Christmas in North Carolina, 2007
  
 
 
A few shots leading up to the Christmas trip...
 
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At the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington...
 
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Working on the Christmas playlist...
 
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With Nancy at Bellevue Square...		 christmas_nc_2007_006.JPG (733738 bytes) December 10
With Nancy and Little Man at Cafe Ori in Bellevue...
 
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With Dora, ahh... I mean Nancy...		 christmas_nc_2007_008.JPG (783336 bytes) December 17
With Nancy at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue...
 
 
 
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To Sea-Tac...
 
 
December 20
 
christmas_nc_2007_012.JPG (369356 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_013.JPG (328711 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_014.JPG (320006 bytes) Inside Bigfoot, at SeaTacPark.com. I arrived at SeaTacPark.com and caught a couple of hours of shut-eye before shuttling over to Sea-Tac for an early morning flight to Charlotte, via Denver...
  
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christmas_nc_2007_017.JPG (380637 bytes) The oh-so-politically-correct nutty Seattle "leaders" can't allow an offensive traditional Christmas Tree in the airport; instead they opted for this pathetic "WinterScape" display. What a joke...
 
christmas_nc_2007_018.JPG (299360 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_019.JPG (323477 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_020.JPG (370394 bytes) I like the flight displays...
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christmas_nc_2007_026.JPG (286845 bytes) This is the best piece of art in the building...
 
christmas_nc_2007_027.JPG (317408 bytes) Waiting for the jetway to open...
 
christmas_nc_2007_028.JPG (257504 bytes) Denver. The new Denver airport is a sight to behold... strange in some ways, but quite a site...
 
christmas_nc_2007_029.JPG (417253 bytes) The obligatory shot in the Charlotte airport...
 
 
 
December 21
Back in Charlotte... visiting my nephew's school...
 
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December 22
At Mountain Island Lake...
  
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December 23
 
christmas_nc_2007_049.JPG (386597 bytes) I was happy to see the good folks at First Baptist Church and honored to sit with the Coffeys. Pastor Mark took on the character of Joseph and delivered a fine Christmas sermon...
 
 
At Brother Brian's home in Indian Trail, North Carolina...
 
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christmas_nc_2007_061.JPG (465177 bytes) Brother Brian was an fine host!
 
 
christmas_nc_2007_062.JPG (458032 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_063.JPG (603437 bytes) I drove by the old Farmwood house...
 
 
christmas_nc_2007_064.JPG (631847 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_065.JPG (523931 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_066.JPG (644859 bytes) I stopped by Sharon Memorial Park. This would be the first Christmas without Mother, and the fourth without Father...
 
 
 
December 24
 
christmas_nc_2007_067.JPG (224422 bytes) The little kitty Slash has grown into a full-sized cat...
 
 
christmas_nc_2007_068.JPG (433773 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_069.JPG (377588 bytes) Lunch with Tony and Tom Billotto, and Tom's beautiful bride Heidi...
 
 
Christmas Eve at Mountain Island Lake...
 
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December 25
 
Christmas Morning at Mountain Island Lake...
 
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christmas_nc_2007_112.JPG (428128 bytes) I visited with Randy's family, at Randy's mother's home. This was the first Christmas for Randy without his father, who passed away on May 4, 2007...
 
 
 
christmas_nc_2007_113.JPG (334135 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_114.JPG (277999 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_116.JPG (303671 bytes) I stopped by Donna Davis' home in Raintree for a visit with Donna, Bob, and their mother, Paula Davis. Paula, a beloved friend for many years, had left assisted living and was being cared for at Donna's home...
 
christmas_nc_2007_117.JPG (200422 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_115.JPG (208550 bytes) Patricia Marx also stopped in at Donna's. IMHO, Tricia had the prettiest picture in the 1976 Independence High School yearbook...
 
christmas_nc_2007_118.JPG (351489 bytes) While visiting at Donna's, somebody's chair broke!
 
 
In the late afternoon I set out for Raleigh to attend the annual Christmas night Terry Anderson / David Enloe birthday party at the Pour House. Many glasses were raised to the memory of our friend David Enloe, who died on November 27, 2007...
 
christmas_nc_2007_119.JPG (401117 bytes) Carina, Bob Patterson, and Jeff Reese... christmas_nc_2007_120.JPG (279797 bytes) Foy Beal... christmas_nc_2007_121.JPG (426824 bytes) Jack Cornell on bass, Jeff Hart on a festive tele...
 
christmas_nc_2007_123.JPG (364576 bytes) Jack, Grace on vocals... christmas_nc_2007_122.JPG (263605 bytes) Cathy B. and Bob... christmas_nc_2007_124.JPG (320798 bytes) Carina and Bob Patterson in the wee small hours of morning...
 
 
 
December 26
 
christmas_nc_2007_126.JPG (270470 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_128.JPG (397706 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_127.JPG (335657 bytes) The next morning - downtown Raleigh... bye to Bob Patterson, Carina, and Jeff Reese...
 
christmas_nc_2007_129.JPG (218176 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_130.JPG (310372 bytes) On the way back to Charlotte I stopped in Winston-Salem and had lunch with Christie...
 
 
 
December 27
Sister Jan took me to the new (not open yet) US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, not far from her Mountain Island Lake home...
 
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christmas_nc_2007_141.JPG (335970 bytes) My storage unit in Charlotte...
 
christmas_nc_2007_142.JPG (375156 bytes) Lunch with Randy at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House, at Piedmont Town Center, near SouthPark...
 
christmas_nc_2007_143.JPG (343330 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_144.JPG (331183 bytes) Nancy (back in Seattle) asked me to bring her a Hooters of Charlotte shirt, so I forced myself to stop in to a local branch...
 
christmas_nc_2007_145.JPG (307761 bytes) I finished off the afternoon with Pete at Caribou Coffee...
 
 
As I would be arising by 4:00am the following morning for an early flight back to Seattle, I said my goodbyes at Mountain island Lake before retiring for the evening...
 
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December 28
 
christmas_nc_2007_151.JPG (248359 bytes) Well before dawn, while everyone else in the house slept, I made ready to head to the Charlotte airport. Just prior to leaving, I sat at the table and spent some quite moments thinking about how much I how much I miss my Mother and Father, and how much I love my sister and her family, and Brother Brian...
 
christmas_nc_2007_152.JPG (283613 bytes) Charlotte airport...
 
 
East of the Mississippi River the clouds abated and I could see that the country below was well frozen over.
 
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christmas_nc_2007_158.JPG (355281 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_159.JPG (363666 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_160.JPG (413347 bytes) Over the Rocky Mountains...
 
 
christmas_nc_2007_161.JPG (297810 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_162.JPG (458179 bytes) christmas_nc_2007_163.JPG (341441 bytes) Over Arizona...
 
 
Over Arizona - The Grand Canyon...
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christmas_nc_2007_173.JPG (322115 bytes) I've flown over this spot before. Observe the markings on the ground... what is this?
 
 
Lake Mead...
 
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christmas_nc_2007_178.JPG (471822 bytes) Approaching Las Vegas...
 
christmas_nc_2007_179.JPG (377433 bytes) You step off the jet in Las Vegas and you're in a casino...
 
 
Out of Las Vegas... and I didn't lose a dime!
 
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Over Seattle...
 
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Highway 99 North through Seattle...
 
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The following day...
 
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With Nancy and Little Man... Bellevue Square Mall and in Bigfoot. Nancy is wearing her new Hooters shirt, from Hooters in Charlotte...