Hello! I am in California

Hello, hello!  getting on the internet and posting on my blog has been more of a challenge then I had anticipated.  But I have been trying to post on facebook to keep family and friends up to where I am.

In short we left and drove to Shrevesport, LA.  We stayed there for 4 days and left the morning of the 5th day.  We drove to Witchita Falls, TX, then to Alburquerqure, NM.  We stayed there 2 days and did a day trip ride up to Santa Fe and Taos.  We drove about 325 miles on that day trip and were able to ride part of the Enchanted trail.  We rode across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and saw so many wonderful things.

From Alburquerque we headed to Flagstaff for 2 days.  Did another day trip up to the south rim of the grand canyon.  We started at the east end and drove around the south side of the canyon to the west end, then back into old town Flagstaff.  From Flagstaff we made a stop in Tehachapi, CA and then onto Galt,CA where we have been ever since.

We are staying at Bug's parents home which is in the greater bay area.  From here we have done day trips to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and Yosemite National Park.  We have taken other trips just around this area where Bug has lived and seen so many wonderful things.  Tomorrow we will head to Sacramento and then Monday we will get back on the bike and head to Nappa where we plan on camping and doing some wine tours. 

I am able to get on Facebook easier then I can into my blog, so if you are interested in keeping up with cross country tour, visit me at Facebook.  When we get home at the end of the month, I will post blogs of the trip so I can add more details.  I do not want to forget this most amazing adventure of my life.

We have travelled more then 3500 miles, especially when you add in car and train trips.  We are about half way through the trip and will probably cover as many miles as we have already driven.

It is hard, I guess.  It has been so hot at times, and other times I have already had to wear everything I brought.  I have named my two hip bones that press into the seat, the Filmore twins because I can feel more of the seat then anyone should.  But nothing has been hard enough to regret the decision to do this.  We are having such an amazing and wonderful time.  I am loving this more then I could ever express.

More later, if I can get on the internet, otherwise, I will keep posting on Facebook, just so I don't forget too much.  We are doing so many  things, there is no way I will ever be able to remember it all. 

life is amazing and cancer, whatever, it can't hold me back!
on to life

Off on a new adventure.......tomorrow

I have been packed since we got back from our vacation up the Eastern seaboard.  Actually, I unloaded the dirty clothes out of the suitcase into the washer.  Washed, dried and folded, many of the same clothes went straight back in the suitcase.  I am so excited.  Well, who wouldn't be?  I mean we are getting ready to ride cross county from Florida over to CA, then up through OR, into WA state and maybe even into Canada, maybe.

I have criss crossed this country visiting 49 of the 50 states.  The only state missed is Hiawii, but as I was saying, I have driven across the country by plane, by VW Camper bus, a Saturn SC2 and in my parents station wagon, but so far, I have never crossed the country on a Harley Davidson.  I have driven an equivelant number of miles across AK on a BMW, but still not the same thing.  I have bought a big girl jacket.  It weighs as much as I do, I think. I have taken the lining out, so that helps a bit.  It is all weather proof, with vents in the front and back and the sleeves.  It is gortex so I can literally roll across an interstate at 70 mph and not loose a piece of skin.  I might only be a bag of broken bones if that were to happen, but I would not be covered in road rash.  It is made to ride from the heat to the very cold.  It says Harley Davidson on it, and it might be the most expensive jacket I have ever bought.  Shoot, even at almost 50% it was still by far the most expensive coat I have ever bought myself, it might be as expensive as all the jackets I have bought myself in the past 5 years.  But it is so cool.  And all I will have to do to remember this trip is to slip that monster Big Girl Jacket on.

We leave tomorrow and will be back in time for me to spend a week with Vicki and Nancy on St. George.  I have such an amazingly life.  Anyway, VIcki and Nancy sent us a troll doll to take on the trip with us.  He was a simply troll, blue hair, a football in his right hand, and a pair of white sports pants with a red stripe.  We worked with him to get him ready for the trip.  Here are a few pictures of the troll, now known as The Troll, Skulman:

With his "colors" on, not really, it is a group of Veterans



Skulman standing with the Sangria Bandit Veterans Riders Group from Europe. 

