MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CRONIES ALL: December 2010

Once again it is that time of year when we pause to remember those we hold dear, our family and friends. As we celebrate the joy of giving, and remember the gift that we celebrate, we look forward to receiving the cards/letters or e mails that remind us of the gifts of friendship that we treasure most.

We are blessed with and enjoy good health, cranky old age and occasionally practice the “forgetin' disease”. Daughter Terri, son Gary and daughter-in-law Marci are all busy with their respective endeavors and are well. Granddaughter, Lauren, is living and working in Dallas, Texas and Grandson, Sean, is attending college in San Diego.

Our friends Kitty Van Horn and friend along with Marvis and Bob Gersten joined us in Key West for a week in the Conch Republic and a visit to Sarasota completed a Florida visit. Our summer included a cross country trip of 25 States, five Canadian Provinces and a visit to all five Great Lakes. Pat attended her 60th High School reunion and Ken’s sister, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and family joined us for an Indiana 4th of July celebration.

A visit to Buffalo, NY with Ken's sister, brother and two cousins and a shared trip to Warsaw and a visited to the house where their fathers were born was shared by the Cousins. “Icing on the cake” was meeting a cousin that they didn't know they had. A visit to Niagara Falls and a performance by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with Cousin Bill chairing the Bass Section completed our Buffalo visit.

Our travels took us to the beautiful East Coast, Canada, upper Michigan, Minnesota, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Colorado, Nevada and home. It was a wonderful trip, made special by our intermittent travel companions, Ken's sister, Barbara; brother, Don, sister-in-law, Linda and friends, Bob and Marvis Gersten. In October, we joined our friends, the Haselmans, for a two week visit on Kauai. Life is good.

May the joy of the holiday season, bless you throughout the New Year.

PHOTOS FROM HAWAII

.After two "laid back" and relaxed weeks on the Island of Kauai with good
friends, we are home again. It has been a great summer and now on to
planning for whatever our next big adventure is to be.

OUR 59TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION KAUAI HI

It has been a good gig.

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WE JUST KEEP ON KEEPING ON

We are en route home. We separated from Don and Linda en route to Denver Thursday.  We have enjoyed their company during this trip and we thank them for putting up with us.  It cannot be easy traveling with two old coots like ourselves who are known among family members as “the Bickersons”.. 

 

Barbara joined us in Denver and will accompany us to Glendale.  After a brief visit with the locals in Glendale, she will conclude her visit to the States with a visit in Prescott, Arizona before flying to Little Rock for her departure to Brazil.

 

We spent Sunday, August 15, in Mitchell South Dakota.  The highlight of our visit there was a visit to the Corn Palace which is a unique tribute to “corn”.  They decorate  the building each year with remnants of corn i.e., silk, actual ears of corn, shucks etc.  We missed Kenny Rogers’ appearance which is scheduled for August 28.

 

Monday, our travel included a stop at the Lewis and Clark museum overlooking the Missouri, river. We then drove through the Badlands, stopped at Wall for a “tourist” thing and then made our way to our RV Resort outside Rapid City.  Monday evening we celebrated Ken’s 79^th birthday with dinner at the site and a birthday cake to “herald” the occasion. 

 

Tuesday, we visited Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse statute in progress.  The Crazy Horse statute is a spectacular work of sculpture that will be years in the carving.  It is fully funded independent of any governmental assistance and apparently, does not receive any contributions from the Indian nation as well.  We were pleased to see the progress of the sculpture since our last visit in 2005.  After a drive through the countryside where we invited the buffalo, the deer and the wild donkeys to say hello, we accepted our snubbed status and returned to “camp”. 

 

Wednesday, Ken fulfilled another of the many items on his bucket list with a trek to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming.  Of course, he also had to walk the approximate mile and 1/3 around the tower but not without frequent rest stops.  I waited with my usual patience and lack of interest while he did his thing.  We concluded the day with a drive through scenic Spearfish Canyon, Deadwood and back to our RV site.  It was a long, full and for Ken, an exciting day of adventure.

 

Thursday morning, we were up early and out of camp by 830AM en route to Denver where we spent the night.

