Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

My blog has been inactive but I have stayed active.
In May while in Dawson Creek, B.C., Canada I meet Jacquie Johnson, a widow traveling with another caravan on their way to Alaska. We picked up communications in Oct and I flew up to Canada to see if we thought we might be able to travel together. We agreed and she came back with me to PA where my RV was parked. She did find the "MAN CAVE" needing a major cleaning and went to work. Seven days later it was much more presentable. Lots of dusts. 

On the 15th of Nov my grandson, Andrew, tested and earned his black belt in Taekwondo at Lion Choi's Martial Arts. I had the pleasure to observe the testing.

Later I learned Andrew was presented a trophy at their Christmas Party for the "Most Improved Student of the Year". After watching Andrew work through the three hours of testing I can understand why he earned it. This video is one of the tests.

As you noticed this is a short video. Every other student before Andrew had to attempt his stations six to ten times.  So I knew I had time to get set up and record it.  WRONG. Andrew set up, bowed to the master and received permission to proceed. I pushed the record button as he was half way through his kick on his first attempt.  This station required the student to snuff out a small candle with a kick. The object is to kick past the candle and then snap your foot back allowing the back draft to snuff out the candle.  Confidence, and accuracy is needed. Andrew was the only student to do it on the first try.  He had both.  Congratulations Grandson.

Andrew receiving his Black Belt. He has been studying and working for this since ??

 Following Thanksgiving with Tammy, Michael, Tori and Andrew; Jacquie and I headed south to South  Carolina. We were invited to Larry Sessom's 70th birthday at Willow Tree Campground. 

Jim and Vickie and I took Jacquie to the Atlantic ocean while near Myrtle Beach. The four of us left on the 8th of December heading to Yuma, AZ by the 29th.

This is Gunter Hill, Corp of Engineers campground near Montgomery, Al.

We stopped two night I New Orleans, LA. This is a photo of the above ground graves. The water table is so high no graves are under ground.

Some of the Spanish Moss in the bayou trees.

We toured the Oak Alley Plantation. It is half way between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the Mississippi river.  The paddle wheel captains gave it it's name.

This is the Oak Alley.

We toured New Orleans one evening.

We received a recommendation to try  Beignets at the Café Du Monde. It was a pastry with lots of powdered sugar. Yumm.

We moved on down the road and meet up with David and Linda at Cedar Breaks Campground, Georgetown, TX. Another Corps of Engineers park.

While there Jacquie got to meet up with Ruth & Phil whom she met and traveled with on her Alaska caravan.

While in San Antonio we took a tour of the city, two Missions and a river boat tour. Dave was our guide and a wealth of knowledge.

The Alamo.

Lettering with Snake rattles.

Tour of the Japanese garden.

River at night.

We moved on to Deming, NM and meet up with Don, father of Chris and David. He and I met last year around this time at Tucson.

We went to the Adobe Deli. A hole in the wall looking place with lots of atmosphere and great food.

This is a post Jacquie made on Facebook.

 

"Hope all of you have a very Happy New Year. It was nice to have met Johns friends, I have beautiful memories I am taking with me. JOHN AND I are parting as very good friends, we have helped each other vey much in our bereavement and very lonely hours, I am now ready to challenge the road of  single woman and he wants to re-try the single man again with a little more knowledge and confidence in his eating habits. Me too.

We had given ourselves until April to see how we melded but the boondocking hurried our decisions. At least for me. I do not like the desert. Sorry guys. We are so alike and his trailer is too small for the 2 of us. Be sides I couldn't share in the drving of his rig. Too sad I didn't want to anyway. I'm still too tired from my caregiving to take on another challenge. So I am goin home to have a rest in front of a cosy fire while it blizzarding outside with a bottle of John's wine. lol.

Fare three well my friends.

And to those that don't know, John and I together have 96 yers of marriage experience. His 43 with Ann and my 53 with Dave. So those who are stuggling or just staring remember to keep the lines of communications open and never go to bed mad at each other."

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL