Stonewall and Keatchi Louisiana
Yesterday we drove another 260 miles to Stonewall to Twin Corners RV Park. Had a beautiful day, but just like yesterday, were greeted by a thunderstorm just as we got here.  We came here to see our friends, Tom and Mary Nesbitt.  Tom has an ALS-type disease and is now bedridden.  He and Mary have taught us all a lesson in how to handle debilitating disease.  Very similar to the way they taught us how to live life.  We met them when we sailed to Isla Mujeres Mexico with Todd and Joy back in the early 90s.  They were on the end of a year long sail brought about by the 80's recession in the oil states.  They lived in Shreveport. Mary was a realtor and Tom was a HVAC engineer.  No houses were selling and there was little need for HVAC so, after reading the book, Passages South, they bought a 50' Gulfstar ketch, having never sailed, learned how to sail, and followed the passage through the Caribbean. Always seeking friends and relationships, Tom and daughter Rebecca, came over to our sailboat the first morning we were there and invited us to dinner on their boat, Carpe Diem.  We have been friends since.  Tom and Mary actually moved to Pensacola and lived next door to us for a couple of years. Later they settled on Mary's family land in Keatchi.  We are excited about seeing them and daughter, Rebecca who is now married and has two children.
Stonewall is a small, rural community.  This RV Park, like many businesses around here, was created to support the fracking boom that came to this part of the state.  We met the owner, Curtis, who is an old guy..at least he has white hair and is balding.  Opps, guess that describes someone else I know!  Curtis told us he has lived on this land since he was 11.  That probably explains why the road is Curtis Road.  His daughter answers the phone when you call Twin Corners and son-in-law, John, comes to give you a site and collect.  Its $20.00 a day.  Pretty good for electricity, sewer and water.  Plus, many of the fracking workers left their satellite dishes behind so I hooked up and we have Direct TV without having to get out our portable dish!
 So we arrived at Tom and Mary's house this morning.  We spent some time with Tom and I got some private moments to "talk" with Tom.  It is hard to write about it.  He is someone we both will always admire.

We also had a very busy day with Mary.  She first put us in her golf cart and drove us through her woods showing us her new walking/horseriding trails she's had cut through the forest.  We drove through the hay fields that have been setback by army worms brought on by the recent rains and cool weather but have since been poisoned.  Then she saddled up the pony she and Tom gave their grandaughter, Francesca.  The pony is named Lovee Sweetie Prosino.  He was a sweet pony who gave us all a ride in the pony cart.

Mary and Libbo whipped up a delicious lunch of spaghetti squash grown in Mary's garden.

In the afternoon Mary came over to see Creme Puff and then we got ready to go to Shreveport to visit with Rebecca, Giovanni, Francesca, and Luca.  It was Ron's first time to meet Giovanni and he lived up to all the hype he had been given, and more.  Margaret Fontaine, always a lot of fun, came over and we all went out to dinner.  Margaret, an octogenarian, told me "These  young waitresses always ask "Would you like coffee, tea, milk or, perhaps a little bit of wine? I tell em'  No, I'd like a Tanqueray and tonic." Love that Margaret!

Mary, Margaret, Rebecca, Luca, Francesca, Giovanni, and Libbo

We left Tom and Mary's lovely "Homeport" in the early evening.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

The home that Tom and Mary built...Homeport!