A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....08-30-05....How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Billie, Diver Dave | Diver Dave

[Billie]

[Billie]

The year was 1951. Don and I had just graduated from kindergarten. Dad, Mom and our three older sisters began our journey on “The Trip.” ~ Diver Dave

If you missed this when I posted it two years ago, it's a must-read for you today! Dave is one of our most entertaining writers, and you'll feel like you were on this trip with him. :)

[GailA]

Good morning, we got soaked by Katrina last night, some power outages, lots of debree down, but no major damage that I know of in Memphis.

[Pippin]

I smell an assignment!

Be back later with my story!

[Billie]

Morning, Gail. So glad you had no major damage there. Have been watching the news and seeing the destruction in Mississippi and Louisiana caused by Katrina. My heart aches for them - the lives lost, the homes and businesses destroyed, the debris and flooding everywhere. It is so sad.

[Billie]

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to

Billie; Mama_Bear; Dutchess; Aquamarine; The Mayor; DollyCali,
and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

gator girl........................husband severa............husband, brother Maigrey............................cousin mystery-ak.............son, husband Gogrammy...................grandson Inspectorette.......................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew Diver Dave.......niece, nephew ConspiracyGuy........2 nephews Pippin............niece's husband sneakers..............................son weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw jamaly.................brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon.............grandson WaterDragon...........son-in-law BeforeISleep...................son kimmie7......................brother Armymarinemom............3 sons american_ranger.............son LadyX.........................grandson fawn796.......................nephew ValerieUSA....................2 sons Lakeside........................2 sons LakeLady......................nephew Spruce.........................daughter Leofl......................................son chena......................................son Hope and Glory..................son Philman_36..............2 nephews bjcintennessee.......son, niece TheMayor...............friends'son homeschoolmama...........nephew mhking.........................cousin visualops..........................cousin auboy.............................cousin Ladysmith..nephew, friend's son tina07......soninlaw & his friend MontanaCowgirlCop.......brother Colorado Slim................nephew Tapatio....................2 nephews ProudAFDad............................son Alouette................................son Katydidnt..............................son Q6-God...................twin brother Q6-God.....................active duty Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells....................active duty LongCut....................active duty cjk...........................active duty Trish.........................active duty ODC-GIRL.................active duty AF_Blue...................active duty Notwithstanding.......active duty thumperusn..............active duty Veloxherc.................active duty Don Simmons...........active duty wingnutx...................active duty Old Sarge.................active duty CGblue.....................active duty bigghurtt...................active duty frankiep....................active duty veeceeque................active duty JRios1968...............active duty

scubachick.....................husband OhioWfan................................son ladtx..................................2 sons Its_me_K.E.T.........................son Hostel............................cousin MozartLover...........son, nephew ak_daddoo........................nephew Dubya............................nephew LBGA (RIP)..........................son katykelly..............................son cookcounty.............................son SpookBrat........................nephew SpookBrat........................cousin Doug from Upland............soninlaw Himyar....................................son boxerblues........................2 sons the piper....................................son sheeza................................husband kemathen7.........................husband Tiffee4Bob..........................boyfriend deadhead.............................cousin JimRobinson...............2 nephews TexKat.......................son, step-son StarCMC.............................brother Consort........................2 daughters Consort.......................son-in-law Darheel...............................niece Donaeus...........................nephew dixie sass........................nephew BeAllYouCanBe........................son Repubmommy........................brother AgThorn................................2 sons kneezles.................................son RoseinRoseBear.....cousin's hubby Atomic Conspiracy......half-brother Atomic Conspiracy...........nephew Atomic Conspiracy..............niece Sunflowergal....................grandson mrstank..............................husband MrsMike31........................husband spotbust1............................husband campfollower............................fiance LUV W........................................son painter...................................nephew Misty4jc................................husband Bykrbayb........................................son SilentServiceCPOWife........husband Walkenfree................2 grandsons Walkenfree.................. 3 nephews Walkenfree..................granddaughter ariamne.........................2 cousins Zechariah_8_13.......brother-in-law Zechariah_8_13.......................cousin DirtyHarryY2K......................daughter DirtyHarryY2K................son-in-law nelibeli...................................nephew Skimask.....................................son El Gato...............................nephew Palladin...............................grandson MississippyMuddy...................sister MississippyMuddy.....2 nephews Kramster...............................stepson gonzo.........................friend's son Socratic.............................nephew jkphoto...............................nephew LoneRedRanger......brother-in-law Jemian...................................son freema....................nephew, son

[DollyCali]

Wow, what a tremendous thread!!!!! Billie, it is beautifully done.. the map matting & gold/silver accents and the great buff colored texture (yupper, gonna grab it)and the selection and use of pictures amazing. I love how you used the pledge pix of Dave's grandchildren. wonderful. We all know how much work it is to do these threads/HTML. I am so glad that you will be reposting them now & then. Lots of the old timers may have missed them & the newer folks weren't here.

Dave, I cannot remember much(if anything) from the age you are referring to . You are amazing. Prolly the videos your folks took helped to keep the things fresh. and what a wonderful trip. 2 and a half months.. and to me the most amazing thing is. I need to reread, as I quickly scanned the stops etc (funny about the first water fear..crabs and then you go on to be a diver)

Was your dad a teacher to be off in summer? wonder how much that trip cost then & the translation to today's money.

