Thursday, Jan 30 - A second posting in one day. Sorry about that, but have to talk about a neat thing we discovered today. We were trying to figure out what to do this afternoon, and discovered an online site talking about the Dolphin Care Center. So we went there, and were amazed at what we saw. Some of you may know about Suzie Latchford in the County who does horse therapy. All of you will know about how effective dogs are in providing service to handicapped people. Now we can tell you that there is a center where dolphins provide a similar service.

Thirty years ago a woman had a child with major heart problems, who also had a stroke when he was two. The mother is a psychologist, so she found that he really responded well to water, and started a water therapy program for her son. She had permission to take her son to hotel pools, but they eventually asked her to desist, as the child was upsetting some of the patrons. So she found out about a dolphin pool, where people can pay to swim with dolphins. She finagled pool time out of the owner, and eventually was able, after a number of years, to purchase an adjacent lagoon, wherein she had several dolphins housed. Long story short, her program of therapy for her son grew into something now enjoyed by people from all over the world. There is a staff of about 30 people, most with training in Psychology or Behavioral Sciences, who administer a wide-ranging set of programs for people of various physical and emotional disabilities. The son...learned to walk after two years, and is now in his 30s, normal, and getting married on Saturday. One of the staff, by the way, who has been in the center for 11 years, has a family place on the shore of the St. Lawrence near Gananoque.

The dolphins are truly amazing...responsive, intelligent, communicative, playful, and enabling of programs aimed at the therapeutic needs of the clientele who come here. Veterans, children, families, older people, anyone over the age of two is eligible to come for the programs. There is a fairly steep price tag for those who come for a week-long session, but there is also funding available for those who can't afford the price tag. The benefits are profound, to the point that families come from as far away as Germany to go through the therapy for a family member on an annual basis. We loved watching the feeding process, and the training that the trainers put their charges through. Quite an amazing program.

Second item of interest. We went down to the waterside to watch the sunset. On the way back, we commented to a fellow who had a Portuguese water dog that he must be a Democrat to have such a pet (Obama's family had two of them). He said he really wasn't either, as he's Canadian. A little chat led to the fact that his daughter works at a local craft brewery in Picton...Parson's. Her name is Emily, and we'll be sure to look her up when we get home. Another example of the 'small world' phenomenon.

Another good day. On to Joyce's in Palm City tomorrow. Stay tuned. More later.

Thursday Jan. 30 - I suspect many of you have had a couple of sleepless nights, wondering about the fate of Junior the Cat. You will recall that he had gone missing, to the great dismay and anguish of his owner, Candy. This cat is 16 years old, and has been with her through all of her troubles of late: losing her husband, her parents and her daughter all within two or three years. Junior was her companion through these times, her source of comfort. So you can imagine how upset she was.

Well, we didn't see Candy for a day, not until we were getting ready to depart yesterday. We didn't know what to expect. Our efforts to find Junior had been in vain, as had been the case with others looking for him. But when we saw Candy, she was like a new person. Smiling, happy, relaxed. She told us someone came knocking on her door at 2 a.m., having found Junior in a bush not far from home. He is now in confinement once more, never to explore the big bad world again. Happy endings are hard to find, so there's one for you.

We enjoyed the drive back to Key Largo, probably more than we had going the other way, because we had a couple of stops in mind, and so weren't frustrated with not being able to pull over for some of the views, there being very limited space for such with r.v.s We stopped at the Key Deer Preserve, with hopes of seeing some of these little guys, but it being mid-day, all were hiding in the bush escaping the heat. We did a 3/4 mile trek through the scrub, but saw nary a one. These deer are much smaller versions of white-tails, which because of their restricted environment here in the Keys, have evolved over the years into smaller versions of their larger cousins. We've seen them in the past at the Schiller Park we visit in Homosassa, but it would have been neat to see them in their natural environment. They were overhunted at one time, almost to the point of extinction, but have since come back, so that there are now about 300 of them on this Key.

We also stopped at the Bajia Honda State Park, which son Jeff highly recommended. It's a very nice spot, with beaches on both the ocean and gulf sides. Did a wander, had lunch, and moseyed on. Back here in our little spot in Key Largo. Lovely sunset last night as we sat on deck chairs by the beach area. So no complaints. Today it's sunny and breezy, so Gail will have to decide if she wants to rent a kayak or not. I'll stick to my bike, thank you very much.

