HELLO FROM FLORIDA !!

Following Christmas at our two son's homes,

life continued much as it had been since mid-September. We had one doctor appointment after another. We also had much snow, but it did not stop us!! Gary just had to work a little more !! It sure was beautiful , but we still were anxious to be where it was warm.

We rang in the New Year with church friends, a home cooked dinner and DVDs showing travel pictures of trips that two of the couples made in 2009. One couple went on an Alaskan Cruise with their sons and daughter-in-laws. Now we want to go to Alaska!! It was so beautiful and interesting!! That is so funny as we had not wanted to travel to Alaska or Florida when we started out traveling, but here we are in Florida for the second winter. The second couple traveled going through the southwest to California and coming back through the northwest. That also was beautiful and we have been waiting to make that trip. In fact, it had been our intention to go southwest and spend winter in New Mexico. But God had other plans for us and here we are in Florida again. There were many things that we did not do here in Florida last year. So we will be able to keep busy.

After New Years First Night in Salem, Gary went down to State Street and took pictures of the ice sculptures that were done during the First Night celebrations. It has been so cold that they were still on display when we left Salem on January 12. I had him take pictures so that I could share them with you.

We finally hit the road and only had a few flurries as we drove south in Ohio. So the roads were dry for the most part. There is still snow on the hill sides , and in the mountains , with water coming out of the layers of rock and freezing there . How beautiful is that??

Our first stop was in Hillsville, VA and then on to Lexington, SC where we stayed with friends. We were greeted by Molly , and spent time with Sandy looking and talking scrap booking, shopping Thrift stores and visiting with her friend who had just had a heart valve replacement. Mary, I trust that God is taking good care of you and you will be back to normal soon. Take your time to mend well!!

We missed seeing Mike as he had a truck run to Texas and did not get home until the day we left. I am sure that having been gone as long as he had been, he needed some time with his wife. So Mike, we will see you on the next trip through!! Not that we want you to miss any work!! You have a beautiful place and we enjoyed it very much. And the weather co-operated also!! One day was so great that Gary washed both Sandy's van and our car . Our car sure needed it from all of the truck splatters!! Notice that he is in his shirt sleeves for the job!!

Barb, I had to show you that Sandy and Mike really do dress as clowns as they visit shut-ins and people in the hospital . It is a ministry very suited to both of them. Sandy also keeps herself busy sitting with friends who have trips to the hospital for tests and surgery, and also makes dinners for them. How fortunate these friends are to have her!!

From there we were off to the Florida panhandle to pick up the motor home at my brother's house. Thank goodness he was willing to look after it for us while we had our delay with Audrey's health problems!! Thank you again!! While there we visited a friend of his and also had lunch with another brother in Pensacola. We had a great visit and look forward to doing it again. They do the lunch thing every week!!

Now we are off to mid-state and know that we are in the south with the pines all along the highway and so much brown grass . We rolled in to the Red Oaks Resort about 3:30 on the 20th and began unpacking the Jeep and car top carrier. The next day was soon enough to begin cleaning and putting stuff away!! Thank goodness the weather was great to do so. Gary began the outside work while I looked for cupboard space to put things away! The park is pretty full of snowbirds as well as permanents. A neighbor not far from us here is from Columbiana, OH and they were able to come south sooner than we were.

I had to finish up my radiation and then have a few more tests done before I had the go ahead from the doctors to leave. We will need to make a short trip north in March for follow-up exams. So we pray for good weather for that trip. But thank the Lord that all has gone so well with my treatment!! It did alter our plans to go southwest this year. But we will take advantage of it to go back north in the spring and summer, by traveling along the east coast to see all that we missed last year on our first trip south.

So follow along with us and see what we see!!