Dan and Nancy Taylor's 25th Anniversary Party

     This afternoon a bunch of family and friends surprised Dan and Nancy with a party to celebrate their 25th Anniversary.  We have to thank Nancy's brother, mother and wife (Keith, Julie and Karin) for putting on a fine backyard shindig.

     Nancy was truly surprised and emotional.  There were perhaps fifty people there, including all of the original wedding party.  I will include two shots of the wedding party.  First:

And, second:

    
     The two in the lower right are my sister, Marian and her husband Eldy Taylor.  Dan's older brother, Scott, is on Dan''s right.  Dan is our nephew.  The others I don't know and neither do you!  The day was perfect, and we wish the two many more years.

The Wegners in Fairfax, VA

Fifty four years ago this Fall we showed up for my first assignment as a brand new 2Lt. in the Air Force.  We were the ultimate newbies.  Fortunately, there was another Air Force family that were very close neighbors.  Al was a 1st Lt.  He and Joyce were of German stock from the cornfields of Iowa.  He had had some enlisted time in the Navy before going to USAF OCS.  They were like our older siblings as we acclimated ourselves to the Air Force.  We have forced our paths to cross almost every year since, and 2014 was no exception.

     This section of Fairfax is a nice neighborhood, but with small, winding streets that forced the trailing Jeep to make one careful excursion up over a corner of a curb.  The bus and we spent the night in front of their house as we have before.  Below is a quick snapshot taken just before we left.  The youngest person in that picture is 76!!

     As usual, Joyce stuffed us full of good food both for supper and breakfast.  They are both a couple of survivors, and we wish them many more good years.
     One notable event on our drive northward yesterday was the accident we passed that completely closed I-95 southbound near Roanoke Rapids, NC.  Apparently a northbound tractor-flatbed trailer with a load of bundles of 2x4's wandered across the median and hit another flatbed of pipe!  We passed the scene at about 1100 and the accident had occurred about 5 1/2 hours before.  There were no flashing lights or emergency gear at the scene; just a bunch of "yellow gear" trying to uncouple the mess.  A detour had been set up from one exit north of the accident to one exit south.  I have no idea how long it took them to reopen it, but it was a major hassle for a lot of travelers and truckers.
     We arrived at Pine Grove, PA shortly after two and everything is set up fine.  There was a delay in acquiring the satellite which nearly precipitated mayhem, but "all's well that ends well".

Enfield, NC

     We spent the night at a KOA here in our old spot.  The place is run by a retired CMSGT, (USAF E-9) with whom I get along just fine.  We have finished, I hope, all the debugging...of me, not the bus.  Once I found the water heater bypass valve that was used to winterize, we had our hot water back.  Once I remembered that the driver's side slideouts required the ignition switch to be in the accessory position, they worked fine.  The driver's side are electric and the passenger side are hydraulic.  I'm sure there is a good reason.
     The TV was initially snowy in spite of a 90% signal strength, but it seems to be fine now.  It's a big, sophisticated machine, and my aging brain has to be retrained every spring.  I think we are good to go now.
     Although he is a little wobbly and needs a little help and encouragement, Baxter is managing the stairs OK.  Is there a common theme here?

Day 2

     Well, we finally got on the road.  We never planned to get away early because Durelle washed our linens and remade our bed because we are going to have house guests during the summer.  Besides, all of the packing has been on a gentle schedule.  Cindy took a camera shot through the door of the bus just before we left.

     Baxter required a little assistance to make it up the stairs, but he seems to be doing OK.  The bus is loaded and ready to go.

     We bought 90 gallons of diesel at $3.639 and headed out.  I don't expect to find diesel within twenty cents of that for the rest of the summer.  We arrived in Enfield, NC about 1615.  A couple of problems arose: we don't have any hot water and the TV is snowy at times even when there is a good signal strength.  We'll get things sorted out.  Everything else seems to work.

Day 1 of the summer of 2014

     Below is a picture of the bus all packed and ready to head north tomorrow morning.

     By the way, that is Cindy's house in the background.  It is nice to have her close.  We took twice as long to load up as we used to, but that was according to plan.  It is now parked in the street so that it is level enough for the refrigerator to work.  And it does...with either propane or 110V.  For the sharp-eyed among you, the two passenger side slides are out an inch or so.  It was necessary to access a couple of closet doors.
     A few posts ago I included pictures of an eight foot alligator on the bank by our fence.  He has since chased a neighbor three doors down, so DNR (the Department of Natural Resources) came by and removed him.  I guess it was the right thing to do.
     Wish us luck and stay in touch.

The First Day of Summer

     There are some that associate the first day of summer with the Memorial Day weekend.  Others are attached to the vernal equinox.  For us summer begins when the bus arrives in our driveway to be packed for the trip north for the summer.

      Well, here it sits waiting for someone to pack it up for the summer.  The first step was to see if the two old men could make it up the stairs.  I made it.  I drove it there.  Baxter needed a bit of encouragement.  He is +/- 14.

     That's a big step.

     He can make it.  Tomorrow we'll get started on loading it up.  Summer is here.

     Durelle and Cindy got back today from a trip to Atlanta to watch the Sox begin with a two game winning streak after losing ten in a row!

Our Shrubs and Other Updates

     I have marveled at the Holly bush in the front yard.  Since we bought it as a mandatory replacement for the sweet gum that we had removed, it has taken hold and seems to be thriving in this lousy patch of soil.  what puzzles me is that it retains its fruit even as the next crop is coming in.

     Note the last year's crop in red and the new ones in green.  This is not just a difference in ripening rate for one season's crop.  Are there any other examples of this in the plant world? 

     Another shrub that we bought when we had three diseased trees removed was a Magnolia.  It's always a nice sign of Spring and Mothers' Day. 

     So Spring has sprung, and we are starting serious activities involved in getting ready to pull up stakes on 3 June.  I'll be allowing a few more days than usual for loading the bus.  I have told ProTech that I'll pick it up on 28 May.  That's three weeks from today!  Durelle already has an appointment with her hairdresser in NH.

     I take the cane with me when I leave the house, but I am doing most of my walking without it.  I'll have PT three times a week until I leave, but it is more attuned to strengthening the shoulder than the hip.  Just walking accomplishes most of that.