Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We went to Laurens Sisters' house and we had a great time. We deep fried a turkey and a small pork roast and they came out great. As always we ate to much and of course had a few adult beverages and all was well in the world for the day anyway. With Xmas around the corner we are already planning our next trip. Back to Texas to wait out the bad weather and then up into the Northwest and British Columbia with the intent to spend the summer in Alaska if all goes well. We have already have received some information on the camping in BC and of course still waiting for the Alaska book. For some reason the State tourism boards are really bad about being prompt when a request for camping information is requested, I guess they figure RV people don't spent enough on hotels and fine dining for them to care about us, Oh well their loss as we eat out a lot and do the tourist thing while sleeping in our own bed with out bed bugs and dirty bathrooms. Yes that is a slam but have not been real happy with our last few stays in these really what we though were supposed to be up scale rooms in some really nice places. So much for being off track. Enough for now.                                                                          G                            

These were taken this past spring in Palo Duro Canyon in Texas

Showing off for his ladies

The girls were not impressed

Running after the ladies

Things worked out

           Another Thanksgiving is almost here and time has changed the way we use to do it. For years we had the whole family at our place for the day and as we got older we passed it over to other family members and it worked well for a lot of years. Yet as things and peoples obligations happen and it once again changes. This year the task has passed once again and I know everything will be fine as family is always around in spirt if not in person.We have gone from 30 some people for the day to 6. Children get older and start new families and families drift apart with time. But we will always be thankful for the time shared and the family that has passed and the new families of the future. You all have a great Thanksgiving.                            G

            Here we are getting ready for Thanksgiving, but this year will be a little different.  We'll be spending it with family, but less of them.  Tara's (my sister) kitchen is under construction and with all the problems with Hurricane Sandy is a little behind in schedule.  Coleen (my sister) is hosting Thanksgiving again this year and there will only be 6 of us, including George and myself.  However, although we won't be with everyone, we will still be together in spirit. 

We have a lot to be thankful for this year, we have our health, our homes, and our loved ones.  Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who suffered with this horrible hurricane.  We hope that their lives can be brought back to peace.  We wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! -L

         Well another day and another set of doctors tests. This week has been Doctors, Dentists, blood work with the 14 hour fast and lots of time at the dentist. Cleanings and crowns for both Lauren and me with an X ray mixed in for good measure for Laurens' foot. Really looking forward to dinner with Gary and Kelly tonight and a farewell dinner with the 6th PA on Saturday. Good thing we have the time or we would go nuts trying to fit everything in. Things look better next week with only one day of the Dentist and of course vehicle inspections. Forgot to mention them as both the truck which was over due and the Kia which will be on time , can't remember how this all was done when we both worked. But why complain as the days rocket by and seem to blur and I have a hard time knowing what day and what has to be done today. Thank god Lauren is very organized or I would miss half of the appointments.                                                                                  G

                    Spent the day yesterday cleaning up what was left in my workshop. Cleaned space that I haven't seen since 1986. It's amazing how much saw dust and metal shaving weight. Managed to fill half a garbage can with what seemed like nothing. Still have some wood scraps and a few odd parts to chuck. Cleaned up the bar area and Laurens sewing area and the store room once again. It seems even when you don't live in a house it still generates dirt. Can't wait to be totally free of it.There seem to be more and more leaves each year or am I just getting to old to love cleaning up all of them which I did enjoy once upon a time. bouncing around on the tractor just isn't the same any more, 6 hours on it and I need a day to recoveras my low back gives me the finger.                               G

             The weather man screwed up again I guess. First the storm was going to be nothing for this area and then all the hype that this is going to be really bad and we should be prepared for a really nasty 12 hour storm with high winds and snow. So we wake up this morning and nothing. I want a job that I can be wrong 50 percent of the time and still get paid. Oh Well.        G

          Finished the minor repairs on the house yesterday and almost finished cleaning up all the leaves. Spent almost 6 hours on the tractor grinding up the leaves and moving them to the two compost piles. The piles are very tall right now but I'm sure the snow that is coming will take care of the compacting of them.We wish we didn't have to come back from the warmer area in the south but we had some things we had to take care of but we hope to get back south right after the new year. Still need to get rid of some small items  in the house that were left over from the final auction. But mostly it is just some clean up and of course my lack of prior planning I need to go and buy a snow shovel today, OH well.                                         G

Buford's Monument at the first day Battle field in Gettysburg PA

Monument where General Reynolds was shot and died at the first days battle in Gettysburg

The Seminary cupola where Buford watched the first days battle. Soon to be opened as a War Museum

Some of the storm damage at Gettysburg. There were many trees down all over the park

The Virginia Monument at the site of Pickett's Charge

One of the Confederate gun facing the the Union line at Pickett's Charge

Bloody Lane at the Antietam Battle Field in Maryland

The Dunker Church on the Antietam Battle Field

This is Back at Gettysburg . The covered bridge that the Army of Northern Virginia retreated over to go back to Virginia

The Engine house at Harper's Ferry , West Virginia where john Brown made his stand. It is also called John Browns Fort

Such a small home for the great plan that john Brown had to start a Slave Rebellion in the Southern Stated

We didn't know that Lewis and Clark  really started out at Harpers Ferry

              We are back in Center Valley finally after our one week delay due to the storm.. Left Gettysburg this morning and we still haven't seen the sun for 7 days. When we decided to stop there and wait out Sandy we had hoped that it be clear in a few days but that did not happen. When we started seeing pictures of the Jersey coast and all the damage we also saw sun light. The news in the Gettysburg area was that we had all the feeder bands from Sandy and that it would rain on and off  and it did every day. We still managed to do some car touring while we were there. We did the Gettysburg Battle field and Antietam and we also went to Harper's Ferry. I will post some pictures when Verizon comes back to full speed. Only have 1 bar on the 3 g network right now and it takes forever to download pictures. When we arrived home we found some minor damage and haven't really looked to see whats left after the final auction. We have doctors tomorrow and who knows how long we will have to wait to vote on Tuesday. Last time it was almost 3 hours. Our polling place is not very well run and do believe it is on purpose . That could be a 3000 word rant if I were to really get going on it but I will spare you. More tomorrow.                 G