tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57581329385441160322024-03-17T22:01:18.715-05:00Linda's WindowThe best things in life . . . aren't things!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-68840964788645736992024-01-20T10:16:00.007-06:002024-01-20T13:29:43.856-06:00Our New Astrophotography Blog<p>In an effort to keep track of our astrophotography images, I wanted to keep a journal. The more I thought about it, the more I felt drawn to documenting it all on a blog site, instead. So I have started that project ... still a work in progress. </p><p>Please check it out at <a href="https://astrojudds.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size: x-large;">https://astrojudds.blogspot.com</span></a>. </p><p>It is titled "<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Lift Up Your Eyes and Look to the Heavens (Isaiah 40:26)</span>". I hope you will come often to see what's new. Our most recent image is of the Rosette Nebula, and is featured at the top of the first page.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vTKMyKfBSWXp5Gaq4hRx0loomn6zNtq_tKmjbdBMeoLzG_L7NERHuf5Uea1s9botTi4E840tcq09nWa2jCmnLbqc7wo0gDL4r6J3NtzPiRVKz40yY4SeH3QmzvWm8YIOfp_-raF_fBqzGpo7IAd6iNY7UCI46vNpB-BljPR9YpC5mq7up5psn0hCBsHP/s2400/RosetteProcessedResized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="2400" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vTKMyKfBSWXp5Gaq4hRx0loomn6zNtq_tKmjbdBMeoLzG_L7NERHuf5Uea1s9botTi4E840tcq09nWa2jCmnLbqc7wo0gDL4r6J3NtzPiRVKz40yY4SeH3QmzvWm8YIOfp_-raF_fBqzGpo7IAd6iNY7UCI46vNpB-BljPR9YpC5mq7up5psn0hCBsHP/w400-h383/RosetteProcessedResized.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-55909159956461933212024-01-20T10:01:00.002-06:002024-01-20T10:06:49.795-06:002023 Holidays<p>Where did the time go?! It flew by so quickly, and I neglected to keep my blog up to date. Thanksgiving passed, as did Christmas and New Year's Day. Each of those days were full of joy for us, and two of them - Thanksgiving and Christmas - were spent with family. </p><p>Thanksgiving, for Dan and me, was spent in Houston, with Chris, Kelsey, Clara and Robert. Chris was still undergoing chemo treatments, but he was feeling well and able to enjoy the day along with the rest of us. In fact, it was he and Robert who prepared a charcouterie board, which kept us all fed throughout the day. We didn't try to do a big feast, but chose, instead, to keep the day low-key and calm, especially for Chris' sake. The day after Thanksgiving we all went over to the nearby park so that I could take some photos of the Houston Judds. Kelsey was hoping to get a few good ones to put on their family Christmas card. We were successful, and here is the card she made and sent out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiZQmQh-lt5l9uP0VqGF3nQO2V0Y-yhOo3jixs66DczfBjHG8jPMneOntIewjh-80NCQS2bDMLDbh6bYp-XGS-fX7IxsBv2nFyUAcWFzmGUyGRSOi1VrnM0j9QudGb1ApV2dR-pzVLAO-lHmWSVb_bHf7TVmt8feEZ9jex6ES2MBiEjyp7n5HbplPR1jY/s2012/houston%20judds.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2012" data-original-width="1445" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiZQmQh-lt5l9uP0VqGF3nQO2V0Y-yhOo3jixs66DczfBjHG8jPMneOntIewjh-80NCQS2bDMLDbh6bYp-XGS-fX7IxsBv2nFyUAcWFzmGUyGRSOi1VrnM0j9QudGb1ApV2dR-pzVLAO-lHmWSVb_bHf7TVmt8feEZ9jex6ES2MBiEjyp7n5HbplPR1jY/w460-h640/houston%20judds.jpeg" width="460" /></a></div><br /><p>Christmas was spent at our house. The family all came here, arriving on different dates and at different times. Tim was first to arrive, on the evening of December 22. He drove straight through from Albuquerque, so arrived tired and hungry. On Saturday, Chris arrived around noon, along with Thor (Clara's corgi). That evening, as we sat at the table for dinner, I was struck by the fact that I couldn't remember the last time JUST the four of us - Dan, our two sons, and I - were all together. The reason that Chris came alone was because Kelsey and the kids had gone to Pecos to spend a few days with her family. She left Pecos early on Christmas morning, and arrived at our house mid-afternoon. After she and the kids caught their breath from their journey, we opened presents. The gifts this year were mostly for the kids. As Dan and I said many times, our gift was having Chris successfully through his chemo treatments and feeling well, and having the whole family together. It was a wonderful Christmas.</p><p>New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were both very quiet at our house. We didn't do anything special. I actually went to bed on New Year's Eve around 10:30. I read awhile and then fell asleep. I woke to the booms of fireworks, at midnight, so I did "see the new year in," though it was from my pillow.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-80938168443110956552024-01-20T08:58:00.001-06:002024-01-20T08:58:49.864-06:002023 Christmas Letter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincrHgeY1rNVeJRNYFCULdnJlJECuL6wu14YCUc1rQiofQwQJaVK3Yw8m0oyHPVgnvcCet5kwxSZNmDERvZ3foefMTJ0LPmJAa3N6xi86wZH7CSSBUz6n-KhVvHaaIhA2kKH_9BwTUbu35URcaldC82KEbVUgqsk-0b56bbSQd6IbkGob4RKya_j1LsE6G/s757/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-20%20at%208.53.09%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincrHgeY1rNVeJRNYFCULdnJlJECuL6wu14YCUc1rQiofQwQJaVK3Yw8m0oyHPVgnvcCet5kwxSZNmDERvZ3foefMTJ0LPmJAa3N6xi86wZH7CSSBUz6n-KhVvHaaIhA2kKH_9BwTUbu35URcaldC82KEbVUgqsk-0b56bbSQd6IbkGob4RKya_j1LsE6G/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-20%20at%208.53.09%20AM.png" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ZbmyW4vxHkILJiHgNCIMI1C1YNX_8X2mMZV-q5-hevxRRJ8P1ogunWE3mNAbq-9wb-ZCqS3WU9vthcsneUbSDimnxyIw1BTMoWVQ0qz0MA4_vyAfSyE5P5-C7IEl4hpQQReI_fs8Jxt8dw2seinZamBXiIAujP-37eG1Phz3PoHq3eXVM_pHZCAIVrO/s788/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-20%20at%208.55.26%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-ZbmyW4vxHkILJiHgNCIMI1C1YNX_8X2mMZV-q5-hevxRRJ8P1ogunWE3mNAbq-9wb-ZCqS3WU9vthcsneUbSDimnxyIw1BTMoWVQ0qz0MA4_vyAfSyE5P5-C7IEl4hpQQReI_fs8Jxt8dw2seinZamBXiIAujP-37eG1Phz3PoHq3eXVM_pHZCAIVrO/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-20%20at%208.55.26%20AM.png" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-29253643716246805062023-10-15T15:16:00.000-05:002023-10-15T15:16:50.702-05:00Partial Solar Eclipse - October 2023<p>Yesterday we were in the path of a partial solar eclipse. The beginning of the eclipse was at 10:23 AM, its maximum was at 11:53 AM, and it finished at 1:31 PM.</p><p>About 30 people from church were doing some door-knocking in the morning, and then having lunch together at the church building. Dan and I offered to provide some entertainment. Our goal was to set up our telescope to photograph the entire eclipse sequence, and project it on a screen, indoors. Sadly we had a bit of a technical issue at the very beginning, so didn't catch the very start of the eclipse. However, once we got it going, everything worked perfectly. Here are a few of the images we took, showing the different stages of the event.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIEbUbpCFC2rDI2kqPfxy6eeQH2tDVp_1QX3U9SnDYgevK79wj5YJviPaEd7m5KtuBdUvE5eusn2OzxM8ZEPJkGiuLgLGjiruwyG6UCNL8PvfnfMm17Zi5uHTOBDdesmRTgIbJZGRYc-I5UJTGY4g9pQQGCdoztuSEsj7i9frAAC5Gnw-4RmA9ppRPsPJ/s3300/eclipse%20sequence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2201" data-original-width="3300" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIEbUbpCFC2rDI2kqPfxy6eeQH2tDVp_1QX3U9SnDYgevK79wj5YJviPaEd7m5KtuBdUvE5eusn2OzxM8ZEPJkGiuLgLGjiruwyG6UCNL8PvfnfMm17Zi5uHTOBDdesmRTgIbJZGRYc-I5UJTGY4g9pQQGCdoztuSEsj7i9frAAC5Gnw-4RmA9ppRPsPJ/w640-h426/eclipse%20sequence.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Some of us went outside when the eclipse was near its maximum. We noticed these little crescent shadows on the wall of the building. They were created by light from the eclipsed sun passing through the leaves of a tree. It is actually the pinhole camera effect, which works by letting light through a tiny hole and creating an image of the sun. The second photo is a zoomed in selection of the first photo.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7atwjnaPIrt4X3mmyWKIBbfYgQdlT-C7xaNFYL87fi3UtX3ZacgnsQM2tBs-Rq-8Oon7bz1d_NuFBZOpyLjcmNBLcjZwDkivKc-UTpaBjC-qPEmh3At35a17SLuMSjh5OZekWfYmu1tm_AEPFWalx24rKhB3UAL51MfsMpFBWeSAB9sE2jHn-YkbfVhS1/s4032/Tree%20shadows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7atwjnaPIrt4X3mmyWKIBbfYgQdlT-C7xaNFYL87fi3UtX3ZacgnsQM2tBs-Rq-8Oon7bz1d_NuFBZOpyLjcmNBLcjZwDkivKc-UTpaBjC-qPEmh3At35a17SLuMSjh5OZekWfYmu1tm_AEPFWalx24rKhB3UAL51MfsMpFBWeSAB9sE2jHn-YkbfVhS1/w640-h480/Tree%20shadows.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJsWhM764LVtGWwUTyCw6-JvZzdQxnn38K0UzzWPIrB7FwR_DPBUlZIxZmcZgzu1BAxP6km-CYWcig_NXdkzroWVPNXh8sDOKqnCOsV5j_IpIU-VCqaDel8ch7URmdZ8NCSrmUrarO2PrNcKHQkcKUKNRNwJEZ8kpqUgacyyHUHthKqxhgZaBAoBfAMgf/s1696/Tree%20shadows%20zoomed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="1696" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJsWhM764LVtGWwUTyCw6-JvZzdQxnn38K0UzzWPIrB7FwR_DPBUlZIxZmcZgzu1BAxP6km-CYWcig_NXdkzroWVPNXh8sDOKqnCOsV5j_IpIU-VCqaDel8ch7URmdZ8NCSrmUrarO2PrNcKHQkcKUKNRNwJEZ8kpqUgacyyHUHthKqxhgZaBAoBfAMgf/w640-h530/Tree%20shadows%20zoomed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Other strange shadow effects were happening. People were holding up their hands to cast a shadow, and between their fingers a short "stubby" finger seemed to appear. </p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGQ3ZDHbyL2Eb6w1X_v4M9X6nMNSJJ6eMvK0ywNW-xMnRocly9kLCka8RYGbNBJen1LtZjkAffD6lK5a4G3XH-_7xMlK_X8WG014Ed10tq6snPLMLV-EVaMOi2c6uJtnGItnxaZVBFt1gBTLoFw62zTwi3XiYQOr_d_y_qj2FXGL-N8Ksab9Ntl499fhf/s4032/people%20in%20lot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFhrsvLAZFJh5Y52o6RWfgZF_xTeTfgMoq_G5-PnVQXcYrNSUWZYvBK-9GlSAiQhEb8Ipqq3u7c6l2zGjaZ1O1t1Y4foGked1LNhRubnN_jBS-E5pNJwezFjsddFva2Jz50D1LRaANDi9yK8nBpme8lXy5KKTzgaYeaUgVlaeYj-0m6KQy25fQ7gG16Zl/s4032/hand%20shadow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFhrsvLAZFJh5Y52o6RWfgZF_xTeTfgMoq_G5-PnVQXcYrNSUWZYvBK-9GlSAiQhEb8Ipqq3u7c6l2zGjaZ1O1t1Y4foGked1LNhRubnN_jBS-E5pNJwezFjsddFva2Jz50D1LRaANDi9yK8nBpme8lXy5KKTzgaYeaUgVlaeYj-0m6KQy25fQ7gG16Zl/w480-h640/hand%20shadow.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnCJat-XW6iavXlcgx0pFHtxoSmtJG4qpEQRqw-osfjddZy85AdQx9qlNRKJwJ802PZF4C_EX3TFKma9gSFtMhqYXyp0VhCG3LLqrze9Z__ZHOdmbqQuHtR2BHJfF0XUe_EscFFJ5JT0WOQJGpCelVEx8fV2lB7k7krlrYCR0Wkw36vBLujmrx5k6GrsK/s4032/people%20shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnCJat-XW6iavXlcgx0pFHtxoSmtJG4qpEQRqw-osfjddZy85AdQx9qlNRKJwJ802PZF4C_EX3TFKma9gSFtMhqYXyp0VhCG3LLqrze9Z__ZHOdmbqQuHtR2BHJfF0XUe_EscFFJ5JT0WOQJGpCelVEx8fV2lB7k7krlrYCR0Wkw36vBLujmrx5k6GrsK/w363-h484/people%20shadows.jpg" width="363" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGQ3ZDHbyL2Eb6w1X_v4M9X6nMNSJJ6eMvK0ywNW-xMnRocly9kLCka8RYGbNBJen1LtZjkAffD6lK5a4G3XH-_7xMlK_X8WG014Ed10tq6snPLMLV-EVaMOi2c6uJtnGItnxaZVBFt1gBTLoFw62zTwi3XiYQOr_d_y_qj2FXGL-N8Ksab9Ntl499fhf/s4032/people%20in%20lot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGQ3ZDHbyL2Eb6w1X_v4M9X6nMNSJJ6eMvK0ywNW-xMnRocly9kLCka8RYGbNBJen1LtZjkAffD6lK5a4G3XH-_7xMlK_X8WG014Ed10tq6snPLMLV-EVaMOi2c6uJtnGItnxaZVBFt1gBTLoFw62zTwi3XiYQOr_d_y_qj2FXGL-N8Ksab9Ntl499fhf/w640-h480/people%20in%20lot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />We were pretty happy with our first time effort to image an eclipse. This was a practice run in preparation for the upcoming total eclipse in April 2024. Our town, Temple, will be in the direct path of that one, so we are hoping for good weather. <br /><p></p><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-50429298182146888552023-10-15T08:05:00.003-05:002023-10-15T13:54:20.989-05:00Fredericksburg Escape<p><span style="font-size: medium;">For weeks we've been thinking of and talking about getting away for a few days. Our spring and summer have been hectic and somewhat stressful, so we felt the need for some relaxing time away. Our plans were to leave home fairly early on Monday, September 25. It’s a 2 ½ hour drive from Temple to our planned get-away, in Fredericksburg, Texas. Dan came down with a cold a couple days before we were to leave, but he insisted he could still go. Then on Sunday evening we had a thunderstorm, and it knocked out our power for about 10 hours. It was back on by Monday morning, but Dan was pretty busy making sure everything was back up and running, plus … his cold seemed worse. He insisted we should go, despite my reservations. So we headed out, but we were running later than we had planned. We stopped in Llano to top off the charge on our car, and pulled into Fredericksburg about 3:00 p.m. We found our little Airbnb house – a “villa” as it was advertised – and had no problem unlocking with the code they had given us. It was a sweet little place, and we knew we’d be quite comfy there. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKz3Tutb4BD90kAAlCMPODBblBOjh52raqQicD5EHGiJ52fBFVJyFepzHSexPiQhe0WV9LLrYiVY8gtni_oNwDp_q2LRAKgCBJSrVeL5-AMzV03uJXcuDyw1ULkhsC2WtYHVUPAF1Xn8lB9GLVkXtamzj41WGi6NWoA_hQtehc3j_ue9yJEiVOb92A9ABd/s3883/Villa%20outside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="3883" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKz3Tutb4BD90kAAlCMPODBblBOjh52raqQicD5EHGiJ52fBFVJyFepzHSexPiQhe0WV9LLrYiVY8gtni_oNwDp_q2LRAKgCBJSrVeL5-AMzV03uJXcuDyw1ULkhsC2WtYHVUPAF1Xn8lB9GLVkXtamzj41WGi6NWoA_hQtehc3j_ue9yJEiVOb92A9ABd/w640-h484/Villa%20outside.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjvJl6hN28AwTUuJa95ufYVWE-QtKuJvmycxffDm3Sgua6HtolBFMpDqlYxcpcCNkmAGRnWAOh_56SdGZb5zgx08W1fS8BQH4IDSIs3azFFuVUtqguCEhygGB-0pjqQNb0QPEZO0mv2tzvFKqlcHNCxUFGNXcetI0W1vJZTosEDqYsFmG7sBRlx1Sex3b/s4032/IMG_9636.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjvJl6hN28AwTUuJa95ufYVWE-QtKuJvmycxffDm3Sgua6HtolBFMpDqlYxcpcCNkmAGRnWAOh_56SdGZb5zgx08W1fS8BQH4IDSIs3azFFuVUtqguCEhygGB-0pjqQNb0QPEZO0mv2tzvFKqlcHNCxUFGNXcetI0W1vJZTosEDqYsFmG7sBRlx1Sex3b/w640-h480/IMG_9636.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRzMMI2IfK-u0rvsDAo6WCAkgbAWsDvbDnncvwRB77epI-j3T0Z5V1oH9Gxg8-wVnou_5JozhzLzs7xp35iZrK6ZSnglZlVHF68RobT4WMVZJ_xTklUuNeOVB2MWhP1yHQsrbsgI2uWjI6o1WJzvxfid6UM3w826zJYGulDjJ53BDO8cu62IjOoP8B4FE/s4032/IMG_9662.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRzMMI2IfK-u0rvsDAo6WCAkgbAWsDvbDnncvwRB77epI-j3T0Z5V1oH9Gxg8-wVnou_5JozhzLzs7xp35iZrK6ZSnglZlVHF68RobT4WMVZJ_xTklUuNeOVB2MWhP1yHQsrbsgI2uWjI6o1WJzvxfid6UM3w826zJYGulDjJ53BDO8cu62IjOoP8B4FE/w640-h480/IMG_9662.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Almost every time we looked outside our window, we saw deer grazing in the wild grass or among the trees.</span><br /></p><p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmJUwpBrVG5VaKQj7mYVT1seZi4RqnwrtS2iAP0_8tdxUrNeB67CltDVCrFf-UV5PzDhJWXwCgou7_55___YaKb7Bx5G7efoWKWYKz4utuv5yj0nYrIfaL332lTZACjHFMA9RLvB5ESjVKpQRTXMzP2AxOP74IpfxQoe5AeHTJ-3DHfUN4CoiNAJkM0um/s4032/IMG_9644%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmJUwpBrVG5VaKQj7mYVT1seZi4RqnwrtS2iAP0_8tdxUrNeB67CltDVCrFf-UV5PzDhJWXwCgou7_55___YaKb7Bx5G7efoWKWYKz4utuv5yj0nYrIfaL332lTZACjHFMA9RLvB5ESjVKpQRTXMzP2AxOP74IpfxQoe5AeHTJ-3DHfUN4CoiNAJkM0um/w640-h480/IMG_9644%202.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvhi_j3G8KJyRqTKekLyBOoshZE_VdKyArIoquPIzBo0Atga6gJvx8lzTinSl92BN_YXcD-Bl9QJWZtB4ITaBjpUY0tyF0YmmpoJh4xvs_UniQogHhReXW1skMfUBoFc9M7r3n9UKwCYFKvfkQxzjbM4J6AlDJEoX__r2bC-MAaiU_XB1411kqMMvnAOk/s4032/IMG_9651.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvhi_j3G8KJyRqTKekLyBOoshZE_VdKyArIoquPIzBo0Atga6gJvx8lzTinSl92BN_YXcD-Bl9QJWZtB4ITaBjpUY0tyF0YmmpoJh4xvs_UniQogHhReXW1skMfUBoFc9M7r3n9UKwCYFKvfkQxzjbM4J6AlDJEoX__r2bC-MAaiU_XB1411kqMMvnAOk/w480-h640/IMG_9651.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwm-7QuGn-Q9S3uVBDo60LojhmWlhh4Cz-oitsmEcHXkhdqcTcimGggJCHowHvfJPMHqAmsuTL-gUmUoPg0f7_NpePDPfcs7VD4oZcAxy1S9w6n6TatFroe95_fIX85l_7z7Cn261SQszFCpoO4iYth3HRnhhGcKTzjYLFybAOtVsebwcBYNLFo3aw9gA/s4032/IMG_9655.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwm-7QuGn-Q9S3uVBDo60LojhmWlhh4Cz-oitsmEcHXkhdqcTcimGggJCHowHvfJPMHqAmsuTL-gUmUoPg0f7_NpePDPfcs7VD4oZcAxy1S9w6n6TatFroe95_fIX85l_7z7Cn261SQszFCpoO4iYth3HRnhhGcKTzjYLFybAOtVsebwcBYNLFo3aw9gA/w480-h640/IMG_9655.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3ujEWWpwjIviFGlx_7xZM_KDvIwwYPZBU2Ol3HHBiNBmqt1PTprEAv0x1ssl85yJ12zjbONyUCPTgIa5rD6mkPX7sQVVp3XmDJpTGE7UtTMA-BhxWWRga6UxfY2oBhvbGtQSyvfeuexm6Crzqh6Aw4bmiY7O5oALYlfcbdPX1jkGoLxi_LapcK8di9Az/s4032/IMG_9802.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3ujEWWpwjIviFGlx_7xZM_KDvIwwYPZBU2Ol3HHBiNBmqt1PTprEAv0x1ssl85yJ12zjbONyUCPTgIa5rD6mkPX7sQVVp3XmDJpTGE7UtTMA-BhxWWRga6UxfY2oBhvbGtQSyvfeuexm6Crzqh6Aw4bmiY7O5oALYlfcbdPX1jkGoLxi_LapcK8di9Az/w640-h480/IMG_9802.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our villa was just a block and a half off of the main street, but took an uphill walk to get there. We walked to Main Street for dinner, and it was kind of a strenuous little hike. That wasn’t good for Dan, who was already a bit sickly. We had dinner, came back to get the car, and drove to a grocery store to stock up on a few breakfast and snack items.<br /> <br />On Tuesday I encouraged Dan to take a completely restful, relaxing day, which he did. He napped on the couch. He napped in a chair. He napped in the bed. The whole day was a down-day. It was a pleasant place to do that. I sat outside quite a bit that day, watching deer and squirrels, and reading.<br /> <br />By that evening, Dan was a bit more chipper, and since the sky was clear, we attempted a photo shoot. Our “neighbors” in the yellow villa (they were a really sweet newlywed couple) wanted to watch, so joined us for part of the imaging. We did the Crescent nebula, mainly because there were a lot of trees, and it was one of the few targets that we could capture between the trees. I didn't feel it was one of our better shots, but it was fun to image from somewhere new.</span><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4HAsY2qDOL_e7SCCStqJT94PDkrJmhelyqmtW36FE4rrxewHAc59p60b5WCHtm5186yjnuKcHXrtGVOwlZX6pMjpG4uIwKmP08ZgQrowdCLtuJ1ghAfZ0T9kGrIeh1lFbL3ipc9wHYuEl90127p5Htl6iMPcntvG1ceOWa4yfURd1vI3GJKlrBOaGeEg/s2880/crescent%20nebula.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="2880" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4HAsY2qDOL_e7SCCStqJT94PDkrJmhelyqmtW36FE4rrxewHAc59p60b5WCHtm5186yjnuKcHXrtGVOwlZX6pMjpG4uIwKmP08ZgQrowdCLtuJ1ghAfZ0T9kGrIeh1lFbL3ipc9wHYuEl90127p5Htl6iMPcntvG1ceOWa4yfURd1vI3GJKlrBOaGeEg/w640-h360/crescent%20nebula.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Wednesday we did a little more adventuring. We went to the Nimitz gallery, which is part of the larger War in the Pacific Museum. We had already visited the bigger museum on another visit (read about it <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2019/06/anniversary-weekend-in-fredericksburg.html">here</a>), but hadn’t gone through the Nimitz part. We also went to the small Japanese garden that, according to a plaque mounted there was “gifted to the people of the US from the people of Japan with prayers for everlasting world peace through the goodwill of our two nations, symbolized by the friendship and respect that existed between admiral Togo and Admiral Nimitz.” It was a lovely place to pause and meditate for a few minutes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6Yo2fChKHmnwk6xtUDvQqjgMlOzWIANvZQXavtP_KKEhISxa-ROkU_VYtipcLBPra_vCMOE7pUK76967R0KJlZNKms9prnGeoqYz3SiYk1Ox5GGV72cS6VeA_62KU-o27hl8cxKPqBU1mZxp0iFM4CQzZSh1-6oGAVROPY_da_1ONTusGW_mIJ65rv1Q/s4032/IMG_9758.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6Yo2fChKHmnwk6xtUDvQqjgMlOzWIANvZQXavtP_KKEhISxa-ROkU_VYtipcLBPra_vCMOE7pUK76967R0KJlZNKms9prnGeoqYz3SiYk1Ox5GGV72cS6VeA_62KU-o27hl8cxKPqBU1mZxp0iFM4CQzZSh1-6oGAVROPY_da_1ONTusGW_mIJ65rv1Q/w640-h480/IMG_9758.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Later that evening we went to a beautiful park in the center of town. One of the things that I loved, there, was what they called the Story Tree, which depicts the history of this little German town. </span></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgkgVznIOe0V74qqmU3BFJlJtjKgOOXEkjOqLSX3XmybLZxRWGPGu0RcT_42d_towPEZtkpJWoaYSWCB7nb2gVddgxrKQzVy4d8pSqtQSr3f_bdBki3RCYbCO9D-F1BcJHJiqnHiSQg7ukicR9uP-7SWRALljiJWHUBc-L4Dl9y31WdHqWMD7cFFXsdXj/s4032/IMG_9734.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgkgVznIOe0V74qqmU3BFJlJtjKgOOXEkjOqLSX3XmybLZxRWGPGu0RcT_42d_towPEZtkpJWoaYSWCB7nb2gVddgxrKQzVy4d8pSqtQSr3f_bdBki3RCYbCO9D-F1BcJHJiqnHiSQg7ukicR9uP-7SWRALljiJWHUBc-L4Dl9y31WdHqWMD7cFFXsdXj/w480-h640/IMG_9734.JPG" width="480" /> </a> </p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU1QfDtfcsgLnkXkZxdaWcyVcEDJ3-LLkLjZ2262-BmmzKEVm7hblYwlgYoE7Uwbw9M6ZhApZBtNauzdzFtWnqEtcEUUa3ZrYzFOBX9m4N5YWW1eRfrWe_dzhp2YPiG-LFNgF5v53Oy68c8ZPbuLYEK73hn7Rgxgu7wWbHqi70xdmxWjDj0c9eGRE5g5o/w640-h480/IMG_9697.JPG" width="640" /> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6n-sufGCBr6c7IdsGoVrud6IpmIRC_3kFoOBAG5b9_3gNH2PuciKi4TwgtcdDrsHYApxfcto7Fdq2x_veMQtDoYdnLyecCe5TsOImzHrzX3leFKlD-Of9ov2aeEZ9Al_qRWuuQVvTsgkwGzyurafmbn1JaMhgEcUFjNCynozfxiIHZT354iQHHHlo1e3/s4032/IMG_9705.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6n-sufGCBr6c7IdsGoVrud6IpmIRC_3kFoOBAG5b9_3gNH2PuciKi4TwgtcdDrsHYApxfcto7Fdq2x_veMQtDoYdnLyecCe5TsOImzHrzX3leFKlD-Of9ov2aeEZ9Al_qRWuuQVvTsgkwGzyurafmbn1JaMhgEcUFjNCynozfxiIHZT354iQHHHlo1e3/w480-h640/IMG_9705.JPG" width="480" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb-rxh9fA0F8YvCj8-fEumriiesusSWJeXTLg92tRBIa0UmHrd0F-Y0IyexzLN-XF0agTYwG8_Q-vnZyGl-Ik6nc_3nu4mo_yklZ4IIHjpP-SY5TKMcTq84f5f3XGGX-jQFcagKdfdw41qR4K-UwZPYkJ6afo2a3ModD_X4jsTAt2YvNtlX8YllvjR1BR/s4032/IMG_9725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb-rxh9fA0F8YvCj8-fEumriiesusSWJeXTLg92tRBIa0UmHrd0F-Y0IyexzLN-XF0agTYwG8_Q-vnZyGl-Ik6nc_3nu4mo_yklZ4IIHjpP-SY5TKMcTq84f5f3XGGX-jQFcagKdfdw41qR4K-UwZPYkJ6afo2a3ModD_X4jsTAt2YvNtlX8YllvjR1BR/w640-h480/IMG_9725.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The sculpture in the photo above is in the park and is titled "Lasting
