Where oh where are the Hills now?

So much has happened since I last posted to this blog.

Murphy, Lisa & Mom

December 4th, 2014 I flew to Myrtle Beach, SC to visit my mom.  She chose to discontinue her chemo treatment and I wanted to see for myself how she was doing.  She wasn't doing so well, so I decided it was time for me to move to Myrtle Beach and be with her.  While there I took pictures of course.

Mom, always smiling

Murphy,Glo, Lisa & Mom

My friend Angie Phillips called while I was visiting Mom to ask how things were and while chatting I asked, "How would you like to take a road trip?"  She thought about it a few minutes and then said, "Sure."  That was Tuesday. We booked a flight and she flew out of Tampa to Phoenix on Thursday.

I flew back to Phoenix on Thursday, December 11,  and we met at the airport.  We spent the night with my friend Cleo and headed to Benson on Friday.

On Sunday, the 14th we had a potluck party at Kartchner, sort of a farewell party for T & I.  Though it hadn't been planned as a going away, it gave us a chance to say goodbye to a great group of people.

Glo & Judy, from Oregon

T couldn't take his eyes off of me.

Michael & Sharon Burns
T & I

On the 15th Angie and I left Kartchner Caverns headed east.  What a trip we had.  As we were leaving Benson I commented on a billboard I've seen for years: "The Thing?"  I said I'd never seen The Thing.  Angie said, "Let's go!"  So we did.  It was worth it. The cost was $1 and the things we saw, no pun intended, were kind of neat.  Here are a few pictures, though there is much more.  It's the kind of place you should stop to see when traveling by, though never take a trip just to see it.

The Early Model Tractor was really the THING for replacing
the four legged horse power. Still in perfect Health

One of the rarest pieces on earth and is the only one in the world.

The first night on the road, we stayed in Van Horn, Texas at the Whitten Inn and had dinner at a restaurant called Chuys.  Chuys is a unique little Mexican restaurant on the outskirts of Van Horn, famous for John Madden eating there.  You'd have to go there and read the info on the place  for it to have any meaning. 

The motel was okay and breakfast was typical "free breakfast."  It was a warm place to lay our head for the evening and  we were up early on Tuesday to continue our trip.

We got as far a Terrell, TX on the 17th.  Nothing exciting.  The 18th we stayed in Oxford, MS.  In our travels we went to Vicksburg National Military Park.  Learned a little history and of course took pictures.

From there we continued our trip east through Georgia.  Since we were going right by Madison, GA, we decided to stop and take in a few of the sites around town.  First stop the Welcome center.  Madison is a small town that escaped Sherman's march and has several antebellum homes that are open to the public.  Also, the TV show "In The Heat of The Night" was filmed there years ago.  We wandered around town, had lunch and then headed out toward South Carolina.

Angie Phillips

Glo @ Herritage Hall

We got about fifty miles away and got a phone call.  I had left my purse in the Welcome Center.  We broke out laughing and headed back to Madison.  All you women out there will agree, it is nice to be traveling with a girlfriend when something like this happens, because you can laugh about it and not have to listen to an outraged spouse. LOL

Glo pickup up purse @ Welcome Center

After losing two hours running up and down the highway to get my purse, we headed to Florence,SC to see my sister, Lisa.  What a welcome site to see the South Carolina Welcome Center and to know our journey was coming to a close.

We got to Myrtle Beach on the 20th and we were thrilled to see Mom still smiling.

Angie, Mom & Glo