Still chilling in Clearwater. Pretty much caught up on the chore list. However, activities are picking up. Rain today. Beach day Tuesday. Errands on Wednesday. Rick and Susan arrive Thursday for a few days to visit. Friends from Canada arrive Friday. Desi and the kids also come in Friday for the Resurrection Day weekend visit. First part of next week we begin the last phase of the vacation. Then the mileage really piles on. We have made reservations at 7 National park campgrounds, from Carlsbad NM to Yellowstone in WY and a couple of motels. We'd better stay on schedule or we'll loose 8 deposits. Yikes! Pray neither one of us gets ill. So far, Judy's back is holding out fine. Thanks for all the prayers.
Ron
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Chillin' in Clearwater
On Sunday we enjoyed an inspiring service at Lakeside Community Chapel not far from Mom and Dad T's house. Heavy rain roared on the roof, giving the pastor 20 extra minutes of preaching time - his comment was "You don't want to go out in that, so I may as well keep going!" I don't think anyone minded!
Monday morning was unseasonably cold with a steel gray sky - felt more like Maine than Florida! Jay, Erin, and Adalynn arrived from Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon. It has been fun visiting and catching up on family news. Little Adalynn is a cutie with her twinkling, big blue eyes and her bright smile. Tuesday was a little warmer but with a stiff breeze, so they didn't get to spend much time at the beach, but Wednesday was a beautiful summer day and they took advantage of it. Today is gorgeous with predictions of 80's; a great day for their trip to Sea World. Ron and I have been doing some chores, taking Mom and Dad to necessary appointments, and enjoying visiting. We will probably log in some beach time next week.
Tuesday was Jay and Erin's anniversary. We celebrated by going out to eat at the Boston Cooker (One place in Florida where you can get New England seafood!) and then having a cake when we got home. The cake was also for several of the rest of us who are having birthdays and anniversaries in the near future, making it a combination celebration. Which reminds me, tomorrow is Kalynda's birthday... Happy Birthday Kalynda!
Jay and Erin will be leaving tomorrow morning early. Ron and I will be here until April 8 when we head back to Alabama to Sam's graduation.
Jay, Erin, and Adalynn
Mom and Dad T
The combination cake
Little Miss Adalynn
Monday morning was unseasonably cold with a steel gray sky - felt more like Maine than Florida! Jay, Erin, and Adalynn arrived from Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon. It has been fun visiting and catching up on family news. Little Adalynn is a cutie with her twinkling, big blue eyes and her bright smile. Tuesday was a little warmer but with a stiff breeze, so they didn't get to spend much time at the beach, but Wednesday was a beautiful summer day and they took advantage of it. Today is gorgeous with predictions of 80's; a great day for their trip to Sea World. Ron and I have been doing some chores, taking Mom and Dad to necessary appointments, and enjoying visiting. We will probably log in some beach time next week.
Tuesday was Jay and Erin's anniversary. We celebrated by going out to eat at the Boston Cooker (One place in Florida where you can get New England seafood!) and then having a cake when we got home. The cake was also for several of the rest of us who are having birthdays and anniversaries in the near future, making it a combination celebration. Which reminds me, tomorrow is Kalynda's birthday... Happy Birthday Kalynda!
Jay and Erin will be leaving tomorrow morning early. Ron and I will be here until April 8 when we head back to Alabama to Sam's graduation.
Jay, Erin, and Adalynn
Mom and Dad T
The combination cake
Little Miss Adalynn
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Back to Clearwater from the Everglades - - - - - - - Day 24 - 3,212 miles
Bright and early Thursday morning we departed from the Travelodge motel, and leaving civilization far behind, we headed back to Everglades National Park. First thing was to secure a campsite in the Long Pine Key Campground, 35 miles from our previous campsite there. Then we left the park and went to an alligator farm, where we saw litterally thousands of alligators of all sizes! The gator farm also had several Florida crocodiles, various snakes, a rare Florida panther, shows with a guy handling snakes and gators, as well as feeding a whole pond full of hungry gators (white rats were on the menu that day). Ron had his picture taken while he was sitting on a very large and very alive alligator (not to worry; its mouth was taped shut!). The highlight of the day was an airboat ride out through the marsh grass, with various wading birds and wild alligators in clear view.
Next morning was chilly - maybe 40 degress. We took a walk around a small pond next to our campground and saw a 6 foot crocodile (not an alligator) slowly gliding through the water, looking for his breakfast. In the afternoon we checked out the Anhinga Trail, which skirted a pond and then followed elevated boardwalks out through a swamp. There were several species of herons and egrets as well as wood storks, vultures, anhingas, ibis, turtles, fish, and gators, gators, gators! The variety of animals, plants, and trees are an amazing testament to God's creation.
