Home Again!

2015---T-Cups "take" Natchez. Trip #15 May 26-29

NOT to be confused with "red hat" gals---ours were color co-ordinated.

What a great trip---thanks to Peggy, our fearless & fantastic leader

....friendship, fun and of course ---food.

T-CUPS' Girl Trip #15

And.....so we go......on girl trip # 15----tho we know not where, until today's BIG reveal. I think OS but this year for girls trip # 15, our fearless leader has not given us a clue or answered questions so......I'll let you know when I return.

 T-Cups Trip #8 to Snug Hollow, KY 2008---the year before my cancer journey. These gals were part of my nursing team.

A friend loves at all times, (Proverbs 17:17)

Sunset Symphony: The Finale

After 39 years, Memphis in May's Sunset Symphony performed for the last time with Mei-Ann Chen conducting the Memphis Symphony Orchestra

A great event for our city will be no more.

Why? I haven't a clue. This year was one of the "best yet." (J. Hezlep) Thanks Auto Zone!

From the air show by the Commemorative Air Force sponsored by Southern Airways.....

.....to Kallen Esperian songs, the Central High School chorus and Richard Todd Payne leading us in the tradition of the late James Hyter with the   sing along.

....to Senator Lamar Alexander's Memphis Music Medley at the baby grand. Ending, he stood to play his concluding songs----the crowd rose with him, not to mention singing "Love Me Tender" and other familiar songs as he "tickled those keys"....

.....to the glorious sunset by the mighty Mississippi, 

where patriotism is always the "main focus" and each branch of service, as always, was recognized and thanked as the symphony played "their song" which.....

....always makes this memorial weekend event so special.

Fidelity Investments and Metropolitan Bank even added expanded fireworks closing for this finale.

My question is still this....why is this the final year for "our" Sunset Symphony? Isn't it participatory enough for the MIM board? (Go Memphis, Commercial Appeal, 5/22/15, p.19)

Post Postings

After the Memorial Day weekend, I will go back to the previous unfinished blogs and post pics from South Dakota. I did add L's fave, pic to Pebble Beach post---5/13/15.

Brotherhood

Naysayers asked....

You're going to do what? Travel for over 2 weeks by car? Share a room as you go? 4 adults with 1 bathroom? Do you think you'll still be speaking when you return home?

We did it all---it was great!

We drove and ate our way across America. Loading and unloading our Toyoto 4 Runner many times was a full time job for our men!

The trek included spectacular and diverse scenery, coupled with unbelievable discoveries and mixed with lots of fun----even in the midst of snow in 3 states along with unseasonable low temps in all, a tornado in 1, a traffic jam in San Francisco and a blow out in South Dakota.

We were not only speaking, we were still laughing!!!

For Buddy and Charlotte, it was 17 states in 17 days---for us just 16, as we started our jaunt in TN and returned with 5,890 miles logged on our odometer.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers (and sisters) to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Traveling Treasures

Cannot post until camera is found.

The bad news is---big Canon camera is "lost"---tho not for the first time on this trip. 

The good news is----it was left in a shop in Overland Park Kansas and friend Drenda lives near there and will check as soon as the store opens.

The prayer concern is---store manager (or patron) is honest and it will be found there and kept safe.

***Praises for answered prayer. Early phone call from the road confirmed camera found, safe and secured in the shop safe. It was "literally "kept safe."
Later received phone call that Drenda had the camera, would reward the honest young man for me and bring camera to Memphis when she visits in June.
Whew-w-w-w!!! As I've often said, RELIEF is one of my favorite emotion.

Back to the original blog idea......Relationships---life is all about friends and family----reacquainting from old times and enjoying new ones along the way.
Real treasures of this trip have been a renewed faith in mankind----so many "good folks" have crossed our path, both planned and unplanned.
Char & her cousin Ronnie who had us to dinner & arranged golf in Palm Springs---he plays barefoot. Whatever it takes to play well---seemed to work for him.

