27 April.....Melbourne, Florida
We arrived in Melbourne the evening of 16 April to spend time with the Walsh family and was so good to give hugs especially to the Walsh Grandgirls and Kelly and Bryan too of course. They only live about 20 minutes from Charlotte and Bill and their 3 cats that they rescued! So fun to just spend time with Bill and Charlotte and Bryan and Kelly and of course.....playing lots of games and cards with the girls! OF course Monopoly was the first game played!! The first weekend we were so excited that Kelly and Bryan went to Orlando for a couple days to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary....so we had the girls to ourselves.Had plans to go play miniature golf but had a weekend of rain so we played lots of card and board games etc. Of course we are also spending time with Charlotte and Bill and also going to all our favorite restaurants for lunch with them too. So far getting our fill of seafood(catfish, shrimp, cod, crab, hush puppies etc.) AND THE BEST FRIED GREEN TOMATOES EVER....and sweet tea...can never have enough! We were also able to spent time with Mary and Rob Floyd, friends of ours from Tucson. Mary is active duty Air Force and Maryann worked with Mary at Davis-Monthan. They are now stationed at Patrick Air Force Base so are so glad to be able to see them every year on our annual Florida trip. Alway fun to catch up and give hugs. We are also spending time with Kelly making
plans for our trip with Kelly and Girls as we will be heading North on the 29 May. Spending about 3 weeks on the road before Kelly and girls go to Cape Cod to spend time with Bryan’s parents who will be at their home on Cape Cod for the summer. Bryan will fly up and join them and then they will all drive back together. We are so blessed to be able to make these memories with them. Tom and I will be staying with my sister, Joan and Tom when we reach Pennsylvania before we head back to Tucson.
We also have been making phone contacts this week with the 6 couples we will be traveling to Amsterdam with to take the cruise down the Rhine River on the 2nd of May. ARE WE ALL EXCITED....YES WE ARE! Today we went up to Orlando and spent some time with our friends, Nancy and Chuck. Tom was stationed with Nancy when he first came into the Air Force and then we were stationed with them when we were in Japan in the early 70”s. Always nice to share some time with them.
Tom and Bryan took the girls to see “Avengers“ this evening. Charlotte and I went to see “I can only Imagine” today. What a good movie.....strongly suggest you put it on your MUST SEE movie list.
Talked to Carrie and Emme last evening. Emme told me she was “focusing on putting a puzzle” together so we knew that she was unable to focus on talking to us.. She uses that phrase “am focusing on” a lot now!
Our two weeks here have passed quickly...have had pleasant weather days and there has not been a moment that we have not enjoyed being with our Florida family and Friends!
We are following the teachers walk out in Arizona and hope that they are able to convince our state that teaching our children and not having to buy all their own supplies etc. vs. spending our tax money on increasing wages for the administration is far more important!
We have been having beautiful days here ..nice to see the beautiful skies here in Florida and the cranes walking along and across the roads...and the occasional turtle slowing down traffic as they saunder across the highways. Also out into the country where we saw lots of cattle in the fields.
We will be packing our suitcases and finalizing our plans to be ready to fly to Amsterdam on Wednesday. Jim and Cher will be arriving from Tucson on Tuesday and stay with Charlotte and Bill until we leave for Orlando on Wednesday to board our British Airway Flight in the evening on Wednesday Of course we will stop by Boston’s Seafood Restaurant near Orlando on our way to our flight! In the past few days have talked with several family members and our family back in Tucson to catch up before we leave. We feel just so blessed to be able to take this adventure with friends that are family and yes it is blessed, not lucky. AND then when we arrive back in this wonderful United States of America...to continue on our road trip to hopefully visit more of you. Please help us pray for this world and for all the military, police and fireman that protect us each minute of each day..and for all of us to have travel mercies. We will keep you all in our hearts as we take this new adventure.
I found a few quotes that need to share with you as know that our summer trips always find us right in the middle of these words of truth...
~~Always cherish your connections and your relationships with your family and friends~~
~~Making memories with Family and Friends is not a waste of time. IT IS a LIFETIME of moments that you will surely TREASURE the rest of your life~~
NEXT post from across the Atlantic!!!
God Bless you and your family and prayers for all those in our families that need special prayers.
