One year in review updated Feb. 2, 2010

September 5, 2009

Islamorda, Florida Keys. Today Jerry and i went out on a half day deep sea fishing excursion from the World Wide Sportsman dock.

This heron waited for us to dine upon our return. He got his dinner when we got back.

Sept. 5, 2009

Carlos and Suzanne from San Francisco joined us as the second couple sharing the expenses and catch of the day. We brought back fourteen black fin tuna. Four or so were in the ten pound range. We had Ahi tuna tonight!! The sharks got the half of two fish, and we threw back a few little fellows to catch them again in the future.

Jerry and I pose with our ahi catch of the day.

To fish with Don Reichert located in the world wide sportsman mm 81.5 marker, Islamorada, in the florida keys contact him at 305 664 9177 or donreichert@comcast.net. He really showed us a great half day adventure! you can also go to www.fishinmissioncharters.com

Capt. Don fillets our fish for us. We departed a little after 7 am from Isla morada, Florida Keys, for a destination 12 miles out to sea. Action was a little slow at first, but as the morning got later and the clouds crept in giving us cover, we begin getting 3 to 4 hits of tuna at the same time.

Sept. 5, 2009

This heron which we saw earlier this morning was ready for lunch. Capt. Don threw him a scrap piece of black finned tuna

and he immediately swallowed it. take a look at the neck swelling. it took only minutes for the fish piece to pass into his system and he was ready for another piece.

August 15. 2009

Janet eating green chili cheeseburgers and homemade fries. Just like the old sailing days.

August 15, 2009

Looking through the porthole window at Burdine's restaurant, Marathon Key, Fla, brought back memories..it was so fitting to have cold hard driving rain as we gobbled down our most favorite green chili cheese hamburger and homemade fries. We spent almost 4 months in Boot Key Harbor with our sailboat in 2001 waiting to go to the Bahamas. We never got there...but had a real adventure sailing around Cuba to Jamaica with our new found friends from Toronto and the UK.

August 2009

During our stay in Crystal River while Jerry worked as a gastroentrologist in Inverness to fill in for a vacationing doctor, we were invited to spend those two weeks as guests in their home. Their place was spectacular! We spent most of our time in this kitchen/dining/family "big room".

August. 2009

Here is the view I saw each day, as i had set up my painting table to overlook the Crystal River.

We encountered tons of weeken floaters in the rainbow river.

August. 2009

This barred owl flew in every morning overlooking our campsite in Inverness.

August, 2009

A friendly ? alligator waiting for handouts at the campsite.

We saw a lot of people tubing down the Rainbow river, as well as an occassional bird.

Aug. 2009

Cruisin on Rainbow River. Florida

Aug. 2009

We made it back to Crystal River, Fl. We stayed at a campground in Inverness, and spent one day cruising the Rainbow River in a rented boat.

July 17, 2009

We stopped one evening at this campground. The bridge of loose sheets of metal ran over a large abyss. I refused to ride over it in the motorhome, and instead watched as Jerry crossed it both ways...in and coming out the next morning.

July 13, 2009

After leaving N. Carolina, we stopped in

to visit the civil war burial grounds at the prisoner of war campsite in Andersonville, Georgia. Hundreds of men died each day. They had to be buried in trenches instead of being given individual grave sites.

July 12, 2009

After leaving Michigan, we traveled down to North Carolina to visit with our Pilgrim friends from Cape Coral. Faith and Tom have found a wonderful mountainside river to park their motorhome and relax over the summer months.

July 8, 2009

Aunt Kristin sent Brandon a Disney place setting for his birthday. I filled the bowl with Cheerios as he happily played inside the motor home.

Uncle Bob rescued Scotts old cement mixer toy and gave it back to Scott, who repainted it and let Brandon go with it.

Scott's fixin us a BBQ dinner!

July 4, 2009

Waiting for the 4th of July fireworks in Anchor Bay, Lake St. Clair to begin, here is a picture of Jerry and Janet, Don and Ava, and David and Becky.

July 4, 2009

Janet's brother, David celebrated his birthday today, as well as his anniversary to Becky. We were with David's buddies boating on Lake St. Clair.

Brandon came knocking on our motorhome. When invited in, he promptly took over the driver's seat.

July 3, 2009

Though it was a bit early to celebrate Brandons 2nd year birthday, we set up a portable playstation in Scott and Jalayne's family room. Here Scott is encouraging Brandon to go inside

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Scott barely made it into the center section, when Brandon came in and plopped on top of him.

June 30, 2009

After leaving Missouri, we stopped in Springfield, Indiana to visit the house that Abraham Lincoln lived in before becoming president of the US.

June 30, 2009

The finches at Richard and Karen's place lined up in the lilies to dine at their seed feeders.

June 28. 2009

Jerry and Richard telling stories!

June 28, 2009

Richard and Karen put together a wonderful grilled dinner for us. Can you believe they grilled the head of romaine lettuce!

June 28, 2009

Spectacular sunset reflecting in our motorhome. The calm before the fierce winds that rocked us that night.

June 28. 2009

Jerry and Janet travel to Missouri to visit Jerry's brother Richard and Karen. Here is a glorious sunset.

June, 2009

Sandy and Kristin travel to Seattle, Wa to run another marathon!!!!

June, 2009

Kristin and Sandy run the Princess Marathon at Disney.

June, 2009

Here Sandy and Kristin pose with two of the
Disney princesses.

June, 2009

Kristin receives award "Partners in Excellance" from Disney. It is a once in a life time award! Congratulations Kristin!!!! We are proud of you.

April 18, 2009

Another view of the park in Sarasota.

April 18, 2009

It's really a large bill board, as you can see me standing in front of it.

April 18, 2009

Embracing our Differences...art theme park b- boards in Sarasota. My crayon painting was one of 35 selected out of a field of almost 2000 to be displayed.

April, 2009

Scott, Jalayne and 20 mo. old Brandon visited us for a week. Everything was a new experience for him. It was great fun to just sit back and observe!

April, 2009

We spent a few hours at the neighborhood playground. Brandon had NO fear of anything, including fast and static.

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Here Jalayne, mom, is letting Brandon go...

I got to pose with Brandon on the swing set.

This picture was taken as he was trying to leave my studio via the stairs. we made him go backwards. The stairs were always his number one destination for play, much to our chagrin.

We spent two afternoons on Sanibel Beach. Scott dug a large round indentation for him to play within the shadow of the umbrella. we kept his buckets full of water.

He was like Tom Hanks in Bubba Smith. He just kept runnin and runnin and runnin! Often times he would just trip and face plant himself, get up and go again!

There was no stoppin this handsome little boy!

We warmed the pool up to let them swim and Brandon liked it better without the life vest, but never liked getting his face wet.

Jalayne, Scott, and Brandon

His favorite toy was the UHaul box.

We taught him the "jack in the box".....pop goes the weasel.