Bubba's Road Trip - Day 9

Well, my trip has come to an end.  The last segment from Chicago to Washington was uneventful.  I spent most of this time resting and spending some time alone. 

Mainly to convince myself to come back to work.  The ride along the Potomac River was as beautiful as ever.  I saw a few places I would like to make a Sunday drive in order to explore more.  Namely, Harper's Ferry for one.

So once again, the adventure ends and a new Bowling year starts.  The 2014 Tournament is scheduled for Reno once again.  So I only have 11 months until the next train excursion begins.

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 8

A new week and I am heading for Chicago and should be there after lunch.  Last night ended with a long discussion with a young couple from Lincoln NE. They are in the process of relocating to Ft Carson CO.  He was medically retired from the Army at the age of 24.  He is involved in investing and trying to make his first million.  He is investing and banking heavily on the legalization of Marijuana on a national scale.  I wish them luck. Looks like we are staying just on the heels of the snow storm.  Every now and then the snow kicked up by the train causes a whiteout in my window.  Making visibility of the great flat farmland hard.  I would hate to miss the once in a lifetime and rare photographic moment ... an ear of corn sprouting forth!  We arrived in Chicago about 75 minutes late.  Most of the lost time was due to malfunctioning switches due to snow and ice.  At the metro lounge AMTRAK's wireless was messed up and I was unable to post some of the blogs, check email, or upload my fitbit for the last few days.  But finally after a 30 minute maintenance delay we were off and headed for home.  This must be the Disney version of the train because there are lots of kids on this train.  You really have to watch out as they come flying down the hall way.  Of course there have already been several bumps and bruises. I had my normal dinner fare (steak and baked potato and ice cream) and shared the table with a railroad buff.  He gave me some great tips for getting the most out of the train system.  I guess I should write a few of them down so I won't forget them.  I wish they would shift the schedule for I always do the Chicago to Pittsburgh leg in the dark.  It would be nice to see the area but then again, what is good about Pittsburgh?

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 7

New day and the rails keep on clacking away.  I must of been tired for I didn't even budge until 7 am when the PA announced the first call for breakfast. I usually make the 6:30 breakfast.  Breakfast this morning was shared with a gentleman who was a screen writer. His new movie he is writing is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2014. Wonder if I could get written in as the lead male actor?  I would be a cinch for the Oscar then.  Ha! One young mom learned a lesson this morning about taking her small daughter (maybe 4) into the dressing room with her. Her daughter asked a million questions about their body differences not realizing their voices carried quite well.  I laughed so hard as mom gave a detailed explanation for some simple questions. Sometimes being brief is a good thing! The scenery is beautiful as we enter the mountains with a light snow.  A herd of deer, pheasant, rabbit, eagle and mustangs are the highlight so far.  The wind near Grand Junction whipped up the snow enough to make it look like a whiteout.  The ground has already turned white (about 30 minutes).  Another late spring snow?  It is funny seeing the snow coming down and a trout fisherman standing in the Colorado River fly fishing. Lunch was once again shared with some Iowa State fans.  Is the train full of them?  These weren't so happy as their team had just lost. During lunch we made our stop at Glenwood Springs CO., and 100 skiers got on.  So now this train is full. The ride through the mountains was fun ... more snow since I was last here.  As we came down the mountain into Denver, I saw a very large Elk standing on the ridge line.  He was huge and there were 2 others standing nearby.  I ate dinner as they pulled into Denver. My dinner partners were just vacationers ... no more basketball fanatics.  Now we start the flat portion of the trip through the Plains.  Good thing it is dark ... I can sleep through Nebraska and Iowa. We should be in Omaha by breakfast.