On the bike ready to go

In his rain suit

So Skulman is ready and on the bike.  I told OB I was going to get Skulman a rain suit.  He asked in bewilderment, "Are you making him a rainsuit now????"  I laughed and pulled out the ziplock bag, "No, this will work just fine."

I have also put a couple of stickers on my new helmet:

There is also a peace sign on the back and on the visor

And we have worked on the bike and the trailer and we are set.  The map looked at and routes planned, back up routes planned and back up routes to the back up routes planned.

A friend of OB's is riding with us for the first leg to Shreveport, LA.  Sparky and OB have been friends for a while but I think this is their first trip this long.  It should be fun!!!!

I will try and post on the road as we go along and attach photos of Skulman as he flies across the country on a big red Harley.  Life is wonderful. 
Oh yes it is!!!

We made it home Monday evening around 7:00 pm.  We unpacked most of the car and collapsed in the house.  Of course I had brought the dogs their McD hamburgers.  They forgive me immediately for being gone when they smell those burgers.  Henry, however, was not in such a forgiving mood.  I walked up to him lounging on the bunny bench and he got up and turned his back on me.  I laughed and hugged and cuddled with him and he softened a bit.  Then he walked over to OB's place and waited for OB to come out the door.  OB stepped out, looked down and said hello to Henry, who got up and turned his back on OB and just sat there.  OB was a little surprised, but I laughed and explained what was going on.  After we had had a good laugh at Henry, OB picked him and petted him and all appears to be forgiven.

We drove over 5150 miles in 12 days.  We stepped out on to the ground of 16 states: FL, GA, SC, NC, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, NY, CT, MA, VT, RI, NJ and DE.  We  also went to Washington DC.  We did so many wonderful things during that time, interspersed with very very cool things.

So since Christopher has been with me this year he has driven a golf cart and a lawn tractor.  He took his first airplane ride and even got to fly the plane.  On our trip we spent a lot of time in the car, but we also took a ferry from Jamestown, a boat from Charleston to Fort Sumter and a horse and carriage ride around Savannah.

On our trip we looked on the pad and learned about the areas we drove through, we looked up stuff about the things we were seeing and we learned lots of cool things.  In CT we drove up to VT to see the sweet and wonderful Annie and her Sam.  We drove to RI.  Christopher and I took a tour through the Mark Twain house in Hartford and I found the perfect chicken for OB in the Ace hardware store in West Hartford.  I love that hardware store.  Susan takes me there each time I visit her.  I bought a chicken.  Actually a china rooster wearing leathers chaps, and jeans with tattoos and riding a motorcycle.  I knew OB would love it, and he did.  It was funny when he finally got to see it.  He looked at the box it was in and said he was glad I had bought mys self a fancy chicken, but it would be part of my collection.  Then he pulled it out of the box, set it down on the table in front of him.  He looked at for a second and then he realized what it was, and oh yes, it was his chicken.  He put it in a place of honor in his place, and yes, he loved it.  We found some interesting chickens on the trip including a beautiful rooster he found at a thrift store and a rooster magnet from South of the Border.  And yes, it is just as tacky and funky and fun as it always was............on even bigger.  oh my.

We drove to NJ to pick up OB.  We met his lovely daughter and her youngest, Master K.  He is absolutely adorable.  And as how some children can be, just amazing in some of the things he says and how child like and yet so grown up this little 4 year old was.  Just up the road from OB's daughter is where the Hindenburg exploded.  We were able to drive out to the air base and see the spot where they have a couple of small signs and a memorial.  There are also Then we were off to Delaware on our way to Philly.  In Philly we saw the Liberty Bell and took a tour through Independence Hall.  I got goose pimply all over as I looked around that room and saw the exact same room, and furniture that the Greats sat at and set up this country.  I mean how cool is that????  OB found a small rubber chicken on the side walk for me.  I put it in my purse and as I went through the security check the young woman pulled out the chicken and looked at me......"A rubber chicken?"  she asked.  I said, "Yes, I like chickens."  She smiled and passed me through.  Then we ate cheese steaks and cheese chicken sandwiches, I mean we were in Philly after all.  Then we walked through a few of the parks and around the historic downtown seeing all kind of historic places, drove to the Museum of Natural History to see the steps that Rocky had run up in the movie and took a photo of Christopher at the Rocky statue, then we headed to MD.

