Tuesday, Dec. 29th

Left Elizabeth City, N.C. about 9:30AM, heading south on 17. It took us through small towns, some lined with shacks and ill kept trailers, and a few cotton fields, once again reminding us how blessed we are to be able to do what we are doing.

Arrived in Myrtle Beach, S.C. at 4PM. Weather was 65 and sunny...How nice to shed our jackets and sport our short sleeved shirts.

We did a little unpacking, had an adult beverage while catching up on the news of the day.

"Broadway On The Beach" is only a short walk across from our Holiday Inn complex...it seemed good to stretch our legs as we walked around the area, enjoying the decorations, wandering into a few of the shops. Guy found a great pair of boat shoes, but couldn't find them in his size. He didn't want to unpack the car to find the ones he brought with him, so we'll check out a Payless tomorrow. (if you saw our packed Van, you can understand his dilema) We chose Margaritville for dinner..I enjoyed the best chicken salad I've had in a long time and Guy woofed down coconut shrimp, comparing it to the shrimp he had on Coconuts on the Beach, a tiki bar we frequented in Cocoa Beach last year.

Jimmy Buffet was on screen with his world famous Parrot Heads, singing " It's 5 o'clock Somewhere" along with all the songs he made famous. It made for a fun evening.

As we walked into the restaurant, the "Stilt Girl" leaned down and called Guy "A FOX"....his head is still in the clouds over that!!

Today we saw green grass!

Sunday we met Norma and Joe Eliff, who came down from Royersford, Pa, in Cape May, NJ.
We all checked into the Grand Hotel and then Joe took us for a tour of the area. The little city was still decorated in its Christmas glory and it was beautiful with all the old homes showing off their boughs of holly, lights, trees etc. The horse drawn carriages caught our eye, so we decided to take a tour also. It was so much fun...we had a great guide who pointed out places of interest with lots of little "inside" facts.

Joe and Norma love the Lobster House, and after the meal of Alaskan King Crabs, filet mignon etc., we agreed it was the best!

Joe drove us around town so we could enjoy the night lights. The homes were undescribably beautiful (click on a picture and you will be able to see it better)

After breakfast this morning, they headed back to Pa. and we took the Cape May ferry over to Lewes, Delaware. Tonight we ended up in Elizabeth City, N.C. .

Some fun facts:

The cheapest gas we've seen was in Toms River, NJ.....at $1.38/gallon....but the gas here is $1.52

As we crossed over into Salisbury, MD....we started seeing GREEN GRASS....

We took another one of Guy's short cuts!!!

OK...after last year, you'd think we would have learned....but take a look at the Van....
Last summer we traded our 2001 Van for a Stow n Go 2007 Grand Caravan so we'd have room for our run to Florida this year. But... this year we're staying for an extra month..so we need more stuff!!!

The weather was more co-operative than it was last year.....no snow, just lots of rain and fog...

Guy took one of his infamous shortcuts and we ended up going straight through New York City at 5 o'clock!!! There were a few sputters, mumbles and bad words, but we got through our first of what I am sure will be our many little crisis this winter....

We left at 10AM and checked into the Holiday Inn at Toms River, New Jersey a little after 6:30...so we're on our way to another adventure...

Keep checking the blog...we'll update whenever we can...

Brenda & Rick's Family

The last of the Christmas parties was held late this afternoon

when Rick, Deb, Hannah, Spencer

Brenda, Pat, Aleina and Sam

joined us for a Potluck dinner Brenda brought a delicious seafood chowder

Deb had 2 different chicken dishes

and we supplied Sour Cream Chicken Casserole

along with various breads, veggies

and way too many rich desserts....

Hannah, Aleina, Spencer and Sam

Then for the real fun...
the opening of the gifts:)
Spencer is hidden in there somewhere...
when he opened his quilt
with lots of golden retrievers sewn in...

Brenda got a homemade sweater...

