Reflections...

The Adventure of a Lifetime: The Javanese Wedding, Day 1

Jamie and Yulia were married in a "shortened" version of the traditional Javanese wedding (which can last a full week, we understand). There actually were a number of ceremonies and a lot of symbolism packed into the 2 days. We found many of them quite meaningful  and even emotional, sometimes. I am going to explain them in some detail because I found them to be fascinating and sometimes somewhat similar to other cultural rituals we have seen. I learned even more about these AFTER the wedding than I knew at the time!

First, on the day before the actual wedding there was the gathering that brought us, for the first time to Yulia's family home, where her parents still live. This was (as I mentioned earlier) in Kebumen. Jamie's family (our side and his Mom's side, as well as his long time childhood friend, Mike) were transported by rickshaw to the home and entered into some rooms that had been converted into a reception area.

We made quite the spectacle as we rode through the streets in about 5 or 6 rickshaws... all westerners in a city where they are seldom seen. I wish I had photos! I think that the photographers took some (and possibly video) of this amazing experience. As the people watched on the streets I found myself smiling and waving like this was the Rose Bowl Parade and we were the featured dignitaries!

This first meeting with Yuli's family included introductions and greetings.

Here we are entering the home:

  We are being greeted by several members of the family...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCLUDING Yulia, who is greeting Jamie's Mom in this photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As mentioned earlier, Bapak Osman (Yuli's uncle) handled much of the translation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a few speeches and lots of smiles and greetings in body language!

 

After the introductions (there were quite a few) the first of the several ceremonies took place:

Siraman (or bathing) is one of rituals the bride and groom do before they get married.The symbolism is of the bride and groom preparing themsleves to be purified mentally and physically before the wedding.  Therefore, they can start a new life with clean and pure heart.

 Before the siramen, the bride kneels before her parents …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice the cape that Yulia is wearing.  

It is made of Jasmine flowers!

 

 

In siraman ritual, the elders shower the water on the bride and on the groom. The water is flower water (includes petals of roses). The ritual started as  Yulia’s parents showered her ... followed by her elder relatives (generally this is 9 relatives in all).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the siraman is complete, the bride's mother must slam a "kendi" and break it on the floor. The kendi is a traditional water jar made from clay. Slamming the kendi symbolizes that the aura of the bride and bridegroom have broken and they are ready to marry.

 

Then the parents escort the bride from the room ...

 

 

NEXT,  the groom kneels before his parents …

 

 

 

 

You will note that Jamie is wearing a shawl of Jasmine flowers, as well.

 

 

Jamie had the same bathing ritual. His parents showered him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All family members took a turn showering Jamie...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ann does not look like she was ready for the breaking of the kendi!

This part of the wedding included a tasty beverage that Yulia's mother served.

AND, then a generous meal of traditional Javanese food.

 

*****************************************************************************

There was a break in the festivities and we returned to the hotel (a welcome chance to rest, shower and change clothing). When got set to return for the next event (in the early evening) Jamie had laid out many baskets and packages full of gifts...

 

We loaded them into our bus ...

And, unloaded at their home.

 

Seserahan/peningset is set of presents from the groom to the bride. The presents signify to the bride family a binding symbol between two families. It is also a symbol of responsibility from the groom to the bride’s parents.

Traditionally, the groom and his family present the gifts on the night before the wedding day.  The amount of seserahan/ peningset consists of 7, 9, 11 or 13 sets of presents.

 

These days, people are creative in giving seserahan. The bride and groom usually buy the presents together as they are expected to be used and worn by the bride. The common seserahan in modern time consists of clothes, toiletries, make up, shoes and sandals, bag, lingerie, set of jewelries, pray clothing, wedding ring, money and food (cake, fruits etc). There were even some for Jamie!

 

 

 

BUT ONE GIFT WAS THE BIGGEST HIT OF THE EVENING!

Jamie gave Yuli a gift that was a dress to be worn in Bali after the wedding there...

BUT ... UNDER the dress was something for FUN!

This certainly lightened things up. Everyone wanted to have a piece of the action:

Ann gave Yuli's parents some Maple Syrup and Honey from Maine.

AND, she gave a very special gift. Ann's mother (Jamie's grandmother) died a number of years ago. But, she was here in spirit. Ann gave Yuli some pearls that her father had given her mother and that had been treasured by her. In addition, she added a lovely pendant for Yuli that was designed just for her. It was quite a moving moment.

Ray and I gave Yuli's parents the quilt that I had made for them.

This quilt is called "Windows to Our Home" and shows scenes from the US and activities that we have done as a family.

Jamie and Yulia gave us all (from the US) these little baskets with scented soap (LOVE the Frangipani) and Facecloths with their names, the date and "Terima Kasih" written on them. Terima Kasih means "thank-you" in their language. They wanted to thank us for coming such a long way.

AND, lastly, these lovely baskets were full of wonderful gifts for all of us in the family.

It was a lovely exchange. Here is a happy Dad:

 

And here is a happy Mom:

Our Javanese Cultural Experience (as Guests,Tourists, AND as Family)

Where do I begin to describe this experience of visiting Java? 

The visit was so unlike any we have had in our lives. We have been abroad...to the Bahamas, to Canada, to Mexican border towns, and to Europe. Even visits to some countries that are "off the beaten path" for Americans in central and eastern Europe. But,  we had NEVER been to any part of Asia. 

First of all, having Jamie meet us at the airport with our luxury bus, tour guide, driver and assistant was fantastic! The airport was very small ... Yet, once we hit the streets in the bus, we saw HUGE numbers of motor scooters and rickshaws and vendors on foot wheeling their carts in the midst of auto, truck and bus traffic!

 

Of course, they drive on the WRONG side of the street, too!

We would have found it overwhelming without a "local" to help us around.




The way that traffic streams In this country fascinated me. The drivers seem to drive "defensively" and almost intuitively. The rules of the road are courtesy and caution ... Yet, they move quite quickly without a lot of lights, stop signs, or traffic cops! We heard only one LOUD and long horn in the 2 weeks we were there. We saw only ONE accident. And, we almost never saw cars with dented fenders. How the drivers do it is amazing.

 

 

We started our visit in Kebumen, which is in the central part of the island of Java.The population of the "regency" of Kebumen was estimated at 1.25 million in 2007 and the total land area is 3,081 square km. Every square inch of land is used.  This is a sculpture that is located in the midst of the city.

This represents men climbing to take eggs from a nest. I missed the significance of this ... perhaps Yuli can fill me in?

We had a very nice hotel with a lovely courtyard that we used frequently:

Some photos I snapped while there:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While in Kebumen, it was Easter week-end. On Good Friday this procession was seen in the street.

 


Kebumen is Yulia's hometown and the city where her parents live. The Javanese wedding took place here. It was a small wedding by Javanese standards (only about 300 attended)! I will post an entire blog dedicated to the wedding at a later date.

By the way, The Republic of Indonesia is an archipelago stretching from Southeast Asia to Oceania. The population of Indonesia is 237.6 million!  58% actually live on the island of Java, the world’s most populous island. Indonesia is the world's FOURTH most populous country! It  is comprised of approximately 17,500 islands!

We, also got to spend time exploring some other areas of Central Java as well as the city of Jogjakarta (pop 3.5 million or more). This city should not be confused with Jakarta, which is the capital of Indonesia. The population of Jakarta is 13,194,000! Jamie and Yulia live in Jakarta, where their offices are located. We did NOT visit Jakarta.

Jogjakarta (or Jogja, as it is known to the locals) is a center for culture and education ... There are many colleges and universities in this city. We had an opportunity to discover some of the cultural experiences:

Sara, Ann, Patty and Yulia visited a batik factory... And there will be more about that later, when I do the blog on quilts, batik and fabric!

We all went on a visit to a small crafters shop where the Javanese Shadow Puppets (Wayang Kalit) are made. This is Vishnu and is the puppet that we brought home with us!

 

These are the craftspeople that were working that day. We watched as this man took a piece of rawhide (buffalo hide, actually) and cut intricate designs into the hide.

The puppet is painstakingly painted after all this preparation ...

 

The traditional music that is used during these puppet shows is called tha Gamelon. This kind of music is used for theatrical productions and for other social events.  Jamie and Yuli were given the lovely gift of a family or friend providing a Gamelon performance at their wedding in Kebumen.

If you would like to see what this music is like, you can check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlMlo1VQSpc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Here is a description of the process of crafting the Wayang Kulit (leather shadow) puppets:
"The puppets are made by initially sketching the lacy patterns onto buffalo or goat hide. After the form has been cut out, it is placed on a flat wooden anvil, and the work of creating intricate patterns of tiny holes begins; these are formed by precise blows with a wooden mallet to a chisel or punch. 

Moveable leather arms are hinged at the shoulders and elbows; these are attached to thin buffalo horn or wooden sticks which are manipulated by the dalang to provide movement or expression.  The completed puppet is fitted with a long horn or wooden handle."

Here you see Sara holding up two samples of the puppets that are for sale in the small shop that is adjacent:

We found Indonesian people to be very friendly and curious about visitors. Here are some folks waving to us as we go by on the bus.

