Drifting Away

Sleeping soundly....Dad and sister Leslie

This must have been before Jaws!

Wonder if they found any sand dollars?!?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

with Les

Les (Bible in hand), Mark ....in front of the house where Uncle Watty lives today

 I know I told you that Donna Granberry and I used to babysit the first one when your mom and dad lived on Mitchell Street...your mom was so beautiful and sweet and calm and I wanted to be her! (I think I was in about 6th or 7th grade at the time!)...your sister looks a lot like your mother, doesn't she?   - Carol Oates Gentemann, a Cousin

 Maybe Mom feared Miles was about to elbow me off the platform!

Sugar Bowl

Since it is football season, I might as well bring out a couple of my favorite photos. At the 1983 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, I got to meet Bo Jackson and some of the other Auburn Tiger stars. Auburn ended up beating the Michigan Wolverines and were ranked #2 in the country.

Bo, Allen and sister Leslie

Now that's a wishbone! FB Tommy Agee, Right HB Bo Jackson, Left HB Lionel James

Wheels

Kade and Allen

Zach and Kade

Knowin' When to Fold 'em

Let's just say, I outlasted these guys in the card game!

 

Ground Zero

Missing Towers

Kade with a firefighter from the dept. that went in first.

I guess it's not a place where any smiling should take place. Dear Kade doesn't know when to stop smiling! Tomorrow is the anniversary of 9-11, and I didn't want to exploit the horrors of that day the way so many have done. So, I decided to post these photos of our visit to New York a day before. I was in Bangkok when the tragedy occurred, and watched TV in shock as the planes slamming into the towers was played over and over. I just hope humanity can learn something from such stupidity. One thing I have learned is that fundamentalism of any kind - political, nationalistic, and especially religious - can lead to tragic consequences, on a personal level and on a massive scale. I only ask folks everywhere to utilize their brains, become more self-aware and ask tons of questions.

(a letter to my brother, who was planning his first trip to the Big Apple)

Miles, since you asked about NYC.  Don't underestimate how hot it will be in July.  It was hot!  Oh, and Gray Line tours (buses) could be good for the family.  You can buy tickets once you get up there.  Let me know if there's something else you'd like to know.  We stayed in Manhattan, in-between Greenwich Village and Soho.

These are things we enjoyed: 

• took a ferry out to see Statue of Liberty  (did not go inside or the top, Jeff said wait is very long)
• Wall Street area....near the ground zero spot (used subway to get down there, lots of walking)
• Central Park 
• Broadway musicals and Times Square (we saw one, but wished we had seen more)
• Chinatown  (if the kids never make it to Asia, they will for sure think they are there, great food, no English)
• Top of Empire State Building (best views)
• Little Russia (Odessa), markets owned by Russians and Eastern Europeans, like being overseas, near Coney Island but only worth it if you decide to visit Coney Island.  Coney was a big waste of time IMO 

The most unique thing we did:

• saw the movie "All The President's Men" on a big screen in Bryant Park, and a deli sandwich and some cheesecake that we bought for picnicking.

Worst thing:

• Coney Island - grimy and rundown  (have some photos if you need some proof)

Pairs

With Pops, out on the farm

Kade with Coups

Bull and apprentice steer (ended up slaughtered not long after this pose)

Timour and moi (Looking more like my grandmother Edith with those glasses!)

Highlands to Asheville Drive

I believe these photos are from 2006, when we had visited our Headland, Alabama "family friends"  (the Solomons) at their home in Highlands, NC, and then drove over to Asheville, NC for the very first time.  It was either that time, or a year or so later when we visited them once again.