Bucket List Dreaming

Today is a day I will never forget.  It was on this day in 1985 that Route 66 ceased to be an official U.S. highway.  All of my life I have felt the magnetic pull of  U.S. 66(East to West Hwy - even numbered).  and U.S. 1(From Maine to Key West - odd numbered - North to South and I HAVE achieved this much of my bucket travel list).  Even as a little girl I was fascinated by this great highway, its dust bowl stories, the music, and would proudly tell everyone of the grand adventure I was going to have one day there.  I had researched it at the library(before the days of internet), had watched many movies about it, and I guess at a terribly young age....before I even knew what one was....this was my first bucket list item.  I know you are sitting there saying...."come on girl, it is just a road."  That is true...but it is more than any road....it is a special road, filled with magic and music.  It is the Mother Road!   Did you know that Cyrus Avery, a successful businessman from Oklahoma, became famous because wanted to improve road conditions in his state....and his state alone.   Avery, now known to many as the father of Route 66, was charged with establishing what would become the U.S. highway system, by plotting and mapping the most-important interstate roads in the nation. The Associated Highways of America developed a plan for the nation’s highways. They laid out a highway system, organized a maintenance plan for those highways, established a systematic numbering system that replaced the previous tradition of naming roads (Lincoln Highway, National Old Trails Road, etc.) and a system of standardized, uniform directional, warning, and regulatory signs for the U.S. highway system. Cyrus Avery became one of the strongest supporters of the Chicago to Los Angeles route, a route that he wanted to pass through his home state of Oklahoma. "But....that did not happen because supporters of the major east to west route from Chicago to Los Angeles wanted to follow the Old Santa Fe Trail, which would by pass Oklahoma. This road would be linked with the Old Santa Fe Trail across the Southwest, which would then be connected to Beale’s wagon route through California to form the National Old Trails Road. Avery knew that a major highway through Oklahoma would boost that state’s economy so he relentlessly pushed for an alternate route. Cyrus Avery used a little known trail from the California Gold Rush that ran through Oklahoma, as he drew plans for the route that would become Route 66. He was successful in his bid to have the new route pass through his home state. This route was designated U.S. Highway 66. On November 11, 1926 a bill was signed in Washington creating the American Highway System. Route 66 along with the rest of the early two-lane roads became a reality. Our country had entered a new era. Great roads were to be built. Roads to carry a nation on the move, through hard times, war, and rebirth. Route 66 would become the most celebrated and famous of these two-lanes. Route 66, the "Main Street of America." Now it is simply a hit and miss highway.  Gone are the days of the wonderful two lane highways, replaced by interstates.....and many towns have been forgotten....and faded away.  But....back in its day...if you started in Springfield, Ill you would begin....where President Lincoln was born.  You can still get there today.....if you exit now....but then, then you went right through it.  Are you already hungy?  Are the kids in the back seat crying out, "Are we there yet?   How about a real road original, the Cozy Dog? The Cozy Drive-In in Springfield is another classic place that serves up a memorable (in a good way) meal to the Route 66 road wanderer. The one-of-a-kind family owned establishment actually predates Route 66 by about a hundred years, Funk’s Grove? Funk’s Grove is home of the world renowned Funk’s Grove Maple Sirup. Yes, that’s how it’s spelled. That’s the real old fashioned way to spell Syrup, and Funk Grove Maple Sirup is definitely the real thing!  In Missouri there are the old barns with painted tops that read "See Meramac Caverns."  There is also the Chain of Rocks bridge, Ted Drew's frozen custard, mom and pop motels....and no you don't get any skymiles for staying there....what you do get is a wonderful piece of americana that the interstates of our country took away from us.  Kansas is the next state you pass through if you plan to drive the entire length and there you will see 12.8 miles of the Mother Road.  In its day service stations were scattered among the way....remember those?  That was back when some man would come out and actually "service" your car.  The road was designed for Oklahoma.  Woodie Guthrie sang of this road, Will Rogers name was given to it, Catoosa had a blue whale and even from the beginning....and the great migration during the American Dust Bowl period, Oklahoma and Route 66 played a major road in the formation of our country.  Texas holds the Cowboy Motel, Britten Tower in Groome, the Bug Ranch ( and no it is not creepy crawly things...it is VW beetles half buried in the ground.)  In New Mexico mom and pop business sprang up everywhere.  Motel Row with its neon signs were splattered across the scenery.  You will cross the continental divide here.  The road through New Mexico is not as good as the one through Texas...but the government is studying it (and we know how that is). Arizona was Indian country and everywhere there were touristy opportunities to see Native American life at its best, the Grand Canyon, and Canyon Diablo.  The end draws near and Route 66 actually ends right in front of the Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles.  That is actually one of the few sections of the road I have seen.  Yep, I am seriously going to plan this bucket trip....Europe will just have to wait.  I am going to set out to finish finding America....a little at a time.  Let me see.....I lack Alaska, Vermont.....and Route 66.  How much of America have you seen?  Last night on an episode of Undercover Boss one of the people told a story about her dad wanting to see the Grand Canyon.  Part of the reward she got for good service...was a trip to the Grand Canyon for her family....in honor of the dad....because he never made it.  I have stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon....and let me tell you....it took my breath away.  Happy Monday. 

