First Quarter: Wintering in Florida

We left home as the winter weather closed in and headed south with our friends,  Ed and Chris Bollinger to help break them in to the RV life.  Good thing they were with us.  One week into the trip and John fell off his bike,  broke his nose in multiple places and Ed and Chris helped Joan at the ER.   John would qualify as "animals we saw in Florida:  snakes and raccoons."



Day 2

Surgery, on his birthday, followed within the week and recovery was at the Zellner's in Floral City, FL.   Up to speed and ready to roll,  we met up with the Bollingers at a Scamp Camp Rally and then headed to the Koreshan State Historic Park where we are Volunteer Rangers.

John worked on researching a period stove and helped restore an old table saw in the Industrial Area.  Joan developed a Junior Rangers program for kids.

And Joan worked with other park volunteers to get a quilt group together,  her second one at our favorite parks.  Always has to have her "needle fix."

Second Quarter: Home repairs and more travel

Arrived home from Florida to find our retaining wall in not great shape.  So John (Mr. Hips Repaired) rebuilt it by himself.  We also made the driveway wider to accomodate the camper.

Then off to Puzzle Lake to the camp workparty.  Huge success because John was the facilities manager and had all the tools and supplies to keep 30 skilled workers busy for 4 days.  Whew!  Annie and cousin Dan installed new windows.



The guns of Puzzle Lake

Home for a few days,  then off to PA for a friend's wedding #1 and then to Tampa for a different friend's wedding #2.  The Tampa wedding was during a tropical storm and we were lucky to get out when we did.  But came home to more storm damage -  another tree down.  That's 3 one hundred year old trees down in 6 months.  Not covered by insurance and now is excess of $12,000.  Ouch!

Got that mess cleaned up,  headed to Rehoboth.


Joan's Mom is still kayaking.  Thought you would enjoy a mother-daughter view of the gear they wear to get ready.



Joan with her noodle, life vest, swim belt,
Vietnamese sunhat, goggles, and fins (age- ridiculous)

Betty with her waterproof cell phone case,  whistle, 
inflatable life jacket, 2 canes, and flourescent hat (age 87)

 




 Met up with another storm while  in Delaware  and came home to more debris from a neighbor's 3 trees. More cleanup. More expense.

Third Quarter: More travel and more trees

John, Carrie and Dave

Julianne's first fish

Chillin with the Girls

  

John playing with Julianne
 

Storm damage cleaned up and we headed back up to Puzzle Lake for 2 weeks with John's family for week 1 and Joan's siblings for week 2.  John's clan included his sister, Margaret and husband Doug,  their son Dan and wife Caroline and daughter Julianne.  It was Caroline and Julianne's first trip to Puzzle and they had a great time.  Julianne (age 6) learned to fish and swim off the dock. 





Then we headed home only to find MORE tree damage - to our 4th and last big tree. Can't cope. Decide later. Headed off to New York to see Joan's brother Gary and Micki and then onto Maine to hike at Charlie and Elly's new cabin in the woods.  We also stopped in Mass, NH and Maine to research more about historic stoves.

 

Only 4 days home and we flew to California for John's niece's wedding at Lake Tahoe.  A reception, then dinner,  then the wedding on the beach at sunset.  Truly beautiful.

 



Hand dug underground home

We also got to visit for an additional week in Fresno with the McMahon sibs and took some day trips.  The Sequoias and Forestier Underground Gardens were amazing works of art,  both natural and man-made.


Teeny tiny us.

 

 

 



Fourth Quarter:  More travel,  More Trees,  More Hospital,  More Moving...

Seems like the year is re-cycling!   In October we met up with our Casita friends in Lancaster, PA for a rally and also celebrated Joan's mother's 87th birthday.  We had a really great time exploring parts of the County that we didn't know about before,  largely due to meeting up with a new Casita owner who also owns a campground in Intercourse and knew all the really cool places for guys to go.

John has enjoyed his new mobility with the replaced hips.  Joan has enjoyed his new active lifestyle!

Then our beloved Nan (our nanny from years ago) had a total knee replacementmand was discharged during Hurricane Sandy.  The night of discharge,  our neighbor's tree fell down,  right between the property lines (clearance was less than 6 feet).  God's handy work at play since the 100 ft. tree fell within 12 inches of our sunroom,  didn't take out any bushes,  and had branches impaled 18" in the earth to break the fall.  And God said...."Now just miss the porch,  watch that fence and gate, over about 2 inches to the right... careful with the shrubs, oops -  hit the gutter,  gently now...ease it down."

We helped Nan get settled into her rehab facility and went to see her weekly and on Thanskgiving Day.

 

Our Thanksgiving was especially fun since sister, Kathy and Claude picked up Joan's Mom (GrandBetty) and enjoyed our holiday with our own expanding gang.

 

Carrie and Dave are selling their Elm Street house and moving back into Dave's original home to make the best use of the real estate market.  So John spent much time with them at both houses getting them ready.   Dan and Caroline sold their house in Columbia and are living in an apartment until they find a bigger house for Julianne (now age 6).  Annie got her windows replaced in her condo. 

 

And Nan went back into the hospital.  That is three stays 6 months.  But we are hopeful that she'll be able to get back to speed quickly.

 

We expect to be home at Dixie Drive for the Christmas holidays.  Next year should find us all in a different place (but we'll still be the anchor). 

 

We hope your next year is restful,  or action packed,  but exactly as you want it.   We are expecting miracles everyday  and they seem to be happening to us according to God's plan.