Faced with a dreary rainy day in Lugano, Switzerlan, we hopped a train to nearby Milano, Italy where we saw the Duomo di Milano (Cathedral of Milan) and nearby Galleria. The weather was beautiful in Milano that day. There are lots more pictures of our Swiss trip here on Flickr.

In August-September of 2025 Angie and I took a two week plus trip to Switzerland. We got a Swiss Rail pass and proceeded to ride trains, busses, boats, and cable cars all over Switzerland. In this picture I'm on Mt. Rigi admiring some Swiss Alpine engineering of a fence and gate made entirely of wood with no metal fasteners. There are lots more pictures of our Swiss trip here on Flickr.

Maggie surprised us both when she came over bringing this "surprise Birthday Cake" for Angie. She said she knew that Angie didn't much like baked sweets, but did like fruit. It was definitely a hit!

Rather than drive all the way from St. Louis to home we decided to stop overnight in Branson, MO. Here's a view of Table Rock Lake and the Chateau on the Lake just outside Branson. There are lots more pictures of Branson and the other sites here on Flickr.

Our final stop in St. Louis was Grant's Farm, a historic site, animal preserve, and home to the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. There are lots more pictures of Grant's Farm and other sites here on Flickr.

The "Allegorical Window" in St. Louis Union Station's Grand Hall is a prominent stained glass masterpiece. It features three women representing major U.S. train stations of the 1890s: New York, St. Louis, and San Francisco, according to Greg Kluempers. Crafted with hand-cut Tiffany glass, it's an original part of the station's design, dating back to its opening in 1894. There are lots more pictures of Union Station Hotel and other sites here on Flickr.

As you enter the St. Louis Union Station hotel you immediately encounter this ornate staircase. The detail work is astounding. There are lots more pictures of Union Station Hotel and other sites here on Flickr.

While in St. Louis, Angie said she wanted to visit the Union Station. What neither of us realized was that years ago it was made into a hotel. It turned out to be massive, ornately beautiful, and well worth stopping to see. There are lots more pictures of Union Station Hotel and other sites here on Flickr.

Rather than come directly home, we decided to visit St. Louis, MO. Neither of us had ever been there before, and we played tourist. Our first stop was at the Gateway Arch National Park. The Arch, an inverted catenary curve soars to 630 feet. We took the "Tram" to the top and enjoyed some incredible viewes. There are lots more pictures of the arch and other sites here on Flickr .

I'm not sure what Angie was describing, but everyone seems attentive.

L-R: Angie Harrison, John Taylor, Pam Taylor, Nora Meadows, James Meadows, Jerry Mercer, and Janice Mercer.

Pictures from all the class reunions are here.

We made our annual June trek back to my hometown in Tennessee for the 64th annual reunion of the Dyer High School class of 1961. There really are a few of us left!

L-R: Nora and James Meadows, Jerry and Janice Mercer, Angie and Jim Harrison, Gary Fesmire, Russell Watt, and John Taylor

Pictures from all the class reunions are here.

When you come to Texas, dress like a Texan! I think my boots may be just a tad bit large for him though!

Longhorn statues of a trail herd meander through downtown Dallas in Pioneer Plaza Park.

Next up was the site of the cattle drive in Pioneer Plaza Park just beside  Dallas City Hall. Here is Lucas dwarfed by the statue of the trail boss in Pioneer Plaza.

Of course we had to give the visitors the "cook's tour" of Dallas, and an early stop was the cabin in Founder's Plaza. John Neely Bryan, a colonist from Tennessee supposedly built the first "permanent" building in 1842 on the site which later became Dallas. This cabin represents those earliest settlers of Dallas.

Our nephew Kevin and his family paid us a visit in early January and brought this "Host Gift". Wow! A bottle of Sinaatra Select to add to my Jack Daniel's inventory! Y'all feel free to come visit anytime, Ya hear!

We made it to the Arboretum at night to take in the Christmas decorations. It's well worth the price of admission!

Many more Pictures are here!

Who says the Dallas area doesn't have any fall color? These Maple trees at a home in Addison should dispel that for good!

We've got colorful foliage in the area this year! Here's the lake at the start of Shady Brook Trail in Plano with some colorful trees around it.