2021 DISNEY ADVENTURE – PART IV - FINALE

September 16, 2021

We slept pretty well, especially since we had gotten little sleep the night before. We didn’t intend to wake early, but we’re not in the habit of sleeping in.

One of Larry’s goals for this trip was to get to see the new Star Wars ride: Rise of the Resistance. In order to get onto the ride, it was necessary to get into the virtual queue. This required checking in through the Disneyland App at precisely 7:00 a.m.

We were awake at 6:45 so, although he was still quite sore, Larry wanted to try to get into the queue. He set up his phone so all he had to do was click at 7:00. We both watched the minutes tick by. At precisely seven, Larry clicked the button.

He received a message that all of the reservations for the day were already assigned.

We could have gone to the park and then tried again at one o’clock, hoping there would be some openings for the afternoon/evening.

We got up, showered, and ate breakfast. Since our passes were good for one more day and we had a reservation, we decided to go to Disneyland and try to get on the ride later in the day, even though any queueing we might be able to get could be as late as ten at night. (We were still tired and had hoped to get home early in the day.)

However, when we got to the entrance, about half an hour after park opening, the lines to get in were quite long. (On our first day, the park was uncrowded and enjoyable.)

We discussed standing in line but decided to go back to the hotel after I looked at my ticket and saw that it was good through the end of the month. Larry was still quite sore, so he didn’t want to go on any of the other rides.

We approached the concierge and explained his injury. Of course, they asked why we hadn’t reported it and were quite concerned. (It was not the hotel’s responsibility in any way.) We assured them that we had no plans to hold the hotel accountable. We just wanted to cancel our Disneyland reservation for that day and change it to another day near the end of the month.

They were quick to make the necessary changes, and to change our reservation to the twenty-eighth. No hassle, no issues, just efficient service. This alone made the addition of the concierge service worth it.

We went back to the room, rested for a short while, packed, called to have our luggage picked up, and left the hotel after a wonderful stay.

We got home early in the afternoon, unpacked, did our laundry, and got to bed early. Our own bed felt wonderful.

 

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

We got on the road early, determined to try to get into the virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance. We left the house about six-thirty. Larry handed me his phone to log into the Disneyland app. I got to the right page and prepared to click the button at seven, o’clock.

Success!

We were in group number fifty-five. They gave us an estimate of how long it took for each group, and it appeared we would be called between eleven and eleven-thirty.

We were surprised that we were able to get into the parking structure as they hadn’t been using it for a few years. We were even more surprised when we discovered that they had added a third six-level section to the parking structure: the Pixar Pals section.

We were directed to the third level: the Cars floor. We were delighted to be parked indoors rather than outside.

We followed the signs (and the crowds) back into the first floor of the old structure, There, strollers and powered scooters were available to rent. (By the end of the day, we questioned our decision not to rent a scooter!)

The security check was located as we exited the structure. Much to our surprise—and dismay—we discovered that the trams were not in use. This meant a long walk from the structure to the park entrance.

Along the way, we stopped to talk to Michael, a security guard. He said the trams would return when park occupancy was increased. At that moment, occupancy was limited to fifty percent.

After the long, tiring walk, we finally reached the park. The lines were shorter than they had been on the sixteenth, and we entered the park at about eight-thirty.

Rather than walk, we decided to take a double-decker bus to the other end of Main Street. (Besides, it was there, and the idea of riding sounded good.) These were A tickets in the old days.

As we approached the stop, the driver mentioned Guest Relations could take care of restaurant reservations and could answer other questions.

We decided to see if we could get into the Blue Bayou Restaurant later in the day. We have gone there for special occasions many times in the past. We walked through Adventureland and over the bridge to New Orleans Square and the restaurant entrance. (This is the restaurant riders see when on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.)

No one was at the front of the restaurant where we used to make reservations.

Since we were already there, we decided to go on the ride itself. We always enjoy it.

As we passed the restaurant, we saw a couple of people inside lighting candles and clearly preparing for service soon. However, as we exited, no one appeared at the entrance.