 

 

 

 

It is not uncommon to be asked where you are from, or how many children you have, what is your religion, and will you be in a photo with us? It is a way of connecting and making conversation. On our travels we stopped at a nice restaurant and these folks became our "good friends". They seemed to like Mike, especially. (And, who wouldn't?)
         
 


Indonesia recognizes 5 religions. More than 90% of the population of Java are Muslim.

We saw signs of this along the way ... as well as amoung Yuli's family (as you will see in later photos of the wedding).

Other recognized religions are Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic and Christian. We woke each morning about 4:30 am while on the island to the Muslim Call to Prayer. I found it to be quite lovely and haunting (but VERY early)! I recorded this audio one morning ... I hope it is loud enough to be heard. The image will be BLACK because it was still DARK outside!

  Download IMG_0223

We were extremely fortunate to visit the largest Buddhist Temple in the World. This is Borobudur! Our tourguide, Engar, was very helpful here in explaining much about the temple. There is much information on the Internet about this, so I will not elaborate ... Just share photos!

It was required that we wear the sarong.

 

And, on the SAME day, we had a tour of the 2nd largest Hindu Temple in the World! This is Prambanan Temple.

 

 

 

 

An interesting and beautiful stop we made was this Tea Plantation - at which we had a tour and learned that only the top and newest leaves are harvested for the best flavor.
 
This plantation provides tea for Lipton (amoung others).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  We actually stayed in lovely cottages while at the plantation.

 

The gardens were lovely ... and the VIEW!

 

We are often asked about the food we ate while in Indonesia.

Rice is the overwhelming staple food of Central Java - served 3 times a day. Javanese food is generally quite sweet. Sweet sauces are served with  stewed meats and (rarely) vegetables, usually in coconut milk are popular. There are many kinds of fruits. Some of the fruits that we tried were some we had never seen in the past. I would say that probably something Sara tried here at the hotel did not please her!

 

 

In the following photos you will see some of the other fruits we sampled. Most were very tasty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bananas were not like any we have had in the US. They were smaller and sweeter and often more colorful!

 

Indonesian people love their snacks. You see them for sale everywhere. They are usually fried ... And often the base is rice. Some were a bit like shrimp chips, if you have had those in Asian restaurants.

 

 

A lot of the food is fried ... Fruit, meat, tempe, tofu, etc. Sweet desserts are made with a base of rice, as well. We rarely were offered or saw any wheat based products. Also, rare, was dairy. There was beef, but no cheese, butter, cream or milk.

This changed dramatically when we got to Bali, where the island caters to western tourists and almost anything is available!

This photo is of a welcome fruit basket we found at our hotel in Bali when we arrived!

AND, in Bali we found almost anything a Westerner could ask for, including ice cream.

No alcohol is served in restaurants (in Java). They drink freshly squeezed juices - which generally come highly sweetened, unless a request is made for no sugar. The juices are very good and come in a great variety. Also, coconut water and the soft flesh of coconuts are often available.

 

Of course, there were other (less natural) drinks, as well:

The Adventure of a Lifetime: San Francisco, Singapore (and more)

 SAN FRANCISCO:

To break up our travel to Indonesia, Ray and I made a stop in San Francisco. There was another reason to make this stop: an opportunity for re-connecting with Dale and Rae!

 


Dale is an army buddy of Ray's ... They were stationed in Germany in their youth and saw quite a bit of Europe together when they could get time away. I had met them earlier a couple of times. But, our visits were very brief. This was a nice chance to get to know the better. Can you tell that the guys had a lot to talk about?

 


We saw some great sites while there. I had lived in San Francisco  from 1976 to 1978. It was great to see the city again. Except for the Marina District, very little appears different. That area was effected very much by the Earthquake and has many new (but appropriately fashioned) buildings.

We stayed near Fishermans Wharf.

 

 

We both thoroughly enjoyed the tangy San Francisco Sourdough Bread. We even had dinner at the legendary bakery that claims to have the sourdough starter that dates to 1849 and the Gold Rush Days!

The views from the hotel were quite good... considering that we had to look above rooftops!

 

Being close to the water is always a treat.

Do you see Alcatraz in the photo above? I thought we might have time for the cruise to the island and a tour ... but, it did not come about. I really enjoyed that tour about 35 years ago... and would have liked for Ray to experience it. Well, we will have to return.

 

Our first morning there was rainy, so we decided to take a bus tour of the city and get the overview.

 

But, by the afternoon, when we had connected with Dale and Rae, the sky was clear and we had a great time seeing some of the city with them.

A visit to San Francisco must include a view of the Golden Gate Bridge ... or several!

 

When I lived here in the 1970s I crossed the bridge every day on my way to work.

AND, if you have not heard the story ... ask Ray about his one visit during his work life when he went to the very TOP of Golden Gate Bridge with his Highway Engineers Exchange Program buddies!

 

A stunning architectural and sculptural expeience in this city is the Palace of Fine Arts.

 

 

Rae thought these women were looking at THIS fellow!

Can you tell that we enjoyed this place?

 

A trip to San Francisco would not be complete without a Cable Car Ride.

We chose the Powell and Hyde Street - to take us UP and OVER the city!

At the top of Lombard street we saw some folks taking an UNUSUAL way down the Crookedest street in the world.

 

Of course, driving down this street is not to be missed, so Rae drove the others down the hill while I took photos!

 

 

I loved this city when I lived there, but, missed a great stop on the Pacific Ocean side! 

This lovely stop is where we had brunch on Sunday morning. (The Crab Benedict was excellent).The interior had murals that graced the walls as we entered.

 

There was a serendipitous performance by the ocean while we were there. The post-storm wave action produced some powerful surf.

 


I would not have wanted to be on the water that day ... But here are some views of heartier sailors!

Even a vessel of this size appears to be rocking an rolling.

We took a drive to Twin Peaks at the "top of the city".

Great views from up there.

After saying a good-by to Dale and Rae at the SF Airport, we made connections with Sara, who had flown in from Washington, DC that day.
A long evening of visiting and waiting at the airport for our overseas flight followed.

AND WE WERE AWAY on Singapore Air (as I said earlier, an excellent choice). Our route to Singapore took us through Hong Kong. Alas, all we saw when we got off the plane to stretch a bit, was a security check-point and then we had to get back on the plane, since the stop was really only for re- fueling and picking up more passengers.

On the return trip,we were routed through Tokyo. This stop, at least, allowed us to rest and stretch for a while I the airport. We did get to see a few of the shops. Since I had a whopping good cold, I chose to buy some lovely handkerchiefs. AND,  treated myself to a lovely Japanese-styled purse. Oh, we'll, it proves I was there.

 

SINGAPORE:
          In Singapore, Ray and Sara and I connected with The Wheeler family:  Jason (Jamie's brother) and Ann (Jamie's mother)

And Joe (Jamie's Step-father)

As complicated as many people thought it could be, our 2 families were instantly bonded by our joy in Jamie's wedding plans and by both the adventure and the pleasure of this trip.

 

We did some sight-seeing in Singapore. Our tourguide (Boon) was a joy. She was up-beat and caught our enthusiasm... named our party of 6 "The Happy People". She shared with us a practice that I found very appealing. Smile at self in the mirror first thing in the morning and laugh out loud 100 times! How could you not start the day right if begun that way?

Below is the Thian Hock Keng Temple. It is one of Singapore's oldest Buddhist-Taoist temples.

 

 

 

A great stop along the way:

 

This is the largest Orchid Garden in the World. We only had time for part of it!

 

 

 

Here we are entering "Little India"

 

 

These lovely flower garlands are really offerings that are sold on the street.

 

 

Our tourbus went by this and I HAD to snap a photo (FUN):

Singapore is a beautiful, clean and welcoming city-country. The architectural landscape is amazing.

How about this "ship" on top of 3 buildings?

And, this Lotus building:

And more:

You will see what looks like a lion in the photo above. Actually, it is a Merlion (a combination mermaid and lion) which is the symbol of the city and welcomes visitors.

 

Ann told Sara and I about a treat that we might experience  while there... And we were up for it! (You can read more about this experience on Sara's blog at www.cloverdew.com/

We took a dinner cruise on the harbor. It should be noted that this is the largest harbor (by tonnage) in the WORLD! The boat that took us around the harbor was The Imperial Cheng Ho, a Chinese junk that was designed and built to replicate a ship of the Ming Dynasty, when naval power was supreme!

NEXT DAY... All 6 of us took Asian Air on the flight to Jogjakarta (to be continued).

For more perspectives and stories about our experiences, go to Sara's blog at www.cloverdew.com

The Adventure of a Lifetime: The Stars of the Show & Supporting Characters!

The Stars of the"Show" Jamie and Yulia

 

Jamie took his time finding the woman who would become his bride. We are so happy that  he did!

 

 

Yulia is warm, intelligent, friendly, successful, and has a marvelous sense of humor. They make a great couple.

 

 

 

Here are a few more photos that say a lot about these two!

 

 

 

The two of them planned our itinerary and travel to allow us to spend time with Yuli's family, some "down time"(when needed),  travel about seeing Java and Bali, and time with them as a couple!

