Ending 2012 and Beginning 2013

This blog is to document our December adventures from Texas to Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, and back to Texas. We decided to take the Fusion and leave the truck camper in Texas for this winter trip.

Happy Holidays from the front entrance to Holiday Island, AR

I promised my new bride that we would continue to spend Christmas as she has always done, which is with her annual winter family gathering, most often in Overland Park, Kansas.   What I was not aware of was that this first Christmas journey would require us going to Virginia first so that she would be able to hood two of her doctoral graduates who had completed their course of studies. 

Administrators on the stage for the December graduation ceremony

Dr. Daisy has been the primary advisor for Eric and Chris for nearly seven years.  It was heartwarming to sit in the stands and observe these robed graduates and their mentor take their places in the arena floor seats, march to the staging platform, and have their degrees announced, while Daisy placed the hood over their shoulders, indicating their Ph.D. completion.

Daisy and her doctoral graduates Chris and Eric.

Daisy hooding Eric, using raised platform

Dr. Chis and Dr. Eric leaving the stage with  Dr. Daisy nearby.

A proud "mom" and her proud chicks

After the ceremony I had the opportunity to meet the wives, children, and parents of these two men.  It was evident the respect and love they all had for this woman who is now my lovely wife.

Daisy and  Nancy, her successor in the administrative role

Currently Dr. Daisy is working with several more students. She has been hired as an adjunct faculty member for a limited period of time to assist them in achieving their doctoral goals.   Most of these candidates are full-time wage earners with family responsibilities.  They are balancing work and education, and I hope there is sufficient time for them to be able to use Daisy’s skills before she is no longer available in this role.

Christmas baking day at Daisy's Cousin Jean's cottage in VA.

While in Blacksburg, we had several of Daisy’s associates meet us at local watering holes before we headed out of town. Mary and Al had been unable to attend our wedding and even came with a wedding gift. Others had attended, and I bet they came to make sure that their friend and colleague was handling retirement and marriage happily.  Cousin Jean brought us gingerbread men and Terry Ellen made cheese straw snacks for the open road. Of course the most important gift from all was making time in their busy schedules to spend with us.

Resturant party with Mary, Al, Susie, Lynn

Donna, Cynthia, Mary and Al

Hotel party with Charlotte, Terry Ellen, Kirk and Jim

Bill with us

We traveled with little people too! Until I got hungry!

We got underway with the threat of snow along our mountainous route.  We put in a long day of travel that day toward Kansas to outdistance the forecast of a winter storm heading our way.  We encountered snow flurries with gusty winds and a few icy patches on the West Virginia roads. After 702 miles (in 12 hours and 15 minutes), we stopped for the night.

Heading west for Kansas from Virginia we are winter bound

We only had 203 miles remaining for the next day.  We stopped and had a lunch at the Cracker Barrel in Columbia with  her high school  friends before arriving in Overland Park, Kansas, and Daisy’s brother Don’s house for our my first holiday gathering of my new wife’s family.

In Missouri we met Jim and Marilyn for a quick lunch stop.

We arrived 23 December and departed 27 December.  It was fun being in a large kitchen with everyone having an assigned task to do in order to place the planned menu on the table at a certain time. That is, all except for me.  The festive selections and their preparers have been taste-proven over time. I am an unknown!  But it was nice to just sit and critique at large along with everyone else. It seems that this is also a time-honored sport during these family gatherings.  Everyone is fair game except for the subject of Maggie’s cookies.  Talk out of line and you get none!

The gravy lady

The annual kitchen crew and its critics

Daisy's niece Ricka and Cliff

Daisy's nephew Daniel and Heather

Daisy's sister Mary Lee and Rick

Daisy's niece Ann, the bread baker

Daisy's niece Laura and Don

and of course there is sister-in-aw Maggie

Christmas feast starts with the veggies with the meat and potatoes to follow

A Christmas tradition in Daisy’s family is to share presents that are not expensive but well-tailored for the recipient.  After this, the meal preparations began in full swing.  I already have some ideas in mind for what I can add to supplement 2013 Christmas repast.

Its time to open presents

There are presents for all...now what is it?

This year we all went to share a special church service on Christmas Eve. Frank and Lindsey were the key focus in that Lindsey is now the music director at their church and responsible for the music offerings for the various services from jazz to traditional.   Her skills in planning and production were evident in the very moving musical aspects of the service.

Daisy's nephew Frank and his wife Lindsey at Christmas service

After an overnight stop in Holiday Island, we returned to southern Texas and 80 degree temperatures just before a festive New Year's Eve Party and dance.  Party goers were encouraged to wear costumes  for the gala affair.  We had all kinds of attire from sexy gowns and tuxes to cowboy boots and Stetson hats.

We chose island sarongs for the NYE dance.

On New Year's Day we dined in the park with friends Mike and Julia. For good luck I brought Hoppin' John, which is a  spicy mixture of blackeyed peas, ham, and mixed greens, served over rice. Julia is a traditional Texas country girl and she served up corn bread and cabbage topped with blackeyed peas as her version of a good luck meal.

New Year's fixins with Mike and Julia

Spicy Pigsfeet with Hoppin' John and blackeyed peas with cabbage for good luck

I am looking forward to being with this new part of my family next season.  The emotional and spiritual highs I encountered made up for the downs of wet and cold temperatures.   Sweaters and fuzzy slippers helped us keep our bodies warm to match our spirits.

And... the Hokies even won their bowl game this year!

More to come later.....

Fall in Arkansas and other southern places

Arkansas and colors

I decided that one of my subconscious rationales for residing in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas is my affinity for the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding the Shenandoah River valley in VA--the rolling deciduous and pine forests that blanket clear mountain lakes and rivers.