Project 365 - Week 26

It is that time of the week again.  Time for me to post my week in pictures and link up with Sara over at "...make music from your heart to the Lord."  This is week 26 and we are officially at the halfway point of the year.  It is still not too late for you to join in and start snapping.  This has been a crazy week.

Sunday, June 19th

I almost forgot a picture today.  Today is Father's Day and we had a phone call this morning alerting us to the fact the our pianist was enroute to the hospital.  I played all the hymns with the guitar.  When we got home we died.  The toll of the wedding we worked and family reunion from Saturday did both of us in and we slept all afternoon.  Honestly....I was comotose.  I went outside and say one of my daylillies blooming and captured it.

Monday, June 20th

Today we went to Alex City and took care of some legal business and got my hair cut at my friend, Jo's.  She has her house all decorated for the fourth and I loved this wreath on her front door.  She is so creative.

Tuesday, June 21st

 Our doxie owns the house and just allows us to live there.  Frank and Beau share a number of face-to-face conversations....especially when Beau thinks he needs to get his point across on what needs to be done.

Wednesday, June 22nd

We went over to Beth and Ron's to have prayer with her.  She is ill and needs to feel better.  They have an amazing yard and garden.  Beth's sunflowers are blooming, and we actually took that cabbage home and made coleslaw and cooked cabbage out of it.   I had forgotten how much taste cabbage out of the garden had.  We also were given some squash and my vegetable night was devine.  I took Beth (and Ron) a fruit cocktail poor mans pie.  Ron loves fruit cocktail so I thought I would give him some with a twist.  My mom used to make them because fruit cocktail was so cheap to buy.  Anyways....back to the garden, the baby squash are so cute and so is the little cucumber.  I love cucumbers.  WE NEED RAIN!

Thursday, June 23rd

Today was my daughters 31st birthday.  We went to Alex City to check on friend Mary who had had surgery on Tuesday.  Her birthday was last week when I was in Mobile and I had not given her her gift yet.  Her hubby, Bill gave her that really cool wasp catcher in my first picture.  Mary loves Fantasia and Mickey Mouse, she collects M.A. Hadley dishes and I bought her the blue salt and pepper shakers to go with her fleur de lis plate.  We took her to have lunch with her husband at Wendy's, messed around town a bit, and came home.  It was a good day!

Friday, June 24th

This was supposed to be my Sunday sign and I was going to say "nuff said."  I loved the little puppy lying in the shade of the sign trying to beat the heat.  Who knows...maybe he was a father....maybe she was a mother.  I just loved the shadow.

