New Hampshire to Florida
	September 19 to 27, 2009
	9 days, 7 stops, over 2,200 miles (3500 KM)

Our end of summer transition from New Hampshire to Florida became a fun-packed road trip which included a family reunion, catching up with friends and family along the way (one couple we had not seen in 20 years), and a "White Coat Ceremony" for nephew David (see separate Web link for that special event). The route at left shows our stopping points, including two nights in Owego NY, and then one night each in Severna Park MD, Zelienople PA (near Pittsburgh), Cleves OH (near Cincinnati), Bardstown KY, Harrogate TN, and Dacula GA (near Atlanta), before getting back to Fernandina Beach FL.

		Our first stop on the trip south was at Margy's sister's house, our only two-night stand. Saturday afternoon we visited her daughter, Laura, at the bookstore, in "America's Coolest Small Town!"

		Owego NY really is a cool small town. We decided to eat at the "Jail House Restaurant," located behind the old County Courthouse (1882). Dining tables were set up in what used to be the actual prison cells. Unique!

		After dinner, as the sun set, we strolled back to Bibba's house, enjoying the beautiful statues and homes around town.

The next morning, Sunday, September 20, we met for breakfast with nephew Peter and his wife Dawn, their son Griffin, plus Bibba and Laura. Peter coached Griffin on the art of shooting the paper off a straw.

After breakfast, Bibba and Margy took a quiet moment to visit the family grave sites in town.

		Margy's sister, Pat, came east from Montana for her 50th High School reunion. This became a catalyst for a family and friends reunion at a local park.

Sister Kathy (center) did much of the organizing, including detailed preparations such as having family albums and photos for all to enjoy.

Kathy reserved a pavilion at the local park, and all had the opportunity to sit, chat, catch-up, and eat plenty.

Artie with Pat's husband, Dave (above), Alice, Carl and Bob, Kathy's husband (right). Alice went to school with Kathy.

		At left, Laura and Mom (Bibba, seated) with Corrine (a dear friend of Kathy's who sings with her in her gospel group), and at right Carl, Bob and Alice enjoy good memories.

Margy, Pat, Bibba, Frank (the "adopted brother") and Kathy. Four of the five sisters were able to attend the picnic.

		Picnics of course are for kids of any age, to play and to be admired by all the family.

		Cousin Mike volunteered to be cook. We enjoyed all he made!

Hamburgers, hot dogs, and Mike's specialty: speedies (marinated and broiled lamb and chicken). Plus all the family dishes people provided.

Though not all were still available for a group shot, we tried to get the majority of those who had attended. It was fun to share a family picnic with friends and relatives that we had not seen in years as well as those that have been steadily in contact. We rested our second night at Bibba's, and then continued south early Monday morning.

By the next afternoon, Monday, September 21, we arrived in Severna Park, MD. We made a brief visit to cousin Louise and Dave. During the visit we learned that this would be our last time to see them in this house. They had sold it and were moving to Annapolis MD to live in a condominium community. We'll see them there on our next visit!

Monday evening we were invited to a dinner party at our friend John's house, also in Severna Park, in view of the Chesapeake Bay. The table was elegantly set for friends we both knew, and for a new couple and a friend we had not yet had the opportunity to know. Before dinner we got to meet John's business partners, and friends, Christer, and his wife Camilla (below). Christer's hobbies include model plane building and flying. He showed us one with his own design using a remote-control digital camera.

		Christer, his model plane, remote control unit and camera.

		The pre-dinner launch from John's back yard, and flight over the bay.

Artie, Bob and John are "heads up," enjoying the overhead flight.		Christer masterfully flies the plane.

		As seen, and photographed, from Christer's plane.

After the outdoor entertainment was over, we headed inside to enjoy a spectacular dinner prepared and served by Jane (front and center), a family friend of John and Bobbi's. She volunteered for the job! Joining us for dinner in addition to Christer and Camilla were Dennis and Cari (who live less than a half hour from John's house), and Bob and Cece, who we had met a few weeks earlier at the wedding of John and Bobbi's daughter, Kristin (see wedding photos in our August trip west).

Cece, Camilla, Artie, John, Margy and Cari		Cari, Dennis, Bob, Christer, Cece, and Camilla

Tuesday morning, before heading out of town, we visited John and Christer's research lab for their CuZn water filtration business. It was fun to see their creative and innovative ideas.

		Our next one-nighter was at the beautiful home of Dave and Laura, near Pittsburgh PA. Dave and Artie first worked together 20 years ago in Castle Hayne, North Carolina. Then ten years later, again in Chile! We had not seen them for about 7 years.

Despite living in the heart of Pittsburgh Steelers Football country, Dave and Laura proudly display their Buffalo (NY) Bills banner at their front door.

That evening we surprised our Chilean friend Mónica with a Skype call (she was their Spanish tutor as well as ours). She had not seen Laura and Dave in years. In the morning, we caught up on email and hit the road again, off to Cincinnati.

