Feb. 8-Feb.14 Wauchula, FL

Remember our good friends, Lou and Carol Hands, we met up with them for the second time this winter in Wauchula, FL. Last time we were together the girls whipped the boys at the card game Hand and Foot. We got together on a rainy day and played cards again and this time the boys beat the girls. We had a lot of fun and then went out for oven baked pizza.
Had Jim and Jane Rankin and Ed and Janie Jenkins over for BBQ ribs. So good to see all of them again.

Jim and Jane had a renewal of their wedding vows and a blessing of Jane's new wedding band. Jim and Jane are the English couple we talk so much about to those of you back home. They are very special to us. Jane is my English sister with whom I share a very special bond.

Ed Jenkins is officiating the ceremony at the Peace River campground chapel.

Jim is putting the new wedding band on Jane's finger.

Jim kissing his bride!!

On Jane's charm bracelet above is the melted down first wedding band and on her hand the new wedding band.

You've got to enlarge this picture so you can read this original wedding certificate. Under the column condition Jim is listed as bachelor and Jane as spinster.

This is Jane in her new coat. Doesn't she look like Little Red Riding Hood?

Driving here from Vero Beach we took all back roads it was a lovely drive. All we saw were cattle ranches, orange groves and cabbage farms.
Wauchula is know for its cattle ranches, orange groves, and watermelon farms.

We did get to see the last night time shuttle launch. It was scrubbed on Feb. 7. After sitting in the parking lot from about 11:30 PM to 4:20 AM It was called a scrub. So we stayed another day at Vero Beach and we drove to Titusville again the next night and sat in the parking lot again all night and the launch did take place at 4:14 AM. We lost a lot of sleep for about 5 min. max of spectacular.

Lift off

It sure lite things up

This is the rocket launcher heading back after separation.
Would I do it again? I'm not sure. I looked the launch up on the Internet the next day and I could see it better and I didn't have to lose 2 days of sleep to do it. It continues to be below normal temperatures here but I'm just thankful we are not dealing with what you are.

Vero Beach, FL 2010

This is the shuttle on the launch pad ready to be launched on Feb. 7, 2010 at 4:39 AM this will be the last night time launch.

This Encore park Vero Beach campground. It is a very friendly park with nice facilities. They have a huge dog park which Nicky loves. Nice concrete pads and lots of trees.

We came here because it was at Thousand Trails special and it put us within 12 miles of beautiful beaches and 61 miles south of Kennedy Space Center. We spent 2 full days at the space center. There was a lot to see and do. They had a ride that assimilates what it feels like to launch in a shuttle. Pretty awesome. All of this is history I lived through. Makes me feel really old.!!!

Two astronauts that didn't make it!!!

Various rockets above and below a picture of the space uniforms over the years.

This believe it or not is a picture of the flight plan. Enlarge this and look closely!!!!

Below is a picture of the Space Station.

I remember this clearly.

I was in my first year of college when all this took place.

This is the astronauts restroom. They also have a shower room.
After spending 2 days at the Space Center we decided to visit some of the local nearby parks.

This Historic Jungle Trail was the main roadway until super highways took over but it has been preserved and it is a lovely ride in car or on a bike.

This was taken on a hike we took at St Sebastian River Preserve State Park. This park is only about 3 miles south of the campground.

This picture was taken on the Historic Jungle Trail road.

The city of Sebastian is full of history about a man named Paul Kroegel. He homesteaded here. He loved this area and went to great lengths to protect the brown pelicans in this area. They nested heavily on an island now called Pelican Island and Paul was responsible for getting President Roosevelt to make the island into the very first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903. When you drive the Jungle Trail you come to an area with boardwalks and benches all through the island for viewing all kinds of birds.

This is a primitive camping area in St Sebastian River park.

This is just Nicky's favorite animal to chase an armadillo.

I met this cowboy on the trail and decided to take him with me.

The other man in my life!!!

As I said the beaches were only about 12 miles away and no traffic getting to them. There was the main beach at Vero and then beach accesses along route A1A. This was the Turtle Beach access. You walked through this canopy to get to the beach.

A lovely beach and and perfect weather that day.

We pretty much had the beach to ourselves.

We have extended our stay here for two days in hopes of seeing the Feb. 7th launch. It will be the last night time launch. Today we spent the day figuring out where we will drive go to observe take off. Big crowds are expected so it will probably be necessary for us to be there about 3 hours ahead of launch time. We're really excited about it. We'll , of course, update you all after the launch.

Harbor Lakes Port Chalotte, FL 2010

Just before leaving Peace River campground I had to go over and get a picture of this bike. Never saw anything like that before!!
We are staying at Harbor Lakes an Encore park in Port Charlotte for the week. They are nice big sites and nice and level.

This guy came to the picnic table right outside my kitchen window each morning and waited for a handout. I guess the camper before us was feeding him.

This was the area provided to take the dogs off lead. Nicky really enjoyed his run here.

One day we drove over to Fisherman's Village at Punta Gorda. Lots of little stores and restaurants.

The drive over was very pretty.

Lee would not do this with me so my pirate is missing a face!!!

It seems as though every city in Florida has gotten into painting murals on the walls of the city buildings.

One day we drove over to the dog beach in Venice so Nicky could have his day at the beach.

The following day Lee and I and our neighbors, Judy and Dave Boron from Ohio went to the Blind Pass Beach. We had a lot of fun getting to know Judy and Dave and hope to meet up with them again before the winter is over. This beach is located just north of Englewood beach the signage it above.

Dave, Judy, Judy and Lee.

It was a beautiful cloud free day about 77 degrees. What a great day. Tomorrow 1/29/10 we are off to Vero Beach on the Atlantic side. Almost exactly due east of Port Charlotte about 155 miles.

Isn't this beautiful?? We drove through miles of tree canopy like this on our way to the beach today and the gorgeous homes along the way were incredible.