Saturday, June 25th

Today was CRAZY!  We had our cookout and spent the day getting ready for it.  Greg, Wayne, Taylor arrived early with the 20 x 40 tent.  We wanted to make sure people were shaded and cool.  After they left we finished steadying the tent and put up our own 10 x 10 tent.  I went inside and finished clearning the house and began preparing my part of the food.  We provided the meat, buns, and condiments....and asked our guest to bring a side.  We have some really good cooks in our church.  From salads, to desserts and mac and cheese if you left my place hungry yesterday, shame on you.  People began coming around 3:30 and by 4:15 Still Magnolias were singing our hearts out.  We stopped for a bit at 5 and ate and by 6 we were singing again.  I have to admit....singing again was AWESOME.  We have not had a whole lot of music in our lives in the past year.....and we need to fix that.  We finally wrapped it up around 8 when Mrs. Jean (in the read and white) came up and sang a couple of numbers with us.  It was so much fun and she enjoyed it.  It was such a fun day....but to be honest....I was dog tired when it was over and too tired to post this last night.   Have a wonderful Sunday!  I know I will.

Still Magnoias In Concert.....Again!

I am so very excited.  Today we are having a huge cookout in our back yard.  I have been planning this event for several weeks now.  I love to hostess things.  It thrills me to plan and implement a party.  We have the hamburgers and hot dogs bought, along with the buns and condiments.  There are white ultralite tables standing like soldiers, complete with folding chairs in our back yard.  In just a few minutes our neighbor Wayne will be over with a 20 X 40 canopy for Still Magnolias and the people to sit under.  There is a 10 x 10 canopy for the grills to go under.  The grass is all cut (thanks Frank), the grill and mower will be moved to the side of the yard.  Amanda will be here (her flight made it out of Cinncinnati last night after several attempts).  Rebecca wil be here....and Still Magnolias will have 4 glorious hours in which to sing for our friends.  Patti (Patti's Got Her Wheels On) will be here and so will Kimble.  But the most important thing to me is that Still Magnolias will be together.  We have not sung together....just us....since 2009 when we opened for George Jones at the Civic Center.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  Frank has done miracles with the flower beds....the yard looks great and as soon as I get off this computer I will become the tazmanian devil - vaccuming and mopping.  The rest is done.  Then it will be cutting up tomatoes and onions time....and before long it will be THE TIME!  There is a 30% chance of rain today...and you know...even that can't dampen my spirits right now.  I will be sure to make plenty of pictures....and maybe even a video.  I will be sure and post my pictures on my Project 365 post tomorrow.  Have a wonderful Saturday!  I know I will.

Chocolate Colored Couch

“I really like this one,” Tom said, gesturing to the headboard. With glass in it. Meaning, it was like a mirror. In the headboard.

I burst out laughing.

Both the salesman and Tom stared at me as though I suddenly belted out Bette Midler tunes.

“You’re kidding, right?” I said, because neither man smiled.

“I wasn’t kidding,” Tom said slowly. “I like this.”

Uh.

Okay.

This is why going furniture shopping with someone else can be difficult. It’s especially difficult if that someone else has a penis. I wish Tom were like some of those husbands who hand over the credit card and say something like, “I know you’ll pick out something great.”

But no. Tom wanted to come and pick out our new bedroom furniture and couches. Which I totally understand but a headboard? With glass?

“Or there’s this one,” Tom said, walking ahead of me. He patted a leather headboard lovingly. He frowned in my direction. “What?”

“What?”

“You look disgusted.”

Oops. I thought I had masked my disgust. It’s just, since Tom had been in Korea for nine months I really didn’t want to argue. We were still in the honeymoon phase of our reunion. I didn’t want an ugly headboard to ruin that.

“It’s….it’s….lovely,” I forced myself to say. “It’s just not for me.”

Where were the nice headboards made of wood the color of honey? I glanced around the room. Ahh, there they were.