Love and hugs,
Tom and Maryann
Monday, April 30, 2018
Sunday, April 15, 2018
GRAUE TRAVEL ADVENTURES ....APRIL 15,2018
4 April 2018
We spent the last couple days getting organized, packing and preparing for our Road-trip 2018. Busy days the last couple weeks as the time for our 2018 Adventure stared to come closer. AND here we are! It seems each year the days in the months go quicker than the year before. We feel so blessed to share days with our Tucson Family...and even though only gone for a few months, we miss them. Last evening we had a nice visit from Carrie and Emme with lots of kisses and hugs. After being so generous to watch our home , we did the final turning over of the mail key to Hilda who does an amazing job of taking care of our mail and just all around care taker of STUFFS while we are gone. Tom detailed cleaned the 4-runner and our Lexus (our travel car) and putting the luggage carrier on top of the Lexus for the trip.
Yesterday, we finished packing about 10:30 PM...we thought would take less time! Our intention was to be up and on the road at 0700..we pulled away from our Tucson home at 0738!! Feels like we are both more tired even after a good night’s sleep. BUT, we are taking our time and enjoying just beginning our adventure. Had some wind on Interstate 10 as we headed East on Interstate 10 this morning. We stopped in Las Cruces and had a nice lunch and then drove North through the .Sacramento Mountains, Sierra Blanca and the Lincoln National Forest. Along the way we are seeing some beautiful chapels. We have been this way before but this time lots of green on the mountains and hills...they must have some nice rains. I have been doing some sleeping and reading etc. in between Tom and I chatting about this and that and playing the Alphabet Game!
Seeing lots of cows, the stock yards were full of cattle..the most remember seeing. and Oklahoma certainly flat...this trip noticed how much red dirt, doing lots of work on roads and bridges all across the state. Stayed at Clovis NM at Cannon AFB. Tonight will be staying at Tinker AFB. Cattle pens..good beef this year. Slept in and did not get on the road unti 0830. Hundreds of windmills that generate power along most o the farmland and country areas. IT always amazes me that Tom does not get tired of driving...and I am thankful as do not like to drive , especially on the interstate...so many tractor trailer trucks going both North and South.
Thursday. Today was a nice relaxing day coming into Oklahoma heading here to Oklahoma City. What a flat state. Just fields and fields with lots of cattle and this time of year, many calf’s. Lots of road and new bridges being repaired on Interstate 40. What a flat state, lots of fields planted and lots of green in a state we usually see mostly brown fields when we come through. Arrived in Oklahoma City late this afternoon and went directly to Swadley's. Swadley’s is our favorite BBQ place here in this city. If ever near Oklahoma City...a must, they have several in the city. We are staying at Tinker AFB tonight. Tom’s sister and brother in law will be flying to the airport here in the late morning . We will pick them up and of course visit Swadley’s again before we head to Springdale Arkansas to spend time with Aunt Marilyn. We have been coming to Springdale for several years together to just spend time with Tom’s mom’s sisters. Sadly Aunt Lois passed last August so we will be remembering her on our visit too. Just listening to the news and they are calling for snow here and in Arkansas tomorrow.
Friday ..We arrived in Springdale Arkansas...and it is very cold and windy. Charlotte and I went and found some winter scarfs . We stopped by to see Aunt Marilyn and let her know we would be taking her out and about for the next two days. It is always nice to spend time with her. We are staying at the Doubletree here...and taking advantage of their great chocolate chip cookies a couple times per day. Woke up to snow on the ground and temperatures in the teens today! Saturday we picked up Aunt Marilyn and went to lunch at our favorite catfish place. Mike and Alicia, her son and daughter in law joined us. After lunch we drove took her around to places she wanted to go before we took her back to her assisted living residence so she could rest. Later in the afternoon we picked her up and all went to her favorite spaghetti place for dinner and then spent time driving around to places she had not been in awhile then spent time at her apartment with her. Sunday , we all went to another of her favorite restaurants. Debbie, her daughter and Steven, a nephew met us there for a nice lunch. Always so good to catch up on family. In the afternoon we took another drive with Aunt Marilyn , visited the cemeteries and then went back to her place and helped her with some stuffs and just talked. Gave lots of hugs and promises to see her again next year. It is such a blessing to be able to come each year and have this special time together.
Monday ..9 April...we are heading to Little Rock and then on to Memphis for a couple days. Beautiful day as we travel through the Ozark Mountains...much warmer today. We stopped in Little Rock and went to a favorite Mexican Restaurant and had the favorite cheese dip...and are not on Kelly’s favorite list as we did not have storage to take her some of this cheese dip which is her favorite too...
10 April...Yesterday, we arrived in Memphis and spent today in downtown Memphis going to see the Ducks take their ride down the elevator to spend the day in the lobby fountain at the Peabody Hotel. We then went to Beale Street to walk about and had BBQ lunch. When in Memphis, remember to watch where you walk on the sidewalks...there are several uneven sidewalks as Maryann found out as she tripped ..hit her head on some metal bars that were on a window and now has a 2 inch wound in her hairline and abrasion on her shoulder. ALL is well.