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 6

Today was an early day.  Singles and doubles were scheduled for 7 am with a 6 am check in time.  So I was up at 4 am to pack and get organized. I even managed to eat some breakfast.  The pace was fast as we rolled 6 games in under 3 hours.  I had a lot of practice shooting an inside line.  Like standing 20 and throwing out to 10. Oh well, so much for technical stuff.  Muscle cramps are the name of the game right now.  I had to buy a new a new bowling bag when my old one broke on me in the middle of a crosswalk when I was heading back to checkout of the Silver Legacy.  The old bag lasted only 11 years. To bad it was not a quality product.  I made it to the terminal with about 2 hours to wait.  The biggest problem was they kept that place so cold I fought with cramps the whole time, especially one in my right arm. Finally the train showed up, I boarded and got the heat turned up in my room and sucked down some Tylenol.  Knock on wood the cramps have gone away for now.  Dinner (steak and baked potato) was great.  Do you see a common theme in my meals like I do?  My dining partners were rabid Iowa State fans.  I don't think they took more than one bite between every check of their IPhone as too the current basketball scores.

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 5

Let's see ... I finished Thursday night with a steak dinner at Sterling's.  It was great but I don't know if I could say it was better than Cagney's. But it is close!  The rest of the night till I packed it in was consumed by people watching. I sat on a bench and had several chuckles as people walked by.  Some staggered, some strutted their stuff because they were vain and others did it because it was for sale.It sometimes is mind boggling what people will wear or barely wear in public.  I needed no imagination to see what they had.One guy amazed me because he had a beer belly that hung lower than his shirt and pants that rode about lower than his red hearted shorts.  So finally I climbed into bed around 1 in the morning only to listen to neighbors arguing and loudly berating each other. After 15 minutes, security was called and they were shut up.

Friday morning was a lazy morning as I didn't get up till almost 9 am.  I walked over to Circus Circus to have breakfast at the Americana Restaurant.  About noon, I dragged my gear to the Stadium and started the mental prep for our 3 pm squad time.  The ganged finally showed up late as they always do with 3 new faces.  They were people I had bowled with a long time ago in California but this was their first time at Nationals.  The only sad note was Gerald had to dropout at the last minute because of a stroke.  He is ok but a stroke at 38?  I hope he changes his life or this maybe he may never bowl again.  All the rest of the guys were the same just a year older.  Don got his twenty year pin this year. I managed to win 2 of the 3 games between us and stay close to my average.  The 2014 tournament is here next year and my 25th consecutive is still scheduled for 2015 in El Paso Texas.  Can't wait.  After bowling I spent a little time talking to the guys at Visionary Bowling Products looking at the new stuff.  Finally, with the "goodbye's" and "see ya next year", I headed for a Chinese dinner at the Silver Legacy.  Should have got the steak!  

Oh well, it is early to bed as the morning bowling shift starts a 7 am and I have to be packed and ready to go before that.  And then it is time to come home.

Bubbda's Road Trip - Day 4

Breakfast and then we  arrived in Reno about 8:15 am.  What made today rough was the simple fact I was tired to sitting and riding and my butt was sore from all the sitting.  Arriving at the Silver Legacy, I got my room assigned but housekeeping hadn't cleaned it yet so I had to wait 2 hours.  So it was off to the Bowling Stadium and looking at all the new stuff there.  There were quite a few changes in the National Bowling Stadium.  Still haven't decided if a new bowling ball is in the future but I did narrow it down to two. Only time will tell ... right now it is no.  Still need to decide if I am going to join the Visionary Bowling Test Team this year.  Even the Silver legacy has changed as two new restaurants are being built.  However they won't be done until mid-April so I won't get to try them until next year. I tried to bowl the BTM Tournament but I was the only person for the 4:00 pm shift and USBC rules won't allow just one person to bowl.  So I will try again tomorrow at 9:30 am.  Well, time to go down stairs and get a bite to eat.  Got to keep my energy level up.  Also, it will give the couple a chance to solve their problems and get quiet.  Nothing more distracting than two people arguing in the hallway and their voices echoing up and down it.

