Returned home from Colorado Springs this past Monday night. I had planned on spending Monday night in Iowa and completing my drive on Tuesday, but the weather was beautiful and I wasn't tired, so I decided to drive straight through. I hadn't driven straight through from Colorado to Illinois in quite some time and was surprised how well I felt after the 1,138 mile, 17-hour drive. Needless to say my posterior was a little sore. I had a great time with my brother and sisters. We took my mom and dad's ashes to New Mexico and spread them there. We spent a couple of days in New Mexico and then drove back to the Springs.
Next Friday I'm driving to Fort Wayne, IN to participate in an annual Alzheimer's Walk. One of the guys in my boot camp platoon had Alzheimer's and passed away several years ago. Five of us from boot camp participate in the walk every year with his wife and daughters. We always have a good time and it's great to see and spend time with my buddies.
The following week (whew) I have my 52nd high school reunion. Life is good and every day is truly a gift.
Like Alan, we've been taking some road trips with grandkids. Attended Grandparents University at Michigan State University with our grand son (11). Two of the requirements are to attend classes with your grandchild and to stay in the dorm for the four day session. We also took him to see the USS Alabama and the USS Drum in Mobile Alabama (he's crazy about the Navy for some reason).
Other than that, we have been getting in some beach time here in Charleston.
Sounds like you're having a very nice summer, even though I'm not sure I'd have the patience to spend 4 days in a dorm with one of our grandchildren. They have way too much energy for me. You're a better man than I am. Spending time at the beach sounds awesome.
Steve, my summer's been road trips, grandkids and some great trail running out West.
I drove through many states on secondary roads and was taken again with the beauty of our country. A highlight on my first trip was a visit to the Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial in New Mexico, which commands a sweeping view of mountain ranges and valleys. As you and I have discussed before, that place is an inspiring setting to reflect on people and events from long ago.
How about yourself, Steve, or any of the rest of you who read this?
Sounds like you've been a busy man, Alan. I've had a busy summer, but haven't traveled a great deal . . . yet. I'm taking a 2-week road trip to Colorado and New Mexico next month. My brother and sisters live in Colorado Springs. We're going to drive to Timberon, NM to spread my mom and dad's ashes, which was their wish. Timberon is located in the mountains about 30 miles from Cloudcroft, NM. I have so many fond memories as a kid of our family driving out West on vacation and just couldn't bring myself to fly out there, even though it would be much faster. There's something magical about a road trip.
We've also spent a great deal of time with our 3 beautiful grandchildren this summer. It seems like I say this more and more, but they're growing up way too quickly. I don't know where the time goes. They're so amazing and bring so much happiness to our lives.
We had our 52nd boot camp reunion in June in Spencer, IN. We've been getting together now for about 11 years now. We meet in Spencer every year because we were known as "Hoosier Platoon 1108" at MCRD San Diego. They had a large send off for us from Monument Circle in Indianapolis on October 30, 1967. A vast majority of those in our platoon were from Indiana, even though we had a few stragglers from other states. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd been spending time over a half-century later with the guys I was in boot camp with.
I'm so blessed to have such a great group of friends. I get together with my car buddies twice a week for lunch. Unfortunately, the weather has prevented me from spending as much time in my Corvette as I'd like. I've been to a couple of cruise nights, but that's about it. Hopefully, I'll be able to put a few hundred more miles on it before it goes into storage in October.
I'm also so very blessed to have an amazing bunch of friends in my small group at church. We meet every Sunday before church. I'm also on the security team at church and serve with some awesome men and women.
Other than that, it's been an uneventful summer. It seems just like yesterday that it was Memorial Day and we had the whole summer ahead of us. Labor Day is just a few days away and I'm asking myself where has the time gone. It never seemed like summer passed so quickly when we were kids. Regardless of how quickly life passes by, I still consider myself so very blessed to enjoy the life that God has given me.
Returned home from Colorado Springs this past Monday night. I had planned on spending Monday night in Iowa and completing my drive on Tuesday, but the weather was beautiful and I wasn't tired, so I decided to drive straight through. I hadn't driven straight through from Colorado to Illinois in quite some time and was surprised how well I felt after the 1,138 mile, 17-hour drive. Needless to say my posterior was a little sore. I had a great time with my brother and sisters. We took my mom and dad's ashes to New Mexico and spread them there. We spent a couple of days in New Mexico and then drove back to the Springs.
Next Friday I'm driving to Fort Wayne, IN to participate in an annual Alzheimer's Walk. One of the guys in my boot camp platoon had Alzheimer's and passed away several years ago. Five of us from boot camp participate in the walk every year with his wife and daughters. We always have a good time and it's great to see and spend time with my buddies.
The following week (whew) I have my 52nd high school reunion. Life is good and every day is truly a gift.
Like Alan, we've been taking some road trips with grandkids. Attended Grandparents University at Michigan State University with our grand son (11). Two of the requirements are to attend classes with your grandchild and to stay in the dorm for the four day session. We also took him to see the USS Alabama and the USS Drum in Mobile Alabama (he's crazy about the Navy for some reason).
Other than that, we have been getting in some beach time here in Charleston.
Ron Smith
Steve, my summer's been road trips, grandkids and some great trail running out West.
I drove through many states on secondary roads and was taken again with the beauty of our country. A highlight on my first trip was a visit to the Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial in New Mexico, which commands a sweeping view of mountain ranges and valleys. As you and I have discussed before, that place is an inspiring setting to reflect on people and events from long ago.
How about yourself, Steve, or any of the rest of you who read this?