Wayne and Holly

We arrived at Wayne and Holly's in time for drinks, dinner (Wayne cooked... he's good!) and sunset. Their home sits on a hill overlooking Los Alamos... about 50 miles away... and a 360 degree view of the Santa Fe valley. Spectacular view. And so is the adobe style home with Wayne and Holly's tasteful Southwestern art decor. So much to see.

More to come on Santa Fe. It's magical.

the road to Santa Fe.

For a couple Mainers used to being surrounded by trees, it is somewhat mind bending to experience the hundreds of miles of huge ,open, empty expanse. We had heard the expression "big sky". Now we know...

We drove up Route 285 through Vance where we stopped on Robert and Liama's advice at Penny's Diner. Old school silver sided, tube design structure. We sat at the counter and the 2 girls serving were very businesslike and uncommunicative. The cook had more grease in his hair than on his grill. I ordered a couple tacos, rice and beans which were very good. The waitress with the purple glitter in her hair began washing dishes in the sink directly in front of us, not making eye contact. That wasn't going to last...

"Are you Penny?, I asked.
She looked shocked that someone has spoken to her."What?"she said.
"The sign says Penny's Diner. Are you Penny?" I repeated.
"No" she muttered think the conversation was over and who was this weird guy anyways.
I chewed another bite of taco and after a few moments asked "Where's Penny?"
She made eye contact then. It wasn't hostile, but on the Moh's hardness scale ( remember from Earth Science? Talc is 1 and Diamonds are 10 and everything in between?) she was about an 8.75. "She's dead..." She held my gaze probably thinking 'well that should shut you up...'
I put my taco back in my plate and wiped my mouth with my napkin before I asked "Did the food kill her...?"
The faintest glimmer of a smile rushed across her face like the shadows from the clouds we had been watching race across the desert and she went back to washing dishes.
Connie was so upset with me that she spent the next 5 minutes complimenting her hair and her jewelry and her shoes... I laughed all the way to Encino.

Who has more fun than people...

Update

Ryan has been working on this project for several years and is excited that they now have a prototype molded in plastic. Next step is to cut a mold for a 4 foot by 8 foot museum quality wall mounted globe with backlighting. We're pleased and proud of his accomplishments.

On another front, he has run into some complications with his leg. The wound is not healing. Infection is beginning. A fourth surgery is scheduled soon to remove the plate (which is preventing healing), clean out the wound and install a vac dressing to drain and promote healing. Ryan had hoped to be in PT by now. If you want to check in with him, he can be emailed at rfus007@gmail.com.

Kate flew to NYC to see her good friend Vanessa over Easter. Getting ready for a business trip to the Ukraine and Azerbaijan. Wow... She plays soccer in two leagues. Recently got her eye blackened by a 6'4" young man. Hope she sends us a picture to post...

They went out to dinner the other nights, Ryan on crutches and Kate with a black eye and people assumed they were a couple. So, playing right along Kate told them she had thrown him down the stairs after he had punched her. Ya gotta laugh... or you'd cry... You're the best Kate & Ry. We love you.

White Sands National Monument

Robert and Laima (and Declan Dog ) took us to White Sands National Monument. We had no idea, had never imagined that such a magical place existed. It is a huge expanse of crystal white sand, a desert in a valley surrounded by mountains. Spectacular...

We drove through the mountains to Alamagorda and past the White Sands Missle Base to the entrance. We now understand what sand blindness is, like snow blindness but with wicked sunburn and dried out lips. The plant life is beautiful and incredibly tough to withstand this environment.

The sunset was something extraordinary as we drove back to Roswell to a Mexican feast just down the block from Robert and Liama's home. They are remarkable people and we are so fortunate to have them as friends. The old addage is "Friends come and friends go..." but it is so nice when old friendships survive and grow despite the passsage of time and the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" as Shakespeare was want to say... Great people. Thanks for the time we spent together.

Outside the White Sands welcome center we met some special people. Janice and Jerry from South Dakota. Jerry is 79, a Vietnam Vet, Harley rider, double knee replacement, cancer survivor, wise old dude. So enjoyed our conversation. It is so all about the people...

Images from the cave

We met a nice guy in the cave who was using a digital SLR camera and a tripod to take these extraordinary pictures. Randall Paulson, thank you for sharing!

Palm Sunday in Carlsbad Caverns

The elevators descended 750 feet and the doors opened onto what has been called the 8th wonder of the world. Pictures cannot do justice to the magnificence of this gigantic cave. We waked the 1.5 mile loop through the "Big Room" under the Chihuauan Desert of the Guadalupe Mountains. Stalagmite and stalactites, crystal formations, bottomless pits and high domed ceilings. It was difficult to get our minds around the beauty.


