2023-Tommy-visits-Happy-challenge

iNSD Finding Joy In The things collab
One little Bird Border

Tommy was one of my husband’s best friends... My husband met him at Weaver Bros., where they both worked... and quickly introduced him to me , when I finally arrived in Valdez! The year was 1975. We left Alaska, moving to Oregon , in 1987. Tommy left about the same time, moving to Florida where he still lives, driving his Big Rig up and down the East Coast... He used to call us once or twice a year just to stay in touch... whenever he called I immediately handed the phone over to Rodger.. Then after Rodger died in 1997, he started checking in on me a little more frequently... We always talked about his getting a run to California, but that was not going to happen. When my Great grandson Kyler was born, my grand daughter was living in N. Carolina... and Tommy arranged a trip where he could stop past and see us when my daughter Julia and I went to see the new baby!... that was 17 years ago!

So on April 22, 2023 I was in Chico visiting my friend Melba when I missed a call from him. Didn’t think much about it since his calls are totally random. But then as I was driving home, the phone rang and it was him... Longer story short.. he was in Oregon and headed my way the next day!!! Wow... What a surprise... Seems he has a son and grandson in Wilsonville, and his brother is in Couer d’alene, Idaho, up by Spokane. He was on a roll hitting all the bases... He arrived Sunday afternoon and left Monday Morning, headed to Colorado and more family!

We had a fun afternoon and evening.... He took me to the new RAW restaurant and treated me to the $50 Prime Rib... then we drove around through our new downtown area, went to the Sundial Bridge and walked a bit... then back downtown for ice cream, before heading over to a car show.... It just happened to be Kool April Nights!!! It was really nice seeing him again after all those years....