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 3

Breakfast in Denver or rather as we approached Denver.  Quiet night and sleeping on the bottom bunk was much nicer. Though trying to dress for a bathroom break in the middle of the night was a challenge when you don't have a lot of room, it is dark, and you really have to go!  The morning excitement was the heart attack the Snack Bar operator had as we approached Denver. Last we head as we left Denver was he was ok and being tested at the hospital. We headed into the mountains only to lose an hour as we had to wait for track maintenance to clear the track ahead of us.  It is amazing how the area is being developed as witnessed by the number of houses being built all over the mountainside.  I was expecting more snow and wildlife but so far it hasn't happened. Most of the wildlife has been small critters and a herd of deer.  Someone has started up a Alpaca farm near Winter Park Co. Those animals should do fine in the 6500+ altitude and snow.  Lunch was interesting and not very conversational as it was with 2 deaf ladies.  Getting their attention to pass something was an adventure.  I have been eating my cup of vanilla Hagen Daz every meal.  By the end of the trip I will be spoiled and developed a habit.  Saw a large Bald Eagle sitting in a dead tree watching for unsuspecting prey. They are so beautiful to look at.  Just passed a massive flock of turkey's near Glenwood Springs CO.  I lost count an 40.  Good thing the Eagles were a few mile back!   Today as we roll through the mountains I keep thinking of the song "How Great Thou Art."  The sights are something to behold.  Luckily no one opened the connecting doors as we went through Moffat Tunnel.  There seems to always be one knuckle head that opens the doors between the cars and lets the fumes in as we go through the 6 mile tunnel.  Looks like we have crossed the mountains, so the speed picks up and the bushes fly by.

Well, dinner was extremely interesting and at the same time sickening.  My steak was great but that is where it ended.  My dinner partners were a Mormon, someone who learned and felt more religion on their own and a guy who was a Eastern Religion believer.  What I heard those three agree upon and decide what was right was enough to make one say "enough."  Basically, if you ate meat, used vitamins, and trusted your doctor's to prescribe medicine then you were doomed.  Being a vegetarian, using natural organic herbs and using mantras to focus yourself was the way to go.  Then the hogwash really got deep.  Did you know the Church is intentionally repressing you to a state of a child so that you can never reached the highest state of "I am God."  The enlightened ones believe being God is the ultimate.  He believed if I have a strong faith then I was a strong child for faith is something only children use.  Therefore I missed the level of adulthood because I never gained the "knowledge that transcends faith." Then he compared the Holy Ghost to a dirty mirror therefore all we see or feel is illusions.  Also that the Holy Spirit was female since the Bible said God and Jesus were man and the female balanced the trinity.  So needless to say when I stated my "This I believe" they cleared out.  Did I accomplish anything ... no ... but at least the people around me heard the truth and surprisingly I heard a few amens!  Surely these are the end times because all manner of lies will be accepted as truth.  So now I must find a way to fall asleep for my mind is whirling with God's truths.

Bubba's Road Trip - Day 2

Breakfast with a couple of Swedes and then Chicago.  This was how my day started.  Definitely the top bunk of the sleeper is out of the question.  Too hard to get in and it seems too small or perhaps I have gotten too big for it.  Since I had a 5 hour layover in Chicago till the next train, I was able to wander all over the train station and partake of my favorite activity ... watching people walk by.  Chili and Cheese hotdog for lunch and I am ready for the next leg of the journey.  The train was 30 minutes late leaving because of mechanical problems to which we made up by Ottumwa Iowa.  Dinner was great and I shared it with a gentleman who was a oil pipeline welder.  Funny thing was half way through dinner he received a call wanting him to come and repair a piece of pipe in Alaska.  So he will be off as soon as he gets home.  Of course his stories of life as a trouble welder for 43 years was very interesting and might I say highly profitable.  Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Africa, Middle East, and Chile were a few of the luxury spots he has worked at.  Tomorrow we should be in the Rockies and have lots of wildlife to see.