We spent the night in a lovely hotel that all the windows looked out into tree tops.  Most rooms looked out on a little picturesque creek burbling through the trees.  We got room service, Christopher was thrilled.  The next morning we got up early and headed into DC.  OB knows this city like the back of his hand and he drove directly to his favorite parking spot, right in front of the Museum of Air and Science.  We did the compressed DC trip; Air & Space Museum, The archives to see the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  We walked down the mall, then past the Viet Nam Memorial.  Christopher sat in Einstein's lap in front of the National Science Museum.  We saw the Capitol, the White House and the Washington Monument.  We walked up through the Lincoln Memorial and the Museum of Natural History.  We saw lots of other memorials and sculpture gardens as we walked up and down Constitution Blvd and Independence drive.  We picked up Christopher a copy of the Declaration of Independence with biographies of the signers at the national archives.  Then over the beautiful bridges and we headed to Williamsburg, VA.  On our way we stopped and walked around Yorktown and the battle fields.  We also drove through the scenic little city, but the weather was rainy or we would have stayed to hear the concert in the downtown area park.

For Williamsburg, I had delayed in getting our reservations and ended up going through one of those travel sites on the web and had booked a Travelodge, not expecting much, but it was in a perfect location.  It met my expectations, but yes, it was in a good location. 

The next morning we were up and walking through Williamsburg before 10:00 am.  OB spent the day with his son.  It was a great day for all of us.  Christopher and I wandered through the old historic town, walking through homes and herding in and out of buildings like cattle.  But there were just so many amazing things to see.  We started at the Palace and the first room had like 540 weapons displayed in a very artistic style that was supposed to impress the guests on the wealth and security ability of a home or palace.  It was hot, but we walked and he filled out a form where he had to get so many stamps to get the Williamsburg button.  The prize was no where as cool as the journey had been.  But fortunately he is a 12 year old who understands the journey.  He also enjoyed the cow button.  Later we caught a park bus over to Jamestown.  The park where they are excavating the remains of some of the original buildings.  There was a 3D view finder where you could switch from current view to a view of what would have been there when Jamestown was first founded. 

We were in the mode, up early and heading for the ferry from Jamestown.  We were there at the perfect time and were put up front with a group of motorcycle riders from the local American Legion.  It was a beautiful morning for a ferry ride, followed by a long ride from VA south to Charleston, SC.  The interstate was a parking lot, so we got off and drove the back roads.  Christopher had enough Dramamine to sleep most of the trip and so I did not have to worry about him being sick.  He was a trooper.  We woke him up at South of the Border.  Every child growing up on this side of the country in the 1950s remembers what an amazing treat it was to get to stop at South of the Border, just over the border from N Carolina into S Carolina, to get hamburgers and shakes and look at all the stuff.  Well, it is only bigger, cheesier, brighter and more in your face then ever before.  But the kids just don't seem to be as amazed with it as we boomers.  I guess going to a theme park is normal for them, so a big cheesy tourist spot isn't so exciting.  Well, OB and I had fun and we even found a refrigerator magnet of a chicken.  Oh yeah!  Another big chicken score.

From South of the Border we drove to our hotel just outside of Charleston.  Our first stop in the grand old city was the visitor center where we purchased tickets for a bus tour of the historic town and then a boat ride over to Fort Sumter after the bus tour.  Christopher worked hard on a Information questionnaire about Fort Sumter to earn his Jr. Ranger badge.  You really had to ask questions and listen to all the people to get the information and he did a good job.  It was all of our first time ever to this fort and it was very cool.  The young Park Ranger who gave the brief history of the fort when we first got there was excited and passionate about history.  He projected well and stirred a small love of history in all of us, even if it was washed away by the kick front that kicked over us.  A boat ride back to Charleston, one of the best meals I have ever eaten at Hyman's seafood, a Charleston tradition, then in the car and once again we were traversing states, this time to Savannah, Ga.  It rained the whole way there, and rain came up early and hard our last day on the road.  But we had time to take a horse and buggy cart around the historic city, a walk along the riverfront with the required photo of the waving girl, then one more stop before we covered the miles back home. 

