Outside DALLAS TEXAS

Today we left early and traveled across north west Texas to Plano. We thought we'd go to George Bush's Library, but it is not open to the public, so we'll do something else tomorrow. The scenery en route was pretty, but not a lot to really look at, as you can see. Cattle now and then, brown rivers now and then, beautiful clouds in the sky, but we made it to Plano in time to get to Mass at St. Elizabeth Seton's Catholic Church at 5 p.m. Towns and facilities were scarce coming across 380 and thank goodness we stopped last night when we did. Talked to all the family today, so caught up on all the news.....even little Boo. He is anxious to go on vacation with mommy.

Saturday July 31,2010 Plano Texas

Friday July 30, 2010 Post Texas

Well, this morning bright and early we went to the Roswell UFO Museum in Roswell New Mexico. We were there for about three hours. It is quite a place! Lots of written documentation on the UFO landings in 1947 and around the world since. AND, the supposed government coverup. Also saw a movie which followed the purported story to a T. Very interesting. Then we headed east on 380 and landed in Post Texas for the night. Will try and get to Dallas tomorrow so we can get to Mass. The weather was beautiful all day--88-91 and no rain. But it's supposed to get very hot.

Thursday July 30, 2009

We left Las Cruces this morning about 9 a.m. after having breakfast at the motel. Traveled north east on Hwy 70 and came onto The White Sands Missile Range, so we stopped and went into the site. They checked us as closely as if we were Iraqis hauling explosives...wanted photo IDs, proof of car insurance, and inspected the under carriage of the car with mirrors before they let us in. I posted some of the missiles displayed at the site, but we took over 70 pictures, so I can't put them all on here. After we left there we continued to White Sands National Monument and Museum where we saw a 17 minute film on the site and the native plants and animals. When we started through, I thought "Well, this is not as nice as the Oregon Dunes." However, after about 7 miles in, we came upon the most magnificent sight of pure white sands and dunes, whiter than the driven snow. Absolutely awe inspiring. Over 275 acres of pure white sand and dunes. There was an area for groups at the end of the drive, where large numbers of people can come in, and play and BBQ...BBQ pits, shelters, tables, benches and all. We stopped for a while and played Farkel and watched the natives slide down the dunes. What a fabulous place! The kids were having a ball and the parents were cooking BBQ outside and flying kites with the little ones. It was about 80 degrees and lovely. After spending about 2 hours there we left and headed north east towards Roswell. Everyone knows what Roswell is famous for, right? That's where UFO's have landed. ;^) Tomorrow we are going to the UFO museum here in Roswell. It rained heavily here just before we arrived and some of the streets were flooded. In fact, getting into the motel room we had to jump over/wade through a puddle. On the way in it sprinkled a couple of times, but the motel manager told us it really poured here. It has been in the 70's and 80's all day. We are in Billy the Kids territory, but we may have passed up his town of Lincoln. I'll have to get the map out and take a look again. Nighty night. WLY all. M and D, G and G.

Scud Buster--if it flies, it dies

Thursday July 29, 2010 Roswell New Mexico

Wednesday night July 28,2010 Las Cruces, N. Mexico

We traveled through New Mexico's desert today and didn't see too much except 360 degrees of sky, clouds and desert with loads of cactus. It was ony fairly warm most of the day ~88-90 degrees. We stopped twice to play Farkel and look at the sights. Lots of beautiful rock formations here. We're at a Comfort Suites Inn tonight.

A storm in the distance

Wednesday night July 28,2010 Las Cruces, N. Mexico

Tucson Arizona Tuesday July 27, 2010

Well, if you ever thought for a moment that Arizona was kidding about illegal immigration, just view the following photographs. We even saw one Border Patrolman driving his vehicle out on the desert where there were no roads. They and the sheriff cars are everwhere. If I said we saw 25 today, that might be underestimating it. AND good old Sheriff Joe of Maricopa County is on the TV...you know the one who put the jail prisoners in pink jail outfits and makes them take the dogs for a walk every day and only allows educational TV on the set. "If you don't like it here, straighten up and don't come back." HOOORAY SHERIFF JOE.......I'd like to shake his hand. We traveled through an Air Force range today and then an Indian Reservation. Started out in 103 degree heat in Yuma and ended up with 75 degrees and rain in Tucson. Did you know you can get a decent meal at Denny's for $4.00? We arrived at our destination at about 7 p.m. and had to have the computer connections people help us get on the internet, but she did it after about 20 minutes. I guess she reconfigured it. Who knows. We love you all and we are having a grand time. Love, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Ed and Sherill.

We are so close to Mexico the Border Patrol is out in full force. That's your taxes at work!!!! Our lady got us lost today, but we got back on track. Just before we got into Yuma the car started making a terrible noise if we drove faster than 60 miles an hour. When we got to Yuma we went to a BIG O and they said there was rocks in the tires. I guess they fixed it by taking the rocks out. We must have picked them up at the Saltan Sea or on the Indian reservation we went to outside Palm Desert. It is hotter than blue blazes...105. The Sonny Bono NWR was nice--they had a family of bunnies out in front and inside a few displays of a bob cat, red tailed hawk and pelts of various wild life to pet...a muskrat, fox, skunk, and coyote. We didn't stay too long...there were 4 people on duty and not a visitor in site besides us. That's our Department of Interior at work. (Taxes).

Sonny Bobo Salton Sea National Game Life Reserve

Monday July 26,2010

The Nixon family life in the 19teens and 1920's

While waiting to get in the Nixon family home, they played a tape for us, narrated by Nixon about his recollections as a child. He told a cute story about his mother reading somewhere that goats milk was good for the children, so they bought a goat and they were made to drink the milk which he and his brothers really disliked and they hoped and prayed that something would happen to the goat and they could go back to drinking regular cows milk. One day Dad was milking the goat and he/she kicked the pail over. That did it...dad gave the goat to a neighbor and they never again had to drink goats milk. One thing that both Reagan and Nixon related is that family life was the center of their childhood and they were poor in material things, but rich emotionally and spiritually because they were born Americans and had wonderful spiritual families. The Nixons were Quakers. Remember that for your children and grandchildren!