l8RRZ5tj1qcxxXb6X0afXhQZ0OZ9fX1S0BgMCV6ZhZlMu1RVjh7RX5IIpSd6Z6l96FEzGOSbOzWYiEz5WUe2aw22LH363L6DuAXCXE8pF6Rqvb/s1600/IMG_9710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6_aM0ZemoLC3pOlvKdBfVXv_-bojo_l8RRZ5tj1qcxxXb6X0afXhQZ0OZ9fX1S0BgMCV6ZhZlMu1RVjh7RX5IIpSd6Z6l96FEzGOSbOzWYiEz5WUe2aw22LH363L6DuAXCXE8pF6Rqvb/s320/IMG_9710.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ranger Ave</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcCC4OWzBdmm74omKOT4LLNSYTCHeg6LHPSNxuIviNmmSTzW_nna3taXX7j9jSdmPcfceXGP9tgSXCMEyJ8yDeCEZC9fzxAwauRK9Eu1FN0zKu5r9bOn3uzqrA31Vq6H7mTzkOWoWVxy8/s1600/IMG_9711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcCC4OWzBdmm74omKOT4LLNSYTCHeg6LHPSNxuIviNmmSTzW_nna3taXX7j9jSdmPcfceXGP9tgSXCMEyJ8yDeCEZC9fzxAwauRK9Eu1FN0zKu5r9bOn3uzqrA31Vq6H7mTzkOWoWVxy8/s320/IMG_9711.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ranger Liv</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPE-nPSdefRAqxoCADoJPjDJVdvXs6rimAyQW46BPxXu4SXcfZb5GmXlWQMyx6nRd8Z5R0ErWjcM6VRZu4FqC66hO9Y3L4Wo4rlxG6HzmGqmpsNNN9UMDxfW6oS26kjBSFOiN1wNo_X3j/s1600/IMG_9872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPE-nPSdefRAqxoCADoJPjDJVdvXs6rimAyQW46BPxXu4SXcfZb5GmXlWQMyx6nRd8Z5R0ErWjcM6VRZu4FqC66hO9Y3L4Wo4rlxG6HzmGqmpsNNN9UMDxfW6oS26kjBSFOiN1wNo_X3j/s320/IMG_9872.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ranger Rick & Friend</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By this time I nixed the idea of
stopping at Tombstone because we wouldn’t get there until near sundown and
still had to get to Kristin’s at a decent time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to put them out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">We got on US
Highway 62 and headed South-South West towards El Paso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once passing back into Texas we drove
by Guadalupe National Park and Guadalupe Peak, the highest spot in Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped to get some pictures and
video as I had never been to the highest spot in Texas before or at least at
the base of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed proof
that I was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids stayed
in the car playing their EDs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess they did not see the significance.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYHzgZoRG-w20yh__cvHZF8GN-TIzHMzZ-sLW2kuF7EdRDCwUEkQjmRm0ZVgKlfi0HQsdOdW_1EvC6jRpEtmfRokEj93gtyKn5KzvGSgtbtSYxZwFrY8NO-oarZ_qKaJr8WORBAxErlvq/s1600/TexasWelcomeSign_NM_border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYHzgZoRG-w20yh__cvHZF8GN-TIzHMzZ-sLW2kuF7EdRDCwUEkQjmRm0ZVgKlfi0HQsdOdW_1EvC6jRpEtmfRokEj93gtyKn5KzvGSgtbtSYxZwFrY8NO-oarZ_qKaJr8WORBAxErlvq/s320/TexasWelcomeSign_NM_border.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Weren't we just there?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWe_vb1puhtwB1xGcy6t7wABPXMNJvDPRfUDhGNeMHmptO6PkSMFmFcgC0SkUP_hK8C9w3l8uDp4hSELdlmMOKhOvCZHAUtH4svonKVh3vkeZbR0dw5AEqyg8M0sn9psTqqedPanux_vk/s1600/GuadalupeNatParkSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWe_vb1puhtwB1xGcy6t7wABPXMNJvDPRfUDhGNeMHmptO6PkSMFmFcgC0SkUP_hK8C9w3l8uDp4hSELdlmMOKhOvCZHAUtH4svonKVh3vkeZbR0dw5AEqyg8M0sn9psTqqedPanux_vk/s320/GuadalupeNatParkSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uilQutbrv5HBBsZ30KTyFLJEP_d5sKsopQvlxq9YYhvZWhntRWl1N9ZzAiFytVQBZe9i6S0dYf4njlMAXMevR8-3kLvNrJ1hzZ_eJ0LRg4Xus6OqBy_EX2vmgI-5PZ3Jzg4ssDnnRpAh/s1600/IMG_9896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uilQutbrv5HBBsZ30KTyFLJEP_d5sKsopQvlxq9YYhvZWhntRWl1N9ZzAiFytVQBZe9i6S0dYf4njlMAXMevR8-3kLvNrJ1hzZ_eJ0LRg4Xus6OqBy_EX2vmgI-5PZ3Jzg4ssDnnRpAh/s320/IMG_9896.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Guadalupe Peak - highest elevation in Texas</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg519thaCg92RdmIiGsjWQq2dFftQkGMAzBaojQHc1n-5nyp0sIizz4JezKGf3sGw-CMzULYtorwhQAT6urLXUGpN8uW8qgpmeiJxZTz4QFjUrCDKZWR53dJdp5G95IYLRHQ8lM388jBq5R/s1600/IMG_9901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg519thaCg92RdmIiGsjWQq2dFftQkGMAzBaojQHc1n-5nyp0sIizz4JezKGf3sGw-CMzULYtorwhQAT6urLXUGpN8uW8qgpmeiJxZTz4QFjUrCDKZWR53dJdp5G95IYLRHQ8lM388jBq5R/s320/IMG_9901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Once out of
the mountains it was really desert and at one point we drove through a salt
flat – white on both sides as far as you could see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyhGeSsH2eN-9KEEFvaowlgMiql5JjALsdBjZXKYtY9FRTmfIykBllDVDm0_oFy6FGiBuiYeLOA74TgcQCCWB2OnpwjZnahrM__xpZMNK5KjfmNt5z9y_EJ5dLA4zCKiqqlqbNRyFylxH/s1600/TexasSaltFlat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyhGeSsH2eN-9KEEFvaowlgMiql5JjALsdBjZXKYtY9FRTmfIykBllDVDm0_oFy6FGiBuiYeLOA74TgcQCCWB2OnpwjZnahrM__xpZMNK5KjfmNt5z9y_EJ5dLA4zCKiqqlqbNRyFylxH/s320/TexasSaltFlat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Salt Flats East of El Paso</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Slowing things down was some road construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We came to a standstill for more than
fifteen minutes waiting for cars to pass by on the one lane open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a relief when it finally came to
our turn. </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The desert
finally gave way to civilization as we entered the outskirts of El Paso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A light industrial landscape seemed to
go on and on forever but we finally got into a more suburban atmosphere and
came upon a McDonald’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My phone
was tapped out and I had to download video and photos to my Mac so I could take
more photos and video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t
the energy the night before to download and so it was packed full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">McDonald’s
stops always take longer than expected but we finally got on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We eventually hooked back up with
Interstate 10, passing by downtown El Paso, and onward back to California. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJcEQ54W-aKb0twDnDSk0kAPMCce5Yu2ydLLPsypfDXhGDKKiUVTLU_BMIzWUIr4BfsYxBFSGq-dABoifqJW8PD3W5fivmQhIXWEgbdYMfGCGryTa_dSZU_pPuLit3Aei35nXDICzRBCx/s1600/El_Paso_downtown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJcEQ54W-aKb0twDnDSk0kAPMCce5Yu2ydLLPsypfDXhGDKKiUVTLU_BMIzWUIr4BfsYxBFSGq-dABoifqJW8PD3W5fivmQhIXWEgbdYMfGCGryTa_dSZU_pPuLit3Aei35nXDICzRBCx/s320/El_Paso_downtown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Downtown El Paso</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I had a flash back seeing a shopping
center parking lot I was at the last time I was in El Paso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was on our move to Cali from Texas,
driving a U-Haul pulling a trailer with our Explorer on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had driven all night but somewhere
outside Odessa the trailer had a blowout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was pitch black and we could hear the coyotes howling in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed to take the tow guy forever
to get there and I recall having quick remembrances of those camp ghost stories
about the guy with the hook terrorizing the couple stranded along a desolate
road. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tow truck eventually
showed up and the tow truck guy fixed the tire without incident. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got into El Paso right after dawn and
parked the truck in a shopping center near a place to get a bite to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that’s when we discovered that
two of the tires on the Explorer had been slashed by something, which meant we
had to get two new tires once in California before we could give up the
U-haul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ended up pulling it to the
Sears in Thousand Oaks the day we arrived to get new tires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not much fun after driving over 24
hours with only cat naps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically,
we were traveling with our cat Angel who, unfortunately we believe got eaten by
coyotes a year later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The circle
of life.</span></b><b></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway, El
Paso wasn’t the most attractive city I’ve seen but not terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were soon past the city limits and
back into New Mexico before you could say Chihuahua.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once passed Las Cruces there isn’t much to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy-jAGnsVyYvc-6Shukeaenwm3cxJC1S2r7h83ZtnLvlLqj0CfZlgakaFC8qiOs0FKmKU5yz9_A2IvdfT8sOOI-tBn1H0m-nBVad07tMz_Thxah68LLTr3hr0dJqKDBqO6lXEAPNGvs-2/s1600/NewMexicoDesert_clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDy-jAGnsVyYvc-6Shukeaenwm3cxJC1S2r7h83ZtnLvlLqj0CfZlgakaFC8qiOs0FKmKU5yz9_A2IvdfT8sOOI-tBn1H0m-nBVad07tMz_Thxah68LLTr3hr0dJqKDBqO6lXEAPNGvs-2/s320/NewMexicoDesert_clouds.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>New Mexican desert and clouds</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">We did go through some stormy weather
and when your driving on mostly flat terrain the clouds and lightning looming
in the distance always give a good show, especially with mesas and mountains as
a nice backdrop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We skirted most
of the rain but at least it was entertaining in a rather </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">nondescript</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> area of
the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq86_6_MiS3KqRkYD2weoG8rMe331MpUpYIKIBjKIG69MjhweYCvjt7481-K_BmISFpeiNz7wI2Qn1U_RD077qTNCx0TSnu4QBaz5CmDH9t-ZiF23y020l69PYTleg0t4Bx7jtuknTSaI/s1600/NewMexico_stormclouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq86_6_MiS3KqRkYD2weoG8rMe331MpUpYIKIBjKIG69MjhweYCvjt7481-K_BmISFpeiNz7wI2Qn1U_RD077qTNCx0TSnu4QBaz5CmDH9t-ZiF23y020l69PYTleg0t4Bx7jtuknTSaI/s320/NewMexico_stormclouds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLG5QNflQ8zcz0Tb2rA9frS8zdSnPdvEfxqlj7WimxQR2bRoKkfVk5B5f5-1Ef8k_dSeIiJXpXZyVEBjTDL1nCSzTiI3l5tVQMiVUabKdQx_YU5XeVIrTjt3yaUtQ3G1xR-5S3ApSIcTM/s1600/NewMexicoRainClouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLG5QNflQ8zcz0Tb2rA9frS8zdSnPdvEfxqlj7WimxQR2bRoKkfVk5B5f5-1Ef8k_dSeIiJXpXZyVEBjTDL1nCSzTiI3l5tVQMiVUabKdQx_YU5XeVIrTjt3yaUtQ3G1xR-5S3ApSIcTM/s320/NewMexicoRainClouds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBPy2XSHy5M6XSweLvF-RwLrMUB0xoGhUsUfz69inBK5eXBcqdl2ObohAkbsd9FIF6SBy93lf8BQV3jpxOuokEWWQw7QkHtO8LPA2GYnggWV7A7ygcOrJA1vH98fKwQZ2XZXE2EM_B3ak/s1600/IMG_9919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBPy2XSHy5M6XSweLvF-RwLrMUB0xoGhUsUfz69inBK5eXBcqdl2ObohAkbsd9FIF6SBy93lf8BQV3jpxOuokEWWQw7QkHtO8LPA2GYnggWV7A7ygcOrJA1vH98fKwQZ2XZXE2EM_B3ak/s320/IMG_9919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6Xk8tmUut0Ysb-MfBN0kaxGakaL9A7ZXAzf0XnWQBFSLXaLLqtQbwtjvBScLAFt-a42CO1m0GQJSKDTLSIl3GxqzPxSn0aAEYTkRs_4oyfFWeMZ7Z4oW9s-zr0ze2tUnnk9rx13DRi-L/s1600/IMG_9931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6Xk8tmUut0Ysb-MfBN0kaxGakaL9A7ZXAzf0XnWQBFSLXaLLqtQbwtjvBScLAFt-a42CO1m0GQJSKDTLSIl3GxqzPxSn0aAEYTkRs_4oyfFWeMZ7Z4oW9s-zr0ze2tUnnk9rx13DRi-L/s320/IMG_9931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6mB12sqg4hDz2xxLPgD-u3ThK8sjqjf9_fWkENucH8cAlPFRmJEWZX8GZXZkOnr1koAgXcs4nq960Jy_i_NQ_poqJpsbtrH-8myXva2gHtlik7pdJU-34fw-6Zm9i0ybN1ZuluxaRmAu/s1600/IMG_9933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6mB12sqg4hDz2xxLPgD-u3ThK8sjqjf9_fWkENucH8cAlPFRmJEWZX8GZXZkOnr1koAgXcs4nq960Jy_i_NQ_poqJpsbtrH-8myXva2gHtlik7pdJU-34fw-6Zm9i0ybN1ZuluxaRmAu/s320/IMG_9933.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">We stopped in
Deming, NM for some ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
looked up and found where a Dairy Queen was supposed to be but when we got
there it was out of business so we scrambled and ended up at McDonald’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, my, losing precious time.</span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3COwyemfrYIGPZJoCK8fQxoHFJwZvmwUywdorahnkJWBGtPPSRkmXPlTYPQVkW14-4NJsb3wygyN79RSpY46nS_P3mhFxoW6sgEz1Rfrse78L8AoUv5PAoUrn9ketGqo3_ZK_1fteTO6O/s1600/ArizonaWelcomeSign_NM_border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3COwyemfrYIGPZJoCK8fQxoHFJwZvmwUywdorahnkJWBGtPPSRkmXPlTYPQVkW14-4NJsb3wygyN79RSpY46nS_P3mhFxoW6sgEz1Rfrse78L8AoUv5PAoUrn9ketGqo3_ZK_1fteTO6O/s320/ArizonaWelcomeSign_NM_border.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Arizona-New Mexico border</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">As we made
ourselves west, entering Arizona, signs appeared promoting a roadside attraction called The Thing,
Mystery of the Desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t
give it much thought but we were somewhere between Wilcox and Tucson, Arizona when the need to stop for gas, pee break and snacks became apparent…I saw there was a place
coming up which looked like a Stuckey’s, which some of you may remember <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– they have a famous pecan roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This place had a Dairy Queen attached to
a large souvenir shop and the infamous museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ4IN0jZQpXGFtKdOZnDKxx2q8-Dq8tfwAvn8RFSNyz-woQvnk8uIdlmA8LwfvE1nf2LgPoVt3DEJj1Ly1bpnMZApZkQyijrhXFrsUs1YzRjI4flpxp0Fk2xjfqvA8pvMPJItAvciJYAI/s1600/bizarre_thing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ4IN0jZQpXGFtKdOZnDKxx2q8-Dq8tfwAvn8RFSNyz-woQvnk8uIdlmA8LwfvE1nf2LgPoVt3DEJj1Ly1bpnMZApZkQyijrhXFrsUs1YzRjI4flpxp0Fk2xjfqvA8pvMPJItAvciJYAI/s320/bizarre_thing1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The large place was full of all kinds of stuff, Native
American trinkets that collect dust on shelves and usually end up not selling
at garage sales around the country. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even sold luggage of all things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I guess out back you could gaze
at The Thing for a dollar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
avoided both Dairy Queen and The Thing but had to let the kids get a snack and
a drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia had trouble
deciding on a snack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked her
down one aisle and up the next and she just couldn’t decide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we passed the “sale” table and she
saw IT, a mermaid figurine she just HAD to have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, it was on sale for $2 or $3 so I said fine – more
so we could get on with our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The guy at the counter was nice enough to find a new box for it and
packed it up nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friendly folk
in Arizona and coincidentally I left with an Arizona tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and by the way The Thing is some
mummified woman the original owner bought for $50 from a traveling salesman...or
is it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s Mulder when you
need him.</span></b><b></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">We were three
hours from Kristen’s house and the sun was falling fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was still light as we passed through
Tucson but getting dark fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wanted to try to drive through Oro Valley, where I came a few years ago to interview champion decathletes
and their famed Academic Decathlon coach Chris Yetman from Canyon del Oro High but
alas not enough time.</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The sun set
below the Arizona mesa somewhere between Tucson and Phoenix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped along the highway to get
pictures of the colorful sunset, some of the prettiest you’ll find
anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d4qFqcQAd8gyXFZitHvDpxwFodS8My35gVgnqYU7lfWe1LNm7yAf7zOkwYth7WknGBw4x4t-d4JDaCnlEBvz36Gs9NpUMXeOekZWYlgvCPabscMNuqO6SATmEK4OfELL-c-vwbRTK_r3/s1600/ArizonaSunset_off10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d4qFqcQAd8gyXFZitHvDpxwFodS8My35gVgnqYU7lfWe1LNm7yAf7zOkwYth7WknGBw4x4t-d4JDaCnlEBvz36Gs9NpUMXeOekZWYlgvCPabscMNuqO6SATmEK4OfELL-c-vwbRTK_r3/s320/ArizonaSunset_off10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XIpfbysOAkw5aQ3hMHi7QFWoCOeMRG9Ggpo0loIKQ0jPSWOveZUUVWGPpNJGk6glZu3vNqjuTiqQbmHNCix8_2QorohBoX33waCl3ldaIDIrSCexWcQZCD-IWWMl3Id-qreYa6Wd4xNg/s1600/IMG_9975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XIpfbysOAkw5aQ3hMHi7QFWoCOeMRG9Ggpo0loIKQ0jPSWOveZUUVWGPpNJGk6glZu3vNqjuTiqQbmHNCix8_2QorohBoX33waCl3ldaIDIrSCexWcQZCD-IWWMl3Id-qreYa6Wd4xNg/s320/IMG_9975.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMelSW9YdZH3q6iT68-MbeIXzZ02tP8y3gKAO9q2ErUzz-3wBfHvLguxtPPK8IZ_3TzPrqCxJpMgti4N7lR9LeZPt3NjlGi0783Lp6ex0WHMf93hTTwROS3j7y9skLtz56shHHie6UMgIq/s1600/IMG_9968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMelSW9YdZH3q6iT68-MbeIXzZ02tP8y3gKAO9q2ErUzz-3wBfHvLguxtPPK8IZ_3TzPrqCxJpMgti4N7lR9LeZPt3NjlGi0783Lp6ex0WHMf93hTTwROS3j7y9skLtz56shHHie6UMgIq/s320/IMG_9968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Somewhere along the way
I typed in Kristen’s address to let the GPS guide me – it sure was useful
finding her parent’s house in Colorado and so I figured it could help me again
since I’d be searching in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their new house was in Goodyear, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix on its western
side so we had to drive through the city to get there, though at night there
was no traffic slowing us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was getting late and though I had texted her earlier letting her know we’d be
arriving after dark, I was unsettled that it was this late.</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I followed the
iPhone directions and when the blue dot reached what was supposed to be the
house we found ourselves on a desolate stretch of road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove around a little looking for
their street but I quickly surmised the GPS screwed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubled checked to make sure I put in
the right address but it still was telling me the wrong coordinates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no choice but to call
Kristen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not knowing the area and
with it being night made it difficult explaining where I was but she figured it
out and gave me directions to get to their house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy was the GPS wrong by miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KcBce6HtAN9xW3nLDtZWY-84BGigpc2-EolA7N2gvT07JQz6d0cCma_Xll3rLHrtoezia-OOASaixmdURjrZdkXw1uxopVc_RoG2X0AazYP8R2HMXI26exXEuFkfd1E2sW6utLxzjZyy/s1600/GPS_map_KristenHouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KcBce6HtAN9xW3nLDtZWY-84BGigpc2-EolA7N2gvT07JQz6d0cCma_Xll3rLHrtoezia-OOASaixmdURjrZdkXw1uxopVc_RoG2X0AazYP8R2HMXI26exXEuFkfd1E2sW6utLxzjZyy/s320/GPS_map_KristenHouse.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Even when we got to their neighborhood, a new development,
we couldn’t find the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next day I figured out that there were two sections to their street, which were
disconnected from each other – I’m guessing the two would connect at some later
date when the development was completed, but it made it difficult to
locate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on the phone with
Kristen as she walked the street to wave us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a comedy of errors.</span></b><b></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The house was
very nice and I was surprised they were already unpacked - they had just moved
in a couple of weeks earlier. That would never happen with us – the amount of
stuff we have would take a month or two. Unfortunately, Logan and Braidan were
already asleep, as was Nick, Kristen’s husband, who had to get up at 3am for
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Logan had given up his room
for Olivia and Avery and I slept in the guest room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nick arose, I’m sure because of the ruckus the kids
were making (playing with their dog) and helped make some food for the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a short visit we grabbed our bags and went to
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen told us she and the
kids had to get up early as she had to get to the hospital for an early shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nick at the time worked for University
of Phoenix but now was accepted to Goodyear’s police academy and is becoming a
police officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s also a
decorated Army National Guard veteran, having served four tours in Iraq.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is currently in the Reserves, as is
Kristen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They, along with
Kristen’s brother Mathew who is an Army captain, deserve a hearty and heartfelt
thank you from all of us for their service to our country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevJlyzs_SZGj5gciA59BAhzxnfz0-h7G-u_B8oHHV0B9M5lbwdzxplEM4c07wTBCeGjYVh7pnM5DjuYFCAe_Gr5Q6VLkgtVr9Vt8_-G1XIz79_vsmeTHdTb8gcJ4MynkK2H1q06jNCgLG/s1600/R_IMG_2591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevJlyzs_SZGj5gciA59BAhzxnfz0-h7G-u_B8oHHV0B9M5lbwdzxplEM4c07wTBCeGjYVh7pnM5DjuYFCAe_Gr5Q6VLkgtVr9Vt8_-G1XIz79_vsmeTHdTb8gcJ4MynkK2H1q06jNCgLG/s320/R_IMG_2591.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">At Kristen's 2nd Lt. swearing in at Disneyland Oct. 2013</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">After a long
drive though the desert it was easy to go to sleep and in such nice
surroundings – a far cry from the stench filled motel we slept in the night
previous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was our last sleep
over of the trip and come tomorrow we’d all be sleeping in our own beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahhhhh!</span></b></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: The final stretch – six hours to Moorpark
with a stop to see where PeeWee said oui oui in the mouth of T-Rex and finally
seeing my sweetie after two months.)</span></b></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-54412425026725087912013-11-07T12:12:00.002-08:002013-11-07T12:12:51.282-08:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Twelve<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 130.5pt 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="bodybold"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Houston, we have a problem!”</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tom
Hanks as Jim Lovell in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apollo 13</i></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKaPQu5a4fm4GE1P9maGr7z62WUwOo5iTrGrC_z8qbZtCw1HjVl3LccM1N3RznyI51RVagiMjWam5pIWsAGWYXnlfz_dU3t4Qjq3-EEQgLYnQpdOCeHoItEcQOG3z8VwzNu0wUl6xbZf/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-06+at+7.18.00+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTKaPQu5a4fm4GE1P9maGr7z62WUwOo5iTrGrC_z8qbZtCw1HjVl3LccM1N3RznyI51RVagiMjWam5pIWsAGWYXnlfz_dU3t4Qjq3-EEQgLYnQpdOCeHoItEcQOG3z8VwzNu0wUl6xbZf/s320/Screen+shot+2013-11-06+at+7.18.00+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After a great
day with the kids touring NASA’s Space Center Houston and seeing the sunset on
the beach in Galveston things changed rather quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one of the most dreaded things that could happen on a
trip – a compromised </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">debit card. Johanna called to say</span></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>
our bank informed us that someone was trying to buy stuff at stores on the East
Coast. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had just dipped a toe in
the Gulf of Mexico, so I knew it wasn’t me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After talking with the bank the best option was to go into a
branch the next day and get a new card, otherwise I would have to wait a week and get a new card in the mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
gonna happen, my friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only
wrinkle was finding a branch in Texas that could issue a new card right there in the branch. It was a new
service that wasn’t available at all branches and one customer service person
said that none in Texas could do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This had happened to both Johanna and I before and we were able to go
into our branches in California and get new cards. This left an uneasy feeling
in the pit of my stomach and scenarios about how to get money for gas even if
we decided to just go straight home. We wouldn’t get too far without the use of
the card. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a long day
driving from Winnsboro to Galveston so a good night’s rest was needed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could all be figured out tomorrow.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The next
morning we got up a little too late but in enough time to grab some free
breakfast, albeit very basic, in the motel lobby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got on the road quickly after I found online the nearest
bank branch, which happened to be near NASA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out of Galveston Olivia informed me that she
couldn’t find her stuffed tiger keepsake she got from the Tyler Zoo and she
must have left it in the hotel room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Geesh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had already lost
a quilted blanket her Aunt Kim had made for her on the first leg so I was
determined not to lose anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We turned around and headed back to the hotel, pushing us even further
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was starting to rethink
whether we could make it to Carlsbad that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had consequences since it was too late to change the
hotel booking without penalties.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I pulled up to
the hotel and told Olivia she had to go in by herself and inquire about her
lost tiger, which she did, without fussing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think my blustering lecture about responsibility actually
got through to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told us
once she got back that the desk clerk sent someone with her to the room where
she found the tiger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had hope
that was a good sign for the rest of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We needed some good karma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I put in the
address of the bank branch into the GPS before heading back over the bridge
towards Houston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the GPS
is a Godsend as it was the only way I could have found Kenneth and Joanne’s
house in the dark in Colorado Springs but today it didn’t work so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I followed the blue dot and ended up
somewhere in the middle of nothing at a crossroads with no bank and only a gas
station/convenience store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
clock ticked away I called the bank branch to get directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that it was right off the
interstate and we overshot it by a few miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned around, negotiated road construction to find the
branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting to find out
that the wom</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">n who greeted us and ushered us to a waiting area to be helped by
a manager used to live in Simi Valley and was quite familiar with
Moorpark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All seemed good until the manager told
us that they were not able to issue cards at their branch but she thought that
perhaps a branch in North Houston would be able to so she gave them a call and
luck would have it they could help me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She gave them the heads up we were on our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said our thank yous and goodbyes to our new friends.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I had tepid feelings
towards the news that perhaps this debit card problem would be ending soon
because it wasn’t a sure thing and it was another stop that took us a little
off our path but with luck not too far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least the branch was also off the interstate and better than going to
downtown Houston to the main bank, which was the other option.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was easy
finding the bank and the woman helping us was kind and even willing to be video
taped for the inevitable video that will chronicle these exploits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PJL6U3XwWjwZYO2KjCuKKD9PRTX_SA31Gxijbs-jMR8XV5iICwLQuGGk-EWxdZhdFXEZt9uO83fkTh1HZn29h9MW2g9vGfOBe_ueGEQFZgyX9s9FQIjl3BnGwJr1_E4Nq65MFDxjkRpN/s1600/NewCard_ChaseHouston_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PJL6U3XwWjwZYO2KjCuKKD9PRTX_SA31Gxijbs-jMR8XV5iICwLQuGGk-EWxdZhdFXEZt9uO83fkTh1HZn29h9MW2g9vGfOBe_ueGEQFZgyX9s9FQIjl3BnGwJr1_E4Nq65MFDxjkRpN/s320/NewCard_ChaseHouston_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a big relief to have the new
card in the wallet and just in time as the gas gauge was dipping into the
bottom eighth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Google Maps showed
me that we could just go up a mile and catch The Sam Houston Tollway that would
take us over to State Highway 290 that would lead to the Blue Bell Creamery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my head we could still keep the same
itinerary, albeit get to Carlsbad really, really late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The toll road
was literally the next exit and thus no ability to get gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the gauge kept dipping lower and
lower my chest clamped up hoping we wouldn’t run out of gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We soon got off the tollway and onto 290
where I was hopeful a gas station would soon be beckoning. </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It took a couple of crossroads but we finally
found a station and pulled in for the quick fill up…or so I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As I swiped
the new card at the pump and put in my PIN I quickly got the dreaded “See
attendant inside”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried again
and the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few
expletives said under my breath </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">later</span></b> I quickly got the bank on the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After explaining everything to the
initial customer service person they informed me that I would have to go into a
branch to get a new PIN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my
trying to stay cordial but can't not ooz</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">e</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>anger voice I informed this person that I had
no gasoline and was miles from the branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the first line of defense often does I was quickly
switched to another, hopefully more helpful, customer service person. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t determined whether customer
service people who are overly nice and upbeat </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">are</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b>worse than those who simply
don’t care whether you know they really don’t care about your problem. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m not sure
what knowledge this new person who came on the line possessed that the first
person did not but they told me I could use the card as a credit card without a
problem until I could get to a branch to get a new PIN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just couldn’t use it as a debit card
so no getting cash out of ATM’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would have to be Mr. Plastic until I went into a branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I could do that until getting
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I went inside
to pre-pay just to be safe and the card worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
could finally get on with the trip with a little peace of mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had some numbers I had researched
before starting this leg and I had a vague idea how long it would take to get
from one stop to another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
still okay if we didn’t dawdle too much at anyone place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We got to
Brenham around noon<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and it was easy finding Blue Bell.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9SnFzsMPM68rlatzeRffNyldyuEiS5Og4EzJeQqQzG-d34aS5Nb8SoNwU534mqbQ-tUDi1CbbpfUTu2ioewa0YFF9HR3u63Lm8J-WjvKVSSReXfEU_etYQIKeZ9JCM0_uIlslWTXbL9Y/s1600/BlueBellBillboard_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9SnFzsMPM68rlatzeRffNyldyuEiS5Og4EzJeQqQzG-d34aS5Nb8SoNwU534mqbQ-tUDi1CbbpfUTu2ioewa0YFF9HR3u63Lm8J-WjvKVSSReXfEU_etYQIKeZ9JCM0_uIlslWTXbL9Y/s320/BlueBellBillboard_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The parking
lot at the Blue Bell Creamery visitor center was already packed and we had to
park in the overflow parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids enjoyed the old </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ice cream truck outside the facility.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLnqGSpHQNbXLq5RCrTpsUfGpKtfcDfc0RZOAmoTw1yGZolhvM_5UVgwWKkrsZJFllpI1CIoik_GbM914MhrMC_N3l5Zn2EJmNQbVAKf28jN_LsuNgmUdkGA9qIlTof76JHQqrictPMKB/s1600/BlueBellTourSign_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLnqGSpHQNbXLq5RCrTpsUfGpKtfcDfc0RZOAmoTw1yGZolhvM_5UVgwWKkrsZJFllpI1CIoik_GbM914MhrMC_N3l5Zn2EJmNQbVAKf28jN_LsuNgmUdkGA9qIlTof76JHQqrictPMKB/s320/BlueBellTourSign_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizm9t3_O-TrUmCU0MeT7TqRWygYuLl9ZyAm4UcAacnUfLIYdbfCjkct7a7t_5z1pHce_Kif8N9pM-1Qg4lie2vM1PiG1CnjM5ROZAEZf1oLL88uj5As9abOuXOd7fj330Qn1tWx-s5Imj9/s1600/IMG_9585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizm9t3_O-TrUmCU0MeT7TqRWygYuLl9ZyAm4UcAacnUfLIYdbfCjkct7a7t_5z1pHce_Kif8N9pM-1Qg4lie2vM1PiG1CnjM5ROZAEZf1oLL88uj5As9abOuXOd7fj330Qn1tWx-s5Imj9/s320/IMG_9585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bonnie and...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span id="goog_672491176"></span><span id="goog_672491177"></span><br /></span></b>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki1r9D46e_Ff3nhFLThyvk0K7TwGdKrDcGNp7fO8JzLDrGSvVE8dJMpwUEJIPuNS5Pyy7SMZgodFB4lOEXJDxnC1IPNrvg4cIOHo24N_lISit3pERg311yPKRWLV45B2c4PQlYFdc1Xiv/s1600/IMG_9584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki1r9D46e_Ff3nhFLThyvk0K7TwGdKrDcGNp7fO8JzLDrGSvVE8dJMpwUEJIPuNS5Pyy7SMZgodFB4lOEXJDxnC1IPNrvg4cIOHo24N_lISit3pERg311yPKRWLV45B2c4PQlYFdc1Xiv/s320/IMG_9584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Clyde...the delivery duo?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They had tours every twenty minutes so we didn’t have to wait too
long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were issued soda jerk
caps imprinted with their logo and looked around at the history of Blue Bell
that lined the walls of the lobby.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibc1UgCFlV4825sdyVn3PZv1-YHzbdw8baoQP3myYUsSWctXTsuABg2ixdtVW-tpm91Y0AcnJ9JgoJGrZ60W40_DHHASqM5whMxzd_G20DC3wChNRZnlc12R5e9TFP9pN0nj7TAaSe5iLY/s1600/IMG_9615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibc1UgCFlV4825sdyVn3PZv1-YHzbdw8baoQP3myYUsSWctXTsuABg2ixdtVW-tpm91Y0AcnJ9JgoJGrZ60W40_DHHASqM5whMxzd_G20DC3wChNRZnlc12R5e9TFP9pN0nj7TAaSe5iLY/s320/IMG_9615.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZG6Hm4n_PsReDN38uablCfkkpLP7NmOeDa6eS5WzU0i_T-MSaQKw7X_mA1dzRyjuhH6nzAG9_6ievEmeLu58GVFfPe2KYOJMX_R8IcXExNoFiqqvXT5u_Fdo44iJ4INNZbVN8_Jw8eDP/s1600/IMG_9588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZG6Hm4n_PsReDN38uablCfkkpLP7NmOeDa6eS5WzU0i_T-MSaQKw7X_mA1dzRyjuhH6nzAG9_6ievEmeLu58GVFfPe2KYOJMX_R8IcXExNoFiqqvXT5u_Fdo44iJ4INNZbVN8_Jw8eDP/s320/IMG_9588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You want nuts on that?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRIHhPevZkPO7Ew5GG3RvdhC8I7wramVRMXvQA-P3m_AkjCyMkQlHBrGk7_61iiWih0_2Ak_Uw76HQzGBnbjjKR1i98yT8-P_PZF-1vNlvf9eYHAompUk-mhDe0DvpE4OXY4WW-OxK0CD/s1600/IMG_9605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRIHhPevZkPO7Ew5GG3RvdhC8I7wramVRMXvQA-P3m_AkjCyMkQlHBrGk7_61iiWih0_2Ak_Uw76HQzGBnbjjKR1i98yT8-P_PZF-1vNlvf9eYHAompUk-mhDe0DvpE4OXY4WW-OxK0CD/s320/IMG_9605.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XAWUeVW7GvPt_UO3KBtz9WUiiD2a1Qn-1lfFYEf-f2UmoHIcSRMA6cNLLMkpOMvJCWfTKzADkICer-6eZv-h83JwHF5rC-OJsH343KY0300yidFYc8XrmZFzLZAvOWhMm6kpOYaIZvHU/s1600/BlueBellTerritoriesPoster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XAWUeVW7GvPt_UO3KBtz9WUiiD2a1Qn-1lfFYEf-f2UmoHIcSRMA6cNLLMkpOMvJCWfTKzADkICer-6eZv-h83JwHF5rC-OJsH343KY0300yidFYc8XrmZFzLZAvOWhMm6kpOYaIZvHU/s320/BlueBellTerritoriesPoster.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>why stop at Arizona?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finally, it
was time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We kind of felt like
Charlie in similar anticipation of seeing Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory,
though here everyone got a golden ticket…for a free cup of ice cream at the end
of the tour in the parlor.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It did have a
Wonka feel to it as we saw each station in the process of making the different
flavors and treats they make in the factory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make everything from scratch, even the cookies in the
Cookies n Cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found out that
Homemade Vanilla is the number one flavor and they use a heck of a lot of milk
from local farmers that’s tested for quality and safety before it’s
accepted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their ongoing slogan is,
“we eat what we can and sell the rest” and as incredible as their ice cream is
I know it’s a true statement. You'll have to take our word for it because they didn't allow photography during the tour.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The tour ends
at their ice cream </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">parlor</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> where you can get your free cup of ice cream from a
variety of flavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went crazy
for Krazy Kookie Dough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery and
Olivia went for the standards, Dutch Chocolate and Homemade Vanilla. Yum yum!!!</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ojf6vIahSd8Sblnm8ityCQHxF30Z6bsbU12AdSUxBhRGGoM6gEUyMgx9OAkOdEDSrc_oTTT476t1fD3A5KkGFo13Py8VsN-EWBOIgQHEyW-BaxieRXBtofOAS1d8W8pSKJ4A5mXC2by9/s1600/IMG_9602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ojf6vIahSd8Sblnm8ityCQHxF30Z6bsbU12AdSUxBhRGGoM6gEUyMgx9OAkOdEDSrc_oTTT476t1fD3A5KkGFo13Py8VsN-EWBOIgQHEyW-BaxieRXBtofOAS1d8W8pSKJ4A5mXC2by9/s320/IMG_9602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>hard to choose</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9Xo2iEVbWvW2-L9ISzqvawDqp4OWA_JXitgNgCkFWgc_4QJw-q0GuQMgardmQISA78UvkOGFdWnc4Y9W4D5hJC4zh2-zqJFY0VYLoojsDClIHF1j8My3RWf0UaVAt9TdUMeoDs96hFve/s1600/IMG_9604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9Xo2iEVbWvW2-L9ISzqvawDqp4OWA_JXitgNgCkFWgc_4QJw-q0GuQMgardmQISA78UvkOGFdWnc4Y9W4D5hJC4zh2-zqJFY0VYLoojsDClIHF1j8My3RWf0UaVAt9TdUMeoDs96hFve/s320/IMG_9604.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnW47j7y_jFefgE7XhIU-oc2vhJEcgVx8nqvZYzzRN9H58Jml9S3cg4zIo-BYNJQjZoGrEhlP68TVVXIJzH8_5S-Gse8jG8m4S1U19NocfrSKIXKAXF66RREgr9HCq0X9pItp9Q929KkK/s1600/IMG_9600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnW47j7y_jFefgE7XhIU-oc2vhJEcgVx8nqvZYzzRN9H58Jml9S3cg4zIo-BYNJQjZoGrEhlP68TVVXIJzH8_5S-Gse8jG8m4S1U19NocfrSKIXKAXF66RREgr9HCq0X9pItp9Q929KkK/s320/IMG_9600.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>heaven on Earth</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Knowing we
were short on time I shuffled the kids out and back into the heat of summer so
we could try to stay on schedule or at least our revised schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> On the way out of town I saw a sign for a residential<b> </b></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">development I just had to take a picture of because only in Texas would you find such a name.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ShAATcO038zXWuyUu4QHuT8BILT2FhmQx2ED6RYUCplhMqQWexXJSBmeo2X5Gq-1t46_qHJ4FCQFdEJhW9gi9zvk_W0VIQTF5RSgKPRxPNADW_VOCPx_aBVtfj1K86tOSI_TVZpGn9o/s1600/IMG_9625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2ShAATcO038zXWuyUu4QHuT8BILT2FhmQx2ED6RYUCplhMqQWexXJSBmeo2X5Gq-1t46_qHJ4FCQFdEJhW9gi9zvk_W0VIQTF5RSgKPRxPNADW_VOCPx_aBVtfj1K86tOSI_TVZpGn9o/s320/IMG_9625.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>only in Texas...and maybe Oklahoma</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I wasn’t exactly sure how long it would
take us to get to San Antonio because we were so far off the interstate and
would have to take state and county roads to get to I10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No time for lunch so I hoped the ice
cream and the car snacks would be enough to tide the kids over until dinner.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The route back
to the interstate took us through the originally settled part of Texas – what
was part of the Stephen F. Austin land grant and where Santa Anna saved his
life by giving away Texas to the Texans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also along this route – out in the middle of nowhere – was a stretch of
road that had antique auction houses one after the other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s somewhat of a town called Round
Top that I researched and it seems they have antique festivals throughout the
year where antique dealers from all around gather. It was rather bizarre since
there was no real town to speak of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsRznXLnnatYWfgtEQisVG5EjR5VogLTxdRHo4tG9g1O7NxphJ5NIaIIwewm8sX92a7LVt45pK3q0XTf1WZTa3ftzZNhwJ34XcrYpk1ErCA7wTAVtEIfw1fYhdXxfW7ZtIkWG7lBwQ5tL/s1600/WinterShow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsRznXLnnatYWfgtEQisVG5EjR5VogLTxdRHo4tG9g1O7NxphJ5NIaIIwewm8sX92a7LVt45pK3q0XTf1WZTa3ftzZNhwJ34XcrYpk1ErCA7wTAVtEIfw1fYhdXxfW7ZtIkWG7lBwQ5tL/s320/WinterShow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Round Top, Texas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This part of
Texas was quite attractive, with rolling green hills and a large bluff along
the Colorado River outside LaGrange called Monument Hill, which was also the
site of a state park and home to a tomb for the fallen from battles during the
Texas revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The park also
has one of the first breweries built in Texas by<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Heinrich L.
