MERRY MARRY MERRY MARRY MAY!

31 May, Tues: Queensferry, Scotland: Smooch Smooch is suffrind from a bahd cohd!  An early breakfast hour suddenly evaporated making us late for our 7:00 tour departure at Queensferry.  The previous tour had departed a good 20 minutes late, so we were unconcerned and Ron made a precautionary pit stop while smooch proceeded alone to the Explorers Lounge to check in for the tour.  Poor smooch was hustled off alone, sent ahead to board the launch to shore.  However she was turned back at the launch and instructed to return to check-in and find Ron.  Meanwhile Ron explained the situation at the check in station and was hurried to another craft headed to shore.  Upon return to check-in Smooch Smooch wailed, "Two weeks is too soon to lose a husband!"  She was ushered to another launch with a promise that Ron would be awaiting her on the pier.  Meanwhile, at the bus, Ron was perplexed that there was no smooch smooch on board, and the guide suggested that his new bride might be on the next launch to land.  Ron walked again the length of the pier wondering if he would ever see his beloved smooch again.  There she was, and the lovers enjoyed a breathless reunion as they "raced", wheezing, to the tour bus.  Guide, driver, and fellow passengers were graceful about the delay, and the driver made up the 1/2 hour by the time they reached the Abbey on the Scottish "Borders."  Good sights: ruins of a Cistercian monastic abbey dating to the 12th century, the grave of Sir Walter Scott, a castle belonging to the Duke of Roxburough (the most important man in Scotland), quaint Scottish towns, the names of Beattie and Little on a brochure about the Borders Rievers (raiders), homes of poets, authors, building where the first Harry Potter book was written.  A sick Smooch Smooch had a hot toddy in an old restaurant that once was home to a man who reputedly became the character of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Scotland is rightly proud of its many brilliant scientists, inventors, and literary giants.  Smooch Smooch went to the doctor on the ship with an elevated temp and hacking cough - not to mention unceasing high pitched whine and wailing.  She swigged down the cough med and antibiotics  with instructions to be in isolation for 24 hours.

30 May, Mon: (thanks to the ship navigator for cruise details)

Rise and Shine… well, not exactly.  Smooch Smooch bounced out of bed shrieking, “Its eight AM!”  rushing to breakfast to catch a tour of Invergordon departing at eight-thirty.  The dining area empty and no food lines looked mighty strange until the waiter said the dining room didn’t open until five-forty-five AM.  Telling time can be a challenge for a Smooch Smooch.  The spectacular sunrise was marvelous - beautiful blue skies over Scotland as we passed Helmsdale Point on the starboard side proceeding southwest through the Moray Firth.   Cynthia has inherited Ron’s cold and succumbed to the notion of spending the day in bed instead of cruising Loch Ness and climbing in the center of the Highlands.  Oh, well.  There is no Nessie after all: the Loch Ness Monster hoax was finally brought to light in 1994 when one of the hoaxters confessed to rigging the photo of a toy against a photo of the lake.

Sunday, May 29, 2011:  Sea Day meant we could sleep late and enjoy the view of the water out the windows but it is too cool to sit on the balcony with head colds.   We had a late lunch brunch before going to a Sommelier wine tasting where we lost all sense of time.   From the ship log we learned the ship crossed the Little Minch early in the day – and the beautiful islands of the Outer Hebrides ion the port side and the  Northwest Hebrides on the starboard side.  From there we entered the North Minch Channel with the Isle of Skye on the starboard side.  Ron enjoyed the fitness center before dinner with very delightful people: Annie and June from Texas and a couple from England.  It was the last formal night and someone looked like a gorgeous HUNK in his tuxedo after Samuel (the steward) buttoned his collar and fixed the bowtie.    Evening we passed in between the NE tip of Scotland and the Orkney Islands before heading into the North Sea.

Saturday, May 28, 2011: Greenock, also known as the Port of Glasgow was the stop for today.  Smooch Smooch forgot we had excursion tickets for a tour so we missed the planned tour.  Instead, Ron went to bed with a head full of cold stuffs.  She took the afternoon tour of the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond and the picturesque village of Luss located on the west shore of Loch Lomond.   In Gaelic, Luss means plant or herb and the village in spring is a riot of color from roses and wildflowers.  With Ron outta sight she could not resist tasting toffee and fudge Orkney ice cream now that she knows of her Orcadian ancestors from the iron age when it was a Norse province).  It was marvelous to see the stone cottages and walk out on the pier for a mouth dropping view of  Loch Lomond before driving onto the stunning Highland Glens, Be Thankful overlook, Loch Eck and Holy Lock  before boarding a ferry across the River Clyde.   Our dinner at Sebastini’s  was ok – but not as good as Michelangelo’s. 

Friday,  May 27, 2011: During the night we crossed the Irish Sea and made port in Belfast where we disembarked to walk to the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland once again.  The records are sparse prior to 1800.  Ron found the deed between James Ager(Edgar, Eger), James Ewing and John Forbis,  but the microfilm was very hard to read; perhaps when we reach Salt Lake City once again we may find the deed has been transcribed.   Now we know the parents of the immigrant ancestor, Benjamin Beatty who married Margaret Jeffrey Forbes whose Forbes, Ager and Ewing  ancestors are being researched.  

 

26 May: Shipboard for the day again.  Liverpool might have been fun to visit since we coulda woulda shoulda paid homage to the Beatles by visiting them in person.  Although the plugged head is better, another restful day seems advisable ... besides, who wants to pop outta bed at 6:30 am two days in a row ??  Breakfast was again pleasant although Ron was surprised that his fever has so successfully burned calories that he appears a bit thinner despite eating almost non-stop.  Who knew that this ill "wind" would blow that particular advantage.

25 May, Wed: Dublin and Glendalough by bus, our first day off the bus, first day out of the sickbed.  Tour buses have wonderful big, expansive windows, but I would still rather be on a motorcycle (no doubt driving on the wrong side of the road occasionally.)  The stops and countryside scenery were wonderful, especially the St. Patrick's Cathedral (with grave of Jonathan Swift - not at all swift now) and the ruins of St. Kevin's Monastery from the 4th century when the Irish were at the forefront of Christianity and education.  The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain, the rain in Ireland mainly stays.  It was fascinating to watch the vegetation fly by only inches from the bus windows - obviously pruned daily by bus & truck shears.  The roads were so narrow that opposing buses and trucks almost always slowed to a crawl to pass safely with inches to spare - or fractions of inches to spare.  The luncheon stop was late for most passengers, about 1pm, especially wearing since the bus loaded at 7:30.  The guide was neither bright nor informative and seemed clueless that his passengers were so slothful and quiet much of the morning.  Good God, is the man unaware of the dangers of coffee deprivation ??  Lunch was very nice since Ron guessed upon entry that this was going to be one meal fits all and asked for turkey plain and steamed vegetables as he was being seated.  The servers are all on auto-pilot, so beef and gravy magically appeared in front of us three times before our (undressed) turkey finally came.  Methinks that the turkey was more tasty.

24 May, Tues:  Fever abated - good sweats foul smell on sheets.  Smooch Smooch moved into the spa.  Woe is I, driven from bed and room by a sick & stinky mate.  We stayed onboard - with plans to disembark AM in Dublin,  Marvelous sunset.

23 May, Mon: Good night sleep but fever raging.  St. Peter's Port - monastery on island outside our lovely stateroom with balcony. Smooch Smooch went to spa for acupuncture on torn rotator cuff.  Tomorrow Cobh, Ireland. 

22 May, Sun: five thirty wake up call!  Hammie made the airport trip in time - flight went well - so did trip by bus to Southampton to the Crown Princess dock and even through another security check.  Smooch Smooch completed the health form that said we were both healthy.  Hah! We were until three PM  - high fever  - time to hit the bed.  Cruise started at five PM.