Our last stop was the 8th Airborne Museum just outside of Savannah.  It was a very cool way to spend a rainy afternoon, and one of the best museums in terms of interactive exhibits.  We had sat through a lot of films the previous 12 days.  But these were broken up into 10 - 15 minute movies, shown from the view of the various people involved.  Whether an aircraft carrier, or the ground crew, or a pilot, navigator, gunner, etc.  You were in their world, physically and emotionally, and it was very moving.  The last movie they had a cluster of various size screens and had them jig sawed in front so you saw the action from the ground to the sky from different screens.  The people were very nice, and it had been a good stop and a fine ending to a trip around the USA.  From the Magna Carta through the struggle from independence to history as viewed through war up until current history.  Not a bad way to spend a few weeks in the summer for a 12 year old.

We made it home, and time just started slipping by.  Soon, Christopher and I were driving again, this time to Palmetto to taking him back to his parents, who were missing him.  I turned towards Dad's to spend a weekend with him and my sister Sioux.  She was only there until the birthday party Saturday night for Pat.  Heidie, Sioux and Pat all have birthdays within 9 days.  Dad and I went out to breakfast and then I headed home.  I love Dad, but I really needed to be home.  My home, back to my animals, my gardens.  Back to the life that OB and I share here.  Friends who laugh and work together.  Support each other and have fun. 

It is good to be home.  But I am getting ready to leave again.  And it takes me so long sometimes to be willing to come out of my hole when I get home.  I love my home.  I love my life here.  I love being able to putter around my home and yard and play with my animals, and watch my chickens.

I am sorry to my friends who are hurt or worried for me.  I am fine.  I am just living, rather then writing about it.  Since I got home, I have not been living a big exciting life.  No, I am living a quiet life filled with short stories by Mark Twain, purchased at the Twain House.  I have been working in my gardens, I have been cleaning the house, sort of, and just walking around and staring.  It has been raining a lot, no complaints from me.  But in between the rain, I walk around my yard.  Stop and visit my chickens, stare into green.  Think about how to improve various gardens.  But not now.  Now it is time to prepare for the next trip.

Here are pictures of my chicken eggs since I have gotten home:


Iris and Hyacinth have started laying eggs



One of my new hen's brown eggs and Iris's first egg, sky blue and the size of a piece of Easter candy



Rainbow eggs



They blue eggs are getting bigger

so pretty

I am home, but we are leaving tomorrow.  Yep, Tuesday morning we will try and leave as early as possible to dance around the thunder storms and see if we can get above them to head west.  More details to come..........

Rhode Island

This morning Christopher and I got up and after time spent with Susan we headed over to Hartford from where Susan and Jim live in West Hartford and took a tour of the Mark Twain home.  I had been there before, but this was Christopher's first time.  I liked our tour guide, she was well informed, pleasant and not over the top in anyway.  The guy in the group behind us was way toooooooo hyper for my taste, so we lucked out getting the docent we got.  It is a gorgeous house, filled with books and art and everything you would want in Mark Twain's home.  The interior design is gorgeous and the over the top Victorian period.  You just have to go their yourself, there is no way to give it justice with my description.

After Christopher's and my tour through the house we spent some time perusing the beautiful gift shop.  I bought him a mug with a picture from the original book, Tom Sawyer.  It has a boy white washing a fence only the fence is black.  But when you put hot liquids in the mug the fence turns white.  We both thought that was pretty cool.  I bought a small book with 4 of Twain's short stories for something to read on the trip.  We enjoyed all of our time there and took photos and laughed and then headed home to pick up Susan.

Susan drove us on this gorgeous spring day over to U of Hartford so that I could get Christopher his first none FSU college shirt, maybe.  The sun was shining and the weather cool and clear and the short jaunt from their home to the University again reminds me how smart Susan is.  She is an extremely intelligent person, but she also has smarts.  The house they bought when they moved up here is on a flat driveway, so no skidding up or down the drive when you come and go.  It is literally less then 5 minutes from her house and the neighborhood is just lovely, right on a golf course, so their back yard looks like it is endless green.

