Once in awhile-now and again-this is us

we’ve had a change of travel plans. we decided to stay home for thanksgiving.  instead we are going to Yosemite for our 52nd anniversary, nov. 2nd  and jerrys birthday,  nov. 3rd.  we will leave in mid october and only be gone for 10 days this trip. we need to get there before it starts snowing when they close tioaga pass.

it sure took me a long time to get back in the swing of things when we got home. it was so hot, we didn’t even unload the coach right away. and now it’s time to load it back up.

I wanted to show you all where I hung the special collage that ted gave me.  so I would see it everyday,  I  put it with my others in the bathroom.  yes the bathroom.  now I see it several times a day. ( some days more than that).  I love it there. thanks again ted.

also,  i set my poker by the fireplace. I haven’t had the pleasure of using it yet though.

here’s the map of our last trip. we traveled 6,000 miles. I put a few markers so you can tell how far it was to Juneau.

it was one of our best trips. I loved sharing it will you.

p.s.

I started to have mixed feelings about doing the blog lately. with so much social media on facebook, instagram and such, I thought you all might be tired of facebragging as I’ve heard it called. I want you all to know,  I share my pictures with you because I  think  some of you will never get to these places, and they are just too beautiful. for you that have seen them I hope it brings back memories. for you that have not, maybe you’ll see  someplace you want to go to. I hope you all don’t see the blog as bragging. that’s not my intention at all.  i’m sharing my joy!

so if you want to see some of Yosemite

stay tuned

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we spent our last night in lee vining at a nice campground with a small view of mono lake. as we passed the lake I took a few pictures.

we had pastries from homage to have for breakfast.  did you have your scone for breakfast ted?  we had a two for two. and you probably had a one for one. in reno it was always two for three. it wasn’t the same without you.

we also had an apple from your tree

we had a very uneventful day of driving. we stopped at a vista point in the owens valley.

we’ve learned a lot about glaciers this trip. I guess they really did play an important role in shaping the earth.

I think I found the blue dick ray

we got mcdonalds in lone pine for lunch and  parked in some shade. this poor old horse was out in the hot sun all by himself.

mt. whitney in lone pine

this is what 2 1/2 months of mail looks like. plus we found more on the front porch that linda had taken care of.

this is how much is junk

it was sad and nice at the same time to come home. we sat on the porch in the evening and all the neighbors came over and we had a party on the porch. it was sure nice to see everyone and give them hugs. of course midas was there too.

so I guess this will be my last post for this trip. we have another trip planned for November. it will be our 52nd anniversary and we plan to go to texas to have thanksgiving with some old friends and see cousins. that is, after we go to las vegas to have another star tattoo added to our arm, and no telling what else.

but you never know what might come up before that,

so stay tuned

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after leaving ted we drove to renown medical center. my dr. has a daughter practicing there. I had used her a few times when she was in the long beach office, so I knew her.  I thought what a nice surprise to take a picture and put it in the blog for dr. wanyik.  but dr. ferrera was on call that day and not in her office. bummer. sorry dr. wanyik.  I took a few pictures of the center anyway because it was so pretty. this garden was in the middle of the center. wouldn’t this be nice to see on the way to your doctor.

is this a labyrinth dr. betty?

we also drove by the grand sierra resort, where we usually stay. they have a campground in one of the parking lots. this time we found a campground a few blocks from ted’s house. much more convenient.

labor day is the when the burning man thing goes on north of reno. ted told us we would start seeing the crowds come back from that. and that we did. the craziest vehicles, the most loaded down vehicles, and the weirdest people. and they hang out at the grand sierra to recoup. I took a few pictures but didn’t get some of the craziest ones.

all of them are loaded with bicycles. ted said that’s how they get around at the gathering.

you have to haul out all your trash with you, so it ends up in reno’s bins. they all looked like this. there was also a car wash detail in the lot. for $250.00 you could have your rv detailed. they also had a rental return for all the rented rv’s. we find some of the most unusual things on our trips. I didn’t even show you the sardine can car or the swingline stapler car!!!!!!!!

but we also see some of the most beautiful things in the usa. we stopped at mono lake to take pictures next.

stay tuned

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I wanted to see ted one last time, so what better way than to meet at homage. this place is the greatest. even though it’s on the street, it’s very quiet and you can hear each other talk. and it was nice.

it was a little easier to say good-bye this morning. I bought a few pastries, gave one to ted, and we went on our way. good-bye ted.

