Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Fort Lonesome--Lonesome But No Fort

I did some looking into the history of Fort Lonesome which has never been or had a fort there. The name came from a problem with a Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in 1929. An inspection station was located there to check on all the fruit coming from the south. Now even today Fort Lonesome is in the middle of nowhere. One of the inspectors, obviously feeling a bit lonely, hung a sign out that said "Fort Lonesome." The name stuck.
Fort Lonesome became a "boom" town for a short time when a sawmill established its business there. Two grocery stores actually opened (there is only a convenient-type grocery there now). The boom didn't last long. The sawmill burned down and with it the hopes of any growth for the town.
The information came from a site that lists ghosts towns. I guess if you don't have a housing boom, you are considered a ghost town. The ghosts of the past will plague my characters though as their story unfolds set in the out-of-the-way town of Fort Lonesome.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Got the T-shirt And The Novel Idea!

[Almost ten years ago we made the trip I describe below. It was the catalyst for the novel I am now working on. I still have the T-shirt.]
Recently we made the trip to Florida to see grandkids and catch a couple Indians' spring training games. While in the area, there was an extra stop I wanted to make. About a half hour out of our way was a small area know as Fort Lonesome. There has never been a town there to my knowledge, certainly not a fort, and the most I could find when I researched it was that it had two grocery stores--one of which has since met the wrecking ball.
In my internet search I also discovered that it was considered a ghost town. Well, now isn't that just the juice a novelist needs for some ideas? We arrived mid-morning at the Fort Lonesome Grocery--the only building in sight other than a shed on one corner of the intersection. A couple of large trucks were parked in the gravel lot when we pulled in with our rental car.
Walking inside the store was like walking into a movie scene out of the 50s--the one where the unsuspecting tourists make a stop at the wrong place. We stuck out like sore thumbs. With a half-dozen truckers (all standing with drinks and sandwiches in hand ready to checkout) as an audience, I asked the lady behind the counter if she knew anything about this place being a ghost town. Her answer: "We got live people here and we got dead people here. . .and that's all."
I bought the T-shirt anyway.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Not a SAHG
[Rounding out the grandparenting week of posts with this story from a few years ago. Talk about creative solutions!]
The other
day I heard a woman describe herself as a Stay At Home Grandmother. She cared
for her grandchildren while their mother helped to make ends meet in this
economy where two incomes are almost an essential to survival. While her job
description brought a smile to my face, it also reminded me of a lady who has
solved this problem for her grandchildren in a unique and selfless way.
We call the
hotel we use in the city where some of our grandchildren live our “home away
from home.” Since several other family members, my mother-in-law included, live
there as well we can move freely from our “home base” and visit without feeling
obligated to stay longer in one place than another. On one occasion, we were
checking in to our hotel and a glimmer of recognition spread across my
husband’s face as the lady behind the counter took his credit card information.
“Blythe
Ann?”
“Yes,” she
answered. “How are you?”
Blythe Ann
was the daughter of the pastor from the church where Bob grew up. We hadn’t
seen her in quite a while so it was time to catch up a bit. When we told her we
were there to visit our grandchildren and shared the obligatory information on
number, ages, sex, and where the grandkids lived, she smiled and said, “Well,
I’m here because of my grandchildren too.”
I thought
that a strange remark but then she explained. Her son and daughter-in-law had gone
over their finances and determined that there was a need for two incomes. They
looked into day care for the little ones and decided it wasn’t a financial
option since the fees would eat up most of what Mom could earn. They turned to
Grandma.
To their surprise,
Grandma said no. She hated to see her grandchildren separated from their mother
in those young years. And equally, she disliked the idea of her daughter-in-law
missing the opportunity to see her children reach the milestones in their young
lives that pass so quickly. She did have an answer to their dilemma however.
Blythe Ann
proposed that she get a part time job and give the check to her son and
daughter-in-law. There would be no need to pay day care and the children would
not miss their mother’s care and love during the day. It also allowed Blythe
Ann to be Grandma—not another parent or caretaker to her grandchildren.
There was
another little perk to her gift as well.
“I really
enjoy my job,” she told us. “It gets me out of the house and among people
again. I’m having a great time.”
While not
all of us have this kind of opportunity to give to our children and
grandchildren, I thought it was an idea worth sharing. Call it a creative
solution for the modern-day world of grandparenting.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Is Grandpa Still Dead?

