April 23rd - 26th , 2018, Florida

On the way home and rain all the way. Up the 275, 75, 301, 77, 81, 84, 87, 90, 495, 95 and across the border. Third night we stayed in Bath at Brian and Rosemary's. The travel and traffic were good with only a couple held ups thru Charlotte and around Scranton. Good to be home

April 18th - April 22nd, 2018

What a busy week with a lot of Amherst folks around, Karen and Elaine at FH with us, the McKees down the road,

the Martin's heading home early due to a medical problem. lots of time on the beach, swimming (watch out for the Sting Rays who are on a stinging spree), yoga, barbecues, Jen and Rick for dinner, dinner at TJ's with Elaine and Karen, last supper at Guppy's with Paul, Judy, Greg and Deb. shopping at Beall's,

April 15th - April 17th, 2018

Monday, the day after the storm was windy and cold. A lot of people in long pants and shirts and the beach was a very lonely place. We had a barbecue with Greg and Deb at their cute spot before we headed to airport to pick up Karen and Elaine. They were lucky and made their connection in Toronto, the last two on the plane.
Tuesday the 17th, is warm, sunny and still breezy. The gang from Amherst gathered around our umbrella and we had a lovely day chatting, walking, reading, swimming, laughing. At 3 pm we did get a group picture of the Amherst group ( a few missing and they arrived 15 min late) and the boys had their Investment Group picture taken.

 The Cormiers, Hatheways, Smiths, Carrs, Sigits, VanVulpen, VanSnick, MacLeods, MacEacherns, Brennans

 Donnie, Roy, Jim, Bernie, Joe, Rick, Corey, Barry, Paul

Jenn Brennan

 Umbrella trouble

Jen VanSnick

 After a late afternoon on the beach we barbecued with Karen and Elaine and then a visit to Friendly's

April 9th - 14th, 2018

Monday is another beautiful day to walk, yoga class, afternoon on the beach with Vicki, Rosemary, Judy and Karen, big salad for dinner and finish the evening off with a hot tub session

Tuesday morning the rain, wind and lighting came so it was a shopping day at Bealls and lunch at Miller's Pub. The boys were rained out in Daytona also. The McKees arrived today for 2 weeks. The weather cleared in the evening and the girls headed out to a delicious dinner ay Guppy's - scallops, salmon and crab cakes.

The next couple days were hot, sunny and beach days but we had to say goodbye to Vicki on Wed and Rosemary on Thurs but hello to the guys arriving back from golf. Only 4 games this year, cool temps, no swimming but did have a good time and watched the Masters. The Hatheways came for dinner, spotted the space station and then an early night. On Friday it was walk and yoga morning and another afternoon on the beach. The MacEacherns, McKees and us headed to the Martins for a great pasta dinner, lots of stories ( Paul and the float plane and alligators), laughs, sunset and memories. 

Paul, Judy, Deb, Greg, Jenn, Bernie, Gisele, Fred

April 7th - 8th, 2018

Saturday was beautiful and we spent the whole day on the beach, swimming, reading, relaxing, etc. At supper time a huge rain and wind storm formed on the horizon and headed south of us - we only a bit of it for 1/2 an hour. Gorgeous to watch

 Sunday was Rosemary's day - her birthday as well as my little brother Alan's birthday. Karen had the girls in for brunch, birthday cake and girl pictures before we spent the day on the beach. To top the day off we had a delicious dinner at Guppy's restaurant at Indian Rocks - scallops, crab cakes, salmon, lobsters scargos and of course a glass of wine. The boys are having fun golfing in Daytona

Jenn, Karen, Vicki, Rosemary, Judy and Auntje (Judy's sister in law)

Modeling the prom dress 

March 24th - April 6th

Weather has warmed up and is beautiful, still windy some days but perfect. Leigh, Cathy and Adrian left on Monday for home and before Bob and Karen left on Tues we had dinner at the Salt Rock Cafe - delicious. We have our little umbrella and chairs on the beach and are amazed at the number of people. It is March school breaks and Easter so the beach is busy.
Tuesday the 27th (Greg's birthday) was golf day with Sharman and Roy at East Bay Golf Course. Had a lot of fun, lost a lot of balls and dodged the alligators beside the ponds.

Judy and Paul arrived on Wed the 28th to stay for 4 weeks at Ram Sea next door. Dinner, beach time, barbecue. Karen and Donnie arrived on Sat the 31st for 3 weeks and the cycle continues - beach, dinner, laughs, swimming, sunsets, reading. We had a delicious dinner at a new restaurant we found TJ's Italian Cafe in Indian Rocks

 I have joined the yoga group again this year so every Mon, Wed and Fri morning Bernie walks me to Yoga on the beach. Fun listening to the waves and watching for dolphins while we stretch.