 21 May, Sat: Outline: County Down, Culloden Hotel, Londonderry Family Trust, Royal County Down Golf Course and Sleive ? Hotel lunch by the sea before return to Belfast.  Pack.  Library.  Dinner.  Departure 6:45 AM.  Thank you Hammie for another delightful day!

 20 May, Fri: Details will follow outline later:
 Mr. Hamilton (Hammie) Lowe is the most marvelous, congenial guide who drove us to County Antrim and the North Coast - stopping at the Giant's Causeway so we could hike to the causeway and waited patiently while we posed for SMOOCH photos in front of the magnificent view.  Onward to lunch next to some Texans with beautiful SMU collegiates; and Yo Ho again to the track of the North 200 ...where we drove on the motorcycle track (in a car bumper to bumper) watching hordes of people poured into the hamlet for the big race at ten tomorrow,  Following the N Coast line through small villages we found Irish lace for a granddaughter before heading back to the hotel for dinner.  OH.  we looked for a cottage to let for next summer but failed to locate the exact one.  BushMills Distillery - oldest in the world.  Lunch at BushMills Restaurant and Inn not to be forgotten.

19 May, Thurs: We arose before eight AM - surprising the chef  who quickly popped the fat free bread into the oven while super-sizing the egg white veggie omelets.  Smooch Smooch spent the morning in the first class fitness center; it sits high atop the hotel overlooking the city scape in all four directions.  The elliptical machine is not so compatible with the knee.  She enjoyed a sauna and steam room. Imagine sitting outdoors in a rooftop hot tub six floors high!  We walked a mile or so to the Presbyterian Historical Society located next to Union and Queens College for a most delightful conversation with the historian.  Not only was she very knowledgeable but also very charming. She was worth the trip.   The folks at PRONI do a fine job but lack historical knowledge. 
Today is our first week anniversary!  WE ARE MIGHTY HAPPY!  Thanks for the photo, Janina!

 
 18 May, Wed:  Beal Farst... is the Irish pronunciation of Belfast.  PRONI records do not have the needed records accessible yet.   It is not a wasted trip.  We will return - maybe not here - but at least to the countryside to explore this magic isle.

17 May, Tues: Belfast, Ireland.  Dining and lodging are marvelous.  We plan to move here next year.  Well, for three months maybe?  Amazing, delightful people in this city.  We slept until nine-thirty  (well we ARE honeymooning), had one of the best egg white veggie omelets ever, walked to the City Hall, had lunch with a most delightful young woman and her auntie who plan to visit the US next September.  Smooch Smooch found Irish linens to send to Texas for gifts - shipping  was free because the linen shop gets the VAT tax returned.  From there we walked to the Titanic Dock and crossed the street to 2 Titanic Row for a visit to PRONI (the Public records of  Northern Ireland).  Ron disappeared in 33 miles of records with his eyes glazed over.  YDNA testing revealed a strong connection to the Little/Lytle line that lived near the Beatties in the mid-1600's.  Today we found Beatty records dating to 1100 AD and a Garrett Beatty.   Dinner at the Merchants Hotel was again splendid.

 16 May, Mon: Belfast, Ireland - Merchants Hotel in the DECADENT DINING ROOM.  Ya just gotta see this room to believe it.  The rooms in the hotel are either Art Deco (ours) or Victorian,.  Amazing amenities.  The Groom's tattoo, painfully applied by a sadistic cousin, retains its initial glory, shining forth:
SMOOCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 12 May, Thurs: Hooray! Hooray for the Twelfth of May.  Now to change the blog title  - Where ARE R and C?  The day was incredible. Life is good. And we have pictures to prove it!

This is the link to the images posted on the web by our terrific photographer, Mark James of Philadelphia: www.mjamesphoto.com/Cynthia&Ron

We are off to Ireland followed by a Princess Cruise of the British Isles departure 15 May.  Love to all - love love love!

 10 May, Tues: the Smooch Smooch is beautified and the vows are memorized (well almost but not quite) the friend are arriving from hither and yon! Life is Good!  Here we are... Here we stand.  or... horizontally inclined.  amazed at this love that encompasses us.  Awesome!
9 May, Mon:  Moving recyclables out of hotel room only took two days.  Not too bad for a six weeks sojourn.  After loading three cases of beer in the rear hatch it was challenging to find space to store the stash.  Fortunately Smooch Smooch did not have to stay behind.   Thanks, Walter,  for the photo labeled, "my motorcycling friend who grins from ear to ear,"   and the warning, "I hope he has better shoes and socks than the last time I saw him."  HA!  Does the King of Frugal change spots or socks?



 8 May, Sun:  Happy Mother's Day Moms!  Thank you Eric and Jean for a marvelous Mother's Day dinner at their club overlooking the golf course near Villanova: food we can eat and then some,  Eric treated us to some rare beer that has been discontinued and very pricey; it tastes a little like champagne,  Two bottles of the beer left and he owns them both,  And now there is one.  We can thank Eric the connoisseur of ale for three cases made in his brewery (he is one of the owners).  The beer will be a treat at the reception along with Aquavit and wine. 


Nina Farana, friend, artist and poet from Santa Fe wrote:

Unto her –
his eyes –
If water
was a flame –
lift and chase
the sparkle
in her veins –
Not a rock
is he –
Or a stone –
But a canyon
with a thousand
depths –
The red core’s
heart –
The lips
that taste
the marrow
in her bones.

09/25/09   Thank you, Nina!


 7May, Sat:  Good news:  organization of the SCS books and surname boxes are completed.  Bad News: it needs to be reorganized again.  A new and better plan was hatched which means that every book shelved will be re-shelved.  Does the search system work?  It does.  But it can be better.  The Rambo Family Group Sheets and church burial records are providing corrections to some of Beverly's work.   Email correspondence is caught up.  Packing begjns tomorrow.  Monday night we move to the Sheraton.  Guests begin arriving Tuesday through Thurs.  Walter promised a drunk lunch and extreme embarrassment.  Smooch Smooch is going to the spa and not come out for two years or maybe it was two days?

Thanks to Herb and Zofia for a marvelous evening at their home and dinner at BoneFish Grill.   Delightful couple!

 3 May, Tues: Instead of the usual dive into the archives at the seminary we took time for a neighborhood walk to meet Spring.

 

2 May, Monday:  Merry! Marry! Ten days.  The time-line is ready, guest count is totaled, dresses shipped.  We are READY!  Smooch Smooch!  I love you, too!

30 April - A Great Day at the Farmstead!

2 May:  Hi there my beloved Smooch Smooch.  It is time to create a new post.  I love you and look forward to the wedding at Gloria Dei in Philadelphia in another ten days.  Love & smooch smooch.

 30 April, Sat: A Rambo Apple tree planting was held at the "New Sweden" Farmstead near Bridgeton, NJ.  The Bridgeton mayor and lots of NJ Swedish Colonial Society members participated in planting and clean up.   Student history intern, Lloyd Frisone, received a five hundred dollar Sappington scholarship from the Order of the First Families of Maryland established for Colonial History projects.  Lloyd will inventory the artifacts for the Farmstead in preparation for the 375th anniversary of the Swedes arrival along the Delaware River.  

27 April, Wed:  The rector of Gloria Dei wrote a marvelous recommendation to the bishop for permission to marry in that congregation:

"Ronald Beatty, etc., etc., baptized...etc.,    ...   He was, to quote him, "a geek before it was fashionable."  His interest in technology has sent him around the world a number of times.  He is intelligent, quick witted, and loving.   His life experience is varied, variegated and fascinating to hear,.  He has always been independent and unimpressed with material things.  This has allowed him to travel, to work in a number of vocations and locations, and to discover people and places beyond the scope of most of us.  He is a joyful presence and a delight to be with.  While not a regular church-goer, Ron is a faithful man who clearly, "lives the Gospel out loud."  His loving presence, his patience and care for all around him, and his delight in God's good creation are evident to all who meet him,"

26 April, Tues:  Ron is archived again.  Smooch Smooch visited a sports medicine specialist to discover she has a torn rotator cuff (push-ups). 

