posted 1/6/13
Around Thanksgiving we were invited to join Keith's cousin and wife in the celebration of their 40th Anniversary. After checking on flight schedules and prices we decided we would drive. An Itinerary was set up and revised several times. Our friends opened their homes to us and before we knew it we had a real fine IOOK trip planned with an anniversary celebration in the middle! Marian - WD8CJD and Keith - WA8ZWJ left Union, Ohio early on the morning of Thursday, December 27th. We spent the night, after about 12 hours on the road, in southern Georgia.
The next morning, as we headed south, Marian found an interesting place for us to visit as we were running somewhat ahead of our projected schedule.
It was the Florida Museum Of Natural History
The item that had attracted Marian's interest was the
Butterfly Rainforest
The special habitat has been created to satisfy the
assorted types of butterfly's they have there. It was cool that morning so
most of the butterfly's were resting and absorbing the heat.
Because they were resting, it made it a whole lot easier to
photograph them!
One of the things they warn folks about is not to touch the
foliage because some of it is poisonous to humans.
We found the museum to be very interesting!
Then we headed on towards The Villages!
Our directions took us directly to Lew - KC4US and Miriam's
home!
This is the base of Lew's vertical antenna and
flagpole! The coil is inserted because the last time he operated he was on
40 meters and the vertical/flagpole is tuned for 20 meters.
Lew and Miriam's home with stealth antenna that is also a
flagpole!
It wasn't long and Lew had Keith in their golf cart which
is the primary mode of transportation for most folks in The Villages!
On a trip to the south Lew and Miriam took us past Butch
and Cecelia's place in The Villages. Cecelia is a good friend of
Marian's. We could not visit them because they were in Ohio for the
holidays.
Butch and Cecelia's
Notice the small garage door for their golf cart?
Welcome to Brownwood! This is the newest development
in The Villages.
They have a lot of bronze cattle in this western scene!
This is actually a composite of four photos blended
together.
Here's Tex on his horse with a calf on his lap and Rex the
dog along side....more longhorns in the background.
Look at the size of the side arm on Tex's hip!
After a lot of sightseeing and visiting we did dinner and then were back to Lew and Miriam's for the night.
The Villages are actually quite large! There are nearly 100,000 folks living there now and the sell 20 new homes each day!
Saturday, December 29th
Off to breakfast!
Lew and Miriam's golf cart...
Yes, you can see golf carts of all sorts of designs here!
Miriam driving - Marian riding shotgun! Yep, that is
a GPS on the dash. It provides the golf cart with a speedometer.
Speed limit for golf carts there is 20 MPH.
Lew and Keith were riding in the back. Here we have
stopped for a photo op!
We have us a convoy!
This is a very lightweight RC model airplane really for
flying indoors or on a very calm day outside.
Lew's RC control box
Yes, Lew likes to fly RC airplanes!
Lew and Miriam's back porch screen room
Inside the screen room
A Mickey Mouse floral design in a neighbor's yard...
Jerry and Libby - I took this for you!
In the golf cart again...this time on the way to dinner...
Sign on the back of the golf cart
Dinner was at the Cattle Baron Club!
Neat stained glass and Christmas display above the
bandstand
Jan and Skip - N2FOE
John - N5AAA and Tom - W3TOM
Marian - WD8CJD and Miriam
Lew - KC4US and Keith - WA8ZWJ
Debbie - KA3VNF and Jan - KA9VQS
This is quite the IOOK Mini Gathering! Yee haw!
Skip and Jan are interested in doing some serious camping
after he retires in a couple of years. Tom is offering some advice.
John had already added his 2 cents worth about camping prior to trading seats
with Tom.
As we leave the band is playing and folks are dancing - a
fun time is being had by all!
We all head back to Lew and Miriam's...
Skip gets a quick tour of Lew's ham radio station...
The gals were in the living room and the guys were in the dining room. We all had a splendid visit! Too bad I didn't get a shot of the guys around the table! Wow! Saturday sure flew by fast!
Sunday, December 30th
It is nearly time to play radio on 20 meters!
Having fun on 20 meters!
The girls visit and listen while we play radio...
We went to the breakfast buffet at Hacienda Hills!
After brunch Keith and Marian said their goodbye's and then headed out to Orlando. Once we got there Keith called his cousin, Bob and Bob invited us down to the condo they were renting for the holidays.
We would have gotten there sooner but Bob accidentally told us to exit on Rt. 129 instead of Rt. 192! I am glad I am not the only one making mistakes!
He said it would be easy to tell which place was theirs -
it was the one with the black refrigerator in the driveway!
They came all the way from Missouri and then had trouble with the fridge when
they got there.
Bob and Sue rented this place and had their whole family here for the holidays! However, today is a very special day for Bob and Sue.
Here's Bob!
and Sue!
A gift from Lincoln and Trin with their last name on the
seed bag...
A gift from Lincoln and Trin with Sue's maiden name on the
seed bag...
Here's Lincoln!
The boys playing games...
Foreign exchange student staying with Lincoln and Trin
Bob and Sue are dressed for the occasion!
Catie - the only granddaughter...
Lara...dressed and ready to go!
Doug is ready!
Time to head out the door...
Here's where the big celebration will take place!
What celebration? Bob and Sue's 40th Anniversary!
Sue's sisters...
Trinnade and Marian
Sue's dad and lady friend...