 

Fridat, Ken’s sister, Barbara rejoined us for the last leg of our trip through Colorado over Monarch Pass and into Gunnison where we spent Friday and Saturday night. 

 

Saturday, we did a drive about through the canyons and gullys en route to Montrose and a revisit to Ouray, Colorado.  After a nice lunch, we viewed an interesting film on Ouray prepared by one of the locals which provided a passionate overview of the psyche of the mountain people who live there.  Ouray was a favorite spot of Ken’s parents thus, the siblings enjoyed visiting the area.  A favorite reminisce of the siblings is the story that Ken’s father was ready to buy a house there until he double parked to let Ken’s mother out of the car and he was rear ended by a Deputy Police Officer.  Ken’s dad was given a ticket for double parking.   Ken’s dad felt that he was wrongly cited since he was not double parked, he simply stopped to let someone out of the car.  He cancelled purchase of the house and I am not sure whether he ever returned to that locale.  Personally, although Ouray is a quaint and interesting town, the mountains tend to “close me in”.

 

There you have it for another week.  We are off for the last leg of the trip which, hopefully, will conclude in Glendale on Wednesday.

 

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TREKIN’ WEST

 

My last dispatch reported Marvis and Bob’s departure in Montreal and the start of our trek from Montreal through Ontario.  We spent Saturday night just outside Ottawa and Sunday night in Sudbury.  We crossed the border into the US Monday about noon.  Reentry was simple and less complicated than we expected which was a happy event.  We spent some time in Suez St. Marie and watched a large freighter clear the Soo lochs before checking into our RV resort at Cedarville, Michigan..

 

Tuesday, Ken and I met Sunday School “siblings”, Dana and Virginia Patten at the Pelston Regional Airport.  The terminal is a beautiful multi million dollar facility that I would guess might host a maximum of five or six flights per day.  Indeed, the decor inside is beautiful and lavish for such a small airport which leads one to conclude that it must have been a politician’s pork barrel project  There really oughta be a law!!

 

After a brief visit in the very comfortable lounge area, we drove a short distance to an elegant restaurant in a “wonder land” just down the road.  As we entered the spacious well appointed entry, we were greeted by the owner and the hostess.  We were shown to our white table cloth covered table which sat at a window overlooking the beautiful grounds.  It was a perfect tranquil setting that reflected warmth and welcome.  We shared a fine chicken dinner served family style topped off with lively conversation and background stories of the area and individual history.  It was a great evening made more enjoyable by the presence of fellow Glendale residents..

 

Wednesday was a laid back day devoted to laundry, cleaning and general rest and relaxation.  Those days have been few and far between on this trip, so each such day is a gift.

 

Thursday, we drove along Lake Michigan and into Munising, Michigan where Ken, Don and Linda took a boat tour of the beautiful picture rocks on Lake Superior.  From there, we drove on into Marquette for the night. 

 

Friday morning we left Don and Linda in Marquette and made our way through the beautiful scenic highways of Wisconsin in spite of the sometimes high winds that tossed our coach a bit.  We had intermittent storm showers but they were no deterrent to the beauty of the land that changed from a land of lakes surrounded by trees into rolling hills of lush green pastures and farm land.  We spent Friday night in Hudson, Wisconsin and watched as a dark threatening cloud hovered nearby.  We were concerned that the storm would hit us but we were fortunate, it did not. Thankfully, the storm veered northerly and missed us.  The next day we learned that it had carried high wind, golf ball sized hail and caused considerable damage.  We were thankful to be spared. We have been very lucky with the weather on this trip.

 

Saturday, we stopped in Lakeville, Minnesota for lunch and a visit with Jim and Ann Keelin, from our Percy Jones Army Hospital (PJAH) days.  Ken and Jim served together at the hospital during the Korean war.  Jim and Ann were married in September and we were married in October. We go back a long way and have stayed in touch through the years.  Jim is currently recuperating from a paralysis of his legs after back surgery.  They are in an assisted living complex during his recuperation period which is very comfortable and provides support for Jim as he learns to walk once again, after a period of significant handicap.  We are hoping that they will get out to Arizona this winter and that we will be able to share more “quality” time with them after Jim has recovered from this setback.  Our group from this era of our lives is dwindling thus, our time together is coveted and special.