Larry wanted to go to Guest Relations to check on reservations there and also to see where the queue for Rise of the Resistance was. After looking around, we finally found them in front of the Plaza Pavilion. We asked about reservations for the Blue Bayou, and she told us we would have to go back to the restaurant after they opened. At this time, Rise of the Resistance was loading groups 22 through 38. We reconfirmed that our group would probably be called around eleven o’clock.

Since we had started our day early, we decided to get something to eat. The Jolly Holiday Bakery was right across the street, so we went there. We had a short wait. Disneyland now has a restaurant app where you can preorder your food, but we decided to wait our turn. We each ordered a sweet roll and cappuccino. Larry waited for our food while I went outside to locate a table with an umbrella.

The food took longer than I had expected, but eventually he brought it out. This didn’t seem to make sense since all the baked goods were in the cases and required no preparation.

The coffee and food tasted good, and the rest was also welcome.

We decided to head back to Star Wars Land with another stop at the Blue Bayou. This time, someone was at the entrance. He said they were fully booked for the whole day and told us reservations could be made prior to entering the park. Wish we had known.

It was quite a long walk from Adventureland back to Star Wars Land. By the time we got to the ride, they told us they could board our group. (You have an hour from the time they start allowing your group to enter.)

The queueing seemed overly long and quite boring to me. Perhaps if we hadn’t walked nearly 8,000 steps already, it might not have seemed as far. We finally got to the first part of the ride. I was surprised it was also standing—no seats. I was so tired I had trouble following the storyline.

At last, they loaded the actual ride vehicles. This part of the attraction was much more enjoyable and exciting. And we got to sit down to ride!

Larry was delighted. This was his major goal for coming to Disneyland in the first place. It was a long attraction, and the final section was worth it.

We exited the area and decided to cross Fantasyland to Tomorrowland to get some lunch. We went to what used to be the Pizza Port, now re-themed as Alien Pizza Planet, featuring the minions. We shared a chicken Caesar salad and an order of garlic bread. (This has changed. It used to be actual garlic toast, but now consists of two Olive Garden-style bread sticks. They are still served with a container of pasta sauce.)

Again, being able to sit down in the air-conditioned dining area for a while felt good. We got our second wind.

After a restroom stop, we went on Star Tours. About halfway through the queue, everything came to a complete stop. We probably stood not moving for about half an hour before the ride started up again. No explanation.

We checked to see if the monorail was running, but although we saw the vehicles, the ride itself was still closed. So were the submarines.

By this time, we had walked over 18,000 steps and were tired out, and we still had the long hike back to the parking structure.

We decided to stop by the Grand Californian Hotel once more to enjoy a few minutes sitting in the lobby listening to the piano. (This is one of my favorite things to do whenever we spend the day in the parks.) We crossed over to DCA (Disney’s California Adventure) and entered the hotel through the park. We spent a few minutes in the comfortable lobby enjoying the ambiance and the piano music.

Finally, we were ready to face the LOOONG hike back to the car. We stopped at a couple of benches along the way to cool off and rest.

We finally made it back to the car, tired but happy to have enjoyed the last day of our tickets. Larry finally got to go on the one ride he had wanted to try ever since it opened, and I always enjoy just being in the parks.

Our Disney adventure was now over, and what a wonderful memory it is!

2021 DISNEY ADVENTURE – PART III

 September 15, 2021 - 2:30 a.m.

Larry woke me with a loud groan. I was afraid he was having a heart attack or a stroke. He couldn’t seem to get out a word. After a minute or so, he managed to croak out, “Cramp.”

I later learned he woke with leg cramps in both legs—the calf of one and the thigh of the other.

I went into the bathroom to get a potassium tablet since I had some with me.

Crash.

I ran back into the bedroom to find him on the floor on his knees. His skin was clammy and he was groaning. Then he fell onto the floor.

Can you say panic?

I was now sure he was having a heart attack or stroke.

He was finally able to get his breath and explained. “I was trying to get to my feet to stretch out my legs, but they gave out. As I fell, I hit the bedframe on my side. Even on my knees, I couldn’t stay upright, so I decided just to let go and lie on the floor.”

