Billy Bob Thornton, Lauren and Brett

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LAUREN, BILLY BOB AND BRETT

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Bob, our 13-yr.-old granddaughter Lauren and I left Englewood on our latest adventure Thursday morning. This trip would be filled with joy, sorrow and a lot of family. We realized, 57 miles from home, that we had left BOTH sets of camper keys behind. So, a quick call to Kirsten (Lauren's Mom), a sandwich at DQ, a serious perusal of paint colors at Lowe’s (Lauren has been promised a redecorated room upon her return) and, voila, Kirsten saved the day when she arrived with the keys. Thank goodness she had not gone to the beach two blocks from our house; it had been her favorite place for two weeks. Bob complained about the drivers—erratic, dangerous, etc., etc.—I surmised they were all as anxious as we were to get to Titusville. After all, Atlantis is THE END of the shuttle launches. Manatee Hammock State Park was our destination; it is pretty, well-kept, inexpensive and you can drink the water, unlike some other campgrounds we have visited. By 2:30, we were all set up, taking one of several walks around to get Lauren acclimated. Bob and I had been here several times; we made not one, but two trips in an attempt to watch the last launch of Endeavour in April, only to miss it when it finally blasted off in May. It rained intermittently, but Lauren was not deterred. She got all wet, put on her jammies, and decided to walk again (in wet clothes!). We ate the remnants of the turkey we had enjoyed yesterday at home, watched Trailer Park Boys and fell into bed.

Friday, July 8, 2011

We awoke to a stormy sky and only 30% go on the launch; breakfast was gloomy, but we hoped for the best. By 11 AM, there was a break in the clouds and, miraculously, at 11:26, the last voyage of Atlantis exploded over Titusville. I screamed with excitement and even Lauren felt the appreciation of the crowd. It was the best ever—but, I’ve said that about a dozen times at a dozen launches. You just have to be there to understand. Lunch, a bit of pool time, and then we joined the mass exodus from Titusville, intending to go to Fort Christmas just 30 minutes away. However, we noticed Swampy’s Jungle Adventures just this side of Christmas and opted for a stop there. By the end of the day, we had no regrets; this place appears to be just another tourist trap, but there are some real surprises. The guides, Ty, Todd and Riannon, are fun, friendly and full of information. The show started off with presentations of a baby alligator, three different snakes, two unusual spiders and a scorpion. The audience was allowed to hold, pet and recoil at all of them! Next came a walk through a replica of an American Indian village. The best was saved for last: Riannon and Todd got into the pond with dozens of alligators, most appearing to be 15 feet long! The pond was covered with algae so, unless the gators moved, it was difficult to see them. Todd rubbed gator noses and almost kissed several of them! A monsoon ended that show, Bob and Lauren were quick enough to jump on the river boat that went to the Spanish fort for a closer view of the reptiles, but I opted for drier quarters and picked up Lauren’s alligator picture magnet. After a stop to purchase Subway for dinner, a viewing of the incredible gator photos, we watched Now and Then and went to sleep.

Saturday, July 9 2011

Today we traveled to Orlando to meet Jeanine, Darryl and our other granddaughter Ava at Sea World. Naturally the Shamu Show was at the top of the agenda. After being wowed by that, we hit the Shark Encounter, which is the world’s largest underwater viewing tunnel. Next came the Penguin Encounter, the Key West stingray lagoon (Darryl and I were quite entertained watching Lauren and Ava feed the rays minnows), the Sea Carousel, the Wild Arctic heli ride (twice), the Sea Lion and Otter show, A’Lure Call of the Ocean (a Cirque du Soleil-type show), and all the kids’ rides several times. Bob and Jeanine were the brave ones: they rode Manta! We all marveled at the Beluga whales, the polar bears and walruses. We parted as fireworks were starting at the Atlantis Bayside Stadium; Darryl, Jeanine and Ava were on their way to North Carolina. Reflections, the music and light show is great; be resolved to wait up to an hour to get out if you stay to see it.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Rain was falling this morning, we were exhausted, so we camped at Manatee one more day. Bob reserved (and unreserved) a site at Florida Caverns State Park. We had wanted to stay there two nights and see the caves (Bob and Lauren are nuts about them) until we learned the caves were not open Tuesday and Wednesday! So, the decision was made to leave FL and head for GA; Bob reserved a night at High Falls River State Park, not far from Macon. We gassed up and headed for Fort Christmas once again. This is a great historical location just a half hour from Titusville; besides the fort, there is a school, school lunchroom, a 1950’s era home, several older homesteads from the early 1900’s, a post office, smokehouse, outhouses, sugar cane grinder/boiler, farm and ranch implements, etc. Lauren was fascinated with all of it. Bob decided to check the tire jack only to discover it was not working and when we attempted to play our nightly movie, the $300 DVD player wouldn’t eject! We were in bed by 8:30 (were we tired or what?!!!)

