on the road again!

well, tomorrow anyway. all good things must come to an end. we've had an awesome time here at jean's.
just short info here, will have more time to write tomorrow night at a hotel. we did go into cambridge to harvard university to see the glass flowers and the mineral exhibit. the glass flowers were made in the 1800's, all handblown and minute detail. the plants are life size but there are also cross sections of all the parts of the plants. most of the model specimens came from the u.s. the flowers and plant sections were done in europe then shipped over here on boats. i will post the web site later this week. the minerals are just awesome but still in antique flat top cases.
yesterday we took a ride up to lowell but were too late to see the textile museum. had a great ride through the city tho. since jean was off today, saturday, we went back to lowell and saw the museum then drove to gloucster and rockport. more later......

yep, brakes work!!!!

we did a day trip to maine instead of p-town yesterday. thanks to a stupid driver in front of us who discovered half way past a driveway that he wanted to turn in there and did, we know how our brakes work!!!!!!! after moving off the road for a few minutes while i learned how to breathe again we continued on.
we went to cape neddick lighthouse, talked to a lot of people about our trip, took a lot of pictures (to be posted tomorrow) and enjoyed the fragrance of the "beach roses". we got as far as kennebunkport, just out of view of the bush summer cottage and turned around. we had passed the 'lighthouse depot' store so stopped there just to say we've been there. ha! we bought a few things, are you crazy???? when in maine....... carole recognized the sign of low blood sugar and suggested we find someplace to get ice cream. wow, how did that happen? right across the street? 'big daddy's' ice cream parlor. yum!!!! her blood sugar came back up to normal, she's happy, i'm happy and our dr. should be happy!
i've known a mineral collector named maurice back here as long as i've known jean so he came over last night and we had pizza out in the back yard until the local militia (mosquitos) came in and chased us inside. jean has tivo so we watched 2 episodes of mythbusters and another episode of deadliest catch.
today is a kick back day, go to the store to get sandwich stuff and jeans church is having a service at the beach tonight. being away from our beloved church this will be a treat!
we'll probably brave going to harvard tomorrow so carole can see the glass flowers. look them up on the internet if you don't know what they are. even mom was blown away when she saw them a few years ago.
we did not go to p-town, too far to drive, too expensive to take the ferry. maybe another time. some things have had to be canceled but it's ok.
to be continued.......

stoneham, ma

being here at jeans is a real treat. it is getting warm tho. we were going to drive out cape cod, but we've changed our minds, almost 3 hours from here. then i got the big idea to take the ferry across (foot mind you) but at $44. a person i think not. shucks it doesn't cost that much to go to west hollywood on our end.
i'm thinking a nice leisurely jaunt up to maine will suffice today. surprisingly it's closer. this is short, i will write later and hopefully have some pics to inclose.

love to all.......

tom's river, nj

wow, we came across the delaware bay on the lewes, de to cape may, nj ferry. gorgeous trip across, water wasn't rough, just a nice slow swell, sunny blue skies and warm enough to stand outside. talked to a delightful young lady from pa.

we finally saw kenny and another of carole's grandaughters, becca. it was a short visit as he doesn't check his phone very often. his lost! it was good seeing becca tho, she's a beautiful young lady now.

we are traveling up the garden state parkway, it's really a great road. it's a toll road and to me it shows the value of a road that costs to take it. it's not a high cost but has wonderful benefits.

our navigation system is a lot of help, we highly recommend using one for trips. we're getting at least 28 mpg which is great.

tomorrow afternoon will be a slow down point for us, jeans house in stoneham, ma. first activity will be laundry then play. hopefully we'll be able to go see the new die hard movie, it's opening wed. for some reason it seems like a good movie to see on a big screen.

well, that's it for now, time to go to sleep now............

wow, what a stop this has been

we are in seaford, delaware until tomorrow afternoon. we got in yesterday afternoon. normally this area is hot and humid but for the 2 days it's been glorious, very low humidity, in the 80's and a nice breeze and gorgeous blue sky.

only 2 people here knew we'd be here and the surprise was wonderful. we got to see and spend time with kimberly, carole's grandaughter. she's 16 and we'll just leave it at she's doing great, her grades are very good and she's very motivated!

later in the day, we saw sarah, another grandaughter and carole got to be with one of her greatgrand kids, a nearly 2 yr. old little guy named corbin. what a delight and a live wire he is.

we have more to tell on the visit but we won't do it here.

we are leaving tomorrow afternoon on the lewes, de to cape may, nj ferry. beats driving hundreds of miles. it will be a fun ride.