The gorgeous craftsman bedframe in the room was high off the floor. The top of the mattress was about two-and-a-half feet tall, and the frame was made of solid oak—a hard wood. I found it quite high. I had to sort-of jump to reach the mattress.

Larry gets leg cramps occasionally when he overdoes. The day before, we had walked at least 18,000 steps, according to the pedometer on my watch. (It doesn’t always record all my steps.) Because he had injured his right leg a couple of months earlier, he hadn’t been as active as usual. (He was using his stand-up board, and his foot twisted as he stepped off, causing him to fall. He probably tore or pulled something. Of course, he wouldn’t go the urgent care.)

I gave him the potassium, and it seemed to help after a few minutes. I kept an eye on him, and he appeared to be back to normal. I wanted to call 9-1-1 or at least report it to the hotel, but he wouldn’t have it.

He got back into bed and tried to rest, but neither of us got much more sleep.

I got up around 9:00, took a shower, and got dressed.

Larry decided a hot shower sounded good. When he got out of bed, I noticed a bruise forming on his side. He also had a scrape. Yep, he had done some damage.

The hot water helped his muscles, and the potassium seemed to have worked. Of course, nothing could keep him from breakfast…

Our park tickets for this day were to start at DCA (Disney’s California Adventure). We decided to go but to take it easy. We entered the park directly from the hotel (one of the perks with staying there).

Since Soaring Around the World wasn’t far away, and since it is our favorite ride in the park, we went there first. (I liked the ride better when it was Soaring Over California, but the revised one is good, too.) We enjoyed seeing it again.

We took our time strolling to Cars Land and got in line for the Radiator Springs Racers. It was the only other ride at DCA we really enjoyed. (We weren’t interested in the new Spiderman ride. We didn’t even try to get a spot in the virtual queue.)

The wait wasn’t too bad for the ride. This day was cooler than the day before, and most of the queueing was in the shade, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable.

The ride was fun—as always. Larry said his side hurt afterward, however.

We walked around a bit but decided to head back to the hotel. Neither of us had slept after his fall, and we were still tired.

By now, it was after noon, so we tried the Afternoon Tea at the Veranda. Once again, we were offered small portions and lots of variety. A perfect small meal. And we had decided to go to dinner at the Storyteller Café that night.

After lunch, we both napped for a while.

At 5:00, we walked to the Storyteller and were seated shortly. This is a buffet with lots of choices—many of which I couldn’t eat. But there was enough variety. Like everything else, the prices have gone through the roof since the pandemic. Our meals—without beverages—came to about $100 ($44 each plus tax and tip). But it was planned for this visit.

We then took a walk through Downtown Disney to see all the recent changes—lots of them. I checked the World of Disney store for a t-shirt, but no luck again.

We returned to our room, watched TV, rested, and went to sleep early. We intended an early start the next day, our last.

 

Next: Day Three of Our Adventure

2021 DISNEY ADVENTURE – PART II

September 14, 2021

Return to the Park

Since Disneyland reopened, reservations have been required to visit the theme parks. When we made our hotel reservations, we also made reservations for three days at parks. We had park-hopper tickets, but we had to designate one park to begin each day. After noon, we could visit to the other park.

We chose Disneyland for our first day. Larry’s priority was to visit the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge area.

Reservations for the virtual queue for the Rise of the Resistance could only be made using the Disneyland phone app. Guests were required to log in by 7:00 a.m. You could log in again at 1:00 p.m. Larry did, but all of the spots for the day were gone immediately.

Since we already had our tickets, we walked right into the park. We decided to take the train once completely around the park and then get off at New Orleans Square. From there, we walked back to Star Wars Land. It was eighty-six degrees and about 80% humidity.

I don’t do heat well.

We explored the area. There was a lot to be seen. We appreciated and enjoyed the fabulous theming.

By the time we got to the back of the area, we were both hot. I located a table in the shade. Larry left me outside while he went to get us cold drinks. A few minutes later, Larry called. He had located a table inside—in the air conditioning.

