KC, Cruise & Dad | FindPenguins

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🇺🇸 Tyler, United States
KC, Cruise & Dad
Dads Viewing snd Burisl
February 9 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
We drove together to the funeral home in Gilmer just before 5. Karen and Thomas had driven up and arrived around 10pm on Monday night, the night before. We had some great conversations up until 1:30am

At the funeral home we met Ellen, Luke and family. Dennis and Jill and a handful of other folks came to the funeral home. Afterwards we went to Texas Longhorns for dinner. I sat next to Kyle and Sherrie, with Gary, Karen and Michelle across from me.

The next day, Ellen and I drove together the cemetery while Glenn and Luke had the kids in the van. This day was sunny, warm and partly cloudy compared to mom’s burial where it was freezing.

Ronnie had a nice devotion. Steve shared his challenges of marrying into the Marr family. They presented us with the American flag and played taps.

Afterwards, we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Delicious food -fajitas with beans and rice. We were able to sit next to Gary and Kyle.

We switched cars and took the van while Ellen and Luke drive together the Burns home before their trip to Florida the next day.

Aunt Sarah took Elizabeth and Lucy for the next 3 days while we kept the Double A’s (Annie and Amanda)Read more
TravelerPraying for you in all this
3dReply
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Cutting my trip short
February 6 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
On Thursday morning, I woke up, showered and as I was about to leave the room, I quickly read my test message. One arrived at 2:30am that said “Judy please call me”

I knew this was THE call. I went down to Guest services and asked to have the call placed to Glenn. Guest services knew me because I had introduced myself at the very beginning of the trip explaining that dad was on hospice etc. Kevin was very helpful.

Glenn told me how dad died in his sleep. I remembered the last time I talked to dad on Wednesday afternoon when he had just been moved over to T Bond Pickens hospice center. I said “I love you dad” in which he replied “I love you too”. I smiled. I cried. Dad died on Thursday, February 5, 2026. That is Amanda’s 4th birthday. Guess I won’t forget this day.

We were in Mexico. No airport around. So Glenn made reservations for me to fly out on Friday from Cozumel at 3:30pm. Perfect!

I had to go thru customs snd immigrations on Friday- meeting in the dining room. My bags (cubes) were all packed. I asked Zach if he wanted to go in the taxi with me. He and Janie took the 40.00 round trip to the airport.

Glenn picked me up and we headed to JF. It had been decided the viewing would be on Monday and the burial on Tuesday and the memorial service on Monday, February 16 at NBCRead more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Day 4, 5 and 6
February 4, Gulf of Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
This last minute cruise with long time friend, Janie, turned out to be quite unusual. I never walked off the ship. I enjoyed finding “my happy place” where I would cross stitch and read. Also I was very intent in communicating with Glenn as he was there helping Sherrie with granddaddy.

I made new friends. I sat out on Central Park and we engage with people that walked by me. Normally they would ask about my cross stitch project. I had several friends sign my mobile guest book

We ate dinner each night together in the main dining room. One afternoon I had pizza at Sorrentos

Oh, I found out that my cousins by marriage (Clovis married my granddaddy Otis), patty and Toni were on the ship. We connected for a 1 hour visit in Central Park

I also taught Janie how to play Rummycube. Janie was a night owl. I was the early bird.Read more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Day 2 and Day 3 Sea Day
February 3, Gulf of Mexico ⋅ 🌬 70 °F
I woke up really early for the first of 2 Sea Days. I walked around. Found the Solarium, however it was not very comfortable because it was out in the open and 50 degrees outside.

Found the put put course, ping pong tables, wave, slides, Central Park and the back of the boat.

I sat on the chairs near the running track. Great place to see the sunrise. I met Janie back in the room to head to the Main Dining Room for breakfast. We never found Ray. I followed Janie to sign up for the slot pull. Then I returned to the room for a bit. I ended up on Central Park and sat at a patio table and cross stitched. I talked with several folks from Tx and NY plus the hotel manager as they walked by.

For lunch I had Sorrento Pizza. Good. I took a 1.5 hour nap. At 3:45 I attended a cross stitched class then back to the room.

We all had dinner together at 6:45pm. Onion soup, wedge salad and crusted salmon. Delicious.

We watched the show “Voices”. Into bed by 10pm

Up by 5am on Sea Days 2

I ate breakfast in the windjammer and had a lovely talk with hazelnut from Mozambique. Then I cross stitched down on the Central Park and Ginny , from Ohio was stitching with me.

For lunch we ate a hamburger in the Solarium with the rest of the gang. And I taught Janie how to play Kings Corner. During the afternoon I rested in the room and chatted with Glenn via iPhone.Read more
TravelerI find those ships so overwhelming. Central Park is a sanity saver. And now in your time of distress: Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
1wReply
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Arrived at Galveston
February 1 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
Sherrie and Steve drove me to the RC terminal for the Harmony of the Sea cruise ship.

We first stopped at Joint for an adjustment. And that was helpful. I waited in line til I met up in the big “people loop line” and they jumped in line to join me.

The ship was late in arriving so we were late in leaving. We boarded at 3pm. Got our key cards, got our accounts settled.

Traveling:
John and Tammy (Reeves)
Janie Reeves and
Mae (Janie’s friend)
Zac (Tammy’s son)

We all enjoyed a dinner table at 6:45 on deck 3. We will go to this table every evening. Perfect spot.

