This Week's Big Thank Yous

Hi there!  It's my first Friday since I've decided to go live.  I gonna try to set aside time every Friday to say special thanks to people who have helped me either financially or materially.  This being the first Friday Thank You post, I have a backlog:

First off, I want to thank my mother, Susan and sister, Leigh for lending me the minivan.  They've provided me with a comfortable conveyance which will enable me to literally move along in this endeavor.  I know that they will continue to come through for me in more ways than I can count.

Secondly, I want to thank my friend Liz Leavy.  I've known Liz longer than I haven't and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for putting the seed in my head to start this project.  Since that fateful discussion back in July, she has been there every step of the way, including giving me encouragement, buying me supplies, suggesting things to post, including pictures of Mavis to pose.  I can't thank her enough!

My first financial backer is Jo Margaret Mano.  She sent me a substantial check when she heard about my project.  I've known Jo for gosh, almost 25 years!  She was my urban planning and cartography professor back in my undergraduate days. She took me under her wing and mentored me in the mechanics of professional academia, including co-writing a professional paper and later presenting it at a geography conference.  I often wonder what would have happened to me if I had stuck with geography and pursued a masters degree in that or urban planning and/or cartography.  She reminded me that she was the one who originally turned me on to Blue Highways.  I love you Jo! 

My second financial backer is the indomitable Nancy Leavy.  I've known Nancy for a long time as well.  She is the mother of one of my dearest and oldest friends, Liz Leavy.  A former grade school teacher, she is a whirling dervish of energy of which she expends freely to people who she feels will contribute to society in a positive way.  As always, thank you, Nancy!

My third financial backer is my friend Wendy McClure.  I've known Wendy for decades now.  A fellow former DOOPer (Dear Old Oak Parker), she has been an inspiration to me with her early adoption of blogging and writing books, including her autobiography, I'm Not the New Me, which even featured my wedding in a memorable chapter!  Thank you, Wendy!