Bernice Memories

Bernice Depot Museum and Red Caboose

V and D said that there used to be a train that ran through Bernice. The tracks are long gone now.

The Clubhouse...many parties, reunions, etc. have been held here and is still in use.

First Baptist Church...V and D were married here 45 years ago.

Bernice High School...Home of the Bears

No more teams play here anymore...students are now being bused to the parish school in Farmerville.

 

  After the holidays and on our way back to Lafayette, Dave and Vannie took me through Bernice. Bernice is a small town in Union Parish in the northern part of Louisiana. There are many memories there that mean so much to them.  Vannie was born and raised there, and Dave lived there until he was in second grade. Then he moved to Farmerville, the parish seat.
     I loved seeing some of the places that are special to them.  They mentioned that some of their favorites are gone...Taft's Esso Station (Vannie's Dad) and  Martin's Store (Vannie's mom worked there for many years)...but not forgotten. 
    Memories...special times!
    

An "Air-ark" Adventure

Can you see me?  Yep, that's me on the right.  I'm on my little island.



The driveway that I came in on is under the water...That old building is on Bourque Road.



 

Out my front door 

 

right

 

                                                                                left

Blub...Blub...Blub...Splat...Splat...Crash...Crash...Boom...Boom...Splash...Splash..Drip..Drip
All these sounds...over and over again.  I felt like I needed floaties or a swim tube.  Just something to keep me afloat.  Thank goodness, I did not need either, but it was close..I mean, too close.

One night Vannie came home after having dinner with a friend, and she could not get up the driveway.  I think she heard me shouting to her..."No, No, don't try it...too much water."  I heard Dave talking to her on the phone.  He said, "Just go spend the night with a friend."  Crazy!

This has been quite an experience...very different from dry New Mexico.  I thought I was going to start to mold.

We had some sunshine today, so we are heading to Austin tomorrow.  Probably will stop in Houston tomorrow night and on into Austin on Sunday.  I'm a little nervous about heading out.  The driveway has some really muddy spots, and, as you know, I'm not a tiny little thing.  I really don't want to get stuck in the mud. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

GYPSY'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Hello, everybody, I'm back.  We spend a wonderful Christmas at Lake Darbonne State Park in Farmerville, LA.  We headed to Lafayette on Dec. 28.  Vannie and Dave's Airstream friends, Marilyn and Jay Keef, offer for me to park on their property in South Lafayette.  It's a beautiful place...lots of crawfish mud houses, rice/crawfish fields, and egrets.  We were to stay here for the whole month, but things have changed.  Emilie's nanny up and quit.  It is not an easy thing to hire a nanny quickly, so we decided to offer our help.  We are heading to Austin on Thursday, Jan. 10.  It is really a wonderful thing that we are all so flexible.

OK...that kind of catches us up...now for the resolutions.

Hug more

 

...especially me

 

Excercise more...I don't have to do much except hold V up...but it's something.

 

Eat more veggies...or, maybe, smell more veggies.  Gosh, I can't do either, but I know someone who can, and you really have to have this resolution every year.

 

Read more...I tend to go more for travel books.

 

Skype more... this is so much fun...seeing V and D's grandbabies is "DINOMITE".

 

Have friends over more..I really love to share my space.

  

Watch more sunrises...check out that relection in me...awesome!

 

...and sunsets

 

...and, of course, hit the road as often as possible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NO ROOM AT THE INN

Roy and Madeline relaxing

Vincent enjoying the computer

The whole family

Madeline getting ready for a bottle.

…but plenty of room in me.  Emilie (V & D’s daughter), her husband…Roy, kids…Vincent, and Madeline decided to come a day early to Farmerville for Christmas.  Vannie and David have rented a cabin at Lake Darbonne State Park for the past 10 years for their family Christmas celebrations.  The cabin was not available a day early, so “good ole Gypsy” came to the rescue.

Vannie and David vacated me and headed to Pearl’s house (Dave’s mom).  I was then available for the youngsters to stay in me.  They roared in with a travel bed for Madeline, baby bottles, formula, games for Vincent, and a bunch of other stuff.  I love V and D, but having this special little family stay overnight was thrilling.  There is nothing better than the laughter of wee ones during the holiday season.

 It was my best Christmas present ever!

PRAYING

 

 

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and Yellow, Black and White

Jesus loves the little children of the world

 

God bless all the families that are grieving in Connecticut.  Give them the strength that only You can give.  Be with the children from Sandy Hook Elementary that will be returning to school soon.  Guide their parents and teachers during this difficult time.  Bless our nation, Lord, and as we grieve in unison, let us all love in unison.

Amen

 

 

HEN PARTY IN GYPSY

V and D's niece, Stephanie...did a great job keeping the "hens" in line! 

 

Just look at all that lip color...girls just want to have fun!

 

Dave's mom, Pearl...she's quite a lady! Hope I look that good when I'm 94.

A first for me…a makeup hen party!  Lots of clucking and puckering up!   I was lovin’ every minute of it.  Vannie and Dave’s niece, Stephanie, has started selling this special line of cosmetics, Sene Genee.  One of the big sellers is the lipstick…well, actually, it is not a stick.  It is liquid lip color, and it is supposed to stay on for 4-18 hours.  Anyway, everyone was looking good and enjoyed “puckering up”, even David’s 94 year old mom.  I was wishin’ for some lips…for sure!

FEELIN' GOOD IN LOUISIANA

Do I look relaxed or what!!!!

 

Road less traveled...

 

Best Buds

 

V and D's Lafayette Bunch...Ashley, Diane, and Cooper

 

Well…Well…Well… back in good ole Louisiana.  We are parked at the Lincoln Parish Park in Ruston until Dec. 14^th.  Then we will move to the Darbonne State Park in Farmerville till the end of the month.  The weather has been a little yucky since we have been here, but all is good.  It’s a beautiful place and has a wonderful paved walking trail around the lake.  Vannie and Dave have loved that.

Vannie took a little side trip to Lafayette right after they arrived here.  Dave went up to Farmerville to have a visit with his mom.  I’ve made friends with several of the critters around since I was by myself for a few days.  The ducks are wonderful.  The squirrels are a little annoying, but I figured out that if I just ignore them, they’ll just do their thing.  Saw a beautiful blue heron yesterday…so stately.  Funny how I had just mentioned a blue heron in my last blog….go figure.

V and D are sprucing me up for Christmas.  Joy to the World!!  Jingle Bells!!!  O Come All Ye Faithful!!!   Frosty the Snowman!!!  Can you hear me singing?