We had only met Yuli by phone and got to know her in our frequent contacts using Facebook and Email.  Here she is when we met her in person for the first time at our hotel  in her hometown of Kebumen, Java.
       

 

 

The Supporting Characters! 

Our newly expanded family:

Few of Yulia's family speak fluent English. Yulia speaks VERY fluently ... She majored in languages in college, especially English. And with interpreters (both Jamie and Yuli) we found ways to communicate with Her family. Here is Yulia with her parents (Bapak Hadi and Ibu Retno).

And some others of her parents:

 

This is Yuli's uncle, Bapak Osman. He is a professor of English. He served as interpreter during the wedding ceremony in Java. He was extremely helpful in allowing us to understand what was happening during the several ceremonies that took place both the day before and during the Holy Matrimony.

Here are Yulia's sisters

And, Yuli's nephew, Daffa. He is the only grandchild (so far).

 

 

We didn't meet Yuli's brother, Fais, until he arrived in Bali to attend the Balinese wedding. He lives and works in Japan and is, also, very fluent in English. We enjoyed the brief chance to visit with him in Bali. I note in connection with him on Facebook that he has the same sense of humor that Yulia and Jamie seem to have.

Ann and Joe Wheeler (Jamie's birth mother and his step-father) were present and enjoying every minute.

 

And, Jamie's brother (Ann and Joe's son) was there.

 

Of course, there were Ray and I ... and Sara, too!

In addition to family members, we had opportunities to connect with  many of Jamie and Yulia's close friends.

 

Mike Seed came from Gorham, Maine.

Jake came all the way from Scotland and officiated at the Balinese ceremony.

 

 

Sara is a friend who is returning from Indonesia to the DC area this year sometime. Our Sara enjoyed connecting and will likely see her when she returns to the states. I enjoyed connecting with her because she is a quilter! Here she is with a clown that was in the band that entertained at the Javanese wedding!

 

Vicki came all the way from Germany and surprised Yulia!
And, Eva was at both ceremonies and currently lives  and works in Papua, New Guinea, which is far to the east.

There were MANY more ... And, we wish we could have gotten to know them ALL better!

The Adventure of a Lifetime "Travel to the Other Side of the World"

Most of our followers know by now that we have just returned from experiencing our son, Jamie's wedding to Yulia in Indonesia. This was more than the usual "Destination Wedding". It WAS trully the adventure of our lives! The new banner at the top is of our International Family and was taken at the Javanese Wedding in Kebumen, Java.

This first blog entry is begun knowing that there will be many more. I will attempt to do this in "small bites" for both my own ease AND to avoid overwhelming any readers.

Some of the topics will be more interesting to some than others, so this installment approach makes it easier to pick and choose what you may find interesting.

Some blog topics that I am considering are:

A) Travel to the other side of the world ...
B) The Magical Couple: Jamie and our new Daughter-in-law, Yulia !
C) Our newly expanded family
D) The Javanese Wedding
E) The Bachelorette & Bachelor parties
F) The Western Wedding in Bali
G) The Javanese Experience
H) The Balinese Experience
I) Batik, fabrics and quilt stories
J) Other crafts and arts
H) Returning to normalcy?

TRAVEL TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

This travel to Indonesia (the islands of Java and Bali) is trully half way round the world. Most of the US contingent to the event travelled westward. However, here is an illustration of how nearly on the opposite side of the earth is Southeast Asia:  Jamie's friend, Mike (traveling from Maine) left from Boston and flew in an easterly direction, arriving in about the same amount of time! We used a travel agent from Sarasota to help us plan this trip, as well as tips and great assistance from Jamie.

The travel time, including air travel, time in airports between connections, stopovers for refueling, and travel to and from airports was about 2 days. On the way back (from Bali to Bradenton, FL) we saw 3 sunrises and 2 sunsets ... And went back one day crossing the international dateline.

 

The following brief description of Indonesia was provided by an Internet source:
"Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. The country straddles the Equator between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. While it has land borders with Malaysia to the north as well as East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the east, it also neighbors Australia to the south, and Palau, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand to the north, India to the northwest.
Indonesia, with over 18,000 counted islands, is both the largest and most varied archipelago on Earth. It spans almost 2 million square kilometers between Asia and Australia. Positioned on the Equator, across a region of immense volcanic activity, Indonesia has some 400 volcanoes within its borders, with at least 90 still active in some way. Many of the islands here are still uninhabited, with the larger islands of Java, Kalimantan (Borneo), Irian Jaya (Papua), Sumatra and Sulawesi home to most of the population bases."

Though many in the US wondered if we felt the earthquake that occurred while we were there, we knew nothing of it... Felt not a thing. Actually, I learned of it when contacted by email by worried friends! The location of the earthquake was off the coast of Sumatra, some 1500 miles away.

On the way to our destination, we broke up the travel time with stopovers in San Francisco and Singapore (more later about our visits to those lovely places)!

For crossing the Pacific Ocean we chose to travel by Singapore Air. We cannot say enough about the service and the accommodations. (Well, we would have preferred, if we had no financial limitations, to travel First Class or in one of those huge suites that are available on the upper level!) 

An example of the extraordinary treatment on this airline was the Singapore Slings that I had on the way home. They were better than what we paid $15 for in Singapore ... And they were complementary! We had our choice of meals ... and many of them. Ray would be disappointed if I did not mention that the flight attendants were lovely eye candy, too!

We were met in Jogjakarta (not Jakarta) at the small airport by Jamie himself and what a treat to see him it was!

And, here he is next to his brother, Jason.

 

My apologies for the quality of these first photos (taken with my Ipad in low light)!

We were introduced to our mode of travel, a very comfortable bus - complete with our own driver, assistant driver and a tourguide. Here are the guys (Mike, Ray and Joe) getting settled in!

Talk about travelling in style. More when I am inspired to do the next entry!

Winter on the Gulf Coast

We are in the last winter month here in Bradenton (and Sarasota) on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

It really has not seemed like WINTER this year because weave had very mild weather with highs in the 70s and 80s almost all the time during the daytime. We have enjoyed several evenings when we were able to enjoy dinner on the beach or in an outdoor dining area! Now that is a winter I like.

We have had some snow bird visitors this winter and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing them! Some have visited with their own "homes" because they RV or are Sailors! And sometimes we have had folks who stay in our guest room. We had a partial reunion of The Flock (the folks we travelled with when we made our first trip down the coast from Maine to Florida).

We have really liked becoming part of this community here at SouthWinds & Five Lakes. I think that I mentioned that Ray is a member of the Condominium Association Board of Directors and that he is Treasurer! That was  certainly away to plunge into the thick of things.

Here he is making some kind of point to Betty!

Notice the kayak in view in the lower left. We were at Linger Lodge (a really campy place on the river) for a Guys and Gals community luncheon.  We didn't kayak that day ... but we have gone kayaking a few times this winter. More of Linger Lodge:

 Not only has Ray become the Treasurer of the Board, but, I am Chair of the Social Committee!It is a quick way to get to know people and have them know us!

Romeo is still serving as a Pet Therapy Dog once a week. We are really getting to know the people we visit and enjoy it more all the time.

We  joined the South Florida Museum in Bradenton and often go to movies and cultural events there. We are members of the Selby Botanical Gardens and the Ringling Museums - both in Sarasota.

When Penny and Bob visited this year we went to the Ringling Museums.

Penny loved the Rose Garden.

 

This is a favorite painting that is housed in the Art Museum. I would like to do a quilt that is based on this!

AND, we had lunch at the Dry Dock on Longboat Key:

We joined the UU Community of Sarasota about a month ago so we now feel like Sarasota is partly our "home" as well. 

Of course we still spend a lot of time with our good friends Steve and Karen (and Belle and Bailey).

Here is a fun photo that I composed using an app I found a while ago:

 

And, we have seen Gerry and Sylvia a couple of times. They came to watch the Patriots in the playoffs with Penny and Bob. What do you think, does Sylvia look riveted to the TV???

Ray is playing Pickle Ball quite a bit and sometimes with Karen and Steve!

Last week we went to TWO shows! First we went to the Van Wesel in Sarasota to see Lilly Tomlin! What a great performance. My favorite was Ernestine (the Telephone Operator) who is now a customer service rep for your friendly HMO!

Then, on Saturday night we went to the Stage Door Cabaret for a performance of music from the late 50s and the dawn of Rock and Roll:

I almost forgot! We did attend a presentation of Balinese Dance at the Sarasota Art Center a while back. JUST to get us in the spirit for the wedding!

 

Next week-end Pat will be going to Virginia to visit Sara. AND, at the same time our next house-guests will arrive! Ken and Susan will be visiting from New Brunswick!  Ray will have to be host on his own until Pat returns.

THEN, THE NEXT BIG EVENT is the "Destination Wedding" in Indonesia!

Can't wait to meet Yulia and her family and spend time with ... the happy couple!

We will have lots to blog about after THAT experience!!!

