FEBRUARY (Saturday) 25, 2023 AUSTIN TO DALLAS

It’s now April 22, 2023 & we are staying with WHITNEY & MOLLY in Lafayette, La. I realized that I never wrote about our last adventure. This only matters to me because if I don’t write about it, the adventure can be erased from my memory.

On Saturday we left HARLEY & LIBBY with our wonderful friend BECKY. Drove to Dallas & spent night with NANCY & went to visit MARDI & SAM CROWLEY.

FEBRUARY (Sun, Mon, Tues) 26, 27, 28 2023 DALLAS TO COWETA, OKLAHOMA

On the way to visit our friend Kathie in Coweta, we met JENNIFER, NANTHAN, BROOKE & OAKLEY in SHERMAN, TX. They were going home after visiting U of ARKANSAW where BROOKE plans to go to college next yr. Then on to stay with KATHIE. Kathie used to live in Austin & after her husband passed away she moved to be closer to her daughter. KATHIE & I along with dog GRITS drove from Austin to Coweta. Armand did not think we could do it because I have trouble driving to SA.

On Monday we went to the zoo-a favorite place for Kathie to visit & on Tues we drove to Tulsa to visit AUNT MARY. I have adopted AUNT MARY because she is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. At 98 she lives alone, still drives & works as a volunteer at the gift shop at the hospital. As soon as we arrived the 3 of us sat down to play a board game & a domino game to 10,000 with Aunt Mary who kept score w/pen & paper. Kathie says she always wins when they play canasta. I want to be like AUNT MARY when I grow up. GRITS was sorry to see us go because ARMAND took him for a walk every day. It was so nice spending time with Kathie.

FEBRUARY 28TH (TUESDAY) –COWETA, OK TO KEYSTONE STATE PARK, OK

MEET UP WITH MOLLY & WHITNEY–IT’S MOLLY’S BIRTHDAY

MARCH 1ST KEYSONE STATE PARK

We are in the lodge-Molly & Whitney are in their airstream. Drove to Tulsa, Ok & visited the Woodie Guthrie & Bob Dylan Museums. Ate lunch-went back & rode bikes for 15 miles. MOLLY cooked dinner for us again-sat by the fire. Another nice day because of MOLLY’S planning & cooking. It was also a very cold.

MARCH 2nd-4th DROVE TO FAYETTEVILLE, visited U OF ARKANSAS (where our grandaughter BROOKE is going to next yr). Biked 15 miles on really nice bike paths. Drove to next destination-QUEEN WILELMINA STATE PARK IN Arkansas. The lodge was really nice but the weather was very cold. Spent most of the time working on a puzzle & staying in the lodge. I did start one bike ride but the hill was too much so I turned around and worked on the puzzle & met new people.

MARCH 5TH (Sunday) DEPART QUEEN WILHELMENA at 6:30 AM. Too early to say goodbye to WHITNEY & MOLLY. We are so grateful to be included in their adventures. We have lunch w/NANCY in Dallas. Arrive home to HARLEY & LIBBY at 5:30. So grateful to BECKY for taking care of them while we were gone.

Armand was so nice to stop in little towns & even a BIG TX store in Lampasas for me to take pictures & buy my last souvenirs-another flamingo & big pink metal flowers to put in the yard. It was so nice to get home to Harley & Libby. Thank you to Kaye & Becky who took such great care of our house & animals. Not sure when MOLLY will let us know when our next trip will be.

Left David & Johanne after pickleball lesson at their house. We heard that they went out & bought paddles & went to Jason Deli. They will be ready when we visit again & stay for the HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL next time. Very uneventful drive to Big Country Hotel & Suites in Abilene-it was under construction but cheaper than the LA QUINTA next door. Ate Mexican food again.

Went to work w/Johanne at her office building. Bought cake for goodbye party for Nikki-it was her last day. Johanne showed me my 1st free QUEER FREE LIBRARY-I took a book. We have KAREN’S FREE LIBRARY behind my house in Austin. Then I met MARY back at the office. She was a parks & rec director in Chicago & I was a PE teacher. I always find it interesting how you can talk to a perfect stranger & find that you have so many things in common-including the identical key ribbon. Then I met her partner BARBARA-told her my sister’s name is Barbara. We have all been to Japan-my sister Martha was born there. They can come visit us in Austin any time. Later David drove us to a mt-took a 2.7 mile TRAM RIDE to the top of a mt.-2nd longest in the world. Went to eat at Jason’s Deli-came home to the hot tub. We are so thankful for another fantastic day.

Casino opened at 8-1st ones there. I lost my $5 in 5 min. Armand made $.04 on his $5 in 15 min. Went to Santa Ana Golf Course-Armand had a great day on a beautiful course. Made an EAGLE on hole #18 (par 5) by sinking an 80 yd chip. Drove to Albuquerque to stay with friends David & Johanna. Went out to eat at the Range & ended up in their hot tub. Another nice day even though we miss Whitney & Molly.

This is where ARMAND went to college when he was in the Christian Brothers in 1967-1969 It now looks like a ghost town. These pictures are for Armand to remind him of his past. He says he is very happy to be married to me now.

Molly & Whitney came over to put the last piece of the puzzle in, clean out the frig & say good-bye until their next trip. Thank you so much Molly who cooked all our meals & was responsible for us not getting lost. Drove to Santa Fe to walk around plaza-started to rain-left & drove to COLLEGE OF SANTA FE. This is where Armand went to college when he was in the Christian Brothers. The college is abandoned & in ruins. Drove to Bernalillo & checked into fantastic room in the SANTA ANA STAR CASINO. Went to hot tub. This was a really nice day because Armand took time for me to take pictures of ANIMALS & ART.

I LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL MURALS WE SAW TODAY

Whitney drove us to WOLF CREEK PASS where the Continental Divide is. We met JAMES who is hiking the Continental Divide. He started in Canada & is on his way to Mexico! I was very impressed. Then we drove to Treasure Falls & did a mile hike to the falls. MOLLY fell on the way down. Ate lunch at Mexican Restaurant so Molly could feel better. Came home-took nap-played golf. Armand played better than me again. Saw lots of geese & deer on the course. We ended up playing w/another Texan. Whitney had to move the air stream because someone complained. Molly still came & cooked dinner again. Armand & I completed the puzzle except for the last piece. Tonight is our last night with MOLLY & WHITNEY here-it has been very nice. ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR NEXT TRIP!

WHAT BEAUTIFUL EYES HE HAS

Loaded bikes in Whitney’s truck & drove to DURANGO. Filled up w/gas & saw a couple on a motorcycle in front of us w/a little dog. Asked to take their picture-dog goes everywhere with them. Parked at Home Depot, unloaded bikes. Biked 18 miles along scenic bike path that followed the river. I think Whitney probably isn’t used to stopping so many times for me to take pictures-but he was a very good sport about it. Came home, took nap while they worked on 1,000-piece puzzle. Molly & Whitney cooked another great meal-took walk. Now writing blog while they are working on puzzle.

Eat breakfast, pack & head for golf course. Play w/2 men-Gary & Royce who is from Austin & wearing a UT shirt. Golf course is beautiful-Armand beats me by 2 holes. Finish at 1:00-get text from Molly they are here too. Going to Chili Cha Cha Festival-meet them at library & bike to festival. Check in to our nice 2 bedroom house that we are sharing w/Molly & Whitney. As usual, Molly cooks fantastic dinner while we work on impossible 1,000 piece puzzle. I can’t find 1 piece so I’m writing blog. Going to bed early tonight.