We just completed our first excursion into Rhode Island and have found a Panera Bread for lunch and free WiFi time so will try to post here during lunch. Our next excursion is less than one hour from now….
I need to back-track to yesterday, Sunday the 28th. We got up and out of our Elizabeth, NJ hotel room at 9:00 and THOUGHT we were headed to breakfast before starting our drive over to Brooklyn. Once on the road, we couldn’t get off without a lot of difficulty so went ahead and made our drive to the Cruise Pier. We had to drive right through the middle of downtown Manhattan; but thankfully the traffic wasn’t horrible as it was a Sunday morning~~ we only experienced a couple of aggressive New Yorker drivers honking at us. We got arrived at Pier 12 in Brooklyn at 10:30 which was some 2-1/2 hours ahead of our scheduled 1:00 embarkation of the ship. We got our luggage tended to right away and while out there doing that, a little accident happened between two vehicles right behind us. We were eye-witness to the vehicle behind us also parked along the drop-off curb where a vehicle coming up the 2nd lane alongside him swiped the driver’s open car door. Boy, how you hate to hear the crunch of metal of metal when two cars collide. I know it was a bad way for both of the people involved to start their cruise. But back to us~~ we were able to check on in and were allowed to board the ship at 11:30 so that was extra nice. We got on, found our stateroom, and then went to the buffet to grab some lunch. It was extra good as we hadn’t had anything to eat since dinner on Saturday night.
We ate and then walked around getting acclimated. At 4:20, we had to attend the "MUSTER" call where we learned what to do in case of emergency and having to abandon ship. What an eerie thought!! After Muster, we went outside to watch our 5:00 p.m. launch from Brooklyn. It was a very pleasant temperature and a beautiful evening. We enjoyed watching the start out on our week-long cruise. We talked to some nice folks out there and eventually went back in to catch some dinner where Richard had Prime Rib and I had a Italian pasta dish. All was delicious. We purposely sat at a table for 8 and soon had 6 nice folks join us for dinner. There were two nice couples and then two more ladies. We had lively conversation through dinner. We returned to our stateroom after dinner and relaxed for a bit before going to bed. It was an exciting day to say the least!
September 29th ~~ Our 35th Anniversary is today!
We got up at 6:00 to get showered and dressed for our day. We went to a restaurant for a lovely sit-down breakfast with exquisite service for 2 and enjoyed the start to our anniversary day. From there, we returned to our room for a few minutes to prepare to disembark the ship and make our way into Newport. We met our group for the tour in the Princess Theater and were taken from there to board the covered lifeboats from the ship to be "tendered" over to the town of Newport. Once across the sea by way of life boat, we boarded our bus to take the tour of the town. We boarded a big bus and made a wonderfully narrated ride around Newport which ended at the Astor Mansion where we were shown through it by the way of a "play" put on by actors and actresses dressed in period costume. It was as though we were the invited guests for a weekend of balls, dinners, etc. That’s how we were shown from room to room and learned about the Astor’s lifestyle of luxury in the late 1800 Newport.
We are eating lunch and will be leaving to go on our next tour shortly. We are having a truly unique anniversary day and are enjoying it to the hilt. We had a real sweet call from Amy on our cell phones this morning which left me in tears while hearing it as we were on the life-boat ride. I imagine my comrades wondered what on earth was my problem. HA!!!
Amy~~~ we have met a real nice couple from Springfield, ILL whose grandchildren were all homeschooled by the Abeka method. She was sure that they all had done the 5th grade videos so that was neat. They were the first "bonafied" Christians we have met thus far and we truly enjoyed the Christian camaraderie with them.
I need to sign off so I can eat and we can get to our next tour on our anniversary day.
September 28: Sunday and It's "Board the Ship Day"
We are up, packed, and will head out in about 2 hours so we can board the ship right after they start allowing that at 1:00 p.m.
I looked up the weather forecasts for our port-of-call cities this week and they look pretty good as follows:
Monday in Newport, Rhode Island: 72/59 & 20% chance precip
Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts: 75/55 & 20% chance precip
Wednesday in Bar Harbor, Maine: 60/47 & 40% chance precip
Thursday in St. John New Brunswick Canada: 57/43 & 30% chance precip
Friday in Halifax, Nova Scotia: 58/45 & 3o% chance of precip
Saturday at sea all day sailing back to New York
Sunday in New York, New York: 64/50 & 20% chance of precip
Kyle will affect the sea. We would appreciate your prayers that we won't get sea-sick. We started taking our Dramamine last night and will keep it up as well as pray.
Have a wonderful day of worship ~~ we miss our Campus Church!!!
I looked up the weather forecasts for our port-of-call cities this week and they look pretty good as follows:
Monday in Newport, Rhode Island: 72/59 & 20% chance precip
Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts: 75/55 & 20% chance precip
Wednesday in Bar Harbor, Maine: 60/47 & 40% chance precip
Thursday in St. John New Brunswick Canada: 57/43 & 30% chance precip
Friday in Halifax, Nova Scotia: 58/45 & 3o% chance of precip
Saturday at sea all day sailing back to New York
Sunday in New York, New York: 64/50 & 20% chance of precip
Kyle will affect the sea. We would appreciate your prayers that we won't get sea-sick. We started taking our Dramamine last night and will keep it up as well as pray.
