Road trip to Ohio ...

Well, this past week we took our annual road trip to Ohio.  These are always fun, pretty tiring, but they generate lots of memories -- enough to hold us over for a little while. So, I'm going to just give you some highlights of the trip.  Here goes:

1. This time, since it was summer and light a lot longer, we decided to make the drive each way in just one day. It was only 9.5 hours and a pretty easy trip.  Only got into construction one time and that was only a slow-down for about 10 min. or so. Pam packed snacks so we didn't have to spend too much time stopping to eat. Saved on two nights of motels, and made each trip on one tank of gas each way.  Prices for fuel ranged from $2.31 in Sidney, to $3.19 on the WVa turnpike. The Jeep has great range so those savings were good.

2. After getting in and settled, we were able to visit with our old neighbors. It was Jim's birthday so we bought an ice cream cake at the DQ located next to our motel and had a nice celebration. Amanda and two of his boys (Carter and Dylan) helped us sing his praises. 

3. On Friday, we were able to visit an old WWII friend of ours...99 years old and still living at home. It was really good to see him again.  Looking pretty good, Warren.

4. Following this visit, we were able to visit some really good friends and have a lunch at Marrion's Pizza, the best place in Troy to eat a good pizza. This was a great visit with two couples we've been friends with for over 53 years. 

5. Pam was able to spend some time with a couple of her friends - had dinner with her friend, Wannie and breakfast with her friend, Paula. She also got to spend a good part of Thursday with her sister-in-law, Mary, in Lima. You can always talk to people over the phone or text back and forth, but actually sitting down to a meal with them or visiting them in their home is special -- especially when it only happens maybe once a year.

6. My visits with friends consisted of playing golf  on Thursday morning with a bunch of guys from Anna. These are the guys who will be coming down for the "Man Trip" later in September. I was hoping to show them how my golf game had improved while playing down here.  Unfortunately, I had a 7 on the first hole and couldn't get it together after that (shot 104). That might not be all that bad though. On courses I play here, I have a 24.6 handicap and when I put that on the table at our Man Trip I'm sure they will squawk. I'll just remind them of my round with them in June.

7. Later that night, I went to the Sidney Veteran's Center for our annual euchre night.  Each time I'm back in Ohio, three of the finest Veterans you would ever want to meet, get together with me and we play euchre, drink a few beers and sell a lot of "wolf tickets" ("wolf tickets" are civilized versions of military tall tales). We have lots of fun, and there is also some rivalry in this as two of the guys are Marines and two of us are Army. The Army guys have won the last two years so that doesn't set too well with the Marines. (Just kidding -- it's all good fun. Besides, we have their $0.55. Big stakes, huh.).

8. A couple of observations:

    a. Streets in Sidney have to be the worst. 

    b. Troy is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in quite a while. They are really working hard at making that place something special. Good job, guys.

    c. There should be some kind of law against having a book store across the street from a pizza place. I can't pass one by, especially since it is SO close. Somehow, I got out of there with only two books.    

  “Good friends listen to your adventures; best friends make them with you.”

Hooah 

Road Trip to Ohio, Part 2 ...

The biggest reason why we scheduled this road trip to Ohio at this time was because my sister's grand daughter was getting married and this would serve as an excellent reason to get the entire family on my side together for a while. 

This wedding took place at a nature preserve near my sister's house.  It was a very nice venue which featured an indoor/outdoor portion for things like weddings. The weather had been pretty wet for a couple of days, right up to the start of the wedding, but it all turned out for the best and everyone enjoyed the outdoor seating.

One funny thing -- you know how they always have that "anniversary dance" at weddings where they ask all married couples to come out and dance and they play music. The DJ then starts eliminating couples by saying something like "if you have been married less than 15 years, leave the dance floor." He works his way up the year's criteria and usually gets to 50 years being married and there is a white-haired couple or two left out there.  Well, he got to 50 years and we were still out there along with another couple. They were coming up on their 53rd (I think) later this month, and he asked us -- we are coming up on 56 years of marriage in August. There was some applause, but there was also some gasping. 😊 We didn't win a prize, but we won the "anniversary dance"... first time ever. Might be some more coming up if we're ever invited back to another wedding in the future. Maybe we'll be around to dance at our grand daughter's wedding.

Overall, it was a good get-together and we got caught up on lots of things that were going on in everyone's lives. At one point, we had a "family" picture taken.  We clean up pretty well, if I do say so myself. 

Here are a couple of short notes I just remembered from the trip:

a. I mentioned that we drove the trip in one day each way, 9.5 - 10 hours which was really pretty easy with longer sunlight. But I looked at the mileage the other day when we got back and saw that the trip totaled 1,510.9 miles (up, back and running around while up there) (total mpg was 26.7 for the whole trip).

b. Today I went to breakfast with some men from our men's group and happened to notice that the odometer had an interesting number in the display. Check this out. Looked like a picket fence. The Jeep is a 2019, so that means roughly 15,873 miles per year so far. 

c.  I mentioned that I bought 2 books at the book store in Troy, just across from the pizza place. Well, I am now finished with one of the books and have started the other. If I keep this up, I think I am going to have to go get a library card. Books are getting expensive these days.

d.  Next trip(s) will come some time in August. Going to celebrate our wedding anniversary again at Kitty Hawk. We really like doing that.

To Megan and Hunter, we wish you all the best on your new chapter together. May it be filled with love, laughter and adventure.  

Once a couple gets married, "What's for dinner?" won't be the hardest question you'll ever ask each other.

Hooah 

We need to be aware of things going on around us ...

I don't usually do this, but I question the intelligence, motive, insanity...whatever ... of a governor's veto of a bill that would prohibit the Chinese government (thru proxies) from buying up land immediately next to or in close proximity to strategic US facilities like military bases, nuclear power plants and other critical manufacturing facilities. Absolutely unbelievable.

If, as many believe, China is currently our number 1 enemy, can this be seen as giving aid and comfort to our enemy? Flip the script -- what do you think the chances of the US buying up land next to similar facilities in their country. Yep -- when pigs fly.

Hey Arizona governor -- WAKE UP!!! What about you, Ohio ??

 

P.S. Want to guess who made your solar panels? and who now has access to all of the U.S.'s power grid? and who was sneaking a potentially deadly fungus into the U of M agriculture lab that could wipe out our grain crops?

Hey America -- WAKE UP !!!

 

When my wife and I go out for a walk, I always tell we need to be aware of our surroundings. Looks like some people need to learn that lesson.  

 

"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace."  (George Washington)

 

Hooah 

If you still have yours, honor him on this day...

 

Yep, Yep, Yep ...

Pretty much what I've been saying for about 40 years now!!

Back in the day...

Boy does this remind me of being at Ft. Chaffee one afternoon completing a land nav. course. Only thing missing from this picture is the CSM shooting his .45 at a couple of cottenmouths checking him out. What a day!!
(P.S. He wasn't even close to them -- he was running out of the water too fast to get a good sight picture!!) 🤣😂

I am a Soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight. (George S. Patton)

Hooah

Just another reminder of the importance of Memorial Day and what it means...

My father served in the Army in the Field Artillery and, obviously, he made it home.  We had a good life.  I also had two uncles who served in WWII -- one made it home after being a Navy pilot, and one died in battle as he served in the Navy (His ship was destroyed in the Pacific and his body was never recovered.).

So on this day and many others, I pray for Joe, Frank and Walter and think of what is, what was, and what never came about.  May they all three rest in peace.

Joe and Frank were truly shining stars in my eyes; but Walter's light was snuffed out much too soon. 

Hooah