Bubba's Road trip - Day 1

 
Well, Bubba is off and running again. This time I am heading for Reno and my 23rd National Tournament. I have done this so much now that nothing comes as a surprise.  My day started early as I went to work to finish up some last minute tasks.  Lunch was at our usual Chinese restaurant on Glebe Road. Then it was off to Union Station and the train.  Sitting in the ACELA Lounge was very relaxing.  Sometimes when I sit in the coach class waiting area, the panhandlers are always trying to touch you for some money or help.  Riding along the Potomac with a light snow falling was beautiful.  As usual AMTRAK's steak dinner was delicious and when topped off with ice cream and coffee, well, I am ready to just chill out and sleep some. Not that I haven't already been doing that.  Cat naps are the order of the day for the next couple of days.  Yes mom, they did have "Death by Chocolate." Too bad I am not a chocolate fanatic or I would have got it and told you how great it was!

My God moment today was while I was eating.  The two ladies sitting with me were talking about life. One Lady said she missed her friend who had recently died.  The other lady recited the first verse of the song "Precious Memories." Not long after that a comment was made about the Potomac River and the Lady recited the first verse of "Peace like a River."  The whole meal was interspersed with song lyrics.  She worshipped God by reciting his praises in song.  My thought was of David and how he used the Psalms to voice his feelings to God.  To me it was a blessing as I listened to her recite these verses.  I pondered this way of worshiping God as I know a lot of times we don't praise him because we can't sing good much less carry a tune, but we can recite the words because most songs are scripture based.  So my evening ended of a high note as my mind reviewed the many songs I had rumbling around in my mind.

Great Adventure - Reflections

Looking back to the last few weeks, I would have to rank this cruise as one of the best.  The weather was absolutely fabulous.  Sunny skies, warm weather (85-89 degrees), no rain and extremely calm seas made the cruise a pleasure.  I loved Ocho Rios, Jamaica and the tour we did was one for the memories.  It was my first time in Jamaica and while my expectations were high ... every one of them were met.  Being there on Bob Marley's birthday was a special moment also.  I loved the introductions of the guests.  Every time they queried an oriental they always claimed to be from Toronto Canada.  Did the Far East have a relocation effort to Canada?  One of the constant laughs came from these Can-Asians was the constant posing and posturing for pictures. They would do their photo sessions with no regard to other guests and the fact they were blocking the aisles.  The food was great, especially Cagney's Steakhouse.  If I had the money, I would go there every night ... but the budget won't handle it and the waistline wouldn't either.  The two other specialty places we ate were ok but not to the level of making a very memorable impression like Cagney's. As usual the crew talent show was fantastic.  I wish I had some of that talent.  My only regret would have to be not getting enough sun time on the upper decks.  I guess I will have to cut out some other activities and make the time to catch a few more zzz's in the sun.

Stopping by mom's house on the way home was nice.  Yeah, it added some time to the trip but the easy and non-caring thing would have been to head straight home.  Life is too precious and moments to special to pass them by.  Happy Birthday Mom ... I wish it could have been more.  Thanks Carl and Paul for riding along and indulging in my whims.

Thank You to our sailing buddies as they made it special.  The laughs, jokes, sharing of experiences and dreams are special and forever locked in my thoughts.  It isn't a matter if I would do it again with them but one of when and how soon is the next cruise.

To my wife ... all I can think of is super, fantastic, special, tremendous, awesome, emotional, tender and a whole lot of other adjectives.  As we looked at God's wonders and handiwork, I saw her and thought ... it is a double blessing to have her in my life.

I wish all the kids could realize how great these memories of time spent together could be.  Usually we wait till it is too late and then forever rue the lost times.




So once again another great vacation come to an end.
 

Great Adventure Day XII

Today was spent talking and remembering those memories we cherish the most.  Muffin gave us a bit of a scare with another one of her episodes but a little massaging and medication, she recovered and back to full speed by evening. Mom had a doctor's appointment, so after going to the wrong hospital, she finally got there on time.  After that we swung through Pensacola Memorial Gardens and visited Dad for a few minutes.  Then it was off to Ed's Seafood Shack for a great seafood dinner. I loaded up with all you can eat Mullet, Gumbo, and garlic cheese grits.  They definitely lived up to their billing.  The gators didn't make an appearance but numerous other animals did.  We left there stuffed and most everyone slept as we made the trek home.  After arriving we spent several hours just talking and sharing and occasionally glancing at the TV.