Have a wonderful day of worship ~~ we miss our Campus Church!!!
September 27: We had a fun day in NYC today and are enjoying the Alabama Crimson Tide Football Game Tonight!
We were up and out of our hotel by 9:30 this morning to get ourselves back to New York City for the whole day. From the hotel we took their courtesy shuttle to Penn Station in Newark, and from there we took the PATH train into New York City. The whole deal took an hour.
In the Big Apple, we jumped back on the Grey Line to continue our forage into the city. It drizzled on us but never really rained. PTL!!! We went out to Battery Park to catch the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty but the line was sooooooooooooo long with those buying tickets and another of those already in line with tickets that we nixed that idea. We walked around out there and I was so blessed to see Lady Liberty from a distance. We walked and walked back out of there to get back to where we could get back on the Gray Line bus. We got off at the Rockefeller Center to try to find the Fox News Studio. It was quite a walk but we made it!! We stepped inside the lobby but they weren't giving any tours due to renovations. :( We were able to look in the window from the sidewalk to watch the Fox Business Channel do a live show. Richard knew who the female business guru was but I had not a clue. Her name was Megan McDowell. Ever heard of her? I guess you have to be in the financial world to know about her. Ha!
From there, we walked to Times Square and looked around. That is an exciting place for sure. We got back on the Gray Line and got off at the World Trade Center stop. Today, we were one of hundreds who filled that little church with a quiet and reflective spirit as we saw a lot of tributes and memorabilia from the aftermath of 9-11. For nearly a year after the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, St. Paul's Chapel served as a relief mission for recovery workers at Ground Zero. Over 14,000 volunteers worked in 12 hour shifts to provide solace, comfort, and care for 2,000 workers each day. St. Paul's Chapel became the spiritual home of Ground Zero. For many, it was the first time they had ever volunteered, and they discovered that one individual's efforts could indeed make a difference. The poet Chester Johnson was one of the many who came to St. Paul's offering his help to those who needed hope and healing. Like many who volunteered their time, he discovered that what he took away from this place of extraordinary ministry was far greater than what he brought in. Here is a poem he wrote:
ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL
It stood. Not a window broken. Not a stone dislodged.
It stood when nothing else did.
It stood when terrorists brought September down.
It stood among myths. It stood among ruins.
To stand was its purpose, long lines prove that.
It stands, and around it now, a shrine of letters,
poems, acrostics, litter of the heart.
It is the standing people want;
To grieve, serve and tend
celebrate the lasting stone of St. Paul's Chapel.
And deep into it's thick breath, the largest banner
fittingly from Oklahoma climbs heavenward
with hands as stars, hands as stripes, hands as a flag;
and a rescuer reaches for a stuffed toy
to collect a touch:
and George Washington's pew doesn't go unused.
Charity fills a hole or two.
It stood in place of other sorts.
It stood when nothing else could.
The great had fallen, as the brute hardware came down.
It stood.
From St. Paul's Chapel, we walked over to the Financial Center where you can go in and go to an observation place to view Ground Zero. It was very touching to look across out there and see where those buildings came down and so many lost their lives in just a few minutes.
At 5:00 p.m., we began our mass-transportation rides back to our hotel arriving an hour later. We were starving (having not eaten since breakfast) so went out for dinner before coming back to our room.
We are right this minute watching the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE beat the Georgia Bulldogs. They are nipping at our heels a bit right now so we are rooting for the Tide to go ahead and put them in the dog pound!
We are packed up and ready for drive into Brooklyn tomorrow so that we can board the Princess Caribbean Cruise Ship sometime between 1:00 and 3:00. We will set sail at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
I will try to keep the blog updated while on the ship and pray it is an easier matter in New England than it was on the Alaskan cruise. I will do my best. No doubt.
In the Big Apple, we jumped back on the Grey Line to continue our forage into the city. It drizzled on us but never really rained. PTL!!! We went out to Battery Park to catch the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty but the line was sooooooooooooo long with those buying tickets and another of those already in line with tickets that we nixed that idea. We walked around out there and I was so blessed to see Lady Liberty from a distance. We walked and walked back out of there to get back to where we could get back on the Gray Line bus. We got off at the Rockefeller Center to try to find the Fox News Studio. It was quite a walk but we made it!! We stepped inside the lobby but they weren't giving any tours due to renovations. :( We were able to look in the window from the sidewalk to watch the Fox Business Channel do a live show. Richard knew who the female business guru was but I had not a clue. Her name was Megan McDowell. Ever heard of her? I guess you have to be in the financial world to know about her. Ha!
From there, we walked to Times Square and looked around. That is an exciting place for sure. We got back on the Gray Line and got off at the World Trade Center stop. Today, we were one of hundreds who filled that little church with a quiet and reflective spirit as we saw a lot of tributes and memorabilia from the aftermath of 9-11. For nearly a year after the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, St. Paul's Chapel served as a relief mission for recovery workers at Ground Zero. Over 14,000 volunteers worked in 12 hour shifts to provide solace, comfort, and care for 2,000 workers each day. St. Paul's Chapel became the spiritual home of Ground Zero. For many, it was the first time they had ever volunteered, and they discovered that one individual's efforts could indeed make a difference. The poet Chester Johnson was one of the many who came to St. Paul's offering his help to those who needed hope and healing. Like many who volunteered their time, he discovered that what he took away from this place of extraordinary ministry was far greater than what he brought in. Here is a poem he wrote:
ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL
It stood. Not a window broken. Not a stone dislodged.
