BEEN THERE....DONE THAT....CON'T.

PENNSYLVANIA.....#46

LESLIE AND I STOPPED IN HERSHEY AND ENJOYED THE SMELL AT THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY......WE DROVE ON TO INTERCOURSE, PA. AND STAYED ALL NIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE AMISH PEOPLE WITH THEIR BUGGIES AND HORSES.....HAD GREAT FOOD SERVED FAMILY STYLE....THE HOTEL OFFERED A FREE TOUR OF THE COUNTRY SIDE WHICH WE ENJOYED.....

MASSASSCHUTES.......#47

BOSTON......SO MUCH TO SEE AND DO AND SO MUCH HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY HERE......WE FOUND THE "PLYMOUTH ROCK".....WHERE WILLIAM BRADFORD AND THE MAYFLOWER PILGRAMS ARRIVED FROM PLYMOUTH ENGLAND!.....IN 1620. YOU CAN ONLY SEE THE ROCK WHEN THE TIDE IS OUT.....NOT A LARGE MONUMENT IN SIZE BUT SYMBOLIC OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.

DID A TOUR OF SALEM MA......LEANED ABOUT THE WITCHES BURNED THERE....THE  MAN WHO STARTED STARBUCKS COFFEE LIVED THERE AND NAMED HIS COFFEE AFTER HIS FAVORITE CHARACTER IN A BOOK HE READ...... ...."DADDY STARBUCKS"

NEW YORK......#48

A TRIP WITH THE GIRLS FOR MY 70TH BIRTHDAY....SAW THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, AND THE SHOPPING WAS GREAT....SAW MAMA MIA!

ANN AND I SPENT A NIGHT THERE BEFORE OUR CRUISE ON THE QE2.....

LESLIE AND HER FAMILY AND I SPENT A COUPLE OF NIGHTS THERE BEFORE A CRUSE TO CANADA....SAW "MORMON MUSICAL" AND" IRON HORSE" PLAYS.....COULD NOT SEE THE TWIN TOWER MONUMENT......NO RESERVATION?

WASHINGTON D.C.......#48 1/2

DON AND I TOOK THE THREE GIRLS TO WASHINGTON TO SEE THE CAPITAL AND THE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIALS......OF OUR CAPITAL.  VISITED FRIENDS ACROSS THE RIVER IN VIRGINIA.  SPENT A DAY IN THE SMITH EON MUSEUM......

ALASKA.......#49

ENJOYED ANCHORAGE WITH IT'S NEARBY GLACIER.  FLEW TO KENI TO DO SOME SALMON FISHING AND ON TO LANDS ENDS AND THE "SALTY DAUG" SALOON WITH THE TWINS.

WENT ON A CRUISE TO JUNO ETC. WITH THE PANNIER FAMILY. LEARNED ABOUT LUMBER, FISHING, GLACIERS ETC..

HAWAII.......#50

MANY TRIPS TO HAWAII WITH THE CHILDREN AND FRIENDS AS WE GOT FREE PASSES ON WESTERN AIRLINES.

ANN AND I MADE A TRIP TO EACH OF THE ISLANDS TO CHECK OUT ...WESTON HOTELS.....FOR THE TRAVEL AGENCY SHE WORKED FOR!!!!

AND THAT FOLKS IS WHERE....WHEN.....AND WHY I HAVE VISITED ALL 50 STATES.

BEN THERE....DONE THAT CON'T.

RHODE ISLAND.....#41

ANN AND I FLEW INTO PROVIDENCE AND RENTED A CAR.....TOURED THE BEAUTIFUL OLD HOMES OF THE ASTERS, VANDERBILT, ROCKEFELLER'S AND J. P. MORGAN AND THEN DROVE UP TO BOSTON AND SPENT A FEW DAYS.

LESLIE AND I FLEW INTO PROVIDENCE....SPENT A NIGHT AND RENTED A CAR AND STARTED OUR 16 STATES IN 17 DAY ROAD TRIP.....ENDING UP IN MARYLAND.

