We spent the rest of our last week in St Augustine catching up on computer work, Ron worked on his mother’s taxes, and Joan prepared a Pony Newsletter, called the Pony Express. We typed the membership list and made labels of the over 300 NOBC members to send them announcements of the upcoming Pony meeting.
Joan always has to begin counting food items very carefully the last week we are leaving, particularly when we are traveling by air, an then also, leaving for Mexico. Ron’s peculiar diet means careful planning, even when in a hotel that serves a breakfast, as he cannot eat most of the offerings.
We had a goodbye dinner Friday night with our next door neighbors, as we shared food, and had a wonderful time together. They wanted to prepare it as they had fewer things to pack, but they were also leaving Saturday.
We packed up the condo, totally filling up the Excursion, and sorted out items for Seattle and Mexico, putting them in different suitcases. We drove up to Atlanta yesterday, stopping for a picnic lunch at the GA welcome rest area, and checked into the Quality Inn Hotel Conference Center in College Park, right next to the airport. It was a fabulous one-bedroom suite, very large: how did we get it for just $60/night? We’re not sure: it was on the Web. Joan prepared dinner in the room, using the microwave with left over food and sorted out what we would need for Ron for breakfast and then for dinner Sunday night, again in the room.
We met our friends at church and spent the day with them, then we parked our van at their house for the next two months and they drove us back to the hotel, where we will catch the airport shuttle tomorrow.
It was tricky, again sorting things to use here last night and this morning, then dressing for church, and planning how to be sure that all things left in the hotel room we would be taking on the airplane. We took travel clothes to change into and food to leave.
Counting…counting…counting…
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
January 23rd Melbourne, then Daytona, then Palm Coast
We returned to St Augustine Wednesday night and drove to Melbourne, FL (2 hours away) Friday to see a friend, it was originally scheduled for Thursday, but we took a day to recover, and then stopped at our friend Buzz's in Daytona for Friday night (He's the one that keeps our car down here) - he has been given only 6 months to live, (cancer) so he wants to see us as much as possible, so we stayed the night, which he really wants, even though we are only an hour from St Augustine. We may go back down there Tuesday night if he cannot get anyone else to drive him to the doctor Wed morning early for a biopsy.
On Saturday night, we went to a wonderful organ concert at the St Anastasia Catholic Church, the new music director is starting a concert series, this was the first and he played
Today we went to Palm Coast to go to church with Ron’s cousin, so we were busy with them for most of the day.
The friend in Melbourne is part of the NOBC, National Order of Battlefield Commissions (see June 2010 posting) and he was in WWII, so they are getting up in years. He shared information so Ron can continue to notify members of he Pony meetings, the first of which will be in San Antonio in late April. The Ponies’ motto is “We Shall Never Forget.” The website is www.mustangponies.org. Anyone interested in celebrating with us to honor these veterans is invited to join.
On Saturday night, we went to a wonderful organ concert at the St Anastasia Catholic Church, the new music director is starting a concert series, this was the first and he played
Today we went to Palm Coast to go to church with Ron’s cousin, so we were busy with them for most of the day.
The friend in Melbourne is part of the NOBC, National Order of Battlefield Commissions (see June 2010 posting) and he was in WWII, so they are getting up in years. He shared information so Ron can continue to notify members of he Pony meetings, the first of which will be in San Antonio in late April. The Ponies’ motto is “We Shall Never Forget.” The website is www.mustangponies.org. Anyone interested in celebrating with us to honor these veterans is invited to join.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Winston-Salem for a Funeral
Ron’s aunt died last week and the Memorial Service was today in Winston-Salem NC. It was near enough so we could drive up with Ron’s cousin and her daughter from Palm Coast. We left Sunday, took about 10 hours total, including stops, but we had a good time visiting on the way.
In St Augustine, on Friday we had to get the car repaired: replacing a tire and 4 shocks. Turned out that the shocks were completely GONE! No wonder the van was feeling so bumpy! On Saturday, we had had to move from unit to unit; fortunately we had a day overlap. The floating weeks check in on Sunday and the fixed weeks on Saturday, so we were to checkout of Floating Week unit 616 into Fixed Week 609 and had the day overlap to make it easier. Since we were leaving early Sunday morning, though, it means getting everything done on Saturday. Our friends fixed dinner for us; we trade off: days they check in, we fix dinner; when we do, they fix. Makes for a fun and relaxing time together!