 25 April, Mon:  SEPTA (commuter train) was a surprisingly easy method of travel to City Hall in central Philadelphia for the marriage license.  The train runs UNDER the subway with long underground shopping centers.  Ron lost points for giving away Smooch Smooch's age.  Fortunately, this courthouse did NOT have tight security and take away his prize pocket knife despite having to obtain a visitor's pass to get into the courthouse,  The clerk was quite delightful and made the trip worthwhile.   We celebrated at McCormick and Schmick's with champagne. 
Smooch Smooch is pointing at Peter Rambo's name on the plaque affixed to the  outside wall of City Hall  The city center is a-blooom!  It was a stellar day!

 blue heron at the lake house

24 April, Sun: 3:30 AM!  We asked for it: a wake-up call - knowing we would not awaken on our own despite arising at that hour the past two mornings.  Groggy, we  groped to dress for the Easter Vigil at Gloria Dei.   Prepared for an hour drive, one of us was surprised to find the freeways and toll-roads almost empty; we arrived at Penn's Landing in a short twenty five minutes.

Yes. we arrived before the priest.  But the delightful music director was standing outside easily recognized by his bare feet and super giant size height; the sexton's wife remembered Ron from earlier visits to the church when he camped in the churchyard amongst the gravestones.   Street light illumined the Rambo apple tree blooming (18 days too early).   Sexton Jim distributed candles and service bulletins.

There we were - a small gathering of worshippers huddled in the hush of the graveyard, twenty-one counting the organist.  The priest passed fire to our candles and led the procession into the sanctuary with the Paschal candle held high bringing light into the darkness.  Seated in the ancient edifice, we maintained vigil listening meditatively to the Word, pausing for silence and prayer while the sunrise slowly sparkled mystically through stained glass windows high above the altar.  Caught up in the experience, two of us forgot to extinguish our candles until reminded.

Joy.  Easter JOY!  Even the priest is named Joy. Joy is Easter's message.

23 April, Sat:  19 days.  I love you!!

22 Apr:  Smooch & Smooch Smooch suffered through another day of separation.  Cynthia is in Texas for doctors and family.  The Seminary is shut down for Easter, so Ron is finally above ground and breathing again.  Now the big question is, "Can he straighten up the mess in the hotel room before Cynthia returns, or will he have to pony up the bucks for another room?"  Scoogi's, a wonderful restaurant, and Melissa and Al at the Ft. Washington Holiday Inn all need to be recognized and thanked, but it is near dark, and I need my exercise first.  More later unless I fall asleep at the post.  Ooooh, yes !  Spring is gorgeous hereabouts recently.

20 April, Wed: Title for a new book: "Archived."   The long day's journey (9:30 AM) into the archives does not end until ten or eleven P.M.     

18 April, Mon:  Smooch Smooch has departed for Texas leaving no adult supervision in the archives for five days.  Returning Saturday with wedding plans as her only focus. I love you - love you - love you!!!

15 April, Fri: Thank you, Nina!  What can we say to the marvelous gift of prose and art collage written, designed, created, blessed and birthed by our dear Santa Fe friend, Nina Farana for limited edition gifts to the wedding guests.  Nina's work is incomparable.  The printing done on fine papers from a 400 year old German mill, hand-tied with a ribbon and ribbon marker in apple green is magnificent.  We will share prose she wrote for us in the blog when given permissions.  We are blessed with your friendship.  You are loved, God danced the day you were born!  Thank you.

12 April, Tues:  One month to the day!  "Are you excited,"Janina asked.  "Yes! YES on all counts, but Cynthia expresses it more."

Tony Rubbo wrote a special song for us to be sung during the ceremony and reception:

We’ve Traveled Through Time

A very long time ago

Before this world was known

The spirits of two lovers

Were destined to travel alone

Until they found each other

Until they found their home

And the name they carried

The day they married

And the love they’re giving

Through the life they’re living

Are all part of their story

All for the glory

We’ve arrived at this moment

With a new life to share

We’ve traveled through time

To find ourselves here

And now we walk the trails

And travel the roads

Guided by His peace

Everywhere we go

And though the world is changing, and the seasons, passing

Our love’s remaining a love everlasting

And the name we carried, the day we married

Love we’ve been given through this life we’re living

Are all part of a story, all for His glory

Through the seasons of change

And this world we’ve discovered

We’ve traveled through time

To find each other

Through these hundreds of years that I’ve waited for you

Apple trees still blossom in the spring,

And the Old Swedes church bells still ring

But now there’s something new

Now, there’s you

We’ve arrived at this moment

With a new love to share

We’ve traveled through time

To find ourselves here

Is this nice or what?? BUT... just wait till you see our dance!  Ya ain't seen nothin' yet!

9 April, Sat:  The first ever Wine, Food and Film Festival was held tonight at the Main Street Theatre in Bridgeton, NJ.  The film was "The Big Night" (Italian) and the cuisine Italian ... of course.  Creative idea!  The tickets were sold out weeks ago.

 8 April, Fri:  It is raining.  Of course, it is supposed to rain in April to bring May Fleurs (and apple blossoms, like RAMBO Apple tree blossoms).  Rambo Apple Photo thanks to Alfred N. of the SCS.

A cold and rainy day for us'ns to have fun.  Arrived at the West Chester Historical Society to meet delightful Rambo cousin Donna S.   Smooch is foregoing research to create menu scrolls out of parchment paper.  Unfortunately she tied 130 bows too big.  The ribbon thingies have to be UN-tied and RE-tied.  The Historical Society has not yet frowned upon the mess she has created on the library table.

Tonight's dinner with  Kim-Eric and some of the SCS members was at the Four Dogs Tavern in a little hamlet in the hills of West Chester (Marshalltown) .  The tavern was so loud it was almost unbearable.  But the company ever so fun.  It is located next door to the historic Inn where Washington stopped, slept and certainly drank at the bar that is unchanged. 

 5 April, Tues: We met Lovely Niece Sweet Sarah, a navy JAG, to choose wedding stuffs and then walked in the rain to dine on Latin American Cuisine at  Amada's.  Too noisy.   IMAGINE ...only fourteen minutes over parking meter time out and there is a $36.00 ticket on the windshield.  14 minutes!

4 April, Mon: Sleeping later than late, we managed to arrive at the Archives by nine thirty still asleep.  Today's high was a balmy 74 degrees; spring's sleepy eyes are beginning to open, too.  Daffodils a-bloom,  trees putting forth. Soon and very soon it will be a flower wonderland in Philadelphia.

3 April, Sun:  119th Anniversary of the first ICE CREAM  SUNDAE.  Great lunch at the Black Pearl restaurant - newly opened two weeks ago.  

2 April, Sat:  The high today reached 52 degrees.  Another long day in the Archives.  Dinner with Eric and Jean at the Brewery was a marvelous treat.  The beer is unique.  Cynthia was surprised to discover a light ale she enjoyed.  We had a limited food selection for our dietary restrictions, but Eric had  marvelous sweet potato french fries.  Jean was the designated driver returning us to their house to make sure we could drive soberly back to the hotel.   Can you believe the stupidity... STUPIDITY...  of the hotel maid who emptied the glass of water for the flowers and left the flowers on the console with NO water.  STUPIDITY!

