It's been just over a month since I last blogged. I have been busy getting re-settled at home, making two trips to see friends in Wilmington, NC (had a great Thanksgiving!), and now I'm in New Hampshire--without Daisy.
Daisy has been busy when we're at home playing with her old friend Cameron and her new friend Belle. We're leaving in 10 days for Annapolis to pick up Belle and her human and then drive to Memphis for Christmas and New Years.
Meanwhile, Daisy is in NC w/ Cameron's human and I'm in NH w/ my brother, sister-in-law, and niece and nephew. Tonight we will celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, and the kids are very excited. We have been told to hide their presents throughout the house so they can hunt for them. This should be fun. Good thing there are no nosy dogs here to "help."
The Hanukkah celebrations continue tomorrow with a big party at a friend's house involving lots of traditional food such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). But first there is the annual Army-navy football game, and we will all be decked out in blue and gold, including the junk food! GO NAVY!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Heading Home
We'll take Unc to the airport in a few hours then meet up with an old friend. Then tomorrow we head HOME! Daisy and I will be glad to get home.
It's been a GREAT 9 weeks on the road! I've been trying to think of a top 10--and in no particular order, here are my initial thoughts:
1. Lewis and Clark--I still stand in awe of what they accomplished over 200 years ago.
2. Grand Canyon--nothing like it in the world.
3. State and US highways--NOT Interstates--you can see the US better from smaller roads.
4. US National Parks, Historic Sites, and Monuments--thanks to NPS and BLM for maintaining these beautiful and historic places.
5. Honda--my 2008 Accord has served us wonderfully through almost 14,000 miles of travel.
6. Naval Aviation--thanks to all who serve to keep us free.
7. Friends and family--it was great to visit with so many of you along the way. Wish I could have seen even more of you, and hope I will see all the Burkett clan at our reunion next summer.
8. LQ and other dog-friendly hotels--thanks for providing clean, comfortable, and safe places for us to stay.
9. Cracker Barrel--thanks for good food and great audio books to rent along the way.
10. Daisy--the World's Most Spiled Dog and best travel companion!
It's been a GREAT 9 weeks on the road! I've been trying to think of a top 10--and in no particular order, here are my initial thoughts:
1. Lewis and Clark--I still stand in awe of what they accomplished over 200 years ago.
2. Grand Canyon--nothing like it in the world.
3. State and US highways--NOT Interstates--you can see the US better from smaller roads.
4. US National Parks, Historic Sites, and Monuments--thanks to NPS and BLM for maintaining these beautiful and historic places.
5. Honda--my 2008 Accord has served us wonderfully through almost 14,000 miles of travel.
6. Naval Aviation--thanks to all who serve to keep us free.
7. Friends and family--it was great to visit with so many of you along the way. Wish I could have seen even more of you, and hope I will see all the Burkett clan at our reunion next summer.
8. LQ and other dog-friendly hotels--thanks for providing clean, comfortable, and safe places for us to stay.
9. Cracker Barrel--thanks for good food and great audio books to rent along the way.
10. Daisy--the World's Most Spiled Dog and best travel companion!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
More Travels with Daisy and Unc
It's 6 a.m. at NAS JAX, and Unc and I are on our computers while Daisy, TWMSD, stares at us trying to get us to feed her. Unc just gave her a cookie, on top of the popcorn I had just given her. You see why she is TWMSD.
Since New Orleans, we have been to NAS Pensacola where we saw the amazing National Museum of Naval Aviation. Then onto Athens, GA, to visit my aunt and uncle (Unc's sister and her husband). From there we went to Andersonville, GA, site of the infamous prison where the Confederates held over 30,000 Union soldiers, and also site of the National POW Museum. That museum provides a detailed view of American POWs from the Revolutionary War to the present, and the stories of bravery and fortitude of our many military personnel in the face of cruel and inhumane conditions are moving and remind of that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
Yesterday we came to NAS Jacksonville and are staying at the Navy Lodge. Today we'll go to St. Augustine to see the old city at the World Golf Hall of Fame.
It's been a great trip, and Daisy has been a great traveler. She really likes Unc's junk food, so we both have to go on a diet when we get home. We will put Unc on a flight home to Austin tomorrow then head home ourselves on Friday. We've been traveling 9 weeks--hard to imagine!
