The Biggest Ball of Twine

I have a friend who teases me about my love of museums, factory tours and local oddities. When we went on our road trip and this most recent trip to Florida, he kept asking if we were going to visit the biggest ball of twine. What can I say? I love learning about new things.

It became a reality to me when Matt and I were first married and we were driving to visit our friends in Idaho. We stopped in Las Vegas the first night. Matt wanted to eat at a famous buffet and see a show, but the highlight of the city for me was the marshmallow factory tour. Yep, that's right. In Henderson, Nevada right outside of Las Vegas there were several factories and I toured them all. It was awesome! It was then we realized vacation for Matt meant entertainment, but for me, it meant education. Not surprising, since I am an educator and a life long learner.

The boys at Jamestown - 2003

Over the years, we've taken road trips, and gone on vacations to different places. Each place we visit, it is not an option; we must go and learn something. Sometimes it's a major museum. Other times, it is a national park or landmark. And every once in a while, it's a hidden treasure like the marshmallow factory. 

I have a few memories from childhood that include touring ruins in the Mediterranean, seeing a National Forest on Adak where the trees stopped growing, and hiking through tundra and seeing bomb shelters. But the one I remember best is when I was eleven years old and my dad had retired from the Navy. We were driving across country and we stopped in Virginia at the Luray Caverns. Of all the times, my parents had driven from place to place, this is the only time we actually stopped and did a tourist thing. Usually, we drove straight to the next destination. But this one time, my dad insisted we stop, and I saw my first stalactites and stalagmites.I still have the postcard booklet purchased so many years ago at the gift shop.

Gettysburg - 2003

My husband and sons know how much I love learning, so they each tolerate, accept or encourage my obsession to some degree. Whether it's taking me to Bodies - The Exhibition for Mother's Day or enduring a side trip 50 miles off the main road to visit the Little House on the Prairie, my family has patiently put up with me and some have even enjoyed themselves on our adventures.

The experience has also been shared with my friends. During a short cruise with my two dear friends, we spent a day on Catalina Island. We walked through the shops, admired the beautiful scenery, and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the community. When we came upon a museum and of course, I wanted to go in, my friends announced, "We are going to go get some coffee. Come find us when you are done." So while they sipped their hot drinks, I learned that the Chicago Cubs used to have spring training on Catalina Island and so much more.

White Sands, New Mexico - 2011

It's no wonder that I chose Epcot as the theme park to visit when we were in Florida. When given the opportunity, I'm a sucker for learning. I'm grateful for the experiences that have been deposited in my memory bank. I feel so wealthy!

Now, I haven't ever seen the biggest ball of twine (and I really don't want to), but there are still many more things to learn and experience. Anyone up for a trip to the museum?

It's a Small World After All

Yesterday, the boys and I went to Epcot. My sister had mentioned that she wanted to take my nephew to Sea World, but since Shamu is one of our neighbors in San Diego, the boys and I wanted to do something different. So we woke up early, borrowed my dad's car and made the two hour trek to Orlando and the wonderful place called Disney World.


The last time we were in Florida (13 years ago), we spent four days in Disney World and had a great time. We only had one day this year, so we decided to return to Epcot since it was the one theme park that was different than anything we have in California. Both Joe and Zach remember a little of our last visit, but David who was only four years old doesn't have any memories of our previous trip. I was curious to see how much the park had changed.

France

Epcot is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. That little tidbit of information comes from Joe. He is the king of trivia and regularly shared his knowledge with us throughout the day. We had a fun time exploring the two main areas of the park: World Showcase and Future World.

Morroco

World Showcase was very similar to what I remembered. It didn't seem like it had changed much at all. Even the movies in some of the countries were outdated. It became really obvious when we saw anything with technology. The computer monitors were monster-sized and looked like they were from the 90s. Still, it was fun to meet people from different countries and to learn about the history and culture of 11 places around the world. 

Germany

When we were in France, we took pictures of us wearing berets, and then decided that we needed to take a picture of David wearing a hat in all of the remaining countries. So as we entered each country, we looked for a traditional head covering that David or someone could model. 

Japan

Joe and David enjoyed a refreshing Japanese soda with an intriguing lid and method to open it. The lid was actually a marble that was pushed down into the soda bottle. It rolled around and stayed in the bottom of the bottle while they drank. We were so fascinated with it, that both boys saved their bottles to take home. And the rest of the day, they would shake the bottles and it sounded like they were shaking a can of spray paint.


We were making good progress around the lagoon, until it started raining. We huddled in an alcove eating our lunch and watching the rain come down. Joe bought me a rain poncho, and right on cue, the rain stopped and we resumed our journey.

Norway

After the World Showcase, we spent the rest of the day and evening in Future World. This part of Epcot was more updated with some fun simulator rides and interesting exhibits. The boys designed their own simulator rides while I experienced the effects of high winds on houses. 

