20020323 Dauphin Island AL

We got up about 8:30 and decided to try Dick Russell’s for breakfast. I had orange juice, coffee and biscuits with sausage gravy. Mary Harriett had biscuits with sausage patties, honey and coffee. It was ok. We got the tank filled and drove over the bay to Dauphin Island AL and Fairhope AL. We saw some of the Azalea Trail Maids out and about. It looked like the 10K Azalea Race was over and everyone was going home. We saw some lovely homes and grounds on the east side of the bay. The day was cool, but no humidity, so it was comfortable. We drove down one road that went to a marina with lots of sailboats where they were giving lessons. Saw some interesting sights, one sign said “Ecor Rouge”.  It was a cliff of red clay that was the highest on the eastern seacoast between here and Maine. We drove down to Point Clear AL and back up to Fairhope. Oh, when we got to Dauphin in morning, we stopped at the library to check e-mail. Win said Carolyn’s mother was in health facility near the new library and they were trying to get her father in there also. We ate shrimp salad for lunch on the pier in Fairhope. We looked around town, in and out of shops, and got some coffee and ice cream.

20020325 Natchez Trace TN

We got up and partook of the breakfast at the motel. We decided not to tour the house at Natchez because they were only open to tour packages. It is Pilgrimage Celebration Time there and you have to sign up for a tour which is four hours. Instead, we headed out of town and got on the Natchez Trace. We made several stops along the way, to either read the signs or, at one stop, to see one of the remaining “stands” where people could stay while walking the trace north. We asked the guide about places to eat and she suggested the Piggly Wiggly in Port Gibson TN. The store has plates of food and sandwiches, etc. I got fried chicken wings, turnips greens, pinto beans and corn bread, and also bought grapes. Mary Harriett got tuna salad, saltines and pecan pie. She also found “Bruce’s hot sauce” and bought oranges and chips. We drove to the next picnic area and ate our food. The drive was lovely. We saw lots of dogwood, red bud in flower and leaves coming out on the trees. We saw a wake robin which looks a lot different from the ones up north. May apples were in abundance and a tall yellow flower that I think was a cress or a rocket. We got off at Jacksonville TN and took I20 to Vicksburg TN. We stopped at the the information booth and picked up a map of an historic driving tour of Vicksburg, so we did that. It seems most of the historic houses on the tour were bed and breakfasts. We were surprised at how hilly Vicksburg is. We decided we didn’t want to tour any of the houses, so we headed back to I20 and across the river into Louisiana. We're staying at the Days Inn in Tallulah LA. We ate at the truck stop - good.

20020325 Emerald Mound, Natchez Trace Parkway -2

20020325 Picnic spot on Natchez Trace -2

20020327 Hot Springs AR

We checked out about 9:00 AM and went to library. We checked e-mail and chatted with people. Got messages from Win, Steven, Beth, Cathy and John. I sent a message telling them where we are going. We then headed out to the Aquaculture Research Center. A guide showed us the labs and some experimental ponds. Mary Harriett had some interesting questions. We left about 11:30 and drove to Hot Springs AR. We stopped at small town on the way for lunch at Daisy Queen where we shared a taco salad and some fried chicken. Before we got to Hot Springs, we decided to check out Lake Catherine to see if we could stay in a cabin there. There was a cabin available for $70 a night, but we decided not to take it. We went back to Hot Springs and picked out the Happy Hollow Motel. It is about as old as I am but clean and has four chairs, a refrigerator and a TV. We walked to the “historic” downtown area and strolled by shops. Beautiful almost full moon tonight.

20020330 Grove OK

Visiting Don and Chris in their lake house in Grove OK. After breakfast, we went to Har-Ber Village. It is a collection of 100 some buildings with artifacts from the area to show what the frontier life was like. Several log cabins were brought here from towns in Arkansas, Oklahoma, etc. We went back to the lake house and got stuff organized to leave. At the grocery store, Mary Harriett picked up a few things and Chris got things she needed for Sunday dinner.  We left about 4:30 in two cars. I rode with Don and Chris rode with Mary Harriett. We rode along old Historic Route 66 and arrived at their house in Tulsa about 7:30. Beautiful house - so many interesting things to look at. Don showed us a box Mother had given him that had family stuff in it, tin types, photo album, little things. It was definitely from Cousin Marion R. About 10 we had some libations and played a game of 31. Chris won. It was after 11:30 when we got to bed. Mary Harriett and I are sharing a room with twin beds. with our own bathroom, closet, and thermostat, so we can control the temperature for our room.

