Day 220-222 Longboat Key December 24-27, 2018

Day 220-222 Longboat Key December 24-27, 2018

Warm and sunny days mid 70 and low 80s - ahhhh warmth again!!

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Well we had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day and few days since.

On Christmas Eve we headed to Sarasota for the candlelight service. The photo below caught my eye as we haven't seen the church in the evening light before. And the palm trees are still throwing me off as a Christmas back drop.

So we were very pleased that the service was a wonderful time of music and reflection. Being inside and dark helped us transport our mind set back somewhat to home and make it feel a little more like Christmas time. But the service reinforced that you don't need cold weather to be impacted with the reason for Christmas. This was highlighted by a wonderfully done "live" nativity scene (the ox and lamb were not there - thankfully). The most fascinating player was an infant that the pastor brought to Mary. He sat still in her lap looking out to the crowd for over 20 minutes and never made a sound - just checked us all out - now that's a calm baby.

Christmas Day was highlighted with an early video call from Rob and company. The girls wanted to show us their presents. To see their smiling faces and hear them excitedly tell of the gifts they got was wonderful and was the last piece of the puzzle to affirm that Christmas Day was indeed upon us. Photos from Ryan and crew made the day complete and made us able to easily recall the great time we had spent with all of them last week.

So later in day we were in the right frame of mind to partake in a wonderful Christmas dinner that was held at the Country Club of the adjacent golf facility - it is a separate operation from the marina. But there are several larger events such as this that are offered to marina boaters to attend.

It was a great feast. First things first. The dessert station!!

Our seating was at 3:30 and it was sold out. I could see why. YUM.

Oysters anyone? One of three trips! What a glutton!!

And on our trip back to the boat we walked along the marina docks. This one made me smile - particularly since I have made so many references to the Wizard of Oz.

The morning after Christmas had us up early. What for you ask? Well to get a rental car and drive to Pompano Beach to buy a car of course.

When we were home Rob talked about his car having some fatal problems. So we decided to give them the car that I drive.  So we thought about a replacement. Looking on line I found this 2004 just like mine (but white instead of tan) with only 53,500 miles for not much more than what we were going to pay to rent a car for the months of January and February.  I found we could ship it home for a real reasonable price so we bought it!!

Thursday found us out and about. Fellow Looper Mark aboard Serenity had told me of a great farmer type market called Detwiler's market. It has wonderful veggies, seafood, meats and bakery items along with grocery items - great fun.

Mark also mentioned that next door was a diner called Metro

And it was. That is real mashed with plenty of tasty gravy over that meatloaf - I will be back!

And Mark and his visiting family showed up!! Too funny.

So now we are more mobile and being here feels even more enjoyable!!

So it is now night and I have finished eating my tasty salmon steak from the day's shopping that I grilled ... so it is now time to say .........

Good Night and May God Bless

Day 205-219 Trip Home to NH, December 10-23, 2018

Day 205-219 Trip Home to NH, December 10-23, 2018

"Warm and sunny days mid 80s until Sunday which was cloudy with showers and mid 70's."
Boy was that not the case for our trip home!! Cold and snowy - but thankfully moderately cold

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We enjoyed our time in Longboat Key through the middle part of December in the warm Florida sun. In planning for the Great Loop trip we had originally decided not to make a trip home - even at Christmas time. But sharing pictures, emails, phone calls and video time just was not enough for these old folks - we decided in the fall that we needed to get home around the holidays.

One thing that we knew we didn't want to miss was the Christmas school concerts. We have always attended them and we concluded that we should plan time home around when the concerts were. We traveled home on Dec 10 and returned on December 20. This also avoided the crazy time of flying at Christmas.

So I realize that you all are interested in things about the Great Loop and following the travels of the trip - but a time back home is part of the trip for most of the Loopers - being away from family is harder than we imagined. So this post is all about the trip home. You are more than welcome to respond by saying "That's nice but I will pass on looking at all that family photos."  But for us it is a neat way of capturing the great "trip within a trip" so you are more than welcome to view some of the finest kids and grandkids in the land - I am not biased am I? Oh, I am you think? Well maybe just a little I guess.

Our first visit was to son Rob and lovely daughter in law Dawn's home in Wolfeboro. NH.  They have daughter Madelaine, Lauren and Gabrielle - and here they are in that order. And we only told the parents we were coming so at this first hello in a great while we where all smiles and .....

doing show and tell.

