A Canal and a Cookout

Our readers might remember that Frank and Linda took the Erie Canal Boat Tour last year, and had a rousing time going through Lock 18, and learning about the canal.  We wanted to share this experience with Chanda.

So Chanda had to climb into the back seat of the Tracker and off we went to the dock.  The weather was beautiful and the tour guide was interesting and a great time was had by all.

Smiling . . . even though squished into the back of the Geo

Frank looks happy

Chanda looks happy.  What's wrong with Linda?

Entering Lock 18

Down we go . . .

21 feet down, we exit the lock

A random knitter in the bow . . . did she enjoy the cruise?

Later in the evening, we went over to see Jason Rathbun (Coach Razz) and his family.  Coach had invited us for a cookout, and we were eager to taste his legendary grilling skills.

Razz grills a mean chicken breast

Frank and Coach talk baseball

Razz was Matt's first contact with Upstate New York. In January 2006, Matt transferred to Herkimer County Community College to play baseball, and Razz is the baseball coach there.  It was quite a change for the Southern California boy who had never seen snow.  Linda still remembers meeting Razz for the first time in the snow, in the Walmart parking lot in Herkimer, and entrusting him with her son. 

And thus began the journey that brought Matt and his bride Raelyn together.  They met at Herkimer College and the rest, as they say, is history.

Along the way, Matt participated in two Junior College World Series, made new friends for life, and found him a wonderful wife.  We could never have seen all this back in 2006.

God has been good to us, and we thank Him.