China

One of the most enjoyable activities was in Innoventions. We each had our photos taken while running in place, jumping, and doing a victory dance. Then our images were loaded into a video game, and we got to play a game with our own images as the player in the game. We even e-mailed a link to the game so that we could play it over and over.

Mexico

We made it home and the crawled into bed around 1:30 a.m. All in all it was a fun day, and I'm glad we went. I always enjoy the time with my very grown up sons, and when I get to learn something too that's just the icing on the cake!

Christmas Memories

It's Christmas morning here in Florida and the breakfast dishes are washed and put away, the turkey is in the oven, the dough for the yeast rolls is rising, and the Watergate salad is made. We have a little reprieve before the mad rush to get everything cooked and ready for Christmas dinner.


Spending time with my family brings back memories of Christmases as a kid. I remember the year when my sister and I got new bikes. We were so excited because the bikes had baskets and banana seats! As a teenager,  my best Christmas was the year my parents surprised me with my very own stereo. I played my records over and over on it. But, I think some of my most memorable holidays are the ones as an adult, like the first time I cooked a turkey.


It was 1997 and my parents had moved to Florida. This was the first year that Christmas dinner would be at my house. In the past, we had always gone to my parents' house for the holiday meal, but this year, my parents were flying back to California and the mantle had been passed on to me to prepare the turkey dinner.


Since it was my first time, I was determined that I was going to do everything perfectly. So I started researching and asking friends how to cook the delicious and juicy turkey. My mom said, "Cooking a turkey is easy. Just put it in an oven bag and you don't have to do anything else." I was adamant that I wasn't going to cook the turkey like my mom and dad. I felt confident that I could make a juicy turkey and it wasn't going to happen using a bag!


I bought a fresh (not frozen) 24 pound turkey, lots of butter for basting, and a foil pan to roast it in. In addition, I planned to make homemade gravy, and stuffing from day old bread, and  Aunt Sidney's yeast rolls, an old family recipe from my mother-in-law. It was going to be the best turkey dinner...ever!


I was ready. I created a schedule and everything was planned out. We would eat at 4:00. My parents, uncle, cousin and her family would show up and be in awe of the fabulous meal I had created. My mom kept telling me, "I don't know why you are going to so much trouble. Just stick it in a bag." I remained undaunted and moved forward with my schedule which started the night before.


I cut several loaves of bread into cubes. My largest bowl was overflowing with pieces of bread, celery, onions, and more. Then I added the chicken broth, and my abundant stash of stuffing shrunk into a miniscule mound of mush. Still determined, I proceeded to stuff the turkey.


Then it was time to put the turkey in the pan. I had read that it needed to be put in the pan breast side up, but this turkey was so fat, I couldn't tell which side was the breast and which side was the back! I asked my husband, Matt, but he didn't know either. Eventually, Matt held the turkey up and we imagined it walking, which helped us to identify the breast. Mission accomplished.


The foil pan seemed a bit flimsy for the gargantuan stuffed turkey, so we came up with the brilliant idea of putting an airbake cookie sheet underneath the foil pan. The turkey made it into the oven on schedule, and I proceeded to baste it with a stick of butter...every 30 minutes.


In between the bastings, I continued on schedule with the other preparations until it was close to the time for the turkey to be done. I kept checking the thermometer, but the temperature of the turkey was not even close to 185 degrees. That's when I began to think the my perfect dinner may not be as perfect as I had hoped.


My parents had arrived and I asked my dad his opinion on my turkey. He checked it with his standard "twist the leg and see if the bone pulls away from the meat." No luck. That turkey was not even close to done, so back in the oven it went and I started cooking hors d'oeuvres in our toaster oven. When my very prompt uncle arrived, Matt offered him a pig in the blanket stating, "Hors d'oeuvres is french for dinner's not ready yet."


Time passed and that turkey didn't seem to be getting any more done, and we started questioning my oven My dad fired up our barbecue and announced he would finish cooking the turkey on the barbecue. I quickly scooped out the stuffing which was more like soup it was so soggy. My mom reassured me that we could put it in the oven and the stuffing would dry up some.


With the turkey outside on the grill, my oven was empty and it was definitely time to put the rolls in the oven. They had risen and were hanging over the pan. So in the oven they went with the soggy stuffing. Suddenly my dad rushed in to get water, declaring that he needed some liquid because the juices were boiling away in the foil pan. With a sigh, I said goodbye to my homemade gravy.


Meanwhile, I realized that I hadn't paid attention to the time when the rolls went into the oven. I checked them, and they were getting brown, so took them out of the oven and turned the pan over. Normally, the rolls fall out of the pan and I separate them into their individual rolls. This time, the top half fell out, the bottom half stayed in the pan, and the middle was sticky dough. It was the final straw. I quickly picked up the top half off the counter, returned it to pan, patted it down a bit and shoved it back in the oven.


