2015-04-12 North to Virginia

Seems the last blog we wrote was about our trip to Sarasota, FL  FMCA  Ralley, so I'll try to updat all our friends (all over the USA and Canada) about our ramblings.

We left Bay Minette, AL March 25th and met up with our son Jeff ( Anita's) in Live Oak, FL which is near I-10 and I-75 intersection where we had the pleasure of meeting Jeff's friend Aimee, who is a lovely and most friendly lady. She can be known as "The Farmer's Daughter" since her family owns a large farm in mid state, producing several kinds of vegetables and fruits. The strawberry crop this year produced some of the largest strawberries I've ever seen and absolutely delicious.  I just couldn't get my fill of them. We bought a flat (trey-12 baskets) from a different fruit stand and just "pigged out" for a week.
                                                                         

We enjoyed a visit to the Swanee Music Park but didn't attend the festival the previous week.

Jeff

Aimee

Anita with Jeff & Aimee

Tom 

Holly

We stopped overnight in Lexington, SC and visited with our daughter/son- in- law Jenny and Rick and grand children(and great grand children) then  traveled on to Martinsville, VA to enjoy a NASCAR Race at the Speedway.We awoke to beautiful weather for the drive and it awaited us in VA. Clear skies and just warm enough with a sweater for watching the race. Of course, we had our reserved seats up high between turns one and two where we can see almost the entire track. What an exciting race it was. A couple surprises the last few laps gave us a start, and Denny Hamlin won after our favorite drivers ( Kevin Harvick, Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon) had their problems.

On to Chesapeake, VA to stay for a couple months to visit with family and  friends and to get medical check  ups. I've had a PET SCAN for my cancer but won't get results for a couple weeks. Otherwise, got a green light from my regular MD. Had some dental work completed as well. We were able to get one of our old lots in the RV park and are somewhat comfortable.

We had cracked a windshield while traveling from Vidalia, LA (across the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS) to home and we had our insurance send a new one to Chesapeake so we could get it replaced. So, day one here we had it replaced and boy, does it look good. We had a million + sand/rock chips from our trip to Alaska last Summer so it needed replacing. You would have thought someone had used sandpaper on it plus all the chips.
                                                                         

Entertainment wise we attended a stage production of a tribute to Hank Williams Sr in Phoebus, a small suburb in Hampton. Thoroughly enjoyable musicians and the Narrator left nothing out in his story about Hank's life. Strange though, as I can't recall knowing he was born with  Spina Bifida and the pain from that was the initial crux of Hank's problem. He even included the sordid details of Hank's relations with his mother and his wife, to include the fact that Hank had a daughter out of wedlock.  Hank died in the back seat of a Caddilac on the way to AL to regroup with his band. The Coroner ruled it as a heart failure
                                                                         
We drove down to the beach front to attend a "She Crab Soup Cookoff" but were unable to get tickets. The huge crowd along with the really small serving cups along with the ticket  price made it a bit worthless anyway. SO, we drove  to Margie's and Ray's Crabhouse on Sandbridge Road to lunch on She Crab Soup and Calamari.   The She Crab Soup was very creamy and thick and was absolutely delicious.  MAN! was it Good. We each had a bowl and ordered some scrumpous  Calamari with a tasty spicy manaria sauce. At the top of my list. We shared Grilled Flounder with hush puppies that was also very good.

We also spent some time walking on the beachfront and enjoyed the Veteran's Park at 25th St. 

Below are all the photos we took. Hope you enjoy them

                                             Military Park at the Beach Front

                                                             The Norwegan Woman

2015-21-03 Chris Golden/Jimmy Fortune/Ronnie McDowell and T.Graham Brown

We attended a concert last night featuring the performers at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Pace, FL and what a crowd stomping time everyone had.  I think the church is arranging for the music programs to be relocated from the Living Church in Chumuckla, FL to them. They are larger and can hold more people. Plus, they are right downtown Pace. Chumuckla is about ten miles out of town.

First up was Chris Golden, who is an accomplished gospel song writer and singer  He had been a drummer for the Oak Ridge Boys for several years and had been featured on Hee Haw as well as other features with his brother Rusty.  He grew up and lives in the Nashville area. He was accompanied  by his niece who played the fiddle for him.I was unable to record her name however she was very good for a young (teenage) girl.
                                                                       

Chris Golden

Next up was Jimmy Fortune. We saw  Jimmy  perform, solo, twice at the Bluegrass Festival at Rhodehaver Boys Ranch in Palatka, FL. Jimmy had been a part of The Statler Brothers and was one of their prime song writers . He wrote  several songs that became number one hits. Among those he sang was "Elizabeth", "Flowers on the Wall" " I believe", "Too much on  My Heart"" On the Other Side", How Great Thou Art". as well as number one songs the Brothers had recorded. He had several standing ovations. He was later called to the stage to accompany Ronnie McDowell and later T.Graham Brown.   Jimmy said he was one of nine siblings and he has seven children in his family. He has a tremendous voice that easily covers all ranges. Jimmy played tribute to all veterans.
                                                                                 

Jimmy Fortune

Ronnie McDowell begin the second half of the program.with several gospel songs that included those recorded by Elvis Presley.  He has the voice to emulate Elvis and is quite good at it. He said he couldn't sing his favorite song of "Older women make Better lovers","You're gonna Ruin my Bad Reputation" and "All Tied Up" because of the crowd of older church women in the crowd. He presented his son, Tyler Dean who sang a song. We last saw Ronnie at the "Farmer's Opry House in Chumuckla a year or so ago.

