Atlantic Ocean and Islands in the Sun

For those of you who have just begun summer Here are a few pictures of the ocean I visited several years ago.

I was dreaming of an ocean voyage. I have been on so many it gets old and then all of a sudden all you want to do is feel a breeze in your face from the deck or look out on beautiful towns in the ports we visit.

I will be so glad when I can get the Alaska pictures downloaded. The hard copies are a little hard to put on a blog. The Inner Passage can get rough, a few years ago we were on one of the Holland Line, Maasdam maiden voyage and man was that deck rolling. The pools are usually located on the Lido deck and water was washing out of the pool and back into the drain to the sea.

The night we were on a Carnival Ship,Jubliee, in the Pacific and did a uturn with me falling out of bed and all the bottles in the bar falling off breaking glasses and booze etc everywhere. My roomate slept thru the whole thing and did not believe me until we got up on deck the next morning. For some reason I have not heard from her in ages. She lived in California and everything that could go wrong went wrong for her, she was a fan of Babylon 5 and a few of the stars were on that cruise. One she liked a lot came by to say Hello and she almost fainted. Of course we learned later He was a nut. Hear He went into rehab after pulling out naked pictures of His old girlfriend at a lunch one day. Yuks!!

Then the cruise where a couple of friends took me to Charlies Bar in Aruba. Then we took a small ship sailing after a few drinks I asked to pilot the thing and man was it great. A few more and we might have found Johnny Depp. George kept urging me to have just one more and not being a heavy drinker I think I almost had one to many.

The same ones that took me to Stingray City off some weird island and those things may be friendly to some, but I swear I was black and blue from being nudged by those ugly things. This was after a side trip up Dunns River Falls in Ocho Rios where I got to the top and fell flat on my sit down place. I was a sad looking soul for a few days. By golly we did have fun.

I have had so many things to remember from that group of SeaTrek and CruiseTrek people it is memories for a lifetime. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make the trips fun.

Cowboys on my Mind

Watching my screen saver change from photo to photo two of my favorite Cowboys came up, no not Gary Allan, He's a California Surfer Cowboy. These are ones that ride horses and chase cows, not sheep. The statues are some of my favorites of western art. The Cody Museum and the Cheyenne Wy rodeo arena are the locations.

About this time of the year I get my wandering shoes on and get homesick for the sea or out west. Email from the fan club that Wayne is in LasVegas and I thought he was off doing USO work. Another cowboy from Virginia who rides on stage at Christmas.

Any way I am going to add a few pictures and maybe some snow shots just to cool it off here.

To the Birthday Guy

This is to say how much I love you and thank you for being mine. Your brother and you were the joys of my life.

The advenutres we had together and those you all had and I learned about later were enjoyable and scary. The bicycle ride at four years old when your older brother talked you into riding down a hill and your legs were too short to put on the brakes. Those black eyes and skinned elbows would have the DFAC group on us today.

The joy of learning to ice skate and your head banged against the wall and showing everyone who would look Hey thats my blood. But you made a super star at Hockey even playing at Georgia Tech for 5 years. of course the engneering got lost by the wayside. And computers took over your time.

Spending time with you is usually fun. I see more of you now than when you lived in the States. I still miss you and sorry you could not make it to your party yesterday, but I am enclosing a picture of the ones who did make it.

We shared a lot of love and tears over the years, but I would not trade you or Nick for anything money or anybody else.

Jonesy feels the same. So much we shared can not be told in one tale but I will send more peanut butter in September.

Cooper Iron Works

When I was growing up this was a part of the Etowah and Stamp Creek Area of Bartow County Georgia. Today it is mostly no trespass or keep out.

The Allatoona Dam Area was closed in 2001 after 9.11 so no pictures can be made from this area of the Dam. This is the area where the engineers who built the dam made their headquarters.

During the civil up rising of the 1860's the plantation owner had a good business going making ammo and other iron products, for the rebels and was destroyed during that time. According to the family historian, quite a few of our relatives worked for this owner.