It felt much better inside. We remained there for a few minutes while we enjoyed our iced beverages and allowed our bodies to cool off.

As we exited, we noticed that the Millennium Falcon ride had a single-rider line. We agreed to go that way so we could get on the ride. We walked up to the line, and were let in quickly. Larry went first, and I got on two vehicles later.

It is a fun ride—sort of like Star Tours but interactive.

We continued through the land and finally exited through Fantasyland.

On the way into the park, I spotted a t-shirt I wanted. We exited the park through the shops on Main Street, but I didn’t see the t-shirt. In fact, I didn’t see any I liked.

Larry wanted to see the Haunted Mansion (decorated for Halloween) at night, so we decided to take a rest at the hotel and come back later.

Since it was close to four, we decided to try for an early dinner at the Storyteller Café. However, when we arrived, it wasn’t open.

We headed back upstairs and checked with the concierge. Since the restaurant had just reopened, it was only open for breakfast and dinner—after 5:00. So, we decided to eat dinner at the restaurant the next night and take advantage of the hot appetizers at the Veranda instead, since this service started at 4:30.

They offered a selection of Dim Sum, mini eggrolls, veggies with hummus, chips and onion dip, tiny rolls, fresh fruit, cookies, and other choices. Quite enough and delicious. Again, the portions were tiny, but there was enough variety to appeal to anyone.

As it got darker, we headed back to Disneyland, took the train to New Orleans Square, and walked to the line for the Haunted Mansion. It moved along quickly, and we were inside in about ten minutes.

The Nightmare Before Christmas theme once again converted the ride, always fun.

By this time, we had walked most of the day and were tired. We went through the stores on the opposite side of Main Street, but I still didn’t find the t-shirt I wanted.

As we reached the top of Main Street, the nighttime light show began. We watched most of it before leaving the park.

We usually get ice cream on the way out, but everything inside the park was crowded. I looked at what stores were in Downtown Disney, and discovered there was an ice cream store directly opposite the entrance to the hotel.

We walked over there, and we each got a scoop of Cowboy Coffee Crunch: coffee ice cream with a ribbon of fudge and crushed coffee beans. YUMMY! I only ate half of my scoop. Larry ate his and finished mine.

Altogether a busy, happy, and fun day.

 

Next: An Injury

2021 DISNEY ADVENTURE – PART I

This year, I reached the milestone age of 75—three-quarters of a century! A week later, we celebrated 56 years of marriage.

Years ago, we began to give each other gifts to provide shared memories. We have given each other trips, special meals, shows, etc.

One of my bucket list items, ever since it was built, has been to spend a night or two at the Grand Californian Hotel at the Disney Resort in Anaheim.

This place is very special, heavily influenced by the design of the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, another place I have wanted to stay since I was young.

Since the Grand Californian has reopened, Larry suggested we spend a couple of nights there with three days at the theme parks.

We gave up our annual theme park passes about five years ago when the prices went through the roof, and we have missed going there.

Some of you may be aware that Larry is usually reluctant to spend unnecessary money, but this time, he decided if we were going to go, he wanted to add concierge service, which included lots of extra services and food available most of the day. (Again, those of you who know him are aware that offering him food carries a great weight. Pun intended.)

Tuesday, September 12, 2021

We got up fairly early, changed the bed, showered, and put the towels in the wash. We didn’t want to leave damp towels in the bathroom for three days in the heat. When they were washed, we put them in the dryer on a setting that would assure their being dry the same day. The bedding and our clothes could wait until we returned home.

Then we drove to Anaheim, left Elsa with the valet, and our luggage with a bellman. When we reached the registration desk, Meg informed us that our room was ready and we could go on up, although the check-in time was 3:00 p.m.! It was then about 9:30 a.m. She also said breakfast was being served until 11:00 a.m.in the Veranda, the club restaurant. (This was the perk of the concierge service Larry wanted most.)

Before we left, she confirmed our park tickets for the three days. (We had made those reservations at the same time we made our hotel reservations. We had to designate the park where we would start the day, but because we are California residents, they were park-hopper tickets. We could change parks at any time after noon.)