Friendship." It commemorates the peace treaty between local settlers and
the Comanche. Depicted are Chief Santanna and John Meusebach, sharing
the peace pipe. <br /> <br />On Thursday we headed home. We had a few
problems on the road (nothing serious), which slowed us down, but we
made it home at last, and were happy to be back in our own “villa.” <br /> <br />By
the following Monday, I came down with the same cold/flu bug that Dan
had, and spent the week recuperating. Finally, by Sunday, I was feeling
almost normal! </span><br /> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-55976005628367448012023-09-21T09:00:00.001-05:002023-09-21T09:18:01.842-05:00We Had Joy, We had Fun, We Had Seasons in the Sun,<p>This summer we have been plagued by blistering days, with temperatures above 100 nearly every day, and almost no rain. Despite the heat wave, we've had some great times this summer. </p><p>VBS</p><p>Our church family, Northside church of Christ, put on a one-day VBS. I was still healing up after my fall, so didn't help out like I usually do, but Dan, once again, spent the day helping the kids have fun in the jumpy house. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvryqWr1rksEbz8HeDfJXanol1h8hNM_z2O7Z6t16mFZjB2S0tbAQmtDrW-ogisVdGG5AVDRCNdmmdDXwJHcJ3VlOiPcaay2l5c41VBioWK8aPKQ0ksFKpYesTE2Ziv_6dbTC5Q8JyHUQbAU-zDCF-cCmRQgVd6RLxRDJ9Vm2Bs0WOwZlIKVWh1vo-HkxV/s4032/IMG_9425.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvryqWr1rksEbz8HeDfJXanol1h8hNM_z2O7Z6t16mFZjB2S0tbAQmtDrW-ogisVdGG5AVDRCNdmmdDXwJHcJ3VlOiPcaay2l5c41VBioWK8aPKQ0ksFKpYesTE2Ziv_6dbTC5Q8JyHUQbAU-zDCF-cCmRQgVd6RLxRDJ9Vm2Bs0WOwZlIKVWh1vo-HkxV/w640-h480/IMG_9425.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>FATHERS DAY</p><p>Our congregation has a tradition, which I find such fun. On Fathers' Day, our men are encouraged to wear a Hawaiian shirt. There was good participation this year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MYwOp1eChJFEV0engfSkCUsOQf3ubNPw1GFvbs-lBD1Mn5h554hmQpRlSQU8BRUmPB9j0qDfPPJIEphNo4Hi8q6RwjtbSrbWcGW1-bsYQdUBxwx64Dso9WbPWP5ZGGbIEWyEdWt6eknfXfOSfXSjS5SiKbwplkKoRF1bb2L3ik5I-Qy_zAbiNDtonPWW/s2560/Resized_20230618_115125_642077942085168.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2560" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MYwOp1eChJFEV0engfSkCUsOQf3ubNPw1GFvbs-lBD1Mn5h554hmQpRlSQU8BRUmPB9j0qDfPPJIEphNo4Hi8q6RwjtbSrbWcGW1-bsYQdUBxwx64Dso9WbPWP5ZGGbIEWyEdWt6eknfXfOSfXSjS5SiKbwplkKoRF1bb2L3ik5I-Qy_zAbiNDtonPWW/w640-h306/Resized_20230618_115125_642077942085168.JPEG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>These three took the Hawaiian theme to another level! <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXF6rbGjA5FUQkGoNFkptcJpNeMORvf4Za27e6TTIYHMuLi_3U8scMJvgUxd0v7mWUnwwn-eaXoKjRiYoicsdfovl_zY4pgM-y1HXFwyOjcCHreFyjcj1LK1Y6O_eOcDj-yIYULz6zvjG5DCOH_ppXVk8YxbcFpmlTJ3h2SayAI2VqemzrVkpWM10_5CXJ/s4032/IMG_9480.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXF6rbGjA5FUQkGoNFkptcJpNeMORvf4Za27e6TTIYHMuLi_3U8scMJvgUxd0v7mWUnwwn-eaXoKjRiYoicsdfovl_zY4pgM-y1HXFwyOjcCHreFyjcj1LK1Y6O_eOcDj-yIYULz6zvjG5DCOH_ppXVk8YxbcFpmlTJ3h2SayAI2VqemzrVkpWM10_5CXJ/w300-h400/IMG_9480.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>BABY SHOWER</p><p>I had the joy of attending a baby shower in honor of a sweet, tiny baby girl, who spent her first weeks in the NICU, but is now at home and thriving. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV1MvA3f_9lNfqzLAcJdz3PbFixrBy9nSRjNQAO5u1jKqsRCcLmsFnKZYWsHoeTiFEIGqmOnhqT1-BAg1ye1SqM6RQcW_2g0PMswWQj1Ko2hZT_qdbV7OVuwtJBnKprsNYKew0P9pUvst96KcalVtaVO7MYOFNFcHBYF2kTJ0wyDGcH4gB1Z9VoFqwNai/s4032/IMG_9505.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHV1MvA3f_9lNfqzLAcJdz3PbFixrBy9nSRjNQAO5u1jKqsRCcLmsFnKZYWsHoeTiFEIGqmOnhqT1-BAg1ye1SqM6RQcW_2g0PMswWQj1Ko2hZT_qdbV7OVuwtJBnKprsNYKew0P9pUvst96KcalVtaVO7MYOFNFcHBYF2kTJ0wyDGcH4gB1Z9VoFqwNai/w300-h400/IMG_9505.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>BOOK CLUB</p><p>One of the things I anticipate each month is meeting with the Second Tuesday Book Club, which usually meets at the library, although occasionally enjoys meeting for a meal at a local restaurant. Although it's open to anyone, its membership has tended to be women, only. I've grown close to this small group of bright, fun, and caring ladies. </p><p>I missed a couple of our meetings, while our family dealt with hospitals, ERs, surgeries and x-rays, so returning in June was a special event. I was so surprised and appreciative when I arrived and found one of the ladies, Ellen, bearing a gift for me, a potted orchid. "Yellow," she said, "because yellow is a color that brings cheer. And I'm sure you could use some cheering up."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoYVORyE7n2mrbcBmUWeG5O__TbcjlRkEJCiRX3yowH5OMxXFZrsXQ3yM5f39B9sPK-4Do5LC2CeYjmah2u_mZz32nA24UuYrWq679_IVTEyPEh4_XCLg7xGo6bwh1GlJMbhqbrw-vY9fQ4jAj2PJ5hVTW4Ls04akPKJeb9Mgg3VGE0CsS19FDkYGluDG/s4032/IMG_9516%204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoYVORyE7n2mrbcBmUWeG5O__TbcjlRkEJCiRX3yowH5OMxXFZrsXQ3yM5f39B9sPK-4Do5LC2CeYjmah2u_mZz32nA24UuYrWq679_IVTEyPEh4_XCLg7xGo6bwh1GlJMbhqbrw-vY9fQ4jAj2PJ5hVTW4Ls04akPKJeb9Mgg3VGE0CsS19FDkYGluDG/w640-h480/IMG_9516%204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.centexastronomy.org/" target="_blank">CENTRAL TEXAS ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY</a></p><p>Dan and I enjoy our membership in the Central Texas Astronomical Society. This summer the club is celebrating it's 30th anniversary, To commemorate its founding and its continuing success, club members enjoyed a meal together, in Turnerville (not far from our observatory). The food was both delicious and abundant (especially the fried catfish!). The presentations from past and present presidents were informative and, often, humorous. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuVbXVI3LuEZvfzMUvFrcolmqRJMn_nCv-ch2CmGQ1w6GU0myBbdyIMmQom0z8JL1uiZnggsSVgj90QAk6ufAh_m7lh8yL_DG7z9StqLaQJNDcS9U99p1qRt2deN7XKKQWqEen2g9kxjZcRmXEFO5Ox2h8Zxf7y_DHxVWHiUFML6QjvW3-_jA5bQPxaYr/s4032/IMG_9564.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuVbXVI3LuEZvfzMUvFrcolmqRJMn_nCv-ch2CmGQ1w6GU0myBbdyIMmQom0z8JL1uiZnggsSVgj90QAk6ufAh_m7lh8yL_DG7z9StqLaQJNDcS9U99p1qRt2deN7XKKQWqEen2g9kxjZcRmXEFO5Ox2h8Zxf7y_DHxVWHiUFML6QjvW3-_jA5bQPxaYr/w640-h480/IMG_9564.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>NEW TELESCOPE</p><p>For the past three years, Dan and I have been using our <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2020/04/inaugural-test-of-new-telescope.html" target="_blank">Red Cat telescope </a>to do astrophotography. It's been a gratifying learning experience, but as we continue to have more and more birthdays under our belts, carrying the scope to the backyard and doing the set-up has become cumbersome and exhausting. When a new line of telescopes came out from a company named Vaonis, our interest was piqued. These scopes are small and lightweight. The set-up, including alignment, focusing and tracking happens automatically. We finally decided to order one - the Vespera model - and it arrived in July. Since then, we've spent quite a few evenings imaging. We think this scope will be a winner for us!<br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT1wFGbSdO463uoTbNItExpLld9935XDWcP-UnrpPV6f6Mz9dxSfSYq4X_fm41qCmiaJMys3rXEyh2OydgSMEajhdDggucm8O58l1YcuKw1yzHDbUXMaqdaTZx4y-RKXXwUC6K-QZN-xwFkIfNmbd9pV5bPQNsrQ9BbsmagimtlSOem8WECsF61owlQTh/s3779/IMG_9570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3779" data-original-width="1650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT1wFGbSdO463uoTbNItExpLld9935XDWcP-UnrpPV6f6Mz9dxSfSYq4X_fm41qCmiaJMys3rXEyh2OydgSMEajhdDggucm8O58l1YcuKw1yzHDbUXMaqdaTZx4y-RKXXwUC6K-QZN-xwFkIfNmbd9pV5bPQNsrQ9BbsmagimtlSOem8WECsF61owlQTh/w280-h640/IMG_9570.jpg" width="280" /></a></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYk-F7yx6VidALgwSUPzLCpkH-hW2612a_cLWWXeZN6uOZdMZMJ5_9eS4i5Xw-Jcatfop0_tFYZLeSCayDSvzif9osJXC9cfrbjuI_nswLTo6Ohm7vS1spAabuzTSUwM3g6dE5IUaPPX75CXtmFK_DrK9x-dps1cTgSkTFmwvoZJfiADT20yGcsP5PTEl/s4032/IMG_9572%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYk-F7yx6VidALgwSUPzLCpkH-hW2612a_cLWWXeZN6uOZdMZMJ5_9eS4i5Xw-Jcatfop0_tFYZLeSCayDSvzif9osJXC9cfrbjuI_nswLTo6Ohm7vS1spAabuzTSUwM3g6dE5IUaPPX75CXtmFK_DrK9x-dps1cTgSkTFmwvoZJfiADT20yGcsP5PTEl/s320/IMG_9572%202.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcvGjtwGDlfUhrgomXMoEuEBuUDG9_ZDZ1m_zd_0m3jSv-cNkILI9inYTJQKlMuY-fummyjH7e5b-mz-bUWxvt_018rratdTPPcFa9sITGgqCCQCYHliMRzG1J7E2WEVA6gK1r5BNsndri1jCr_had5MI3qUoDQpxj6ujSl3ve3VFBlNL-5r05i_ogJQP/s1799/Lagoon%20Nebula.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1799" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcvGjtwGDlfUhrgomXMoEuEBuUDG9_ZDZ1m_zd_0m3jSv-cNkILI9inYTJQKlMuY-fummyjH7e5b-mz-bUWxvt_018rratdTPPcFa9sITGgqCCQCYHliMRzG1J7E2WEVA6gK1r5BNsndri1jCr_had5MI3qUoDQpxj6ujSl3ve3VFBlNL-5r05i_ogJQP/w640-h342/Lagoon%20Nebula.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lagoon Nebula, imaged on our second night using our Vespera telescope.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-54570340805830475322023-07-01T07:53:00.004-05:002023-07-01T08:05:06.949-05:00Chris' Whipple Surgery<p>MARCH 12 THROUGH MARCH 25<br />Before Dan’s heart valve replacement (read about that <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2023/03/ramblings-on-heart.html">here</a>), he had arranged for Chris to come to Temple to provide some emotional support to both of us, during and immediately following the surgery. But on Sunday, two days before the surgery, Chris called to say that he was so sorry, but probably wouldn’t be able to come. He told us that he had developed symptoms of jaundice, and had been told, by a doctor, to head to the ER, and that he would most likely be admitted to the hospital.<br /><br />That day, March 12, was the start of a long, difficult journey. Chris was hospitalized at Houston Methodist Hospital West Campus, and went through numerous diagnostic procedures, some leaving him in a lot of pain. No diagnosis was confirmed, although some theories were considered … cirrhosis of the liver and hemochromatosis were early considerations that were ultimately discounted. By the 22nd, the doctors had decided that the best option was to transfer Chris from the West Campus to the main Methodist Hospital at the Houston medical center. It took awhile to arrange that transfer, but on March 25, day 14 of his hospitalization, he was transported by ambulance to the main hospital.<br /><br /> Thanksgivings: </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>On March 19, Chris “celebrated” his 50th birthday, in the hospital, with his family. The kids decorated his room while he was out, having a procedure.</li><li>On March 22, several from Chris’ men’s Bible study group came to visit, encourage and pray with him.</li></ul><br />MARCH 26 THROUGH APRIL 2<br />I found myself emotionally conflicted. I was needed at home, since Dan was still recovering from his heart valve replacement. I was needed in Houston to help care for the grandkids, so that Kelsey could be free to spend as much time as needed with Chris. But in the end, there was really only one choice. My husband needed me to be with him for the short term, just as Kelsey needed to be with Chris. I was so relieved when Kelsey’s mom, Beverly, came to Houston, all the way from Pecos, to stay at the house and be there for Kelsey and the kids. <br /><br />The doctors at the med center hospital began trying to diagnose Chris’ problem. They indicated that his symptoms pointed to cancer, but no cancer had been found or identified. On March 29 a biopsy was performed for pancreatic cancer. The next day the results showed that a small tumor at the head of the pancreas was, indeed, cancerous and was blocking the bile duct - thus causing his jaundice. Hearing the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was earth-shattering to us. <br /><br /> Thanksgivings: <br /><ul><li>On the evening of Wednesday, May 30, the elders of our congregation, Northside church of Christ, asked if they could pray with Dan and me. Each one of them prayed for Chris, and it was a wonderful, uplifting hour. It turned our fear into faith, and gave us the courage to move forward.</li><li>Had that small tumor not been located exactly where it was, it would not have blocked the bile duct, causing jaundice. If the jaundice had not occurred, the cancer would have grown and spread before it was discovered. </li><li>Kelsey’s mom, Beverly, so graciously came to provide care and comfort for the family. </li></ul><br />APRIL 2 THROUGH APRIL 14<br />A very complex surgery, known as the Whipple Procedure, was scheduled for Monday, April 3, later bumped to April 4 because the surgeon was needed for a transplant surgery. Surgery was again postponed because the doctor felt that Chris’ bilirubin levels were too high. Chris was discharged, temporarily on the 3rd, awaiting a new surgery date. This was on day 23 of hospitalization. Chris went home for about 10 days, and his surgery was rescheduled for Friday, April 14.<br /><br />By Thursday, April 13, Dan was able to drive again, and able to take care of himself following his surgery, so I felt comfortable leaving him on his own. I drove to Houston to take my turn at helping out, so that Kelsey’s mom could go back home. <br /><br />On Friday, April 14, Chris returned to the hospital for his Whipple procedure. The surgery was about eight hours long, and went very well.<br /><br /> Thanksgivings: <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Because of the rescheduling of his surgery, Chris was assigned to a different surgeon. This new surgeon was skilled in the robotic version of the Whipple procedure, so Chris was blessed to have that, which meant that the recovery time should be shorter and easier.</li><li>Following the surgery, the surgeon told us that the surgery had been “textbook perfect.”</li></ul><br />APRIL 15 THROUGH APRIL 24<br />It was expected that Chris would be in the hospital for about a week, post-surgery, but some complications arose during that week, including an abscess at the site of a drainage tube, and an allergic reaction to the feeding tube mixture. <br /><br />On April 24, I had to go back home because of a medical appointment of my own. <br /><br /> Thanksgiving: <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li> Beverly came, for the second time, to take my place. We were a good “tag team.”</li></ul><br />APRIL 25 THROUGH MAY 9<br />Over the next couple weeks, complications continued to arise for Chris, including a leaky liver (requiring the installation of a biliary catheter), a diagnosis of flu (asymptomatic), and blood clots in his extremities and in both lungs. During this time, Chris’ pain levels were very high.<br /><br /> Thanksgiving: <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>On May 5, this email was sent out from Chris and Kelsey’s home congregation. It was such a comfort to our souls, and a boost to our faith:</li></ul><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Church Family,<br />Our brother, Christopher Judd, is fighting recently-diagnosed Pancreatic Cancer. Right now he is really struggling and is in extreme pain. We ask that you join us as a congregation today, as a family, in prayer for Chris, his wife, his children, and his team of doctors. We ask that today at 3:30pm you stop what you are doing and pray with the knowledge that people all over the city will be doing the same. We will do this together. We will do this for Chris.<br />Memorial Church of Christ</i><br /></div><p></p><p><br />MAY 10 THROUGH MAY 18<br />Since Chris still remained in the hospital, I returned to Houston on May 10, to relieve Kelsey’s mom, and to provide care for the children. A week later, on Wednesday the 17th, the doctors told Chris that he might be able to be discharged from the hospital in a couple days. We were thrilled that this long-awaited goal was at hand!<br /><br />That same Wednesday, I went out to run some errands, and missed seeing a single step-down on a sidewalk. As a result, I took a big fall, landing face-first on the sidewalk. I was no longer of any help to the family - in fact, they were having to take care of me now, so Dan came the next day and took me home. (Read more about that fall <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2023/07/my-big-fall.html">here</a>.)