Highlights of December, 2011

We packed in a lot this year - with a new home and all kinds of things to explore here in Bradenton and vicinity. It started with the Canine Christmas event. I entered Romeo in the talent compettition and, to our great surprise, he won second place!

We attended a few local celebrations including the Crosley Mansion in Sarasota where there was a Chrstmas Tree competition and  a Gingerbread House Competition.

 

 

The Crosley Home and Museum is a tribute to a very interesting man ... who early in the 20th century created,  promoted and sponsored some amazing inventions. One that you may remember was this car... that Steve and Karen are looking over carefully.

Thanks to the generousity of our Raymond James Financial Advisors, we were able to get GREAT tickets to a Pro football game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. It was quite a time.

 

We attended a really enjoyable rally which reunited us with our "Carriage" friends. They are all owners of the same brand of RV and a really special group.

There was a costume contest ... and HERE is the winner!

 

We went to a Festival of Lights at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Remember that we attend some outdoor concerts under the Banyan Tree there in Spring and Fall. It was a different environment at THIS time of year!

 

The new home is decorated ...

AND, finally the Christmas week-end arrived and SARA!

She brought a gift for Romeo ... this little Santa Suit!

Having a drink by the sea... a real treat due to the lovely 80 degree weather!

 

Even if the sunset wasn't spectacular, it was very special.

Christmas day arrived and "Guess Who Came to Dinner!"

And, so we are awaiting the arrival of 2012. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Holiday greetings to you

Both Ray and I hope this message finds you healthy and ready for a new "year around the sun"! we are all ready for the week-end ... And we hope that you are poised for a nice holiday week. Sara arrives tomorrow and will spend a long wee-end with us. We are enjoying our first Christmas in our new home AND our new community. We have made some wonderful new friends here. Ray has become a member of the condominium assn. board ... And, treasurer, no xless! I accepted the presidency of the social committee here, too. So, you see we are fully engaged. In addition to that, Ray has been playing "Pickle Ball" 2 or 3 times a week and bicycles round the community about 4 miles almost every morning. I have recently joined a health club (paid for by our health insurance) and enjoy doing yoga, water vs, and abuts tried Zumba (fun, and challenging)! Romeo has a weekly date to "work" as a pet therapist with his buddy,Bailey. Karen and I go. Every Wednesday visit about 6 regulars and a sprinkling of others. Romeo and I have just started to visit some shut-ins who live here in the community, as well. We are making our preparations for travel to Indonesia for Jamie and Yulia's wedding. We are really enjoying getting to know Yulia through our electronic interactions and are REALLY looking forward to meeting her in person. I will post some photos sometime soon. Unfortunately our computer had a nasty virus ... And I am making do by posting this with my new iPad! It is fun to use, but, I need to use the laptop to post the photos that are located there. Wishing Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and a great 2012 for all!

With Gratitude at this time of Thanksgiving

This year as the Holiday Season approaches I feel the need to express my gratitude and thanks to all who are in our “circle” … be they far or near, young or old, Christian, Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, believers and non-believers. It was a year of many changes and a huge challenge for our family. Your support, your prayers, your thoughts, patience, phone calls, and hugs… they made a huge difference. We go into this Holiday Season with gratitude for all of YOU!

It is with joy that I let you know (if you have not heard) that our daughter, Sara, returned to Northern Virginia in August. Within a month she had found a job (though temporary) in D.C. She was told before a month was over that this position will become a permanent position in January! She seems to be very happy to be back in the area that she thinks of as home … with good friends, work, and her church community.

You may, as well, know how thrilled we are that our son, Jamie, will bring his bride (Yulia) into the family in April. We will all travel to Indonesia for the wedding.

We are settled into our new home in Bradenton, Florida.

We could not be more pleased about ALL of these developments.
Thanks again for being part of our circle!

Pat (and Ray)

My @Home Jacket

One of the projects that I just completed was one that I began about 3 years ago. Some of you will remember that I requested some thoughts from you on what home means to YOU … with the idea that I would eventually do a quilting project. Well, the project turned out to be a jacket, rather than a quilt.

I wore it recently for the first time (it finally is cool enough in the evening that sometimes a little something is needed).

Here are a few details. For those who are quilters, I decided to use crochet cotton and a large stitch quilting motif suggested by the patterns.

Originally I had thought I would put the “reflections on home”  as … messages in the bottles. But, I decided, instead, to put them inside on the lining.

Here are all the statements that I decided to include. I tried to capture the “essence” of what I heard from others and the thoughts that mean the most to me.

“Home is circling close to those I love.”
“Gaia is our Home.”
“Home is where your soul resides.”
“Home is the stopping before (and after) challenge and adventure.”
“Home is where neighbors are friends.”
“I am at home with needle and thread.”
“Home is where your story begins.”
“Home is found along the way .. Not at the end of the road.”
“Love begins at home.”
“Home is where familiar faces are seen every day.”
“Home is where other creatures live just outside the door (and some inside).”

And, mostly … (for my beloved):
“Where thou art … that is home.” -- borrowed from Emily Dickenson!

The 99 Percent Declaration

It is rare that I take a political stand in this blog. After all, it was intended to be a travelog and a way of keeping up with friends and family, far and near. But, my emotions have really been ignited by the Occupy Wall Street Movement and the way it is moving around the country! I was particularly impressed with the 99 Percent Declaration that was released this month. The following is the openning to the declaration:

____________________________________________________________________

WHEREAS THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION PROVIDES:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

WE, THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in order to form a more perfect Union, by, for and of the PEOPLE, shall elect and convene a NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY beginning on July 4, 2012 in the City Of Philadelphia.

I. Election of Delegates:

The People, consisting of all United States citizens who have reached the age of 18, regardless of party affiliation and voter registration status, shall elect Two Delegates, one male and one female, by direct vote, from each of the existing 435 Congressional Districts to represent the People at the NATIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY in Philadelphia. Said Assembly shall convene on July 4, 2012 in the city of Philadelphia.

____________________________________________________________________

It is clear that the group has some well-educated legal and political individuals putting some of these plans into action. Also, with the use of consensus as a means to produce the objectives, the group has only proposed that the list of 20 demands be addressed by the "General Assembly".

If you want to see the complete proposal, check out:

https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/

You will probably need to cc and paste the above into your browser. I would be very interested in hearing YOUR comments. Send me an email!

 

 

 

August 2010: Nova Scotia

By early August it was time to move along to Nova Scotia. We chose to go by Ferry, even though it was a little more expensive. (It would be an experience, taking the rig and the big red truck over the water that way.) We discovered, as well, that to back track and go on the bridge again would have been more miles ... so this saved on time and fuel!

Once in Nova Scotia, we took day trips from where we stayed in the RV.

This is the only distillery in North America where Single Malt Whiskey is made!

 

                                                -----------------------

 

 

 

 

Next Stop, "The Ovens Campground" - not far from Lunenburg.

 

 

 

Nearby, Lunenburg is a lovely seaside town.

There was a fantastic Folk Harbour Festival here in Lunenburg. There were musicians from all over the Atlantic Provinces and from the British Isles and the US, as well.

From Lunenburg, we visited Peggy's Cove.

 

On our travels to Peggy's Cove we came upon this memorial ...

 

 

 

 

Baddeck: Another stop we thoroughly enjoyed!

Below is the way this building looked years ago!

From Baddeck we had access to the route that took us around the Cabot Trail. It is a fantastic route around the island that is the northern part of Nova Scotia. This is why it is called Cabot Trail!

Named for the Venician, Giovanni Cabato! (Another great Italian!)

The trail climbs over mountains and overlooks the sea... Here are some views!

 

And Higher!

Some close-ups:

Breakwater below:

Harbour inlet:

And what would a day like this be without a PICNIC!

 

 

After our visit to the Cabot Trail, we started our journey back to the US.

What a great place to visit! We highly recommend the Canadian Maritime Provinces as wonderful places to visit in the Summer months.

July 2010: Prince Edward Island (part two)

Not to be missed: Green Gables.

Yes, there is a real "Green Gables" on PEI. The author, Lucy Maud Mongomery, lived in the farmhouse called Green Gables. There was a musical theatre (see the poster below) in the capitol of the province, Charlottetown, which we enjoyed!

I have wonderful memories of being on my grandfather's farm. He never had a motorized vehicle. He used oxen and work horses for power. My Great Aunt Iva (like a grandmother to me) lived on a farm that had no electricity, no refrigeration (except and ice box) and a telephone with a "crank" on the side that called the local operator in Kinsgston, NH. A simple (but, very hard) life it was.

 

We wento to this fantastic performance... traditional music of the island.

 

 

 

July 2010 Prince Edward Island (part one)

Crossing the Confederation Bridge into PEI was quite the treat. We were "dumped out" at a Welcome Center (the Provincial visitor centers are really nice).  We went on to see how very rural and agricultural it is here!

We headed for a SAMBOREE that involved the "Atlantic Provinces" and met some nice folks and had a nice time there.

Exploring the area we found this:

 

 From this location we took a day and went all the way to the tip of PEI (on the Gulf of the St. Lawrence).

 

 

On the rest of the drive, we stopped a few times to take in more ... including this museum:

  

On other days we spent time exploring little side roads and seaside locations.