1 April, Fri:  Snow.  Heavy snow.  Lots of heavy snow.   Fools rush out where angels fear to sled.  Melting by mid-day hope prevails for May flowers.  Smooch Smooch promised the wedding guests that Philadelphia's cherry and those all- important Rambo apple trees would be in full bloom the week of the wedding.  The wedding will have to take place when the blossoms put forth.   Worked in the Archives until eight PM before going to dinner with John P. at Bonefish Grill.

31 Mar The Lion's Roar in PA, 1 March-in' Florida

 31 Mar: The Irish Pub is a great place for lunch; we especially enjoyed conversation with Kim-Eric. The weather is cold and wet!

 28 Mar: Archival work commenced once again at the Lutheran Seminary of Philadelphia.  It will take us awhile to figure out where we left off last spring. 

We will wear our new ribbons proudly... as Fellows of the Swedish Colonial Society,

27 Mar: What a surprise!  We were astonished and delightfully surprised to receive Fellow of the Swedish Colonial Society status at the annual Forefather's Luncheon.  The organization thanked us for archival work with a Fellows Pin and Award.  Thanks really goes to the late Dr. Peter Craig for his outstanding contribution to the history of the Swedes on the Delaware or we would not have this honor.   The "fellow-ship" and food were quite marvelous; we loved seeing Rambo/Bankston cousin Jill D' with her delightful hubby Michael. 

26 Mar: Yup.  Still chilly.  Free breakfast coupons warranted a five dollar tip to the server.   Nice day for staying indoors.   Very nice!
25 Mar: A high of 45 is forecast for Philly today with minimal increase over the next few days.   We are ensconced at the Hilton Garden Inn following a delicious dinner at Bone Fish Grill.       
24 Mar: Columbia, SC  departure ca. 4 PM; on 81 in VA by sunset with marvelous views of spring en route.    Everything at the Gowdy's has been organized ten times over with the recycling taken to the dump, too.
23 Mar:  Columbia, SC.
22 Mar:  Columbia, SC. 
21 Mar:  Columbia, SC. 

20 Mar, 2011, Sunday: Breakfast at Lizard's Thicket was wonderfully enjoyable again.  Dick was suitably disgusted with my hot-sauce smiley faced grits and broiled fish and egg whites.  Susan was again the delightful waitress and the coffee helped.  Once I knew the names of the other waitresses, but too much time has passed for my memory.  The two additional 12GB hard drives have been paid for ($26 including shipping), a bag of pine straw provided impetus for the daily walk, but the knee is still complaining.  (Insert)  Smooch Smooch Ahoy in Texas!  She is finally over a bad cold and appears to be ship shape for arrival in Philadelphia Friday at 2: 40 PM.

19 Mar:  Columbia, SC.  Awakened before dawn to avoid the neighbors' barking dog.  Late afternoon I tore into Donna's computer and exposed most of it's innards without breaking anything (I hope).  Ruby Tuesday's salad bar provided a filling meal although light on the protein.  Clark & Elizabeth, Greg & Donna proved entertaining as usual. 

18 Mar: The 12GB hard drive is ordered from eBay and totals a mere $17 (PayPal-ed).  I shoulda done this three days ago.  It was a big surprise that another laptop bid for $30 succeeded (add 15 shipping).  Two other bids are still highest with a day of bidding left.  The administrator password for my XP system still eludes me, so today's project is thrashing through all the paper hereabouts hoping to come across that password while separating recycling for the next dump (& recycling) run.  Today's other goal is to surprise Mary Lou with a gift bag of pine needles.  Third goal is to mail a few things.

17 Mar:  Amazing how big a holly bush can grow when neglected for an entire year.  Dick was sick, so today's exercise was a shorter walk & talk on cell phone to smooch who is still sickly.  Donna and I enjoyed a pleasant lunch and afternoon with Mary; her back yard landscaping is looking wonderful with spring in the air, flowers blooming, and trees leafing.  More mending until sleepy at 11 PM.

16 Mar:  6:40 AM in Columbia, SC.  I woke up at 2 and was still awake at 3, so got up & found the clone computer, cleared space, dug for stuffs, and am now set up for the day.  72 degrees forecast for high today; 48 degrees now.  It rained gently last night as I was setting up the tent to sleep out.  The tent leaked, so I threw tarps over it.

15 Mar: Smooch is off to Texas for ten days.  She started missing me upon awakening, 10 hours before the plane left.  Our exercise program is recovering: 45 good minutes on the elliptical machines, upper body weightlifting, and a couple of dozen sit-ups preceded by IHOP omelets and followed by Ruby Tuesday salad bars.  (Ashley from NJ is general manager and was indeed at the Lexington IHOP last year.)  Once Cynthia was en route at 4PM, the lawn & shrubs occupied me until Greg came home with bad news about his vertebrae - 5 discs are trashed.  My threadbare "Key West" shirt is now completely mended.

14 Mar: Smooch's sunglasses mysteriously disappeared for a time, then showed up in an impossible place.  Gold's Gym was incredibly noisy.

9 Mar:  Good grief - where does the time go?  There are just so many fun things to do daily ... and having a smooch smooch in tow reduces available time to zip.  We have been having lotsa fun and are now in Lake Wales, Florida.  I'll post a picture of my brand new Fla driver license as soon as I have one.  The clerk at DMV in Key West was delightful and helpful with all the paperwork, the machine testing my eyes obviously enlarged the letters to my benefit, and my smiling face did not break the camera (even though it had to exercise its craft twice).

8 Mar:  We got on the road in Ft. Meyers early to deliver "Mom" - our mobile home - to the Lexus dealer for her 30,000 mile maintenance.  Don't you wish you could have your joints tightened and fluids refreshed in a couple of hours?  The nearby IHOP had just fed us egg white omelets (not as good as the Big Pine Restaurant), and we had paid $2 to cross the bridge onto ?? when the dealer called us to return the 2011 loaner Lexus hybrid.  We scooted up the coast to St. Petersburg and into the Dali Museum for a few hours - MARVELOUS.  Vic and Nola insisted that we stop in to visit in Lake Wales and treated us to a fine Grouper dinner at the Cherry Pit.  Wonderfully fun couple.

1 Mar. Tues:  "Raindrops keep fallin"  on my head..."  anndd intoooo the car, (despite windows cracked down the tiniest bit).   A mop job and Ron's  ON THE ROAD AGAIN  by six-thirty AM.  Nearing Tampa at eight, patches of blue sky hold forth promise of clear skies for seven sunny hours to Big Pine Key; nearing Naples at eleven the skies are pure Willie:  
"Blue skies keep smilin' at me, nothin' but blue skies do I see...
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly by."

By-passing Naples at noon-thirty, Ron talked his way down the Tamiami Trail....arriving in Big Pine Key before seven to surprise Greg, "Happy Birthday, Greg!"

Smooch is dismayed to find HER lost day:  she arrives in Key West a day later... Thursday and not Wednesday.  We have reservations at Parmer's in Big Pine Key.

28 Feb: I love you too

Crystal River

28 Feb:  It was a delight to see Tom and Dot again; too bad Smooch smooch is still in Texas with commitments.  Tom & Dot have gone off kayaking for a few hours and left me at home with a magnificent view of Crystal River from the picture window (duckies, wind, and manatee dive boats adding interest).

27 Feb, Sunday: Breakfast this morning with Martha Frank en route to South Florida.  Martha and her son Dave are wonderfully entertaining conversationalists.  She is a closer cousin to Cynthia, and Martha's brother's 67-marker DNA matches exactly some of the Bankston cousins descended from Lawrence (born about 1704).  After a pleasant day of conversation, humor, lunch, and show-and-tell (dollhouse and Baltimore mirror), Ron finished "the last" cup of coffee and commenced driving towards Crystal River on the interstates.  Eight hours and several conversations later, at 1AM, the GPS directed me onto a narrow "cart track" that is North Circle Drive.  Sure enough, Dot left the light on, the bed made, and the key hidden as described.  In the morning I puzzled over my readiness to sleep indoors until the no-see-ums convinced me of the merits of shelter.