<br /><br /> Thanksgivings:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>On May 14, the men from Chris' Bible study group crowded into his room, once again, to encourage Chris</li><li>Chris and Kelsey’s long-time friend, Jason, had come from the Dallas area to encourage Chris and help Kelsey with some chores around the house. That, in itself, was a great blessing. But it turned out that God had another reason for bringing him to Houston. It was Jason whom I relied upon to take me to the ER and stay with me for several hours there, until Kelsey was able to come.</li><li>I had no broken bones in my face, and only a small fracture in my right arm.</li><li>Our friends from Temple, Paul and Kathy, offered to come, with Dan, to Houston, so they could drive my car home.</li></ul><br />MAY 19<br />The day I left, which was Friday, May 19, Chris was, indeed, discharged to come home! This was after 59 days in the hospital, separated by a brief time at home immediately before the surgery. <br /><br />The first night at home was interrupted by pain, which led to a run to the ER. It was determined that the pain was a result of some fluid on the lung, but the doctor wasn’t too concerned about it, and sent him back home. <br /><br /> Thanksgiving: <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The wonderful news learned from the x-rays done during this ER visit was that clots were no longer seen in his lungs! </li></ul><p><br />MAY 19 THROUGH JUNE 13<br />From that day on, Chris began growing stronger, and experiencing little to no pain. On June 5, he began working (from home) half-days.<br /></p><p><br />JUNE 14 THROUGH JUNE 30<br />On Wednesday, June 14, he went in to have the two bile drainage tubes removed. The procedures went well, however that evening he started experiencing pain and running a fever. Kelsey took him to the ER, and they admitted him, putting him on IV antibiotics. On Tuesday, June 20, a PICC line was inserted, and he was sent home with elastomeric pumps (also known as IV medicine balls), which could be attached to the PICC line, so that IV antibiotics could be administered once daily, from home.<br /><br />Assuming he is infection-free, Chris is scheduled to begin six months of chemotherapy beginning on July 12. He will go in for the treatments once every two weeks. Around the beginning of 2024, we hope to celebrate the end of chemo and the beginning of a cancer-free new beginning. Please join us for praying for God’s blessings for our son.<br /><br /><span> </span>Additional Thanksgivings:<br /></p><ul><li>Friends from all over the world faithfully prayed for Chris throughout his hospital stay.</li><li>Friends who provided transportation for Beverly, for me, and for the children, to and from the hospital, and to and from church services.</li><li>Friends who provided transportation for Robert to get to and from school.</li><li>Friends who gave restaurant gift cards and cash to help with expenses, while Chris was not able to work.</li><li>The Memorial church of Christ benevolent committee, who helped the family out financially and sent a team to Chris and Kelsey’s home to replace a fence that was in disrepair.</li><li>An anonymous Christian who helped pay for Robert’s tuition for next academic year.</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-63274603588057825862023-07-01T07:52:00.004-05:002023-07-01T08:06:38.772-05:00My Big Fall<p>It was Wednesday, May 17. I was in Houston, helping to take care of kids, pets and household, so that Kelsey could spend all the time she wanted and needed with Chris in the hospital (see that story <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2023/07/march-12-through-march-25-before-dans.html">here</a>). The kids were nearing the end of the school year. Robert was finishing up 7th grade, and Clara was almost done with her junior year of high school.</p><p>One of Clara's teachers was giving extra credit to any student who brought to school some kind of treat that was meaningful for their family. Clara wanted to make a batch of our family favoritesthat we call "<a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2013/12/cookie-time.html">French cookies</a>." She asked me if I would make sure we had all the ingredients, so she could make them that evening. Of course, I was more than happy to do that.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTFrSdYUnR13Bmu-ZrUxaytOMM9nHAUP6LiR2gibJmhISdCphgwZzejzMhM4fN1RILXayMsHP5ZZ5aggTMk1N1HAu-vwYsXrz2maub37LbEWxesuBXTsD9ki9uVoK3X2i4cuzREFv7ghDzO4-6pEgG1SsLC12CA_eDtRp9IjXG2a2o1qn2LfNeKf9BeSm/s640/cookies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="640" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTFrSdYUnR13Bmu-ZrUxaytOMM9nHAUP6LiR2gibJmhISdCphgwZzejzMhM4fN1RILXayMsHP5ZZ5aggTMk1N1HAu-vwYsXrz2maub37LbEWxesuBXTsD9ki9uVoK3X2i4cuzREFv7ghDzO4-6pEgG1SsLC12CA_eDtRp9IjXG2a2o1qn2LfNeKf9BeSm/w400-h297/cookies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Now, one of the ingredients in French cookies is a two-tablespoon splash of brandy. Being a teetotaler, I'm always a bit uncomfortable shopping for that bottle of brandy. I looked for it at the grocery store, but couldn't find it, so I decided to go to the little liquor store I had seen in a strip mall near Chris and Kelsey's house. After parking, I walked down the sidewalk, heading to the liquor store. I was only steps away from the entrance when I missed seeing a step-down, and - just like Wile E. Cayote - I stepped off into thin air, and crashed, landing face-first, onto the concrete.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/ao8Cx73oPgQCc/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="400" height="313" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ao8Cx73oPgQCc/giphy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>There I was, sprawled on the sidewalk, in front of a liquor store, looking, I'm sure, like I'd imbibed at least a bottle or two of brandy from that nearby liquor store. I didn't lose consciousness, but I couldn't move. My head was hurting, and my right eye had already swollen shut, my lip was bleeding. A young man came running up and helped me to my feet. I was wobbly, hardly able to walk, and my right arm was beginning to hurt. The "good Samaritan" held onto me and walked me inside the liquor store. The shop attendant took one look at me, and let out a little scream. He brought me back to the tiny employees-only restroom and let me splash some cold water onto my face. He gave me a wet paper towel to put over my eye. From somewhere, a woman appeared on the scene. She was horrified at my appearance, and tried to convince me that I must not drive. She wanted to call family for me, but I knew my family was an hour away at the Houston Medical Center. So I drove home. I was only five minutes away, and I didn't have to go on any busy streets. I wasn't thinking clearly; I probably shouldn't have driven, but I made it to their house without incident.</p><p>Chris and Kelsey's very dear friend, Jason, was at the house. He had come from the Dallas area to give Chris some encouragement, and give Kelsey help with a few things around the house. When I got home, he was upstairs, taking a nap. I called for help, and Jason came down, sat me in a chair, got an ice pack for my eye, and opened a bottle of water for me. He was so calm and capable that it felt like I was being seen by my own personal EMT. There was an urgent care clinic not far away, so he took me there. When the clerk at the clinic saw me, she said, "We can't help you! We don't treat headwounds. You need to go to the hospital."</p><p>The hospital was around a corner and down a block or two - very near by - so Jason took me to the emergency room. My right eye was swollen shut, and my lip was bleeding. I wasn't clear-headed. So Jason graciously took the clipboard with the registration paperwork, and filled it out for me, identifying himself as my "son," to make things easier. I was so grateful for his kind and competent care that I was very happy to claim him as my son! Eventually I convinced him to leave, since he wanted to get to the other hospital to see Chris. Kelsey showed up soon afterward, to sit with me until I was seen by a doctor.</p><p>An MRI showed no broken bones in my face. X-rays showed a fracture of my right arm, near the elbow, but not too bad. By evening I was discharged with a splint on my arm and a prescription for pain meds. Kelsey took me home and took great care of me that night. </p><p>I was quite a spectacle, as you can see in this picture, which looks like a mug shot.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k_TEYRRG-xomqE05VWN98BO9RPSCQePEbkkwxUT0WLzA0ZC01DDu6vGhEM-ZK7TG3KuROjPgViiSBd4GtI-gQ646qhBkiQsBybdmHkRmrVS_NBZ8ydqvqGQbfDgbaiFLr4qxAVZF5SlQkflW8gsaA0i9GevbITTxSWF4aor-YSQiRjvkeG2T_cS6tG0s/s2709/bruises.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="2042" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k_TEYRRG-xomqE05VWN98BO9RPSCQePEbkkwxUT0WLzA0ZC01DDu6vGhEM-ZK7TG3KuROjPgViiSBd4GtI-gQ646qhBkiQsBybdmHkRmrVS_NBZ8ydqvqGQbfDgbaiFLr4qxAVZF5SlQkflW8gsaA0i9GevbITTxSWF4aor-YSQiRjvkeG2T_cS6tG0s/w241-h320/bruises.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /> The next day, Dan came from Temple to take me home. I was certainly no longer an asset to the family; instead I had become a burden. Our good friends, Paul and Kathy, came with Dan, so that they could drive my car home. The blessing was in the timing, for the day that Dan took me home was the same day that Chris was discharged from the hospital, making it a bit easier on Kelsey to handle everything on her own.<br /><p></p><p>A week or so later I was able to get an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. He took the splint off my arm, x-rayed it again, and said that the break was such that it probably would heal without a cast. He did put a sturdy elastic wrap on my arm, which he said could be taken off for showers. I was so happy not to have a cast. </p><p>It's been a little over six weeks now, since my fall. The bruising on my face is nearly gone (easily covered up with a little make-up), and my arm is feeling good as well. This Thursday I finally proclaimed myself "HEALED." I went and got a much-needed haircut, removed the elastic wrap from my arm and, that evening, went out to dinner with friends. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP-RMAq_RYcdXEmY2aX8TxpAAhmk88u4INzgtPH6fbIEsZselbBjlALjZ4zzEI45K5FDtZcI0hCF2hh-jZFzGZcVqu1Lg4qGbeKwPHs3Mfpm7Sq6wmbgpGVHTGAFCXDMzuLQ5Dvgh-p9nXpBzG4EvyzPyav8cYREHNlzaqQ09BxOiOLnz6H9y8L6LUaJy/s3088/IMG_9529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP-RMAq_RYcdXEmY2aX8TxpAAhmk88u4INzgtPH6fbIEsZselbBjlALjZ4zzEI45K5FDtZcI0hCF2hh-jZFzGZcVqu1Lg4qGbeKwPHs3Mfpm7Sq6wmbgpGVHTGAFCXDMzuLQ5Dvgh-p9nXpBzG4EvyzPyav8cYREHNlzaqQ09BxOiOLnz6H9y8L6LUaJy/s320/IMG_9529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkli9rGQw-V-S8VH2t48i0F5BvstYlrFUZAgZSkLCdCNc96Y3Z6TFwioJrMFS0u_10DDmReBJuBR0iNhU3vrSAUXc5FilAU8JcuFEBk5Uj6uV7L_BHHITN3jxm_Xk_8VW9EhDDHof-aPMfGFW6dvmQOdMXUGIZxE_mHjxtGNilvYsQmJDBQuo4xKlxbtAo/s4032/anniversary%20dinner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkli9rGQw-V-S8VH2t48i0F5BvstYlrFUZAgZSkLCdCNc96Y3Z6TFwioJrMFS0u_10DDmReBJuBR0iNhU3vrSAUXc5FilAU8JcuFEBk5Uj6uV7L_BHHITN3jxm_Xk_8VW9EhDDHof-aPMfGFW6dvmQOdMXUGIZxE_mHjxtGNilvYsQmJDBQuo4xKlxbtAo/w640-h480/anniversary%20dinner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-84618079480329250102023-03-21T18:05:00.000-05:002023-03-21T18:05:24.177-05:00RAMBLINGS ON THE HEARTThe human heart … it’s a muscular organ, about the size of a closed fist and located between the lungs. Its job is to pump blood through our body’s circulatory system. I’ve been thinking about the heart a lot lately, even though we celebrated Valentine’s Day over a month ago. <br /><div class="separator"><p><br />The cute little red heart that shows up on Valentine cards, and has morphed into an emoji to be tacked onto text messages and emails, is widely recognized as a symbol of love. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4GXwLmEJG6r5GvJ8swydQo--qj2IfJr_-QGarCEw-wvLFKNA6y8Ux9v5YgAQcUcQmQpHuvRF2WsI_Q5N9fsKW5gMqRkr6ApgpAI06M5wpt74qRCSwZO35k6gm0k2lhJZqZ9IoeipcAp7y3mN1HKIL7t7JtZxGBDVZ0jB61BFminB8s_sPLLfCBaOWQ/s120/beating%20heart.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="120" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4GXwLmEJG6r5GvJ8swydQo--qj2IfJr_-QGarCEw-wvLFKNA6y8Ux9v5YgAQcUcQmQpHuvRF2WsI_Q5N9fsKW5gMqRkr6ApgpAI06M5wpt74qRCSwZO35k6gm0k2lhJZqZ9IoeipcAp7y3mN1HKIL7t7JtZxGBDVZ0jB61BFminB8s_sPLLfCBaOWQ/s1600/beating%20heart.gif" width="120" /></a></div>The history of that symbol is long and somewhat unclear, but may go back as far as an ancient Indus Valley civilization. <br /><br />I even read that the ancient Romans held a belief that there was a vein they called the <i>vena amores,</i> that ran from the fourth finger of the left hand directly to the heart. Although the anatomy was inaccurate, this belief persisted, and may have been why the wedding ring is traditionally placed on that finger. <p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxDcH9AIJkM3DKrRgTrfpOwVmC3nWQP4ZW0mS9aBSIvtYno8u_U4GGtExKayJQ_gI_AiO-XTjv4K4W4n-_2-1-ZoSKHlPs2VJ9auhxEbTxF-dmaJmWpDaXvimK8aUZ7XvaW69xH6XSFD02CR2sbqmDwz25LqQiwVUYQPqR9L3QPfWF5kHjcv4nn_iLQ/s1543/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-21%20at%203.25.38%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1543" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxDcH9AIJkM3DKrRgTrfpOwVmC3nWQP4ZW0mS9aBSIvtYno8u_U4GGtExKayJQ_gI_AiO-XTjv4K4W4n-_2-1-ZoSKHlPs2VJ9auhxEbTxF-dmaJmWpDaXvimK8aUZ7XvaW69xH6XSFD02CR2sbqmDwz25LqQiwVUYQPqR9L3QPfWF5kHjcv4nn_iLQ/w200-h99/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-21%20at%203.25.38%20PM.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> In more recent history, 1977, to be exact, the heart symbol actually became a <b>verb</b>. That’s when the “I (heart) NY” logo was created to boost morale for a struggling New York City. It caught on, and now we can “heart” anything and anyone. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXzB4gaptWS7-nbo_VI9g6y7KBntMvw0cEZ6XRVvF4Zn_j0hF8Heo8qq17qqEZlgHPhRMUuERY3Ed4fxLW23nObE9n4PoZos9rArKkH5_hGXZ8RixBrvWsrO5EYNWPIypBTppqhLS3JNuRerywqTLt4V8GozEe4__1zet4TNToLjVKhPDAqRvpN15oA/s900/ilny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="900" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXzB4gaptWS7-nbo_VI9g6y7KBntMvw0cEZ6XRVvF4Zn_j0hF8Heo8qq17qqEZlgHPhRMUuERY3Ed4fxLW23nObE9n4PoZos9rArKkH5_hGXZ8RixBrvWsrO5EYNWPIypBTppqhLS3JNuRerywqTLt4V8GozEe4__1zet4TNToLjVKhPDAqRvpN15oA/w200-h199/ilny.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p></div><div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkpdESZy7E6Pt9izU6d3YyYrhaKL1Ve1uYfmvbKlI8krg0CRUreTl_l6VzpcFDhemFNwrqLgd-SJa78zJ8ykFbdX8TrO2GNalAJk9aY-ULWqJsh_3PfADPU8kFc8QkaUR0Pyg5pD5bkEZwHhgHQC2SolQ6Tcj0Fpv5R1WXI6gaOIq_CHwhpwqRvwMRw/s900/my%20corgi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkpdESZy7E6Pt9izU6d3YyYrhaKL1Ve1uYfmvbKlI8krg0CRUreTl_l6VzpcFDhemFNwrqLgd-SJa78zJ8ykFbdX8TrO2GNalAJk9aY-ULWqJsh_3PfADPU8kFc8QkaUR0Pyg5pD5bkEZwHhgHQC2SolQ6Tcj0Fpv5R1WXI6gaOIq_CHwhpwqRvwMRw/w200-h200/my%20corgi.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I’ve
heard that the word “heart” occurs over one thousand times in the
Bible. In most of those scriptures, though not all, it denotes a
person’s center of emotions, intellect, morals and devotion.</div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KY6Aqnjlo001tf4eakwwPCy5EYf2FjcTd3ncVEyoGQRcLgTA8VDA1W8XnAkow6XnJuAS5rujMrXNnEEmtbeHNgIKV2suLSwVbXygX86babLQMTmWn4LvqvM_PqddQ-It3VKXRgp8O6d2H8htWt4K_E6XuMH9BDHUwE8IuX3vkcKskLi7u5sSJJco_Q/s1600/heart%20scripture.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KY6Aqnjlo001tf4eakwwPCy5EYf2FjcTd3ncVEyoGQRcLgTA8VDA1W8XnAkow6XnJuAS5rujMrXNnEEmtbeHNgIKV2suLSwVbXygX86babLQMTmWn4LvqvM_PqddQ-It3VKXRgp8O6d2H8htWt4K_E6XuMH9BDHUwE8IuX3vkcKskLi7u5sSJJco_Q/s320/heart%20scripture.webp" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>As
I’ve mentioned in my blog, before, Dan and I are amateur
astrophotographers. One nebula we’ve imaged is the Heart Nebula. It is
7500 light years away from Earth, and spans an area of the sky that is
four times the diameter of the full moon. It has a companion nebula -
the Soul Nebula - which Dan and I have not yet imaged. Dan tells me that this
pair of nebulae never dips below the horizon - it's always there. That seems
appropriate for something we think of as representing “love.”</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhQ1byWltSipBMRbXOoeCR5ecoNKWGNM8or05YxjjrW7_k03SBfY6fVFTc4HXMVRTZvDMJn_0mk7qGfcaGOlFyrrA_WQwSi54s2SXgHL6U5SmXxEZe7yR7Z77Vs1eTGgKtS2WUJGURr376iZJVKvpIpYT_uUtvY9gTmUYZC2huvZn1moapcoBxrgk0Q/s5496/heart%20nebula%20today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="5496" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhQ1byWltSipBMRbXOoeCR5ecoNKWGNM8or05YxjjrW7_k03SBfY6fVFTc4HXMVRTZvDMJn_0mk7qGfcaGOlFyrrA_WQwSi54s2SXgHL6U5SmXxEZe7yR7Z77Vs1eTGgKtS2WUJGURr376iZJVKvpIpYT_uUtvY9gTmUYZC2huvZn1moapcoBxrgk0Q/w400-h268/heart%20nebula%20today.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>So, why am I so preoccupied with the heart these days?<br /><br />On
Tuesday, March 14, Dan went into the Baylor Scott & White Hospital
(BSW), here in Temple, for an aortic valve replacement. This was
accomplished through a procedure known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve
Replacement (TAVR), which means that he did not have to have open-heart
surgery. Although this was the less-invasive way to have the valve
replaced, it was still a major procedure. <br /><br />Dan spent two nights
in the hospital following the TAVR, and came home on Thursday, the 16th,
wearing a temporary, external heart monitor, due to the possibility of “heart block” following this kind of procedure. He was
doing well until Saturday morning, when he was complaining of lack of
energy and feeling “off.” Around 1:30 that afternoon the heart monitor
company contacted him, which resulted in him calling the BSW Patient
Advisory Nurse. She stayed on the line with him for about a half-hour,
and determined his heart rate was in the 35 beats/minute range … way too
low! So she sent him to the ER. We were taken back immediately, and an
EKG verified he was in heart block. What that meant was that the heart’s
electrical signals were not passing between the upper part of the heart
and the lower part. Therefore the heartbeat was erratic.<br /><br />Because
of that, Dan was readmitted to the hospital and, the next day (Sunday)
went back into the OR to receive a pacemaker. That second procedure was
successful, and Dan’s heart, once again was beating properly. He stayed
another night in the hospital, and on Monday, came home again, with a
monitor that would send heartbeat data back to his medical team. <br /><br />We have been blessed, throughout this past week, with an
outpouring of love and assistance from our church family. Six friends
sat and visited with me at the hospital on Tuesday, for the initial surgery. Others sent cards, visited at Dan’s bedside, brought food or
took me out to eat. Prayers were raised from, an "army" of