The Memorial Service was very nice; family members came from distances: Tacoma, Denver, Knoxville, Palm Coast (4 children, a few grandchildren and two nephews.) But as she was really from West Virginia and was only down here in a nursing home, nearer to a daughter, there were not many others present. We were thankful the weather was better this week: last week, members west could not have flown in with so many airports closed due to the bad weather.
She was a poet and her older son read two of her poems; it was wonderful. Joan wishes she had had her camera ready to get that reading on video!
We leave tomorrow to return to Florida.
In St Augustine, on Friday we had to get the car repaired: replacing a tire and 4 shocks. Turned out that the shocks were completely GONE! No wonder the van was feeling so bumpy! On Saturday, we had had to move from unit to unit; fortunately we had a day overlap. The floating weeks check in on Sunday and the fixed weeks on Saturday, so we were to checkout of Floating Week unit 616 into Fixed Week 609 and had the day overlap to make it easier. Since we were leaving early Sunday morning, though, it means getting everything done on Saturday. Our friends fixed dinner for us; we trade off: days they check in, we fix dinner; when we do, they fix. Makes for a fun and relaxing time together!
The Memorial Service was very nice; family members came from distances: Tacoma, Denver, Knoxville, Palm Coast (4 children, a few grandchildren and two nephews.) But as she was really from West Virginia and was only down here in a nursing home, nearer to a daughter, there were not many others present. We were thankful the weather was better this week: last week, members west could not have flown in with so many airports closed due to the bad weather.
She was a poet and her older son read two of her poems; it was wonderful. Joan wishes she had had her camera ready to get that reading on video!
We leave tomorrow to return to Florida.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Snowdrifts here, Oh no, I mean SANDdrifts!
We are expecting a thunderstorm this afternoon, meanwhile it was forecasted to be 53 as a high and it is already 67. About noon, I walked out to the beach and there has been so much wind, that there are sand drifts everywhere that the cars cannot drive through - it looks like SNOWDRIFTS! As I went over the sand du
ne ridge on the boardwalk, the crashing wave sounds grew louder so there were like 2 different kinds of crashings from the ocean waves. I looked out and the scape was like a moonscape….white, with some gray, no cars, no people, lots of seagulls just standing facing the wind, of course, and that barely moved when I walked through them. It was quiet, except for the ocean roar …very eerie, but beautiful. The edges of the beach had blown into what looked like topographical maps. It was amazing!
ne ridge on the boardwalk, the crashing wave sounds grew louder so there were like 2 different kinds of crashings from the ocean waves. I looked out and the scape was like a moonscape….white, with some gray, no cars, no people, lots of seagulls just standing facing the wind, of course, and that barely moved when I walked through them. It was quiet, except for the ocean roar …very eerie, but beautiful. The edges of the beach had blown into what looked like topographical maps. It was amazing!PS: I LOVE maps and topographical maps. See my science lesson (under Earth Science) how to make a 3-D topographical of Mt St Helens, before and after the eruption. www.home.earthlink.net/~sciencemadeeasy
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What a Great Weekend Vacation Getaway!
Oh, but it wasn’t a weekend, it just felt like it!
Our friend, Nancy, said “This is just like a vacation!” and it did indeed feel like a vacation as we relaxed and enjoyed the resort’s atmosphere and visited with friends, and met NEW FRIENDS.
But for the squeaky cart and suspicions of puppy on the premises, we would not have met Barbara across the hall. What a joy that we did! No, she did not have a puppy, but she had a Presidential reserve card for the lounge so we watched the fireworks from there that night. Unfortunately, there were no refreshments as the salesman last year had told us there would always be….hmmmm, good thing we didn’t buy!
Then we met up with a young couple whom Joan had been corresponding with on email for about a year; it happened that they were right next door! We also celebrated Nancy's birthday…we kept asking her what she wanted to do and she would say, “Whatever you want to,” so we went swimming and walking and kept eating.
We were able to see Joan’s friend after all, on the way back. Turns out, the son and daughter-in-law live in Lake Mary, not Orlando, so we were far out of the way to easily visit while at Lake Buena Vista, but easily stopped by on the way back to St Augustine and Debbie was there and we had a very quick but great visit on the step!
It even felt more like it had been a vacation when we returned back “home” here in St Augustine and got back into our routines.
Our friend, Nancy, said “This is just like a vacation!” and it did indeed feel like a vacation as we relaxed and enjoyed the resort’s atmosphere and visited with friends, and met NEW FRIENDS.