My eyes drifted over to a beautiful one and I thought, “Yes, that’s it. I could totally picture that for my bed and…holy shit, 2000 dollars? For a headboard?” For the millionth time in my life I wished I were rich.
Tom followed my gaze. “Do you like it?” he asked, walking over. “I could deal with this.” He didn’t even check the price. The thing with Tom is, he’d buy me whatever I wanted. He’s just that guy. The problem is, I’m too practical. Oh, and I like to eat and we definitely wouldn’t be able to eat for like two weeks had we purchased the bed. Or paid for our cable and I’m sorry, I need to know what is going on with those crazy housewives in New Jersey.

“It’s too expensive,” I explained. “But that one isn’t bad.” I nodded my chin to a darker set with a happier price tag.

It was Tom’s turn to look disgusted.

“What? What’s wrong with it?” I wanted to know. It was a lovely dark shade with matching dressers and everything.

“It’s not my taste,” Tom admitted.

How could the lovely dark shade of wood NOT BE HIS TASTE?

“Are we almost done?” Tommy sighed beside us. He and Natalie had been trailing at our heels for an hour. At first Natalie thought it was a fun game to climb up on all the beds. But after the fifth one she was like, “Um, okay? Are we done yet?”

“We’re almost done,” I lied.

“You know,” the salesman spoke up and I jumped. I nearly forgot he was there. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see him though, he hadn’t left our side the second we walked through the door. He smelled a commission and was going to get it, damn it. Which meant he was suddenly our new best friend. “I have a discounted set near the front. A fabulous price.”

Tom and I shrugged. “Okay.” What did we have to lose? Clearly we weren’t getting anywhere.

So we followed the guy to the set and…

…really, it wasn’t bad. It was a cherry wood and the price was right.

So we took it.

Then we had to find a couch and that took forever.

Tom wanted to get a couch with drink holders in the middle of it. I didn’t like the look. Naturally, Tom loved it.

“Can you picture us sitting here with drinks?” Tom asked, plopping down. It was a recliner couch so he pulled the switch down so he could prop his feet up.

“I can picture one of the kids knocking the drink out of the holder and staining it, yes,” I replied.

Tom rolled his eyes. “They wouldn’t. It’s why it’s called a drink HOLDER.”

Clearly, he doesn’t fully comprehend the power of children.

“I don’t really want cup holders in the couch,” I admitted.

“But look. It also has a storage bin. You can put your books here.” Tom flipped it open.

“Ew. No. Not on a couch.” I couldn’t max my distaste any longer. If I didn’t speak up then we’d be going home with a couch that came with drink holders and storage.

“But…” Tom began to pet the arm of the couch.

“How about we keep looking?” I suggested.

“Geez!” Tommy yelled. “You said you were almost done!”

I wished he were an infant so I could stick a pacifier in his mouth to silence him. Not that pacifiers ever worked for my kids. They’d just spit them out and wail even louder.

We looked at many couches. They started to blur together. None stood out to me.

“We might have to look into leather,” Tom suggested after we circled the store for the third time. And yes, Jeeves was behind us. Jeeves is what I dubbed the salesman.

“We have many leather couches,” Jeeves spoke up. He probably wanted to smother us with a couch pillow since we were taking so long.

“I don’t like leather couches. You can never get comfortable on one and when it’s hot, it makes farting noises,” I said bluntly.

Jeeves winced as though he had never heard the word fart before.

“We’ll find something,” I assured Tom.

And we did. We eventually stumbled on a chocolate colored couch that was fluffy and comfortable to sit on.

“Oh, this is a fitting. A chocolate colored couch for a chocoholic,” Tom said, settling down on it. He wiggled his butt on the cushion. “I could deal with this. I mean, I like my drink cup holders but since you’re being mean to me, I’ll take this one.”