We had a great visit Emery and Patti!

Another day trip took us to Lennox Island, the home of the Mi'kmaq First Nation (or in the US, the Micmac Native Americans).

We went to the Interpretive Center there and were escorted by a young woman of the island.

July 2010 New Brunswick

Note the date above. It is about time that I caught up on LAST summer's trek to the Canadian Maritime Provinces!

So, this entry is NEW BRUNSWICK.

 

We spent time in New Brunswick both on the first part of the trip and on the return. Campobello was the summer home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It is actually an "International Park" located on an island that is part of Canada (new Brunswick).

The island is lovely and we spent some time exploring.

 

This is the first of MANY lighthouses that we saw on this trip. We never tired of them and each has its own personality.

We actually went back into Maine after our visit to Campobello and there were some interesting stops. West Quoddy Head Light is the Easternmost Lighthouse in the US. I had seen MANY photos of it, but, had not taken my own! Well, Ray took these.

 

Then, it was on to Frederickton. Our plan was to have a nice visit with Ken and Susan - and we certainly did that. Ray and Ken went kayaking and Susan and Pat did some tooting about town. But, it seems we only took photos while eating!

 

 

On our return trip we saw some of Fundy National Park.

 

 

Next entry will be about our visit to Prince Edward Island...

 

 

OOOPS! Forgot our Trip to the Fair!

On our recent return trip to Florida we had a great day with Vanessa and Andrew on their home territory. We are thinking of them today and wondering how Tally Ho (S/V) fared in Baltimore Harbour!

But, a couple of weeks ago we had fun at the...

HERE ARE SOME SCENES FROM THE FAIR!

 

From Maine to NH and Back

Sorry to say that we were so busy with some visits in New England this summer that we didn't get photos everywhere ... like with Ray's sister, Barb and her husband Dennis ... and with my friend Stephanie and her husband Dave in Windsor...

But, we did get photos on this relaxing afternoon visiting with dear friends Dale, Colleen, Ron and Lynn!

Then, we went to NH for a week and stayed at this LOVELY campground called Wakeda. We would definitely return to it on another visit.

 

We were lucky enough to be able to have a Ferullo family gathering in New Hampshire. What is the likelihood that a week before I could reach everyone and nearly all that I called could come???

 

We brought photos and stories of the past year ... and got caught up on events.

 

We found a great place to meet - may do it agian!

I found this wisdom posted in the Lobster Pound where we met:

 

 

Had some great times with Chris and Patt Walker ... friends from WAY back!

We enjoyed the seaside...

Ray even took some MAN time and helped Chris with the building of thier new deck.

We spent quite a little time with Patt and Chris at "The house in Hampton" ... NH, that is! It is quite a lovely little gem now.

After all this packed into a few weeks we beat feet back to Florida. Good to be HOME!

Arrival in Maine

Arrival in MAINE!

We arrived at a very nice campground in Maine (ON A HILL).

We don't see many of those in Florida. We had not stayed here in the past: the KOA in Richmond (near Gardiner). New Owners, very pleasant ... cater to families.

Just so you know where we were ... these signs appeared in the CG:

Those are actual names of towns in Maine!

NEXT DAY PATTY LEAVES FOR THE ANNUAL "SISTER OTTER" OUTING:

My "Sister Otters" are some of my dearest friends and (in case you didn't know) we have an outing every year for a couple of days or so. We went this year to Blue Hill, Maine. On the way we stopped at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and then ... went up into the Observatory. Here are a series of photos from that stop:

Does this bridge remind you of the Skyline Bridge between Palmetto and St. Petersburg or the one recently erected in Boston? Same designers - smaller bridge!

Fort Knox (a different one...) from the top of the bridge!

We visited this fort with Jamie and 2 of his friends when I was VERY pregnant with Sara. We didn't see it with this perspective at that time, though. The bridge was just built within the last few years.

 

Sister Otters together again.

 

Another view of Maine from above.

AND, some views of the water (and our lovely group) at Blue Hill:

Judy is hiding, I think!

We stayed at the lovely and enjoyable Blue Hill Inn. Highly recommended! We had our own cottage for the night... plenty of space for visiting. 

Accross the street was a lovely Inuksuit (the tradition has come to the US from Canada since the Olympics were in Vancouver.

More of the time we had together:

Of note to my basketmaking friends: the baskets above are made from salvaged lines that were found on the beach!

A Speedy Trip to Maine (and Back to Florida)!

We have returned to Florida - to our new home, to Sara and to Romeo!

 
 

 The rest of "The Pack" returned from Colorado on the very same day (by coincidence). We gathered for lunch recently on our Lanai - and then spent an afternoon at the beach on Anna Maria Island!

 

*BUT*

Back to the beginning of the trip to Maine and back:

The day that we left Bradenton (mid-July) we set out with the best of hopes to put in a good long trip. OOOPS!

BLOW-OUT!

Just as we made it past Tampa we had a tire blow. Good thing we have Good Sam Roadside Service (AAA for RVs). In a couple of hours we were on our way again ... Patty in the drivers seat and ... BANG! A second blowout! These were both tires original to the Cameo. Well, with one new tire and one original tire left on the vehicle and NO spare, we decided to "stay put" and go the next day to a tire dealer to buy another new tire for the trip (and leave the one original for a spare). We happened to be very close to an Escapee campground (one that we had visited in the past) and pulled in about 4 pm - set up just in time for "5 O'Clock Somewhere"!

We DO have plans to buy some really good tires in a few weeks ... and had hoped to get through this trip before replacement...

Well, we were fortunate that this kind of event did not repeat itself and we got to North Carolina for the first major stop of our trip!

We stopped in Charlotte, NC for the LOVELY and enjoyable wedding of cousin Robbie and his bride, Charlene. I'll try to be selective in posting photos... it was a lovely visit with Ray's family and a great series of parties!

Robbie and Charlene at the Rehersal Dinner: 

The Father of the Groom "Cuncle" Mike (above).

Below "Aunt" Belle and "Uncle" Arthur perform the Shabbat.

 

Above, the Halperin/Simon family table for the evening.

Wedding Day!

 

While in the lovely city (Charlotte, NC) where Robbie and Charlene are living,

We visited a very interesting museum:

This museum covers the history of the South (particularly in Charlotte and surrounding areas) SINCE the Civil War. It was fascinating. I will only include a few photos to give a flavor:

 

A mother explains history to her son:

 

Remember this:

 

There was no Separate, but Equal:

This brave man inspired the movement to acheive racial integration:

Catching up with Blog Entries!

The big entry in our blog right now is the one below... announcing our son, Jamie has become engaged to marry Yulia - a lovely woman he met while working and living in Indonesia. We cannot wait to meet her. See that blog for a link (you may have to copy and paste into your browser) that will show photos of the happy couple.

For those who are interested in the cookbook project that Sara is working with ... there is a post below about that.

I, also, discovered that last year our trip to the Canadian Maritime Provinces was never really adequately covered ... and we have recently made a trip to Maine and are on our way back to Florida. There will be a lot of catching up to do! When I am back in Florida and have time I will put up some more entries. Meanwhile ... enjoy the news and the photos of Jamie and Yulia!

 

Big News!

  
Our son, Jamie, who is living and working in Indonesia has become engaged. We are so pleased for him. The wedding will be next Spring!

 

To see more photos of Jamie and Yulia in Singapore, where he proposed, go to:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150704470835494.706966.647875493

We are very happy for him AND for Yulia, as well!

 

 

 

Stories Savory and Sweet!

Sara has published a second entry to the new food blog. The title of the blog is Stories Savory and Sweet ... a great choice, I think.

Here is a link to the website:

http://storiessavoryandsweet.wordpress.com/

Family Recipes & Family Stories

One of the very nice things about this interum with Sara in our home is that we have time for a project together! We are re-creating the Family Cookbook (which I did with Ray's assistance in the late 1980s). When I created this little book over 20 years ago, I had it published at a local printer and gave it to many family members and friends. I have used and re-used the original book - adding notes and recipes to my own version over the years.

When we decided to cruise full time in 2007, I consulted my mentor in the cruising world, Jacqueline, for some tried and true recipes that would come in handy in the cruising life. There are many of those to be added, as well as other favorites we've accumulated. Often recipes have memories of people and places and celebrations that go with them.

Sara has started to compile a new "book" on her computer that we can share with others in the future. As we are reviewing and editing, we are enjoying the new kitchen in the townhome and becoming re-familiar with old favorites. We are trying out some that Sara has never tasted!

Sara asked me yesterday if I had seen the movie, Julie and Julia. (Oh, yes, and really loved it!) She suggested that we do something with "blogging our way through the Family Cookbook". What an idea! I suggested that we each do our own blog and share some thoughts and the recipes back and forth.

So, when I am not traveling and blogging about other things, you may see some of this project on thisn blog!

Today happens to be Ray's birthday and we are making a cake for him that came from his Great Aunt Helen. It is a Chocolate Yeast Cake. It has to be started a day ahead, so we actually began it yesterday. This recipe was passed down from his Great Aunt to Ray's mother, then to me - and now to Sara.