Susan took us across campus to the bookstore where we bought him a U of H shirt with the hawks logo.  She then walked us over to the conference center where we were able to see her office.  I was very impressed!  A window with a gorgeous view.  You go Susan!

Once we had decided on the shirt and visited the office we got in the toy, top down with the afternoon blue sky over head, trees forming canopies across the roads and we headed to Rhode Island.  It was a little over an hour, but it was truly a glorious ride.  Up and down and around the beautiful green mountains as we headed east to a state he had never stood in.  Susan and I chatted and laughed, the wind blowing our hair and our words in a vortex that flew out over the windows.  Christopher fell asleep and slept most of the way over and back.  It is hard for a 12 year old to sleep when there is an 18 year old in the house and giving them a little attention.  It is so nice to see how well Christopher and James get along.

Susan found a lovely spot in Foster, RI for us to get out and take a few steps in RI.  After about 5 minutes in RI, we got back in the toy, belted ourselves in and headed back to CT.  Susan and I talked as if we talked everyday like this, purring along with the top down, the sun in front of us, the air crisp and clean and green.

And now it is late and I am getting ready to go to sleep.  We had a lovely dinner with the family.  The boys are now playing video games.  Susan and I are heading off to our respective beds and Jim is watching the Olympics down stairs.  A family.  A sweet precious wonderful family.

Tomorrow we head to NJ and a new part of our adventure begins.  We will meet with OB tomorrow and go to see where the Hindenburg exploded.  Over the next many days we will go to DC, Delaware, Williamsburg, Yorktown and Philly.  Then once again we will change up and head to NC to spend some time with Kim at Loving Springs.  We will be staying at the Dragon's Inn.  Yes, another precious beloved ones to wrap my arms around and get to look into her sweet, lovely face.

But first to sleep and then to drive to NJ and to wrap my arms around that beautiful man and kiss his beautiful face.  And Christopher?  He is charming all that meet him.  His sweet, young boy with an imagination that is colorful and fun.  Those blue eyes, that precious smile, and to add onto it that intelligence and wicked humor, all wrapped in a 12 year old boy man.  It has been fun and there is more fun yet to come.

From CT to MA, VT and NH

Good morning!  It is a beautiful New England morning here.


View of Susan and Jim's back yard

Yesterday Susan, Christopher and I were in the Toy heading for VT by 8:30am.  Christopher would have preferred to have slept a little more, and it was drizzling rain, but today was the day I would get to wrap my arms around Annie and her Sam.  It has so very wonderful to get to wrap my arms around James, but now I was getting to see his magical, beautiful sweet sister.  So with the top up and Christopher ensconced in the back seat we headed north driving through picturesque New England towns.  We drove over and up and around the green mountains of VT.  Susan explained to Christopher that the word VT means green mountain (Verde Mont). 

One of Christopher's hearts desires on this trip was to touch a cloud and he had his chance yesterday.  The clouds sat low in the mountains and as we drove up to the peak of one of these mountains of green you could see the cloud resting it's thick gray bottom down through the trees wet and heavy on the road.  We rolled down a window for him and he reached his sweet boy hand out into the cloud.  His eyes sparkled and that laughter always on his lips gurgled out.  "I touching a cloud!!!"  Yes, he did.  We were in the clouds and at that moment Susan and I looked at each other and the joy of this young boy's excitement of touching the clouds spilled over us and we all giggled like children.  Instead of grey wetness on the windshield, it was the magic of a cloud and we were riding in it, up the green mountains heading toward our Annie.

We drove into Sharon, VT where Susan takes classes at the Law. School there.  It is a beautiful campus nestled in a town filled with tall beautiful old homes right out of a Norman Rockwell painting.  We circled the school and town, Susan doing an excellent job, as always, of playing tour guide.  Then we headed north again to meet Annie and Sam at Cockadoodle pizza.  Yep, a pizza place with a chicken name.  Sounded right up our alley. 

We parked behind Annie's car and standing there right on the side walk were the two precious beloved ones.  This was my first time meeting Sam, but Annie's Aunt Linda had already given him her seal of approval, so I did not have to ask too many questions.  Just one look and I knew he was Annie worthy.  He is tall and handsome and charming, but he looks at Annie with such affection and fondness and respect that I loved him for her immediately.