Evening found us back at the Anhinga trail on a starlight, ranger-guided tour with several other people, looking for alligators by flashlight. When your flashlight beam strikes a gator, the eyes glow red; amazingly, even a hundred yards away across the lake their eyes still shown as red as Christmas lights. For an online video of a typical family visiting the same places we went, check out the following:
http://www.channel2.org/intothewild/index.html
Saturday morning dawned not quite as cool but foggy. We packed up the tent still wet, took I-75 across Alligator Alley and then on up I-275, back over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay to Clearwater. We are back visiting with Ron's Mom and Dad; have the tent out in the garage drying. Will be here a few days and are looking forward to seeing Jay, Erin, and Adelynn.
A gator by the tail
At the alligator farm
Swimming - you've got to be kidding!
The airboat
Ron's Alligator Adventure
Crocodile at our campsite
Massive tree on the Anhinga trail
Anhinga (snakebird), drying its wings. These birds actually spear fish with their sharp beaks
Here we are enjoying the anhinga trail
A great blue heron
Our campsite at Long Pine
Sunrise in the Everglades
Next morning was chilly - maybe 40 degress. We took a walk around a small pond next to our campground and saw a 6 foot crocodile (not an alligator) slowly gliding through the water, looking for his breakfast. In the afternoon we checked out the Anhinga Trail, which skirted a pond and then followed elevated boardwalks out through a swamp. There were several species of herons and egrets as well as wood storks, vultures, anhingas, ibis, turtles, fish, and gators, gators, gators! The variety of animals, plants, and trees are an amazing testament to God's creation.
Evening found us back at the Anhinga trail on a starlight, ranger-guided tour with several other people, looking for alligators by flashlight. When your flashlight beam strikes a gator, the eyes glow red; amazingly, even a hundred yards away across the lake their eyes still shown as red as Christmas lights. For an online video of a typical family visiting the same places we went, check out the following:
http://www.channel2.org/intothewild/index.html
Saturday morning dawned not quite as cool but foggy. We packed up the tent still wet, took I-75 across Alligator Alley and then on up I-275, back over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay to Clearwater. We are back visiting with Ron's Mom and Dad; have the tent out in the garage drying. Will be here a few days and are looking forward to seeing Jay, Erin, and Adelynn.
A gator by the tail
At the alligator farm
Swimming - you've got to be kidding!
The airboat
Ron's Alligator Adventure
Crocodile at our campsite
Massive tree on the Anhinga trail
Anhinga (snakebird), drying its wings. These birds actually spear fish with their sharp beaks
Here we are enjoying the anhinga trail
A great blue heron
Our campsite at Long Pine
Sunrise in the Everglades
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Day 20 - 2,816 Miles
We are finally back in internet range, AND cell phone range.
Today is a rain day... motel day. Hot showers,laundry, blog page updates, and emailing are in the plans.
We spent 3 days in the Everglades National Park, 37 miles from nowhere, bottom left corner of Florida. Nice quiet time. Left yesterday and went to the infamous end of Route 1 in Key West, FL. We are currently holed up in a Travel Lodge for a couple of nights as a rain cloud lingers. Tomorrow we plan to visit by airboat, the Everglades Alligator Farm http://www.everglades.com/index.htm just about 20 miles from here and then camp another couple days back in the Everglades campgroud, but at a different location. And again, there will be no cell or internet for those two days. Saturday, we'll head back to the Clearwater area to visit my folks again and do a few more chores, now that the roofers are done. Will have to address some water stains the roofers left behind.
Our plans are firming up for our son Sam's WO (Warrant Officer) graduation ceremony on April 13th. There are a few shindigs the military will be putting on. We will be attending a couple of them, and babysitting the grandkids on the others to allow Desi to be with Sam.
My brother Rick and wife Susan plan to attend Sam's pinning ceremony with us. The following day all four of us will head out to visit the Tardif clan in Dallas. That should be a fun time. Haven't seen most of them since 1991. LOTS of memories to catch up on. My brother and I will then part ways as he heads home to Atlanta, and we head West for the rest of our tour of the Southwest to include Carlsbad Caverns, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyons, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and a few more I am sure.
Welcome Wendy and Chris to the Tardif blog page!