We drove up Route 285 in New Mexico through Artesia to Roswell to visit with Robert and Laima. Roswell is the site of the reported crash of a UFO in 1942 and reports of UFO sighting have continued ever since. The local McDonald's is shaped like a flying saucer. Robert, a PhD in Psychology, and Laima, a former teacher, retired here in 2007 and Robert continues to publish and do research with people who have experienced UFO sightings and abductions, The entire community is emersed in these phenomenon ranging from the ridiculous (the coffee shop is named the Coverup Cafe... conspiracy theories abound) to the profound ( the site of the first above ground nuclear explosion took place just down the road...). We have had such interesting discussions over cocktails. So nice to see them again...

Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Texas, Texas...

We followed the Emerald Highway up the Florida Panhandle from Destin to Pensacola and west toward Baton Rouge. Ron and Nancy were in Atlanta so we missed a chance for a "drive by hugging" (as Connie calls it...) in Louisiana. Ron chided me that "your timing stinks" (coming to Louisiana when they weren't home). I called him to return the comment after last nights tornado. No answer... hope it missed them...

We stopped in Mississippi and talked with a nice young family (Hi Victoria, Bethany, Savannah & Josiah) from Picayune who liked Sam n' Lu. Hot, muggy and lots of bayou...

Crossing Texas on I-10. Beaumont, Houston, San Antonio, Katy and into the hill country. The Beaumont-Houston leg ranks right up there with the Jersey Turnpike... miserable. 80 MPH on good roads through fantastic views. Small deer by the dozens feeding beside the highway at night made for a little excitement. Junction, Sonora, breakfast in OzonaWe turned north at Fort Stockton and the land turned to desert. Oil wells and brown brush with a fifty mile view anywhere you look. Way out in the middle of no where there was a windmill farm that stretched down a ridge for 20 miles. Hundreds, maybe a thousand. An awesome sight.

We're overnighting in Carlsbad, New Mexico hoping to get into the Cavern National Park tomorrow morning and then on to Roswell where we are looking forward to seeing our good friends Robert and Laima from the 70's. Wow... that's a little cold when you just say it. 30 years really slipped by when we weren't looking.

Also looking forward to bed... Texas tuckered us out...

Night,
Glen, Connie and the "Road Dogs".

Destin Florida

Long time friends of the Murphy family in Brewer, Bob and Mary Lou Neil invited us to spend the night with them at their condo in Destin. They showed us around and we had a wonderful time laughing about Neil/Murphy adventures from days past. Thanks "ever so much".

Images from Destin. Beautiful beaches, dolphins, college kids by the thousands. Watching them on the beach is like watching Wild Kingdom with a several dominant male stallions herding the fillies with less dominant males circle around the perimeter... funny!

Manatee alert!


Spring break action...

Didn't take em long to canonize Joe...

Dora the Explorer... twins!

Monday morning sunrise on the Apalachicola River…

The Sunday afternoon backcountry drive through Georgia was relaxed and unexpectedly beautiful. Miles and miles of lob-lolly pine (One road side sign said “Georgia Grows Trees. Trees Grow Jobs”). But it was the live oaks that really impressed us. The light shadowed darkly through their twisted trunks and moss draped branches.

We crossed Ochlockonee Bay Bridge and toured down the Panhandle through Alligator Point, St. Teresa, Carrabelle, Godley’s Bluff, across the bridge to the funky, little backwater fishing village of Apalachicola.

The sun set over the shrimp fleet tethered to the docks on Cannery Road in the Bowery. We half expected to see Bubba Gump tending the nets on the boats.

One of the boats especially caught our eye and reminded us of our good friend Rosemary back in Waterville…

We’re staying at a run down, but charming little riverfront motel. It is built over the water and the rooms tilt ominously in that direction. It looks as though someone wanted to use up some partial cans of pastel paint as everything is painted a different color.

We’re going to spend a couple days here poking around. Laid back, cheap haircuts and pet friendly. What more can you ask for…

Happy Daylight Savings Time

Sunday morning and we are headed down the road. SSI has been wonderful... sat around the fire with Steve the other night, drinking Corona (with lime of course ) and playing guitar. We weren't very good at first, but by the end of the evening, James Taylor himself would have taken us on tour... The SSI "Hood" is all primed for the main event with the arrival of Dan and Brenda at the end of the month. Muchos, muchos gracias amigos...

Note to our young nieces, nephews and friends... When they ask you to select a language to study in school, we suggest you consider Spanish. It would certainly be helpful to you in the working world whether in business/ government/ social services/ healthcare... or just to talk with your neighbors. Hispanic speaking folks are the fasted growing segment of the US population and, despite what some politicians and radio/TV talk show hosts might say, they aren't going away. From what we've seen, if these hard working folks ever did go away, the US economy would be in very serious trouble.

The plan is to check out the Florida Panhandle and "mosey on" West as the spirit and weather move us. Wayne and Holly, John and Lynne, Robert and Laima... last warning. If you're not inclined for company just turn out the lights and don't answer the door. Like we used to do on Halloween... remember? But then don't be surprised if your car gets toilet papered... If we get that far, Gordie and Dalonna have offered their 32' RV currently in storage in Palm Springs and we are excited to experience RV life in the desert. Gordie says it is a "cadillac" with sliders and queen sized bed. Sounds like a real adventure.

