Tuesday January 13, 2015 At Sea

Gerri got up at 4 AM to finish packing.  I got up at 5:30.  We didn’t make coffee, planning to get it at the airport.

Our flight was set to board at 8:10.  John got us to the airport at about 6:45 and it was the fastest curb service we have ever had.  The porter with the wheelchair was there and we were in the boarding area by seven.  Gerri bought coffee and a breakfast sandwich at Burger King.

At about 7:30 there was an announcement that due to fog in San Francisco our flight was rescheduled for 10:30.  About a half hour later the flight was cancelled.  We were directed to the counter and they arranged a flight for us from the B gates at 11:35 arriving in San Francisco at 1:30.  Gerri called Princess and we were assured that we would be in time to catch the shuttle to the ship.

We were anxious about the timing because the ship was scheduled to sail at 4 PM.  When we got to San Francisco we contacted the Princess greeters and learned that the ship had been delayed by the same fog by 3 hours.  There were two bus loads of us leaving the airport at about 2:30.

After about a 45 minute ride we were delivered to Pier 27.  The line to board was around the block.  It did start moving pretty quickly and we were soon safely on board and checked into our cabin.  Nice that we are Platinum as we by passed the new cruisers and got on board without further delay. 

Port of San Francisco Clock Tower

This is probably a good time to mention some things we did differently for this cruise.  One: we flew to the port the same day as the embarkation for the cruise.  In the past we have always arrived in the port city at least a day before the cruise starts.  We will make sure to do that on future cruises.  It will cut down the worry about delays or missed connections.   Two: We booked an inside cabin.  The jury is still out on this choice.  We did find that our MiFi wasn’t working.  That may be because we are on the interior of the ship.  We will see if it works in Hawaii and try going on deck with the MiFi.  Three:  We chose anytime dinning.  In the past we have always ate at a late seating at an assigned table.  We will have to see how this works out.

Coit Tower

Bay Bridge

San Francisco Skyline

At 5:30 we went to the Skywalker Lounge for hors d’ ordeves. They had vegetable and dips and guacamole with corn chips.  This was the daily reception for Elite, Platinum passengers and those booked into suites.  We are platinum customers under the Princess loyalty program.

By this time it was dark and the Captain had announced that the ship would sail at 9 PM.  We then went to the Capri dining room.  We were seated at a table with 8 other people.  For the first half hour the ambient noise was too loud and I couldn't hear most of the conversation.

Dinner was good, as expected on a cruise.  I had prime rib as an entrée and it was the best I remember on a cruise.  Gerri had Crayfish Ettoufee.  By the time dinner was about half through the noise level had dropped and I could hear conversation.  We had light chocolate soufflés for dessert.  We left the dining room at about 9:20, the ship was still at the dock.

Having got up at 4 AM, Gerri was in bed and asleep by 9:45.

I called it a night at 11.

Monday January 5, 2015 Las Vegas, NV

We had breakfast at the motel before starting out on the last leg of our trip home.  We left the motel before 9 and fueled up before getting on the interstate.

My cold was still hanging on.  I slept until Gerri stopped for fuel at the Petro station just before Kingman, AZ.  Gerri bought donuts and coffee for the road.

I slept most of the rest of the trip.  I never drove at all during the trip from Kyle to Corpus Christi and on home.

All in all it was a good trip.  We had a great time with the kids and a good visit with my only remaining aunt.  We didn't get to see any of my cousins this trip.

I managed to find one cache at a rest stop in New Mexico. Making a total of 11 on the trip.

We were home by 1:45 and unloaded the car.  I went through the mail pile.  One of the things there was an order for a blood draw for one of several doctor appointments set before we leave next Tuesday for San Francisco and our cruise to Hawaii.  I made it to Quest Diagnostics before they closed.

Gerri made chicken soup for dinner and we watched some TV before calling it a night.

Sunday January 4, 2015

We slept in and didn't leave Van Horn until 11:30. I had not slept well alternating stuffed up and running nose with a persistent cough.

There was no plan on where we would stop for the evening.  Gerri was driving and I went to sleep almost instantly.  We fueled up again at the Texas/New Mexico border.  We stopped at a Cracker Barrel in Las Cruces and later at a rest stop. Gerri rested for about 15 minutes and I did a cache in the rest area.

We decided to stop for the evening in Casa Grande.  We found a Holiday Express and checked in at 7:30 MST. 

My cold is still hanging on so I read for awhile and called it a day.

Saturday January 3, 2014 Van Horn, TX

We woke up to the 5 AM alarm and by 6 we had said our goodbyes.

After leaving Curtis and Gloria's our first order of business was a stop for fuel at a nearby station. After fueling we were onto the South Padre Island Drive headed for I-37 toward San Antonio to pick up I-10.

I  slept fitfully most of the way to Kerrville.  We had breakfast at the Cracker Barrel and then fueled up.  Our next stop was Fort Stockton for fuel.  The lines at all the service station were out into the street.  They needed traffic control, some drivers felt so important that they circled the station and squeezed into the pump area in front of drivers that had been waiting longer.  I didn't see any fights but I'm sure a lot of angry words were exchanged. 