Kreische.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems the business
flourished until his death, when it failed his heirs abandoned the
brewery.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4Yzmqy_WfGB1UUeEr4yfl_ft_RpvD6kt00718CD4FmFSqeIvT4AbkLQLAaxXQul8P5UsRztVy_zRYGSQA2K3P0T66AFy0t0h3B6DSlBn-4Ddoqx1Rk4gLs619AKQOdJoj4qawLa4kRgC/s1600/MH-overlook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4Yzmqy_WfGB1UUeEr4yfl_ft_RpvD6kt00718CD4FmFSqeIvT4AbkLQLAaxXQul8P5UsRztVy_zRYGSQA2K3P0T66AFy0t0h3B6DSlBn-4Ddoqx1Rk4gLs619AKQOdJoj4qawLa4kRgC/s320/MH-overlook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Monument Hill, LaGrange, TX</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We finally
reached the interstate and headed west to San Antonio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was getting late as we reached the
city limits where I could see downtown in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up the times for the Alamo and
if all things went well we would have about an hour before closing time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Traffic was
light and after locating a nearby self-pay parking lot we headed the few blocks
to one of Texas’ most revered sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had visited once before while on a shoot for Greyhound Bus video but
that was over twenty years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remember thinking how small the actual building we think of as the Alamo, which
is actually the chapel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest
is part of the original barracks and fortress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It began as a Spanish mission and then converted into a fort
by the Texicans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery enjoyed the
canons and Olivia like trying to figure out the six flags that have waved over
Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was able to get
five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody forgets about
France, which once ruled over Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The six are: Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate and
the United States.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We watched an
interesting documentary on the history of the Alamo and finally it was nearing
closing time.</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR8yFV-hVsfQlKIur-04TZZcmrohOqpttyttMTsihyK7oQHIuJcpaNSbJ_YhBLi1G5OifAw8mD-GnxfbcQIvrOHwSAdLzAzrb-JOJhiPPHoB5RC3HhvMZ4zPk9tLF5U59vpsXvUTcfsO_/s1600/IMG_9648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXR8yFV-hVsfQlKIur-04TZZcmrohOqpttyttMTsihyK7oQHIuJcpaNSbJ_YhBLi1G5OifAw8mD-GnxfbcQIvrOHwSAdLzAzrb-JOJhiPPHoB5RC3HhvMZ4zPk9tLF5U59vpsXvUTcfsO_/s320/IMG_9648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fire In The Hole!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtGuYcJ4kgTT0vXIqKId3XHQlGLVIfosfp_2XWhEVpWl3jV9AdPhN9m4gR0Amzrw8wrQmNjm682TEHwSshCS792wzZtgc2B35_iItr06btqV5NMWbMbozxKaR-7TnT9xxJRxvUPRX3gPU/s1600/Olivia%2526SixFlagsofTexas_Alamo_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtGuYcJ4kgTT0vXIqKId3XHQlGLVIfosfp_2XWhEVpWl3jV9AdPhN9m4gR0Amzrw8wrQmNjm682TEHwSshCS792wzZtgc2B35_iItr06btqV5NMWbMbozxKaR-7TnT9xxJRxvUPRX3gPU/s320/Olivia%2526SixFlagsofTexas_Alamo_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>figuring out the six flags over Texas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqfYnP1pwdPyPxU1-e7JkbXqnRBAYmgDsgXR4C28b47KY1y_TTgxMpkfhGlxpJ1w7FYPh1I7PCpVk6gqqfFnf_7gNY4FgUKzUZsK0MVwc53CH0AyepqTUTUc8FsVx-SU3Rajkx93VTtxj/s1600/IMG_9654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqfYnP1pwdPyPxU1-e7JkbXqnRBAYmgDsgXR4C28b47KY1y_TTgxMpkfhGlxpJ1w7FYPh1I7PCpVk6gqqfFnf_7gNY4FgUKzUZsK0MVwc53CH0AyepqTUTUc8FsVx-SU3Rajkx93VTtxj/s320/IMG_9654.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>water well turned wishing well</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwmXj01pzlBowD4PKhKJWj1hinUTaKZmdfJXhYEXvnTeyhKPcKrsqK-RJD8DypWUpILVAw9BbsaAVcTVKic1qRen1yIvs2ScIY-rBGR9YLWQRVLkasfRaKXgTczUDRHLY9KHQ2w5cuoqL/s1600/IMG_9657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwmXj01pzlBowD4PKhKJWj1hinUTaKZmdfJXhYEXvnTeyhKPcKrsqK-RJD8DypWUpILVAw9BbsaAVcTVKic1qRen1yIvs2ScIY-rBGR9YLWQRVLkasfRaKXgTczUDRHLY9KHQ2w5cuoqL/s320/IMG_9657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>model of the Alamo compound during siege</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before leaving
I retrieved the Moorpark Acorn newspaper and a nice family helped take a photo
of us in front of the chapel in the glow of late afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We reciprocated the favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery took a photo of them as I was
using their camera on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwCUVE5skl_u0BT0sxOq_9fVjxsSeVeh-cUFnGcV-IHxJ7YenMeqYXu0S8QwLWafNqaDmmSvyI37Ez9iv8J138SU4khZlbBOyr21fVs9qUocaCJuzhh8AWai4zaJH5dvvy-wVM56LhFHL/s1600/IMG_9668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwCUVE5skl_u0BT0sxOq_9fVjxsSeVeh-cUFnGcV-IHxJ7YenMeqYXu0S8QwLWafNqaDmmSvyI37Ez9iv8J138SU4khZlbBOyr21fVs9qUocaCJuzhh8AWai4zaJH5dvvy-wVM56LhFHL/s320/IMG_9668.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>NOT an Acorn Newspaper photo contest winner</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvwv7kObIGTexjlbr8ReXeUQmwM2SAW6pu3lX9HOJzzx0PdXcp7FmCZqmvfS2oheegU7yLu56PxDZH53Byh8D6T1lOENtptNKQfF-QQqQUiayaTzFilruaVWR5FpnfQxjhT_3-KjFz48t/s1600/IMG_9665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvwv7kObIGTexjlbr8ReXeUQmwM2SAW6pu3lX9HOJzzx0PdXcp7FmCZqmvfS2oheegU7yLu56PxDZH53Byh8D6T1lOENtptNKQfF-QQqQUiayaTzFilruaVWR5FpnfQxjhT_3-KjFz48t/s320/IMG_9665.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>remember (the no name family at) the Alamo</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With our daily
dose of history complete we jumped in the car and made our way through downtown
San Antonio towards I10 west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
passed the famous River Walk (seen from the car), which if we had the time we
could have strolled along it but there isn’t much to see except for hotels,
restaurants and bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We were all
getting rather hungry and so I kept a look out for a Pizza Hut or Pizza
Inn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to get out into the
suburbs and once I spotted an area full of retail I exited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to get gas and without
thinking looked for a Costco for the cheapest gas but it took a bunch of turns
to get to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I reach the
pump only to realize they only take debit cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugggg!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn
bank!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn person who stole my
debit card number!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get back in car
and find a regular gas station to fill up,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>then a pizza place to fill our tummies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We settled on a CiCi’s Pizza, which I
don’t recall ever going to but didn’t feel like driving around for someplace
else.</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqOU4nU1GkwluriGE3rE0bCAasW0Yb_OPZ_N27rrY0gnQ0dF45xBfZWd4VGKfEBAXOocw0DOZBcrht5N2L-RQW9BxvJSXRSpad3wh8Hgvl7gMDjiOKPVE6QxfNPBOCdWktjecWTSWssu3/s1600/IMG_9669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqOU4nU1GkwluriGE3rE0bCAasW0Yb_OPZ_N27rrY0gnQ0dF45xBfZWd4VGKfEBAXOocw0DOZBcrht5N2L-RQW9BxvJSXRSpad3wh8Hgvl7gMDjiOKPVE6QxfNPBOCdWktjecWTSWssu3/s320/IMG_9669.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>pizza overload coma</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQXnY7UGC5DTAul3-4IOTu9XE-T6z7GaaGA2HLAIYQbJvRKDO45rzauUpLpsHYaXlTtOlq-eEg94gut76h6VkfK1-c-2E_8ErSfhW4Jk_FWICWMHMcVaxGdNBw3A6m7hR7WWrRzScXVaz/s1600/IMG_9670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQXnY7UGC5DTAul3-4IOTu9XE-T6z7GaaGA2HLAIYQbJvRKDO45rzauUpLpsHYaXlTtOlq-eEg94gut76h6VkfK1-c-2E_8ErSfhW4Jk_FWICWMHMcVaxGdNBw3A6m7hR7WWrRzScXVaz/s320/IMG_9670.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We chose
wisely as there was a large pizza buffet that satisfied all of us, stuffing
ourselves for the long drive ahead of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sun was sinking fast as the suburban landscape morphed into the
southern reaches of the Texas hill country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerrville was the largest town we’d drive through until we
would hit Ft. Stockton many hours away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had never driven that stretch of road before in my life so I looked at
every vista I could see, always interested in the geography and topography of
the places I visit.</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwvjLaN6lIvieaTFJW5S8GS17HRzxGvTex5mWGHCG9ofShXjjWiueB9VzZc8Xwau-_AiE2S03Ft6SnQMfRbwFN0v4NyFAP7zoQB7GJWdxKj-c3rcAeRyxENDwaCTFbE-qpAgXOfa8VhYE/s1600/KerrvilleTX_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwvjLaN6lIvieaTFJW5S8GS17HRzxGvTex5mWGHCG9ofShXjjWiueB9VzZc8Xwau-_AiE2S03Ft6SnQMfRbwFN0v4NyFAP7zoQB7GJWdxKj-c3rcAeRyxENDwaCTFbE-qpAgXOfa8VhYE/s320/KerrvilleTX_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Kerrville, Texas hills</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOJ1F5pPdtrtOrDNASLSTCjgmt6HHGUwhDyOWyvi6a7nVaaPaKy89D46DYLgjF12muGux0odOAqKO4Vve0JKqUz5uoeGGaG3GYRzOOXo8bCdl3pgrkbt_qs6HSelBktcYEm1y66Xdv6NM/s1600/SunsetWestTexas_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOJ1F5pPdtrtOrDNASLSTCjgmt6HHGUwhDyOWyvi6a7nVaaPaKy89D46DYLgjF12muGux0odOAqKO4Vve0JKqUz5uoeGGaG3GYRzOOXo8bCdl3pgrkbt_qs6HSelBktcYEm1y66Xdv6NM/s320/SunsetWestTexas_2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>West Texas sunset</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The kids
enjoyed their electronic devices as darkness prevented any landscape
viewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we were in no mans
land the speed limit surprisingly reached 85 mph – again something I’d never
experienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nice cruising
at that speed, which would get us to our hotel a little sooner than expected,
or so we hoped.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRLkTS6xCM6qU8QJf9v5_bcgjxzell_y0AhwzsN0EeyFCuqnDn4RiOENDw-hoqUc1IxLbFNR8I4b1iieoCWlUtDL5QBxxDWAjgyHrih2-Hvn9r8RDSPdVMZPMFQ5if5_fFKdQOIr2TVO2/s1600/85mph_sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRLkTS6xCM6qU8QJf9v5_bcgjxzell_y0AhwzsN0EeyFCuqnDn4RiOENDw-hoqUc1IxLbFNR8I4b1iieoCWlUtDL5QBxxDWAjgyHrih2-Hvn9r8RDSPdVMZPMFQ5if5_fFKdQOIr2TVO2/s320/85mph_sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> I believe it
was still dusk when Avery informed me he had to pee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, we were miles from an exit or any form of
civilization so pulling over to the shoulder was the only option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There weren’t any trees so to speak,
only some shrubs but he was desperate so we just walked over as far as we could
and I let him empty his bladder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t even think a car passed by while this was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least for me this was a better
option than stopping at a gas station or restaurant – easy out, easy back into
car and on our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be a
little harder if it were Olivia.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi2Jkvk5JiFbgfRLL2fNCpc-nh1EAVybQd4TkAe5b5v2qHxNukKpdDuRxNConcxHhF8JojOzSANYAMGTX0P_O9x2wBJvbTyV6BIA9wMQaWOdwIsAYUOg8VXr3aUj_QoH9NscT4X_bUMAu/s1600/IMG_9685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi2Jkvk5JiFbgfRLL2fNCpc-nh1EAVybQd4TkAe5b5v2qHxNukKpdDuRxNConcxHhF8JojOzSANYAMGTX0P_O9x2wBJvbTyV6BIA9wMQaWOdwIsAYUOg8VXr3aUj_QoH9NscT4X_bUMAu/s320/IMG_9685.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pit (or pee) stop for this leg of the race</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even before we
hit Ft. Stockton the kids were asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was nearing 9 or 10 pm and we still had more than an hour to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>US 285 would take us past Pecos and
Interstate 20 and up into New Mexico and eventually to Carlsbad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along that route I noticed a lot of oil
derricks and oil drilling areas all lit up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was oil country and the heart of what put Texas on the
map.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once in Carlsbad, near
midnight, I found the hotel that looked like it was straight out of 1966 and
most likely the best hotel back then, not so much now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parking lot was full of what looked
like oil industry trucks and next door was a yard full of oil industry
vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Checking in I found out
that my non-smoking room was not available and they claimed they never got a
non-smoking reservation. I had proof but that wouldn’t help get a room when
there wasn’t one. The night clerk was nice enough to go see if a room, that was
used by oil executives once a month, was unoccupied, but they came back shaking
their head so we were stuck with a smoking room, the only one left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t realized that Carlsbad would
be this busy of a town.</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqzMrjW4kgvWW9iJjca0R7Lh3CTUUr8oMK_PcVAMG_LuA9WIWr7zS_vmJVcDmeBmALIiBKKUjtKxhQf3B0lvLX287jenv3BhHuel9T-kB5_QJLzrSl_NtYdMCLG11XH0WoCzahfDFdUUe/s1600/EconoLodge_Carlsbad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqzMrjW4kgvWW9iJjca0R7Lh3CTUUr8oMK_PcVAMG_LuA9WIWr7zS_vmJVcDmeBmALIiBKKUjtKxhQf3B0lvLX287jenv3BhHuel9T-kB5_QJLzrSl_NtYdMCLG11XH0WoCzahfDFdUUe/s320/EconoLodge_Carlsbad.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Econo Lodge, Carlsbad, NM, unique architecture</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I really can’t
stand the smell of smoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew
up with a pipe smoker and I can smell a cigarette blocks away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also went through a fire in an
apartment I had just moved into in Dallas back in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had that smoke smell in stuff for
years and no matter how much you cleaned it that smell never went away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we had no choice and it didn’t
bother the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the next
morning I almost got acclimated but then it was time to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least we had a bed and a shower and
another free breakfast in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It had been a very long day and we covered almost 700 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it was time for a little rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tomorrow we’d do a little
spelunking. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: Cave exploring, crossing three states and
finding Kristin in the dark.)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-46016903304785064852013-11-03T16:22:00.004-08:002013-11-03T16:26:51.949-08:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Eleven<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 58.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="bqquotelink"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When traveling with someone [kids], take large doses
of patience and tolerance with your morning coffee.</span></span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Helen
Hayes</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLmP-iMnUuO_L41xlWqapKUN8heu47a02KgnkfcASeo9B1om8XfXw5r-Y0yML0CFyxOVorVeh7ZdyHfFh-I-rXVSXRGyrQcJD-U7V6XLTsI6QK-Pn9zMJ7-MmMt5jhyphenhyphennlS-IPLhl8O11h/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-03+at+2.28.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLmP-iMnUuO_L41xlWqapKUN8heu47a02KgnkfcASeo9B1om8XfXw5r-Y0yML0CFyxOVorVeh7ZdyHfFh-I-rXVSXRGyrQcJD-U7V6XLTsI6QK-Pn9zMJ7-MmMt5jhyphenhyphennlS-IPLhl8O11h/s320/Screen+shot+2013-11-03+at+2.28.18+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The day
finally arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to
leave the great town of Winnsboro and make our way back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This last leg was sketchy when I first
conceived of this cross-country trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only destination planned was Carlsbad Caverns and the original
thought was to just high tail it back to Moorpark as quick as possible but
things changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, while
visiting the Brooks clan in Colorado Springs we found out that Kristin and
family were in the process of buying a new house in a suburb of Phoenix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They invited us to stop by on our
way back so that was factored into the equation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Avery’s new love of all things Star Wars and space led
me to think about visiting NASA in Houston which led to stopping in Galveston
so the kids could dip their toes in the gulf waters to complete their U.S.
coastal water trifecta – Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico. (Note: Avery actually
dipped his toes in the Chesapeake Bay only but I think that’s close enough). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurL6JpzTj0RDJrVWCWRPt52vTNw9FS04O0ZK2jsUiR6GjWrKzO9CnlWTtPSQ0lCzgh89pQn98GwAP_CyIUTtLNxRO3T17OQhiUxm2QEUIutp-y36znv04Mr-kI-P0wU3fimJfhJ0fAvwT/s1600/O%2527s+first+wave+small.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurL6JpzTj0RDJrVWCWRPt52vTNw9FS04O0ZK2jsUiR6GjWrKzO9CnlWTtPSQ0lCzgh89pQn98GwAP_CyIUTtLNxRO3T17OQhiUxm2QEUIutp-y36znv04Mr-kI-P0wU3fimJfhJ0fAvwT/s1600/O%2527s+first+wave+small.BMP" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Olivia's first beach experience - East Hampton, NY</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBR5rOnPvOnjzwQNWlI5jHc6Uh-vtTlUma7XkeG5l_xTs-s_DV6QUw9tYiub40Z-F7oCSzvgnxGD-aMGR94LC87JGz2FnXHo3Mqhp54_kvH-aJ2X60SP7cPQZGBhlwDuX1LhSPuWJDmTNA/s1600/HPIM0402_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBR5rOnPvOnjzwQNWlI5jHc6Uh-vtTlUma7XkeG5l_xTs-s_DV6QUw9tYiub40Z-F7oCSzvgnxGD-aMGR94LC87JGz2FnXHo3Mqhp54_kvH-aJ2X60SP7cPQZGBhlwDuX1LhSPuWJDmTNA/s320/HPIM0402_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>A romp in the Chesapeake Bay</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bcCBr4nUP8wSUW3YQN0ILIXGLPJNyY_sRD8RKBR_lKkWj4LoQJ-pqXF36knwmtmEeLbZWNeuu8wmNmk5Y3-zw7rE3pvxNMnxkSbouMpTc9RsIxWtk-wHHdYz8RR6wDrVvjT_fNccF9VL/s1600/Olivia&Avery_Carpenteria_5-2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bcCBr4nUP8wSUW3YQN0ILIXGLPJNyY_sRD8RKBR_lKkWj4LoQJ-pqXF36knwmtmEeLbZWNeuu8wmNmk5Y3-zw7rE3pvxNMnxkSbouMpTc9RsIxWtk-wHHdYz8RR6wDrVvjT_fNccF9VL/s320/Olivia&Avery_Carpenteria_5-2012.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Avery & Olivia dipping in the Pacific</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I then pondered, since they so love Blue
Bell Ice Cream, which we cannot get in California (except at Outback Steakhouses),
we could take a side trip to the Blue Bell headquarters and factory in Brennan,
Texas which led to thinking if we’re driving through San Antonio might as well
take a quick detour and see the Alamo and while in the historical frame of mind
perhaps a stop outside Tucson at Tombstone, to see the OK Corral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lo and behold the last leg became chock
full of stuff and as crowded as the first leg. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made some hotel reservations for Galveston and Carlsbad, NM
just to be safe. So long to a fast and easy ride back.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since we had a
goal of getting back by Thursday because Olivia had to pick up her textbooks and
7<sup>th</sup> grade class schedule on Friday, we had to leave early Monday,
August 12<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted
to get to Space Center Houston as early as we could so we could see as much as
possible - that meant waking up way too early in order to pack the car, get the
kids up and dressed, eat some breakfast and say goodbyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiBrvDxk68ncRZPXExL1KahPhyphenhyphenvn9rmkAZIB703ouLlKQ1VTrNYlTdTDKjdr9eEA-Wm1Z8gOTJl62voIxnZXOmW2vD6FDInHhwr4nlelIjZTVdkZhSSXOmPw28zxYFECA7trIXqRPBZvA/s1600/IMG_9345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiBrvDxk68ncRZPXExL1KahPhyphenhyphenvn9rmkAZIB703ouLlKQ1VTrNYlTdTDKjdr9eEA-Wm1Z8gOTJl62voIxnZXOmW2vD6FDInHhwr4nlelIjZTVdkZhSSXOmPw28zxYFECA7trIXqRPBZvA/s320/IMG_9345.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Travels with cacti</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We had a couple of extra passengers as
in two plant cuttings from a Christmas Cactus and another cactus that were
cuttings my sister gave me from cuttings she got from our cousins which came from our Great Grandmother’s original plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> That's a mouthful. </span>I placed them in some plastic
containers hopefully secure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
would see if they would survive the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The goal was
to leave by 8 am and we were pretty close, 8:20, I believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a good four to five hours to
Houston with almost ¾s of the way non-interstate roads, basically a tour of East
Texas going through several colorfully named towns, such as Palestine, Crocket
and Trinity.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Driving into
Houston I noticed the Woodlands, a Houston suburb that began in the early 80’s
as this upscale housing development in the Northern piney woods is now this huge place
with malls and corporate campuses with tall buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hardly recognized it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t driven this direction in 20
years, I realized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9BatVzcwlPTkPdEw8Hp0CB72lkIgjWPl1EVZF4gQZ-k72vNDqm2_0wzh9SsmkmT1KC7umGgKRw1I34jefenfPGvtwUJVr7IFeKHPSKn9U5Z7EQ-9A5soGlXORgKj9iAaOuXkH31t0D28/s1600/The-Woodlands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9BatVzcwlPTkPdEw8Hp0CB72lkIgjWPl1EVZF4gQZ-k72vNDqm2_0wzh9SsmkmT1KC7umGgKRw1I34jefenfPGvtwUJVr7IFeKHPSKn9U5Z7EQ-9A5soGlXORgKj9iAaOuXkH31t0D28/s320/The-Woodlands.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Woodlands, Texas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></b>We had a slight delay because of some
traffic through downtown Houston - it was noontime so expected. The skyline hadn't changed all that much since our last visit in 2005 when Olivia had surgery on her arms.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9znOcnBdGX-XLPRWO3jc8Kv5iDa2n_F82uw6QQCYL4vif155XA8JCP3tstN_Ru4l3tHRUbNc0hgYWoY3k76BWww_whGMZ39BzlEUJ1AhpTt5o5N9knKxbaox_nQphBdSgQ7CQYAvVu_T/s1600/HoustonDowntown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9znOcnBdGX-XLPRWO3jc8Kv5iDa2n_F82uw6QQCYL4vif155XA8JCP3tstN_Ru4l3tHRUbNc0hgYWoY3k76BWww_whGMZ39BzlEUJ1AhpTt5o5N9knKxbaox_nQphBdSgQ7CQYAvVu_T/s320/HoustonDowntown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Downtown Houston</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
eventually got to Space Center Houston with the entire afternoon to
explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was as excited as the
kids since I’d never visited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
first impression was that the buildings were very nostalgic, very 60’s and all
my memories of watching every Apollo mission on TV came back to me in
droves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never missed a space
shot and was always glued to the TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remember I got so mad at my sister as she turned the TV off just when
they were landing on the moon (not the first time, a later mission) – she ran into
the bathroom, which had a cut glass window in the door of which I banged on so
hard that it shattered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my
space watching seriously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YgqIEHrWHGQIM2l2nOIl5Tj7MhYYj_66qWnb5vMDxo7ommTCpc6MpRPs3cw_-JZAh3Hdgmp6_Jl10QYQPKFmwY2PTkd_Vx80YD1_S_tdVzNQKndUdd3JgUd9Clqqbymqi0AX7RXUr1CG/s1600/SpaceCenterHoustonSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YgqIEHrWHGQIM2l2nOIl5Tj7MhYYj_66qWnb5vMDxo7ommTCpc6MpRPs3cw_-JZAh3Hdgmp6_Jl10QYQPKFmwY2PTkd_Vx80YD1_S_tdVzNQKndUdd3JgUd9Clqqbymqi0AX7RXUr1CG/s320/SpaceCenterHoustonSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jN9ZY7sR20nwZTbsT0PrGz1h89HIF-2GaacrkTIXnPYvcqxykvGszs7vIu7Xir4Y12hpxINX1nycxcmoaaC40rL1Cy5H3AsFQ0MCIxKSFsc5YM5NVjY-hEG-jdqb40xJAXFcbkZQEomt/s1600/IMG_9440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jN9ZY7sR20nwZTbsT0PrGz1h89HIF-2GaacrkTIXnPYvcqxykvGszs7vIu7Xir4Y12hpxINX1nycxcmoaaC40rL1Cy5H3AsFQ0MCIxKSFsc5YM5NVjY-hEG-jdqb40xJAXFcbkZQEomt/s320/IMG_9440.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Main building at NASA, Houston</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>NASA was
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tried to follow the
recommended exhibits for the amount of time we had and we pretty much saw
everything on that list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo6Yfsnim1ky8ywZbgrnKdFBcZrQ7eXQVGA-X0XFXh2cgctrVegrqoHefZ_guK6M30mRyCSopE6gFn3i56fNTajEOz5tQSOuOUiAMymUCRql-mkKj_rN1Cj56i4fLRxGQbnnNDHLsWcTZ/s1600/IMG_9404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo6Yfsnim1ky8ywZbgrnKdFBcZrQ7eXQVGA-X0XFXh2cgctrVegrqoHefZ_guK6M30mRyCSopE6gFn3i56fNTajEOz5tQSOuOUiAMymUCRql-mkKj_rN1Cj56i4fLRxGQbnnNDHLsWcTZ/s320/IMG_9404.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFffz1i1ewcoVtZTF3OwsEXGARKEWM2FK8iZ6WXMSAg5F5XtE7nbDYt19cbZ649lvX43w0JwvXoOGfU_AzjWLIYtKR5hCsExn7klFuH-PvIvBcxXmfXJsxL5zMhgBfLlvY_qRpcitW4Jut/s1600/IMG_9526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFffz1i1ewcoVtZTF3OwsEXGARKEWM2FK8iZ6WXMSAg5F5XtE7nbDYt19cbZ649lvX43w0JwvXoOGfU_AzjWLIYtKR5hCsExn7klFuH-PvIvBcxXmfXJsxL5zMhgBfLlvY_qRpcitW4Jut/s320/IMG_9526.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Main exhibit hall</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4dQ0PDHJlx7Yv8bTXmAIsKcoVXAJ-_J-kRNKamMEYGk1y02YFzPaWDLZ-r8BJGxv9F0YWoopbi2rS7Q36bBbLYSEcIdsVYXunaTtEDSEsOMkfbo5XO1JS_wxc0PdpotVGb1J4_g6b440/s1600/IMG_9522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4dQ0PDHJlx7Yv8bTXmAIsKcoVXAJ-_J-kRNKamMEYGk1y02YFzPaWDLZ-r8BJGxv9F0YWoopbi2rS7Q36bBbLYSEcIdsVYXunaTtEDSEsOMkfbo5XO1JS_wxc0PdpotVGb1J4_g6b440/s320/IMG_9522.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Moon Lander</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw5noDtpWPwELjb-INFJNbyR-P32sUMYBsBskOF6uRju8hoqIjPrHWqAyqBO3SgYJd5i5bX_yRl429tARogAT137CnT_Ju1iL5Ja438WVW73ThxWLY4C1aMk1KUtGj3DmzR7unz28OlIw/s1600/IMG_9371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw5noDtpWPwELjb-INFJNbyR-P32sUMYBsBskOF6uRju8hoqIjPrHWqAyqBO3SgYJd5i5bX_yRl429tARogAT137CnT_Ju1iL5Ja438WVW73ThxWLY4C1aMk1KUtGj3DmzR7unz28OlIw/s320/IMG_9371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Moon Rover</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy_R8HwtKQh5K_17J2HM8VacACeenIBVcwSbErqMzlwGmaEZd91gDEnGy6bWX9JUyvx-CxIUA6EsaHCDxpBv40-Q3dg7koR_9t-z0p0U-jSf0DZamR_DtahCgdKHwvsiAyHWIDuCFcSMj/s1600/IMG_9375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy_R8HwtKQh5K_17J2HM8VacACeenIBVcwSbErqMzlwGmaEZd91gDEnGy6bWX9JUyvx-CxIUA6EsaHCDxpBv40-Q3dg7koR_9t-z0p0U-jSf0DZamR_DtahCgdKHwvsiAyHWIDuCFcSMj/s320/IMG_9375.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Moon Rover and kids</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkbLfjPFS4FI6wGZgAkNaetEyjcalLI777VczGz-roYzTE3r5JEZF0urtO2Jkx4NeJ8jnRDbWN5QVipFIj5ZbAFHRSXHcj4o6SN4PZtjlouIO_ak6JtFHWaqsSFuyQvcvm8hj8wEgnUmi/s1600/IMG_9382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkbLfjPFS4FI6wGZgAkNaetEyjcalLI777VczGz-roYzTE3r5JEZF0urtO2Jkx4NeJ8jnRDbWN5QVipFIj5ZbAFHRSXHcj4o6SN4PZtjlouIO_ak6JtFHWaqsSFuyQvcvm8hj8wEgnUmi/s320/IMG_9382.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Man and the Moon</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3H-O0u3A-1o6pwAZmlL85rXy5Xp3KkovXJsvXoZHx2p4uEIdCYYZvBYNIYX4oLV0mOafmk8V9j8q1v3qq_evJIQ_4VrOka3oNFM8IPSEnptV5ulUP_NzlMxwfsZaeSJcetsG3B37vP70V/s1600/IMG_9385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3H-O0u3A-1o6pwAZmlL85rXy5Xp3KkovXJsvXoZHx2p4uEIdCYYZvBYNIYX4oLV0mOafmk8V9j8q1v3qq_evJIQ_4VrOka3oNFM8IPSEnptV5ulUP_NzlMxwfsZaeSJcetsG3B37vP70V/s320/IMG_9385.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mock up of SpaceLab</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXvuYokjQEwo9cAtmRRg7Ll8VIIRXzhVNTXR4a3XwIe9xXoNXzg4xcii2Fh3GnBLyWfaNyO6ZH6AImF8luNtYVYSKfo6y31bRq7PDxGef300-b9FGnJFYw5CgPSjEoml-vRtVMkfqdLEW/s1600/IMG_9392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXvuYokjQEwo9cAtmRRg7Ll8VIIRXzhVNTXR4a3XwIe9xXoNXzg4xcii2Fh3GnBLyWfaNyO6ZH6AImF8luNtYVYSKfo6y31bRq7PDxGef300-b9FGnJFYw5CgPSjEoml-vRtVMkfqdLEW/s320/IMG_9392.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Exercising in space</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
were two facility tram tours but I made sure we took the tour to see the Saturn
V rocket and the training facility. The other took you to see the historic
mission control center made famous in the movie Apollo 13 - maybe next time. I
think I was more thrilled than the kids at seeing the Saturn V.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMekcOjizU1nu6OXBIO0oCTxdO9UICbqclknvow0k5yi-bcBLSMgyxyMzvvLEfZz81xwnXv8sm_qkPSD_UDptogNBR7cn-K92wtSb8CzGmFEKBgJ7dq0SrzO3BqEZhjxRdpUhbQr88704W/s1600/IMG_9499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMekcOjizU1nu6OXBIO0oCTxdO9UICbqclknvow0k5yi-bcBLSMgyxyMzvvLEfZz81xwnXv8sm_qkPSD_UDptogNBR7cn-K92wtSb8CzGmFEKBgJ7dq0SrzO3BqEZhjxRdpUhbQr88704W/s320/IMG_9499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On the tram</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVCg60aLcm5F9GbDGQx7QnCDA_Ay5Z1OHz1A_YEYOk7UNTlWFaQKonNDz4XD8DlQcKWo7bgraoWigkSTF9Ndj8_aNNXOZ3P94p0fnuLqtCNSWHmp2ZfLQnzERwv-F0EGQOraoX8daHmxH/s1600/IMG_9502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVCg60aLcm5F9GbDGQx7QnCDA_Ay5Z1OHz1A_YEYOk7UNTlWFaQKonNDz4XD8DlQcKWo7bgraoWigkSTF9Ndj8_aNNXOZ3P94p0fnuLqtCNSWHmp2ZfLQnzERwv-F0EGQOraoX8daHmxH/s320/IMG_9502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Saturn V and me</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zvyd8Rt1Dqo89XmkGimpM6uWe0SMF2Wql8OPN-xaWa80njz3DoX22cPyu1RVngjnh3_gn2ldE4_KfHpU35YSvBSjKeFWOnasNSX84hgObWfZbFoe9g7JIxLBrUuMrLfbOimliTLRmXgt/s1600/IMG_9451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zvyd8Rt1Dqo89XmkGimpM6uWe0SMF2Wql8OPN-xaWa80njz3DoX22cPyu1RVngjnh3_gn2ldE4_KfHpU35YSvBSjKeFWOnasNSX84hgObWfZbFoe9g7JIxLBrUuMrLfbOimliTLRmXgt/s320/IMG_9451.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rocket Park</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3lqJLX8J_Pba2dXZKw19BpFUbcZgY6uDjqJqw5JL0Xokjs6g4BFl-cl8NKGXXV6JYRAXTyMwk8YYudCuxg0bjWAY9kXxHcPr31ERePZGBw8hh8SujAWH7HciZgebrTrretV83tDF1AUh/s1600/IMG_9471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3lqJLX8J_Pba2dXZKw19BpFUbcZgY6uDjqJqw5JL0Xokjs6g4BFl-cl8NKGXXV6JYRAXTyMwk8YYudCuxg0bjWAY9kXxHcPr31ERePZGBw8hh8SujAWH7HciZgebrTrretV83tDF1AUh/s320/IMG_9471.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Me, MiniMe and the Saturn V</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzH5ljiQylUo5dgbJr4qlHJ4Zbl6fngrjsT_7esct6jv3DDatJoxWN6V0Yq5NwLHovkgE1SAMwp-D_08vlFGxsFxQS7U1BaYwXDEPcbzZuEekfqktaycFr4c_SVwsuLC2CxkP4PLK2Zur/s1600/IMG_9468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzH5ljiQylUo5dgbJr4qlHJ4Zbl6fngrjsT_7esct6jv3DDatJoxWN6V0Yq5NwLHovkgE1SAMwp-D_08vlFGxsFxQS7U1BaYwXDEPcbzZuEekfqktaycFr4c_SVwsuLC2CxkP4PLK2Zur/s320/IMG_9468.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQh40FFw0ZjbBpGGehst9kUBDqlQLuRxUq1EV33SKXMQ_3WYvnSFz4p6W3aiLGo5DRoVoo3EeMH5goJCX2afzS6BfPJt0SVP1SQrAtNmUbxa8U-YViaiJOpzdaKhKUtBoRkkkJfLWiaON/s1600/O%2526A_Saturn5_SpaceCenterHouston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQh40FFw0ZjbBpGGehst9kUBDqlQLuRxUq1EV33SKXMQ_3WYvnSFz4p6W3aiLGo5DRoVoo3EeMH5goJCX2afzS6BfPJt0SVP1SQrAtNmUbxa8U-YViaiJOpzdaKhKUtBoRkkkJfLWiaON/s320/O%2526A_Saturn5_SpaceCenterHouston.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqXu9Vkp6YzvII1AJwX8kSHRL7WrWGKNE64EMbkdmfsrNrjtXFZ7qxy06cJOsfC-oNSOZvtlJtmD-Tbzz3r5MjnaWgyR-Ls86GU-ILe31PUTmsWU5u3khtgc-1jmuzV1btBa-sSPm4nzI/s1600/IMG_9476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqXu9Vkp6YzvII1AJwX8kSHRL7WrWGKNE64EMbkdmfsrNrjtXFZ7qxy06cJOsfC-oNSOZvtlJtmD-Tbzz3r5MjnaWgyR-Ls86GU-ILe31PUTmsWU5u3khtgc-1jmuzV1btBa-sSPm4nzI/s320/IMG_9476.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>It's cool to like space, you know</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2ti_JzgPfLH-s4AmwMXymR2JRcD36xoIWgTjALoUhNkzCg32qrxsIpdqmLeSIy_YUKVLw4g9_5-NSuRJG6lHpKUlOljNga16EI6kl9-NE6xwM4uG1ON_ygycDVNmBM-oV6X7brclwgs7/s1600/IMG_9431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs2ti_JzgPfLH-s4AmwMXymR2JRcD36xoIWgTjALoUhNkzCg32qrxsIpdqmLeSIy_YUKVLw4g9_5-NSuRJG6lHpKUlOljNga16EI6kl9-NE6xwM4uG1ON_ygycDVNmBM-oV6X7brclwgs7/s320/IMG_9431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Astronaut Training Facility</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I also wanted to see the real set piece
of Star Trek’s Galileo Shuttle Craft that a guy from New Jersey found in a
warehouse and restored to it’s original glory. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the first time it was on display. As Avery loves
Star Wars I had similar feelings towards Star Trek TOS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RRtZbUEM9iN7NK9S4q6YmItMw2tErfwy4tzhqyRW1T5CuCD9F_-4DFMrosdSaBUgMYRenebJbF_tR6tPFGU_cNsvKj1ubp90RFXm9vEyGy05jurisrgii14EWFNWf_PEA_gvWAt01kzR/s1600/IMG_9527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RRtZbUEM9iN7NK9S4q6YmItMw2tErfwy4tzhqyRW1T5CuCD9F_-4DFMrosdSaBUgMYRenebJbF_tR6tPFGU_cNsvKj1ubp90RFXm9vEyGy05jurisrgii14EWFNWf_PEA_gvWAt01kzR/s320/IMG_9527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A blast from the past</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We found out
how people poop on the International Space Station and saw a moon rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJVxBnR3-kQnuPDt3rletu-yzB_1lCniWisFAesTK63hf-fBq9OeofaDq0KBneF9NyH_NzFhle9s-9O1vN9u2uCtgDRegL-PG0O7S3CsdFyts0vDaneBJ3LTk5508sfgZO51CUN3qK4Y9/s1600/IMG_9511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJVxBnR3-kQnuPDt3rletu-yzB_1lCniWisFAesTK63hf-fBq9OeofaDq0KBneF9NyH_NzFhle9s-9O1vN9u2uCtgDRegL-PG0O7S3CsdFyts0vDaneBJ3LTk5508sfgZO51CUN3qK4Y9/s320/IMG_9511.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That's where they poop?</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDoc8CDEjabGmlMnq6izqo7yZyWKro9AG7KN47XzTRumeQNS612dQ5zmRt2YAAk8KOVFha88C5St33410PBnc_zu8c5Yx9lircqQNOXyheSCJoEGNPnRnZtxG5qExvsJ49KM94dsyWhmd/s1600/IMG_9379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDoc8CDEjabGmlMnq6izqo7yZyWKro9AG7KN47XzTRumeQNS612dQ5zmRt2YAAk8KOVFha88C5St33410PBnc_zu8c5Yx9lircqQNOXyheSCJoEGNPnRnZtxG5qExvsJ49KM94dsyWhmd/s320/IMG_9379.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Lookin' at moon rocks</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXb7VNickSVMFfA5vM-q5Qy5wOC3OkyCkskiqUevfh7yS6BoNMekP1QHeD9jV4gnVQYLTNOuNEbPbBPMQ-VmOeGY5uLNlVAKv_81Q9DgYgpHpSZwNugK1LaPyGgCa6FfX9dcZYy_saERTG/s1600/IMG_9464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXb7VNickSVMFfA5vM-q5Qy5wOC3OkyCkskiqUevfh7yS6BoNMekP1QHeD9jV4gnVQYLTNOuNEbPbBPMQ-VmOeGY5uLNlVAKv_81Q9DgYgpHpSZwNugK1LaPyGgCa6FfX9dcZYy_saERTG/s320/IMG_9464.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>We are here, Olivia</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All in all a great experience for each
of us, though I think Avery loved the Star Wars Angry Birds play area the
best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1soU-QIaBiLFEp-r0NpVQumPxPmtRKU0-oL45fliK3vRBOdcSkhAgw85DsTKrNdNcGwNjNeyAObjm0De2lAFbiFOJnTKzcYbWvZrZcDww5dMtNneM-CAjPDJ6scKX9y1NVoVtg4s3ReC/s1600/IMG_9524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1soU-QIaBiLFEp-r0NpVQumPxPmtRKU0-oL45fliK3vRBOdcSkhAgw85DsTKrNdNcGwNjNeyAObjm0De2lAFbiFOJnTKzcYbWvZrZcDww5dMtNneM-CAjPDJ6scKX9y1NVoVtg4s3ReC/s320/IMG_9524.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>One of Avery's favorite exhibits</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We got kicked out of there
as they were closing down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, the gift shop stayed open until closing time and it was NASA – so we
couldn’t leave there without something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Avery got a space shuttle (not a real one, that wouldn’t fit in the
car), Olivia a t-shirt, I a baseball cap and we got mom a large Greatest Mom
cup she could use for tea or hot chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZsB3UvBY3jqfPapUk9fWdjGk1ONc0lqOdZ5A0JUJozyOXC9ywAJCsE3LCdoElTGmXRfjhQdChVRlVErTEuALIFSBysKISaND9SrUzcDOWfyJkUfcIkKZoF0v4-VmmXrCBTAPwDyQkqll/s1600/IMG_9534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZsB3UvBY3jqfPapUk9fWdjGk1ONc0lqOdZ5A0JUJozyOXC9ywAJCsE3LCdoElTGmXRfjhQdChVRlVErTEuALIFSBysKISaND9SrUzcDOWfyJkUfcIkKZoF0v4-VmmXrCBTAPwDyQkqll/s320/IMG_9534.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>To infinity and beyond...</b></span><b>or at least Galveston</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We got out of
there near 6pm with a goal of getting to Galveston Island before the sun went down
so we could go to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, the kids were hungry and even though we were only a few buildings down
from the beach I figured we probably wouldn’t find a quick place to eat there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did check the iPhone for nearby
McDonald’s but didn’t see one near the motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we stopped at a McDonald’s along the interstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hindsight is 20/20 and when we got to
the motel – the sun setting – there was a McDonald’s right along the beach and
across the street from our motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Go figure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We checked-in
and got dressed for the beach as quickly as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to walk out of the parking lot and up a half block to
the beach but along the way Olivia tripped on a speed bump and skinned her
knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we went back to the room
for triage it would be too dark to go to the beach but she was a real trooper
and said she could go on, blood dripping down her leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, it wasn’t that bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did have a napkin to at least clean
her up a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dad saliva works as
well as moms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByF4jNWpunL_IycFF1o0heuaDE5ouT9Kc0nU4DdX7XCENbv_NxJ83DaEegaNI8-XyrxR23NfEQxUWVImVfdpEzzakn9SQXCIwMMIVevJDIKCZlH8Zlw87S6ShRmAHZsBPjBzUxqA872jW/s1600/IMG_9543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByF4jNWpunL_IycFF1o0heuaDE5ouT9Kc0nU4DdX7XCENbv_NxJ83DaEegaNI8-XyrxR23NfEQxUWVImVfdpEzzakn9SQXCIwMMIVevJDIKCZlH8Zlw87S6ShRmAHZsBPjBzUxqA872jW/s320/IMG_9543.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Galveston Beach at dusk</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We got to the
beach at dusk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery took off into
the gulf right away and was splashing in the waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia was a little more tempered and I had to coax her into
at least dipping her feet in the water, which she finally did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery was going way out into the surf
and I got worried because it was getting dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlbyQMNXnGzPSIR0vE6b8wpwtqLNcMuMoiDL-sL0v3pmOSyQ6kpirWo6Ib-ZJg1U5QDFsn2rQitndBF-FbR5WgLjpSNzOKSfeLTPA5yQunXeiR7gif0_VdMlh6LWRSf3JkubMr3sCPy51/s1600/IMG_9551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlbyQMNXnGzPSIR0vE6b8wpwtqLNcMuMoiDL-sL0v3pmOSyQ6kpirWo6Ib-ZJg1U5QDFsn2rQitndBF-FbR5WgLjpSNzOKSfeLTPA5yQunXeiR7gif0_VdMlh6LWRSf3JkubMr3sCPy51/s320/IMG_9551.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Navigating the seaweed</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OGqk5RuH6nhJuhq70_7CeSwnAgiPf4tH_BgAhHFOxtmuGMnMoXfIO3A1EUDQyvBRDqQykUZtGwefAoGEkWuITUiQrlB_phadutPj78sP4xuJ1vPdCNk-69kJ_lbAWOKgrPrk26jneEnY/s1600/IMG_9557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OGqk5RuH6nhJuhq70_7CeSwnAgiPf4tH_BgAhHFOxtmuGMnMoXfIO3A1EUDQyvBRDqQykUZtGwefAoGEkWuITUiQrlB_phadutPj78sP4xuJ1vPdCNk-69kJ_lbAWOKgrPrk26jneEnY/s320/IMG_9557.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Finally, a dip in the Gulf of Mexico</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bqggD9lzAOVkipj65PhhZh4HmT8SLLkZcPeqYYQhl7zV9oz_0jpBro5Tyk4qdGYU0vZgWNrFPCcjoO-Q6uPrVysktDzlFM5NU1ex_VKiocJQHPjzA8JDhvkqpIiyJCRVoFNNTfL5llse/s1600/IMG_9563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bqggD9lzAOVkipj65PhhZh4HmT8SLLkZcPeqYYQhl7zV9oz_0jpBro5Tyk4qdGYU0vZgWNrFPCcjoO-Q6uPrVysktDzlFM5NU1ex_VKiocJQHPjzA8JDhvkqpIiyJCRVoFNNTfL5llse/s320/IMG_9563.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Eventually, we had to leave because it was too dark to see
