Great place to connect

Modern! First-time travelers on the Amtrak Empire Express to Penn Station, we scurried off and out to find our connection with the Long Island Rail Road to continue onward to our ultimate destination. We climbed steps to the Patrick Moynihan Train Hall. Everything you need. It’s a fantastic place to find your train … and…

Happy in the present

Ready for the rails. I waited patiently for the day to appreciate the great Christmas present my dear wife Karen, terrific daughter Elisabeth and fantastic George Three put their heads together to gift me back in December. We needed to face forward. We all decided the best way to start the journey was a drive…

Pop on the side

Grow tall. I was glad to see this purple beauty popping up high in the side yard at Elisabeth and George’s place as we got ready to eat his special pulled pork, burgers and way more sides than I could ever get down easily.

Hanging out there

Pretty bunch. While strolling their grounds during family cookout time, I was glad to see terrific daughter Elisabeth picked up a pretty handing plant for their yard, too. Another beauty.

Front flowers pop

Stay away, critters. Terrific daughter Elisabeth and George Three won’t give up on their garden missions, even though their neighborhood critters have in the past few years taken their munching habits to so many of their plants. Here’s hoping this year’s batch remain unmunched!

Great backyard feel

Love their place. Terrific daughter Elisabeth and fantastic George Three started cookout season 2025 with a wonderful family get-together. I loved the crackling fire pit stoked by George.

Hello up there

Towering. When my dear wife Karen points and says, <em>You should take that,</em> well, I take the photo. The Hot Springs tower over the Cracker Barrel parking lot on our last night in town indeed was a welcoming sight.

Queens of the mountain

Youngsters of the family. Sister-in-law Lynne drove over to the Hot Springs Village condo where my dear wife Karen and I were staying and picked us up for a little special sightseeing. She swooped us up a mountain to look down over Central Ave. As great as that was, my favorite sight was the lovely…

Dog loving in the family

Happy trio. Every family home we visited during our vacation to Hot Springs, Ark., was filled with lovely dogs. I saw it was in the family genes, having loved two cherished mutts back home with my dear wife Karen. When sister-in-law Jana came over to the condo on the lake we rented for our stay,…

Happy days for us

Day drinking allowed. My dear wife Karen waved goodbye to the full-time working world. She deserved that step back so darn much. What a hard worker she is! From the days we met while both making our career paths at the big daily to her following that up with a direct 180 into the medical…