May 8th "D" day.....as in Departure.

We will be taking off for our summer tour staring this coming Tuesday.  After a quiet Memorial Day (we hope to have all things packed and ready to go by Sunday) we will jump in the vehicles and hit the road for 4-6 months.  I say 4-6 because we have bookings set for 4 months and some still being worked out that could take us out for a month or two more.   May has been insane with dentist check-ups, doctor appointments (gotta get those check-ups and stuff done), car appointments (rotations, oil changes, repairs, etc), house preparation, yard preparation, and self preparation.
We have taken the time to have the kids learn how to fish in various environments and with various styles so we can enjoy our Omega-3s while on the road. Since we stay at RV parks and rural fair grounds there is always a creek, river, pond, or lake near-by. And since I am a dunce about the art of fishing my god-brother , Steve, has been teaching the kids. They love it.
This past Sunday we had the opportunity to have a farewell lunch with our bestous buddies JC and Clidean. And no better way to do it than the bestous Chinese food in most of the US, Tong Fong Low.  You can't meet two of the nicest people. And no one can out do JC for energy, enthusiasm for life, and kindness. He and I were on our best behavior at this lunch because the wives were there....but when I get back from tour JC and I sure to get a little crazy.
Cynthia made it to NAIA Collegiate Track Championships today.  She ran the 400 hurdles (has to be the hardest race of all 400 meters sprinting then they added hurdles to it.   She ran against 17mph headwinds. No one got a personal best at that race. The top 9 would move on to finals on Saturday. Unfortunately Cynthia ended in 11th. But she moved for 12th to 11th seed. And that's a good thing.  
Miles is taking summer classes and will meet up with us in Bowling Green, Ky when he is done. He is the RA for the summer dorms at the college. It's kind of like being a dad for a bunch of kindergardeners.  He's coping.
By the way a young man named Ryan has joined on as our intern for the summer....more on him as the summer progresses.
Not sure if I posted the parade pictures. But here are a couple pre parade pictures from two weeks ago.
Here are some pix from the week:

 Jim and Ryan taking time for a pose.

 Jim's new haircut

 Group birthday...all in the pix will have a birthday on tour...."Happy Birthday, Y'all"

 BASS

 Steve and Victor

 Berry Creek School fundraiser show.

 Victor doing tricks on the wire in cast!

 My garden before we leave...who knows if it will be alive when I get back. 

 This big Horehound was a tiny spring I found by the river and transplanted here.  Fortunate because a week later rangers weed whacked the area for fire-safety.  

 Happy Burrito before it is rolled. 

Since we are going on tour the doc took Vic's cast off early (one week). He is wearing a wrist splint for the next two weeks.  But yay, he gets to shower w/out a plastic bag. 

 John on Jim. 

 College life?

 A friend found this old wedding picture of Mami and I and posted it on Facebook so I repost it here. 

Don't ask, I have no idea!