I had soup and steak. No dessert.

I went back to the room to get the twinkling lights hung up. The Steward separated the beds. We talked a long time. Lucas has worked for Royal Caribbean for 21 years. Married and has 2 kids.

I was in bed by 10:30. Janie came in and left again at 11:30 for the sail-away and the casino.Read more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Friday and Saturday
January 31 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 45 °F
After arriving at granddaddy’s place, we helped him with his breakfast.

Glenn fixed the swivel chair to only rock. He used good old rope. That did the trick.

Ben came by around 9:30 and visited with Sherrie and Glenn. Then he chatted with dad. His BP was quite low. Ben said “John, Frances is calling, but the Lord said, it’s not your time yet”. Dad smiled.

Ben is Philipino and all I had to say was “Jolly-bee” and he gave out a big belly laugh. Jolly-bee is a Philippine restaurant. It specializes in fried chicken and spaghetti. Strange combination. We ate there last year when we visited the Philippines and there’s this same restaurant chain even in Dallas. Off of Greenville Ave and University Blvd.

Dad slept most of the morning. Glenn helped him get dressed and back into his chair. Sherrie went over some important procedures and instruction for Glenn.

Sherrie texted Gary and he was able to FaceTime granddaddy and Gary, oh for about a good 20 minutes.

Later Brian and Sarah dropped by, too bad dad was asleep most of the time. Then Beverly and Catherine and Clay showed up with little Charlie.

In the meantime, Glenn is the caregiver for gdaddy the whole weekend and I headed to Houston with Sherrie. We arrived at Sherrie’s house around 9:30. She’s been gone for 4 weeks and she really needed a break.

On Saturday, I went to a movie to see Malania. Good, especially since I didn’t see any if the inauguration stuff last year. Walked around the mall. Hobby Lobby a few miles away then back to Sherrie and Steve’s house so I could get my DMC thread that I needed from Michael’s.

The 3 of us went out for pizza and salad. We stopped at Cato’s and I got a new blouse. Stopped at a British store for Steve then we were good and hungry.

At the casual restaurant called Mod pizza, we played Kings corner and they taught me Trash. That was fun. We had some good belly laughs.

Tired. We’re going to sleep in tomorrow. Steve is going to drive to Tim Hortons to get doughnuts.

Speaking of doughnuts, we stopped by Voodoo Doughnuts. Very creative and artistic doughnuts. Steve bought the Memphis Mafia which was as big as his hand.

Fun day. Tired. The Royal Caribbean ship is arriving later than expected. So instead of us boarding at 11:30, we’re boarding at 3pm. Medical emergency where a passenger with malaria had to be rescued off of the coast of Mexico and with high winds, the ship will not dock til 10:30

One more dayRead more
TravelerWe saw a JollyBee in New York last week! You have Tim Hortons in Texas???? I'm so jealous! Continuing prayers 🙏 for your Daddy ❤️
2wReply
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Visiting gdaddy again
January 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F
For the past week, we’ve been iced in Tyler’s a horrible blizzard, low temperatures plus ice and sleet covered Dallas and East Texas.

Sherrie has been staying with gdaddy all this time. Rick set up a “ring camera” and we can watch Sherrie and Gdaddy. We do have to reconnect often as the internet is kinda unstable here at Juliet Fowler.

Sometimes Sherrie goes up to the dining room to order lunch and we will watch Gdaddy on the ring camera.

One time we happened to wake up at 4 am and we noticed dad was very restless, so we texted Sherrie to alert her. She then came into dads room and adjusted his sleeping position.

Glenn and I are here to release Sherrie for the weekend.

I’ve posted some pictures of the ice in Tyler.Read more
Traveler🙏
2wReply
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Visit with Dad
January 17 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
We spent Saturday at JF with dad.

We took dad for a quick afternoon drive to get TCBY and then see the old house on 7243 Dalewood lane

Dad received a wheel chair, oxygen tank and other items that will help him at night.

Sherrie and Steve are still here. And Stephen and his friend came to see granddaddy. Michelle is here to with AustinRead more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Member care meetings
January 14 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 37 °F
We 3 couples met with Candace at a downtown coffee shop for breakfast. We each shared our story. I used my boarding passes to tell my life story. We had Randall and Kelly Harms and Teressa and Jack Jones share too.

We shared our vision for working with the retirees and why we feel God has put these heroes on our hearts.

After lunch Glenn and I shared how we connect monthly with the retirees. It could be by our monthly zoom call, birthday cards, emails, anniversary cards, and actual visits.

There are 183 units of retirees, like 250 or so individuals. We talked about dividing the folks up and who had who. Very productive day. Tired.Read more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
Full meetings
January 14 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 36 °F
We had meetings with Candace.

We had breakfast at a downtown coffee shop. We each told our stories.

We were with Randell and Kelly Harms and Jack and Terresa jones.

Later in the afternoon we talked about more strategy and divided the team up. We basically have those retirees in Texas, Florida and east coast.Read more
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KC, Cruise & Dad
On our way to KC
January 13 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F
We’re heading up to KC Avant office for some member care meetings.

Early flight. Beautiful sunrise!

This trip will have various trips. Memorial services and such.
TravelerWhat a beautiful sunrise ☀️
1/14/26Reply
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Trip start
January 13, 2026