people. <br /><br />Dan is still recovering. It will be a couple weeks, probably, before he’s back to normal, but he’ll get there, with God’s help. Thank you, everyone, for the love you've shown us. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW5SNhGVzTeBGyAcr9VawIxWj_VhC_wQKk77MGXTSTWhLfCGRw6YFYphaZb8hgMRQl2aKLrayK-74nkoykF6QcWAkp-b1V55jOkRb7mSr8CbmCW9MqyRe6RcqUCpIDmytj50N_GkqTzly2rqNKpyMpGKzWYEszSo6geqP6hlFRJz614krbNjE-KE4wA/s2000/heart%20hands.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW5SNhGVzTeBGyAcr9VawIxWj_VhC_wQKk77MGXTSTWhLfCGRw6YFYphaZb8hgMRQl2aKLrayK-74nkoykF6QcWAkp-b1V55jOkRb7mSr8CbmCW9MqyRe6RcqUCpIDmytj50N_GkqTzly2rqNKpyMpGKzWYEszSo6geqP6hlFRJz614krbNjE-KE4wA/s320/heart%20hands.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><br /><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-6101786155217401512023-03-01T11:03:00.001-06:002023-03-01T16:34:57.727-06:00Valentine's Day, Dinner in Waco, One More Astro Shot<p><b>VALENTINE'S DAY<br /></b></p><p>We were invited, this year, to a Valentine's banquet, which featured a "Not-so-newlywed Game." It was held in the fellowship room at church, and hosted by Cindy and Buddy, and Lori and Glenn. Couples dropped their names in a bucket upon arriving, for a chance at being a contestant in the game, and Dan and I were one of the four couples selected!</p><p>Buddy played the part of the gameshow host, dressed in outrageous '70s attire (toupee and all!). Here's a photo of the host of the original Newlywed Game, Bob Eubanks, and our own decked-out host, Buddy.</p><p> <img alt="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/b0/b0/f6b0b01ab4ed70ac35b23dc7ca603fd5.jpg" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/b0/b0/f6b0b01ab4ed70ac35b23dc7ca603fd5.jpg" width="260" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lS6Z76PxDn7anG7blGL1hRsjmcyE2Y9jJad-ai_Sn-0pcgD6FcbhRnr3gAeGHjYJvoKVk_LNd7NYSyGmrMXp3LK_Z1E68QKGpqsPF9RK6U0ulya-nMB76Quj7nzBWKbRpW_svRC88yD3aUM9bGXUVdU1QL3qTt2d0ytAQtybkU1aVu2nv3jtUIKkUQ/s2408/buddy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2408" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lS6Z76PxDn7anG7blGL1hRsjmcyE2Y9jJad-ai_Sn-0pcgD6FcbhRnr3gAeGHjYJvoKVk_LNd7NYSyGmrMXp3LK_Z1E68QKGpqsPF9RK6U0ulya-nMB76Quj7nzBWKbRpW_svRC88yD3aUM9bGXUVdU1QL3qTt2d0ytAQtybkU1aVu2nv3jtUIKkUQ/w141-h400/buddy.jpg" width="141" /></a></p><p>At the end of the rounds, Dan and I were tied with another couple. After two tie-breaker questions, we were still tied. To break the tie, a point was given for the couple married the longest. The other couple had been married 54 years, while we were only at 53. We lost, but since the prize wasn't an all-expense paid vacation to the South Pacific (or anything like that), we weren't too sad.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrmKsnVD7--9vRKdR5n8Mj7mCefEMpI6_WETTXqdsyhnP_CHs-EVAk9oshrWA4xWcre4lFi9M02J7-9sSo5_K3ZE6DnixMBu1zGSGMeWiC4JMI1vO_wR8p1tzkt7zKrnq0s-J-dy8RduzWG7sjKnK949dcLB5tVlcOHTOjWLBzTgaZn7iR4hvT0Vnow/s4032/IMG_9215.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrmKsnVD7--9vRKdR5n8Mj7mCefEMpI6_WETTXqdsyhnP_CHs-EVAk9oshrWA4xWcre4lFi9M02J7-9sSo5_K3ZE6DnixMBu1zGSGMeWiC4JMI1vO_wR8p1tzkt7zKrnq0s-J-dy8RduzWG7sjKnK949dcLB5tVlcOHTOjWLBzTgaZn7iR4hvT0Vnow/w480-h640/IMG_9215.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>DINNER IN WACO</p><p>Last Thursday we drove to Waco to have dinner. Thursday is, traditionally, our "date night," but we often just grab a quick bite somewhere close to home. Last week we decided to get out of town and try an Italian restaurant that Dan had discovered on-line, called Portofino's. We were pleasantly surprised. It was a very nice place to eat, right downtown, on Austin Street, across from the historic Hippodrome Theatre. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZReIXsuRoW0Yw1VtDFmdU0sfslrLxNOxOu8QIEK0xY2pPx56QbWgzZru7ZVCAilIqj3MwFr8hERtXULjp1UFE_08Vaj87XsJT2BS2Qgu8KagVGmCQaKbLPjJr5vZ2yxr44j04I7E_jHZjjispmgpPlgS7QiRT27u5Oc6Sc_KEjDFsP6jdFxlO5M-SQ/s3272/portofinos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2231" data-original-width="3272" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZReIXsuRoW0Yw1VtDFmdU0sfslrLxNOxOu8QIEK0xY2pPx56QbWgzZru7ZVCAilIqj3MwFr8hERtXULjp1UFE_08Vaj87XsJT2BS2Qgu8KagVGmCQaKbLPjJr5vZ2yxr44j04I7E_jHZjjispmgpPlgS7QiRT27u5Oc6Sc_KEjDFsP6jdFxlO5M-SQ/w640-h436/portofinos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Right next to the theatre is the Green Door Lofts (Magnolia Lofts). The classy renovation of these lofts was featured on Chip and Joanna Gaines' Fixer Upper show. What caught my eye was the beautiful, namesake green door.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOsC2Zak4dcGdTKgwrOINZd3lQuLcQtbzUzfbN2dZ2c3VV7uD7-X87kLcZNBBBTgPVdme0WFa9Qbm-qDUexYQ2iWNmzpb3IItjyP5frVOlRkmRbcaBFh_DBe0jukKZ09EK2-dBjtFGNUZHzTKsYkDripxWKJkqguRsUX_wpoSQtuiE-PvbicMB9rj4w/s3844/Waco%20Door.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3844" data-original-width="2545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOsC2Zak4dcGdTKgwrOINZd3lQuLcQtbzUzfbN2dZ2c3VV7uD7-X87kLcZNBBBTgPVdme0WFa9Qbm-qDUexYQ2iWNmzpb3IItjyP5frVOlRkmRbcaBFh_DBe0jukKZ09EK2-dBjtFGNUZHzTKsYkDripxWKJkqguRsUX_wpoSQtuiE-PvbicMB9rj4w/w424-h640/Waco%20Door.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><p>ONE MORE ASTRO SHOT</p><p>Monday night Dan and I were able to take one more astro shot from our backyard. This is known as the Great Orion Nebula. This nebula can be found (sometimes with the
unaided eye) just below and to the left of the
belt of three stars in the constellation Orion. To the naked eye, it appears as a small glowing "smudge." We had imaged the Great Orion Nebula once before, but hadn't gotten the focus right. This time, we were happier with the outcome.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl6iP9kHBYbfr4a3tq4kHyMdhN8C8YMYIjvy7F76tXaP22zilsKuu8yp20X5_m282EPUjhOBhezYv0aMM_zULFSiHJ4KNk9o5WVBuPOsgqbNA0rHEqoXGcg4Td3lz_T3iZJLyOCVbUFL_NDnxl3ofblwRSp_ljSbPc89327B9xi68jhRI78yFC_hChQ/s3563/orion%20nebula.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3563" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl6iP9kHBYbfr4a3tq4kHyMdhN8C8YMYIjvy7F76tXaP22zilsKuu8yp20X5_m282EPUjhOBhezYv0aMM_zULFSiHJ4KNk9o5WVBuPOsgqbNA0rHEqoXGcg4Td3lz_T3iZJLyOCVbUFL_NDnxl3ofblwRSp_ljSbPc89327B9xi68jhRI78yFC_hChQ/w640-h454/orion%20nebula.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-87009087868297341952023-02-06T11:22:00.001-06:002023-02-06T11:22:13.146-06:00A Couple of Recent Astro Photos<p>We finally got back to shooting the skies, once again, in the past couple weeks. Here are two of the photos we took and processed. This first one is called the Horsehead Nebula. If you look closely, you'll see the dark horsehead at the base of the larger red nebula. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA-lUFbriNVnSd3AH2JOhPuv8rNTNd0P5JI5Wg2amKYWkCMUf-AZNlhiyv6L_YbPdwdpzhV3a5P21Z2nDrkIjc7TldOH40w6ydXZW5A0ZC8HTXBD4Sq4SI7CBNk-SXHY_D1l9SV1ET8GIXNV-nuKz9-b9eRWyH31dFyn-vo43iv91tPpx59USaWU78w/s5496/edited%20in%20affinity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="5496" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA-lUFbriNVnSd3AH2JOhPuv8rNTNd0P5JI5Wg2amKYWkCMUf-AZNlhiyv6L_YbPdwdpzhV3a5P21Z2nDrkIjc7TldOH40w6ydXZW5A0ZC8HTXBD4Sq4SI7CBNk-SXHY_D1l9SV1ET8GIXNV-nuKz9-b9eRWyH31dFyn-vo43iv91tPpx59USaWU78w/w640-h428/edited%20in%20affinity.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>And last night we shot this one ... the Rosette Nebula. We were surprised that we got as good a shot as this, considering the sky was lit by a full moon. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPbff05zNDUFmZav_J2yrnQhCbJrt13s6sOkqFqPz0e4RWQHfl35PmiR7SqpvP5GUC6-koM-OHEHJpB4QDr0vWChbSMcL4w9Jc2UWpjCK65sts5C9Bj69K-CMQthD8LyjpKbkq5ePG5kaR9GJoCjNs93V8ewJNHT_y35OgdbeHEDHv6ZCiQHrB0dZKw/s5496/Rosette%20edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="5496" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPbff05zNDUFmZav_J2yrnQhCbJrt13s6sOkqFqPz0e4RWQHfl35PmiR7SqpvP5GUC6-koM-OHEHJpB4QDr0vWChbSMcL4w9Jc2UWpjCK65sts5C9Bj69K-CMQthD8LyjpKbkq5ePG5kaR9GJoCjNs93V8ewJNHT_y35OgdbeHEDHv6ZCiQHrB0dZKw/w640-h428/Rosette%20edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-24518458932733715712023-02-02T09:48:00.003-06:002023-02-02T09:48:52.861-06:00Wintery Weather<p>We've had a winter storm pass through over the past few days. It came as a reminder that it truly is WINTER (but was nothing compared to our <a href="http://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-winter-storm-of-2021-you-might-say.html" target="_blank">February ice storm of 2021</a>.) The temperatures hovered just under freezing, the roads were icy, and the trees and shrubs were glazed with ice. Wednesday evening church service had to be cancelled, but it's looking like Sunday will be back to our normal Central Texas, mild, winter weather.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleeO9zr_-iPLCz4mVXc_nt8Q8WbQj2ot2u8CqR71L_3gQ6p_2DdkFfAlftvVindT0fvzudj9QE-jQ9azQfvuubl_GSXI36wFT9NqXM9kTlCVIUEluieCyHO3dpqTdr_VuAjgu5kaLNDDeGP_Q2QMFArZGh4Z0aaj2M-a-9gBdS_srE4XUBaGdcSXqvQ/s4032/IMG_9159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleeO9zr_-iPLCz4mVXc_nt8Q8WbQj2ot2u8CqR71L_3gQ6p_2DdkFfAlftvVindT0fvzudj9QE-jQ9azQfvuubl_GSXI36wFT9NqXM9kTlCVIUEluieCyHO3dpqTdr_VuAjgu5kaLNDDeGP_Q2QMFArZGh4Z0aaj2M-a-9gBdS_srE4XUBaGdcSXqvQ/w640-h480/IMG_9159.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWdO8rWjAjooadPleJpNqqXPkDujQn3H6uHG-VdQScIFnv8HfcxF7Y4X1QJhcrCytdGUun0MVffs7Oe6IuVMz2zjrhy4WkdfS4MIiOJF98FtEi5-d_oBPNg72gbC4ucEQDf3zJE756i4ncwhgpNDJvTRmmNWlRkka2yh1iJh3Pz-9Srkl_LHJYpBOwg/s3831/big%20oak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="3831" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWdO8rWjAjooadPleJpNqqXPkDujQn3H6uHG-VdQScIFnv8HfcxF7Y4X1QJhcrCytdGUun0MVffs7Oe6IuVMz2zjrhy4WkdfS4MIiOJF98FtEi5-d_oBPNg72gbC4ucEQDf3zJE756i4ncwhgpNDJvTRmmNWlRkka2yh1iJh3Pz-9Srkl_LHJYpBOwg/w640-h400/big%20oak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFziDIfa2hLsDp27WfLKkM5lwRxP2Koxm2cuEL1elF63aQtTx5pxvf7fC3xKXhjapPC1APdoddxdMxdN_tl1chn8qaKSlZ4hmr38qQ2iAe6Qutq2Uqmk1I_K5R26OosJJiLQvOOj4qsm3yEi_RPT4zedbZRdSl1wWOBuFyhn-YwnBcq16lTU4NsURgA/s3329/crepe%20myrtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2533" data-original-width="3329" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFziDIfa2hLsDp27WfLKkM5lwRxP2Koxm2cuEL1elF63aQtTx5pxvf7fC3xKXhjapPC1APdoddxdMxdN_tl1chn8qaKSlZ4hmr38qQ2iAe6Qutq2Uqmk1I_K5R26OosJJiLQvOOj4qsm3yEi_RPT4zedbZRdSl1wWOBuFyhn-YwnBcq16lTU4NsURgA/w640-h486/crepe%20myrtle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-73918352192250580382023-02-02T09:39:00.003-06:002023-02-02T09:49:28.026-06:00George and I Each Turn a Year OlderOur friend,George, and I have birthdays close together in January, so the four of us - George and Twilla, Dan and I - usually celebrate the two birthdays together, with a dinner out and birthday cake at one of our houses. This year we dined at Longhorn Steak House, and went to George and Twilla's for cake. I brought along the new game that Chris and Kelsey gave me for Christmas, called Azul, and we played it after feasting on the delicious poppy seed cake that Twilla made for us. You might notice the candles read "71" and "74." George is the youngster.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MyKBUZkvLOPR9OG7OLvqYiDmaTvYha4BjV1l3fPtoVWnIHObT8SS7YLP4fdcXICWD4CrHveKRoPt7Bf8FNbvOpwlopbugUmctClvolabM743gnf8xk5FS06pdRkgCdjA3RRaZmwen4NLovxqOJi-50ZeNvP5ErAvt_U2M_BDmqetRQG38J2P_fXDqQ/s1024/IMG_2200.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MyKBUZkvLOPR9OG7OLvqYiDmaTvYha4BjV1l3fPtoVWnIHObT8SS7YLP4fdcXICWD4CrHveKRoPt7Bf8FNbvOpwlopbugUmctClvolabM743gnf8xk5FS06pdRkgCdjA3RRaZmwen4NLovxqOJi-50ZeNvP5ErAvt_U2M_BDmqetRQG38J2P_fXDqQ/s600/IMG_2200.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpeZX-1S0ZM0-_jH4oAFH5siQ8474i6PSI3Rz-uWCCNc8mLi-ZajhJQ85N2pMWfVhmeWRpGG3o49JMBm2bFqrpPvn02pyt3jMdi2vh2nfeCINvzIFJIs4O3RDxH4WbpKVuVDYY--8Dvao-sJEEBkLCVrVN8hXLWLxHynT_JIaiP2FUhWiRorZ0nbbOA/s1280/IMG_2201.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpeZX-1S0ZM0-_jH4oAFH5siQ8474i6PSI3Rz-uWCCNc8mLi-ZajhJQ85N2pMWfVhmeWRpGG3o49JMBm2bFqrpPvn02pyt3jMdi2vh2nfeCINvzIFJIs4O3RDxH4WbpKVuVDYY--8Dvao-sJEEBkLCVrVN8hXLWLxHynT_JIaiP2FUhWiRorZ0nbbOA/s600/IMG_2201.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-84501656092003904052023-01-11T12:35:00.001-06:002023-01-13T08:45:45.671-06:00Christmas 2022<p>Christmas 2022 was spent with the Houston Judds. Tim drove all the way from Albuquerque to be with us, making it perfect, with our whole little flock together for the holiday. I rode with Tim from Temple to Houston, and back again, since I knew the route. That gave me a lot of one-on-one time to visit with him. Dan drove by himself, in the Tesla.</p><p>Tim drove back to Albuquerque on December 28, and a few days later Dan and I saw in the new year, in a quiet and uneventful way.</p><p>Here are a few photos from our time in Houston.</p><p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOn2ELtOpTW9Sye5ht0FR7sop1Kf42FqPZH-J44kK0R45g2Pn5fhva7WULNXcBR7MB1T3SbSHl0ei3-LbDJrkSIf7FEGn9nNTamYFI-cl93leh3sJgIFur4fYWLWJQ0ZxLnP97cSd5Rl6olE4oGnRdNF5VTQ82hn_duT4zUQj2U0U9WMCZfkfvBo3lQ/s4032/IMG_9055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOn2ELtOpTW9Sye5ht0FR7sop1Kf42FqPZH-J44kK0R45g2Pn5fhva7WULNXcBR7MB1T3SbSHl0ei3-LbDJrkSIf7FEGn9nNTamYFI-cl93leh3sJgIFur4fYWLWJQ0ZxLnP97cSd5Rl6olE4oGnRdNF5VTQ82hn_duT4zUQj2U0U9WMCZfkfvBo3lQ/w300-h400/IMG_9055.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim and Chris, working together to build Chris' new desktop computer on Christmas Eve.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzdg3-y5sOqLBeSR4MqzjeV8yrjWioyqFh5A_eryt7zcv78TGijMbFVzudfvt5fs0Uj4YwTAUYb7IEqvr9uM1OE_ZVXpwr0vb64sRg_rltBcU1fcA9nH8WErXxydQgFr101cLtKHXtgtfPWBbK4ayPFBoHgbVdB5ETQscWWYU-Bdt7I_D5rxHqA7qKQ/s1350/image000000%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1086" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzdg3-y5sOqLBeSR4MqzjeV8yrjWioyqFh5A_eryt7zcv78TGijMbFVzudfvt5fs0Uj4YwTAUYb7IEqvr9uM1OE_ZVXpwr0vb64sRg_rltBcU1fcA9nH8WErXxydQgFr101cLtKHXtgtfPWBbK4ayPFBoHgbVdB5ETQscWWYU-Bdt7I_D5rxHqA7qKQ/w321-h400/image000000%202.JPG" width="321" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two teens, Clara and Robert!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCg2fn2Q02ze5ecxQgrqKUFrTHkBG8U_JVClSjjPeWnLtm4UlKRFY8cXmwO1U8DfakvN5EhSPy2FyHV-YdhS0bV76wRo86K_RKC8Exc1yv4BPgcdYvGA_jmKcLr-jfqBYcDotAL7o3MNO8XemGOZ-ElsAAZ8XlrfMnNnZ455MUtIbJT5NSsnyLZkqFQ/s2048/image000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCg2fn2Q02ze5ecxQgrqKUFrTHkBG8U_JVClSjjPeWnLtm4UlKRFY8cXmwO1U8DfakvN5EhSPy2FyHV-YdhS0bV76wRo86K_RKC8Exc1yv4BPgcdYvGA_jmKcLr-jfqBYcDotAL7o3MNO8XemGOZ-ElsAAZ8XlrfMnNnZ455MUtIbJT5NSsnyLZkqFQ/w400-h300/image000000.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelsey and Chris<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGFNmIEEqmJKZRz1qrvlkGNeytxpQqAWCq_eZhBx6fIgINGIKFtVvKRSwiyIVS4qPysB4GZ-OlPqPern1N-TuVHX6eLA_oxuK9awnCRlrk_aVk0992dYPksmXejkkXoRAqHfzFDxYLa1HMmzq3aweYDug8E344LeTHtyjsfmIz-Q-DsUIuLjev5WkFA/s1448/image000001%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1448" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGFNmIEEqmJKZRz1qrvlkGNeytxpQqAWCq_eZhBx6fIgINGIKFtVvKRSwiyIVS4qPysB4GZ-OlPqPern1N-TuVHX6eLA_oxuK9awnCRlrk_aVk0992dYPksmXejkkXoRAqHfzFDxYLa1HMmzq3aweYDug8E344LeTHtyjsfmIz-Q-DsUIuLjev5WkFA/w640-h474/image000001%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma and Grandpa, with the grands<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2B6UD6K2Ix4oIxr2p1U6w0BZf0ufhFFSql4LyFmpk1s82_gxFFXryMyCSEkFjVAsSK266wdBa2bQOW47UMR1cYjDMAIuFi-dpFYURc77Vsg-C5l-2Z9QK6td_8ttaiL_vXzp6RBaKhGqwafQtcJehqZFmlqGVfN4mVCTYjqvFsKhJ_586FeTdbJCqQ/s1448/image000002.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2B6UD6K2Ix4oIxr2p1U6w0BZf0ufhFFSql4LyFmpk1s82_gxFFXryMyCSEkFjVAsSK266wdBa2bQOW47UMR1cYjDMAIuFi-dpFYURc77Vsg-C5l-2Z9QK6td_8ttaiL_vXzp6RBaKhGqwafQtcJehqZFmlqGVfN4mVCTYjqvFsKhJ_586FeTdbJCqQ/w400-h300/image000002.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and me<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JRVtrtlrFh6T8ZE0CPvg-kQsFtqKZ4xCxC4Z7tprAOsZbyxRlzRPMmL8Y7VrJm4sTCZkZLd1FY9SjjRgkheU_MRAVB83z6B_Y33FltYrbhb5yftbZZLRqrAZscwaPXPFB8FnzS-edJI7MP6L-b5jCF0a6hH3WluxYLM3IDaHE0F354LJ_Lt2DifHMA/s1448/image000003.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1086" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JRVtrtlrFh6T8ZE0CPvg-kQsFtqKZ4xCxC4Z7tprAOsZbyxRlzRPMmL8Y7VrJm4sTCZkZLd1FY9SjjRgkheU_MRAVB83z6B_Y33FltYrbhb5yftbZZLRqrAZscwaPXPFB8FnzS-edJI7MP6L-b5jCF0a6hH3WluxYLM3IDaHE0F354LJ_Lt2DifHMA/w480-h640/image000003.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert and Clara<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFghAx7yjcComBq-CTdjQIK25363HgcIsKY7ZhY5GXj8OvssydaEbu14M4V7E1W7yFkqB9X11xqwc9G54SN3WLZZ292eCc3UI8d2hTmJDiS5W6QxlV61kbv4owFNfrR3XkBt_a8paRgZ-ue0O1tYxxYnKPdcJEo_Ve5tGWA6CL_2gODf4KUbja3_PrCA/s4032/IMG_9067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFghAx7yjcComBq-CTdjQIK25363HgcIsKY7ZhY5GXj8OvssydaEbu14M4V7E1W7yFkqB9X11xqwc9G54SN3WLZZ292eCc3UI8d2hTmJDiS5W6QxlV61kbv4owFNfrR3XkBt_a8paRgZ-ue0O1tYxxYnKPdcJEo_Ve5tGWA6CL_2gODf4KUbja3_PrCA/w640-h480/IMG_9067.JPG" width="640" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen crew, making Monkey Bread for Christmas breakfast - Robert, Kelsey & Clara<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFglHJq0oPrq5_owytJ76uKUXsaWTqpdf29xM7ieRxT7PrxaoQCvwaY6Rug7ivdU-1WHcU046qiedejz8qB7cH2ejef6ESOnIKfSiWeDlJbuqmK_QnUq5owLc6zDqB5BYLXR8KU1azDPFXaPByGTlNJp8V1uvIgf33K_BvZk3ZZvgUwSEiDsIXxbMDNQ/s4032/IMG_9082%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFglHJq0oPrq5_owytJ76uKUXsaWTqpdf29xM7ieRxT7PrxaoQCvwaY6Rug7ivdU-1WHcU046qiedejz8qB7cH2ejef6ESOnIKfSiWeDlJbuqmK_QnUq5owLc6zDqB5BYLXR8KU1azDPFXaPByGTlNJp8V1uvIgf33K_BvZk3ZZvgUwSEiDsIXxbMDNQ/w300-h400/IMG_9082%202.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelsey with her new charcuterie board set</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVhdQp-txQNJ2_tu_JJNuqDnr9kIcBa3VxjVJoNYwAjgiD9nkoAHLQdu2ZAr1PZFLXH3sPR5gDBOjqxvQxzp2p4wY72hsHwOF5voyMicD4u8X8SPJjeqc3cLfP5UFOItLByHOGpKoX3tCytrIGXpuboYJUAw073pP3beZaWJmCtzwSQpI3d3sDd9bfQ/s4032/IMG_9076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaVhdQp-txQNJ2_tu_JJNuqDnr9kIcBa3VxjVJoNYwAjgiD9nkoAHLQdu2ZAr1PZFLXH3sPR5gDBOjqxvQxzp2p4wY72hsHwOF5voyMicD4u8X8SPJjeqc3cLfP5UFOItLByHOGpKoX3tCytrIGXpuboYJUAw073pP3beZaWJmCtzwSQpI3d3sDd9bfQ/w480-h640/IMG_9076.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Houston Judds<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom6DOmaaEw_-752e9uUv3_pE4gn79Nn5KXa5uJ9eCY4MAN0p8hkfJ4KQmW0N5WBNnyXF4GF482Wt4XG2SlbMs8iKPr3oGbOF39qUPOj__oAEDiMGpKRR1TysiJcpOhY0P2__jp6Vu6-Kv9SsXGpkOh_ottJkqKp0hWhDxVvB4mNnRgU38NN-eMr6EqQ/s3157/family%20picture%20edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="3157" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom6DOmaaEw_-752e9uUv3_pE4gn79Nn5KXa5uJ9eCY4MAN0p8hkfJ4KQmW0N5WBNnyXF4GF482Wt4XG2SlbMs8iKPr3oGbOF39qUPOj__oAEDiMGpKRR1TysiJcpOhY0P2__jp6Vu6-Kv9SsXGpkOh_ottJkqKp0hWhDxVvB4mNnRgU38NN-eMr6EqQ/w640-h462/family%20picture%20edited.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picture - minus Tim. He got confused about the time, and didn't get there for the photo shoot.