Busy day at the pond- the Eagle is back, plus the BIG gator

We were pleasantly surprised wfhen we looked out at about 5 today, and saw our Eagle had landed- He was amidst a huge flock of buzzards that were feeding on a rather large fish that I suspect the Eagle had caught, but maybe dropped on the bank. Pretty, pretty bird.

Now folks, this is one large gator- he stayed in the drink, never did make shore, thank goodness. This is why Bette wants me to keep Buster from the back yard.

First trip to St Augustine World Golf Village, neat IMAX movie.

Our neighbors the Schmidts invited us to head up to the World Golf Village, about 10 miles up the road, to head over to the IMAX theater to see the movie about the Hubbell telescope history. Terrific movie, about 45 minutes or so, showing the idea, launch, failure and subsequent repairs of the telescope. Not sure how many billions have been spent on this part of the space program, but I guess it's all for a good cause. The movie was very educational.

Got a pin from the Golf Village- it's very plush there- Not sure how much it is to play golf, but pretty sure its fairly expensive.

We managed to get into the movie for free, saving us $20, since the guy at the gate was busy with a bunch of school kids, and just waived us through. Not a bad deal at all.

We headed over to Ruby Tuesday's and did a big lunch/dinner, I had minis and salad bar, Bette had what else, steak.

This is something we'll do again. May see if the boys want to go when they get here. On the way back, I noticed a big recreation complex on highway 16- may check that out also.

Passed on Bingo, Picked up the coach

Decided we were too tired to go to Bingo, so didn't.

They called this morning to tell us the RV was ready for pick up, so we headed up to Orange Park to fetch the coach.

They did what I can best describe as slathering on about 5 inches of build up, painted it, and said it will never leak again. It is, as they say, not pretty to look at.

At this stage of the game, we're just happy to have it back, and will take them on their word that they have it repaired. After a while, we probably just won't notice it at all, so we're good to go with it.

The boys arrive next Friday, and next Monday, we're off to Thousand Trails Orlando, then over to St Petersburg for a Tampa Bay Rays game.

Bingo tonight

Feeling lucky. We'll do bingo tonight. Not much planned for the weekend, Then next week, have to wait all the way until Friday until the boys come down!

They called today from General RV up in Orange Park to say that the "extensive water testing" has not revealed any leaks. So now, they have to paint it tomorrow, let it dry and cure over the weekend, and we're supposed to pick it up next Monday or Tuesday. Fine, since they've had it a month. We'll have the coach in time for the trip down to Orlando and Tampa anyway with the grandsons when they arrive a week from Friday. Also have to give it a good spring cleaning- as our Aussie pals are arriving on 27 April.

Working on the summer trips, all three of them.

Been working on the three summer trips- making lots of modifications as things keep coming up-

Trip 1 will start 1 May, and go until about 23 June- we'll have the Aussie Pals the Hartmans here from 27 April on through 16 May, and we will be working our way up to Maine, with planned stops at Wilmington and the Outer Banks, NC, the Metro DC area, Gettysburg/Lancaster Pa, Metro NYC, then about a week in Maine before they head off from Boston back West.

We'll stay in Maine, splitting our time between Moody Beach and Bar Harbor until June 2, then work our way back down to Greenwood, so we can babysit the grandsons while their parents go on an anniversary cruise somewhere. Plan to stop at Pawtucket RI, Sturbridge, Ma, New Jersey, Hershey, PA, Lynchburg and Salem Va, Advance NC, then down to Greenwood.

We'll stay in Greenwood for almost 2 weeks, then head out on a small loop trip, with the objective of getting back to Memphis and St Judes for Deanna's rounds of chemotherapy.

We're not due back to Memphis until August 1 or so, so we'll head from Greenwood to Advance, Princeton, WVa, then to Rittman Ohio to see Aunt Skip, then Dayton, Louisville, Evansville, St Louis, then a week visit we hope with my sister Sherry and Dr Fred, before we head down to Memphis for 2 weeks.

Then it's looking like a big loop trip, over to El Dorado, Ark to see Julie and Lawrence Waschka, Shreveport, Dallas for a week, Wichita, Abeline KS for the Eisenhower library, Omaha, Des Moines, then several quick stops in Iowa over to Clinton, Iowa, the Beloit, Appleton and Green Bay Wi, then St Ignace, Mi, so we can do Mackinac Island and Sault Ste Marie, then down to Toledo, then back through Ritman, hopefully to meet up with the Kingstons for our practically annual used to be October, now September visit to Amish country. Then back down through Greenwood to see the family and then on back to St Augustine for the winter season. Haven't written in anything past arriving in Rittman around the 8th of September, so we'll get back to St Augustine when we get back. I know the Commander wants to be back by 1 October, so we'll make that for sure.