“Let me make sure it’s in stock,” Jeeves said hopefully. He was probably thinking, “They’re almost gone…just suck it up for a few more minutes, Jeeves, and they’ll be out of here.”

They did have it in stock.

We paid a substantial sum—I felt like we should own Jeeves for a day for what we paid—and then we had to go on our way and leave our lovely chocolate colored couch behind because we had to wait for them to deliver it.

I’ll get pictures posted. The other half of our household goods are finally coming today so when everything is set up, I’ll take photos.

I do love my chocolate colored couch.

And my wooden headboards—non-leather, thank God.

Jesus Take the Wheel

I have always liked the Carrie Underwood song, "Jesus Take the Wheel."  The first time I heard it...I had to pull off the road so I could cry.  It was not until Yesterday that I fully understood the lyrics of the song.  Matthew 28:20 kept running through my mind, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Yessiree he is!  Yesterday was another ordinary day.  About 10:00 Frank and I went to Alex City to see Mary (she had surgery earlier in the week).  We got there, I gave her the very late birthday present I had for her (I was in Mobile on her birthday), we met her husband Bill at Wendy's for lunch, went to Home Depot and I bought 6 more plants for my front garden.  Mary felt she needed to walk some more so we went to Longleaf and browsed through the antiques and wannabe antiques.  AFter taking Mary home we headed home ourselves and as luck would have  it found ourselves behind an eighteen wheeler around Hillabee Creek.  From Hillabee Creek to New Site there is no where much to pass.....and when we got to those couple of little spots there would always be cars coming.....so we stayed put...knowing that in Newsite it four lanes and we would take him then.  Right before the road splits there is a sign that states, "slower traffic keep right."    Frank and I both expected the truck to move to the right lane.  When, after four houses he did not, Frank moved into the right lane to go around him.  We were between the cab of the truck and the body when we realized he was pulling into OUR lane.  Frank was amazing, he hit the horn, and then hit the yards of the houses to our right.  We hit a culvert, almost a tree, several hard dips, the truck moved back to his lane, and we ended up stopping at the old school house to check on the car.  It was amazing that in such a populated area....we did not encounter the first mailbox.  It was so natural just to go immediately into prayer mode while this was happening.  I KNOW there are mailboxes along that road....where did they go?  I could not believe it when we got out and there was nothing broken or missing.  I thought the whole front fender from my car was going to be laying in a ditch somewhere.  I figured the right tire would be bent and the frame of the side of the car would be dented.  The culvert we hit jarred my teeth hard and of course when I saw it coming I tensed my back.  Assured that we were good we returned to the car and resumed the trip.  At the local Foodland.....there he was....he stopped to get him a little something to eat.  I was still shaking like a leaf and felt like throwing up.  The human in me....wanted to stop my car, get out, and punch the man in the face.  The Christian in me would not let the human have it's way.  We were ok....the car seems ok.....my back is a bit tender but ok, it was the ride of a lifetime...and Frank was a great driver (I would have flipped the car).  Jesus was definitely in control and Frank even said so himself.  What a ride!  When I got home I looked up the trucking company and called them.  I did not want to sue them....I just wanted them to know what happened.   True, semi's are big and drivers have many hidden areas....and passing on the right side is one of them....but we were close enough to him that he could have seen us by that point.....he knew we were behind him for several miles....or should have.....and HE should have pulled into the slower traffic lane.  There were multiple cars behind him.....duh!  That makes you slower traffic dude. The people at the trucking company were lovely and assured me that they would call this driver and tell him what he almost did.  The human in me went, "Yeah Right!"  The Chistian in me feels that was good enough.  She asked me if I wanted the driver to call and apologize.  I told her, "No, thank you....I just wanted you aware of what happened."  I felt much better after the phone call.  Thank you Jesus for taking the wheel and keeping us safe.  Have a wonderful Friday.

Ouch! My Neck!

I couldn’t get comfortable.

I tried to lean my pillow against the window and rest my head on it. Within two seconds my neck started to tense up.