we are now both taking claritin d for our allergies. carole is a day or 2 behind me in clearing up. it's getting better tho. it got real good when we got to the atlantic ocean and came across the chesapeake bay on the bridge tunnel. oh glorious ocean air!

the car is very dirty but she's getting a good cleaning when we get to jeans in a couple days.

that's about it for now, on to the next adventure........

hot, hotter and humid and more allergies!

we are about 2 hours away from norfolk, va and we are missing using our computer. i finally asked to use one of their wireless cards and they don't have one here. sure glad most everyplace has a computer with internet to use.

we will be getting into delaware by tomorrow afternoon. we will see what we will see. first order of business tho is seeing kimberly, carole's 16 yr. old grandaughter. she does not know we are back here, so far no one in delaware knows. kimberly will be the fun visit.

sorry for not posting pictures, we really haven't taken many. first off the digital took a dump. just because it's probably 6 yrs old????? got a new one but we aren't on good terms yet. we should also have bluer skies from here. coming thru from mid-texas on it's been so humid the sky isn't clear.

know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers, we miss you guys but are having a great time!

allergies better!

ok, brief stint in north carolina. great smokey national park is gorgeous. hard part is you have to go thru 2 very overcrowded tourist trap areas. really pretty scenery and much cooler up there. temps in the low 60's and some rain and thunder made for a welcome break.
right now we are in maggie valley for the night. had a nice dinner and are looking forward to our jammies and the rocking chairs outside our room!
we are now officially overdue for the 6,000 mile oil change. don't think it's going to happen real soon either. probably not until we get to jeans in mass. let them yell, we don't care. car is great tho. found out we have 6 gears!!!! it's hard to go 35 downhill in the rain on a 2 lane road while trying to look at scenery and oncoming cars at the same time.
we are heading towards norfolk, va now. decided against the blue ridge parkway, the nat. park was enough for us for now. this area definately needs a trip back but not by car.
hugs and kisses to all....

allergies!!!

wow, tennessee has some killer allergies. we stayed here in cookeville for 2 nights and i took a 4 hour nap! carole, bless her heart did the laundry.
yesterday we went to the country music hall of fame. if ya'll are ever back here you must go. from the roots to contemporary. really a worthwhile stop. sorry elvis, you lost. hall of fame much better.
the country back here is gorgeous, we've gone through rice fields, cotton fields, corn and sugar cane. we forgot that they burn the cane prior to harvest. we're sure that added to the allergy problems.
yes, it's hot and some areas more humid than others but thanks to a/c we are surviving. we are heading north east tomorrow, heading towards norfolk, va.
sorry it's so short, the internet was down until this afternoon. if we do this again i will beg borrow or something a wireless card.
we love you all

we leave texas tomorrow

well, mondy we went to the ft. worth stockyards, last night we had chinese and tonight we went to a 'wing' place. habanera? nope; i had sweet sauce on mine. carole cautiously chose mozarella sticks. oh, yeah, dr. pepper tastes much better here.
yesterday we went to see the horses and today we went to the 6th floor museum in dallas where oswald shot kennedy. really nice exhibit, but very emotional and sobering. ok, i cried. i think everyone should go see it once.
later, we went to esthers and julies practice. boy did that bring back memories.
we will leave here in the morning heading towards tennessee so we can go to the country music hall of fame.
tomorrow starts the next stage of the trip. it's been awesome so far.
for those of you out there that pray, please send prayers to carole radke, a lot of you know her and she needs help.
we love you all, we didn't miss the pride meeting tonight tho! please share this address to those who don't have it.

still in texas!

went and saw an incredible sculpture today in irving, tx. it's mustangs, yes i know they don't have mustangs here but they are gorgeous. i will post a picture but make it smaller since ya'll can enlarge it!

we went to a 'zagat' reviewed place last night, 'babes'. wow!!!! we need one in long beach, but we'd all have to buy a new wardrobe. menu is fried chicken or chicken fried steak, served with salad, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed corn and biscuits with honey or sorghum. no alcohol served but you can bring your own beer or wine. it's served family style and tables only hold 6. you might have to invite others to your table but everyone is so friendly it doesn't matter. we wanna tell you the chicken is so good! texas size pieces, carole ate 3 pieces! we won't tell you her pump and sensor got a workout. tonight is cold fried chicken night for us!

don't know what we are doing tomorrow, that's a whole day away!

we are still! in texas!

we are at esther and julies in hurst, texas. this is somewhat between dallas and ft. worth.

weather???? hot, humid as usual. this is probably what we will have until we start across the midwest now. still lots of wildflowers, haven't slowed down to id any birds yet.

