The tooth fairy....

I've had some on/off pain in a wisdom tooth for several months and a visit to my dentist confirmed that I needed to have the tooth extracted.  My dentist recommended a very good oral surgeon for the job and today was the big day. Out it came, stitches in, antibiotic and pain pills picked up, and I'm home.  Not feeling so great, but the pain pills are doing their job.  Unfortunately, the combination of them, the antibiotics, and a very limited diet has resulted in nausea.  The tooth fairy better come see me!!

Show me the way to go home...

"Show me the way to go home...

I'm tired and I want to go to bed..."

Does anyone else know that old 1925's song?  My ex-father-in-law, sweet soul that he was, used to sing that, especially when he...

"had a little drink about an hour ago

And it went straight to my head"

So, we DID find our way to go home, with the help of GPS and our maps!  We're glad to be here after a couple of weeks of car traveling. It's so different than being "home" on our boat. 
Sweet Smokey had lots of care and loving while we were gone, but she - and we - are glad to be here.  But it WAS a great trip!  ok, time for some kitty-lap sitting and relaxing.

Bedbugs!!!!

NO, we did NOT experience them, but we did learn from a hotel about checking http://www.bedbugregistry.com/ to see if a hotel has had any reported bedbug incidents.  Actually, this saved us from several suspect hotels (we aren't exactly staying in Hiltons). Check it out before you make reservations.

We are in Grayson, WV; home tomorrow.  Yeah!  We're a little tired of driving.  But the trip has been great and we've seen a lot of beautiful places, not to mention beautiful grandchildren!

4 Presidents and a wild wilderness

Mt. Rushmore is one of those places I assumed I'd never see.  Not even sure which state it was in... But, here we go, bright and early, into the Black Hills of South Dakota, to Mt. Rushmore.
http://www.npca.org/parks/mount-rushmore-national-memorial.html?adwords=1&gclid=CIzspPGI-KsCFYxU7AodGCF0AA
 Wow, it's impressive!  You can see it from the highway, but we opted to pay the $11 parking fee  (good for 1 year and no admission fee....) to see the boys up close.  It's awesome to see as you approach it from the park entrance.

But when you get to the viewing terrace, the work becomes incredible.  One eye is about the height of a man.  The sculpture took almost 20 years to complete.

There is a nice Presidents' Walkway around the base of the mountain, letting you view the sculpture from other angles.  The part we liked best was the presence of a goat family, confidently grazing just next to the path.  Baby was the cutest.

The parents were close by.  One was grazing also, the other one was on watch.

A much smaller denizen of the park was just as cute....

Next, off to the Badlands National Park.   http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm  I've never seen anything like it and I can't describe it well enough.  The park is made up of geologic deposits, full of fossils.  This is the most desolate, barren, ruggedly beautiful place I've ever seen.  Here is a sampling of our pictures but they can't begin to do the park justice.

 
One of the park area is Prairie Dog town.  Lotsa little ones, running amok, calling, and chirping at our intrusion.  They are fat, little rolly-polly guys.

Stayed at a really dumpy hotel last night, sped through SD today, and are spending the night in Grinnell Iowa.  Home (and Sweet Smoke) are calling.

Home on the range (South Dakota range, that is)

Home, home on the range...

Where the deer and the pronghorn antelope play

Were the buffalo roam (in the road)

Where seldom is heard a disparaging word

And the skies are not cloudy all day

And those prairie dogs!  My gosh, they are cute, but the fields are overrun with them!  Imagine a field full of over-sized hamsters....

We drove from CO today through eastern Wyoming on our way to the Black Hills of South Dakota.  WY is beautiful in it's own strange way.  Endless highways

All going through barren land

We made our way to the southwestern corner of South Dakota, to the Wind Cave National Park.
The park consists of over 132 miles of cave, all layered beneath a square mile of land.  It's the 5th longest cave in the world, as measured by total length of explored passages.  The wind through the cave is caused by changes in the barometric pressure as air in the cave is constantly trying to equalize the pressure within the cave to the outside.  When the barometric pressure falls, wind rushes out of the cave.  When the barometric pressure rises, the wind rushes into the cave.  Cool, huh!  The natural entrance to the cave is only 10 inches in diameter.  Needless to say, we took the man made entrance!