The
finality of death is a difficult concept for any of us to understand and
especially so to a youngster. When her great grandpa died, Danielle, age 3,
understood most of what her mommy told her but it was hard for her to believe that
this gentle man who loved her would not be around to give her a hug again—at
least not on this side of heaven.
"I can't
imagine how difficult it would be to explain death to a child if you didn't
believe in Jesus or Heaven,” said Danielle’s mommy, Lori. “Through a sad event,
we were able to share with our kids the joy of Heaven and God's promise for
those who love him.”
As grandmothers,
we may be called upon to help our grandchildren deal with the loss of a loved
one. “Grandparents can be tremendous role models for accepting the trials
and triumphs of life,” says Brenda Nixon, a recognized expert in early
childhood parenting and author of Parenting
Power in the Early Years. “Show your grandkids that grief and pain cannot
be avoided as a part of living, in fact they need to see your rollercoaster of
tears and smiles. This teaches them to grow up accepting the emotions to
respect their own reactions.”
Here are a
few things we can do to help our grandchildren through the stages of grief:
·
First, be truthful. Let them know why you are
sad. “Grandpa died.” You can then go on to explain that when people die there
is a part of them that goes to heaven to be with Jesus. My son is fond of using
food in his explanations of spiritual things. He uses an egg to explain how God
can be Father, Son and Holy Spirit and still be one. In explaining to Danielle
about Great Grandpa dying, he used a banana. The inside part was gone but the
peel remained.
·
Encourage children to express their feelings.
They will experience a range of emotions as well—guilt, anger, confusion—all a
part of the grieving process. Let them talk about it.
·
Recall fond memories. Talk about the loving, fun
and/or funny things you remember about the person. Let the children add theirs
and affirm their recalling of the events. Remember, it’s their version, their
cherished memory.
·
Remember that children will react differently
according to their age. “Young children often think death is temporary,” says
Nixon, “and it isn't until the age of 11 years that they're able to comprehend
its finality.” While preschoolers may think that Grandpa will wake up again
(resurrection aside), elementary age children may want more detailed
explanations of death and dying and teens may react in ways that seem silly or
be withdrawn as a means of coping with such strong emotions.
When teachable moments arise, use
them to prepare your grandchildren just as you did your children. Our
soon-to-be four year old granddaughter was fascinated with the fact that I have
a “little” brother like she does. Hers is only seven months old. Mine is
fifty-five. But she suddenly realized that if I have a brother, I must have a
mother.
“Where is you mommy?” she asked.
“My mommy lives in heaven,” I
answered.
“Why?”
“Because she got very, very, very, old
and died. Then she went to live with Jesus in heaven.”
“Oh, why?”
The conversation continued for a
bit, each response countered by “why?” That’s what soon-to-be four year olds
do. But when the time comes, perhaps she will understand that this Grandma is
happily with Jesus in heaven and, although she will miss me, I will be still be
in her life as a cherished memory because we love each other so very much.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
A Praying Grandmother