I tried to set my pillow on my lap and lean down.

My neck didn’t like that either.

It didn’t help that Tom had his music on. Tom doesn’t listen to music I like. He listens to music where the artist crones about bitches and hoes. I couldn’t ask him to turn it off though. He was doing all the driving from Wyoming to Oklahoma.

“What’s wrong?” Tom asked, noticing me sit up. I was massaging my neck and scowling at the pillow.

“I’m too old to sleep during road trips,” I answered. When I was younger I could curl into a ball and sleep like that. Now if I tried to curl into a ball my knees would cramp.

It was midnight and we had just driven away from our base in Wyoming for the last time. We were on our way to our new base in Oklahoma, about a nine hour drive. Tom prefers to travel at night so the kids are asleep. And they were. Fast asleep, I mean. I wished I could get some sleep.

“And I like them bitches and hoes,” Tom’s music blared.

“Your music sucks,” I mumbled as I attempted to get comfortable. Why couldn’t we be rich and travel in a comfortable tour bus?

“My music doesn’t suck. Yours does,” Tom retorted.

“Mine has real lyrics. Happy lyrics,” I argued. I mean, really. Why must men constantly rap about women being hoes? It’s been done. Move on. I fluffed my pillow a few times and leaned it against the window again. This would just have to do.

I managed to sleep on and off. Each time I’d wake up my neck would be killing me. And a few times I dreamed about bitches and hoes.

I’m kidding.

We made it to Oklahoma in the morning. The first thing we did was drive to the housing office to see if we could get our house that day instead of waiting tomorrow. When Tom ran inside to get all the paperwork, I waited in the car with the kids and the cat, who was beginning to meow pathetically. It sounded like we had a sick child in the car from the way he was carrying on.

I decided to stretch my legs so I opened the car door and…

…holy crap, extreme heat. See, I had left Wyoming where the high had been in the sixties. Suddenly it was ninety degrees.

Needless to say I got right back into the air conditioned car.

“Meowwwww….meowww…” Max the cat whined.

“Hold on, Max,” I said.

“Meowwwwwww….MEOWWWWW…”

“Mommy, he sounds sad,” Tommy said, sticking his face up to Max’s cage.

“MEOWWWW!”

“Maybe he has to poop?” Natalie suggested. She’s been really into poop these days. It’s all she wants to talk about. Like she calls me a Poop Face. Or she’ll say, “Hi, I’m Natalie and I poop. Do you?”

Crap though. Maybe Max DID have to poop. Hopefully we could get into the house…

Tom appeared a little while later and good news! We could get in the house early. We followed a worker from housing to our new home and she let us in.

I was impressed. Everything is brand new. And we even have a fridge that has water and an ice maker on the front.

Pictures will follow when it’s furnished. I’ve posted some on my Twitter account.

The new house though?

Is wonderful. It’s the nicest base housing we lived at and this is probably because these are privatized. That means it’s run by a non-military company but it’s still base housing. They even mow the front yard for you. Win!

After we were handed over the keys to our new home, Tom and I danced in the kitchen.

“Look at this fridge with the ice maker on the front!” I yelled.

“Look at this garage where I can put all my tools!” Tom yelled.

“Look at Max squatting on the floor!” Natalie yelled.

Crap! We scrambled to get his cat box set up and placed him in it. There would be no messing up our new floors.

“Now we just need to go furniture shopping,” Tom said.

True. We needed a couch and a bedroom set.

That adventure will be in tomorrow’s post. Furniture shopping with a husband who has different taste than my own=blog fodder.

A Momma's Birthday Wish

Today is my daughter's 31st birthday and I wanted to take a moment to recognize her in a special way.  I wrote a little ditty for her.  She has always fussed at me because I had not written anything about her and I could fill a book with stories of Kathryn alone....and who knows someday I just might do that.