We'll do the West Coast next year, no worries. Might take the train out, never know. The Commander waivers between wanting to do the train and then maybe not, because of the dog, but we'll see. Maybe we can check him as baggage.

If things go as I have penciled them out, might get in about 15-20 ball games this summer. All minor league so far. Might do one or two major league if we are close.

Boys will be here in 2 Fridays!

Woops, got ahead of myself- they won't be here until 2 weeks. Must really be anxious to have them come.....

Tina, Brandon and Cooper will be here next Friday evening, and the boys will stay for the week. Got lots of things planned- trip to Orlando for Universal Studios and maybe a Water Park, then to St Petersburg for a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game, then to Daytona for the beach and the Daytona Cubs- then we'll drive them back up to Greenwood on 9 April. While in Greenwood, we'll get our taxes signed, Bette has to get some legal work done, and we'll visit for a day or so, then head back down to St Augustine.

Also supposed to get the motor home back next mid week. I've let them know we need the motor home by the 2nd.

Blood sugar is still not right, playing with insulin doses to find the right combination.

Monday night, we'll be at Applebees with the Kingstons before they leave for West Point for a couple of weeks.

To Jacksonville with the Colagiovannis

Drove up to JAX today to a discount junk house called Shep's to rummage around, then went to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch- Yummy- It's a salad place.
Off to the Drs. this afternoon at 4 to see about the blood sugar...

Our Anhinga snares a big one, well for him...

Our pet bird, who shows up most every day in our back yard, goes fishing most days, and manages to come up with fingerlings- until yesterday, when I noticed he made a pretty nice catch. He gobbled it right up, then went about sunning himself to dry his feathers.

Three vials and a pee cup- back on insulin

Been experiencing very high blood sugar counts for the last week or so- Not sure why, Bette placed several calls to the Drs. office to prod them into action, I was sure it simply called for a medicine adjustment of some sort, and after three blood vials and a pee cup, I won. Back on insulin I go. Not the old timey syringes of old,now I'm getting some sort of fancy pen to inject myself with. Have a follow up with Doc tomorrow at 1600- Life will be fine.

Mom's "new" house in Carlsbad

Forgot that Bette had taken these shots out in Carlsbad when we visited Mom Zona. She's all done with her renovation of the property, the main feature of which is the huge new kitchen. It's got one of the biggest pieces of marble islands I've ever seen. She said it cost more than her first house!

This is the second house in the compound, which is over 100 years old, and has been practically completely redone. Her daughter Pam and husband Larry live there now, and have down lots of work in their garden.

This is the "TV room" off of the kitchen.

She has a beautiful ocean view- and it is a lovely home.

Sorry to be slack- Today was the Lion's Club Festival

Gotta finish off the day with a Black Cherry Soda from Hillbilly Bob's- They serve it in tin cups. Way cool.

Bette and her pal Suzie schlepping through the crafts- We managed to get through the whole day with no purchases other than lunch, far as I know of.

This guy had a 24 lbs lobster mounted on boards, along with other aquatic oddities- Think he wanted $1200 for it. Suspect he took it back home with him.

A year ago now, we had just pretty much settled into our home at Coquina, and the Lion's Club festival was about the first big thing we went to. It was just a little windy/chilly, maybe 60 or so, but a big crowd turned out. Mostly we go for the food, which today I had a chicken gyro. Yummy.

Left the morning coffee group at 0830, then headed down to Lakeland Fl, to the home of the Detroit Tigers spring baseball camp, and took in a game between the Tigers and the New York Yankees. 152 Miles down- Went with Don Sabitini and Tom Greene, and had a super trip. Our seats were in the berm in the left field, and we found a picnic table to sit at, other than the fact that it was the second largest crowd in the 75 year history of the field, it was pretty cool. Plenty of food and drinks were available, I got a ball and a neat pin for the ballpark/baseball collection. We discussed that we might would want to to the Braves down at Orlando in the next little bit- That would be fun also. It was nice and warm there today, probably got a little sunburned for the effort. Yanks won, 9-8.

Packing up for Florida- Summer trip is now all askew.

