Tidewater Virginia

3.30am call, unusually we cleared US Customs at Calgary airport which meant we had nothing to do in Houston for 7 hours before our connection to Norfolk. We got in around 11.45 pm, bed by 2am. Long Day. Weather in Norfolk was lousy, hot, humid and raining.

Next Day we did our washing and chilled, did I say it was raining. Kevin Mathis came over for dinner and we reminisced about 25 years ago when we lived across the road. It was great to catch up. Next day we drove to Winterville North Carolina to visit Dan and Jessica Mathis, Chris's third son and his family. We spent a wonderful day with this delightful family. As it happened it was Evan's 9th birthday so we were lucky to share this special event. Little Kate (Olivia) was a treasure. We left after dinner to drive the 300km home, Did I say it was raining. The drive home was extraordinarily difficult, water over the road.  We got home around 10.30pm. Thanks Matt.

We enjoyed the environment at Matt and Chris's, their back yard is like an aviary with all manner of birds feeding just a few feet from the window.

We were due to go to Katie and Fred's on Thursday, but Helen had a revisit from the virus that knocked her off her feet on the ship so she had a day in bed to recover. 

Friday we went to Newport News to stay with a mate I worked with in Fort Monroe in 1991/92 LTC Fred Whittaker and his wonderful wife Katie. On Saturday it was  on the road at 7am for the drive to Charlottesville for the UVA football game against university of Central Michigan. We met with our hosts Preston and Diane Stallings at their spectacular home, hummingbirds flying to the feeder in the window. At the appointed time we drove to the car park adjacent to the field and a tailgate party started. Bloody Mary's  and champagne sandwiches, quiche, and lemon slice for breakfast. At 12.00 it was off to our seats for the game, what a spectacle. Huge Band, cheerleaders and a one hour game that last 4 hours. UVA won which was unexpected, Helen got right into it, yelling 'first down' each time the team completed a play and standing and singing the team song each time it scored a touchdown. Brilliant.

Sunday was relaxing around solving the problems of the world with Fred and Katie. Marvellous. Sunday night we went out to the Crab Shack on the James River for dinner and  to watch the sunset. There we met two of Fred and Katies neighbours, Shiela (a Scottish women) and Mary from  New York.

Monday Katie took us back to Poquoson to get ready for the trip to Maine. Monday night Chris cooked up a feast for a family get together with her son's Steven and Jason and their families. Great night.

Tuesday saw us pick up the hire car, or more like truck, a Ford Expedition a huge 7 seat vehicle. It looks bit like the new Ford Everest just released in Australia.