Our RV Adventures

Brandi sent this movie over today of Landon getting his first taste of Sour Patch Kids candy.

Looks like they grew on him after a bit, though.

About 2pm some more of my relatives, my 2nd cousin’s Anna Jean and Marjorie, and Marjorie’s husband Walter came to visit. They are my Grandmother’s sister’s daughters, so I think that makes them my 2nd cousins.

Anna Jean and Marjorie keep up with everything about everybody in the family so we always enjoy talking to them to catch up. In fact we spent over two hours talking and laughing. And to make it even better, they brought CAKE!  You just can’t beat guests like that.

After saying our goodbyes until next year, Jan and I headed out a little after 5pm for dinner. We both had a hamburger hankerin’, but the nearest Five Guys was about 30 minutes away. So we ended up at a nearby Wendy’s. I had seen their ad for the new Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and wanted to try it.

The burger itself was delicious, but I was a little disappointed in the Pretzel bun. But that could be just my over-expectations, since I’ve never had one before. The taste was really good, but I guess I was expecting the bun to have a little bite or crunch.But that may be just me. I’ll have to try someone else’s to see. Dunkin Donuts has them too.

Yesterday coming back from dinner I stopped off to put gas in the truck, and once again I wondered about gas prices. All along the street were stations, Shell, BP, Exxon, etc., with unleaded at $3.39, and then right in the middle of them is Wal-Mart at $3.21. That’s an .18 a gallon difference! Why go anywhere else?

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Thought for the Day:

“People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.”

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Today started out slow and easy, but quickly got busy.

While Jan was in the shower and I was still asleep, Sonja Morrison called and left a message for Jan. Sonja is Lowell’s mother and Landon’s other grandmother. Jan called her back so that they could talk about Landon’s birthday party on Saturday, August 17th, a couple of days after we get back to Houston. Sonja, and Lendell, her husband, will be in Houston for the party, and she wanted to coordinated with Jan about some things.

We’re really looking forward to getting back and seeing everyone next Thursday.

Around noon, my aunt Janis called and invited us next door for homemade fresh peach pie and ice cream. But even better my Uncle Tom and Aunt Lanette were over there too. Due to their busy schedule, we hadn’t been able to get together our last two visits here, so we were really glad to see them this year.

My Uncle is probably the only person I know, and certainly the only family member I know, that has his own Wikipedia page here at Tom Calvin, and is also listed on several other pages like here – Oldest Living Pro Football Players, and here – Alabama Football Coaches

Tom was a star fullback for the University of Alabama from 1948 – 1950. and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ‘51 NFL draft. He turned them down because he didn’t like the contract he was offered, and so he took over the Head Coach position at a south Alabama high school, taking them to their first winning season in years.

Here he is at Alabama in 1949.

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He even had his own football card.

Months later, he received a personal call from Art Rooney, famous owner of the Steelers, offering him a better contract. This led to him playing 4 years for the Steelers, from ‘52 to ‘55, as a star fullback and kick returner.

Finally, after 4 years of hating the bitter cold Pittsburgh winters he returned to Alabama and began a 33 year high school coaching career ending with a 201-130-11 record, making him the winningest high school coach in Alabama history. During that time, he took 3 losing school football programs to Championship status.

And his wife Lanette is no slouch in the sports world either. She’s well-known gymnastics coach who’s worked with world-famous coach Béla Károlyi at his Houston facility, and taken teams to several Olympics herself.

Hopefully it won’t be another two years before we see them again.

While we were over there I finally got the kids to sit still for some photos. My Uncle Ed and Aunt Janis are their grandparents, which makes them my 2nd cousins.

This beautiful young lady is Stahlie. She’s a wonderful artist and a budding film-maker who’s had several films win prizes in local contests.

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And this also-beautiful young lady is Darby. Darby is the family dancer, from Ballet to Swing and Ballroom.

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And this handsome young man, who just turned 13, is Luke.

They are all homeschooled, and are smart as whips. Their father, Wes Calvin, owns the RV park here where we’re staying.

After getting in all our hugs and hellos, Janis served us her delicious warm homemade peach pie along with ice cream, which cut down on the conversation for a while until everyone got their fill. Hmm, good.

Finally, after several hours of catching up, we all headed home, giving Ed and Janis some peach and quiet.

Later, after some nap time, Jan and I headed out to 306 BBQ, a couple of miles east of town on US 72. We always eat here every visit just for their wonderful pulled pork BBQ.

Tomorrow afternoon we’re getting together with a couple of my cousins (my grandmother’s sister’s daughters. Not sure what that makes them) for a while to catch up with them.

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Thought for the Day:

“Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy that did not commit suicide.” – John Adams

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