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Ronald Keith Shafer 1933-2018

On the 23rd of June We Got the News That Dad Had Passed Away

Pop’s 80th Birthday Bash

Ilene and I were still in Helena, MT and were working our way to Tacoma to see him this summer…but it wasn’t to be. He’d fallen down at home and hurt himself pretty bad; bad enough to go to the hospital even though he was under hospice care.

Dan had notified all of us about the fall and the doctors expecting him to be in the hospital for a couple of days. However, not too long afterward the hospital called to let Dan know Dad probably wouldn’t last must longer.

Needless to say the news came as a shock and it was hard to get my mind around the fact that my father was gone. Continue reading Ronald Keith Shafer 1933-2018

Grand Tetons and Yellowstone with the Barkers

After brief overnight stops in Elko, NV and Ogden, UT we met up with Hoss and Janet at Colter Bay Campground in Grand Teton National Park. We hadn’t seen them since we left Texas back in February and were glad to spend time with them again.

It was drizzly and rainy for much of the trip but that didn’t stop us from sightseeing in Jackson Hole. The first day we traveled North to Old Faithful and the southern loop around the park.

We watched Old Faithful erupt just in time to wander over to Old Faithful Lodge for lunch. We all decided to order off the menu rather than have the buffet…oops, that was a mistake. Continue reading Grand Tetons and Yellowstone with the Barkers

Reno with the Shafers

Late April found us back in Reno at the Bordertown RV Park. Bordertown was a smaller park than the KOA in Verdi but the people were friendlier, the park was very well maintained, and it was a lot closer to the kids.

The highlight of our trips to Reno is spending time with the kids and grandkids and his was no exception. We managed to take in a Reno Aces game where they beat our team the Tacoma Rainiers but it was still a lot of fun. Rose and Audrey did a great job and we’re pretty sure they had a great time as well. Continue reading Reno with the Shafers

Las Vegas with the Shafers

The cruise was over and it was time to get ready for the upcoming wedding of Sam Shafer and Susan Miller.

It was our pleasure to welcome Susan and Kevin into our family on the 29th of March 2018. After a couple of hiccups, the wedding was conducted at Susan’s church followed by a reception.

It was fun spending time with the new couple and we’re excited about their future together.

Dan and Juan came all the way from Washington and Adam drove in from Reno for the wedding. It was great spending time with them as well!

Before leaving Las Vegas for Reno, Susan invited us over for a tasty dinner of chicken cordon bleu. MMMMmmmmm!

We’ll be keeping in touch and sending Kevin postcards of our travels so he can keep up with us.

 

 

Honolulu-Where It All Began 43 Years Ago

It was 43 years ago that my Army buddy Steve Sawyer convinced me to go to Hawaii and spend a week there with him at his dad’s place at Pearl Harbor. On a trip from Pearl to Waikiki Steve’s brother asked a couple of girls in the car next to us if they were lost…they were.

The rest, is history, and I may tell the full story someday for those who haven’t heard it, but for now suffice it to say Waikiki has a warm spot in our hearts. Continue reading Honolulu-Where It All Began 43 Years Ago

The Big Island and Volcanoes

The first stop in Hawaii was Hawaii, the big island!

We booked a bus tour that would take us to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Needless to say Ilene got her National Park Passport stamped and we had the opportunity to see an active volcano (which began erupting in May!) and learn how the volcanoes were such a part of Hawaiian native history and culture.

The beauty of this island comes from volcanoes and we were in awe of the flowers and vegetation wherever we went…remember, we’re from the desert! Continue reading The Big Island and Volcanoes

Four Days at Sea

What do you do when you’re out at sea for four straight days? The answer is: Stay Busy!

The Star Princess offered a number of activities, restaurants, entertainment, and hang outs.

One of the highlights of this cruise is the talks given by Mark Harris. A naturalist who has worked around the world with National Geographic and a number of scientific groups. His daily talks on the way to Hawaii prepared us by featuring the flora and fauna of the four islands we would visit with a few sightseeing tips thrown in. Continue reading Four Days at Sea

Hawaii Cruise from San Pedro, CA

The morning after the Buzzard Reunion…did I say morning? I meant VERY early the next morning, Ilene and I jumped on Southwest Airlines and flew into LAX for our 15-day cruise to Hawaii.

We decided not to travel light on this one since we’d be spending a total of 9 days at sea so we each dragged a bag as well as a backpack filled with goodies to keep us occupied on the Star Princess.

It’s a 40 minute bus ride from the airport to the seaport and fortunately it was on a Sunday so traffic wasn’t too hectic.

Greeting us as we pulled into the port area was the USS Iowa and well-appointed and well-organized terminal.

It wasn’t long before we were onboard and exploring the ship and prepping for a four days at sea. Continue reading Hawaii Cruise from San Pedro, CA