Jane Roberts

When you sit down on the plane you just never know who your seat mate might be.  Even though Gene and I were traveling together today from Tampa to DFW we were not sitting together.  We had received our American Airlines 1st Class upgrades early this morning and we were sitting in different rows.  While I was busy getting settled into my seat, getting out my music and current book The Now Revolution, Jane arrived on the plane and settled in next to me. We exchanged pleasantries.  She asked what I was reading.  I showed her the book and explained what it was about.  The revolution name on the book had caught her attention.

As I found out she is a very big part in a revolution that plays out everyday all over the world.  Jane Roberts was the cofounder of 34 Million Friends of UNFPA in 2002 when the Bush Administration first announced they would withhold the $34 million that Congress allocated to UNFPA. She had been in Tampa making several speeches in just two days. Jane travels extensively to spread the word and raise funds for this organization.  Jane also has a book, 34 Million Friends of the women of the world. Seems she blogs a bit to at Jane Roberts’s Diary.

Jane is a great example of one individual following her passion and making a difference for many others.  Just another great example of the interesting people I meet while exploring “The Glamour of the Road”.

Thirty-nine years ago two men in Olney, TX were joking around over morning coffee.  They were betting on which one of them could kill the most doves.  Now both of these men have only one arm.  This joking around became the One Arm Dove Hunt.  My husband Gene read about the event in George Dolan’s column in the Fort Worth Star Telegram.  At that 1st hunt, a few men showed up and went hunting that afternoon.

Left to Right: Jack Bishop, Gene Alexander, Jack Northrup

Over the years the hunt expanded to include lunch and then a hunt.  Then it became a 2 day event including such activities as trap shooting, a golf tournament, horseshoes, cow chip chunking, local entertainment and an auction (which can be entertainment in itself).  We are now fed 2 lunches, 1 breakfast, 1 dinner and leftovers after the hunt.  This small town pulls together and provides door prizes, volunteers and some of the most wonderful deserts you will ever eat.  Just throw the diet away so you won’t feel guilty.

Who would have thought that this event would continue to grow and endure all of these years. I never considered how friendships that have been developed with citizens of this town and with those that attend this event would also grow, endure and be so very important in our lives.

A few weeks ago Jan Williams, Coordinator for the Olney Chamber of Commerce contacted me via a Facebook message to find out if Gene and I could attend the annual chamber dinner.  She also wanted Gene to present an award to the 2 Jacks and the One Arm Dove Hunt.  They were being honored as in September 2011, they will host the 40th One Arm Dove Hunt.  Well there only one option for the answer.  It was YES.  So Gene proceeded to put together some facts, funny thoughts and a speech developed.

On Thursday afternoon, January 27, 2011, Gene and I drove the 100 miles to Olney, TX. We checked into the only motel which is just a couple of steps above camping. But they know us and make sure we have our preferred room whenever we are there. We snuck into the community center just before the events began and were able to sit where the 2 Jacks wouldn’t discover us.  However, while dinner was being served we were spotted, but luckily, there was no time for questions.

Jan gave an introduction telling how much the One Armed Dove Hunt and the 2 Jacks mean to Olney.  Then Gene proceeds with his comments and presented the awards.  It was such a special time.  There were other special remembrances and awards that evening. Citizen of the year was presented to one of our other long time friends, Wanda and the Olney Community Library Service Award to the newspaper’s photographer who took the picture included in this post.

Other special awards were presented to a 25 year old young man dying of cancer and accepted by his Mother. He passed away a few days later.  So sad.  The Pioneer Award to the towns Vet who has a brain tumor.  He was there to accept with 20 of his family members.  While we didn’t know these two individuals, we still felt like family and friends that evening.

Olney, Tx is far from the “glamourous and big” places we have been in the world such as New York City, Beijing, Vancouver and so forth.  However, it is one of the most important places we go.  We are accepted and loved for who we are.  We always have a great time.  This is the true “Glamour of the Road”.

A number of my friends have asked that I blog about what happens when you are 1,000 miles from home and you are injured.  My husband, Gene & I were on vacation when he injured himself.  Here is our experience.  I always buy travel insurance when we go out of the country so that we can get back home incase of accident or illness.  I have never done this for domestic travel, but I am reconsidering.  Today’s airline flights are so full that you are only flying on the plane you are scheduled on in many cases.  The proper travel insurance would have allowed us to return home a few days earlier.

My plan was to take a short break from blogging and social media.  I knew that during the first part of our vacation in Yellowstone National Park we would not have access to the internet.  I thought this would be a great time to clear my mind and do some planning.  Well, all of that part went as planned.  However, the afternoon of June 18, 2010, my husband slipped and fell and tore the quad muscles on both of his legs.  This rendered him immediately unable to walk.  We were in the Badlands National Park and 1,000 miles from home.