My friend, Trish Berg, author of Rattled, Surviving Your Baby’s First Year Without Losing Your Cool
(Multnomah Books, 2008), says in her book that the only place she often finds
to do her devotional reading and praying is the bathroom. She’s the busy mom of
four young children including a teenager now. I can relate to that. It seemed
with five kids at home, there was never any private time for me to set aside
for spending some time with God. Now there is just me and hubby. Guess what?
There still doesn’t seem to be uninterrupted time.
With this new phase of life comes a new perspective on prayer
time. While my children were growing up, I was growing up along with them. I
learned how much better life could be if sprinkled with prayer. Now as a
grandmother, I realize that I can be one of the greatest helps to my
grandchildren if I am more dedicated to remembering them and their parents in
prayer.
Those young moms and dads are juggling their time between
jobs, parenting, and lots of other distractions that often keep their prayer
times minimal. Maybe it is a little leftover guilt on my part but I’m thinking
that a praying grandmother just might help to make life a little easier, a
littler richer, a little more peaceful, joyous, enriched if I spend time
remembering my children and grandchildren each day in prayer.
Here’s a couple of suggestions to help you find that time to
ask God for his blessings on your family:
·
Pick your best time of the day. Are you sharper
in the morning, afternoon, or evening? I do best with prayer time in the
morning. Right after breakfast when I’ve had my cup of coffee and am finally
awake.
·
Remember that you don’t need to relegate prayer
to only once a day and at the same time every day. If you experience a personal
relationship with Jesus, you know that you can talk with Him any time, any
place.
·
Try praying in the laundry room as you’re
putting in a load of clothes. Or maybe while you are doing the dishes. I don’t
think God minds you multi-tasking. We talk with each other as we do chores. Why
not with God as well?
·
Include your grandchildren in some prayer time
when they visit with you. As they grow older they will learn to appreciate that
they have a grandmother who prays for them.
What to pray for? That depends upon the individual needs of
each. For grandkids, certainly health, growth both spiritually and physically and
those little milestones in their lives that become bigger as the years go by.
Right now I’m praying for Annalise to catch on to her potty training and Tyler
to make good choices during his school days in the first grade. Caleb needs
protection from being too curious and Danielle could use a little more
confidence. Kotomi could use help with learning patience and TJ with learning
two languages (Japanese and English) and their little baby sister, Emiko, well,
she needs God’s touch as she grows. Then there is the little one developing
that needs prayer for a healthy entrance into this world.
Pray that moms and dads will have patience, will make time
to be good parents, will be kind and will be good guides for their children in
this world. You know your children and you know where they may need extra
prayer as parents. And even if you aren’t sure, God knows. Just ask him to
supply their needs. And know that with those prayers, you are making a
difference in all of their lives.
Monday, February 19, 2018
Grandma's Journal

Do you keep a journal? Journaling is one of those things
that I toy with now and then. I used to be a diary-keeper when I was a teen and
young adult but life got busy with five kids and I fell out of the habit. Now,
with all the writing I do I find that I have a kaleidoscopic journal that is in
colorful pieces here and there. I keep a blog and journal on many of my
trips—especially if it is to an interesting place like China.
Here and there in my writing I am influenced by my
grandchildren. Usually it is because they have provided a good laugh. Case in
point: One night we got a 1-800-Grandma call from our oldest grandson, Tyler.
It went something like this:
"Tee-hee.
Grandma? Can you come and give my Daddy a spanking? Tee-hee-hee."
"A
spanking? Why? What's Daddy doing?"
"Well,
he's your son and he keeps teasing me."
"Yes,
he's my son, but what's he doing?"
"He
flipped me with his sock. And it smelled, Grandma! Tee-hee-hee."
"Tyler,
is this a 1-800-Grandma call?"
"A
what?"
"Never
mind. But if your Daddy needs a spanking, you better call 1-800-Grandpa."
Guess
I still subscribe to the just-wait-until-your-father-gets-home threat.
Tee-hee-hee.
And
then there was the time when Kotomi, who was about four, walked up to
Cinderella at the Disney World Castle and asked, “So, where’s the prince?”
I
could go on but then I’d just be taking advantage of your listening ear—or make
that reading eye. The point is that these are precious memories worth noting
somewhere because along the way, they are often forgotten and too soon these
little people will be grown up with little people of their own. What fun to be
able to share the memories of their young lives with each other and their
parents who may not have the time to write it down. And what a precious
treasure for the future generations.
Journals
come in all sizes, shapes, and price-points. When I was younger, I used a diary
with the lock that had a one-key-fit-all to open it. Then I advanced to a
seventy-nine cent spiral notebook when I figured out anyone could get into the
locked diary.
Whatever
type of journal you may choose, a clothbound fancy parchment-papered book with
a raffia ribbon or a spiral notebook, put it in a place where you will see it
often and remember to record those warm fuzzy moments with grands. And even if
they aren’t so fuzzy, it may help you to see them in a different light. A
journal is a map of a journey. Not necessarily where you are going but where
you have been. It’s nice to look back once in a while.
Friday, February 16, 2018
FIshing?