During the last 100 miles or so to Van Horn there was snow and ice along the shoulder of the highway. Gerri commented that there were many overturned semi's and smashed cars along the way still waiting to be towed away. I slept until the Van Horn exit.  Again cars were lined up out onto the streets waiting for fuel.  We went directly to the El Capitan Hotel and were checked in by 4.

In the room, I slept some more while Gerri caught up on computer stuff..  At 7 she woke me up to go to dinner.  The dining room was full.  When we asked to be seated we were told they were out of food. It seems that last night traffic was moving through because of the storm and many people were stranded.

The frozen fountain

We decided to try a steak house at the other end of town. There was an hour wait there.  We had passed Chuy's and saw that it was packed. We settled for Mc Donald's.  Disappointing because I had been looking forward to the house specialty at the El Capitan.  A pistachio crusted county fried steak. With my cold I guess it wouldn't have been what I expected. 

Back at the hotel the parking lot had pretty much filled up.  I guess it will be another busy night in Van Horn.

We were in bed by 11 with no plans for tomorrow except to see how far we get and hope for a vacancy.  Tucson is about half way, so we probably go at least that far

Friday January 2, 2015 Corpus Christi, TX

We were up at 8.  Gloria had coffee ready.  During the night I had developed a sore throat and felt a cold coming on.  I dug out my antibiotics and started taking them.

Curtis went for a blood test in the late morning.  After he returned, Curtis tried to find some old movies that I was in.  He had had them transferred to VHS tape.  He did find a segment of movies made in the 50's in West Virginia.  I was wearing a leather aviator's helmet.  He never found the segment he was looking for with me wearing a pair of fancy cowboy boots we bought in Mexico one of the summers I visited them.

For lunch we went to a fish restaurant on Padre Island., Snoopys.  After lunch we drove up to Port Aransas and crossed back to the mainland via the ferry.  We drove through Corpus and were back at the house by about 4. http://www.snoopyspier.com/

We visited until dinner time.  We had dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant, La Playa.  http://www.laplaya.cc/

We were in bed by 11 and plan to leave early in the morning.  The drive to Van Horn is about 585 miles with storms reported.  We set the alarm for 5 and plan to leave Corpus at 6.

Thursday January 1, 2015 Corpus Christi, TX

We were up early and left Curtis' home in Kyle at 8. We had made coffee and took it us with to drink on the way.  Our trip today was to Corpus Christi, TX about 200 miles south east.  It was raining and cold when we loaded things into the car.

The kids were still in bed when we left but Vanessa got up for a few minutes and gave her Grandma a Ty traveling bear to watch over us on our trip home.

















It was foggy the entire drive to Corpus Christi. Traffic was light going through San Antonio on New Years Day.

Gloria and Curtis Ford

Our original plan was to meet my Aunt and Uncle, Gloria and Curtis, at a party they were having at a friends house.  We made such good time we went directly to their house.  It was a little before 11 when we got to the house.  We only took our overnight bag in.

At 11:30 we headed for the party in Gloria's car.  The friends live in a large new house about 5 miles out of town.  The tract is far out from other homes in what used to be a cotton field.  It was very nice. The food was potluck and there was plenty of it.  The first entertainment was a group from a dance school that put on a Hawaiian/Polynesian review.  I don't know what level they are in the school but I thought they were very good.

The next entertainment was an Elvis impersonator, but he was 1 1/2 hours late, even though his equipment had been set up the night before.  While we waited some card games started.  We played a couple of rounds of Left Right Center with about a dozen players.  Elvis still hadn't showed.  We went on to several other simple card games and a few hands of the penny ante poker before Elvis showed up.

The impersonator was good at the songs he did.  However he felt compelled to tell some jokes and personal asides.  Curtis and others had used him at several parties and said he had never done that before.  The consensus was that he was drunk or high and my uncle said he would not hire him again for any of his parties.

After the entertainment the party slowly broke up and we were home by 9.  Curtis Ford hadn't eaten much so we stopped at a Whataburger.  Gerri and I couldn't let him eat alone so we each had a Whataburger.

We sat up and chatted about family.  Gloria and I are the last of the West Virginia Barkers.  We  were up until 11.

Wednesday December 31, 2014 Kyle, TX

The last day of 2014 was cold and windy in Kyle. It was also pretty much of a down day.  We spent most of the day just visiting.  The kids did play with some friends, both inside and outside.

In the late afternoon Curtis and I took Brandon and Vanessa to see the latest Hobbit movie. The theater is part of a chain named EVO.  It is a large multiplex which includes a small bowling alley, large carnival like game area and a fast food restaurant.  The movie was 2 1/2 hours long.  Not having seen the first  5 movies in the series, I wasn't familiar with the story line.  All in all it was a pretty forgettable movie. 

Dana was working a party so while were at the movie Gerri was home alone doing some laundry and packing for our next leg of the trip.

After the movie we returned to the house and spent most of the evening watching various New Years Eve celebrations,  after the ball fell in New York, we called it a night. 

Goodbye 2014!