Sam and Annie

It was the most wonderful moment as I jumped out of the car as it came to a stop and threw my arms around that darling girl.  And then to hug that sweet man of hers.  We were not able to eat at Cockadoodledoo pizza because they are not open on Sundays.  It was not a good day for chickens.  But we just drove back to a restaurant that Susan knew from the law school and ate right on the square of this lovely little town.  We walked out onto the green where they hold the town celebrations and got pictures of my dear family in CT. I also got to talk to my friend Debbie who only lives about an hour from here, but life is so packed full right now that I was not able to get over to see her new home.  Okay, it is not so new anymore, but I have not been there, so it is still new to me.  I hope to get to see her next time I am up this way.......

The drive home was beautiful and we were able to put the top down and drive over to New Hampshire......

Christopher in NH

Back on the road.......

And out in MA....

Christopher in MA

We also drove past the John Smith birth place.  The home of the man who starts the Mormon religion.  It seemed appropriate this year with the presidential election.  Although I am very happy that we are not focusing on religion in this election.

For dinner we all snuggled up in the family room watching the Olympics and eating subway sandwiches.  It was a lovely day filled with precious beloved ones, touching clouds, adding 2 more states to our growing list this vacation, and seeing the world through the sweet freshness of a 12 year olds imagination.

Christopher is up and we are heading off to the Mark Twain house.  After our tour we will pick up Susan and take a tour of the University of Hartford, where Susan is a professor and James will be starting school this fall.  Then a kick hop over to RI and a family dinner out tonight.

Having fun and building sweet memories.  Sweet as the peaches of the season.  Sweet as the giggle on a child's lip.  Sweet as looking into a friend's face, so familiar, so loved and so filled with lives lived.  More adventures are yet to come!

We are here!!!

Christopher and I have survived our trip to CT, and we had fun, and we still like each other.  That is pretty amazing after this outward bound adventure we have made for ourselves.  Yesterday was no where near as many miles, but there was way more cities, although we did bypass the biggies, New York City, DC, etc.  We have gotten into a routine of multi-tasking our stops.  Our most successful stop was in PA where we stopped for gas, bathroom break, picked up Pizza Hut express, at the gas station, and that was the first time that Christopher had put his feet on PA soil.  We stop in each state and at the minimum step out onto dirt before heading out again.  MD was tricky because we were only in the state for like 8 miles.  We pulled off on the side of the road because there was no exit for MD on the road we were on. 

We have now gone through FL, GA, SC, NC, TN, VA, WV, MD, PA, NY and CT so far on our trip.  Sunday we will drive through MA into VT and as a treat Susan told Christopher that we would also slip into NH.  Christopher looked horrified and asked how much driving would this entail.  Susan explained it would be like MD, just a short drive from VT into NH, so that will add 3 more states, with out that much driving.  Monday we will drive down to NJ to pick up OB.   Where we are going is just a few miles from DE, so for Christopher's first big car vacation he will have stepped on the soil of 16 states.  Pretty cool

Also because he is working on his citizenship award for boy scouts OB is taking us to Philly to see the liberty bell and the highlights of American history.  OB is an eagle scout (was?  or is?  I would think once you are an eagle scout, you always are) and so is enjoying taking Christopher through as much history as possible.  I love this kind of stuff so we will have a lot of fun.

It was hard travelling yesterday, mostly because our butts were sore.  I have Christopher doing yoga with me to stretch his back.  But we still used our travel time for some good educational fun.  Christopher looked up on the Internet all of the Presidents in order and where they were born.  I had no idea that more then half of the presidents have come from VA and OH.  VA I understood.  After all during colonial time some of our most affluent men, capable of leaving their homes and being involved in politics lived in VA.  I guess OH also makes sense, although I would not have guessed it.  After all the mid west was the bread basket of the US at one time, also oil and of course industries likes cars and appliances.  Anyway like 6 out of 7 presidents in a row were from OH.  You go OH!

We also looked up about John Brown and Harper's Ferry and after the history lesson we discussed the issues of slavery, motive and methods and discussed how it relates today with various issues.  We also learned about the mason-dixon line, which actually dates back to the beginning of the revolutionary war.  When we got to Susan's we were discussing what we had learned and we looked up the mason-dixon line again and learned even more.  Susan likes these kind of things also.