We located our room with a courtyard view and called the bell captain. Our things arrived within five minutes.

The room was gorgeous. Whoever designed the interior matched it well to the craftsman style of the exterior. Lots of influence of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, one of my very favorite designers. Just looking at all the gorgeous touches made my heart happy.

We put our items away and then went to breakfast since we hadn’t eaten before we left home.

The very best part of the Veranda was the coffee machine. This was a professional device where we could get an espresso, latte, cappuccino, or café Americano. We both love cappuccino, so it became our go-to while we were there. (I think I probably ingested too much acid from all the coffee I drank during our stay, but oh, was it delicious!

Opportunities for eating extended from 6:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. Breakfast was served from 6:00 through 11:00 a.m. Afternoon tea was available between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. Hot appetizers were served from 5:00 to 7:00, and dessert from 8:00 until 10:00. (Believe it or not, we never made it for dessert, despite Larry’s sweet tooth.)

Everything was presented buffet-style with very small portions. Larry loved it because he could try EVERYTHING and then get more of one or two things he truly enjoyed. Since I am a VERY picky eater, the variety allowed me to choose those items I enjoyed, and the smaller servings were just right.

After breakfast, I changed my shoes, and then we headed for Disneyland.

 

Next: Going back to the park.

Meeting Kimi

I recently re-edited and republished the six Aspen Grove romance anthologies. I loved re-reading all of them since I have always loved the series. I especially enjoyed Directions of Love, the winner of the 2011 EPIC eBook Award. My novella in this one contains a great deal of our personal characteristics and family stories.

I was reminded of a very special event related to this book.

In November of 2010, we were on vacation with friends in Hawaii. We decided to do some sightseeing, and one day, we went to Queen Emma’s Summer Palace. It was close to Honolulu, and our friends had never seen it. (BTW, it is a lovely way to spend a day on Oahu.)

It was a slow day, and we were the only tourists there. Each couple was assigned a different docent for the home tour. Our friends went first since we wanted to make sure they saw everything.

Then our docent appeared. She took my breath away.

At the time, I was working with the editor on the final changes to the manuscript for Directions of Love just prior to publication. I took my computer on vacation with me specifically so I could complete the book.

This young lady was the personification of the protagonist in my novella, “Finding Love in Paradise.” Kimi McGuire was half Irish and half Hawaiian. She was raised in our fictional town of Aspen Grove, Colorado, but went to Hawaii to attend college at the University of Hawaii.

After staring at her for a while, I finally apologized and told her about Kimi. I had described her as tiny with long straight, dark hair, dark eyes, and fair skin. There she stood in front of me.

After I described my character and we began to talk, the similarities became even more striking.

Our docent shared Kimi’s ethnicity: Irish and Hawaiian. They both attended UH at Manoa, and both studied anthropology. Kimi worked at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, and our docent volunteered at the Queen Emma Summer Palace while attending college. Both were interested in their own Hawaiian heritage.

I don’t remember much about the tour, but our conversation with our docent remains vivid.

I wrote down her name somewhere. (I lost it shortly thereafter.) I gave her one of our author cards and wrote the name of the book on the back. I asked her to email us so I could let her know when the book was published. I never heard back from her.

I often base my characters’ appearance on other people: friends, movie and TV stars, etc. This was the only time I wrote a fictional character and then met the personification of the character in person.

I really wish she had contacted me or that I remembered her name. (It was unusual.) But I’ll never forget this lovely young lady.

Canada 2019 – Part 6 - Finale

July 10, 2019

We were up, packed, and ready by the time the hotel served breakfast at six a.m. Still, we were not alone in the dining room. Apparently others wanted to get an early start, too.

We ate and finished putting everything away. With only one carry-on bag each, plus my tote and Larry’s backpack, there wasn’t much to check for. Since we went to France in 2014 with just this much luggage for three weeks, we never take full-size suitcases anymore.

We checked out and put our things in the rental car.

For this trip, we asked for a compact car (the cheapest available) since there were just the two of us. We got a Kia Soul. It was a nice, roomy little car, and, it reminded us of our PT Cruiser. It had plenty of interior space and drove well.

