Christmas in Mexico
The Western Tour
Holland
Cherry Blossoms/ Easter Snow
Raccoons Attack
Covered Bridges

Christmas in Mexico 
  Loading up the green Buick Estate Station Wagon with a large tan luggage carrier on top, the family along with Bam, set out for Mexico. There was no time frame other than we would be in Mexico City by Christmas, with a reservation awaiting us at a hotel there.  We visited the Pyramids and saw the Cathedral and Plaza lit up with holiday lights, saw a bull fight and the water gardens.  At the Shrine of Guadalupe we saw the sick walking on their knees from the gate to the church, and in some cases loved ones on their knees carrying those who could not walk.
  We changed hotels to one in the middle of the city, a smaller hotel but had a large room.  It was near a park square where Santa could be seen sitting on his sleigh (for paid pictures of course) up until Christmas when he was replaced with the three wise men.  There was a wonderful flat bread with syrup that smelled so good, you really wanted it... until you realized they used the same few plates for people to eat from over and over and over again without ever washing them. Of course, some where hit with the infamous Montezuma's revenge which made for a few long nights with the porcelain throne. 
  Coming back across the border we squeezed into only the front two bench style seats so that we would unpack the car from the back and place things in the empty luggage carrier as they were inspected, then freeing up the third seat.  Best laid plans don't always work, as Mom had such a detailed list of all purchases, the border guard glanced at the list, took one look at everyone crammed into the car, and waived us on through without any inspection.  We continued half way to Lufkin before we rearranged the car to open up the back seat.
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The Western Tour
  This time in the old Chrysler Imperial, the family headed west, to Cripple Creek, Pikes Peak, and points in between.  
  In Cripple Creek, Colorado we stayed at an old hotel, with the bathroom at the end of hallway.  While there, we went to the 1800s show where we heard such hits as "She Looks Like Helen Brown", "Horsie Keep Your Tail Up", and "The Man With No Hips at All" and other popular songs of the gold mining era. Of course this was back when it was a small quiet historical town, and before the heavy tourist influence with casinos and the such.
  At Pikes Peak we drove up the winding, narrow 19 mile, winding, and partially paved roadway, with Dad's foot being blasted by a broken air conditioning hose that forced most of the cold air on his foot. On the way down they made most cars (ours included) pull over for a mandatory "brake break" as they had inspectors checking to make sure that brakes didn't overheat on the way down.
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Holland 
  Camping is great, but maybe not so great when it is freezing and really, really wet.  Off we went with Ed and Marilyn Garrigan for the tulip festival in Holland, Holland Michigan that is.  We saw fields of tulips, the wooden shoe craftsman, windmills, and the washing of the streets with beer.  We ate the Fat Boys till we were ill (Fat Boys were kind of like round doughnuts filled with a really rich chocolate filling). Getting to the campsite was a challenge as there was a horrible fog during the night on the way up, with visibility being under 20 feet.  That made following the Garrigan's car that was leading the way really difficult and added some challenge in just getting there.
  However, the real story was in the camping.  We had two tents, and Jay (probably around 11 or so) was responsible for the family tent, showing what he had learned in scouts.  Everything went well except for the little detail that the edges of a ground cloth must be tucked in.  In this case it wasn't and funneled the water underneath the tent.  Jay was sleeping on the floor of the tent and when he awoke during the night, thought he was hot because he could see steam rising from his bag.  Truth was it was soaked with really cold water that had seeped through the flooring, and his body heat and warmed some water that made the "steam" in the light.  One of Mom's favorite stories was that also during the night, she had to go over to the bathroom.  In the dark, the first shoes she could find were Dad's so she slipped them on and headed to the bathroom.  There she sat when another woman entered the restroom and realizing that if she looked down, she would see men's shoes in the stall, Mom spoke got a good laugh in warning the woman that she had better hear about it than look down and think there was a man hiding in the stall.
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Cherry Blossoms and Easter Snow
  One year when we lived in Terre Haute, Indiana we headed off to Washington DC to see the Cherry Blossoms. Monuments, blossoms, and more were everywhere.  However, on the way home we ended up stranded overnight in Ohio as a late snowstorm hit and forced everyone off the highways.  What was really amazing is that the Easter Bunny still found us in Ohio and there was a miniature candied egg hunt right there in the hotel room. 
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Raccoons Attack
  I don't remember how it started, but we use to go to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana, where we would hike the through the sandstone gorges of the area.  On one such trip, we were awakened during the night with a horrific sounds coming from around the tent as raccoons decided to fight amongst themselves. Then it seemed like it was raining raccoons when they were either jumping or falling off the trees and on top of our tent.  It certainly made for a night to remember.
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Covered Bridges
  Twice a year we would head off to the small town square of ?? for the two festivals.  In the fall it would be the Covered Bridge Festival with craft and food vendors surrounding the small courthouse, embellished by the brilliant fall colors.  There you would find everything like quilt making, large copper kettles over a fire making fresh home made apple butter, pots steaming with white beans and ham, and the old hand-cranked apple press squeezing fresh apple juice. A map would then take you through a driving tour of the old wooden bridges found throughout the area.
  In the spring, the courthouse square would again be bustling with craft and food vendors, but now it was the Maple Sugar Festival. This time the maps took you through the covered bridges to old fashion maple syrup camps where the sugar water collected in buckets from the many maple trees would go through a cooking maze as it was boiled down to produce fresh maple syrup.  How great it was to be at the end of the long cooking trough and have fresh maple syrup poured off, then run it back home where Dad would make hot pancakes to go with the ultra fresh syrup. 
  The festivities have since moved from that quaint courthouse square to a large park where it now accommodates thousands of visitors each year.

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.
  George Eliot

We cannot destroy kindred: our chains stretch a little sometimes, but they never break.
  Marquise de Sévigné