Saturday, June 5, 2021

Reagan Is READY TO TRAVEL again!

Great Northern Empire Builder in 1965

Ready to Travel Again!

After staying home in Nashville/Franklin since March 2020, I am definitely ready to travel again. I celebrate my 80th Birthday this October 17 so my future travels will be less regular than in past years but I still enjoy traveling on Amtrak trains, visiting my Louisiana home, and eventually Hawaii. For now, I have three trips planned for 2021. Those three trips are listed below with a link to a photo gallery when I previously made similar trip in past years.

July 19-21 Carbondale, IL, and Amtrak Illini/Saluki

Driving to Carbondale, IL, to stay two nights in the new Home2Suites Hotel right across the street from the Amtrak Station. On Tuesday, July 20, I will ride Amtrak's Illini departing 7:30 am to Chicago Union Station arriving 1 pm. After a short three hours I will board Amtrak's Saluki departing Chicago 4:05 pm back to Carbondale arriving 9:45 pm. I could not wait until September to ride Amtrak again. Click the photo below to see my ride on this train in October 2015.

Amtrak Ilini/Saluki October 2015

August 31 - September 16 Chicago-Amtrak's Empire Builder-Seattle

Flying to Chicago to ride Amtrak's Empire Builder to Seattle for a few days and then returning to Chicago on Amtrak's Empire Builder. Will fly home from Chicago. Click on the photo below to see the 1965 Great Northern Empire Builder gallery.

Great Northern Empire Builder 1965

November 22 - December 1 Thanksgiving at Home in Louisiana

Traveling to my Louisiana home to spend Thanksgiving week with my sisters and other family and friends in Shreveport/Bossier City, LA. Last time I was home was in October 2019. Click on the photo below to see photo gallery of my visit in 2015.

My Sisters' Home in Benton, LA

As I travel this year, I will still do update blog posts every few days instead of daily as I am inclined to take less photos and simply enjoy my days traveling and being with family and friends. I will definitely update you in July after my short trip to Carbondale and my ride on Amtrak's Illini/Saluki to Chicago and back.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James Version (NKJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

March 2020 to February 2021 - STAYING AT HOME in Nashville, TN

Reagan at Home in Tennessee

STAYING AT HOME in Nashville, TN

My last travel before the Coronavirus Pandemic was one year ago February 21 to March 7, 2020. That was my Winter Rail Trip on Amtrak's California Zephyr with stays in Chicago, Illinois, and Emeryville, California. While in California I did visit both San Francisco and Sacramento and ate with my friend Nancy at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Sacramento. Little did I know that I would be forced to "stay at home" and lose the Nashville Old Spaghetti Factory(OSF) to a Christmas morning bombing. The Nashville location had been here 40 years and still had 14 years remaining on their lease but because of the basically total destruction of the building on Second Avenue, the owners have cancelled the lease and Old Spaghetti Factory will hopefully find a new location to rebuild. I've included a photo of the OSF destruction later in this blog.

First Trip May 5-8 to East Tennessee for family celebration

Since I am 79 and will celebrate 80 this October, I will still not plan travel until the Pandemic is much more under control and particularly until Amtrak resumes daily travel on its long distance routes which are currently operating only three days a week. But I do have my first family related travel planned for May when I will drive to Johnson City, TN, to attend graduation ceremonies and a little family celebration for my great niece Kellie from Bill Garrett Pharmacy School at East Tennessee State University. Currently that trip is planned for May 5-8.

A Few Photos of Me "Staying at Home"

Last Meal in a Restaurant March 11, 2020
celebrating birthdays of Russ and Margo

My Home in Nashville/Franklin, TN

My Pandemic Helpers

Next door neighbor Lisa

My weekly Kroger Shopper Lori

Celebrating my 79th Birthday

Birthday Cupcakes from Lori

Outdoor Lunch with Russ and Daniel

The Faces of Reagan

Reagan Walking at Home

Reagan Walking at the Mall

Reagan Walking at Home

Christmas at Home Alone

Christmas Stocking from my Louisiana sisters

My Christmas Tree

Neighbor Lisa Provided the Christmas Wreath

A Christmas Tragedy

Christmas Morning Bombing Destroyed OSF
Old Spaghetti Factory - A 40 Year Landmark

Nashville is STRONG and we will rebuild

A Little Ice and Snow

My Front Lawn

My Back Patio

With Two Doses of Pfizer COVID Vaccine I will soon be ready to "leave" home and return to church and my Louisiana home

Got Pfizer Vaccine January 26 and February 22
after a little ice and snow delay

And If You Would Like you may check out photos from:

AMTRAK WINTER 2020 TRIP

Thanks for continuing to follow my travel blog. Hopefully much later in 2021 there will be some traveling to update you on.

As we travel through this uncertain time, just remember that GOD IS IN CONTROL and serving Jesus is my definite future.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James Version (NKJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Still Home Alone - Now In My FIFTH MONTH Home during Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

Still Celebrating LSU's Football National Championship

Mask Up Everyone

Home Alone Pandemic Fifth Month Update

Just a short update to let you know that I'm still Covid-19 free and still staying at home alone with limited trips to doctors and to do curbside pickups from restaurants and fast food places. Medically, my doctors are all giving me good reports so when I feel safe I'm good to travel. Actually, I have zero travel plans and the first travel hopefully this calendar year will be to travel to my home State Louisiana to visit family and friends in the Shreveport/Bossier City area. I'm not making even those plans until the USA makes tons more improvement in the Covid-19 situation. Sadly, Tennessee is at the peak of number of new cases everyday with rising hospitalizations and deaths. We have now exceeded 50,000 positive cases of Covid-19. Also, many Tennesseans are not willing to wear masks nor physical distance from others. So, I will maintain my "safer at home" status definitely through August and maybe longer awaiting a great reduction in new cases and hospitalizations.

