TUSCALOOSA and NORTHERN ALABAMA

Our trip north beginning Monday, April 24th, is to include visiting with extended family of Gary's and some sight seeing. We are looking forward to the change. Our first stop was at the ELKS in Tuscaloosa. It had full hook-ups and a nice set-up with a pavilion where we could sit out in the breeze to read and visit with our neighbors later in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, April 25th, our lunch visit with Gary's cousin was great and we were thankful for the time they could allot for us. Debbie is one busy gal with her Blues work! She performs as well as teaching under her name, Debbie Bond. There was a lot of reminiscing family history and her visit with her mother and Gary's sister Joan. Wonderful that they had the opportunity before Joan passed away. 

Rick and Debbie

Rick, Debbie and Gary

After our visit with them we drove around Tuscaloosa and stopped at America's Thrift Shop. But no buys that day except maybe a couple books. We love looking though.

After two nights at the ELKS we moved on north to Athens, Alabama and parked for a few days at Northgate RV Park right along I-65. It was a very nice clean small park and we would stop again anytime when going north or south in the motorhome. Our first objective here was to meet up with Gary's nephew, Michael and his wife, Cindy. We had breakfast and a lengthy visit at McDonald's in Rogersville, AL. Michael then had to go on to work.  Mike, we look forward to doing it again!

Cindy and Michael

While in that area we sent to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Florence, Alabama. It is either the fourth or fifth of his houses that we have seen so far. They said that he had built 600 in his lifetime. Always interesting. But we were not permitted to take pictures inside!

Guess Gary sneaked one with his phone.

After Cindy told me about Helen Keller's Birthplace, I was determined to see that also. We were in the area so it made sense to do it the same day. This was some view crossing the river to go to Tuscumbia, Alabama

Helen Keller's birthplace

This was the family's dining room and Anne was set on
breaking Helen's poor habits of running about the table and
eating from everyone's plates.

Anne Sullivan the teacher hired to train and teach Helen at age 6, was determined to take Helen away from the family enough to teach her without the influence of the family. She drove her around for a while to give Helen the feeling of being a long way from home when she was just next door.

House next door where Helen's teacher took her for
more extensive training without the influence of
her family who were unable to be firm with her behavior.

Many toys of the era in the little house.

In the learning process, one of the first words that Helen learned the meaning of was 'water'. Read the plague to find the method used to teach her this.

The household water pump.

Taught Helen the spelling of water with one hand while
letting water run over her other hand.

Helen at age 24.

When the government made place for two items of great importance to each state in the US to be displayed in Washington DC, one of Alabama's was this statue. This is a replica that is on display in the museum here, along with many pictures taken over Helen's life time and items used in the teaching of the blind. Helen died in 1968 at age of 87 in Westford, Connecticut.

The narrator for the museum said that Helen's secretary/companion, Polly Thomson, spent more years with Helen over her life time and that she was just as influential as Anne Sullivan had been.
Helen graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904 with teacher, Anne, by her side at all times.

Just four blocks from Helen's home was a Railroad Museum. When we got there it was not open, so Gary just took a few pictures outside.

 

 Pictures about town:

We finished the day out by stopping at Consignment World and other Thrift Stores on the way back to the RV park. Consignment World was a special treat. We got sticker shock when we walked in!! Prices were anywhere from $5.99 to $100.00 or more for used items. I am sure that the wedding gowns were even more! But I lucked out and found a little room in the back where three racks of clothing had been reduced to $2.00 for clearance! I found two very nice items. When I went back the next day to buy a Vera Bradley purse at 18.99 I decided that it was too large a bag for me and only walked out with a cute picnic item to hold silverware and napkins. They did not have books so Gary waited in the car for me. He often does this when he remembers to take a book along. He did find his authors that he likes at the other Thrift Stores and had to go back the next day with his 'Books Read' list.
We were glad to call it a day!! Time for dinner at home since we skipped lunch.
We began Friday going to the Veteran's Museum here in Athens and then stopped at Captain D's for lunch.

The Museum was interesting, especially to Gary.
When I had finished reading the posted newspaper
accounts of the wars, I am done.

At Captain D's we were in a booth next to some local pastors. Thus we were invited to Emmanuel Baptist for Sunday. Probably will take them up on that.
Saturday is my lazy day and I decided to take care of pictures and write this Blog. While I am at this, Gary went into town for a Classic Car Show. We still have Monday to find something more to do.
So stay tuned!