 

After our too short but delightful visit with Ann and Jim we departed Lakeville and made our way into Iowa and an overnight at Spirit Lake. 

 

We are en route to the Black Hills via the Badlands. 

 

 

 

AU REVERIE ? BOB AND MARVIS

Sunday August 1 – Our week started out with a bit of fresh cool air both inside and outside the coach but as the week went by, there were warmer days in both places.  Sunday Don, Linda and Ken went to Church and did a drive about in preparation for some major “touristing” in Halifax on Monday.   Ken and I, Bob and Marvis visited Peggy’s Cove, one of the most scenic and picturesque coves of this trip and rarely if ever, have I seen a more beautiful sight.  Peggy’s Cove is a cherished memory of this trip.

 

Monday, the Gerstens did a bus tour of Halifax while Ken, Don and Linda did a water tour for a review of the historic events. My blood pressure seemed a little high so I treated myself to a laid back day of relaxation.  Our travel has been somewhat busy and I seem to have to have a “quiet” day occasionally and when I feel the “need” for one, I take it though admittedly, not without some feelings of guilt for being such a “woose”.

 

Tuesday, was a travel day with an overnight in the pines at Miramiche, New Brunswick.    Bob, Marvis, Ken and I ventured out for a ride about town and vitals only to be somewhat disappointed.  Canadian food has not been a memory to write home about so I will not bore you. 

 

Wednesday, we drove through beautiful farms, peeks and valleys as we traveled along the river from Miramiche to Trois Pistoles, Quebec where we spent the night and enjoyed another evening of Canadian hospitality this time with a flavor of Quebec.  We drew smiles from the townspeople as all six of us climbed out of Ken’s five passenger Saturn SUV at the restaurant.  Dinner was on a par of the night before but the hospitality was warm in spite of our lack of proper language skills. 

 

Thursday we followed along the St Lawrence to Quebec City.  We arrived around noon, parked our rigs, climbed aboard our suv and drove into old town Quebec City where we enjoyed lunch at a French restaurant that we have enjoyed on our three visits to Quebec City.  Unfortunately, our bro, Don, didn’t think much of our choice but was a good sport and sampled the fare albeit without the fan.  We enjoyed the afternoon  watching a parade of residents clad in early Quebec ( French) attire  as they celebrated the settlement of  Quebec and the pioneer families who settled the city.  People watching has never been so interesting. Our visit could not have been better timed.   

 

Friday we traveled from Quebec City into Montreal and explored the waterfront, took a short guided tour that provided history of the waterfront and Montreal’s pioneer days before dropping Bob and Marvis at their hotel and saying goodbye to them as they leave us to return to their home in Goshen CT.  We enjoyed their company and all of us will miss them as we make our way through Ontario and into Michigan where we will start our trek home. 

 

Saturday was a day of travel through Ottawa with an overnight at Cedar Haven where we camped on a lake and enjoyed another night in the Canadian wilderness somewhere between Montreal and Thunder Bay, I think. . 

 

 

    

 

 

COOLER WEATHER HAS ARRIVED

It is Sunday, August 1, 2010.  After a whirlwind trip through Massachusetts, Maine, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, we are “at rest” in Nova Scotia.  Ken, Don and Linda are off to church and our friends, Bob and Marvis are having a lazy morning at their motel while I enjoy some quiet time just to enlighten you, the reader of this dispatch.

 

In Portland Maine we did the mail boat trek to the islands off of Portland and in Bar Harbor we endured a tour of Acadia National Park and learned some history of that lovely area which has evolved from the era of summer residences for the very rich.  Like the Virgin Islands, Bar Harbor seems to have been a Rockefeller vision and development. 