He was first taken to the emergency room in Philip, SD.  We both tried to convince them to take him to Rapid City, SD as we knew they had a much larger medical facility.  However, their protocol requires that they go to the closest emergency room.  So off we go.  At the Philip emergency room they did X-rays.  No bones were broken.  The doctor said he thought Gene had just severely strained the quads.  He gave him a pain shot, prescribed paid drugs, advised us to ice each quad and then use heat and that he should be better in a couple of days.  They put Gene in our rent car and off to Rapid City we went.  Now mind you Gene can still not stand.  I had to use the hotel’s wheel chair to get him in the room and call and rent a wheel chair to use to move him around.

On Sunday morning Gene said he needed to go to the Rapid City emergency room.  So we get him in the car and head out.  They do triage, ask a lot of questions and then put us in a room.  I took out my Kindle and starting reading to occupy the time.  When the emergency room physician entered the room, he said hi and wanted to know all about my Kindle.  He said Gene looked like he wasn’t going anywhere and could wait while he checked out the Kindle.  What a hoot.   As soon as the emergency room physician examined him and felt of his legs he said the quad muscles had been torn and would need surgery.  They admitted him to the hospital.  Now I have to say, for a small city, this is a really nice hospital and the staff were very nice and attentive.  When the orthopedic surgeon saw Gene he wanted to do surgery immediately.  However, when the doctor advised Gene that recovery/rehab would be a minimum of 6 weeks Gene said no.  We would take our regular flight home on Tuesday and have the surgery here.

So on Monday our day was all about contacting doctors here to get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon and talking to American Airlines to confirm that the Rapid City airport could handle getting him on board the airplane in an aisle chair and that the proper staff would be available.  American just started flying out of Rapid City a few months ago and they only have this one flight a day.  I wanted to be sure we were going to be on it before we left the hospital.  My final hurdle for getting everything arranged was to talk to Park N Fly where our car was parked and find that they don’t have a handicap van.

So Tuesday was all about getting checked out of the hospital on time, getting to the airport and getting home.  Once we were in DFW, I left Gene with the young man that wheeled him from the plane to baggage claim.  I went off to catch the Park N Fly van to get the car and come back to pickup Gene.  Now we had been away from home 11 days where the highest temperature was maybe 77degrees.  It is 101 degrees at 5:30pm when we landed.  It is a weekday and rush hour traffic. Yikes!!

I retrieved Gene and stopped by our house to drop off luggage.  Then it was off to get him checked into the hospital here.  Yet another emergency room.  They had no record that they were expecting him.  They finally located the orthopedic surgeon who said yes he should be admitted.  On Wednesday night at 8:00pm he had surgery.  All went well with surgery.

So since your husband can’t get up and down to walk, you must find a skilled nursing facility for him.  This was my Sunday duty.  So for anyone that doesn’t know, a skilled nursing facility is a nursing home that has been medicare approved that can provide physical therapy as prescribed by the patient’s physician.  I can’t even express how depressing this process was.  I visited the three that were recommended in our local area.  I chose what seemed to be the best.  Gene was transferred to this facility on Monday morning.  Things either move really slow or extremely fast.  I have to say this part moved far faster than I was prepared for.  After Gene was settled in the facility I set off on some errands to gather some items he would need.

I will just say that nothing went well that afternoon or evening at this facility.  I spent the evening researching my options for other facilities.  On Tuesday morning I set out on my new search.  I found a really nice facility.  They sent out their assessment nurse that afternoon and by the evening he was moved.  We celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary in the new facility.  They brought a each a dinner tray and the food was actually very good.

While being in any facility is trying, overall this facility is much better than any other I have visited.  But no matter how nice the facility, you must be attentive to what is going on, be available to assist your loved one and most of all be their advocate.  Gene has now been in this facility for 1 1/2 weeks.  We had a post op visit with the surgeon.  He advises that he will see us again on August 18.  Physical therapy has been moved to a new stage, but it will be after our August visit before Gene will be allowed to try standing up from a normal seated position.  It seems I have finally taken care of all the out-of-the-ordinary tasks and I can return to taking care of business and back to blogging.

We had a wonderful time in Yellowstone and on our trip from there to Rapid City and in the Badlands until the accident.  I will be posting blogs about our trip over the next few weeks.  Remember, you can have an accident or get sick anywhere.  If this happens you need to sit and contemplate the best plan of action.  There are options if you look for them.  We accomplished our goal of getting home.  Our goal now is to get Gene back on his feet so we can get back to life and more “Glamour of the Road”.