We finally sat down to dinner two hours late. The misshapen rolls, flame broiled turkey, and wet stuffing were added to the table along with the rest of the Christmas meal. It all ended up tasting pretty good, or perhaps we were just very hungry.


I had humble pie for dessert while my mom repeated, "I told you; just stick it in a bag!"

Twas the Day Before Christmas

Stylin' Zach at Cracker Barrel

I'm sitting in my parents' house in Florida and it's about 80 degrees outside. So much for my Christmas sweaters! Good thing I brought some short sleeved shirts with me.


We arrived here on Thursday, the 22nd and have been relaxing and waiting for my sister to arrive with her family. They fly in tonight and then the fun begins. My sister is a presence that can't be ignored. She is loud and boisterous making her opinion known to anyone and everyone. When we were kids, we fought and argued all the time.  Now as middle aged adults, I love and appreciate my sister and I always treasure  the time spent with her.


This is the first Christmas we have spent in Florida. Normally, the family celebrates Christmas in San Diego at our house or in Nebraska at my sister's. In fact, the last time we were in Florida at all was when the boys were very young 13 years ago. So this is a special treat to see my parents' new home, and visit with their friends.


Last night we had dinner with my parents' long time friend, Bonnie. She made us a lovely meal served on her brand new Christmas dishes. She insisted that we use all of the dishes, so we had our sodas in the tea cups, and the gravy was in the tea pot. She is very fun loving and a big lover of Disney and Elvis. As a result we got to see her Mickey collections and listen to her Elvis hits on a real jukebox (complete with 45 singles).


We'll spend a week here and will hopefully do a few touristy kind of activities. I know Matt wants to go to a movie or two. But for now the focus is on Christmas: baking some cookies, and getting the preparations for the holiday meal done. I'm working on thumbprint cookies (my sister's favorite), and playing games as we pass the afternoon. Mexican Train, anyone?

It's all about how you look at it...

Perspective. It makes a difference. I've been thinking about perspective recently in different contexts - work, home, marriage, spiritual. There are many common cliches that address perspective.

"The grass is always greener", "Seeing the glass half full", "Get a bird's eye view", "Hindsight is 20/20" - well you get the picture. 

Perspective changes from person to person. The way I view the ants marching by the hundreds through my house is very different than the way my husband sees it. My opinion of how fast to drive and how close to follow definitely changes depending on who's driving! And of course if you speak to my sons, their perspective is completely different.

Bright Angel Trail

The way I perceive things also changes depending on when or how I look at them. When we took our little jaunt down Bright Angel Trail descending 800 feet or so into the Grand Canyon, I enjoyed the view. It was gorgeous with varying colors that changed as the shadows moved.  When we started back up the trail, my eyes and thoughts were fixed on the trail in front of me and only occasionally did I look up to see how much farther I had to go. It was discouraging to see the canyon walls looming above. But once I made it back to the top, I looked back down at where I once had been and stood amazed that I had trudged along that zig zagged trail and made it to where I was standing. 

Later when I looked at the photo that my son, Zach took of me as I hiked up the trail, I thought about my life journey. When I am in the midst of the details of life, I forget that I really am making progress and that God is at work in my life. When I step back and take a look at where I've been and where I am now, I can see that there really is a difference. When I was climbing that trail, it seemed like it would go on forever, but once at the top, I could see how far I had really gone. It's the same in my life. Sometimes I feel like there is no progress, no growth, no difference, but then I think back to who I was 30 years ago,  and I know I have changed (and for the better). Even the way I handle situations or deal with people that hurt or anger me has changed significantly in the past 10 years, and that encourages me.


So to end this thought by mixing metaphors - just as the Colorado River and other natural forces have been eroding and shaping the Grand Canyon over the years, I believe God has been shaping me, smoothing some of the rough edges, and molding me into a grown up who is more like Jesus. 

The trail hasn't ended yet, and I don't know how much longer I have on this hike called life, but I want to make the best of it and enjoy the journey as I go, because you know, it's all about perspective.

There's no place like home

We're home! After a long day of driving, we pulled into the driveway at 7:40. Matt had pizza and salad waiting for us which was nice since the last time we ate was at noon when we stopped at Cracker Barrel in Kingman, Arizona.

We were all anxious to get home, so except for a few stops for gas and the final Cracker Barrel meal, we drove and drove and drove. Our route was I-40 to I-15 and it was mostly barren desert. When we hit Murrieta, I started pointing out all my work stomping grounds to the boys - the Resource Center, and the Murrieta Academies as well as the exits for the old locations of these two facilities. I also showed them the motel I always stay at when I spend the night up there. They weren't too interested, but it made me realize how very close to home we really were.