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3aiasABWINH_zHHYbojq52GgsYiNMJ9wLqb_2TIVvkDgjXEvbRqMSQh4cP4iGEC1CzGooaiukbcgv2hclJ-HSaw28wr9K8GvCAaamKqDcMv09RHIvkh16Hb016o5rF18HJUBp9ZWiLiTu6Jo8-GkTQQz-_2XCEWLXeq4FMgQx8oguBSDhcnSLMifJw/s1067/IMG_9129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1067" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3aiasABWINH_zHHYbojq52GgsYiNMJ9wLqb_2TIVvkDgjXEvbRqMSQh4cP4iGEC1CzGooaiukbcgv2hclJ-HSaw28wr9K8GvCAaamKqDcMv09RHIvkh16Hb016o5rF18HJUBp9ZWiLiTu6Jo8-GkTQQz-_2XCEWLXeq4FMgQx8oguBSDhcnSLMifJw/w640-h480/IMG_9129.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But here he is, as we were opening presents on Christmas morning.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>And not to forget the four-legged members of the family, here are pictures of Thor, Clara's sweet-but-a-little-bit-crazy corgi; and Robert's new pet, Zephyr, a bearded dragon.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2U0zS8Zn94k7xHdNHrdLWB2B7dy9ymARCgMhS5OYqeiV5RKl7E9Cuwl2I8H0xVSjj6asNuXHz-fjoCcbRhI8R8KXLTfUGD_7R7YWbmFsuumWyVWh1KpHLDACAP13xZagcjQxmJ0RMUTWCPAOGXmM66yVfDvn9eEKXd6jzhgcok0-GnPjKUzCpZz7AA/w300-h400/IMG_9061.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thor</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2U0zS8Zn94k7xHdNHrdLWB2B7dy9ymARCgMhS5OYqeiV5RKl7E9Cuwl2I8H0xVSjj6asNuXHz-fjoCcbRhI8R8KXLTfUGD_7R7YWbmFsuumWyVWh1KpHLDACAP13xZagcjQxmJ0RMUTWCPAOGXmM66yVfDvn9eEKXd6jzhgcok0-GnPjKUzCpZz7AA/s4032/IMG_9061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oFS8dIyqlbljyVNox-5M4uvg9oLgdJGH3lmRbcErfRbP1ZEc5aVYA4UpyxSbwEHb3wW9pD5OdeLn9KtaE_bp8UjiHKo6QP8n6SCUr8ip_cdp3Jv1HxdW1lBKUEvwFKljCGD4tIHWCV8ZC75dyE9SwsI883VZp1OtUFE4BRo3J5XQj0Z8eZ6rbc9Djg/s4032/IMG_9059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oFS8dIyqlbljyVNox-5M4uvg9oLgdJGH3lmRbcErfRbP1ZEc5aVYA4UpyxSbwEHb3wW9pD5OdeLn9KtaE_bp8UjiHKo6QP8n6SCUr8ip_cdp3Jv1HxdW1lBKUEvwFKljCGD4tIHWCV8ZC75dyE9SwsI883VZp1OtUFE4BRo3J5XQj0Z8eZ6rbc9Djg/w400-h300/IMG_9059.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zephyr</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-57560167789539116172022-09-24T13:54:00.002-05:002022-10-10T19:22:50.490-05:00The New Tesla<p>Dan took delivery on his new Tesla on Tuesday. Our friend, George, drove him to Austin, where he picked it up, and then he drove it home to Temple. He's having a lot of fun with it. I plan to get behind the wheel soon, myself, but want to test it out in an empty parking lot before I take it for a road test.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKuia3c_SBm9v2qTm1eQpZn1m9V9IbwDTYuoPFHahaoFwJ4eKYGfyazQs7jDjN9itallCFOWnqoowgNNPfPChrArjZJINXwcyQFr-mYoDm9EfEAf6L8UJ3xhRW8uqe5fYMP2SPqjcXT06t0F25QwRjkbBqZZ6LyN9xajse6nc502ZREBJSRdvvoELgw/s4032/TeslaRossa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKuia3c_SBm9v2qTm1eQpZn1m9V9IbwDTYuoPFHahaoFwJ4eKYGfyazQs7jDjN9itallCFOWnqoowgNNPfPChrArjZJINXwcyQFr-mYoDm9EfEAf6L8UJ3xhRW8uqe5fYMP2SPqjcXT06t0F25QwRjkbBqZZ6LyN9xajse6nc502ZREBJSRdvvoELgw/w640-h480/TeslaRossa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-55549305354121116962022-09-23T14:04:00.000-05:002022-09-23T14:04:34.441-05:00Implantable Loop Recorder<p>One of the follow-up appointments, after my stroke, came on Monday, September 12. It was for the implantation of an Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR). It was a simple procedure, where the doctor numbed a portion of my left chest area, made a small incision and inserted an device (the ILR). The photo below is of a to-scale model of the device, that the company representative, who was there to program the device, gave to me. It is about 1/8" thick.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGud9s273EI0xc6spce1UajUw5Okn7xlMMrfvGTPtiwkzKbLyB2L2bgqfgtpoqR5WSdsA29eCigzbC0CPox2EGklWi5fLucZ0YwctTiUhToH-pWuqB2RoCkif2UKreZyhWbq_iOOh0yUPddkvWOcNolCziD3lQ2lVAsHis-tiKF_BHsEf5knY4PkVGw/s4032/ILR1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGud9s273EI0xc6spce1UajUw5Okn7xlMMrfvGTPtiwkzKbLyB2L2bgqfgtpoqR5WSdsA29eCigzbC0CPox2EGklWi5fLucZ0YwctTiUhToH-pWuqB2RoCkif2UKreZyhWbq_iOOh0yUPddkvWOcNolCziD3lQ2lVAsHis-tiKF_BHsEf5knY4PkVGw/w640-h480/ILR1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzw6cQKFJQ_KbWKIK7hq2JeQrAoK0qFGQ-XGH8VwiPFfg3FdqKI7U31UHQm92JlH_cuVxlczKJx7I86W0GMiZLXLbYRgEbcHFznhTePV1pw1RLCZtspPohiazraKL0ewT-d53offfim0QNgJshWyCr2TWz1aMCOYfuEC_sjkOqGf1WrITfOsUZByYbbw/s4032/ILR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzw6cQKFJQ_KbWKIK7hq2JeQrAoK0qFGQ-XGH8VwiPFfg3FdqKI7U31UHQm92JlH_cuVxlczKJx7I86W0GMiZLXLbYRgEbcHFznhTePV1pw1RLCZtspPohiazraKL0ewT-d53offfim0QNgJshWyCr2TWz1aMCOYfuEC_sjkOqGf1WrITfOsUZByYbbw/w640-h480/ILR2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></div><p>The purpose of my hospital stay was to undergo various tests to try to determine the cause of the stroke, but no cause was identified during those three days. One common cause of a stroke is a blood clot. The purpose of this ILR is to continuously record my heart rhythm and electronically send to the doctor any arrhythmia it records, since certain types of arrhythmia can cause blood clots. The battery in this device is good for close to 5 years, according to the company that produces them, and I will probably be host to it for that long. </p><p>The only down-side to the ILR is that it communicates, by Bluetooth, through an app on my iPhone, which I must have turned on and near me at all times, 24 hours a day. When I see the doctor, next week, who will be running a check on the device, I will ask him how strict I need to be about that.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-82695991498386951362022-09-23T10:05:00.005-05:002022-09-23T10:07:42.275-05:00The Great Escape<p>Way back in May, for Mother's Day, Chris, Kelsey, Clara and Robert sent me a gift certificate for five people to participate in an escape adventure at Great Escape of Central Texas, in Killeen. I rounded up four friends to join me in this exploit, and scheduled it for July 29. The escape room that I chose was "The Lost Tomb of Anubis," (an ancient Egyptian tomb). </p><p>Of course, if you've read <a href="https://lindaswindow.blogspot.com/2022/07/hospital-stay.html">my previous post</a>, you know that I had a stroke on July 26. During my hospital stay, I was determined not to cancel our up-coming, fun girls' day. After all, I kept telling myself and everyone else, the stroke didn't leave me with any on-going symptoms. However, once I was released from the hospital, a great fatigue set in, and I had to admit that I wasn't up to escaping an Egyptian tomb! I called Great Escape and they were so accommodating about letting me cancel with a full refund. A couple weeks later, I rescheduled our same team for Friday, September 2.</p><p>The five of us - Kay, Jan, Amanda, Stephanie and I - met for lunch at Clem Mikeska's and then car-pooled to Killeen. We had one hour to try to escape the tomb, and though we came VERY close ... we failed. It really didn't matter, though, because we had such fun working together in trying to solve all of the puzzles. </p><p>I probably never would have done something like this, had it not been for that Mother's Day gift from my kids and grands. So a big "thank you" definitely goes out to them. 💕<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhMs8vyebhGE_u6xx6kmoNyDLfMzFitMEPXhvwOV_Tvld2UbNjYCG_jOE77gE9q6pIvpg8CUUvqa6bW6F5Bi1EjOtSJ3PlpnrICNIzVqFrtJC1B-kwtu4GOADuMIr6bO4u5p1jeL6m419X6HskBMwInCyudF-rNjdKPPymyQ5Nw_Q1js_6DOTb612gg/s2000/Good%20photo%20of%20team.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHhMs8vyebhGE_u6xx6kmoNyDLfMzFitMEPXhvwOV_Tvld2UbNjYCG_jOE77gE9q6pIvpg8CUUvqa6bW6F5Bi1EjOtSJ3PlpnrICNIzVqFrtJC1B-kwtu4GOADuMIr6bO4u5p1jeL6m419X6HskBMwInCyudF-rNjdKPPymyQ5Nw_Q1js_6DOTb612gg/w640-h426/Good%20photo%20of%20team.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Kay, Linda, Amanda, Jan, Stephanie<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-28825001237109008852022-08-16T10:07:00.002-05:002022-08-16T10:07:31.778-05:00Robert's Visit<p>Dan and I had such a fun few days last week, spending one-on-one time with Grandson Robert. He will turn 13 in November, and I can hardly believe he will be a "teenager!" I was present at his birth, and it seems like that was just yesterday. He is changing so rapidly now. He's as tall as I am, and is such a joy to be around. I really wished that we could have had a few more days with him, but everyone's schedules are so busy, especially with school about to start.</p><p>We did a few fun things while he was here. A new shave-ice place, called Bahama Buck's, opened near our house, so we took him there for a treat.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiTExhxKF5z4manJvfo8i_v4c3HinsqCcPAEegAw7YYojslyUaeiLgNDPh1oMqCU_epaQ40e4KstY6uA32NvtnCV1Lt-L7ZRvN0K7dthr7yU5jqK6SKvpRM15nud1SWdi3eiVUI20RAyb4AsHBHTLBnyGGrKKfYuKMyHTfKMcv6hz3pDgniLVXJNmZg/s504/ShaveIce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="504" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiTExhxKF5z4manJvfo8i_v4c3HinsqCcPAEegAw7YYojslyUaeiLgNDPh1oMqCU_epaQ40e4KstY6uA32NvtnCV1Lt-L7ZRvN0K7dthr7yU5jqK6SKvpRM15nud1SWdi3eiVUI20RAyb4AsHBHTLBnyGGrKKfYuKMyHTfKMcv6hz3pDgniLVXJNmZg/w640-h462/ShaveIce.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Later that day we went to the movie theater to see "Minions - The Rise of Gru." Though I loved the original movie, "Despicable Me," I didn't think this one was great. But it gave us something to do together, so was well-worth the time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDtrrsmmZOc9D9n3QTugi9j16BnhE83Hl650wyZ5IffXzj-Y30lNcird1L348qhHtNt-Rzm0_4JpMKHe1-Q5yQ_DTV_bDv7ePIhvn1YVOy3Hu1TDNz9dMfgL_8StdHseHVoRlUdrYXilmt9ZiPem2qf0DdMmcJD9A314yQsDnmMqnlmoD1uUcMFgbwg/s504/Theater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDtrrsmmZOc9D9n3QTugi9j16BnhE83Hl650wyZ5IffXzj-Y30lNcird1L348qhHtNt-Rzm0_4JpMKHe1-Q5yQ_DTV_bDv7ePIhvn1YVOy3Hu1TDNz9dMfgL_8StdHseHVoRlUdrYXilmt9ZiPem2qf0DdMmcJD9A314yQsDnmMqnlmoD1uUcMFgbwg/w640-h480/Theater.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selfie of Robert and me, waiting for the movie to start<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>On Friday we went to Waco and visited the Mammoth National Monument. It is the place where, in 1978, a mammoth bone was discovered by a couple of fellows who were searching for arrowheads. Since then archeologists have been excavating the site and have discovered a treasure-trove of mammoth fossils. The dig is on-going, and visitors can come to see the site. It was really interesting and something that Robert seemed to enjoy a lot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZVNIONhIYL2sYCtHGdGmQNsjyIV_9TCXuBmA5_9Qrvk05sWyi1TE1Etd8D2FK7mz7WS7zRMWsmsORQxRpvdB9PWVPgV6vHGsqfDm8mRXWyoNeyO7T0s0i8t1xiW8M8wAM35xzSMsb6mjLzYzotWcBmpyNpyM_ERqkTw-3E02IseURPGOOg78YAXbjQ/s504/DanRobert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="504" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZVNIONhIYL2sYCtHGdGmQNsjyIV_9TCXuBmA5_9Qrvk05sWyi1TE1Etd8D2FK7mz7WS7zRMWsmsORQxRpvdB9PWVPgV6vHGsqfDm8mRXWyoNeyO7T0s0i8t1xiW8M8wAM35xzSMsb6mjLzYzotWcBmpyNpyM_ERqkTw-3E02IseURPGOOg78YAXbjQ/w640-h502/DanRobert.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan and Robert looking down on the dig</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t1ccYvmHBZnaSuSrE7645BNB5wYrcWdO-ozqFmRFtA523M0B6nc6wPJNCxEJnDhcjbVmYWqVfM-YHOpJ-ER1ca5hV3fy7NsdzcX4qPRC40Jsga_6hvu4BknkKc-_xaJ4Zr66vNiGgcIRDvUenZHIKZdEL0CQNQGf465JBZS-Ate54TgAn-Ba-mhKUA/s504/Bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="352" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t1ccYvmHBZnaSuSrE7645BNB5wYrcWdO-ozqFmRFtA523M0B6nc6wPJNCxEJnDhcjbVmYWqVfM-YHOpJ-ER1ca5hV3fy7NsdzcX4qPRC40Jsga_6hvu4BknkKc-_xaJ4Zr66vNiGgcIRDvUenZHIKZdEL0CQNQGf465JBZS-Ate54TgAn-Ba-mhKUA/w446-h640/Bone.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6WSm3oGrG1JdCs0nCJ41NU8TWU58YIpmKmUkJtj5Uix0Asc9c2FvblsC124-4Zt56jqn-VarNRxrRS3wmDQGW3QcuNlQRly_I3iX4Hf3W3_YeJOQG0oq2Gh3d-i73vrYn-epInjc2GOJwJVONjregVhUU6GuONC5xSqXib_5b7J4qpQvKABxhbYEOg/s504/Large%20Dig%20Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6WSm3oGrG1JdCs0nCJ41NU8TWU58YIpmKmUkJtj5Uix0Asc9c2FvblsC124-4Zt56jqn-VarNRxrRS3wmDQGW3QcuNlQRly_I3iX4Hf3W3_YeJOQG0oq2Gh3d-i73vrYn-epInjc2GOJwJVONjregVhUU6GuONC5xSqXib_5b7J4qpQvKABxhbYEOg/w640-h480/Large%20Dig%20Room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy7YIqeNATX4m-jscuq2CDuw3eSBoRbHbshIiJaGGdof3LKM54uT3YzTvhn6QixXH5Oi7neZKUw8qfGzAf2fcD3KXtnNaSdqRFT12oA1kb03V-jipnh2td2BMTAGeTD4tgQoxfsrvSyPwgDMMupAjHrgzhqeYVFTGet-8ZDh4NtY1YMW9Yn-8gCG_Wg/s504/Researcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy7YIqeNATX4m-jscuq2CDuw3eSBoRbHbshIiJaGGdof3LKM54uT3YzTvhn6QixXH5Oi7neZKUw8qfGzAf2fcD3KXtnNaSdqRFT12oA1kb03V-jipnh2td2BMTAGeTD4tgQoxfsrvSyPwgDMMupAjHrgzhqeYVFTGet-8ZDh4NtY1YMW9Yn-8gCG_Wg/w640-h480/Researcher.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifux0VcKM_f6AqczAbGoMLCe1ihR1N0O6pXrgRN-o9HPFEhrp5HUSiKPX554xltCtER1hcujZz49uLqULxJy2pb42RDnxUd_uvmPxahavDsKpDQuNfE5h0E9EvwvN4vdXVJI-9MX-ahtHWMMMiGt1LVhAqfS2pI6WgAWZx30lEfLQ2lCeRVIXuJllbKA/s504/the%20dig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifux0VcKM_f6AqczAbGoMLCe1ihR1N0O6pXrgRN-o9HPFEhrp5HUSiKPX554xltCtER1hcujZz49uLqULxJy2pb42RDnxUd_uvmPxahavDsKpDQuNfE5h0E9EvwvN4vdXVJI-9MX-ahtHWMMMiGt1LVhAqfS2pI6WgAWZx30lEfLQ2lCeRVIXuJllbKA/w640-h480/the%20dig.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>We found a great place for lunch, after leaving the Mammoth Monument. It was a car-themed restaurant. Robert, like his Grandpa, is a car enthusiast, so this was a perfect place for a hamburger.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUk5JErKObUgXspkpSy8sn9uOY6_3NaZ2n5b5NQnyOnUed0PzVQBq7-wtv5UoRn048Mj3IaXOZEcY_Z8Ni6N49xZdKfsxIwoK3NlAbrgrqOrZjo0uBspUQgxua4q7j9mOSaQzBMq3V1PRjgTjKlgjSVonEyK7tBzrx6pu0JOLOh4RfZzNS0VTbStRlg/s504/Lunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="504" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUk5JErKObUgXspkpSy8sn9uOY6_3NaZ2n5b5NQnyOnUed0PzVQBq7-wtv5UoRn048Mj3IaXOZEcY_Z8Ni6N49xZdKfsxIwoK3NlAbrgrqOrZjo0uBspUQgxua4q7j9mOSaQzBMq3V1PRjgTjKlgjSVonEyK7tBzrx6pu0JOLOh4RfZzNS0VTbStRlg/w640-h502/Lunch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>After lunch we headed to the Dr. Pepper Museum. Dr. Pepper was first made in Waco, Texas, in the 1880s. The museum is full of old Dr. P advertising, and interesting facts about the history of Dr. P and soft drinks, in general. I think the highlight for Robert, though, was enjoying a Dr. Pepper ice cream float at the end of the tour. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdkxMm9smCtn1G1-eoCRY-mJk56rAqA8TFHYHESvU55dnV4GzCuMiRE1jolK0X6ktgrdzDHY0bXiuMHw3r3Xlx3A06EHQO1U2D1I3dgb96T9CVp_XgLbzp5MERl6JlwMr4QKN98NTHxLK2D8odLgsyvEC3lGcAlX2QM60xuEY2n-HXdKw5qENf5tqnQ/s504/ArtesianWell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="378" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdkxMm9smCtn1G1-eoCRY-mJk56rAqA8TFHYHESvU55dnV4GzCuMiRE1jolK0X6ktgrdzDHY0bXiuMHw3r3Xlx3A06EHQO1U2D1I3dgb96T9CVp_XgLbzp5MERl6JlwMr4QKN98NTHxLK2D8odLgsyvEC3lGcAlX2QM60xuEY2n-HXdKw5qENf5tqnQ/w480-h640/ArtesianWell.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual artesian well that provided the water for making the original Dr. Pepper<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkAyBrOZkIoiomYvyreVnGF8GICjieLm0YsGJZj4VAQ7fcHAiSySDkbH2gbyDmT4LNxrnEhS2SqAFn1cZ8rToIbEPxFT6JsinnLjM10bj4oy5UgsX2WfeJy56gRMRV05868eeOZOXzpX3-fTzUlzho2G91-eG5vVnMSnM5rfodekyZOe8LhHuNpAjFw/s504/DP%20Factory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="504" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkAyBrOZkIoiomYvyreVnGF8GICjieLm0YsGJZj4VAQ7fcHAiSySDkbH2gbyDmT4LNxrnEhS2SqAFn1cZ8rToIbEPxFT6JsinnLjM10bj4oy5UgsX2WfeJy56gRMRV05868eeOZOXzpX3-fTzUlzho2G91-eG5vVnMSnM5rfodekyZOe8LhHuNpAjFw/w640-h458/DP%20Factory.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZBiFObfYC9h-JGZ2f2EhXsyAlyW4gLFj6qteiFnuBtAynCXMUqQ5UnaHEPNonU-a5_7UbgicVwJPCSRX7L7Z7d3tmb1_PDe4JeYezXaJrJ790QJQYa00wmbT2aMzOEMPwPRFM4IGfVSlLgwZ7qufSJ0N4V5rWn-fA_mNX4yfhhAH25bRbNVs1XJqMA/s504/DrP%20Soda%20Fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="504" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZBiFObfYC9h-JGZ2f2EhXsyAlyW4gLFj6qteiFnuBtAynCXMUqQ5UnaHEPNonU-a5_7UbgicVwJPCSRX7L7Z7d3tmb1_PDe4JeYezXaJrJ790QJQYa00wmbT2aMzOEMPwPRFM4IGfVSlLgwZ7qufSJ0N4V5rWn-fA_mNX4yfhhAH25bRbNVs1XJqMA/w640-h434/DrP%20Soda%20Fountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTW5lDJO6e5V9nUB23-2ng53gL8puAHM7nHRnm_XxsgG_mlWd4F8LQEmOIYp45t111hSkgOqn-6xHnCbd_252LMCiLd_Tj2GpWKyCHb6v8xAkLhXy4Hvt5l8CCSc6tZa3ZrynQgubOj3nN9ArJqVxWu_A3fLfwYPmQ1aq7JdCpJ9zOKEMZfBrFUpvGQ/s504/DP%20Float.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="433" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTW5lDJO6e5V9nUB23-2ng53gL8puAHM7nHRnm_XxsgG_mlWd4F8LQEmOIYp45t111hSkgOqn-6xHnCbd_252LMCiLd_Tj2GpWKyCHb6v8xAkLhXy4Hvt5l8CCSc6tZa3ZrynQgubOj3nN9ArJqVxWu_A3fLfwYPmQ1aq7JdCpJ9zOKEMZfBrFUpvGQ/w550-h640/DP%20Float.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><p></p><p>On Saturday I had to deliver Robert back to his family, and I've been missing him ever since.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-65806719865733664402022-07-30T09:11:00.009-05:002022-08-16T09:37:51.774-05:00Hospital Stay<p>Sometimes something happens out of the blue that makes you realize how fragile life is.</p><p>For me, that happened on the morning of Tuesday, July 26. I was sitting in the living room, reading from my Amazon Fire tablet, when I started noticing a strange visual phenomenon. Off to the right perifphery of my right eye, I started seeing bright, jaggy lines in neon colors. At first I thought it was a reflection in my glasses from something behind me. But there was only a wall behind me, and when I took off my glasses, the little lightning bolts continued. I really didn't think too much of it, and continued reading.</p><p>A few minutes later I went to my desk to continue with a computer project I'd been working on for several days. I worked on it for 30 minutes or so, and then - very suddenly - the right side of my face (including my tongue), my right arm, and my right leg all went numb. It was very scary. I immediately thought, "Am I having a stroke?" so I went into the bathroom next to my office and looked into the mirror. There were no drooping face muscles, and I was able to smile naturally, but I was still all tingly and numb. I went back to my desk chair and thought I'd shut down the computer program I had been working on, but I was kind of confused and couldn't think how to do it. So I went into the bedroom, where Dan was finishing getting ready for the day. I was unsteady and kind of reeling as I walked in there. I sat down and said to Dan, "Sonething's really wrong with me!" And then I explained what was happening. He took me to a comfortable chair in the living room and asked me some questions, then said he was calling 911, which he did. In about 10 minutes the EMTs arrived at our house. They spent a while evaluating me. By the time they were done, I was feeling perfectly fine again, thought a bit shaky. They said it sounded like a TIA (mini-stroke), and that I really needed to go to the ER. Although they offered an ambulance, I chose to go in our own car, with Dan.