Roadie Grandparents

We have really been on the road a lot this year. Of course, the Great Britain triip was the longest, but I blogged about it already. And the Ouray trip a real highlight, but that's been blogged, too. But we had a special treat...Keith and Kim had their own family reunion in Pahrump last week, and invited us to join them, so we drove up on Saturday afternoon to be with them a few days, and to meet our California Great-granddaughter, Emily. Hence the title I chose.


Don had long ago promised to build an entertainment/desk unit for the new house up there. So while he was doing the radiation treatments and we couldn't travel, he worked on it, then finished it up after the Britain trip. So we took it up there, and he and the guys put it together and installed it. (The guys were Keith, Zachary, Dad, and Caleb.)

The rest of us (Kim, Christine, Brenda, Katie, Lauri, Emily, and myself) made up the cheering squad and meal duties. It really was a lot of fun. We missed Justin so much, but he'd just started his new job and couldn't get time off yet. He called a few times, which helped.
We went to church on Sunday morning, of course, which was good. The church was "packed out", and I guess they will soon go to 3 services a Sunday instead of just 2. Then we had lunch, and the guys got all the electronic stuff hooked up and in place on the wall unit. Keith, Kim, Caleb, and Lauri had choir practice and stuff that evening. The rest of us either played WII or watched the others play. Lots of laughter.


Monday we took a four-wheeling trip to Red Rock Canyon Park, located between (more or less) Pahrump and Las Vegas. We had a picnic lunch, toured the visitor center, walked a bit, and then hit the dirt road to find a geocache and have a bumpy ride. It was all fun. The rest of the time was visiting, playing with Emily, and just enjoying being family.
Since I haven't mentioned it in a while, my Mother, Neen, is about the same. She is very frail and weak, and cannot see at all now. They take her to the activity room for her meals to get her out of bed, but it is just by wheelchair. But they take wonderful care of her, and we are so thankful for that facility. About half the time, she recognizes my voice, and tries to respond to me. That is always a high point when it happens.
We love all of you, and avidly check the blogs to see who has posted. We miss you when you don't...(you know who you are!)
Here are a few photos from the Pahrump visit. The next great granddaughter we get to meet face to face is Sophie June, in Dallas in November. Look for more photos then.

weary world travelers...

Greetings, all! We really did have a wonderful trip to Great Britain and Ireland. We found we really enjoyed the bus travel, and made friends with our fellow travelers. I cannot say I enjoyed any one part of the trip more than the others. It was all so fun, and interesting, and amazing to be there where I have dreamed of going! We spent the most time in London, since we went over early just to do that. We walked, and looked, and took photos, and it was so great! To answer your questions, yes, I did ride the London Eye, and no, I did not climb up to kiss the Blarney Stone! Grandad did, the latter, though, except for the kissing part. When he saw they did not wipe it after people kissed it, he passed on that! He got a new camera for the trip, and actually outdid our sons with this trip, I think. He took over 500 photos in the 17 or so days we were gone.
The #1 word that comes to mind....green! The whole place is green, except for the houses and flowers! And then, sheep. There were so many...I actually got a little sheep thing instead of a teddy bear!!
We will not put all the pix on this blog. Just a representative few. After all, I think most of you had already been there, at least to London. But at the drop of a hat, I will talk your ears off when you say what did I like best!!
One different thing, though, is that the last night before our flight we went to see the London stage production of Mary Poppins, and it was so fun! That way we were hearing all the songs in our heads all the way home!
We took a ferry from Wales to Ireland, and it carried our bus, too! Then another ferry back to Wales after the Ireland tour. We walked and walked as much as we could. Stonehenge, castles, monuments, really old villages and cities dating back to the times the Romans invaded Britain, ate way too much, thatch roof cottages, and the birthplaces of oodles of people we have studied in history all our lives! Needless to say, I could go on and on....and probably will when I see you. Love you all bunches!