CONNECTICUT.......#42

DROVE THROUGH IN OCTOBER AND THE COLORS WERE BEAUTIFUL.......LOVED THE COVERED BRIDGES AND BIG BARNS.

NEW JERSEY......#43

LESLIE AND I DROVE THROUGH AND ADDED IT TO MY 50 STATES LIST.

DELAWARE......#44

SO SMALL AND LESLIE AND I JUST KINDA KEEP DRIVING BUT ANOTHER STATE WE VISITED WAS ADDED TO OUR LIST.

MARYLAND.......#45

BALTIMORE........LIBERTY BELL, TOWN HALL, AND A FUN "DUCK BOAT FLOAT" TRIP ON THE RIVER.......

WOW! 45 STATES AND 5 MORE TO GO.........

MY WISH......

MY WISH AND MY KIDS FEAR!

JUST APPLIED FOR A RENEWAL OF MY DRIVERS LICENSE......WHICH WILL PUT ME INTO MY 90'S WHEN IT EXPIRES!......AND WHO KNOWS AFTER THAT?

PAM CAME OVER AND HELPED ME GET MORE SOCIAL SECURITY I AM DUE FROM DON'S. MY SWEET FRIEND SHIRLEY.....PUT A BUG IN MY EAR I WAS NOT GETTING WHAT I SHOULD....TOMORROW WE WILL GO DOWN TO THE SS OFFICE WITH PAPER WORK TO CONFIRM......BRIDGE WEDNESDAY......

BEEN THERE....DONE THAT CON'T...

DETERMINED TO GET MY 50 STATES VALIDATED IN THIS MONTH'S BLOG!!!!!

INDIANA.....#36

FLEW TO INDIANAPOLIS WITH THE PANNIER FAMILY TO CELEBRATE......NICCI'S GRADUATION FROM KELLY BUSINESS SCHOOL....JUST ANOTHER DEGREE!!!! ROB RENTED A CUTE CABIN OUTSIDE TOWN AND WE LOVED IT AND THE SHOPPING ALL AROUND. GOOD FAMILY TIME.....MET BILL.

OHIO......#37

CLEVELAND OHIO......JUST PASSED THROUGH

MAINE.....#38

LESLIE AND I DID A DRIVING TRIP BACK EAST AND HIT MAINE......ALSO IT IS A STOP FOR THE SEVERAL CRUISES I HAVE BEEN ON DOWN THAT COAST.....BAR HARBOR, PORTLAND, ARCADIA NATIONAL PARK TOUR.....AND THE FISH IS GREAT......

VERMONT.....#39

LESLIE AND I DID A ROAD TRIP THROUGH VERMONT IN OCTOBER......HOW CAN YOU PUT IT IN WORDS.....COLORS.....WONDERFUL COLORS EVERYWHERE......COVERED BRIDGES.....SOOOOO NEAT!.....MAPLE SYRUP AND BEN AND JERRY;S ICE CREAM FACTORY.....

NEW HAMPSHIRE.......#40

THIS WAS ON LESLIE'S AND MY 16 STATES IN 17 DAYS ROAD TRIP.....AND WE WERE JUST IN AND OUT OF THIS STATE..

BEEN THERE....DONE THAT CON'T.

NORTH CAROLINA.....#31

ANN AND I ON DRIVING TRIP OVER SMOKY MTS. TO A CHEROKEE INDIAN RESERVATION AND SPENT A NIGHT ACROSS FROM THEIR CASINO.....

SOUTH CAROLINA.....#32

ANN AND I DRIVING ON TO EXPLORE CIVIL WAR BATTLE FIELD AND STOPPED AT A MALL TO SHOP A BIT.....

FUN STOP AT "MOUNT AIRY" WHERE ANDY GRIFFITH WAS BORN AND RAISED......CHECKED OUT THE VISITORS CENTER WHERE THEY TOLD US WE MUST STOP AT THE FAMOUS "SNAPPY CAFE" FOR A $2,00 PORK CHOP SANDWICH......WE DID, A TINY PLACE WITH A .......LONG LINE!