</p><p>We got to the ER about 10:30 a.m. and spent all day there. I was taken back a few times, - once for an EKG, once for a CT-scan, once for blood work - but always returned to the waiting room. I was finally taken to an exam room around 5:00 p.m. I was comfortable, lying on the bed while I waited. I hadn't had a bite to eat all day, so the nurse brought me a dry turkey sandwich, which took the edge off my hunger. Finally a doctor came in and, like the EMTs, said that I may have had a TIA, and that he wanted to keep me in the hospital over-night, for observation and tests. There wasn't a hospital room available right then, so I stayed in that ER exam room until 10:15 p.m., when they took me up to the neurology floor and settled me into a very comfortable room for the night. I didn't sleep much. Of course, the nurses were coming in every couple of hours to take my vitals or to draw blood, but mostly, I think, I was just dealing with an adrenalin-high.</p><p>On Wednesday a parade of individual doctors and teams of doctors came and went, each of them running me through "stroke tests," which I always passed with flying colors. I didn't appear to have any symptoms remaining from the event, which strengthened their theory that I had experienced a TIA, not a full stroke.</p><p>Later in the day I was taken for an MRI (brain scan) and and MRA (artery scan). The MRA showed no blockages in my arteries. The MRI showed one small infarct (injury or death of tissue resulting form inadequate blood supply). It only showed on one of the MRI "slices" and was very tiny. It looked like a small BB on the image. However, because of this, my "event" was no longer considered a TIA, but an actual stroke, though a small one. By definition, I was told, no brain damage happens with a TIA.</p><p>The day ended, on Wednesday, before they were able to get me in for an echocardiogram, so I had to spend another night in the hospital, and we hoped that the echocardiogram could be scheduled on Thursday.</p><p>Around 2:00 p.m. on Thursday I went for the echocardiogram, which ultimately showed a well-functioning heart. My doctor came in around 5:00 p.m. to tell me that he was going to discharge me. Discharges are not quick! It was more like 8:00 p.m. when I went home with Dan, who had been there for me throughout this experience.</p><p>The adventure isn't over completely. I have a number of follow-up appointments with a few doctors. At one of those appointments, we will discuss whether or not I should have an ILR (Implantable Loop Recorder) implanted beneath the skin in my chest, to record the electrical activity of my heart. The primary doctor I had at the hospital didn't seem to think that was necessary, but the neurology team recommended it. We shall see.</p><p>I am also on a couple of new medications. All of these precautions are to reduce the likelihood of having another stroke in the future.</p><p>I am so thankful to God that this event left me with no residual damage at all. And I'm looking at it as a wake-up call. My doctors all agreed that I have no restrictions on activity now, except for the fact that I will be low on energy for a few weeks, as my brain tries to heal. Yesterday, Friday, I went to lunch with three "gal-friends" and it was such a joy to get back to some normalcy and to experience the love of these good friends.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-44661858070930379282022-06-30T10:14:00.001-05:002022-07-01T05:34:06.438-05:00Clara's Sweet Sixteen Trip<p style="text-align: center;"> ALASKA, THE LAST FRONTIER<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsML33bMAxgHkD3l_RqdWZOh-SAgB6B2vT55sN8GcEa8glE8ba7RdxPXRTk6v1sy2ETSGmlq0VWffYLAIYf6LzG9hAkXQJiUmzs63MCsBECKtLLJGWb4HuxKTKB20Nqwt6c2vkYcPgshWKQcl6mACE8geZO6fM4SY_1iJw8hnxRJGEmgLPSv9OOiqNg/s2592/claras%20picture.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsML33bMAxgHkD3l_RqdWZOh-SAgB6B2vT55sN8GcEa8glE8ba7RdxPXRTk6v1sy2ETSGmlq0VWffYLAIYf6LzG9hAkXQJiUmzs63MCsBECKtLLJGWb4HuxKTKB20Nqwt6c2vkYcPgshWKQcl6mACE8geZO6fM4SY_1iJw8hnxRJGEmgLPSv9OOiqNg/w300-h400/claras%20picture.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Clara Judd. I chose this as the best photo of our entire trip, due to the color, the depth and the symmetry.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p>Clara turned 16 in December - and she's still as sweet as she always has been. So I wanted to take her on a big trip, to memorialize this point in her life. I decided that Alaska was the place to go. Her family history includes four prior generations who lived there, starting with her great-great grandparents, Ivan and Rose; her great-grandparents, Bob and Margaret; her grandparents, Dan and Linda; and her father, Chris, for the first five years of his life.</p><p>On Wednesday, June 15, I drove to Houston, where Clara lives, and spent the night there so that we could leave from the George Bush International Airport on Thursday, at 7:05 AM CDT. Chris arranged for a "cushy" chauffered ride for us to the airport.</p><p>We took off on time, both of us pretty sleepy still, since we had gotten up around 3:00 AM CDT. Clara managed to catch a few winks on the first leg of the flight, from Houston to Seattle.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2OoTWf3fghqnDfEuZibuJ7_aVddrZFcjZL61MOtnz5bXNYLrrs-_8b-gv2QBPkLayQwDib0XOryEp5hRnvk2A9-BEo5AbKuI-oLjPGq4IqqBZBcXh6_MvhHa8mHd-DhDpoo-DZa-nJtrCClTwrDrQY11VPgFL8Bf80ABxd2wOKrYEmOow44_MRuiKQ/s4032/IMG_8195.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2OoTWf3fghqnDfEuZibuJ7_aVddrZFcjZL61MOtnz5bXNYLrrs-_8b-gv2QBPkLayQwDib0XOryEp5hRnvk2A9-BEo5AbKuI-oLjPGq4IqqBZBcXh6_MvhHa8mHd-DhDpoo-DZa-nJtrCClTwrDrQY11VPgFL8Bf80ABxd2wOKrYEmOow44_MRuiKQ/w640-h480/IMG_8195.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh729OnMAbX9mv6KwTBLGliaCf6n3J-VMv2RKlATlJcc6OUv-ryTEGuWBsogXTjfyWVa0JQ5DqHQ6Pqu92qredZH_hEqCcS_fc3AbZ96fBihnEEnE60lx7NthQNkoDgBV_Z3gtQccBGPs1T8HJ0kM0C21lAhgh7Ckr46yne_AHxryD5AJc7T1dPtFQWZg/s4032/IMG_8193.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh729OnMAbX9mv6KwTBLGliaCf6n3J-VMv2RKlATlJcc6OUv-ryTEGuWBsogXTjfyWVa0JQ5DqHQ6Pqu92qredZH_hEqCcS_fc3AbZ96fBihnEEnE60lx7NthQNkoDgBV_Z3gtQccBGPs1T8HJ0kM0C21lAhgh7Ckr46yne_AHxryD5AJc7T1dPtFQWZg/w583-h436/IMG_8193.jpeg" width="583" /></a></div><p></p><p>We had a long time between our flights in Seattle, but finally boarded our plane at 1:40 PM PDT, and arrived in Juneau at 3:12 PM ADT. We had a bit of a time adjustment to deal with, since there is a 3-hour difference between the Texas and the Juneau time zones.</p><p>We were met at the Juneau airport by a long-time friend, Mike, who was loaning us a car for the week. (It was the next morning that his wife, Kathy, texted me to say that Mike had tested positive for COVID soon after we had arrived. And, yes .. I had hugged him at the airport. But what was done, was done.)</p><p>We were also met at the airport by Tom, the owner of the place we were renting while in Juneau - Alaska Northern Sands (AKNS). He led us to the address on Fritz Cove Road, and we were thrilled with the ocean-view room that would be our home for the week. The Property and the landscape were amazing. The only down-side (and I'm really NOT complaining) was that it was down many, many stairs from where our parking spot was. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem, but I was still dealing with back pain, so I had to take the stairs very slowly and carefully, and poor Clara ended up having to schlep all the heavy luggage down (and, later, back up) the stairs. She was a trooper, though, and never complained.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCofuU8gfLDZ86Qv4MEDVeTMFNXWS-FBvPsDCSe6T7_h3dEKg8M0xrjxJCDFSyOlSDfYf4nn4uBwEfYQo3mJK1_iB14ABgio6CTz9kVuWWYUSgGW9YkJTKgiBiEb16O0y64Mc1wrDJcUU_JcxDBTZK2qatMEqUebpDV8t2xX1D866S2_JCStirvdjgQ/w480-h640/IMG_8198.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the landscaping at AKNS<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCofuU8gfLDZ86Qv4MEDVeTMFNXWS-FBvPsDCSe6T7_h3dEKg8M0xrjxJCDFSyOlSDfYf4nn4uBwEfYQo3mJK1_iB14ABgio6CTz9kVuWWYUSgGW9YkJTKgiBiEb16O0y64Mc1wrDJcUU_JcxDBTZK2qatMEqUebpDV8t2xX1D866S2_JCStirvdjgQ/s4032/IMG_8198.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KOI3eUsu8gX-uWMYXvEd36izdZQ5PxekVnlSQka6ygetiHP5KlIiXcs5iQ6VqmFEjeGONQFdYmpjbMjW-Tjr07FbNx1-7v8uf7pS6XPVVOhpz9D4aLpWfXvQcubDGoBvMW8qKgxwvDlsw7W4Zk4crZKYFM0TaC8NnFWks5OYnkpJp_nkg_MVUF-84w/s4032/IMG_8212.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KOI3eUsu8gX-uWMYXvEd36izdZQ5PxekVnlSQka6ygetiHP5KlIiXcs5iQ6VqmFEjeGONQFdYmpjbMjW-Tjr07FbNx1-7v8uf7pS6XPVVOhpz9D4aLpWfXvQcubDGoBvMW8qKgxwvDlsw7W4Zk4crZKYFM0TaC8NnFWks5OYnkpJp_nkg_MVUF-84w/w480-h640/IMG_8212.jpeg" width="480" /> </a> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our room<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBh5vO60lr-URon3XpawRRUCIfaRJcJBDfOW72s5bxXIcnPXjhgUpoXzLI0Ki7Ng7x8np0ISyiMnvxnaDcDOEBjSkL6vwCiP_y7WLMrH6QUnv6MD6VtOY32a88Xu-Q1-0imziuOOQG4KPJfEolhcIhfLVoU_oBhIIH6eEyNjz9PUwTV4gQ1iUNU9Y5g/s4032/IMG_8210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBh5vO60lr-URon3XpawRRUCIfaRJcJBDfOW72s5bxXIcnPXjhgUpoXzLI0Ki7Ng7x8np0ISyiMnvxnaDcDOEBjSkL6vwCiP_y7WLMrH6QUnv6MD6VtOY32a88Xu-Q1-0imziuOOQG4KPJfEolhcIhfLVoU_oBhIIH6eEyNjz9PUwTV4gQ1iUNU9Y5g/w640-h480/IMG_8210.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from our big picture window - two Alaska state ferries passing at Auke Bay<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIWDC-8RuG1_hHPhgeK6nQhCeucy4I7lGDsLnlXgHqZu15KZmVHc7oyReyodp60PADgEG-I907PY8vd9gV_n-O-VArm4NhOeNnThFgWwYhdWpP_cthYOyOlVshMq8EK-NwCLQZ8kWVEHnubIE0QwNtF8FT5nhv2wUj47EdQeo-oBKsPqU-nCAPbGxmQ/s4032/IMG_8218.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIWDC-8RuG1_hHPhgeK6nQhCeucy4I7lGDsLnlXgHqZu15KZmVHc7oyReyodp60PADgEG-I907PY8vd9gV_n-O-VArm4NhOeNnThFgWwYhdWpP_cthYOyOlVshMq8EK-NwCLQZ8kWVEHnubIE0QwNtF8FT5nhv2wUj47EdQeo-oBKsPqU-nCAPbGxmQ/w480-h640/IMG_8218.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clara quickly made friends with Denali, a 16-year old house dog</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> Below are photos from some of the places we went and sights we saw. </p><p>MENDENHALL GLACIER</p><p>The Mendenhall is a glacier about 12 miles from down town Juneau. It is one of 38 glaciers that are a part of the 1500 square mile Juneau Icefield, and the only one that can be driven to. In the winter the lake freezes over and local Juneauites ice skate on it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVlcsetoKLdy-X9JGeyoKIHatREct3Ko-LxPLi_nea8ECU_qsV6w8fJci7BmVNjpQP2tCxiBRVcaNgyludi4nNMA9TjbhJCbNGIeLQ1G79KAAJaXYv9Yh0PPGqXcU7Dxri-NGLOAuVfO7JbzzWwfwb7_3k-iMwsvZGY3JslPcmVT-cEIwKu6XPQHniw/s3835/IMG_8240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2743" data-original-width="3835" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVlcsetoKLdy-X9JGeyoKIHatREct3Ko-LxPLi_nea8ECU_qsV6w8fJci7BmVNjpQP2tCxiBRVcaNgyludi4nNMA9TjbhJCbNGIeLQ1G79KAAJaXYv9Yh0PPGqXcU7Dxri-NGLOAuVfO7JbzzWwfwb7_3k-iMwsvZGY3JslPcmVT-cEIwKu6XPQHniw/w640-h458/IMG_8240.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSbjqeQWPHVbLW-XWvOfbceVFmqPWmaHm-ZR-9K8H5SDHh_08Jr-EKbErSm-t2GxUcWIiBhdr2c7JZRjzTHnN70U86d95F13suBDQLCwjFnNGWKaM9eEW7G1ypwVqaJGR8CCjEWxAbUavicnPNlH2zyI1t5gYTWM7oyY6Vbv_jMJiyMsDTctqmAd--Q/s4032/IMG_8239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSbjqeQWPHVbLW-XWvOfbceVFmqPWmaHm-ZR-9K8H5SDHh_08Jr-EKbErSm-t2GxUcWIiBhdr2c7JZRjzTHnN70U86d95F13suBDQLCwjFnNGWKaM9eEW7G1ypwVqaJGR8CCjEWxAbUavicnPNlH2zyI1t5gYTWM7oyY6Vbv_jMJiyMsDTctqmAd--Q/w640-h480/IMG_8239.jpeg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSbjqeQWPHVbLW-XWvOfbceVFmqPWmaHm-ZR-9K8H5SDHh_08Jr-EKbErSm-t2GxUcWIiBhdr2c7JZRjzTHnN70U86d95F13suBDQLCwjFnNGWKaM9eEW7G1ypwVqaJGR8CCjEWxAbUavicnPNlH2zyI1t5gYTWM7oyY6Vbv_jMJiyMsDTctqmAd--Q/s4032/IMG_8239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfWhSxEBqV_x4Zmt0SDftWvun2kUzji0DaVG1y_knR1CWLuzWakyFDobe1Zy1xrTZnn2z05gULHid1qWHDvj_ucCsRUwmRSfeAuibGn8-I2tfa9WeD95BHFDVw0LJ1oeR4QeOdYVqB-qvdMBPoFSVM9_bX9kjtilvaXIY8wFFvpW7BPVzUJ9jccUKdQ/s4032/IMG_8234.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfWhSxEBqV_x4Zmt0SDftWvun2kUzji0DaVG1y_knR1CWLuzWakyFDobe1Zy1xrTZnn2z05gULHid1qWHDvj_ucCsRUwmRSfeAuibGn8-I2tfa9WeD95BHFDVw0LJ1oeR4QeOdYVqB-qvdMBPoFSVM9_bX9kjtilvaXIY8wFFvpW7BPVzUJ9jccUKdQ/s4032/IMG_8234.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2558" data-original-width="4032" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfWhSxEBqV_x4Zmt0SDftWvun2kUzji0DaVG1y_knR1CWLuzWakyFDobe1Zy1xrTZnn2z05gULHid1qWHDvj_ucCsRUwmRSfeAuibGn8-I2tfa9WeD95BHFDVw0LJ1oeR4QeOdYVqB-qvdMBPoFSVM9_bX9kjtilvaXIY8wFFvpW7BPVzUJ9jccUKdQ/w640-h406/IMG_8234.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><p>UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA SOUTHEAST (UAS)<br /></p><p>The UAS campus sits on the shore of Auke Lake and is home to quite a bit of Alaskan art, including some totem poles.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-9lO6RNH7KrQEaemYdx9ZkXfwOK3eCM_hoGiop9iy1n3qyAoUP3rst6a2KQEAovEooOrMLnCn_ZgGqiHKVuaXn71RoH8LkbtOf-rfMH7VCaQUK6Ky0uQrLb71zNI8r8xaL6t5rrfntarMhgFiXqRVhISDvLFfOpx5MqiLczbq-yiDooknupuNI1HEg/s4032/IMG_8225.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-9lO6RNH7KrQEaemYdx9ZkXfwOK3eCM_hoGiop9iy1n3qyAoUP3rst6a2KQEAovEooOrMLnCn_ZgGqiHKVuaXn71RoH8LkbtOf-rfMH7VCaQUK6Ky0uQrLb71zNI8r8xaL6t5rrfntarMhgFiXqRVhISDvLFfOpx5MqiLczbq-yiDooknupuNI1HEg/w480-h640/IMG_8225.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHNj8uIXbUIn7yScuLNDmT_ujQU5Y8PTe_9o2GSHE2qZ3pPzdVijBiOuWzlMGLhq99onILBrE1wt6JwGkNIR-S-JI-Wwaq1lY6M8qHgWuHQJ0MzsBpseP1_zgKh7QHKW8nl-teBn95Wut3nZWj32xyL4Ju9PYaaQoESOK4WzHtgmQErXpDNUV0YQEOw/s4032/IMG_8223.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHNj8uIXbUIn7yScuLNDmT_ujQU5Y8PTe_9o2GSHE2qZ3pPzdVijBiOuWzlMGLhq99onILBrE1wt6JwGkNIR-S-JI-Wwaq1lY6M8qHgWuHQJ0MzsBpseP1_zgKh7QHKW8nl-teBn95Wut3nZWj32xyL4Ju9PYaaQoESOK4WzHtgmQErXpDNUV0YQEOw/w480-h640/IMG_8223.jpeg" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhHFNgSTzFAvxGHoYRwBqa0bHRtwPCLU-5hU_-UtaQGILnvzKU1-k9uUkCjR5ozH-RZa22fSousWGmpaIC1Lc6zJQS4mV30T_o5VcsBhUi1guYHRktxDxfkZXPXX9KG_e5JXvbCgCPRvklckCLWpni8s94rRWiP17ToVmc468z27u71kp1UMDPd2_6A/s4032/IMG_8222.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhHFNgSTzFAvxGHoYRwBqa0bHRtwPCLU-5hU_-UtaQGILnvzKU1-k9uUkCjR5ozH-RZa22fSousWGmpaIC1Lc6zJQS4mV30T_o5VcsBhUi1guYHRktxDxfkZXPXX9KG_e5JXvbCgCPRvklckCLWpni8s94rRWiP17ToVmc468z27u71kp1UMDPd2_6A/w480-h640/IMG_8222.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div> </div><p>DOWN MEMORY LANE<br /></p><p>In 1973 Dan and I bought our first house, a 1200 square foot house on Jerry Drive in Juneau. We moved in not long before I gave birth to our first baby. Back then ultrasound was not used to determine the sex of babies, so we decorated the nursery in our new little house in gender-neutral greens and oranges. As it turned out, that baby was born in March of 1973, and was a boy ... our son, Christopher, who is Clara's daddy. I wanted Clara to see her dad's first home, so we drove by and took a few pictures.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CvpLq2JhJJ_9JVCadY0tIncgIpeJeYmwK1W1uUWCjVCAHBi8n0qpwvJSeo7KFsnJkoBhryMw-nOks5LzYUPM3O2uIBozJZ6-kirmziwoOqXN4jLfjOAcmv1kMFCMB2Lz7heGwGAnRkYWgXgakfPzcCqzBMf2TlrWTG4JfuFDv3wbq_HwZ9PiHAh4Ew/s4032/IMG_8226.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CvpLq2JhJJ_9JVCadY0tIncgIpeJeYmwK1W1uUWCjVCAHBi8n0qpwvJSeo7KFsnJkoBhryMw-nOks5LzYUPM3O2uIBozJZ6-kirmziwoOqXN4jLfjOAcmv1kMFCMB2Lz7heGwGAnRkYWgXgakfPzcCqzBMf2TlrWTG4JfuFDv3wbq_HwZ9PiHAh4Ew/w640-h480/IMG_8226.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Another place with early memories for Chris was the pizza parlor that we occasionally ate at. In fact, Chris teethed on the pizza crust from Bullwinkle's Pizza Parlor. Clara got to have pizza at that original one, in downtown Juneau, as well as a newer one out in the Mendenhall Valley.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALXcWqIFCrx2A987bB-_yvXNPg9l4nr8RuPzPFyuA83mGRs9XBETMQCQRyqfK1NgPgfHJhkzdVFCDbJ0d6PfnskAPaOJQh557vb5esUxOa1AZ9CgaxQ-GGgDAELeOErrAgCsc5FXhUX_fDhblLg5zmw-NsWMK8X-LHlOHVHZFf35jtodqxb8E2x9nhg/s4032/IMG_8242.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALXcWqIFCrx2A987bB-_yvXNPg9l4nr8RuPzPFyuA83mGRs9XBETMQCQRyqfK1NgPgfHJhkzdVFCDbJ0d6PfnskAPaOJQh557vb5esUxOa1AZ9CgaxQ-GGgDAELeOErrAgCsc5FXhUX_fDhblLg5zmw-NsWMK8X-LHlOHVHZFf35jtodqxb8E2x9nhg/w480-h640/IMG_8242.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p> I took Clara's picture here, at the Brotherhood Bridge location, with the Mendenhall Glacier in the background, because I remembered taking Chris' picture in that same spot when he was a toddler. Here are the two photos. Now there is a fancy fence, whereas back then (about 1975-76) there was only a guard rail, on which Chris is leaning. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5wVTgXF5cDzgXBslyZA4kvvnABRIC_6rWueDuTPhc1bPhr6hOlKVMoYN1jDTRY8ivxbBvLcTcW9hpIg_3Uth7xGoUkbVRQEnPZZ0Ie6dalUrQ4ZMnqNpsUg_x5xMvmC-DQpLi3Pbe44qDISYk1zppn_qcu_WiFTHZ15PRXh6zlueQD67VMXC4vPCKg/s4032/IMG_8360.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5wVTgXF5cDzgXBslyZA4kvvnABRIC_6rWueDuTPhc1bPhr6hOlKVMoYN1jDTRY8ivxbBvLcTcW9hpIg_3Uth7xGoUkbVRQEnPZZ0Ie6dalUrQ4ZMnqNpsUg_x5xMvmC-DQpLi3Pbe44qDISYk1zppn_qcu_WiFTHZ15PRXh6zlueQD67VMXC4vPCKg/w640-h480/IMG_8360.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi-tt0gZJ3qKuLG7m3h1FM3jJ3D2Qm0XBWbHvlbKnRwIybquNWMr48JLHpUA7AcKcOtPiVlFhdZnO0y4CxhfarRCCgFkEXj-JmCuhQf2ZyOIhxIBZ48BRA3mOgKqXEvlu84WC2J_AuEI87IyDtT0IEE31DFS6n5n6lWBwEx3UTLAVKII9sEGhgR5xrg/s2857/Chris%20at%20brotherhood%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="2857" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZi-tt0gZJ3qKuLG7m3h1FM3jJ3D2Qm0XBWbHvlbKnRwIybquNWMr48JLHpUA7AcKcOtPiVlFhdZnO0y4CxhfarRCCgFkEXj-JmCuhQf2ZyOIhxIBZ48BRA3mOgKqXEvlu84WC2J_AuEI87IyDtT0IEE31DFS6n5n6lWBwEx3UTLAVKII9sEGhgR5xrg/w640-h502/Chris%20at%20brotherhood%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /><p></p><p>TAKU GLACIER LODGE</p><p>We were in for a treat when we boarded a Wings Airways seaplane and took off from Juneau's Gastineau Channel for a flight over five of the glaciers of the Juneau Icefield and landed on the Taku River, in front of the Taku Glacier Lodge, which is on the national Register of Historic Places. The air was untypically hazy, because of smoke from forest fires in British Columbia and the interior of Alaska. We had plenty of time to wander around the wilderness property and to shop in the gift shop before we were seated for a meal. Everything on the menu is made from scratch in their kitchen. The highlight of the meal is the wild salmon cooked over an outdoor alderwood fire. Clara isn't a fish-eater, but they also offered chicken. The Lodge staff lives there for the summer season, returning to Juneau when the tourist season has ended. I really enjoyed hearing about the history of the lodge. Mary Joyce was a pioneer adventurer who helped run the Taku Lodge in the 1930s. Later she moved into Juneau, and was living there when I was growing up there. I remember her, so it was most interesting to hear all about her amazing life.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4Kl18-7priIWzkECAp04dtjAV_pb6mUw5TuYFpmxZjQbc8szGR3nJvoQVs3LNjfv4FECBX-krOistKl8QzlXzrcbcnBiXeJnhxt1-0VJaaU1vz_JT0mM84-zHM1D7WFdly0mYt5bNXbrxcNp5jjeGq4wTKD9npMYzsuHwr0O-blHN7yLn8lF3uvzhg/s4032/IMG_8252.