I've made a new year's resolution to keep up with the website updates. Let's see if I keep it. Well anyway, the holidays are over, and we had a pretty busy one. Lots of travel, and the Saturn hit 100,000 miles just as we were pulling into our driveway back at home. I've put the holiday news in today, much after the fact, below here.
12/21/01: headed out after work. Made it to Nashville, where I had bought a $25 motel room on Priceline. Cheap, but right near a rail yard with screechy boxcars late at night, and with a bunch of noisy and prank-calling college dorks.
12/22/01: ran out of gas just before hitting the Alabama state line. Cell phones: good. Roadside assistance: good. Got the rest of the way to the Gulf Coast in early evening about an hour ahead of Pam & Marve. I came down with something.
12/23/01: I was pretty sick and stayed in bed all day while the others went to church and dinner and stuff.
12/24/01: I was still sick and in bed most of the day but was well enough for the Christmas eve service and a party at Jim & Judy's friend's house afterwards.
12/25/01: The family present exchange. I got an electric screwdriver, Beth got some girl stuff.
12/26/01: Shopping for bargains at the Pensacola Mall (bought an ornament, cheap). Ate at McGuire's. Shopped for seafood at Joe Patti's.
12/27/01: Shopping at an outlet mall. Got some shoes for Beth and a present for our house sitters. I went with Jim and Marve to Jim's friend's house to watch Alabama rip off Iowa State in some dang bowl game or other.
12/28/01: Saw "Ali" which was just OK. Beth & I moved to Judy's friend's house since the folks who owned the condo we were in came home. Ric, Nickie, John, Stephanie, and the kids arrived in the evening. Went down to the condo pool/hot tub later. (They have an outdoor pool and hot tub too. Did you know that if you sit in a hot tub, then go stick your legs in a 40-degree cold outdoor pool, then get back in the hot tub, it's like a thousand knives in your legs?
12/29/01: Present exchange with the kids. Played with Ryan on the beach. Had a late dinner at a seafood restaurant. Beth began to get very sick.
12/30/01: Beth was very sick and couldn't make it to church, or dinner at Lambert's Cafe (home of throwed rolls) at all. We later drove all over trying to find a doctor, then I drove all over trying to get prescriptions filled.
12/31/01: Beth was down sick all day again. I went shopping for souvenirs and fireworks with the kids in the day. In the evening the party was at the kids' condo, including lots of food, football, and fireworks. We played Pit a lot too (one of my presents).
1/1/02: Beth was feeling a little better, well enough to go to breakfast with everyone to Waffle House. We then went to Judy's and watched/played with Ryan most of the day while the kids went to the outlet mall. Beth napped a lot. Fancy dinner at Judy's.
1/2/02: All went to the IMAX theater at NAS Pensacola. Ryan loved the naval aviation museum. Ate dinner at Flounder's. Beth went home, I watched the Orange Bowl with the guys.
1/3/02: Beth finally feeling a little better. We drove to Mountain Home and stayed with friends. Watched Survivor.
1/4/02: Hung out. Checked on our house and took some of our old vinyl flooring and paint from the garage with us. I found a drill bit I'd lost when we moved. Took our friends out to Reel-Em-In fish house for dinner.
1/5/02: Laura came over to visit. Unfortunately not a lot to do in MH AR in January. The pottery place was closed. We hung out, played Pit and Catch Phrase, and visited with some more old friends. Laura drove home in the p.m.
1/6/02: Long drive home.
1/7/02: Nothing.
1/8/02: Back to work :-(