Today we finished the third book, Mockingjay, and Zach's playlist of traveling songs. Our trip has come to an end. The boys unloaded the car and gave their dad the gifts we'd picked up for him along the way - a bottle of Dublin Dr. Pepper, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, Zapp's Potato Chips (Spicy Cajun Crawtators) from New Orleans, and some leftover cinnamon roll from Lulu's Bakery. Our living room is filled with dirty laundry, suitcases, and the rest of the stuff from my little red car. We'll deal with it all tomorrow.

For now, Joe is watching a recording of the All Star Game, Zach and David are upstairs watching an episode of Chuck, and Matt is filling me in on the ant attack and refrigerator issues he experience while we were gone. We've been home about 2 hours and things are already returning to normal.

I, however, want to soak a bit in the experiences of our fantastic road trip. Tomorrow will be busy with laundry, catching up on e-mails, and getting back into work mode. But tonight when I lay down in my bed, it will be with a contented sigh, and as I reflect on our trip in the coming days, I know that the memories will wash over me and flood my heart and soul with gratitude for such a lovely vacation.


 

It's a long long road...

There's a reason why it is called the Grand Canyon. Every time I see it, I'm awestruck by the large scale and impressive views. It really is a grand canyon.

Our little camera doesn't do justice to the magnificent views

Yesterday we drove the 90 minutes from Flagstaff to our last stop on this 16-day road trip. I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to do, when we got there, but I was pretty sure I wanted to hike part way into the Canyon. After watching a short film and consulting the map, we started walking along the Rim Trail toward Bright Angel Trail.

Along the rim

It was a 2.5 mile hike along the rim until we reached the trail head to Bright Angel. Bright Angel Trail is a popular trail that goes down to the bottom of the Canyon. I thought we'd hike down to the first water stop which is 1.5 miles along switch backs. Yeah, I was dreaming.

On the way down Bright Angel Trail

As we started along the trail, we were greeted with the aroma of mule manure. There was a generous supply along the trail and some was fairly fresh. Fortunately, it wasn't constant and there were only about three places where it was really smelly.

The first quarter mile of the hike wasn't bad with a decent amount of shade. We were hiking down at a fairly good clip and feeling pretty good. Then the trail started getting steeper, and I noticed the people coming up the trail were pretty red in the face and short of breath, but we kept walking. After a while, we passed a ranger on his way up the trail and he asked us how far we were going. He told us we were about halfway to the water stop. It was 3:45 and we'd been walking about 30-40 minutes on the trail. It was then I decided we were going to turn around and start back up the trail. Only Zach was disappointed.

I'm the one in the middle of the picture trudging up the trail

It took me longer to get back to the top then the rest of them. David was the first to pull ahead. He was determined to get the top in the same amount of time it took for us to walk down, and he did it. Zach kept stopping and waiting until he could see Joe and me off in the distance, and then he'd start off again. Eventually, Joe decided he wasn't going to let this Canyon get the best of him, so he pushed himself and made it to the top second. Zach continued to wait for me and took pictures. I made a lot of rest stops and chatted with two middle aged ladies who had started hiking from the bottom at 6:00 a.m. They stopped even more than I did, but who can blame them? I was totally impressed they had hiked down a few days before and were now hiking back up.

When we had all made it to the top, it started to rain. It was one of the best things I'd ever felt. Cool gentle rain on our hot, sunburned skin was just fabulous. We rode the shuttle bus back to the visitor center where our car was parked and drove to Williams, Arizona where we were staying the night.

We ate dinner in the motel restaurant and were serenaded by a one man band. He played guitar, harmonica, chimes, and maybe some other instruments as he sang an assortment of oldies from "Cat's in the Cradle" to "Norwegian Wood." We had a great discussion about what our favorite parts of the trip were. We all agreed that meeting and spending time with family was one of the best. Zach liked the National Parks we visited. David said leaving New Orleans was the best. Joe was happy he got to attend some baseball games, and I enjoyed all of the views along the Mississippi river and other waterways.

By 10:00, we were falling asleep. It had been an exhausting day and we were beat. Even now as I write this post, the boys are still asleep and it's close to 9:00 a.m. We need to get on the road soon, since we have a long drive home, but I didn't have the heart to wake them yet. As I type this in our darkened room, they are now beginning to stir and rise.

Our own beds are calling our names, and we still have 9 chapters of Mockingjay to finish. It's time to hit the road for one last drive!

ET phone home

Our trip is winding down and tomorrow we'll be driving home after this whirlwind adventure. It's been a ton of fun getting to meet family, reconnect with friends, and spend time with my sons.


Yesterday we left Roswell early, so we could make it to Flagstaff at a reasonable hour. Chandel and Nate were having us over for dinner, and we needed to make good time on the road. Fortunately, we had one more time change on our side so we gained an hour which helped out the schedule.