Since New Orleans, we have been to NAS Pensacola where we saw the amazing National Museum of Naval Aviation. Then onto Athens, GA, to visit my aunt and uncle (Unc's sister and her husband). From there we went to Andersonville, GA, site of the infamous prison where the Confederates held over 30,000 Union soldiers, and also site of the National POW Museum. That museum provides a detailed view of American POWs from the Revolutionary War to the present, and the stories of bravery and fortitude of our many military personnel in the face of cruel and inhumane conditions are moving and remind of that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
Yesterday we came to NAS Jacksonville and are staying at the Navy Lodge. Today we'll go to St. Augustine to see the old city at the World Golf Hall of Fame.
It's been a great trip, and Daisy has been a great traveler. She really likes Unc's junk food, so we both have to go on a diet when we get home. We will put Unc on a flight home to Austin tomorrow then head home ourselves on Friday. We've been traveling 9 weeks--hard to imagine!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
New Orleans
Causeway over Lake Ponchatrain
Tree decorated with Mardi Gras beads in the Garden District
Unc, Daisy, and I have had a good couple of days in New Orleans. Daisy has coped with city life quite well, being patient to walk a couple of blocks before doing her duty, etc.
We spent most of yesterday morning at the World War II Museum, originally started as the D-Day Museum by Stephen Ambrose. There are some great exhibits, and all veterans are warmly welcomed by a staff of volunteers. Unc met a couple of men who also served in Naval Aviation in the mid-1960s.
We spent the afternoon driving south on La23 to the delta. Lots of water everywhere!
In the evening Unc and I went to Bourbon Street for a quick drink and look around before it got too crazy!
Yesterday we finally made it to Cafe du Monde--love those beignets and cafe au lait! We also hit Jimmy Buffett's Margaraitaville store and restaurant--bought some Christmas presents. We spent the afternoon driving around the garden District then north along Lake Pontchatrain to its north side then driving the 24-mile causeway back to the city. It's anazingly large, and in the middle of the causeway, you feel as if you could be in the middle of nowhere.
A quiet night last night--needed to rest! Today we are off to Pensacola, FL, via the beaches in Mississippi and Alabama--Daisy's gong swimming!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Travels with Daisy and Unc
It all started at 3:45 a.m. (CDT). Yep. Unc banged on my door and said "we gotta hit it..storm's a'coming and we need to get ahead of it." So our 6 am departured became a 4:12 a.m. departure. Thank goodness we had packed 90% of the trunk and car the evening before.
Unc drove the first 2.5 hours (in the dark, of course) and then I took over while it was still dark, about 45 miles west of Houston. Boy were the next 2 hours fun! Rush-hour traffic, tremedous downpurs, lightning flashes, and Daisy trying to get in the front and sit on our laps. But we made it, and soon left the rain and storms behind us.
Shortly after we got into Louisiana, we left the Interstate and drove through a lot of southern Louisiana. Really interesting area--lots of sugar cane fields. Very little traffic. We got into New Orleans about 4:15--so a 12-hour day but most of it nice. It'll be early to bed tonight!
Unc drove the first 2.5 hours (in the dark, of course) and then I took over while it was still dark, about 45 miles west of Houston. Boy were the next 2 hours fun! Rush-hour traffic, tremedous downpurs, lightning flashes, and Daisy trying to get in the front and sit on our laps. But we made it, and soon left the rain and storms behind us.
Shortly after we got into Louisiana, we left the Interstate and drove through a lot of southern Louisiana. Really interesting area--lots of sugar cane fields. Very little traffic. We got into New Orleans about 4:15--so a 12-hour day but most of it nice. It'll be early to bed tonight!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
On the road again...
Today (Sunday) is our last day in Austin. We're going to be gone a while, heading a couple hours northwest to meet some family from Abilene for lunch (we're meeting them halfway) since the outbreak of flu there kept me from visiting last weekend. Then Unc and I (and of course Daisy)head to New Orleans tomorrow. The world's most spoiled dog has had a marvelous time here playing with Molly. She got a much-needed bath yesterday and is sitting in the car right now, pretending to go for a car ride. More tales from the road to come....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