Well, another Great Adventure comes to a close as we travel home.  It's back to reality and start saving up for next years cruise.  Where is still up in the air but based on how this one went ... we can't wait!

Great Adventure Day XI

Well, while we were sleeping the ship got back to Miami and docked.  Following breakfast we slowly and sadly departed the ship.  Ronda and Lynn headed for the airport to fly home and us guys loaded the van and headed for Pace Florida.  I figured what the heck, "let's surprise mom with a small birthday present ... me!  It was a very long day as we didn't get to mom's house until 01am.  The ride across Alligator Alley was fun and the animals were amazing.  We didn't get any rain until we were almost there.

Great Adventure Day X - Cruise Day VII

We are at sea once again and sadly heading for home.  Today was spent soaking up the sun and getting the last of the souvenirs.  The afternoon held a talent show featuring the talents of different crew members. It amazed me that they had such talent and did housekeeping for their livelihood.  It was capped off by the Fountain, it was hilarious as they went through their routines.  Evening dinner was special as we went to Cagney's Steakhouse.  We pre-booked this for the last night because we knew how good it was from previous cruises.  What a way to end our fun time.  Everyone left with that stuffed feeling as the food was cooked to perfection.  The evening's entertainment was a review of the special entertainers that were on board.  Alex Jackson, Oh What a Night singers, The ship's production dancers and singers and Chip, a magician/comedian.  Finally we headed back to our room to pack and prepare for Sunday's disembarkation.

Great Adventure Day IX - Cruise Day VI

Cozumel Mexico once again!  Our morning started out pretty much like usual ... you know me a creature of predictable habits.  Since we didn't reach Cozumel till 11am we slept in and ate a late breakfast at the Summer Palace.  Even Ronda slept in and skipped her morning walk.  Then it was off the ship for 5 hours of shopping and sightseeing.  They put us at the new International dock which is well away from where we us to dock and this necessitated a 20 minute cab ride to the best shopping stores.  Ronda was very happy as a Ammolite bracelet screamed "Buy Me."  My wallet gave up the ghost and cried "Uncle."  This little event took almost a hour ... at least it was air conditioned as it was HOT and sunny.  Probably our warmest day of the cruise.  One nice thing about Cozumel was that as the temperature rose the amount of clothes decreased.  Half the fun of walking down the street is the interaction between us and the local barkers trying to get us in their shops.  They will say anything.  We stopped in the Tequila Factory for a few free samples and walked out with a bottle of Tequila that can not be found in the U.S.  Lunch was at a sidewalk restaurant called Palmeras.  The food was good and at the same time different from what we are used too.  With our shopping done and bellies full, we took a 1 horse buggy ride back to the ship.  It was peaceful and very nice as the breeze kept us cool and we had very good vision to see the sights of Cozumel.  Of course, all this walking necessitated a nap to prepare us for dinner.  Following another fine meal and wine in the Summer Palace we headed off to the nights entertainment.  Country and Western music hour wasn't our cup of tea but allowed us to get fairly good seats for the rest of the evening.  "Dancing with The Pearl Stars" was hilarious. Seeing as none of the guests were any good the Stars had the hands full.  The winners were a couple that just had fun and relied on comedy to take them to the top.  The best female pro dancer was definitely worth the attention though her partner was a dud.  P.S., wearing a sheer almost see through top helped to keep many eyes on her.  Next Came "Liars Club" and all of our sides hurt from the steady stream of laughs. Great one-liners came at the rate of 1 every 3 seconds.  The words for the night were "Trion", "Tittup", "Chubble", "Fullfart".  Believe me they came up with some real whoppers.  Trion, pronounced Tree On, was what happend just before a tree mated.  Tittup was the way women were buried. Chubble was a french word for midgets. And Fullfart is when your 86 year old Grandmother farts so hard it blows our the ankles of her panty hose.  Can you believe these definition?  If not "Googleize it"  So about 00:30am we finally made it to bed.