Monday, July 11, 2011

We were up by 6:30, on the road by 7:30 and soon passed a town called Pierson. We felt like calling American Pickers as we drove through this place—a whole menagerie of sculptures greeted us from the side of the road: horses, giraffes, buffalo amid myriads of pickins. Lauren complained that the portable DVD player wasn’t working. What next?! We made Ocala by 10, felt we were doing well until Oops! A flat on the trailer � of a mile from Gainesville. We were cursing our neighbor (he used our jack last), but Bob managed to change the tire and soon we were at Firestone purchasing a new tire. The GA state line appeared by noon; at about the 150mm, a 100-ft. sign read: "I was anti-Obama before it was cool." Sign of the times? Next came a petrol stop at Cordele. For some unknown reason, our gas was pumped at $3.01 (never thought I’d think of $3.01 a gallon as a bargain!) and we rang up 50 gallons. That almost made up for the flat, the broken jack and two busted DVD players. But the best was yet to come. We should have purchased lottery tickers! At about 6 PM, we ended at High Falls River State Park. As we entered the park, we noticed 15-20 Movie Movers trailers. There was also a sign at a small store that read: “We love Billy Bob.” When we entered the park, there were huge semi-trucks loaded with equipment lining the road. After a chat with the park hostess, we discovered that, yes, indeed, there was a movie being filmed here! The JMC signs stood for “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” and the production was being directed by and starred Billy Bob Thornton. Of course, Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, John Hurt and Ray Stevenson just happened to be in attendance also. Now, for the piece de resistance—Lauren had been watching Billy Bob’s movies non-stop at our house in Florida: Bad News Bears, Bad Santa, Mr. Woodcock, School for Scoundrels to name a few. Her previous heartthrobs had been Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp, but her NEW idol had become Billy Bob. You cannot imagine how excited she was to be this close to THE MAN. She begged to stay an extra day in hopes of an encounter with him, even posting this sign at our campsite: “Wanted—one autograph from Billy Bob Thornton!” So, she went to bed with dreams of tomorrow. Sadly, I was awakened at midnight with a call from my sister Linda to tell me that our brother Brett had passed. I had flown to St. Louis to see him Father’s Day weekend; our mother and five siblings made the tragic vigil over the next week. We all knew it was the end but had hoped Brett could rally; he lived long enough to see his 52^ndbirthday on July 6. It was the finale of a 20-yr. illness that should never have been and I began writing down my thoughts as we traveled.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Today began at 8:30 with a mad dash to the film location just 200 ft. from our campsite. We claimed the table opposite the hill that everyone was climbing laden with equipment. Our watch lasted FOUR hours in 100 degree heat with two bottles of water, no breakfast. Oh, I also brought two pint jars of calamondin jelly; Lauren berated me about this: “Oh, Grandmama, you’re NOT!!” to which I answered: “Oh, yes I am!” After the first hour, Thornton and Duvall showed up and Lauren was walking on air. Don’t ask me why a 13-yr.-old could generate this much enthusiasm for a skinny, 52-yr.-old, five-times-married guy, but you have to admit he is funny and talented. Just watch some of his early stuff—One False Move is a great example. He wrote it as well as starred in it. A Simple Plan and U-Turn score, too. And don’t forget Sling Blade—Oscar winner there. We had assured Lauren we would stay another night even though it meant giving up a day in Wisconsin Dells to play at the world’s largest water park—all for the chance to rub elbows with Billy Bob. We kept silent most of the four hours as “Rolling” was the word of the morning. Finally, at 12:30, down the hill came an ATV with Duvall and Thornton. Not only did Lauren get her treasured autograph and as many pics as Grandpa could snap in a minute, but I was able to talk to Duvall and hand him a jar. As Billy Bob was getting into a white SUV, I quickly called out to him and deposited the second jar in his hand. Three other jars went to the caterer, an assistant and the kind hostess of the park. Lauren soon changed her assessment of my behavior when she realized that our phone numbers, address, and e-mail address accompanied these gifts. Would we hear from the recipients? She prayed for the miracle! A trip to Wal-Mart to purchase a DVD player was followed by a second sighting at the afternoon filming location in the river. Lauren and I had checked it out yesterday when we followed the huge cables that were laid out all the way down to the water. The crowd was not allowed to approach the stars this time, only view from a distance. I couldn’t blame them for not wanting to make much of an appearance—most of them walked up from the water soaking wet! We celebrated the day with Waking up in Reno before bed.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Today we left High Falls with Bob calling Lauren “BBTBF” (Billy Bob Thornton’s Biggest Fan). The question for the remainder of the trip from Lauren: “Grandpa, did you know Billy Bob would be at High Falls River?” We’ll never tell. Georgia was soon behind us, Kentucky also, and we ended in Johnston City, IL at Arrowhead Lake Campground. For a mere $13 a night we were afforded a large site, clean showers, quiet atmosphere and a picturesque lake complete with resident ducks. Naturally I left the hosts some jelly. A large sign with Lamentations 3:40—“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD” was the final image I was left with.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Champaign was next on our radar. Carolyn, my best friend from high school and college days in Minnesota, has lived here since getting her master’s at the University of Michigan, and Bob insisted we stop to see her. There had been too few visits in the last 45 years! The GPS refused to help us find her house but, thankfully, the cell was still working and we managed to arrive at her doorstep by 11 AM. It was a wonderful few minutes and we vowed to meet up soon; hopefully she and Don will come to Florida next winter. Soon we were forging ahead to Wisconsin, stopping at Culver’s for some yummy burgers, then on to the Dells, and finally coming to rest at Mirror Lake State Park. This was not a great place: no water hookup, a convoluted campsite entrance and an indifferent clerk at check-in. Of course, there was no internet so trying to reserve a site in Duluth was impossible. I had a couple of numbers but we soon learned that the State of Minnesota was broke and all the state parks were closed! We drowned our sorrows in a game of Scrabble and Pick-up sticks and called it a night.