We considered going to the International UFO Museum and Research Center, but after reading some reviews and realizing it was on the opposite side of town as well as add about an hour to our schedule, we decided against it and hit the road. We did snap a few photos with the little green man outside our hotel though.

As we headed north up a state highway, Zach got another chance to drive. Then Joe took the wheel for a large part of I-40. I was more relaxed this time, and even took a little nap part of the way. As we drove, we listened to more of  Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games triology. It's really a great series and I highly recommend it. We are saving the last 9 chapters for our long ride home tomorrow.


Flagstaff is as beautiful as a I remember, a mountain area with lots of pine trees. We arrived in time to check into our hotel and get to Chandel & Nate's apartment for a delicious dinner. These two are a busy couple. They are in the middle of trying to move to a bigger place to give their rambunctious dog, Kona more space. They are making plans for a cruise followed by a back packing trip in the next few weeks. Despite all this and working full time, they took the time to have us over for a homemade meal of lasagna, salad, garlic bread, watermelon lemonade and lemon poppy seed bread for dessert. The food was yummy and the company was fabulous!


Chandel just graduated with her Bachelor's in the field of speech pathology and communication disorders. This is the area that I am encouraging David to consider, so it was perfect to have her fresh out of school to share some pointers. One thing I really admire about Chandel is her tenacity and determination. She has proved herself over and over as a woman who can set goals and accomplish them despite financial and personal obstacles. She has done so much independently and without the support she deserved. I'm really proud of her and so happy she has found such a great guy who loves her for who she is.

The boys enjoyed having Nate at the table, because if Chandel and I started talking about girl stuff, he was great at keeping them entertained. He and Joe talked about sports, and Nate plays bass guitar just like Zach. So it was really a lovely evening.


Today we are off to the Grand Canyon. I still remember the first time we saw it when the boys were little. Zach said, "Mommy, it looks like a painting." It will be interesting to see what they think now that they are young men.

Remember the Alamo

We made it to Roswell, New Mexico and gained an extra hour as we passed over the time zone into New Mexico. I appreciated that extra hour and was finally able to get 8 hours of sleep. It was wonderful!

da boyz on an original well from the mission days

Yesterday was a driving day - one of our longest ones on this trip. We were up early and visited the Alamo for an hour or so. It is right in the middle of downtown. Not much of the original buildings remain - the church (which is now a shrine) and the Long Barracks (which contains the museum). There are other areas that were reconstructed in the 1920's and it is a quiet place where people can come to sit and reflect. As we walked through the museum, I began to understand the progression of the Texan independent spirit.

Marriage Island

The Riverwalk was right across the street, so we went back over to show Joe the underground canal system and ride the river barge for a 35 minute tour. Our guide told us mostly about the buildings that tower over the river, when they were built, who built them etc. One thing that I thought was interesting was one of the hotels (the Hyatt, I think) was originally planned to be 24 stories, but it ended up only 16 floors because at the original height it would have cast a shadow on the Alamo. The city felt this would be disrespectful, so the hotel agreed to the limited height. They like their Alamo and all that it represents.


On the way out of San Antonio, we stopped at Lulu's Bakery. It is the home of one of the largest cinnamon rolls I've ever seen. It weighs 3 pounds and is the size of someone's head. The boys had seen this place on the Travel Channel's Man v. Food and we decided we had to go get one of these gigantic pastries. The long wait for a table and our desire to get moving, determined the decision to get our cinnamon roll to go. It was all wrapped up and we decided it would be our reward when we arrived in Roswell.


It was a 9.5 hour drive with stops for gas and dinner. We've decided that western Texas is our least favorite place so far on the trip. We stopped at a Pizza Hut in Fort Stockton for dinner. The restaurant was a hopping place, but the waitress and others were not very friendly. Maybe we have gotten so accustomed to the friendly south that it was just a reality check for us, but we remembered our experience in Big Spring, and guess where it's located? Western Texas - just like Fort Stockton, and all of those boring oil wells that go on forever and ever.


The best part of the trip for Joe and Zach is that from Stockton to just outside of Roswell, they got to drive. We were driving on a deserted state highway and  I figured this was the safest place to hand over my keys. They both did okay, but I was very nervous and annoyed Joe especially when we came up on some trucks he had to pass on the little two lane highway. Needless to say, my leg muscles were tight and sore when I finally took over the wheel for the final 50 miles of our trip. They really aren't bad drivers. I'm just a little tense when they are driving. Okay, I'm really tense!


We've got another long drive to Flagstaff. We are having dinner with Chandel and her husband Nate tonight. Chandel was one of my girls from the girls Bible study I led years ago. I'm looking forward to seeing her again! 