Some of my grandchildren though have inherited the fishing gene and I do get to indulge in the sport on occasion. Some of our Florida grandkids enjoy fishing so this past couple of weeks I've gotten to sit with them and drop a line in.
From the dock at the condo complex, there's not a whole lot to catch that has much size to it. Grunts, the occasional snapper, maybe a small barracuda and even a needle fish. I always tell people we're catching appetizers. Although they are too small to keep, they are still fun to hook and reel in.


One morning though I had quite a time with a small needle fish. I had caught a good sized one a few days before but this one just kept swimming up on top of the water. He would follow my bobber as I reeled my line in and nip at it. Then as if he knew it, he would hustle after the line as I brought up whatever might be left over of my bait on the hook. If I hung the bait over his head, he would swim in circles waiting for it like a puppy dog waiting for a treat. Yes, I was teasing the wildlife.
When we were done fishing, I tossed in what was left of my bait and he was rewarded for his patience.
![]() |
It's okay, fishy. I'll have the hook out in a minute. |
Thursday, February 15, 2018
The Great Keys Hurricane

At the time the fastest way in and out of the Keys was by rail, ferry or boat. A railway ran from the mainland to Key West. A large group of World War I veterans were encamped in the area working on various government projects. When it was finally determined that the hurricane would hit the area, a train was sent to try to evacuate the workers but unfortunately it arrived at the wrong time and was derailed by the surge. It was reported that 269 of the veterans perished.
All in all over 400 died in the storm that hit in the night on Labor Day weekend. Tourists as well as residents were swept away in the wind and surge as buildings and landscape around them were torn apart. It must have been really frightening.
The railway was gone. The track and much of its supporting facilities were damaged so badly that there was no way Flagler could afford to repair it all.
The town of Tavenier was completely destroyed. Islamorada devastated.
But the Keys are strong. Over the years they came back. Thankfully as years went on hurricane predictions became more accurate and evacuation procedures in place have saved lives.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
The Keys Post Irma
![]() |
A foot of sea grass carpeted the floor of the Snappers dining room after Irma destroyed the windows and let the water in. |
![]() |
Beginning restoration of the Turtle Club at Snappers. |
Along the Overseas Highway there were still large piles of debris, mostly of large tree bottoms with huge roots but also couches, tires, pieces of wooden structures, etc. Some of which we would learn was being carted to the area from other places and dumped.
![]() |
Snappers' temporary kitchen. |
Our favorite restaurant, Snappers, was featured in a CNN story just before and after the hurricane hit. According to reports the restaurant was flooded with four feet of surge and battered by waves as high as ten feet. It sits right on the ocean side where the category 4 hurricane came ashore. The outdoor bar area known as the Turtle Club was completely wiped away.
![]() |
An aerial shot of Snappers before Irma. |
Eventually Snappers put their cook in a food truck and began serving from an "Irmageddon" menu. There is no dishwasher so everything is served on disposable wear. Tables are still set up on the outdoor boardwalk area and patrons are supporting the owners efforts. Still it is difficult as they cannot serve as many as before so staff has been reduced.
![]() |
Carmelitano used to play from a floating platform dockside. |
If there is one thing the Keys are though it's resilient and things will begin to take shape and hopefully be even better than before. Meanwhile, we will eat our Sunday brunch and Snappers and enjoy the music of Frank Carmelitano and the weather and the food that is still amazingly good despite the small portable kitchen it comes from.