26 Feb. Saturday:  We walked to the fitness center and to the nearby recycling before Ron departed alone alas at 12: 15 PM: east on 105 to Beaumont en route Big Pine Key, FL.  Rte 105 proved to be a nice, quiet, pleasant back country road.  In Baton Rouge, Pat was entertaining the family and was unavailable for dinner, so I continued driving until past Mobile, AL.  Thirty miles from Pace, Florida the gauge was nearing empty and Love's gas was $3.19, so, so I filled up and decided to sleep next door at the Bay Inn Motel, "newly remodeled."  Smooch discovered that her flight to Key West is WEDNESDAY and not Thursday!  She lost a day someplace.

Sunrise at the Lake House, 25 Feb.

25 Feb: Ron awakened early and put the time to good use cleaning leaves and slop out of Dorothy's gutters.  The "behind-the-back-pass" motion catalyzed a "muscle memory" convincing me that I've done this before, and the focus needed to land the slop in the yard (not on the porch, not on the railing) convinced me that I've cleaned Dorothy;'s gutters before - and forgotten it entirely.  Dorothy was also amused to think that the muscle memory is better than either of our mental memories.  By early afternoon the gutters were cleaned and the gutter-guard screening was re-installed, and Dorothy was delighted to accept my offer to trim a few limbs overhanging the roof.  The Verizon phone repair showed up just after we had trimmed a couple of 8-inch limbs overhanging the street (to quiet the city's inspectors).  The Verizon guy was sociable, but DSL is his biggest problem.  DSL wouldn't sync until the modem was disconnected; it read 2.8 MIPS when the house wiring was disconnected but only 0.5 MIPS when connected to house wiring.  Dorothy disconnected all but one phone inside the house, we bypassed the surge protector, and Dorothy now has high speed internet - Thank God.  Smooch didn't want her daughter to catch her sinus infection, so she decided to sleep at home, and the allure of another night with my Smooch drew me back to the lake house in Montgomery.  During a stop at Kroger for gas and raspberries, a lovely bouquet of yellow roses screamed "BUY ME," but smooch intercepted me just inside the door, so my attempt to surprise her "failed."

24 Feb: The DSL issues are not resolved (Dorothy's "machine.")  Testing the lines tomorrow.

23 Feb: We celebrated two years by packing furiously.  Boxes of papers strewn throughout the game room were efficiently (or almost) whisked away into the car or closet.  Smooch was promptly delivered to the car rental by one PM, and Ron was en route to Denton once again to retrieve a bag of important papers, cell phone chargers, etc., left the week before by a sleep deprived Someone.  Not to mention names... but that same Someone and Dorothy talked last night way into the wee hours:  TWO AM!

19 Feb: Workers are gone until the end of the week.  Quiet, peaceful day followed by a repeat of last night's moonscape turning the lake water into molten gold. 

18 Feb: Smooch drove home because Someone was too tired.  The sunset on the lake was marvelous, the moon was an incredible golden orb that filled the eastern sky.

 17 Feb: Smooch walked for two hours while Dorothy and Ron worked on computer issues and began indexing her new book.  After dinner, Dorothy and Smooch went to sleep.  Someone else stayed up the entire night to finish the index for chapter one.

16 Feb: Two Blue Herons perched on the boat slip enjoying the sunrise, too.  After lunch at the Caddy Shack we drove to visit cousin Dorothy in Denton, a sprightly and delightful watercolor artist of some renown.  Dinner was delicious: stuffed grape leaves.

15 Feb:  Another early morning.  This afternoon the Dr. will take the stitches out of my toe and admire his handiwork.  I wondered what my Smooch was doing in the wee hours of the AM.  This Feb 14 entry explains her mission.

14 Feb:  Happy Valentine's Day! Smooch!   it was a stellar day, roses, roses everywhere.  The trip to the Montgomery County Recycling left the house empty. We had a lovely lunch at Hyden's and Valentine's dinner at the Caddy Shack.  Happy Days are here again!

13 Feb: Rachel and Ryan visited around dinnertime.  I was not at my best, having little sleep for 2 of three nights while preparing to start traveling again.  The big accomplishment was addressing and writing a note in each of the 75 annual letters going to friends without e-mail.  Oh, and opening 6 months worth of mail to do my financial accounting - I'm not broke yet.

8 Feb: Goodie, Cynthia uploaded a good close-up picture of my colorful toe.  The Dr. calls the red stuff a splint.  Sorry that the snow is not more vivid in the picture; it was certainly cold on the foot !  The laptop has frozen four or five times now.  Your neighbourhood geek knows how the scare the living snot out of it; take it apart and spray that icy electrical contact cleaner all over it's innards; threaten it with EBay.
The second CD "chapter" is on the web today ... only ten more to go.  Google books and Open Library and Internet Archives AMAZE me with the text of so many genealogical books on-line.  It has helped resolve errors but has tons of time because "prospecting" for answers is just too appealing and is usually unsuccessful.     3 blocks walking today.

7 Feb: My old laptop provided me quite a scare today when the screen suddenly went dark.  Once I realized that the Caps Lock indicator wasn't lighting, it was obvious that the system had crashed and a reboot was unavoidable.  Fortunately the reboot worked, leaving only the question, "Why?"  The fan has been making more noises, and all the plaster dust in the air has probably reduced air flow and caused overheating.  [Good theory, but no dust devils in there.](Where does one buy a new fan for a 10-year-old laptop?)
The remodeling crew was back at work after the weekend off, and the entire house smells of aerosol from the texture spray.  That huge wall should be nearly finished this time tomorrow.[it is]  Once the computer failed and the house was filled with noxious fumes, a long walk seemed like a healthful idea, so I walked around the block and talked with brother Dean for the duration.  The toe formerly hammer-toed never hurt during the walk, thank God.

6 Feb, Sunday:  Cynthia was up at 5:30, omelet-ed, and off to church by 6:30.  Her hearing aids enabled her to enjoy the sermon, and she was delighted to see Jim & Julie & Eric.  After all those days of a cold house, it was nice to be comfortable again.  We ate lunch at Hydens and were surprised to find absolutely no flowers at Walmart.  (Cynthia thinks that the SuperBowl addicts bought the entire supply to try to avoid marital discord during the game.)  Amazing how relaxing it can be to be home alone without a remodeling crew providing "amusement."

Well, the Dr. SAID to ICE the toe!

5 Feb: Last post was just minutes ago ... in January?  Smooch smooch has again been enjoying egg white veggie omelets for breakfast at home.  The Rambo CD is progressing ever so slowly despite huge investment in time, but is still very satisfying.  Toe is healing nicely, but I'm still in bed with foot elevated and iced most of every day.  The house is still full of plaster dust and cold air, but remodeling is nearing completion.  Setting the thermostat at 83 degrees overnight didn't even maintain the 65 degree temperature we enjoyed most of yesterday.  Thank goodness that Cynthia's study receives morning sunshine thermal gain.  (No problem for the chronic hypothermic.  Gosh, I betcha that "chronic hypothermic" alone will Google my site only.  Fooey, it is a medical situation, and even discussions in Greek and Japanese show up ahead of me.)  Air conditioning maintenance was called and replaced the filters.  Amazing that clogged filters can cause the system to pump out only chilly air.

4 Feb: Dinner last night with the "work crew" and Katie was again a wonderful treat for us all.  Jim and Cindy, who are working semi-professionally at remodeling as a retirement hobby (you may have to read that twice - it is an outrageous concept), showed up on their normal day off to complete working on the 20-foot high wall.  I knew they would because ...