We don't have much time really to enjoy Roswell, but we did see the alien shaped lights downtown, and the McDonald's that looks like a UFO as we drove into town. I'm looking for ET, but I don't see him anywhere, although there are plenty of statues of his cousins around town.

space the final frontier...

It was apropos that on the day of the last Space Shuttle launch, we were visiting Houston Space Center. So while Atlantis was blasting off, we were having breakfast and getting ready to learn and experience the wonders of space travel.

When we walked in, we realized that this was a much larger museum than what we have experienced previously on our trip. It was packed with kids from day camps and visitors from around the country and the world. There was a lot to do and we didn't have an abundance of time (our common problem on this road trip), but we were able to watch a film on the history of U.S. space travel and hear a presentation on the 30 year space shuttle program as well as see the future plans of NASA. Everything was very interesting and we got to see replicas and even some original vehicles and equipment. There were hands on activities to teach scientific principles, games and simulators, and a tram tour through the Johnson Space Center which was just down the road. We could have spent more time there, but the clock was ticking and we still had a four hour drive to San Antonio.


We arrived in San Antonio in time to drop Joe off at the San Antonio Missions baseball game - another minor league team for the SD Padres. Joe was happy even though the Missions lost. He had great seats and some time away to do what he enjoys. Zach, David and I headed down to the Riverwalk to explore and eat dinner.

The Riverwalk is just lovely. The San Antonio river runs through downtown, and the city is built above it. The streets cross over it, and down below are shops and restaurants as the river meanders through the city. It is miles long, but most of the business is in a two mile loop. The river is more like a canal and there are river taxis you can take to your destination (many hotels are built along the river as well) or you can just walk and enjoy the surroundings.


My doctor would be proud. We walked more than two miles along the river. It was a good jaunt and we had worked up an appetite. So after looking at the different restaurants, we decided to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. We had a table on a balcony that overlooked the river and the people walking and dining below. It was very relaxing, but Zach was a little disappointed that we didn't get an inside table where we could enjoy the loud music.


Our plan was to finish dinner and ride the water taxis down the river since the pilot of the boat shares info about the Riverwalk, but Joe texted us and said it was the 9th inning of the game. So we headed back to the car after a quick stop for a Ben and Jerry's ice cream cone (okay, so my doctor wouldn't be as proud). We picked up Joe and went back to the hotel to do laundry and catch a few winks (and I mean literally, just a few).


We are starting to drag a little, and we've got several longer days of driving. It's a 9 hour drive to Roswell, New Mexico (our next stop), so we are going to make a quick trip back downtown to visit the Alamo and maybe catch a river taxi ride. On our way out, we've got to stop at Lulu's Bakery for some cinnamon rolls that the boys saw on the T.V. show Man v. Food. You know, it's energy food to keep us going on the long drive to Roswell. Perhaps we'll save some for the extra terrestrials in Roswell.

Are we done looking at old houses yet?

Yesterday was a long day. I had told the boys that I wanted to get to Houston and be asleep at a decent hour since for the past few nights I hadn't gotten to bed before midnight. But I am finding that we do not have enough hours in the day to get everything done.

New Orleans skyline from the ferry

One of many duplexes on Algiers Point

Before leaving the Crescent City, we took the 5-minute ferry across the Mississippi River to Algiers Point which is the second oldest community in New Orleans. The French Quarter is the oldest. We walked around the neighborhoods looking at some lovely old homes. I noticed that many of them were duplexes. Although it was interesting, it was hot, and I didn't think to put on sunscreen.

We rode the ferry back over and walked along the river front to the French Market. We stopped for some cold water and beignets (french donuts) at Cafe du Monde, the coffee shop that has been around since 1862. After that needed refreshment, we continued our journey until we reached the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, which was just an air conditioned building with a few exhibits. But you can't dismiss air conditioning, so we went inside to cool off and play with the hands on exhibits, and buy a CD. The park ranger told us that in an hour they were performing a jazz concert, but we couldn't stay. Houston was calling our name. 

Central Grocery

And you too can go insane

We picked up a muffaletta sandwich from the Central Grocery across the street and started the trek back down Decatur to our parked car. A muffaletta is an original New Orleans sandwich created right at the Central Grocery. The Central Grocery is a true Italian market filled with amazing sites and wonders. You can purchase many different types of cheese, meat, packaged goods, and a plethora of canned foods (smoked octopus anyone?). The muffaletta is made from a round loaf of Sicilian sesame bread which is delicious. It has cold cuts like salami, ham, and provolone cheese in it. But the magic ingredient is the olive salad which consists of several different types of olives in an Italian dressing. The sandwich is cut into fourths and we each took a piece (except David who doesn't care much for cold cuts). It was very yummy and the perfect light lunch for on the go.