It stood when nothing else did.
It stood when terrorists brought September down.
It stood among myths. It stood among ruins.
To stand was its purpose, long lines prove that.
It stands, and around it now, a shrine of letters,
poems, acrostics, litter of the heart.
It is the standing people want;
To grieve, serve and tend
celebrate the lasting stone of St. Paul's Chapel.
And deep into it's thick breath, the largest banner
fittingly from Oklahoma climbs heavenward
with hands as stars, hands as stripes, hands as a flag;
and a rescuer reaches for a stuffed toy
to collect a touch:
and George Washington's pew doesn't go unused.
Charity fills a hole or two.
It stood in place of other sorts.
It stood when nothing else could.
The great had fallen, as the brute hardware came down.
It stood.
From St. Paul's Chapel, we walked over to the Financial Center where you can go in and go to an observation place to view Ground Zero. It was very touching to look across out there and see where those buildings came down and so many lost their lives in just a few minutes.
At 5:00 p.m., we began our mass-transportation rides back to our hotel arriving an hour later. We were starving (having not eaten since breakfast) so went out for dinner before coming back to our room.
We are right this minute watching the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE beat the Georgia Bulldogs. They are nipping at our heels a bit right now so we are rooting for the Tide to go ahead and put them in the dog pound!
We are packed up and ready for drive into Brooklyn tomorrow so that we can board the Princess Caribbean Cruise Ship sometime between 1:00 and 3:00. We will set sail at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
I will try to keep the blog updated while on the ship and pray it is an easier matter in New England than it was on the Alaskan cruise. I will do my best. No doubt.
September 26: Friday Night After our Tour of NYC!
We left Clinton, NJ after running in Wal-Mart to buy a backpack for our ponchos, candy bars, granola bars, water bottles, wallets, etc. for our day trip into New York City. We drove over to Penn Station in Newark, NJ to catch the "Path Train" into NYC. By the way, it rained a bit on us during our drive over but never a down-pour. PTL!!!
By the time we got parked, bought our train tickets, etc., it was nearly noon before we were on the Path Train headed into the City. Once there, we found our way out of the World Trade Center Station and headed out into the fray. We found where to purchase our tickets for the Grayline narrated bus tour and made that ride for over 2 hours. On our first bus, we rode up top as shown in the picture. On the second bus, we sat on the inside and were glad we did as it showered pretty good while we were on that bus; but again, never down-poured. PTL!!!
We were able to look over into GROUND ZERO as we rode the train in and saw the ramp that folks walk down to get into there. It wasn't as wide as we would have thought. We hope to get in on a tour of Ground Zero tomorrow.
We saw lots of interesting sites while on the bus. Tomorrow we want to return to Manhattan and find the FOX NEWS, see more of Times Square, and ride the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty. My grandmother from Norway came into America through Ellis Island as a 16-year-old back near the turn of the century. I will certainly be thinking of her while I am there.
We got back on the PATH TRAIN to return to NJ as we wanted to make our drive in the daylight to find our hotel. We are in the Four Points Sheraton out at the Newark, NJ airport. It is quite a fancy place!! We walked a block down to eat supper at a Perkins Restaurant. It was a real good meal. We got all of our stuff up to our room since we will be here until Sunday morning and are ready to watch the Presidential Debate. We pray that McCain makes a real good showing against Obama. We are in the wrong area of the country to say that outloud. :)
On Saturday night, we look forward to hanging out here in our room and watching the Crimson Tide positively drown those Georgia Bulldogs.
We thank the Lord for His provision of "good" weather today and for safety as we were out there with the mass of humanity in New York City. All is well.
By the time we got parked, bought our train tickets, etc., it was nearly noon before we were on the Path Train headed into the City. Once there, we found our way out of the World Trade Center Station and headed out into the fray. We found where to purchase our tickets for the Grayline narrated bus tour and made that ride for over 2 hours. On our first bus, we rode up top as shown in the picture. On the second bus, we sat on the inside and were glad we did as it showered pretty good while we were on that bus; but again, never down-poured. PTL!!!
We were able to look over into GROUND ZERO as we rode the train in and saw the ramp that folks walk down to get into there. It wasn't as wide as we would have thought. We hope to get in on a tour of Ground Zero tomorrow.
We saw lots of interesting sites while on the bus. Tomorrow we want to return to Manhattan and find the FOX NEWS, see more of Times Square, and ride the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty. My grandmother from Norway came into America through Ellis Island as a 16-year-old back near the turn of the century. I will certainly be thinking of her while I am there.
We got back on the PATH TRAIN to return to NJ as we wanted to make our drive in the daylight to find our hotel. We are in the Four Points Sheraton out at the Newark, NJ airport. It is quite a fancy place!! We walked a block down to eat supper at a Perkins Restaurant. It was a real good meal. We got all of our stuff up to our room since we will be here until Sunday morning and are ready to watch the Presidential Debate. We pray that McCain makes a real good showing against Obama. We are in the wrong area of the country to say that outloud. :)
On Saturday night, we look forward to hanging out here in our room and watching the Crimson Tide positively drown those Georgia Bulldogs.