The Great Adventure Day VIII - Cruise Day V

The days fly by as the fun and laughs continue. Today is Grand Cayman Island.  Usually the best snorkeling port but we decided to make it a shopping port.  Sunny and hot ... about 84 degrees. We started the day with a short 2 mile walk (11 laps of the ship) and breakfast in the Summer Palace.  Notice our sequence?  We got off the ship about 9am and returned about 2pm.  Great town with plenty of shops and well defined sidewalks making Carl's job of moving Paul about easier.  Ronda found the Ammolite Ring that said "Buy Me." And she did!  Then on the other side of town she found a set of Ammolite ear rings that talked to her and we completed her set.  I managed to find a new watch which well exceeded the Timex watches I usually get or the $10 specials I usually buy on board the ship. No problem making weight restrictions now going home as the wallet is significantly lighter.  Of course Lynne managed to buy her share too so the Grand Cayman Government gave us a Letter of Thanks for supporting their National GNP so well. After returning to ship we did the buffet and took afternoon naps to rest up for the evening.  The evening show was "Encore", one that we had seen before.  By time the showed ended it was 11:30pm so we called it a night.

Great Adventure Day VII - Cruise Day IV

It is finally here ... Ocho Rios Jamaica.  Of course the day started with NCL serving us breakfast ... no buffet here!  We headed off the ship about 10 am and the temperature pushing 90+ degrees.  NCL did not have any tours that fit our requirements so we winged it and hired our own tour guide at half the cost.  Luciano was fantastic.  He gave us a tour which we won't soon forget.  We visited the Garden and saw many types of native flowers and plants. It was so beautiful, lush, and peaceful.  Kayanna was a great guide and her knowledge was tremendous. Of course I managed to get many pictures.  Good thing I had a fully charged battery and a 1 Gb memory disk.  Next we went to the Falls and got some terrific panoramic shots of the bay and city.  Luciano gave us a tour of the island away from the beaten path and we loved seeing Jamaica as it really is. Gas is over $7 a gallon and unemployment is 42.5%.  There are so many kids they run 2 shifts, 6-12 and 12-6 ... and American kids have it so tough!  We finished the day shopping at a local mall ... away from the cruise line recommended shops and prices, for some souvenirs. The girls visited the Jamaican free market and experienced real bargain buying.  The skill here is in the negotiations. After saying goodbye to Luchiano about 2 pm we headed back on ship. Naturally, since we were exhausted from our strenuous day we took midday naps till dinner time.  Once again we went to the Summer Palace to be pampered and spoiled.  The evenings entertainment was a "Second City" production.  We laughed so hard at their improv and comedy. I loved the Pigeon feeding routine the most. We had our night cap in the Spinnaker Lounge listing to 80's rock.  Oh, we also got our 2 cruise reservations for our future cruises ... guess we will have to take at least 2 more cruises.  Sadly our wonderful day in Jamaica came to an end ... but tomorrow is "Grand Cayman" ... does the fun and adventure ever end?

Great Adventure Day VI - Cruise Day III

Today started out by being spoiled and having breakfast served to us in the Summer Palace.  After that we laid on the deck soaking up the sun.  Ronda and Lynne went to numerous shopping and excursion demos and we all sat in the Diamonds and Gems discussion.  Now if I could only afford to buy the stuff I learned about.  I love how their "demo' stones were always 6.5 carats in size ... like a $10,000 ring is my normal purchase range.  Right!  After a day of observing the natural beauty of the sunny deck ... and in some cases the un-natural beauty we went to dinner at the Italian Restaurant.  It was good but I couldn't help think of Matthew's "Man" lasagna.  The lasagna was mostly meat with minimal pasta and sauce.  Aiden would have loved this "man" lasagna. The evening's entertainment was a tribute to Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons.  They were good and closing your eyes, you could easily drift back to the 70's. We finished the day with Ladies vs Gents games ... they were rigged might I add.  It was a great day but tomorrow is Jamaica and somewhere I have never been.