 

From the Bar Harbor area we drove to Calais Maine for an overnight before crossing the border into Canada and a two night stay in New Brunswick from which we did a day tour of Prince Edward Island. An early departure was necessary for us to reach the ferry in Pictou and the one hour ride across to PEI. We made a quick drive into Charlottetown to attend to some business matters before driving approximately 50 Kms to the location for the ANN OF GREEN GABLES movie and the home that spawned the autho’rs tale.  We drove back across the 9 mile bridge into New Brunswick, had dinner massaged our buts from a 250 mile day with 6 people in a Satuirn SUV.  We decided it was more fun to all go in the same car and Marvis, as the smallest of the “lot” agreed to sit in the back where luggage is usually stored.  Believe me – Marvis is not luggage but she is a good sport and in spite of our sometimes crowded accommodations, we had many laughs, enjoyed the day except for moments of leisure in the outback where no one knew where we were for sure.  Nevertheless, I think the sentiment was that we had a good time but now enlightened, we would probably not do that particular trip again. As we drove onto the ferry, I heard one of the staff say into his CB, “These SUVs really pack ‘em in.”

 

Saturday morning, we departed our New Brunswick campsite for a 100 mile drive into Nova Scotia.  In Maine, Ken’s GPS froze and we have been traveling the old fashioned way with regular old road maps.  Well, Saturday took the cake for poor navigation, lousey instinct and elevated arrogance by the driver of this particular RV.  As a result what was to be a 100 mile trip ended up being a 200 mile excursion and I am still panting with the anger that a wife feels when she has an obnoxious husband who will not stop and ask questions, thinks he know it all and whose ego will not permit him to listen to others.  Needless to say, a coolness permeates the air and it is not all the Canadian weather.

 

There you have it.  Another week unfolded with more yet to come.  Let’s hope that we have learned some lessons even though they have been a bit slow in learning.

 

 

ANOTHER WEEK FROM THE ROAD

Another good week on the road.. We spent July 17-21 as the guests of good friends, Marvis and Bob Gersten at their beautiful lake front home in Goshen CT.  Marvis and Bob invited friends in for us to meet as well as two couples from the area that we know.  It was a jolly good time for our traveling group of gypsies in spite of brief time out for a Dr's visit to look at my toe that I rubbed a blister on that does not want to heal on Monday. Tuesday, we took to the road for a visit to Mystic Seaport and after an overnight in Bedford MA visited Plymouth Plantation and the Mayflower II on Wednesday.  En route back to Goshen, we stopped off for Ken to visit a dental office for a tooth that was acting up. Thanks to a very nice dentist in Waterbury CT, Ken seems to have "dodged" a major problem. Thank you Dr. Paul.

Thursday morning we got a late getaway from Goshen en route to Gloucester MA where we enjoyed dinner on the wharf in Rockport and on Friday, had a "whale" of a whale watching trip out of Gloucester.  This was our second whale watching trip out of Gloucester and both times we were amazed by the number of whales that we were privileged to see.  They do a great job and spare no effort to assure satisfaction of the  over all experience.

 

Saturday we moved into Portland Maine where we will say goodbye to Barbara who leaves for Denver on Monday.  We are keeping busy and having a good time with family and good friends as we share our experience with people that we enjoy.

 

 

Ken and Pat Burns from the road and/or the sea
just as happy as can be

STILL ON THE ROAD

Sunday, July 11.  We enjoyed the day at Port Clinton with bro, Don and wife, Linda and their friends, Lynn and Ann Poet who drove over from their home in Michigan.  We took the "ferry" over to Put In Bay, did a tour of the island, had lunch and enjoyed that small island's charm. 

 

Monday Junely 12, provided us another beautiful day of travel into Erie, PA, where we enjoyed our evening as guests of the local Elks Lodge.  Our brother Elks in Erie were most gracious and welcoming in their hospitality. 

 

Tuesday, July 13, we made the short trek into Buffalo, where we reunited with Barbara after her independent travels into Michigan and Toronto and met up  with Cousin Richard and his friend, Lea.  We enjoyed an afternoon and evening of "catching up" and coordinated the next day's visit to Warsaw, NY where the fathers of the Cousins were born before the family moved to California.  Cousin Bill nixed the trip to Warsaw but agreed to join us for dinner after our return from the "outback".