Friday, July 15, 2011

As we were leaving Mirror Lake, a kind couple from Wichita gave us some phone numbers for possible campgrounds. They, too, were on their way to Duluth and had been lucky enough to reserve the last site at Buffalo Valley Campground. I left several messages and hoped for the best. As we neared Superior, WI, Leroy from Saginaw Campground called us to say that he had plenty of room and we would be welcome. When we arrived, Bob and Leroy were getting the camper situated and I asked Leroy if a lady named Rose Jenny camped here. She is my cousin with whom I finally became acquainted three years ago (better late than never!). It turned out that she had camped right next to us yesterday! So there was a great, brief reunion with Rose, a call to my sister Linda, then on to Perkin’s to meet Mom, Linda, brother John and wife Barb. We were finally here! A screening of Pushing Tin closed out the first Minnesota night.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

After a full breakfast of bacon and eggs in the camper, we were off to Mom’s to do laundry and make cookies. We expected much company over the next week; I have three sisters and two brothers and many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews, so Lauren and I made nine dozen! They were all filled with my yummy jelly and they would all disappear quickly. We baked three pizzas and brother Bart, wife Jeanne and daughter Madelyn as well as niece Michele, hubby Matt and daughters Isabel, Audrey and Chloe helped us make short work of them. Lauren and Bob accompanied Linda to her daughter Nichole’s farm to feed the animals—two horses, a bird, cats, dogs. They had a great time.