Great Adventure Day V - Cruise Day II

We are now sitting just off the shore in Great Stirrup Cay after sailing all night. Our goal is to get rested up since we have been to this island numerous times.  Not much here but beach activities.  Though they are doing a lot of improvements like adding a new sheltered cove for docking the tender ships.  Plenty of sun and 84 degrees.  We spent several hours laying out and soaking the rays up on the deck lounge chairs.  So, Ronda and Lynn soaked the most rays up and got a little pink!  We also found the adults only sunbathing area where topless sunbathing is allowed.  Ronda didn't want to stay there.  We did the buffet for lunch which started a food overload with so many choices.  Though I didn't see Jessie's favorite ... mashed potatoes.  If you like fruit you would be in heaven because they have it everywhere.  Also the soft serve ice cream machine is conveniently located and I have made good use of it, so has everyone else. We ate in the Summer Palace Dining room and had a great meal topped off with some Bex Riesling wine.  The evening show was a tribute to Broadway with many songs and dances.  That was followed up by a visit to the Spinnaker Lounge and a bigger dose of Alex Jackson comedy.  Eventually the days activities caught up and we crashed into our freshly turned down beds.

Great Adventure Day IV - Cruise Day I

We made it ... only a couple of hours and we will be boarding the ship.  Following a lazy breakfast at Denny's we had a 30 drive to the port.  Well, actually it was longer as a wreck on the Interstate  blocked the road. So we took surface roads and saw a little bit of Miami.  We quickly remembered our steps as we unloaded the van and trailer at the port.   We arrived before the bulk of people and had a fairly quick boarding process.  Well, easy except a illegal knife which they locked up until we get back off the ship and Lynn knocking the bags off the wheel chair every time it turned.  First action after getting on the ship was getting lunch.  Got to keep out energy level up.  As usual it was great getting spoiled and waited on like they do.  I think everyone tried something different.  The rest of the time was spent exploring the ship, our home for the next 7 days.  We have asked ourselves where everyone is as the crowds are smaller than we remember. After a great dinner at the "Le Bistro", French influenced food, we saw the opening night show.  Looks like the entertainment is up to par.  Comedian Alex Jackson kept us laughing with his jokes and comments on life.  The night wound down about 10:30 pm as the days activities caught up with us.  Later when I check my Fitbit it said we walked 30 flights of stairs, no wonder we were tired.

The Grand Adventure - Day III

Well, Day three comes to a close with our arrival in Fort Lauderdale.  The ride today was uneventful but very nice.  The Temps hit a sunny 77 degrees.  Needless to say the coats and sweaters were peeled off quickly.  Meals were provided by Denney's, Burger King and Bubba Gump's.  The Jambalaya was great though a bit more spice could have been added.  Everyone else enjoyed their food too.  We stopped by Daytona Harley Davidson and looked around for a bit.  We have commented that it would be nice to stop there every time we passed it the last several trips.  Today ... we stopped.  We got off the Interstate and drove along some U.S. Highways and saw Lake Okeechobee and some of the everglade swamp.  Unanimous consent was we did not want to live there.  Packing is complete and all that is left to do is sleep and go to the ship in the morning.  Tough life but I gladly volunteer to do it.  Oh well, bed time for Bonzo ... it is 1am.

The Grand Adventure - Day II

Well, it is Day 2 for Bubba and his Great Adventure.  The morning started out at 08:00am in Fayetteville NC and ended at 4:30pm in Jacksonville Fl.  Nice safe ride today and the weather was great ... reaching 68 degrees ... just had to shed the jacket and walk about in a short sleeve shirt.  Breakfast at Denney's (who would have guessed), lunch at subway and dinner at St John's Steak and Seafood.  The food at St John's was surprisingly good.  Not knowing what we were getting into, we all enjoyed the family style restaurant.  Would recommend it to others if you pass through Jacksonville. Just finished making reservations in Ft Lauderdale for tomorrow night.  Only 304 miles to go.

We have discussed half the worlds problems and solved them all.  Great time is being had by all. Hope everyone is doing well and being blessed in a mighty way.  And being blessed by my absence isn't allowed!