Here are Dawn and Maddy. I am embarrassed to say that when I went back to look at the photos, 99% where of the grandkids and few of our boys Robert (Rob) and Ryan and their wives Dawn and Melissa - so I am publicly apologizing for such focused picture taking - but I think they would agree that the error can be forgiven since the grandkids are so adorable.

Faye had done this painting some years ago and it was great that the grandkids liked having it up.

 Catching up.

And we stayed at an AirBNB place in Wolfeboro. It was great being within minutes of Rob as our house is an hour and a half away and we would have had far less time to visit. Besides, our house is all closed up with no heat or water and thus was impossible to use. It was a nice one bed room apartment that was cheaper than a motel. My non - technical wife made the reservations. She has made huge leaps and bounds to embrace the better things of the internet. I am amazed since it was only a few short years ago she insisted on keeping her flip phone forever.

Bree is in first grade and reading like she is in third grade - it was great to see her accomplish so much since we left in May. Check out that beautiful red hair - it just makes her glow - a wonderful thing at Christmas time.

Concert Time!! Lauren is ready for her concern. She was in the chorus and played the trombone in the band. Lauren gets cuter every time I see her - and I tell her so each time!!

Lauren is back row third one from the right.

And Lauren in the band but we can't see here on the far left

A trombone player she is!!

A wonderful concert it was!!

Maddy is a beautiful young lady - a freshman - hard to believe. She is headed out to a special Christmas dinner with members of her class.

And it was a thrill to have us all stand together with the tree giving a wonderful perspective of this Christmas time

Nana is in heaven - playing dolls with the girls.  And this is the lady who said (since she had only boys) upon the announcement of Maddy's arrival, "A girl? I don't know anything about playing with girls. What am I going to do?" To which I said - "I am quite sure you will find something to do together." Guess Nana figured it out, eh?

And staying in Wolfeboro we got to do things like walk Bree to school -

 ..... and notice who she is walking with - more proof that Nana has figured our what to do with girls!!

Later in week we were able to connect with Ryan and Melissa and their youngest two, twins Charlotte and Mitchell. I was shocked to see how much they have grown. And they did football and cheer leading this past fall.

And here is a picture of a most wonderful lunch, It was amazing to be able to take Maddy to lunch just the two of us - and still have great things to talk about. She did outstanding in her first half of freshman year - we are all very proud of her and thrilled to see she is enjoying and learning so much. A class trip to Spain for a number of days this spring will be absolutely wonderful for her. And Rob, her Dad, will be able to go a chaperon.

Look how tall Maddy is getting!!!!!

"Nana? Can you teach me to bake?"  "Absolutely, my darling. As soon as I get back!!"

Rob and his three Princesses

There was a weekend in the middle of our stay and Ryan and Melissa hosted a feast on Saturday. Granddaughter Sydney (on left with Maddy), who lives in FL with her mom Jenn (remember our visit from them while we were in Clearwater Beach?) was able to fly up for our get together - how wonderful

Papa loves his girls!!

And Robert is getting jumped on by a gaggle of kids - and Nana always says, "Don't hurt the kids!!" to which I will always say "Who's looking out for me!!??"

 And time for some presents.

Here you can see Tom and Joe standing behind the couch. And Melissa's parents Tom and Paula

I did manage to get a nice photo of Dawn. You can see where the kids all get those beautiful faces and smiles.

Rob and family attend a church that meets in the local high school.  It was great to have everyone there on Sunday.

I was pleased to get this shot, Ryan with his Mom and Rob is on the stage in red leading the song time. Both boys got their mothers excellent voice.

On Sunday night we went back to Ryan and Melissa's to watch the Patriots lose to the Steelers. And Mrs. Clause arrived for the game!

While we did not stay at our house, we were able to get the car out for the week. And while there the weather was not too bad, but we did get some snow - plenty to affirm that it was cold as compared to our winter home in Florida.

So on Tuesday Miss Bree had her concert

Bree is right in the middle with her hands slightly raised.

 The whole show

And here is Lauren and Nana - and a Pillow!!!  When two and half, Lauren was asked by Nana to "Come snuggle with Nana." To which Lauren quickly responded, "here's a pillow!!

And on our last day, there was time to stop at Ulta.

Time to head back to FL _ it's cold outside in NH

We are met with a strong gusty wind,

So with this shot of the moon at night,you can see is time to say .........

Good Night and May God Bless