1st Photos from UC Monterey Bay, California

Amanda and roommate enjoying the cool Pacific Ocean breezes. She is also pictured with the University of California team where she landed a starting position in right field. The campus is in Monterey Bay and next to the ocean. She is pursuing Marine Biology. What a place to be for this study where they are equipped with robot deep diving subs to retrieve marine life from the ocean bottom. This ship was recently featured on the National Geographic Channel. So far she has survived a few detours and some homesickness. We'll all be glad to see her this Thanksgiving in Ashland, Oregon!

Big Trip East 4 - Ind.-Mich.

Back in June, we left Texas stayed overnight in Jackson, TN and made to Indianapolis where Dan & Donna Monroe (right bottom)welcomed us for several nights. Dan's dad, Wayne, was there - a long time friend from Anderson, Indiana. To and from their place we connected with Dot Berkey and Ruth Berry a former neighbor in Ashland, OR.

We moved north to Jan and Steve Kings in Ft. Wayne (middle bottom) where their daughter Susan joined us. They took us to the Ft. Wayne Zoo. . .a magnificent layout with many interesting sights along the way for all ages. Highly Recommended! We connected with Kim & Tom Swank in Ft. Wayne, where Mike Reynolds surprised us! This was a real treat for Esther & I which took us back to our days in Elkhart & Wakarusa. As we were about to leave for Michigan, Tom presented us with a family heirloom he had rescued from Bethel Publishing in Elkhart as they were closing it down. My grandpa & grandma Freed, who had started the Shoe Store in Wakarusa in the early 1900's, had purchased a large, leather family Bible published in 1888. They had filled in all the family pages in the center of this Bible with dates along with a certificate of their marriage. I couldn't believe that this Bible was almost lost to our family had Tom not discovered it in the basement of Bethel Publishing. This was a wonderful gift to me and our family!

We then headed to Michigan where Ruth's and Jim's and Betty's were expecting us. The days ahead were filled with reunions and get-togethers. We also were blessed with meeting Rose, Scott Tuckey's new wife, pictured above. Notice Gary & daughter Julie busy cooking for us.

Our friends from the East, Jane & Larry Wilson, were traveling in Ohio and were able to join us at Ruth's for several days. Jim gave us a tour of his wood working shop and was explaining his drum sander. We also visited his favorite spot in Michigan, the cabin in the woods. Time passed swiftly as we headed back to Wakarusa for more reunions. . .the next installment.