3 Feb: ... when I sneaked upstairs to work on the CD last night, the scaffolding and ladder was nearly blocking the entire staircase. (Amusing that lying in bed all day reduces the amount of sleep needed at night.)  This evening we took Jon, Jim & Cindy, and Hank, Felicia, & Katie to dinner at the Caddy Shack.  Everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly again, and our waiter, Matt, was more sociable than his usually sociable self.  We decided that he was smitten by Katie because she is a "water girl" and had terrific fun tubing despite 50 degree lake water temperature.  (Besides the fact that she is cute, smart, sociable, fun, mature-for-her-age, and good with sodoku.)  The big event of the day was the visit to Dr. Ehret to find out if my toe was still alive.  Again reassuring to have the professional opinion that it is still there.  He was very pleased that I hadn't done anything stupid to retard healing.  I was happy to hear that everything looked excellent to him but was disappointed that the stitches didn't come out and that the next appointment is 10 days from now on a Tuesday.  He encouraged me to spend as much time as convenient in bed with the foot elevated and iced.  I'm allowed to wear shoes that don't cause pain and to be up and about more gradually.  The big shocker to me is that nowadays a medical "splint" is nothing more than gauze and a compression bandage.  We are "training" the "soft tissue" to lie in alignment with the other nearby toes.  (Never mind that one of those looks to be beginning to hammer.")

2 Feb: Sub freezing temperatures forecast, and the house takes forever to warm up in the morning.  I suspect that the heating system is dead or dormant.

31 Jan: Best continuing Wishes for a Happy decade

31 Jan: Another lazy day in bed, although we have BIG plans to grocery shop and dine out this evening.

30 Jan, Sunday:  Smooch surprised me by posting pictures again.  I'm still satisfied, making good progress on the Rambo CD; the Companion Volume is mostly complete.  This AM Smooch mentioned breakfast out, but cooking omelets in sounded better to me.  After cooking the egg whites veggie omelet for Smooch Smooch, I called Dick Richards since I was too late to catch the Gowdys or Gregorys at breakfast.  It will be fun to see everyone at the wedding.

29 Jan, Sat. AM, Lake Conroe, Texas: The Sunrise is spectacular!  The patient  amazing.  Smooch!

Speaking of amazing, my cholesterol labs results are in: total cholesterol 116, HDL = 58, LDL = 49, triglycerides = 43, but the evil LP(a) is still elevated at 35 - way down from 130 a year ago, but still a substantial risk factor.

28 Jan:  WOW, the pain last night was intense several times, but fortunately for only a few seconds until I moved and relaxed.  I wonder if it is the pressure of the sheets now that the toe is more exposed.

27 Jan: Dr. Ehret pronounced me a "good boy" for keeping the foot elevated and iced.  It is healing faster than normal since I'm soooo good.

Not a bad view for the bed-ridden.  This morning a huge flock of birds gathered right out front until a power boat scared them all into flight.  By opening the back door, Cynthia spooked the great blue heron away from the boat cover.

I don't understand how Blogger decides where to put my typing; it won't let me type next to the picture.

The perfect patient !!  Cute ... and bald

25 Jan: No pain !!  Amazing that I've had NO pain throughout the six days since surgery Wed. eve.   Contrary to the expectations of most everyone, I've stayed in bed 24/7 with foot iced and elevated above my heart throughout the day.  (Nordic Ice is pretty amazing.)  About the fourth day, Cynthia expressed her affection with the endearing words, "You poop."  I guess she had more pain from her hammertoe operation years ago.  Until now my "techie" solution for hammertoe has been a slit cut in the top of my shoe, but she needed the operation in order to wear cute shoes.  (Yes, sadly, my smooch is addicted to her cute shoes) 
I've only done a sudoku or rwo a day and have spent most of my time working on the Rambo Companion Volume of Reference and the CD.  It is so very satisfying to be making such progress; the time in bed is actually rewarding and pleasurable.  My mending is still awaiting the day I don't feel like doing anything else.
Dr. Ehret will see me again Thursday; maybe he'll let me walk next week.  I'm very curious to hear from Dr. Gould about the results my cholesterol blood work after a year of meds and limited fat intake (10 grams a day, total for all fats & oils).

21 Jan: Newest link is to http://www.BornerPower.com which demonstrates a more efficient engine design.

20 Jan:  Dr. Ehret cut & pasted my hammertoe, and I'm now (self)-confined to bed.  It is 20 hours since the surgery and nothing hurts yet.  He is a marvelously efficient and competent surgeon besides being a "friend" of Cynthia's son, Jon.  A cold front is arriving, the wind is gusty, and the lake quite excitingly choppy.  Not a bad bed to rest in.  The Rambo proofreading is progressing satisfactorily; 250 pages done, an equal number yet to do.  Companion volume progressing nicely too (simultaneously).  The CD is also progressing nicely, but the amount of work needed there is staggering.

19 Jan:  Another day at the fitness center.  No more fitness for a week after surgery this evening at 5pm.  Walmart Pharmacy here is a farce, rude staff, incompetent lazy help, a huge demand, and totally irritating.  Only one pharmacist, Angelena, seems to do any work, and she is endlessly busy.

18 Jan:  Hank & Felicia, Jim & Cindy, Jon & Katie, and Smooch smooch & I thoroughly enjoyed a dinner at the nearby restaurant.  It was a little noisy, and I was the most casually dressed (substantially), and we stayed up late for us, 10pm.

15 Jan:  We are moved into the lake house (despite much remodeling/painting clutter) yesterday after Dr. Gould confirmed that I'm still alive.  Blood was drawn for the several tests including especially my genetic heritage, the evil LP(a) cholesterol.  I'm still wondering how Dr. Gould knew that I ride a Beemer.
OK, 'nuf blogging.  Time to resume proofreading.

12 Jan:  The DNA cheek swab is sent off to ??; I became interested after release of this latest "Family Finder" test that crosses the male/female boundary to provide more specific relationships within 5 generations.  An empty Schenck family website is up for cousin Jean to modify and she has acquired the gmail account needed for accesss.

11 Jan: Luncheon with the Lutheran Bishop was wonderful.  Michael Rinehart is a very nice guy, and he gave me good advice about website, and he expects to be notified by some Google bot that this mention of his name has been posted anywhere on the web (Hi Michael, don't forget to misspell your name as Michael Reinhardt.  It is even Ok to add a line like "Please don't misspell my name as Michael Reinhardt or Rinhart.")

9 Jan:  Lots accomplished.  I'm a Wiki contributor - to the Peter Gunnarson Rambo page.  The first new chapters of the Rambo Family Tree CD are published to the rambofamilytree web site along with a few other improvements.  The CamblinBook website has another generation and a few links.  It is nearly time to print the annual letter with pictures for mailing.  Goodie, goodie, dumbdrops.  Paint is still "drying" on this rainy day in Texas.  Nice dinner last night at Caddy Shack with John & Hank (Ron) and Felicia.

7 Jan:  My Oh My, How time flies.  We've been in Montgomery, Texas for 24 hours now, and I've caught up with sleep, correspondence, and organization, so it is time to update blog & web sites.  The biggest news is that the MIT Alumni Association had a couple of addresses for long lost buddies, Acorn & Weino.  The wedding invitation list is completed.  We are presently camped out at the Best Western while waiting for paint to dry at the lake house.  Cynthia is just returned from running errands, so we will leave for dinner at the Caddy Shack ASAP.  Cynthia tells me there are new pictures in a Hawaii10 Picasa album.

5 Jan:  We enjoyed a lovely drive with Jean to Kapaa, ate at the Wahoo Seafood Restaurant, found the Farmers' Market, and enjoyed the open air atmosphere and street side balcony of the Olympic Cafe.  Jean impressed us with her command of the Hawaiian language.  Cindy at the Koa Kea was a lot of fun; she and I exchanged cheerful banter on several occasions.