Labels:
Florida Keys,
Key Largo,
Post Irma,
USA-Florida
Monday, February 12, 2018
A Dose Of Disney - Animal Kingdom

Still my husband and son would not be denied. So when we got through the gate as the park opened the two hustled off to the Avatar ride. By the time they got there the line wait was already two and a half hours. The rest of us set off for the safari ride which used to be the big ride in AK.
The kids were duly impressed with the safari ride although it was a lot bumpier than I remember. Some of the animals came up really close to the jeep we were in. This ride is very much like the real safari we were on except that the more dangerous animals are in exhibits that have a large "moat" to keep them away from the jeeps full of people although from the jeep you can't tell that anything separates you from those lions sunning themselves.

Throughout the morning the guys kept us updated on their progress in line. As they got nearer, there was a lot to see of the Pandora landscape--none of which Bob would recognize since he hadn't seen the movie.
I ended up at the petting zoo with two of the kids while the older ones went on the Primeval Whirl. When we were done petting goats (the sheep couldn't be coaxed out into the petting area) we explored the nature center there and got to meet Rafiki.
It was nearing noon and there was a nice quiet area near the Petting Zoo with tables and benches. Since the two Avatar guys were just off the ride, I suggested we all meet there for lunch. It took a while to gather together but it was a nice lunch and everyone really enjoyed the Subways.

Dinner was at the Rainforest Restaurant which is really not in the park but just outside it. You have to be sure you have your passes with you to reenter although there is no security to go through a second time. I think we all enjoyed our meals. I know I enjoyed my fish and chips. The kids loved seeing it storm inside a few times and watched the animals come alive.

It was a little difficult for them to find us but they did and we were all together as the program started. I think we all enjoyed it as much as we had the Epcot fireworks even though there were no fireworks. Fountains of colorful water danced from large floating lotus flowers and several lighted floats that were animals weaved between them. The music was soothing and beautiful and the tower of flames toward the end added a little more excitement.
![]() |
Pandora |
Oh, the Avatar ride? He said he wouldn't wait three hours again to ride it but it was interesting.

Labels:
Animal Kingdom at Disney,
Disney World,
USA-Florida
Friday, February 09, 2018
A Dose Of Disney - Hollywood Studios

The first must-ride on the list was the Rock N Roller roller coaster. It's a favorite of my husband's. It takes off quickly accelerating from 0 to 57 mph in 2.8 minutes. The girls all decided they didn't want to ride it. So while we waited for the rest of the group, we walked over to the Animation Courtyard and slipped into the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. It was a stage production that featured large puppets manipulated by puppeteers dressed all in black. It took a few moments for me to realize that. Everyone was excited when we it began raining on us as we "dove" under the sea.

Once out of the Mermaid show, we walked back to the roller coaster but found that they were still waiting to ride. We stood for a few minutes watching the Tower Of Terror and decided it wasn't for us. I rode it once in the past and that was enough. The long hair of the girl in front of me was straight up as we dropped not once but twice. No thanks.