out in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeaY7dARE3-VQW40NRswounF_kWfXwrt1ySlUCeD3A3QNxSJvjAnVmASI5gkgE7UKmYFOd_IFEYoLrplYSJUdTdTvz1u99DyA6PPbkzDQySi4JOeIsIGGTBam5uWvDJ9Pg6foA_J7zPrb/s1600/IMG_9561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeaY7dARE3-VQW40NRswounF_kWfXwrt1ySlUCeD3A3QNxSJvjAnVmASI5gkgE7UKmYFOd_IFEYoLrplYSJUdTdTvz1u99DyA6PPbkzDQySi4JOeIsIGGTBam5uWvDJ9Pg6foA_J7zPrb/s320/IMG_9561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We went back to
the room where we cleaned up, the kids watched a little TV before falling
asleep and I downloaded footage and photos, but after talking to Johanna some
disturbing news changed things a bit…</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: The run-around trying to fix a problem,
exploring the bowels of Blue Bell Ice Cream, remembering the Alamo and driving
85 mph leagally.)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-37277015713842835802013-10-18T11:07:00.001-07:002013-10-18T11:07:51.482-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Ten<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 58.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="bqquotelink"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cotton built Dallas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oil shaped it into a major city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lee Harvey Oswald made it infamous and then JR Ewing
showered it with stardom.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 58.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="bqquotelink"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rich
Burlingham</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqVXx3_8qf7HEP8TLN1_KWpzgMrpd1gpIiM4hVeVF6sikFOUjOZEF1NCNT6zSD6X3RgfDy0H3Nr6QkMlB94YpWeReZjUc-Ewyqn_B6dPIAV6Alcp5HPrNcPGJI5VmCsp3He1wgvtlWp_c/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-10-17+at+8.13.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqVXx3_8qf7HEP8TLN1_KWpzgMrpd1gpIiM4hVeVF6sikFOUjOZEF1NCNT6zSD6X3RgfDy0H3Nr6QkMlB94YpWeReZjUc-Ewyqn_B6dPIAV6Alcp5HPrNcPGJI5VmCsp3He1wgvtlWp_c/s320/Screen+shot+2013-10-17+at+8.13.34+PM.png" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Where the heck
is Ben Wheeler, Texas?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
when I learned on Facebook that an old secretary/friend from my agency days was
moving to this East Texas town just west of Tyler and only about an hour from
Winnsboro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we left on our
trip I told her we needed to get together when the kids and I made it out to
Texas and though she offered to drive up to Winnsboro, I figured that the best
time would be on our return trip from Mississippi because it would only be a
few miles out of the way.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIG1gClMVB-lDYww0g8r0M6UP-LdJKNx4TZ5kj1AYeUNPOaNAeW4nx4H-nqLh5fpUuJ4e5YSWrMBH9cNFdZgplKF_B0lb7dVEBGrAafi0MFF4nugZ2u-JCjT_J4iLFUrdpJQIp2OhR-71v/s1600/IMG_8961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIG1gClMVB-lDYww0g8r0M6UP-LdJKNx4TZ5kj1AYeUNPOaNAeW4nx4H-nqLh5fpUuJ4e5YSWrMBH9cNFdZgplKF_B0lb7dVEBGrAafi0MFF4nugZ2u-JCjT_J4iLFUrdpJQIp2OhR-71v/s320/IMG_8961.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Durenda Chalmers</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’ve known Durenda
and her husband Tim since the 80’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They, along with their kids, were willing participants in a number of
industrial films I made for various clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shot at their house and Tim, a marketing guy who worked
at JC Penney, played a construction truck driver for a Nissan Diesel Truck
video. They also appeared in a send-up commercial for a fake product called
KTed Hair Producing Formula, that was parodying Ted Koppel, late of ABC News’
Nightline for an Armour Foods sales meeting, of all things. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the commercial we say the product is
good for the whole family and we show the Chalmer family all wearing wigs akin
to Ted Koppel, even the dog (my ex’s dog Bubba, a Miniature Pinscher). Durenda
was our department’s assistant for a while as she made the rounds of the
agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is now a schoolteacher
in Irving but is looking for a district closer to their new digs.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjvRO2If95dpi1tbAlhMiybdO_wryXhy0la-oJ-M1y-xBx2-ezFiKHQ3JHjcr_Um8KSgW8NHUdNa51Lp0FENZlfOOiFyOJdr3fPIysEfixlBzP-UvjHZgNz2YuOsRTvPBMaR9tYHPdCUZ/s1600/ChalmersKTedCommercial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjvRO2If95dpi1tbAlhMiybdO_wryXhy0la-oJ-M1y-xBx2-ezFiKHQ3JHjcr_Um8KSgW8NHUdNa51Lp0FENZlfOOiFyOJdr3fPIysEfixlBzP-UvjHZgNz2YuOsRTvPBMaR9tYHPdCUZ/s320/ChalmersKTedCommercial.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>KTed Spoof Commercial Still - The Chalmers circ. 1990</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Come to find
out they don’t really live in Ben Wheeler but a suburb called Red Rock which
really means they’re out in the country, pretty much like my sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, their house and property
mimics closely to my sister’s spread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>House on hill, orange rocks everywhere, pond, deer in yard, out
buildings/barn, etc, and I even told her all she was missing was a stray dog
that would wonder to their house and end up staying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few weeks after our visit – guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Callie came a visiting and decided to
stay with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then they
added a pup and named it after Cooper the dog from Winnsboro, not Cooper the
nephew from Allen…or so I think.</span></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZf3cniITXys7j3kvpbUb7gHGDUzY20KT0SvtbekIypv6CTy9i7acS46c79AVkyxS-Qcwmyp4f2OMME76cUY3m5fcLp8Ux6k3kMvAuO0GP0WAqsqqU0uXFSHQPb7prgM2DpFdV9HeMJLi/s1600/IMG_8964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZf3cniITXys7j3kvpbUb7gHGDUzY20KT0SvtbekIypv6CTy9i7acS46c79AVkyxS-Qcwmyp4f2OMME76cUY3m5fcLp8Ux6k3kMvAuO0GP0WAqsqqU0uXFSHQPb7prgM2DpFdV9HeMJLi/s320/IMG_8964.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chalmers East Texas spread</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9_Wjy1jzwazIKK8I-l2RaZjRZdAHCTwXMYB5Mi2n5zvouIR49o8eip5w_lbIH9_1OdBS22JZQm3Gq8QYFJ_YAOTyNXR6bbApdSrEXGoM_ZuSX94de4wtsXpzSCwXq5bOPUz81KjOgdsx/s1600/IMG_8962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9_Wjy1jzwazIKK8I-l2RaZjRZdAHCTwXMYB5Mi2n5zvouIR49o8eip5w_lbIH9_1OdBS22JZQm3Gq8QYFJ_YAOTyNXR6bbApdSrEXGoM_ZuSX94de4wtsXpzSCwXq5bOPUz81KjOgdsx/s320/IMG_8962.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chalmers' Red Rock Estate</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXs3U2ycD76CWTulmoLCvhSAQzN2fx9VMp3vcVKeiIBCEEu5JfrW4RM5B74_8Z2GqmkC2Kc2g9IXpNQ3rZ74uvX1Fyr0yikwKw6uLz28X82lCvjQVU2RTEBJa58ud3sl7ZghhLg93OaOH/s1600/1017296_676945392315684_335319747_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXs3U2ycD76CWTulmoLCvhSAQzN2fx9VMp3vcVKeiIBCEEu5JfrW4RM5B74_8Z2GqmkC2Kc2g9IXpNQ3rZ74uvX1Fyr0yikwKw6uLz28X82lCvjQVU2RTEBJa58ud3sl7ZghhLg93OaOH/s320/1017296_676945392315684_335319747_n.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Callie and Cooper</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Their house
was cozy and nicely decorated with Tim’s uncle’s colorful art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tim was nice enough to occupy the kids
while Durenda and I reminisced about the good ole agency days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He showed them around their property, including the friendly horses from next door. </span>Ironically, another ex-agency person we
knew had organized a reunion at a local Irving pub, but I was already back here
in California and could not attend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would have been nice to see everyone after 15 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The agency was like family back then
and I don’t think I will ever experience a work situation like that again in my
lifetime – and I’m not the only one to think that as we use Facebook to keep up
with each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few hours
of visiting we got back on the road in order to get back to Winnsboro for
dinner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems we’re always
trying to make dinner in Winnsboro. Hmmmm. The visit was a nice cap to the Mississippi excursion.</span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLB0vw_iPTR3Utx144qZrjCywhT5eVwy4krU95i_OONZuDonoO7ACurL1P-d3EHOq992g1Q0BCFE2bK7U1y3UstWCP7adfBGF5j8KNscRE73kO7ZtFXuvWyapU7ZBzmfxhIAh2DUb5ciOF/s1600/IMG_8956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLB0vw_iPTR3Utx144qZrjCywhT5eVwy4krU95i_OONZuDonoO7ACurL1P-d3EHOq992g1Q0BCFE2bK7U1y3UstWCP7adfBGF5j8KNscRE73kO7ZtFXuvWyapU7ZBzmfxhIAh2DUb5ciOF/s320/IMG_8956.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52By6b8biDYvkHM2pgInzFYzI4SPx3xjENkUUy9I3XQPUCPOJjuBhOcLxbFE0ES7XyFZ5CV2oSIqJJUEk-9WfmCCupEyKxLQLOA86MpT1NNLaV6JSr8PHQF4nYPb8pk6xDNIQ8rKSW2V_/s1600/IMG_8935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52By6b8biDYvkHM2pgInzFYzI4SPx3xjENkUUy9I3XQPUCPOJjuBhOcLxbFE0ES7XyFZ5CV2oSIqJJUEk-9WfmCCupEyKxLQLOA86MpT1NNLaV6JSr8PHQF4nYPb8pk6xDNIQ8rKSW2V_/s320/IMG_8935.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tim and the kids feed horses</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAJuRE-snUjLoTExjo2__B9v5HW55OF3dhWQKERVN2-ErhR2hOOVmp7FfEHQl1-IvcbMdBcUC4DHUGPkKXKFR0YAkJ340zw9Oznq8IcY5rPOoVPV4G34QhM_K_8dnkmWT0VZj7mAChZHE/s1600/IMG_8942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAJuRE-snUjLoTExjo2__B9v5HW55OF3dhWQKERVN2-ErhR2hOOVmp7FfEHQl1-IvcbMdBcUC4DHUGPkKXKFR0YAkJ340zw9Oznq8IcY5rPOoVPV4G34QhM_K_8dnkmWT0VZj7mAChZHE/s320/IMG_8942.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Avery makes a new friend</b><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We basically
had 13 days left in Winnsboro before beginning the trek back to Moorpark and so
we had to get in everything we hadn’t gotten to earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These included haircuts, oil change for
the Honda, packing and shipping a box of my old stuff from when I was a kid
that wouldn’t fit in the car and going through boxes of Molly’s old clothes to
see if there was anything that Olivia could use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I also had a fatty cyst cut out of my back by brother-in-law, Van.<b> </b></span></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Who else would you want to cut into you.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlNjgCZMzseaG2h_jYFdP6SZ0C1Fw5e8cVOztdjMtF1IrrNQDCGRNygqG2WA_qN8rvFx8gruCC2y3zkgPBJdhO_jqDdt8XaVnQAe2lGonz-Dlroz8iV3nbyoMduLuJmErucuFdcRNC-2N/s1600/IMG_9080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlNjgCZMzseaG2h_jYFdP6SZ0C1Fw5e8cVOztdjMtF1IrrNQDCGRNygqG2WA_qN8rvFx8gruCC2y3zkgPBJdhO_jqDdt8XaVnQAe2lGonz-Dlroz8iV3nbyoMduLuJmErucuFdcRNC-2N/s320/IMG_9080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Honda gets a change thanks to Van</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B7XEJ4zYH92BaRMEsd6EEiyk8gPspqT74LEXXKaHvhL6eukSAzR95oArx-2QlrPew4DMmtYC65ELsQ43x2W-7xcKELmtESDYzY6Krv40kFXR-3gm5YEwzJdPWrZr6sudEaZscQbN58L6/s1600/IMG_9066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-B7XEJ4zYH92BaRMEsd6EEiyk8gPspqT74LEXXKaHvhL6eukSAzR95oArx-2QlrPew4DMmtYC65ELsQ43x2W-7xcKELmtESDYzY6Krv40kFXR-3gm5YEwzJdPWrZr6sudEaZscQbN58L6/s320/IMG_9066.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A hole in my back or is that Senor Wences' mouth?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CP-Uo58EbvmbRJdDj8o-nD14wUwkffgQsxwN5WS6KBQPbw4sI0yDl966MU7uiXY6vjFqsruwHqToqtmgEVPPJ2oNkIIXiBZUS4I741sAalGgcJtbN0udK6xGbVY2qUXp1Y-6Sj2-wWAd/s1600/Grandma%2526kids_Aug2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CP-Uo58EbvmbRJdDj8o-nD14wUwkffgQsxwN5WS6KBQPbw4sI0yDl966MU7uiXY6vjFqsruwHqToqtmgEVPPJ2oNkIIXiBZUS4I741sAalGgcJtbN0udK6xGbVY2qUXp1Y-6Sj2-wWAd/s320/Grandma%2526kids_Aug2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma & the Kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It was no big deal and I think my sister hovering over me was more annoying than having my back cut into but I guess she was just looking out for me - in case Van got distracted and cut something crucial out of me. </span>I guess a lot of this could have been done before we embarked for Mississippi
but you know how it goes – most of it was done the last few days we were
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thirteen days
was a long time when kids don’t have anything else to do so I had to come up
with activities to keep them from getting bored or from watching marathons of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> movies or a box set of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How I Met Your Mother</i>, which Olivia
enjoyed doing with my sister in her upstairs suite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My mom did her part, including helping Avery bone up on his letters before he'd start kindergarten only a few weeks later. She also aided Olivia in determining what old clothes to keep and what was more Johanna's style.</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat-kkaNO2q7niorUVKx7aTlcpwVtxJZO-ocl-biRJP4hXSHADttGSbmB0G4uSy32OKDwiNjrr2zsOD1oLS2z3tERiFE_Y1uF9yOJndcxGQN_JLNj4_EJ21hda8GT4x6nX6le_fqQxOgot/s1600/IMG_8978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiat-kkaNO2q7niorUVKx7aTlcpwVtxJZO-ocl-biRJP4hXSHADttGSbmB0G4uSy32OKDwiNjrr2zsOD1oLS2z3tERiFE_Y1uF9yOJndcxGQN_JLNj4_EJ21hda8GT4x6nX6le_fqQxOgot/s320/IMG_8978.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Grandma the tutor</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7D0cctaay-b_e6td1jyKYb42Qk9OSqOA9V3_NYjvmGzZuA_Xo__LxbdRBqCxiW1pi6EH_FDXIc4Zcyet0vv-Xd9EP0NFUgouTU2N8JnxRR6-tShF-jau8gzBywrEBeKyR3P_Hw_sVqDC/s1600/IMG_9240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7D0cctaay-b_e6td1jyKYb42Qk9OSqOA9V3_NYjvmGzZuA_Xo__LxbdRBqCxiW1pi6EH_FDXIc4Zcyet0vv-Xd9EP0NFUgouTU2N8JnxRR6-tShF-jau8gzBywrEBeKyR3P_Hw_sVqDC/s320/IMG_9240.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Do they make my hips look big, Grandma?</b></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3ODbmau8iQt8QXeV-MYfR50_VtazLcHgO1KehUhZAaXMeDRUxw9U59VCsqvEzTwSmkjdYMMWtw4d95HQrjgsCGr9dTq6jULK0NADRx3PXcFVmeZ-EPw818FAvC1fT7AFRf40t6FE0t_m/s1600/IMG_9242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3ODbmau8iQt8QXeV-MYfR50_VtazLcHgO1KehUhZAaXMeDRUxw9U59VCsqvEzTwSmkjdYMMWtw4d95HQrjgsCGr9dTq6jULK0NADRx3PXcFVmeZ-EPw818FAvC1fT7AFRf40t6FE0t_m/s320/IMG_9242.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>More mom's style</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The first
post Mississippi adventure was a trip to Sulphur Springs, the next biggest town to the north of
Winnsboro, along interstate 30 and home to the Southwestern Dairy Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have spoken, this part of Texas
was dairy country, one of the largest in the nation, and like all industries,
they needed a commemorative museum to celebrate all things dairy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the giant cows and silo in front
to the historical displays depicting the early days of milking cows inside, the
museum was quite interesting and educational.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even had an old fashioned soda fountain where the kids
got some fresh ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
woman </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">tending bar</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> was nice to the kids and gave them a bunch of bread to
go feed the ducks and fish in the pond outside the museum.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TmFzEW0uDfTx-UNX3DODfaZrGn5DwDdyA7PnfGJXibDke9I6fmfTFMOUMMTwZaLnEn1Ju4LvCQSyNePahyphenhyphen9yfRacnllC1r8PY6OEEjegbgPS-3tDCxw_cHn3nWolfC1wEEvr39JVEjCu/s1600/IMG_8981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TmFzEW0uDfTx-UNX3DODfaZrGn5DwDdyA7PnfGJXibDke9I6fmfTFMOUMMTwZaLnEn1Ju4LvCQSyNePahyphenhyphen9yfRacnllC1r8PY6OEEjegbgPS-3tDCxw_cHn3nWolfC1wEEvr39JVEjCu/s320/IMG_8981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWVc2ts7dzQi5y4nDE9k0lAVjkR86D9Jzca4kzyRkH8OiRWr2TlGbk579H3bXhdOXo_UjqUgTvJBNOOSoYTNmAX2J3_T1cskZ0tpSgbIRTm7Xl4Y3swiYrRUpExKlcs55dsjNll-JTUXa/s1600/SulphurSprings_DairyMuseum_Averymilking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWVc2ts7dzQi5y4nDE9k0lAVjkR86D9Jzca4kzyRkH8OiRWr2TlGbk579H3bXhdOXo_UjqUgTvJBNOOSoYTNmAX2J3_T1cskZ0tpSgbIRTm7Xl4Y3swiYrRUpExKlcs55dsjNll-JTUXa/s320/SulphurSprings_DairyMuseum_Averymilking.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Avery has an utterly good time</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4teTGfpuCOvm1Sf5z3Kzivp20hHYXgFULrUnzyvJS2Nwx0EAhH1bPiObVU9UFjdmdNCwoIFOy2Aynu68JrPIyw3UTDj2JiQBBsuTXpim3m5Zb7gY6gXZzSUP0dsV0to50S9XYMU38KNCu/s1600/IMG_8993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4teTGfpuCOvm1Sf5z3Kzivp20hHYXgFULrUnzyvJS2Nwx0EAhH1bPiObVU9UFjdmdNCwoIFOy2Aynu68JrPIyw3UTDj2JiQBBsuTXpim3m5Zb7gY6gXZzSUP0dsV0to50S9XYMU38KNCu/s320/IMG_8993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bellied up for a cool one</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqExYs_YYY0BmooUjLML21xLztSD5a2ReBqT_0FNeH2X3wTxacKnY3-ul1niDGU7b0xEMmU3CJWkoiBXkva69l91d7woQxD0-hjLOOVFsMyqh1KNLAu4Ixnz-BLBEXYcPkMdQS9tXdIAjZ/s1600/IMG_8990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqExYs_YYY0BmooUjLML21xLztSD5a2ReBqT_0FNeH2X3wTxacKnY3-ul1niDGU7b0xEMmU3CJWkoiBXkva69l91d7woQxD0-hjLOOVFsMyqh1KNLAu4Ixnz-BLBEXYcPkMdQS9tXdIAjZ/s320/IMG_8990.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A little too much exercise will get you this</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5D0rKH6E9Sm2HMaR4-Dpi2TlLUyRCNB3pgDmjw6_H_-O3fBGG9e2zPA0xEz78Zk6P0o1Y_0t95ee_MpKF7tco0tUPIjuwb6EfBl63aT0Wh7ULKYFl6PHFIKCm_HewWEPX7apNtU2K_Gh/s1600/IMG_9014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5D0rKH6E9Sm2HMaR4-Dpi2TlLUyRCNB3pgDmjw6_H_-O3fBGG9e2zPA0xEz78Zk6P0o1Y_0t95ee_MpKF7tco0tUPIjuwb6EfBl63aT0Wh7ULKYFl6PHFIKCm_HewWEPX7apNtU2K_Gh/s320/IMG_9014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The ducks know who has the goods</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBVQAJOY3eh5tiABiC77UCw_Ucmad78O6tsevDQo5fr0JfOdM-RzEecq7K4j6a-EJBsj0hnMdpNNmbNCnyFlT3o6yUA1pFwRePCteYoDDng_zEY0ZMLdZxMIKT8L-_8bilEDWXpm2V-dm/s1600/IMG_8983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBVQAJOY3eh5tiABiC77UCw_Ucmad78O6tsevDQo5fr0JfOdM-RzEecq7K4j6a-EJBsj0hnMdpNNmbNCnyFlT3o6yUA1pFwRePCteYoDDng_zEY0ZMLdZxMIKT8L-_8bilEDWXpm2V-dm/s320/IMG_8983.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Look Avery, plaster milk!</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In terms of
the gift shop I got out of there relatively unscathed – the kids only souvenirs
were commemorative plastic ice cream scoops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After feeding the ducks in the Texas heat we drove by the
town square where my sister said was a one-of-a-kind bathroom - only one in the
nation, she </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">remarked</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right in the
middle of this quaint Texas courthouse square – very typical of small town
America – was an ultra modern all-glass public bathroom<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">built by </span><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Commercial Glass & Mirror Company.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, it was a </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">mirrored</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> box that looked like something out
of a Dr. Who episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What made
this water closet unique was that those inside could see out but outsiders
couldn’t see in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, we
tested it in only a way Avery could test – he mooned the world from inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We discovered that it was true – nobody
saw his bare butt or at least we hope.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span>
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwNU-RlCUOazPwYuBSpIEaSXxXrnvPre4NCctx90Y-3FcbLeJsOkscst4hqvXe6ZESKXybdLEg09ynPMWwuXFmXxoJ-HvM4wAMYR_8iXFQZLCD5kHIdbl3cKCirjH7G4GGmzlR4QCh78w/s1600/IMG_9022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwNU-RlCUOazPwYuBSpIEaSXxXrnvPre4NCctx90Y-3FcbLeJsOkscst4hqvXe6ZESKXybdLEg09ynPMWwuXFmXxoJ-HvM4wAMYR_8iXFQZLCD5kHIdbl3cKCirjH7G4GGmzlR4QCh78w/s320/IMG_9022.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A tribute to Poppa</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTq4kp81E39YoNppMRN0gUqmPmAt6htYUrFjXjBTu6P5i9zTOuE7g1YmzJ_SQfMUYW4ffYmXtMAC7S_NMbDEUR4hY9nTGdiq3iF6ZbDft4OZDCMXMGnXSG0OlM9Va8sOm3YEtfhl9njKv/s1600/SulphurSpringsSquare_bathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTq4kp81E39YoNppMRN0gUqmPmAt6htYUrFjXjBTu6P5i9zTOuE7g1YmzJ_SQfMUYW4ffYmXtMAC7S_NMbDEUR4hY9nTGdiq3iF6ZbDft4OZDCMXMGnXSG0OlM9Va8sOm3YEtfhl9njKv/s320/SulphurSpringsSquare_bathroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>All glass mirror bathroom in Sulphur Springs, TX</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHlXAY0ekzKEMPRGaOS9hHq-6Rakv4v7T5_-c8i3cTD-bzRjEs_tkewYuB_SNZJXbIQC5pZwxriSXmmZfBm-ks5QOtdEC4wyDKESRv1RuvvH1MFdxENtN3SnqsGate8QMSSOClXHsZFto/s1600/SulphurSprings_insidebathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHlXAY0ekzKEMPRGaOS9hHq-6Rakv4v7T5_-c8i3cTD-bzRjEs_tkewYuB_SNZJXbIQC5pZwxriSXmmZfBm-ks5QOtdEC4wyDKESRv1RuvvH1MFdxENtN3SnqsGate8QMSSOClXHsZFto/s320/SulphurSprings_insidebathroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"You can't see me...ha!"</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzlPtSxH4qNZ6v5tA-Kl7s7-38jKQD5mUFSvXuHG7f7iAsMazaWMJKRXSkKOJMCC8HlFw7j_zclF2Goj7_q6yiu8UFE-Bcg7h2HV9AMXK3Uxfl4Fm8kHo6EIv_63WbZbYSPtKIFfsvTUA/s1600/IMG_9030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzlPtSxH4qNZ6v5tA-Kl7s7-38jKQD5mUFSvXuHG7f7iAsMazaWMJKRXSkKOJMCC8HlFw7j_zclF2Goj7_q6yiu8UFE-Bcg7h2HV9AMXK3Uxfl4Fm8kHo6EIv_63WbZbYSPtKIFfsvTUA/s320/IMG_9030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"King me"</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s so hot in
Texas in August that farmers feed their chickens ice so they won’t lay boiled
eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That reminds me of a joke
about Texas heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Texan dies and
goes to hell where the devil keeps it at 120 degrees and 90% humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The devil notices the Texan is happy
and carefree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asks him why is he
so content and the Texan replies, “Why shouldn’t I be…this is like Houston in
August.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The devil is furious so
he turns the temperature down to freezing and he goes over to the Texan who is
still grinning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you still
smiling,” asks the devil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well,
it’s because the Rangers have finally won the World Series.”</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fJaiEr61Zld15TjK0Q2jxSj0MrQex10hjiDdoA7ows_1emQIWcsxZea-sGD2If5MR0ivM8izQVzGSLszEAXzGCZ1W0zJI2Axm1x131Gm3g22qWh3eNhntv60UuTZlcQ5USyP-SR7HgbO/s1600/IMG_9053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fJaiEr61Zld15TjK0Q2jxSj0MrQex10hjiDdoA7ows_1emQIWcsxZea-sGD2If5MR0ivM8izQVzGSLszEAXzGCZ1W0zJI2Axm1x131Gm3g22qWh3eNhntv60UuTZlcQ5USyP-SR7HgbO/s320/IMG_9053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You don’t do
too much outside when it’s blazing hot – even going in the pool, which the kids
did a few more times, required sitting and sweating out on the patio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This quickly turned into watching them
through the windows while staying inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even in the house I would sweat sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even with the heat I had the crazy idea of taking the
kids to the </span></b>z<b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">oo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered we
took Olivia<b> to </b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> when she was small and </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she enjoyed it</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> so we packed up
the Honda and we zoomed to<b> </b></span></b><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tyler<b> </b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">zoo.</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also planned to take them to the Tyler Discovery Science Museum, which
was recommended by my mother – at least that was inside.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvImNVLRO7KNOu2j2wnoFq3ilUgOhsgmyjmTSk14y4Kp6e1y8APG005ACulRas4UoyvNJD764Fe61eydyzAjmmjpVRvCImBV8yEgxxem5uF4UjPWKH73aFlX9pg9fv51pgK1HmYRE5aLCS/s1600/TylerZoo_entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvImNVLRO7KNOu2j2wnoFq3ilUgOhsgmyjmTSk14y4Kp6e1y8APG005ACulRas4UoyvNJD764Fe61eydyzAjmmjpVRvCImBV8yEgxxem5uF4UjPWKH73aFlX9pg9fv51pgK1HmYRE5aLCS/s320/TylerZoo_entrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tyler's Caldwell Zoo</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEMPaLe3pw3WOebFU5jaDRUmcSw8-1Mrf0ak38lUBSKnpDB4ebsjttsZiQ_L-CgzK3qXq7i0_EePudmPZmxPfu5qWN8CFTMDhpDnO8Cw3lVBvL0DrqZ6r5TUA83tLBAOYqwX3dnJelNGs/s1600/TylerZoo_Olivia%2526Avery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEMPaLe3pw3WOebFU5jaDRUmcSw8-1Mrf0ak38lUBSKnpDB4ebsjttsZiQ_L-CgzK3qXq7i0_EePudmPZmxPfu5qWN8CFTMDhpDnO8Cw3lVBvL0DrqZ6r5TUA83tLBAOYqwX3dnJelNGs/s320/TylerZoo_Olivia%2526Avery.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The kids with kids.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfyXmBQ0qbrDuRFrVIUqmLqklVYfrFuDsq_h2l0zIuPJ81Ay0dHJZzrzOi0Wrjh-ps6KXGL8nq8iTJjKWg1laPUogTFvqLDETjyAUgj-YdCi9gUagwwHHhmR7FMu0CdlYz7sqsdW9g689/s1600/IMG_9088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfyXmBQ0qbrDuRFrVIUqmLqklVYfrFuDsq_h2l0zIuPJ81Ay0dHJZzrzOi0Wrjh-ps6KXGL8nq8iTJjKWg1laPUogTFvqLDETjyAUgj-YdCi9gUagwwHHhmR7FMu0CdlYz7sqsdW9g689/s320/IMG_9088.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Avery gets a tickle petting a goat</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AbuFwftOa8rdDcjmtRD9GSK0iaPjk1iH56n3HT3NGvxqw7yapfmLtFeOsutiiRBEmN_cojWEDiuC0xL73nrtbZzOhNvm_CAmioxXWOT-dLNUT8FSKW5496j95YUfYcwnd8d2VLvJjdNg/s1600/IMG_9133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AbuFwftOa8rdDcjmtRD9GSK0iaPjk1iH56n3HT3NGvxqw7yapfmLtFeOsutiiRBEmN_cojWEDiuC0xL73nrtbZzOhNvm_CAmioxXWOT-dLNUT8FSKW5496j95YUfYcwnd8d2VLvJjdNg/s320/IMG_9133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hey, Charlie, did you hear the one about a pelican and a goose enter a bar..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxA06QrcFIeJ5EX-IZ2bl12gMEVKn3szSAqkMamNlLo0dLA_h4TrUIdtfzGnRoAWcuCZtacxlVBN8WeTLbs_6egHZZI8GqCMQiR_FmhSaKZXhPpNpANLYkDCubGDTycP5oPW3wnFXmW-/s1600/IMG_9120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDxA06QrcFIeJ5EX-IZ2bl12gMEVKn3szSAqkMamNlLo0dLA_h4TrUIdtfzGnRoAWcuCZtacxlVBN8WeTLbs_6egHZZI8GqCMQiR_FmhSaKZXhPpNpANLYkDCubGDTycP5oPW3wnFXmW-/s320/IMG_9120.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tyler is about
an hour’s drive from the house and the quickest route is the back way on Farm
to Market roads all the way into Tyler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a nice zoo but it sure was hot, even in the morning and because of
the heat most of the animals were hiding in their bunkers trying to stay
cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids had a good enough
time, especially at the gift shop, which is strategically placed at the
entrance or should I say exit...and unavoidable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28RMQDXYU_P2E4Ff7Qdd-Lr9im_bGvB9b8T4gtPcjSMfRrxt38fTHDt6vV9cxTfmJXCBlPBwyz14fp3wdje5HKrbYl3zpKng4a1XTWJWZoPbpBBlhigCcxyO4xstwJXHLwCfFq5Mp5Q0h/s1600/IMG_9104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28RMQDXYU_P2E4Ff7Qdd-Lr9im_bGvB9b8T4gtPcjSMfRrxt38fTHDt6vV9cxTfmJXCBlPBwyz14fp3wdje5HKrbYl3zpKng4a1XTWJWZoPbpBBlhigCcxyO4xstwJXHLwCfFq5Mp5Q0h/s320/IMG_9104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You come hear often? I love your neckline.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOe4Q-afO1KXSiRh5oo3Usx-H_3IgWOALvd-gGBROeAeJsk5HlVAPy12sSwBdWje7at1YeUWCe3KHyneE6ciFiqnUw1PKV98c8wgRLCpRXSt7kVSXWqV4THCNXXh08vqg2sZaCEZq6Qlp/s1600/IMG_9109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOe4Q-afO1KXSiRh5oo3Usx-H_3IgWOALvd-gGBROeAeJsk5HlVAPy12sSwBdWje7at1YeUWCe3KHyneE6ciFiqnUw1PKV98c8wgRLCpRXSt7kVSXWqV4THCNXXh08vqg2sZaCEZq6Qlp/s320/IMG_9109.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Tickle, tickle."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtiG9E5xP1R1k4ACgLC-ZDz3nDX5Kt8Yww46cTqnOqHjVpXn6C_ZrAaW8vY6xAglSTdOXjbJneEnlwAtmJvnn9sdzsNp4OszwfT-mPRDdOl_h8wulNHRZ8UBl5AA8dtr2NXcaLliia_7e/s1600/TylerZoo_OliviafootvsElephantfoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtiG9E5xP1R1k4ACgLC-ZDz3nDX5Kt8Yww46cTqnOqHjVpXn6C_ZrAaW8vY6xAglSTdOXjbJneEnlwAtmJvnn9sdzsNp4OszwfT-mPRDdOl_h8wulNHRZ8UBl5AA8dtr2NXcaLliia_7e/s320/TylerZoo_OliviafootvsElephantfoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I don't think I can fit in your shoes.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A9XJLamiQArXmdCfnUISz4lZ1ZlKV-76UbYtIBxZTwFKdvnIogijTh5j46v6jl3tQmJ8VXd_Y4ls_QcVU01DzBXA7elkhIu4n75IWhIGrouQZjs11-lnczEyKZ7y0NdW2BIhrMhHFjkx/s1600/TylerZoo_Avery%2526Cougar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A9XJLamiQArXmdCfnUISz4lZ1ZlKV-76UbYtIBxZTwFKdvnIogijTh5j46v6jl3tQmJ8VXd_Y4ls_QcVU01DzBXA7elkhIu4n75IWhIGrouQZjs11-lnczEyKZ7y0NdW2BIhrMhHFjkx/s320/TylerZoo_Avery%2526Cougar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Hear kitty, kitty, kitty."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCS6fv8zjo5osffaMilG2flzM3MhZJST6BjS2JdK9MS2oO-wHmvp5W-3R-57tFTZgUO_ld5B7NX35uuMWpRLhVlixM9GFneXKA-hK0-O1PPn1wnXGHHGsboBONOFZhU4LdWErf09PLBuKO/s1600/IMG_9114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCS6fv8zjo5osffaMilG2flzM3MhZJST6BjS2JdK9MS2oO-wHmvp5W-3R-57tFTZgUO_ld5B7NX35uuMWpRLhVlixM9GFneXKA-hK0-O1PPn1wnXGHHGsboBONOFZhU4LdWErf09PLBuKO/s320/IMG_9114.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A rare Moorpark monkey spotted in Texas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1cc4rXMco8aXeIhRkFxYPJKHS5cx_iXbAxFe49Kx4SVrJtouBR9o10O7U5Z5Xx2o32eYJcl8qRJfMZv9gblAfHx2LWLqk7RNyvaHng7lZZFq6Mwq7vRYtYvb5FLjbQulfaQI6A_ZDMVM/s1600/IMG_9127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1cc4rXMco8aXeIhRkFxYPJKHS5cx_iXbAxFe49Kx4SVrJtouBR9o10O7U5Z5Xx2o32eYJcl8qRJfMZv9gblAfHx2LWLqk7RNyvaHng7lZZFq6Mwq7vRYtYvb5FLjbQulfaQI6A_ZDMVM/s320/IMG_9127.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Two bears and a boy enter a hot zoo...</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After a visit
to a local pizza place with a pretty good buffet we headed to downtown Tyler
and the Discovery Science Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kids went crazy and had a terrific time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One section had a variety of animatronic
dinosaurs</span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, including</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b> </b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">o</span><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ne that Avery could actually ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another contained all kinds of playacting scenarios – from a
hospital to a vet clinic to a bank to a courtroom to a firehouse and every
other occupation you could think of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Avery and Olivia could have stayed there all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were all kinds of other
interactive displays, such as a tornado wind booth, pirate ship, mine tunnel
where you can experience what an earthquake feels like, robots, and my favorite
– a TV News Station where the kids can play news anchor, camera operator and
director.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FIDHyU6qpWURsRnpMaele_Pc1c19cqUpn4JAiQy7FSJDJBAhfI5jBg3aY1ANTIoSobqw1-Nf5HkN4h7jHothjPkpV9c-Zp2gtBkIE-94FC2qJkTfQ6RyX6Jbr_WyT_3UvIIWfY1Zcqzn/s1600/IMG_9141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FIDHyU6qpWURsRnpMaele_Pc1c19cqUpn4JAiQy7FSJDJBAhfI5jBg3aY1ANTIoSobqw1-Nf5HkN4h7jHothjPkpV9c-Zp2gtBkIE-94FC2qJkTfQ6RyX6Jbr_WyT_3UvIIWfY1Zcqzn/s320/IMG_9141.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Olivia gets all lawyered up</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lSKmL-o7lU__2RF9YzZc1sMOR9r8CtcI7cf5DRFqwBoUSGhlAkbjk57R-ghFCkM0MK7ZKq_RGj77lMAwaHYOr-b1q7O7SQ4zGYDG5MSyYdLRYCPZRMcEDhKaiVuJEc7N6w5aaq00-2ot/s1600/IMG_9159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lSKmL-o7lU__2RF9YzZc1sMOR9r8CtcI7cf5DRFqwBoUSGhlAkbjk57R-ghFCkM0MK7ZKq_RGj77lMAwaHYOr-b1q7O7SQ4zGYDG5MSyYdLRYCPZRMcEDhKaiVuJEc7N6w5aaq00-2ot/s320/IMG_9159.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dinos at the Discovery</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqb-8H5DvoLSdth6ZO1c7ALZe_xtBvl5omlNrxxg25_ajEtMK8mLZVD4BcJGSefZ8uF3r5sYpVpIjgsoZTdWW1aZVA5q7mEoUfsKSTKZPQzR8e_vYStjcNmce9wnCQ1k89uW6UC79p-D/s1600/IMG_9164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbqb-8H5DvoLSdth6ZO1c7ALZe_xtBvl5omlNrxxg25_ajEtMK8mLZVD4BcJGSefZ8uF3r5sYpVpIjgsoZTdWW1aZVA5q7mEoUfsKSTKZPQzR8e_vYStjcNmce9wnCQ1k89uW6UC79p-D/s320/IMG_9164.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Like Aunt like niece</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oYPKNaSsdtvH95I9_S76yQ9LHAHeITEL-5S-wDahG5DHfW4aTL5u3cZ_5IXHTRoEjtuP4ZxpfUix-I4YruFbIt51P8-Zs7Rq7bXAhUQn9be-gkFuteIi03djVtGHQUNgBwYFez0H9Zky/s1600/IMG_9152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oYPKNaSsdtvH95I9_S76yQ9LHAHeITEL-5S-wDahG5DHfW4aTL5u3cZ_5IXHTRoEjtuP4ZxpfUix-I4YruFbIt51P8-Zs7Rq7bXAhUQn9be-gkFuteIi03djVtGHQUNgBwYFez0H9Zky/s320/IMG_9152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Yeeehaww! </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BUOeDzeaeaFK9jt0UyXkJu_qlHbdjmG6yZ4O_n7oEnjJeTWmTpG5fmcg47TrEzF2lk21vIWcdueJS3tIEvgIhPSBkXL1OCmUTWGKDha_jOfSdr32qnhMUsGz1JvCxy_rGrElNz0TW2rc/s1600/IMG_9166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BUOeDzeaeaFK9jt0UyXkJu_qlHbdjmG6yZ4O_n7oEnjJeTWmTpG5fmcg47TrEzF2lk21vIWcdueJS3tIEvgIhPSBkXL1OCmUTWGKDha_jOfSdr32qnhMUsGz1JvCxy_rGrElNz0TW2rc/s320/IMG_9166.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Yes, we have plenty of fake money, ma'am."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6QOrOe7LO3l9gS7qedsJtZku9_8m__K74UXh2-XLorsddwJVTPisd7hJeNcu9A1lSlMfjx_O3oJiq6gM6pljZ5rWrqxqPsZKWMV7KU_SSlkQC9X-YJ2UWLXIHHg-XFEWoL_NBrI_De3Y/s1600/IMG_9170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6QOrOe7LO3l9gS7qedsJtZku9_8m__K74UXh2-XLorsddwJVTPisd7hJeNcu9A1lSlMfjx_O3oJiq6gM6pljZ5rWrqxqPsZKWMV7KU_SSlkQC9X-YJ2UWLXIHHg-XFEWoL_NBrI_De3Y/s320/IMG_9170.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Your big red heart sounds great Clifford."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UsGWFIKahAFHdPujrMAoCCNgmOIPuj7E3Dp-dkzPl2MQSOEWE-QfOO7bln5SIxQECaALND2tcLg0vQW726iopJb8Fcfi734ftO-530qP13Ee7eTcssmmcFYau4fg39U94dm1MsccbSME/s1600/IMG_9173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UsGWFIKahAFHdPujrMAoCCNgmOIPuj7E3Dp-dkzPl2MQSOEWE-QfOO7bln5SIxQECaALND2tcLg0vQW726iopJb8Fcfi734ftO-530qP13Ee7eTcssmmcFYau4fg39U94dm1MsccbSME/s320/IMG_9173.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wallstreeter in training.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FVdVPGZxtJ0MbsC_ADkwTkcVC5ElFed8g6FFRiPGSMov2dyqDs_5rYxHBJD2YwhhIAWCKOj-AqgUCwHIqSlC3Svx6RNbp7a6yANC7r_0Ezu8bv3jkJZu-7150IPGTtCLqwQo2-zdNOvi/s1600/IMG_9178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FVdVPGZxtJ0MbsC_ADkwTkcVC5ElFed8g6FFRiPGSMov2dyqDs_5rYxHBJD2YwhhIAWCKOj-AqgUCwHIqSlC3Svx6RNbp7a6yANC7r_0Ezu8bv3jkJZu-7150IPGTtCLqwQo2-zdNOvi/s320/IMG_9178.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You can never find parking when there's a fire.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_E4lAuoZ6CpQ766vv2sbMfb31gQEkS4kIfzg36m90f8vsdKssO2JJcoyIbQIT9y_uSQM5Bfjf71UizYwOaD8CngH4f8X7HEH1qZNDER-35VcUu0I1nH-2rZ6BzOEPzF-c6Eifs80BSHk/s1600/IMG_9182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_E4lAuoZ6CpQ766vv2sbMfb31gQEkS4kIfzg36m90f8vsdKssO2JJcoyIbQIT9y_uSQM5Bfjf71UizYwOaD8CngH4f8X7HEH1qZNDER-35VcUu0I1nH-2rZ6BzOEPzF-c6Eifs80BSHk/s320/IMG_9182.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Aye, matee, I spot SpongeBob, too.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMvu4-hD-Dgey4nSgweyuZpcL2rmoQYFZW1AlCtQbZUsAbFPSY6cCkfqx4buyqVOOtMBo5IqRCq-aQtHKMAtyXSEkxKijm9mhv6KxUImlbvIrw4W4k8Wfvl2bdIrGygBN0Clkljell_ep/s1600/DiscoveryZone_EarthquakeSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMvu4-hD-Dgey4nSgweyuZpcL2rmoQYFZW1AlCtQbZUsAbFPSY6cCkfqx4buyqVOOtMBo5IqRCq-aQtHKMAtyXSEkxKijm9mhv6KxUImlbvIrw4W4k8Wfvl2bdIrGygBN0Clkljell_ep/s320/DiscoveryZone_EarthquakeSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxTfdipACg4IsueUrOb_QfawH-gUnVksQYkhH5gjuVIawW7xZZIbiIXI_0OcoutyMWq2TfsUxDEN5TSL-jZd1uF6R3sqnh-pibX3NT8upTxTYHCv73jju77VQaw-XIU7b0anTKK00tMXN/s1600/IMG_9208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxTfdipACg4IsueUrOb_QfawH-gUnVksQYkhH5gjuVIawW7xZZIbiIXI_0OcoutyMWq2TfsUxDEN5TSL-jZd1uF6R3sqnh-pibX3NT8upTxTYHCv73jju77VQaw-XIU7b0anTKK00tMXN/s320/IMG_9208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On the set of Good Morning Winnsboro</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDsH_E4QmJoknwwft6jY6crPfd0O0H6LhM34W_C87_yaUogGMsLtm5f_AVDITB2ThjkEYyTnOwV2E_nq9gS3QHXmoHw1JwgEmc4hhkMiIg36d365X1xXIhUlJb6_Wy3t3Ts2Rv81qFROw/s1600/IMG_9191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDsH_E4QmJoknwwft6jY6crPfd0O0H6LhM34W_C87_yaUogGMsLtm5f_AVDITB2ThjkEYyTnOwV2E_nq9gS3QHXmoHw1JwgEmc4hhkMiIg36d365X1xXIhUlJb6_Wy3t3Ts2Rv81qFROw/s320/IMG_9191.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Olivia wants all the limelight</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiGlHo6KdCmGBkXnTJB7TDO6kPwjPEhxQoNKzHI5BcUtpCVEME8oQwqG2IHSSPxuWm54hsognnjrVCoo1eRJNjf7ZWmKr9q2qU5nAvGA_hcWGZjTtM3bOgHnyi6LOfQAgBDhNSKFH1Bwd/s1600/IMG_9213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiGlHo6KdCmGBkXnTJB7TDO6kPwjPEhxQoNKzHI5BcUtpCVEME8oQwqG2IHSSPxuWm54hsognnjrVCoo1eRJNjf7ZWmKr9q2qU5nAvGA_hcWGZjTtM3bOgHnyi6LOfQAgBDhNSKFH1Bwd/s320/IMG_9213.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>So that's what a tornado feels like.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next door they added
even more interactive science displays where the kids can learn about all kinds
of things, from inertia to static electricity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7KDFRx0Qup7dDSIPICXqeZ_Q2j3HqQiWOin8k_sW09m_mn6Bjgi2D1hdKlpANzPCTU_XZje3kbHI0QDt05poG9nCPfp4AwDNFpn1l-D_qtcNZGDJdfn8sX_POsqM7T2MD4ZERP0bXksz/s1600/IMG_9219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7KDFRx0Qup7dDSIPICXqeZ_Q2j3HqQiWOin8k_sW09m_mn6Bjgi2D1hdKlpANzPCTU_XZje3kbHI0QDt05poG9nCPfp4AwDNFpn1l-D_qtcNZGDJdfn8sX_POsqM7T2MD4ZERP0bXksz/s320/IMG_9219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBnEp-apOlcK2mc-RWDdJFJ55BTim4FG-VQBzsT_OMWRlrHUD7kt8Me2wrr7kfKK_-aQnVas-qQWCRBAn6FHCpNj9rcDaK6f8nszl58cQ6t9pCEg7c_mwuMz9zZMbBiZ7XGW4FYT6GPqe/s1600/IMG_9221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBnEp-apOlcK2mc-RWDdJFJ55BTim4FG-VQBzsT_OMWRlrHUD7kt8Me2wrr7kfKK_-aQnVas-qQWCRBAn6FHCpNj9rcDaK6f8nszl58cQ6t9pCEg7c_mwuMz9zZMbBiZ7XGW4FYT6GPqe/s320/IMG_9221.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Learning the bones...Granddaddy would be proud.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh14JxZYEMVX1NYBUtKkNu5OxEqQSTtQCXTqbxFQEkKmScg9kDcEx3FGwA0yfpdsNY2bESar7hN4XGpjHtF1MrOS8zNGDQI40GRj4TPTpuybI_6sF8RP5-E86KGChX_52miH4Fqn5c-IT/s1600/IMG_9226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilh14JxZYEMVX1NYBUtKkNu5OxEqQSTtQCXTqbxFQEkKmScg9kDcEx3FGwA0yfpdsNY2bESar7hN4XGpjHtF1MrOS8zNGDQI40GRj4TPTpuybI_6sF8RP5-E86KGChX_52miH4Fqn5c-IT/s320/IMG_9226.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Olivia B the Science Geek</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We would have shut the place down but when we arrived they
offered a joint ticket for a show at the planetarium at Tyler Junior College,
about a ten-minute drive from where we were. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the last show of the day and we were the only one’s in
the audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it would
be more of a typical planetarium show but it was a very interesting film about
aquatic dinosaurs called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sea Rex</i>, </span></b>about
Julie, an imaginative young woman, as she travels from a modern-day aquarium to
the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Avery’s first planetarium visit but I hope to take
him to the Griffith Park Planetarium to see a real show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do remember leaving the cool Center
for Earth & Space Science Education and entering the 5:00 pm heat
doldrums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we kind of moved
in slow motion to the car because the weight of the heat was just too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahhhhh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Air conditioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_3S3wLCA-ALAo-uMt3fQ65eBMjRS0c6BHDKYI1vgsoB2QBlJn1eMIJoRD8v8Tk9wRP5WYHmZS9q_u1qyv446_erqTRpCD134MKb3fMc2iv6Te828lzf52sDkLeqcoSKLgBB7T13tE8tU/s1600/IMG_9236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_3S3wLCA-ALAo-uMt3fQ65eBMjRS0c6BHDKYI1vgsoB2QBlJn1eMIJoRD8v8Tk9wRP5WYHmZS9q_u1qyv446_erqTRpCD134MKb3fMc2iv6Te828lzf52sDkLeqcoSKLgBB7T13tE8tU/s320/IMG_9236.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tyler Junior College</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm7for5_s4qb03_teaxrnfEkl440ZxaZZZEadOQ20-vxkR1-hpBp-Ql-kCEYgiVzb9YNjZjWr3G_8UnpR9lh55XANhWO5-rL0NcoukW26HQcoe2HJAR1LMKJddbqEvdVlnQl_HdxsS-qp/s1600/IMG_9234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm7for5_s4qb03_teaxrnfEkl440ZxaZZZEadOQ20-vxkR1-hpBp-Ql-kCEYgiVzb9YNjZjWr3G_8UnpR9lh55XANhWO5-rL0NcoukW26HQcoe2HJAR1LMKJddbqEvdVlnQl_HdxsS-qp/s320/IMG_9234.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A funny side story…while at the Discovery Museum I was