4 Jan:  We arrived on Kauii without incident, crammed like sardines into tiny seats on the Hawaiian Airlines Inter-Island flight.  After renting our car from Enterprise, we checked in at the Koa Kea hotel, and Cynthia changed into a swim suit.  The drive around the island to Honalea Bay was scenic but wearing after the lack of sufficient sleep two night in a row.  Once there with Eric & Jean and Jason, Rachel and Ian we found ourselves enjoying the vacation & company tremendously.  Little 10-month-old Ian had no problems with his drool and sand beard, but rubbing a tiny sandy fist in his eye was traumatic.  He learns quickly and only did that once.  Incredibly, today Cynthia and I both got wet in the ocean.  We exited after a cresting wave bigger than I am pasted us and put a taste of salt in our mouths.  Fun, fun, but that beach is shallow with an uneven bottom, so Cynthia swam three strokes, and I swam 0.

3 Jan: As we embarked on our daily walk, we took a path uphill through the grounds and found ourselves on a golf cart path.  Cynthia entered the club house as I entered the lavatory.  She did not reappear, but instead seated herself and ordered a glass of wine and salad.  We enjoyed the lunch with a nice view before resuming our walk, again following an unused cart path.  This part of the course was obviously closed and neglected so we felt quite comfortable and well pleased with the solitude and magnificent views of the ocean.  Imagine our dismay when an authoritarian employee arrived en carte to insist that we leave this deserted course immediately with him on his cart.  His brusque, unpleasant synopsis is that, "In the resort, you are an asset to us.  Out here you are a liability."

2 Jan 2011, Sunday:  The last few days have been pretty eventful, and we've had a lot of fun.  Today George let us take a brand new Kawasaki 900 motorcycle for a test ride.  The bike was good, but we decided to test ride a few others before making a decision.  It was indeed fun to ride on two wheels again ... even if the ride was only ten miles around the airport.  Hawaii is expensive; the taxi to & from the airport was $60 each way.  We hadn't made dinner reservations, but we've eaten at Spago's so many times that the hostesses and wait staff know us, so we were given a nice table in a wonderfully quiet corner, and of course the meal (mahi mahi) was perfect as usual.  Cynthia hadn't know the price of the glass of wine and declared that she'd drink dish water henceforth.

1 Jan:  Happy New Year - we've heard, but haven't tried the Hawaiian for Happy New Year; Mele Kalikimaka twisted our tongues badly enough for now.  Today the skies were much clearer, but we only walked an hour on the road towards the parks and surf.  It was fun to see details up-mountain that had been obscurred previously - like the line of electric generation wind mills marching in a ragged line up the mountain across the bay.  We enjoyed dinner with George, Ghee and their two kids, Gheo and Ginger.  George has a new job at the Harley shop selling motorcycles, so we arranged to test ride a Kawasaki.  The stars were bright and clear, unusual in our experience these eight(?) days on Maui.

31 Dec: Wayne with Hike Maui tours guided us to a magnificent 400' waterfall on the opposite side of the island.  The ride started with a 6am pickup after a cold breakfast in the room.  Sunrise came while we were inside the truck "barn" getting food and gear.  We circumscribed (Is that the right word?) the mountain on a twisty road that puts the "Tail of the Dragon" to shame - something like 600 turns in 20 miles, many of them one lane hairpins.  The hike in to the waterfall was more strenuous than our previous Hike Maui hike to Twin Falls (that one was a stroll); this time we hike uphill for about 2.5 miles and crossed a knee-deep stream twice.  As we were changing shoes prior to the stream crossing, the mist turned to light rain.  The mist/rain combo intensified as we approached the waterfall, preventing us from taking pictures, but the waterfall was magnificent, awesome even due to the additional water.  After the waterfall, the ride back was overlong despite several stops at scenic water including an ocean cave, a black sand beach, and some awesome crashing surf.  Whenever the van was moving, we were constantly thrown against each other as Wayne tried to make good time over this snaky road.

30 Dec: The highlight today was Cynthia's first frightening exposure to the thrills of hitchhiking, even though we hitchhiked unintentionally.  The dead-end road to the State Park is narrow with many blind corners and hills, so I started giving "thumbs up" to indicate a clear road for cars approaching us from behind.  We were both shocked and surprised when a car pulled to a stop alongside us.  The driver & passenger were smiling & friendly, so I hopped in ASAP while Cynthia entered into a state of shock, climbed into the car, and begged them to treat her nicely.  She was kinda shell shocked by the experience, but we did get out to the park at the end of the road quickly with time to hike a mile along the ocean, thrilling to the surf crashing onto the lava rocks, sometimes pounding and sounding like canons and sometimes throwing water thirty feet into the air.  The white rock scattered along this remote beach is a puzzle; later our guide Wayne explained that the white rock was either coral or basalt lava.

29 Dec: Cynthia has resigned as scribe.  Sorry to predict that updates will be less frequent and pictures will be fewer.  Despite the loss & disappointment, I certainly thank Cynthia for all the work she has done on this blog.  AttaDear.

MELE KALIKIMAKA - Dec. 27

MELE KALIKIMAKA

27 Dec 2014: My annual letter is posted on the web at http://sites.google.com/site/rsbeatty/christmas-letter-2010

The Makena has a good breakfast buffet with an omelet chef, so we are fat and sassy again this morning.  I need to get busy editing my Picasa albums, but it is probably time for Smooch Smooch and I to go for our after-breakfast waddle.  More later again.  Christmas dinner at Nick's Seafood down the street at the Fairmont was fabulous with open air on the patio and all the sunset and bikinis that either of us could want.

25 Dec: Mele Kalikimaka.  We arrived at the Makena resort in Maui towards evening, so today was our first walk & look-around.  The hotel grounds are spectacular, arranged around an interior courtyard with waterfall and nature trail.  Our balcony overlooks the ocean, the beach, the sailboat, and a couple of islands.  I've taken a couple of pictures and will post them soon.  The only drawback is expensive (or limited internet access): $60 per week in the room, free in the lobby.  So now I'm hungry and ready to search for food.  More later.

 24 Dec: The transition to Maui went smoothly.  The cabbies were friendly and talkative (me too, surprise, surprise).  We are both happy with the progress genealogically during December.  Cynthia is beginning to commence to start working on another book, this one about the 3 James Leas in Caswell County in the 1700s.  Ron's Camblin website shows up well now.  The Rambo CD is progressing nicely, although there is still an incredible amount of work ahead.

18 Dec: Today I omeletted in the condo, snacked at noon, and computered outside covered with a sheet to thwart the mosquitoes.  Now it is getting too hot for me outside and the sunshine is creeping towards my toes.

17 Dec: Dinner at 5:30 oceanside at Huggo's was perfect with a bright sunset, good waves, and wonderful Ono (that's fish).  Cynthia prefers Huggo's to Jackie Rey's for a wider selection of fish, better sunset views, and the ocean almost underfoot.  Breakfast at Bongo Ben's was less than perfect, although the 13-year-old family member who waited on us was delightful.  Our shoreside walk after breakfast was delightful, as was the evening walk to dinner.

15 Dec: The luncheon at Lava Java was wonderful.  Mike was in town looking for a new, used pick-em-up truck, so the girls talked and the guys talked and a fine time was had by all.  Excitement runs high today because we have a luncheon date with Wendy (and hopefully Mike) at Lava Java.  Wendy assures me that they have good, healthy food and nice salads (and obviously coffee).

Cynthia is beginning to worry about over-crowding at our wedding.  We have nearly 100 confirmed attendees already and the facilities are comfortable for 125 to 150.  We gotta have a dance floor at the reception; we may have to "recept" in two shifts, early & late.  There are a number of people I've not yet invited (usually for lacking ANY address).  We may have to invite them to the Friday brunch only.  Hmm, since several are AT hikers, they should be comfortable outside ??