Last week Gene, Jessica(our granddaughter) and I went to Nashville. Jessica and I were attending the Lifework 2.0 Seminar on Thursday. Gene was able to find an old high school friend that everyone said they couldn’t find in Franklin. Thursday night we went to downtown Nashville for dinner and a little karaoke. Now we didn’t know anything about any of the bars in downtown. Jessica got on her iphone and read the reviews and chose Lonnie’s Western Room.

Once we were seated in the club, Gene looked at the young man on the stage singing and asked me if I thought he was missing an arm. The young man had on a jacket and it appeared that the jacket sleeve on the right side was tucked into the pocket. I told him that I thought so. After the young man sat back down Gene went over to him. As soon as Klay saw that Gene is also missing a part of an arm, he lit up and acted like he and Gene has been friends forever.

For those that don’t know, Gene was born missing the lower part of his left arm. It is natural to him and he does nothing to hide it. Shortly after Klay and Gene met and spoke it was Gene’s turn to sing. There weren’t many people singing, so Klay’s turn came just a few people later. When he got on the stage this time, there was no jacket and it was quite obvious to everyone that the lower part of his right arm is missing. Klay told Gene that he lost it in an auto accident when he was 17.

Jessica commented to us later that it was amazing to watch how Klay’s comfort with his arm seemed to change before our very eyes. Once he was on stage without his jacket, he was smiling and line dancing with his family. He came and introduced himself to Jessica and I. When we left it was hugs for everyone.

Klay lives in North Carolina. He was visiting Nashville with his family. I thought to myself as soon as I knew that Klay was missing part of an arm “In all of Nashville, what are the chances of meeting up with another one armed person from out-of-town in the same bar.” Was it providence or just coincidence that we all ended up in the same place that evening? These sorts of events are the ones that make “The Glamour of the Road” so special.

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There was a really slow start to Friday morning.  The day on Grouse Mountain had taken its toll on my body.  But there are still things to see and do and they include lunch and shopping on Granville Island.  Granville Island was once an industrial manufacturing area, but is now a major tourist destination, providing amenities such as a public market, a large marina, a hotel, the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (named in honor of the artist), various theaters including the Arts Club Theatre Company and Carousel Theatre, and various shopping areas clustered around the one industrial outpost remaining, a cement plant.

Some of the cement trucks have great pictures on their tanks.  One has a bunch of asparagus with a blue rubber band around them, another on large strawberry.  Our pictures contain the one with a strawberry and one with bows. The island is very popular with tourists and locals alike.

We took a cab from our hotel and arrived around 11AM.  It was just beginning to get crowded.  Most of the shops are occupied by artisans.  There are jewelry makers, weavers, sculptors and much more.  I really enjoying seeing all types of craftsmanship and visiting with the artist when they are present.

In addition to these shops there are also kiosks for artists in the public market.  Wow what a public market, great fresh produce, beautiful flowers, wonderfully fresh fish, meats from many different countries and much, much more.  To bad I didn’t have a place to cook that evening.  We also encountered children feeding the geese and pigeon’s at a park at the water’s edge.  There was a wooden boat show in progress.  Gene also observed the process of a sail boat being moved into the water from land.

At lunch we found a small local place, Tony’s Fish & Oyster Cafe.  Probably would seat 20 people at the most.  I had never before seen salmon as a choice of fish for fish & chips.  I have never before thought of fried salmon.  Oh my!  It was excellent.  Having had fried food for lunch I thought it best we walk around a bit more.

Finally worn out we headed for the cab stand and headed back to our hotel.  I really was into vacation mode and not wanting to head back to the real world, but home did sound good.  Something about one’s own bed and shower.  Another wonderful day documented for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our pictures

I do not like suspension bridges.  Never have, don’t think I ever will.  However, this is part of the deal if you are going to “do” Grouse Mountain.  Sometimes you just have to “suck it up” so you don’t miss life.  We decided to do a 6 hour tour for Grouse Mountain which included a Capilano Salmon  Hatchery, The Skyride, other entertainment and a ride back to Vancouver on the SeaBus.

Tours are not usually our style, and as usual we didn’t have time to do all that we would have liked, but it was still an eventful day and a great time being out in nature on a gorgeous day.

You will need to check out our pictures to see that I actually did cross the suspension bridge.  The biggest issue is keeping my balance on something that is in constant movement.  Of course, there is also the issue that once you have crossed the bridge, you must cross back if you want to leave the mountain.  Gene checked out the other bridges that were mounted in the tree tops.  He said they were pretty cool.

After our visit to suspension bridge it was a ride up the side of the mountain in The Skyride.  What awesome views.  I used to not like these things either, but I have gotten better about them over the years.The other activities that we enjoyed while on the mountain were the Birds in Motion which were birds of prey.  Always fun to what these creatures up close.  Gene went to see the bears while I just enjoyed the gorgeous day for awhile.  We had lunch and returned down the mountain on The Skyride.

