Hey Look!! Our Mail Goes to: 2131 N Collins St, Ste 433-546, Arlington TX 76011
2021 has been a wonderous year of travel, projects, and visiting friends and family.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
Some people get rid of clothes and furniture. We’ve gotten rid of addresses!! It’s true. Scratch off San Antonio. Gone since ’14. Scratch off Pisgah View Ranch in NC. Sold in 2019. Scratch off Amesbury in Arlington TX. Rented out in 2020. Along with addresses, we now each have one phone. Scratch off (210)496-0627, (210)496-3176, (210)545-7457 and (828)667-2874 All Gone. In case you haven’t seen them, check out the header and the footer for current contact info. You can also reach us by email via a query on our blogsite [ www.bunmacks.com ] Bracketed titles below are blogsite entries.
We spent August 2020 to April 2021 in Wylie TX. We dove in to support son Jon and fiancé Kat with our grandson Logan and the birth of adorable grandson Max (Jan ’21)!! while they worked from home. We did get a chance to do a project or two for them [Closing 2020 and Opening 2021 in Wylie TX]. Luckily as we were departing in early April, Kat was able to return to her work at SMU and both boys were able to join daycare there. ICYMI Every grandparent knows how hard it is to say goodbye.
In January we had been lucky to wedge into a line of 1,200 hopefuls at 4 am on a 28º day at a local hospital to get our first vaccination. Pfizer. The second was then scheduled and we knocked that off in early Feb. Boosters in Oct. Not much in reactions, thankfully. While we still wear masks, the vac’s have taken the edge off our fear. Masks and hand washing and distance. Still.
We were still in Texas for the national news-making great freeze of February 2021. So many lost power (we did not). So many had frozen pipes (we did not). So many were without heat (we were fine). And that is just what happened at the RV park. We had invested (fortuitously) in “AirSkirts”, hot dog shaped heavy vinyl inflatables that close off the underside of our Airstream. The wind doesn’t rock us. The cold doesn’t freeze either the floors beneath our feet or our under-belly’s three supply/waste tanks. We do hope that storm is the worst we’ll experience in what Mother Nature may throw our way.
Our outward-bound journey for 2021 began in April taking us first to Tampa where we had pledged support for a young family, the son of friends whom we’d known for years. Billy, Janette and cutie pie Evie were in a house but hadn’t had time to move in! Work and having a 2-year-old can do that to ya. [The Driesslein Family Project List, Wesley Chapel]. Billy had witnessed the kinds of things we do when we helped his folks in Burke VA years ago. He had a great to-do/wish list waiting for us.
Then an oh too short stop in Port Charlotte to visit Ran’s cousin Cher and hubs Rick. A short yet very fun visit. We loved squirreling the Airstream into their not-long-enough driveway! A quick two days of laughs and great cooking made our week. On to Hollywood, then, to continue Gomez family projects and partake in grandson Happy’s first birthday. [Gomez Family Projects Part 3]. We swooped up Sammy and Happy and went camping in Arthur (our Airstream) in Key West. Sammy got to sleep in Grammy’s sleeping bag!! Just to be sure she’d enjoy camping, Papa had set up a tent in the Gomez backyard where he and Sammy camped for one very warm and humid night. Arthur, on the other hand, has AC. Sammy let Papa know his snoring woke her up in the night.
Hopping and skipping up the coast, we stopped in Sumter SC. A return to the Cogburn Muszynski household. We think they wreck things just to make sure they have projects for us. At the same time, we were having issues with the air lifts on Sid (our Silverado). Enter our hero Mr. Scrape. Our lifts had failed and had taken out a brake line (yikes). Mike (Mr. Scrape) and company replaced the blown lifts with superior lifts and ultimately added an on-board compressor. An end to stops to fill the lifts, we can change the pressure in our lifts driving down the road!! Really helpful when towing.
A circuit through GA allowed a quick visit with Doug and Helene Smith in Woodstock filling in a nearly 40-year gap with 4 hours of endless stories and laughter. Despite trying to prepare them in advance, it was not until nearly the end of our visit that they finally grasped what we can do. Lamenting over lost opportunity for us to help them out with a list of fix-its (which kept growing as the time approached for us to leave) we hugged and waved our goodbyes and hoped that it wouldn’t be another long stretch ‘til we reconnect.