The Story of a Life of Love

Thirty-one years ago, 1980, on June 23rd

Into this world a precious baby was born

Her name was to be Emma, but became Kathryn Leigh

And this pink little bundle gave a new life to me.

Waiting to celebrate were Peepaw and Granny

Doctor Stimpson was there and spanked her on her fanny.

Her daddy, a brother and sister were there

She had such a sweetest smile and a head of red hair.

From the moment of birth she had my heart in her hands

And was loved oh so dearly by all of the grands.

She was her Peepaws darlin’ and a munchkin to me.

To her daddy she was called Lil Miss Piggy.

Godparents Chuckles and Sue were so blessed

They loved her just like she was one of the rest.

I rocked her to sleep with Chattanooga Choo choo

She loved when I sang it and would always say whooo whoo.

Her favorite song was Mighty Like a rose

I’d sing it and then kiss her tiny turned up nose.

We traveled a when she was two, four, or six

We all had a ball and our time together - fantastic.

She swam like a fish from the time she was three

And her favorite past-time was playing Barbie.

She loved being in church and being with friends

She is a blessing and the joy, it never ends.

New Kids on the Block her favorite group

She kept up with them and knew all the scoop.

She would dance with abandon and sing harmony

And life with this child was a blessing to me.

At birthdays she and Jill would become the bow girls

Wearing their bows with the sparkles and curls.

They posed for pictures and rode in the boat

They swam in the lake or they’d lay there and float.

She was my change girl in three different schools

She adapted so nicely and learned all the rules.

First HHS, then Dadeville and finally at Radney.

At her first sock hop she was as cute as cotton candy.

We spent lots of time with the Prices in K’ville

Cades Cove, Gatlinburg, remember the still?

Remember P. Forge and the trip with the flood

We stayed in the cabin man this trip was a dud.

You came with me to school during each summer

Most kids would have thought that this was a bummer

You would clean and arrange my room nice and neat

You seemed to think this was a real grownup treat.

Then came the summer when you would get burned

That was a lesson I wish we’d never learned.

Our days were filled with debridement and pain.

I hated the sunshine and looked forward to rain.

Yet God really came through with a miracle or two.

And your legs healed so nicely and they looked brand new.

I remember changing your wraps and seeing burnt skin

And the smell is something I hope I never smell again.

Faculty Follies and traveling some more

Florida trips with Thompson were never a bore.

Remember the walk from the dock to hotel.

The pie in Jan’s face oh the stories we could tell.

Remember the graduations for Scott and for Jan

The Pacific Northwest and the back of the suburban

You named your section of the car Kathryndom

Old Faithful, Wyoming, and remember the gun?

Pacific Northwest was a great time you see….

But PEI with just the two of us was the best there could be.

The haunted feeling in Salem and the Seven Gables Inn

Neither of us slept and we locked ourselves in.

You would come to school with me during the summer

Most kids would have thought that this was a bummer

You would clean and arrange my room nice and neat

You seemed to think that this was a humongous treat.

Oh our trip to Cleveland and Helen and naming the baby.

Taking old fashioned photos and can’t forget Disney

Remember the Christmas trip with Eric and Sandy

Remember family reunions with Ramona and Mandy?

Having you Ben Russell was really a blast.

I hate it that those times well…they just did not last.

In New York we rode on the bus and saw sites

Being with you made this trip a delight.

We have shopped til we dropped both here and abroad.

Mackinaw, Frankenmuth, Italy, et al.

The huge trip to Bronner’s was really a site.

I can’t believe we were there….a day and a night!

We have shared many smiles, many miles, and some tears

You were always a constant o’er the past thirty plus years

You are more than my child you a friend, one of the best

I cannot wait to see what is in store and how you’ll be blessed.

I am proud of you munchkin, with your huge amazing heart.

And I knew that I would be right from the start.

I know God will bless you and make clear your way

Right now I must stop and say, Happy Birthday!

I love you, Momma