Our flight was scheduled for 12:50 p.m., but we still had to get back to Great Falls, MT, fill the tank on the rental car, and drop it off. The border crossing on July fourth had taken us a long time, and we wanted to be sure to give ourselves plenty of breathing room.

We had learned our lesson and programmed Google Maps for the trip all the way to the airport.

Because of our early start, once we got out of town, we encountered very little traffic on the road. In fact, when we reached the border crossing, we were all alone. We pulled up, showed our passports, and zipped right through.

After a stop for gas, we returned the car and then went to the restaurant area where we got a drink and waited for our plane with a couple of hours to spare. I pulled out my Surface tablet, plugged it in, and answered email.

Uneventful flight to Seattle. We had a three-hour layover at the airport, so we had a leisurely dinner at a very nice restaurant. Then onto the plane for the short trip back to Orange County, where a friend picked us up.

I love to travel, but I also love coming home. We live in Paradise (Dana Point, California) and are truly blessed to be here.

EPILOGUE

DeLoss Christensen has visited Spring City to assess our great-grandmother’s headstone. It is still in three pieces, although it appears someone tried to glue it back together with something resembling brown tree sap.

He’ll talk to his monument person to see what we can do about getting it fixed or replaced. When it is finished, several of us will try to go there to rededicate it.

I’m so grateful to have gotten to know all these relatives in the north!

Canada 2019 – Part 5

July 8, 2019

We had planned to spend Monday seeing Calgary, return to our hotel, and drive all the way to Banff and back on Tuesday, but Linda Salmon said it was a long trip to make all in one day. She invited us to stay with David and her on Monday night so we could get a head start on Tuesday morning. Since they live on the north end of Calgary, this was a HUGE help. The drive from Lethbridge, where our hotel was located, to Calgary is over two hours. From Calgary to Banff is another hour and a half.

It didn’t take too much thinking to figure out our best bet was to accept her offer.

We ate breakfast at the hotel and re-packed for the night. Then we took our time driving to Calgary. On the way, we were, once again, impressed by the vivid yellow of the fields. We thought they looked like mustard, but we were later told they were rapeseed. We had seen the same crop growing in France on our trips to that country.

Fields of Gold – Alberta, Canada

We had said we’d take Linda and David to lunch, but David was doing some work when we got there. (Yes, it was a weekday…) So, Linda made us lunch. She had baked some homemade chia bread. She proposed grilled cheese sandwiches. How could she have known this is my comfort food? And made with homemade bread, this was truly a treat! (I used to bake all my own bread—and made my own mayonnaise, jam, yogurt, and other things—but I gave it up along the way. I must confess, Linda’s was better than mine.

After lunch when David finished his work, he offered to take us on a guided tour of Calgary.

At first glance, I loved the city. It is large enough to have all the amenities I would want in a city, but it is new enough to have been well-planned with terrific architecture. It seems very accessible. It isn’t overwhelming or intimidating.

Calgary

David had a couple of errands to run, so we were afforded a glimpse of what it might feel like to live there. Fabulous architecture and lovely neighborhoods.

We got out several times to take in the views. We saw the stadium area and Indian camp where the Stampede was being held. Linda had invited us to attend with them the next day since seniors would be free. However, I don’t do well sitting in the sun, and Larry had promised a friend we’d go to Banff and take some photos. So, we thanked them for the offer, but decided to go on to Banff the next day.

We said since we hadn’t taken them to lunch, we’d take them to dinner. They made several suggestions, and we ended up at Il Chianti Restaurant, a family-owed Italian place. Wow! Great food, service, atmosphere. Larry ordered linguine with clams, and I had a fabulous orange chicken dish. Of course, we had to try their desserts, and they were as good as our entrees. We felt this was an excellent choice, and we thoroughly enjoyed the company and our meal.

Back at their house, I showed David how to access Ancestry and how to update their branch on my tree. I realized I still needed lots of names and information. I also discovered the Canadian records are not as thorough as the American ones. Since David has lots of the information on the Canadian branch, he was the logical one to fill in the blanks.

