Quite a winter

Yeah, I know it has been quite awhile since I've posted. I've been putting it off and putting it off because it will be difficult this time.

In prior years our fall and winter months have been a comfortable pattern of visits through Texas and Florida seeing family and friends and doing a checklist of annual visits to doctors and dentists that we know and like. We generally also squeeze in a few week-long "fly-away" trips to hang out with my Dad and his "bride" Sheila in some interesting neutral touristy destination.

While this year was a similar itinerary, it was also goodbye to my wonderful father. Our fun trips together to new places were replaced with frequent flights directly to him so we could squeeze as much time in with him as we could, knowing his time with us was getting shorter. With the hope that we could continue these visits well into the new year we were busy planning our 2019 travels when our time with him suddenly ran out. We will greatly miss our adventures with him -- but our lives will forever be enriched by the "wanderlust" lifestyle he shared and passed on to all of us. The four us had to cancel a "bucket list" trip to Norway a few years ago when he had a health emergency and he always hoped we would get another chance to do it together. That will finally happen this summer -- with only the three of us now -- but he will definitely be with us in spirit as we explore the beautiful Norway coastline.

One of my favorite pictures of my Dad taken by dear friends of his

Having time with Jeffrey's father in Gainesville felt extra special this year. The three of us always manage to cover lots of activities together, though a bit fewer as I was dealing with a nerve issue in my neck that sidelined me from the epic puzzle projects I usually manage to drag the boys into. It also kept us from catching as many Gator sports competitions as I just wasn't up to perching on bleacher seats. Hopefully we'll make up for it next year!

Our encounters with animals also continued to lift our spirits. Once we got back to Florida in the fall, we tried a new campground for the month of December -- Lion Country Safari KOA. Good RV friends, Dawn and Jeff Marlin, had tried it out the year before and liked it quite a bit, so we decided to join them there. It was of course a HUGE bonus that there was a zoo right next door. You could even hear the lions roaring from the campground every day. Sounds a bit odd maybe, but we got used to listening to them and really missed it when we left at the end of the month.

Tower of giraffe at Lion Country Safari

Though not a BIG cat, a feline was also added as a permanent addition to our family by stepmom, Sheila. Tay (pronounced "tie") is a very sweet boy who is being a wonderful companion to her as well as providing the daily entertainment that only cats can. In addition to romping around her apartment with great abandon, he loves laying on Dad's chair, Sheila's lap, and unfortunately Sheila's open laptop computer whenever he can sneak on. We worry a little about the future tech phone calls he makes to us!

"Glamour Shot" of Tay

As we started to make our way out of Florida, we also got to tour the zoo in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a real treat, beautifully landscaped and staffed with volunteers at all of the big exhibits who did a wonderful job talking about each of the animals.

Alligator hiding in the leaf covered pond at the Jacksonville Zoo

Me feeding a giraffe a the Jacksonville Zoo

Of course, all of the wonderful family and friends we get to visit during these months in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina are big highlights too -- and we can't imagine changing our annual fall-winter plan to be a different itinerary. We feel blessed to have the time to see them and so far they haven't punted us away so they are stuck with us!

Me with nephew Isaac -- plus a giraffe statue at a local Raleigh eatery

Me with doggee cousin, Toby

Us wearing shirts I ordered from Animal Adventure -- the park where giraffe "April" lives in NY.
We got to visit her in person last summer. Jeffrey is a good sport to wear it with me!

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