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Some Culture

Thought I would add a little culture to the blog. A poem. After I read it I said, "Heck, yeah." Then I read it again and said, "Heck, no." I am still making lots of great memories. (Click on item to enlarge.)

Thanksgiving in Wenatchee

Thanks to Tom and Beth for taking the Andertons in for Thanksgiving dinner. Tom did a great job of carving the turkey. Beth, the food was great - thanks again! The Seattle kids enjoyed learning a new sport from Alyssa and Hannah called "stair surfing". We enjoyed having the Seattle Andertons with us and we were able to celebrate Will's birthday as a bonus on the 23rd. We also had some help getting the Christmas tree up - a job we "really" enjoy doing ourselves. Life is good.

Southern Extravaganza X

From November 3rd-6th, we took a small road trip through College Station and Austin. Matt dropped us off at the airport and we rented a car. I wanted the cheapest one possible and I told them a compact was okay - well we ended up with the smallest car I had ever been in - a very small Fiat. It was a little cramped with our suitcases, but had plenty of power and was fun to drive. People would look over at us at stoplights and laugh. It was even smaller than it seems in the picture. It was a couple of hours to College Station through the Texas Hill Country. Texas A&M has a very beautiful campus with all of the buildings being the same sandstone color. Also another nice football stadium. Matt and family drove up for the day to go through the Bush Presidential Library and Museum (Bush, the elder). It is attached to the campus of A&M and is nicely done. Well worth the visit. Our last full day on this very long trip was spent in Austin. We enjoyed the Bullock Texas State Museum (the films are excellent and include a full menu of IMAX films). The three floors of exhibits relating the history of Texas are also world-class quality. A must stop for your visit to Austin. Afterwards, we drove over to the UT campus to take in the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library and Museum. Most of it was closed for renovation, but the building itself is very impressive. One of the highlights of our whole trip was our final dinner. Brady and family live in Austin, and we had arranged with them to eat dinner together. We got instructions and headed out, having left about 20 minutes or so for the trip. Well an hour later we pulled into the parking lot. We thought we were going to eat in Austin somewhere, but it seemed like we went halfway to San Antonio. But was it was worth it! Try out the Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas. Family-style BBQ and all-you-can-eat. My mouth is watering again just typing this. They also sell dinners for delivery anywhere in the U.S. Check it out online. Well done, Brady! Wenatchee or bust! We were ready for our own bed and some home cooking. But it was a wonderful trip with lots of great memories to savor for years to come. 

  

Southern Extravaganza IX

We flew from Jacksonville to Houston to be with Matt, Megan and the kids for a few days (October 30-31, November 1-2). The plan was to just hang out for Halloween and visit with Elijah and Oliver. The flight was uneventful. Matt picked us up at the airport, as we were only going to a rent a car for our few-day jaunt to College Station and Austin. We walked over to the playground near their house. Elijah rode his bike (like a madman) - that is why he is wearing a helmet. Oliver wore his jail break pants. Oliver had changed quite a bit since we saw him last. His personality is starting to emerge - quite the character, with a very engaging smile. Megan made us some nice Halloween-inspired treats. This one with apples slices and small marshmallows was particularly fun. Of course, I had to have my picture taken wearing one. The kids were very excited about going out trick-or-treating. They had their costumes all ready to go. Aren't they cute? We so enjoy being with our kids and grandchildren. Oliver loves to lounge and watch all the action. Elijah likes to help in the kitchen. Matt and Megan put up some of their Christmas decorations while there were extra hands around to help. 

 

Southern Extravaganza VIII

We attended services in Charleston and then did a quick tour of the city before heading south to Savannah, Georgia. The weather cleared as we drove along and we enjoyed a beautiful day. Sandy had raced north and left us behind. Savannah is a beautiful city and it would have been nice to have had more hours to explore and sample the cuisine, but we were running out of time and frankly getting a little burned out. We did get the flavor, however. Maybe one day we can return and enjoy a few days there. In the afternoon, on the barrier islands outside of Savannah, we visited Fort Pulaski National Monument. The setting, as you can see, is spectacular. This site also has a long history throughout various conflicts and remodels, including the Civil War. The Union captured the fort in 1862 employing rifled cannon on brick fortifications for the first time, rendering brick forts forever obsolete. This action closed down all shipping in and out of Savannah for the rest of the conflict, which was a major accomplishment. What a glorious day to make a visit! Our final stop of the trip was Fort Frederica National Monument on San Simons Island. There are many islands along the Georgia coast in this area. San Simons is one of the largest of the renowned Golden Isles. Today, it is a resort community, but at the time of Fort Frederica, it was the military headquarters for the early British Province of Georgia. It served as the southern buffer against Spanish incursion from Florida and several battles with the Spanish took place in the area. There are many evidences remaining of the settlement and the visitor center at the NM examines the history of the area. Crossing the Lanier Bridge near San Simons Island, we headed south to Jacksonville to complete the loop and catch our flight to Houston. What a road trip!