Deb got a warm rose colored flannel quilt....

Hannah's was bright colors with a

cell phone theme....

Aleina looked pleased with her pug blanket....

Sam's had acrobatic planes flying all over his...

What else, but a fishing, woodsy outdoorsy

one for Pat

Rick should be able to keep warm this winter

with his scrappy fishing quilt...

Spencer made Grammie a beautful Christmas ornament

He's explaining (in great detail)

all the steps that were involved in this creation.

It's beautiful Spencer:)

He made GF a special boat...

What a busy boy he's been....

GF will always treasure it

A nice picture of the two families

Rick, Guy and Brenda

It was a really fun evening...

We are blessed with such a great Family

Our thanks to you for protecting our Country....

Christmas Eve afternoon, our good friends,

Jim and Pat Thomson called and invited us over

to visit with their Family.

They are the parents of 3 children,

2 of whom are proudly serving our Country.

Jimmy just returned from his 2nd tour of duty

in the Middle East. Jim and Pat put together this welcoming sign....
John, who is a Chief Bowsain Mate at the
Rockland Maine station and his wife Heidi drove down
to spend the Holidays with Family.


L to R back row:
Ryan, Jen, Jimmy
L to R front row
Andrew, Connor and Tyler



Jimmy is Command Sargent Major
of the 601st Aviation Support Battalion
out of Ft. Riley Kansas

This is the first time in many years that the entire
Family will be able to spend Christmas together.

Daughter Kelly, Husband Roland and Daughter Charlotte Rose
(who all reside in South Portland) were not here when we were....so we were
not able to get pictures of the entire clan...

Connor enjoying the snow!

We sincerely want to thank both Jimmy and John
for their service to our Country.
Our freedom is being protected by so many men
and women like these and we want you to know how
proud and thankful we are..

God Bless our Servicemen and Women...

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve ritual

is to attend the Bell Service at the Church

then head over to Barbara and Tom's for an Open HouseKb, Brenda and Betty
Nila, Joni and Aleina

Sam

Uncle Wes

Barbara, Heather and Carol

Mike, Tom and Pat

Christmas Day 2008

Christmas morning we woke up to find out we had lost power

due to the rainstorm and heavy winds

we got during the night.

My first thought was...how do we cook the turkey?

Luckily, about a half hour later it came back on we

started preparing the stuffing and putting the ol' bird in the oven.

We went next door and Paul was fixing us a breakfast

of bacon and eggs....

Zeus sits patiently awaiting a crumb to fall on the floor....

We sat down to dinner at 1PM...Nichole had to work
at LL Beans at 3PM, so we ate early so we could
all share the meal together.

Julie and Meg volunteered to eat at the kids table.....

Earlier in the morning, we opened presents!

Andrew had asked me for the past couple of

years to make him a round basketball quilt.

I searched high and low for a pattern and

couldn't find anything. He's a Senior at

Colby-Sawyer this year and I knew this year had to be the year

I made it for him....

He pushed me to my limit and I finally sat down and

just did it!!

No one was more surprised that I was

when it actually turned out looking like a

basketball!!!

I was so happy and Andrew was too!!!

Nichole is our oldest Grandaughter

and was born on Christmas Day

24 years ago!!!

How can this possibly be???

Happy Birthday Nichole!!

Julie opening her heart appliqued quilt.....

Meghan's quilt had an Oriental theme....

and what else for Paul...but one
a fishing theme....


Poor Guy....I bought him a new Palm Tree for his boat..
but when it came, the trunk was cracked and the lights
were severed....
So we have to send it back.....
But not to worry....
we'll get him a new one before boating season begins in 2009...
After the presents,and the dinner
we came home and decided to get an early start
putting all the decorations away.
Only 1 more day and we're out of here!
It's so easy to pack up the trees..
just unplug them
slip plastic bags over them
bring them down cellar
and they're ready for next year...
It couldn't get any easier than that....