standing around when I heard a woman ask if I was Rich Burlingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little taken aback as I had
never seen this older lady before in my life and I only knew a few people in
Tyler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come to find out, she and
her husband used to live in Winnsboro and their kids were patients of my sister
who now have kids of their own, one of which was also named Avery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was rivaling the Kim-Kim story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She saw my Avery wearing a Winnsboro
T-shirt and asked him his name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was a talker and spent the next 20 minutes learning all about them
and their kids and their grandkids and where they are all living and their
vacations and what they had for breakfast…well, maybe not that but I’m sure if
I didn’t excuse myself I would have found out that and much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a small, small world, after all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2SlyHDZtua8Dh0T9Xs0kv44lEiQ_EIqprHy-YZHsi6KKHnPhGSW2M2_VJG9UKyZqySK2Ex7_Sn4T45PF-1S5yMn8HHLDIUYwFeVJ6CpoGMc0TirHBXtANezNv7DaN6VHa46AUVLdyFp0/s1600/IMG_9192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2SlyHDZtua8Dh0T9Xs0kv44lEiQ_EIqprHy-YZHsi6KKHnPhGSW2M2_VJG9UKyZqySK2Ex7_Sn4T45PF-1S5yMn8HHLDIUYwFeVJ6CpoGMc0TirHBXtANezNv7DaN6VHa46AUVLdyFp0/s320/IMG_9192.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Two Averys </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">It was our last Saturday in Texas and so I called up my
friends Bob and Steve to see if they’d go with us to downtown Dallas to take a
photo of the kids and I where JFK was shot holding our hometown paper, The
Moorpark Acorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you may recall,
I had forgotten to pick one up before we left and Johanna had to mail one to
Winnsboro so we couldn’t get photos of us along the first leg of our trip<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that nobody else would
have a photo at Dealey Plaza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
make Avery happy I thought we could park the car at the DART light rail station
near Bob's house and take the train downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery
wanted to go on a subway but the only place in Dallas where the trains went
underground for a short while was going into downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did just that and Avery enjoyed the
ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got off at Union Station,
where the Amtrak trains come into and which was only a short walk from Dealey
Plaza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob and Steve said they’d
meet us there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHiKQx9Fxmc22LbuI2S2mcCe_ErXtVYbCoa7Kankvkry3tP_jazy5XA5UmE4eID2YMfrf-BTVbOhq9ej1KddKS_TY98xMRee7g9eVyuG-kyO7Tu1I-Ui_nc9CXENrA_jhWhAoh4tyLPK/s1600/DART_LoversLaneStation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iHiKQx9Fxmc22LbuI2S2mcCe_ErXtVYbCoa7Kankvkry3tP_jazy5XA5UmE4eID2YMfrf-BTVbOhq9ej1KddKS_TY98xMRee7g9eVyuG-kyO7Tu1I-Ui_nc9CXENrA_jhWhAoh4tyLPK/s320/DART_LoversLaneStation.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lovers Lane DART Station, Dallas, TX</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5TEomPqChP1TiB0PEYE-Bg25YzWOFwHv2egovrTtXnjvJmh3Cdb5iZ6RToBKA1VkgbcI9ABAPNypT8rmC8EwUwho8lmq9dQfTe-H4jl7qJCj4JHhakgNMyoj5PjCzLXjYqVd42int27Z/s1600/Dallas_DartStation_Dad%2526kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5TEomPqChP1TiB0PEYE-Bg25YzWOFwHv2egovrTtXnjvJmh3Cdb5iZ6RToBKA1VkgbcI9ABAPNypT8rmC8EwUwho8lmq9dQfTe-H4jl7qJCj4JHhakgNMyoj5PjCzLXjYqVd42int27Z/s320/Dallas_DartStation_Dad%2526kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waiting for the train</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-X8IT06Nv1eluvEiDbm_jC5muH1umL2tdVPNjv_xXI9zBw-A1NxwjUPlY-LEWT3cn8A4laKU6qSjJWPuuJI2PBf4NbsqcBEP6X0bNYwCsR9OKX5aQksGHMELGcGkow1tvQwz9WbBvuMk-/s1600/IMG_9254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-X8IT06Nv1eluvEiDbm_jC5muH1umL2tdVPNjv_xXI9zBw-A1NxwjUPlY-LEWT3cn8A4laKU6qSjJWPuuJI2PBf4NbsqcBEP6X0bNYwCsR9OKX5aQksGHMELGcGkow1tvQwz9WbBvuMk-/s320/IMG_9254.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>DART tunnel entrance on the Red Line</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNyWBMfgrT1VhQaIPfK7b745MeF6YnhjLTfb4kxf3po3uAbgsoC_namxOHx1NWOPI_Kb6eWz95S4rw7na4X86ZMa3Fkmvfu_ApPs9EQ6JlJvHDvTmZvujrLL34KFT2XY0bpntjx-AK5P5/s1600/IMG_9256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNyWBMfgrT1VhQaIPfK7b745MeF6YnhjLTfb4kxf3po3uAbgsoC_namxOHx1NWOPI_Kb6eWz95S4rw7na4X86ZMa3Fkmvfu_ApPs9EQ6JlJvHDvTmZvujrLL34KFT2XY0bpntjx-AK5P5/s320/IMG_9256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Who's that guy in the blue shirt?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz16D0vpKrHZw_QwypSItaiczk8NgbO8Nz6ChyzR-zQ5HT7Gs_wrcn4tO6P7hFKLVBipWL9Tgj8vAtf5m0Iyp9GuMC025H3j3cgqS-CLe7bLuDoNpmugY4UNGP5qDK0si2Qu2aa2dydtBt/s1600/IMG_9272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz16D0vpKrHZw_QwypSItaiczk8NgbO8Nz6ChyzR-zQ5HT7Gs_wrcn4tO6P7hFKLVBipWL9Tgj8vAtf5m0Iyp9GuMC025H3j3cgqS-CLe7bLuDoNpmugY4UNGP5qDK0si2Qu2aa2dydtBt/s320/IMG_9272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Natural train riders</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We strolled over and just as we got to the corner of Houston
& Commerce I heard my name called out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took a while but I finally saw Bob’s head sticking out
Steve’s car as they were looking for parking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hooked up soon after and proceeded with picture taking,
making sure we got the Schoolbook Depository Building in the background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all my years in Dallas I didn’t ever
go visit the site of the JFK assassination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove past it but never visited on foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do recall one rainy day when coming
up Commerce and stopped at a red light at Houston St. when a Jamaican women
pounded on my car looking for a ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For some reason I said okay and let her get into the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was very grateful she didn’t have
to walk miles in the pouring rain and I was glad to help out.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiFk8vXZlboP-2FkR_9L0c2ZWKAlZi2PUFM-qD7TKQ-sjJZuCooCF6V1q7-kX0D9nAIt3YJUuDBIgeV53uFQ_DATlZnWoOHVz9IklYwmfqHtcev-LUdLlZZUFGMs2ypPbv9DFVHKgU0yo/s1600/OAR_2013bookdispositary05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiFk8vXZlboP-2FkR_9L0c2ZWKAlZi2PUFM-qD7TKQ-sjJZuCooCF6V1q7-kX0D9nAIt3YJUuDBIgeV53uFQ_DATlZnWoOHVz9IklYwmfqHtcev-LUdLlZZUFGMs2ypPbv9DFVHKgU0yo/s320/OAR_2013bookdispositary05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>On the spot where JFK was shot.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfNQhyFZ1zIfUgeo5uUlKgu4AsZ_q1SaSojsQGXXksK-4e2nljO7jNaKPg7PaPw9Mtqk2-BhVMo8vncPb1rkWO-X99LpBNFcIUt5vUL69pobgqkKwRHa9kJ8-dplXStE7iF_k-rBh6UuU/s1600/IMG_9338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfNQhyFZ1zIfUgeo5uUlKgu4AsZ_q1SaSojsQGXXksK-4e2nljO7jNaKPg7PaPw9Mtqk2-BhVMo8vncPb1rkWO-X99LpBNFcIUt5vUL69pobgqkKwRHa9kJ8-dplXStE7iF_k-rBh6UuU/s320/IMG_9338.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Steve, Bob and the kids</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwjYJOj4fu6n223RYDApgst89ujOUekRWOoeyp5-3WblXpKTJvAuPIOEMxjP7oE1WMfNAF4QYcIVOStgeWMM94Zaa87_xFnGGdPeWZcpfScN1Nxk39vVT7Qy-COxGcSTDdun8S9HZUCva/s1600/OAR_2013bookdispositary04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwjYJOj4fu6n223RYDApgst89ujOUekRWOoeyp5-3WblXpKTJvAuPIOEMxjP7oE1WMfNAF4QYcIVOStgeWMM94Zaa87_xFnGGdPeWZcpfScN1Nxk39vVT7Qy-COxGcSTDdun8S9HZUCva/s320/OAR_2013bookdispositary04.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Why didn't this shot win the Acorn contest?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Bob and Steve drove us pack to our car and we then
caravaned over to eat lunch at Snuffer’s in Prestonwood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original Snuffers over on
Greenville Avenue next to the Granada Theater had been torn down and was
getting rebuilt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snuffer’s had been
a college hangout and a location in several student films, as was the theater
next door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have great fried
mushrooms and burgers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After lunch
I wanted to get a photo of the kids and I at our alma mater, SMU and so we
drove to campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Saturday
in early August so it was fairly quiet and we were able to park near Owens Fine Arts Building where the three of us had spent most of our time making films
and TV shows and editing all night long in the basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked around the arts center, which
has been expanded and renovated over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They added the Greer Garson Theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film and television department
moved out to another building and so the old television studio, which was
originally supposed to be a dance studio when they built the building back in
the 1960’s reverted back to just that – a dance studio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went inside to see the old
hangout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was both joyful and
sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinfHnbLeXvxvT8By5zflEIlccevfxIoMH7NRWqLC0lK6s3CbuypIKZMcQcJTdjDwYWakhy7AnV6rc1iH6lQoVxATZ-vuA_mA8XoPtt9ETlvCBxFgPG5pIXZ6XlQwT8j6NXN4-DTdrSXHF/s1600/IMG_9317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinfHnbLeXvxvT8By5zflEIlccevfxIoMH7NRWqLC0lK6s3CbuypIKZMcQcJTdjDwYWakhy7AnV6rc1iH6lQoVxATZ-vuA_mA8XoPtt9ETlvCBxFgPG5pIXZ6XlQwT8j6NXN4-DTdrSXHF/s320/IMG_9317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three amigos at what was the old SMU TV studio.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZhxksTBV5oRG3kQSsiQknFzIMe1HFy5BZhzWR2gFxaONlmJGrVgBAB5OxbXsTMDAc64Acbp4M3Z8SmjNF1D5mNH5ViUmPPEBC4jBQ70cVXhKXw9Kfkrx6wOObKPj5SnO1l7YTqG2vfum/s1600/IMG_9318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZhxksTBV5oRG3kQSsiQknFzIMe1HFy5BZhzWR2gFxaONlmJGrVgBAB5OxbXsTMDAc64Acbp4M3Z8SmjNF1D5mNH5ViUmPPEBC4jBQ70cVXhKXw9Kfkrx6wOObKPj5SnO1l7YTqG2vfum/s320/IMG_9318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Showing off the alma mater</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjcZ2K-IeYGTUWCLfcmf10kLO97o3uGq8oNm_3R1BAibtZn-P6s9Z1aUFzaHXvV1QRsdylxnmPD0C9_6RBdoEPzZlNu0JuTDfPC4F8QwCqvABrPLPsw-0pWBIytQg_Or-L2h2n-pesbsq/s1600/IMG_9337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjcZ2K-IeYGTUWCLfcmf10kLO97o3uGq8oNm_3R1BAibtZn-P6s9Z1aUFzaHXvV1QRsdylxnmPD0C9_6RBdoEPzZlNu0JuTDfPC4F8QwCqvABrPLPsw-0pWBIytQg_Or-L2h2n-pesbsq/s320/IMG_9337.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old equipment room - what do you mean the CP is checked out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">After getting some photos in front of the SMU main sign,
with Dallas Hall in the background, Bob had to get home to take his daughter
kayaking and we had to go meet Kevin, Kim and the cousins in Allen so the
reunion had to end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed
north to have dinner with the Brooks clan so the kids could see their cousins
one more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqvixb4DCQzHsq01VLagy1zRn9BGmVO90EmrTdlXcQLPY5MeQmeNSlZj7-k6bm2c-sD1bCtqBlRPsiQLR-iDt6X5kbeTXAHPo_x3EjmollF9WfFI8FF2aaTdD9aFS3Ml1gUnZHEVWFaLX/s1600/IMG_9321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqvixb4DCQzHsq01VLagy1zRn9BGmVO90EmrTdlXcQLPY5MeQmeNSlZj7-k6bm2c-sD1bCtqBlRPsiQLR-iDt6X5kbeTXAHPo_x3EjmollF9WfFI8FF2aaTdD9aFS3Ml1gUnZHEVWFaLX/s320/IMG_9321.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future SMUers?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We headed
back to Winnsboro late after a long day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We all got to do something we liked and the kids got to see where Dad
spent four crazy years way back when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d say I’d like my kids to go to my alma mater but it’s way too
expensive now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We spent Sunday getting packed and buying supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would leave early Monday so we could
get to NASA’s Space Center Houston with enough time to see everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here we go – the last leg begins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: A tour of East Texas, NASA and Galveston
Island)</span></b></span></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-75337144657815474842013-10-04T21:24:00.000-07:002013-10-04T21:28:41.154-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Nine<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>To understand the
world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">William
Faulkner</span></span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZGkurEkq-GNfL-I8u2XEyL7opydoYYcLB2EAZtRanwOpB-BUTQPonjBpRpVIFDXGy68jjmC5hkRQko4sRRM_EJWXXsTBXOa4NdQ_Vk42D2hDaCkJipD_6BmULROxE83GC9N_dnFL60YZ/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-10-04+at+6.20.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZGkurEkq-GNfL-I8u2XEyL7opydoYYcLB2EAZtRanwOpB-BUTQPonjBpRpVIFDXGy68jjmC5hkRQko4sRRM_EJWXXsTBXOa4NdQ_Vk42D2hDaCkJipD_6BmULROxE83GC9N_dnFL60YZ/s320/Screen+shot+2013-10-04+at+6.20.43+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mississippi
beckoned us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to trek
east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To Collins and the heart of
the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Home to the Brooks, Norris,
Smith and McCarty clans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where
Gertrude Smith once colored the world with creativity from her Red Barn
Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And where catfish go to
camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin (remember, Johanna’s
brother and fellow kid-wrangler) and I had decided to caravan to Mississippi
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their driving route from
Allen skimmed by Winnsboro so we decided to meet up at the McDonald’s in <a href="http://mineola.com/" target="_blank">Mineola</a>,
about 35 minutes south of my sister’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would then drive east on I20 to Jackson where Hwy49 takes
you straight into Collins.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When we hooked
up with the Brooks bunch the kids were excited to see their cousins again as
they get along great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv-sSbwp9VbAcDzIyLqsDCmNG7qpi_yy5xBYBIjHcAr9tnH3gJJVAYmY32PtNvhR1BjH3sAKipZlvVpHV4oGbQg7vNzz9kceT0q0BjG-0kigDbj2agpfxihuFpErfbeECKmd4X8jGxxK4/s1600/IMG_8658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinv-sSbwp9VbAcDzIyLqsDCmNG7qpi_yy5xBYBIjHcAr9tnH3gJJVAYmY32PtNvhR1BjH3sAKipZlvVpHV4oGbQg7vNzz9kceT0q0BjG-0kigDbj2agpfxihuFpErfbeECKmd4X8jGxxK4/s320/IMG_8658.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You come here, often?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> After a
couple of stoppages on I20 due to accident/roadwork we decided to stop for
lunch in Shreveport instead of Monroe as planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always an experience taking any kids into a <a href="http://www.crackerbarrel.com/" target="_blank">Cracker Barrel</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t know what
that is – it’s a restaurant chain that specializes in southern cooking,
offering great breakfast meals as well as lunch and dinner dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The founders were smart to build a
store full of stuff kids and women love to buy between the front door and where
you get seated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s especially
hard when you have to wait for a table, as we had to do, as all those toys,
clothes, hats, trinkets and funny slogans on a variety of stuff beckon like a
siren’s cry: “Buy me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buy me. You
need me. You REALLY need me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t
listen to your father, what does he know.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, outside each Cracker Barrel, you’ll find rows and
rows of rocking chairs (also for sale) and enlarged checkerboards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We retreated quickly outside until our
table was ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always
wondered if anyone actually buys those rocking chairs.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF42JsmftZBi_Ns0tHEams8yxgqBMn-bfeHjaI3rkodjxzuoyzSfGIUDYMmIMXJSBsEacvu9ag6t7NqQgfGJMccclI8kq5hG-VFCsXLAZIjnf32SxDT3jgPhhPxc11mAnRhvJNZ_glyaj/s1600/Cracker-Barrel-Front-Porch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF42JsmftZBi_Ns0tHEams8yxgqBMn-bfeHjaI3rkodjxzuoyzSfGIUDYMmIMXJSBsEacvu9ag6t7NqQgfGJMccclI8kq5hG-VFCsXLAZIjnf32SxDT3jgPhhPxc11mAnRhvJNZ_glyaj/s320/Cracker-Barrel-Front-Porch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cracker Barrel Front Porch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwftlvMQ81A685xKJKduNH7ecQTxf31yEetCiwVBuI8eVOI7pWDsFKk4WuijDIpKi2hejzlk3gOe62hdLgh_poZBDbInbGyGXo9VKckNQyXZWh7CGbRPDI1iREI4M73EnoWjxALp5NJUN/s1600/IMG_8662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwftlvMQ81A685xKJKduNH7ecQTxf31yEetCiwVBuI8eVOI7pWDsFKk4WuijDIpKi2hejzlk3gOe62hdLgh_poZBDbInbGyGXo9VKckNQyXZWh7CGbRPDI1iREI4M73EnoWjxALp5NJUN/s320/IMG_8662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiB5vJgPt9u8LM_Lfxxqk6XiuPYMszzzIX4bBkmC9m7e-jp7GuRb4k2uA7ntNHmc8IQG3qvV7Fw_E4e4hoOnnTb8EQeZ915MwCs_1V03i6FJqLxwc0KZmqBoicn6k9g0ev80NK-UtQWZo/s1600/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguiB5vJgPt9u8LM_Lfxxqk6XiuPYMszzzIX4bBkmC9m7e-jp7GuRb4k2uA7ntNHmc8IQG3qvV7Fw_E4e4hoOnnTb8EQeZ915MwCs_1V03i6FJqLxwc0KZmqBoicn6k9g0ev80NK-UtQWZo/s320/l.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merchandise Madness</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Avery, Olivia
and I left Cracker Barrel before Kevin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It takes longer to get a 2 and 5 year-old strapped in than my kids who
can buckle themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This got us
ahead on the highway but I had to stop and get gas on the other side of Monroe
and then, of course, five minutes after that Avery decided he HAD to go to the
bathroom and so we had to stop again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjJfDktNvNdZk3e9GdsrKT1JOkibc81fDl1f7vjlPf3kzPlVUBMc1xixgwWeyRCPZXcNRLAImIbGKtzuAY4BmmpF7UG5qBQOOPNsvFPkiWoJEcx2fbVGjwvda8px0SX5yQluig6VneL_2/s1600/MississippiRiverSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjJfDktNvNdZk3e9GdsrKT1JOkibc81fDl1f7vjlPf3kzPlVUBMc1xixgwWeyRCPZXcNRLAImIbGKtzuAY4BmmpF7UG5qBQOOPNsvFPkiWoJEcx2fbVGjwvda8px0SX5yQluig6VneL_2/s320/MississippiRiverSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Kevin, with a larger gas tank, was able to steam ahead of us by about
fifteen minutes and got to <a href="http://www.cityofcollins.com/" target="_blank">Collins</a> first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We weren’t racing but there’s always that tiny bit of competitiveness
that’s in all of us so getting there that far behind was a bit
disappointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCXKf1AQ5B9JJHAcHOf7C9MeHd74qiVYyrKquHKRu381JBKgnDKOaZIZIxylwHHbWo9sPHo2dFa3BhtiSBcZpzTLJ7IWgU3BeSH3xmY6U8fL50Ztb7wwMyz3ZNonp0HozCXKdTIdlqN6H/s1600/CollinsSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCXKf1AQ5B9JJHAcHOf7C9MeHd74qiVYyrKquHKRu381JBKgnDKOaZIZIxylwHHbWo9sPHo2dFa3BhtiSBcZpzTLJ7IWgU3BeSH3xmY6U8fL50Ztb7wwMyz3ZNonp0HozCXKdTIdlqN6H/s320/CollinsSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAtKxvSVTVxgMU4LjNCIystpm1y5_9OX8sn8Ycr_TlEX-KcuyyYzgfd-IUtHIXWlc597di2nu-3fZqiz0Gjjo6k5ThUJMOuy3HD-J0_LOiQBlz6H-berAimAu_xAgPLZ-uis5G12D3RYb/s1600/IMG_8685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAtKxvSVTVxgMU4LjNCIystpm1y5_9OX8sn8Ycr_TlEX-KcuyyYzgfd-IUtHIXWlc597di2nu-3fZqiz0Gjjo6k5ThUJMOuy3HD-J0_LOiQBlz6H-berAimAu_xAgPLZ-uis5G12D3RYb/s1600/IMG_8685.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandparents, Grandkids and Me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wanda and Tom
Brooks, or Raymond as his family calls him, have a home on what is called
Baker’s Hill, the original property of Wanda’s now passed father Percy Smith,
who purchased the land after leaving Collins to go make money only to return to
his hometown to become a landowner. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He raised cattle and sold gravel but eventually opened up a
service station and café along Highway 49 that was adjacent to the land. When
alive he sold an acre or two to his daughters Annette, Antje and Wanda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The son, Wayne, is a story best told
another time, if at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
purposes of this story Wanda and Tom bought some acres on Baker’s Hill one
meadow over from their parents homestead and built a little house intended to be
a retirement cottage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a
2-story Victorian style home with the bottom half a garage and a two- bedroom,
kitchen, bath and small office upstairs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was designed to allow for either a renovation of the
garage into additional rooms or add on to the side if more space was needed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iWBJ71lCauL2LYYVhQa0JEE3cQLyhRZGDO7fYnnVIzPCab1IyZgXWTNxJfKH8JzfH_alnkkHh-MPFyKYty5sOdjiQRn1aNHsvCXiHhyJkYlzNzqKa8uIWzQBsmh2g3qLf-SXsbJMcRJq/s1600/IMG_8899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iWBJ71lCauL2LYYVhQa0JEE3cQLyhRZGDO7fYnnVIzPCab1IyZgXWTNxJfKH8JzfH_alnkkHh-MPFyKYty5sOdjiQRn1aNHsvCXiHhyJkYlzNzqKa8uIWzQBsmh2g3qLf-SXsbJMcRJq/s320/IMG_8899.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Barn Gallery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBRA-Xb9fflRhy8bfHt-OrcdSLlJ8TQpUJONiK7TSGDMlyU7b7XHC7NAzv2d6UBrmlR9TxkSHyAlBXB8DxNZQPukkBvNtWF7dKiAPRRjFCFshWpJRb5TYUMzmADlUaUYZCJ-bYrA3xu6z/s1600/IMG_8911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBRA-Xb9fflRhy8bfHt-OrcdSLlJ8TQpUJONiK7TSGDMlyU7b7XHC7NAzv2d6UBrmlR9TxkSHyAlBXB8DxNZQPukkBvNtWF7dKiAPRRjFCFshWpJRb5TYUMzmADlUaUYZCJ-bYrA3xu6z/s320/IMG_8911.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Brooks House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82hj8SFPpyYSZXua2yNoQApu0_W5KxNw100rEQLTfPEQqUnRjncDfPEcisTt4E1jwV3iOv9syWvjcbjKoj5Khz4fdMiYq_vC28fwjG7D7RliDn15GZiJL7zW01bHQI3jUej4lnd07Qrh2/s1600/IMG_8921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82hj8SFPpyYSZXua2yNoQApu0_W5KxNw100rEQLTfPEQqUnRjncDfPEcisTt4E1jwV3iOv9syWvjcbjKoj5Khz4fdMiYq_vC28fwjG7D7RliDn15GZiJL7zW01bHQI3jUej4lnd07Qrh2/s320/IMG_8921.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A long way from home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The small quarters, as it was, posed
a problem when the gang of grandkids, plus two dads showed up because of the
limited sleeping accommodations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After careful negotiation (not really) Avery and I got the master
bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin and Cooper got the
other bedroom and the girls and Grandparents got the living room sofa and air
mattress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery and I lucked out
but we weren’t complaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
only for three nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My
mother-in-law plays the part of Southern matriarch very well, even though she’s
lived most of her life outside of Mississippi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mother, Miss Gertrude, was a stately Southern woman who
always made sure everyone was well fed and comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recall the first time I met her – my
first trip to the Magnolia State after Johanna and I got engaged – we arrived
at breakfast time as we had driven all night from Texas (something we became
fond of doing – if you know the topography along the route you’d understand).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She prepared a large Southern
breakfast, complete with eggs, sausage, grits, biscuits and gravy and probably
more, I can’t recall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do
remember that the food kept coming and not wanting to seem disrespectful I kept
eating even when my stomach said otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I literally could feel the food itching up my throat because
it had no other place to go. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wanda
kept the tradition her mother set and always cooks up great meals that always
makes you feel at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mVYKj_NNxF-dVWpTDaxmn1ZncKrBym24K_-99OZ9gbnRlueTeVcHP6ffjJvoJAAeB7MuSR7AATmp_LrOHNUCEnF_s18ieJk1Ag0_43vrLJl2O4ODEOCLnmnXb_IGbnSvAN_lyqCx7-li/s1600/Wanda%2526Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mVYKj_NNxF-dVWpTDaxmn1ZncKrBym24K_-99OZ9gbnRlueTeVcHP6ffjJvoJAAeB7MuSR7AATmp_LrOHNUCEnF_s18ieJk1Ag0_43vrLJl2O4ODEOCLnmnXb_IGbnSvAN_lyqCx7-li/s320/Wanda%2526Kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wanda and her grandbabies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thomas or Tom
or Raymond or TRB or Poppa was career Army who worked himself all the way to
Command Sergeant Major of the Recruiting Brigade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though he retired several years ago he keeps close to
the Army, having worked in a civilian capacity for many years since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He currently is ending a stint for a
contractor at <a href="http://www.gordon.army.mil/" target="_blank">Ft. Gordon</a>, Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC9OWZe3DoAi9pEyid6gLyK9Db7Zn_ZEjrSXpXnQCIvEICwKkfF1zmej4zYsRRTwWWZrCucYTEBeBEvAkt2vCqTI6hijfLDTDh9QyKAwnk5Ct9VvRD5m4BhcN6NrZQ2m9S51dIJtbJZaT/s1600/IMG_8705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC9OWZe3DoAi9pEyid6gLyK9Db7Zn_ZEjrSXpXnQCIvEICwKkfF1zmej4zYsRRTwWWZrCucYTEBeBEvAkt2vCqTI6hijfLDTDh9QyKAwnk5Ct9VvRD5m4BhcN6NrZQ2m9S51dIJtbJZaT/s320/IMG_8705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sure Poppa, whatever you say."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve been reading the previous entries you know he is a Vietnam
veteran and the kids visited Ft. Sill where he trained before going overseas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They presented him with the beer stein
we got while visiting Ft. Sill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kids were excited to give it to him and I think he knows its
significance.</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvELWFHU_nfvMg_E_QbHm_yERbWKmpLUTOavSvfkG3fgbiNjw2-2mBZx5XBHWxkj2e6eiFDLKmolFUO-KRTEduMY__B_rfo5dOaJNDRqC6bunPbpAfGKTvWo_YxM-1sHdj4Mt_W-TTGMTl/s1600/IMG_8692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvELWFHU_nfvMg_E_QbHm_yERbWKmpLUTOavSvfkG3fgbiNjw2-2mBZx5XBHWxkj2e6eiFDLKmolFUO-KRTEduMY__B_rfo5dOaJNDRqC6bunPbpAfGKTvWo_YxM-1sHdj4Mt_W-TTGMTl/s320/IMG_8692.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ft. Sill beer stein filled with love.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The tight
living conditions in the house with four crazy kids warranted a lot of outings/activities
with some that did not require paternal supervision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dads needed a respite but that had to wait because the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> kids got up early and were itching to do something. </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first
involved Wanda’s red scooter that she purchased to be able to get around to her
sister’s houses while in Mississippi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kids all wanted rides, even while still in their bed clothes and I think Avery most of all as he likes all
things with wheels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all took
turns on the scooter with Kevin the designated driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All except Olivia who was brave enough
to sit on the scooter when parked but not so much in motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER8g0YsMbyKThVi3lTaM5FOjWorUTx9hBZIKNa26ZQazcOQcEVtHWBFqZeMwsl_NTzYQlF7_T2vSCvjMI5r6jebj1-e8HgVU2oVO4LWwMGOyp5hNUoWSqVMP10W_nDXleLZ0y-Tfbns1T/s1600/IMG_8688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER8g0YsMbyKThVi3lTaM5FOjWorUTx9hBZIKNa26ZQazcOQcEVtHWBFqZeMwsl_NTzYQlF7_T2vSCvjMI5r6jebj1-e8HgVU2oVO4LWwMGOyp5hNUoWSqVMP10W_nDXleLZ0y-Tfbns1T/s320/IMG_8688.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley & Avery Waiting for Uncle Kevin and the scooter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8x7EqhsE8KJnS5xNYovvLOk3xWE76qqUzJDZYXPsZCCzOQAb6MPcM5dDngmeRDZKIrEaNt8qDjVnvrdbAVqoYq4AvO8cyG9UnJf0fr4dMJPAkZKfdEuSC5fEfnw18rJu7PS0aBQf-MI-/s1600/IMG_8701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8x7EqhsE8KJnS5xNYovvLOk3xWE76qqUzJDZYXPsZCCzOQAb6MPcM5dDngmeRDZKIrEaNt8qDjVnvrdbAVqoYq4AvO8cyG9UnJf0fr4dMJPAkZKfdEuSC5fEfnw18rJu7PS0aBQf-MI-/s320/IMG_8701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Born to be wild</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ44-8jD9NNi1KJWYrdeJlGo7LxOfTOiwcg6ELMFIsGiJkU079OHNuhvj1iF3IFNKtqKqESvssrYFaqOgwjuAhlfizYGGvAL4Nwvnsgf-VE7V9bub37TifupbTcw0_1FiaI08eq3kPQJJ/s1600/IMG_8710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ44-8jD9NNi1KJWYrdeJlGo7LxOfTOiwcg6ELMFIsGiJkU079OHNuhvj1iF3IFNKtqKqESvssrYFaqOgwjuAhlfizYGGvAL4Nwvnsgf-VE7V9bub37TifupbTcw0_1FiaI08eq3kPQJJ/s320/IMG_8710.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, it's a mini Cooper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJS5-zEofqi8AXHwKavYz-2WnB36_H7rUL6-dinWIecNMZJmyfPsOED6SBPH0tfm6k4eYCvpdCi6YGCV_3sow1OWrmX8hEjmCRy3ZqjAE4LTuOvNTZPsvBK7qW_6XJm4V0bxW6wynHks9/s1600/IMG_8818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJS5-zEofqi8AXHwKavYz-2WnB36_H7rUL6-dinWIecNMZJmyfPsOED6SBPH0tfm6k4eYCvpdCi6YGCV_3sow1OWrmX8hEjmCRy3ZqjAE4LTuOvNTZPsvBK7qW_6XJm4V0bxW6wynHks9/s320/IMG_8818.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you turn it on you'd go a lot faster, Olivia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The main outing planned for Friday was the water park on Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.grandparadisewaterpark.com/" target="_blank">Grand Paradise</a> happened to be next
door, built by a friend of the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was on par with a Hurricane Harbor, though maybe a bit smaller but a
place all the kids were eager to visit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nana, Kevin and I drove the half-mile next door and got there
close to opening at 10am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsMZe0VsKsNHAr8F0rRTy8CvCNbn45yPGTKQeAz2Pc8Ybo3JDoTKdD4hq9em8nOuaFpml3y_DSXFJWDEsjG8285KNQzeCF0EILE3K3ESFJtUExBkm_nxONLWGEOHRrfEXjcKHozE3X_Zp/s1600/IMG_8730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsMZe0VsKsNHAr8F0rRTy8CvCNbn45yPGTKQeAz2Pc8Ybo3JDoTKdD4hq9em8nOuaFpml3y_DSXFJWDEsjG8285KNQzeCF0EILE3K3ESFJtUExBkm_nxONLWGEOHRrfEXjcKHozE3X_Zp/s320/IMG_8730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In line at Grand Paradise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Grand
Paradise wasn’t cheap but since it was all on Nana I kept very quiet, but I
hope she knows we are very grateful. The park had four large water slides, two
of which the five-year olds could go on, a lazy river that drifts around the
park and in the middle a younger kid-friendly play area with easier slides and
a large bucket that periodically would fill up and then tip over dumping large
amounts of water on those below. Oh, what fun. </span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtj97VfwA2sUkxUkv9CGcqhGI4hJ_MBqBYN_02ZNPL2CDN2HtIcbK2j6DY4KzKA89dtbOdXe8rWQ1hCrOY30tg-Un76O9BNoje9G4wW4kGCQx1vJw0rnnfr4CNAAPkVjIN2WGOdgYpX7dj/s1600/GrandParadiseSpillSplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtj97VfwA2sUkxUkv9CGcqhGI4hJ_MBqBYN_02ZNPL2CDN2HtIcbK2j6DY4KzKA89dtbOdXe8rWQ1hCrOY30tg-Un76O9BNoje9G4wW4kGCQx1vJw0rnnfr4CNAAPkVjIN2WGOdgYpX7dj/s320/GrandParadiseSpillSplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DbZvdFVi4Iy7YNouSNInVM-3sg7vGx2IOSD-_yGfdfZvwczhog2ywtwk0imJfphPhadr77h7jbuJgpNOihvs5krdy9j6bdwVhCNbGdkblLyoNtFZWtEgovbQPGqyeEe99p7zX3bHZH3a/s1600/IMG_8737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DbZvdFVi4Iy7YNouSNInVM-3sg7vGx2IOSD-_yGfdfZvwczhog2ywtwk0imJfphPhadr77h7jbuJgpNOihvs5krdy9j6bdwVhCNbGdkblLyoNtFZWtEgovbQPGqyeEe99p7zX3bHZH3a/s320/IMG_8737.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdej22ijAfW0DOR28gJzH5HmbLLkDLkccc8Ym78PEKU0rfFCEXlvLq8kGJtroEqWktiPRZiiDy5E37WoSuFt7I-EIs95wA34s_YNq90cTQOUvCDmWqgexeLcr6mn_LEiatG3HrVhnlY1b3/s1600/IMG_8740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdej22ijAfW0DOR28gJzH5HmbLLkDLkccc8Ym78PEKU0rfFCEXlvLq8kGJtroEqWktiPRZiiDy5E37WoSuFt7I-EIs95wA34s_YNq90cTQOUvCDmWqgexeLcr6mn_LEiatG3HrVhnlY1b3/s320/IMG_8740.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There was also a separate area –
a large gradated pool with several easy slides that sat up a slight hill and
which was separated by a very hot concrete walkway. I pretty much stayed with
Avery, Kevin with Cooper and Nana with the girls but when Avery and Ashley
wanted to go on the big slides Kevin and I would accompany them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These kinds of rides are both joyful
and scary for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy the
actual inertia thrill but there’s always a bit of fear of getting hurt, which I
did happen so I’m not paranoid - I got a few leg burns and my privates got an
unexpected jolt that was not that pleasing, I should say.</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QqKjAgv1PGQoOlG2hTlmWOweiAQIdeCy5LjUrIN306FUUMFlAMzx-h03gRKNmVh8MRq94h6w_gCARAbjXMEtXgla5AgZWojXAOcW56W9Ke6H-wPJ1F2fkDfYKByWsC2iv1Mx93OELX0v/s1600/IMG_8748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QqKjAgv1PGQoOlG2hTlmWOweiAQIdeCy5LjUrIN306FUUMFlAMzx-h03gRKNmVh8MRq94h6w_gCARAbjXMEtXgla5AgZWojXAOcW56W9Ke6H-wPJ1F2fkDfYKByWsC2iv1Mx93OELX0v/s320/IMG_8748.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley & Olivia water maidens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemc6_K735uMOcclIvph8fwlCVH_yTVDFFV__CwVZG-Yx84Or3He3W9Jd-wRTRJapeJXVaXLWpKoMxBzP2faP4VyuzlpV8BUcFixqyIc8qqn-YI3cxJey4g-yf_Buaw4OoAZQF4Zd3q_uo/s1600/IMG_8750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemc6_K735uMOcclIvph8fwlCVH_yTVDFFV__CwVZG-Yx84Or3He3W9Jd-wRTRJapeJXVaXLWpKoMxBzP2faP4VyuzlpV8BUcFixqyIc8qqn-YI3cxJey4g-yf_Buaw4OoAZQF4Zd3q_uo/s320/IMG_8750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery gets daring</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnmN6wOTx69yzFCPXchAEipIQItW0KaeWWkF-_gMC2MkQApNsIlyXwN94P0e8dsj0UvVCHl_FcCu0hoz2As2s7ru48pIoWKwlazfA_OYcs_h_tZKe3pXJ5-p3-SPsspNYGEMuGBeKunQV/s1600/IMG_8753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnmN6wOTx69yzFCPXchAEipIQItW0KaeWWkF-_gMC2MkQApNsIlyXwN94P0e8dsj0UvVCHl_FcCu0hoz2As2s7ru48pIoWKwlazfA_OYcs_h_tZKe3pXJ5-p3-SPsspNYGEMuGBeKunQV/s320/IMG_8753.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nana, Olivia and Ashely on the lazy river</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Avery was
reluctant at first to go on the big slide, but since no-fear Ashley was going
on it there was no way to avoid it - he couldn’t be showed up by a girl so he
manned up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t take long for
him to lose any fear and was hooked as soon as the mat slid down the
slide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This opened up Pandora’s
Box as he now became a water slide junkie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does have a need for speed. I bet he becomes a surfer or
Navy airman when he gets older.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia
was daring and tried one of the more scary slides the little ones weren’t
allowed on but she preferred floating down the lazy river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a scare while floating down the
river on a dual float with Avery as he nailed me in the face with his arm
knocking out one of the lenses to my glasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I thought it fell into the water, then, luckily, I
discovered it wedged between the float and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, I would have been one-eyed Rich for the rest of
the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJkmXv-7wd86rsQyMx-4KJCGpN0G-HzMyBwmyznYV_jn3pABZMhFhMuJYLz860OQBSEBJvCR5fleL7bunSg7w6i4SbzNBP7bmq7OSwHeHVgtGfbqc7tWJ8TJZf8NS4ADTd7I95G2MCR6f/s1600/IMG_8771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJkmXv-7wd86rsQyMx-4KJCGpN0G-HzMyBwmyznYV_jn3pABZMhFhMuJYLz860OQBSEBJvCR5fleL7bunSg7w6i4SbzNBP7bmq7OSwHeHVgtGfbqc7tWJ8TJZf8NS4ADTd7I95G2MCR6f/s320/IMG_8771.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6xv9E_R5RE6pJJqxG9aOYK__M4iX2hqYH089jF6wIkZyVbl5-UCAn6e6OggkgT45xoWQ896e4a8EdEO_wy4bBj-eRILjnz18DZK0TUFBG6HY6vsaEUYolkcfibUzfigaami-NlFxDSxS/s1600/IMG_8779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6xv9E_R5RE6pJJqxG9aOYK__M4iX2hqYH089jF6wIkZyVbl5-UCAn6e6OggkgT45xoWQ896e4a8EdEO_wy4bBj-eRILjnz18DZK0TUFBG6HY6vsaEUYolkcfibUzfigaami-NlFxDSxS/s320/IMG_8779.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a long way Dad...who do you think I am, Michael Phelps?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0sAyMcDjXrMC-rzwzQQOa28ntzBls1ky-pNufG-w3glr31NDgS_1r2B4Pm3p0FJ8yQn4tQf679RFci0K0uENryfMmTyvP8okqTryMlaXVHZ7PLB-TVGl1DBcw5KNhNmSOnrgVFrX7Qy_/s1600/IMG_8790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0sAyMcDjXrMC-rzwzQQOa28ntzBls1ky-pNufG-w3glr31NDgS_1r2B4Pm3p0FJ8yQn4tQf679RFci0K0uENryfMmTyvP8okqTryMlaXVHZ7PLB-TVGl1DBcw5KNhNmSOnrgVFrX7Qy_/s320/IMG_8790.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin and Ashley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrMGQzpO2tds3Ms8pKDafgjQyBCFSUEcHjlXxyCs-VjZXA_vxYueqJYTHeQ5DnkY9WxbvJSn7OLU0TKrQa6lq6KOHElIQKCb6sBtp3culDZwvnACWBPznwROoGVsnWqbyNLpVZL8706Cx/s1600/IMG_8795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrMGQzpO2tds3Ms8pKDafgjQyBCFSUEcHjlXxyCs-VjZXA_vxYueqJYTHeQ5DnkY9WxbvJSn7OLU0TKrQa6lq6KOHElIQKCb6sBtp3culDZwvnACWBPznwROoGVsnWqbyNLpVZL8706Cx/s320/IMG_8795.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yehawwww!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6c3pejms9T5sgLCuYwRMT7zkV9eUheeDuSxlVFwVNdGmmteSs3LfLPqgTLSoloZw_tI7ZyUD3hL050WFe6xdIVNjRtBYlex2SEmZ-UrAJN_TR4hbJpuvtdRhVfpyx0DmVCueiBEHZKSs7/s1600/IMG_8811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6c3pejms9T5sgLCuYwRMT7zkV9eUheeDuSxlVFwVNdGmmteSs3LfLPqgTLSoloZw_tI7ZyUD3hL050WFe6xdIVNjRtBYlex2SEmZ-UrAJN_TR4hbJpuvtdRhVfpyx0DmVCueiBEHZKSs7/s320/IMG_8811.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the kids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We decided to
go back to the house for lunch and forego the overpriced food they sold at the
concessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our day pass allowed
us to exit and return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also
gave the kids some rest time out of the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We returned to close the place down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See an aerial view of the park <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6OOC5HBoNg" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b> <b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When we
returned to the house we found out that Poppa had a stressful day due to a
large gust of wind that blew the glass deck table over, smashing it into a zillion
pieces, which then had to be swept up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He also couldn’t get the engine to their VW bug to turn over and I think
there was something else that went awry as well, but I can’t recall exactly
what that was but according to Tom it was a pain in the butt.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsHMJxPf2j6YcCl-m5OF57GuZICA2yzIFDBgXCAHeLG8XX68z1qZfLI3t5eqA1wRXsmqX0aRCFgGorJd8wskHMpSVslq-PoaCSkWBp3lUPBkC7hGERR51TbDMOs281mO-9seKK0PtPuDH/s1600/IMG_8721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrsHMJxPf2j6YcCl-m5OF57GuZICA2yzIFDBgXCAHeLG8XX68z1qZfLI3t5eqA1wRXsmqX0aRCFgGorJd8wskHMpSVslq-PoaCSkWBp3lUPBkC7hGERR51TbDMOs281mO-9seKK0PtPuDH/s320/IMG_8721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, look, I'm in a bug<b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;">Once we had
dinner and cleaned ourselves up after a day in chlorine we all ventured over to
Annette’s house, Wanda’s sister and a retired schoolteacher. She invited us over for watermelon and
though we were tired it was the only time we would be able to see family. Annette only lived a few miles from Tom
and Wanda’s house in a nice wooded area.