Here is Sara's version of the recipe:

Chocolate Yeast Cake – Helen Cueny (my great great aunt on my dad’s side)
My grandmother first made this cake when my dad was a teenager for a birthday cake. It’s been a favorite recipe in my family ever since.

1 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 ½ packets or 4 ½ tsp. rapid rise or instant yeast
2 ¾ cups flour
3 T. hot water
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 squares chocolate – melted
¼ cup warm water
½ tsp. salt
½ cup milk
1 tsp. baking soda
Cream shortening, add sugar and cream well. Add beaten egg yolks, melted chocolate and yeast dissolved in warm water. Add flour and salt alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Cover and set aside overnight. Next morning, add baking soda dissolved in hot water and vanilla. Mix in well-beaten egg whites lightly. Bake in form pan (angel food cake pan) at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Chocolate Fluffy Icing – Aunt Helen Cueny
8 Tbsp. butter or ¼ lb. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 squares chocolate, melted
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2 beaten egg yolks (reserve egg whites for later)
¼ tsp. salt
Mix above together.

Beat egg whites. Add additional 1 ½ cups conf. sugar to egg whites. Fold into chocolate mixture.

NOTE: We discovered a discrepancy in the original printed version of this... so the icing came out rather soft. BUT, it tasted good. Next time we will add the extra confectioners sugar. This is not a recipe to tackle when you are in a hurry - but, for a special event - like this birthday celebration - GREAT! (Pat)

And What is NEXT?

Continuing my thoughts on what will be next in my life...

First, and joyfully, I am thrilled to be getting back the use of my left wrist and hand! Turned out I did need to have surgery (outpatient) and it wasn't a Ganglion Cyst, as was thought. The surgery was a bit more complicated than expected because the growth was irregular, 2"x2" and was wrapped around the tendon. A couple of days later, the report from that Lab called it a Benign Chronic Synovitis. Anyway, it was benign and there is no expectation that it will return! The bandage comes off next Wednesday and it is feeling better by the day.

On another note, I am looking into something that I can do to contribute to the world. I have been thinking seriously about having Romeo become a "Therapy Dog". I have been looking into the programs in the area, but, it appears that it will be Fall before they have any available. I think he has a good temperment for it. I love the idea of Romeo being the therapist and I would be the "handler"!

Sara is doing fairly well in her new environment here in Florida and we are all doing okay living as a family for this stretch. The job market continues to be a huge challenge... and it probably isn't going to improve any time soon. It takes a while to make friends anywhere, but, Sara is making a few connections. She has also made some connections that may allow her to start doing a bit of part time consulting in the area of Social Media. We are taking one day at a time.

Ray has recently put his name in with a local car dealership to become a driver who moves cars from one dealership to another. He thinks that sounds like a part time job he could enjoy doing. Our friends Joe and Sigi have been doing that in Maryland, and that's where he got the idea.

Life moves along ... even as we are staying in one place!

BUT, speaking of moving along: We do have plans to take "Reflection on the Road" (the 5th wheel) and head North for a few weeks. We hope Sara will fare well while we are gone. Several people have offered to check in on her while we are away and we can stay in touch by phone. But, it will probably be lonely for her at times.

We plan to leave later in July, stop in North Carolina for a wedding, and then on to Maine and New Hampshire. We want to see family and friends and retreive "treasures" that are in storage. We will, undoubtedly find that there are some things that we thought were "treasures" that are now either trash or just "stuff" that can be passed along.

That is as far as I can go with "what is next". More later!

“WHO am I becoming, NOW?” This issue occupies my “reflections” these days. (This has to be a common issue in the retirement years.)

After almost 3 years of living the cruising life, and over a year of being full timers in the RV world, we bought the home in Bradenton, furnished it, made it ours. Sara moved in and there are now the 3 of us here. We are living very comfortably. We even have room to have guests, when they come! I now have time for the things that I did not have time to do when we were so busy moving around, moving in and having all those adventures.

I think that since Sara came to live with us, I have taken on the Mom roll too much. At first there were some things I wanted and needed to do with her and for her. And, of course, I will keep being a Mom, to some extent. But, I am putting too much energy into “helping” Sara and thinking about her future, and not enough into finding out what I will do. Sara will figure her life out herself!

So… What is it that I have time to do… and CAN do?

Of course, there is cleaning, cooking, reading, quilting (OH, YES), the time to spend with friends and my family (AND YES, AGAIN), and more exploration of this new community. I know that I no longer want to garden. That was nice then … but, not now.

There are “aging” changes that come into consideration … I will go to have a cyst drained on Wednesday (a Ganglion Cyst - at the base of the wrist that was involved in the bike accident 2 years ago). It is hard to do anything much with one hand. There is the probability that I will have to add another medication for high cholesterol (it has always been so good that even my DOCTOR used to be jealous). It is ALWAYS SOMETHING, it seems, since I arrived in my 60s. There are the drooping eyelids that actually are starting to interfere with peripheral vision and push my lashes down! (When will that require surgery?) A least my skin passed the test of the “full body scan” this year; although it looks like skin of an old lady!

So, there is all this surface stuff. Gosh, am I THAT old??? I recently had my hair colored! It is varied color of brown, red and very light brown (blond?) Ray likes it - as do I. It may help me to LOOK younger, but, it doesn’t change the fact that I am moving into another “stage” of living.

The question goes deeper for me… to “What meaning does my life have?” “What can I do to make the world a better place?”

We have been attending the Sarasota UU Church and like it there. I joined a “Chalice Group” (similar to the “Small Group Ministry” that I was involved in in Maine). This topic this week is:

“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” a quote from Gandhi. I think it has prompted even more contemplation for me. But, what change do I wish to see in the world enough that I am willing to make a commitment of time, energy, resources?

The thing that is difficult about change is that it always feels so CHAOTIC during the middle part … not knowing where this will lead … and not being satisfied with how things are to want to “stay put“. I have enjoyed challenges and change in my life. But, sometimes it is unsettling during the changing part.

I will keep you posted on … who I am becoming next … when I have some kind of a clue!

A Change in Store!

We are about to embark on, yet, another adventure. This time it is an adventure of the family kind.

We leave to go on a very quick trip to Virginia on Monday. Sara, our 28 year old daughter, is moving to Florida to stay with us for a while. She has decided to leave the Washington, DC area and move on to another chapter in her life.

Sara will need time to recover from some severe health challenges she has been facing this last year and to find work here before she will be ready to be independent. So, we will live as a family again for a while. (We are really pleased that we chose the larger townhome to purchase, since we will have enough space for all of us.) Wish us luck on this new challenge!

New Friends ... and more!

Social Connections (Family, Friends and Community) are major contributors to long life expectancy and "Aging Well", according to research. I learned that a few years back when taking a class in Positive Psychology. I think they are key to a blessed and happy life, no matter what age we are.

We were on our first "drive-by" tour (in December) to look at some condos and townhomes that I had found interesting on the internet. We had not even contacted a Realtor.

Ray and I were driving through the subdivision called Southwinds & Five Lakes. We liked the look of the place and were curious about it. I asked Ray to stop the "Big Red Truck" so I could speak to a couple who were taking a walk. Well, Mickey and Ellie were so friendly that we talked quite a while -- AND, they even offered to take us to thier home and show us what it looks like. I remember exchanging phone numbers (and cards) after this nice visit and Ellie said something like: "Come by again ... you know strangers are friends you have only just met." Well, we certainly count them as new friends now. We went to breakfast recently with them at the Rod and Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island...

 

We had a lovely breakfast and enjoyed the ambiance of the rustic location and the children fishing, etc.

 

We are having many wonderful outings with Steve and Karen, as well...

 

One of these is becoming a regular Sunday afternoon event (at least for a few weeks). The Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota has been having a concert series in the Garden - under the Banyan Tree. Lovely!

And, we recently went to the newly openned Dali Museum in St. Petersburg ... a lovely building and a learning experience. Dali was quite a character and an amazing talent!

The Museum Building is a wonder itself.

And what better than to go with good friends!!!

 

We took a drive to St. Pete beach and had lunch at Pass-a-Grille. On the way we went by the Don Cesar Hotel and promised ourselves to return and tour the lovely old resort.

BUT -- I mustn't forget the Florida National Carriage Rally that we attended at the end of March in Bushnell, FL. We got to see some folks we met last year at rallies and met some new folks as well.

Here are some of those memories:

We visited the Florida National Veterans Cemetary in Bushnell:

We plan to make more rallies in Florida next winter - when we have MOVING behind us and going on a "Camp-out" will be a treat!

ALL for now...

Our Furnished Home & Visits with Friends!

Yippee! We have nearly completed the furnishing of our new home...

 

 

 

I hosted a dinner party (without Ray ... because he was with Sara in Virginia). Our visitors from Colorado (Penny & Bob) were able to meet our friends who have Colorado connections, as well (Karen and Steve). AND, I won this game of Farkle!

 

We have had some great times visiting with Penny & Bob (had not seen them in 13 years)!!! I was Maid of Honor at thier wedding. We have been friends for 40 years or so!