Carolyn and Don Lowe, Hopkinsville High School chums of brother Buddy, now living in Laguna Beach, treated us to lunch at Monarch Bay Club. What fun to reconnect---even I knew them. Little sisters always look up to older brothers and their friends.

Gigi and Keith, our north California friends, tried to surprise us in Nevada  and stay at same hotel...but Truckee and the Donner pass had snow that kept them at home. We did stay at the plush hotel they recommended. Room view of pool and hot tub was blurry but hubby and I enjoyed the hot tub 'til the rain started----for 13 seconds as hubby exaggerated. It was too short, for sure. 

Our last night on the road was spent at friend Drenda's in Leawood, KS (Kansas City area) Her son-n-law, "Chef" David fixed a delish meal for us. I treasure any time I can have with her as we worked side by side at Houston High for our last teaching tenure.

The treasure of seeing God's hand in so many instances----especially in our relationships with dear ones has been a BIG blessing during our travels.

Wednesday: Unusual Wanderings Recalled

Starting our day....server just stopped and info lost ---will try again eventually, possibly when I get home.

Terrific Tuesday

Regardless of a snowy farewell to the K Bar S Lodge (it was really beautiful),

a wrong turn out of a 1 traffic light town

and a tire blowout on I-90----it was a terrific day!!

More pix later.

Meandering Monday

Can see 2 of the boys from our balcony. Last night George and Tom were illuminated. (Washington and Jefferson, that is)
Yesterday was Crazy Horse---

Today we went back to see "The Boys" at Mount Rushmore because it was bright and sunny.

Then we took the Iron Mountain Road down to Custer SP and went on the Wildlife loop....

....where the buffalo roam....

....and the deer....

...and the antelope play in the "Black Hills."

...at Custer SP.

Even a few wild burro mamas and babies get in on the action.

Sabbath Sunday

Wyoming wanderings----more with "critters" still to come----from iCloud

 Jeans shopping in Casper, WY

 "Southern" Baptist Church in Huelett, WY

Rhw "white" hairs pondering Devil's Tower

SATURDAY SUMMARY

Winding thru Wyoming toward South Dakota---more later.

Weather at Bay

Weather kept at bay is more like it.....
We seem to be one step away of extreme weather alerts---so leaving Carmel by the Sea with it's morning fog clearing...

....we went to adorable Capitola where Gayle's was the best bakery/pastry find of the trip.

On to San Francisco for Pier 39 lunch

 with views of Alcatraz,

Golden Gate Bridge,  & Bay Bridge....

...and critters---seagulls and sea lions....

...before going to Lombard Street.

We ended up driving down the crookedest street in the world before heading up to Donner Pass where the snow caught us....but we caught sight of a brilliant blue stellar jay so it was perfect. Hope to get brother Buddy's pix of that allusive feathered friend to post later.

Pacific Coast Beauty

Brunch at Monarch Bay in Laguna Beach with Hoptown chums is a great beginning to our "journey" up the coast---

----from Highway 101 and Highway 1 to the 17 mile drive......

Lone cyprus overlooking the Pacific ocean on the Pebble Beech 17 mile loop.

Lunching at "The Bench" on the 18th green at Pebble Beach golf course.

Sunset over Pebble Beach---a BIG western "A-men" to a wonderful day!!

Route 66

How far does this "Mother Road" road go???? One thing for sure we've found a lot of tasty diners along the way. Funky and Fun. Our entire trip has been somewhat that way.

Oops, Dotsy's root beer float got in the picture at Joseph's Route 66 Diner in Santa Rosa NM

 The BEST homemade pies on Route 66 in Williams Arizona....coconut meringue...

 ...and pecan pie a la mode at the Pine Country Restaurant. 

Definitely BEST pecan pie I have ever had---

---and I'm a pecan pie aficionado.

Ever heard of Seligman, AZ. Lots of Harley riders have discovered it. 

Yummy coffee served with "out-dated" pastries.

Does this Route 66 restaurant entice you? I only had a drink but the food looked good.