Not only were we able to see Annette and her husband Bob, but her sons,
and Johanna’s cousins, Shane and Dennis Thorton, along with Shane’s wife Kathy
and Dennis’ 5 year-old daughter Emily.
Also, there was Annette's other son Brian's son Jacob. who is in his early 20's. We gorged on watermelon and visited for a while but then it
was back to the house to get the kids to bed…always an interesting prospect.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
<b></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoiO-5kHsXlKctTHVpjjFdKvNsfhmxzBgTnhLsUTAtg22URiwcWIy-dxVRxD6KE3DRlFQmSS5Tpx_8W4U0HBJGME3RMGXquwzI0m5x17q3kJpylEEaSJWd_1YIBcfTt9ysujQ0-tTa3OR/s1600/IMG_8824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoiO-5kHsXlKctTHVpjjFdKvNsfhmxzBgTnhLsUTAtg22URiwcWIy-dxVRxD6KE3DRlFQmSS5Tpx_8W4U0HBJGME3RMGXquwzI0m5x17q3kJpylEEaSJWd_1YIBcfTt9ysujQ0-tTa3OR/s320/IMG_8824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousins at Annette's house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICx0CQc6Gwxp9r9PPt_F5PfsK6XGJkTXpSDnxFmgWs_FSgQRHvVsCUry26r0PyekEKHKHvYkdLMmE4be35bX72d_k1MJqbPTNjbkePt_uWprKbB2buUkmaQXlVjitWI1WNTj324BII2DN/s1600/IMG_8832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICx0CQc6Gwxp9r9PPt_F5PfsK6XGJkTXpSDnxFmgWs_FSgQRHvVsCUry26r0PyekEKHKHvYkdLMmE4be35bX72d_k1MJqbPTNjbkePt_uWprKbB2buUkmaQXlVjitWI1WNTj324BII2DN/s320/IMG_8832.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't mind if I do.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTVxQQZW6xMwzy9bxEdBUBiFrdqYReO3e2VXX_OVAkHLF19WGvDQgspisFHOnLetio40ldJGjoarUdOZJRCdPnEeEO7Xo-eGU-pbHp0n7hSANkthHBQ4GvnqWH_Hr0o6foAo2QAkQsEQp/s1600/IMG_8826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTVxQQZW6xMwzy9bxEdBUBiFrdqYReO3e2VXX_OVAkHLF19WGvDQgspisFHOnLetio40ldJGjoarUdOZJRCdPnEeEO7Xo-eGU-pbHp0n7hSANkthHBQ4GvnqWH_Hr0o6foAo2QAkQsEQp/s320/IMG_8826.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mississippi tradition...yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFM11hJrBawgvvtET9RRBpeq0fEkY3mEiJnF3jkieFYMnchGLXkQBphbkOoae9mrf7CG5Ck5boZI598B7-2t0ryTAEVST-P-od92yTeu2gj-qIypS9FUVFfj0oC60fvpZ5p9bhm4K98Aot/s1600/IMG_8853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFM11hJrBawgvvtET9RRBpeq0fEkY3mEiJnF3jkieFYMnchGLXkQBphbkOoae9mrf7CG5Ck5boZI598B7-2t0ryTAEVST-P-od92yTeu2gj-qIypS9FUVFfj0oC60fvpZ5p9bhm4K98Aot/s320/IMG_8853.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since Kevin
and the kids and Wanda were leaving Sunday morning, Saturday became the only
day the men could get in a round of golf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tom had called his brother Billy, who now is an avid golfer, to arrange
a meet up in the morning at the local course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both Tom and Billy got hooked on golf when I left my clubs
in Tom’s possession when Johanna and I moved to Manhattan right after we got
married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think I’d play
much in the city and they would have taken up space in our tiny apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Kevin, Tom, Billy and I attempted
golf Wanda took the kids to the movies in Hattiesburg, a good 30 minutes from
Collins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They ended up seeing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-L5bzwdpVI" target="_blank">Turbo</a>. </span>Wanda’s sister Annette
was supposed to go along with her, but that didn’t happen for some reason. A
storm had blown through during the night and it looked like it was going to
rain again, but I had only played golf a few times since leaving Dallas for New
York so I was eager to play and a little rain wasn’t going to stop me – the
others agreed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got in 18 and it
only rained on us for a few holes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was definitely rusty and even though I hit some nice drives my golf
draught really showed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as they
say, any day you play golf is a good day.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once we
finished our round we returned to the house to get cleaned up and east some
lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin really wanted to have
an early dinner at a Mississippi staple, the fish camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He arranged with Wanda to meet us at
<a href="http://macksontheriver.com/" target="_blank">Mack’s On The River</a>, which was off Hwy 49 on the north side of
Hattiesburg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started raining a lot more heavily and
we got into a traffic jam on the way down – it seems a semi was on its side in
the medium and they were trying to get it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way back we would go the back way and avoid the back
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mack’s is on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouie_River" target="_blank">Bouie River</a>
and is a lot larger than the typical fish camp, which is usually just a
hole-in-the-wall where you get a lot of fried catfish and maybe some slaw,
beans, and okra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This joint was far
more touristy, with a big seafood buffet full of all kinds of fish, shrimp and
fixins’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia loved the shrimp
and Avery had a big bowl of macaroni.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stuck to the basics. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JYj4st5q7vIOi9N3mJuuQLtolX5h0iNIXnafBw5_H2CfKPVfiT0l4u5VLke72JCPvmLNQnA1bTziIAwGi7jtWseHVqhjbJuNVgelCOOFwrc-WnnB_QItPJJMlV-TcP_4nu8wrXb0JuOv/s1600/IMG_8834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JYj4st5q7vIOi9N3mJuuQLtolX5h0iNIXnafBw5_H2CfKPVfiT0l4u5VLke72JCPvmLNQnA1bTziIAwGi7jtWseHVqhjbJuNVgelCOOFwrc-WnnB_QItPJJMlV-TcP_4nu8wrXb0JuOv/s320/IMG_8834.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia fills her plate up at Mack's</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We ventured
back home during a deluge but once back the rain subsided and the kids were
able to engage in some activities, those of which their momma would not immediately
approve of, I don’t think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she
wasn’t there so…</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmTd9vLIxSiaZGa_HOUkLO8W1yjaM3By3q_3eP2EeGRYY7cY4coiY0Y8hc3uKzQUhOPdtnCmGqVjUpci4x24TEn36A53Fcx4mqApdazCnGNMHMFpce30hPYPm3t-I8aTL5Toqki2ZrLR3/s1600/IMG_8838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmTd9vLIxSiaZGa_HOUkLO8W1yjaM3By3q_3eP2EeGRYY7cY4coiY0Y8hc3uKzQUhOPdtnCmGqVjUpci4x24TEn36A53Fcx4mqApdazCnGNMHMFpce30hPYPm3t-I8aTL5Toqki2ZrLR3/s320/IMG_8838.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawkeye Burlingham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal;">Bored kids are never very appealing and so we tried to come up with things to keep them entertained. Kevin asked
his Dad about the whereabouts of a BB gun within earshot of Avery. Well, if you mention “gun” in front of
Avery he gets all excited, to his mom’s lament. Of course, he was all over getting his Poppa to get out the
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppOXpyhM2wA" target="_blank">BB gun</a>, which he did and that was enough for another hour of entertainment
until dark. We set up a makeshift
target and Avery took lessons from his uncle. He and Ashley took turns hitting the target. Then Avery got daring and was able to
shoot down leaves off the tree…pretty good shot. </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TaP7JAc35FW5PWGwVL1Na386fzsjHraaaQs4HKLmUnPUmoRcHAvIcn38kzSbCwQQpL2mi-U3Bi3u1MclEy0V11JATIvrt9-yvae17rh4lU9iN5IZuKpyHlJISGwxQ7ieE03BR2wx92rt/s1600/IMG_8836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TaP7JAc35FW5PWGwVL1Na386fzsjHraaaQs4HKLmUnPUmoRcHAvIcn38kzSbCwQQpL2mi-U3Bi3u1MclEy0V11JATIvrt9-yvae17rh4lU9iN5IZuKpyHlJISGwxQ7ieE03BR2wx92rt/s320/IMG_8836.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annie Oakley takes aim</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIB2ziCwh0aGhxFIY5r9mf6vIgVeAw3zxxrca_Ad2vIsDJVmwRw2eEBZBcWaKI5ynD-i2Saj_qgmO-blPS0qL44nM5PpH_EOhOP19dPr8nYkayj0yD-x9aMkL2hkIupEyMs-olSvlhw5s/s1600/IMG_8844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIB2ziCwh0aGhxFIY5r9mf6vIgVeAw3zxxrca_Ad2vIsDJVmwRw2eEBZBcWaKI5ynD-i2Saj_qgmO-blPS0qL44nM5PpH_EOhOP19dPr8nYkayj0yD-x9aMkL2hkIupEyMs-olSvlhw5s/s320/IMG_8844.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia learns to shoot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal;">Avery also had fun with a toy bow and arrow set that Nana
bought while in <a href="http://www.hattiesburg.org/" target="_blank">Hattiesburg</a> - the kind with the suction cup arrows. He was told the only place he could
shoot was at the glass doors to the deck.
With the guns he got in Ft. Worth he could now play both sides of
cowboys and Indians. </span></b></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtWcuCEnh8jzMs_yhBL68r8XwxtphxeTG5sWyYBbVvsIq1bgJJPSJ1hJyuP7f8UW5Y4ZY1Q1XAgwmeyE_i0wWj42obJAHv0oPVgiJDuEqQo2RlWWTe9ly9qaiMSFrwxtvkKrfWx1ziLOj/s1600/IMG_8860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtWcuCEnh8jzMs_yhBL68r8XwxtphxeTG5sWyYBbVvsIq1bgJJPSJ1hJyuP7f8UW5Y4ZY1Q1XAgwmeyE_i0wWj42obJAHv0oPVgiJDuEqQo2RlWWTe9ly9qaiMSFrwxtvkKrfWx1ziLOj/s320/IMG_8860.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery of Nottingham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I think
everyone was wore out by the time the sun went down, though it took a while to
get the kids asleep but Pixar helped a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To infinity and beyond”=sleep. It had been a long day but
we all had our own fun.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWrjL-t228-X5htkMhc-BkIQoBh6vUY1HYoVY-ZBbLLddHDXLUgIeVJ4qgaO6iyYEhgzZyGXCrJ_LZG1H9E4yqL92kThbm1Ba8majA2XJMVqZZC5PLTf0GuiS8WUw4EjrEt55pODEDubN/s1600/IMG_8864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWrjL-t228-X5htkMhc-BkIQoBh6vUY1HYoVY-ZBbLLddHDXLUgIeVJ4qgaO6iyYEhgzZyGXCrJ_LZG1H9E4yqL92kThbm1Ba8majA2XJMVqZZC5PLTf0GuiS8WUw4EjrEt55pODEDubN/s320/IMG_8864.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look what you do Pixar...put kids to sleep. Thank you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On Sunday
Kevin and his kids were heading back to Texas and Wanda was taking a flight out
of Jackson to return to Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were staying over until Monday morning when Tom was leaving to drive
back to Georgia so it was mostly taking it easy. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1hbImRqavAA4zDUZHp117F-_-Du5kCoI17Tp13lttMmRDfaAeiZp_RN0pNj2s-IlDQ1FH9Hz7qFnVNFf2cYSP4mvjazXTL4vX7v3tiutM7XgWm8M49MdVpsPp-Tkb8ET-yGQ2Coti-E2/s1600/IMG_8884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1hbImRqavAA4zDUZHp117F-_-Du5kCoI17Tp13lttMmRDfaAeiZp_RN0pNj2s-IlDQ1FH9Hz7qFnVNFf2cYSP4mvjazXTL4vX7v3tiutM7XgWm8M49MdVpsPp-Tkb8ET-yGQ2Coti-E2/s320/IMG_8884.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooper the lounge monster.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJbRklJSE5aAOKJRrfvskvMRZ1Sd_NPnf1ExycbjY45enRkp9ml7WU5JBXSuI9WPvPIU-tvMhdxFQpmcChSXLr4sicIgkbFBo7_1U_ucW8zUNKlaC8czEWXlZY0D0JW8TJ9O9FmJgv0yg/s1600/IMG_8882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJbRklJSE5aAOKJRrfvskvMRZ1Sd_NPnf1ExycbjY45enRkp9ml7WU5JBXSuI9WPvPIU-tvMhdxFQpmcChSXLr4sicIgkbFBo7_1U_ucW8zUNKlaC8czEWXlZY0D0JW8TJ9O9FmJgv0yg/s320/IMG_8882.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artsy shot of Olivia and Ashley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlui9bM3_mtIKZmMc8_m7wIRW9MUYrr7-RY7rOI24cRy8yrzztYNq9oRtoTSRTuxNFyliIbWBuCAbBQq_51NtOOx9daR5m6ewvY-6l0TuzsnnwSF09PnsiPXz1zrGwsF9UryVqSwaafZ6/s1600/IMG_8694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlui9bM3_mtIKZmMc8_m7wIRW9MUYrr7-RY7rOI24cRy8yrzztYNq9oRtoTSRTuxNFyliIbWBuCAbBQq_51NtOOx9daR5m6ewvY-6l0TuzsnnwSF09PnsiPXz1zrGwsF9UryVqSwaafZ6/s320/IMG_8694.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shane, come back. Come back Sh...we mean, Dad, come back Dad.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Avery wanted some
more target practice so we got the BB gun out again to take some shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Cooper tried his luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But before</span> they packed up and headed
out Poppa had to dole out the Army shirts and, of course, the group photo with the grand kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uHVdnzLLM9kJ7b8PR7Jn9E5PAhXnLc21Vd_8VUz6IkIpthfh1mWX247k4xtTpEqzHhSKjnduZKVW6eQVkSVb7pjR0LpVEu7tGXPxKtWDVAuhn8dZTIsKzX_RWCYIgrskbm4Ut6xxApZU/s1600/IMG_8867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uHVdnzLLM9kJ7b8PR7Jn9E5PAhXnLc21Vd_8VUz6IkIpthfh1mWX247k4xtTpEqzHhSKjnduZKVW6eQVkSVb7pjR0LpVEu7tGXPxKtWDVAuhn8dZTIsKzX_RWCYIgrskbm4Ut6xxApZU/s320/IMG_8867.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AAOC Platoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSBtpNAvuDDXgHkl5yVku01yF1yxcpCZ5y0D2Zryk4qY1MEvGcKO9pagtY82NiOQxJ5e3Gh_0vtr2pqshM2am0Me2QJVwLiLua2U1uc6Gtr1RgpAdlDPSsCSSHVOxWrQNsIPhp9BzpgSX/s1600/IMG_8886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSBtpNAvuDDXgHkl5yVku01yF1yxcpCZ5y0D2Zryk4qY1MEvGcKO9pagtY82NiOQxJ5e3Gh_0vtr2pqshM2am0Me2QJVwLiLua2U1uc6Gtr1RgpAdlDPSsCSSHVOxWrQNsIPhp9BzpgSX/s320/IMG_8886.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nana, Poppa and the grandkids</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While Tom took Wanda to catch
her flight in Jackson the kids and I headed to the cemetery to see the graves
of Mamaw (Gertrude McCarty Smith) and Papaw (Percy Smith), their great
grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were given vague
directions so it took a while but we finally found the graves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery never knew them but Olivia had
fond memories of our trips here while we were helping Gertrude build her art
business: The Red Barn Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’re hoping to ship all her art out to California so we can help get it
all out into the world and make the world a better place.</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs_9uPGAHhYDK0ejzNWIlg8_a09FsCwmO5bPAg0AIJ9Kxaut88mEzJC5BKyFwmZDr3LiVSkx41sxr_S9gApI6Ferj6gWRy5dijVY87hvehyNaHj4O4syTa781DoUPgaKUDhx2OfhbLMzI/s1600/IMG_8892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs_9uPGAHhYDK0ejzNWIlg8_a09FsCwmO5bPAg0AIJ9Kxaut88mEzJC5BKyFwmZDr3LiVSkx41sxr_S9gApI6Ferj6gWRy5dijVY87hvehyNaHj4O4syTa781DoUPgaKUDhx2OfhbLMzI/s320/IMG_8892.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Percy and Gertrude Smith gravesite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once we got
back to the house Poppa took Avery out on the tractor before getting it ready
to place in the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO82sziOaKc02ue8aI2TJ-xlhTFGvMscxjG22bAKyZ_FqDA42oAcLz_nh7EQu9vIhgJrRnAsgBSxkphDgImFVJQddn3bC8dNTsBjydyCTviW59QqrrzUIdBIgQK7QfMXXWOUqUBBDBB_GR/s1600/IMG_8909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO82sziOaKc02ue8aI2TJ-xlhTFGvMscxjG22bAKyZ_FqDA42oAcLz_nh7EQu9vIhgJrRnAsgBSxkphDgImFVJQddn3bC8dNTsBjydyCTviW59QqrrzUIdBIgQK7QfMXXWOUqUBBDBB_GR/s320/IMG_8909.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Green Acres is the place to be..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dinner was
easy because Wanda had pre-made some spaghetti and meatballs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a pretty relaxed evening with
the house a lot quieter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Monday
we got up, cleaned up, packed up and got on the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to have enough time to stop by Ben Wheeler, Texas –
outside Tyler – to see an old friend and co-worker from my ad agency days who
had moved out there from Irving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
that’s for next time. The trip back was uneventful, which is a good thing sometimes.</span></b>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: Catching up with an old friend, August heat
and saying goodbye to Texas)</span></b></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-14509760326896479102013-09-19T22:54:00.002-07:002013-09-26T21:09:23.114-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America: Part Eight<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hello Muddah,<br />
Hello Fadduh.<br />
Here I am at<br />
Camp Granada.<br />
Camp is very entertaining.<br />
And they say we'll have some fun</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> if it stops raining</i>.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Allan Sherman & Lou
Busch</span></b></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsy2yQQRXcYGBB4EfTCUpXL96MQQGx3kbwpZcQpNCBkADgqaT8dxJIXnihbHjK9gB9HYlEVnLVr_zHNB-2aZj4cZobuCF9WkPglnj2O5n1jwfdNwAwl5Ax3xdZjQtRy6pv8QVMa1GyU0I_/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-09-19+at+5.12.35+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsy2yQQRXcYGBB4EfTCUpXL96MQQGx3kbwpZcQpNCBkADgqaT8dxJIXnihbHjK9gB9HYlEVnLVr_zHNB-2aZj4cZobuCF9WkPglnj2O5n1jwfdNwAwl5Ax3xdZjQtRy6pv8QVMa1GyU0I_/s320/Screen+shot+2013-09-19+at+5.12.35+PM.png" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span class="bodybold"></span></span></b></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Winnsboro is in East Texas, two hours
from Dallas but with a totally different topography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you hit Sulphur Springs the Great Plains fall away and
a hilly terrain full of trees takes over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides the ponderosa pine forests around the rim of the Grand Canyon
and the pines around Colorado Springs our trip up to that point had only taken
us through rocky mountainous or desert or scrubby terrain or flat farm country
spreading to the horizon.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHGmwx691QYC_q7CYvX2BwkNlbzOaG0z_O9Yt5tXIxLra9qFafanb0Sr5NC-q_IhZk7mboLX2VJkz-9pmKEfqrU9DoZStWroxNi0OBv4K0ycWZZotsw7T483kbNaOsKn7Lj_hhc56Phcc/s1600/IMG_8263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHGmwx691QYC_q7CYvX2BwkNlbzOaG0z_O9Yt5tXIxLra9qFafanb0Sr5NC-q_IhZk7mboLX2VJkz-9pmKEfqrU9DoZStWroxNi0OBv4K0ycWZZotsw7T483kbNaOsKn7Lj_hhc56Phcc/s320/IMG_8263.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukqJqT7KJZQtfuGfCLY59SBW8r3LIM0Hv_Qo8Y2zUnfFjpfrPYfSBpp0iVkn7b1v0ZdHKevSO5U1697dMoBkyVEO1kYxBsAx6wfjQhGzErmu739NAJ75uVAFqIY_3SRPiHuRxjBUijzkK/s1600/IMG_8249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukqJqT7KJZQtfuGfCLY59SBW8r3LIM0Hv_Qo8Y2zUnfFjpfrPYfSBpp0iVkn7b1v0ZdHKevSO5U1697dMoBkyVEO1kYxBsAx6wfjQhGzErmu739NAJ75uVAFqIY_3SRPiHuRxjBUijzkK/s320/IMG_8249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXeGeQ2LnharzY6KS41aCC3rx5A0NiLGW_XnYYHxGfJ1ned-U_etw78jmlLbtz_s8Y-3tpbEb5FAIwYNDsWFg5ic7Fc45OFtu5Yid2ShTxdNAGY8ktDhelSeKu81QntGsopwc9IwP-yDg/s1600/IMG_3701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXeGeQ2LnharzY6KS41aCC3rx5A0NiLGW_XnYYHxGfJ1ned-U_etw78jmlLbtz_s8Y-3tpbEb5FAIwYNDsWFg5ic7Fc45OFtu5Yid2ShTxdNAGY8ktDhelSeKu81QntGsopwc9IwP-yDg/s320/IMG_3701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn Trails Covered Wagon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">Winnsboro's hilly forested landscape was a perfect setting for its famous Autumn Trails Festival held every weekend in October. They host unique events
such as a trail ride, classic car parade and rodeo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This part of East Texas is also dairy country and the joke is that cows outnumber
people by a large number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later in
our trip we take a tour of the Southwest Dairy Museum as proof of the
moniker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3myjUhq96_4qbepTjITR4g5E9XXs859T7Z-pkkdVXa63Rmr3v5lUswNlwVVn80iH274uW0eZAKLquWJjPtXGkAEYSglNBD3kJ_CL2cJharYGCpUHnQJp4rJCD_MMLc3Eqxn9XWbNH1pZ-/s1600/IMG_8081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3myjUhq96_4qbepTjITR4g5E9XXs859T7Z-pkkdVXa63Rmr3v5lUswNlwVVn80iH274uW0eZAKLquWJjPtXGkAEYSglNBD3kJ_CL2cJharYGCpUHnQJp4rJCD_MMLc3Eqxn9XWbNH1pZ-/s320/IMG_8081.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Olivia Ten Cows</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">For such a small town it's a wonder that
Winnsboro has become a center for arts and entertainment in North East Texas. It's rise has been
aided by my own mother who is still very active in the community and has been a
vital participant in making the town a destination rather than just a place to
stop and get gas, a drink and a lottery ticket on your way somewhere else.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOdV3PWJ82-ijzz0Z1lUVe1tYk38bCJj1TxKMzue7AuUli0pGZj6DAQmA3qLc-w0RoMDd9rLNagsz98EpBzCledKUYuvkflbMRbYqvgJaHYWRG_CpJR6bRD3o7IHd3v-8xMkMxg-RUVZo/s1600/IMG_9062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOdV3PWJ82-ijzz0Z1lUVe1tYk38bCJj1TxKMzue7AuUli0pGZj6DAQmA3qLc-w0RoMDd9rLNagsz98EpBzCledKUYuvkflbMRbYqvgJaHYWRG_CpJR6bRD3o7IHd3v-8xMkMxg-RUVZo/s320/IMG_9062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogwood Ridge Main House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">We were staying in the sprawling home of
my sister Kim and my brother-in-law Van, along with my mom and niece Molly plus
three cats (at the time of our arrival-another story for later) and three dogs
(there were four dogs but one passed away a few months earlier). The house, which sits on one of the
highest points in Wood County, has had a transference since being bought way back
in the late 80’s. The renovations included building a second level of the
main house and adding on to an existing separate structure that was part garage
and part workroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The addition
was a small apartment intended as a place my Dad could stay while on visits
from New Jersey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is where he
finally passed away on Thanksgiving Day in 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also was the place I stayed in while on a six-month editing
sojourn a couple of years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-BMDf4q_FGdL9eGVcMq4K0_Rui9jsKNBY8zg2PyaDQgDYK6rKkh43PC4mAzJMytRbduR58dJlFE86xHZjZc4279QSLMsKBabhJMqhPwE4vNGzVCHCg1nqB3SikXY-JdHtHoVLQACIe4V/s1600/IMG_9059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-BMDf4q_FGdL9eGVcMq4K0_Rui9jsKNBY8zg2PyaDQgDYK6rKkh43PC4mAzJMytRbduR58dJlFE86xHZjZc4279QSLMsKBabhJMqhPwE4vNGzVCHCg1nqB3SikXY-JdHtHoVLQACIe4V/s320/IMG_9059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Apartment - left part of building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">On our first night in the house Avery
and I slept in the guest room in the main house while Olivia bunked with my mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reluctance to stay in the apartment
was due to it being taken over by my niece Jennifer’s BELONGINGS from an
apartment she had in Austin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was now living in a small place in New York City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The apartment was wall-to-wall boxes and furniture and even
the bed was covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was resourceful, rearranging everything to clear off the bed and create a
walking space to the kitchen and bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would do for Avery and I giving Olivia free
reign of the guest room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
also a keen tactic on my part because Olivia always gets up early and this
allowed us the ability to sleep in – for a month, month and half anyhow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Avery and I moved into the apartment on
our second night and stayed there the entire time while in Winnsboro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The arrangement had only one drawback –
Avery would fall asleep up at the house most evenings (a good 50 yards from living room to apartment bed) and so I would have to carry him each night, usually
also carrying a drink, my computer and any number of clothes items that had
come off during the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mQJ2He9wgGajbZ9rOnNcs0UYjPHtk1UdVKJ2WEsOk9S6xpN9Cpz7Ni3zCtnqvKN5SROHK3BrIpHC4CAO-Ewmnnh0bjsvVQMbyYmS-kdU4RfipO_8FeALz6pWGr28n9xZo8l7hRnOv1Hp/s1600/IMG_9341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mQJ2He9wgGajbZ9rOnNcs0UYjPHtk1UdVKJ2WEsOk9S6xpN9Cpz7Ni3zCtnqvKN5SROHK3BrIpHC4CAO-Ewmnnh0bjsvVQMbyYmS-kdU4RfipO_8FeALz6pWGr28n9xZo8l7hRnOv1Hp/s320/IMG_9341.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold">On
the other hand Avery began getting up in the morning, putting on some shoes and walking up
to the house on his own, allowing me to get a little extra shuteye that I never
get in Moorpark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">The reason we timed our visit accordingly was to get to Texas in time for Uncle Van and Aunt Kim<sup>2</sup>’s birthdays, bundled
together on June 30<sup>th</sup> and July 2<sup>nd</sup>, respectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An amazing family fact:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids have two Aunt Kims (or
Kimberly as they call Uncle Kevin’s wife in order to distinguish between the
two) and get this…they both share the same birthday. Go figure! How did that
ever happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I WAS fated
to marry Johanna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9jisQINEWNgrmrEtbK44u8bqvVpbBIugzM2NUlc9xEaavkFzWICBwp7cx0jISOrYL1KEGpDB_9LvaLQy9hQYV-sqhCZlNknyZKZOd8inTdSAp9zyKW9rgROTi7Fjdc7nQ52IytyhtjL3/s1600/KimBDay_candleblow2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9jisQINEWNgrmrEtbK44u8bqvVpbBIugzM2NUlc9xEaavkFzWICBwp7cx0jISOrYL1KEGpDB_9LvaLQy9hQYV-sqhCZlNknyZKZOd8inTdSAp9zyKW9rgROTi7Fjdc7nQ52IytyhtjL3/s320/KimBDay_candleblow2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Kim of Winnsboro Birthday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">On one of the first days in Winnsboro I
was asked by my mother’s friend </span><span class="bodybold"><span class="bodybold">Maryann Miller</span> - director of theater for the Winnsboro Center
for the Arts and my co-scriptwriting teacher (I helped teach a seminar with her previously) - to help out with
a comedy night performance her theater students were putting on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were performing scripted comedy
skits first and then wanted to do improv after intermission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems Maryann’s son was scheduled to come out from Dallas to mentor the kids but he had to cancel last minute so I was
asked to step in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve done a
little improv over the years, especially fooling around with friends, but not professionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We kept it simple and stuck to true and
tried improv games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lot
of fun and I loved working with the kids who were quite a talented bunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had one great bit that got a lot of laughs,
which is always gratifying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kNkq8A4zftobM6AjxOwJU20bXf8QmpYWtOVepmHvK6hQuDrcbiDNi7kfhjKd-FBbbJIUKJ32jHhqSSjGTxc-9fBoaCiQAhJ6eurJlgluhP-Lc1ZqOIfFnRKCRQnoR_-7NkBHap07eQma/s1600/IMG_8083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kNkq8A4zftobM6AjxOwJU20bXf8QmpYWtOVepmHvK6hQuDrcbiDNi7kfhjKd-FBbbJIUKJ32jHhqSSjGTxc-9fBoaCiQAhJ6eurJlgluhP-Lc1ZqOIfFnRKCRQnoR_-7NkBHap07eQma/s320/IMG_8083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comedy Night at Winnsboro Center for the Arts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">The birthdays come right before Independence Day. Back in Moorpark the town celebrates on the 3rd of July with fireworks and such. We hadn't missed one since moving there so to keep the tradition alive remotely we had to see fireworks. Luckily, Winnsboro has their own display but on the 4th like most towns. We all jumped into the Suburban and went down to the city park to watch. They put on a nice show for a tiny town in the middle of nowhere...just kidding. </span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30jldB4Q8LpwJjkhyphenhyphenLUWqh2MJ9-Al7UrLYuzOdVWhkmeLR4ZJBYbvmsEeV1c3ac6EDfg0PomGUJY5deGX2vcMJbGJzPUlrssQ6SMZQeiHOG33dA8V06RUL-d0Jll4F_4B1gI16YhH2CIk/s1600/FireworksCombo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30jldB4Q8LpwJjkhyphenhyphenLUWqh2MJ9-Al7UrLYuzOdVWhkmeLR4ZJBYbvmsEeV1c3ac6EDfg0PomGUJY5deGX2vcMJbGJzPUlrssQ6SMZQeiHOG33dA8V06RUL-d0Jll4F_4B1gI16YhH2CIk/s320/FireworksCombo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actual fireworks from Winnsboro!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold"><br /></span>
<span class="bodybold">My niece Jennifer flew in from New York for her mom's birthday but we never saw her much as she stayed in her room most of the time. After the birthday she drove to Austin and returned a day before to fly back but due to some weather delay her flight was canceled and she had to come back to the house and fly out the next day. My sister was working and so I was enlisted to drive her two hours to DFW Airport, which I did. After dropping her off I wanted to hang around for a while in case her flight was canceled again and so I decided to go see my old stomping ground and house in Coppell, Tx. I noticed that there were a lot of changes - they finally built up the "old town" with new shops and restaurants and widened roads that were small country roads before. I then went by my old house and noticed how big the trees had gotten that I planted back in the early 90's. </span><br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HKkvjjy-HWdMnZpy6cHbTCUldNJT6tWmX5zUEw-TyX-T3qi1rrhy9t3TYy78zg6IDt3Okt_ZGLj4431ClGcqLofGt0CJIBi3gRmnsQumkcoR7s1e2GaAoC850ucUXPUgKM2pmNFZER0r/s1600/IMG_8274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HKkvjjy-HWdMnZpy6cHbTCUldNJT6tWmX5zUEw-TyX-T3qi1rrhy9t3TYy78zg6IDt3Okt_ZGLj4431ClGcqLofGt0CJIBi3gRmnsQumkcoR7s1e2GaAoC850ucUXPUgKM2pmNFZER0r/s320/IMG_8274.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my old house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">Then I went by a car wash because the car was filthy from driving through Monument Valley - red dust covered the entire interior. I broke down and got a full detail of the car, plus they told me that they could fix the couple of dings in the windshield. After a phone call to our insurance company they quickly made the repairs and the car was grateful - I could hear a sigh of relief come from her engine. </span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ5Ww1FSCp8j1sfqnadPObiqNV0a3ZYkQDOV_Kyub9_vhOF0ZcOtnNJ8RRMM9K1PYSnejbkppD8Sh2yN6DWSuatPOGDuJrxnyQd9UmU3D3aJyWq9M6OzJBuhgYj9IEEn2z-A6g_ZX16Ow/s1600/IMG_8278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ5Ww1FSCp8j1sfqnadPObiqNV0a3ZYkQDOV_Kyub9_vhOF0ZcOtnNJ8RRMM9K1PYSnejbkppD8Sh2yN6DWSuatPOGDuJrxnyQd9UmU3D3aJyWq9M6OzJBuhgYj9IEEn2z-A6g_ZX16Ow/s320/IMG_8278.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue Honda getting spiffed up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">We knew the kids would get bored in Texas unless they had things to do so it was already planned that Olivia would take a two-week drama camp put
on by the Arts Center and headed up by Marilyn, where the participants would write and perform an original
play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Avery it was Camp Deer
Run, a near-by summer camp that had a day camp component for younger kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With Avery not being from that neck of the woods my sister arranged for the daughter of a couple who on occasion help
out with yard work at their house to attend camp with Avery so he </span><span class="bodybold"><span class="bodybold">wouldn’t feel that out of
place</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiLXD8KnWJ6rYQiix_WVg-_k0915FklURpkBgQ8OX8LX4QAa16DmDtai5ORAQkbs_AY5kmNgnpFa2F389QwkTq3kuvd42WmuFO97YoJFgxn6NWeT_4oWI9EwUzwQL8yPT8O5M-1DCdpsI/s1600/IMG_8248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeiLXD8KnWJ6rYQiix_WVg-_k0915FklURpkBgQ8OX8LX4QAa16DmDtai5ORAQkbs_AY5kmNgnpFa2F389QwkTq3kuvd42WmuFO97YoJFgxn6NWeT_4oWI9EwUzwQL8yPT8O5M-1DCdpsI/s320/IMG_8248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carla & Avery - first day of camp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">Carla was bilingual, smart and only six months older than Avery and he
knew her from previous visits – the only caveat was that she lived way on the
other side of Winnsboro whereas the camp was the opposite direction and only
ten minutes from the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
though it took an extra hour a day in driving it was nice for Avery to have a
companion and they got along great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">The days before camp started were lazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids would play in
the pool, do things with Grandma or hang out with the animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYWMtJlD8LXDg4s2sOl1aRfg0GedJhfymiB4txDVcpbu3xGCokl3is2pErmZb1oEJ24Te9Z7jIB4CO2Q31i9qebnEHznP69m8Vn6Dg9rNyQVfkUaZVXp5TIHz4QY1hVffTGTSGneLn3Wm/s1600/IMG_8077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYWMtJlD8LXDg4s2sOl1aRfg0GedJhfymiB4txDVcpbu3xGCokl3is2pErmZb1oEJ24Te9Z7jIB4CO2Q31i9qebnEHznP69m8Vn6Dg9rNyQVfkUaZVXp5TIHz4QY1hVffTGTSGneLn3Wm/s320/IMG_8077.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5iD880Qf-RzSfWuadmYaghmrZNYS7J_3FuHoFh9r_6GPSsjhHcI23kVX8GszRVJ-_NDjJmgzVteul5Z45Lpkho7y6grQXX4RcwWyHhemL2xEC412ChzAGzFmsqo36mBje1Vffh_1FGEC/s1600/IMG_8206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5iD880Qf-RzSfWuadmYaghmrZNYS7J_3FuHoFh9r_6GPSsjhHcI23kVX8GszRVJ-_NDjJmgzVteul5Z45Lpkho7y6grQXX4RcwWyHhemL2xEC412ChzAGzFmsqo36mBje1Vffh_1FGEC/s320/IMG_8206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry the cat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzQi4CL96nNV_vJqiRLcNRSUOODollTE8e7igS54jjmoonmv3OYTfigOcZ7GvM0VlHQc_RsCR3NzjwXh0dV_C9i5wXEuRmo_GHl85YQvLCOK6M6Jhsoql4X9Lnz2kT5YXWrOIEzstsziV/s1600/IMG_8092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzQi4CL96nNV_vJqiRLcNRSUOODollTE8e7igS54jjmoonmv3OYTfigOcZ7GvM0VlHQc_RsCR3NzjwXh0dV_C9i5wXEuRmo_GHl85YQvLCOK6M6Jhsoql4X9Lnz2kT5YXWrOIEzstsziV/s320/IMG_8092.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VuB8cEH-8hKWK3uW-UwM0F16mgGt9lgk5oZ4-xZ1evNtPV6zB72de32neA77g0ifjBYZvz5Zg5I7fabE7HajP8yl5uOeslx2eAhA_ELaulyEJOuHxrmrMHwLb_6lMKl4zc3gvUUCWaTN/s1600/IMG_8446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VuB8cEH-8hKWK3uW-UwM0F16mgGt9lgk5oZ4-xZ1evNtPV6zB72de32neA77g0ifjBYZvz5Zg5I7fabE7HajP8yl5uOeslx2eAhA_ELaulyEJOuHxrmrMHwLb_6lMKl4zc3gvUUCWaTN/s320/IMG_8446.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooper the dog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshayf3_Grdb6ARmcAM_ncm61RAxYCKkrOptGBRvJAwFDuRHAKoadKnCaO242hH0BeObOoz8joNOZ-hNyQ-syb8f5DAjlWMHxc3FoKgge8YTLEB9QvnR5URmOo0nhmNx1Qdsl2SD9X_Y0q/s1600/IMG_8134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshayf3_Grdb6ARmcAM_ncm61RAxYCKkrOptGBRvJAwFDuRHAKoadKnCaO242hH0BeObOoz8joNOZ-hNyQ-syb8f5DAjlWMHxc3FoKgge8YTLEB9QvnR5URmOo0nhmNx1Qdsl2SD9X_Y0q/s320/IMG_8134.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIbi5oIoCZebrBcJfaiVBtSngqm9Dm9gMs1D5sHSIfOGY_NN8ost-0mpuUAQKGsM0Eiy4iK39yQBr6nxoBQCwqHLzuRqijgUWBPf_jX6MHAz6MJUBz3HlmymyJSCZBu7t0CB9R22isdx8/s1600/IMG_8138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIbi5oIoCZebrBcJfaiVBtSngqm9Dm9gMs1D5sHSIfOGY_NN8ost-0mpuUAQKGsM0Eiy4iK39yQBr6nxoBQCwqHLzuRqijgUWBPf_jX6MHAz6MJUBz3HlmymyJSCZBu7t0CB9R22isdx8/s320/IMG_8138.JPG" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery Potter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="bodybold">During camp the days wore them out and
they pretty much watched TV or movies in the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At my sister’s they have a sit down dinner every night,
which is nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having cut out most
sweets it was hard to avoid the many desserts that would appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did indulge in the birthday cakes and
perhaps a little Bluebell Ice cream now and again. (See later blog about our
trip to Bluebell factory).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Food
wise, there was always an abundance of stuff we don’t have around our house in
Moorpark – big boxes of Goldfish crackers, cookies, ice cream sandwiches, cans
of Sprite, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The kids were in snack heaven. </span>It was summer so I
let them indulge knowing it would be hard to cut them off when we got back
home.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold"><span class="bodybold">In Moorpark I was walking 3 miles at
least 5 times a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to
try to keep that up in Winnsboro and I did start the first weeks when the
mornings were fairly cool, for Texas, hovering in the 80’s and at least
tolerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did my same route
that I walked when I was there editing and was close to 3 miles with some good
elevations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be accompanied
by the dogs, Cooper, Lola and at times the dog from down the road, Blackie, who wasn’t
looking too good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQHvNzHVy8Rdn8zGCHhnjt3dyCuCehJQ8bpJqHaGhRMXY1VaJK4IHvys5I85BB6JRawla_a4hQC5r4YJ1xMAbaA7Gbl630j8SaEl-u3t3ZVySZyFXL17V7OjeQfxL_poBEJ5IKb8ae0we/s1600/RichOnWalk2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQHvNzHVy8Rdn8zGCHhnjt3dyCuCehJQ8bpJqHaGhRMXY1VaJK4IHvys5I85BB6JRawla_a4hQC5r4YJ1xMAbaA7Gbl630j8SaEl-u3t3ZVySZyFXL17V7OjeQfxL_poBEJ5IKb8ae0we/s320/RichOnWalk2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="bodybold"><span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hnF2U-A5u_NQDKnrk5Nv3OCuJON9HITs2CBhAoqezaIp2eTzqzDjpDjmigMlDdWfzB3yEXuhY5bHgVOMg9sjho4pGt25BmD2g0nRfnBOJplqOb9Tcw-5e5Eb7ebRlxIkOUQSLqPnzM6W/s1600/IMG_8112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hnF2U-A5u_NQDKnrk5Nv3OCuJON9HITs2CBhAoqezaIp2eTzqzDjpDjmigMlDdWfzB3yEXuhY5bHgVOMg9sjho4pGt25BmD2g0nRfnBOJplqOb9Tcw-5e5Eb7ebRlxIkOUQSLqPnzM6W/s320/IMG_8112.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooper on a walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRllyZdCvY_K0o_6I9Lj2tcpvQQLwf9Kf12jXZu3ZRYts8eZnmtrGdOssCvjIRzwbeeUAZAhcOYWa-8FiV7ToVCmoUNwTVehx5SmNSzXButloFu3AwpH4qF4dap9hyc4qG5EAVjgi7WCF/s1600/IMG_8459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMRllyZdCvY_K0o_6I9Lj2tcpvQQLwf9Kf12jXZu3ZRYts8eZnmtrGdOssCvjIRzwbeeUAZAhcOYWa-8FiV7ToVCmoUNwTVehx5SmNSzXButloFu3AwpH4qF4dap9hyc4qG5EAVjgi7WCF/s320/IMG_8459.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooper, Lola and Blackie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><span class="bodybold">When I was here
last Blackie got into a big fight with Cooper and Lola which resulted in him getting chewed up a bit on his
back leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in the middle of
it and had to pull Cooper away by his tail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blackie limped away and I guess never fully recovered, but
he mustered up the energy to come along on our walks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the real summer came and with temperatures climbing into the upper
90’s. By not being able to walk until later in the day after taking the kids to
their camps it was just too hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luckily, I didn’t gain all that much weight as I tried to continue to eat right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">I’ll first talk about Olivia’s drama