July 8, 2019


We wanted to get an early start and tried to be quiet, but Linda and David were up when we got ready to leave. We thanked them once again for their hospitality and for the fun we’d had with them.

Then we were off to the north.

Banff is a charming little town in the middle of a National Park. It reminded me of Breckenridge, Colorado when we lived in Denver many years ago. We entered the park and went directly to the town. We walked around. (The actual town is only about three blocks one direction and about four the other.)

Since we had left without eating breakfast, we looked for somewhere to eat. We could have gone to one of the big hotels but settled for a little creperie.

Then on to shopping. We each got a t-shirt. Since we were flying, we didn’t buy much else, but we found some keychains we could use for Christmas ornaments. Each year, we have given our nieces and nephews and Kim ornaments from wherever we have traveled during the year. We now have another generation of great-nieces and nephews, so the tradition continues.

We drove farther into the mountains, and Larry took more photos.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Banff National Park

We had already decided to skip the additional trip to Lake Louise since we had a long drive to get back to the hotel.

Once again, the lack of internet connection proved a challenge. Fortunately, we could follow the signs toward Calgary. Once there, we had enough internet connection to use Google Maps to set our route.

We had discovered that once a destination was mapped, it would hold until we got to the end, even if we lost connection in between.

Unfortunately, we missed a turn and ended up on a dirt road in the middle of a huge field. And we lost our connection. The only thing we could figure out to do was retrace our steps and take the turn we were supposed to have taken in the first place.

Fortunately, the road led to a highway whose number we recognized, and we turned south. Eventually, we saw the signs for Lethbridge. We turned off, but then realized we were on the wrong end of town and had no idea where to go from there.

We remembered all the Tim Horton restaurants had wi-fi, so when we spotted one, we stopped for a cold drink. I was able to use Google Maps to map the route back to our hotel.

We are very unaccustomed to being without an internet connection, and this happened at the worst possible time. However, we were able to get back, and it only took a bit longer than planned.

We stopped for dinner and then returned to the hotel to repack for our early morning departure the next day.

To be continued…

Canada 2019 – Part 3

July 6, 2019

After having met many of the family members the day before, I was anxious to meet more of them on Saturday. The unofficial starting time was 10:00 a.m., and we arrived a few minutes early.

Some of the campers were up and about, and we waved to them as we arrived. The building was still locked, so we waited for someone to show up with the key. Finally, Marilynn and her husband, Neil, got there, and we were able to stash our fruit tray in the refrigerator.

Marilynn Lund Broadhurst, Lorna Lund Collins, Linda Christensen Salmon

Marilynn and Linda were the two cousins on this branch who were the first matches I found when we had our DNA sequenced. Actually, Marilynn and I had communicated on Ancestry.com before that. Other DNA “cousins” showed up later, and I got to meet them, as well.

I had been in touch with Linda’s brother, DeLoss Christensen. He lives in Utah, and came to the reunion with his wife, Toni.

Toni and DeLoss Christensen

I think he and my brother somewhat resemble each other.

I was very happy to get to know him because we share a common concern. When we visited the Pioneer Cemetery in Spring City, Utah (where the Lund family settled when they arrived in the US) in 2012, the headstone for my great-grandmother, Mary Jane Ashworth Lund, was in three pieces. It appears an attempt has been made in the intervening years to stick it back together, but it almost looks worse now. DeLoss wants to contact a monument maker to either have hers and her husband’s (Marinus Lund) restored or to have them replaced. Off and on since 2012, I have tried to locate someone to do it without success.

Now that DeLoss is taking action to make it happen, I am thrilled. I told him if he needed additional funds, to contact me. More later about his intention to fund the project.

I had talked to several of my cousins about this project, and my cousin, Roger Royal was as enthusiastic as I to see it happen. Roger died earlier this year, and this seems like something I can also do for him.

Lunch was served: Alberta beef sandwiches with lots of sides: industrial size pans of potato salad, coleslaw, chips, raw veggies, and a variety of other salads as well as our fruit tray.