Cleans up pretty good, doesn't he? Yes, it really is
Lincoln!
Each place had an engraved glass and special napkin!
Sue had a bunch of trivia questions about their wedding 40
years ago. Bob did really well with the answers!
Doug and Lara
Rhonda and Steve
Cathy and Dan
Bob and Sue agreed that they would not buy each other
anniversary gifts, but Sue got Bob one anyway!
Trin put together a really neat DVD with all sorts of
photos from Bob and Sue's past!
What a wonderful treat we all got to share!
Yes, things did get to be somewhat emotional at times!
Dinner is served!
Keith's mom and dad drove Keith and Marian to Bob and Sue's
wedding 40 years ago. Keith's dad took Bob and Sue's wedding photos and
then gave them to them as a gift!
Keith and Marian were married 6 moths to the day after Bob and Sue. I sure
hope Marian doesn't plan for a big shindig like this for our 40th!
Cheers!
Someone has made a dollar bill ring and placed it on the
top of their cake!
Time to cut the cake!
Cake Bob! Cake! Not Cheese!
Bob carefully inserts the cake!
Somehow Keith missed the shot of Sue doing the same for Bob!
Trin is a trained photo artist! She will do wonderful
things with her photos!
Lara and family!
Lincoln and family
Sue and Bob
The boys having some fun with hot sauce!
Dad and his girls!
What a fantastic tribute to Bob and Sue and their 40 years together! We had a wonderful time! Many thanks!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday morning finds Keith and Marian heading south towards Plant City.
How cool is this?
Marian took this shot out the passenger side window. We didn't notice
there was a hot air balloon in the background!
At Plant City we met up with Tom and Debbie!
Here come John and Jan!
This market is home of world famous strawberry shortcake!
Yep! We all ate the whole thing! Obviously Tom
has been here before! What a great place!
From there were followed each other towards Punta Gorda!
Here's Lou - N8KXM! Another page in the Mini
Gatherings of the IOOK has begun!
Marian visits with Sammy!
Girls visiting....Marian, Sammy, Debbie and Sandi
Making the hook ups to John and Jan's camper.
Lou and Sandi's place
John and Jan's camper beside Lou and Sandi's place for a
week or so...
That's Tom and Debbie's jeep in front of the camper
Lunch time!
Yes, the IOOK travels on it's stomach!
Happy Birthday Sandi!
Lou and Sammy having some special time!
Sandi cutting the cake...
Sammy thinks she is a lap dog!
Everyone has that "I just ate my cake" look while
they watch Sammy in Sandi's lap!
One of the ways Lou walks Sammy...
One of the recreation areas in Lou and Sandi's park...
Lou says the bunny rabbits are nearly tame...
Tom and Debbie prepare to head back to Bushnell.
Today was a "day trip" for them.
Here we are loaded up in Keith's van on the way to Jerry
and Libby's in North Fort Myers to celebrate New Year's Eve!
Yes, Lou is sitting in a folding chair...
Here are Libby - N8KOR and Jerry - KE8ZB!
Here's the gang on Jerry and Libby's front porch!
L to R = Keith, Jan, John, Sandi, Lou, Libby, Jerry and Marian
Happy Birthday dear Sandi....Happy Birthday to you!
Jerry and Libby have this beautiful organ! Yes, they
both play!
The gang enjoys hearing the neat sounds the organ can
produce!
Jerry helping with settings...
Marian plays some for us...
Lou gets into the act a bit too! Funny how his
playing didn't sound anything like the others!
Here we are at Jerry and Libby's party house in their park
to celebrate New Year's!
The entertainer of the evening is singing to Libby!
Sandi takes a chug out of the bottle of bubbly!
"Elvis" stops by to sing to Jan!
Yes, darlin' you can run your fingers through my hair!
Thank you! Thank you very much!
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
It's going to be another warm day! Delightful!
Heading out for lunch....Lou is all belted in in his
folding chair!
Birds in the top of a nearby tree just before we head out!
Fishermen's Village
Down here Santa's sleigh is pulled by dolphins!
A pirate and his catch!
Lou and Sandi...
Keith and Marian...
John and Jan...
Keith threw a line in the water and look what he caught!
Lunch!
Yep, the IOOK travels on it's stomach!
After lunch Keith and Marian headed back to North For Myers to spend the rest of the day with Jerry and Libby.
We went to see the Shell Factory! Neat place!
Lots of neat displays inside!
Shiver me timbers! Time to walk the plank!
You can see no fun was being had here!
Things are winding down here...more sights to see!
Quite unusual how the Banyan tree grows!
This is Jerry and Libby's place in North Fort Myers...
We left Jerry and Libby's place early on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 and made it to just south of Knoxville that day.
I did have the pleasure of checking into the IOOK Net that evening.
We stopped just north of Cincinnati for lunch on Thursday, January 3, 2013.
Yes, we ate lunch at Skyline. We were really
surprised by the snow piles in the parking lot!
We had a super trip! We want to thank everyone who opened their homes to us! What wonderful hospitality!
It was really neat to be able to spend so much time with fellow IOOK'ers during our trip! Lots of Mini-Gatherings for sure!
We have several inches of snow on the ground here at home but it is winter and it is one of those things we have to deal with!
A bit of trivia for you...we drove exactly 2,507 miles during the eight days we were on the road!
Best wishes to all!
73 de Keith - WA8ZWJ