camp. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids came up with their comedic play: "The Kingdom of Macadamia: A Little Nutty Place" and Olivia was cast as Princess
Eloise, the heroine’s sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
stayed out of it other than to drop her off and pick her up every afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the two weeks they put on
two performances over two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were aided with a musical theater professional from Dallas who
helped them arrange the music along with Shannon Monk, the director of the camp
who is also a singer and actress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids did a wonderful and entertaining job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The play was a lot of fun and considering it was all done in
two weeks was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great job
Olivia and troupe.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbcOgfC-Y2-NVP9h4WXuNzl4nNj_RGGDHYZsPY3QCq3uuZnL12Qy-ZVhG6Evb6NokR8rjOFuAREn-3mgGOja0F6U-2uQl4ah4ZzUhDSAaueNj1-XWoGJmAWwDuCnYydjMlJv4qVQITUxG/s1600/WCA_sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbcOgfC-Y2-NVP9h4WXuNzl4nNj_RGGDHYZsPY3QCq3uuZnL12Qy-ZVhG6Evb6NokR8rjOFuAREn-3mgGOja0F6U-2uQl4ah4ZzUhDSAaueNj1-XWoGJmAWwDuCnYydjMlJv4qVQITUxG/s320/WCA_sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX2SFDm5nohgpHkjZeWq_0qY5fPrI3nYKHK9ZGzMzcWbWQt4AKXa4wqm0th-NT77od-REZPU1mIQa5ErNKDLdCPwBTE3bbpYAEbE8MtE96hRq2BcqIEmcYj5JhL_OwLWw_JvD5tEl8-Pi/s1600/IMG_8527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFX2SFDm5nohgpHkjZeWq_0qY5fPrI3nYKHK9ZGzMzcWbWQt4AKXa4wqm0th-NT77od-REZPU1mIQa5ErNKDLdCPwBTE3bbpYAEbE8MtE96hRq2BcqIEmcYj5JhL_OwLWw_JvD5tEl8-Pi/s320/IMG_8527.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia & Ryan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKZtCzT5HZTWBRcp6PxRI31_gHN7AUSuIAd_LI0YQXVg2TRJyzY6ZWNjTz_2U-8cazp36DCCxEH_LdIwP6wwoGwhPg7LyJOudlcFFw6lFmiQJeGjgXcKguj-80n47baIuD0q-FhoHX_mZ/s1600/IMG_8512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKZtCzT5HZTWBRcp6PxRI31_gHN7AUSuIAd_LI0YQXVg2TRJyzY6ZWNjTz_2U-8cazp36DCCxEH_LdIwP6wwoGwhPg7LyJOudlcFFw6lFmiQJeGjgXcKguj-80n47baIuD0q-FhoHX_mZ/s320/IMG_8512.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSCCiFcggpstQ5W7wln8slD-4UUrhDh4ClPkCn2PFuVclzFtg6Wq38Rp5ayFriPGmETxed2yD1ZGWJ_xZ_UiKwu4acT97rdUMFIypwfKY_aq8Rf2S3bpxSyxeRy1lWwsCz03Al70gJZl_/s1600/OliviaPlayOnStage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSCCiFcggpstQ5W7wln8slD-4UUrhDh4ClPkCn2PFuVclzFtg6Wq38Rp5ayFriPGmETxed2yD1ZGWJ_xZ_UiKwu4acT97rdUMFIypwfKY_aq8Rf2S3bpxSyxeRy1lWwsCz03Al70gJZl_/s320/OliviaPlayOnStage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olivia as Princess Eloise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCsHAwK68VgMz6Xq6Zz0QGo7YE83JglNf8WGJPZbQv1ULVKqQYFXlA0O2kASS0O3tGAdaLarl1Bh9ld9uMGPN9Qs9O_lmcyZIpd3E_zKS3QBjH0fZ_rpNqdJeo11DUrpQ_2gcPQtf0l-e/s1600/Olivia&Ryan_onstage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCsHAwK68VgMz6Xq6Zz0QGo7YE83JglNf8WGJPZbQv1ULVKqQYFXlA0O2kASS0O3tGAdaLarl1Bh9ld9uMGPN9Qs9O_lmcyZIpd3E_zKS3QBjH0fZ_rpNqdJeo11DUrpQ_2gcPQtf0l-e/s320/Olivia&Ryan_onstage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Eloise & Duchess</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">Now on to Avery's experience. Camp Deer Run was nestled in the East
Texas woods and there is a reason why it has its name: Almost every morning we
came across some deer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a very well kept up
camp with a terrific bunch of counselors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Avery had a great time making crafts, swimming in the pool and getting
muddy in the creek – on his second day he returned with what had been a white
t-shirt but had somehow turned brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
never recovered and had to be put out of its misery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t operate a no-kill laundry so PETA please don’t
bother us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T2xhsSiLl9Ksilc-421roiZbF0AMJKoe7GQbDJ6m7STEBhQrs7FS1E00XygZFazopCkSHtaIFq5vIEt3uqP1bPEzyqvn8YWstGZXb6G1-8x3Vcthj07ySJx6RAyDuQKgr10fBN9bYKND/s1600/IMG_8251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T2xhsSiLl9Ksilc-421roiZbF0AMJKoe7GQbDJ6m7STEBhQrs7FS1E00XygZFazopCkSHtaIFq5vIEt3uqP1bPEzyqvn8YWstGZXb6G1-8x3Vcthj07ySJx6RAyDuQKgr10fBN9bYKND/s320/IMG_8251.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Tide couldn't save this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqU6XwQkZCp70gsRZcMLmTViIvT9DqNeXhi6hmoKyWYh7oCvr1wgYm0EbDNHyyyX1Z-7SKmhce667rCF-6swNG2fh3E_H4l0ADuy2NPoW_jjn_oB55eKm8Uj2Kpqd_kr9_nf-Q3c86s1_/s1600/IMG_8281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqU6XwQkZCp70gsRZcMLmTViIvT9DqNeXhi6hmoKyWYh7oCvr1wgYm0EbDNHyyyX1Z-7SKmhce667rCF-6swNG2fh3E_H4l0ADuy2NPoW_jjn_oB55eKm8Uj2Kpqd_kr9_nf-Q3c86s1_/s320/IMG_8281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crafts and camp photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span class="bodybold">The junior camp ran a
week at a time so Avery and Carla repeated the same activities the second
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would pick Avery up and it
seemed most days he had a cut or bruise somewhere on his body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He plays hard.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXzPjF1DYUYXcId1YxZqIMbxXJM_tkEtded5AcEsngS__Gnd-k8GXFc8MSn5hIr2GtkN8rck9s24bB5lcRQ_fyir2u0psG-FH4DKMotyb0YAAHgok9mBLYGzAs5NLs4MHvzh36sL1hzUi/s1600/IMG_8480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXzPjF1DYUYXcId1YxZqIMbxXJM_tkEtded5AcEsngS__Gnd-k8GXFc8MSn5hIr2GtkN8rck9s24bB5lcRQ_fyir2u0psG-FH4DKMotyb0YAAHgok9mBLYGzAs5NLs4MHvzh36sL1hzUi/s320/IMG_8480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_di0xI9B9m2enotrAO2-bS9vk_SWzOpqOd44tPI9pO64Rxzs-A91sgl38CZThtuQPfwhfBe5vLBHpemv1kLB3ZkCc19UtaekwQtvheMMWj8bYAZll9a-9LC5DHpUbYPUhJOTHKvItqv0/s1600/IMG_8472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_di0xI9B9m2enotrAO2-bS9vk_SWzOpqOd44tPI9pO64Rxzs-A91sgl38CZThtuQPfwhfBe5vLBHpemv1kLB3ZkCc19UtaekwQtvheMMWj8bYAZll9a-9LC5DHpUbYPUhJOTHKvItqv0/s320/IMG_8472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq9XQPO0vfGo_p58oiyC1_hx9DukyIkKLPWJZbXyIMXg5oysTwzQCWefiVB2cGSlvCCcYheMcy4UW117bAVQ6wWLRUrP-7xofnEv2jO6QW6CfnfBSN26ByWEmBnjWQ6Vh5CY9vKwLL0jw/s1600/IMG_8418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq9XQPO0vfGo_p58oiyC1_hx9DukyIkKLPWJZbXyIMXg5oysTwzQCWefiVB2cGSlvCCcYheMcy4UW117bAVQ6wWLRUrP-7xofnEv2jO6QW6CfnfBSN26ByWEmBnjWQ6Vh5CY9vKwLL0jw/s320/IMG_8418.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice cheek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGa5rJbgKwpI2hIFnA8q0QaQiVj3nwmmelvTEc6p9iHs08VwzM12QCfEgT2nV7cMdKz4xH6LJ9kbxBkIOeZ-azDfjVo4uI6EAOg1Nf6piF4G57XHtCFH6bSvCcV9WgaTCa4wxHpwFx2xP/s1600/IMG_8440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUGa5rJbgKwpI2hIFnA8q0QaQiVj3nwmmelvTEc6p9iHs08VwzM12QCfEgT2nV7cMdKz4xH6LJ9kbxBkIOeZ-azDfjVo4uI6EAOg1Nf6piF4G57XHtCFH6bSvCcV9WgaTCa4wxHpwFx2xP/s320/IMG_8440.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice chin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">Johanna’s brother Kevin’s brood finally
made it back from Tennessee (Aunt Kimberly, cousin Ashley 5 and cousin Copper 3
- yes just like the dog – I told you it was all fated) and so we planned on
getting together over the weekend between camp weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They live in Allen, a northern suburb of Dallas in what was
once just farm land back in the day when I first came to Texas from New
Jersey…yes, I came in a covered wagon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids had great anticipation to see their cousins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kim, who headed up a start up civil engineering
firm was busy working on a project and so the Dads took the four kiddos on an
adventure to the <i>Ft. Worth Stock Yards </i>via the <i>Tarantula</i> train that runs from
Grapevine to Ft. Worth and back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oNC3rogJAxPCRD5ccnIumnJWdt9PwU6Q5wnDase1CQrJl92ClIytiRCSWALYaYu1dY2f1SZax332MuvQHo2pEHDra4FtRAZFDrgb7iJLI6iZgwM7LjH4L4tYlldi_qrYiZfVnD5EzI5e/s1600/IMG_8287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oNC3rogJAxPCRD5ccnIumnJWdt9PwU6Q5wnDase1CQrJl92ClIytiRCSWALYaYu1dY2f1SZax332MuvQHo2pEHDra4FtRAZFDrgb7iJLI6iZgwM7LjH4L4tYlldi_qrYiZfVnD5EzI5e/s320/IMG_8287.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley & Avery - Five Year-Old Power Couple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMcio5zVPnJReAYqbuAHImo9sd6QTOTw-ciBV6gq5WXpfHPW8Ib12w8dayhIF80B-BotbI-BDxHzrlt2yKz455P7ikliP_7hISU1vNpx9yWT2vDt78Rs-hNHZDjYXG8Hpcg_fmhrJxt-a/s1600/IMG_8290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMcio5zVPnJReAYqbuAHImo9sd6QTOTw-ciBV6gq5WXpfHPW8Ib12w8dayhIF80B-BotbI-BDxHzrlt2yKz455P7ikliP_7hISU1vNpx9yWT2vDt78Rs-hNHZDjYXG8Hpcg_fmhrJxt-a/s320/IMG_8290.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Kevin, Ashley, Olivia and Cooper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">We get to the train station in time for the train but all the tickets
for the air-conditioned cars were taken and so we ended up in one of the open-air
cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, it’s hot but we’ll be
moving so it can’t be too bad, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At first it was okay as we puttered out of Grapevine Westward. But then things turned to the dark side. Besides a planned stop, for a reenactment of a train robbery – shoot out
included – there were two very long stoppages due to freight trains needing the
right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With temperatures
hovering near 100 and with four bored kids the waits weren’t very fun and
it was a relief when we finally arrived at the Stock Yards.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYj6-IRgvOO5tQHVhW-hIaud9phwSMpe3slRcSdpyruH_z6vTdAUEaB5A7BYvZt851qSOL1C-WuHewwu8aBC3Ig-SFk5BO_qADOW760yCV2Q-d5TTTYTMLg_4jY2_ymCHMIZsR7y-Dmhdp/s1600/IMG_8308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYj6-IRgvOO5tQHVhW-hIaud9phwSMpe3slRcSdpyruH_z6vTdAUEaB5A7BYvZt851qSOL1C-WuHewwu8aBC3Ig-SFk5BO_qADOW760yCV2Q-d5TTTYTMLg_4jY2_ymCHMIZsR7y-Dmhdp/s320/IMG_8308.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery rubs Cooper's head for good luck - to get the train moving.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzn4FBQn8l2SmM3xJ28y1ujNcc5qk5yDmnA338ha5Nxqeklj_EVVCMZhzbdkGT8IL-hICpZIh57Tt1ocJcl5UaEaPVkVS824rtmn0sz7WTDXev7MOV8YA4y78rBd7B7vlOqgaElZU9zPY/s1600/IMG_8324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzn4FBQn8l2SmM3xJ28y1ujNcc5qk5yDmnA338ha5Nxqeklj_EVVCMZhzbdkGT8IL-hICpZIh57Tt1ocJcl5UaEaPVkVS824rtmn0sz7WTDXev7MOV8YA4y78rBd7B7vlOqgaElZU9zPY/s320/IMG_8324.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You ain't from around here, are you, son?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3GL0PZv8wXzLqM-Av_Y768783S7keDxq1OD0QzStatoV_hW_9k7iozdvzspSEPaMmnh5I9kSNomZ4hYmT_Oo_zMJviOOAf542Jp542Scr_WqhZ2jmFikQ__HKMDwenZSKJ6HFyeYigGT/s1600/IMG_8329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3GL0PZv8wXzLqM-Av_Y768783S7keDxq1OD0QzStatoV_hW_9k7iozdvzspSEPaMmnh5I9kSNomZ4hYmT_Oo_zMJviOOAf542Jp542Scr_WqhZ2jmFikQ__HKMDwenZSKJ6HFyeYigGT/s320/IMG_8329.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that Billy the Kid or Billy the Dentist from Euless?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6eemBSXXWo66wNfhSS2ClIyeC7tqFmeDfmS2MyZVEOyWcpcQw6e79LO4Mf9M6pRKCJbHYuKZMNqaq_2Ktzh1xG9VyNbYJ2PHbtmEu0EVoof5ifv-JD2eYTuqITKjcUKI_2yptsLu78p5/s1600/IMG_8370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6eemBSXXWo66wNfhSS2ClIyeC7tqFmeDfmS2MyZVEOyWcpcQw6e79LO4Mf9M6pRKCJbHYuKZMNqaq_2Ktzh1xG9VyNbYJ2PHbtmEu0EVoof5ifv-JD2eYTuqITKjcUKI_2yptsLu78p5/s320/IMG_8370.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey look, a lady bug.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISQKrlYfO_MikvU2YfEa560O2DPla9f-EQC5MR-TNUJNzd1fGfT_5-gBccI4WSkTFLhS_YvKuL41KeCX7Shwd497C4DqHQuogZ81ZcJc74bzzd8WbX78I_HCXIzyqugn9T68mrXEupBiJ/s1600/IMG_8378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISQKrlYfO_MikvU2YfEa560O2DPla9f-EQC5MR-TNUJNzd1fGfT_5-gBccI4WSkTFLhS_YvKuL41KeCX7Shwd497C4DqHQuogZ81ZcJc74bzzd8WbX78I_HCXIzyqugn9T68mrXEupBiJ/s320/IMG_8378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are we moving yet?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold">The <i>Ft. Worth Stocks Yards</i> is of course
a tourist tra...I mean spot now but it is still home to a rodeo and they still
hold cattle auctions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The days of
acres and acres of stocked cattle are long gone but they do have mini cattle
drives down the avenue a couple times a day for show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where the train stops there are loads of shops and
restaurants, most with a western motif.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Along the avenue there are other attractions, including stage rides,
longhorn cattle you can get a picture with, the <i>Cowtown Maze</i>, the famous honky-tonk
<i>Billy Bob’s Texas</i> and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And as they say in Cowtown, </span>Ft. Worth is where the west begins, y'all. Dallas is where the east peters out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMprSo4MLqsC35zaIbLwK9pt4MwUOgR5W4ol9S_53srFkZgXt3vQqikG3CCfQO-uDuDiZXSml_3n8LGqaxc531BSrzHbRjswgVqQiurytm4vGijQ79cQUrBU4yzpaR1PxWqSKXu7NqlQ2p/s1600/IMG_8402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMprSo4MLqsC35zaIbLwK9pt4MwUOgR5W4ol9S_53srFkZgXt3vQqikG3CCfQO-uDuDiZXSml_3n8LGqaxc531BSrzHbRjswgVqQiurytm4vGijQ79cQUrBU4yzpaR1PxWqSKXu7NqlQ2p/s320/IMG_8402.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyK8DQ6YJW_7E9nK5zO0r7yBCPO4ZlJ2vH8swil9zMW8fPVBgUQYiGqTQ2QKufUlF7NRw1BrA1eYkthxCmRtgB5LL_dvJbJQKLDjQiAuv0wtywrf7xsVc6Lv6rTMoKpD6FvRLlPz-MZul/s1600/IMG_8390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyK8DQ6YJW_7E9nK5zO0r7yBCPO4ZlJ2vH8swil9zMW8fPVBgUQYiGqTQ2QKufUlF7NRw1BrA1eYkthxCmRtgB5LL_dvJbJQKLDjQiAuv0wtywrf7xsVc6Lv6rTMoKpD6FvRLlPz-MZul/s320/IMG_8390.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgzyYDODezZIhnCVfkorbm9KsTVph_RE5EeSFdIpwAQcFhmYF8aWdDJbY1ZDxtSFQaJ2d_fYOCEd-bsRxirkO938YAF7cI5NuImAOM-QXjvleEYOE4hgoO1s1YuzuW6QWQYv4XvPwcDLW/s1600/IMG_8398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgzyYDODezZIhnCVfkorbm9KsTVph_RE5EeSFdIpwAQcFhmYF8aWdDJbY1ZDxtSFQaJ2d_fYOCEd-bsRxirkO938YAF7cI5NuImAOM-QXjvleEYOE4hgoO1s1YuzuW6QWQYv4XvPwcDLW/s320/IMG_8398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="bodybold">We
stopped at the <i>Stock Yards Museum</i>, mainly to get into some air conditioning but
also to get a little history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afterwards we
went back out into the heat to see the cattle drive and then headed back down to the train, which we were told
would have a later departure time due to the aforementioned delays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got some ice cream and drinks and
then…as much as I tried to stave it off…the dreaded curio shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids had to have something but I
limited the amount they could spend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To his mother’s disdain, Avery got a couple of toy cowboy pistols that
came with their own holster - hey, we were in Ft. Worth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Olivia and Ashley got bracelets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After some pictures with the conductor we boarded the train and this
time we were lucky they let us sit in the air-conditioned cars, plus no
stops along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of
the weekend was calm and cooler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBNwsP-e8cP6dGARCG3FyBWiPp9JGODfYzKC3jfr7iNnw_c_8F3GBTtIpI2h6_1Y6PKBkyX2utLeotNmKDc8CMcQBYLGm1DqZsqKynMkhkAtjbCd3PbnUCBdInJQj5ANpMI_jzmRuiA8k/s1600/IMG_8403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBNwsP-e8cP6dGARCG3FyBWiPp9JGODfYzKC3jfr7iNnw_c_8F3GBTtIpI2h6_1Y6PKBkyX2utLeotNmKDc8CMcQBYLGm1DqZsqKynMkhkAtjbCd3PbnUCBdInJQj5ANpMI_jzmRuiA8k/s320/IMG_8403.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k3MiQw_1ESHaCsajhKndfkGBb614JpTE_pTCYEuQ72P0eBaKOaxIoJbu0ExBHxO6d0v9XiNlOUJwD2PHpuVnWt0f4MtiY4irSWlavwnRyKabCueMstXBwta9TmcO2lEXef74Jb0ZriHt/s1600/IMG_8392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k3MiQw_1ESHaCsajhKndfkGBb614JpTE_pTCYEuQ72P0eBaKOaxIoJbu0ExBHxO6d0v9XiNlOUJwD2PHpuVnWt0f4MtiY4irSWlavwnRyKabCueMstXBwta9TmcO2lEXef74Jb0ZriHt/s320/IMG_8392.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold">It rained
Sunday, something we hadn't seen much of in Moorpark, so Kevin and I took the kids to the movies where we saw <i>Monsters University</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz3aDfm8iMktIl97MCb62CDuJmVlhWqfGfdjxNKRhkik7oMn5R056DzttxVN0dGNzHMAShmYwElNERtecJND_42jgJRNnfLqanJ0YWVWUdqq4x_HxockLUX2rqBIMtmzXfyUDY2bzBqCj/s1600/IMG_8490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz3aDfm8iMktIl97MCb62CDuJmVlhWqfGfdjxNKRhkik7oMn5R056DzttxVN0dGNzHMAShmYwElNERtecJND_42jgJRNnfLqanJ0YWVWUdqq4x_HxockLUX2rqBIMtmzXfyUDY2bzBqCj/s320/IMG_8490.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">We had about a week and half between the end of camp
and when we were to leave for Mississippi to meet up with Nana and Poppa in
Collins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t do too much except for a few excursions, one of which involved Avery and I going to go see the Texas Rangers play
at the Ballpark in Arlington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
left early that day for Dallas and had lunch with my friends Bob & Clare
Tullier, Steve Salis and Steve Eason. We then drove to Arlington and got there
right when the parking lot opened but for some reason they don’t open the
stadium for another hour after that – huh? So we had to wait in the heat but
Avery was a patient trooper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once
inside we first watched batting practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Players were throwing balls up to various kids in the stands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One kid to the right of us got a ball and
one kid to the left of us got one but poor Avery was too short, standing just barely above the railing and so I don't think they saw him besides Dad waving his hands and pointing to him. "Hey, third string outfielder, give one to the kid."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery got bored with that and so wanted to find the playground that
Steve Salis had mentioned to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I walked all around and finally had to ask someone – it turns out that it
was inside but it wasn’t free. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was so hot that I was willing to pay just to get into air conditioning. There
was a lot of stuff for Avery to have fun with and I staved off
dehydration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also allowed us to kill
two hours until game time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppQJWeB_ncogTmUEiwu7CArg6mloaCsQjKB_TpxvisWfCeqsa4EAoFtT7zfR6gzKtF7mLs2cO04dcUjspJBiaTH4kX151GJX02puCp1E46JhI4smJRnCbXBHGzMls2FteQIYdlmdBkMje/s1600/IMG_8550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppQJWeB_ncogTmUEiwu7CArg6mloaCsQjKB_TpxvisWfCeqsa4EAoFtT7zfR6gzKtF7mLs2cO04dcUjspJBiaTH4kX151GJX02puCp1E46JhI4smJRnCbXBHGzMls2FteQIYdlmdBkMje/s320/IMG_8550.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ballpark in Arlington</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAYPWLRJ9aKBAlh2o9yi2AF96_81wZXqx7If6C3wlQv3Y9uAleARFTj7tWvRLUahmWqP5AeIUKxclqXdSQ4TN07nC2GtZmHZWTTtyVdg8RDTGfnc2kPIqgDAa3C4QyI9sKaHUVrVpQjfg/s1600/IMG_8558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAYPWLRJ9aKBAlh2o9yi2AF96_81wZXqx7If6C3wlQv3Y9uAleARFTj7tWvRLUahmWqP5AeIUKxclqXdSQ4TN07nC2GtZmHZWTTtyVdg8RDTGfnc2kPIqgDAa3C4QyI9sKaHUVrVpQjfg/s320/IMG_8558.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kidz Zone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2N9mAfeoM-vNHoVipH0zZAAFsgRXztA-cytD0VUhqel6yLTe7F6KY9HOXpkQHyklC1angcwH81etoOGVqFJdL1JpX6jAUn6ptEmR_QcGOnp4uixRTTBsS58hspV5VQ1FFcUac3_ZP3mM/s1600/IMG_8562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2N9mAfeoM-vNHoVipH0zZAAFsgRXztA-cytD0VUhqel6yLTe7F6KY9HOXpkQHyklC1angcwH81etoOGVqFJdL1JpX6jAUn6ptEmR_QcGOnp4uixRTTBsS58hspV5VQ1FFcUac3_ZP3mM/s320/IMG_8562.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINicrIIsyPOaYEvZ0f3ytWB5zShpvNfVyVjO-N2HYMWyBRvS1O1fENdDKaQho3eRNFwJkAkVcbdaxTChXOVMgMJwwQT5wsRGG8pqs5qs1ZCczaXGTcqytr08MHpf6Wf-NQHzkFqU1QtE3/s1600/IMG_8567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINicrIIsyPOaYEvZ0f3ytWB5zShpvNfVyVjO-N2HYMWyBRvS1O1fENdDKaQho3eRNFwJkAkVcbdaxTChXOVMgMJwwQT5wsRGG8pqs5qs1ZCczaXGTcqytr08MHpf6Wf-NQHzkFqU1QtE3/s320/IMG_8567.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold">When I bought the tickets I didn’t think of where the sun would be hitting – well I chose the sunniest section in the whole stadium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 100 degrees and Avery was
melting badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just kind
of folded in my arms for the first two innings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finally went up to find some ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They serve it in a logo cap cup but
they fill it up with enough ice cream to feed a kindergarten class and with the
heat it was melting faster than a Mylie Cyrus twerk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery maybe ate a third and so Dad had to finish it simply
so it wouldn’t melt all over us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had also gotten a beer and some peanuts – can’t go to a ballgame and not have
peanuts, for God’s sakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But beer
and ice cream just don’t go well together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, the nicest usher in the world came by and saw Avery sweltering
and whispered to me that she could get some ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was free towel night and so she took one of the towels given to us
and returned with it wrapped full of ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This saved Avery and he slowly came back to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<span class="bodybold"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYiLKfbD5fVJsHcE2KcvV1WA-rmK3kSnWFKcgQv1noBweEKVgSNuKC0rHFFmAIu_650Z12O-MICDA2uqEybozrEyDP_H4X4Ga-RbmNJCNokkbZbKm0rgGIF8AlgfUgZuffY-atcpdCxfy/s1600/IMG_8573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYiLKfbD5fVJsHcE2KcvV1WA-rmK3kSnWFKcgQv1noBweEKVgSNuKC0rHFFmAIu_650Z12O-MICDA2uqEybozrEyDP_H4X4Ga-RbmNJCNokkbZbKm0rgGIF8AlgfUgZuffY-atcpdCxfy/s320/IMG_8573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wilting Avery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSUc178y4KCp98ctmFyOJjNl40qH3hMObzsDazF-tr5LYsWuU6XMwmQBKKUf5fNgPXbWQRUBr4DoZnxv2wZ5P5rPvqPVOSwKNQcfffpTGABAcZzD0OYXW86JA8De4XshQ6990qaj5wBGr/s1600/IMG_8592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSUc178y4KCp98ctmFyOJjNl40qH3hMObzsDazF-tr5LYsWuU6XMwmQBKKUf5fNgPXbWQRUBr4DoZnxv2wZ5P5rPvqPVOSwKNQcfffpTGABAcZzD0OYXW86JA8De4XshQ6990qaj5wBGr/s320/IMG_8592.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glad I don't have to clean up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="bodybold">As soon as the sun went down he was up
and active and enjoying the game, as was I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yu Darvish and the Rangers won that night – too bad they’re
fading as the season is coming to an end. There's always hope for a wild card spot.</span><br />
<span class="bodybold"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-x3Nx79gFsmF0PUSrikOkgXFpaR1pixOhYlFoiQ6eXypDy3WaFT99aGbf31Y6wiNvIKXSe05b0olS8qAhio1M146t0ngcxPmVf6YJnQqBbUv4rNv6RF9QjRTyUHavLjSX917qnAx4KbnA/s1600/IMG_8616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-x3Nx79gFsmF0PUSrikOkgXFpaR1pixOhYlFoiQ6eXypDy3WaFT99aGbf31Y6wiNvIKXSe05b0olS8qAhio1M146t0ngcxPmVf6YJnQqBbUv4rNv6RF9QjRTyUHavLjSX917qnAx4KbnA/s320/IMG_8616.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's Go Rangers, Let's Go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While Avery and I were in Arlington Olivia spent time with Grandma learning to knit and she got pretty good at it. She enjoyed hanging out with Helen and learning new things, including how to finally tie her own shoes. It took a while but after a lot of practice she was able to do it consistently. Good going, Olivia and Grandma. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmlVn-EcwW8OQuc_mRr26arwqgxH_kFau4S9yi8NgDb97E1Kk-Zktzbd9vFdGGM-03Ako7EDnD3wL9pbQKXUkDn3Q3lwvX5ODI3ENS7x-fZ8kt1yGzvJ6YtdBbc5YifQ5k3ykc0nPgKex/s1600/IMG_8230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmlVn-EcwW8OQuc_mRr26arwqgxH_kFau4S9yi8NgDb97E1Kk-Zktzbd9vFdGGM-03Ako7EDnD3wL9pbQKXUkDn3Q3lwvX5ODI3ENS7x-fZ8kt1yGzvJ6YtdBbc5YifQ5k3ykc0nPgKex/s320/IMG_8230.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma & Olivia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GfIsp_PabbIxDspZH5mWu8TNs_P7vruQeUUkUMfmw6F__4-6I0U5d3-nT56DnME8rb1VlpGUmeFd94IGU_N3pAoCnVwkgHFtxRnF5sDYbas5IwjZLe9uufwDPIWEH237FeKLlqyQ1HdZ/s1600/IMG_8506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GfIsp_PabbIxDspZH5mWu8TNs_P7vruQeUUkUMfmw6F__4-6I0U5d3-nT56DnME8rb1VlpGUmeFd94IGU_N3pAoCnVwkgHFtxRnF5sDYbas5IwjZLe9uufwDPIWEH237FeKLlqyQ1HdZ/s320/IMG_8506.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIpZsXVaO7k61R9_CDgIsVxeAr-KU3dbFYyozaltD4AMZui1YdSgJP8WdYs9CFBzSFESXxCIqcSDJYI4Kk6hNtA26DjmkwSY0HCgL-Bbbzy1dAvo36BQr9eTqyaH8oA6dNZuKT3f2eL1o/s1600/OliviaTiesShoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIpZsXVaO7k61R9_CDgIsVxeAr-KU3dbFYyozaltD4AMZui1YdSgJP8WdYs9CFBzSFESXxCIqcSDJYI4Kk6hNtA26DjmkwSY0HCgL-Bbbzy1dAvo36BQr9eTqyaH8oA6dNZuKT3f2eL1o/s320/OliviaTiesShoe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBebOEq-_djmuIHR-DWBhMX1c-vJ7KhPePTwOS-DdtFzxLZq7-exDyEDHS-egOzNwtvf-p5ngaH0QbFx17tINZ1zhtgcezaTe65gZRo0t0g1yiYMKUnH0MpZi-dlWPFpOkoS7BirrFyE-/s1600/IMG_8124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBebOEq-_djmuIHR-DWBhMX1c-vJ7KhPePTwOS-DdtFzxLZq7-exDyEDHS-egOzNwtvf-p5ngaH0QbFx17tINZ1zhtgcezaTe65gZRo0t0g1yiYMKUnH0MpZi-dlWPFpOkoS7BirrFyE-/s320/IMG_8124.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Another excursion was an outing to a peach stand in Pittsburg, the next town East and this was no road side shack - it was a big operation with a cafe and ice cream bar and loads of stuff to buy, including bushels of peaches. Avery also found some namesake soda.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlQubiDnxPWK0WGuEDoWNczpa5V4bGKuVtB0tivFJRkQCN8OgSGRbizTlNKYxFeRIVmPhj68oADfqVroR_SUeMWRSU6LQseUmymt501OPD0kZ9ampcaEo__G_sAZ3FOSTT8nsSBsz7kNf/s1600/IMG_8238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmlQubiDnxPWK0WGuEDoWNczpa5V4bGKuVtB0tivFJRkQCN8OgSGRbizTlNKYxFeRIVmPhj68oADfqVroR_SUeMWRSU6LQseUmymt501OPD0kZ9ampcaEo__G_sAZ3FOSTT8nsSBsz7kNf/s320/IMG_8238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnegmaqb4h3bidvvCxTlHMqp2YPkZzo58t5UdtHBX4hRLZEguhzulIKBgJcVlhxVEwTseSksfc7FC3pekrdW7I0DzUZ7807sjH75ZwWApdXySxnteIvBfMdOsPqY4gW0n47NpaiubIxKW/s1600/IMG_8241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnegmaqb4h3bidvvCxTlHMqp2YPkZzo58t5UdtHBX4hRLZEguhzulIKBgJcVlhxVEwTseSksfc7FC3pekrdW7I0DzUZ7807sjH75ZwWApdXySxnteIvBfMdOsPqY4gW0n47NpaiubIxKW/s320/IMG_8241.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
The last trip to the dentist, days before our departure, Avery was told he had several loose teeth that could come out at anytime. Their prediction came forth during July and he lost his first tooth. Of course, the Tooth Fairy came but instead of leaving cash she left a certificate for a Star Wars ship. Whatever happened to 25 cents for a tooth rate? Inflation has gone way up since I was a kid and now Avery is expecting two Star Wars ships (see previous description of promised ship in earlier blog).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANmWYjhY1uHwrJbZs_HAu3m9_AAk5fx5ST-Qj-n-5m-5WxISYQt3oNznd0MdTqcYNLjDvSbOvZo2Hwi06YZ6M8J9n9NOhDfeBiSCwWs506ymgVyohDXFaQMZ7-lTD5mZMo8r8CopQNpC4/s1600/IMG_8634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANmWYjhY1uHwrJbZs_HAu3m9_AAk5fx5ST-Qj-n-5m-5WxISYQt3oNznd0MdTqcYNLjDvSbOvZo2Hwi06YZ6M8J9n9NOhDfeBiSCwWs506ymgVyohDXFaQMZ7-lTD5mZMo8r8CopQNpC4/s320/IMG_8634.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcVfMpLR0CnNBJ25PFkbaGqsaYuVM-z5d_tMJ50uKnXiyD_RoNRtJ_o7rAKHmjgyML_6fB1BKdWSMZ_C1XWiGVo4ojqVaxSBLB4TpYHEvRTgABwRjbeOglz1mCJugnDEtDVEQ_7_qLDD3/s1600/IMG_8646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcVfMpLR0CnNBJ25PFkbaGqsaYuVM-z5d_tMJ50uKnXiyD_RoNRtJ_o7rAKHmjgyML_6fB1BKdWSMZ_C1XWiGVo4ojqVaxSBLB4TpYHEvRTgABwRjbeOglz1mCJugnDEtDVEQ_7_qLDD3/s320/IMG_8646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Random thoughts: I wanted to help out with the cooking so one day I made lasagna and I think it turned out pretty good. Judge for yourself. Can't you smell it. Yummmm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_m0lRUDbr1zuOtd2hCNJgrr4Ukf4X2vPU94C5KJKiwTsl_moNEdwk269Jkqfrw-e8tcbUA8rLoybW1lwVKJDgiRpJz3vBVy3mlKB-S1WGQMsjC48_XON_73F5CL6Yvcfjs2KlyrdhhP9m/s1600/IMG_8651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_m0lRUDbr1zuOtd2hCNJgrr4Ukf4X2vPU94C5KJKiwTsl_moNEdwk269Jkqfrw-e8tcbUA8rLoybW1lwVKJDgiRpJz3vBVy3mlKB-S1WGQMsjC48_XON_73F5CL6Yvcfjs2KlyrdhhP9m/s320/IMG_8651.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-Z0GkuodIjf3aiQ0yKQIVut-evkKVuJh_djKZ0Chtbk29jOpuWzsPlwD6ZtS7M34wchqF4n_-QcX7XUhouRnxNOQOTt5_Ar3tn2GANxCSTiPqXpqXHibl2QGjI44nqzTf4QKHjwCkpg-/s1600/IMG_8652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-Z0GkuodIjf3aiQ0yKQIVut-evkKVuJh_djKZ0Chtbk29jOpuWzsPlwD6ZtS7M34wchqF4n_-QcX7XUhouRnxNOQOTt5_Ar3tn2GANxCSTiPqXpqXHibl2QGjI44nqzTf4QKHjwCkpg-/s320/IMG_8652.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My sister has had a garden for as long as she's been in the house, I think, and she works hard at it. This year was no exception and her green thumb yielded an abundance of fresh vegetables, including zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and loads of tomatoes of all kinds, including this interesting variety developed in New York called the Weinersnoodle.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzoE-1m1phk6d1ea2Wr4ZtwuFlHKHsZ8lA3FyolgSpxThWvCW5kezq-gnUfqYC4vof-3mQNBQqA0voZs7hv6yHMC22upzfG386nFUSjmwQu2MKSTsGEu-NNAb5MpnG86dIvzfygA19GfC/s1600/IMG_8653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzoE-1m1phk6d1ea2Wr4ZtwuFlHKHsZ8lA3FyolgSpxThWvCW5kezq-gnUfqYC4vof-3mQNBQqA0voZs7hv6yHMC22upzfG386nFUSjmwQu2MKSTsGEu-NNAb5MpnG86dIvzfygA19GfC/s320/IMG_8653.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Kim's Garden...radiation extra!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4JV_xc1kpbX9xADsg0w5F6brfG0zgcLyRg_HE5_G7k7uh4B-18B1knbzaGvCB5ZfdNIipAdtTt6xjk_QwNn3Qt5SXlPslmX0GGsjZsVMitRoCvb7_7O1WCsl8K_yLstKKqvVp1pgbNHS/s1600/IMG_8640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4JV_xc1kpbX9xADsg0w5F6brfG0zgcLyRg_HE5_G7k7uh4B-18B1knbzaGvCB5ZfdNIipAdtTt6xjk_QwNn3Qt5SXlPslmX0GGsjZsVMitRoCvb7_7O1WCsl8K_yLstKKqvVp1pgbNHS/s320/IMG_8640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It seems my computer contained catnip because whenever I was working in the main house the two healthy cats would jump up on the table and try their best to steal my attention away from the screen. Fredolin, the black one, and Harry, the big fluffy gray one always wanted my hands to be used to rub them instead of punching keys. To this day I still find stray cat hairs on my computer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSUSjQ1Ip89A4WjKidGdVDJqn-jqpwY3r28NsO1t5-yW0BD_foFKT-ZWR7KD4g2IIGQuyojCqbISmHLz8956HpfWTrwP3gpuYSfRVtArc7XIz_vjedIh0PTuLQlOlu9wOx7VRCzZ-g-Ze/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSUSjQ1Ip89A4WjKidGdVDJqn-jqpwY3r28NsO1t5-yW0BD_foFKT-ZWR7KD4g2IIGQuyojCqbISmHLz8956HpfWTrwP3gpuYSfRVtArc7XIz_vjedIh0PTuLQlOlu9wOx7VRCzZ-g-Ze/s320/IMG_9036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry the cat and mouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Speaking of cats, I told you I would get to the story of why three cats turned to two. Malloy was a rescue cat that had been with the family practically from the time they moved to Winnsboro. He pretty much became my Mom's companion and would hang out in her room...well most of the animals hung out in her room but Malloy was the first. That means he was almost twenty years old. When we got to Winnsboro he was skin and bones and pretty much stayed in one spot, barely making it to the litter box or not. They said he'd been like that for a while and the expectation was that he would pass on at any time. But he kept going and going. I guess he waited until he could see us one more time.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwllzA8wjiIL43nIbZealf8bmJnDbxamy86MJtff_RUb5WYPzggj7o_M54s7F6APewECBkEb0Ytgi6ClWAeoyRkxS-krfKYjZ7qFyToJYuRY0Vubue1TDFnp9u1341eOgSyDKjKCssqSl/s1600/IMG_8211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwllzA8wjiIL43nIbZealf8bmJnDbxamy86MJtff_RUb5WYPzggj7o_M54s7F6APewECBkEb0Ytgi6ClWAeoyRkxS-krfKYjZ7qFyToJYuRY0Vubue1TDFnp9u1341eOgSyDKjKCssqSl/s320/IMG_8211.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last ever picture of Malloy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Then one of the weekends, when Kim, Van and Molly were away, I couldn't find Malloy anywhere in the house. I looked outside to see if he possibly got out and that's when I found him stiff in the garden, maybe twenty yards from the house. He was given a proper burial when they got back in the ad hoc pet cemetery on their property. Unfortunately, it's pretty crowded. Gigzy was their Corgi that had been my pal when I was there before and had passed before we arrived. Many animals have lived and died on that hill, my sister calls Dogwood Ridge. I'm sure they're all hanging out with my Dad on heaven's back patio waiting for the inevitable table scrap my Dad will throw to them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkIedlQ7WI7STmvUcc5VqSTOW7-NPTz3UMfKW438aKMZpVgBKujttqrws0ACwzqjrjorak0cvnIoZxujkYl2Ys9_OHipyvFF_E5sDY0jP8iqGEyUdnvEFCTulBAUq8o0HjJHs7lB-Z0Q7/s1600/IMG_8217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkIedlQ7WI7STmvUcc5VqSTOW7-NPTz3UMfKW438aKMZpVgBKujttqrws0ACwzqjrjorak0cvnIoZxujkYl2Ys9_OHipyvFF_E5sDY0jP8iqGEyUdnvEFCTulBAUq8o0HjJHs7lB-Z0Q7/s320/IMG_8217.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malloy's last resting spot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next on A
Road Trip Adventure Across America: Eastward to Mississippi, the water park,
Mack’s fish camp, golf in the rain and the BB gun.)</span></b></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-86381072913355334282013-09-04T20:22:00.002-07:002013-09-04T20:22:42.874-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Seven<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain<br />
Where the wav-in wheat can sure smell sweet<br />
When the wind comes right behind the rain<br />
Oklahoma ev'ry night my honey lamb and I<br />
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk<br />
Makin lazy circles in the sky</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Lyrics to<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “Oklahoma</i>”
from the musical<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Oklahoma </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">By Rogers & Hammerstein</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOc8An3bQUhhu-YszIUyiKboV5sJebnY0pKzRY7SdLvVBvJQ1BaoJFV3Cc1QNl3VWd1dOqeswxaWNawTniXb26ljLbsgdiqvVwXhr1VIuwt8TCGS_43fwAMEdHjeB9yVSIoXaqoPcISgaR/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-09-04+at+4.00.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOc8An3bQUhhu-YszIUyiKboV5sJebnY0pKzRY7SdLvVBvJQ1BaoJFV3Cc1QNl3VWd1dOqeswxaWNawTniXb26ljLbsgdiqvVwXhr1VIuwt8TCGS_43fwAMEdHjeB9yVSIoXaqoPcISgaR/s320/Screen+shot+2013-09-04+at+4.00.46+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We left New Mexico in the rear view window as we entered the
Texas panhandle only to cross over to Oklahoma. The topography along the
highway from Capulin Volcano wasn’t that interesting as the prairie took
hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed an old windmill,
one that I had stopped to photograph upon my previous trip along this same bi-way,
though at that time it was winter with a smattering of snow on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lone windmill on the flat sparse
landscape spoke much about this part of the country.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZddQ9ldqeNJcOdkXTESy-8pzHadBTF4Rv_kcByrcpwf6PoeZaGIic4GpORX0gXx3iMjFJfujacY2Tt19TvTShpmutVrPunUkB0m5k9XPt2l_UDpl0J6BUntof9Lalni5fyauUoiAfIMF/s1600/Windmill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZddQ9ldqeNJcOdkXTESy-8pzHadBTF4Rv_kcByrcpwf6PoeZaGIic4GpORX0gXx3iMjFJfujacY2Tt19TvTShpmutVrPunUkB0m5k9XPt2l_UDpl0J6BUntof9Lalni5fyauUoiAfIMF/s320/Windmill.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only real town in New Mexico we passed was Clayton and
it was fairly sparse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though
it was Monday it seemed like a ghost town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure if I saw a single person that wasn’t driving a
car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYFmBxFXnfF2o2vq0FOR42Chvkcm7FM753xo9cmWUCmlFFBhalx5KIg0vvNp39JuIc1K_J9qJNx5lbNfJP6R1II_73PfMqGzdEa3_s9oAQ9CNHyp3m2VEFsRMoQy_oUufYAzAoN-iVYk4/s1600/Clayton+NM+corner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYFmBxFXnfF2o2vq0FOR42Chvkcm7FM753xo9cmWUCmlFFBhalx5KIg0vvNp39JuIc1K_J9qJNx5lbNfJP6R1II_73PfMqGzdEa3_s9oAQ9CNHyp3m2VEFsRMoQy_oUufYAzAoN-iVYk4/s320/Clayton+NM+corner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clayton, NM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I almost missed the Texas state line since there’s no town
where you cross, just a grain elevator. The next town is Texline, which isn’t
much of a town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did notice that
as soon as you entered Texas that the land became cultivated and farmed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next biggest center was Dalhart
many miles down the road and a typical small Texas town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, there’s the Dairy Queen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HM7bjMk2lOR8up5gQX7pEFDbVleBOPaT1lcQLoa_KCbVnK7SGtMBzBtKTZpXozr8dmgqD20Ehj0n5wylfm0dKWukZoRiZE5nquQB0N_KGU-J2OSKLAFUmSew-HQ-nPQFMxRcMnTcNzFK/s1600/TexasStateLineSign_NewMex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HM7bjMk2lOR8up5gQX7pEFDbVleBOPaT1lcQLoa_KCbVnK7SGtMBzBtKTZpXozr8dmgqD20Ehj0n5wylfm0dKWukZoRiZE5nquQB0N_KGU-J2OSKLAFUmSew-HQ-nPQFMxRcMnTcNzFK/s320/TexasStateLineSign_NewMex.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtwiTsj2phr3talMyT_zUbPfUAEHR4bkUuZKv6q2Yd5AjGzl-SL1py9h3CWsB1NgIqqux-cmcLpu8EQHKm_8mgQ7vYN_w23YeEHkNlZTN8NtmIu7ZeOsvrMxzwtNthVgjkiUsEQzDyPad/s1600/Grain+Elevator_stateline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtwiTsj2phr3talMyT_zUbPfUAEHR4bkUuZKv6q2Yd5AjGzl-SL1py9h3CWsB1NgIqqux-cmcLpu8EQHKm_8mgQ7vYN_w23YeEHkNlZTN8NtmIu7ZeOsvrMxzwtNthVgjkiUsEQzDyPad/s320/Grain+Elevator_stateline.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fzlh85OqubhwdlxjMmangc_wz-ji41v98C0bvEwnIT0pjprwZ6NAS5goNmmRXy2vezIh_PlDLRq8lk-1apyS7loN1FrLzUKK5v_w7Yrp5rIbN_mUXr6L89oPOO83czzbnUkeu5fZ8Ev-/s1600/Texas_ag_land.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fzlh85OqubhwdlxjMmangc_wz-ji41v98C0bvEwnIT0pjprwZ6NAS5goNmmRXy2vezIh_PlDLRq8lk-1apyS7loN1FrLzUKK5v_w7Yrp5rIbN_mUXr6L89oPOO83czzbnUkeu5fZ8Ev-/s320/Texas_ag_land.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hyphenhyphen3AXung_-MvmYqihfoYQFQHF0Bo7zf0kiSD1PrcFUGtLrJgzJtys0B8nEZAqgTESVskFZxF4bA5pnULntiqWGAFK2v7cV44xpqLC73RluZUcW5anPeheR6_YggkU2i1RwJr-V_lMEM/s1600/Dalhart_sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6hyphenhyphen3AXung_-MvmYqihfoYQFQHF0Bo7zf0kiSD1PrcFUGtLrJgzJtys0B8nEZAqgTESVskFZxF4bA5pnULntiqWGAFK2v7cV44xpqLC73RluZUcW5anPeheR6_YggkU2i1RwJr-V_lMEM/s320/Dalhart_sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We continued towards Amarillo where I was planning on