Sunday, July 17, 2011

We were up early today to use wi-fi at McDonald’s. My Aunt Shirley and her family were there as well as Uncle Larry and his family. It’s always great to see them as they were both so much a part of my childhood. Larry is just 10 months older than I am so we are more like brother and sister. And my fondest memory of Shirley is sitting between her and Mom, reading sheet music lyrics while listening to a 78 playing on the turntable. It’s hard to grasp that time over 60 years ago! Bob, Lauren and I drove down to Canal Park to see the Tall Ships that were in port. We took a few pics but the best ones were taken by my sister-in-law, Barb, from a jet ski no less! I had to include them; thanks, Barb. It was a gorgeous day, but I was astonished at how HOT it was! Duluth summers were always in the 60’s and 70’s when I lived here; this week turned out to be a blistering 90 degrees plus and just miserable in what used to be called the “Air-Conditioned City.” Later we drove to the Miller Hill Mall, Lauren scored several pairs of shoes with Linda’s expertise, and we ended at Matt & Michele’s to check out their new home.

Monday, July 18, 2011

I had been promising Bob and Lauren a lunch of Chinese food for days and someone suggested that there was a good eatery in Cloquet just outside Duluth. So, after a shopping stop at the Cloquet Wal-Mart, we made the big mistake of stopping at the Panda Buffet. This was NOT the recommended restaurant, we soon learned. It was so bad that Bob refused to eat, and I should have protested even paying for the little that Lauren and I ate. If I had been paying attention I would have noticed that we were the only patrons in the joint at lunchtime. Sometimes I marvel at my stupidity. Thank goodness Mom had planned a scrumptious pork chop dinner. My contribution—two calamondin pies. Barb brought Regan and Nixon, two of her nine grandchildren (lucky her!), and Jeanne and Madelyn arrived. The discussion was about the impending memorial for Brett in St. Louis on Wednesday. Everyone was concerned that Mom would be alone (at 84, she could not make another trip), so I volunteered to remain in Duluth to be with her.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

After breakfast we drove to Glensheen, the historic mansion on the Lake Superior shore in East Duluth. I recall many bus rides to this area where all the rich people lived (and still do) when I was a teenager. One job was to babysit for a wealthy woman with two small children; she fired me one day when I broke a quart bottle of milk on the cement floor in the garage. I endured two hours on a bus (two transfers) to get there and made 50 cents an hour. Another job was a bit closer to home. It ended when the husband came home drunk, got a bit friendly, and I left with no pay and a long walk home; I was counting on bus money! Well, enough of those memories. Lauren had heard of the infamous murder of Elizabeth Congdon, the millionairess who was killed at 83, along with her night nurse, by her son-in-law in her upstairs bedroom at Glensheen in 1977. A detailed accounting is available in the book “Will to Murder.” For lunch, we hit McDonald’s again to use wi-fi, then on to another London Road stop to visit my Denfeld High School English teacher and speech coach, Miss Jean Endrizzi. No visit to Duluth is complete without time spent with her We meandered our way back to Mom’s through the spaghetti bowl (Bob’s description of the freeway mess under construction), getting lost several times but having a ball doing it Still no GPS!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Today began with a trip to Super Valu for groceries. This chain used to be the predominant one when I lived here 45 years ago. Now the market (literally) belongs to Super One where Linda works. There is a location in West Duluth where our house used to be and where I spent my growing-up years. My sister Kathy arrived soon after we got to Mom’s and Lauren was ecstatic! She lives in Sundance, Wyoming and if you’ve read my blog from June 2009, you know all about that adventure. We spent the day playing Scrabble, working yet another puzzle (Mom is a perpetual jigsaw worker—I think it keeps her sharp), eating our favorite green bean/ground turkey casserole and hoping that Brett’s memorial service went well. Mom insisted that I take several items to “clean out” her spare room. Lauren received Dad’s gorilla shirt which Bob had airbrushed many years ago; Dad always wore it on Halloween to hand out candy. She also gave me Brett’s Bible; Mom said he had read it cover to cover—twice. A part of Psalm 49 was bookmarked and highlighted: “wise men must die; stupid men, brutish men, all perish.” We were all thinking of Jim, Brett’s partner of 30 years, hoping that he would have the strength to persevere.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