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4Kl18-7priIWzkECAp04dtjAV_pb6mUw5TuYFpmxZjQbc8szGR3nJvoQVs3LNjfv4FECBX-krOistKl8QzlXzrcbcnBiXeJnhxt1-0VJaaU1vz_JT0mM84-zHM1D7WFdly0mYt5bNXbrxcNp5jjeGq4wTKD9npMYzsuHwr0O-blHN7yLn8lF3uvzhg/w480-h640/IMG_8252.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our pilot<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbkRnIWkfCNO_qrpQcvZjbOV_QoyRpERTrwOCC8i2gyA8H5MCC8erm-hWFSQAXgFecrHi5mfDkAZFJT2jPsdcrChV07GxNXFpTgT_dIARs1WnJVyAd4pmHAMU-9L8lBMCbHFSXcJPbWGGrUrALDRcV_6KTcb0O4Sjz4M793AYhEfVTt2pj1jRgsgUDA/s4032/IMG_8262.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbkRnIWkfCNO_qrpQcvZjbOV_QoyRpERTrwOCC8i2gyA8H5MCC8erm-hWFSQAXgFecrHi5mfDkAZFJT2jPsdcrChV07GxNXFpTgT_dIARs1WnJVyAd4pmHAMU-9L8lBMCbHFSXcJPbWGGrUrALDRcV_6KTcb0O4Sjz4M793AYhEfVTt2pj1jRgsgUDA/w480-h640/IMG_8262.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2_BVwem6TUlth0ok0_E1C0xQQhlnsT_yJFNt1jlBuX7phlBa3-q2i8RvBYWHwW2SwDmDpSbm3gyBYMRfk-d1hppx6dovtA-4_Ek5a6UXNc_FZCPDsV9CUJq1d1-iNho4Cq1SbRM3vgvFB9JmjcZhsAmkbC8dMB5lFtN_1HaXIwIyRe2cAoHlOPi4tg/s4032/IMG_8270.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2_BVwem6TUlth0ok0_E1C0xQQhlnsT_yJFNt1jlBuX7phlBa3-q2i8RvBYWHwW2SwDmDpSbm3gyBYMRfk-d1hppx6dovtA-4_Ek5a6UXNc_FZCPDsV9CUJq1d1-iNho4Cq1SbRM3vgvFB9JmjcZhsAmkbC8dMB5lFtN_1HaXIwIyRe2cAoHlOPi4tg/w480-h640/IMG_8270.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXzAqACCMUKMCkQyb59eeBbfsdLbpJayhbPMXiDd_t4O6KeSdSI8tLJh05tlLieznNvaB9Zf0bnPh70M4UKu9cvt9qHRDulNx9SPEKma0laZNjFOFaxiJ2oVGzu_Ew-BHpYYRKiulw2YRSuZWC-yb-Iqx3Glhc-ckdRPT0pZ3jn9XGK2CIU50TQyuNg/s1024/taku%20glacier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXzAqACCMUKMCkQyb59eeBbfsdLbpJayhbPMXiDd_t4O6KeSdSI8tLJh05tlLieznNvaB9Zf0bnPh70M4UKu9cvt9qHRDulNx9SPEKma0laZNjFOFaxiJ2oVGzu_Ew-BHpYYRKiulw2YRSuZWC-yb-Iqx3Glhc-ckdRPT0pZ3jn9XGK2CIU50TQyuNg/w640-h480/taku%20glacier.jpg" width="640" /> </a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPs5J59bxokekIXFeDvcFti9V4YqXZza7fQRmDYCnVjR_uWUvP0WbXexxFKCHmp4m1V4UPf1-dnKG4lW0rs9Q3uXXsJ3miFmgVmjz8tXlbfjf7-jEYrf5sY88WKLHGI2YPR3LkKSlannrLplP0JERci3gEXuPMZGsTTxY4T8SafCX2HcuwRNWuv3plog/s1024/taku%20glacier%20clara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPs5J59bxokekIXFeDvcFti9V4YqXZza7fQRmDYCnVjR_uWUvP0WbXexxFKCHmp4m1V4UPf1-dnKG4lW0rs9Q3uXXsJ3miFmgVmjz8tXlbfjf7-jEYrf5sY88WKLHGI2YPR3LkKSlannrLplP0JERci3gEXuPMZGsTTxY4T8SafCX2HcuwRNWuv3plog/w640-h480/taku%20glacier%20clara.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clara, sitting on a bench, looking at the Taku Glacier from the Lodge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAd94hRYFC-v-stx5FBgWl4PVGLAN6TxcRlxTNn8TQ0DQWxnwKGDbS1geC08lRssRCAO1o8HodfEpmAT4BXnPI66AE8FCDcvWzmlIzsZQc9i1-ZzBUCERd2s6lzG-c2PfQwgQypH68lB49_7dwahoWWxwrQ9BEYN5VRYB5KoXZvhaH935LZJ1CUMmxA/s4032/IMG_8290.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAd94hRYFC-v-stx5FBgWl4PVGLAN6TxcRlxTNn8TQ0DQWxnwKGDbS1geC08lRssRCAO1o8HodfEpmAT4BXnPI66AE8FCDcvWzmlIzsZQc9i1-ZzBUCERd2s6lzG-c2PfQwgQypH68lB49_7dwahoWWxwrQ9BEYN5VRYB5KoXZvhaH935LZJ1CUMmxA/w640-h480/IMG_8290.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUDyRLd0JVfVQ6HgeaO_rrVUH_-_7oD4Jz6cq8Hf0Mowl8WmsNP7-OgRgm3_hH9ROI2Ndb_9XjpId97zyXZSUII2l1yS0Hbm2wMcS0CFx7W07IxuvBSIP8SM6LCFmIrqDRImmpNUEh86qcb0WlaWhQDd_SKCR4dofHrTPWTUEmpV2XHLUQDOTTTZ3yQ/s4032/IMG_8287.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUDyRLd0JVfVQ6HgeaO_rrVUH_-_7oD4Jz6cq8Hf0Mowl8WmsNP7-OgRgm3_hH9ROI2Ndb_9XjpId97zyXZSUII2l1yS0Hbm2wMcS0CFx7W07IxuvBSIP8SM6LCFmIrqDRImmpNUEh86qcb0WlaWhQDd_SKCR4dofHrTPWTUEmpV2XHLUQDOTTTZ3yQ/w640-h480/IMG_8287.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grilling the salmon<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQpO0GVfBXog1JcCGhsVhuG0zdZBPOdIMW0JDMapP4RzQQuApEb6o8-jf0MJ4yD34GaswHlyyO1A6DpbcOulkgFumQvFt9UJQNcU5YG8Us0Xhe4d2Q_g7qBusoYmQEo5UQiWnxF6M6dDIW9sqJEYerdjeW9g7irofaRvr9dKoJ7NLwt8ui3NYOqj6hQ/s4032/IMG_8285.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQpO0GVfBXog1JcCGhsVhuG0zdZBPOdIMW0JDMapP4RzQQuApEb6o8-jf0MJ4yD34GaswHlyyO1A6DpbcOulkgFumQvFt9UJQNcU5YG8Us0Xhe4d2Q_g7qBusoYmQEo5UQiWnxF6M6dDIW9sqJEYerdjeW9g7irofaRvr9dKoJ7NLwt8ui3NYOqj6hQ/w480-h640/IMG_8285.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p>GLACIER GARDENS</p><p>Dan and I lived in Juneau from 1971-1978, the first time. We moved back in 1998, after spending 20 years in Oregon. During that time we were away, a couple named Steve and Cindy Bowhay began designing and operating Glacier Gardens. The lower gardens include an atrium and the beautiful upside-down flower towers. Visitors can board a rainforest shuttle to climb a steep, winding 2-mile path up the backside of Thunder Mountain. The driver/guide describes points of interest along the way. At the end of the path is a platform where visitors can take in views of Juneau, Douglas, Auke Bay, Admiralty Island and the Chilkat Mountains.<br /></p><p>Clara and I enjoyed our time there and learned a lot about the natural rainforest of Southeast Alaska.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuocycK4SqCzSfSFHp_0ol4DFgJDuGooC8FLveSx95NC5Kza-1-mKVyNbGzctQUpWYoom_SIH7GNc_FtHDu1jkrKEVhAvQHzy9YihNiWFec_HKaZs1VAAJwbHtKDY_OXLEwlfabV1S-GilCObLCIueWpULbe73hHzJ9q8kDQmgf6lAy5jK3MARoXJlOw/s4032/IMG_8333.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuocycK4SqCzSfSFHp_0ol4DFgJDuGooC8FLveSx95NC5Kza-1-mKVyNbGzctQUpWYoom_SIH7GNc_FtHDu1jkrKEVhAvQHzy9YihNiWFec_HKaZs1VAAJwbHtKDY_OXLEwlfabV1S-GilCObLCIueWpULbe73hHzJ9q8kDQmgf6lAy5jK3MARoXJlOw/w480-h640/IMG_8333.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTSnqyY35OK7okq5Ze2q7z9epmD7TE8MWByYY16UjM431w6NN41iap7eY40QKJF3SClRE6Qt5yCsweINPA6c2rP97YLGX6rMBHMN27JxMcr-_mmmP-1hKHwhYuserZynlnZQxLAYAA_x5xeNM1QUxSHjFUH1CVGyVwiSFwSUWOfD4t9dI7hTSvlH4WQ/s4032/IMG_8337.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTSnqyY35OK7okq5Ze2q7z9epmD7TE8MWByYY16UjM431w6NN41iap7eY40QKJF3SClRE6Qt5yCsweINPA6c2rP97YLGX6rMBHMN27JxMcr-_mmmP-1hKHwhYuserZynlnZQxLAYAA_x5xeNM1QUxSHjFUH1CVGyVwiSFwSUWOfD4t9dI7hTSvlH4WQ/w480-h640/IMG_8337.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF19PbhRk1eaH9OrCfonNDXu4UN5lIgbgA9v_NdE_Pz0tNtEkTmhh51N1TY36lQbXgwWxdc8jX-tc6QdtcPjo7ds9kgRvTo2zd2QVdJHD-3vv3l34ujmijeR16OMQhnHp_oyEiYpUsigePylpD6HUwrc2swPDhrp0pibqg66N0IRHm8QvzSbJuDhaypw/s4032/pool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF19PbhRk1eaH9OrCfonNDXu4UN5lIgbgA9v_NdE_Pz0tNtEkTmhh51N1TY36lQbXgwWxdc8jX-tc6QdtcPjo7ds9kgRvTo2zd2QVdJHD-3vv3l34ujmijeR16OMQhnHp_oyEiYpUsigePylpD6HUwrc2swPDhrp0pibqg66N0IRHm8QvzSbJuDhaypw/w480-h640/pool.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kDUOpBGwK5h9V2k_aBPCSh5tliyvHdkOZCT3l3HmCqkemZPZ_uEDDpNCybRQNkyVOcjl5shYb80oK_ov84NBZcy5OOoVTtXq3SmPMGZwkFNHDEZCg5zdYu5LofxUDZ6ckj_Kv75cxEQPHnkr6cRiofOTyqbg5jAdPAuVZ-vVHxFJ7qtblK_NJDkeNA/s4032/IMG_8349.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kDUOpBGwK5h9V2k_aBPCSh5tliyvHdkOZCT3l3HmCqkemZPZ_uEDDpNCybRQNkyVOcjl5shYb80oK_ov84NBZcy5OOoVTtXq3SmPMGZwkFNHDEZCg5zdYu5LofxUDZ6ckj_Kv75cxEQPHnkr6cRiofOTyqbg5jAdPAuVZ-vVHxFJ7qtblK_NJDkeNA/w480-h640/IMG_8349.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZAdWnWKyQ71QiV3pTgA4Hbt1VXlZjLVnhU_f3GLoTX-apnmNoo0bYl2Qin3c1BCAmP98sbljtywivVLj934kYQMioVab_LnPtPyRTLjG48HO16RxyumnOOwnlTyNxIdLSAq4WIv5yxmQWL5O1XZeuH4pZnvurfvQI1B6lyc1TF-lp9uqAIivaol58w/s3917/IMG_8351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="3917" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZAdWnWKyQ71QiV3pTgA4Hbt1VXlZjLVnhU_f3GLoTX-apnmNoo0bYl2Qin3c1BCAmP98sbljtywivVLj934kYQMioVab_LnPtPyRTLjG48HO16RxyumnOOwnlTyNxIdLSAq4WIv5yxmQWL5O1XZeuH4pZnvurfvQI1B6lyc1TF-lp9uqAIivaol58w/w640-h476/IMG_8351.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><p>TRACY ARM</p><p>Perhaps the most scenic tour we went on was by boat, to Tracy Arm, a fjord near Juneau, with the face of Sawyer Glacier at the far end. During the most recent ice age, the fjord was filled with active glaciers, which carved the steep mountains that line the arm. The ice left deep gorges and beautiful waterfalls in the majestic mountains. The farther up the fjord we went, the more floating ice we encountered. Near the glacier face, lots of harbor seals - moms and pups - were resting atop the icebergs. Because their natural preditors, the orca, can't get into the opening of the fjord, the harbor seals take refuge in it. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BiHYBPv0E5DxGi88xYiWXuGNBCcs53b7P0LovDGBDKXWX1hBCBaWycdWug5Ijvonry9kbv8_gW5PwcWzPWGCrTrvQtyN6Erl5J2AgtF91JXalP9o6v7At0Z1oj683AdD5gGIJTMLLcjjx_L9CzkfUhKEgG9fUCk9AKG6_CdfP0UD4zuQf2LMOs2dIg/s4032/IMG_8398.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BiHYBPv0E5DxGi88xYiWXuGNBCcs53b7P0LovDGBDKXWX1hBCBaWycdWug5Ijvonry9kbv8_gW5PwcWzPWGCrTrvQtyN6Erl5J2AgtF91JXalP9o6v7At0Z1oj683AdD5gGIJTMLLcjjx_L9CzkfUhKEgG9fUCk9AKG6_CdfP0UD4zuQf2LMOs2dIg/w640-h480/IMG_8398.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gulls sitting atop an iceberg<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sNZsWRQ7JFKi6EgCNr2ELWzw6_B-idywEtoQp_cNtzwAXYSfjSFLj7Plh_3x0TG6mP2_s1XhpkSc0Vrwn_Lcfo8aIWq0KPP0JSK9Gy2piuOwAXnm08bKM10nSl6MQ7gnxMUUeeIyFzhDlRbeVNxxfQUr0I6nLTH6AzFC4_WhBNfaj-UclR11cKW74A/s3878/IMG_8419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3878" data-original-width="2672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sNZsWRQ7JFKi6EgCNr2ELWzw6_B-idywEtoQp_cNtzwAXYSfjSFLj7Plh_3x0TG6mP2_s1XhpkSc0Vrwn_Lcfo8aIWq0KPP0JSK9Gy2piuOwAXnm08bKM10nSl6MQ7gnxMUUeeIyFzhDlRbeVNxxfQUr0I6nLTH6AzFC4_WhBNfaj-UclR11cKW74A/w440-h640/IMG_8419.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_99qB1SgkztTGb0FqUweSCKMj9fVfknmbKq1-Z4ujWW7_CWCejwJILVo3Di5BGymaYmac_dhDpZuxZi-F5cU89jvZPlqpG8qXn8iKAsz-8AlXgpSuJiEqgz8v7ebLTlJk1W_nv4z0UCmvzwN_aWoZEBY5ChgIySaob28CtEYsNfpsJSWlUoiVHu8qA/w480-h640/IMG_8411.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BAUOvf2hYNCSl_SxBC0Bb7hSxxq4XUrr0UV1uuGJAcfmeDVAriA6hhhaKG_xPqe43sGGityd42sU7PHs0xUM1GA-_UqjXfGz2o1HkmOoNopuXWyLLqgf9otbbUSGd-AWEUXhmfhvD86fsAD4gqu0_aomIMOypRbbODgHPK669mtuw8foY3VK_jbHIQ/s4032/IMG_8472.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BAUOvf2hYNCSl_SxBC0Bb7hSxxq4XUrr0UV1uuGJAcfmeDVAriA6hhhaKG_xPqe43sGGityd42sU7PHs0xUM1GA-_UqjXfGz2o1HkmOoNopuXWyLLqgf9otbbUSGd-AWEUXhmfhvD86fsAD4gqu0_aomIMOypRbbODgHPK669mtuw8foY3VK_jbHIQ/w480-h640/IMG_8472.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0L84uYnD3NaxhZPrShLZm_4hvaqXVdHCtgAazZAK2bN5rSDPm_z4Kui41aWae0fCh4m7IZuzO1khuM9pr4S3g2fkCoOrvBoJmo7AhVO0CCwq4lPWC7FMFC-ecsfuXIXIPeudiunlbu2mWHZfWpGsz1mbo3w8QmjO7YoFpcIK1k0GhQVsMKbej8FUiA/s3902/IMG_8455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3902" data-original-width="2888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0L84uYnD3NaxhZPrShLZm_4hvaqXVdHCtgAazZAK2bN5rSDPm_z4Kui41aWae0fCh4m7IZuzO1khuM9pr4S3g2fkCoOrvBoJmo7AhVO0CCwq4lPWC7FMFC-ecsfuXIXIPeudiunlbu2mWHZfWpGsz1mbo3w8QmjO7YoFpcIK1k0GhQVsMKbej8FUiA/w474-h640/IMG_8455.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiJTPbXYrEvFJbyWncJqI2DtlffonHIT-yEaDfNwtmtfbTisaVCFCpG1VCzJHOtnBRprHAjjBEZa4b4e9vOKU1Bcrt4ABnV9hzKWJZniY4sJgay6N_uVe0488RICJAf39p4NBV_Z7swRJNROsabefIVFARxx9GhniFo8zMtPihXH4ZxtionzmIYHQZA/s1024/D4EDEDB9-4510-44A4-B9B1-C17CE4399506_1_105_c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiJTPbXYrEvFJbyWncJqI2DtlffonHIT-yEaDfNwtmtfbTisaVCFCpG1VCzJHOtnBRprHAjjBEZa4b4e9vOKU1Bcrt4ABnV9hzKWJZniY4sJgay6N_uVe0488RICJAf39p4NBV_Z7swRJNROsabefIVFARxx9GhniFo8zMtPihXH4ZxtionzmIYHQZA/w640-h480/D4EDEDB9-4510-44A4-B9B1-C17CE4399506_1_105_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bald eagle near the face of the glacier<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxrYpcx3VQLZS5bCwNp8QsAL9NlvgrbFqcTsQYpan8xF2mwr6b9T48ie-Tp1Nz5Mi7BKEghyHQr17ZVhep_ml0ECvpi_vW6ftJHqa3C9sYhSwnqnyAI4YN2ck72f686nVbUa96ZsvOMlbCtf2rSsNofUnp7HhBrzen4ZxeRWcFps1p3CtS62uhzJFTA/s1024/seals2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxrYpcx3VQLZS5bCwNp8QsAL9NlvgrbFqcTsQYpan8xF2mwr6b9T48ie-Tp1Nz5Mi7BKEghyHQr17ZVhep_ml0ECvpi_vW6ftJHqa3C9sYhSwnqnyAI4YN2ck72f686nVbUa96ZsvOMlbCtf2rSsNofUnp7HhBrzen4ZxeRWcFps1p3CtS62uhzJFTA/w640-h480/seals2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama harbor seals and pups<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitf4WxP3ydkS4bNUtotFe_bKD0ze2lOqlx9pkIt6vKFf9Q-ev07EsEQ7ulpYygJMpMde4Rkut202kKqByDRtwNBtgynGgK3y2XcPcCtlz_-YBlcqa0MvY6t-KUxHQN-uII6YjsfpWm7lxfTep_FtzT6D79oCo8vEN9LtXZ7K2eOxuFG1N6OOzgiCyFA/s1024/seals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitf4WxP3ydkS4bNUtotFe_bKD0ze2lOqlx9pkIt6vKFf9Q-ev07EsEQ7ulpYygJMpMde4Rkut202kKqByDRtwNBtgynGgK3y2XcPcCtlz_-YBlcqa0MvY6t-KUxHQN-uII6YjsfpWm7lxfTep_FtzT6D79oCo8vEN9LtXZ7K2eOxuFG1N6OOzgiCyFA/w640-h480/seals.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>OTHER WILDLIFE<br /></p>Returning to port from Tracy Arm, we came across this rock in the channel, populated by a herd of sealions. The captain stopped the boat and we sat there, watching and listening to these big sea mammals.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFLiHarDEIt7-nGsraNZLevQWh3R59OcVdJxa_5qBl6MTFpCO63GGJW9TeGbDNqJ7n-TaYW_I2i3t2UxlKGE5pUMMBz0lXXg5mdlP8ZA7qd56OTYRnVLp3tSect_kL1qUXuWBkro9oaBg8728m5RnXOnm-Nd-4ImSD3hwOPS2PiJlFbGxvWG89HNXsg/s1024/2691829C-2318-428E-B5C1-F49504BB7789_1_105_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFLiHarDEIt7-nGsraNZLevQWh3R59OcVdJxa_5qBl6MTFpCO63GGJW9TeGbDNqJ7n-TaYW_I2i3t2UxlKGE5pUMMBz0lXXg5mdlP8ZA7qd56OTYRnVLp3tSect_kL1qUXuWBkro9oaBg8728m5RnXOnm-Nd-4ImSD3hwOPS2PiJlFbGxvWG89HNXsg/w640-h480/2691829C-2318-428E-B5C1-F49504BB7789_1_105_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQztr5lK7pj3LO9GjKvIM3OjTFkKxwqv46lXHZN-qDyxMyCcycXKCfqfseyv8ctRnZ7tUppUFo1vzn0OFEImKZ1WN4Vy9ftx3_Adri4wj2oTwtEf9MNHByb8eyQXU7XReKgE6VbTzq7caxycydirWrB2xcf4s9qpN7S5AGDAMQjo5WLlz_2UmoXikTbg/s954/484F96EB-32AA-4CB1-851D-BDCB2F1A87C6_1_105_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="698" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQztr5lK7pj3LO9GjKvIM3OjTFkKxwqv46lXHZN-qDyxMyCcycXKCfqfseyv8ctRnZ7tUppUFo1vzn0OFEImKZ1WN4Vy9ftx3_Adri4wj2oTwtEf9MNHByb8eyQXU7XReKgE6VbTzq7caxycydirWrB2xcf4s9qpN7S5AGDAMQjo5WLlz_2UmoXikTbg/w468-h640/484F96EB-32AA-4CB1-851D-BDCB2F1A87C6_1_105_c.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><p></p><p>Though we have good memories of them, neither Clara nor I got very good photos of the other wildlife we saw, which included humpback whale, orca and black bears. We especially enjoyed the bears. We saw three yearling bear cubs, romping and playing in the wetlands near Vanderbilt Hill. My local friends told us that the mama and three cubs had been there last summer, as well, and had returned this year. Most people in town were familiar with these three cubs. </p><p>FRIENDS AND FAMILY</p><p>On Sunday, after church, Clara and I were invited to join several of my old friends for lunch at Mi Casa, a local Mexican restaurant. My good friend, Kathy, had arranged this get-together, but, sadly, wasn't able to be there since she had been exposed to COVID (and later tested positive). These were the ones in our lunch-bunch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwmjrWAs1O7OCvfKQVz7_tplqNus0OVH7rQ4th40hqZn9tTFnhbQ7EI-L1NpV6OSeSsCeVTWzi9MgNiQXY5H-kKtmAkELUuc29fKEw1ZAAbUYL22d1m_4y3s0aOZQFkvMe0NKbmIvj8jZiGsRhRU05GPvGamM5Gllu3RrFfd-a41WZQ_jFFDQrfyZFg/s3300/friends.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwmjrWAs1O7OCvfKQVz7_tplqNus0OVH7rQ4th40hqZn9tTFnhbQ7EI-L1NpV6OSeSsCeVTWzi9MgNiQXY5H-kKtmAkELUuc29fKEw1ZAAbUYL22d1m_4y3s0aOZQFkvMe0NKbmIvj8jZiGsRhRU05GPvGamM5Gllu3RrFfd-a41WZQ_jFFDQrfyZFg/w494-h640/friends.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p>One of the visits I was greatly looking forward to was with Liz and Louise, my long-time family friends, Liz having been my 6th grade teacher, and Louise my third grade teacher. It was a joy to get to see them once again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7A4Pj93WYdWCUojDA_s6O-hkhiSngeasetj9NlnFS_EOhUUrvq3YJw6i9byOQbni643pQ-F_sFEEBUxZ11W4L8lZK2POBwFUOszDP3iG9mFSIx4L8sraAm6PhhO_PWog4WMVjYd-cW6RmB0igxJ0kzt4oqlBNJ_ruHfqhahJcgkmCQHmAt0z9AXpjQ/s1024/liz%20n%20louise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7A4Pj93WYdWCUojDA_s6O-hkhiSngeasetj9NlnFS_EOhUUrvq3YJw6i9byOQbni643pQ-F_sFEEBUxZ11W4L8lZK2POBwFUOszDP3iG9mFSIx4L8sraAm6PhhO_PWog4WMVjYd-cW6RmB0igxJ0kzt4oqlBNJ_ruHfqhahJcgkmCQHmAt0z9AXpjQ/w480-h640/liz%20n%20louise.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p>And the most special visit was with my Uncle Bud (Mom's brother) and his wife, Ardyne, and daughter, Lisa. He is now living in the Juneau Pioneer Home and getting excellent care. I was so happy that Clara got to meet him, since he is her great-great-uncle. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFKsnJTopj_WNNYcdTCtNqFk5m4oGgbCVCCyfb5Ziv0w6v4tOg0VbnZRYm1L97iQGOK_33zgYwnpvGW3nH6WjKLBIQ7-A7n7fro9UyTaQG-Q8jsMUohnOqiXP4k4LucTTICApAlDwIrfe527gNNFQxp0vtb0TmR7_Q-GrmItWWD0J9hkdoshnGGCmiQ/s4032/bud%20ardyne%20lisa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFKsnJTopj_WNNYcdTCtNqFk5m4oGgbCVCCyfb5Ziv0w6v4tOg0VbnZRYm1L97iQGOK_33zgYwnpvGW3nH6WjKLBIQ7-A7n7fro9UyTaQG-Q8jsMUohnOqiXP4k4LucTTICApAlDwIrfe527gNNFQxp0vtb0TmR7_Q-GrmItWWD0J9hkdoshnGGCmiQ/w640-h480/bud%20ardyne%20lisa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77-4tnfgeIhNi9dQnSbKJxTXgKhPlwK94cyri0yVIm3-vCO3lZ9grJnnl7xYJ0WQTWkpZ9UsH_p5PXCm8SbrqoNtqPqbd5JLskSWvsXN8B2mrlK5LxoUck8J52bg04oQWYWOfuA8sdyNIImoSALE9WpESLHCD_KPdX4MKrH-tWXgV1S-Erc5zq6UXHw/s713/uncle%20bud%20and%20me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="694" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77-4tnfgeIhNi9dQnSbKJxTXgKhPlwK94cyri0yVIm3-vCO3lZ9grJnnl7xYJ0WQTWkpZ9UsH_p5PXCm8SbrqoNtqPqbd5JLskSWvsXN8B2mrlK5LxoUck8J52bg04oQWYWOfuA8sdyNIImoSALE9WpESLHCD_KPdX4MKrH-tWXgV1S-Erc5zq6UXHw/w622-h640/uncle%20bud%20and%20me.jpg" width="622" /></a></div><p></p><p>BACK HOME</p><p>We flew back home on an over-night flight, arriving back in Houston early on Thursday morning. Kelsey picked us up at the airport, and was wearing a double-layer mask, because Chris had tested positive for COVID, and she didn't know if she might be infected as well. She kindly offered to get an Uber ride for me if I was concerned about the virus, but I chose to ride back to their house with her. I didn't go inside ... just picked up my car from their driveway. Kelsey took both Clara and Robert to a hotel, and they stayed five nights there, trying to avoid contact with Chris. (She went, daily, to check on him and to take care of Thor). On their last day at the hotel, both Kelsey and Clara tested positive. That meant that Clara and Robert are not going to get to go to church camp at Bandina, which was a sad development for both of them. Although I do have a cold, I've tested negative for COVID.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-79882562900523848422022-05-26T11:26:00.000-05:002022-05-26T11:26:37.817-05:00News from the Houston Judds<p>Chris, Kelsey and the kids have had a busy spring. Kelsey was especially busy - working with her sister, sister-in-law, and aunt - to plan and host a Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration for her parents, Doug and Beverly. The reception took place in Pecos, TX, on Sunday, April 24. