Wednesday morning I drew our friend Stuart. Above is a short film of some of the drawing. The battery died in the camera as it filmed. Below is Stuart and the finished art.

Sandra and I took one of the last tours, touring the architecture of Charleston. Below is the “Four Corners of Law”: Federal, Municipal, County and God’s Law. Each building holds one of the four divisions.

Here are some sketches I made as we made our way through the tour.

I’m spending a lot of time putting these together and need to cut it a bit. So please excuse me for just placing the following photos in without comment from the architectural tour in Charleston.

We made our way north to the annual meeting of the Society of American Travel Writers/Atlantic-Carribean Chapter in Charleston, South Carolina. Upon arriving the Chapter board hit the town and had dinner at a snazzy spot (I forget the name of). Above is a sketch of folks at the bar just beyond our table.

The next morning (the 7th) I ran outside and got photos, including the one above of a staue of the father of our country.

There was a reception for the membership. Afterward we went on a ghost tour. Photos below.

Started off an event by drawing a large caricature of the fellow who put on the show. That’s him above, Ken McArthur.

Here I draw J. R. Griggs.

Jonathan Freeman gets his drawing.

Here’s Marc.

Was at the Ormond Beach Memorial Art Museum at their annual fundraiser.

It’s another year entertaining at Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland for the SPCA.

Later had lunch with old friends Susie and Russell Noel at, one of my favorites, Jimbo’s Bar B Q.

We got ourselves together for an early morning trip home. Here Jeff Mallett, Bil  Hinds, Mike Ramierez and Jeff Bacon wait for the van to take us to Frankfurt airport.

On the plane I sketched Jack Davis, who sat just in front of me. His airline tickets are in his top pocket.

After landing in London, we had a looooooooooooooooong wait at the Heathrow airport. Here Bill Hinds, Bill Amend and Mike Ramierez relax and chat.

Jack Davis and Jeff Bacon share tales.

We finally got to Washington DC and stayed overnight at a nearby hotel. We exchanged good byes and a hope to gather again for another trip to entertain our troops and realize how incredible our military is and more over how lucky we are to live in the USA!

I had a ton of time before my flight. The rest of the guys were gone and I was told that going into Washington DC itself might have me missing the plane. Soooo, I went to a mall….and I found the Easter Bunny!

The troupe for the USO lands in Frankfurt, Germany.

Here’s Jack Davis and Jef Mallett coming off the plane in Frankfurt.

We arrived at the Hotel Christine and settled in for a nights rest and get ready for a very busy next day.

The next morning we were welcomed by the USO’s Konrad Braun who guided our visits. He’s at left and then Bill Hinds, Jack Davis and Dave Coverly.

We were taken first to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where we visited many troops and did our best to leave them with a smile as we had at Walter Reed Medical Center. Above is one of the surgeons.

My lunch. That is Pecan pie.

At the USO Warrior Center we all gathered and drew away! Above is Jack Davis and below is Jeff Bacon.

Above is Kyle at the Warrior Center and below is Colonel Harris who escorted us around the medical center grounds.

The group photo at The Warrior Center. Jeff Bacon, myself, Bill Amend, Bill Hinds (in the back), Dave Coverly, Jef Mallett, Mike Ramierez and Jack Davis.

My only time spent outside the itinerary was following a few of the guys to a place called The Tree Bar. The three drawings above and below were down there. Below that is an interior photo of the underground spot. Unfortunately for me, no milkshakes served there.

It was a group of us that made our way from various locales across the country to meet in Washington, D.C.  Our objective was the military bases around Ramstein, Germany.  But first a stop at Walter Reed Medical Center to entertain the troops there and hopefully put a smile on the faces of our greatest American heroes.

This is Sunday night at dinner after we all arrive in Washington, D.C. Bill Amend shows Jack Davis a photo. Bill Hinds &, our fearless leader who brought this all about, Jeff Bacon.

It was an early call Monday morning. We had Walter Reed to cover and then the flights to get to Germany.

Here we go enteting Walter Reed Medical Center. That’s Jack Davis, Bill Hinds, Mike Ramierez, Jef Mallett,  Bill Amend and Dave Coverly.

Here is a fuzzy photo of the amazing statue that greets you at the door of Walter Reed.

Here we are drawing at the hospital. Jack Davis, Bill Amend, Mike Ramierez, Jef Mallett, Jeff Bacon and Dave Coverly.

Here is Alexis, a USO volunteer, who has a niece and nephew that go to the same elementary school I did, Princeton Elementary in Orlando, Florida.

Here is our guide William that lead our way through the corridors of the medical facility.

Took a swing at Illustration Friday’s word for the week – ‘Subtract’. I wasn’t going for a gag cartoon. Just something to illustrate a scene. Above is the finished part. Below is the rough pencil, inked with marker to work out towards the final inked lines. Then it was all digitally colored.

This was the first time of our years of meeting at the Belleview Biltmore that they didn’t have our space for us despite my arrangements. Since this was our last meeting there I guess it didn’t matter. We gathered in the coffee and ice cream shop, Maisie’s. Above is a group shot of our last gathering there.

Below is Katie. She works currently at the Belleview Biltmore in Maisie’s until it closes on May 31st.  She’s been there for a few years and is the only one who know how to make the souped up hot chocolate I like. She has gotten me out of plenty of binds when I’ve done something there nearly half asleep until she cooked one of those drinks up. I remember a Florida Historical Society meeting there a few years ago where she saved me and I could be minimally consious during the terrific lectures. Anyway, as a thank you I drew a caricature of her and wished her good luck in her future endeavors.