Our Caribbean Cruise Vacation Part 8 - Grand Cayman

We arrived early.  Ate breakfast at 9.  Took a tender to the shore for our excursion - another "Best of" or "Highlights".   There were three stops - Hell, a rum cake factory, and a turtle farm.  We've been collecting shot glasses at our various stops (as well as Harley T-shirts, when we can).  We returned to the ship mid-afternoon.  A very tiring day and still congested.  Here are the various pictures . . .  

 

 

 

 

 

Our Caribbean Cruise Vacation - Part 7 Jamaica

Lots of islands on this cruise and lots of days.  The trip is almost at an end.  this is our penultimate stop.  Ocho Rios.  

We did the highlights tour - only two stops.  Konoko Falls & Park and Almond Tree Restaurant.   I didn't write very much in my journal to post so this will be a pictorial blog.

our tour guide

Oh my, we are suffering from colds.  What a way to end the day!  What a stormy night!!!! Lots of lightening!!!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving - a time to be thankful for many things.  I am thankful for family.  I look back to my childhood and we always celebrated Thanksgiving with my Mom's family - her parents, her siblings, and all of us cousins (32 first cousins).

We would gather for the entire day.  We were so large that the family hosting the event had to rent a hall.  Although, the pictures I have from the early days show we were in homes.

The aromas coming out of the kitchen . . . pies, turkey, ham, potatoes, etc.  There was lots of laughter & joy.  There were sad times as well.

Home movies shown on the wall . . . tag/flag football outside . . . hide-n-seek, tag, and whatever other games us kids could think of.  Groupings of cousins .  . . talking, playing, etc.

We had beautiful weather and we had cold wet weather.

November 1964

November 1967

Now we just get together on a weekend in the summer where most of the family camps and others stay in a hotel.

July 2009 - Astoria, OR

2010

Thanksgiving is now spent with immediate family only.  Sometimes with my family and sometimes with my husband's family.

2010

Our Caribbean Cruise Vacation - Aruba Part 6

One of the better tours took place here - we did the Best of Aruba.  We had to get up early (like 6 am) to eat breakfast then catch our tour bus.  


The first stop of the day was at the Natural Bridge Park.  We then went on to Carambi Rock Formation.  David climbed to the top but not me (no way!).  I walked around the gardens and took photos. We then went to the Aloe Vera Plant - no production going on and photos were not allowed inside.  Our 4th stop was at the California Lighthouse.  it was under renovation so couldn't get too close.  Our final stop was the beaches.  We decided not to walk on the beaches but stayed close to the bus.  Did take some photos of the area.

The afternoon was spent on board the ship - trivia game and an evening show of Improv.

The next day was a sea day - reading, bingo, and music in the Gatsby Lounge.

Veteran Ancestors

In honor of Veteran's Day, I will take a look at my ancestors who have fought in various wars for our Nation's freedoms.

Hmmm . . . thought this would be easy.  I'm not finding much at the moment.  There are possibles with the Civil War (both sides) but I don't have definitive proof.

I know that my Porter family was involved with the Virginia Militia before the Revolutionary War because that is how I got my membership in the Daughters of the American Colonists.

Daniel Brown, private in the 124th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War.  In 1863, he was 40 years old, married, and a farmer.  Daniel is my 3rd great grandfather on my mother's side of the family.  He died in September 1863 due to illness contracted during his service.  His wife filed for pension.  Lots of good information in that pension file including marriage certificate and listing of children including birth dates and places.

Thomas Stead, private in  Company H, 9th New York Heavy Artillery during the Civil War.  Thomas is my 2nd great grandfather on my mother's side.  Haven't been able to track down the actual pension record online.

James Frazer fought in the Revolutionary War.  There are muster rolls but I'm not able to determine if it is the same James Frazier.

Garland Hurt fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy.

Moses Hurt, Garland's father,  fought in the Revolutionary War.

As I do more in-depth research on various surnames, I will be able to add to this list.