Back Home Again in Indiana

Today finds us back in Indiana after a 10 hour drive from Ellicott City, Maryland yesterday. Along the way we stopped in Frederick, Maryland to visit McCutcheons ( http://www.mccutcheons.com/index.php ) to purchase some of their sauces and relishes. Then we stopped at Hepburns Orchards ( http://hepburns.com/ ) to purchase some of their pies to bring back to family here.

As we were passing thru Celina, Ohio, around 6 PM last night we received a call from my parents notifying me that my uncle, Thomas Niblick, had died around 4 PM at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne where he had been a patient since Monday of last week. During that time he had undergone four surgeries and at 83 just wasn't strong enough to endure the stress that puts on the body.

The funeral is scheduled for Friday so we will not be heading home until Sunday or later.

I have been watching the coverage of Hurricane Dolly as it comes ashore in Texas today. Sounds as if they are getting hit quite hard and there is going to be a lot of damage in the areas of Texas touched by the storm. Until now much of Texas was in a drought so hopefully this will help that situation. According to the weather radars we should be getting some rain from the storm at home in Sulphur. Just talked to Ian and he said that so far he had seen nothing but light rain at his apartment.

Travel Day 84 in 2008

We left Indiana at 6:45 this morning and after driving 580 miles today we arrived in Ellicott City, Maryland around 5:15 PM.

Stopped in Hancock, Maryland for some of their great pies on the way.

So far this trip we have driven a total of 2,216.8 miles. Paid the highest price ever for gasoline today, $4.14.9 a gallon. The cheapest we saw along the way was $3.899 but didn't need it at that point.

Not certain what our plans are for the rest of the week but we plan to leave here on Monday and head back to Indiana.

Travel Day 83

Today is the 83rd day we have been away from home this year.

Today we are in Marion, Indiana. Went to Converse today to visit my sister Cindy at her work and meet her co-workers.

Stopped at Gus's Dairy Barn for ice cream. I used to stop there when I walked home from school in the 7th grade in 1963.

Tomorrow we are heading to Ellicott City, Maryland to visit Ellen and her family and see Laura in the musical "Guys & Dolls" where Laura plays the Salvation Army lady.