It was impossible to get good photos inside the cave.  If you are interested, please check out the webpage.  http://www.nps.gov/wica/historyculture/index.htm

As we drove toward Rapid City for the night, we passed the Crazy Horse Memorial.  http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/   Started in 1948, the project has never been finished.  It's been on hold for a long time, but is "in process".  VERY impressive!

Tomorrow we'll visit Mt. Rushmore!  Then the rest of the day in the Badlands National Park - after that, we start the long march home.  It's been a great trip.

 

Estes Park and the Pumpkin Patch

Sunday was one of those chrystal clear, sunny, perfect days.  We left Longmont early and drove the 45 minutes to Estes Park, at the base of the Rocky Mountain National Park  http://rockymountainnationalpark.com/.

So beautiful!  All views are breath taking.

The snow has already falled on the peaks.

The  leaves on the aspen on the higher elevations have already blown down, but the lower trees still have the bright yellow leaves.

Elk live in the park - and thrive!  This is a normal herd, a harum of about 30 female cows per one bull.  This group was just at the outside of the park.

The bull was relaxing behind them, carefuly watching his little household, strategically placed between his many cows and about 15 aspiring younger bulls.

After our wonderful ride we met with the rest of the family at a pumpkin ranch.  Great fun for kids!  Simon really likd the pumpkin field.

Evelyn prefered the "train" ride.

It was a great time for all!

The trip so far...

We left Roanoke waaay to early on Wednesday and headed westward, across the many states.  First, the mountains of WV, already showing fall color.

Of course, you can't leave out the shinning dome of the capital building in Charleston, WV.

The next photo is the St. Louis Arch, high in the gray sky of MO.

The wind turbines of western KS, hundreds and hundreds of them dotting the skyline.

Then the flat, flat, flat praries of the Midwest in eastern CO.

FINALLY, 2 1/2 days later, the high Rockies in the distance.

By lunchtime on Friday we reached our goal - newest grandson Kiran, 3 months old now.



And wow, have the 3 year olds, Simon and Evelyn, grown!

They had a most excellent tea party with Bompa.

Today promises 86 degrees and sun - yeah!  We all plan to go to the local farmers market here in Longmont and then a pumpkin patch.  I think there is some pumpkin carving in our future!

Westward into CO

1506 miles since Wednesday morning --- about 150 more to go.  I may have some pictures later, when we download them, but it's pretty hard to get good pictures from inside the car at 75 mph!  We've averaged about 700 miles each day.
The first high Rockies are in sight on the horizon.  The rest of the landscape is endlessly flat.  We'll be in Longmont around lunchtime today!

Friends

No pictures, I'm afraid...where did I go wrong!??!?!   Friends from New Bern, NC came to visit after the Annapolis Sailboat show.  We had the BEST few days, not long enough!  Phyllis and I visited/supported quilt shops while Peter and Luke went for walks and diagnosed the Subaru's squealing problem.  They left today and are home safe and sound, but we miss them - a great visit.
Tomorrow we leave for 10-12 days, heading to CO to see Luke's daughters and grandkids.  We look forward to it, but hate to leave sweet Smokey for so long.  Susan and Yvonne are taking  turns at Smokey care  and Yvonne has offered to spend some quality time (and cable TV time) with Smoke.  It makes me feel better, but I'll miss my widdle furry baby.

Rodeoin' in NC

Spent the night with dad and headed off to Spring Hope, NC, to see Heather.  From there we took off for the Pitt County Fair.  As usual, the fair was filled with people

and screaming rides.