We cleaned out the wound, put Hydrogen Peroxide and Neosporin on the area. When we got back to our room, she washed her hair and cleaned the wound again. We are staying at the Naval Support Activity, Mid South Naval Base near Memphis.
Tomorrow we will continue to New Orleans. On our way to New Orleans, we stopped in McComb, MS to have lunch and had lunch at the Dinner Bell Restaurant. It is in an old southern style home. Concept is large round table that sit about 14 people and has a lazy Susan type top with about 14 different types of comfort food in bowls that you can help yourself too. We shared the table with other guest and had the best freshly cooked vegetable, fried chicken, desert etc. What a find! It was family owned for 40 years , the owner was very friendly and even gave us tips on were to eat in New Orleans.
Friday 13 April... We just left New Orleans after spending 2 nights at Jackson Barracks Billeting. Jackson Barracks is on the National Register of Historic Place and was established in 1834. It is now the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard. It has quite the history through out the 18th and 19th centuries. Perfect place to stay as it is only 6 miles from downtown New Orleans. Billeting is open to active duty and retired military. Beautiful historic base structures.
We of course went to Bourbon Street and had Beignets at the Cafe Beignets and walked about Bourbon Street for a short time in the evening. Had a great seafood lunch at Deanie’s and then went to the Parkway Bakery and Tavern for one of the best Shrimp Po Boys in New Orleans.
We spent the last couple days getting organized, packing and preparing for our Road-trip 2018. Busy days the last couple weeks as the time for our 2018 Adventure stared to come closer. AND here we are! It seems each year the days in the months go quicker than the year before. We feel so blessed to share days with our Tucson Family...and even though only gone for a few months, we miss them. Last evening we had a nice visit from Carrie and Emme with lots of kisses and hugs. After being so generous to watch our home , we did the final turning over of the mail key to Hilda who does an amazing job of taking care of our mail and just all around care taker of STUFFS while we are gone. Tom detailed cleaned the 4-runner and our Lexus (our travel car) and putting the luggage carrier on top of the Lexus for the trip.
Yesterday, we finished packing about 10:30 PM...we thought would take less time! Our intention was to be up and on the road at 0700..we pulled away from our Tucson home at 0738!! Feels like we are both more tired even after a good night’s sleep. BUT, we are taking our time and enjoying just beginning our adventure. Had some wind on Interstate 10 as we headed East on Interstate 10 this morning. We stopped in Las Cruces and had a nice lunch and then drove North through the .Sacramento Mountains, Sierra Blanca and the Lincoln National Forest. Along the way we are seeing some beautiful chapels. We have been this way before but this time lots of green on the mountains and hills...they must have some nice rains. I have been doing some sleeping and reading etc. in between Tom and I chatting about this and that and playing the Alphabet Game!
Seeing lots of cows, the stock yards were full of cattle..the most remember seeing. and Oklahoma certainly flat...this trip noticed how much red dirt, doing lots of work on roads and bridges all across the state. Stayed at Clovis NM at Cannon AFB. Tonight will be staying at Tinker AFB. Cattle pens..good beef this year. Slept in and did not get on the road unti 0830. Hundreds of windmills that generate power along most o the farmland and country areas. IT always amazes me that Tom does not get tired of driving...and I am thankful as do not like to drive , especially on the interstate...so many tractor trailer trucks going both North and South.
Thursday. Today was a nice relaxing day coming into Oklahoma heading here to Oklahoma City. What a flat state. Just fields and fields with lots of cattle and this time of year, many calf’s. Lots of road and new bridges being repaired on Interstate 40. What a flat state, lots of fields planted and lots of green in a state we usually see mostly brown fields when we come through. Arrived in Oklahoma City late this afternoon and went directly to Swadley's. Swadley’s is our favorite BBQ place here in this city. If ever near Oklahoma City...a must, they have several in the city. We are staying at Tinker AFB tonight. Tom’s sister and brother in law will be flying to the airport here in the late morning . We will pick them up and of course visit Swadley’s again before we head to Springdale Arkansas to spend time with Aunt Marilyn. We have been coming to Springdale for several years together to just spend time with Tom’s mom’s sisters. Sadly Aunt Lois passed last August so we will be remembering her on our visit too. Just listening to the news and they are calling for snow here and in Arkansas tomorrow.