today we will take a trip to the stock yards to see all the steaks on the hoof. my mom always complained that my dad took her to the most scenic spots anywhere they went. she was referring to the stock yards. guess you could say this will be a sentimental journey?????

we will be here for a few days. they want us to be here for their practice wed. night. wish they had a game tho. oh, should explain. julie is a member of the dallas diamonds, wpfl team. these ladies play hard, work hard and play hard. we can't keep up, just enjoy watching them. while waiting for our friends to get home we went and saw oceans 13. a fun, fun movie.

the picture is us at the alamo in san antonio. really an interesting place to go. i will update again tonight and put in another picture. going to have breakfast now, bacon and wheat toast, yum!

texas is big!

we are in san antonio at cindy and sandra's at the soon to be old house. we've seen the soon to be new house, wow! everything here is big, bigger and biggest and best. chicken fried steak is meant to be shared by a table of people but very very good at the blue cactus cafe. watch out for the sausage gravy tho, it's made with hot sausage! cornbread is not for the weak hearted either, there's little green things in it as in hot peppers. wow is it good tho. barbq ribs? awesome, breakfast tacos? oh yeah, homemade fresh flour tortillas, not like from the store, awesome. ice tea is a challenge, have to remember from here on out, specify unsweetened tea. they have this warped sense of ice tea and put a cup of sugar in a quart of tea. good but deadly. carole goofed once and won't again.

tomorrow we head to just outside dallas, it's been raining up there a lot. while we are there we'll probably get a blast from the past and go to a football practice. won't be there for a game tho.

did you all see the stanley cup game???? GO DUCKS!!!!!!! sorry ed, just had to! we watched the spurs cleveland game. fun seeing a game at least in the town where it's being played. this is definately spurs country.

we went to the alamo yesterday. very interesting how history changes from learning in california and hearing it in texas. great place tho. this afternoon we'll go to a folk festival downtown. we'll suck up the heat and humidity knowing there is a/c in the car and at the house.

our car is just incredible, we're getting 25-26 mpg with gas about same price most places. here in texas it's lower tho, actually paid 3.00 a gallon. they who own the oil companies give themselves a break.

ok, we have pictures but will have to wait until i can get on our computer and attatch pics. i now know how to get on the internet but here in their neighborhood only 1 wireless access and they aren't sharing. i'm learning!

that's it for now, hope all of you are well. all is great on this end. we love you all....
carole and julie

spurs won while we are in san antonio!

hi all,
well san antonio is hot and humid but looks interesting. gorgeous country coming in the area tho. just so hilly and green. today the alamo and out to our friends new house on a lake.
we are doing very well, car doing great, God is being great!
no armadillos yet, still looking. lots of birds, some new some old. jeremy has grown up, cindy and sandra are great and really liking it here.
well, i understand i have to get dressed so we can go get breakfast then go to the alamo. later!

wow!

well, we are in carlsbad, nm, going to the cave in the morning. you all have to go see white sands national monument sometime in your life. we also visited the missle museum at white sands missle base. very interesting and eye opening. this is short, haven't been able to get on but when we get to san antonio, tx. hope to have more time to update and put a couple pictures on.
this trip is everything we hoped for and we're only 3 days into it. the car is awesome too. carole and i are continuing our family joke, we really need to find something we like to do together.
our love to all, later dudes and dudettes (sorry, we've seen lots of horses and cows today!)

yee haw!!!!!

ok, have the date set in our mind, the car is 98% packed, have a few last minute ends to tie up and get some sleep. we are leaving in the morning heading out I-10 towards tucson, az.

hopefully we will get somewhat close as that makes the next day shorter to drive and more time to spend exploring white sands.

first and foremost i'm remembering to clear the pics off my camera so we can take pictures. i'm really not good at doing that. maybe this trip will break me of that habit?

the great adventure begins.....

tick tock tick tock

ok, have i said that computers hate me????? i shut my computer down finally after not being able to get into the update page, now it works. funny how that works.
are we any further along in getting ready to leave? doesn't look like it but if we put it in the car right now it might look better. funny thing is, i've been saying we will leave on the 3rd of june, right? well we are leaving on monday morning which is the 4th of june. close is good enough for me, same month, same week!
weather looking great once we get away from mid arizona, heading into the high 80's in new mexico which sounds much better than triple digits heading across the desert. yes, i know new mexico is desert too, but it's better desert than california desert just cause it's somewhere else!
the car has been serviced, cleaned and ready for the great adventure. after years of questionable condition cars it is a joy to start out in a new car that seems built for adventure.
that's it for now......