Now it was off to the SeaBus for our 12 minute ride across Vancouver Harbour.  These vessels cross the harbor every 15 minutes during the day.  There was a mixture of commuters and tourists on this transport.  You may also bring your bicycle on board and there were those with their hiking equipment.  It was a beautiful, smooth ride across the harbor.  Back to our hotel to make the difficult decision about where to have dinner.  We chose the Mill Marine Bistro.  We ate outside adjacent to a large park where an evening soccer game was being played, people were running, picnicking, bicycling, relaxing and enjoying the wonderful evening.  What a great end to another great day on “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our photos

Enjoy the Skyride videos

While browsing through the tourist sites for Vancouver I happened upon the Deeley Motorcycle Exhibition.  Now motorcycles are not my thing but I am not the only person on this vacation.  My husband Gene has been riding motorcycles since he was 14 years old.  He loves the history of motorcycles.  The current exhibition is focused on the rise and fall of the British motorcycle industry.

On Wednesday morning we took a cab to Trev Deely Motorcycles where this exhibition is housed.  Our ride to our destination proved to be interesting.  I say you haven’t seen a city until you have been in the roughest part.  On our trip east on Hastings Street, we traveled through what is known as the roughest area of Vancouver.  This area is described in Wikipedia as “The area is noted for a high incidence of poverty, drug use, sex trade, crime, as well as a history of community activism.”

Gene thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition and wished there had been more.  The guy manning the exhibition that day was an old motorcycle dude also and they had a great conversation about everything motorcycle.  I took entertainment, my Kindle and BlackBerry.  Once you have walked through and looked at each motorcycle, what else is there?  I know he thinks the same thing when I am in a gallery or jewelry store.

Gene found out that we were just a few blocks from a Vancouver SkyTrain station.  So when we left the exhibition we set off on our trek to the SkyTrain station.  Once we arrived we couldn’t quite decide the best place for our destination station or where to transfer.  I am impressed with the help available via the phone adjacent to the ticketing machine.  The gentlemen patiently answered my questions and gave me clear instructions on best destination and transfer.  Vancouver is the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics.  They have been gearing up for this and extending and improving the SkyTrain has been part of this process.  We had a great ride and saw the city from a different perspective.

Late lunch in downtown Vancouver and walk back to our hotel. That evening we checked out the Elephant & Castle Pub & Restaurant for dinner.  Good food, great wait staff and fun just spending time together.  Another great day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy Gene’s Photos

While in Victoria we watched the Seaplanes coming and going.  We had taken a tour in one several years ago in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This just seemed like the smart way to get back to Vancouver. Let’s see, 35 minutes by air, 3-4 hours by bus and ferry.  A no brainer.

Our last morning in Victoria we visited the Miniature World Victoria.  A history of Canada in miniature along with some whimsical doll houses and fairy tales.  Lunch as Sam’s Deli, great pastrami, and last looks around the inner harbor.

Now for those of us that fly all the time this plane check-in, boarding, flying and luggage retrieval is just too cool. No security check.  Be there at least 10 minutes before departure.  Heavy luggage was taken earlier and waiting for us when we arrived in Vancouver.  Carry on luggage was handed to the pilot as you boarded and he stowed it behind a curtain at the rear of the plane.  Flight information and safety announcements were made by the pilot at our boarding door while he was standing outside the plane.  We could have electronic devices except for cell phones on during take off.  (Thank goodness, how else were we going to get pictures and videos?)  Your carry on luggage is handed to you after you deplane.  You retrieve your previously delivered luggage at the check-in desk and it is taken to a van that is waiting to take you to your hotel.

It was just a great adventure and I know that at least one of my friends is jealous based on a Tweet I received.  However, he has taken off from and landed on an aircraft carrier.  I am probably more jealous.  Anyway, this day turned out to be another great day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy photos of Victoria

Miniature World Photos

Watch Take Off & Landing Videos

Photos from Seaplane

This day was all about Butchart Gardens.  Gene and I rented a car for the day and drove out the the gardens.  It was a beautiful, clear day with temps in the mid 60s to low 70s.  We spent several hours taking in the sights, sounds and fragrances of the gardens.  The best description I can offer is in the pictures.

On our way back into town we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle.  There are a few pictures at the end of our photos.  The Castle is undergoing renovation so it was difficult to get really good photos.

It was a perfect day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our photos

This day was all about Butchart Gardens.  Gene and I rented a car for the day and drove out the the gardens.  It was a beautiful, clear day with temps in the mid 60s to low 70s.  We spent several hours taking in the sights, sounds and fragrances of the gardens.  The best description I can offer is in the pictures.

On our way back into town we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle.  There are a few pictures at the end of our photos.  The Castle is undergoing renovation so it was difficult to get really good photos.

It was a perfect day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our photos