Stayed in bed all day yesterday, missed lunch and dinner out with friends- Poop.
We are all packed up and waiting for Judy Williamson to come over to pick us up and head down to Old Town in San Diego to the Mariott, where we will stay the night and get up early to shuttle over to Lindbergh Field then head on over to DFW, then JAX. Supposed to land at 1810 hours in JAX.

Also, yesterday, we got a request from our daughter Tina to assist with looking out for the boys while they go on their 15th anniversary honeymoon. This means we most probably won't do the big loop trip we had planned. We need to be in Greenwood from 25 June to 4 July, so that kills trying to get out West. Guess we'll find some things to do around Maine, then maybe be able to see the Williamson family in New Hampshire, then mosey on down to South Carolina by the 3rd week of June, then maybe head on over to Memphis to help out with Deanna and her chemo treatments,
then maybe do something in the midwest until around 1 October. I guess I had maybe 50 hours into planning the other trip, which is now all for naught. Did hear that the boys might be coming down for Spring break maybe, that would be cool.

Breakfast at the Beach Break- An Oceanside tradition

Met up with Judy Williamson this morning at the Beach Break, an Oceanside tradition for over 20 years. Terrific food, big servings! Bette stayed back at Judy's house to gossip, and I'm here, fixing to go crash, since I feel pretty bad. Supposed to go out for dinner tonight-

Hanging out, have a nasty sinus something, yuck.

Just kind of hung out yesterday, took Mom's car and went over to Pendleton to recall old times, then stopped by downtown Oceanside to see if I could find a Tee shirt, which I didn't. I've picked up a nasty sinus maybe infection, and am not sleeping at all, and also failed to pack the cpap machine, so it's been rough at night.

supposed to meet up this morning with Judy Williamson at the Beach Break, our favorite breakfast place- then we are meeting them again tonight for dinner somewhere. I may just come home and crash.. really not feeling very well.

Kippy, Here's your ultimate rooster.....

Kippy, here's your rooster we couldn't figure out how to get on the plane.....
Anyway, our heart was there!

Safely in at San Diego

Mom's final resting place, Space W1572, At Ft. Rosecran's National Cemetery. It is probably one of the most beautiful spaces ever. It overlooks the Pacific, and it totally serene.

This Navy ship was the view from Mom's grave area- You look straight out into the ocean, and there the ship was.

Here is the view from the Cabrillo National Monument. It is the all time view of the city- I took several others, and I'll post them seperately.

The Point Loma lighthouse-

Finally arrived at SAN around 5 pm, a couple of hours late- Uneventful flight, both fairly full.

Judy Williamson and her friend Ron were there to pick up up- Love you mean it!

Came straight up to Carlsbad to Mom's, then decided to go out to dinner. Went to Norte's, which is a premier Mexican place. I had fahitas, man they were good.

Crashed badly when we got home, and slept like a log. Today, we got up and after breakfast with huge local strawberries from Judy, went down to San Diego.

We went to Cabrillo National Monument, then to Ft. Rosecrans to visit my birth mother at the National Cemetery, then over to La Jolla for lunch with the swells at George's at the Cove. A pair of overdressed ladies pulled up in matching Bentley convertables as we walked up. Very chi-chi.

Then on home. Tonight we'll eat in. Beautiful typical California sunshine today- temps around 67 or so, bright sunshine.

Packing up, Bette gets a new puter

Nothing much to report the last few days, went to Bingo and won twice, but had to split the pot three ways once, wound up with net winnings of $13, which still pays for the cards, which were $8. Dan won once too, I believe.

Went to the Jacksonville RV show twice, didn't see anything that rocked the boat.

Dropped off the Nova at General RV, haven't heard anything back yet- but didn't have a real time schedule for them to work on it either....

Packing today for San Diego, pretty much decided to bite the bullet and pay $20 for a belly ride for one bag between us. Looking forward to a leisurely visit, and to get a pin or two from somewhere. Plan to get out to Cabrillo NM, haven't been for a while, so I'll get a pin there, and also get in a visit to Mom #1, who is buried at Ft. Rosecrans Natn'l Cemetery.

Been looking at the weather, looks like mid 60's and 40's at night... Maybe rain by the weekend. Don't think we'll go to Mexico this time. Hoping to meet up with Karen Knoll, and old BHS chum.

Planned this morning at coffee to go to the Yankees/Tigers game on the day after we get back from California, with a bunch of the guys- Turns out to be a long day trip, about 2.5 down then the game, then 2.5 hrs back.

Bette is out buying a new HP computer as we speak- that will be good. Be fun to see her try to deal with Windows 7.