ECUADOR

Hola chicas and cheekos,

 Let me share our Thanksgiving plans, November 17th to 28th

- Burritos in Ecuador -

Heralded as the center of the planet, equatorial Ecuador provided heightened opportunities to raft, hike, bike, swing, climb, feast, and burn.    

We leave Quito and travel by bus into the Amazon Basin to enjoy 

the incredible scenery en route to the jungle town of Tena.

Cozy hostal in Tena

Navigate the wild Jatunyaku River in the surrounding lush cloud forest. The cool water and air make this an excellent change from the tropical Amazon climate.

Transfer by private vehicle to the start point of the trek into Llanganates National Park. Enjoy spectacular scenery of the Tunguragua Volcano while trekking into the park through lush cloud forest. Spend the night camping under the stars enjoying nature at its best.

In between "killing it" it killed us.

Travel by bus to Baños, a town surrounded by lush cloud forest. 

Enjoy a free afternoon for optional activities like canyoning, 

ziplining, visiting local waterfalls, or exploring the town on foot. 

Adventurous swingers of all ages are welcome to take a ride at 

the end of the world, but at their own discretion.

Deep in the Ecuadorian wilderness is a seismic monitoring station in a tree known as Casa del Arbol. Its purpose is observe Mt. Tungurahua, the nearby active volcano, from its precarious perch. While the treehouse itself is a sight to behold, the real attraction is the crude swing hanging from one of the tree’s skinny branches.

Free morning in Baños for optional activities like horseback riding.

Getting to 16,000 feet is a killer…even if you started at 15,000.  

The 9 younger hikers in our group waited at the sign and cheered, 

applauded, videoed and photographed our late but safe arrival.  

So sweet.

In the morning, head into Cotopaxi National Park for a guided tour up the mountain, spectacular views, and a harrowing downhill mountain bike excursion. After lunch at Limpiopungo lake return to Quito for for a final night in the city.

Ecuador is the ROSE capital of the world.  And more...

We can find a church anywhere in the world.  

And Christ’s teachings are the same.  

I find that comforting and empowering.

 

Somehow we survived our extreme excursion to eclectic and ecological Ecuador.  

One reason we travel is summed up in this quote: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming, Wow! What a ride!”  - Hunter S Thompson  

Thrilled to have been there.  Happy to be home.

October 2016

HURRICANE  *  DISNEY  *  PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY

We dodged a hurricane - in a tin can  ;o}

It took 3 days for Matthew to travel up the 580 mile 

Atlantic coast where it made landfall.  Schools were closed.  

Toll roads were free, but you couldn’t go anywhere.  Most 

folks listened to warnings and got prepared.  Lives were saved.

CATegory Lane

Yellow T-shirt day in north Florida

Hurricane relief efforts took us to the Palm Coast area for 2 days.  

Mostly we cleared fallen trees or took down dangerous dangling limbs. 

The last house (5 houses from the beach) still had standing water in the driveway.  

The watermark was 30” and sadly they were unable to save anything before the 

storm hit.  We removed furniture with a team of 15 before we drove home.

While waiting out Matthew I painted out 3 open cubbies.  

Also this month Lane and I finally added the baseboard trim to Harvey.  

Over 130’ and 61 precise cuts with a hand saw, a plastic miter box, liquid 

nails and finishing nails.  It's just a tiny house but it took hours and hours 

and hours.  I hated doing it.  Such a chore. 

But now that it’s done I love the results.  

Family found us in Florida.

Into the mist, with Lincoln, Carrie, 5 children...and 2 big kids from Homestead.

This past week Lincoln, Carrie and 5 winsome g’kids invited 

us to join them at DisneyWorld.  How could we refuse?  

Splash Mountain, The Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania 

never disappoint.  But after this vacation my 'must do' list has 

grown to include the “Frozen Sing-a-long Spectacular” and 

dining with Princess Maggie in Cinderella’s Castle.  

Homemade Disney treats

                      Planting seeds of Disney awesomeness in the next generation.

Thee.  Best. Ride. Ever!

(Disney sent me this photo...but I cannot buy it because it is self 

incriminating for a G'ma to block out her handsome grandsons.)

Which T-shirt would you wear?

"I’m Grumpy, don’t make it worse"

"I’m not Grumpy, I’m just surrounded by people who are way too happy"

"Keep Calm & Visit Disney"

"I eat glitter for breakfast"

"I'm so fly I neverland"

Disney characters.

These bands are magic.

And we’ve repeated this Disney date many times over the years.

                     1996                                 1998                                 2013                                 2016

20th anniversary - platinum
Lane is my hero, tolerating my annoyances for 20 years.

Last week I made my first attempt at a bright and tasty 

bouquet of chocolate dipped pretzels rods.  I gifted it to 

Lane on our anniversary.  He bested me with a bouquet 

of 20 roses (although he had help arranging it).  

Even when I lose I win!!!

Lane is terrible at one thing.  Keeping surprises.  

He gets so giddy that hints leak out.  But when I was 

serenaded in an outdoor mall I was stunned.  

The musician played “When I Fall In Love” on my saxophone.  

Now I am taking music classes - after 45 years - as I 

relearn on my refurbished tenor sax.  Cool beans!

Ward Halloween Harvest Party

- and our dessert contest entry.

I love looking back on everything that happened this month.

September 2016

Important events for the month of September 2016

Living in a “state-in-play” made for a cheap and entertaining date night 

in downtown Miami.  I am married to a political junkie.  Lane was in his 

element.  We both felt like we were back in Manhattan as R. Giuliani 

(“America’s mayor" and former mayor of NYC) stepped out to speak and 

later when DJT made his stage appearance during a blaring anthem of 

“Do You Hear the People Sing?” from our days taking in Broadway musicals 

like Les Miserables.  

We ended the week sitting on a sandbar in the Keys joined by photographer Uncle Mac.

This family tree poster 'made the cut' and hangs on one 

of our 2 window-free walls of our 5th wheel.

We experienced a few days of Autumn in Cleveland.  

(Well, I was there 4 days, Lane 1)

The Robison Family invited us to see their city and surrounding area.

Precious and sweet moments with this cherished daughter and granddaughter.

It was a fun and amazing week. Thank you Robison’s for taking time out for us.

Jami, I will always come and find you. 

Stay adventurous! 

Cartagena

August 29th - September 3rd, 2016

Cartagena, Colombia

My past week - Flights, sites, delights, bites, insights, highlights, ALRIGHT!

Our “Labor Day” trip to Cartagena, Colombia was incredible.  Exploring fortress tunnels, experiencing “old town” by carriage, sipping piña colada’s on a white sand beach, jet skiing in the Caribbean Sea, a crazy private salsa dance class, OH! and that mud massage in a mythical volcano turned tourist attraction.  We entered the thick slate gray murky pool, floated around or bobbed upright, never able to touch the bottom and came out as true ‘muddy buddies’.  Haha.  We recommend it!

Ironically our Labor Day trip ended before Labor Day.  So this morning as we woke up in Florida and drove to church Lane asked me…so, what do you want to do for Labor Day?  I think we’ll have lunch in Key Largo and have a swim.  What are your plans?

There is no better pattern of life anywhere, no surer way to find peace and the path forward, than by following Jesus Christ.  He alone has the power to make our lives more heavenly.