We took the train twice only to Lorton virginia because we took the auto train. two round trips was more than enough for the rest of our lives.
I couldn't get up on the top bunk so I slept on the floor. plain to Florida was much cheaper more relaxing. The trip to Massachusetts stopped in the middle of the night because a car got stuck on the track. On the way back to Florida, the train was four hours late; so by the time we boarded it was 7:30. Luckily we had first seating to eat{9pm}. Others had to wait until midnight.
PS: we had to eat in our room on the way up.
NEVER EVER AGAIN

Hi, First I would like to ask where that was? Doesn't sound like a place I want to go! Your pains and such are a great combination of me and my hubby. Just be careful with those spine injections! Both my hubby and I have had them some years ago. We stopped. A week after my husband had an injection, he came down with spinal meningitis. He was very ill for about a month! Naturally, that doctor told him there was NO connection! WHAT???? What a coincidence, huh? We found out later by a "real" doctor that it was most definitely caused by that injection! It was not a pleasant side effect, believe me!! For your own good - please be careful or even rethink getting them in your spine!!
Just sayin.........................

Sorry that your having so much pain. I also suffer with spine pain, mostly lumbar and S-I. Try ice followed by a quality topical creme.(not the stuff at CVS) 3x a day. Also try to take a ten minute break every hour. Don't try stretching or exercise until you feel better and then go on line for proper stretches and exercises for your condition. Start very slowly and easy. No sudden jerky movements & brace yourself when you sneeze. There is no cure for your condition, but you will eventually discover what works and what does't. If the injections fail try PT or Chiro, Good luck buddy.

Two of my uncles served during WWll,two other uncles during Korean War. I served during Vietnam War. My son who recently retired after serving 23 years,served during Desert Shield,Desert Storm,Iraqi Freedom. Those that serve today do so by choice,there is no draft . Because they choice to serve they exemplfy
DUTY
HONOR
COUNTRY

Your problems sound familiar. I've had an operation in two places on my cervical spine and one on my lumbar spine after injections didn't help. I can't walk right and My fingers on both hands are both numb and very painful. Hope your operation gives you some relief.

I heard this very appropriate song today on 11-11-11 and it brought me to tears. Came home on found a video on YouTube... talk about overwhelming.

Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel

We met as soul mates on Parris Island
We left as inmates from an asylum
And we were sharp, as sharp as knives
And we were so gung ho to lay down our lives

We came in spastic like tameless horses
We left in plastic as numbered corpses
And we learned fast to travel light
Our arms were heavy but our bellies were tight

We had no home front, we had no soft soap
They sent us Playboy, they gave us Bob Hope
We dug in deep and shot on sight
And prayed to Jesus Christ with all of our might

We had no cameras to shoot the landscape
We passed the hash pipe and played our Doors tapes
And it was dark, so dark at night
And we held on to each other
Like brother to brother
We promised our mothers we'd write

And we would all go down together
We said we'd all go down together
Yes we would all go down together

Remember Charlie, remember Baker
They left their childhood on every acre
And who was wrong? And who was right?
It didn't matter in the thick of the fights

We held the day in the palm of our hands
They ruled the nights, and the nights
Seemed to last as long as six weeks...

...On Parris Island
We held the coastline, they held the highlands
And they were sharp, as sharp as knives
They heard the hum of our motors
They counted the rotors
And waited for us to arrive

And we would all go down together
We said we'd all go down together
Yes we would all go down together

Living To Tell The Horrible Tale Of Pearl Harbor

Remembrance Day 2011 - Haunting Images of the Great War's Battlefields

Here are a couple touching YouTube videos that I would like to share.

Veterans Day 2011 - Freedom Isn't Free

Veterans Day 2011: Adagio for Brass



My heartfelt thanks go out to each and every person that has served this great nation over the years and to their families too.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Sincerely,

Celia

What a tale. I'm so sorry that you had such troubles!!! Sending healing thoughts your way. Hope you are feeling better!
RG

Susan, please post questions like this on our forum. You'll get a better response. The Blogs are intended as a place to write articles or opine and they rarely receive replies.

Patriot Guard Riders

Patriot Guard Riders Mission Statement

The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse amalgamation of riders from across the nation. We have one thing in common besides motorcycles. We have an unwavering respect for those who risk their very lives for America’s freedom and security. If you share this respect, please join us.

We don’t care what you ride or if you ride, what your political views are, or whether you’re a hawk or a dove. It is not a requirement that you be a veteran. It doesn't matter where you’re from or what your income is; you don’t even have to ride. The only prerequisite is Respect.

Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives:

1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.

2. Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protester or group of protesters.

We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.

To those of you who are currently serving and fighting for the freedoms of others, at home and abroad, please know that we are backing you. We honor and support you with every mission we carry out, and we are praying for a safe return home for all.

Thanks for your thoughts. Freedom sure isn't free!

I'd also like to ask all to remember Winni-retired and his family now. He has two loved ones in harm's way, and it's not an easy road for the family...can be scary and often lonely. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all the Forum support when my grandson was in Afghanistan. Now Winni-retired has one in Pakistan. They will not hear even as much from his son as we did from Scott...so it is harder yet. I know he will appreciate all the support that comes his way!

Freedom isn't free - somebody paid for it.

Thanks to all you and your family members who have served or are serving now!

Really, "thank you" isn't enough.

Real nice job RG!

If you have a story or pictures to share, but would rather share them through me, please do!

ToW, I'm so glad for you and your family that John is back on US soil!

An update on the son and son in-law of Winni-Retired:

Winni-Retired's son has made it to Pakistan. He was supposed to go to Afghanistan, but his orders were pulled and his unit deployed over a month early, with less than 10 days notice. No leave. Just 36 hours to get his personal stuff squared away, then onto the ship and gone......

On the way over to Pakistan, the flight crew and ground crew of VMM-266 made a video, so that the family back home could see them. The troops on board have limited to no e-mail capability. Even as an officer, Winni-Retired's son has only been able to send a couple of e-mails... thus the following video !!!


(For some reason, I cannot post the video, only the link.)
Be sure to check out the comments too!

Party in the USA 266 RIEN

Larry's son in-law still has four plus months left in Afghanistan and is flying combat missions almost everyday. About a month ago he did get to talk with him for a few minutes. He said it is worse than the invasion of IRAQ... the worst of all his deployments and this is the fifth since January, 2003. He is scheduled to be home at the beginning of February 2011.

Winni-Retired's son will be back to the States in about 10 more months. Some time at the end of July.

Please send your thoughts and prayers out to Winni-Retired and his family and to all of our other brave men and women who serve our great country... they are all heroes!

Very interesting reading here. I have been boating for years primarily in the Western US and relocated back here a few years ago. At first I noticed a lot of the same issues here as we had in the West. The amount of unsafe boaters that I have observed here is scary. I think the biggest offense that I have seen is passing someone that is going much slower at a high rate of speed with disregard for the wake that is produced and the aftermath that it causes.
I too pay extra special attention to kyakers and canoeist .They sit at a boaters mercy as far as the wake issue so they require a lot of extra space. As do the sail boats. They can turn in different directions suddenly and I really watch what they are doing so that I don't interfere with them.
All in all I have enjoyed the challenge of navigating this lake and avoiding the challenges that hidden rocks and irresponsible boater pose out there.

I would ask why Tuftonboro is not listed?

John is home now.

He is well and glad to be back in the U. S. of A.

Please continue to pray for the rest of our troops that are still in and going into harms way.

ToW