CHEERS

CHEERS!

Enter 2011. What will it bring?

We began 2011 in Austin with Andy, Kerry, Addison and Emme. The girls rang in the new year at 8pm (bedtime for them) and we followed suit not much later. Spent the next week visiting them and then headed for Florida to visit Roger's sister Sue and our friends Rick and Linda. Scooted along the gulf coast avoiding yet another storm slamming the mid section of the US.
Spent the night in Orlando with Sue and Charles before heading to Fort Lauderdale. The next day Anne flew to Detroit, spent the night with Dan, Andrea and Kyla before driving to Fort Wayne for lunch with my friend Marlo, meeting up with my friend Janet and heading to the Geneva Center for the annual Project Linus Retreat. As always a great retreat, especially when Kate can join us. Returned to Fort Lauderdale Monday.









Meanwhile Roger was enjoying some time with Sue and a boat ride on the Atlantic and the intercoastal waterway.
While in Florida we visited with Rick and Linda in Ocala where he was serving an interium ministry. Great times walking in the woods and renewing good friendships!









We also visited the Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. Biscayne is mostly water so sure enough we took a canoe tour! A little trouble getting coordinated, but worth the try! Had a Manatee surface right beside the boats!






Also saw cousin Shirley before the first of her "year of mini marathons."






As we started west again, we drove up the gulf coast of Florida to see those beaches and drive through the Apalachicola National Forest. Stopped to visit long time friends Chip and Mary Bell and meet their newest grandchild Cecelia. Since we share our birthday, it seemed a good time to swap cards! Always a treat to spend time with them.









Avoiding another storm, we headed to the coast to drive to Port Aransas, TX. where we had rented a cottage for the month of February. What a nice place, walking distance to most everything on the island, quaint and un-commercialized. We arrived on the heels of ice and snow as far as Corpus Christi! At least it disappeared the next morning! The cold temperatures hung on for the weekend though. Andy and family joined us for the weekend and we did get out on the beach some.
Spent the next week getting to know our way around Port A and finding information about deep sea fishing trips as well as a multitude of other activities occurring on the island while we are here. Films, lectures and sea-research tours abound with the presence of the UT Marine Science Institute and joint Texas A&M research labs.
Andy and family returned the next weekend and Roger and Andy went fishing. Not too productive, but a learning experience.


Andy and Kerry returned home Sunday leaving Addison and Emme with us for a few days. Had so much to see and do but not enough time! Met mom in Cuero for lunch and swap on Tuesday.











Visited Padre Island National Seashore and learned the value of the barrier islands. Met this ghost crab..... and saw shore birds.




Took a boat tour to see the endangered Whooping Cranes which winter in The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (saw more than 50), identified many other birds and watched dolphins play beside the boat, visited a small pond where the Black-crowned night heron hangs out all day and counted 215 leaving for dinner at dusk!