stopping for dinner but when we turned south in Dumas I heard a five year-old
exclaim that he had to go to the bathroom and couldn’t hold it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, we were surrounded by places to
pee and for dual purposes to eat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I combined both needs by turning into the Pizza Hut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect for Avery – he could satisfy
both immediate bodily functions with happiness and I could maybe get something
other than burgers or pizza.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, this Pizza Hut did not have a buffet so we
had to order off the menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since
we didn’t have a real lunch our stomachs thought we needed more to eat than we
ought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a medium pizza split
half pepperoni half cheese for the kids but Olivia oooh and awww’d over the
Buffalo wings and cheese bread. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
warned her she had to eat it all if ordered. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to have pasta. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After drinking a whole glass of Sprite Olivia discovered she
couldn’t eat all the wings or bread or pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Told ya’ so!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least the box of leftovers came in handy upon our late arrival into
Lawton and as a in transit snack source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before we left the restaurant a bit of wisdom was elicited by my twelve
year-old as she admitted she shouldn’t drink too much before eating her meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes they just have to learn it on
their own.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LQJ91rypGcTbQUM9bJfl9Ql-GFAlR-ABsmPW6AGDw-czMn03zjO7sMZKXux4Iaz8zooTXWtWJMWLXtzDuM3Lsjz3q65LZbjdTaZHk-4KPm8xADak-AZ5zvbpB2FkLwGa0mPmZUZLM2G9/s1600/Olivia_chickenwings_PizzaHut_Dumas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LQJ91rypGcTbQUM9bJfl9Ql-GFAlR-ABsmPW6AGDw-czMn03zjO7sMZKXux4Iaz8zooTXWtWJMWLXtzDuM3Lsjz3q65LZbjdTaZHk-4KPm8xADak-AZ5zvbpB2FkLwGa0mPmZUZLM2G9/s320/Olivia_chickenwings_PizzaHut_Dumas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfP6sldv3x166QWqgZw-hPtsh-RHBm8-Yy3-P5erHV7uKwA7L79J8lv7QHLDinAdO55CGsy-jwYYvoPc40bnd7XfnSCFkfWIaFDuKWJj5MYKu-1EN1Wjg5Hj7R9SwfeDNvuB2KbvLbSr4/s1600/Avery%2526Dad_PizzaHut_Dumas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfP6sldv3x166QWqgZw-hPtsh-RHBm8-Yy3-P5erHV7uKwA7L79J8lv7QHLDinAdO55CGsy-jwYYvoPc40bnd7XfnSCFkfWIaFDuKWJj5MYKu-1EN1Wjg5Hj7R9SwfeDNvuB2KbvLbSr4/s320/Avery%2526Dad_PizzaHut_Dumas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIzhDhEkAsbWRSto8XdnP9UOGxvEVLHElf8JgdiK7iGLATmx96S9nQR0f0CqmfKdSx4qRb6jKjCUSIqlRgg1JOnbJi7ErDL4zq_wSOlErr8rQqxr1qZWSK5ldOJrI8YsjxcNAUTeQVV8V/s1600/PizzaBox.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIzhDhEkAsbWRSto8XdnP9UOGxvEVLHElf8JgdiK7iGLATmx96S9nQR0f0CqmfKdSx4qRb6jKjCUSIqlRgg1JOnbJi7ErDL4zq_wSOlErr8rQqxr1qZWSK5ldOJrI8YsjxcNAUTeQVV8V/s320/PizzaBox.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Refreshed and ready for a nap (the kids, that is), we
mounted the Honda and headed into Amarillo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One wonders while driving the panhandle of Texas why anyone
ever decided to stop and live here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is some interesting topography but it’s pretty much flat and
desolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How a city like Amarillo
grew here is perplexing but I’m sure ranching and farming has sustained the
economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly, the
largest still sustaining ranch in the area, the JA Ranch, was started by
Charles Goodnight (see previous post).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGPCGNFHcbP8QiR4XsVTwRNtyzR0RB8EdE4OZiu198MvO52CkbVoDh4KDK0pUAOiW8nwtZop8XmJy_uvnGuUhvkNgav53-bxr_MEA0k4bqmLKQWPGbU1voDKu9ZVaKCJu0OiSAJ5E1SrB/s1600/Dumas_to_AmarilloHwy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGPCGNFHcbP8QiR4XsVTwRNtyzR0RB8EdE4OZiu198MvO52CkbVoDh4KDK0pUAOiW8nwtZop8XmJy_uvnGuUhvkNgav53-bxr_MEA0k4bqmLKQWPGbU1voDKu9ZVaKCJu0OiSAJ5E1SrB/s320/Dumas_to_AmarilloHwy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Yellow Rose of Texas was also known as the helium capital of the
world because it once had the biggest fields of helium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if everyone spoke in a high
voice and where did all that helium go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You would think it would also be the balloon capital of the world, as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had to change their old
slogan, “Get high in Amarillo.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s also home to the Cadillac Ranch – the row of old cars that stick
out of the ground as prairie art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was on the itinerary but we were hurting for time and the sun was
sinking so I nixed the stop, even though it was right off the interstate -maybe
next time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfBCE1I-Y617MLwVrWXtDfQ3ofkwF6sxTFVafoXALREoie4rZ643lZ3nKeTRh0joyQ8neaVPwkEbGEUej65MabGCKQygnICWGAtSwuX9ShV7H6_dmT7GK2LkLBE75gl9OmpL1GJqX9aIg/s1600/CadillacRanch-DA-0504--800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfBCE1I-Y617MLwVrWXtDfQ3ofkwF6sxTFVafoXALREoie4rZ643lZ3nKeTRh0joyQ8neaVPwkEbGEUej65MabGCKQygnICWGAtSwuX9ShV7H6_dmT7GK2LkLBE75gl9OmpL1GJqX9aIg/s320/CadillacRanch-DA-0504--800.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cadillac Ranch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We stopped for gas before getting on I40 for only a few
miles before exiting onto US287 towards Ft. Worth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed at the low gas prices that continued to get
less and less as we went east and east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>$3.32 a gallon, I believe I paid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Take away the $3 and that’s what gas cost when I was a kid in New Jersey
in the middle 60’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve come a
long way, baby.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIkH-UeZ1up3fxdsbf0XB4d5FpPY19kH2iup8ckOcscktykXCJSmIWBgpOOrGaTj1YGctv5poMF8OMdgVPKwbki1KJ37A4WSKVPycT38VPExnmyTiobwI7LcrT-CUZEvB479c9CXbbWY_/s1600/FtWorth_OkCity_sign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIkH-UeZ1up3fxdsbf0XB4d5FpPY19kH2iup8ckOcscktykXCJSmIWBgpOOrGaTj1YGctv5poMF8OMdgVPKwbki1KJ37A4WSKVPycT38VPExnmyTiobwI7LcrT-CUZEvB479c9CXbbWY_/s320/FtWorth_OkCity_sign.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sun sunk into the west Texas horizon as we continued
eastward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Memphis (Texas) was our
stopping off point as we turned towards Oklahoma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got on what was supposedly a state highway but really
looked like a farm road though with a speed limit of 75mph, go figure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrVDHWxgR7-d9a-vzm8_UNxZ_4CNgQ7y5JI2LpfpC9bnzt8LrWOLY8cIQEI5a_6bL32KA6qJhaj3TiNSJSGlemqJotWe4ghOz1BCz_1aMSk59aiF_zWD5754nT4ru0T6VnIyM-CuVmShu/s1600/Memphis_watertower.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrVDHWxgR7-d9a-vzm8_UNxZ_4CNgQ7y5JI2LpfpC9bnzt8LrWOLY8cIQEI5a_6bL32KA6qJhaj3TiNSJSGlemqJotWe4ghOz1BCz_1aMSk59aiF_zWD5754nT4ru0T6VnIyM-CuVmShu/s320/Memphis_watertower.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memphis, TX</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As it got dark you couldn’t really see the landscape but I
could tell there wasn’t much to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We snuck into Oklahoma under a moonlit night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove through nothing towns until finally getting into
Lawton late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark U.S. Highway
turned into a suburban type street lit by street lights and then a little more
urban as houses turned into strip malls, fast food joints, drive-in banks and
oil change places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The road
took us straight to the Quality Inn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This time we couldn’t park right in front of our room but at least it
was on the first floor and not too far from the car, so unloading bags wasn’t
that difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was harder to
get the kids to help unload.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
contents of the Pizza Hut box came in handy as it prevented a run to find an
open fast food place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids
were tuckered out after climbing all over the volcano and driving most of the
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard to believe we
started the day in Colorado Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A good night’s rest and then it was a tour of Ft. Still…where Poppa
trained…many, many years ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was hard getting the kiddos up and out but we had to make
the complimentary breakfast before it closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made it in time<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>to enjoy a bagel, waffles and some dry cereal for Avery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That rascal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was retracing steps, since I had been at Ft. Sill many
years ago for work, getting footage for a contractor training video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing I remembered was the old
artillery that peppered the post’s grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days earlier, after Avery spawned the idea to go see
where his Poppa trained I emailed said Poppa about <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the possibility of getting on the base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was speculation but he seemed to
think we could get on by showing ID and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>possibly car registration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0Q67lfC_6YAtIkoVElWGgHkAVvV0RAhm33F5SyJO5LM3r2vGL1QPkkSX0zkl4swbevB3HSUGHOji8Xu5TtIK4pm7hRQxj_gwPpEsGEC2wyYSEF5-lKa61dFQypbWsGWsMU5VwhyphenhyphenP_3Uz/s1600/IMG_8686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0Q67lfC_6YAtIkoVElWGgHkAVvV0RAhm33F5SyJO5LM3r2vGL1QPkkSX0zkl4swbevB3HSUGHOji8Xu5TtIK4pm7hRQxj_gwPpEsGEC2wyYSEF5-lKa61dFQypbWsGWsMU5VwhyphenhyphenP_3Uz/s320/IMG_8686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Raymond Brooks in Vietnam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come to find out that Ft. Sill is a tourist attraction and
getting on is as easy as going to Six Flags, except you don’t have to pay $60
to get in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After going through the gate and getting waived through
without stopping a couple of turns found us at the Field Artillery Museum, our
first stop. In 1911, Ft. Sill became the home of the U.S. Field Artillery
Center and School. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIR3MgLQExlij-gKkk8gCaZ1Dwecb_vcS_bOCDwic4fEHfH3R5D_518DDO3OVWE94FSPXN2IyvN51HXCPDZ5eBsXspmXcuPysq9kyz0meYfSvn65nbknOb4LbFLF45ketIEnlTkiJNO5BS/s1600/IMG_7846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIR3MgLQExlij-gKkk8gCaZ1Dwecb_vcS_bOCDwic4fEHfH3R5D_518DDO3OVWE94FSPXN2IyvN51HXCPDZ5eBsXspmXcuPysq9kyz0meYfSvn65nbknOb4LbFLF45ketIEnlTkiJNO5BS/s320/IMG_7846.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, the U.S. Field Artillery Museum showcases the history
of the cadets who have honed their artillery skills at Fort Sill over the
course of a century. The museum had a tremendous historical display dating back
to the Revolutionary War and up to present day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery was in hog heaven with all the guns, artillery and
other devices of war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
able to see the artillery that their Poppa worked with during the Vietnam War
as well as uniforms and other paraphernalia.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGslOC4_Qn5n4KhF2oPwqObX5-2zKSsdVzqX1vRKkbYbbJ8LqmjzEgc3hyphenhyphen3iZeaXJUpA4292qBxw2zvI3Eh0opJda2mh0mJsmhbgYEANrinHJ9eJtgFc48lASoyXhhxbjay2bYLMy3tysI/s1600/IMG_7856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGslOC4_Qn5n4KhF2oPwqObX5-2zKSsdVzqX1vRKkbYbbJ8LqmjzEgc3hyphenhyphen3iZeaXJUpA4292qBxw2zvI3Eh0opJda2mh0mJsmhbgYEANrinHJ9eJtgFc48lASoyXhhxbjay2bYLMy3tysI/s320/IMG_7856.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Civil War era</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OWIT_jtOgXF7ER3TnrLIoRcqxaDi4u-iipYJdq5rS37oOq7TwIPAkZkOdbvfEDt_TWIMb-cAiIkkZPkc4C6X9bhy4H0OW-GcdXSJE8-REVHMSrm8CBBsrhCO6DNc3kIrspcNjCUj-5zp/s1600/IMG_7875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OWIT_jtOgXF7ER3TnrLIoRcqxaDi4u-iipYJdq5rS37oOq7TwIPAkZkOdbvfEDt_TWIMb-cAiIkkZPkc4C6X9bhy4H0OW-GcdXSJE8-REVHMSrm8CBBsrhCO6DNc3kIrspcNjCUj-5zp/s320/IMG_7875.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqYQuSNvnDZeAyKUu0Nd79LlFmFzqcE6AiX8yV-eI9myQQo-SohQEdLjqG_5kZo-ecD3BssGrLRUnU3F-Tu5RezP52pLNlYP_Iq-l6XZ3hdFRVsdtRp1B0NakX4-Yh_JTtTKPr562tOUs/s1600/IMG_7896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqYQuSNvnDZeAyKUu0Nd79LlFmFzqcE6AiX8yV-eI9myQQo-SohQEdLjqG_5kZo-ecD3BssGrLRUnU3F-Tu5RezP52pLNlYP_Iq-l6XZ3hdFRVsdtRp1B0NakX4-Yh_JTtTKPr562tOUs/s320/IMG_7896.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World War II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlIag18tNvl1RggEN6JHQb2LVVP2rT9QsqnysZj9cWlBmHj7axp9u0D7bDlJTwkbzoS2a2vjXyq7QZGuY3_ZJnKolOUG9vX6st9ZW-eY7NxShZMm-0Hi5txKkv-rkDBhar7-q-ivmZsJS/s1600/IMG_7912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlIag18tNvl1RggEN6JHQb2LVVP2rT9QsqnysZj9cWlBmHj7axp9u0D7bDlJTwkbzoS2a2vjXyq7QZGuY3_ZJnKolOUG9vX6st9ZW-eY7NxShZMm-0Hi5txKkv-rkDBhar7-q-ivmZsJS/s320/IMG_7912.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like what Poppa wore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWx9s7c6HY_NfCR5G_NiqPKS3lwoyxmvg7um8PU_ryqx6RjIVPCi3HR6nUHrAXLtZ2Pok3ny5jWGq4NonmaBwyiyIerw99dEvXPmuo6yyP8HzDfFxen_k9PcxFka2RdTb8lD-DQU62bPL/s1600/IMG_7914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWx9s7c6HY_NfCR5G_NiqPKS3lwoyxmvg7um8PU_ryqx6RjIVPCi3HR6nUHrAXLtZ2Pok3ny5jWGq4NonmaBwyiyIerw99dEvXPmuo6yyP8HzDfFxen_k9PcxFka2RdTb8lD-DQU62bPL/s320/IMG_7914.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vietnam era guns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaUvU_B6bB7PBWzgSXDNo34hhgI5Bx8sw4_MFOQULIAf33dNfQu7SFNr7YbIP56oMjcEJ91pznLlFeqEq_f7OetYakHXqQ6HujCW0LZkQte_VWDReN6lBsDHghF6-QO-Rs_pwz04nSQWm/s1600/IMG_7920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaUvU_B6bB7PBWzgSXDNo34hhgI5Bx8sw4_MFOQULIAf33dNfQu7SFNr7YbIP56oMjcEJ91pznLlFeqEq_f7OetYakHXqQ6HujCW0LZkQte_VWDReN6lBsDHghF6-QO-Rs_pwz04nSQWm/s320/IMG_7920.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vietnam era artillery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh6mABzI-WmIDWbvGCQbHwUv1aT4AnY6x1qblNDT70sWG6l_Dr5EEFRSfka7crUNhFXFVnijSzPPBRh8zCDhX3a0h1YJfSQkSw6HzINXsud9DysGxiGd2koKItfUu_gbEOCkJD302Gmvl/s1600/IMG_7942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh6mABzI-WmIDWbvGCQbHwUv1aT4AnY6x1qblNDT70sWG6l_Dr5EEFRSfka7crUNhFXFVnijSzPPBRh8zCDhX3a0h1YJfSQkSw6HzINXsud9DysGxiGd2koKItfUu_gbEOCkJD302Gmvl/s320/IMG_7942.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The museum also had a part of the World Trade Center that was destroyed on 911. Olivia wanted to get her picture with it since she was born not too far from the towers six months before that fateful day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Upon leaving we walked over to the large open space where
every conceivable piece of artillery used by the American military and some
foreign countries were on display – big and small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked among them but the heat became an issue so we
walked back to the car to move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdDG-96t148UEZHz0I_AZYrZAIqhZP2K2HFhlMXj0NoJwPDMcRbWk_li6LppDatyloVLc5biM15IjitTJ2Cuv7h1LDJP8ILzK5TFxaN1SN7SyU3WqZe-lfSE0AmTc54fy40iGX-HN4FqW/s1600/IMG_7944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdDG-96t148UEZHz0I_AZYrZAIqhZP2K2HFhlMXj0NoJwPDMcRbWk_li6LppDatyloVLc5biM15IjitTJ2Cuv7h1LDJP8ILzK5TFxaN1SN7SyU3WqZe-lfSE0AmTc54fy40iGX-HN4FqW/s320/IMG_7944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCop0sjGiegtQ4xv6iqk10ZOK_t4lrrbCQQ00Uu_vrYtsfp2sQhC0EpA4PLn0Y9UiLzVO2DbVnLd-1qemhLd5ZImUhMs0XtwJs2Ktq93C0igysthn9ZqeadRydymVyjq4EJ6KIUn66LEFk/s1600/IMG_7955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCop0sjGiegtQ4xv6iqk10ZOK_t4lrrbCQQ00Uu_vrYtsfp2sQhC0EpA4PLn0Y9UiLzVO2DbVnLd-1qemhLd5ZImUhMs0XtwJs2Ktq93C0igysthn9ZqeadRydymVyjq4EJ6KIUn66LEFk/s320/IMG_7955.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGuyVDAmjnzkq6jeHSXPuXTy-zYURopat3Xh1Sz3FiIbDLkZ2RyCbXjIDTCkTBDGMbEQmRNPego3kMy3-iOhyphenhyphenPhDv-9ntALRRXCKDcaBDswzOpMEeGwL_uaLeukB_0Ht2fdVk3g2FG-rd/s1600/IMG_7958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGuyVDAmjnzkq6jeHSXPuXTy-zYURopat3Xh1Sz3FiIbDLkZ2RyCbXjIDTCkTBDGMbEQmRNPego3kMy3-iOhyphenhyphenPhDv-9ntALRRXCKDcaBDswzOpMEeGwL_uaLeukB_0Ht2fdVk3g2FG-rd/s320/IMG_7958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKaA5bIP4ntg5v0sMhyphenhyphen4xVo-XUDnBEnHjq6cnpp2jj1d4a3gTn_l9EJxqggYvgjgZ5-VLQfS3wMBIm2bKtYKXfcVoedBtoCuHwS2C4ffRpFg_7-AuilaMtRGfavRkKDdWQv5fzdYGA9yg/s1600/IMG_7962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKaA5bIP4ntg5v0sMhyphenhyphen4xVo-XUDnBEnHjq6cnpp2jj1d4a3gTn_l9EJxqggYvgjgZ5-VLQfS3wMBIm2bKtYKXfcVoedBtoCuHwS2C4ffRpFg_7-AuilaMtRGfavRkKDdWQv5fzdYGA9yg/s320/IMG_7962.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1Ng0jwk9Qq-z4KA26abT10tsNhhHkKpSzYkKrWbFIrJ0mQRukUMhOVWPR11MLyZF_S6RCjXshn9EECWCWmkIJR5F3yHCt7kTTpDMShQnh5xN124fUfi5OaWZxm3k1G3iiFEnjCNrl6F2/s1600/IMG_7974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1Ng0jwk9Qq-z4KA26abT10tsNhhHkKpSzYkKrWbFIrJ0mQRukUMhOVWPR11MLyZF_S6RCjXshn9EECWCWmkIJR5F3yHCt7kTTpDMShQnh5xN124fUfi5OaWZxm3k1G3iiFEnjCNrl6F2/s320/IMG_7974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We then drove over to the old fort quadrangle, a National
Landmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old fort consisted
of various buildings and housing surrounding a large courtyard. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a historical museum and, what
else, a gift shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We toured the museum
and learned a lot about Ft. Sill’s place in shaping the American frontier, including the African Americans who were called Buffalo Soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-CvumTO42UzNvJFKzOtFqGVgB7y3l4INKTVUVxXnPoFJZI8r6EljLGirVakkKngrmlhNfWqBzuPtVwEccbMp5l6W3-nI2GAyEPKqTrsjd2bqEUrRJENKycnBgqeIDwjAw5u5bsB8Hfnd/s1600/IMG_8029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-CvumTO42UzNvJFKzOtFqGVgB7y3l4INKTVUVxXnPoFJZI8r6EljLGirVakkKngrmlhNfWqBzuPtVwEccbMp5l6W3-nI2GAyEPKqTrsjd2bqEUrRJENKycnBgqeIDwjAw5u5bsB8Hfnd/s320/IMG_8029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhq6XIcBXGhvXZjy2NuBCgBKBGrFip1ONMrfloMJIFqiEmJZmsz7im_sU2yCp1Iz0XiQZ002yR3obgJUTcUlxdvn_juCvBHaEBwhos7mDlkJi560L2CDVRQ7crq-Tp32GOoMrLuiwOhiv/s1600/IMG_7978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhq6XIcBXGhvXZjy2NuBCgBKBGrFip1ONMrfloMJIFqiEmJZmsz7im_sU2yCp1Iz0XiQZ002yR3obgJUTcUlxdvn_juCvBHaEBwhos7mDlkJi560L2CDVRQ7crq-Tp32GOoMrLuiwOhiv/s320/IMG_7978.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdqrevfGBRq1GK3kbKXlFMhBJ0SZ_ebZr3B13Q3wvOlCuI8oPb4VUysr7Al1lZr51CdgBIplcwdMuxauIh1eu4OPGWJCE9KDDJ1I9rextSIYWXXbEhrS-5KwZG60LhJJYYpTAryjwwmGA/s1600/IMG_7989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdqrevfGBRq1GK3kbKXlFMhBJ0SZ_ebZr3B13Q3wvOlCuI8oPb4VUysr7Al1lZr51CdgBIplcwdMuxauIh1eu4OPGWJCE9KDDJ1I9rextSIYWXXbEhrS-5KwZG60LhJJYYpTAryjwwmGA/s320/IMG_7989.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buffalo Soldier</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>We learned that the famous Native
American, Geronimo, was briefly incarcerated at Ft. Sill and then later worked
with the Army and lived nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His grave site was on the grounds that we would see later on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldier docent told us about where
to go see the guardhouse where Geronimo was held and other sites around the
base.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwNlNHw68FNTARRXFhwBkKogxx8LyslCXXIlFfRfQQr-0eA6LRaq1jTz3Y0fl55SvU_AmYQw2enJtFRyq9qF8m1MaDSxDBKIGOTVsEzyOOvTVrH7J0C3Y4JvxBFB8CvGxOioK1HrKeCJV/s1600/IMG_7983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwNlNHw68FNTARRXFhwBkKogxx8LyslCXXIlFfRfQQr-0eA6LRaq1jTz3Y0fl55SvU_AmYQw2enJtFRyq9qF8m1MaDSxDBKIGOTVsEzyOOvTVrH7J0C3Y4JvxBFB8CvGxOioK1HrKeCJV/s320/IMG_7983.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geronimo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But first a walk into the gift shop where I couldn’t get out
without a little something for the kids and a beer stein with the Ft. Sill Field
Artillery insignia on it as a gift for their Poppa. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fZ4cCbbya6ygu8KA85fpZI97L0Fiig_MG8Je9o_niPaY-qoQJerlC-OHeY-xZvdqpcqQu90U_K2vdnOvpK0JKAcYHeQZyk2tQSQ2ryQ6j2rhkRT0c4G81GozVWsDZaY5UL7qUTu7VdkK/s1600/IMG_8692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fZ4cCbbya6ygu8KA85fpZI97L0Fiig_MG8Je9o_niPaY-qoQJerlC-OHeY-xZvdqpcqQu90U_K2vdnOvpK0JKAcYHeQZyk2tQSQ2ryQ6j2rhkRT0c4G81GozVWsDZaY5UL7qUTu7VdkK/s320/IMG_8692.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next we walked along one of the barracks and then around to
the guardhouse building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
guardhouse was set up as a museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They did a very good job in recreating what it looked like back in the
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was even Disney-like animatronic
soldiers talking about the life of soldiers on the prairie, and being alone with
them was a little creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Downstairs were the cells where they kept the prisoners and as they
claim, Geronimo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia couldn’t
get herself to go down the wooden stairs with Avery and I and decided to wait
for us outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYJoO03uHxJzl0w_n52UoUbq9MT-5iLiilEj73PlZJR0MuvEPj3lJfVIKhpOcbUPbOcN4Zw_ywiTK93l0UKBL3f90Ksw5OocIRIdGa6E9flzRn2-9WLdlWaTSUOSprcFe_oo8jHxUOe0m/s1600/IMG_8026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYJoO03uHxJzl0w_n52UoUbq9MT-5iLiilEj73PlZJR0MuvEPj3lJfVIKhpOcbUPbOcN4Zw_ywiTK93l0UKBL3f90Ksw5OocIRIdGa6E9flzRn2-9WLdlWaTSUOSprcFe_oo8jHxUOe0m/s320/IMG_8026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08JUFEhNN1lGUWhENTjpJ5w9ZEpNNJQ41wikK6grvXW8q3WDKa1SjDKZ07Sof6i2BblxXoAV7cQ92L7HSyWsuE90-v9BRHeb_doX4MRp3PfLVufXJ7xmJW22jZsebuO7NJc51DB2Z3KTj/s1600/IMG_8001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08JUFEhNN1lGUWhENTjpJ5w9ZEpNNJQ41wikK6grvXW8q3WDKa1SjDKZ07Sof6i2BblxXoAV7cQ92L7HSyWsuE90-v9BRHeb_doX4MRp3PfLVufXJ7xmJW22jZsebuO7NJc51DB2Z3KTj/s320/IMG_8001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzLdjFgVs_BlXLBbPEtptTTJc20Tsk4X85ht_b_vhTQQDCa_yo55fsSq789-93Gb7S7yDoljpKyw7BAXD7X7xDtQnvO06qFWgybUJmwuRRLFl2aKefWiFhWomWCU3pC3SGmlJTSHe_4Q9/s1600/IMG_8023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzLdjFgVs_BlXLBbPEtptTTJc20Tsk4X85ht_b_vhTQQDCa_yo55fsSq789-93Gb7S7yDoljpKyw7BAXD7X7xDtQnvO06qFWgybUJmwuRRLFl2aKefWiFhWomWCU3pC3SGmlJTSHe_4Q9/s320/IMG_8023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guardhouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETdbwLmWufqKfEMiXiwvucT6W9NVJ7Qt3z6BzLs_Uqco7w4i-54V0EbM4GPvXzqLhJu7flavBkt4uNrJ-LWoj7fqL1c-7-qd09Sgh-_utM495r9xjr0pud903NzeQ-pllyzr4PNsTlvWG/s1600/IMG_8004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETdbwLmWufqKfEMiXiwvucT6W9NVJ7Qt3z6BzLs_Uqco7w4i-54V0EbM4GPvXzqLhJu7flavBkt4uNrJ-LWoj7fqL1c-7-qd09Sgh-_utM495r9xjr0pud903NzeQ-pllyzr4PNsTlvWG/s320/IMG_8004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDExQKRXy9HHnDr68UlxmrffuvrZYQe83tVhRYnDElPhtyKa167ODu4Zqk4mA0zjyuKNfIFR7eQIDLJmFVj9Ezd7Cw46t8xztuvC28rDgJVPH4WLiF0TF8TcPONnIavGlB2S9-bAgMgKFb/s1600/IMG_8021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDExQKRXy9HHnDr68UlxmrffuvrZYQe83tVhRYnDElPhtyKa167ODu4Zqk4mA0zjyuKNfIFR7eQIDLJmFVj9Ezd7Cw46t8xztuvC28rDgJVPH4WLiF0TF8TcPONnIavGlB2S9-bAgMgKFb/s320/IMG_8021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guardhouse jail cells</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We then headed back to the car and saw a small video crew
trying to interview what looked like a World War II veteran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were parked right across from them
and though I’m a filmmaker and sympathetic to their plight, I had to get my
kids into an air-conditioned car and on with our day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry guys, I’m starting my car and driving off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You shouldn’t have picked a spot right
across from the museum and gift shop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We next tried to go to “the bluffs” where Maj. Gen. Phillip
Sheridon discovered the perfect spot to build a fort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was leading a campaign to halt Native American attacks on
settlements in Texas and Kansas with the help of Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild
Bill Hickock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldier docent
was nice enough to mark on a map where to go but even with that I got lost and
started down a road that took us into the artillery practice range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I didn’t want to be accidentally
blown up we retreated and finally found the bluffs, which were a little
underwhelming, to say the least.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tcA7P_kA0zBgVbcnlm75C0NiV6J7mwIeLzawxvcE4ZUW8bv0ysM8fYegv81oV_yDTzqhtoV3ghUg2hWOL2113sHcszq8QCcMIeNSYnkDzSKiFxBmzPvJ51iowMSwRgnbxN0HitrTDeyr/s1600/IMG_8045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tcA7P_kA0zBgVbcnlm75C0NiV6J7mwIeLzawxvcE4ZUW8bv0ysM8fYegv81oV_yDTzqhtoV3ghUg2hWOL2113sHcszq8QCcMIeNSYnkDzSKiFxBmzPvJ51iowMSwRgnbxN0HitrTDeyr/s320/IMG_8045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluffs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Onward, we ventured to find the cemetery and Geronimo’s
gravesite, which was past the golf course and in the middle of nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Avery’s first time in a cemetery
and as crazy as it seems, he was excited about it and began running through the
rows of grave markers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
teach them graveside etiquette – not nice walking on people’s graves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A path took us right to Geronimo’s
pyramid gravestone, as well as those of his wife and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgmEoVEAZ6MAlX1ZUq_M7-PCWlMyJ6Go7i3BajmC9V_WGSHYMFjJoLKuaKTKrduOhOZWkKE_EiSuTQQuDXOuljosYJ_zzfuBNHZEdVnuO4R3aS6ZLcWx2wJdDju7_CHM72j863F9gKqse/s1600/IMG_8035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgmEoVEAZ6MAlX1ZUq_M7-PCWlMyJ6Go7i3BajmC9V_WGSHYMFjJoLKuaKTKrduOhOZWkKE_EiSuTQQuDXOuljosYJ_zzfuBNHZEdVnuO4R3aS6ZLcWx2wJdDju7_CHM72j863F9gKqse/s320/IMG_8035.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geronimo's grave</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was it for our tour and we ventured back through the
post and towards the interstate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kids were hungry so we drove back into Lawton and found the nearest
McDonald’s – what else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted
to get to Winnsboro in time for dinner so I told them we had to eat in the
car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quickly got on I44 with a
direct route to Wichita Falls, Texas where we would take US287 to Decatur and
then pick up US380 through Denton, McKinney and then on to Greenville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Passing near Frisco I texted Johanna’s brother, Kevin, to
see if his kids were back from Tennessee where they were visiting his wife
Kim’s family but they were still away so a detour to their house wasn’t in the
cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once in Greenville we were
an hour away from my sister’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A quick jump onto I30 to Sulphur Springs and then on State Highway 11
took us straight into Winnsboro. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We arrived in time for dinner - as planned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone, including three dogs (down
from four), three cats, a Grandma Helen, an Aunt Kim and Uncle Van and Cousin
Molly, greeted the three of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was nice to finally settle for a while and not be jumping in the car and
traversing our fair nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leg
One was complete and a successful road trip, if I say myself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next
on A Road Trip Adventure Across America: Sleeping among boxes, the drama of
drama camp and the Deer Run Experience)</span></b></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-34172845867466060102013-08-29T14:44:00.002-07:002013-08-29T17:12:09.645-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Six<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span class="bqquotelink"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education;
in the elder, a part of experience.”</span></span></i><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon" target="_blank"><span class="bodybold"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Francis Bacon</span></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:77;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.bqquotelink
{mso-style-name:bqquotelink;}
span.bodybold
{mso-style-name:bodybold;}
span.character
{mso-style-name:character;}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 130.5pt 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">One of the goals of this road trip was
to expose more of the world to my children and so far I have succeeded in doing
that quite well, I believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
have seen a lot more of the United States than I had at their ages and I hope
when they reach their adult years they will have fond memories of this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I’m concerned it has been
quite an experience for myself, as well, not only because I was able to see the
world through young eyes but, in no disrespect to Sir Francis Bacon, the
educational value was high for me, too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbTCyaLFy1V2_CvhN8TLg4_IAMUx9UZYqy6ADRqKgtcVa5558JRJYHIRhZabS3TQuBvvSnySVFO1sERfDerjYpaqiTbtBGxhFaYaKbPwS64iS8QFLAGlazxwVx7-Ob-p31d0NgSYxKwh1/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-08-29+at+1.44.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbTCyaLFy1V2_CvhN8TLg4_IAMUx9UZYqy6ADRqKgtcVa5558JRJYHIRhZabS3TQuBvvSnySVFO1sERfDerjYpaqiTbtBGxhFaYaKbPwS64iS8QFLAGlazxwVx7-Ob-p31d0NgSYxKwh1/s320/Screen+shot+2013-08-29+at+1.44.36+PM.png" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">My last entry had us leaving Colorado
Springs heading south back to New Mexico. In the two times I crossed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raton_Pass" target="_blank">Raton Pass</a> both were at night and so it was nice to actually see it in the light of
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdssxT8IRJUgoRZ27rzS3_dm9mNk6PxEkrUj3tB1B62x5CCAas8T9PwL95G0ItREOuTdkW3LrW0i0KYlkIMd_i1Xr5vbALyUVikpH8MMvJ0nCiwfyWSKpdCmsoHFMIGu23ew8WQFt9jxJB/s1600/Raton+Pass+Sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdssxT8IRJUgoRZ27rzS3_dm9mNk6PxEkrUj3tB1B62x5CCAas8T9PwL95G0ItREOuTdkW3LrW0i0KYlkIMd_i1Xr5vbALyUVikpH8MMvJ0nCiwfyWSKpdCmsoHFMIGu23ew8WQFt9jxJB/s320/Raton+Pass+Sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>After filling up gas and
stomachs in Raton we got on Highway 87/64 towards the panhandle of Texas but we
first had a scheduled adventure at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/cavo/index.htm" target="_blank">Capulin Volcano</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia studied volcanoes in 6<sup>th</sup> grade and we
actually built one – a cross sectioned volcano that was supposed to show how
the lava moves up through the tubes and comes out on top and through fissures. I
had rigged a system using a turkey baster so that when squeezed the air would
push orange liquid up the clear tubing to simulate an eruption. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a rush to get it done before her
project deadline I wasn’t able to test run the system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left it up to the class to be test
pilots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia claimed it sort of
worked but not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well,
it was a nice father-daughter bonding project and like most of those go, Dad
did most of the work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Olivia,
hand me the pliers, please…Olivia?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Olivia where are you?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaHlit0ZiQtOGyH1o8Fe37GN_I2gjrFuRl2fDQfyOQNshAl06pyjAUEedrtOdlz4p3PRiSFrePdjGBLYRgew23cOXcAALV960pbRtscjyMEWVEH6uzwp8dYAL3shQQ8HF_5ZG2b6_hF6W/s1600/VolcanoModelScheme.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaHlit0ZiQtOGyH1o8Fe37GN_I2gjrFuRl2fDQfyOQNshAl06pyjAUEedrtOdlz4p3PRiSFrePdjGBLYRgew23cOXcAALV960pbRtscjyMEWVEH6uzwp8dYAL3shQQ8HF_5ZG2b6_hF6W/s320/VolcanoModelScheme.png" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyzneTtKDfW1aWnmjf6mW6Tr6TKRvoofyQAmKw-5Al7iO7PVhuxWZlgLbR42AYO4H6gxVVMSKKcEXO_DGOLiWBVRGPvlw9zwCxC0ryJsgYJYyJFsB7fz0G2Se9KjgwdgCq9sH5Qkkq3JE/s1600/IMG_6247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyzneTtKDfW1aWnmjf6mW6Tr6TKRvoofyQAmKw-5Al7iO7PVhuxWZlgLbR42AYO4H6gxVVMSKKcEXO_DGOLiWBVRGPvlw9zwCxC0ryJsgYJYyJFsB7fz0G2Se9KjgwdgCq9sH5Qkkq3JE/s320/IMG_6247.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW54NQNVt1_GnbXhRcdFr8ixm09QKS-Mb12ve14NuBlLossjj4vm0omCrKqXWI9IGRgJhSuWsR9lJK8d8SJBaeqDCnijz_bpVGH5_JkL08_V9jsZ-bC01p2ngaGTTve_INO93lGjegEr5F/s1600/O%2526A_volcanomodel02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW54NQNVt1_GnbXhRcdFr8ixm09QKS-Mb12ve14NuBlLossjj4vm0omCrKqXWI9IGRgJhSuWsR9lJK8d8SJBaeqDCnijz_bpVGH5_JkL08_V9jsZ-bC01p2ngaGTTve_INO93lGjegEr5F/s320/O%2526A_volcanomodel02.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Olivia did learn a lot about volcanoes
and was passionate about the knowledge so I thought she’d like to see a real
one, albeit a dead one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A live
one, as Avery says, “would be REALLY hot and we’d burn up like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICTTxbEGvXg" target="_blank">Anakin Skywalker.</a>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, after watching
Episode III more times than George Lucas ever did he was well versed in what
lava can do to a person if you get too close.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Chugging away down the highway I expected better signage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could see the volcano looming to the side of us and a small grouping
of structures that could have been a town…sort of, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see a sign so I went right
past the road that led to Capulin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After seeing the volcano fade in the distance behind us I kind of figured
out I made a mistake and quickly turned around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
a sign, though it was easier to spot when you’re looking for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAM8Dh0x6Jc4fDpHIcfEodXQWI_HqrgbEKgS1p266Eg3FEM1t_DYTEfM-W7dVJxpUg60qA-8bKNZ10wqW8QIw-hayAzCgRqNoVbcyxNBOvtWGayZtZSGLyfN4dUH94YDJ2vJc1TKDr4uKD/s1600/CapulinfromCar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAM8Dh0x6Jc4fDpHIcfEodXQWI_HqrgbEKgS1p266Eg3FEM1t_DYTEfM-W7dVJxpUg60qA-8bKNZ10wqW8QIw-hayAzCgRqNoVbcyxNBOvtWGayZtZSGLyfN4dUH94YDJ2vJc1TKDr4uKD/s320/CapulinfromCar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">We finally found the entrance to the
park and drove up to the visitor’s center. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlJx-mXkrbNUywCEOlkNnd2EUETrCIQYRkpESWo_WtloboUGlQQLfv_39B_SH3T1wSMDO5zQACUx4xHFx4fGirpvAkyq-DtTzP7F1HXfNpqej90unQZL62rXyFg4YY3mhbK-x67XeyABk/s1600/CapulinParkSign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlJx-mXkrbNUywCEOlkNnd2EUETrCIQYRkpESWo_WtloboUGlQQLfv_39B_SH3T1wSMDO5zQACUx4xHFx4fGirpvAkyq-DtTzP7F1HXfNpqej90unQZL62rXyFg4YY3mhbK-x67XeyABk/s320/CapulinParkSign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Before the trip I had printed out some
literature from the Park's web site geared to kids and knew that Avery and Olivia could become <a href="http://www.nationalparks.org/connect/npf-kids/junior-rangers" target="_blank">Junior Rangers</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the help of the
ranger on duty they each received age-appropriate Junior Ranger booklets,
outlining everything they needed to do to become Junior Rangers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh308Tslg3kRgZhRio3jNcvMXxMVTijlXQPgxFx1x6GeZSbdGxDgpJLfDAZQIt5QdbwhDQjHTTG2WCpSqNgiITsyK84tIn1eqoIYhudZVln5F-8u91IBGpaux61-zWjSakv_lB3vyBqjGw-/s1600/JrRangerActivityBook_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh308Tslg3kRgZhRio3jNcvMXxMVTijlXQPgxFx1x6GeZSbdGxDgpJLfDAZQIt5QdbwhDQjHTTG2WCpSqNgiITsyK84tIn1eqoIYhudZVln5F-8u91IBGpaux61-zWjSakv_lB3vyBqjGw-/s320/JrRangerActivityBook_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="bodybold">Avery’s was fairly easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just needed to identify certain
things while hiking the park, such as flowers, bugs and shrubs pictured in the
booklet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he could spot a ladybug he would
get a special commendation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Olivia’s was a lot more involved:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She not only had to identify plants and animals but answer fill-in-the-blank
questions, arrange a geological timeline, answer questions from what she
observed in the visitor’s center and a video that runs on a loop, as well as all
the field work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seemed
surprisingly eager to win their certificates and to do all the work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw other kids come in who had just
finished their booklets and I was surprised at how enthusiastic they all
were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a very good program so
