Happy Holidays to all our friends and family. 2018 has been another incredibly fun-filled year for us. During 2018, we took some more trips to some neat places, and attended various autograph/nostalgia conventions along with a couple of other treats.
We celebrated Helen’s birthday in February with an extended weekend in New York City. We enjoyed a wonderful steak dinner at the historical Delmonico’s Restaurant and enjoyed two fun Broadway shows, School of Rock and Avenue Q. We also paid a visit to the “Paley Center for Media“.
The famous and historical Delmonico’s Restaurant
The “School of Rock ” Rocks!!!
Helen at the the “Paley Center for Media”.
In March, I was fitted and now am using a diabetic insulin pump. This pump has worked wonderfully and has lowered my A1C 1.5 to 2 points. The Dr. is very pleased with that!!!! Also in March we again attended the “Monstermania Convention” where Helen and I met director John Carpenter, legendary entertainer Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) and Academy Award winning actor Richard Dreyfuss.
Johnny showing off his new Medtronic MiniMed 670G Insulin Pump
Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) with Helen and Johnny
Academy Award winning actor Richard Dreyfuss with Helen and Johnny
April featured our first “Chiller Theatre Convention” of 2018 where met many friends and got some great photos and autographs from various celebrities including Lyle Waggoner and Tim Matheson.
Entertainer and actor Lyle Waggoner with Helen and Johnny
Actor Tim Matheson (“Animal House” and the voice of “Jonny Quest”) with Helen and Johnny
In the month of June, Helen and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary of our “Woo-Hoo Wednesday” – “At Home with Holmsey” show on the internet radio station “Radio Once More“. If you haven’t had the chance to listen to us yet, we invite you to tune in on Wednesday evenings, 9PM (eastern time) for some nostalgic fun at www.RadioOnceMore.com. Also in June, Helen and I enjoyed a family vacation in the “Great Smoky Mountains” region of Tennessee. We enjoyed the charming town of Gatlinburg and we visited the famous “Dollywood” in Pigeon Forge. We also enjoyed the very entertaining “Hatfield and McCoy” dinner show and we saw a fantastic Red Skelton Tribute Show featuring the very talented Brian Hoffman as Red Skelton.
In 2018 we celebrated our 4th Anniversary of Woo-Hoo Wednesday on the internet radio station “Radio Once More”.
Helen and Johnny at the “Great Smoky Mountains”.
Helen Holmes enjoying the “Smoky Mountains”
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Helen enjoying the view from the Gatlinburg Space Needle in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Johnny enjoying the view from the Gatlinburg Space Needle in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Helen and Johnny at “Dollywood” in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Helen and Johnny at the “Hatfield and McCoy” dinner show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Helen with Brian Hoffman (“Red Skelton” in the Red Skelton tribute show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
Johnny with Brian Hoffman (“Red Skelton” in the Red Skelton tribute show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
Helen and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary in July with a get-a-way extended weekend at the Poconos resort “Pocono Palace”. It was a relaxing celebration at this resort which included our own private swimming pool in our suite!!!! July also included another trip to Binghamton, New York, where we attended the 2018 “Serlingfest”. We got to hang out with many of our “Twilight Zone” fans and attended an interesting seminar at the Rod Serling Archive in the “Bundy Museum of History”. We also participated in a Rod Serling themed “Escape Room”. The event also included many authors/speakers discussing various aspects of Rod Serling’s career, (including Rod’s daughter Ann), and we also enjoyed screenings of “Twilight Zone: The Movie” and the original (1968) version of the “Planet of the Apes”. We had loads of fun and we look forward to heading back in 2019 for the 60th anniversary celebration of the original “Twilight Zone” television series.
Helen & Johnny celebrating our 15th Wedding Anniversary in the Poconos!!!!!
Helen & Johnny celebrating our 15th Wedding Anniversary in the Poconos in our private pool!!!!
Helen & Johnny celebrating our 15th Wedding Anniversary in the Poconos painting!!!!!
Johnny in Binghamton, New York, enjoying the 2018 “Serlingfest”.
Helen in Binghamton, New York, enjoying the 2018 “Serlingfest” with Rod Serling and Henry Bemis. Why Helen???……Why do you do these things???
Johnny also hanging with Rod Serling and Henry Bemis at the 2018 “Serlingfest”.
Our team (“Team Kanamits”) after we successfully escaped the Rod Serling/Twilight Zone themed “Escape Room” with 1 minute and 17 seconds to spare!!!!!
In August Helen and I celebrated Helen being 14 years Cancer Free. A wonderful milestone and a major…..Woo-Hoo!!!!! We also attended our 2nd “Monstermania Convention” of the year where we again met Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed from the “Rocky” movie series) and Mr. Weathers autographed our photos we had taken with him at a previous “Monstermania Convention“.