A few pictures from this past week:
Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay -
Gator beside the road
Huge tomato fields in S. Florida
Flamingo, our campsite in Everglades National Park
Gulls and a Pelican in the marina at Flamingo
Sandpiper
Campground at Flamingo
View from the campground of Florida Bay
Heron or Giant Egret?
Florida panthers are endangered; hence there were dozens of these signs and reduced speed limits for night driving
Park ranger tour of old NIKE Hercules missle site which is now obsolete and is part of Everglades National Park.
A trail we hiked
Nice trail (I only saw one snake - just it's tail as it slithered off into the brush)
End of trail with view of Snake Bight on Florida Bay (A bight is a bay)
A zebra butterfly
Driving out on the Florida Keys
Beginning of US RT 1, Key West, FL. The end is in Ft. Kent, ME
Today is a rain day... motel day. Hot showers,laundry, blog page updates, and emailing are in the plans.
We spent 3 days in the Everglades National Park, 37 miles from nowhere, bottom left corner of Florida. Nice quiet time. Left yesterday and went to the infamous end of Route 1 in Key West, FL. We are currently holed up in a Travel Lodge for a couple of nights as a rain cloud lingers. Tomorrow we plan to visit by airboat, the Everglades Alligator Farm http://www.everglades.com/index.htm just about 20 miles from here and then camp another couple days back in the Everglades campgroud, but at a different location. And again, there will be no cell or internet for those two days. Saturday, we'll head back to the Clearwater area to visit my folks again and do a few more chores, now that the roofers are done. Will have to address some water stains the roofers left behind.
Our plans are firming up for our son Sam's WO (Warrant Officer) graduation ceremony on April 13th. There are a few shindigs the military will be putting on. We will be attending a couple of them, and babysitting the grandkids on the others to allow Desi to be with Sam.
My brother Rick and wife Susan plan to attend Sam's pinning ceremony with us. The following day all four of us will head out to visit the Tardif clan in Dallas. That should be a fun time. Haven't seen most of them since 1991. LOTS of memories to catch up on. My brother and I will then part ways as he heads home to Atlanta, and we head West for the rest of our tour of the Southwest to include Carlsbad Caverns, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyons, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and a few more I am sure.
Welcome Wendy and Chris to the Tardif blog page!
A few pictures from this past week:
Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay -
Gator beside the road
Huge tomato fields in S. Florida
Flamingo, our campsite in Everglades National Park
Gulls and a Pelican in the marina at Flamingo
Sandpiper
Campground at Flamingo
View from the campground of Florida Bay
Heron or Giant Egret?
Florida panthers are endangered; hence there were dozens of these signs and reduced speed limits for night driving
Park ranger tour of old NIKE Hercules missle site which is now obsolete and is part of Everglades National Park.
A trail we hiked
Nice trail (I only saw one snake - just it's tail as it slithered off into the brush)
End of trail with view of Snake Bight on Florida Bay (A bight is a bay)
A zebra butterfly
Driving out on the Florida Keys
Beginning of US RT 1, Key West, FL. The end is in Ft. Kent, ME
Friday, March 12, 2010
Day 15 - No Leaks
Roof is not completed. However, the first and worst phase is done. No leaks. Polyglass underlayment is working good. Shingles were delivered today and placed onto the roof by a boom truck . Raining all day. Maybe they'll get installed tomorrow. If not, then on Monday. No need to hang around (other than tornado warnings and rain) so we will be leaving in the morning to do some camping in Flamingo, FL. Flamingo is in the Everglades National Park at the very bottom of Florida (not the Keys). Not sure about internet or phone signals in that area. We may be there a week or so. We'll post pics as the internet service allows. You can check out the location by going to:
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/map_of_campgrounds/r/browseMaps.do?topTabIndex=CampgroundMap
Ron
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/map_of_campgrounds/r/browseMaps.do?topTabIndex=CampgroundMap
Ron
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Day 14
The first of two required days for re-roofing my Dad's home is now complete. I was surprised they (the roofing crew) even started as rain was predicted. One more day required for the shingles to be laid down, then it's off to the Florida Keys we go for a few days of camping. I would send pics of rotted out wood that was replaced, but I don't think any of you would be impressed. So, I'll spare you of the agony.
Ron
Ron
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day 13 Clearwater Beach
Today was the first really warm day since we arrived here last Saturday. 80's and sunny - great beach day! You may notice that there weren't many people in the water. The weather channel said the Gulf temp was 65, but it felt more like iceberg water!
Lots of people on the beach today!
A view toward the pier
Me, soaking up some rays
Ron enjoying the sun
This little guy was determined to eat our lunch!