I also got to meet many of the other descendants of Marinus DeLoss.

Linda Christensen Salmon, Jeffrey Reed Salmon, LeRay Ralph Witbeck

I was especially glad to know my dad’s middle name was perpetuated in the family. The original spelling was like my dad’s: LaRay. However, as often happens, somewhere along the line, the spelling changed. LeRay told me there is yet another spelling somewhere in the family.

Marie Ralph Witbeck is the eldest of the cousins. LeRay is her son.

Lunch was enjoyed by all.

After lunch, the kids (and those who still felt like kids) enjoyed outside games: water balloon fight and human piňata.

One of the highlights of every reunion is the auction. DeLoss Christensen and Terry Lund did the honors. Family members donate crafts and other goods to be auctioned. This photo was taken after some of the items had been bought—including two hard copies of our book, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park. We learned in past years the bidding sometimes became intense. (Are we Lunds competitive? You bet!)

DeLoss told me he had made an “executive decision” that some of the funds raised would be used to restore the headstones in the Spring City Pioneer Cemetery.

After the auction, desserts (a few of which can be seen on the left) were served. The Lunds are also great cooks!

We spent the rest of the time looking at pictures and other memorabilia. I had planned to share my tree on Ancestry.com with them, but there was no wi-fi. It seemed strange to find many stretches where it simply didn’t exist.

Terry Lund had salvaged the door from the family ranch before it was flooded. (The original ranch no longer exists.) He brought it to show us. In the photo with me are Linda’s daughter, Alita Salmon Laurie, and her husband, Evan Remington Laurie. Alita did her Mormon mission in Japan, so we had fun talking with her.

When we were cleaning up and getting ready to leave, Terry said we had to stop by his house, just a few blocks away, to see his “stuff.” His house should be a museum. His father and two others in the family were world champion rodeo riders. He has dozens of their silver belt buckles, several saddles and lots of other memorabilia. What a treat to see it!

DC Lund’s watercolor of the family ranch

Our trip wasn’t over yet, however.

To be continued…

Sick on Vcation

We just returned from a visit with our daughter in Plano, Texas. The day after we arrived, Larry started sneezing and coughing and blowing his nose. He kept feeling worse as it started to move into his chest. The congestion grew worse, so we went to a walk-in clinic. (I am always a bit wary of colds because when I get them, they often turn into bronchitis.) Turns out it was just a bad cold. The doctor gave him medication for the cough and inflammation, but Larry spent a couple of days out-of-commission.

I started taking Zicam right away. I eventually came down with the bug, but I was only affected for a couple of days—and no infection.

This isn’t the first time we’ve been ill on vacation.

I remember one memorable trip to Hawaii when I was miserably ill. Kim was with us. I spent a couple of days in bed while Larry and Kim enjoyed the beach. I pushed through for the rest of the trip, but I was dragging.

In 2015, we celebrated our 50^th anniversary. Kim came from Texas for the party. A couple of days afterward, she became quite ill.

I’d had knee surgery the month before and was still recovering. I suspect my immune system was somewhat compromised, because I became ill with bronchitis—in spades. I went to the doctor, and she prescribed a round of antibiotics. When the first prescription didn’t help, she prescribed a second.

A couple of weeks later, we flew to Hawaii. I thought I was getting better, but by the end of the first week on Maui with our friend Suzi, I felt even worse. We flew to Honolulu, and the next morning, we went to the walk-in clinic. The doctor said I still had a bad infection. He prescribed a double dose of medication. I was out of it for a day or two. I kept going, but between my knee (still very painful) and the infection, I was pretty miserable.

Of course, I recovered—finally. This may have been the last time I was ill until this past week

Larry almost never gets sick, but when he does, he gets very ill. I also rarely catch anything, but I have noticed a change in location can introduce new germs. (The doctor in Plano said Larry probably caught something on the plane—despite our taking Airbourne before we boarded.)

We’re now home and pretty well recovered. Sleeping in our own bed helps with getting enough rest.

Have you ever been ill on vacation? It’s pretty miserable.