Winter home

 Did not want to leave anyone hanging, we are in our winter home. The forecast for high winds was more than accurate. It was a hang onto the steering wheel with both hands trip. That 200 miles was the toughest 200 I have ever driven. Along with the high winds we had low humidity, we were also under a fire warning. Sure enough, south west of Falfurias there was a large fire. We could see the the smoke plume for 60 plus miles. Am curious to find out how much burned, far more than a simple trash fire.

Next weekend we make a quick trip to Alvord to get our car. We will also load my trailer with some things and tools so I can begin working on things. The following weekend we leave for the cruise so not much down time. I say all that to say the blog will be quiet till around the 16th of February. Then I will post some highlights and some photos from the cruise.


  We are very happy to be back in the valley, our new home.

Rough ride ahead

 Spending the night in our new second home, Goliad state park. Forcast calls for winds 30-40 sustained, gust to 50 off the starboard bow tomorrow. High profile vehicle, high crossing winds make for white knuckle driving.

Holiday

  The college is closed today so we are enjoying a three day weekend. The morning was spent house cleaning, the evening plans call for one last visit to a casino. We go from living one hour from purportedly the worlds largest casino to two days away from the closest one. How will Mary ever survive?  Mary has been taking pain and inflammation medicine for a sore shoulder. It started to hurt during all the packing we did preparing to move. With all the activity of a bookstore it has gotten worse. Rest will be the best medicine for it. We have about decided to retire again from bookstores. It may be a mute decision with coming changes but none the less, this is the finish line.

  We are more than ready to return to Edinburg. In less than two weeks after getting there, we leave again for a cruise. Hopefully in that two week span we will make a quick trip back to Alvord to retrieve the car, trailer and some of our stuff. During our cruise we will be stopping at Half Moon Cay. While there, we have been invited to join a small group in the Private Oasis on Half Moon Cay. More information on that can be found HERE.There will be 22 of us out of 2700 plus passengers, zero cost to us. Those of you that know the nature of this cruise can appreciate how sweet a deal this is for us. I will not be posting during the cruise but will post some pictures post cruise.



Life begins anew...

Retrospective

For me part of the fun of traveling is in the planning, and thus expectations, of things to come. We have so many things in front of us for the next few months no planning is happening. Ron and Maureen want us to head to the Northwest territories, part of me wants to hit Kentucky/Ohio/West Virginia area. Time will tell where our travels take us. Meanwhile on our first free day since arriving in Lake Charles I have been looking back on 2016. These photos, to the best of my memory, have not been posted before. Come along if you dare with us on a flashback of 2016.

Lava flow, Valley of Fire SP New Mexico

Grand Canyon

I hate the term 'must do'. Having said that, you 

owe it to yourself to visit this magical place.

Double Arch

I see the hand of God, Navajo or Christian?

stained glass window by Louis B. Tiffany, First Methodist Dubuque Iowa

barge traffic on the mighty Mississippi river

Mardi Gras

  Need to read up on Mardi Gras but it begins today with 12th night. Definitely in Cajun country.

  When you run one of these pop up stores you do so with temps. Never know what caliber of help you will get, and have to quickly train. The three ladies we have seem to be good and have caught on quickly. Next week is hell week with long days. So far it has been slow so will probably be slammed. New student center coming along so this is probably our last time here. That is about it from here in bayou country. Time to go get some king cake, if not familiar, google is your friend.

Quick update

  We awoke in Jasper to severe thunderstorms rolling thru. We stayed in place to let the first line pass by. In the calm between lines we made ready to leave. After the second severe line passed we headed east toward Deridder. At one point I decided to pull into a truck stop to wait for calmer weather. Maggie is a high profile vehicle and high, gusty winds can be problematic. Turned out to be very wise decision.

  We were in rain the entire time but trailing the leading edge. SE Texas and SW Louisiana was under a tornado watch as this time. After turning south on 171 out of Deridder we began to notice tree debris on highway. Soon we came to a closeure of the highway. A high tension line was down and pole down. We also noted damage to house across highway from pole. Twister or straightline winds we know not which. Either one would have toppled us. That stop at the truck stop probably saved us.

  We are safe in Lake Charles and will be busy the next three weeks.


Carpe diem...

2016, It was a pretty good year

 On a foggy New Years day I take time to reflect on the year just past. It had it's good moments and bad moments like all years do. We made a memorable trip in the spring visiting 12 National Parks and or Monuments. Added another National Monument visit in the fall. Not a bad way to spend ones time. We traveled roads new to us and saw some amazing country. Along the way we met some interesting and nice people living their dream, much as we are living ours. So much more ground to cover and things to see, hope we have time to see it all.

  Our travels brought changes to our lives. Mostly positive, but some not so much.With change comes the reality you might not see friends again. People with whom you have laughed and cried. All a part of life but sometimes it strikes deep. We carry on trying our best to suck the marrow out of life, to live it our way. What we do, and how we live our life, is all part of our book of life. As we prepare to write new chapters in that book we need to honor those characters who will not be a part of it going forward. These friends have written their final chapters.


RIP my friends!

  Byron McMillen
  Ron Rather
  Dan Lange
  Tim Walker
  Walter Payne


  Thank you one and all for the experiences you brought to our lives. 2017 may bring other losses of those dear to us. If so we will honor and cherish those memories as appropriate. Meanwhile as the poet once said..."I've miles and miles to go before I sleep..."



see you further down the road


Vaya con dios Amigos