| In December of 2006, it was time for Tom to get a new car. He selected a Honda Accord, heated leather seats, sun roof, and XM radio. A great car. Here we see both the previous Ford Explorer beside the new Accord. Later that evening Frank worked on some night shots of the house. |
| In the fall of 2006, we purchased a new trailer to replace the little one we both disliked. We took one long weekend and camped at Quantico. You can see some photos of that trip later on this CD. Other than that trip we spent most of the year at home. Later in the season, Frank and his sister Sallie drove the trailer to the manufacturer in Indiana to have adjustments done. Some photos of their factory tour can also be found later on. Pictured here are Frank and our friend Charlie. Charlie has been a good friend for many years. |
| In late December we were invited to the annual Christmas party at Bob, Terry and Charlie's farm in the mountains west of Washington. A beautiful horse farm currently with 5 horses. Pictured here are some of their invited guests.... pre-, during-, and post- celebrating the Holiday Season. Terry, as usual, prepared an excellent meal. |
| Our Christmas tree from 2006, after all presents were opened. We elected to put up a small tree the last couple of years as the big tree is just so much work. This one looks good and was nice and simple. Also pictured is Charlie's pickup parked on the snow which was about eight inches deep with a hardened ice pack on top. Notice how the truck isn't sinking into the snow. That's how hard it was, and it was a month before it all melted. |
| As spring approached, Frank took a day with his friend Ron to take pictures around Arlington Cemetery, and the Iwa Jima Marine Memorial. In the last photo, Ron can be seen doing his own photography on the left side of the soldiers. |
| In January we flew to Phoenix for a Rodeo and IGRA board meeting which Frank webcasts. Phoenix is normally a very warm spot in winter. But this year broke a 25 year record. It was cold. It got into the 20's at night and only up to the mid 40's in the day. The first photos were shot in the mountains in nearby areas to Phoenix. |
| At the rodeo, we had a good time, even though it was cold. Their rodeo is held at "Rawhide", an old time western theme park with gun fights and actors dressed in cowboy outfits. Good restaurants and lots of entertainment. Of course our entertainment was the excitement of the rodeo. We bid Phoenix farewell with a beautiful sunset. |
| Our next trip out west was in February, where we went to IGRA University where they teach rules, regulations, and techniques of putting on a rodeo. Frank teaches a series of web design classes. This year University is held in Las Vegas. I know...we all have to suffer some. After University we toured Red Rocks, a beautiful state park just outside of Las Vegas. We also walked through some casinos where one was decorated for the Chinese New Year. Tom just had to get a picture of a mound of one million dollars on display at one casino. |
| Behind our home is a power substation. This past spring they added 3 new transformers, which turned out to be somewhat noiser than the first ones. After some local complaining, the power company agreed to build a sound reduction wall around the new transformers which is under construction as we write this card. In one of these pictures you can get an idea of the size of these transformers, as large as a house. This substation supplies about 1/4 of all the power for the Washington Metropolitan area. The last picture is of our house from an angle we don't normally see it from, so Frank had to make the shot as he was coming back through the woods from the substation. |
| On the first Sunday of each month, ASGRA, our local rodeo association which Frank is both webmaster and secretary for, sponsors a trail ride in Piscataway, Maryland. These are some of the horses. Frank currently likes riding a horse called Ike which he says "fits his gate" better than any of the others, making for a sooth ride. |
| Later in the spring, Frank's brother Charlie, a high school history teacher, holds a history day where he invites World War II veterans to talk to his students about their experiences during the war. This is an "all-day" event for all the history classes at his school. Also seen are a number of WW II artifact collectors and their displays of restored Army Jeeps. |