As we headed off to the Star Wars ride, we stopped to wait for a group of Stormtroopers to pass by. Our youngest and I found a spot to sit on some high chairs at an outdoor snack place across from the Star Wars ride to wait. We were treated to a training session of the young Jedis. It held her attention and really wowed her when lo and behold, Darth Vader entered from a cave in the wall. Boy was she going to have a story to tell.
We did several other rides but were not going to wait for some of the more popular. We did get a Fastpass to Beauty and the Beast which was a nice production but didn't thrill our 12 y/o grandson. Later we got into see the Indiana Jones stunt show. His response to that: "Sure beats Beauty and the Beast."
Dinner was at Mama Melrose and was delicious. The kids had special dinners and were delighted to have a Spaghetti Cupcake for dessert. The icing was piped to look like spaghetti and the sauce was strawberry. The meatball? Chocolate, of course!
The evening program, Fantasmic, was not much different than what we'd seen a few years ago. The original was quite entertaining with dancing brooms and happy characters but over the years they have changed it from Mickey's imagination dream to his nightmare staring all the villains from their movies. It gets dark and intense for the little ones and I don't find it as charming as the original.

There are several more rides being built in Hollywood which may make it a bit more interesting. The kids were not impressed with the street venues as actors portrayed various people from Hollywood Studios. That was a bit more adult and usually over their heads.
Star Wars, Stormtroopers and Darth Vader all checked off the list, we headed back to the house with a stop at Subway for the next day's sandwiches.
Thursday, February 08, 2018
A Dose Of Disney - Epcot

"Looks like good stuff in there," the security person said.
"Only the best--peanut butter and jelly," I answered and he chuckled.
Our plan was to head to The Land first and ride Soarin' which is a popular ride, usually with a long wait. But all plans were laid aside as we passed the character set where you could meet Mickey, Goofy and Minnie. The line was very short and we knew it would grow. Grandpa sighed. I reassured him it would all work out in the end.

Talking to Crush and seeing the sights with Nemo are a couple of favorites. I still cannot figure out how Crush sees and reacts and carries on a conversation as if he were real. Magic.
Of course a visit to Epcot isn't complete without a ride on the Test Track and now, with three young girls, a visit to Norway where the new ride Frozen has opened and you can meet the two sisters from the film. The character visit took a while but the guys filled the time with a ride in the nearby Mexican pavilion. The Frozen ride was quite a long wait for all of us and our young one especially. She was getting tired. Eventually we made it to the ride and enjoyed it.

There were other things to see and explore and among them was one of the places our grandson had researched and wanted to see. It's called Club Cool and is near the Imagination ride. Sponsored by Coca Cola, it is full of Coke merchandise as well as several fountains of drinks from around the world that you can sample for free. Needless to say, the floor was a bit sticky with kids excitedly sampling as much as Mom and Dad would let them.
The only dinner reservation Bob could find in Epcot was at the Chinese restaurant, Nine Dragons and was at 4:15. While it seemed a bit early by the time we were all settled and served, it was dinner time. The kids enjoyed the white rice and pot stickers but I don't think the adults enjoyed their meals as much. Our fried rice was bland and had a lot of chicken that didn't seem to have any flavor.

After dinner we strolled around a bit waiting on the evening fireworks show. My daughter-in-law and I went to a stand to get some coffee and the kids followed us. When the fellow in the stand saw four kids, he asked if they could have ice cream. I figured he would give them each a small sample. He actually gave them each a cup full of soft serve. We thought he might be trying to empty his machine to close up shop. Still, it was a nice gesture and we appreciated it.
![]() |
Norway-That's real grass on the roof. |
I think we all agreed that the Epcot fireworks were much more spectacular than the Magic Kingdom had been. All, that is except the one in the stroller who actually slept through the whole noisy show. Well, we figured she would have a head start on the rest of us for the next day.
Wednesday, February 07, 2018
Wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, February 06, 2018
A Dose Of Disney - The Magic Kingdom

The kids could hardly contain themselves as we drove to Disney World and when they caught the first glimpse of the huge welcome-to-Disney signs they went crazy with excitement.
We were able to park close enough to the transportation center to walk and then get our tickets validated. The plastic cards from AAA were replaced with Disney cards. The process didn't take nearly as long as going through the security check for our bags. Security is not only looking for weapons, they are also on the lookout for selfie sticks which are banned. There is a list of things that are not allowed into the park on the Disney website.
Next step was to catch a ride from the transportation area to the Magic Kingdom theme park. There are two favorite choices--the ferry or the monorail. We chose the monorail and reminisced about the ride our kids took when they were young.

