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| Birthday Boy with remainder of birthday cake |
20 May: Athens,GA .. a quiet morning with a delicious spinach and salmon salad at Hilltop House, a visut with cousin Sharon B. At her assisted living apartment.
19 May:Angi and Michael hosted us for a delicious dinner last night. Today we rode to Athens, GA.
18 May: Oh, my! Cynthia got three hours of sleep when we arose to meet Danielle, Camille and their dad for breakfast at 6:30 AM. Our time together was all too brief, but wonderful. From there, we returned to our hotel to take care of things, packed up, and rode to Sandy Springs, GA, to make the statement, Together is the best place to be in Ruby Tuesday's restaurant. We ate way too much. Now we will overnight at Michael and Angi's. 6497 days.
17 May: We have been together 6496 days, Or 17 years, 9 months, 14 days, excluding the end date. Or 213 months, 14 days, excluding the end date. Almost 24/7.
After leaving the security of Pritikin menus and fitness trainers a week ago, we are on our own, scavenging for food as we travel north. We spent two wonderful days celebrating Ron’s 79th birthday and our fifteenth wedding anniversary on Hutchison Island, one of Florida’s barrier islands. The mother sea turtles are nesting, so we had to be careful walking the beach and close our drapes at night because they need darkness. It was astonishing to see five huge pelicans with vast wing spans hovering in an updraft of wind, like drones. We visited the effervescent former Pritikin Medical Director, whose passionate interest in longevity is at the cellular and molecular level now. The three of us dialogued about how to bring about change, to wake people up to make better food choices to prevent enjoyment of longevity. We visited a cousin and his wife, who surprised us by praying for the President. That was a very pleasant thing to hear instead of the raging hate. She made wonderful whole wheat sourdough bread. We visited a 93 year old cousin who was praying he would see us once again before he died. He was so happy to see us. And now we have arrived in Perry, Georgia to visit my two grand nieces, Danielle and Camille at 6:30 AM tomorrow for breakfast. The best news is that I am walking great without pain! The platelet rich plasma therapy in my torn hip tendons worked.
16 May: "Together is the best place to be" according to the tee shirt at Surcheros (click here). And together we enjoyed a fun afternoon with our distant cousin Don in Brunswick, GA; great conversation about genealogy, cemeteries, DNA, hobbies and AI before we boogied out to lunch. Don drove us several miles into town in the comfort of his Cadillac, which car he doesn't drive often. Afterwards we drove to the cemetery to visit Doris' grave; she passed last Christmas Eve. We said our goodbyes (with hugs) and returned to the Comfort Inn for the night.
15 May: We had a lovely breakfast with three other pastors. One pastor is Cynthia's longtime friend from Iowa, a medical doctor and missionary. The other two missionary pastors are parents of the current pastor in charge of college age youth at a local congregation. Steve and Melanie ride their Honda Goldwing on trips with a minimum distance of 1000 miles (to get out of Florida or Nebraska). After breakfast we rode north on the barrier islands on A1A. The best scenery was on Flagler Beach where we had great views of the breakers for miles and saw several flights of pelicans floating on updrafts over the dunes almost motionless as they sped towards us. Closer to Jacksonville, we rode west on FL 206 to I-95 and then to Brunswick, GA. Our stop at the Georgia Welcome Center proved helpful in getting reservations for the night, plus we met the most delightful young woman whose dad had her on a motorcycle while she was still in diapers. We are so very thankful for this pleasant day. No matter what life brings, choose to have a gratitude attitude. I think of Corrie Ten Boom in a Nazi concentration camp thanking God for the lice, or St Paul, imprisoned and beaten. I choose to have a merry heart.
14 May: We spent a very lovely day with cousin Monte and Ellen in Port Orange, FL enjoying the most delicious and nutritious food. Mmmm! Ellen's whole wheat sour dough bread is divine! They grow many of their own veggies.
13 May: The ride through the Barrier Islands was lovely; we arrived at Monte and Ellen's spacious home for a two night visit.
12 May: Ron's birthday and our anniversary... the ANNABIRSARY!
11 May: We left Pritikin early enough to take the scenic route by Lake Ocachobee en route to Jupiter, FL to visit Dr. Fruge. She is doing a million things now besides having a concierge wellness practice that goes so far as FaceTime exercise sessions with her patients. We finally said our goodbyes around 5 PM, rode across the inlet and onto barrier islands for a while before coming onto the mainland for several miles following A1A back onto the barrier islands to the Nicholson Shore Resort for our anniversary.
10 May: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
9 May: We celebrated Ron's birthday at Pritikin!
8 May: We had doctor appointments with gold star lab results.
7 May: Oh my gracious. We walked a total of 5.33 miles throughout the day. That is too much. Ron did extreme cardio! Cynthia had a fitness class with a personal trainer and we had three lectures. Ron knows the topics so well he could give the lectures. Cynthia is organizing her saddlebag for Monday's departure. She is hopeful for a pleasant Mothers Day by packing early.
6 May: Another good day in paradise. Ron had help from two other Pritikin guests to finish the jigsaw puzzle in record time. He did his cardio after dinner in two installments, 20-minute interval workout followed immediately by a 22-minute steady state. One would think that his legs are getting much, much stronger.