After a scrumptious omelet breakfast (compliments of yours truly), we made one more Wal-Mart stop for necessaries. Bob dropped Lauren and me at Mom’s and he headed for Iron River, WI to retrieve Tim, Kathy’s hubby. Their next task was to pick up some huge tugboat rope that Bob had been promised. All of us girls decided to go to Enger Tower, an 80-ft. Duluth landmark that sits on a hill 451 feet above Lake Superior. It was dedicated in 1939 after Bert Enger, a successful Norwegian immigrant , donated the land. The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway were in attendance. Its green beacon is visible for miles. Michele and her three darlings met us there and all the kids had so much fun running up and down the hills and stairs. Afterward, Kathy treated us to lunch at Culver’s. At home we worked another puzzle, took a long walk and visited with Opal and Jim (she was a classmate as well as an aunt of mine). Back at the camper, we watched Pursuit of Happyness and fell in to bed!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Kathy and I had been watching Mom precipitously use her overhead microwave for a few days and decided that it would be safer for her to have one on the counter. So, after some measuring, we were off to Sam’s with Lauren in tow. We found just the right one and Lauren found just the right camera to purchase with the $90 she had been saving the whole trip. After yet another pizza dinner (I didn’t want to see any more for a long time!), the guys wanted to see the Tower, too, so back we climbed up to Skyline Drive . Lauren was thrilled to take pics with HER camera, so I’m glad we made the return trip. Before bed, we watched Sideways.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The last day in Duluth. My wonderful family showed up for a fun time at Mom’s. I made a calamondin cake which disappeared as fast I could frost it! Kathy gave Bart the last of the family quilts she’d been making (we all received one, the youngest last). They are all masterpieces, each one lovingly crafted according to hobbies, careers, etc. Brett’s memorial service had gone well; Linda tearfully remembered the image of Jim carrying Brett’s wooden urn at the closing. I thought of their 30 years together and knew I would be more thankful than ever for every day with my Bob. After lots of pictures and many good-byes, Mom, Bob, Lauren and I joined Opal and Jim at Blackwoods for dinner. I had a wonderful chicken pot pie and Mom loved her walleye sandwich. Jim entertained us with his album of paintings. Then he surprised Lauren with not one, but two paintings. It was ironic that the smaller Kokopelli work matched the t-shirt Lauren was wearing that night. She and Kirsten had made a Grand Canyon trip in March and those images are Lauren’s favorite. Now she would return home with original artwork for her new bedroom. It was hardest to say good-bye to Mom; she is incredibly lonely (Dad passed four years ago), but I assured her I would return in September for my 50^th class reunion. We finished the night doing some incredible packing; working together was the trick.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

We were on the road by 7 AM and Bob shocked Lauren and me with a superhuman feat of driving, almost non-stop, for the next 12 hours! Lauren was anxious to get home to Springfield, MO, and good grandpas do all they can to fulfill their grandchildren’s wishes. We stopped only briefly in Iowa and MO to warm up pizza, make sandwiches, pee and gas up. By 7 PM, we were in Kirsten’s driveway, safe and sound. We were treated to home-made cashew chicken, we showered and we collapsed into bed. Lauren was overwhelmed with the transformation of her bedroom and I couldn’t believe what a talented decorator our oldest daughter had become!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Today I helped Lauren examine all the treasures that were left over from the room reorganization. Some became trash, some became yard sale items, some were donated to Ava, Lauren’s younger FL cousin. We took it slow, still recuperating from our stressful drive yesterday!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Lauren and I finished up our examination of “stuff” today. I left three cases of jelly with Kirsten to sell and we left samples at a local farmers’ market. She treated us to a great lunch at the downtown Price Cutter Bistro. Then we perused Good Girl Art; if you are ever in Springfield, don’t miss this place! It has the most eclectic collection of original, recycled treasures I’ve ever seen. And next door is The Cup, a delicious cupcake shop that beckons to every sweet tooth. We had a short visit with Juanita and Milas, Kirsten’s next door in-laws, more tearful hugs and kisses and to bed early.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Believe it or not, Bob and I were up by 3 AM and on the road. We ate a sandwich while driving at 5 AM and Bob gorged himself on diet Cokes to stay awake. Guiltily, I napped intermittently. We allowed ourselves to stop at Berry’s Restaurant outside Florence, MS, and what a great stop it was! This place has the best home cooking imaginable: potato salad, huge shrimp, fried oysters, catfish, vegetable soup and desserts to die for! It was just the petrol stop our tummies craved. Even the d�cor seemed fitting—more than 30 deer heads, bear, turkeys, bobcat and more on the wall and the Ten Commandments on a tablet on the porch. Of course, there must have been 100 other hungry people there, too. We ended the day at our favorite FL campground, Blackwater River State Park. This is a beautiful locale with a beckoning river perfect for a canoe trip. We will definitely bring Lauren here.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

We made it home by 4:30 today. My Superman Bob had driven from Duluth to Englewood, more than 2000 miles, in 32 hours. The trip total: over 5000 miles in 22 days, all accident-free. Amen and thank you, God.