While I do have great neighbors and church family support, I so greatly miss interactions except for phone calls with my blood Louisiana family and my adopted Tennessee family. If there is disappointment and sadness for me, it is this absence of family closeness. So I will close this update with these photos of the newest member of my Louisiana family. My great great nephew Jack Malec will be 4 months old July 17. That is his mom and dad Cheri and Matt with him in the last photo. Hopefully, I get to meet him in person this year sometime.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;

6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Home Alone - Months of Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

Relaxing at Home in March and April

Home Alone - Months of Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

When I returned home from my Winter 2020 trip on Amtrak's California Zephyr I was aware that the Covid-19 Virus was going to change my travel plans but was not aware that I along with most everyone else would be "staying home" for some length of time. Well, as of May 1, I have been home 48 days and now foresee staying home with limited trips to doctors' offices and other necessary places for possibly several months. I am 78 and do have type 2 diabetes so I will stay at or close to home until the actual number of cases and deaths greatly decline and there is adequate testing and tracing to assure my safety. As far as I am concerned my State of Tennessee and the rest of the USA will not be safe for me for some time to come. Most likely I will limit vacation type travel until after I personally can receive a safe and effective vaccine.

I did cancel an Amtrak trip I had planned for April 16-30 immediately upon arriving home in early March for full refunds from Amtrak and Southwest Airlines. I simply cancelled the hotel reservations. So for the foreseeable future into 2021, I have no pleasure travel reservations or plans.

I do want to and will travel to my northwest Louisiana home when both Tennessee and Louisiana businesses are safely open and I personally feel safe flying on American Airlines. I was scheduled to fly home to Shreveport, LA, May 12 but did cancel that reservation for a full refund of my frequent flyer points. I was to meet my newly born great, great nephew Jack Malec born March 17 and also to attend high school graduation of friend Macy Young whose parents and grandparents are dear friends. While disappointed that those plans have been delayed and cancelled, I know that Jack and all my family and friends will still be there when I can make the trip.

Great Great Nephew Jack Malec born March 17, 2020

So what have I been up to while staying home alone? Thankfully, church friends and neighbors have been taking great care of me. My next door neighbors have been sharing cooked food from their dinner table. My church friend Lori has been doing my grocery shopping for me and my Sunday School teacher Kevin has kept in contact and is getting our class together Wednesdays and Sundays via ZOOM plus offering to meet most any need we may ask.

My sisters in Louisiana have kept in touch and sent me two home made masks to wear when I go out to doctors' offices and other places. My Tennessee family Russ calls as does our mutual friend Daniel just to talk so I am remaining socially connected while staying home and physically distancing.

I updated my photo galleries with a gallery of photos showing you the great area I have to neighborhood walk. Click the following photo to see the gallery.

2020 Covid-19 Virus Pandemic

Historic May 1-2, 2010 Rain and Floods

After viewing my 2020 Covid-19 gallery, you might like to check out the same neighborhood area photos after Nashville's historic and catastrophic floods ten years ago on May 1-2, 2010. Click the photo below to see the gallery.

Historic May 1-2, 2010, Rain and Flooding

Since Covid-19 Virus is a global pandemic, I hope that you are safe and doing well wherever you may be. Since I don't have any travel plans for a while, I will post an update every couple months or so.

Prov.3 Verses 5 to 6 NKJV

[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Amtrak February 2020 Winter Trip - Galleries Ready to View

Amtrak's California Zephyr in Colorado's Canyons

Amtrak 2020 Winter Trip - February 21 to March 7 - Chicago, Amtrak's California Zephyr, California

I write this travel blog update after being home in Nashville/Franklin, TN, two weeks staying at home social distancing hoping not to contract Coronavirus Covid-19 nor spread it. As a 78 year old with type 2 diabetes I am one of the group most susceptible to suffer severe conditions from this virus. I am healthy and I have had no evidence of the virus symptoms and I hope to keep it that way by staying at home isolating myself for the foreseeable future. I have had friends offer to get things I may need and my next door neighbors have been excellent in checking on me and sharing some of their cooked food and running a milk and bread run for me. In addition two other friends have picked up grocery items and delivered them to my home and, yes, we are practicing social distancing when they bring stuff to my door.

This 2020 Winter Trip may be my only travel adventure this calendar year. I cancelled my April 16-30 Amtrak Trip on the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr with overnight stays in Chicago and Emeryville, CA. The only other trip I have planned and still have my flight reservation for is a trip to my Louisiana home in May but I am expecting we in the USA may still be asked to stay home practicing social distancing into May and possibly beyond. If I cannot travel in May, I will still travel to my Louisiana home later in the year.

Hopefully, each of you will be okay during this very different time of crisis all around the world. Be safe and do stay at home and practice social distancing.

Amtrak Winter Trip Photo Galleries Ready to View

Thankfully, I was able to experience this very enjoyable trip just prior to the covid-19 virus began spreading in the USA and took over 500 photos which I have uploaded to six photo galleries and they are ready for you to view. Here are the links to each of the photo galleries. Just click on the photo or caption to see the photos.