Sunday, June 19, 2005

Fathers' Day, Matt Arrives and the German Wonderbus (Postscript added)

June 19th or as they say in Texas Juneteenth and it commemorates Emancipation Proclamation Day. Happy birthday Larry and George and Father's day to boot. Steven and Isaac called to wish me happy father's day and Peter sent that message through Jill since he can't get us on the cell phone.

Ansley practiced standing on one leg before we left to get Matt at Baltimore/Washington International.
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We made a pit stop at a very popular rest area just into Maryland. It was a familiar rest area from our last trip back East.
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Matt showed up almost on time and we greeted the weary traveler with hugs and kisses.
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On the way back to camp we passed Andrews Air Force Base.
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..... Plenty of road construction.
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When we got back to camp I thought we had gone to the Alps as a Swiss gentleman was serenading with his Alphorn.
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"His horn began as a pine tree, bent at its base by the forces of wind, slope and the weight of winter snows. The tree was cut to the Alphorn's traditional "length of two men", split into halves and carved to shape by the boy, a labour of the entire summer. The halves were glued together and wound with strips of bark and hemp twine. There was only one thing left to do. On the bell of his horn he painted, with his mother's help, a garland of his favourite alpine flowers. On this Autumn evening he would blow his Alphorn. Perhaps his father would be listening....."

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Next to us, in the very next site was the Red German Wonderbus. It was very long and half bus, seats and all, and the rear was sleeping quarters lined with bunks. The wonderbus had even a lower level for storage and a tented area on the opposite side from us. It carried 24 passengers I believe mostly German and the Swiss gentleman playing the Alphorn.
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I talked for awhile to Bernie about the vacation they would be taking from Washington DC to Virginia Beach, New York, Boston, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa and Toronto. A very nice man who asked me to give his love to his wife Ilse who was at home. I wish them all a wonderful trip and a safe flight home
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Postscript
Matthew gave me a picture of Alphorns in the proper setting with Diana in the picture. Wish you were here Diana!
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Quote(s) of the Day

"Each person has inside a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It is not complicated but it takes courage . . . to listen to his own goodness." ~ Pablo Casals

and

"The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?"
~ Pablo Casals

3 comments:

vbkim said...

Wow, that looks like a great trip! I love BWI, they have a great observation deck that not many people know about.

Anonymous said...

We're all so glad that Matt made it in safely.
everybody sends their love and father's day wishes to you and all of yours.
the girls are beautiful and kevin looks adorable . . .it is hard to believe how big all the "littlest ones" are getting, good thing i stayed small (i think andrew did all the growing for the two of us ;) )
love and miss you much,
michelle

Anonymous said...

ik wou dat die foto van mij daar niet stond , ik hoor daar niet bij

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