Four Cracker Barrels in a row...and a farewell to longtime friend

Tonight we are in a Cracker Barrel just above the Indiana state line in Michigan.  We have had two lunches in a row with Marcia's cousins, each at Cracker Barrel.  In fact, this is going to be our fourth Cracker Barrel in row...but two nights in  RV park starting Thursday.  We had AWESOME visits with cousins of Marcia on her mother's side.  I have come to learn a LOT about her upbringing, her Greek Heritage, and oh, the list is long...  Sure glad to have met Byron and wife Jennifer yesterday in Indiana, and Connie and Jim today in Battle Creek, and especially for the latter two for driving all the way over from the Detroit area today to meet us!  We had a great time and great visits with all.

Today as we started up the tire pressure sensor to leave Cracker Barrel after lunch, we immediately got a low tire reading...this time the inner tire on passenger's side. We were a mile from Discount Tire, and this Discount Tire had brass tire valve stems for inner dually tires!  I told the manager that the shop in Sacramento and the shop in Tennessee did not have them.  He said he got a stock of 30 of them a year or two ago just for situations like I faced.  At $4 each it was a deal, and no charge to put on since I had bought my tires from Discount Tires two years ago.  Not wanting to wait too long, and because work on the breaks is going to take place a week from today in Little Rock, I had him just put on the one, and the other will go on in Little Rock.  And I don't need any extensions for these inner tires any more!  Our tire problems are behind us!  And it only cost $8 and 90 minutes of our time!

We have had lots of communications with Phoenix, and today's text telling us that Joyce had passed away was expected...but still the news was a shock.  She walks into the Hospital on Thursday, and finds out for sure it is leukemia on Monday, and today she is gone.  We will miss her, but our faith tells us she is happy, in no pain, with her Lord and Savior, and with friends, family and loved ones who passed on before her.  Our prayers are for those she left behind that morn.  We plan to be in Phoenix for the service in a few weeks.