Today only a chimney stands as a reminder to those times and a great picnic area was built so you could enjoy the area. You can even walk down to the river and skip stones and see little fish know as minnows. Fish bait, Daddy called them. The frogs are many and recalls the story of Dad and Mom and a lot of the family going hunting for bullfrogs and they laughed every time they told the story of how you chase the monsters down.

The tree is a mimosa, a friend of mine said his son called it a firecracker tree because of the blossoms look like explosions.

Happy Fathers Day a little late

I remember my Dad as tall quiet and helping his sisters and brothers. He passed along a good deal on tall tales, but he made you love him for his gentleness.

My Dad had the good luck to have two wives that loved him. One my Mom in his youth. They were married in 1928 and she passed away in 1970. She told him to be sure and not try to live alone. She knew how his health and life was. He needed someone to watch over him.

The second mom lived next door to us for many years and her husband passed away in the 50's not sure of the date. But Mom picked her out for Dad and he married her in September after Mom died in May. Some say it was quick, but He told me he was seeing things and needed someone to be with him. Ms Anna took care of him and loved him dearly. Her Mother was dying of cancer the same year that Dad had his pace maker put in and she still never left his side for two weeks.

Sorry I have no pictures in the compturer to show how they were. His first and second loves.

My sons were part of his life and He took them on fishing trips and trips to the Smokies. When HE passed away a hole was left in all our hearts.

Love you Daddy. Miss you. There is a lot more to him but have to go . Alarm going off and its time to leave for a little while.

Things Happen

It has been a sad yet happy time this week. I made it to Nashville for Gary Allan's fan club concert. I had great a great seat. Except for the lady with the BIG Hat the view was great. Now I know why the silent movies theatres showed the sign Ladies please remove your hats.

He announced that his Dad has terminal cancer. It is surely one of the worst things to happen to a family ever. If you wish to donate to the American Cancer Soc. in the name of Gary Allan's Father be my guest. He has had some very tragic events and I know not many of us would still be standing. Per his last album, which is a sad but great album. As He says it was His healing album and the next will have love songs on it.

The past 10 years I have seen some of my best friends and family go under with cancer. Come on you in the know Help find a cure!!! We have lost to many good people to this. Sorry about the preaching but it gets to me to think of the billions of dollars donated and still no cure.

St Jude's Hospital in Memphis raises millions per year and they are getting closer to a cure each year. Help them if you can.

The beginning of the year I was told I had some bad cells and a tumor was growing on my thyroid but I am a blessed person and the power of prayer cleared them up before the botched operation messed up my throat. No bad cells just bad surgery.

My Two Sons

I figured out today that my sons and I have more in common than just Mom and kids.

We went to World of Disney in the 1980's and the youngest had a broken foot. Never did figure out how you can break a foot in the mall doing some kind of weird dance to impress girls.

The two took over 200 pictures of different girls, they were only 17 and 15 at the time, so it was okay. Band camp started the next week and we were having a celebration of our short time together.

I need coffee 1st thing in the morning and they gave me a wide berth until I had a cup, but the parking lot attendant could not figure out where our little red rent a car should be parked. To this day they go into peals of laughter when I get up and start grumbling and ask If I feel like running over a couple of pylons and a parking attendant?
To make a long story shorter the youngest made a series of photos with the different characters at the park. Ending with a wooden Indian and pretending he had found a friend at last.

A few days ago my oldest took a vacation at World of Disney, looked up their old buddy, today we got a picture of him and the wooden Indian. He was talking to him like a long lost friend. Guess some things never change.

When I get the old copies of the trip to Alaska downloaded hope to give my version of Wheres Mom? I am standing behind a bunch of Trek stars and fans, waving at the camera while a friend of mine takes pictures. ONly got caught once. Robin saw me there, asked me What was going on? Love that actor for her beauty and sense of humor. Another trek and another adventure.