While the rides didn't begin until nine, we were still able to enter around 8:30 and begin our plan for the day. It didn't take long though for us to change it up. You can't let a three year old pass up one of the rides she most wants to do. While the rest of the group went on to the Seven Dwarfs ride, I rode Dumbo with her.

The day went pretty smoothly and I believe we rode all of the rides that were priorities. We missed a few favorites of ours because lines were just too long and there was not enough time in the day. The afternoon parade was still a great break in the day but it was disappointing to know that there was no evening light parade.
A highlight (other than watching the 3 y/o grin ear to ear on the Carousel) was our dinner at the Liberty Tavern. It is one price per person and a set menu. The meal is served family style and there was more than enough to go around, including dessert. We were out of the chaos of the people traffic in the park and didn't feel rushed to finish.

Monday, February 05, 2018
A Dose Of Disney - The Plans

The problem for planning came in the purchase of tickets however. I knew from experience that Disney always ran a special for Florida residents in January that was even less that the usual resident ticket and so we waited to purchase our tickets until the first week in January. Tickets were available for purchase through AAA and that allowed us to get the ticket numbers we needed to make any reservations and Fastpasses. (A Fastpass is a scheduled time for you to get in line and bypass the longer line of standbys. It doesn't guarantee you won't have a line but you won't wait as long. You are allowed three/day.) While we got a great deal on four days for our six Florida residents our out-of-state tickets were twice as much. I guess that meant we needed to have twice as much fun.
Our master planner, Grandpa, began by subscribing to TouringPlans.com for $14.95. The subscription is good for a year and gives you projections on crowds in each park for a given date, touring plans to use your time most efficiently and at the park, wait times in line. We asked each child to tell us their top three attractions they absolutely needed to ride and used that to begin planning each day at the individual parks.

Dinner reservations were a bit tricky as well. We ended up with only two that were actually at a dinner hour. The other two were at 3:30 and 4:15. Those are also gobbled up 30-60 days out.
Bob finished the plans and emailed them to the kids for their approval. A week later, plans transferred to phones, a van rented that could seat all eight of us and still hold all the luggage, we drove the four hours north to the house we had rented for the week. The adventure was about to begin.

Labels:
Disney World,
Planning for Disney,
Touring Plans,
USA-Florida
Friday, February 02, 2018
Through My Lens - Caribbean Skies
Thursday, February 01, 2018
Cruising The Caribbean - The Holidays At Sea

Our two weeks aboard the Neiuw Amsterdam was spent cruising the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Christmas Eve day we spent enjoying the sunshine and water at HAL's private island, Half Moon Cay. Christmas Day was spent at sea but we enjoyed a special dinner and of course the caroling and activities that surrounded the arrival of Santa.

Several highlights along the way were watching the welcoming committee at Cozumel in their colorful costumes. Later in the evening on the open back deck a mariachi band performed for us.
The sail-in to San Juan, Puerto Rico is always spectacular. The ship sails past the old fort, San Felipe and gives you a fantastic view of the fort as you enter the port of Old San Juan. The ship docks right by the old town and there is a great opportunity to explore the area without having to go too far. We didn't do much exploring this time but did try to see if we could figure out things that may have been damaged by the hurricanes. Where our ship was, everything seemed to be okay but we knew that not that far away many were still suffering the effects of the storm. Hopefully the ships being there were adding some relief to the economy.

By the end of the cruise decorations were disappearing, being stored away for another year. The good news was that except for two strings of lights and a small door decoration, we didn't have anything else to pack up.
It was time to move on to Key Largo but it was a bit of a cool reception. The cold front that was freezing out the north and much of the south had arrived. It would be a while before we could shed sweaters and long sleeves.
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