We thank the Lord for His provision of "good" weather today and for safety as we were out there with the mass of humanity in New York City. All is well.
September 26: Friday Morning's Storms Report
We are up and getting ready for our SOGGY day as we make the drive from Clinton, NJ closer toward NYC for the next two days of touring the big city. This current Nor'easter will most certainly rain on our parade. We would appreciate any prayer on our behalf as we make the 40-mile drive as the wind and rain will be a factor. And there is a Tropical Storm Kyle in the works as well? I'm thankful that our Heavenly Father knew all about these storms long before we booked our New England cruise that commences on this Sunday! It will affect Nova Scotia on Monday and Nova Scotia is our last port-of-call which will be on next Friday. We pray Kyle stays well ahead of us and doesn't churn up the water (or our tummies) too much!!
September 25: Good Night from Clinton, NJ
We checked out of the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg, WV at 11:30, topped off our gas tank for $3.49/gal and hit the road to make our 200-mile drive to NJ. We stopped early afternoon for a Wal-Mart run and had lunch at a Cracker Barrel as I was craving my veggie fix.
We drove across the tip of Maryland for 12 minutes and then entered PA for our 2-1/2 drive in that state. At 4:35, we entered NJ and made our decision to stop in Clinton for our night's stay in a real nice Hampton. Before coming to the hotel, Richard topped off our gas tank for $3.34/gal. There have been NO gas shortages since Asheville for which we are thankful.
We checked into the Hampton and I went right to work doing up our two loads of laundry so that is done.
We will get a good night's rest and leave here mid-morning (don't want to get into the morning rush hour in these parts!) and have a reservation at the Four Season's Sheraton at the Newark airport. They will have shuttles to help us get to where we need to go. In addition to the room rate, they charge $20 per day parking fee while you are their guest. Richard says that is "the norm" for up here, but lands-a-living; I have never heard of such!!!
It is cloudy, windy, and cool here, and the Nor'easter is on it's way. We hope it doesn't interfere too much with our NYC tours, etc. on Friday and Saturday. God is in control and time will tell.
God certainly answered our prayers for safety as we have traveled these many miles ~~ some 1800 miles since we left home on the 15th. From Pensacola to Huntsville, from Huntsville to Nashville, from Nashville back to Huntsville, from Huntsville to Chattanooga, from Chattanooga to Gatlinburg, from Gatlinburg to Asheville, from Ashville to Martinsburg, and from Martinsburg to Clinton. We thank the Lord for safety and pray for the last leg of our trip until we get on the cruise ship on Sunday that it will go smoothly and without incident. I'm sure I'll be wide-eyed at everything I will see in NYC. Richard has been there before so he knows what to expect. I can't wait!!!
We drove across the tip of Maryland for 12 minutes and then entered PA for our 2-1/2 drive in that state. At 4:35, we entered NJ and made our decision to stop in Clinton for our night's stay in a real nice Hampton. Before coming to the hotel, Richard topped off our gas tank for $3.34/gal. There have been NO gas shortages since Asheville for which we are thankful.
We checked into the Hampton and I went right to work doing up our two loads of laundry so that is done.
We will get a good night's rest and leave here mid-morning (don't want to get into the morning rush hour in these parts!) and have a reservation at the Four Season's Sheraton at the Newark airport. They will have shuttles to help us get to where we need to go. In addition to the room rate, they charge $20 per day parking fee while you are their guest. Richard says that is "the norm" for up here, but lands-a-living; I have never heard of such!!!
It is cloudy, windy, and cool here, and the Nor'easter is on it's way. We hope it doesn't interfere too much with our NYC tours, etc. on Friday and Saturday. God is in control and time will tell.
God certainly answered our prayers for safety as we have traveled these many miles ~~ some 1800 miles since we left home on the 15th. From Pensacola to Huntsville, from Huntsville to Nashville, from Nashville back to Huntsville, from Huntsville to Chattanooga, from Chattanooga to Gatlinburg, from Gatlinburg to Asheville, from Ashville to Martinsburg, and from Martinsburg to Clinton. We thank the Lord for safety and pray for the last leg of our trip until we get on the cruise ship on Sunday that it will go smoothly and without incident. I'm sure I'll be wide-eyed at everything I will see in NYC. Richard has been there before so he knows what to expect. I can't wait!!!
PRAYER REQUEST FOR DEAR FRIENDS....
We are thankful for family and friends back home who keep us posted on things going on. We have received news that our dear friend at church, Ray Vandenburg, is having heart surgery tomorrow (Friday, 9/26) with 4 by-passes to be performed. We love Ray and his dear wife Toby (who is suffering with a bout of her severe bronchitis as well) and ask that you whisper a prayer for them. Our love and prayers to Ray and Toby!
September 25: Night Notes and Good Morning Greetings from West Virginia!