14 Dec 2014: Breakfast at Bongo Ben's this AM.  Highly recommended for anyone in Kona.  They do a wonderful job with egg white veggie omelets, and the nearly ocean side seats have pedestrian traffic for added amusement. The walks to and from were perfect, cool and comfortable; not overlong.
After spending too many tedious hours editing the Camblin material for acceptable presentation (and drinking coffee all afternoon), I was still able to resume work on the Rambo CD until midnight.  The work is more fun on the lanai in the morning because of flower fragrances in the air (although the bugs and a few mosquitos lessen the pleasure).  By mid-afternoon, it is far too muggy: pleasantly warm but very humid.


I wonder if Cynthia has yet become a "follower" of this blog.  Blogger tells me that I have 0 (that's a big fat goose egg) followers.  [15th, ohhh, she added a widget to the margin and is now a follower.  Smooch, smooch, smooch I love you.  Thank God for Cynthia.]  Where is Ron Now finds me first,  and this sentence corrected the problem resulting from mistakenly Googling Where's Ron Now. Once again I'll just have to Google myself to rise in the results rankings.  

Maybe my beloved will download the newest Waikaloa pictures from my camera onto another Picasa web album. (Thanks Google.  Thank you Cynthia.  Thank God for everything.)  [15th Ron, you Dummy, always, always, ALWAYS remember to remove pictures of your beloved that are un-flattering, no matter how amusing.]  I doubt I'll ever convince her to post the "cute shoes" picture even tho' I think it is marvelous.

13 Dec: Returning the rental car to Waikaloa went wonderfully well.  After waiting an hour for the commuter bus, the miracle is that it is a free ride.  Amusing to think that NO ONE on the hotel staff has any knowledge of it for the tourists.  Dinner at Jackie Rey's was as satisfactory as always; when the chef owns the restaurant but prefers to stay in the kitchen, good food happens.


12 Dec, Sun:   Test for day two:  What was the white stuff atop 13,000-foot Mauna Kea this morning?  SNOW !  In Hawaii ??  They musta  shipped it in from the Midwest where we are told they have an oversupply.  Now we can vicariously experience camaraderie with our friends and family who are housebound after being nailed by the big, early blizzard of 2010.

11 Dec Sat:  Are you ready with paper and number 2 pencil?  Eraser?  This is a test:  Where did Ron and Cynthia eat dinner the last night at Waikoloa?   OHH!  You peeked.  Yes, it was at the HAMASUTRA!  Who surprised us?  WENDY (and her hubby Mike)!  Yes.  Right again.  Wendy was our favorite staff person at Waikoloa both times we were here in 2009.  She looked beautiful and gave Ron a huge hug.  AHHH!  The staff at the Kamuela Provision Company keeps "our" table right at ocean side every night.  They have been marvelous! And the ocean views table side are the best garnish any meal could ever have.  Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou Tiffany.

We saw one of the two the big barracudas in the boat canal during our walk last night. 

10 Dec: Wow, clouds and rain today; Cynthia also loves cloudscapes.  We are still spending way too much time indoors, venturing out only to eat dinner at the Hamasutra restaurant. (The real name is Kamuela Provision Company, but I cannot seem to remember that name.)  Yesterday was productive in terms of the Camblin genealogy, so today's focus is communication (hence this update).
Oh, as an aside to my dear friends who view my sleeping indoors as a MAJOR life change, I have to tell y'all that I'm now cooking omelets for breakfast whenever convenient; even I view this as major change.

7 Dec: Another beautiful day in Hawaii.  No wonder that the Hawaiians are all such happy people.  Our condo is in the middle of the golf course, but we've not seen any of those interesting black goats yet this year. [Cynthia saw several from afar on the 8th]  The stars were wonderful at 5:30am, and I did see a mongoose slink across the lawn early today.  The computer and I are on the back porch at ground-level in bare feet and short sleeves.  Cynthia and I have not done much sight seeing, but we are making terrific progress on our sundry projects relating to correspondence, wedding, and genealogy.
Perhaps recapping, we've eaten dinner at sunset nearly every night overlooking the ocean at the Kamuela Provision Company at Waikaloa; our helicopter ride over the volcano this year was even more awesome than previously, but only the granddaughter & friend took pictures.  We flew right over Mauna Loa's crater and later saw a lava flow on the surface dropping over the cliff into the ocean.  The pilot pointed out "silvery" lava that was just now cooling and had thought that a home twenty feet away would be in flames by then.  He showed us the 1983 flow that had frightened Hilo residents (which was already very overgrown and green) and also told us that the lava flows around Waikaloa were about 5,000 years old but were still black because the leeward side gets only about 4" of rain annually vs 170" in the mountains.

4 Dec:  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: Where IS Ron NOW?  Decking the halls?  Decorating Trees?  Kissing under the Mistletoe?  Jumping for Joy?  Riding on a one-horse-open BMW?  Dashing through the Snow white Hawaiian sand?   Roasting coconuts on an open fire?   AH!

 IMAGINE! JUST IMAGINE!  Another glorious, sunny day in Hawaii. The bright, blue ocean beckons. But Ron is focused on his computer sitting on the lanai near the beach (and bikinis) with his eyes FOCUSED.  He has more SAVE THE DATE cards to mail and addresses to update. He does NOT trust Cynthia's methodical record keeping of those who have sent RSVP's, so he is emailing again so HE can keep his own list. IMAGINE! Cynthia has her Christmas letter written, all of her gifts purchased or ordered, everything is finished except to fill the stockings. IMAGINE!
[RSB Strange to see the meanderings of the female mind in print.  I could never imagine all that without a accomplished guide.  I would have imagined that Ron wants to find addresses of friends who have dropped out of sight since last correspondence, casualties of his single-minded focus on publication of five volumes of Rambos.]

3 Dec. Hawaiian Sunset at the Kamuela Provision Co.

3 Dec, Friday: Oh... what a relaxing day. Smooch Smooch had a pedicure and manicure while Ron gazed at bikini bodies!  [RSB there have been a few bikini bodies, and Cynthia alerts me by yanking my arm viciously out of socket whenever she sees one.]

Koi and Duckie

Howza bout this for a spa location?  And Howza bout the Hawaiian Siesta?   [RSB Thank goodness Cynthia didn't post the really embarrassing pictures.]

Rare Chicken (Eat Your Heart Out Carol B

Unique Koi

Pink Flamingos

2 Dec, Thurs: Rising early, we finished breakfast by eight AM. The buffet is not only delicious, but it is enormous.  Sally is our favorite waitress. She studied English in her native Thailand for six months before emigrating to Hawaii right at the time Waikoloa Village Resort was under construction.  Despite rudimentary English language skills, she applied and was immediately hired.  Sally loves her job and it shows because return guests request a table in her section.  She is a charmer!  

1 Dec, Wed: We have just been simply too busy - too many fun things to do since our arrival in Hawaii.  Sat night the girls (granddaughter and college roommate) returned to the Mainland after astonishing views during the helicopter ride across the island and over the active volcanoes.  They proclaimed this day "The MOST FUN ever!"  Previous to the helicopter ride, the Luau on Friday night had been best because of the hunky male dancers!

Ron's Rambo Companion Volume of Reference is moving along nicely as is the CD compilation.  Cynthia is focused on file organization and is having WAAAAAAYYYYYY too much fun with a new I-Pad.  Next time she will do the driving so Ron can play with the I-Pad.  It is quite a novelty.  Her hip bursitis (caused by four hundred miles of hiking in four months) is improving daily with icing. Soon she will out-run Forrest Gump.

Sunset 1 December 2010