Thursday

Thursday morning I got up early and drove to Tina's house, and then she drove us over to one of her friend's house, and her friend drove us up to the Washington D C Temple. Lincoln came later in the day.

It was Stake temple day and we were at the temple from 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P M.  It was just a wonderful day. At 10:00, what I will call a session, began in the priesthood room with our Stake President and Temple President talking to us.  Tina played the organ and she did a wonderful job. It was a very spiritual day for me.  On the way back home I decided I was to tired to drive home after we got to Lincoln and Tina's so I decided to stay there and drive home Friday morning.

I had hardly gotten into bed when my cell phone rang.  It was our son George with the news that his daughter's husband had been killed that day.

 This is Hope and Riley.

Needless to say I got up, got dressed and drove home.  Tina had talked to Hope and asked if we could go to NC and be with her.  

It is a 6 hour drive from my house so Tina picked me up and we were at the base by 1:30.  

On the way I saw this prison bus.  I had never seen a prison bus before and Tina slowed down so he could pass us and I could get a picture. Well I had seen a prison bus in Cool Hand Luke.

We ate in Kinston, NC.  This is where some of my roots are.  This is where some of  Gran's family still live.

Tina parked in a precarious spot so I could take this picture.

We stayed with Hope at her apartment Friday evening and left when the Chief came for her to take her to Delaware Saturday morning at 9:00 AM.

 On the way home I asked Tina is she would take around about way to Kinston to Pink Hill where my Gran was born. She said of course because she is adventurous as I am. It is a cute little town.  The only pictures I took were of the entering Pink Hill sign and these cute little flags that were flying on every corner.

One thing about Pink Hill was that when we had been to the temple on Thursday Tina and I did some sealings and the sealer was being humorous about the town this person was born in, Pink Hill, North Carolina and then we found ourselves there.

Then on we went to Deep Run.This was another town I had heard a lot about when I was growing up.  I probably still have relatives living there.

Deep Run isn't as unique as Pink Hill.  Again Tina parked her car and let me walk so I could take a picture.

As we were leaving Deep Run I noticed the highway sign, it was highway 11.  I told Tina that I had a cousin that lived on that highway. I had started writing to this cousin when I was in the 8th grade and we have talked several times on the telephone since I moved to Maryland.  Tina said "Are you sure Mom?" Yep I'm sure. I looked up her number on my cell and there was no signal.  So I had given up on meeting her. 

Tina and I were hungry so when we saw a Subway we pulled in for breakfast.  I pulled out my cell and I had signal.  I called my cousin to see where she lived and she got so excited. She was only 13 miles away. That January she had moved and we were only about 2 minutes where she had lived before. I told her where we were and she kept saying don't leave, don't leave, I'll be there in a few minutes.

She then called her sister and they both came and visited with Tina and me.  Ramona is on the left, red dress. She is the one I wrote to and her sister Sharon is on the right. Sharon used to write to my sister Barbara. We had a delightful visit.  They both have a thick southern drawl  and talk so fast it was hard to understand what they were saying.  They would being talking at the same time and smiling. We have an invite to go back again and meet more family and have a southern BBQ.

It was getting on to 2 in the afternoon so we headed home.  Oh the rain, I'm so glad Tina was driving it lasted until we got into Virginia and almost to Richmond. Anyone that lives here knows how hard it can rain.

We drove through Richmond without any trouble but then we hit a parking lot.  The traffic just wasn't moving so we turned off 95 and went to 301 and sailed up the highway and over the bridge into Maryland without hardly any traffic.  It was sure good to be home.  I am thankful for Tina letting me go with her.  Trudy would have gone with us, but she needed to stay home with her family.