Ronnie was presented an award by the Commander, Purple Heart Association of America  for his three Purple Hearts awarded  to him for duty in Vietnam. The presenter was a recently retired Escambia County Chief of Police and Warren Cook, a retired Escambia County Policeman. For his finalie he joined with Jimmy Fortune and Chris Golden with "American Trilogy as a tribute to all veterans.
                                                                                 

Ronnie & Tyler

Ronnie McDowell

                                                                 Tyler Dean McDowell

Ronnie, Sheriff & Wayne Orr

Purple Heart Plaque Presentation

Ronnie, Chris & Jimmy

Last but certainly  not  least was our new friend T.Graham Brown .We originally met him and his wife, Sheila at the "Farmers Opry House" along with Ronnie. We became instant friends and we shared parts  of our lives about experiencing the same things.  Time was short so we weren't able to spend any time with them last night. T. Graham sang some of his favorite Gospel songs and shared parts of the "darker side" of his  life and his experience finding GOD. Among his (and our)favorites were "Wine Into Water",  "Which Way to Pray", " I Believe ( a new song )"," Old Rugged Cross", "Forever Changed" and "People Get Ready". T. Graham was just himself the entire performance, sharing some humorous experiences. He is a humble, non assuming, grateful son of GOD who has found his way to peace, sobriety and serenity. I was able to give him a personal gift that resembles those traits and love, brotherhood and friendship. It has the power  from GOD for them.. HOWEVER, you must keep it in your pocket at all times for it to work. Hope to see you and Sheila soon.  
                                                                               

Sheila Brown and Anita James

T.Graham Brown

 

2015-02-15 RV Rally in Sarasota and Disney's Epcot

Our second trip this year was to Sarasota, FL to attend the FMCA Rally and then go to Palatka, FL for the Bluegrass Festival.

Out trip down to Sarasota was much like any of the others. Taking  Interstate 10 East  to Interstate 75 we got off at Wesley Chapel and joined a fellow RV'er from our club at "The Begining Points" RV Park. Dinner later with all of the gang was at "Cody's Steak House " in Wesley Chapel. What an experience that was. We had a "stack" of deep fried onions and some of the largest "Back Ribs we've ever eaten. Delicious was the description.

We caravan-ed the rest of the way to Sarasota so we would be able to park alongside each other when we got there. That makes it easier to socialize when at day's end. The weather was rainy when we arrived but cleared up for the rally and was beautiful except for the temperature. Chilly for Florida. It lingered in the low to mid sixties the entire time. Nights called for a blanket. Better than up North though. They are experiencing below zero temps and lots of snow on top of what they already had.

We replaced the satellite dish system  to a Winegard and Direct TV system. The installed King-Dome Satellite System just  had  too many interface problems with DISH TV and we were tired of it. The system works as advertised and what a nice relief it is. Everything is automatic as soon as you turn it on. No more trying to manually find the satellite and get it tuned in. Turn it on and it takes over.

Leaving there we decided to make a stop near Walt Disney World and do a little "tourist" visiting. Epcot was the choice of destination. Tickets were $100 each. We failed to stop at a visitors center and buy discount tickets. Oh well! We couldn't believe the crowd until it struck us that the day was a holiday--All Presidents Day.There were thousands of children and of course the thousands of people from other countries. The amount of time waiting in line was horrendous.  One took two hours. After that we learned how to just cut in and act like a tourist.

There has been a lot added since the last time either of us were here. I last visited in 1975 when I brought my family down while I attended a conference with Martin Marietta Corporation-a defense contract company that makes one of our deadly air launched guided missiles.(Tomahawk). Anita's last visit was about 8 years ago.

Some of the attractions haven't changed since last visit.  "Living with the Land" project was the same but  updated. It's an interesting tour of how the scientist are developing alternate ways to grow and produce crops. We enjoyed the movie presentation of China with the surround screens. That type of movie  has always fascinated me. The Chinese Acrobats, "Jeweled Dragon Acrobats" were quite good and enjoyable as was the "Voices of Liberty"--- Acapella Singing group.

As always we met a young lady and promised we would post her photo on the blog. Say hello to Shanshan Cui.from Zheng Zhou. She was an usher at the Chinese Exibit.and a very friendly young lady.

                                                            The Chinese Acrobats