Friday, August 25, 2017

August 2017 - Great Niece Kellie Abbott's Pharmacy College White Coat Ceremony at ETSU Johnson City, TN

Kellie and I at ETSU after her White Coat Ceremony

Great Niece Kellie Abbott's Pharmacy College White Coat Ceremony at ETSU Johnson City, TN
This is another personal family activity post instead of my normal travel blog updates. I decided to share these photos as I am proud and supportive of my great niece Kellie's beginning four years of graduate study at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. I was honored to be able to be with family at her White Coat Ceremony August 11. After the ceremony my family and I spent a day together in Pigeon Forge, TN, before I drove home to Nashville. Click on the photo below to see all the photos in the gallery.


Kellie's White Coat Ceremony Gallery

Cataract Surgery Update - I am half way through my cataract surgeries. My left eye cataract surgery was successfully performed by my doctor Dr. Bernard Chang at the Eye Surgery Center of Nashville Wednesday morning August 16. I've been faithfully maintaining my eye drop routine and recovering well. Although Dr. Chang has said it will take about 30 days for my eyes to fully heal and for my eyes and brain to adjust to the new lens implant, I am seeing noticeably better with the left eye and excitedly ready for the right eye surgery. The right eye surgery is this coming Wednesday morning August 30. Hopefully, with successful surgery and healing, I should be adjusted to my new lens implants and returning to normal routines by the end of September and ready to depart on my next Amtrak trip to visit my friends, the Andersons, in Albuquerque, NM, for the Balloon Fest in October.



Remaining 2017 Travel Plans

My last planned 2017 travel includes a visit with friends in Albuquerque in October to experience the balloon fest. 

October 4-14 Albuquerque Balloon Fest and Las Vegas -- Will fly American Airlines to Chicago October 4 in the morning and board Amtrak's Southwest Chief that afternoon 3 PM.  The Southwest Chief will arrive afternoon of October 5. My friends, the Andersons, will pick me up and deliver me to my hotel for five nights. While in Albuquerque, the Andersons will be my host and together we will take in all the balloon fest activities and experience my first time staying in Albuquerque.  One of the must do activities will be to ride the commuter train the Railrunner from downtown Albuquerque to Santa Fe and return.  By the way, I met the Andersons while riding the Durango and Silverton Railroad on my 2012 Colorado Road Trip.  At the time they were living in their RV but now have a one bedroom apartment in Albuquerque. 

After five nights in Albuquerque, I will fly Southwest Airlines to Las Vegas and four nights at Caesar's Palace. It's been a while since I last visited so I have already purchased my front row seat to see Cirque Du Soleil's  "O' at the Bellagio. I'll fly American Airlines home to Nashville Saturday October 14.


2018 Travel Plans

I have done some "day dreaming" about 2018 but have not really made any decisions about 2018 travel pending completion of the cataract surgeries and allowing my budget to catch up. 


You can click on any of the small photos in this blog to open a full size photo. 

All my photos are available to view on Reagan's Photo Galleries website.


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