 

Wednesday morning dawned bright and clear for the trip to Warsaw where the Cousins met up with relatives from their past who not only remembered their fathers but Ken was surprised to learn that a Cousin, Robert Burns, also remembered him and his visit to Warsaw with his folks when he was only 8.  It was an exciting day for all and one that they all enjoyed immensely.   After the Warsaw visit, everyone returned to Buffalo for dinner with Bill and a quick 'catch up" on his activities.  Bill has played  bass in the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra since his graduation from college 47 years ago.  The Buffalo Philharmonic is his family and his love. 

 

Thursday the Cousins enjoyed a day at Niagara Falls.  In the evening, Ken and I joined them for a presentation by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Goat Island in celebration of the 125^th year anniversary of the founding of the oldest State Park in the U.S.  What a wonderful, proud conclusion to our visit with Richard and Bill, the only two living first cousins on the Burns side on this special occasion and heartwarming  presentation of our talented Cousin in whom we are both proud and awed. Thank you Bill for arranging for us to heari you share your talents with the "world at large".What a memorable experience it was for all of us.

 

Friday, July 15 – marked the conclusion of our very pleasant and special visit to Buffalo and once again, we are on the road heading for Goshen, CT and our visit with the Gerstens at their cottage on the lake. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken and Pat Burns from the road and/or the sea
just as happy as can be

GOOD MORNING FROM PORT CLINTON OHIO

The sun shines bright on Lake Erie and all is well with the world.  We had a wonderful visit with my Monticello (and Chicago) relatives.  Our trip to Port Clinton was smooth – Ken “practiced” singing, I watched the cornfields fly by.  This seemed a winning combination. 

We enjoyed our five days of rest, relaxation and visiting on the lake and are now ready to move on into the East where the Burns first cousins will meet and rediscover their roots together.  We are looking forward to a presentation of the Buffalo Symphony where Ken’s first cousin, Bill Burns, has spent his musical career.  It will be great to see Bill, Richard and meet Richard’s friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

P7030050 Crazy Horse Ranch House

P7040087

P7040091 MY OLD INDIANA HOME (WHERE I WAS BORN)

P7040118 YEP I RODE IT

P7050131 MY ROOTS

PICT0132 MABEL DAUGHERTY 99 AND STILL PLAYING THE PIANO

The ranch.

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MY INDIANA ROOTS

After our week at the Tiffin Factory in Red Bay, Alabama, we spent two nights on a lake in Mississippi which was delightful in spite of the heat.  Our friend Mackie from La Grange, Tennessee joined us for our trip into the Midwest and she made our trek “Easterly” special.  She has now abandoned us and returned to her home in La Grange but she will be with us in the many special memories that we were able to share with her on our travels together.

 

On Thursday, we departed the Southern perimeters and made our way East, exploring the Natchez Trace into Nashville and into the vicinity of Mammoth Caves in Kentucky for our last stop on the road prior to our Indiana sojourn.  We made our reservations for a RV park supposedly 2 ½ miles off Highway 65 which seemed a reasonable distance from a main through fare.  When I called the proprietor of the RV Park to confirm our reservations, he told us not to follow the GPS and changed the exit number.  We followed his instructions for the exist number but resumed the GPS delivery for the details of the remainder of our route.  WRONG.!!  It was a traumatic drive through “cowpaths” that made our previous “cowpath” adventures seem like major highways.  After approximately 16 miles of rolling hills on a one lane sometimes paved road, we returned to the interstate, found our RV Park and once connected to the amenities of a park, tried to relax, grateful to have avoided any major calamity that would have “ruined our day”.

 

Of course, the next day we arrived for our stay at the Crazy Horse Ranch in Southern Indiana and that, too, was a traumatic event for old age.  My nephew had “warned” us to be alert to “an interesting” adventure and that it was.  There were 2 miles of country road, approximately 1 mile was gravel and little more than a tractor path.  In spite of my shouts and otherwise “active” vocabulary, Ken made it successfully and once we arrived, the “adventure” was worth it.  It was a beautiful location. We had a very comfortable ten days in spite of the high mid western temperatures into or near the 100s most of our stay.  . Beyond the trauma, drama and silence of the night, it was a wonderful return to my roots with nephews, nieces and friends exhibiting and practicing “unconditional” love and friendship that has long made me feel special when I visit my roots.   It was a wonderful week of visiting, eating and wonderful fellowship capped off by a very special 4^th of July sermon delivered by the husband of a friend from my early childhood in the church where Ken and I were married almost 59 years ago.  Our Fourth of July with family and friends was indeed a very special celebration on this special birthday for our country.