Your folks did a great thing with this trip in visiting family, sites in US & giving you all a great opportunity to bond & burn life long memories of fun/joy.

HOW DID YOU ALL FIT IN THE CAR & NOT SUFFOCATE.. No air conditioning, lots of people. Well, I guess one just made due. thank you for sharing the great tale with Billie so she could present it to us

[Billie]

Hi, Pip - that's great - we're going to hear about your vacation - in Canada this summer? :)

[dutchess]

Wonderful story dave and lovely presentation sistah billie. We did a 4 week cross country trip from Michigan to California when I was 11. Mom and her sister, my brother and two cousins, dad and my uncle were with us the first two weeks then returned home to work leaving my brother, then 14, the "man" of the family LOL! Your story dave brings back many special memories. Will try to stop back after work to "share"

Oh, one of the funniest stories, swimming in the Great Salt Lake and never thinking to "shower". Of course the salt on us "crystalized" and in the heat and no airconditioning we were pretty crabby kids by the time we got to our hotel that night!

[Billie]

This beautiful and peaceful setting in Louisiana and Mississippi no longer looks like that after Katrina ravaged it. :(

[Billie]

Dolly, thank you. You always say the nicest things and take note of the little things that each of us does with our presentations.

I had forgotten how *much* I enjoyed reading this opening, until I read it again this morning to repost!

Dave may not be here very much today, as he wasn't sure just when I would post this again.

[Billie]

Good morning, dutchess. Isn't it funny how we thought we didn't need to take a *bath* after swimming in the ocean or lake. Hey, that was water - surely we got clean! LOL

I remember family vacations on Padre Island and many "lake" vacations - we stayed in the water practically the whole time!

[DollyCali]

Yes, those scenes rather hit me in gut. I have spent a lot of time lurking on the Hurricane threads. When I lived in Houston, I got to Padre Island and loved it but preferred the rustic fishing community of Matagorda (less rules than one has in national park)..

I made the coastal trip via car often from Houston to meet my then significant other in Birmingham.. recall the wonderful beaches, towns along the way etc that are no longer there. any time I travel, I hug the beach instead of highways/interstates.

sigh.. prayers continue for those poor people.

We are getting the first stream from storm.. heavy mist/drizzle at this point

[DollyCali]

I forgot to mention that I had the same situation at the great salt lake. Fun to float, terrible to taste & I too, alas, did not shower & was itchy all day. I was 13 & did a more modest family trip with my family that summer

[Billie]

Yikes! I see a typo that I missed TWICE in posting the opening! :)

I wonder......will that skinny spelling police chief catch it? Hmmmmmmm?

[Texagirl4W]

This is an upbeat thread; I'm not trying to rain on anyone’s parade here.

Just a little tidbit about the devastation in Louisiana, West Jefferson Parish is west of the Mississippi River. I have family there and their house has no damage, but no electricity, lots of debris, no water in the house. East Jefferson Parish is east of the Mississippi River. That is where all the water is up to roof tops. I have family there also. Haven't heard from any of them. All circuits are busy.

If you are a praying person, pray.

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks for reposting this gem, Billie.

A wonderful collection of road trip memories, Dave. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it again. Reminded me of our family's cross country trips during that same decade....not vacations, but military transfers from one coast to another. Not several weeks of vacation, but rather a 7 day trip, one state blending into another as we snaked our way across country. No air conditioning, or Game Boys, or DVD players to entertain us kids - we made up games and songs as we went along and dealt with the Texas heat as best we could. There was no time for sightseeing, we saw America through the car windows, but it was a great time for us kids.

On another note, I've been watching films this morning on FOX of the horrible devastation throughout the Gulf states. The need there is enormous and overwhelming and my prayers go out to the people and the rescue workers.

[DollyCali]

This thread is loaded with praying folks and you better believe that is why most aren't here.. we are following the events of the gulf tragedy, chocking back sobs, & praying feverishly for those victims & the rescue folks.

It will get worse IMHO.. as more and more of the info is out. Communications are very limited right now & the total damage/death/conditions are not known yet.

This is a marvelous thread reflecting the joys & beauty of people and america and I guess part of the perspective of life is that this vacation followed tragedies in the USA.. good things followed 911.. good things will follow this.

We will bury our dead and grieve them profoundly. We will give money, we can't afford, to help people we will never meet & who will prolly complain anyway. We will cry for the children who are orphans, the pets who were abandoned to fend for themselves & perished, the "things" people lost, which really weren't that important anyway.

{{{{ texagirl4W }}}}}}

{{{{ all Finest FRiends }}}}

[DollyCali]

The need there is enormous and overwhelming and my prayers go out to the people and the rescue workers.

yes Lori..I wish I were closer.. to do "whatever"... guess particularly my chaplain background might be useful..the pocketbooks are pretty empty & the back is pretty sore but there are so many ways to help. .. and so far away we feel so helpless.

You know after years of being away from the coast, I continually say I cannot wait to get back to the ocean(someday maybe?).. still feel the same. The ocean has a powerful draw.. for me.

[JustAmy]

Texasgirl4W, saying prayers for your family and all the folks in that devastated area of our beautiful country.

Pinging B-G to ping the Prayer Warriors.