Pictures: Gail on the beach at Bajia Honda. An alligator who came over to say hello at the Blue Pool at Key Deer Preserve. One of the old sections of the bridge that connects two keys along the route. (Don't want to go for a walk in the dead of night on this section...mind the gap.) Some work is being done to restore sections of the old route, possibly to create two two-lane roads. The old original train bridges which were the only connectors were destroyed by hurricanes in the '30s, I believe. Then the roads and bridges were constructed (no more trains), with again a lot of damage from hurricanes. But today's versions are fine, although only two-track for much of the drive, making for slow progress through the main settlements. Quite an impressive achievement to have all of these keys now accessible. It's 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West, and takes probably a minimum of 3 hours.

That's all for now. More later. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, Jan. 28 - This is our third night in Key West, a lovely evening, warm, comfortable except for the no-seeums, which have found Gail. She reacts to the little devils badly, as some folks do, so it makes it tough to sit out after the sun goes down. Sounds like home with our mosquitos.

We've had a fine time here, especially since our r.v. park is close enough to town that we've been able to bike in and all around the place. The ride in is very nice, a large part of it along the ocean-front, and then we're close to down-town. The town is of a size that we can get to virtually any site of interest on our bikes. And so we've done the highlights: visited Hemingway's home, the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, dropped by the Truman Little White House, roamed around Duval Street (the where-it's at part of town), had lunch at a nice beach restaurant, spent some time at the Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, which is right in town,  had a beer at Sloppy Joe's (Hemingway's regular watering hole). We did pretty much everything we wanted to in our two days, and got in about 30kms on our bikes to boot.

Hemingway's house was very interesting...and packed with visitors, as there were three cruise ships in town. So we did the tour, met the 50 plus 6-toed cats that live there,( all descended from one cat that the Hemingways had as a pet), saw the writing studio where much of EH's best work was done, learned about his 4 wives, his interests in various manly endeavors, his depression (which finally led to his suicide), and enjoyed the excellent home that was created out of a derelict building. Well worth the visit, if you're ever here.

If you're a beacher, there are several very fine beaches to spend time on. The bikini bottoms seem to get briefer and briefer, this old guy noticed. But only out of the corner of my eye. The State Park has a fine beach, with good food service and facilities, plus walking trails. And we must highlight the Eco-Discovery Center, which is free, and provides an excellent overview of the Keys, the Coral Reef, and the creatures that inhabit the region.

We have to mention one sad incident. Two sites away from ours is a woman whose old cat got out of her r.v. She's had Junior as a pet for 14 years, and was totally despondent that he somehow got out and has been lost. She was wandering about the r.v. park, calling for him, weeping, even offering a $500. reward. We listened to her story, and wandered the park trying to spot the runaway, with no luck. She claims Junior has been with her through tough times, as she's on her own in this big A class r.v., has lost family members, including a child, and Junior has been there for comfort. We put some of Junior's food out at our place, and no luck. Actually, another little stray came along and ate it all up.
This morning, the lady was nowhere to be seen, so we don't know how this story ends. Was Junior found? Did he come home on his own? Did fate deal him a nasty end? Did he get out to go away to die, given his declining health? Tune in to the next installment. We'll try to get answers for you tomorrow, before we head back to Key Largo.

Speaking of which, the drive from Largo to here is quite interesting, as there are beautiful views when crossing over the bridges, with water on both sides at times. But for a lot of the drive, we were going through built-up areas with loads of strip malls. So it's a mixed bag. And the difficulty was that there were very few places for an r.v. to pull over to take in the views. We'll do better on the way back, now that we're aware of the situation, and know a couple of places we can pull in and take a look around. It is a beautiful area to visit, with lots to do, so if you can afford it, come for a visit.

That's it for now. I'll post a couple of pics. First, Gail dipping her toes in the water at the State Park; Second, a cruise ship on its way out from port; third, Gail having a beer in front of Sloppy Joe's; and fourth, the studio where Ernest wrote some of his best stuff. More later. Stay tuned.

Saturday, Jan 25 - Only 11 months until Christmas. Hang in there.

We are now in Key Largo. Fought our way through traffic, large volumes of it, from Fort Lauderdale through Miami and on through Homestead, on Interstate 95, then route 1. Slow, slow, slow, through the city, and even once we cleared Miami, as it's all built up until you hit the Everglades area. Finally you get a sense that you're entering the Keys, and then water appears on both sides...not clear on both sides, but scrub growth interspersed with inlets. And you smell a little difference in the air, despite the traffic, and once you hit the single lane, you know you've arrived on the Overseas Heritage Trail.

