Summer Vacation Flashback-Days 10&11

Summer vacation flashback continues with days 10 & 11. Oklahoma & Arkansas.

Monday, July 16, 2001:

Objectives: Spend all day at Val and Judy's house. May go fishing, swimming, or do other things in the area.

Our Experience: We left Sue's house around 10am. Susie & 3 of her children went with us to Oklahoma to visit Val & Judi. We arrived at Vian, Oklahoma about 3pm. It was very hot & humid. We visited for a few hours & then Judi took us to Lake Tenkiller to go fishing & swimming. We all had a good time. Mike thought he took some pictures of the lake but we can't find the pictures on the memory cards. Brandon & Mike each caught little fish & threw them back.

Photos: None were taken today because we were to busy having fun swimming and fishing at the lake, and Mike couldn't find photos on his memory card.

Tuesday, July 17, 2001:

Objectives: Another full day at Val and Judy's house. We will probably do some stuff in the area, maybe visit Arkansas? Who knows, but we're sure to have a lot of fun!

Our Experience: In the morning Judi & Val saddled up a couple of their horses for the kids to ride. Sue's children: Rick, Crystal & Justice rode as well as Mike's son Jesse. It was too hot & humid for the rest of us to ride.

We went to Fort Smith, Arkansas to see the Fort Smith National Historic Site with it's old fort & gallows. We also visited a old bordello called Miss Laura's Social Club. Learned a lot of history about the area & the era of settling the west & moving the Cherokee Indians from Georgia to this area. Oklahoma was known at that time as Indian territory. We then drove to Van Buran, Arkansas & went to some antique stores. Didn't find anything interesting enough to buy.

We came back to Val & Judi's & went to the lake again to fish & swim to cool off. It was about 95 today & very humid. While at the lake Rick & Brandon found a water moccasin in the water & Rick killed it. Judi said that water moccasin's usually are in creeks or swampy areas, not in lakes. Luckily we didn't see anymore.

Photos:

Mike's brother Val aka: Uncle Meanie

Crystal riding a horse.


Judi (Val's wife) helping Justice ride a horse.

Rick on the horse.

Judi helping Jesse horseback ride.

Rick & Val

Jesse waving as he rides on the horse.

Brandon holding a walking stick insect.

Everyone at Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The fort at Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Some stain glass window at
Miss Laura's Social Club (the bordello).

Kim standing outside of Miss Laura's old bordello.

Looking towards the Arkansas River.

Looking across the Arkansas River.

Crossing the Arkansas River as we head back to Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma sign next to the freeway.
Tomorrow the vacation flashback continues with days 12 & 13 where we leave Val & Judi's & heading towards Albuquerque, NM with some stops along the way.

This is also where we parted ways with Mike's niece Sue and her kids. They went back home to Texas. And we parted ways with Mike's other niece Jamee and her husband Mike Y. They decided they had enough vacation & wanted to drive straight back home to California. They didn't want anymore sightseeing.

Our original plans were to see Mike's other son Brandan who was living with his mom in Oklahoma. But by the time we got to Oklahoma, he had decided to move back to California. So he was back home in Cali when we got to Oklahoma.

I am so glad that we went to Oklahoma to see Mike's brother Val & his wife Judi. Both passed away within a year or so of us visiting them. I think this trip was the last time we saw Val. He was truly a one of kind character. And a character he was. But we loved him even if he was Uncle Meanie.

And one last story about our visit with Sue and her family. When we visited them Mike & I were not married at the time, but were engaged. So when I introduced myself to Sue's kids, I told them my name was Kimmy & that I was their aunt to be. Meaning, that when Mike & I finally get married I would be their Aunt. Well Sue's daughter Crystal thought I was telling her to call me Aunt Tubby. So that is what Sue's kids called me. Aunt Tubby. I guess it fits though. We had a good laugh & still laugh about it today some 8 years later. Whenever we see Sue's family they call all of us the Tubby family. Cause we are all tubby.

Be sure to check out all the prior days of our vacation flashback. And Jodi has also been posting about their current vacation. So scroll down to make sure you haven't missed anything.

And be sure to check out the other family blogs posted on the right hand side. Marti's daughter Katie just started a family blog & announced that she is pregnant. And I added Becky's daughter Jessica's blog a few weeks back as well. She is currently living in South Korea. It sure has been fun getting to know everyone in our extended family a little bit better.

Kim aka: Aunt Tubby