 

My nephew provided a tour of the Pinnick Cemetery on old Log Creek Road outside of French Lick, where  my Great Great Great ?? Grandfather James “Grandsire” Pinnick resides.  My Grandfather fought in the American Revolution, a fact that I hope might help me in the event that I should ever seek residence in Arizona.  Cemetery “hopping” is a favorite past time for we mid-western born citizens and I always look forward to including it in my brief period of “looking back” during my infrequent treks to my “old Indiana home”.  

 

While I know that there is wisdom in the statement “you can’t go home again”, I also know that there are special memories, wonderful stories and many happy reminisces in returning to ones roots on the occasion of your 60^th High School Reunion.  Never mind that you might not recognize most of your fellow graduates, it is the adventure of looking to someone you have already identified and saying “who is that?”.  The degree of stupidity that you can feel is, indeed, enough to keep you humble for the remainder of your life.

 

 

 

SUNDAY JUNE 27 2010

We arrived Southern Indiana Friday, June 25.  I had made reservations on the “web” for space at the Crazy Horse Ranch which turned out to be a combination dude ranch, horse farm amid basic beauty amid rolling green hills lined by a forest of trees.  The road into the ranch was true off road and I threatened Ken with a major calamity if he did not stop immediately but that wasn’t possible cause there was no where to go.  However, when we climbed the last gravel paved hill and looked upon the beautiful ranch house with horses grazing in the pasture and deer rushing across the meadow, my spirits improved.  The owners of the ranch are wonderful, helpful and gracious people who seem interested in our comfort and committed to helping us enjoy our stay.  We wish our children and grand children could be here to share in this experience and the wonder of life as it is here on this beautiful Southern Indiana ranch in the trees and valleys of my childhood memories.

 

On Saturday (June 26) we attended a luncheon celebrating the 60^th anniversary of my graduating Class of 1950.  It was a wonderful day of memory recall that varied from truth to embellished “wish we had”.  Our class of 49 persons has 30 still living and approximately 13 were at the luncheon.  Our evening culminated in the annual alumni banquet for the graduates of French Lick High School which was replaced by a new school in 1955.  I was surprised at the small group of celebrants as compared to our last attendance but as time goes on, the annual get together will continue to dwindle until graduates of the old school will no longer exist in their current “state”.  Ah – the beat just goes on.  It was a good place and time to catch up with the good citizens who helped form the person we ultimately became.  I never cease to be amazed at the goodness of the people from my “old home town”.  I have, indeed, been blessed and I treasure the memories of my formative years and the good friends that practiced what I believe to be the basic philosophy of what America should be and was all about until the great hand of government became the micro manager of our life.

 

On Sunday, June 27, Ken, Mackie and I arose early and made our way to the Church of my youth where Ken and I were married 59 years ago come October 7, 2010.  There you have it for another week of travel.  I am looking forward to seeing my nieces and nephews who still live in the area as well as visiting my old haunts, seeing old friends and enjoying the memories of a former life in the days of few modern conveniences when entertainment was that which one could create from togetherness.

 

Life is good.

 

 

GOOD MORNING

We are having some work done on the front window of the coach. Hopefully, when that is done, we will be able to leave the factory by noon at the latest.  We are going to a State Parkin neaby Mississippi for two nights and then will make our way to Bowling Green for an overnight stay and then into Indiana on Friday.  We will probably be out of touch by phone and I net for the next two days. 

 

It continues to be in the high 90s and low 100s with lots of mug in this area.  Enjoying Mackies company and will be glad to get to Indiana for the next leg of our trip.

 

If you can’t reach us until Thursday, don’t be surprised.  We are going to be in the “woods” overlooking a lake in the rolling hills of Mississippi.  Whew!!!  Can’t you just hear the excitement and enthusiasm in my voice?

 

 

PICTURES FROM ARKANSAS AND RED BAY ALABAMA WHERE THE DAYS ARE HOT AND THE NIGHTS WARM