This route was enabled by a very imaginative guy named Flagler, known up and down the Atlantic Coast for monumental projects. He envisioned connecting this part of the U.S. with Cuba and Panama via a railroad across the sea. He built 23 bridges connecting the various remote keys, ending in Key West. And that's as far as it went. But what a difference it made to this remote part of Florida. Opened it up to fishermen, boaters, and tourists like never before, and it hasn't looked back.

So here we are, parked on a narrow little strip of land right beside the water. As I write, I can hear the smacking of the water against the pier, over the sound of Jimmy Buffet, who we've been playing all evening.

We biked down to a State Park and did a walk-around, then went further on to find a booze store to re-stock a little. After Gail's fine salmon burgers, we went for a walk. Heard some excitement...yelling and screaming..., and found a big fancy hotel  down the road, where a wedding party was going on. The folks were dressed to the nines, bouncing up and down to a good five piece band. Turns out the wedding party is from Michigan, so it's one of those destination weddings that are pretty popular these days. They were having a great time, so we enjoyed the party from the sidelines until we gave up being offered a drink, we in our t's and shorts, them in long dresses and classy outfits. Guess we just didn't fit in. My friends Donnie and Mick would have been right in the middle of it. We're too shy, I guess.

Back at camp, we ran into one of our camp managers, who was in the process of trying to figure out who had parked a car on the property in a tow-away area. She explained that this happens all too often, mostly 'felons' sneaking in to fish illegally from the mangroves that border the bay. If she can't find the owners of the car, she calls authorities, and they tow the vehicle away, which means 400 bucks to get it out of hock. She knows the park intimately, and overseas it with earnest. We asked if she didn't feel a little uneasy confronting these people. She explained that she's packing, so isn't too worried. She can look after herself. Just as we were chatting, up drove a pick-up truck full of Hispanic people, who weren't very happy to be told they couldn't park where they had. They gave a lot of mouth, but she held her own, so we left her to her business. Interestingly, she's been to Canada often, up to Chapleau, of all places, where her cousins run two camps. Never know where people you meet have been or come from.

Tomorrow we will do the 100 miles along the Heritage Trail, working our way to Key West. Should be an interesting drive. Meanwhile, we'll soon settle down to try to get some sleep, hoping the party over the way doesn't interrupt our slumbers. Enough of Jimmy Buffet, already. Thinking of friend Mick Chalmers, who loves Jimmy.

All for now. More later. Stay tuned.

Thursday, Sept. 23 - We came to Florida to escape winter. But for the past two days, it's been almost like autumn back home...cool, windy, and rainy. The temperatures have been dipping into the low 40s at night, so we've had our little electric heater going, and even had the furnace come on a few times.

This morning, the Weather Channel did a piece about iguanas, claiming that they are actually falling out of the trees because of the cold weather. We have a lot of them around the park here in Lake Worth, and we get a kick out of seeing them, although they're classified as pests because of some of the damage they do. They're cold-blooded, so when the temperatures descend as they have recently, they go torporous, and lose their grip, so to speak. Which can cause them to fall from their perches in the trees. Once it warms up, they revive, and are back in action (or non-action unless disturbed, as they lie around a lot).

Anyway, despite the coldness, we are fine. I did my bike ride yesterday in the wind, and nearly got blown over a couple of times. The homeless folks were struggling, and were about the only people I saw on the trail yesterday, as sensible people were hunkered down out of the weather. We are in an r.v. park within a large County Park, so given the fact the larger area is public, and given what seems to be a fair degree of tolerance from local authorities, there are a lot of homeless people around the park. Some camp out in a particular place, like two fellows on the trail who we have gotten to know a bit, exchanging greetings and bits of info about the weather and how they're managing as we pass by. There are others who seem to move around, some with bikes, some with only backpacks. There's also a tent city of sorts. an area where people appear to be allowed to set up camp away from the main trail. There are a lot of Park Rangers out in their vehicles patrolling all the time, so it's completely safe. We are never hassled by anyone.

Two more days here, and then we move on to Key Largo, for one night, then Key West for three nights. Should be interesting, so we're looking forward to a new area to explore.