And that's what we are on... so time to pack up the computer. We'll try to keep the "dogblog" active.

Best/ Glen & Connie, Sam n' Lu

Tornados and Bad Hair

Our first experience with a tornado alert. We took it seriously in as much as it was raining heavily with a lot of thunder, lightning and gusty winds. The television weathermen were practically foaming at the mouth and the National Emergency Agency was broadcasting warnings telling people to head for shelter. We listened intently to Buddy Dugger from the Macclenny County Fire Department as he reported "several homes turned on their sides" ( single-wides that is). We turned off lights, unplugged televisions and computers and put our cell phones and battery powered radio in the bathroom, which was to be our tornado shelter. Pretty exciting and thankfully things didn't develop. Connie started calling Lulu.. Toto and running around calling "Auntie Em!"...


By 1:00 PM everything had blown out to sea at least in this area. Connie took the opportunity to wash the dogs.


What we women do for beauty...


Lulu is all about her hair...

Who Knew?

Once she decided to come along with Steve and me ( because it was 70 degrees and the sun was shining ) it was only a matter of time before she became a "bonafied fishin machine". She caught a big Spot Tail Bass ( Red Drum ) which was fun to watch, but even more fun was watching her netting some even bigger fish that Steve and I caught. She almost fell in twice, but successfully netted them all! What a woman!

Sam and Lu were just as excited especially watching the fish flop around in the bottom of the boat. Everyone had a good time.

Drive-by Hugging

We took a left off Rte. 81 to Atlanta to visit Nancy, Erin, Ben and Izzy. Ended up spending the night with Nancy and the baby at the condo. At 5:30 AM Izzy drank her bottle and then burped the entire contents all over her sleeper and the bed. We heard Nancy say "OH NO!" and then she walked over and handed me a smiling, milk covered bundle of love while she cleaned up the mess. Been a long time since my day started this way. Didn't know I'd missed it...

Little Miss Izzy is everything we had heard and more. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful... and brilliant! Sam and Lu learned quickly to stay clear of her strong little hands. Sam would sneak up to lap her face then scurry away while Izzy looked shocked by the wet dog kisses.

We had lunch at Ben and Erin's and watched the Duke basketball game. It is impossible to not be overwhelmed by the courage and love these folks exhibit as they face the challenge of Ben's accident. Such good people living with the uncertain future; smiling and hope filled; an everyday inspiration.

Back on the road and through the Georgia backcountry to Saint Simons Island where our good friends Dan and Brenda have again offered us a few days respite at their cottage. When we arrived the next door neighbor and the people across the street came out to welcome us. A fishing trip is planned for this afternoon, the weather is warm and the sky is blue. What a great place. It's been a rugged 5 weeks for everyone. A few days sitting in the sun will make a world of difference. Thank you so much Dan and Brenda... just what the doctor ordered.

On the Road Again...

Willey Nelson's song, but the tune is stuck in our heads. Left in a snow storm and drove to Fishkill, NY (about as interesting as it sounds). From there to Staunton, Virginia. Headed to the Florida panhandle, because we hear they have nice beaches. Some people invest in summer homes or expensive toys. We bought our freedom. Priceless...

"Where we going now??"

Sam n' Lu

Moving On...

Ryan is back to work, able to drive and get around on his crutches. He's got lots of PT to do yet. Hoping for a good recovery.

So Connie and I are getting ready to get back on the road. Staying with sister Wendy and Pete for a few days to catch our breath, repack the van and scope out the roads and weather conditions across the South.

Cousin Craig and I just got back from a few days in Oklahoma City, State wrestling championships. We took a quick trip down to watch Ben and Seth Johnson in their final meet in their senior year of high school. Cousin David and his daughter Reanna also flew down. Cousin Mark and Brenda took us to eat some great Mexican food and the boys did well. Their team won the state championship.

Mark just broke his foot (is it just my family that break things???) so David decided we would do a little work around the house to help out... The Johnson Brothers Tree Removal Service was something to see.

A Good Day...

A little pale (and scruffy) from 24 days hospital/house bound, but getting back on his game. Doctor removed 50 staples this morning. The 18 inch incision healed up, but it will be another 6 weeks before he can put any weight on the leg. Crutches and ice... a poor combination. But it is what it is.

After the Dr's office we picked up coffee and cream cheese garlic bagels from Arabica Coffee Shop on Free Street before driving down to Craig's wharf. Sam and Lulu made a friend. He loves bagels...

Home yesterday

Ryan is laying on the couch of his 2nd floor State Street Apt with a mechanical device flexing his knee. Connie has been feeding the crew ( Ryan, Katie, Landace, Kristen, Jed, Connie and Glen). It's like a co-ed dormitory gone wrong! Actually, we all seem to be working well together. It will be several weeks before he gets up on crutches and resumes his life. We will hang around until then.... or until they throw us out. We're looking forward to getting back on the road. Thinking some big sky country. Ready for us Wayne?

Before...
And after... (before Wednesdays plate and screws.) More metal than an Erector Set...