The ride was nice through the various mountain ranges, the weather was gorgeous to ride with the top down.  The vista's of farms and silos just filled my heart with such sweet memories of childhood and car trips across the country.  I was so glad to be sharing this with Christopher.

The travel was easy, well until we got to NY and CT.  In one spot it took us more then 15 minutes to drive about a half mile.  It was stop and go half way through NY and into CT.  But we made it.  The GPS worked great and kept up with us as we changed our route with out discussing it with her.  And she took us right up to Susan and Jim's front door.

It was like coming home seeing those beautiful faces.  And then James came in with his sweet beautiful Emily and my heart expanded until it burst into a giant puddle of ooze and I just held on to that gorgeous, sweet, talented young man while we just hugged and hugged.  I love these children, Annie and James.  Susan and Jim had 3 children.  John died so very very young of SIDS, and his birthday was just a few weeks ago.  He is as much a part of this wonderful close family as any of the other four members, or the three dogs, or the significant others of Annie and James.  This is one of the great families.  Christopher fit right in.  After all he comes from a very similar loving sweet precious family.

We stayed home and ate pizza and watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics.  It was so great being here with these precious sweet people that I have loved for my entire adult life and to share it with Christopher.  It was magical to see a family expand and add another heart.  The opening ceremonies was amazing, but I admit to being a bit confused by some of it.  I was also confused as they worked their way through the decades of music where were the Rolling Stones?  Where was Sir Elton?  Well, we had a lot of fun.  Christopher stayed up with Mr. Jim and James to watch the entire ceremony, I gave up in the "G"s and called Dad and then went to bed.  We are all sitting around watching the Olympics now. 

Dad is starting to say goodbye.  This is new this week.  He is so very lonely and he hurts and he doesn't really understand what is happening, but he knows that he is loosing control of his life and decision making.  He begged me not to put him in a home because he would loose who he was.  He cried and told me how lonely he was, but all that is left of his life is his memories, please, he begged, don't take away all that I have left.  I asked about moving the living room into the dining room to make it easier on him getting around the house.  JongAe had thought of this, and I thought it was a great idea.  Dad said it was a good idea, but said he really didn't want to do it because it would mean moving his paintings and memorabilia on the living room walls, and he is afraid that if they are moved, he will not remember them.  He knows he is loosing his mind at times.  And I understand that taking his life and memorabilia will be very confusing to him.  So that idea is out.  I am trying to be supportive as he starts to say his goodbyes.  I know how hard it is to live everyday knowing the end is coming.  To look forward to relief from the pain, the threat of death, and yet, he is not totally ready.  It more that he is giving up.  I want him to be okay, whatever that means.  I hate to see him so sad and confused.  It is hard getting old.  It is hard getting old and watching your father grow old and loose his mind, his freedom to master his own world.  To watch as he struggles with life and death.  I miss him, but he is really enjoying hearing about Christopher and my trip.  And he is happy that I have this time with Chris.  I think he is also a little relieved that he knows that he will go before me.  That is a huge fear of his, my death.  He does not want to face it.  Who can blame him.

Later today Susan, Christopher and I will drive to downtown West Hartford and walk around, maybe have lunch or ice cream.  It is a beautiful little New England down town and I am so happy that Christopher will get to experience this very different part of the US.  He and I are Floridians, and it is always so much fun to go to other parts of our great country and see how similar and how different we are all.  Especially as we come together as a country for the Olympics.  I am so glad to be here!!!!

Tonight or tomorrow night we will have a family dinner out, and Sunday I get to throw my arms around that tall beautiful fairy god daughter of mine.  Life is so good.

Monday we will head down to pick up OB and the adventures will change, and can it get any better?  I mean really!?!?!  Surrounded by precious beloved ones and travelling and learning and seeing new and old things.  It is just great.

