19 June 2012

Hello all, I just got a new ZAGG case and keyboard for my Apple so it is so much easier to use the computer as we drive down the roads on our adventures. Since last we posted we have been in Cocoa, Florida with Tom's sister Charlotte and Bill. We arrived on Saturday 9 June in the evening and of course were welcomed with hugs. We just relaxed on Sunday and hung out. They have a lovely screened in porch and Bill feeds the birds and squirrels so there is always entertainment beyond the screen. We unpacked and settled into their lovely home. All week long Charlotte and Bill fixed us great food starting with wonderful spaghetti on Sunday. We were introduced to Eddy's all natural juice bars and now will need to find to continue our addiction. Tuesday we all drove down to Vero Beach. We had a nice breakfast at Disney Resort. Tom had planned to meet with Dr. Sheldon Kushner who he was stationed with at Vinh Long City in the MeKong Delta(South of Saigon) in 1968-69. Dr. Kushner had contacted Tom a few months ago after 43 years. Tom brought his slides and pictures and his memories and he and Dr. Kushner spent the day going over their year of memories together. Dr. Kushner's soon to be wife, Lynn ensured that they had lunch etc. There is an author at the local university that is writing a book about life experiences and she had met with Dr. Kushner and interviewed him and asked if he could ask Tom if he would be willing to tell his story about working and taking care of the Vietnamese people. So he and Tom also met with her on their day together. Tom said the day brought back so many memories of all his friends and co-workers and patients that he spent time with during that year at the Vinh Long City Hospital. It was a special duty assignment with the Army Advisory Unit living and working with the locals in an out of the way area. They had to defend their own position when needed. As a young Airmen, Tom acutally did surgeries ...major and minor! NO, his technical school did not teach him how to do this. Per Dr. Kushner, the doctors taught the airmen how to do everything from amputations to trauma chest surgery. He told one story of needing to remove a bullet from a woman's brain and Tom was reading the text book telling him how to do! The woman lived and did not have disabilites when she left their care. WOW. Dr. Kushner and Lynn were planning their wedding for 23 June. Chalotte, Bill and Maryann had taken their car so did some shopping etc. and left Tom to spend the day in Vero Beach. He had a wonderful day and arrived home at 8:30 P.M.! Oh, Maryann, Bill and Charlotte did manage to stop on their way home for the best ice cream twist cones!!! They did mean to take Tom back one day but time ran out....so will have to plan for another trip to Florida. Charlotte and Bill took us to some great seafood places...had catfish, shrimp etc. Even ate at BOSTON'S where they fly the fish in fresh daily from Boston...hmmm. The shrimp were the best..they were right up there with Lindsey's near Cape Cod. We went on an Air Boat ride down the St. Johns river. Now that was fun! Even thought we took off our BUCKET LIST...would do that again. We saw three large alligators and lots of birds AND...cows and horses in the water way. After the Airboat trip, we had a snack at the little resturant there and had frog legs, catfish and YES...GATOR. Maryann even tried the Gator. She said with surprise "It taste like chicken"! That is off the Bucket list too. We also went to the best italian resturant... It is so fun to visit with friends and family who take you to their favorite places...just like when we were in Niceville with Sandy and Joe. We were able to visit with Bill's mom who is 93 and in an assisted living near their home. Of course the Lexus was washed...Tom even let Bill help him!!! We did have a mystery in Charlotte and Bill's garage...the windows in the Lexus including the sunroof would be down in the morning. You can only put down if start the car and have the key. Tom thought Maryann was doing and Maryann thought Tom was doing ..but when discussed and both did not, of course we checked with Bill and Charlotte and they did not..so we spent the next evening checking the garage every chance we got to just see. Bill seemed to be the prime suspect for a time as he had cause we will not discuss! But now not really sure if can say it was him! We spent time in their neighbor, Dee and Mark's pool..while they were not home! The pools in Florida have to be gated or completely fenced in with a screened in area. So very nice as no bugs etc. It was more humid than we are used to, but Bill and Charlotte knew the right times to go out and do things etc. so did not notice. We went to a fun car show in Daytona and then came back Highway One by the space center. We also went to Kissimmee as they have a memorial to the soldiers of Corregidor Island where Tom's dad was a prisioner of war for 3 1/2 years. They were working on the park so we were not able to go in...another reason to head to Florida again. It was just so comfortable spending the days with Charlotte and Bill. We had not been able to go and spend time with them in several years. Also, Maryann's back was still hurting her so Charlotte's shared her heating pad with her...really Maryann just used it the entire week. Thank you Charlotte. If you could gage our visit with a laugh meter...it would have been off the chart as we did laugh ALOT...yes at times ....of course at Tom and Bill's expense! We woke on the morning of the 18th of June and bid a farewell to our gracious family...hope to see them in October in Albuqurque at the Balloon Festival. We must tell you that gas prices have gone down. We are now paying $3.17. We also SKYPED with Kelly' Family and so neat to see them. The girls are so fun to share their stories. Buddi was spending the weekend as Auntie Carrie was in Phoenix for the weekend. Kirsten was so happy that Buddi chose to sleep with her!! We stopped in St. Augustine, Florida on our way to South Carolina and walked about for awhile and discovered we would like to go back there sometime to explore. As we got nearer to Charleston, we say a sign for a monument to the Tuskegee Airmen so we stopped and remembered. We were headed to Charleston Air Force Base to see Jeanet Carey, an active duty nurse that Maryann worked with at DM. How fun to see her after about 4 years. With good friends, time just fades away when you give that "hello hug". We ate at a nice Thai resturant in Charleston and caught up. Another forever friend. Today, we left our room at the Charleston Air Force Base Inn and headed to Virginia Beach where we will stay at Dam Neck Naval Station. We stayed there last year and really enjoyed. We noticed we were on this really rural back road for a LONG time as we drove north. BUT that is the route our GPS had sent us on..we had seen some blue signs so thought was the scenic route. When we finally looked at the sign, it read "EVACUATION ROUTE". So even though we were enjoying the corn fields and back woods etc...were figuring would be midnight before we got to Va. Beach if we stayed on this road so we finally figured that had doubled back somehow. But it was OK as we are retired!! I am still trying to figure out how to add pictures...not doing so well. Sandy gave me a couple of books to read on the road. I am nearly finished with one of them.. "Iris, Trophy of Grace" which is a miraculous story of Iris Urrey Blue, (who is actually a friend of Sandy's) the "incorrigible" who encountered the irresistible force of God's transforming power. What an inspiring story and perfect to read as we travel. I look forward to sharing these books with you all. Tom and I are blessed everyday to have safe travels and be able to spend these days just spending time together as we travel to our next destination. I saw this quote and thought perfect for today.. "A Journey is best measured in friends and family, rather than miles" -Tim Cahill Sending hugs and thoughts to each of you. Keep us in your prayers. Tom and Maryann