Chris and Don

20020331 Tulsa OK (Easter)

Easter Sunday dawned with beautiful weather; blue skies, cool in morning, but warmed up into the 70’s. We got to church with Don and Chris at 8:00 and crowds of people were already hurrying in. We got a seat in the back row. Lance, Vanessa and Lillian (her mother) were already there. I estimated there were 500 people in the sanctuary, but I couldn’t see into the balcony. When the service was over, there were people waiting + pushing their way in for the 9:30 contemporary service and there is another service at 11:00. We met the rest of the family outside the church. Justin, Karla and their two children, Nicole and Austin. We drove around Tulsa OK until it was time to meet everyone at the Country Club for brunch at 10:30. After the meal, we saw more of Tulsa and at 1:00 went to Gilcrease Museum. A friend of Christine’s came to show us the exhibits, she made it much more interesting. When we walked in the door, we were greeted by an official greeter, Donald said we were from New York, the man said “not from Hoosick Falls?”. Of course, we said ”Yes”. There is a special exhibit of Grandma Moses in the gallery. Of course we had to tell our Grandma Moses stories. Donald’s sister, Shirley and her husband, Bill, came for supper. We had a wonderful meal; brisket, roasted asparagus, salad, cheesecake and strawberries for dessert. After supper we played “31”.

I called the family about 5:00 and talked to Andy, Cathy, Nancy, Christopher, Helena, Steven, and Cindy Ann. Used up one of the twenty minute cards. Mary Harriett called John and Linda. We couldn’t reach Ann and Bruce. Will try tomorrow. 

Austin and Nicole

Karla, Justin, Austin and Nicole

20020401 Tulsa OK

We were up by 7:30 and had coffee here. Mary Harriett called Chrysler places to see if she could get an oil change for the van and made an appointment for 2:00. We went to the Savoy for breakfast and had biscuits and sausage gravy. Then we went to see Don's business, the Fintube plant, and visited Lance’s Chiropractic office. In the afternoon, I stayed home while Mary Harriett and Don went to the garage and Chris got groceries. Mary Harriett is collecting charms for her bracelet on this trip. Chris called several stores to see if any had a silver charm with an oil derrick and she found one. We had left our film at Moto Photo in morning so Mary Harriett and Don picked those up and she got her charm. We looked at pictures, got snacks and dinner. Don cooked some chicken breasts on grill and we had squash, rice, and salad, was all delicious. After supper we played “Oh Hell”. Don won. Then “31”.  Mary Harriett won. We talked some more, then off to bed at 12:00.

20020403 Fort Worth TX

After Tulsa, we headed to Fort Worth TX to visit with Cindy Ann's parents and sister's family. When we arrived, we had dinner, then watched the DVD that Nancy sent. It was wonderful to see it. We got up at 8:00. Amy made a very large breakfast for us; grapefruit, oranges, plums, bananas, mangoes, and three kinds of toast. Amy and Bill took us to the Botanical Gardens in morning and we toured the Japanese garden. It was wonderful and very peaceful. It was very windy and cool, it must have been in the 50’s. We had lunch at Sara’s where she served ham and cheese in pita bread with strawberries. After lunch, we went to the Modern Art Museum, but the exhibits were all architecture stuff - models and drawings. We picked up Sara’s kids, Ian and Madeline and then drove around downtown Fort Worth, Cow Town and some of the mansion areas. We went out to dinner at Uncle Julio’s where I had a very good white fish, called tilapia. We enjoyed talking with Jarrod, Sara’s husband. We drove around the downtown area after dinner to see it lit up. Very nice. When we got home we were checking on our route for tomorrow and while talking with Bill, Nancy called. I was supposed to call her tonight. Everything is ok, to bed early.

Amy, Bill, Madeline, Sara, Mary Harriett, Jarrod, and Ian

Judy, Bill and Amy