Category: Travel

On 5/19/06, Tyler wrote:

I want to know about the efficacy of the anti-clotting stockings that you blokes are purported to have been wearing on the flight, what?

Anthony wrote:

mmmm Mountain Dew. I’m now at an Internet Cafe in Sligo town. Don’t have my laptop but will return with it maybe Tues. No blood clots on any of the codgers so the stockings must have worked. On my way to try to call Ashley from a pay phone. No phone at the cottage which is about a 25 minute drive from here right on a beach with a pub next door. Will send pictures on Tues or later today or something. Weather not too sporting today. 8 degrees celsius whatever that is in real degrees.

Anthony wrote from Galway, Ireland:

> Couldn’t sleep on the plane, so we’ve been up for basically 28 hours.

> I’ve been driving on these tiny roads and we stopped at a pub and saw

> some sights. We drove from Shannon to the west coast then up the coast

> to Gallway. We’re staying at some crappy motel that doesn’t have

> internet in the rooms so there’s the coin-operated computer in the

> lobby I put some Euro coins in and now I have 28 minutes. Cell phones

> don’t work here so no telling when we’ll be in touch. I will send pics

> when I can.

> Anyway I’m hallucinating from lack of sleep, just wanted to let you

> know that all the old men and I are present and accounted for and

> sleepy, but excited

Nicole and her Pyshic Hearts Band played in New York City last weekend and Elizabeth (Beth) came to the performance. They got to visit about 30 minutes and both of them enjoyed seeing each other. Beth sent me this photo. I’m so glad they got together. Way to go, girls!

Dad and I just returned from Lichfield. The Cartmills picked us up Monday morning at 8 am in their big, comfortable Lincoln and welcomed huge trunk. We stopped for breakfast in Conyers then arrived at the Bards in Lichfield about 4 pm. Gorgeous day in the 70’s. Nina and Bill are absolutely wonderful hosts. Nina had prepared lots of food at home, been to the grocery store and we only ate out one time. The meals she prepared were far better than the restaurant, though it was good, too. She fixed a great breakfast quiche with apples in it, sausage and cheese balls, chicken rotel casserole, shrimp alfredo (fresh huge shrimp and wonderful sauce), taco soup, and other delicious things. We didn’t eat all of this at one time, but spread it out over the 3 days.

Their condo is absolutely gorgeous and right on the beach. We expected it to be great, but it exceeded our expectations. The Cartmills went shopping to buy into one of these condos while we were there (does that sound familiar?). There are 11 families who purchased it and 2 of these families have 2 shares. The others get 4 weeks per year of use. They’ve owned condos together for the past 25 years. They bought this one in the last few years. I just wish you all could have been there to enjoy this. We rode bikes all through Lichfield by the Sea and it is some kind of beautiful. We played tennis twice. We walked the beach and hot tubbed several times. We played Mexican Train every day. Guess who won $5 the last night? Right. Me! That was the first time we had played for money. The very last hand, I used all 12 tiles the first time up and went out. That did them in! It was really funny. We should have taken a picture.

The only bad part was that Dad got sick on Wedesday and stayed in bed most of the day. He’s still not well, but he feels a whole lot better. Marshall was sick on Tuesday, but he got up Wednesday and was o.k. But, before Dad got sick, he rode bikes, beached and hot tubbed, so he had some fun. However, this morning he weighs what he weighed in college. I fixed him a big breakfast to fatten up his skinny body.

I’m gonna try to post a picture, but I have no pictures that could ever do justice to this place.

Mom

I am at the library in Myrtle Beach using their computer to check email. We are having a wonderful time with the Bards and Cartmills and this place is gorgeous. The Bard’s condo is a real resort. We are on the 4th floor and overlook the ocean and the sunrise. It’s just perfectly beautiful. Temperatures up in the 70’s during the day. We’ve played tennis, walked the beach, played lots of Mexican Train, eaten a lot, laughed a lot. We are so lucky and blessed to have such good friends who want to share with us.

Love,

Mom

This tree covers an acre on Edison’s estate in Fr. Myers, FL. It came from India and was a gift to Thomas Edison 100 years ago. One of Edison’s best friends was Henry Ford. They were so close that Ford bought a piece of the land and built his own winter home next to Edisons. I wonder what their wives thought.

Zoom to see full table.

It was interesting how many of “the family” was up in the air the last couple of days. Jeb flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, yesterday. Ted and Susan flew to Denver, Co yesterday. Carol & Bob flew from New York City to Tampa yesterday. Kelly and Gramalie flew from Tampa to Atlanta today!

(These observations were actually made by Grandaddy).

Gramalie

Just 2 more days and we’ll be home on Monday. Hate to leave this beautiful weather and place. We’ve had a good month, seeing Joe and Sandra, Betty and Elise, and lots of Patsy and Carol’s gang. We made an offer on a condo here and it has been accepted so we will be back down to close Feb. 28th. It’s 2 BR and 2 Baths, but small and right on the golf course. A beautiful view. I have picked out all of the furniture from John Grieger’s store and it’s lovely. Have ordered 3 Lazy Boy Recliners. Dan thinks we may own more Lazy Boys than anybody in the world. Two will go in the LR and one in the Master BR. As you can imagine, this has taken a lot of my time, but have managed to walk 2 to 3 miles a day with Carol and sometimes Dan and played tennis 3 times.

Dan has played golf countless times. His brother, Bob, and brother-in -law, Jack, came down Monday and left yesterday. They got in 3 great days of golf, each at a different course. They played with Patsy at her 4 1/2 * country club golf course on Thursday and raved and raved. They love Patsy. Have even invited her to be a sub on their annual golf weekend trip in March to Hickory Knob, SC. Now, she is the first woman to ever be invited, but she can only go if someone dies or gets very sick at the last minute. Either situation is possible. She thinks they are so fun and funny, and will probably go.

Carol & Bob had us all over to a wonderful bar-b-q dinner Thursday night and we sat out by their pool after dinner. Patsy took us all to the country club for dinner Wednesday night. I think Bob and Jack will probably want to come back. They sure were entertained royally.

Hope everybody is well and staying warm up there.

God bless.

Love,

Mom, Julie

(Mom was concerned about borrowing Bob’s account. Not sure why she didn’t sign her name.)

I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, but I just went to Wall Mart and got an internet CD and I get 700 free hours for 30 days. I can cancel anytime. Cool.

Love,