Time to hit the trail. More later. Stay tuned.

Monday Jan 20 - Sunny and a little cooler today, with the usual breeze. We've had a good week since my last report, basically not doing much except riding bike, reading, playing games, and doing a walk or two each day around the park.

The only exception was on Saturday, when we had to do a clean-out of the tanks, so we used the occasion to go to the Wakodahatchie Water Preserve to see some birds. Dave MacKay and I discovered this resource a few years ago, if you can believe it, and Gail and I have been back to wander about several times. There are lots of different species in the area, along with an occasional gator, and even a coon, a rabbit and some iguanas. Plus tons of people. The parking is rather limited, so no way for the r.v.; but the security guy told us of a parking area not far away we could use, so long as we didn't tell anyone how we heard about it. Worked for us! Tons of people wandering about, almost as interesting a variety as there were birds. All ages, all levels of knowledge about birds, from novices to experts. So it was a good day to roam about and share viewings with others.

We usually walk around the park at night. A few nights ago the wind was fairly howling, and we came across a guy near the lake trying to put up a tent. He was having a heckuva time, so we offered to help. His name is 'Snow', the name on account of his white hair, which contrasts with his black skin, he pointed out to us. We had a great time wrestling the tent into place, one he'd just bought so he could stay here. He knew nothing about it, but it was one of those simple 'stretch her out, raise the poles, and peg the corners', so we managed to get it up. Woulda made a good You Tuve video, I think. He was so grateful. Neat guy.

Our park continues to be full of Quebec folks, so we hear French more than we do English. They are great socializers, bikers, petanque players (boules, bacchi ball), and are friendly, although not to the extent of sharing a glass of wine with we Anglos. That's okay. We do our own thing, as usual, and are quite content. We bike about 30 kilometers every day (Gail sometimes a little less), so are getting the legs in shape, getting some exercise, and enjoy looking at the various activities around the lake, which our bike trail follows. A good place to be for a couple of weeks.

We decided to try to go to the Keys, which we have not done before. We knew it would be expensive in the r.v. parks down there, but what the heck! So we managed to find a place in Key Largo for Saturday night, and another place at Key West for 3 nights. We're looking forward to this little adventure, and hope we get good weather. Will post some pictures once there.

We think of Kathy and Casey every day. We think of our friend Dave Forsyth, who just had his second kidney surgery. We think of daughter-in-law Sharon's brother Howard who just did the Shouldice repair job. We think of Connie Marshall all the time, who is going through another round of chemo. We think of friend Mo Daniel, who has to go into a special home today, and of his wife Dodie, who will find this a very difficult day. We count our good fortune to be healthy and in the saddle. We wish it could be thus for everyone.

That's it for now. Not too exciting, but maybe that's okay. More later. Stay tuned.

Wed., Jan 15 - Sorry, those of you in Canada, but the weather here in Lake aWorth has been really nice. Mostly sunny, a little breeze, warm temps. Just what we needed after last week-end's travel experiences. I've already done 5 bike rides, totalling close to 50 miles, and Gail has done about 35. We've also done several walks around the park, have done some reading (2 books for me already), and just generally relaxing.

So all is good. We got here on Sunday night with only one delay this time, again in Atlanta, where our plane was more than an hour late leaving. Gave us time for a beer and dinner, so we weren't too upset. But it meant we didn't get into the park here until around 11 p.m. It was a little hard to find our site, but after doing a complete circuit of this 300 site park, we found it. And here we are, all set up for 12 days.

Our dear friend Joyce came through for us on Monday, driving down from Palm City to bring our fridge stuff, which we'd stored in her spare garage refrigerator.  She also took Gail shopping for groceries, which was big help. We had a nice visit, enjoyed little Lily, and off she went in her little car back to Palm City.

So not much to report, as we've stayed here in the park, enjoying the birds and iguanas along the route, doing some people watching as we ride. We have no t.v. here, so stay up to date, sort of, through internet. Can't say I miss seeing the news, as it's so often not very pleasant.

So that's about all for now. I'll try to find more interesting news to report in future. Meantime, Go Packers. Stay tuned. More later.

