Post Christmas Travels and Tales

Currently,  I am sitting in Keefe's home in Twentynine Palms, CA where I woke up to 19F this morning.  So much for a break from the Chicago winter. ;)   

It has been a long journey to get here.  Barry, Rory and I left Barrington the 18th of December to spend Christmas in London with Liam.   We spoke with Keefe on Christmas Day.  He informed us that the deployment was more than half over.   YEAH!!!! 

Many friends and family sent him packages for the holidays and much of it was shared with his men.  Nancy's famous bump cake, cookies, fudge, beef jerky, board games, cards, DVD's, and cigars were among the treasures.  Their Christmas dinner was steak and potatoes. 

While we missed spending Christmas with Keefe, it was great Skyping with him on the 25th.  He looks good and routinely mentions that he is bored.  Mom likes bored.  Keefe not so much.  

I spoke with Keefe again this past week.  He is marking time till he returns home.  In a little over 10 weeks he will be back in the USA!!!! Double YEAH!!!!

While in London, we had a family dining out at Hawksmoor which included a toast to Keefe with a drink called Concealed Weapon and a Macallan 16.

In addition to some sightseeing, Rory aka Kory Quinn, booked 

a few London Shows. This bill was posted in the Ladies Bathroom.   

You know your kid has made it when this happens! ;)

Barry and I returned from London on December 26, while Rory stayed in London then traveled to Ireland where he went on a musical working tour of Dublin, Wicklow and Cork. Big Brother Liam joined him for part of the tour. I think this was a musical tour but maybe it was a Guinness and Jameson Tour. ;)

Barry and I washed clothes and re-packed for our journey to the Southwest.   With our dogs in tow, we headed to Fort Worth to spend New Year's Eve with Barry's mom, then off to Albuquerque for a week where I managed the 2013 NAAL Annual Meeting.  After the meeting we headed to Taos for a couple days to visit some friends who lived in Barrington about 25 years ago.  While in Taos we toured the Taos Pueblo, which is over 1,000 years old.  


Then off to Phoenix we went to visit with Barry's oldest Sean, his wife Cathy and the grandson, Eamon.

Barry and I enjoyed our short time with them.  He especially enjoyed hanging out with his 8 year old grandson, Eamon.   

We are now in Twentynine Palms, CA where it has been unusually cold for this time of the year.  Yesterday Barry and I spent the afternoon in the Colorado Desert in the southern part of Joshua Tree National Park.  This past June we spent time in the Mohave Desert section of the park.  When driving through this amazing area you are reminded of the many forces of nature and its impact on the surrounding area.   



Tomorrow we head to the Grand Canyon then on to Gunnison, CO to visit with Bob and Mary Jo Schauer.  We'll head on back to Chitown and be home soon.   

Happy New Year to one and all!!!

Semper Fi!