After a pause in Alcoa TN for an Airstream tune up, we headed into Waynesville NC, picking up brother Russ to join Ran for a week-long AT hike. Sadly, the design of the hike was a little too ambitious (sooooo many nuances in planning). Ran’s knee revolted requiring a wave of the white flag and an early pick up. Fortunately, Russ was able to join friends in the area for several day hikes, so his visit turned out well after all. Buns and Mack were able to squeeze in some annual appts with some providers we’d grown fond of during our years in NC, so it turned out well for us too.
Zipping on out of Asheville we connected with Lissa Calvert Dailey in northern NC. Lissa’s friendship dates back to Wittmack’s brother’s tenure in the UMiami Hurricane marching band where Lissa was his first college sweetheart. It was great fun to reconnect, renew, visit, laugh and enjoy all that was and all that is. Thanks, Lissa!! We loved our brief visit to Colfax NC.
Marching forward we reached Alexandria VA one week after Rebecca, a childhood bestie of our daughter Sarah, and her hubby and son arrived, she from her 9 yr stint in China and Matt and their son Lincoln from South Africa separated by Covid for 16 months. How inspiring for us. They moved into the house inherited from her late parents. Boy did they need us!! We were honored by how much we were able to achieve from cutting down overgrowth in the yard, to repairing issues in two bathrooms. We had only gotten started when it was time to move on. The tip of the iceberg. [Filippa Family Project list, Alexandria VA]
NJ awaited. Beth and Barry surpass the Cogburn Muszynski household in lining up amazing projects. Barry prepares all our b’fast favorites to open each day of challenge. TPM got to show off his skills with the compound miter saw and various nail guns. MFI spent a lot of time clearing Arthur from an infestation of tiny spiders from the RV park in VA. All in all, we were treated to some great epicurean outings while helping in our 2nd stint in Island Heights. [Muller Project, Island Heights NJ-Part 2]
Next stop: New Hampshire. The Ufnals have been friends since our days in San Antonio. As with many friends we visit, it took them a while to believe we really wanted to help out. We wound up doing some drywall work as well as some demolition (TPM’s favorite) in their newly acquired lake cottage. Four days was too short for all the project possibilities but awesome for all the meals prepared by Karen. By the time we needed to move on, they were thinking of all the projects we could have done together. OMG!! And yes, Karen, you ARE in our Christmas letter this year!! [The Ufnal Projects – Lake Winnekeag MA]
Our journey into Maine was a short hop from NH. Helping former work mates of TPM’s, Sea Haus Krahn needed extensive shingle siding. Materials were waiting for a talented work crew. We were excited to oblige. We’d had shingle experience from our ranch days!! [The Krahn Projects at Ocean Park ME]. A few other miscellaneous projects filled our week with engaging work. We were treated to much local fare including “red snappers” (a Maine treat) and fresh seafoods after long days of shingling.
Next we camped at Calais ME to scope out how to enter Canada. Took the opportunity to visit Eastport, the eastern most point of the US. They happened to be having their annual Salmon Fest. It will be difficult to find Salmon fresher than 2 hours old! After some Covid tests to meet Canada entrance requirements, we parked at Shediac NB and visited PEI and NS in day trips. Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg (a UNESCO site) were captivating as were the Flower Pots at Hopewell Rocks on Fundy Bay NB. Into Quebec for a quick redux of Montreal, through Ontario where we camped outside Niagara Falls. TPM had never seen the falls. MFI was thrilled to watch as he marveled.
A fantastic visit in Rochester with MFI’s maternal cousins. Five out of the seven brothers joined as we all shared stories from our long lives apart. Our last visit had been in 1958! Missing were one brother who lives in AZ and cousin Winn who left us in 1999. [Cousin Art North Project – Rochester NY] A bunch of characters. TPM especially enjoyed cousin Rob’s restored vintage Corvette…..
Down to Cincinnati refreshing our relationship with TPM’s lifetime BFF (Rick and Lynne) and family and to Louisville to spend time with one of the three Amigos, Steve and his wife Janet.
Embedded in Memphis for the winter while we plan our next adventures! Until next year, we wish you all the
Merriest, Happiest, Safest, Healthiest Christmas and most Prosperous New Year!
Love, the BunMacks