Oak Alley Plantation

About an hour outside of New Orleans we took a little detour to visit Oaks Alley Plantation. We made it just in time for the last tour of the day. The boys and I all agreed that this tour guide was much more interesting than the two we had in Natchez. The home was gorgeous, the tour guides dressed in period costumes, and the stories of the family were well told and interesting. While there, Joe and I tasted a frozen raspberry mint julep. It was like a raspberry mint Icee with a kick of bourbon. Neither of us cared much for it, so Joe got a cookies and cream milk shake instead.


We had  another four hours of driving until we reached Houston, which was about how much time we had left of Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. It was an exciting ending with a great cliff hanger. We are looking forward to listening to the final book on these last days of our journey.


Needless to say, by the time we checked into our hotel, revised the plans for today's activities, and examined my sunburn, my head finally hit the pillow at 1:30 a.m. So much for an early night!


Today we are visiting the Space Center and then it's off to San Antonio! 

N'awlins

street musician

After a stop at Belhaven University and several flea markets, we made it to The Big Easy in the early evening yesterday. Our hotel is downtown about three blocks from the French Quarter. Since it was early and still daylight, we walked down Canal Street to see what the sites would reveal.

leaving downtown on a streetcar

Just a few blocks down Bourbon Street, and we'd had enough of this seedy street. David commented that he liked Disneyland's version of New Orleans much better than the real thing. The French Quarter is the oldest section of the city, and you can tell. It is definitely a touristy area, but one we had to experience at least a little. The narrow streets and the wrought iron on brick buildings were the real deal complete with crowds, deteriorating buildings, and hawkers standing at the doors competing for our attention. 

St. Louis Cathedral

We walked to Jackson Square and saw St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously active Catholic church in the nation. We scoped out some places to eat and decided on Oceana on Conti Street. Our waiter was the best part of the meal. He was probably playing up the cajun act, but he was friendly and took good care of us. His accent and the way he spoke to us was charming.

Yep, that's sweat. It was really humid.

After our meal, we walked along the river and Decatur Street for a bit. Then we took a streetcar up St. Charles Street. By now it was dark and the route was quite long, but as we traveled uptown, we got to see a gorgeous collection of houses. This was a beautiful part of New Orleans.


I had hoped we might find a swamp tour we could go on today, but they all seem to require reservations, so that will get crossed off our list.  We are all getting a little tired and grumpy (okay, mostly me), and we have a long drive to Houston, but before we leave the city, we'll do a few more things: visit the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, eat a muffaletta from Central Grocery, and take the ferry over to Algiers Point. We might even stop at Oak Alley Plantation outside of the city if we feel up to it.

on the road again

This morning we hugged my sister Karen, brother-in-law Bill, and nephew Hunter and wished them safety on their trip back to Nebraska. Then we had a goodbye breakfast with my mom and dad before they left for Florida. We are all going back to our little corners of the country today (except for those of us in the cutest little red car you ever did see who are taking a while to get back home).

Hey batta, batta...

Yesterday was our last full day together. The boys and I went with Karen and her family to the Mississippi Sports Museum. For those of you who are wondering if we ever do anything other than look at old houses, here you go. The museum honors all of the different athletes that have come from Mississippi. It was a nice place and Joe especially enjoyed it. If you'd like to read a more detailed description and view his photos, you can do so on his blog: http://joesage.wordpress.com/

Broadcaster Dave

There was stuff about Jerry Rice, Brett Favre and a bunch of other people I've never heard of. We got to try our hand at pitching, throwing football passes, being a sports broadcaster and more. We watched a well made video about the different athletes and Mississippi pride was strong throughout the film. It was quite touching actually.

The starting line up

Afterwards we headed over to Golden Corral for a late lunch and feasted on a number of buffet items. I had the boys try lima beans and turnip greens (just a bite) so that we could experience the food of the south. Zach liked both, David said the lima beans were okay. Joe didn't hate them or anything, but he wasn't a big fan. I'd had lima beans before, but I didn't care for the turnip greens - too bitter for me. I also had some bourbon street chicken which was very tasty.


The boys went on an unsuccessful search for a bowling alley, while Karen and I took off to find some antique shops. After all, I now need Louisiana and Mississippi license plates. Unfortunately, the antique stores around here are a bit too upscale and no one sells license plates. They directed us to a Flea Market, which will be one of our stops as we drive toward New Orleans today.


We ended our day at Uncle Bill's where I got to look at many of his old books. He has his own internet business where he buys and sells first edition books that have been signed by the author or illustrator. They are beautiful and sell from $100 to $5000 a piece!


We are getting a late start, but we've gotten used to hanging out and having slow mornings here in Mississippi. Our first stop will be near Jackson, to visit Belhaven University. David's friend DeRon is thinking about attending this college when he graduates, so we thought we'd go take a picture.


As we begin the journey home, I am excited about the new sites we will see and experience, but I'm also grateful that we made the trip to meet and get to know these special people we are privileged to call family.