We are lounging in this morning at this fabulous Holiday Inn in WV. However lovely it is, I did put in a rough night. There are 2 double beds in the room and WE slept in ONE of them. I had consumed too much Diet Coke (caffeine) all afternoon/evening and also have a bad cough from last week's sore throat so I wasn't sleeping well. Then I got hot during the night so got up and turned down the AC so it would come on. It was blowing away and I was enjoying the cool while Richard was next to me bundling up in the covers like the abominable snowman. He finally got up and turned the AC up so it would go off; and in a bit, I was hot again. We had all of our suitcases piled up on the other bed and I didn't feel like dealing with all of that in the middle of the night so stuck it out. Richard got up real early as is his custom, and THEN I got a good 3 hours of sleep with the bed all to myself. HA!!! We have enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in our room and soon will get packed up and head out of here by 11:00. We have a 250-mile drive to get to southern NJ where we will spend tonight and then find a motel near the subway so we can get around in NYC on Friday and Saturday IF it isn't pouring down rain from the Nor'easter which is presently forecasted!!!
September 24: Today's Drive from Asheville NC to Martinsburg, WV
We had a longer day of driving than we anticipated but were feeling good so kept on boogieing. We checked out of our Days Inn just outside of Asheville at 9:00 a.m. and after breakfast, struck out on our trip. Gas was out in that area but we had plenty so didn't worry. At 10:30 we stopped at Sam's Club in Johnson City, TN and topped off our tank at $3.76. The attendant said they had been out of gas and had just received a shipment over night. There were no lines at the pumps. We went into Sam's to walk a bit and bought ourselves to nice heavy fleece jackets. We got back on the road at 11:00. At 11:30, we entered Virginia. It's always kind of exciting to cross a state line. (I know~~ I'm weird!!) We stopped for a Hardee's burger in Marion, VA for lunch. At 4:00 p.m., we topped off our tank again in Staunton, VA for $3.61. We had picked out a motel in Winchester, VA but didn't like the looks of it so drove for another hour~~ and stopped here in Martinsburg, West Virginia at an very nice Holiday Inn and are "inn" for the night. We thank God for a safe day of travel!!We noticed it was quite windy today and are hearing on TWC tonight about the weather front that is impacting the east coast just ahead of us. Might make for an interesting day of travel tomorrow so would appreciate your prayers!
We are seeing lots of "tinge" of foliage color the father north we come. I made a couple of pics and posted them above in tribute to God's awesome gift of Autumn.
September 24: Wednesday Morning in Asheville, NC
It is a deliciously cool morning here at just 50 degrees. In another day or two, the highs here won't get out of the 50's. It's fall-weather here for sure!!
We are about to go eat breakfast, check out, and head north. We have a reservation in Roanoke, VA for tonight but may call and cancel it if we feel like we can push a little further north. We would appreciate prayers for safety of travel and for continued good health. My sore throat of last week left me with a terrible cough but, THANK THE LORD, that is all. We both feel GREAT this morning after a real good night's sleep.
We miss our kids and our grandkids as well as all of our friends. We pray for each of you a great day as you walk with the Lord.
Love to all,
Richard and Susan
We are about to go eat breakfast, check out, and head north. We have a reservation in Roanoke, VA for tonight but may call and cancel it if we feel like we can push a little further north. We would appreciate prayers for safety of travel and for continued good health. My sore throat of last week left me with a terrible cough but, THANK THE LORD, that is all. We both feel GREAT this morning after a real good night's sleep.
We miss our kids and our grandkids as well as all of our friends. We pray for each of you a great day as you walk with the Lord.
Love to all,
Richard and Susan
September 22-23: Monday in Gatlinburg and Tuesday in Asheville, NC
MONDAY MORNING: We made our drive from Jerry's and Peggy's house in the Chattanooga area to Seveirville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg (the scene of our honeymoon 35 years ago!). We have been back to the mountains several times in the intervening years and always enjoy the view and the fresh air!
Upon arriving in Pigeon Forge, we stopped at The Christmas Place and looked around at Peggy's recommendation. It surely was a lot of pretty stuff for Christmas! We then went to the Apple Barn for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our meal there. At 2:00 we checked into the Clarion Willow River motel for a wonderful stay at the suggestion of Jeff and Sandra W. On Monday night, we attend the Christian Show entitled "THE MIRACLE." It was fantastic. I think Richard would have stayed another day just to see that show again. We didn't get out of that show until 10 p.m.
Tuesday Morning:
We had breakfast at the Clarion and it was good! We checked out at 10:00 and headed into Gatlinburg. We parked the car and hit the street. We walked and ended up at the Pancake Pantry for lunch where we ate our honeymoon breakfasts that week way back in 1973. We had the same pecan pancakes that we just much enjoyed 35 years ago. The waitress made our picture for us. Some things never change. I wanted some fudge so we bought some during our walking expedition.
We got back to our car and headed on up to Asheville, NC. Many years ago, we visited the Biltmore Home and have always wanted to return. Well, today we did just that. We made a 3-hour walking tour of the house wearing audio ear phones that narrated our tour and enjoyed it so much.
We returned to our Days Inn for a delicious Louisiana-style red beans and rice dish they were serving. It was fantasic. We are resting up tonight and will begin our long push to NYC tomorrow.
By the way, the bag of fudge we bought was never opened and is still in our car. It will be a good treat tomorrow!
Upon arriving in Pigeon Forge, we stopped at The Christmas Place and looked around at Peggy's recommendation. It surely was a lot of pretty stuff for Christmas! We then went to the Apple Barn for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our meal there. At 2:00 we checked into the Clarion Willow River motel for a wonderful stay at the suggestion of Jeff and Sandra W. On Monday night, we attend the Christian Show entitled "THE MIRACLE." It was fantastic. I think Richard would have stayed another day just to see that show again. We didn't get out of that show until 10 p.m.