Sunday, Jan 12 - Sitting here in the airport, Terminal 3, waiting for our flight back to Atlanta, then West Palm Beach. There was a threat of freezing rain and possible snow, so we were a little concerned about how getting back to Toronto would go. As it turned out, there was a bit of the freezing stuff, making the roads somewhat hazardous. We had set it up so that Jeff would drive us to Oshawa, so that we could catch the Go train to Toronto, then the airport train to Pearson. Off we went, with plenty of time to spare, and the roads turned out to be somewhat dicey in spots, but okay, so we made decent time.

Once in Toronto, we went to take the airport train, but it was not running because of ice on the tracks, if you can believe it. Instead, they had a bus set to go, which worked out okay, as it went directly to Terminal 1. So after the usual check-in procedures, here we sit. Our planes is in on time, so hopefully we'll make our connection to West Palm Beach in Atlanta, where we only have one hour to get to the right spot in that huge airport. for our connection. Hopefully we've run out of bad luck, and all will go as scheduled.

Have to say the process today was much smoother than Friday. The domino effect was the driver of the process, as one thing that went wrong seemed to trigger the next. We had decided to leave the r.v. in the parking lot at West Palm Beach, so that we could go directly to Lake Worth to our r.v. park, a much shorter drive than going back to Joyce's. (She'll load up our fridge stuff and bring it to us in Lake Worth). Getting to Atlanta was fine, but getting out wasn't. We boarded, and after a half-hour of delays because of a faulty switch in the wheel well, we were de-boarded so the necessary repairs could be done. Then we were re-boarded, after another hour, so that we left two hours behind schedule.

Once in Toronto, we had to go through Canadian Immigration, which turned out to be the most chaotic situation ever seen by me in all my travels. There were huge numbers of people, this being a Friday afternoon, with very little staff direction, and lines that went on and on,  seeming endless. Took ages to shuffle through, feeling like cattle being led to the slaughter. Then catch the train to Terminal 1, then the train to Union station. Long story short, the Via train to Belleville we wanted was sold out, and the one following left two hours late. Result: we got into Belleville at 11:30 where Jeff picked us up, ending a 17 1/2 hour day. Could have flown to Hong Kong in that length of time.

Yesterday was the reason we went through all of this travel fun. We borrowed one of Jeff's cars, went to our house, where good old Dave MacKay had turned on the water and the heat, got changed, and off to the church. Steve's funeral service was very well done, with Dave and Steve's daughter Casey doing excellent eulogies. Despite the service being in a Catholic Church, it was personal and modern, leaving everyone with an excellent impression of the person Steve was. Lots of moist eyes and heavy hearts, but also good feelings for the life Steve had led.

Following the service, we went to the Golf Club for refreshments and lots of talk, which helped, and then to Dave's house, after a little visit with the Lockwoods next door. Cathy had organized a dinner get-together of close friends so that she'd have time to see people she otherwise wouldn't have had much chance to talk with. That was very nice, and was a lovely evening. Back to Jeff's for time with the family, a game or two, and bed, pretty much pooped.

And so we head back to Florida, now feeling like our southern trip can begin in earnest. Some rest and relaxation and exercise are definitely what we need for the 12 days we'll be in Lake Worth. That's all for now. Stay tuned. More later.

Thursday, Jan 9 - We're now at Joyce's lovely home in Palm City. Yesterday we left Kissimmee, deciding in our usual fashion to avoid interstate or major highways. This decision took us down a very good highway, 144, well-paved, two lane, hardly any trucks. This route took us right through Okeechobee, sort of by accident, as we missed the Turnpike entrance and carried on into major cattle country. If you think of states like Texas as being big beef producers, you should see this part of Florida. Feed lots galore, loads of cattle all along the route. It's a major source, for sure.

We found a good r.v. park in Kissimmee, to be near Donnie and Patricia, which worked out well. Their rci place is only a few kms from where we were, so no problem getting to us. We had a lovely evening with them on Tuesday, a couple of drinks in the r.v., of course, and then off to Donnie's favorite...Chili's, for a reasonably priced dinner. Caught up on all sorts of news, and agreed we would probably get together again before too long. Donnie has had good communication with Kathy and Casey, so feels okay with not going north for the funeral, especially since they just got here. It was good for all of us to have this time together.