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFwIM8SPJb8e-HGFv27_nO57nRRUMQFKN_-BTNDLPPd1Me3PEjRQ72s81Z3vRTr13xvF79rzPYHUSCnBj-D6Ucgu5dd4D6raV6oqFMSItxkaIVV0Bn6kZfTtI7i0YgPsq7xoydMdo4m80iYiSfYKoq9ncTTi-eZEdCrLUZVCyN9Zwll7lePuGRp4yqA/s2592/image000000%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFwIM8SPJb8e-HGFv27_nO57nRRUMQFKN_-BTNDLPPd1Me3PEjRQ72s81Z3vRTr13xvF79rzPYHUSCnBj-D6Ucgu5dd4D6raV6oqFMSItxkaIVV0Bn6kZfTtI7i0YgPsq7xoydMdo4m80iYiSfYKoq9ncTTi-eZEdCrLUZVCyN9Zwll7lePuGRp4yqA/w640-h480/image000000%2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Kelsey's sister, Dad, Mom, Kelsey, and Kelsey's brother.<br /><p></p><p>And now school has ended for this academic year. I was delighted - although not all that surprised - to learn that both of the grands received end-of-school awards. At the theater banquet, on May 14, Clara was announced as "lead tech officer" for next school year. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7v84RhmpIoSeh5UZG0RdwA6mMov0XWaLRyH9A0MO4TZ-z17qtCt1UVHcVfQjvgV6IaRWANiFEX5A5uzATLr_rn74CeS-1qorD-PnYVI5kVCfbVFwj18H98dlKsd-4kYtUPJTuoSmFwVxZ3Poivcl1XjCiHOtn4BAnADJqevoFKFKjZQGQg0GivKgag/s2592/image000000%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7v84RhmpIoSeh5UZG0RdwA6mMov0XWaLRyH9A0MO4TZ-z17qtCt1UVHcVfQjvgV6IaRWANiFEX5A5uzATLr_rn74CeS-1qorD-PnYVI5kVCfbVFwj18H98dlKsd-4kYtUPJTuoSmFwVxZ3Poivcl1XjCiHOtn4BAnADJqevoFKFKjZQGQg0GivKgag/w480-h640/image000000%209.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MmyKFL_WvsswGk-Js50Mav64CHWe4mxVp8oHFAgGvMwwg8RnO52M3Y_Zz0-te9lm_6XLZMe4QZ_bJKRXUVZKH0zYgnmP2ObdE_pImuBbwzwDkzFOmw969qM_8sKzDK0VgHbjv9Sc2vP0NRGdGfwYMzvZI-r-rNLCYZNS44YWiSJKUgi99SN3nCR7kw/s2064/image000000%208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="1944" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MmyKFL_WvsswGk-Js50Mav64CHWe4mxVp8oHFAgGvMwwg8RnO52M3Y_Zz0-te9lm_6XLZMe4QZ_bJKRXUVZKH0zYgnmP2ObdE_pImuBbwzwDkzFOmw969qM_8sKzDK0VgHbjv9Sc2vP0NRGdGfwYMzvZI-r-rNLCYZNS44YWiSJKUgi99SN3nCR7kw/w602-h640/image000000%208.jpg" width="602" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And Robert was chosen from all of the middle-school students to receive, from his social studies teacher, the "Certificate of Scholastic Excellence" in social studies. He was totally surprised and thrilled with this award.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjkzfQD84y-XFKAbyxn5WL2NFcEA7duYFnBNtjV5DOAhuary3G9057DJfdMaSmzhUBGPXer99PxXW-804InViyugQ5CIwdwjXadBgAm9sno7l-25i-wi7K1QuHEHMlDCss43DsKuJzIrRwqCU6DMKLiKTeD_eR5cXNS8hei0mujMkvJ11wRRDvn-YDw/s2592/image000000%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjkzfQD84y-XFKAbyxn5WL2NFcEA7duYFnBNtjV5DOAhuary3G9057DJfdMaSmzhUBGPXer99PxXW-804InViyugQ5CIwdwjXadBgAm9sno7l-25i-wi7K1QuHEHMlDCss43DsKuJzIrRwqCU6DMKLiKTeD_eR5cXNS8hei0mujMkvJ11wRRDvn-YDw/w480-h640/image000000%207.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Robert with his social studies teacher <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjastiSKeZkz05cwER7z5G1BHTuI1fY3kmNjwnZ84SyQGSwn7CvM-q3iqd8H-j6g7AUFh8__h32wADHnBjPXOBR9OFgbtxvbcuouEumBaFQrsNMo8gacXtC-eykSg_cuj36tedlJu6uoPsn6EpaGlFOfVToLTavQfeGPQYLxqhaMB4FWxOXbeAAADvCbA/s2548/image000000%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1910" data-original-width="2548" height="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjastiSKeZkz05cwER7z5G1BHTuI1fY3kmNjwnZ84SyQGSwn7CvM-q3iqd8H-j6g7AUFh8__h32wADHnBjPXOBR9OFgbtxvbcuouEumBaFQrsNMo8gacXtC-eykSg_cuj36tedlJu6uoPsn6EpaGlFOfVToLTavQfeGPQYLxqhaMB4FWxOXbeAAADvCbA/w575-h431/image000000%2010.jpg" width="575" /> </a></div> Kelsey and Robert - both happy and proud of his award<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-3772313546416940812022-04-24T08:09:00.000-05:002022-04-24T08:09:17.163-05:00Easter 2022<p>Both Clara and Robert had a long Easter weekend - Friday through Monday - so Dan and I took advantage of that and went to visit them. We drove to Houston on Thursday. It was a beautiful trip, with all the spring wildflowers covering the roadsides! </p><p>It was a pretty relaxed family-time visit. We played a game or two, and had lots of good conversation. We went to church on Sunday at Memorial, and they had an outdoor service. We were on the church property, beneath some big trees. It was quite comfortable in the beginning, but got pretty hot before the end. I'm not complaining, though, because it was a really nice worship service.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa132jg2JDeVD0zp5LORQzP2Z8WEsHv-yDDAhryF5j_nwQlbUYXnzmJMIaETA1PqFwNa5VM9Swro0NxfDzRK9o3wWH3SmEktoSMHNRJ3TxKgSHnuwK8GL-qaNygMDLRo6K84GCpjnQwp-IDI-KaW5tydOv96eUtRJB3d14ZLqdTtLQ-z6WbBsWL2fsA/s3414/Robert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3414" data-original-width="2724" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa132jg2JDeVD0zp5LORQzP2Z8WEsHv-yDDAhryF5j_nwQlbUYXnzmJMIaETA1PqFwNa5VM9Swro0NxfDzRK9o3wWH3SmEktoSMHNRJ3TxKgSHnuwK8GL-qaNygMDLRo6K84GCpjnQwp-IDI-KaW5tydOv96eUtRJB3d14ZLqdTtLQ-z6WbBsWL2fsA/s320/Robert.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT07XFhE1ObXr050ZskRCDfVjtoyxx1knrnemPj-NocopPWhb4n1TJ0N4akYNl2q-cPoUDUW2CNuFPdcoaSzbcmGHvPO9vMFJfGojV__1xNTwfO0p6BV61UxAOYJN8SuB0eto6Al-errQKbAeU7w2JIC17IADsjd8ZTBOMRLGnkei16sIbDqrvw-QA9Q/s3249/KelseyRobert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3249" data-original-width="2734" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT07XFhE1ObXr050ZskRCDfVjtoyxx1knrnemPj-NocopPWhb4n1TJ0N4akYNl2q-cPoUDUW2CNuFPdcoaSzbcmGHvPO9vMFJfGojV__1xNTwfO0p6BV61UxAOYJN8SuB0eto6Al-errQKbAeU7w2JIC17IADsjd8ZTBOMRLGnkei16sIbDqrvw-QA9Q/s320/KelseyRobert.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WMjxSXtgU-Dup7GpgnnPuQNTz4wCNuPtosx77y2kXgU0HLrQjZBhycDCNhQxrk-J67V-l1fOcOyUktYa2juZqGBed0tHRY1MfDcD6HXPefhgPeML1pd74MqhjR7WBJQrNYQTTvM6Qq-aBgcQhCHvizhDAwWHvDZZA3C0jGc30PZo6r_Go0V9t_nm8A/s3756/Houston%20Judds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2763" data-original-width="3756" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WMjxSXtgU-Dup7GpgnnPuQNTz4wCNuPtosx77y2kXgU0HLrQjZBhycDCNhQxrk-J67V-l1fOcOyUktYa2juZqGBed0tHRY1MfDcD6HXPefhgPeML1pd74MqhjR7WBJQrNYQTTvM6Qq-aBgcQhCHvizhDAwWHvDZZA3C0jGc30PZo6r_Go0V9t_nm8A/w400-h294/Houston%20Judds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21WoeWL6sUw0fVqiqoQcg5WBjNeW1-XeHwGeyHBZNc-VcWmSqhCOXdjJKqhuuejEjaw4TeBx3N1HEeuqb_t9nFNqQes0hjcX0aodNArCC5sO5rPETnmTuVjwLGJDJVShFgSO2OssZRWWtHcz1a2CfJDi64DWth7MKWTT5n8jkVtyqS4G4xWo9Fs82Gg/s2255/GrammaRobert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2255" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21WoeWL6sUw0fVqiqoQcg5WBjNeW1-XeHwGeyHBZNc-VcWmSqhCOXdjJKqhuuejEjaw4TeBx3N1HEeuqb_t9nFNqQes0hjcX0aodNArCC5sO5rPETnmTuVjwLGJDJVShFgSO2OssZRWWtHcz1a2CfJDi64DWth7MKWTT5n8jkVtyqS4G4xWo9Fs82Gg/s320/GrammaRobert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>On Friday we met up with Dan's race-buddy and friend, Lindsay, and his wife, Kathy, for lunch at Longhorn Stakehouse. I had never met Kathy before, and found her to be really dellightfu ... just like Lindsay. </p><p>The only downside to this visit was the lower back pain I was experiencing. It came on rather suddenly a week or so earlier, and was still painful and limiting my mobility. But I wasn't going to let it keep me from taking part in everything with the family. When I got back home, I realized I needed to consult with my doctor, as things were getting worse. Since then I've been messaging with Dr. N, and with her Nurse Practitioner, nearly daily. I had an in-person appointment on Thursday, and they took x-rays which showed moderate arthritis (no surprise there!) and a compression fracture in a vertibrae. They couldn't tell if this was new or an old injury. They have given me meds to help with the pain, and have made an appointment for me with an ortho-specialist. This whole thing wouldn't be so troubling to me, except for my upcoming trip to Alaska with Clara. I MUST be back to normal by then. <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-84180034291543405892022-03-29T19:46:00.002-05:002022-03-29T19:57:04.265-05:00McDonald's Crawfish Boil<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy3sPacFriqTqNs5IswQbSI-UMHWjBuH90qgEfP2qwMJlOpJxOU0crGbeopJefOW-5weRFqSd9D5KR4IJmjww' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>Every spring, our friends, the McDonald brothers and their families host a huge Crawfish Boil in the their backyard. This year we were invited, and it was our first time to experience anything like it! There were about 100 people who came to the feast, this past Saturday. We heard that before the COVID years, the attendance was more like 200!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KIhLh7vx9BhpZJXX9HSoabcVOR2g35ffJ2khK3Rh4vxfMIgSeCup0mUk8sl3muqtwVidFNAvtT6_2OkUnW2OEYLIl2meHO3cMVJUqcuED2euEOVsZuzV9R_ikQAsEyKo-73YUfggnOjKec86S9egG3L7rs9r1YYXGqXqafGWG6bTDoKBnUSWP--MvQ/s4032/IMG_8101.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KIhLh7vx9BhpZJXX9HSoabcVOR2g35ffJ2khK3Rh4vxfMIgSeCup0mUk8sl3muqtwVidFNAvtT6_2OkUnW2OEYLIl2meHO3cMVJUqcuED2euEOVsZuzV9R_ikQAsEyKo-73YUfggnOjKec86S9egG3L7rs9r1YYXGqXqafGWG6bTDoKBnUSWP--MvQ/w640-h480/IMG_8101.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02LGVPRmfqAInX-mTB_-kR6eREv-oisd-YTN9rKzeDsTaaD9HPwgJkXeGzMVMIXSd9fRUk2j6_nFsxX9x8ZxodB6VpnFTLR_hrTv_1CY-_Vy-O6Nfz0iQcWWx-Hbp2Kenx7Iz8Vw21-vbVO00RamHRStuVUOoMpNdrwBQWTLehgvePIzSZR6TCcFFHg/s4032/IMG_8137.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02LGVPRmfqAInX-mTB_-kR6eREv-oisd-YTN9rKzeDsTaaD9HPwgJkXeGzMVMIXSd9fRUk2j6_nFsxX9x8ZxodB6VpnFTLR_hrTv_1CY-_Vy-O6Nfz0iQcWWx-Hbp2Kenx7Iz8Vw21-vbVO00RamHRStuVUOoMpNdrwBQWTLehgvePIzSZR6TCcFFHg/w640-h480/IMG_8137.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxh92Zd9FNbdfaaLSTkMG6GTjG95Qa0Lp_F81xVOb6Ca8Evxo753Im9VhvVvSLwuzRHPM77xaJqYMznPSzCvJDYEBDCegBY0qFSM7A1wt44s2BgwX8EcrMD-kVCE7aaXrfQhlU0lgduTJYN7Y9KTOvWtp8LohMQibdYHfDduccAGtsgS2hUWW8OOHgA/s4032/IMG_8103.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxh92Zd9FNbdfaaLSTkMG6GTjG95Qa0Lp_F81xVOb6Ca8Evxo753Im9VhvVvSLwuzRHPM77xaJqYMznPSzCvJDYEBDCegBY0qFSM7A1wt44s2BgwX8EcrMD-kVCE7aaXrfQhlU0lgduTJYN7Y9KTOvWtp8LohMQibdYHfDduccAGtsgS2hUWW8OOHgA/w369-h492/IMG_8103.JPG" width="369" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The spicy boil was typical Louisiana style and included the crawfish, shrimp, potatoes, corn, onions and sausage. While that was boiling, someone was roasting oysters over flames in the fire pit. Dessert was an amazing bread pudding (I've asked for the recipe, because it was the best I've ever tasted). </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwUxu5Gb2LI_gp3UYjQ7QguKaFHflojZpyIlMWbFJmporsY8PEn_4vH1s7zXiOLpOqmVNKzr70HNHId5BktfS7BhXuhi2aHyE0c915N4TIzfgE5J2s38nCs7O-jpmNPn7_BdiQal88R7igxDzhlJD9FAQf2JY0RNNFxHsClwfPhL3qt84HLtnWHxq6w/s4032/IMG_8097.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwUxu5Gb2LI_gp3UYjQ7QguKaFHflojZpyIlMWbFJmporsY8PEn_4vH1s7zXiOLpOqmVNKzr70HNHId5BktfS7BhXuhi2aHyE0c915N4TIzfgE5J2s38nCs7O-jpmNPn7_BdiQal88R7igxDzhlJD9FAQf2JY0RNNFxHsClwfPhL3qt84HLtnWHxq6w/w480-h640/IMG_8097.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg03edK-1hzgCVE6j7AdcTVk7OwNkW7vqyrnzfzq7ltRNKIaY0fxux1pa3yQgm-oy64WhHPD_QZ4osWJiOKKsYx3JHPcB7woy6FkPO-NVeoq1x8C8RvHyYyYCSACR1FGf5cJtrYNWegp2xPid7iJ2CN_ySPNtHnO-kxg93T4vG8v251-90uobbsZX-Q/s4032/IMG_8114.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg03edK-1hzgCVE6j7AdcTVk7OwNkW7vqyrnzfzq7ltRNKIaY0fxux1pa3yQgm-oy64WhHPD_QZ4osWJiOKKsYx3JHPcB7woy6FkPO-NVeoq1x8C8RvHyYyYCSACR1FGf5cJtrYNWegp2xPid7iJ2CN_ySPNtHnO-kxg93T4vG8v251-90uobbsZX-Q/w480-h640/IMG_8114.JPG" width="480" /></a><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHETwqKS0It0eEET0cQkm_aL6F4PF54DdRmCNLCniUsMwTJF57cHRVe1rhSkAohtGuPEE2CmBx45igS_mLXU92hjeGhGZ5b6RlQspBLQgiIaqeuGMv8c77xid4-A31zolzNJOW2x0k5qWhuVYfynr7t4a9VfZunc6DDEAgdiyj1Es-iHDbNw9gF1mrsA/s4032/IMG_8105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHETwqKS0It0eEET0cQkm_aL6F4PF54DdRmCNLCniUsMwTJF57cHRVe1rhSkAohtGuPEE2CmBx45igS_mLXU92hjeGhGZ5b6RlQspBLQgiIaqeuGMv8c77xid4-A31zolzNJOW2x0k5qWhuVYfynr7t4a9VfZunc6DDEAgdiyj1Es-iHDbNw9gF1mrsA/w480-h640/IMG_8105.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jQsA7tHnJq9WTKls8C62U0h3EO3FHrpSHpNJGMcpwvX0KaBzAqbT7ZxagF-EDs9iJQDds8Dzaai--7gl4hbi1I5YGbc-m2LZ6NOY__CVKT98L-gTZeObVS4ka5EMc_3ZRx4NTc5WzG4z-Zd7XV_B-10Zjnw9hBad7-YRa8ao03rD7vLMz9S5s7gH4Q/s4032/IMG_8136.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jQsA7tHnJq9WTKls8C62U0h3EO3FHrpSHpNJGMcpwvX0KaBzAqbT7ZxagF-EDs9iJQDds8Dzaai--7gl4hbi1I5YGbc-m2LZ6NOY__CVKT98L-gTZeObVS4ka5EMc_3ZRx4NTc5WzG4z-Zd7XV_B-10Zjnw9hBad7-YRa8ao03rD7vLMz9S5s7gH4Q/w480-h640/IMG_8136.JPG" width="480" /></a><br /></div><p></p><p>Among the guests were three sisters - all in their 80s and 90s - who were
aunts of the McDonalds, and who had all recently had birthdays. The
birthday cake to honor these ladies was an amazing piece of art. It looked just like a
pot of crawfish boil, but was all made of cake and fondant icing ...
even the pot itself! <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGPEHNsvLrULhK5qPw9osEUCbDLGqZ4y5GTZ3hT-MVQXibvOV4ObcKpm34HkvaQuM_JshuMYxJ-EbUkTEyz47skMxaY2kFmezBh4I28ohNzaj-5LXb53CPwG0N-AaWMveGdRWuJSOxEFhV7zWBRKVw_XFpd63oNbrPtSeWMS-E1BWM3mnqfA0xC9Iyg/s3414/IMG_8138.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3414" data-original-width="2485" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGPEHNsvLrULhK5qPw9osEUCbDLGqZ4y5GTZ3hT-MVQXibvOV4ObcKpm34HkvaQuM_JshuMYxJ-EbUkTEyz47skMxaY2kFmezBh4I28ohNzaj-5LXb53CPwG0N-AaWMveGdRWuJSOxEFhV7zWBRKVw_XFpd63oNbrPtSeWMS-E1BWM3mnqfA0xC9Iyg/w466-h640/IMG_8138.jpg" width="466" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the birthday cake - everything sweet and edible!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAgqlsMPcg686R31-KxDnifEgBRH21sokM8A6fsnjS8aTC8j6MO-_NWMdzzKSYzWrzKNSISka9Q7Yjg6StvBhZJqxfxJ7iHuwILa_qvKZyVoGYfh3NwWMYB0VSEGiX5WtPEfa1A7AKy0qJB0xgaLEASIs2w0GFxs34iHWlsdvHFkenCHwuH988-5GMA/s4032/IMG_8141.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAcjx5mSLMIzEJUX7vcx3DujBQEYjdFjzuhbrKINeWmrd2Z5d9NMjNvX4SGUHvO5l3ZITaDNuK0YsKT8F0Va_z2hLxCnuGwUZJoh7MLikvkoVvgizxxG8z1syb9E2U43-w4LUW1qUpb6NZNFJ97sbsTlaV7mYyqEWZ3nqCYIcVHfzmJWJ4WRbWKeekQ/s4032/IMG_8140.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAcjx5mSLMIzEJUX7vcx3DujBQEYjdFjzuhbrKINeWmrd2Z5d9NMjNvX4SGUHvO5l3ZITaDNuK0YsKT8F0Va_z2hLxCnuGwUZJoh7MLikvkoVvgizxxG8z1syb9E2U43-w4LUW1qUpb6NZNFJ97sbsTlaV7mYyqEWZ3nqCYIcVHfzmJWJ4WRbWKeekQ/w640-h480/IMG_8140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three ladies who are seated are the three sisters whose birthdays we were celebrating.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqkcjextyj-VpdMdEWh2bsEzW5KnhV2LcrSUPTJvac-YfXZeelOZ2cUEKpEW6s8xdu8DUQNGg_9JxV7teOqSILCeiZSJ6ZEGrbtbQR212ESkV31nWE37S3iBQT3XeUcIPwfvfsMeCebMpdVYoQvDDXVnumRKh7zcvcpwEE_tbDo48_TR800qYPT62Lg/s4032/IMG_8145.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqkcjextyj-VpdMdEWh2bsEzW5KnhV2LcrSUPTJvac-YfXZeelOZ2cUEKpEW6s8xdu8DUQNGg_9JxV7teOqSILCeiZSJ6ZEGrbtbQR212ESkV31nWE37S3iBQT3XeUcIPwfvfsMeCebMpdVYoQvDDXVnumRKh7zcvcpwEE_tbDo48_TR800qYPT62Lg/w480-h640/IMG_8145.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the cake - CHOCOLATE inside!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROa2eCkpWfy8mAepWKlsJjQXvLdQd49AZtYl2SGtkBMFux48Hz7sC-ipm1fjuCIl6kD7w4xPz3Qi2HPVBXXUQCZHR9J8FYl1UTy3fQke3HL7p6-7tfO9X1o7mPt7iukhROh0kuamABuJe1EleZWSo2OeIA81FVqkL-CNRpD1RFCobqwCWHPBweYhllA/s4032/IMG_8147.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROa2eCkpWfy8mAepWKlsJjQXvLdQd49AZtYl2SGtkBMFux48Hz7sC-ipm1fjuCIl6kD7w4xPz3Qi2HPVBXXUQCZHR9J8FYl1UTy3fQke3HL7p6-7tfO9X1o7mPt7iukhROh0kuamABuJe1EleZWSo2OeIA81FVqkL-CNRpD1RFCobqwCWHPBweYhllA/w480-h640/IMG_8147.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>It was a marvelous day, with new experiences, great food and fun, friendly folks! Many thanks to the McDonalds for hosting this extravaganza!<br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-45436211819505441392022-03-25T14:09:00.006-05:002022-03-29T14:13:30.048-05:00Happy Birthday Twilla!<p>Our friend, Twilla, had her birthday back on March 7, but between some illness and some travel, we didn't get to celebrate until last evening.</p><p>After a great time dining at The Gin at Nolan Creek, we came back to our house for birthday cake and a nice visit. May the coming year be a wonderful one for you, Twilla!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3e_M2JjuTIRffkVjuKwOYuszOW0tJREZDS9GiZ8vaCEQ_f3Oq1yq7ehCs8jtjqC0n7d4GRnCLgXVI67mkApg_gNvV66jdxzYQS_GVac6k8JhHRMr3WbgI_r8KHj2V2me9F4qJbJVEaggn8B73NqXPXn8cC-aqMKh14MlPisjZmxf0OmQ574TFSXjog/s4032/IMG_8096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3e_M2JjuTIRffkVjuKwOYuszOW0tJREZDS9GiZ8vaCEQ_f3Oq1yq7ehCs8jtjqC0n7d4GRnCLgXVI67mkApg_gNvV66jdxzYQS_GVac6k8JhHRMr3WbgI_r8KHj2V2me9F4qJbJVEaggn8B73NqXPXn8cC-aqMKh14MlPisjZmxf0OmQ574TFSXjog/w480-h640/IMG_8096.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758132938544116032.post-2216405021420119112022-03-08T13:58:00.043-06:002022-03-29T14:09:06.331-05:00Clara - Growing Up!<p>For Christmas, Chris and Kelsey gave Clara four tickets to the Broadway show, Hamilton, which was coming to Houston. One ticket was for Clara, two for two friends of her choice, and one for Kelsey, who would chaperone them.</p><p>The evening of the performance finally came on Saturday! From what I hear, it was everything Clara dreamed of. Kelsey sent me a couple of photos taken during intermission. I was stunned by how beautiful she looked, all dressed up for her big night out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVPKPJnwG9nh8STO7Sf92TbBhoZ3LaYwt8s5FXkNccwuunvTtvgAKhPx47dGre8OYu-qgVtKsi9Mg20E3Wl8llpClJt0WeZEquC_tJYoUqCr_AeD0HFfTVK-3Sjl5JYVoOkcT6eMTn848qts0-1bLfeoHLG9-YTu9t5fPB9Xo-vNEEZk0aU9VmfhLlw/s2592/image000000%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVPKPJnwG9nh8STO7Sf92TbBhoZ3LaYwt8s5FXkNccwuunvTtvgAKhPx47dGre8OYu-qgVtKsi9Mg20E3Wl8llpClJt0WeZEquC_tJYoUqCr_AeD0HFfTVK-3Sjl5JYVoOkcT6eMTn848qts0-1bLfeoHLG9-YTu9t5fPB9Xo-vNEEZk0aU9VmfhLlw/w640-h480/image000000%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuWKEFZU8j6bH_4AkQ8G8bohzOVOyRY0z6mSjzWZA9e9tNOZ1lY2qsIvelAq4sZt3job-9FpzOnYHo9xbb-85900JCt6QGQsaLkKp95JOGbXQKlOQylLG7wIhW24KyayqUCjzF375Drz6OsZVdkAcZfxAs3Ge8Vp0T-cHMMi68crk4kOQ9SJdvQxLPA/s1832/image000001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1832" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuWKEFZU8j6bH_4AkQ8G8bohzOVOyRY0z6mSjzWZA9e9tNOZ1lY2qsIvelAq4sZt3job-9FpzOnYHo9xbb-85900JCt6QGQsaLkKp95JOGbXQKlOQylLG7wIhW24KyayqUCjzF375Drz6OsZVdkAcZfxAs3Ge8Vp0T-cHMMi68crk4kOQ9SJdvQxLPA/w640-h480/image000001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Then, last evening I received another text from Kelsey with a picture of Clara working the lighting for her school's one-act play. She only started working with the theater tech group this school year, and has enjoyed it so much.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd_mrfUx5MyyEuK_564KmXIh49e5c4Huw5ocrV1o4V8VbXBBNZN_6-fnvEr4tCzmXALl5lzP_xzaAbtR4rAXsXlrcrqa2_T8iHDlfYUW9nw3xcklerVBTendtFadn6hezL1F1n8GpF0d9OmjRiwifURR-lv6QBH-Qadgfgo-wuwWTbmHSl4sW-_oN_A/s2592/image000000%205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd_mrfUx5MyyEuK_564KmXIh49e5c4Huw5ocrV1o4V8VbXBBNZN_6-fnvEr4tCzmXALl5lzP_xzaAbtR4rAXsXlrcrqa2_T8iHDlfYUW9nw3xcklerVBTendtFadn6hezL1F1n8GpF0d9OmjRiwifURR-lv6QBH-Qadgfgo-wuwWTbmHSl4sW-_oN_A/w640-h480/image000000%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I'm so proud of Clara for so many reasons! <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0