5 May: Pritkin celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a festive, colorful dinner with mahi and bison tacos; we wondered where the mariachi band was. We did a lot of exercise today; Cynthia had a fitness class and Ron is always moving. The PGA temporary units are being torn down. Cynthia is looking forward to the next part of the travel but she is also sad to be leaving this healthy and safe place for her torn tendons and back issues. Ron is close to completion of this 1000-piece puzzle.
4 May: Moving Day. Our villa is going to be remodeled, so we are being moved next door to the Gary Player villa. We packed everything before breakfast. Our new unit is much smaller. Both of us have been doing workouts. The puzzle is proceeding quickly, 1000 pieces.
3 May, Sunday: We have never been more well-protected. The President arrived last night; security outside was extremely tight. Our morning walk was pleasant despite the crowds. We saw endless numbers of Secret Service police. Cynthia is hopeful to get LDL below 70 by eliminating fruit after lunch and not eating fruit first or alone. "Fruit needs Friends." Ron started the new puzzle.
2 May: It was wonderful to sleep late. Ron participated in the Stretch Class before we watched part of the PGA tour and continued our jaunt through the golf grounds for exercise. Then chaos erupted when Cynthia could not find her purse. She thought she hung it on a hook in the restroom. We searched everywhere before assuming it was gone. The faith-filled PGA sentry told Ron that Cynthia would find it. And just like that, Sophia, the wait staff manager, motioned Cynthia to the patio where the purse was sitting on a lounge chair. Cynthia hugged the manager and the sentry.
1 May: Wishing everyone May baskets of bountiful blessings. We are at Pritikin for eleven more days. Ruthie gave Ron a new puzzle to do
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| The intrepid travelers, seated, belted, and ready to ride. |
14 May: We spent a very lovely day with cousin Monte and Ellen in Port Orange, FL enjoying the most delicious and nutritious food. Mmmm! Ellen's whole wheat sour dough bread is divine! They grow many of their own veggies.
13 May: The ride through the Barrier Islands was lovely; we arrived at Monte and Ellen's spacious home for a two night visit.
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| Ron, final gasps of a wave that threatened him |
12 May: Ron's birthday and our anniversary... the ANNABIRSARY!
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| Ron and Cynthia photo taken by Dr. Fruge |
11 May: We left Pritikin early enough to take the scenic route by Lake Ocachobee en route to Jupiter, FL to visit Dr. Fruge. She is doing a million things now besides having a concierge wellness practice that goes so far as FaceTime exercise sessions with her patients. We finally said our goodbyes around 5 PM, rode across the inlet and onto barrier islands for a while before coming onto the mainland for several miles following A1A back onto the barrier islands to the Nicholson Shore Resort for our anniversary.
10 May: HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
9 May: We celebrated Ron's birthday at Pritikin!
8 May: We had doctor appointments with gold star lab results.
7 May: Oh my gracious. We walked a total of 5.33 miles throughout the day. That is too much. Ron did extreme cardio! Cynthia had a fitness class with a personal trainer and we had three lectures. Ron knows the topics so well he could give the lectures. Cynthia is organizing her saddlebag for Monday's departure. She is hopeful for a pleasant Mothers Day by packing early.
6 May: Another good day in paradise. Ron had help from two other Pritikin guests to finish the jigsaw puzzle in record time. He did his cardio after dinner in two installments, 20-minute interval workout followed immediately by a 22-minute steady state. One would think that his legs are getting much, much stronger.
5 May: Pritkin celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a festive, colorful dinner with mahi and bison tacos; we wondered where the mariachi band was. We did a lot of exercise today; Cynthia had a fitness class and Ron is always moving. The PGA temporary units are being torn down. Cynthia is looking forward to the next part of the travel but she is also sad to be leaving this healthy and safe place for her torn tendons and back issues. Ron is close to completion of this 1000-piece puzzle.
4 May: Moving Day. Our villa is going to be remodeled, so we are being moved next door to the Gary Player villa. We packed everything before breakfast. Our new unit is much smaller. Both of us have been doing workouts. The puzzle is proceeding quickly, 1000 pieces.
3 May, Sunday: We have never been more well-protected. The President arrived last night; security outside was extremely tight. Our morning walk was pleasant despite the crowds. We saw endless numbers of Secret Service police. Cynthia is hopeful to get LDL below 70 by eliminating fruit after lunch and not eating fruit first or alone. "Fruit needs Friends." Ron started the new puzzle.
2 May: It was wonderful to sleep late. Ron participated in the Stretch Class before we watched part of the PGA tour and continued our jaunt through the golf grounds for exercise. Then chaos erupted when Cynthia could not find her purse. She thought she hung it on a hook in the restroom. We searched everywhere before assuming it was gone. The faith-filled PGA sentry told Ron that Cynthia would find it. And just like that, Sophia, the wait staff manager, motioned Cynthia to the patio where the purse was sitting on a lounge chair. Cynthia hugged the manager and the sentry.
1 May: Wishing everyone May baskets of bountiful blessings. We are at Pritikin for eleven more days. Ruthie gave Ron a new puzzle to do