We have booked a timeshare in Kissimmee for the March break so Jeff, Sharon, Anna and Kate can come down for a week. Just so happened that the place is 2 minutes from where we were parked in our r.v. site. So once we were packed up, we went over to the place and gave it the once-over. It's a very nice facility, complete with a large swimming pool and hot tub, tennis court, and exercise room. The unit has two bedrooms and a pull-out couch. Our main concern was parking the r.v., and we finally concluded that we would be all right, so it should work out for us to stay there with the kids. We may be slipping across the parking lot to sleep in the r.v., but that should work as well. Six people in the unit could be managed, but why not use the r.v.?

Now that we're here with Joyce, we're working at finalizing plans for the week-end. We have to leave tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., as we're an hour from West Palm Beach airport, with a 9 o'clock flight. Hopefully we get into Toronto as scheduled at 3, which may allow us to catch the VIA train at 4:40. If not, there's another at around 6:30. It'll be a long day, to say the least. We're still sorting Sunday out, but think it might work best if Jeff drives us to Oshawa, so we can take the GO train to Union Station, then the airport train out to Pearson. Our flight isn't until 3:45, so we'll be hitting West Palm Beach at around 9, with an hour back to Joyce's. Kind of a hectic week-end, but something we want to do. Kathy has planned a dinner for close friends on Saturday, after the service and reception, so we'll have a good chance to spend some time with her and with Casey. That will be at the MacKays.

So there we are. A lovely day here in Palm City, so we'll get out for awhile and get a good walk in. Great to be here with our dear friend Joyce, and little Mimi. All for now. More later. Stay tuned.

Sunday, Jan 5 - A sunny day, cool but not too bad. A good day for a hike and a bike, so we'll head over to nearby Anastasia State Park, which we've always wanted to see, for the afternoon. Arrangements are pretty much in place for the coming week: visit with Donnie and Patricia tomorrow or Tuesday; down to Joyce's at Palm City for a couple of days; then over to West Palm Beach for our flight to Toronto. Train to Belleville, stay at Jeff' and Sharon's, service on Saturday, back to Jeff's, then to Toronto on Sunday morning. Into West Palm Beach by 9 p.m. Back to Joyce's. Then to Lake Worth for a 12 day stay. We'll be glad to see the week ahead come to an end, but hopefully all will go smoothly, and we'll be on hand to give our friends Kathy and Casey big hugs on Saturday.

We're now in a park near St. Augustine, a nice one. Last night we went to a musical presentation put on by the park. As we approached, we heard one of the players ask who was from the farthest distance. Someone hollered out "Ontario!". When we sat down, Gail asked the lady next to her if she was the one from Ontario. Long story short, they are from Brighton, two towns over from Picton. Gail and Mary hit it off, ending up cavorting about the firepit to the music...both sober. They came back to our place for a drink, something that rarely happens while we're camping, and we had a great chat. They sold everything 5 years ago, bought a 37 footer, later bought a summer place near Brighton, and are now set for life on the road. Also turns out they are ardent hikers and kayakers, but especially big time into dragon boat racing. Mary thinks she knows our neighbour Deb Rankin. She and husband Paul trained under their coach, Pat.....(name gone for the moment)...but I know him from school days at PECI, as he was a social worker out of Belleville. They ended up after many Canadian competitions in the World Championships in Italy, where their team won a gold medal in the over 60 class. Hundreds of competitors, so it was a major achievement. Hope to touch base with this interesting couple another time.

Also met George, who ushered us to our site. He's a retired guy from Cleveland, who got tired of being idle, so got a job here, to have something to do. He worked for US Steel for 46 years, in management, and told me of the decline of steel production in the States. Seems a lot of US dollars were invested big time in foreign steel producers (Brazil, Korea, among others)  so that the steel can be imported at much less cost than making it here, because with the U.S.investment share there are no tariffs. Result: there used to be many thousand employed at US Steel in Cleveland. Now there are only a few hundred.

At our park outside of Savannah, we met a fellow who's lived with his wife in the park for more than two years. Can't afford regular housing, despite the fact his wife is an Assistant Manager in a large grocery chain, and he works in another store, full time. Seems things aren't all that easy in Georgia. In contrast, we had a lovely bike ride around the Landing, on Skidaway Island, a huge residential area geared to the well-to-do, full of very expensive and beautiful homes. There are clearly those that have and those that struggle, not just in Georgia, but in most places you can name. Sound familiar?

Enough for now. Time for some exercise. More later. Stay tuned.