Tuesday Morning:We had breakfast at the Clarion and it was good! We checked out at 10:00 and headed into Gatlinburg. We parked the car and hit the street. We walked and ended up at the Pancake Pantry for lunch where we ate our honeymoon breakfasts that week way back in 1973. We had the same pecan pancakes that we just much enjoyed 35 years ago. The waitress made our picture for us. Some things never change. I wanted some fudge so we bought some during our walking expedition.
We got back to our car and headed on up to Asheville, NC. Many years ago, we visited the Biltmore Home and have always wanted to return. Well, today we did just that. We made a 3-hour walking tour of the house wearing audio ear phones that narrated our tour and enjoyed it so much.
We returned to our Days Inn for a delicious Louisiana-style red beans and rice dish they were serving. It was fantasic. We are resting up tonight and will begin our long push to NYC tomorrow.
By the way, the bag of fudge we bought was never opened and is still in our car. It will be a good treat tomorrow!
September 21-22: Our Visit With the Pirkles
Our dear friends, Jerry and Peggy, moved to TN the first of June, and it was our blessing and pleasure to see them. We left Huntsville on Sunday afternoon and made our drive to Tennessee where we met up with Jerry and Peggy at their church. We enjoyed the evening service~~ a Southern Gospel group, SOUTHERN SOUNDS, was their guest and we enjoyed their concert of worship through music. After the service, we went out to dinner with Jerry and Peggy and with their friends George and Linda to McAlister's. We had a good time of Christian fellowship around the supper table. We then spent the night with Jerry and Peggy in their gorgeous home and had a good night's sleep. We got up this morning and all went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and then we set out on our way to where we are now ~~ Sevierville ~~ a hop, skip, and jump from Pigeon Forge.
September 21: Our Sunday At Chip's Church
We are always so very blessed to worship at the church where Chip serves as Pastor of Students. The church is blessed with a great staff of young men (the pastor is 32, Chip is 30, and the worship pastor is 26!) who are very solid in their training for ministry and in their practice as pastors. The church is growing with baptisms occurring almost every week and folks joining the church almost weekly. So, we enjoyed Sunday School and then the worship service on Sunday morning. After church, we had lunch with two other couples at a neat restaurant called "Oh-Bryan's." The food and the fellowship were super! Here is a picture of us made with Chip at the restaurant as we were parting ways. It was a wonderful 3 days with Chip!
Saturday Sept. 20: At the Dulcimer Get-Together in Madison, AL
During Friday's visit, Tom and Nonie invited us to find them on Saturday at a dulcimer get-together in Madison. It turns out that they were only 8 miles from where Chip lives so we went by to hear them play. It was a lot of fun. I would say about 20 folks were gathered in a double-garage playing their hearts out. Tom and Nonie were on their dulcimers with the majority of the crowd but there was a guitar, an accordian, and a recorder being played as well. Richard and I stayed for about an hour enjoying the music and watching Tom and Nonie play. I made a video and will attach it here.
Sept 18-20: Thursday-Saturday Morning
These pics are from our wonderful visit with Tom and Nonie in Waterloo, AL on Friday. The article for Thursday through Saturday morning follows.......
THURSDAY: We left Nashville and arrived back to Huntsville at 11:30 to have lunch with Chip. We had a delightful dinner in the home of one of Chip's high school students. Randy, Lynn, and their daughter Kelsey prepared a delicious meal and the fellowship was great. Lynn is one of the parents who is a huge help in the student ministry so I really enjoyed getting to know her. It was a fun Thursday evening.
FRIDAY: We got up and were out at 8:30 a.m. to make our way to go visit my sister and brother-in-law (Nonie and Tom) in Waterloo, AL. It had been 16 months since we had last seen them so it was a sweet reunion. After visiting at their house and showing us around (they have done incredible work in their yards), they treated us to lunch at the Dixie Diner Restaurant. We had a delicious catfish dinner. Tom then gave us the grand car tour of the area and showed us a lot of interesting stuff. OH~~~~~ before we left to go to lunch, I asked Tom and Nonie to play a few tunes on their dulcimers. We sang along and enjoyed that special time. It was a wonderful visit with Tom and Nonie and we got back to Chip's at about 5:00 p.m.
Chip brought home pizza for our dinner and then he went to a football game. He invited us to go but we elected to stay home. We were tired after our big day in Waterloo!!
SATURDAY MORNING: We slept in and left at about 10:00 to come out to Chip's church so that I could check email and post an update on the blog. We are all heading back to Chip's house here in a bit to watch the BAMA game on TV. This evening, we are invited to the home of one of his high school students for dinner and to watch the Auburn game with them. Richard and I won't be able to stay for the entire game as we will have to be packed and ready to head out right after church/lunch with Chip on Sunday morning.
OUR PLANS FOR THIS WEEK:
Sunday afternoon: drive to Harrison, TN to go to church with Jerry and Peggy and spend the night with them.
Monday: Drive to Gatlinburg (the scene of our honeymoon 35 years ago) for a 2-day/1-night stay.
Tuesday: Drive to Asheville, NC to tour the Biltmore Mansion. We did this some 20 years ago and have always wanted to make a return visit.
