In an email from my brother Donny yesterday he invited all the guys in our brotherhood to Virginia Beach, writing that he had a hotel room on the beach and wants to party since he doesn't report in until October 16. Somehow or other, the impending dates didn't register as being just a couple days away. I also didn't know he had so much time to play until yesterday. Yahoo!
Nineteen years ago Donny and I did quite a bit of camping in Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Outer Banks and Virginia Beach. I don't know what is on his agenda, but hope we can find some time to re-visit some of those places. Maybe Steve and Lisa from Charlottesville can join us for a little bivouacking? Autumn on the Blue Ridge Parkway is spectacular, but I can't remember anymore if deer came into our campground on the BRP, or Yosemite National Park, or both. Like I wrote in an earlier post, I've had a really blessed life. Having deer visit my campsite is akin to a blessing. Kinda like an angel thing.
After partying in Las Vegas during the late nineteen-eighties with Donny we arrived back to our campsite very early in the morning, and dragged the blow up mattress out of the tent to sleep under the stars. Donny peered through the darkness and thought he saw a bear next to our site! Really, there was no alternative but to go to sleep as neither one of us was in the condition to be running anywhere. I explained to him that the best thing to do would be to go to sleep so as not to make ourselves prey.
He didn't argue, so we did because there was little choice. In the morning, it turned out the next door campsite neighbors had a Newfoundland dog, which does, indeed, look like a bear. Especially at three o'clock in the morning.
Anyway, the schedule I saw us following a couple days ago is out the window as we'll be heading to pick Don up at the airport once I get his flight information. He needs to find a place to live, and deal with his household shipment from Europe, but no matter. The sad note here is that my doggie niece, Zoe, won't be accompanying us in our travels, and I'm very sad about that for Donny. For those of you who know me, I don't just accept "No!" for an answer, but I couldn't invent a solution to make Zoe's trip to Virginia happen. And I'm really, really sorry and sad about that.
I'm looking forward to making more great memories before what will likely be Donny's last assignment as a chief in the U.S. Navy. I'm proud of you, brother!
Hi Doug, You sounded like you were having such a good time I thought you might stay at Karens forever! She IS a lot of fun to hang out with! Plus she has such a nice house in such a cool place. SOOOO much to do there! Anyway, give Donny and Dave's "boys" a big hug for me and be safe! Call me sometime, OK? love you much! Cyn
ReplyDeleteHey, Cyn! Yes, having a ball. Karen and Doug parties!! Woo-woo! Man, she's a good cook! Been having fun with Mike, Eric and Renee, too! Wilco on the hugs! See you before long! Have a good time at Mom's! Love ya!
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