Independence Day

Yesterday was the 4th of July. We knew we were going to Ruth Ann's for a BBQ in the evening, but we had some time to kill and all of the museums were closed for the holiday. So we made the 75 mile trip to Newton, Mississippi where my dad grew up. I loved it, the boys are always pretty good sports (although they kind of have to be since I'm the one paying for this trip), and my sister, and the rest of the family tolerated the side trip.

Newton is a small town that hasn't changed over the years, and Joe commented that it was similar to Radiator Springs in the movie Cars. Downtown was pretty run down and the newer stores like Walmart were on the outskirts of town near the Interstate. I asked my dad which of the buildings looked the same or were still in business. He pointed out the Rexall Drugstore and the Roxy Theater. He also pointed out that his Uncle Stanley's law office was on the second floor of the brick building.


Our first stop was the house my grandma lived in and where many of my dad's younger brothers and sisters grew up. I remember visiting my grandma as a kid and thinking this was the coolest old house. I remember wood floors, a porch with a swing, the bathroom with an old tub, the old fashioned door knobs, and lots of stairs going down to the back yard which was down a hill. When we got to the house, it looked like the current owners were having a party. There were several cars parked in the yard and a beat up old Pontiac GT that did not look like it was in working condition. We were all standing outside in the street and I was taking pictures of the house. There were two signs on the door: NO TRESPASSING and BEWARE OF DOGS. While I was taking pictures, a man came out and asked if I was interested in buying his car. I explained the reason we were there, and he let me walk around  in the yard to take some photos. I wasn't brave enough to ask if we could see the inside of the house though.

Next we went to the cemetery where my great grandparents, grandparents and a number of their children were buried. We saw the headstone of Eloise, my dad's sister who died at the age of two when my dad was only five years old. We also saw the youngest brother Tommy's grave. He had Down's Syndrome and died when he was ten and I was just a baby. There were other gravestones of the Majure family that marked my dad's aunts and uncles. I didn't know much about them, but my dad though started talking when he got there and told me more as we looked at the markers.


Farther down a hill in another area were the graves of three of my uncles. Uncle Bob who died in a motorcycle accident when he was stationed in Japan. He left behind a wife (Sachiko) and two children (Bill and Tamiko). I remember my Uncle Bob and his family and I remember how sad it was when he died. He was only 33. Right next to his grave is a place for my aunt Sachiko when she passes. My Uncle Glenn's grave is also there who died in 1993 and my Uncle Martin who passed away in 1997. Each person has their own story and I'm hoping to learn and understand as much as I can about their lives.

Where my dad's house once stood

Across the road from the cemetery was a church and also the place where the house my dad grew up once stood. It was sold or traded (my dad wasn't sure) for the house I remember. We drove over to the area; the house that was across the street from my dad's house was still standing. My dad told me he used to compete with the boy who lived in the house to see who got the highest scores on their spelling tests. He also explained that this house was the last house in the "white" part of town. Further down the road only African Americans lived. It was a segregated town back then, and my dad lived in a poorer part of town judged by how close it was to the border between the two "districts."

The house across the street

As we left town, we stopped at the abandoned Ford's Ice Cream building where my dad worked as a teenager. The building was primarily a manufacturing plant, but they had a little shop where my dad was a soda jerk. I walked around the building and saw that there were many broken windows and open doorways near the loading dock in the back. Although I was tempted to climb inside and look around, I knew that this kind of stuff didn't really interest the rest of the party and they were ready to leave town. So I snapped some photos and climbed back into the air conditioned car for the drive back to the hotel.

 At Ruth Ann's we shared what we had seen with everyone and listened to the different stories. Earlier I had looked through several photo albums that Ruth Ann had of memorabilia from the family. I got to see photos of my dad as a young boy and read letters from different brothers. I love this stuff.

It was too dry for fireworks, so the boys didn't get to experience backyard fire crackers. They did however get the experience several years ago when we were in Idaho, so it wasn't a great disappointment. David and Zach got to ride Billy's 4-wheel ATV which was fun, but Zach was trying to go faster and didn't know how to shift! The younger ones went out looking for lightning bugs, but weren't able to catch any. When I went outside, I was astounded at the night sounds. There was a chorus of frogs croaking and crickets chirping. It was really loud. No seriously, I mean it was really loud. Really!

on the way to Ruth Ann's

Although we didn't get to shoot any fireworks, we did get our own 4th of July display on the way back to the hotel.  A thunderstorm was starting as we were leaving Ruth Ann's. The ground was so hot that when the rain hit the road it turned to steam and it was like we were driving through fog. The flashes of lightning were spectacular, lighting up the road and making it look like daylight. Some flashes were so bright that we said it was like a camera flash and that God was taking pictures of us.


Today is a kick back day with my sister and family. We are going to a sports museum, and bowling.