Friday ..We arrived in Springdale Arkansas...and it is very cold and windy. Charlotte and I went and found some winter scarfs . We stopped by to see Aunt Marilyn and let her know we would be taking her out and about for the next two days. It is always nice to spend time with her. We are staying at the Doubletree here...and taking advantage of their great chocolate chip cookies a couple times per day. Woke up to snow on the ground and temperatures in the teens today! Saturday we picked up Aunt Marilyn and went to lunch at our favorite catfish place. Mike and Alicia, her son and daughter in law joined us. After lunch we drove took her around to places she wanted to go before we took her back to her assisted living residence so she could rest. Later in the afternoon we picked her up and all went to her favorite spaghetti place for dinner and then spent time driving around to places she had not been in awhile then spent time at her apartment with her. Sunday , we all went to another of her favorite restaurants. Debbie, her daughter and Steven, a nephew met us there for a nice lunch. Always so good to catch up on family. In the afternoon we took another drive with Aunt Marilyn , visited the cemeteries and then went back to her place and helped her with some stuffs and just talked. Gave lots of hugs and promises to see her again next year. It is such a blessing to be able to come each year and have this special time together.
Monday ..9 April...we are heading to Little Rock and then on to Memphis for a couple days. Beautiful day as we travel through the Ozark Mountains...much warmer today. We stopped in Little Rock and went to a favorite Mexican Restaurant and had the favorite cheese dip...and are not on Kelly’s favorite list as we did not have storage to take her some of this cheese dip which is her favorite too...
10 April...Yesterday, we arrived in Memphis and spent today in downtown Memphis going to see the Ducks take their ride down the elevator to spend the day in the lobby fountain at the Peabody Hotel. We then went to Beale Street to walk about and had BBQ lunch. When in Memphis, remember to watch where you walk on the sidewalks...there are several uneven sidewalks as Maryann found out as she tripped ..hit her head on some metal bars that were on a window and now has a 2 inch wound in her hairline and abrasion on her shoulder. ALL is well.
We cleaned out the wound, put Hydrogen Peroxide and Neosporin on the area. When we got back to our room, she washed her hair and cleaned the wound again. We are staying at the Naval Support Activity, Mid South Naval Base near Memphis.
Tomorrow we will continue to New Orleans. On our way to New Orleans, we stopped in McComb, MS to have lunch and had lunch at the Dinner Bell Restaurant. It is in an old southern style home. Concept is large round table that sit about 14 people and has a lazy Susan type top with about 14 different types of comfort food in bowls that you can help yourself too. We shared the table with other guest and had the best freshly cooked vegetable, fried chicken, desert etc. What a find! It was family owned for 40 years , the owner was very friendly and even gave us tips on were to eat in New Orleans.
Friday 13 April... We just left New Orleans after spending 2 nights at Jackson Barracks Billeting. Jackson Barracks is on the National Register of Historic Place and was established in 1834. It is now the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard. It has quite the history through out the 18th and 19th centuries. Perfect place to stay as it is only 6 miles from downtown New Orleans. Billeting is open to active duty and retired military. Beautiful historic base structures.
We of course went to Bourbon Street and had Beignets at the Cafe Beignets and walked about Bourbon Street for a short time in the evening. Had a great seafood lunch at Deanie’s and then went to the Parkway Bakery and Tavern for one of the best Shrimp Po Boys in New Orleans.
We arrived in Destin, Florida in the early afternoon on Friday. Destin is known for being Florida's Emerald Coast, because of the beautiful white beaches and emerald green waters. We had a nice lunch at the Back Porch in Destin as we enjoyed sitting on the porch with the white beaches and beautiful waters just below us. We are staying at the Destin Army Recreation Area on the bay in Destin. They have hotel rooms and condo’s a RV park etc. here for military. We are staying in one of the condos. We took time to take a walk around the area and out onto the pier in the evening. Saturday, we walked about Destin area by the sand dunes and harbor. Also stopped by one of our favorite places here for lunch called “The Donut Hole”...wonderful food and the best bakery. We picked up a coconut cream pie, brownies and pineapple upside down snacks to take to Sandy and Joe’s for dinner at their home. It was so nice to see Sandy and Joe and Hope and Lizzie Grace (their darling Shih Tzu dogs). Good to catch up and also discuss our trip in a couple weeks to our Rhine River Cruise with them and 5 other couples. Today , Sunday, we met Sandy and Joe for lunch and then spent time at a shopping area with them before we gave hugs and looking forward to seeing them in a couple weeks in Amsterdam.
We are so enjoying sharing these travel days with Bill and Charlotte...as we make our way to their home in Cocoa and to spend time with Bryan, Kelly and OUR GRAND GIRLS!!
I will get this posted today. Will send pictures later as have to figure out again this year how to get on the blog!!!!
~~WHEREVER YOU GO BECOMES A PART OF YOU SOMEHOW~~
Sending our prayers and love you and we are keeping you in our daily prayers.
Tom and Maryann
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