The Grand Adventure - Day I

Well, Bubba's Grand Adventure is off and running well.  We escaped from Manassas about 12:30 this afternoon.  Traffic today was ok except for the part of I-95 prior to Fredericksburg.  I guess the traffic monster wanted to suck us in and not let us escape.  But we did despite their best effort.  As I said the drive was nice and the weather cooperated very nicely.  Despite the usual rest stops and coffee breaks at Love's we managed to make it to Fayetteville NC for the night.  Dinner was leisure and good at Cracker Barrel.  We ran out of new jokes by Richmond and definitely don't want to tell old ones.  We will push harder tomorrow for our goal is to spend the night around Jacksonville FL.  Thus leaving a short sprint on Saturday to Ft Lauderdale and Bubba Gump's!  Time for some rest and sleep! God Bless and have a great day ... we are!

Pre-Launch day!

I am sitting here at the FM transmitter site waiting on COMCAST to install a new internet connection.  As usual they want you available from 0800 to 1200.  This is the 3rd time trying to get this done as they failed to show up the last two times. What are the odds I am wasting my time once again?

Well, cruise time is here ... we head south tomorrow about noon.  There are many things left to be done but we will be ready come heck or high water.  This vacation is well needed for the two of us.  Though we love our lives and everyone associated with them ... we need some private do as we want, when we want time. Know what we mean?  I haven't decided if I will keep in contact while we are away as I know some people would love that.  I guess it will be a last minute call.

My trip to Nationals in Reno is now booked and all I have to do is wait until 03/18/2013 to leave.  I am looking forward to seeing old friends, and I mean old as we have bowled together every year since 1990.

Work is the same ... it is employment with a moderate income.  Will it change to the way it was when I first started there in 2000?  Not a chance.  With this economy it is most wise to ride the horse until it dies or bucks you off.

The house is always active with the kids and grandkids there everyday.  Then on the weekend add 2 more grandkids.  We wouldn't have it any other way but sometimes wish for a change.

It was fun watching Peanut and Star bake the other day.  The house smelled great with all the cookies and brownies.  Even some garlic mash potatoes were thrown in to the affair.

AJ is recovering from a double ear infection.  Chunk is growing fast and learning how to get into everything.  Not to mention ... developing a personality and attitude.

Wild Mom is doing well but wishes the vertigo would go away.  I tried to tell her it can't be too bad as 12 million drunks enjoy life when they are juiced up.  I hope they figure things out and get her back into the saddle soon.

Lady, well, what can I say!  She is everything to me and wouldn't have it any other way.  Love her this much -- forever

2013 ... Looking Forward

The New Year is here and life goes on.  While the holidays were great and all the company and people were great ... time to get back to business.  We are 24 days away from leaving for the cruise and the warm weather of the Caribbean.  We have been planning and discussing what we will be doing and each time we get more excited and anxious to go.  I made no resolutions this year so I can't break any.  I would feel too bad making promises that I had no intention of completing or keeping.  I would hope some people would change and focus on what's important but, then again, that is their choice.  Grudgingly, I accept that.

Bowling is on going and a struggle.  Sometimes it feels like we are David facing Goliath and the referees are on his side.  The bright spot is we bowl against a few fun and exciting people whom we have come to enjoy over the years. No youth bowling this time.  After the frustration last season, I decided to not bowl with the kids.  Yes I will miss the fun and action but relish at the lack of drama and frustration.

Work continues at its own pace.  Would I change it if I could, yes!  Will it change on it's own?  No, not any time soon.

Everything is booked and scheduled for 2013 national Tournament, so now all I have to do is wait until it is time to go.  I am looking forward to the train ride and its many surprises and staying once again at the Silver Legacy in Reno.  To seeing old friends that I only get to see once a year.  I am amazed how old they have grown these 23 years.  A few have gone to meet their maker and they will be sorely missed but not forgotten.

My bible study on David is great and almost done.  I have learned a lot but that is a topic for another day.  Our Church has its big vote next week and that should prove interesting and mildly challenging.