View of Table Rock Lake from rear deck of our house

Daisy and I came here to rest a bit before continuing on to the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas for the winter. We cleared out the rest of the boxes in the main house but left the boxed pictures still encased and in the garage for us to unwrap when we return in the spring. However, it does appear to us that with our different tastes, and number of decor items, we will need to have revolving eclectic design exhibits within the house.

Daisy's new friends here invited her to a girls' day out at one of the largest craft shows in this area. A good time was had by all and she did not bring back to much stuff to display here.

War Eagle Mill craft show

Daisy and I met with several friends here and even took overnight and day trips to visit others while in Arkansas.

Carol from Holiday Island

Carol and her husband David and I met in the Holiday Island campground. We were both using the campground as a staging place while our homes were under construction. David passed away suddenly and my friendship with Carol has continued and now includes Daisy. They are as alike as two peas in a pod, including both starting their careers in home economics.

Joe and Judi from Oklahoma

Joe and I met on the road in Texas. As fellow winter Texans we quickly connected. Judi had not retired yet and Joe and I spend much time on the golf course and across the dinette table. Their non-winter home is just across the state line. We trade off visiting in the summer season.

Ralph and Mary Ann from Texas

Mary Ann and I first met in the Air Force.  We were both stationed in Tucson, AZ. I got out and she stayed in and met Ralph. They both retired from the service and are now based in San Antonio.  I do love  the history, food, and people of this city.  It is one of my favorite layover stops.








While in Arkansas, we replaced the shocks on the F-350 and rotated the tires that are taking a heavy beating from the load it is now carrying.  This firmed up the stability of the truck camper (TC) and reduced the sway.  Before I towed 16,000 pounds and although I am not towing anymore, we now have a payload of 4,100 pounds in the truck bed. 

I had to separate the command module from the warp drive for maintenance

One of the short trips we took from Arkansas was a quick run to Missouri for a surprise birthday party for one of Daisy's relatives....Eva Nell.

I will not text how old she is....

I still have not......

Eva Nell and her daughters from CO, IA, LA, FL

I keep trying to get stories on Daisy

Back in Arkansas, Daisy and I did more unpacking into the house. All we have left is wall hanging items to accessorize the place.  The problem is that we have more items than we have wall space to accommodate them.  We decided to wait until spring and to use our time better by taking a Thanksgiving trip to Alabama to visit the grandboys.

You know I had to find a state sign somewhere!

This trip we decided to leave the truck camper in Arkansas and use the car. Michael flew in from Long Beach, CA.  We picked him up in Panama City, FL for the family gathering in Enterprise, AL.








Our next door neighbors in Arkansas came from a Florida beach town, so we decided to look it up on our way to Alabama.

Temps were in the low 70s and very warm in the sunshine.

We found it, Jim and Val!

They gave this up to be my AR neighbor...Boy!

Sunset on the Florida Gulf coast

Daisy and I spent  a night at a beach hotel and picked up Michael the next day for the 2-1/2 hr. drive to Matt and Shannon's for the holiday festivities.

Matt, Josiah, Levi, Shannon and Nutmeg the wonderdog.

The grandboys were waiting for us. But I must admit that I have been upstaged by my son as their favorite playmate.  I have forgotten the skills of making body-part noises with your hands and great paper airplanes.

Josiah showed me how slow I was.

Levi offered me his helmet to protect the hair I had left.

Even the dog made a fuss over Mike

Well the big day came. Shannon did as much as she could before Thanksgiving to advance prep the meal,  but in the final hours we all participated in getting other dishes prepped for cooking.

Matt had the bird duties using a recipe that he had learned from me :)

This is roasted root veggies with a special honey Dijon olive oil dressing.

The boys helped make the cloverleaf rolls.

Daisy was the giblet gravy maker after explaining to Matt what a giblet was.

We gave thanks for this and....

these from Shannon's home bakery.

We all blessed the food and stated what we are thankful for. Brother Levi had to be reminded that the food was getting cold.

I am thankful for this...

and this...

and this...

After dinner, Daisy and I had to go for a walk to discover what the people of this little town gave thanks for!

See what she is holding aloft.

Yep a little critter

There is a story...

Daisy and I wanted to take the family out to eat. We asked Josiah and he wanted to go to a Thai restaurant for Pho noodle soup. 

We asked Levi where he wanted to go for a snack after school and he specified the ice cream shoppe.

Daisy and I returned Mike to the airport and departed a few days later for Atlanta and a professional educators conference. Before the conference began we visited our friends in the Decatur, GA area. They took us to a great local southern seafood resturant. Good oysters and great beer cannot be beat!

Regina and Scott

Daisy and me at an evening reception. We do clean up nice.  Me especially...

We stayed just across from Olympic Park

Delegates from Virginia Tech

Former presidents of the family and consumer sciences division

Daisy was well known at this conference because she has been very active in the professional aspects of career and technical education.

Former presidents of the ACTE national organization

While in Atlanta I also had a personal high. I was just playing with a search program and was able to find a great childhood playmate that I had not talked to in decades.

Me and Chucky

We had a safe and non-eventful journey back to southern Texas. Upon arrival, our neighbors Karen and Dan wanted to have a belated celebration of  our wedding by hosting us to one of their favorite eating places.  As they say, a good time was had by all.

Good people from Oklahoma

We did a little more decoration of the site to make it a little more appealing.

Notice the pots behind the truck.

They add a little color and disguise the stabilizing blocks.

We have had great travels with family, friends, food, and fanfare.  On the Thanksgiving trip we covered 2,697 miles and 6 states.  Christmas is coming with another trip and festivities to follow.

Merry Christmas to all.

Stay tuned....