Wednesday: Drive to Roanoke, VA
Thursday: Leave Roanoke and drive to southern NJ for the night.
Friday: Get a motel near the Newark, NJ airport so that we can hop the train to ride into NYC for our 2 days of sightseeing on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday, Sept. 28: Board the Boat at the Brooklyn Pier in NY.
Brian, Amy, and Family: We love and miss you all.
Friends back home: We love and miss you all.
P.S. I am feeling much better and Richard hasn't come down with what I had. PTL!!!
THURSDAY: We left Nashville and arrived back to Huntsville at 11:30 to have lunch with Chip. We had a delightful dinner in the home of one of Chip's high school students. Randy, Lynn, and their daughter Kelsey prepared a delicious meal and the fellowship was great. Lynn is one of the parents who is a huge help in the student ministry so I really enjoyed getting to know her. It was a fun Thursday evening.
FRIDAY: We got up and were out at 8:30 a.m. to make our way to go visit my sister and brother-in-law (Nonie and Tom) in Waterloo, AL. It had been 16 months since we had last seen them so it was a sweet reunion. After visiting at their house and showing us around (they have done incredible work in their yards), they treated us to lunch at the Dixie Diner Restaurant. We had a delicious catfish dinner. Tom then gave us the grand car tour of the area and showed us a lot of interesting stuff. OH~~~~~ before we left to go to lunch, I asked Tom and Nonie to play a few tunes on their dulcimers. We sang along and enjoyed that special time. It was a wonderful visit with Tom and Nonie and we got back to Chip's at about 5:00 p.m.
Chip brought home pizza for our dinner and then he went to a football game. He invited us to go but we elected to stay home. We were tired after our big day in Waterloo!!
SATURDAY MORNING: We slept in and left at about 10:00 to come out to Chip's church so that I could check email and post an update on the blog. We are all heading back to Chip's house here in a bit to watch the BAMA game on TV. This evening, we are invited to the home of one of his high school students for dinner and to watch the Auburn game with them. Richard and I won't be able to stay for the entire game as we will have to be packed and ready to head out right after church/lunch with Chip on Sunday morning.
OUR PLANS FOR THIS WEEK:
Sunday afternoon: drive to Harrison, TN to go to church with Jerry and Peggy and spend the night with them.
Monday: Drive to Gatlinburg (the scene of our honeymoon 35 years ago) for a 2-day/1-night stay.
Tuesday: Drive to Asheville, NC to tour the Biltmore Mansion. We did this some 20 years ago and have always wanted to make a return visit.
Wednesday: Drive to Roanoke, VA
Thursday: Leave Roanoke and drive to southern NJ for the night.
Friday: Get a motel near the Newark, NJ airport so that we can hop the train to ride into NYC for our 2 days of sightseeing on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday, Sept. 28: Board the Boat at the Brooklyn Pier in NY.
Brian, Amy, and Family: We love and miss you all.
Friends back home: We love and miss you all.
P.S. I am feeling much better and Richard hasn't come down with what I had. PTL!!!
Wednesday Evening Spent With Friends...
Richard had a good day with attending meals and sessions at the conference here. I laid low with a sore throat and headache and kept myself medicated all day. I made a brief outing around the complex mid-morning but when Richard went back to the conference, I took a 90-minute nap and felt good for our dinner out this evening. We had been in contact with our former pastor and his wife (Ray and Ida) who live here in Nashville and enjoyed having dinner with them. They picked us up and chauffeured us to the Cock of the Walk Restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious meal together. We last saw them some 16 months ago so it was good to catch up with them again.
We will check out in the morning and head back to Huntsville to spend a couple of days with Chip before taking off for New York.
Here are a few more pics of this lovely place and then two made at dinner with Ray and Ida.
We will check out in the morning and head back to Huntsville to spend a couple of days with Chip before taking off for New York.
Here are a few more pics of this lovely place and then two made at dinner with Ray and Ida.
We're Up! Wednesday Morning 9/17/08
I had a bit of a rough night with a terrible sore throat that all of a sudden kicked in on Tuesday evening. Fine one minute and a sore throat the next. How does that happen? Just sitting here (on the computer actually) and my throat gets sore. Oh well. I am not worse this morning and my cup of coffee has soothed it immeasurably so I am thinking it's just a minor issue. Richard is up and going to the conference breakfast. He wants me to go but I think I'll just hang out here and be ready to do something when he returns after the morning session or whenever. The session that he participates in is at 2:00 this afternoon so we should have a bit of free time. I'm happy at the moment.... a cup of hot coffee, the internet, and Fox News. When Richard leaves, I will turn it all off and have my quiet time with the Lord. Richard has his devotions while I was still sleeping. OOPS!! That's all from Nashville for now.
Pics Made on Monday and Tuesday, 9/15-16
Looking around at the Opryland Hotel: outside, view from our window, and our room....
Saying good-bye on Monday Morning....
Arriving at the big mall at the Opryland Complex... walking through the Apple Barn store and then inside the Rain Forest Cafe...
Tuesday (Sept. 16) We're In Nashville!!
Better Back Up: We left home at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 15. We drove to Chip's church in the Huntsville area. We got to greet some of the staff there and after about an hour, Chip took us to a delightful cajun seafood restaurant for dinner which was delicious. From there, we returned to the church as Chip had a 6:30 meeting so Richard and I went on over to his house. We "moved in" and relaxed until Chip got home at about 8:15. They watched Monday night football and I have to confess that I went to bed.
