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TFC Lancaster, PA, Dinner Concert

Saturday evening

It was a blessing to have 560-plus people reserve seats for Lancaster Chapter’s Fund-Raising Concert.

Our granddaughters Jana and Diana occupied themselves with some fancy hand work while waiting for food.

Howard Jones, TFC President Emeritus, (right) opened with prayer for the meal.  Gene Gehman, truck driver and Lancaster Chapter treasurer (left) was the evening’s MC.

We were blessed with a concert by the Hitch Family (parents and seven of their eight children) from Nebraska.

They are a very talented family

Every family needs a “straight man” like Lucas!

Try to follow who is playing which instrument!

May the God of Hope

Fill You With All Joy and Peace

As You Trust in Him

 So That You May Overflow

With Hope

By the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

Today’s Color is Yellow

In honor of my dad

He loved seeing and caring for the daffodils that grew on the hillside next to their house.  After his death my stepmother gave me several bulbs for our memory garden.    They are just beginning to bloom this season.

More Pictures From Jenna’s Birthday Party

I lost my Internet connection last night. 

I am thankful for technicians who know what they’re doing – so I can be back online this morning.    It’s amazing how handicapped I feel without email and the online services I am used to for the office.

Gloria cuddling with her dad (our oldest son).

Gloria showing Grandpa her book about kittens.

This is Jordan’s first year of playing softball with our church team – White Oak Red

Look out for #9

Diana being hoisted to the ceiling by her dad

Diana arm wrestling with Grandpa

Jenna demonstrated her guitar skills by playing Michael Finnegan

Grandpa and her mom joined in by singing

Cerwin closed our visit by picking and singing You Are My Sunshine

A Birthday Party for Jenna Tonight

She will be twelve on Saturday

Jenna and Grandpa

Jordan, Mary Jane (her “adopted” grandma), Jeff, Chris, and Jenna

Chris, Jenna, Gloria, Grandma Lois, Jordan, Grandpa Cerwin, and Jordan

Diana and Jenna

Deb – this photo is for you – the gift purchased with your money

Diana’s headdress

Jenna loved the new clothes for her American doll

She wanted a picture with her mom and grandmas

Home Again

Monday

Cerwin and I were on the road early – driving home from Ohio – after being away for six days.

Someone donated this van to TFC, and Cerwin was asked to drive it to the TFC Office, near Marietta, PA.  I followed in our CRV.  Being in the driver’s seat for seven hours is not my favorite thing to do, but the day went well.  (I love traveling when Cerwin is driving and I can relax!)

When we left home early Tuesday morning, March 20, there was snow on the ground.

Imagine my surprise to arrive home six days later to find our crocus blooming.

I treasure these.  The bulbs were one of the last gifts from my mother who died in 1974.  I never brought new bulbs into this bed.

A Sunday to Treasure!

After going to church with Gary and Pearl, I decided to be brave and call a Xanga friend who lived just fourteen miles from Gary and Pearl’s house.  We had never met. 

Earlier in the day, I mentioned the possibility of going, and Gary and Pearl were anxious to meet them too. 

I was excited when Verna said they were home and welcomed a visit.

My first meeting with Verna http://www.xanga.com/vernam06 felt like we had always known each other.  (I got their phone number from Norman when we met at the truck show earlier in the week.  He gave it to us so Gary could contact him concerning TFC’s Ohio Truck Rally.)

What fun to meet four of their seven sons, a daughter-in-law, and a few grandchildren.  Rosetta, I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of you.  (There is a picture of Rosetta and me on Verna’s site.  She is on the rocking chair.)  Verna and Lester also have a daughter.

 Reuben and Gary

 Mahlon, Lester, and Reuben

 Andy

 Cerwin, a grandson, and Norman

 Two grandchildren with Pearl.

Reuben’s Deer

 We knew from reading their sites that two of the sons raise deer.  Reuben lives nearby and offered to show us his three.

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Birding

After our visit with the Millers, Gary and Pearl took us birding.  Even though both of us enjoy birds and water fowl, Cerwin and I have never done real birdwatching.