VIRGINIA......#33

ANN AND I ON THE ROAD TO WYTHEVILLE.......GOT ON THE WRONG ROAD....DIRT AND GRAVEL AND FOLLOWED A COAL TRUCK TO A COAL MINE...UGH!  PRETTY POOR IN THE AREA WE WERE IN......

WEST VIRGINIA.......#34

WEST VIRGINIA ......SEEMS EVERYONE LIVES IN A MOBILE HOMES....LUMBER, COAL MINES IN THE PART WE WENT THROUGH.........DIDN'T SPEND MUCH TIME HERE.

KENTUCKY.....#35

ANN AND I DROVE THROUGH WILLIAMSON ...THEN TO PIKESVILLE THEN HEADED TO KINGSPORT.   LOTS OF HORSES, GREEN FIELDS .....BIG TOBACCO AREA.

BEEN THERE....DONE THAT...CON'T.

TENNESSEE.........#27

ANN AND I FLEW INTO NASHVILLE AND RENTED A CAR AND WERE OFF TO GATLANBURG....A NEAT LITTLE TOWN BY A RIVER WITH MANY CRAFT SHOPS. TOOK IN PIGEON FORGE AND SPENT A DAY AT "DOLLYWOOD PARK".....DROVE THROUGH THE SMOKY MT. PARK....

LESLIE AND I VISITED MEMPHIS FOR A NIGHT AND DAY.....VISITED ELVIS PRESLEY'S "GRACE LAND'....HIS HOME, MUSEUM ETC.

ILLINOIS......#28

OUR FAMILY SPENT A DAY IN CHICAGO ON THE WAY TO EUROPE ONCE.....THE GIRLS AND I DID A BUS TOUR OF THE C ITY WHILE DON TRANSFERRED OUR LUGGAGE FROM ONE AIRPORT TO ANOTHER......LESLIE AND I STOPPED IN NAUVOO AND TOURED WHERE THE FIRST TEMPLE ONCE STOOD AND WENT THOROUGH THE WOODRUFF AND KIMBEL OLD HOMES.....VISITED LESLIE'S FRIENDS DOING A MISSION THERE......LOVED THE BIG RIVER.......

WISCONSIN.....#29

WENT TO APPLETON WITH THE PANNIERS TO ATTEND TIFFANY'S COLLEGE GRADUATION.....WENT TO THE HOUDINI MUSEUM AND DROVER OVER AND WENT THROUGH THE "GREENBAY PACKERS STADIUM"

MICHIGAN.......#30

DON AND I FLEW INTO DETROIT AND SPENT A NIGHT WITH HIS FRIENDS...BEV AND NEIL WILLIAMS ON THE WAY....OUR FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE......THEIR FAREWELL GIFT FOR US WAS A ROLL OF TOILET PAPER.....WHICH DID COME IN HANDY AT THE "CLUB MEDITERRIAN"....IN SICILY!!!

BING THANKFUL.......

I AM TRYING TO BE THANKFUL EVERY DAY FOR SOMETHING......AND MOSTLY IT IS.....I HAVE ANOTHER DAY TO LIVE ......AND THE HEALTH I NEED TO GET THROUGH IT!.....YES, I HURT EVERYWHERE FROM ARTHRITIS, BAD KNEES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND MY EYES ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY.......BUT THANK GOODNESS I CAN SEE, HEAR, AND GET AROUND ON MY OWN......I CAN STILL DRIVE AND HAVE A GREAT FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS......I GUESS I COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR.......

BUSY WEEK OF BRIDGE, MEXICAN TRAIN AND YESTERDAY KEN AND I WENT TO THE MOVIE.......THIS MORNING PATTY CAME FOR COFFEE AND THEN I ZIPPED OFF TO GROCERY SHOP....TOMORROW CHURCH AND PAM IS COMING OVER.....WE ARE STILL IN THE ARTIC FREEZE ZONE BUT WITH MARCH ONLY A WEEK AWAY I AM HOPING TO START SEEING THE FLOWERS POP UP.....