So...we are going on our planned trip for our 40th wedding anniversary on Wed.!

We plan to drive from FL to the town where I was born and raised and we were married in CT. We will arrive on Friday and spend the weekend there. Our anniversary falls on a Sunday (the 29th) and we will attend church in the church we were married in and then my brother and his wife want to hold a 'reception' at their house. We both have sisters/brothers in the area and friends, so that will be nice.

We'll leave CT on Tues. morning and drive through to PA and visit where Tim was born and visit with some of his cousins for a few days and end up in Ft. Mitchell, KY to attend a Convention for his Submarine Vets..this is their yearly national convention. We'll only be there Fri. - Sun. morning. We will then start our trip back home but will make a side trip to where the guy who I 1st started to send books to when he was in Iraq lives (that was almost 5 years ago!). I have never met him or his wife, so it will be a thrill to meet them in person!

We should be gone for almost 2 weeks...so wish us luck! I just hope we don't have to make too many trips to walk-in-clinics or ERs!!

I will have my netbook with me, so I'll be posting now and then.

Tim did good and is feeling good now...of course his computer is giving him fits!

Will try to check in tomorrow night, we hope to make it to south New Jersey. Then it should only be 4 -5 hours on Friday to CT.

I have to know--What book are you two listening to as you drive? Something good, I hope, that makes the miles fly by.

Big hugs to both of you. Be safe!

Catherine Anderson
CatherineDirect@aol.com

What book are we listening to? A Chris Kurzinsky (I can't spell him name!!). We found him a while a back and really like him. We have seen him on tour twice....well I have anyways. He was in our area in mid-July and Tim wasn't up to going to see him, but our son was here that weekend and he and I went to Cocoa Beach to see him. We truned our son on to him and really likes him too.

I don't know what other ones Tim has on the MP3, but I'm sure there are more...but non are my authors!

I am reading the Fern Michaels' Sins of Omission on the Kindle. I read this way, way back when I 1st started reading and noticed it had been re-leased and decided to read it again...I do like her work!

Tomorrow will be a shorter day of driving...we are about 4 hours from 'home', but we have to get through New York City then New Haven, CT.......but we will be there lunch (even if it is late!)

We'll be here till Tues. morning, so we should be able to get some rest...Tim has done good so far and is resting now before going to my brother's house.

We had a great evening with my brother & wife, sister and their 2 grown kids...and 4 BIG dogs! My brother has 2 beautiful golden retrievers that are just under 2 years old and their daughter & her husband have a golden and some other kind of big dog. The my sister hss a dog too but didn't bring her's over!

Off today to see Tim's sister and brother.

I ordered a cake and had them arrange it so I could put the topper that was on my wedding cake 40 years ago..they did a wonderful job matching the colors of the flowers to what was in my wedding.

We will leave here on Tues. morning to head through PA then into OH.

Welcome to the Buckeye State! If only we could have made time with each other.....With Tim's condition and the fact that I am spending so much time out of town now for Victoria, it just didn't happen this time around. I would have wished you well before now, but I just now got internet capability for during the daytime.

Quite simply put, I believe you two are incredible! Your love of travels reminds me of my husband Eric and his spirit of adventure---that nothing, not health, nor money would keep him from reaching destinations both near and far.

Congratulations on your Anniversary!

Hugs,

Stephanie Vogelsong
stephvogelsong@aol.com

We left CT on Tues. morning and drove to about a hour from his home town of New Castle, PA. We spent the day with a cousin (or is it an aunt??) the left to head to Warren, OH to visit with another aunt. We visited Wed. evening and then again today before heading out at about pm. The next 2 days will be busy for Tim as all the guys want to meet Tim...most he has never met but has worked with on their web sites for years.

Tim is starting to get really tired...doing good though. This 2 week trip just may have been too much for him, but we sure have enjoyed it so far.

Stephanie Vogelsong
stephvogelsong@aol.com

How is Tim? How is his breathing? Do you have to keepoxygen with you?

His breathing is pretty good, but he can't walk too long with out having troubles...and no he does not use oxygen at all. He used it in the hospital but gave it up 2 days before he left there. He does have problems with stairs though and this hotel is full of them! We had to find away around them to get from one place to another. I think he'll be happy to get home on Wed.

Yesterday we made a side trip in Alabama to meet the guy who I 1st started sending books to 4 years ago when he was in (Cathrine knows what I am saying!!). And of course his wife and I had lots to talk about too...and their two kids (ages 6 & 4) were adorable. We hated leaving them.

Tim's Submarine Vet Convention went great too. He got to meet alot of the people who he has been dealing with over the interent for years. They were all so happy to see him.

So, we are about 8 hrs from home...plus shopping time in St. Augustine...will be good to get home to our own bed!

We arrived home at about 5:30pm yesterday (Tuesday) and it was wonderful sleeping in our own bed last night! Took us for ever to get everything out of the van! We collected so much along the way. But all is unpacked and the washer and dryer are working away!

It was a wonderful trip, we did so much in two weeks..and put 3,337 miles on the van! I'm sure it will take days to recover.

There is nothing like getting home after a trip!

Stephanie Vogelsong
stephvogelsong@aol.com

I think he should see his lung doc this week....and I think he is ready to call. Just to be sure all is okay!

Yesterday (the 12th) was his birthday. He didn't want to do much but watch the opening of football and go out to dinner. It was a nice day for him.

Hope he is well rested soon x