 
 

We are now at a Carriage Rally in Bushnell, FL and enjoying connecting with RV friends that we met in the last year. More later on this little "vacation" from moving. We expect to move in to the new home in Bradenton at the end of this week and put the RV into storage on the storage lot in the Subdivision!

 

 

Making Progress ... & Fun With Canines

We are making progress with the updating of our new home. We expect to move in (at least partially) NEXT WEEK!

Here are a few shots of some of the work being done. (We are not doing ANY of it ... we are doing our part for the local economy.)

 

Actually, the new floor is now mostly installed. (See the wood laminate sample in the collage...) The countertop in the kitchen is a real upgrade! And, we have a bit of wainscotting in the kitchen now. More photos later.

We took a break from the scurrying about buying furniture, arranging insurance, buying an economical car (a new Volkswagon Jetta - no photo, yet) ... and all the other chores of moving to a land home. We had great fun with Romeo and Bailey and Belle (... well, and Karen and Steve and a few others, too). There was a Doggy Parade and Celebration here at Encore Manatee RV Resort.

 

Romeo and Belle and Bailey won prizes in the games. Romeo won at the "musical cones" contest (musical chairs for dogs). Belle and Bailey were great at Tic Tac Toe (they were in the "sit" group ... and had to sit until there were 3 in a row sitting! They all got prizes. What a hoot!

 

 

 

Orange Blossoms & Dog Poop!

 
 
Hey - Welcome back. I have been out of communication since I last entered the last blog at the end of 2010! Finally I have a day to spend in wonderful "reflection" on some treasures of the last couple of months. But, first:

Orange Blossoms & Dog Poop!

Recently while taking a walk with Romeo I felt nearly intoxicated by the scent of orange blossoms … a true joy for the senses. Just as I was breathing deeply and thinking how good life is right now, Romeo decided it was time to do his morning “job”. As I reached down with the plastic bag to retrieve the package with the plastic bag, I got a whiff of dog poop that overwhelmed and overshadowed my joy of the orange blossoms.

 

Well, such is life. I guess this last year has been a study in Orange Blossoms and Dog Poop. We have seen some really dark moments and some joyful ones. Right now, things are alternating back an forth with concerns for family and friends who face health challenges, the stress of buying and renovating a house, and … well, I won’t bore you with details. But, I have always been an optimist by nature … so I will recount some of the treasures of the last 2 months! (The orange blossom scent has come back many times since dog poop was picked up!

We had a nice visit with Judy and Paul (RVers who hail from Maine). They were interested in our new hometown and vicinity. We actually visited with them a couple of times and showed them our new home. During one visit (after a while on the beach at Anna Maria Island) we took them to our favorite ice cream haunt:

 

We had another opportunity to visit with Judy and Paul while having dinner with Gerry and Sylvia at a favorite Mexican restaurant.

 

We had a "doggy sleepover" in January when Steve and Karen went to Disneyworld with family. The girls made themselves right at home!

 

Ray experienced his first remote control boat "Regatta" at Encore RV Resort. 

 
 
 AND, he made a 3rd place finish in his class in his first time out!

Then, there was Chinese New Year Celebration at the South Florida Museum...

The dancing was lovely.

 

And then, there was a fashion show.

 

The Grand Finale was the Lion Dance - performed under a full moon (see it through the window?)

 

Our most recent night out was a group outing arranged by folks at the RV Resort. We went with Steve and Karen to a "Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre" which took place on a 1950's train that is part of the Florida Railroad Museum.



Maybe Karen saw the "dirty deed"!



The performance was corny and fun ... and we were to guess who did the deed. (No, it wasn't Col. Mustard with a candlestic). You can see Miss Murple in the photos below ... along with some of the rest of the cast.



 

Next entry will probably be after we move into our new home ... the progress is speeding along and we should be in the house by the middle of the month!

 

Another BIG Change!

WE DID IT... in 2011 we will have a home on land. We have been thinking of it as our "Miracle on 34th Street" since we found it just before Christmas and the entrance to the Subdivision is "34th Street"!

We had our offer accepted on this townhome in Bradenton (near Sarasota) Florida! It is a "Cape Cod" style home in a small subdivision (144 units) that is near the Gulf Coast. It is a lovely and unique design - especially for this part of the world.

We will be having some renovations done to the interior (cosmetic) to make it ours. The furnishings in the photo will be replaced with some that we will aquire to suit our taste. But, here are a few photos.

This is the community ... the streets meander around little ponds.

 

Out the back of the house is an enclosed Lanai with a fully screened area attached and an outdoor patio for BBQ!

 

 

 

Ray will have this 2 car garage!

 

And this is my favorite part: I love this room!

 

More Later!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections on "Home"

Just thinking (again) what it means to be "HOME".

I am wide awake at 4 AM before we go to see a house for the 4th  time! We have been looking at townhomes in Bradenton for about a month. Today we will visit with Steve ( a former home rehabilitation specialist) and Karen.  AND, we will have a contractor come to provide a "ballpark estimate" on the upgrades we would like to do.  (Probably I will have to trim my wish list!) Then, we will see about making an offer.

Why make this change - especially so soon after making the move from cruising on water to cruising on land???

The prices are right for buying; we are feeling tired from the (full time) wandering life and wishing for a stopping place for about 6 months a year; we'd like more space for ourselves (for hobbies, entertaining, cooking, privacy, storage, and more); we want a place that our adult children can come to and be comfortable staying; and a place that other family, and close friends can visit. Ray wants a garage for many reasons! This area of Florida provides a lot of benefits: great friends that we trully enjoy; all kinds of social and cultural activities year round; the beaches of Anna Maria Island; great (flat) biking and walking; weather that is great (most of the time); many kayaking opportunities;  a UU church that is available (when we get off our butts and get there); there are good healthcare services here; convenient airports; and communities that are welcoming to newcomers because most everyone is "from away". Do these things provide a clue as to what home means?

A couple of years ago (while we were still cruising on water) I asked for ideas from family, friends and fellow cruisers on what they think of as "home". I got MANY wonderful thoughts. I am still working on the quilting project that I started planning at the time. It has become the beginnngs of a quilted jacket. I have it about 1/2 complete. However, the "reflections" regarding "HOME" are still simmering on the burner.

Mostly, home means being with Ray. There was a certain restlessness in my soul until Ray came into my life. I found a quote a while back by Emily Dickenson: "Wherever thou art - that is home." That says it!

But, home is also convenient to where our friends live. It needs to be where neighbors are friendly. Home is a retreat where we can feel safe and nuture ourselves - and sometimes family and friends. It is where we can relax, express ourselves, and stop for a while to plan and organize our lives.

I have always found myself "nesting" where I reside. Perhaps it is part of my generation that women did that? I came home from college and painted my bedroom furniture in the "antiqued" style that was popular in the 60s. I braided a couple of rugs to put in a "hope chest". (Actually, I openned up the hope chest and made use of the rugs a few years before I married Ray!) 

I made my dormitory room "homey" in a variety of ways. In those days we had "room inspections" and we had to keep the room clean! I made my own curtains for the room and, at Christmastime I found a branch of an evergreen tree and decorated it with little pinecones and handmade ornaments from recycled "stuff".

When I had my first apartment I really got into nesting - and being creative about it! I suppose that this is what is appealing to me now. I love the planning and creating a homey space. Back then, I bought used furniture at yard sales, shops and auctions. In several instances, I stripped, sanded and stained it. There is a great satisfaction in taking something that is old and worn, yet serviceable, and tranforming it into something attractive! (I wish I still had some of those early pieces ... oh well.) I saw a photo recently in a magazine that reminded me of something I did in those early days. I found some logs while jeeping in the mountains. They had been cut to the size for chopping into firewood - but, they had been left behind to weather. The bark was coming off the  18"- 20" long logs and there were some wonderful colors and textures in the wood. I took a couple of them home and stripped them, cleaned them up, sealed them with polyurethane and used them as end tables. They added a rustic flavor to my place.

Ray and I made our "gypsy lives" as comfortable as possible in our small spaces. But, I think it is time to find a place to nest (as I said, for at least 6 months a year)! We think we may have found the house that will work for us.

More later!

 

 

 

Jamie in Indonesia

 

Our son, Jamie, is working as a Forestry Consultant in Indonesia. We are proud of the choices he has made and the work he is doing. Recently he provided an article that was written by David Fogarty that explains a good deal about the environment, the challenges and the reason this is a crucial effort in the fight against global climate change. I will not print the full article here ... just the introduction!