This morning, (Tuesday, 9/16), we were all three up and ready to go to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast. Chip had a 10:00 a.m. staff meeting at church so took off for there as we took off to make our drive to Huntsville. We stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a few things and then make our 2-hour drive to Nashville arriving at 12:00 noon sharp! We drove around the Opryland Complex and then went into the mall. It is a fabulous place. We ate lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe which was both entertaining and delicious. We plan to go back for their $13.00 "sparkler" cake. Ha! We tooled around in the mall until 2:30 (we did some Christmas shopping!) and then checked into the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. It is GORGEOUS!!! We walked around here (6 acres under one roof!!) and looked around. At 6:00, we were dressed and ready to go to the registration reception of the conference of which Richard is a featured speaker tomorrow. They had lots of good stuff to eat and, of course, all of the vendors had tons of stuff to collect. Let's just say that I probably won't have to buy a thing for the grandkids' stockings!!
We are waiting for a call from our granddaughter Isabella who ran her first cross-country meet today. As an 8th grader, she made the varsity team and was very excited to run today and was very disappointed that we weren't going to be there to cheer her on.
We are chillin' in our room and look forward to a good night's rest and a fun day tomorrow ~~ a nice reward for Richard's diligent work and professional accomplishments.
This morning, (Tuesday, 9/16), we were all three up and ready to go to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast. Chip had a 10:00 a.m. staff meeting at church so took off for there as we took off to make our drive to Huntsville. We stopped at Wal-Mart to buy a few things and then make our 2-hour drive to Nashville arriving at 12:00 noon sharp! We drove around the Opryland Complex and then went into the mall. It is a fabulous place. We ate lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe which was both entertaining and delicious. We plan to go back for their $13.00 "sparkler" cake. Ha! We tooled around in the mall until 2:30 (we did some Christmas shopping!) and then checked into the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. It is GORGEOUS!!! We walked around here (6 acres under one roof!!) and looked around. At 6:00, we were dressed and ready to go to the registration reception of the conference of which Richard is a featured speaker tomorrow. They had lots of good stuff to eat and, of course, all of the vendors had tons of stuff to collect. Let's just say that I probably won't have to buy a thing for the grandkids' stockings!!
We are waiting for a call from our granddaughter Isabella who ran her first cross-country meet today. As an 8th grader, she made the varsity team and was very excited to run today and was very disappointed that we weren't going to be there to cheer her on.
We are chillin' in our room and look forward to a good night's rest and a fun day tomorrow ~~ a nice reward for Richard's diligent work and professional accomplishments.
Our Upcoming Trip!
As I write this, we are just 5 days from embarking on our big trip in celebration of our 35th wedding anniversary. We originally called the cruise an early anniversary trip but when Richard retired, we then considered it our retirement trip. Shortly after arriving home from our Alaskan cruise, we received an invitation from PRINCESS to go on the New England/Canadian cruise in September. We looked and our anniversary occurs while on the cruise. It was a GREAT price and so we went for it.Our trip will commence with Richard taking part in a retirement symposium at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. That event will be be held on September 16-19 with our lodging and most meals paid for. SWEET. We hope to meet up with our long-ago pastor, Ray L. and his wife Ida while in the city and perhaps even attend their church on that Wednesday night. From there, we will drive back to Huntsville as Chip will have closed on his house on the 18th, and we want to help him with the move. We will be there with him for a few days before we take off to make up drive up to New York City where we will catch the cruise on Sunday, September 28.
Our cruise itinerary:
September 28: Set sail at 5:00 p.m. from the Brooklyn Pier in NY
September 29: (Our 35th anniversary) Arrive in Newport, Rhode Island at 7:00 a.m. We will take the Beechwood Mansion and Ocean Drive excursion in the morning and then the Scenes of Newport drive in the afternoon. The ship sails from Newport at 4:00 p.m.
September 30: Arrive in Boston at 10:00 a.m. We have plans to see my dear online friend Chickie during the morning hours and then will take the scenic Boston & Harbor cruise from 2:30-5:30. We depart from Boston at 7:00 p.m.
October 1: Arrive in Bar Harbor, Maine at 7:00 a.m. where we have reserved the Acadia National Park, Museum and Mansion tour from 8:30 - 12:30. We will then have time to do some sightseeing on our own before the ship sets sail at 6:00 p.m.
October 2: Arrive in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada at 7:00 a.m. We will take the Saint John Highlights tour from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. and then get back to the ship as we will set sail at 4:00 p.m.
October 3: Arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia at 9:00 a.m. where we will visit Peggy's Cove and take the double decker trolley tour at 2:00 p.m. The ship will sail at 6:00 p.m.
October 4: We are at sea all day making our return trip to NY.
October 5: Arrive back in New York, New York at 7:15 a.m. We plan on visiting Chris High's church in New Jersey that morning.
We will then make our leisurely way back home stopping at various places of interest along the way, spending a couple of days in Gatlinburg (the site of our original honeymoon), seeing dear friends Jerry and Peggy in the Chattanooga area, and making our way back home.
We look forward to our exciting trip in celebration of our 35th anniversary!!!
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