Day 25

I want to thank Bernie and Marlene for their generous hospitably they showed us today. We had a great time spending most of the day with them, meeting their family and Bernie’s cousin’s wife Raye. The fed us well and taught us many things about farming. This city girl found it very interesting and fun. We watched them harvest onions and potatoes. We came home with fresh onions, patatos and turnips. It is amazing how great the fresh onions smell and now so does the car. (not a bad thing) They also took us back to the cemetery so I could find a greave I expected to find yesterday and did not. OK, I had found it but just missed a couple stones that were right under my nose the whole time. Then they took us to another town to find a cemetery we look for yesterday also but could not find and sure enough we passed the road that it was on. Many of the roads in the area are not paved and we were not sure it was ok to go down them so we did not.

Again we have found family members that are good people that we really enjoyed getting to know. It is sad to think we all live so far from each other that we will be keeping in touch by email or postal service and not be able to see once in a while.

Day 24

Today we are in Oakes North Dakota to meet more Vculek family members. We got in town in the afternoon, checked into a very quaint little motel that is a throwback from the 50’s. After we check into the motel we went out to the cemetery to walk around to see who we could find. Oakes is a small town with a large cemetery. The 3 of us took different sections and read every headstone. We did find some Vculek’s buried there and the headstones answered some questions. Tomorrow we meet with a couple of people that live here. They have offered to help with some information I am missing.

Pictures from North Dakota

Day 23

A day of driving from Coralville Iowa to Sioux Fall South Dakota. When we got up this morning it was cool and windy. The wind held up all day and was a challenge a couple of times on the interstate. I hope it stops for tomorrows drive. The big thing we did today is have the oil changed in the van. Oh Fun!!

Here are a couple pictures I took while mom was driving.

Day 22

Spent the morning and afternoon in Amana walking around for a time then to Brandi’s apartment for a game of Mexican Trains. I got the most points and you can figure out if I won or lost. Then off to a late lunch early dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. Good food. Had to say goodbye to Brandi tonight as we leave in the morning fro South Dakota and she has to go to work. Will miss her until we see her again at Christmas. Love you Brandi.

My baby girl Brandi Lynne. OK, not a baby any longer, but always one to me.


Amana Store that Brandi manages





Amana Colony Museum where Brandi is the Program Director.






A home in Amana


A building in the town of Oxford Iowa

Day 21

Here we are in Amana Iowa at Brandi’s. We are staying in a hotel in Coralville about 25 minutes from her house. Amazing as it is we had a hard time finding a hotel with an available room. It is great seeing Brandi after not seeing her since Christmas. I took a lot of photos around Amana to add tonight. Then I went and left the camera cable at Brandi’s house after dinner (She made us some great pasta and hot bread. Yum) and cannot download them to my computer. Tomorrow morning we will go back over to her home to walk around the area. I will get the cord and add the photos tomorrow.

Day 20

Tonight we are in Hannibal Missouri. Hannibal is a little town on the Mississippi River where Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) grew up. When he wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer he used Hannibal as a back drop.

Have to say I am really glad we are in the Midwest now and no longer in the south. We had a little rain when we left Tennessee this morning then the more north we traveled the clouds were gone and the sun came out. Tonight it is a cool clear evening and feels great.

Some pictures I took while driving through Frankfort Missouri.

Day 19

I never would have said I was a city girl but I think I am. Today we are in Cordova Tennessee a suburb of Memphis, what a great place. We have been through all of these little towns that have been far apart and not much there. I guess in my “old age” I really like the convenience of the city. Maybe it’s not my “old age” maybe I am just plain spoiled. Whatever it is I like life when it is easier then I have seen in some of the places we have been.

Today we met with Roy’s ex- sister-in-law, nephew and niece. Lance and Starla are Roy’s brother Bill’s kids. They welcomed us with open arms, we had a great visit and dinner. I think everyone thinks they need to feed us. Tomorrow we head toward Iowa to Brandi’s house. We should be there by Saturday. I am really looking forward to seeing her.



Chris (Lance's mom) and Lance (Roy's Nephew)


Lance and Kristi


Me getting my dog fix with Bo and Ginger.

Day 18

Today we met with Roy’s cousins, had breakfast, went to a cemetery, to their home for a visit the off to dinner (lunch to me). They shared lots of pictures and family information with us during our visit. Mom and Roy will be going home with lots of things to sit down and digest.


Roy's cousins - Dauphine, L Q, Reba with Roy


another cousin Derro


Stopped at Piggly Wiggly to pick up a couple of things. I think we use to have them in our area. They are all over in the south.


We have had flash flood warnings in the area the last couple days. The rain has been amazing.


We leave here in morning and head to Tennessee then off to see my daughter Brandi in Iowa. I am really looking forward to seeing her as it has been since Christmas when I saw her last. When we left home we went south and east now we are heading north and west toward home as we see people. We all have had a great time but we are tired. It is amazing that driving in the car and visiting with people can be so exhausting. In the Dakota’s we will be seeing more Vculek family members and cemeteries.

Day 17

Not much to report today. We drove for about 5 hours and ended up in Booneville Mississippi. It is as small as it sounds. We are meeting a cousin of Roy’s here and going to cemeteries in the area. The weather looks like it is going to be a little of a challenge out here for a couple days. There is flash flooding warning in the area. As of now not in the county we are in yet it is raining.

I will add a couple of photos you have not seen yet from the last couple weeks.


Texas


Nevada


Rest Stop - anywhere???


Over packed Van

Day 16

Had a beautiful day in Biloxi with 88% humidly. WOW Took the casino hopper bus to get down to the beach. We are on the water but off the sand area. Walked around the “downtown” area. Looked for the post office to mail off a letter and had to ask someone to point the way. I have to say the people that live down here are so friendly. As you walk around everyone smiles at you and asks how your day is. After the post office I headed to the beach. What was amazing to me is how dirty the water is. I expected it to be clearer. Maybe it is still all the stuff the storms brought in. There is still clean up happening on portions of the beach even after 4 years. Also they seem to have lost a lot of beach. You see many underground coverts that I am sure at one time were covered with sand. It was so hot walking I would go into different casino to cool off. The Hard rock had a Starbucks so I stopped and had an Ice tea twice. No gambling at any of them. OK, I did do a little gambling at the Palace where we were staying. I can see how people get hooked. They make some of them a lot of fun. But no, this will not be a new hobby of mine.

Here are some of the pictures I took while walking around.








A artist came in after Kartina and carved trees that had been destroyed.


City Hall



Shrimp Boats