I have a picture to show all of you. it was 20 years ago. it was jerry’s 50th and tracy’s 30th birthday. we were here doing a trade show.

do you all remember?

and we’ll be home soon

stay tuned

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we’ve had such a good visit with ted. he doesn’t always take to visitors. but i’m his little sister, how can he not want me to come for a visit? now’s your chance ted, tell me the truth. ha ha.

most of you know the stories about gumby, if not i’ll explain another time.

well, a while ago big gumby ran away with the goodwill truck. he thought it was the good humor truck. ted was heart sick. I’ve done my best to find him another and finally on this trip we found him one. he’s a little shorter though. but right away little gumby ran over to the play me lady and ignored ted all together. sorry ted.

come to me baby

anyway,

remember the heart rock i found, of course you don’t. here’s a picture of the way i found it, near the redwoods.

here’s it’s new home. it has a special place in ted’s bedroom.

so what do you have for me ted?

like i said earlier, ted has been doing these heart shaped collages for a valentine’s day show at a gallery for over 20 years. over the years he has made me valentine’s with a pictures of them. i have six at home.

so this time i get an original. since the show changed formats after ted had already started on this one, it didn’t go in the show. he is giving it to me.

I love this little guy. he is pure joy and I get to see him everyday. thank you ted for everything. I don’t think artists value their work as much as others do. I will value this gift.

we said good bye to ted. the hello’s are so much fun, but the good-bye’s are not. we’ll see you again soon ted. I love you. jill

we still have a few stops.

stay tuned

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we had another nice breakfast at homage.  after we were done, I went back in to compliment the baker. I said you have the best pastries and the scones are the best I’ve ever had.  the recipe is her mother’s of course.

it was another beautiful day so we took another walk at the gardens. ted walks everyday at a variety of places. if you go early it’s not hot. there is so much shade along the paths.

the adobe sunrise has a beautiful fragrance

we met the cutest little boy on the trail. he hung around us for a little while.

can i take your picture kyle? ah, shucks. i don’t know.

ok. how’s this?

the salvation army was having a 50% off sale. this will be my last one ted. i promise.

it’s so big. how long do I have? ha ha

ted had something for me, so we went back to his house to say our good byes and have the last shiner black lager he had. (he gave us a six pack for the road, thanks ted).

stay tuned.

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some of you met bob when he was in the university exhibit. now he is back at home, right there to greet you as you walk in ted’s house.

this is ted’s current project. it was in the back room our last visit and now it is in the living room where ted can work on it night and day. ha ha. he meticulously cuts out each piece.

and this is the last of his valentine’s day works of art. the gallery changed the format of the art they want in the show, so ted no longer will be making the heart shaped collage’s. this is the final piece, and it didn’t even make it in the show.

ted knows we like the black beer, so he found a new one to try. he also had some black shiner for us. thanks ted.

this guy still sits and takes everything in. this isn’t ted’s work. a friend gave it to him, and I don’t think he will ever part with it.

we had a nice lunch at our favorite mexican restaurant here in reno, cheese enchiladas.  we  came back to ted’s house and visited a little more. then jerry and i went back to the coach and took a nap. after our nap we went for a drive to the river. it was such a beautiful evening. the truckee runs right thought town. i can remember when it would roar through town. now look, the drought is affecting everything. i took a few pictures at the riverwalk.

ted thinks he would like to buy a condo on the river someday. you can see a little of the promenade adult condos in the upper right hand corner.

kids can always have fun in water.

we had fun playing peek-a-boo with this little girl, she was so cute.

we drove through town on the way back to camp. it’s sure not vegas.

but, you can get married, get a tattoo and get drunk all at the same time.

oh, you can do that in vegas too.

stay tuned

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