Friday, Jan 3 - We have been here at Skidaway State Park, near Savannah, for three days. Tomorrow we will move on to the St. Augustine area, and then over to the Orlando area to see friends Donnie and Patricia. It's been a tough week for many people, but especially for our friend Kathy. Thank goodness her brothers were able to drop everything and fly down on Tuesday morning. They have been a huge help and major support.

We've spoken to Kathy several times, and agreed that she needs all the time available to organize, with her brothers help, all the things that need to be done. So we decided with her concurrence that it would be best if we didn't go to see her at this time. Despite the huge hurt and stress,  things have fallen into some sense of order, as the cremation has been arranged for today, meaning Kathy and her brothers can fly home tomorrow. Funeral arrangements are set for the following Saturday, 11 a.m at St. Gregory's Church in Picton. After much debate, given the fact we're down here in our r.v., we have decided to fly home for the funeral, leaving out of West Palm Beach on Friday, and back on Sunday. It'll be a major rush, but we feel it necessary to be there, even though there will be so many people there to provide Kathy and Casey support.

While here, we have done about 15 miles of walking on the trails, and have done a good bike ride, with another to start in a few minutes. So through exercise, we work out some of the sadness.

That's it for now. More later. .Stay tuned.

New Year's Day 2020 - Back on the road, and to begin, we wish all of our friends and family a Happy New Year, with hope that this new decade will see your days full of good times and contentment. Speaking of 'hope', let's hope that strides are made around the world toward addressing the issue of climate change. That's a big hope....but maybe the young people will lead us there. Let's hope that Donald Trump is put under the bus. Let's hope that Hong Kong finds some answers so that the demonstrations can end. Let's hope that Australia doesn't burn up, but instead sees the end of the terrible fires. Let's hope that our own politicians find ways to work together to solve some of our most pressing problems, too numerous to mention here. Let's continue to hope for better things in this new decade.

We got under way on the 29th, hoping (there's that word again) to avoid some nasty weather that was forecast for later in the day...ice and rain and snow and sleet and so on. We hit heavy rain near Syracuse, but not snow, which is so often what one encounters in that area. Just as we were working through a traffic snarl, Gail received a phone call from Florida from our close friend Kathy O'Driscoll Ward. She had found husband Steve still in bed just hours before, without life, having suffered an apparent heart attack in his sleep. She was terribly upset, as you can only imagine, as were we. We had to get off the road as soon as possible, just to process this terrible news. Fortunately, Kathy and Steve have great neighbours in Florida, and they were providing Kathy all of the support one could hope for once they learned what had happened.

After serious consideration, and some consulting with friend Dave MacKay in Picton, we decided that we would proceed south, and try to get to Orlando to see if we could be of assistance to Kathy. We knew that there would be a lot to be decided, so thought we might be able to help. Long story short, thank goodness her brothers were able to make arrangements to fly down, and arrived yesterday morning. By then we were in North Carolina, having driven for 11 hours on Monday, but still not able to get there until today. We talked to Kathy at length yesterday, and she was working through things as well as one could have hoped, with the support of her brothers and neighbours. She urged us to carry on with our plans to stay in Georgia for a few days, as she would be so busy making various arrangements, she really wouldn't have much time for anything else. Reluctantly, we agreed.

This being New Year's, with Americans flocking to parks and r.v. resorts, we had trouble finding a site last night, having decided that two nights in motels was enough. We ended up here in Savannah Oaks in an overflow site, not far from the city. We'll move on today to one of our favorite parks, Skidaway Island, and will be there for three days. I'm thinking that depending on when Kathy and her brothers are able to fly back to Canada, we might drive over to Champions Gate, and give her a hug or two, then get out of her hair so she can do what must be done. That will depend on how quickly arrangements for Steve's return to Canada can be made, this being a holiday time, which has slowed things down considerably. Flights to Canada may also be hard to find on this holiday-ending week-end.

Kathy's personal strength and practical nature is holding her together, despite suffering through this tragedy with a bad cold and laryngitis. She is looking at what has to be done, and will come through this with positive resolve to make the best of life without Steve. This has happened just when they have achieved their dreams after much hard work: a beautiful home on the bay, and a place in Florida where they could enjoy their golf with many new friends. Like my friend Joel Ellis always used to say, "Nobody says Life has to be fair".

We have a bright sunny morning here in Georgia. The temp will reach the 60s today. Once we get to Skidaway, we'll do some long walks, some long bike rides, and be thankful for what we have. We'll carry many good memories of Steve with us as we wander.