On Wed the 4th Vicki arrived at Clearwater airport and Thurs the 5th Rosemary arrived at Tampa airport to spend a week with me while the boys are golfing in Daytona. The weather  is perfect for a few days on the beach under our umbrella. It is girls week with the 5 of us. 

On Friday after a great afternoon relaxing Vicki, Rosemary and I headed to Bellair Beach to visit Fred and Giselle and spend some time fishing off the beach. Had a ball and Vicki did catch a fish but the highlight was her diving to rescue a shrimp that she lost as bait. Pizza for supper in Clearwater - Fred's treat 

March 22nd and 23rd, 2018

Still cool on the beach with the wind from the north and blowing strong. Having a relaxing time walking, reading, bundled up sitting on the deck, bit of shopping and time spent with the Brennan crew. Bernie, Jennifer, Adrian, Cathy, Leigh, Karen and Bob. Life is good.

March 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st 2018

On the road again -sunny skies. We were on the road early and headed down the 17 onto the 95 and then to the 301 to a Fairfield Motel on a exit off the 10 outside of Jacksonville. A long day but traffic on the side roads was good and no stress. Dinner and a movie.
Monday we woke to thunderstorms and grey skies and the drive down the 301 towards the villages was in and out of rain showers. Going thru Ocala we were rear ended by a lady driving a red Dooley  hauling a horse trailer. Bernie thinks she was going to run the red light but we had stopped for it. No one hurt and no real damage but we don't think there would have been any $$'s if there had been damage. She didn't hang around. Stopped at the Orange store near Citra and picked up a few items for the food list. Arrived at the The Villages and had a great lunch with Ivan and Dianne before we continued on down the 75 and 275 to Sharman and Roy's for dinner and the night. All is well with them.

Tuesday woke to cold and grey skies again but the sunny spot was we were able to get into our room #25 a day early. No need to change rooms after one night and we could stock up on groceries and unpack. Yeah. Met up with Karen, Bob, Leigh, Cathy, Adrian, Barb and Lornie who are all staying at Ocean 12 just down the beach. The boys headed to a Toronto - Tampa hockey game ( TO lost ) and Lornie drove the girls to Beall's . Public, and a Health food store for a shopping time. Everyone found something - Lornie a cherry pie, Cathy shirts, Karen shoes, and I found Vicki and I "prom dresses" for $12.50 each !!! Bernie asked who I was going with :-)

 Wednesday the rain was gone but a cold front had moved in and it was windy and cold. We all headed to the Toronto - Philly game at Dunedin which was exciting especially the last 2 innings where Toronto came from behind 7-2 to tie the game. A quiet evening with the gang.

March 15th, 16th and 17th 2018

Thursday we were up and on the road by 9am. The rest of the crew headed for the ski hill. It had snowed overnight so we had to clean the SUV off, hopefully for the last time this spring. It was a slower drive than we had planned on down the secondary roads to the 90. Travel was good down the 90, 87, 84 and finally onto the 81. After a long day we pulled off the highway at Carlisle, Penn.
Friday, up and on the road by 8am in 0 degree weather - still long pants and shirts. As we travelled down the 81, the 17, the 95 and then the 701 thru Penn, Virginia, North Carolina and finally into South Carolina the grass started to turn green, the buds are popping on the trees and the temp went up. By the time we hit Myrtle Beach the sun was shining and the temperature was 25 degrees C. So nice to feel the heat and the sand between our toes. Our night view of the beach.
Saturday - Happy St Paddy's day. A cool, cloudy day which we spent at the Run for the Sun car show with hundreds of antique cars and trucks, lunch at a Irish Pub, quick visit to a quilt shop, a beer at the Old Irish Pub and dinner at a steak house.

March 12th, 13th and 14th 2018, Florida

We have left for the south - sun shining and a storm on the way, again. Great travelling to Kennebunkport via Saint John, the Airline Route to Bangor and then down the 95. Arrived at Stephen and Mary's for a great two night stay - a lot of catching up on family news, lots of chuckles and delicious meals and hospitality. The storm arrived thru the first night and dumped 30 cms of snow thru the day on Tuesday. Friends of the Lockhart's, Ian and Carol Lutes drove thru the storm from Boston on their way to Fredericton. A very enjoyable evening with dinner and lively conversation.

 On Wednesday we woke up to sunny skies and clear roads. Off we ventured across country to Bretton Woods, NH to spend the night with Brian and Rosemary, Ken and Sheila, Billy and Jim Baxter who are spending the week skiing. Always a great time with the Brennan crew  - delicious dinner, snacks, wine and stories.