BUT!  The real attraction is the Wicked Bulls rodeo.  Heather is the official rodeo photographer for many bull riding competitions, including Wicked Bulls. So, off we went to the bull riding.  The opening ceremony includes a wild but precise swinging of flaming balls. 

Then come the cowboys!  Out of 10 riders, only 2 managed to stay on the required 8 seconds.  That's a looong 8 seconds....

Sometimes the bulls don't exactly play well with others and the bull wrangling dog Possum has to be called in to lend a hand...er..foot...That groundhog looking creature by the rider's hat is Possum.  He'll distract the bull, nip at his legs, or herd him into a pen.  Whatever it takes.  Go, Possum!

Rodeo pictures above are compliments of Heather!

Tonight we'll go back for the second bull riding of the fair.  It's always fun!

Relaxing in Tybee

It's been a nice 3 days.  After the guys left, Connie and I continued our  morning walks to the lighthouse to watch the sunrise. 

Sister-in-law Beth drove out to Tybee to meet us for lunch on Monday - great to see her, always!

This morning we rode  bikes to the beach and then along the wet, packed sand.  It was a good ride.  The water was calm today, with a bit of foam on the shore.

After we recovered from THAT, we did our best girlie suff --- off to Savannah!  First the mall to pick up a few things for Connie's cottage.  Next, to the river front area for some shop brousing and a wonderful lunch. We had lunch at the relatively new Bohemian Hotel.  To start, a toast of prosecco on the roof top bar Rocks on the Roof. 

Check out one of  the chandeliers at the roof top bar - they are all made from local oyster shells! Very tacky and appropriate!

The roof top gives a wonderful view of the Savannah River and her large container ships and ports.

 Next, downstairs to the Rocks on the River restaurant.  Great drinks and food - I recommend both places!!

Of course we had to check out the river front shops. Yes, we picked up a few little things. 

I don't have Smokey with me so a puppy will have to do for this post. This very large pooch was waiting patiently outside of a restaurant for his master.  The big fellow is real - his little buddy is stuffed. 

A post of Savannah wouldn't be complete without a little history.  The gold leaf dome of the city hall, located along the water front, gleams.

Tomorrow is my last day here, sigh.  Another walk/bike ride and maybe a pedicure.  This being lazy and girlie is sure fun!

THE book signing and Tybee

The big day finally arrived - the first book signing!  Dad's independent living facility graciously offered to let him hold it in their living area.  It was a great hit - he sold all 100 copies on hand and took orders for 20 more.  A bit of the crowd, below...

After the crowd left, dad signed books for the family

He was pooped after the long day!  But he was so excited - this was a dream he never thought he'd achieve.  After all, how many aspiring writers finally get published - and at 92!

We left early on Saturday and drove to Tybee Island to friends Connie and Mike's cottage.  We caught up over a wonderful diner and hit the beds early.  This morning, before dawn, we all left and walked to the ocean near the Tybee Island lighthouse to watch the sunrise.  It was a strange predawn.  The sun lit up the back of the clouds and created an errie picture, complete with a green glow above the pink glow in the sky.

The Tybee lighthouse sky had a distictive purple haze.

The risen sun brought a red, orange, yellow, and then blue glow to the sky.

It was a very colorful sunrise!

After breakfast, we hiked the 15 minutes or so back to the lighthouse to climb to the top...all 178 steps...all 150-ish feet high...a looong way down...

It's a nice setting; the lighthouse, lighthouse keepers house, assistant lighthouse keepers house, and second assistant lighthouse keepers house (all in descending order of size), and an outside summer kitchen.  The US Coast Guard took over the keeping of the lighthoue in 1948.

The lighthouse is lit by a first order fresnel lens, only one of two on the eastern coast of the US.

Luke has left with Mike to return to Roanoke.  I'm staying with Connie for a few days - girl fun!  I've hear from both Yvonne and Susan that Smokey has warmed up to their attentions.  I'm glad - Cat Mommie was worried about her.  Sigh.