But for the squeaky cart and suspicions of puppy on the premises, we would not have met Barbara across the hall. What a joy that we did! No, she did not have a puppy, but she had a Presidential reserve card for the lounge so we watched the fireworks from there that night. Unfortunately, there were no refreshments as the salesman last year had told us there would always be….hmmmm, good thing we didn’t buy!
Then we met up with a young couple whom Joan had been corresponding with on email for about a year; it happened that they were right next door! We also celebrated Nancy's birthday…we kept asking her what she wanted to do and she would say, “Whatever you want to,” so we went swimming and walking and kept eating.
We were able to see Joan’s friend after all, on the way back. Turns out, the son and daughter-in-law live in Lake Mary, not Orlando, so we were far out of the way to easily visit while at Lake Buena Vista, but easily stopped by on the way back to St Augustine and Debbie was there and we had a very quick but great visit on the step!
It even felt more like it had been a vacation when we returned back “home” here in St Augustine and got back into our routines.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Watching the Disney Fireworks from our Balcony
It was much warmer than expected when we got here – 78 degrees! We weren't prepared for that!
I
t was much warmer than expected when we got here – 78 degrees! We got to Bonnet Creek early and walked around the pond twice and then were able to get into our unit to put items in the fridge before going to Golden Corral to meet up with Alan and Carol Cole, TUGGERS. After lunch/dinner, they came over to our unit and we visited more, especially about music. Later, we went downstairs to hear the Dueling Pianos and then come up and saw the Disney fireworks from our balcony. Need I say the 4 Presidential unit is gorgeous! Two full master suites. Such a relaxing day in a beautiful place!
We met a couple whose boss had brought the whole office down for a 30th year anniversary; he had reserved 22 rooms and all the families came too. He has 4,000,000 Wyndham points! WOW! He gives vacations away as rewards and recognitions too, but this was the first time he’s brought the whole company down. What a great boss!
See photos at http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=5780489009/a=22435551_22435551/
I
t was much warmer than expected when we got here – 78 degrees! We got to Bonnet Creek early and walked around the pond twice and then were able to get into our unit to put items in the fridge before going to Golden Corral to meet up with Alan and Carol Cole, TUGGERS. After lunch/dinner, they came over to our unit and we visited more, especially about music. Later, we went downstairs to hear the Dueling Pianos and then come up and saw the Disney fireworks from our balcony. Need I say the 4 Presidential unit is gorgeous! Two full master suites. Such a relaxing day in a beautiful place!We met a couple whose boss had brought the whole office down for a 30th year anniversary; he had reserved 22 rooms and all the families came too. He has 4,000,000 Wyndham points! WOW! He gives vacations away as rewards and recognitions too, but this was the first time he’s brought the whole company down. What a great boss!
See photos at http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=5780489009/a=22435551_22435551/
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
St Augustine Beach Walking
Several gorgeous days to walk but also some which were too cold and/or windy. But what fun! Ron “tried” to fly his kite, but the wind just wasn’t right.
The Tennis Club has a indoor pool and a nice locker room so it makes it easy to swim and exercise in the fitness room. Between walking, swimming, working on the computer, spending times with friends, and fixing special meals for Ron, our days are filled!
We are quite excited about going to Orlando Wednesday for two days. We have reserved a 4-bedroom Presidential Reserve unit at Bonnet Creek in Lake Buena Vista. Joan really wanted to try out the luxurious condo for the short time. A friend of Joan’s from Ohio, whom she has not seen for 20 years, will be visiting her son in Orlando, so we looked on the Wyndham website and found this unit available, last minute. As well, it is our friend Nancy’s birthday; they are also here at St Augustine in their unit and will come with us, and we can meet up with a few TUGGERS, too, for dinner at Golden Corral, like last year.
The Tennis Club has a indoor pool and a nice locker room so it makes it easy to swim and exercise in the fitness room. Between walking, swimming, working on the computer, spending times with friends, and fixing special meals for Ron, our days are filled!
We are quite excited about going to Orlando Wednesday for two days. We have reserved a 4-bedroom Presidential Reserve unit at Bonnet Creek in Lake Buena Vista. Joan really wanted to try out the luxurious condo for the short time. A friend of Joan’s from Ohio, whom she has not seen for 20 years, will be visiting her son in Orlando, so we looked on the Wyndham website and found this unit available, last minute. As well, it is our friend Nancy’s birthday; they are also here at St Augustine in their unit and will come with us, and we can meet up with a few TUGGERS, too, for dinner at Golden Corral, like last year.
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