Blog of Events & Happenings

Grandson Oliver’s birthday was mid January, so we headed north to Virginia 16 January.  Two days traveling up north and we stopped at Jack and Ann’s.  Using this as home base, we left Maddy to travel to Annapolis where we enjoyed visiting Lauren and Cynthia and the grandkids, Oliver and Benji.  Pictures below are of a breakfast out with Oliver and the family and the birthday party for Oliver at East Coast Marital Arts on Saturday.  Amazing.  The man running the activities was fantastic with the birthday attendees that included the parents in the activities … just amazing!   We all need our young ones to experience his careful and loving discipline.  Back to Jack and Ann’s after the party to take care of a sick dog … poor Maddy … but the chicken and rice food the Veterinarian recommended fixed her up and we enjoyed the NFL division championship games on Sunday then headed south to Virginia Beach where we stopped by for breakfast with good friend Bill Bowman and then visited with Karen Kennett, a college friend of Carey’s, and her children (young adults Jesse and Megin and Megan’s wife Cassie).  Up early Tuesday for Florida with a “back to normal” dog.  Glad to get the socks off my feet.

No snowflakes this Christmas Eve … just sun and sand at Jan and Tom’s place for a prime rib dinner with their dear friend Richard.  Cocktails in the backyard on their canal then an outstanding meal with family and friends.  We really enjoyed their company and fine food.  Thanks Tom and Jan! (click on first picture for full screen view).

Barny and Ginger were not able to stay long, but on their way to a holiday trip to Brazil they stopped for a visit.  Great time with them, visiting and catching up.  We toured around our little piece of heaven in Florida and managed to support the local economy.  We also had the opportunity to see Jan Mason our cousin in Vero Beach.  Jan picked the Riverside Café in Vero right on the ICW.  A major treat.  Barny and Ginger left this morning for Miami to catch their flight to Brazil.  Enjoy.  (full size pictures by clicking on first one)

Jack and Ann got out of the cold northeast and came down Wednesday for a visit.  We were sad to see them leave today when we dropped them off at the airport.  We toured them around the area Wednesday and Thursday, trying our best to eat at all of the good restaurants.  Friday we spent on the water in a rented bow rider and thoroughly enjoyed the 75 degree temperature and beautiful views.  That evening we had the best meal of the visit, at home!  Fresh vegetables and a great steak.  Saturday Carey and Ann prepared some food for that evening’s holiday party at Sandy and Joe Lavarine’s home.  Four fantastic days visiting with the best of friends.    A couple pictures below — click on first for a full screen view of pictures.

We finally closed on the “new” Apolonia, a 37′ express cruiser.  Buying from a Canadian with Canadian registration is not a simple task, I now know.   But this noodle is pushed up the hill!!!!

With the old one gone we still needed a boat to move around the ICW and the Bahamas, so we bought this express cruiser, a Maxum with diesel engines.  Carey, Maddie and I enjoyed a beautiful 3 hour cruise on the ICW up from North Palm Beach to Sailfish Marina where she is now getting her bottom painted and a few other odds and ins repaired.  We’re already planning our first trip, to the Florida west coast in January.  The boat travels nicely at 8.5 knots or at 22 should we want.  Below are a few pictures of the trip north.  TO SEE A FULL SCREEN SHOW OF ALL THESE PICTURES, FIRST CLICK ONCE ON THE FIRST PICTURE.