Pearl helps Cerwin locate the eagle’s nest.

This is what it looked like through Gary and Pearl’s spotting scope.  (Notice its white head in the center of the nest.)

Gary and Pearl are serious birders.

I experimented by taking pictures through the scope.

Water fowl are currently migrating, so it was a great day for spotting a variety of species.

My spotting victory was seeing these Sand Hill Cranes.

I did not get a good photo of them on the ground, but this one from http://www.fws.gov/mississippisandhillcrane/mscranes/mscrane.htm looks pretty much like what we saw.

 It was a day to treasure.

Saturday – The Last Day of the Show

We arrived about sunrise to make sure we had a parking spot near our exit door.  Saturday is a busy day, because many local people come and bring their children.

I missed this truck yesterday.  The picture would have looked better in daylight.

Getting set up.

The building was empty, but not for long.

Cerwin and Gary talking to the next door vendor – Ultra Seating.  Kody has some good contacts for the area of Texas where Gary is looking for church and community contacts for a future chapel.  God was good to place them next to us!

A lady driver stopped by to thank us for being in truck stops.

I didn’t realize this driver had a TFC shirt on until I got in back of him for this photo.

Michelle and Paul Rissler, California, MO, and their three boys stopped to say hi.  We learned to know them through our Truck Rally in Lebanon, PA.

A short time later, his brother John and wife Karen stopped to visit.  The two oldest boys showed me some little pin lights they got at someone’s booth.  I told them to stand in front of me and flash the lights off and on to draw attention to the Highway News I was handing out.

After they got tired of that, Kyrell asked if he could help me.  He loved that job, and almost convinced his parents to let him stay with me.

We enjoyed meeting Gary and Pearl’s friends, Leon and Julie Hochsteteler.  We met at a restaurant the other evening and invited them to have supper with us.  I didn’t take my camera along in the restaurant, so was glad for this opportunity to get a photo.

A driver stopped to share some family concerns with Pearl.

It’s over!

 The guys across the aisle feel like we do – tired – but very pleased with the week.

Beginning to tear down.

The task of loading the van begins. 

We were on the road just before 6 PM.

I think we were in Ohio when the sun set.

Our last stop was Palacio Azteca – a Mexican restaurant – where we enjoyed a delicious, late supper. 

We arrived at the Nussbaum’s about 12:07 AM Sunday.

Kentucky Truck Show

Trucks

On our way to see how far the Sand Truck had come, we stopped to see the Walking Floor Trailers.  I enjoyed watching a demonstration on how they work.

Ted, the sculptor, said he was going to have it finished by Saturday.

I liked the detail of a moth in the grill!

I took the picture crooked, and just left it that way – to “mess up your mind!”

Okay “Miller Brothers” – and the others who are waiting for me to get online – here are your truck pictures from the show.

This stripe pattern matches from outside to the inside of the cab.

Cerwin said, “Wow that’s a grill!”

11 Axles.

Look at that leather!

We saw lots of lights.

’49 Peterbilt

My pick!  I thought this one was classy.

The Evening Concert

This was not our favorite part of the week, but I had to show you the VIP seats we received from KW!  We were in the fifth row from the stage!  It was way too loud for these old people!  We only survived a few songs.

Special thanks to Bill Burns for the seats.

Truck Show – Friday

People

We had a great day of contacts and visits.

Bud Mistifer, former owner of All American Truck Stop, Frystown, PA (where we have a chapel) stopped to visit us this morning and update us on his current truck stop affiliation.

Our friend John Rissler, California, MO, stopped by to visit – along with his three boys.

A cute picture of their two youngest boys.

It was fun to meet Peggy, our contact person with Die-Cast.

People

More people – looking the other direction from our booth.

Marie and Mark Schrock, Macon, MS.  We did not know them, but knew people they knew.

We also “connected” with James Hershey, WI, (second from left) and the guys with him.

Jim calling his wife to get us connected on Xanga.