Some brave souls decided to brave the ice water and go hang gliding behind a boat
Must have been fun when they came down! BRRR!
Back at the ranch with Mom and Dad T
Monday, March 8, 2010
Day 11
Havng a great time visiting with Mom and Dad Tardif.
Still haven't been to the beach yet, but hopefully soon!
Getting the windshield replaced from where it was hit by a rock on Saturday - minor casualty considering all the miles we have gone!
Still haven't been to the beach yet, but hopefully soon!
Getting the windshield replaced from where it was hit by a rock on Saturday - minor casualty considering all the miles we have gone!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Day 10, 1980 miles. We're in Florida!
No internet for the past 5 days! We've missed you!
After a pleasant visit with Rick and Susan, we left Georgia on Tuesday morning. We arrived at Sam and Desi's rental home in Enterprise, AL, at 1 pm just shortly after they had pulled in, ending their long journey from Washinton state and our not-quite-as-long journey from Maine. WOW, sure was nice to see them again! And to see cute little Acadia for the first time!
Not much time for visiting though; we had a house to clean and a truck to unload. We did what we could Tuesday afternoon with no utilities hooked up yet. All 6 of us spent that night in a hotel, and the next 2 days were very full with unloading, unpacking and organizing the household. By Friday things were shaping up pretty well; we even had time to go bowling, with Desi winning the first string and Sam the second. Ron and I got to babysit our sweet grandchildren a couple of different times while Sam and Desi went to Ft. Rucker. The kids were great, even though Cadi is cutting a new tooth, and Aedon has a cold.
Sam will be starting Warrant Officer school on Wednesday, and will be away from his family for a month. He still has much to get done between now and graduation. Desi is a trooper, having driven a pickup truck with a motorcycle in the back, with two little kids in car seats thousands of miles - over the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains! Phew! And then to organize moving into a new house, along with caring for the kids all at the same time... my hat's off to her... and to Sam for driving a moving van all that way! We are so proud of both of them. And praying for the whole family to get some much needed R&R as well as recovery from those colds.
We left their place Saturday morning and arrived at Mom & Dad T's in Florida around 4 p.m. yesterday. Found a great church this morning; Lakeside Community Chapel. Having a nice relaxing afternoon here in Clearwater. Will be chilling out here for a while.
Aedon playing in his new room
Acadia
Ron and Sam unloading the truck
The truck in front of the house
Sam and Desi's house
The guys unloading more stuff
Sam with Acadia
Sam with Aedon
Ron and Acadia taking a snooze
Sam and Aedon bowling
Desi and Aedon bowling
Family fun!
After a pleasant visit with Rick and Susan, we left Georgia on Tuesday morning. We arrived at Sam and Desi's rental home in Enterprise, AL, at 1 pm just shortly after they had pulled in, ending their long journey from Washinton state and our not-quite-as-long journey from Maine. WOW, sure was nice to see them again! And to see cute little Acadia for the first time!
Not much time for visiting though; we had a house to clean and a truck to unload. We did what we could Tuesday afternoon with no utilities hooked up yet. All 6 of us spent that night in a hotel, and the next 2 days were very full with unloading, unpacking and organizing the household. By Friday things were shaping up pretty well; we even had time to go bowling, with Desi winning the first string and Sam the second. Ron and I got to babysit our sweet grandchildren a couple of different times while Sam and Desi went to Ft. Rucker. The kids were great, even though Cadi is cutting a new tooth, and Aedon has a cold.
Sam will be starting Warrant Officer school on Wednesday, and will be away from his family for a month. He still has much to get done between now and graduation. Desi is a trooper, having driven a pickup truck with a motorcycle in the back, with two little kids in car seats thousands of miles - over the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains! Phew! And then to organize moving into a new house, along with caring for the kids all at the same time... my hat's off to her... and to Sam for driving a moving van all that way! We are so proud of both of them. And praying for the whole family to get some much needed R&R as well as recovery from those colds.
We left their place Saturday morning and arrived at Mom & Dad T's in Florida around 4 p.m. yesterday. Found a great church this morning; Lakeside Community Chapel. Having a nice relaxing afternoon here in Clearwater. Will be chilling out here for a while.
Aedon playing in his new room
Acadia
Ron and Sam unloading the truck
The truck in front of the house
Sam and Desi's house
The guys unloading more stuff
Sam with Acadia
Sam with Aedon
Ron and Acadia taking a snooze
Sam and Aedon bowling
Desi and Aedon bowling
Family fun!
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