Savor Creperie, Tacoma, for Girls' Day Out

A Tacoma street

Joan’s friend Kim asked her to go to the Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Festival.  She had been on Thursday and wanted to return Friday, but was willing to go Saturday, even though it would be more crowded she said.  It wasn’t just more crowded, it was impossible!  There was a HUGE long line for the off-ramp to the Tacoma Dome and then an equally long line snaking back to the parking lot, which was already full.  After waiting a while we decided to give it up; the Tacoma Dome marquee was flashing PARKING FULL and directing us to another lot downtown to get a shuttle.  We decided to forget about the fall fest and just enjoy Tacoma.

      We started diving downtown and kind of looking for a place to eat. Suddenly, we saw the word “Creperie.”  Joan said, “Oh, I love crepes.” “So do I,” said Kim and we immediately found a place to park easily on the next street and went in. The crepes were delicious and we split a dessert crepe too. It was quite busy so we actually ate outside although it was a little cool. We also had to wait quite a while but it was well worth it, and they are made freshly and individually. We'’ll hope to go again!

We also went to a nursery and a whole foods type grocery store.

Some of Our Favorite Maps!

We are flying to Seattle from Atlanta at sunset time, so can enjoy an extended sunset in the sky as we travel with it. 

 But also, here are interactive time zone maps on the Delta airplane monitors as we track our fight.   We love how the darkness travels across the US as time passes.  

And look how it shows off the rest of the world!

Notice it is still daylight in China

 Even the Mid-Atlantic Ridge!

Atlanta Again – actually Villa Rica

Of course we returned to Wyndham Plantation in Villa Rica and stayed a few days to visit our friends (who you may remember keep our van for us when we fly back to Seattle.)  We had a beautiful day and sunset from our unit – you’ll see the screened in porch photos.

A pretty drive in the Fairfield Plantation property to the Tara Cove units

Our pretty living room

    Joan’s friend Kay’s granddaughter wanted to attend the annual doll show and Joan was happy to go too:  what a display!  She never saw so many dolls!  Kaitlin looked around and selected her doll to purchase and then Joan found some Madame Alexander dolls at an unbelievable price, and got them for her too.  It was such a fun day.

    We flew back that night.

Joan really liked this doll: so beautiful

A Madame Alexander doll for $5 (marked down from $$$XXXX)

Old and New Friends at the Reunion

Joan's new friend

With Gerald and Linda Taylor at the banquet.  We had met them at the Colorado Springs reunionalso

Gerald and Ron

Ron and Byrd (Donald Yarbourough) reunion organizer and friend

U.S. Space and Rocket Center, a GREAT Museum

Not to be missed is the museum which has so many historical rockets outside and lots of information inside the museum,  We had a very good lunch there also.

Look how big the Atlas V rocket is.  Can you see Ron underneath it? - a little dot. (He's waving)

Joan is in front of a nearby rocket

Display of the history of rocketry was inside the museum (of course)

and so there was quite a display about Werner Von Braun

                                                                              (of course)

                                      THE FUTURE OF SPACE TRAVEL

Apparently Star Wars had it right

The Apollo Lunar Module (LM) 

Apollo 11, launched on 16 July 1969, would be the first landing mission. LM-5, piloted by Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, landed successfully on the Lunar surface on 20 July 1969.

        Since we were married on Moonwalk Day (in Seoul Korea, July 21, 1969), we thought we ought to take our pictures by the LM.

Rocket Park at the USSRC was called “the finest rocket collection in the world” by Mercury astronaut John Glenn. In the park, 27 missiles and rockets show how Army rocketry launched America’s space program and gave rise to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Lots of other rockets including a Nike Hercules

And a space shuttle - look how big it is...see Ron there?

Fabulous Jewelry Display: Celestial Dreams

Celestial Dreams: The Art of Space Jewelry (in the space museum  --of course)

It’s not very often I covet jewelry, but the pieces that were made by Kathy Chan were unbelievable and they all had meaning behind them. Made with very precious gems so almost priceless (at least for me.)

From the exhibit:  “Using precious gems, minerals & metals, artist Kathy Chan interprets the genuine awe of the cosmos and its vibrant oasis, Earth.

Born in China, Kathy Chan grew up in Brazil and studied in England before moving to the U.S. A self-taught jewelry artisan, Chan's instincts and talents have reaped numerous accolades including 14 international awards.”

"The horizon is wide and there are no limits in my mind about what I am able to do."                                        -Kathy Chan 

Here are favorites:

Mars Necklace.  Rocky terrain with childhood  memories of little green men

                                          A necklace of planets to scale

Memorial Service

      In a nearby memorial park which had a wonderful timeline of US Military involvement, we had a beautiful memorial service.

Timeline started with the Revolutionary War

Great sculptures