US Visit Feb - Mar

There's a paucity of pictures this time.  Part of the reason was that it wasn't the best of trips, though it is always wonderful to visit with family and see old friends.  Part of it was/is that as the grandkids get older, they're not around as much and - no offense - but they aren't those cute little babies anymore.  In fact the oldest of the "babies" is about to turn 21!

We began in Orlando having enjoyed our "sandwich" seats on the flight:  reserve A and C and hope no one wants B. And then - voilà  - it worked!  That said, it is still hard to really sleep on a plane (unless you are Crissy- according to Lee) but it was better than OK - relatively lots of room to stretch and not worry about touching a stranger next to you.

But we arrived with germs and withint two days had to find a doc and get some meds and try to keep our peeps from getting our germs.

Our Jacksonville stop got scrapped.  No visits to high school friends, no visit to our favorite B&B.

Nancy to the rescue.  She offered the beach house at St. George where I could recover and keep germs away from our family.  It worked!  No one got sick, and of course I got better.  Please, beach?  Surf? Sand?  Yes, that is all good medicine.  And I guess I will have to credit Tamiflu too, because after two days, I was OK.

The first day at the beach was cloudy and stormy, but frankly, that was perfect.  We cocooned inside and rested.

Next day, the sun came out and we took a walk along the beach.

Great!  On to Panama City!!

I was OK.  Good start.  Michelle had bought an old clock from a client and got Werner to take a look at it.  Diagnosis: it's gonna need some work!

Then, well, you know, Werner got what I had had.  Off to the walk-in clinic again, more Tamiflu, and fingers crossed that we keep our germs to ourselves.  Again.

We did take a day off to meet up with an old Tallahassee friend, David, who'd lived at Goodwood Plantation for some years.  We lunched with him and Deb, another Goodwood alumna, and had a great time reminiscing and scorfing down onion dip and chips!!!  How decadent!

But then, a bolt from the blue.  Gina, Steve's wife, died during the night, so unexpectedly!  So much sadness for those left behind and so much rearranging of schedules so we could honor Steve and family. But that is what family does.

But before heading to Atlanta, there was an amazing fondue dinner - the whole bit with cheese and beef and veggies and it was so wonderful.  

Werner and I drove up to Atlanta, not really far off from our original plans except for our sleeping accommodations. Lee and Michelle made plane reservations so they could be there for the memorial service.  It was a sad way to get together, but nevertheless a time when family celebrated being with each other.  The picture is only in my head, but seeing the cousins and their spouses sitting on the porch at Carla and Tim's, talking and laughing and enjoying each other is an image worth keepingin my memory.

It was a nice Good Bye to Gina.

Of course, one of the best parts for me is acutally being in the same place with both of my kids at the same time.  It doesn't happen often enough. Heart heart heart.

The day after (or was it two days after?), we went to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens with David, Dana and family along with Ginny and Julia.  What a green treasure in the middle of the city it is!  And it was such a loverly afternoon.

 Of course, there was sister (and BIL) time too.

 Then a brief pause in Tallahassee.  Nancy's house has camellias down the drive and in the yard and this time of year they are amazing.  Otherwise, we ate and talked and talked and did a bit of shopping and talked and, you know, talked.  It was really nice.

 Werner went to the car museum... again.  We were all happy.

Then back to Orlando and the end visit with Dylan and Hayden and their parents.  :-)  We had an early celebration with Hayden for his 13th  !!!!!! birthday.  He liked the sparkly candles and loved the Überraschungseier.  Thank goodness for small pleasures.

And one family pic.  Honestly, it's hard to get them all together in the same place!  Dylan has so many after-school activities, Mom and Dad work A LOT. It's crazy around there - but fun!

And here we are at home again.  I've been back at work, Werner's been back to his volunteer work, and, after a week plus, we have adjusted to local time.

But I am always in two places.  Two homes. Call me bi-country.