kudos to the U.S. Park Service outreach.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DG3Gw1uO8jUEjg8sI-DrxUHGgliWWu3sfxVKsC7RI0ikg-M254XIdN4FJjxQtDH3SUiJA2vrevYjBxk_SSROkvsRQvIlQ4ve5LzX-05Z2sDTPFi47K3bDrlg2PoNpaZ3OVpsW-ty0iCc/s1600/JrRangerBooklet_inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DG3Gw1uO8jUEjg8sI-DrxUHGgliWWu3sfxVKsC7RI0ikg-M254XIdN4FJjxQtDH3SUiJA2vrevYjBxk_SSROkvsRQvIlQ4ve5LzX-05Z2sDTPFi47K3bDrlg2PoNpaZ3OVpsW-ty0iCc/s320/JrRangerBooklet_inside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">The ranger told us to drive up to the
top of the mountain and we could hike around the rim of the volcano crater and
down into the crater, as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was also a ranger talk scheduled in a little over an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would give us time to hike and
work on their Junior Ranger requirements first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got back in the car, booklets ready for exploring.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB64XNMEQPE3daE7tMJtEpjmBttJoVdupRHKdAGnfSnWpiSBEn4HwNhyZrOJMnn5Rn_MAcaqDuQl_ZCblv5vnJsAYT8ZioWNLlJtlA_UGPY73N8IrbSnbR4yalAhbXItJmhwTZPhKKQls/s1600/IMG_7730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB64XNMEQPE3daE7tMJtEpjmBttJoVdupRHKdAGnfSnWpiSBEn4HwNhyZrOJMnn5Rn_MAcaqDuQl_ZCblv5vnJsAYT8ZioWNLlJtlA_UGPY73N8IrbSnbR4yalAhbXItJmhwTZPhKKQls/s320/IMG_7730.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">I could see us in an episode of Dora
the Explorer chugging up and around the volcano in our animated blue
Honda. If Olivia was Dora and Avery Boots then I must be Benny,</span> “a
lovable six-year-old bull with a big heart”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziDuzQ738gyQ8quDkVec0OdhzAh4SVpjqVkuDJgcbHp6vkiFqztIlTes3BEotCxe8TIbn0pnQ0eVm3xu5_yeHWR2zBi3TD-_jJHyiQHqd4zcO4bsfg8WkAsCojgw9niDn7fwxRFWhMTrk/s1600/dora-and-her-friends-in-a_4e304dc69915c-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziDuzQ738gyQ8quDkVec0OdhzAh4SVpjqVkuDJgcbHp6vkiFqztIlTes3BEotCxe8TIbn0pnQ0eVm3xu5_yeHWR2zBi3TD-_jJHyiQHqd4zcO4bsfg8WkAsCojgw9niDn7fwxRFWhMTrk/s320/dora-and-her-friends-in-a_4e304dc69915c-p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Great views of the valley could be seen
350 degrees as we meandered around the volcano to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t crowded, which was nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzHGBnKvlzf3t0iIcAxDAc8DY6fEd45M1n3WUpSuzkjKk5mKo-Clb2VO9hEIWgCbEzC2bmO8inDW8Ibn917oZSRB5XIZLcQRL6ukxslmQJiSn_lezxjcuWDnM8KIBe1b4AocFOhVuN_jx/s1600/IMG_7727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzHGBnKvlzf3t0iIcAxDAc8DY6fEd45M1n3WUpSuzkjKk5mKo-Clb2VO9hEIWgCbEzC2bmO8inDW8Ibn917oZSRB5XIZLcQRL6ukxslmQJiSn_lezxjcuWDnM8KIBe1b4AocFOhVuN_jx/s320/IMG_7727.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold">There were only a few others around
when we got there so we kind of had the place to ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was warm but not too hot as we first
ventured down into the cone, which was about a quarter mile hike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzBi5P9kL1QRag8Wz6PHCLcTNbe6rpEZZFIltMSPHAlfYE6vEIAhuHXChWKrGUYxn4Q7ydWK-KOgzV6RtCrNUYSFJXv1BShkULkGA0tuX3Zwu5gKvlktlxpvFn_TQY9bnM_bbbxfk7i8y/s1600/IMG_7787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzBi5P9kL1QRag8Wz6PHCLcTNbe6rpEZZFIltMSPHAlfYE6vEIAhuHXChWKrGUYxn4Q7ydWK-KOgzV6RtCrNUYSFJXv1BShkULkGA0tuX3Zwu5gKvlktlxpvFn_TQY9bnM_bbbxfk7i8y/s320/IMG_7787.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg724-a8UkA3jQ2B5APMmw3dJvm1CRkxxsbIKO6xOWUcam2FdzPmhKsWQ3XijOUQtr2NHCZpgvJTeQEI_dMZgdhtvdLfu0U8lmz7EIxVJEEm3yb4ctGrPzMd61y5a8EBz5ZWKWY391Ljao9/s1600/IMG_7735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg724-a8UkA3jQ2B5APMmw3dJvm1CRkxxsbIKO6xOWUcam2FdzPmhKsWQ3XijOUQtr2NHCZpgvJTeQEI_dMZgdhtvdLfu0U8lmz7EIxVJEEm3yb4ctGrPzMd61y5a8EBz5ZWKWY391Ljao9/s320/IMG_7735.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="bodybold">Avery spotted a bunch of items on his
list, such as the tent worms and cactus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was interesting being down at the bottom and thinking of what it
looked like when it first erupted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As Avery pointed out we would have been in the middle of the lava and
burned up.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics-DLQH1Fb1JjSv4GOaXD6K0fvKc6-RvpOAU7zO7JcRm-pKsfVuMImx7GbdB4H_NCyDD2wlManD7MeK2-wTtbn53CK__U4P0CTb0EUGXEeDZWmzDdmRCszkoxNl5ItMFqprqtN6sCeNzr/s1600/IMG_7742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics-DLQH1Fb1JjSv4GOaXD6K0fvKc6-RvpOAU7zO7JcRm-pKsfVuMImx7GbdB4H_NCyDD2wlManD7MeK2-wTtbn53CK__U4P0CTb0EUGXEeDZWmzDdmRCszkoxNl5ItMFqprqtN6sCeNzr/s320/IMG_7742.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_dqIilPjhdKgLt_JJbeRP7UDyHmEx9AIwe_JIlKymrp6RQa_bt_as9cdKyjOPAEIxCENwPFra6M5zRlf1SH63JtPb1HZbEQ3yPat6SEHdYAykCAsUUB5pFQnR3nKtsvtHXwsxgfOqSqa/s1600/IMG_7743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_dqIilPjhdKgLt_JJbeRP7UDyHmEx9AIwe_JIlKymrp6RQa_bt_as9cdKyjOPAEIxCENwPFra6M5zRlf1SH63JtPb1HZbEQ3yPat6SEHdYAykCAsUUB5pFQnR3nKtsvtHXwsxgfOqSqa/s320/IMG_7743.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHsONgTylMhZfyBGM3fv5yxAoTC1YQcbNiAfc9n6HF5Br1d4nAtkpUW5Sqkfqg6-2XUdf2YVs0M4SY3Tyxjk0J79mp5wjxEWmzZfD4DxvxBbGVvKMPkHz-9zy777sgsIUNe4_gHxzvfKM/s1600/IMG_7753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHsONgTylMhZfyBGM3fv5yxAoTC1YQcbNiAfc9n6HF5Br1d4nAtkpUW5Sqkfqg6-2XUdf2YVs0M4SY3Tyxjk0J79mp5wjxEWmzZfD4DxvxBbGVvKMPkHz-9zy777sgsIUNe4_gHxzvfKM/s320/IMG_7753.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqSvWL0s1l8JazkwUQ9hA7_pMwJXh7NgZhoY9733UxjAsUtUU17PdC2Anx1RH-xFw8GNvp0YCIdABz221pJgFjkyslfZ8RvsDGeXu3iHJoukQj3OgwthwlDmDuOCxux-Yp4sL0SIp5Ycj/s1600/IMG_7760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqSvWL0s1l8JazkwUQ9hA7_pMwJXh7NgZhoY9733UxjAsUtUU17PdC2Anx1RH-xFw8GNvp0YCIdABz221pJgFjkyslfZ8RvsDGeXu3iHJoukQj3OgwthwlDmDuOCxux-Yp4sL0SIp5Ycj/s320/IMG_7760.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBcbWtnCW-bvPHclgBK-rYJUMkR4UDuGfJ4_LVf_vKx5BJ4sMeJzE2ghgciJI05s5CL3DnbQzUtofj2tQqLsiUYyIXXRZGEcsSziJz8OuZhFJoLVtFtnITjYDMSurcTh_m7-hUnxcl54D/s1600/IMG_7746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBcbWtnCW-bvPHclgBK-rYJUMkR4UDuGfJ4_LVf_vKx5BJ4sMeJzE2ghgciJI05s5CL3DnbQzUtofj2tQqLsiUYyIXXRZGEcsSziJz8OuZhFJoLVtFtnITjYDMSurcTh_m7-hUnxcl54D/s320/IMG_7746.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the bottom of the crater</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">On the walk back up the trail Avery
somehow spotted a ladybug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
sure how he did it - we were just walking and he blurted out, “Ladybug!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess because he was closer to the
ground it was a touch easier, but the tiny orange creature was sitting on a dry grassy plant in the shadows of a shrub. I’m gonna have to start calling him
Hawkeye. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a picture
to prove Avery’s discovery to the ranger and I didn't think I captured it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bug flew away before I could get
another one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, the ranger
believed us and awarded Avery a special ladybug button when we got back to the
visitor’s center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> On later inspection the ladybug was visible in the picture so here it is to prove Avery's perfect eyesight. Look closely at lower half in the middle. </span>Way to go,
Avery, Ladybug Hunter.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtZ4zo2lYleYr9_7YGjE81pQP7eU0yjKuH69JGJWfYJSiTTlNvEskeD92cPu6l3gRqerWcymNiH7qAzcHlumVLW8kcqFqgp_rZHsUNdYNtwVhd2jiVHLjb7PD_3NlYR9UE18uwp-pdB-3/s1600/IMG_7736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtZ4zo2lYleYr9_7YGjE81pQP7eU0yjKuH69JGJWfYJSiTTlNvEskeD92cPu6l3gRqerWcymNiH7qAzcHlumVLW8kcqFqgp_rZHsUNdYNtwVhd2jiVHLjb7PD_3NlYR9UE18uwp-pdB-3/s320/IMG_7736.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip04jBAkrCV4Dy6zjK-FW5pKr_apYWcgB1dkIE4Dw7jZ3x14b0nwJ4OliNqqnkQg1BhcUf8eNQ5l2nM5nBsCV9Hb-0aJux52AbbwqlNDdyVeQuA3J36jGJsUB27ryiTzq6yyPDjgrmatSY/s1600/IMG_7747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip04jBAkrCV4Dy6zjK-FW5pKr_apYWcgB1dkIE4Dw7jZ3x14b0nwJ4OliNqqnkQg1BhcUf8eNQ5l2nM5nBsCV9Hb-0aJux52AbbwqlNDdyVeQuA3J36jGJsUB27ryiTzq6yyPDjgrmatSY/s320/IMG_7747.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">Next was the hike around the rim of the
cone, which was about three fourths of the total circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a fairly hard hike because of a
lot of ups and downs but we were able to blaze the trail, though a little weary
at the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sign read that it took
about an hour to hike so we’d be able to get back in time for the ranger talk.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdjVMKnZZFe7HvDnXLfBMdbQ060yrq7c8u_4RZkaoq8o5NW9BdOcSTxghK-e7kys3Jpea4rKWyrJ-3Uzvyp0vA93wJzzZhTN1qbrUqGTlXj6X0pGpBrcNJTyQ4rd6yo23P-kaGt_3pjud/s1600/IMG_7789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKdjVMKnZZFe7HvDnXLfBMdbQ060yrq7c8u_4RZkaoq8o5NW9BdOcSTxghK-e7kys3Jpea4rKWyrJ-3Uzvyp0vA93wJzzZhTN1qbrUqGTlXj6X0pGpBrcNJTyQ4rd6yo23P-kaGt_3pjud/s320/IMG_7789.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">It didn’t take long for the kids to
start fussing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery wanted to be
carried (I don’t think so 45 pound boy) and since Olivia was so sweet all the
bugs in Capulin swarmed around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is deathly afraid of and detests bugs and lets everyone know it in a
4 square mile radius.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least we
had all the discovery signs along the trail that kept their interest, as well
as their Junior Ranger duties to fulfill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I tried to be a good platoon leader and encourage them along the way,
giving them rest stops and some history and science lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia kept getting worse and worse but
at least she was aware that she was quite annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She apologized and asked if I was mad that she was upset
about the bugs, which I appreciated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I encourage them to be aware of how they affect those around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ojadWAgu5TI4P4oPAzRosf-4gV1loyt8yq6CRLNTRlIoQ1yGbhyphenhyphenkZTW5Djn2_lnfLnLes8LRof1xDP458brXv075YYuWrQHPgq4cOOpQ2ESDWP33gQEcAv5_2abl2XolcZkWBjSeiss2/s1600/IMG_7771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ojadWAgu5TI4P4oPAzRosf-4gV1loyt8yq6CRLNTRlIoQ1yGbhyphenhyphenkZTW5Djn2_lnfLnLes8LRof1xDP458brXv075YYuWrQHPgq4cOOpQ2ESDWP33gQEcAv5_2abl2XolcZkWBjSeiss2/s320/IMG_7771.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsGBkyZvJ65xkY0dxI-l3En9Fg3LN9GunRIB1eB5-DkANGEfHbZkfWY46nx2wVR31a-Ic1g62oSJXBcXRyElv3BtzOW-UzWojWbDOnhjgU8oiPLtZF8nHW18mGvY2dVWcJOPl37Qc6t1i/s1600/IMG_7779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsGBkyZvJ65xkY0dxI-l3En9Fg3LN9GunRIB1eB5-DkANGEfHbZkfWY46nx2wVR31a-Ic1g62oSJXBcXRyElv3BtzOW-UzWojWbDOnhjgU8oiPLtZF8nHW18mGvY2dVWcJOPl37Qc6t1i/s320/IMG_7779.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHAONbbmngcA0RxG49wvrQGEvV8fFpszszC45_dL7c5MSgHVWFb2ToQnoBgwojvmP493QC0Aem6LgGN1TY5lcxZzUGxi4UPw27ZfeY7mjb_OEIRpaianXo-E4Ej5NlJJ0lk4jtC_nQln_/s1600/IMG_7783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHAONbbmngcA0RxG49wvrQGEvV8fFpszszC45_dL7c5MSgHVWFb2ToQnoBgwojvmP493QC0Aem6LgGN1TY5lcxZzUGxi4UPw27ZfeY7mjb_OEIRpaianXo-E4Ej5NlJJ0lk4jtC_nQln_/s320/IMG_7783.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXo61onPStfeXrIQpRiQGhsNooTPgWp8vWKzNyxuVJytc6YMW5XMAj6VXWsQiH0HLiUvsIHvh-c35ON61s3OkLJBPZ5AHN-WqQzQc1boI61-E1lvkYApz8Iimr71cZhZl6Jum1kP8BopB/s1600/IMG_7792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXo61onPStfeXrIQpRiQGhsNooTPgWp8vWKzNyxuVJytc6YMW5XMAj6VXWsQiH0HLiUvsIHvh-c35ON61s3OkLJBPZ5AHN-WqQzQc1boI61-E1lvkYApz8Iimr71cZhZl6Jum1kP8BopB/s320/IMG_7792.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbucywvJ6vQGNd1fjSUSgA3YixZ_CxrOH1jGF91kX_5IvoyVD4sgViOmwJ0xIh1owX8wnaH1ST9KH2ZiHFFZnPVHyUp4EYUzjEv_XmGeIfy9k4XUAIN_xO-Onb1mEaXaQKupEmHnH3P67/s1600/IMG_7793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbucywvJ6vQGNd1fjSUSgA3YixZ_CxrOH1jGF91kX_5IvoyVD4sgViOmwJ0xIh1owX8wnaH1ST9KH2ZiHFFZnPVHyUp4EYUzjEv_XmGeIfy9k4XUAIN_xO-Onb1mEaXaQKupEmHnH3P67/s320/IMG_7793.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUi-UnilTMD22CrXdYkALm5UZ8JlbWhZkyT2wPGMsnGjfDxsOyl6Tw4HONcZBgtenU_Wmf2fO-J5HNFAb99a0Ka0NoaNOjExP1k-7UySR6cqjG7c0i451bPYYbrV52GFK9nn_6CzeBAYD/s1600/IMG_7799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUi-UnilTMD22CrXdYkALm5UZ8JlbWhZkyT2wPGMsnGjfDxsOyl6Tw4HONcZBgtenU_Wmf2fO-J5HNFAb99a0Ka0NoaNOjExP1k-7UySR6cqjG7c0i451bPYYbrV52GFK9nn_6CzeBAYD/s320/IMG_7799.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3puOOvIVFpIIxt0g2id2s22oV_kTJZFd-fze3BVFNj8Urw8aNrG5NuQcZGAmk7pbe41nmewIw15sPDn48-pAzVKU9cy6FQNNooOGhV6ijSWTqpMVZeODLFrrTBeqhabhpjOnUf6DMjY4/s1600/IMG_7800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3puOOvIVFpIIxt0g2id2s22oV_kTJZFd-fze3BVFNj8Urw8aNrG5NuQcZGAmk7pbe41nmewIw15sPDn48-pAzVKU9cy6FQNNooOGhV6ijSWTqpMVZeODLFrrTBeqhabhpjOnUf6DMjY4/s320/IMG_7800.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">All in all, I think the kids enjoyed
the hike but were glad when we got back to the staging area/parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While filling water bottles at the
water container we saw the ranger had arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect timing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was another family, along with the three of us, for the talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ranger reminded me of my cousin
Justin in both a physical way and the delivery of his speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told us all about the history of the
volcano and that part of New Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems two real-life cattle dealers, Charles <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%E2%80%93Loving_Trail" target="_blank">Goodnight and Oliver Loving</a> forged a cattle trail that skirted the volcano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would make a camp there because it
afforded a high spot to check for bands of Indians prone to attack white people
and their cattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyxHLStqeeqnkhIJvdOsbVeYc6VPKeeBVCcGadK0h5Z3tKVI21t-5K4EJJmR2TxuawZn941BJoq-vwR2-BiptiQHg5DSgQnmP1C2nc0IKHdyKCbZdKqd6oJ9U3HQl37FoqrO3RJG86oTX/s1600/LonesomeDoveTrail_HIST090-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyxHLStqeeqnkhIJvdOsbVeYc6VPKeeBVCcGadK0h5Z3tKVI21t-5K4EJJmR2TxuawZn941BJoq-vwR2-BiptiQHg5DSgQnmP1C2nc0IKHdyKCbZdKqd6oJ9U3HQl37FoqrO3RJG86oTX/s320/LonesomeDoveTrail_HIST090-2.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">He also told us
that <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/outdoor-learning/resources/keep-texas-wild/vaqueros-and-cowboys/texas-cattle-drives" target="_blank">Goodnight and Loving</a> were the basis for the characters in the book and
miniseries <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lonesome Dove</i></a>, played by
Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I did not know Lonesome Dove was based on real people and events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was nearby where Loving was
killed by Indians and asked Goodnight to take his body back to Texas
(poignantly recreated in the miniseries).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I always thought the terrific author and Arthur, Texas bookstore owner, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/us/larry-mcmurtry-keeping-his-last-hometown-bookshop-alive.html?_r=0" target="_blank">Larry McMurtry</a>,
made the story up (I met him back in the 90’s), but history is a great source
for material and he enhanced it perfectly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zach also told us about famous outlaws, train robbers, that
hid out there and other interesting stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed the talk and learned quite a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks Ranger Zach.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">After the talk we headed back to the
visitor center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Olivia needed to
finish some of the tasks in her booklet first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Avery perused the gift shop I helped Olivia complete
what she needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t take
too long and both kids presented their booklets to Ranger Lynn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked it over and asked if they
had found any ladybugs, which big sister Olivia blurted out with pride that her
little brother did find one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery
received the before mentioned ladybug button along with their Junior Ranger
certificates and patches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
Ranger Lynn asked them to raise their hands and they got sworn in as Junior
Rangers, repeating the oath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dad
was proud…which allowed the kids to convince me of getting a bunch of stuff in
the gift shop, like ranger hats and t-shirts, volcano book and volcano making
kit – all in the name of education, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They deserved it.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1Q312aYXZsQJje4WQtmo4Jb0Y-ikGyQkHminWw9xc4VDRQeamQfjMSrh8YTor0ofMktB4LL5WnJvgebrQsJGfkvcnJGJhkcif1p9jphRyxUOCRCNX7n2T0bwQv_MRkPQgl9SfxCpTKoA/s1600/IMG_7817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1Q312aYXZsQJje4WQtmo4Jb0Y-ikGyQkHminWw9xc4VDRQeamQfjMSrh8YTor0ofMktB4LL5WnJvgebrQsJGfkvcnJGJhkcif1p9jphRyxUOCRCNX7n2T0bwQv_MRkPQgl9SfxCpTKoA/s320/IMG_7817.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="bodybold"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-crP84bmam7AKoFRNKR42bgwAt079Ia44D9DQcCU6cR6Ybhz_rb0hLImcfx3gnoKlis7g_9jUo1ysEimPpbuLIJg60IQVA8v9kH2sWtKHBB0YFNPjY4tp2PjespeF77PNfVi_7Lamlzl/s1600/JuniorRangerCertificates_A&O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-crP84bmam7AKoFRNKR42bgwAt079Ia44D9DQcCU6cR6Ybhz_rb0hLImcfx3gnoKlis7g_9jUo1ysEimPpbuLIJg60IQVA8v9kH2sWtKHBB0YFNPjY4tp2PjespeF77PNfVi_7Lamlzl/s320/JuniorRangerCertificates_A&O.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="bodybold">After our volcano adventure it was back in the
car and the long trip to Lawton, Oklahoma to see where Poppa trained.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next
on A Road Trip Adventure Across America:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fort Sill and finally we get to Winnsboro just in time for dinner)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3100846893896306304.post-77059028959037469072013-08-27T13:42:00.003-07:002013-08-27T13:42:32.727-07:00A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Five
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Arial;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Times;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
p
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.bqfqa, li.bqfqa, div.bqfqa
{mso-style-name:bq_fq_a;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Times;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Times;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 130.5pt 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .75in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“The
voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”</span></div>
<div class="bqfqa" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .75in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Proust" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MarcelProust </span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We found a little respite in the middle the first leg of our road trip at
the home of Joanne and Kenneth Brooks of Colorado Springs, Colorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A day earlier, their daughter, Johanna’s
cousin Kristen, arrived with her two young boys from Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristin is a nurse studying for her
Masters but is also an Air Force Reservist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fulfills all her six-week requirement in one dose,
helping check in cadets at the Air Force Academy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our stop allowed Avery and Olivia to have some playtime with
their second cousins, Braidan and Logan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had hoped that Dirk, the son of Kristen’s brother Mathew who is at Army
captain’s school in Georgia, would also be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lives with his mother but visits his grandparents
frequently; but alas, this week he wasn’t there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My two rug rats were familiar with the boys since all five
cousins spent the day at Disneyland last year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgif0h4REDYT_7j_vynPU9echkEKAt_MQW86_zSFBLEpYl9YhHGwtix0kdSNHtxQp4SbtxhCFKkK15q1cUsfTeTiNv4K6GY33O90Yx85Ddfr4ERVCGGF7ZIhTxPXb0bBVDQUeOPlYXgPY3q/s1600/DisneylandOct2012_16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgif0h4REDYT_7j_vynPU9echkEKAt_MQW86_zSFBLEpYl9YhHGwtix0kdSNHtxQp4SbtxhCFKkK15q1cUsfTeTiNv4K6GY33O90Yx85Ddfr4ERVCGGF7ZIhTxPXb0bBVDQUeOPlYXgPY3q/s320/DisneylandOct2012_16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disneyland Oct. 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even with the extra day added to our schedule the Colorado
Springs day fell on a Sunday that allowed for a personal guided tour of local
attractions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you recall I was a
little discombobulated the night before due to an ominous car warning light and
my iPhone that wouldn’t charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before getting dressed I tried every outlet I could find but the phone
would still not charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once up
and dressed, while the kids went wild playing with each other, Joanne let me
try using her phone charger. Lo and behold it worked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad they weren’t Galaxy users. I
soon discovered that the AC adapter I was using was faulty and if I had used Olivia’s
I wouldn’t have been pushed into a panic. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we let the kids practice military tactics with tanks
and aircraft carriers that were almost life-size, a plan was made for the
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen was busy studying for
a pharmaceutical test and stayed behind as the rest of us ventured out of the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got in the car and
started it up I was ecstatic to find that my nemesis – that scary warning light
– was gone, alleviating my fears of expensive automobile repairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ding-dong
the witch is dead.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The caravan’s first stop was at the <a href="http://www.gardenofgods.com/home/index.cfm" target="_blank">Garden of the Gods</a>, a
main stay geological tourist attraction in Colorado Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a <strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">registered National Natural Landmark and
comprised of</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">
</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">300-foot
towering sandstone rock formations that cover the park, making it perfect for
rock climbing loving preschoolers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since it was a summer Sunday it was VERY crowded and parking was
difficult so we could only stop at one location. The kids had a blast climbing
where their parent/grandparents wished they wouldn’t but boys will be boys. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG-5uTeBPlfr4CyBptxpUOZ8CAEFUce4JZ9nbWlJLzlolJ-OZZpvlpLa5sMI1VarvdTfIzSv4VHzLc0Wam6MbAc7pYRLI_UteUoheLlD3xCLOCqYhndGVMdzJ0xUjMdEwUggGyfwxgRmD/s1600/IMG_7584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDG-5uTeBPlfr4CyBptxpUOZ8CAEFUce4JZ9nbWlJLzlolJ-OZZpvlpLa5sMI1VarvdTfIzSv4VHzLc0Wam6MbAc7pYRLI_UteUoheLlD3xCLOCqYhndGVMdzJ0xUjMdEwUggGyfwxgRmD/s320/IMG_7584.JPG" width="320" /></a></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGDLieXMHv5PMu9iBF0ULTqUkXRUEWJAskEs61aayfKUVHPEmjjmMLVETDR_lhD7xYgRf9-MsIZiNMwWg_jFTv7E1CnsL8IMjO_zWw35Pu6NNugkhp_BEN4FFCIQYs4BpYaDVN7gZICOz/s1600/IMG_7586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGDLieXMHv5PMu9iBF0ULTqUkXRUEWJAskEs61aayfKUVHPEmjjmMLVETDR_lhD7xYgRf9-MsIZiNMwWg_jFTv7E1CnsL8IMjO_zWw35Pu6NNugkhp_BEN4FFCIQYs4BpYaDVN7gZICOz/s320/IMG_7586.JPG" width="320" /></a></strong></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SnFdP3S0rxUUsDEb1j_oQwSkrHb5934dgymZ9C3zFx3AtkdEXyPdy4K2M0O83FOOeFosLBnU1SwkkIZPmA0N0nZCNXNBp3NMQ8QItdskFyt3YavZboDRD2KGHaSzSDhO1vwz2Ubj9Lt0/s1600/IMG_7587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SnFdP3S0rxUUsDEb1j_oQwSkrHb5934dgymZ9C3zFx3AtkdEXyPdy4K2M0O83FOOeFosLBnU1SwkkIZPmA0N0nZCNXNBp3NMQ8QItdskFyt3YavZboDRD2KGHaSzSDhO1vwz2Ubj9Lt0/s320/IMG_7587.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery and Pikes Peak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMKkrzrkfeWJEFt7qUE801s1LkkAFhBlaQ0_GT29JcRUNXfBjri_lQ3Mi3uwuTFxsdx5DTC8rJ6KeWwqh2-jIKdVHz8WmLlwrnqtKFjM_x7S-1y6twhla7r5UguemOr-xeNUzKUXypS3P/s1600/IMG_7595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMKkrzrkfeWJEFt7qUE801s1LkkAFhBlaQ0_GT29JcRUNXfBjri_lQ3Mi3uwuTFxsdx5DTC8rJ6KeWwqh2-jIKdVHz8WmLlwrnqtKFjM_x7S-1y6twhla7r5UguemOr-xeNUzKUXypS3P/s320/IMG_7595.JPG" width="240" /></a></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG9yGB4-GJMn5gTRlP7SpbxpYaPF-qct6Hb80ZPLKpFxS1trKu9oH-mvZ-7Qve7KCBtIrGl5gBsVpIyaoGGng2v-wRGh7jvQ-Uckp-TnaZlJ-MUe4YewVLpxROcx0z3EtampydCXgntg1/s1600/IMG_7598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxG9yGB4-GJMn5gTRlP7SpbxpYaPF-qct6Hb80ZPLKpFxS1trKu9oH-mvZ-7Qve7KCBtIrGl5gBsVpIyaoGGng2v-wRGh7jvQ-Uckp-TnaZlJ-MUe4YewVLpxROcx0z3EtampydCXgntg1/s320/IMG_7598.JPG" width="320" /></a></strong></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe-1MlSfdavfVXNYnO7iXyMxKp95EB0BpvzntmTyR3S3GDMo-J_u-0Io9Ink_15LP-6pTQ516yDz3hDZHaBQHAMOlCNBPIcwrqKdIGAHbdtmHgO9ToGpmYfPUMExEG_rTArQ3rNzXFmMA/s1600/IMG_7599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe-1MlSfdavfVXNYnO7iXyMxKp95EB0BpvzntmTyR3S3GDMo-J_u-0Io9Ink_15LP-6pTQ516yDz3hDZHaBQHAMOlCNBPIcwrqKdIGAHbdtmHgO9ToGpmYfPUMExEG_rTArQ3rNzXFmMA/s320/IMG_7599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's down there, Braidan?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Afterwards, discovering there wasn’t a
spot to park, Kenneth guided us up to a lookout spot where you had a great view
of the Garden of the Gods, as well as Pikes Peak in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The photogenic background lent itself
an opportunity to get all the cousins in one frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to also get them all pointing, which for Logan was
a little challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pointing
thing dates back to a photo <a href="http://www.roberttullierproductions.com/" target="_blank">Bob Tullier</a> and I had of us on a set of a Nissan
Diesel Trucks training video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob
was pointing at something and I was looking at whatever he was pointing
at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked the shot so whenever
we had our photo taken I tried to have us replicate the pose. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I once had an office wall full of
these pictures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have passed the
baton to my son so he has to always have pictures of him pointing, joined by
others at times.</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_pNcVuuimUQTJyvTdd1sNmt8JXinuYfWSHAMWxo_GS-DmfXxL_unMkuVrNAeGM2KLoCref53K0w2x_6qY3sBtVx7NNJ8fboqbo6Q3kb1WVzwTPqjavYnpzUDS1e7ghaIac-d2uu_vF2p/s1600/IMG_7618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_pNcVuuimUQTJyvTdd1sNmt8JXinuYfWSHAMWxo_GS-DmfXxL_unMkuVrNAeGM2KLoCref53K0w2x_6qY3sBtVx7NNJ8fboqbo6Q3kb1WVzwTPqjavYnpzUDS1e7ghaIac-d2uu_vF2p/s320/IMG_7618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braidan, Logan, Avery and Kennth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROAxCa4KvUSwBizqiT1BireM7fTZmOHWQMiJhGtV06TngIXzfq2aA3lS8P_E9jvQ5-MSig5tvXPb9JEfsR60YumhUzpHNPKbwQWtlXNVpfujRWT14jXH3ZhWBMAQcQeMnA9vstice1MUk/s1600/IMG_7611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROAxCa4KvUSwBizqiT1BireM7fTZmOHWQMiJhGtV06TngIXzfq2aA3lS8P_E9jvQ5-MSig5tvXPb9JEfsR60YumhUzpHNPKbwQWtlXNVpfujRWT14jXH3ZhWBMAQcQeMnA9vstice1MUk/s320/IMG_7611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logan & Joanne</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Stomachs
began to growl but when you leave lunch choices up to a bunch of kids you can
probably guess what they’re going to pick: It rhymes with Ronald. On the way to
Mickey D’s I was following Kenneth and at some point I got behind what I
thought was his car, similar in color and model. I ended up on the Interstate
headed south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few miles down the
highway I figured I must have made a mistake and called them for redirection. It
was a bit of Keystone Kops and all we needed to accompany was some <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5sQL7q_IOI" target="_blank">Benny Hill music</a>.</span></strong>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After
a typical lunch comprised of Happy Meals and ice cream we got back into the
cars and headed north to the <a href="http://www.usafa.af.mil/information/visitors/" target="_blank">Air Force Academy</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery wanted to see some planes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first stop near the entrance satisfied him - a real B-52
Bomber sitting on pedestals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
quite awesome to see and walk under and around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVI3oBgdF20fPaYxy0LiKYCzIthpFe-n4wHXFsFYnndq5v6O6-UH8JDvsROmZlDo2d2XVXEcJYKnGNiv3nuMASxT2XjbTmR6NuEO1kVrFeppxEqCrrZNLif7sVSzIvDxkUz4bYC3mCkLF/s1600/IMG_7627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVI3oBgdF20fPaYxy0LiKYCzIthpFe-n4wHXFsFYnndq5v6O6-UH8JDvsROmZlDo2d2XVXEcJYKnGNiv3nuMASxT2XjbTmR6NuEO1kVrFeppxEqCrrZNLif7sVSzIvDxkUz4bYC3mCkLF/s320/IMG_7627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next
we stopped at the actual academy where you can walk the main quad where there
are bunches of statues of various Air Force planes and luminaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUxO2c8V3IkgWUlCVqbqA0wCuF0yhS1PM4W5F76HE8Rdqod0wuY5-saScW3VZp5c7e2mlKsTLEQ1SYJ5lEA_dpCK_iwDRdacXAxygVBEMVY6xwV4Nz7Vxw4GOr2pcBCLKlwx_RXbrFDJv/s1600/IMG_7649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUxO2c8V3IkgWUlCVqbqA0wCuF0yhS1PM4W5F76HE8Rdqod0wuY5-saScW3VZp5c7e2mlKsTLEQ1SYJ5lEA_dpCK_iwDRdacXAxygVBEMVY6xwV4Nz7Vxw4GOr2pcBCLKlwx_RXbrFDJv/s320/IMG_7649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-0yXh60pIEHizpFL9ROEOr-5Am2hwD8M16-KfnYTtZTMgIKMRvT7rbzEKzSbReIzwJLhoNI-XTbhiKjsyT_8ky4sLYLqRMES2QdyM-k8hxFnh0fcS0cnmmdiHDWszXrY53KoZb_TZj4H/s1600/IMG_7662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-0yXh60pIEHizpFL9ROEOr-5Am2hwD8M16-KfnYTtZTMgIKMRvT7rbzEKzSbReIzwJLhoNI-XTbhiKjsyT_8ky4sLYLqRMES2QdyM-k8hxFnh0fcS0cnmmdiHDWszXrY53KoZb_TZj4H/s320/IMG_7662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We
continued towards the famous academy <a href="http://www.usafa.edu/hc/visitors.cfm" target="_blank">chapel</a> where a local choir group was
practicing and delighting tourists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, upon seeing bunch of new recruits walking across campus, Avery
declared that this was where he was going to college.</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCZ2js3ppSfBZk6rIZD53-GXN4cqgnJ5ADrHkLbU9RVi5w6dTdyr_F_7VvX_HMgNFz33Y0RkRxiTL08l1rzaAvpPaqpDP37zsmueqzBj1DJ3umhT4x9mHOAKQOgvL3cCdNfydl2RPncVR/s1600/IMG_7684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCZ2js3ppSfBZk6rIZD53-GXN4cqgnJ5ADrHkLbU9RVi5w6dTdyr_F_7VvX_HMgNFz33Y0RkRxiTL08l1rzaAvpPaqpDP37zsmueqzBj1DJ3umhT4x9mHOAKQOgvL3cCdNfydl2RPncVR/s320/IMG_7684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhC23xtBFki-i0EBA8D4g_57SIimhp6eFar2BHyBp5_pRfYMPA0UHCjfM7JfYIU2ScHw3DzBqX8u7Zow_GKlSQtLdgN0AY-yIbDOfJkX-ipIua4FcawQuXtOIYF_C85BSbqbFR8H9FlE0/s1600/IMG_7659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhC23xtBFki-i0EBA8D4g_57SIimhp6eFar2BHyBp5_pRfYMPA0UHCjfM7JfYIU2ScHw3DzBqX8u7Zow_GKlSQtLdgN0AY-yIbDOfJkX-ipIua4FcawQuXtOIYF_C85BSbqbFR8H9FlE0/s320/IMG_7659.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZmWK3tf7nWtnRI9Q8Qx6U6hEr18RhYdW5B-8vdqpvJEEZLwyAiBPKmbHkvIJvDoQ17Xx0asnLEISDJYFpIzOcvlEPyRl3SNmkHXsQmMO8Lcq_kAZGnhsxyhzcEjIQ9Sct-jp705_9SdZ/s1600/IMG_7672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZmWK3tf7nWtnRI9Q8Qx6U6hEr18RhYdW5B-8vdqpvJEEZLwyAiBPKmbHkvIJvDoQ17Xx0asnLEISDJYFpIzOcvlEPyRl3SNmkHXsQmMO8Lcq_kAZGnhsxyhzcEjIQ9Sct-jp705_9SdZ/s320/IMG_7672.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belt it out, Olivia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hVTzMdavH3DhsBFVJJyvYoSPWY_sGX1AIKxETebpHjcIze3n_zKCepF4KDQB63PfLTNkki4m7j2lCmkd8W95ELYJrNLkMlO-OFVf6bSI4orqrnjAbT1pXlWuf4FsCOswlHln07QmKSyv/s1600/IMG_7667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hVTzMdavH3DhsBFVJJyvYoSPWY_sGX1AIKxETebpHjcIze3n_zKCepF4KDQB63PfLTNkki4m7j2lCmkd8W95ELYJrNLkMlO-OFVf6bSI4orqrnjAbT1pXlWuf4FsCOswlHln07QmKSyv/s320/IMG_7667.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joanne & Kenneth Brooks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ManE8mhXdKiSGFyFQlt1iGdFK53lGS7ujtAj1PbrfqpjvM0nhOO0bK0om1gcvk7_1mHSutYt3O9iqmngCqO4BexBy5yeVwGDZR4u2XhP0-bF1Y0S1LC-4dhHa3Z91fubn8cHKSzOdADR/s1600/IMG_7670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ManE8mhXdKiSGFyFQlt1iGdFK53lGS7ujtAj1PbrfqpjvM0nhOO0bK0om1gcvk7_1mHSutYt3O9iqmngCqO4BexBy5yeVwGDZR4u2XhP0-bF1Y0S1LC-4dhHa3Z91fubn8cHKSzOdADR/s320/IMG_7670.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
we were touring the campus and I was explaining to Avery that this is where
people come to train to become officers in the Air Force he asked me where his
Poppa trained for the Army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
explained that before going to Vietnam he trained at Fort Sill, Oklahoma - at artillery
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fascinated him and
after some thinking he requested to go there, to see where his grandfather
trained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly deciphered that
we could easily reroute ourselves, adding a day to the trip so that Avery’s
wish could come true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would mean
another hotel stay but I knew that wouldn’t be a problem for Avery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
boys were getting tired and so we all headed back to the house for some rest
and a nice dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it
would be nice to have some home cooked food or any food that didn’t have a “Mc”
in front of it, for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really think McDonald’s puts something addictive in their Happy Meals or maybe
they secretly implant homing devices into every child that visits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve witnessed my offspring twitch and
get starry eyed every time we pass a golden arches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remind me when I get home to call Morgan Spurlock about a
great idea for his next documentary: “McDiction: How the Big Mac Has Become
Meth for Millennials.”</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
would say we had a quiet evening but with three young boys and a bored twelve
year-old nothing is really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quiet</i> but
it was nice for a change not to be driving down a highway with bickering kids
in the back seat, but relaxing on a patio watching the planes land at the
nearby airport in conversation with another adult. There was a really bad wild
fire north of Colorado Springs that was still blazing and it seems it was
re-routing air traffic so planes were a lot lower and a lot closer to their
house that evening. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avery joined
us a bit later with a big bottle of bubbles and subsequently began blowing them
around the yard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kenneth and I
egged him on to try to blow a bubble that would go over the fence, which kept
him busy.</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We
hit the sack early because we all had to get out of the house before or around
7am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Kristen’s first day at
the academy, Kenneth’s work at Fort Carson started very early and Joanne had to
take the boys by daycare before heading to her job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the change to our itinerary I also wanted to get an
early start so it all worked out well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One
request from Johanna was that the kids visit the hospital where she was born
near downtown Colorado Springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Easy directions from Joanne got us there without a problem and we took
photos to prove to Johanna of our visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, it was early and Avery was a little cranky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to bribe him with a new Star Wars
ship in order to get him to smile in the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we do for posterity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyf4JDr_5HbBumchImADvU9Srb9Bh7Ent4BA8_A49b4j0Onpf_6KRUms-FzYqlO1KFnFGD_imvR9Cn_eRRKFolhVTS5jQ4dWTEODx1VdTRHqZ81Fu0dZh1SEQ6ZeGLC72bohHYxMUTboZ/s1600/IMG_7704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyf4JDr_5HbBumchImADvU9Srb9Bh7Ent4BA8_A49b4j0Onpf_6KRUms-FzYqlO1KFnFGD_imvR9Cn_eRRKFolhVTS5jQ4dWTEODx1VdTRHqZ81Fu0dZh1SEQ6ZeGLC72bohHYxMUTboZ/s320/IMG_7704.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After
a stop at <a href="https://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/menu/food/sandwiches/breakfastsandwiches.html" target="_blank">Dunkin' Donuts</a> for breakfast (don’t tell Johanna but tell Joanne) we got on the
interstate and headed to our big stop of the day, Capulin Volcano National Park
in Northern New Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC17vtjITJRMDGp1OVGSQhmFtnq78h-mqj6uC0-6cisiZvD-m9Dq8K4ABM_2Svg3AcPHeWWeIF9hwPR8cTtBAg7qwVsSxjhQQeClGCuBWSCtDbIKGu38lKEsFNqk3r7TTgOqFOEfdJH9Ic/s1600/IMG_7707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC17vtjITJRMDGp1OVGSQhmFtnq78h-mqj6uC0-6cisiZvD-m9Dq8K4ABM_2Svg3AcPHeWWeIF9hwPR8cTtBAg7qwVsSxjhQQeClGCuBWSCtDbIKGu38lKEsFNqk3r7TTgOqFOEfdJH9Ic/s320/IMG_7707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Yes, Joanne, a Dunkin' Donuts in Colorado Springs</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Cambria; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Next
on A Road Trip Adventure Across America: A dormant volcano, Junior Rangers in
training, and Geronimo’s grave.)</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Rich Burlinghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01342393924825977953noreply@blogger.com0