2015 Florida Trip - drive down, first days there

We left Cobourg on January 6 to drive to Florida.  The first 2 days were beautiful, the third, not so much, but we arrived safely.                                                                                                     

 It was not so sunny on our first day in the "SUNSHINE" state!    However, it did stop raining, and we enjoyed the day anyway. 

After we got settled into our hotel in Daytona, we went downtown to visit a chocolate factory.  Nick made the tour really interesting and fun! 

You know how I love dalmatians, and this one was displaying doggie valentine treats.  What fun!

Wouldn't you love to have a breakfast like this every day?  Chocolate covered bacon (yes, REAL bacon!), white chocolate egg, and jellied orange slices!  Yum Yum! 

Do you like cream-filled chocolates?  This is where they mix in the colour and the flavour, after the cream has been cooked to just the right temperature in the big copper kettle. 

 After we enjoyed our three yummy samples of chocolate, we drove down to the beach and went for a walk.  This little gem, which had washed up on the beach is a kind of jelly fish.

 This big bird looks for food when the waves come in and then go back out (recede).  They poke their long beaks into the wet sand to find good things to eat.

 I love to watch the pelicans.  They glide along near the surface, then, when they spy a fish, they dive in to grab it.  This fellow must have succeeded, because he is swallowing one. 

These little tiny birds also feed along the water's edge, but they don't like to get their feet wet.  It's fun to see them scurry along just ahead of the waves, with their tiny feet going very fast!

As you can see, the waves were very large yesterday, and this pelican was soaring very close to them! 

One of our favorite restaurants to eat in is actually a fast-food one called Chick-fil-A. We ate there last night for the first time this year, but it sure won't be the last time!  As you can imagine, they serve chicken.

There are a lot of different kinds of palm trees, which only grow in southern climates, but this is my favorite.  Although palm trees grow throughout Florida, these, called Royal Palms, only grow in the most southerly parts of Florida.  We are now in Fort Lauderdale, and will be getting on a cruise ship tomorrow to cruise for a week. So next week's blog will  be pictures from the cruise. 

Bet you can guess what kind of palm tree this is!  See the coconuts?  You don't want to stand under one, or you might get hit on the head!

We see lots of these little fellows.  I think they are called geckos.  While this one was being distracted by me and the camera, Paul sneaked up behind him and grabbed his tail.  Don't worry, he escaped intact.  There are a LOT of these little creatures down here in the south.  They like the warm weather too! 

 I don't know the names of any of these flowers, but they sure are pretty!

Well, until next week, farewell.  Have a great week.  Keep safe, keep well.  Bye for now.

Donnie and Jean Ball's 61st Anniversary

A week before the actual anniversary date, which is Sept 11, a few of us celebrated with Donnie and Jean in the Common Room at St. Peter's Court.  Because it was a working day, unfortunately some were unable to be there.  Barb and her brothers did a wonderful job of decorating, organizing, and preparing food that even their Mom was able to enjoy.  And enjoy it she did!  Here are a few pictures taken on that day.

 
Sister-in-law Brenda gave them a really nice picture, which Jean obviously enjoyed.

 

Barb having a chat with Uncle Warren.

 

Jean was having a really good day!

One of Jean's good friends, Mae Ito and her husband Rick.  She really lit up when she saw them!

Mae getting a shoulder massage from Donnie - jealous!

Checking out one of the beautiful cards.

A yummy cake and a wedding picture.  What a handsome couple!

Barb helping Mom with a delicious bite.

 

A heavily laden table filled with scrumptious food!

Oldest son Fred saying a few words.

Oldest daughter Barb speaking.

Younger son Donnie speaking on behalf of himself and his twin sister Deb, who was unable to be there.

Barb's husband Mike didn't want to be left out.  A great tribute from a son-in-law!

Donnie is never at a loss for words!

Jean's brother Warren said a few words as well.

Some of the friends who were there.

It was a lovely room for the occasion.

Paul and Royce McCracken solving some of the world's problems.

Jean's sister Brenda and Joan McCracken chatting.

Ready to cut the cake!

Barb with Mom and Dad.

Using a utensil that had been Jean's to cut the cake.

Thumbs up!

We can't always be serious, can we?  So sorry Deb was unable to be there!

A lighter moment with Donnie senior and junior.

Beautiful yellow roses which Jean loves best!




Thanks Barb and boys, for a wonderful tribute to your Mom and Dad!

Huge apologies to Jean's sister Liz, who helped lots that day, and somehow I almost missed this picture of her and brother Warren.  And now, being the non-techie that I am, I don't know how to insert it in the right place.   Liz was actually the six-year-old flower girl in Donnie and Jean's wedding, and is a great support for her sister at Streamway.  Sorry Liz.

River Cruise 2015 - The Last Post! Zaltbommel, Wageningen, and Arnhem - May 5, 2015

I'm finally getting the blogs from our River Cruise finished!  Our last day was certainly one of our most memorable and moving days!  May 5 is celebrated all over the Netherlands as being the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the occupation by Nazi Germany was ended - largely by the First Canadian Army.  And do they ever love us Canadians!  What a treat to be able to celebrate with them on this 70th anniversary!  AND to be able to celebrate it in the "City of Liberation", Wageningen, where the German Commander-in-Chief, Johannes Blaskowitz was brought at gunpoint to sign the agreement which was reached with Canadian General Charles Foulkes the day before.  It is always a celebration, but every 5 years it is an especially BIG celebration, and this was one of those years. 

After a lovely morning cruise, we docked in Zaltbommel, a city that is over 1000 years old.

 

The gangplank was lowered, and we had a bit of time to tour the town before lunch. 

And what a lovely town it is! 

Paul and Barb Rusk, a new friend from Cobourg, walk into the downtown area through this old gateway.  May 5 is a national holiday in the Netherlands, so there was nothing open that day.  It seems we often toured towns on Sundays or holidays - didn't have a lot of shopping time.  Oh well, there was no room in the suitcase anyway. 

Barb posing with some McCain's "frites". 

The Da Vinci proudly flying the Canadian flag! 

Bevrijdingsdag - Liberation Day in Wageningen - and we were so privileged to have chairs saved for us right at the beginning of the parade!  This was the first truck through! 

 

A Canadian band with a great many walking soldiers following behind. 

We were not told, but I wondered if this little guy's dad had died in action somewhere and he was marching in Dad's hat.  Just wondering..... he was all by himself.

We saw a LOT of Canadian flags that day! 

This Belgium flag has the same colours as the German flag, except the stripes are vertical, and the German flag's stripes are horizontal. 

Paul just really liked this old vehicle. 

Fort Garry Horse Regiment represented. 

There had to be at least 100 kids in this band!  And although it is called a teen band, there were some kids who didn't look that old!  They sure represented our country well! 

The parade stopped for awhile with these kids right in front of us.  They were amazing! 

There were several fly-bys of old planes during the parade, but unfortunately, most of them were behind the trees for us.  There's a 4th plane to the left. 

Because we were obviously Canadians, flying lots of flags and all, this was the sort of reception we received from everyone in the parade! 

The Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band. 

Canadian Veterans marching.  There were quite a few veterans on the plane going home with us the next day, and they were treated with a great deal of respect by KLM Airlines as well. 

Well that's it for this trip.  Thanks for enjoying it with us.


....until next time....