Wednesday evening, September 23, we arrived at the home of Angela and Ariff. Artie worked with Ariff 40 years ago, in Solvay NY, and we lived nearby again in the late 1970s in Ohio, where Ariff told Artie about Aikido. We last saw them when they visited us in Chile, 3 years ago (see Ariff and Angela visit, 2006), when Ariff did an Aikido seminar in Santiago.

		We enjoyed a delicious home-cooked lasagna that Angela prepared for us. We relaxed with pleasant conversation before heading out to see the dojo (gymnasium) where Ariff instructs students of Aikido.

In addition to Ariff's work as the Cincinnati Occupational Health medical doctor, for the city's 6,000 employees, he gives his time as a volunteer at this dojo every Saturday morning. We stopped by briefly and saw a beginner class underway.

		In the entryway of the dojo, we were proud to see an artistic photo of Ariff. In addition, their wall had a hierarchy of names, with Ariff's, as a sixth degree black belt "Shihan," showing his prominence in his sport of over 40 years.

We were also proud to see Angela's Black Belt certificate on the wall with the many posted there at this top-notch Martial Arts school.

Thursday morning, before heading to Kentucky, we stopped to see Angela's art studio. She rents space in a downtown warehouse that has been converted to a center for creative pursuits such as art and theater. We were impressed with Angela's talent, and her continuing creative development.

Angela showed us her work, which began as classical study with portraits, and has more recently evolved into abstract art.

Dramatic life-like faces are captivating, with Angela's use of color and brush stroke.

		Forms, shapes and colors blend to create artful feelings on canvas.

Angela is now discovering her self expression through colors and designs that inspire the imagination.

While browsing her studio, we both fell in love with this sketch of female lion in a corner of the room. We asked Angela to sign it, and we brought it with us to be hung in our Florida home.

		After Angela's art studio, we drove directly to Clermont, Kentucky, to visit Fred, a co-worker friend of Artie's from our days in Houston TX, 20 years ago. Fred is now the Senior Engineering Manager for the Jim Beam distillery.

Fred gave us an excellent private tour of the site. We started in the employee break room, which displayed hundreds of the special bottles that had been used for this bourbon. Jim Beam started over 200 years ago and is the world leader.

Although the tour did not permit photos inside the processing plant, we were able to get this photo of Artie dressed up in the required hair net and beard net for sanitary obligations inside the site. Quite stylish, don't you think? The process was amazing, with bottle filling systems (designed by Fred's people) at rates of over 400 bottles per minute! We watched the labels get applied onto the bottles at this speed, and it looked like a blur!

The bourbon must age in toasted oak barrels for 7 to 10 years, and is stored in warehouses like their oldest one at the right. The process is focused on quality control, is clean and well run.

Not all the warehouses look so old as the earlier photo. Above is a modern office and one of their newer warehouses.

It was our pleasure to get to see this special two-century old successful business, and to see Fred after all these years.

After the plant tour, we headed to Fred and Pat's house in nearby Bardstown for an evening and morning together. The two decades of absence melted quickly, as though there had been no missed time at all. It is always that way with good friends.

Their house appears to be in the middle of a park, with beautiful trees all around. Both Fred and Pat are very active in the community, with Pat past President of Habitat for Humanity and an active Red Cross Volunteer, and Fred was twice elected to the City Council and is now on the City's Planning Board.

		Fred and Pat are excellent furniture builders and refinishers. We were impressed with their self-made construction and restoration. The shop was impeccable, as was the work-in-progress that we saw. We look forward to see how their projects turn out.

We enjoyed breakfast together in the quaint downtown of Bardstown, Kentucky. Mammy's Kitchen was a tasty local restaurant, typical of the pretty home-town style of Main Street. From there we departed for Tennessee, to attend nephew David's White Coat Ceremony.

A weekend of rain did not dampen our spirits for the special ceremony of David's first year of medical school. See all the details of this event in Harrogate, Tennessee, by clicking on "Future Doctor David" in our Home Page.

		Our last stop on the way to Florida, Saturday night, September 26, was at Artie's cousin Selma's house near Atlanta. At left, Selma, husband Noel and their dog Sophie. Above, with Margy.

While there, we enjoyed seeing family photos of Artie's parents (above left) and Selma's mother (Artie's Pop's sister).

Noel, Selma and Artie. Though we spent only one night and morning with them, we always enjoy our time together, as we did when they visited us in Chile this past February. See "Selma and Noel Visit Chile."

By Sunday, September 27, we were back home in Fernandina Beach, Florida. Over the next few days we marveled once again at our beautiful lakeside views, including this sunrise photo above. We then took several sunrise walks on the beach.

Within ten minutes by car we are at the beach.

It never stops inspiring us to breathe the fresh salt air, see the wildlife, and enjoy a new day so bright and hopeful.

Except for some wildlife and a few early morning walkers, we practically have the beach all to ourselves.

Another day, another beautiful sunrise. To the beach again.

This time Margy decided to get her feet wet, while watching others stroll their dogs, and stir the seagulls.

		Many morning moments.

What a way to start your day! We love our retirement life with the joys of seeing friends, family and the beauty of nature.

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