(For the full article: http://blogs.reuters.com/david-fogarty/ )

Special Report: Making forests pay in a warming world
Fri Dec 3, 2010 5:11am EST


By David Fogarty
SEMPIT, Indonesia (Reuters) - Deep in the flooded jungles of southern
Borneo, muddy peat oozes underfoot like jello, threatening to consume
anyone who tries to walk even a few yards into the thick, steaming forest.
Hard to imagine this brown, gooey stuff could become a new global currency
worth billions a year, much less an important tool in the fight against
climate change.
Yet this is a new frontier for business, says Bali-based consultant Rezal
Kusumaatmadja, and a new way to pay for conservation efforts in a world
facing ever more pressure on the land to grow food and extract timber, coal
and other resources.
He and his fellow Indonesian business partner Dharsono Hartono are trying
to preserve and replant a peat swamp forest three times the size of
Singapore in Central Kalimantan province in Indonesia's part of Borneo. And
in the process, draw in local communities by boosting livelihoods and curb
encroachment
They are at the vanguard of a global effort to slow climate change by
trying to create a new market that puts a value on preserving forests, or
avoiding deforestation.
The effort brings together a diverse cast of characters: environmental
entrepreneurs such as Kusumaatmadja and Hartono; investment bankers trying
to create a carbon market; companies seeking to buy carbon credits in that
market; activists trying to ensure some of that money flows to rainforest
communities; and bureaucrats whose task will be to somehow monitor and
enforce the ambitious scheme, and not divert the proceeds into their
pockets.

Sarasota Medieval Fair!

 

The Medieval Fair in Sarasota was the first we had ever attended. I have wanted to get to one for many years, and Karen found this one promoted in the local newspaper ...

So off we went for the day!

 

The highlight of the day was the JOUSTING!

 

 

 

Some other sights from around the Fair:

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 AND, there were the musicians all throughout the fair (see below):



THEN, there was THIS performance!



Woody's Riveroo!

Accross the river in Ellenton (near where Gerry and Sylvia live) there is a favorite spot for Sunday afternoons. It is "Woody's Riveroo" and it is right on the Manatee River. The crowd is composed of all kinds of fans - and draws a biker crowd often. The food is very good and the Music is really fine, too. We went with Margo and Dennis (Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club and Boat Harbour Connections). They were visiting Steve and Karen while preparing for the crossing to the Bahamas.

 

Sand Sculpture @ Siesta Key

 
The first Siesta Key Sand Sculpture Competition was held recently. Here is the big winner!



The artists had fantastic sand to work with. They call it "confectioners sugar sand".

 

There were interviews of the Sculptors - who came from as far as the West Coast, Texas ... and, perhaps beyond. Here are some fellows being interviewed by thier masterpiece.

 

 

Here are MORE of the results:

 

 

This outing was Karen's idea ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And the "brothers" had fun, too!

 

 

 



 

 

 

AND -  What wonderful Photo Ops!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patty wanted to stay for the Drum Circle (which is held at Siesta Key Park every Sunday night at Sunset! What a nice day.

 

 

 

Bird Watching & Biking!

 
I have been too busy to blog. Today (Black Friday) I am taking a break from activities and bird watching, relaxing and getting caught up on the blog! Fortunately, the Picasa photo editing program is so much fun that the photos are pretty well ready to post!

 
This morning I actually saw all of these birds from the picture window in the RV: Wood Stork, Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Ibis, Egret, Cormorant and Anhinga! WOW! The water is about 10 feet from the back of the Rig and the view is fantastic.

Last week we went on a biking outing with others who live here in the Park. They have an outing every Thursday (except Thanksgiving) and we went for the first time to Myakka State Park. We had been to the Park in the past - but, not biking. The folks were friendly and th bike ride (about 5 miles) was lovely. We biked to a bird sanctuary area and were treated to a guide by Owen, the master birder (volunteer).

 
He provided his fantastic high powered telescope for us to see some birds really well.



Have you ever been on a "Snipe Hunt"? We actually saw a Wilson's Snipe (yep, it is a real bird) through the telescope!

 

 

 

 

 

"The Pack" Together Again

Since returning to Florida we have enjoyed being with our friends, Steve and Karen - and their dogs, Belle and Bailey! We have referred to all 7 of us as "The Pack" since bringing Romeo home with us. We have a lot of fun together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been staying at the lovely Fort DeSoto Park (South of St. Petersburg) and took the dogs on the beach and to the dog park.

 

 

 

 Not sure if the dogs read the sign... but, they actually did not go beyond this point!

 

 

 

Our campsite was delightful and private!

 

 

News from Indonesia

Obama could leave Indonesia early due to Mount Merapi eruptions. The U.S. president arrives in Indonesia after three days in India. He is scheduled to meet with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Our son, Jamie, is working in Indonesia as a Forestry Consultant. All this news about the President's visit is something he has been waiting for for quite a while. Indonesia is one of the top 3 hotspots in the world that emit carbon emissions. Jamie's work (can you tell we are proud) is to put into effect plans to limit this. Jamie has been living in Jakarta for almost a year - but, is now travelling for his work. Jakarta has not been hit by the vocano - though, it does appear that there will be an influx of injured and homeless - and, Airline travel has been disrupted due to the vocanic eruption.

Sarasota Chalk Art

This chalk art festival was to be held in the future ... we took a look as the artists were getting started with the images.

While in Sarasota we saw this gem ... Ray couldn't resist "taking it away" in photos.

 

Bradenton Halloween Circus

 
While Pat was in Virginia and Washington, DC, Ray went with Karen and Steve to this funky "circus" in Bradenton. Great photos...

 

Rally for Sanity!

I went to Virginia over the week-end to support our daughter, Sara. She has been meeting some medical challenges recently. She seems to be making progress and we are very pleased about that.

While visiting Sara, we had a wonderful experience. We attended the Rally for Sanity +/or Fear that Comedy Central sponsored on the Capital Mall in Washington, DC. It was a great experience!

We heard wonderful music by great musicians ( John Legend, Ozzie Osbourne, Cat Stevens, Tony Bennett) AND Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert were GREAT! What a great day!

 

Our Winter Home!

We arrived at our home for the winter in Bradenton, Florida on Oct. 26th. It was great to be in familiar territory and near Steve and Karen (formerly of M/V Christmas). We had a great reunion with them - a gathering of "The Pack" when Steve, Karen, Belle and Bailey and Romeo,
Ray and I were all together again. The dogs couldn;t have been happier! (Nor the adults!)

We are staying at "Winter Quarters Manatee Encore Resort". We think it will be a great choice for the winter. Take a look at the location:

 

This is the 7 acre pond that is at our back door. We will be able to kayak from the lot we are renting!

 

We will have lots of activities to choose from and a chance to be part of a community... more later about that.

 
Even Romeo likes it here!

 
AND, Ray won a Farkle game recently by getting FIVE aces!

 
THE KING OF FARKLE!

 (photo by Karen)

Visits with Boating Friends!!!

We were very fortunate to connect with more boating friends on our way to our destination in Florida!!! We caught up with TARWATHIE and Dick and Libby in Myrtle Beach. They were (as was Dave) at Oyster Creek Marina. We shared a walk on the beach with Romeo - where he met a butterfly -  and a potluck dinner with the RV campout group and a Moonlit evening ... and even FIREWORKS!

 

 
 
 
Libby gave me a lovely little basket that she had made. She said she was very appreciative of my teaching her this craft. She has become quite proficient. Incidentally, she sells her baskets now!!!

 

 

We, also, got to connect with our good friends, Andrew and Vanessa (Tally Ho) !!!

 

We saw them in Daytona Beach!

 

We had a relaxing visit with a game of "Mexican Train" Dominos!

 

Stopover in Myrtle Beach

 
We are enjoying a "camp-out" in Myrtle Beach with the "Dixie Travelers" Club. It is a group that is part of the National Carriage Travel Club. There are a number of couples here who are part of the groups we connected with in Florida. It is good to be with these folks again and to meet some new people, as well.

I still don't have the knack with this new blog site. It will take a while, I am afraid.

 

We had an opportunity to see Dave (Canvassback, Too) at Osprey Marina the other day. He brought us to a fellow who was selling fresh shrimp just off the boat for $ 2.50 per pound. Of course, they still had their heads attached... So, I cleaned them and shelled them and marinated.

Here they are marinating...

 

They were good - and we have more for tonight!

 

 

This morning I even did what RAY thought was a good idea: I went with Romeo to watch the sun come up over the beach. (Ray stayed in the sack!)

 

 

Yesterday we kayaked the Wakamah River with 3 other couples and today we went to see the movie, "Red" with a group of folks all the age of Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman ...

The movie was great!

All for now...

To See Older Posts:

Just a little instruction for those who are tech-challenged (like me). To see older posts (even those in the last month) you need to go to "Archives" and select the date. The posts titiles will come up then for choices!

Luray Car and Carriage Museum

There was so much to do at the Luray location that we could have spent a whole week-end there easily. Ray took a while to visit the Car and Carriage Museum that is included in the entrance fee for Luray Caverns. Patty decided to stay outside and enjoy the view and keep Romeo company.

 

Some gems that Patty missed ... but, Ray took photos!

 

 

They don't make 'em like they used to!

 

 

Luray Caverns

 
After a leisurely trip on the northernmost part of Skyline Drive, we took a side trip to Luray Caverns. We have seen a number of caves and caverns - but, I think this may be the most beautiful of all.

 

 

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah Nat. Park

We took a day recently and went in the "other direction" to take in a bit of Shenandoah N. Park and Skyline Drive.  We could see for MILES!

 

Romeo enjoyed it, too!

 

    Hi there!