Oh, before I left I found out that my adopted daughter, Amanda Street, married to the adorable Falcon, will be leaving in October as they move on to start their lives post school.  Amanda is a librarian and Falcon a computer security specialist.  They will have a wonderful life wherever they go, because they are just so great.  But I will miss them terribly.  I was just getting into my stride of having an adopted grown daughter.  I bought her sunflower canisters and she loved them.  I loaned her my white Gatsby dress for some acting she was doing for Goodwood Museum for one of their fund raisers.  She looks fabulous.  Much better then the dress fits me.  Gorgeous baby, really gorgeous.  Hmmm, maybe you should just keep that dress.

Another shout out this morning is a "Break a leg" to Jessie Moon and the Cicada ladies for their debut of their first CD tonight.  You rock ladies!!!!!!
And one more shout out to Jessie's mom:  Love you dearly, you know why today is a special shout out day for me to you. 

Well, time to get up and get going.  Their is a beautiful summer day in New England to enjoy.  We are here.  We have made it to CT!!!  and it is amazing and there is so much more fun left to experience.

Hello from Lexington, VA

I was exhausted last night.  HA!  HA, I say.  This morning Christopher and I got up a little before 7am, got ourselves ready, went down to breakfast and prepared ourselves for a long day of driving.  Christopher made waffles and ate a banana and drank some apple juice.  I ate some hard boiled eggs, yogurt and bananas.  So refueled we hopped into the toy, put down the top and pulled out of Macon, GA heading for, hopefully, VA.  We drove north with Christopher learning how to navigate.  Yes, poor kid, talk about learning by trial by fire.  But he did great.  We tried some roads we did not plan on driving on, but somehow ended up getting where we needed to without doubling back.  I don't know how we did it, but we drove from Macon, GA to Lexington, VA today.  This is like 600+ miles.  And we had fun.  No really, we laughed, Christopher loved the mountains.  I mean we are both children of Florida.  So landfills tend to give us a thrill because of the height.  Christopher lives at sea level.  No really, he lives across the road from the Manatee River and it is sea level.  I know because it is about 3 blocks from where I grew up.  So hills and mountains are amazing to us.  And he was.  It was wonderful seeing the blue ridge mountains again through his eyes. 
We drove and drove.  Every state we drove through we got out of the car and stood in the state.  That was GA, SC, NC, TN and VA.  It turns out that Christopher gets car sick.
WHAT?????  Oh yeah, motion sickness.  How did I not know???  We looked for ginger ale, but could not find it where we were, but they did have Dramamine and so he was fine.  He took one pill and it lasted for 600+ miles.  No, he did not get sick in the car, other then a little queasy tummy, but that even went away with the is one tough 12 year old.  he dramamine

We texted OB and sent photos back and forth.  He is in NJ and getting to spend time with his daughter and two grandsons. 

We finally stopped around 7pm, checked into a HOJO and I called Dad.  Bless his heart, he is so lonely.  I call him and talk to him almost everyday, but sometimes I am the only person he talks to.  I feel so bad for him.  I talked to Christopher about going down to visit his Grandpa more often.  And asked him to please talk to his older brother and to ask him to try and find some time each week to stop by and talk to grandpa for half an hour.  It is funny how we can find time to do for others, but to just call your Dad or grandfather it does not even enter our minds.  I call Dad because I am not close enough to do more.  Once again, I am torn between my wonderful life, filled with travel and adventure and my desire to take care of my father.  I send money to my brothers to get things for Dad and I do try and call him every day, but he is still alone.  When I get home from my trip with OB to CA, I will have to go down and visit him and maybe see if I can bring him up to my home for a week or two.  I do love my Dad very much.

Well, we managed to get down the street to Berky's for dinner around 8, and now, here I sit, tired, guilty and confused about life again.  We still have many miles to travel tomorrow and I need to call Susan to give her an idea of where we have made it to.  So I will close for now.  Christopher and I both ate big plates of veggies off of the buffet.  The food was good, but we were so tired it took all of our energy to just chew.  And now I need to sleep.  Hopefully we don't have quite so many miles tomorrow, we did drive way more then 600, but I am not sure exactly how many, but we did it, and smiled and laughed and soon we will be throwing our arms around Susan and Jim and Jim (yes, 2 Jim's) and Skylar, Percy and Beebe.  Our shoulders, arms, necks and ears are red from the sun, but we are not burned, just brown little Florida Crackers. 

We are having fun, watch out CT, we are on our way.