Dec -May 2016

Pat at Christmas

My Family

Ginter Gardens

We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas at Linda and Rick’s home. We got together with my family on Christmas Eve. On New Year’s Day we headed to Williamsburg and caught the last day of Christmas decorations at Colonial Williamsburg and Bush Gardens.We also visited Ginter Gardens and the Civil War Museum and the White House of the Confederacy in Richmond, VA.   Jenn and Patrick didn’t let 3 feet of snow slow down their wedding celebration. Since we were all snowed in, the party continued through the storm with the big dig out two days later.

Jenn and Patrick

What Snow?

All cleaned up

Our new home

The Phoenix Cruiser Motorhome that we ordered in November was delivered on Feb 1. There were a few problems that had to be resolved, but the local repair facility screwed up, and finally I had to send the RV back to the factory in Elkhart, IN for repair. This delayed our planned trip to Florida.

Pat’s brother Bob had been suffering from severe headaches for a month or so. His doctor was treating him for migraines. A CAT scan revealed a large tumor on this brain, which was quickly removed in early February. Pat volunteered to move in with Bob for 3+ months to help him and drive him to his cancer treatments. Bob handled the cancer treatments fairly well. 

Pat with Randy

Since Pat was no longer available for an extended RV trip, and with the new RV in the shop, I decided to take the Born Free RV to Florida on a solo trip. We had a week reserved at our timeshare in Jupiter FL. Pat flew down for a long weekend to see Randy and our friends Susan, Tom and Julie who were also staying at the  Jupiter Reef Club.

Purple Gallinule

Julie and Susan at Johnathan Dickinson SP

Why are Gators always smiling?

Julie and Tom happy to be in Florida

 I continued south to visit my Aunt Bernie and her daughter Mary in Fort Lauderdale. Don White gave me a tour of Hollywood Beach and Jimmy Buffet’s new hotel on the beach. On my way north, I caught up with Larry and Edie in Brooksville, FL. Pat managed to join me for a few days at Jekyll Island, GA and Crooked River SP in FL.

Where Bird Nest Soup comes from

Jekyll Island "Cottage"

Jekyll Island Club 

Korean War Memorial

Pat took a few local trips with her girl friends, visiting DC for the cheery and tulip blossoms, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, National Cathedral and Dumbarton Oaks. They also toured Longwood Gardens to enjoy the spring bloom. I took my first tour of the Library of Congress, much more impressive than I expected.

National Cathedral

A year ago, I started planning a trip to Europe. We leave June 1 for a self-guided tour of Belgium and Amsterdam and a 16 day Rhine/Danube River trip; read the next blog for the full story.