The month of September brought us to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, the state of Minnesota. While there, we took a trolley tour of the twin cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and enjoyed each of these two cities. We saw the famous Mary Tyler Moore statue and saw the house where Mary lived in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show“. Helen and I toured the beautiful and recently restored Minnesota State Capitol Building in St. Paul, which was our 27th state capital that we’ve visited so far. While there we visited the amazing “Mall of America” twice and we attended a Minnesota Twins game at Target Field and we enjoyed the incredibly enormous “Minnesota State Fair” or as they call it…”The Great Minnesota Get-Together.” Also in September, we attended the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in Hunt Valley, MD and had a great time seeing old friends and meeting celebrities including Morgan Fairchild, a “WKRP in Cincinnati” mini reunion, Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers.
The Great State of Minnesota
Helen and Johnny with the “Mary Tyler Moore” statue
The “Mary Tyler Moore” house
Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul
Helen & Johnny at the Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul
Helen & Johnny at the Minnesota State Capitol building in St. Paul
Helen at the “Mall of America”
Johnny at the “Mall of America”
“Mall of America”
“Mall of America”
Johnny showing where home plate was in the old “Metropolitan Stadium”
The location of home plate in the old “Metropolitan Stadium”
The location of where Harmon Killebrew hit a titanic home run in 1967 in the old “Metropolitan Stadium”
“Mall of America”
“Mall of America”
“Mall of America”
Helen at the “Mall of America”
Johnny at the “Mall of America”
Target Field
Target Field
Minnesota State Fair
Minnesota State Fair
In the month of October, our “Fright Night” Presentation marked our 6th Anniversary of “An Evening of Old Time Radio“. We had a switch of location for our “Old Time Radio” presentations in 2018. Our previous host, “The Daily Grind” closed their doors in January, however, Mount Holly’s newest coffee shop, “Breaking Grounds Coffee & Cafe” welcomed us with open arms. Our December presentation at “Breaking Grounds” was our 38th presentation of “An Evening of Old Time Radio” in downtown Mount Holly. Also in October, we attended our 2nd “Chiller Theatre” Convention of the year where we enjoyed reunions with the casts of “Good Times” and “Love Boat” and we also met Jill St. John, and Loretta Swit.
Helen and Johnny participating in a painting party at Mount Holly’s newest coffee shop, “Breaking Grounds Coffee & Cafe”.
“Fright Night” was our 6th year Anniversary of “An Evening of Old Time Radio”, which is now presented at “Breaking Grounds Coffee & Cafe”.
Helen & Johnny with the cast of “Good Times”
Helen & Johnny with the cast of “Love Boat”
Helen & Johnny with Jill St. John.
Helen & Johnny with Loretta Swit.
It was also in October that we lost our dear Mother, known by many as B-Mom. B-Mom had been dealing with advanced kidney failure for quite a long time and was under the watchful care of Samaritan Hospice. She passed away peacefully at home with a house full of friends and family. Her bubbly personality, smile, and her laughter will always be fondly remembered and will always be carried in our hearts. We Love You B-Mom!!!
Our wonderful and beloved B-Mom!!!! We Love You B-Mom!!!!
To add to our 2018 Christmas celebrations, Helen & I took a quick family trip in December to New York City and enjoyed “Christmas in New York” and attended the “Rockettes 2018 Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall followed by a wonderful meal at the famed Ellen’s Stardust Diner.
And also in December, I will be retiring after 30 years service with the New Jersey Division of Taxation. I am truly honored and humbled to work with so many wonderful people over the years. And also to spend my entire career in the same section, the Corporate Dissolution group and to begin as a trainee and work my way up as the section’s supervisor. I am truly blessed and will take with me many wonderful memories of my time spent with the NJ Division of Taxation. We plan on celebrating retirement by spending New Years in Cape May, New Jersey.
Holmsey Retires!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!
Johnny being congratulated by the Director of the NJ Division of Taxation, John J. Ficara.
Johnny with his certificate that was signed by the Director of the NJ Division of Taxation, John J. Ficara.
Johnny leaving the Taxation Building for the last time!!!!
Johnny relaxing in Cape May, New Jersey
Helen and Johnny at “Congress Hall” in Cape May, New Jersey
Please feel free to continue to stop by the “Holmsey Blog” (where we are now approaching 9,900 visits). On our blog, I’ll occasionally post an article and photos about events/trips, promote our coffee shop events and post past interviews we’ve done on our ‘Woo-Hoo Wednesday’ Radio Shows.
As always, many photos of these outings are posted (or will be posted) on our Flickr page which is linked to our home page at www.JohnnyHolmes.net. It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the end to another year.
Again, we wish you all a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year in 2019. Please keep in touch and our very best to all of you!!!!!
Happy Holidays!!!
Helen & Johnny Holmes
Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!!!!
Posted by JHolmsey 
The Holmsey Blog 