Tempus fugit.
This week I've been making arrangements for my trip to Lakeland, FL, for the NAWCC mid-winter regional watch/clock show, and visit with my friends, Gene and Pegg Johnson, in St. Pete Beach. My Powerpoint presentation is ready, and I've confirmed with the show chairman that computer and data projector will be there, so all I have to bring is a thumb drive with my program on it. Amazing. For accommodations, I've reserved an airbnb at a home in Lakeland with host "Melissah."
For the show, I'm just staying one night (Friday) and decided to drive to Lakeland on Friday morning direct to the show rather than staying over Thursday night and incurring another night's lodging expense. It's about a 2.5 hour drive from Ft. Myers to Lakeland, and my presentation is at 10:30 a.m.. So if I leave by 7 a.m., I should be fine. I'll leave the show about noon Saturday and drive to St. Pete Beach to stay 2 overnights with Gene and Pegg. Look forward to catching up with them, swimming, dining out, and relaxing.
Received the sad news Sunday (1/29) night that (sis-in-law and cruise buddy) Julie's mom -- Mary Weisner -- passed away on Tuesday 1/24. This happened while Julie was on her way back to Wisconsin from our Caribbean cruise. Mary was 91. Among her many accomplishments, she obtained a degree in biology at UW-Platteville, and was an event/convention coordinator for hotels, including the Concourse Hotel and Convention Center in Madison, from which she retired in 1992.
I have many happy memories of holidays spent at Mary's home in Stevens Point. She was witty, funny, and we both had an affinity to cocktails. Condolences to Julie and the family, and rest in peace dear Mary.
Also this past weekend, I bought plane tickets for Julie and I for what will be the first leg of our Australia adventure this coming September. We will spend a week in Hawaii before boarding Royal Caribbean's "Radiance of the Seas" in Honolulu for the 18-day cruise to Sydney. I found a great deal on Alaska Airlines for $391 PP out of O'Hare to Kona, with a 3.5-hour layover in Seattle which will give us a chance to stretch our legs. We'll leave O'Hare at 6 a.m. and arrive in Kona 3:05 p.m. local time. In all, we will be in the air 10 hours and 35 minutes, for a distance of 4,402 miles, and the total journey time will be just a hair over 14 hours including the layover. We "gain" five hours' time as we are flying westward, so even though we arrive 3:05 p.m., our bodies will feel as though it's 8:05 p.m. So needless to say, it will be a "chill day" for the first day on the Big Island!
So departure is still 7.5 months away, but it will be here before we know it. And there are so many plans and reservations to make for both Hawaii and Australia that I may even enlist the help of a travel agent or planner. But at least the flight to Hawaii is booked and paid, and of course the cruise is booked (but not paid for, except for a token deposit!).
Dawn and I tried a new restaurant yesterday (Sunday). Hungry for a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, we found the "Chicago Boys Bar and Grill." $32 for two sandwiches with tater tots, a soft drink, and 2 glasses of Rolling Rock for me. Sad to say, it was merely average. The beef was processed, and the tots were over-fried. There were about 2 strips each of green pepper and onion, for which I was charged $1 for EACH. About the best I can say is that the 16-ounce Rolling Rock taps were only $2 each. We won't be going back, and we can add Italian beef sandwiches to the list of things you can't get down here, along with pizza and cheese spread!
Got to the gym once this past week, and today walked a 1.25 lap around Lakes Park. Trying to get back on a regular exercise program following the gastronomic overload on the cruise.
Hope everyone back in Wisconsin is well. Looks like you're all going through another cold spell. As I write this, it's 15 degrees in Madison, and you'll be in single digits for lows this week. We're in the 70s this week, climbing into the low 80s by Saturday, and sunshine aplenty.
Bruce
Received the sad news Sunday (1/29) night that (sis-in-law and cruise buddy) Julie's mom -- Mary Weisner -- passed away on Tuesday 1/24. This happened while Julie was on her way back to Wisconsin from our Caribbean cruise. Mary was 91. Among her many accomplishments, she obtained a degree in biology at UW-Platteville, and was an event/convention coordinator for hotels, including the Concourse Hotel and Convention Center in Madison, from which she retired in 1992.
I have many happy memories of holidays spent at Mary's home in Stevens Point. She was witty, funny, and we both had an affinity to cocktails. Condolences to Julie and the family, and rest in peace dear Mary.
Also this past weekend, I bought plane tickets for Julie and I for what will be the first leg of our Australia adventure this coming September. We will spend a week in Hawaii before boarding Royal Caribbean's "Radiance of the Seas" in Honolulu for the 18-day cruise to Sydney. I found a great deal on Alaska Airlines for $391 PP out of O'Hare to Kona, with a 3.5-hour layover in Seattle which will give us a chance to stretch our legs. We'll leave O'Hare at 6 a.m. and arrive in Kona 3:05 p.m. local time. In all, we will be in the air 10 hours and 35 minutes, for a distance of 4,402 miles, and the total journey time will be just a hair over 14 hours including the layover. We "gain" five hours' time as we are flying westward, so even though we arrive 3:05 p.m., our bodies will feel as though it's 8:05 p.m. So needless to say, it will be a "chill day" for the first day on the Big Island!
So departure is still 7.5 months away, but it will be here before we know it. And there are so many plans and reservations to make for both Hawaii and Australia that I may even enlist the help of a travel agent or planner. But at least the flight to Hawaii is booked and paid, and of course the cruise is booked (but not paid for, except for a token deposit!).
Dawn and I tried a new restaurant yesterday (Sunday). Hungry for a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, we found the "Chicago Boys Bar and Grill." $32 for two sandwiches with tater tots, a soft drink, and 2 glasses of Rolling Rock for me. Sad to say, it was merely average. The beef was processed, and the tots were over-fried. There were about 2 strips each of green pepper and onion, for which I was charged $1 for EACH. About the best I can say is that the 16-ounce Rolling Rock taps were only $2 each. We won't be going back, and we can add Italian beef sandwiches to the list of things you can't get down here, along with pizza and cheese spread!
Got to the gym once this past week, and today walked a 1.25 lap around Lakes Park. Trying to get back on a regular exercise program following the gastronomic overload on the cruise.
Hope everyone back in Wisconsin is well. Looks like you're all going through another cold spell. As I write this, it's 15 degrees in Madison, and you'll be in single digits for lows this week. We're in the 70s this week, climbing into the low 80s by Saturday, and sunshine aplenty.
Bruce
Always interesting. The stuff you come up with! I've never done AirBNB...that looked interesting...really cute place in Lakeland & decent $$$...I'll have to try that one of these days. Say 'hi' to sister pone.
ReplyDeleteSee you Saturday, Feb. 11 for your two-night stay. Hope the weather is good. Look forward to chillin' with you. Good luck at the watch show. Gene
ReplyDelete