Because my brother’s passing was so much a part of this trip, I felt compelled to include my thoughts about him and what he meant to me. Thanks for reading, Margaret

My brother Brett was born just three days past my 16^th birthday. Our father came from a family of twins—three sets of them! Dad always bragged that he, too, would be a father of twins. Every week we gathered around the TV to watch a popular Western show called “Maverick” which starred two brothers named Brett & Bart Maverick. Mother was big as a house, as usual, but only one bouncing baby boy was born that July 6^th, 1959. More on the other brother later.

When Brett was five, I married in an elaborate church wedding in August 1964. Brett carried our rings that day and one of my cherished memories is of him in his miniature tuxedo looking up at me. I missed most of Brett’s childhood when I left Minnesota in 1965 for a future in Missouri that lasted until 1992. My three children were born there, but Mom wasn’t done yet. Liane had been born just 16 months after Brett, and Mom fulfilled Dad’s wish when brother Bart was born September 16, 1970. Dad finally got his other Maverick. There were never any twins. Perhaps that’s how our family grew to seven children—Mom and Dad were always trying.

Sadly, like Brett, I made too few return visits over the years. I remember his high school graduation, a few summer trips and one Christmas. Brett and I saw each other several times after he and Jim moved to St. Louis and I was living in Springfield. He came to see us in Florida one spring. However, one realizes too late that there should have been more time spent together. In 1998, Bart asked Brett to be his best man and Brett spoke so eloquently that I was moved to tears. I had no idea that he had such talent. As he, Bart, and John Jr. were seated at the bridal table, our Father, with that huge Rodberg grin on his face, said, “Look, Margaret, look at my three sons.” I’d never seen him so proud and happy.

The next time I heard Brett give a speech was just four short years ago at our Father’s memorial service. He told a story from his high school years of a fouled chemistry experiment in the family basement. It went terribly wrong and there was quite a mess and a lot of smoke. Mom screamed for a few minutes and ended with ”Wait 'til your Father gets home!” When Dad arrived, he surveyed the situation, asked if anyone was hurt, said “Clean up the mess” and that was the end of it. Brett also spoke with much pride about the strong character that our Father possessed and instilled in him and the rest of us. I was very proud of Brett that day; he gave Dad such a fitting farewell.

The family reunited one last happy time on Mother’s Day last year and I had hoped for a repeat this year. As I watched Atlantis blast into the Florida sky three days before Brett’s passing, I felt his spirit and wished him Godspeed, too

Comments

Wow! Great Time you guys had there! Great pictures. It seems you had a lot of fun. You are a very good writer Margaret. It's very fascinating to read your blogs. Very creative, well written, and I love the pictures. You guys have been in so many places. What a blessing. Love your travel blogs. Very informative too. Love you guys. Can't wait to read and see your next adventure trip. God Bless! From Yuleidy Lopez, on Aug 29, 2011 at 03:59AM

You guys "R" Amazzzzzing! I will need to pick up on this writing later .
Our Montana trip totalled 9,300 miles from June 5 to August 7 with many wonderful memories! I will need to write some of our experiences down but would need your help on getting it in this format.
Hopefully we can talk soon....Linda is now back in school and I'm much closer to Joining Rosco Tanner at his new tennis club.....The purchase could happen at any moment.
Naturally on watch with the latest storm
Continued blessings, P&L From Paul & Linda Kelly, on Sep 1, 2011 at 01:36PM

Great story Mom!
Thanks for all that you do. Lauren has the best grandparents in the entire world. From Kirsten, on Sep 3, 2011 at 01:32PM

Hi Margaret: I love following your motor trips,I feel like I am right there with you all, all the way. Wish we could have spent more time visiting. Next summer hope to stay longer. I have my kentucky nurse license , hope to put it to good use by doing community service. Hope your school reunion goes well, your Mom looks good, sayhi to Bob. looking forward to your next trip! love Rose From Rose Jenny, on Sep 10, 2011 at 01:45PM

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