As I’m writing this, our desert daughter, Christy, is jetting her way home from Phoenix at a speed of 555 miles an hour. It was 107 degrees when her plane lifted off but if she’s expecting any relief from the scorching Arizona sun, wait until she touches down here and gets a load of our 100 degrees.. plus some chest-grabbing humidity to go along with it. She’s here for a week and it’ll be fun to have her around again but she might be anxious to go back where at least the heat is dry.
UPDATE: Had to stop writing because she called from the airport after having arrived EARLY aboard Allegiant which is notorious for taking its sweet time departing Phoenix for that Sioux Falls flight.
A couple of the beautiful women in my life, Linda and Christy
The following week, Son, James returns home from California; in part to see us, of course, but mainly to reunite with all his Lincoln High School classmates from 1981 who’ve been fasting and praying for months trying to shed a few pounds or buying and applying the most expensive wrinkle removal creams in hopes of denying that nature has changed them at all in the last 30 years. James doesn’t have to get too worked up about such things, he’s a lot like his mom; the passage of time just doesn’t seem to have the same affect on them as the rest of us. The week after Jim leaves, Linda and I put our host and hostess hats on for a return trip to Alaska courtesy of Keloland and Holiday Vacations.
This will be our third tour there so, even though it’s our largest state, we’re getting to know our way around which will be helpful when those Keloland folks who signed up to travel with us have questions about such things as moose, mountains and sled dogs. This tour and the upcoming one to New England in late September are both sell-outs which we’re so grateful for and could mean more travel adventures to come.
**********************************************************************
My cousin Bud Sluter departed this earth a few days ago at a hospice in Oregon. He has been doing battle with the cancer monster for several years denying him victory time and time again but this go-round the demon would not be denied. Bud was well trained to be a fighter. He served 34 years in the U.S. Army beginning when World War II broke out. That’s when he met his wife, Carol, who was also in the service.
Bud and Carol; the early years
In their 66 years together, Bud and Carol raised six children. They bought their first motorhome two decades ago after Bud retired. They’ve been vagabonds ever since offering their services as volunteers wherever their travels took them. To be honest, I really didn’t know Bud. He was the son of my dad’s oldest sister, Mable. By the time I was born, he was grown and gone. Ten years ago, we met up at my brother’s house in New Jersey and spent a most enjoyable day talking about our similar upbringing in Volga from the perspective of different generations. Bud and Carol spent winters in Phoenix which is where Linda and I started meeting up with them at their home on wheels each January. We shared lots of wine and loads of laughs. These gatherings were not only fun but really informative for me as Bud and Carol had a wealth of information about other family members who were strangers to me. Sad.. because I had so many more questions for you Bud.
But and Carol Sluter Sweethearts and Sweet people
R.I.P. Cuz
