Prayers...

always in our minds and hearts.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas was pool side and on the tennis court... very non-traditional! But Santa still found us. Thanks to all our family and friends who sent cards and gifts... especially the edible ones! Sampson loved his "Elmo Replacement" Auntie Wee. Dogs do smile!
We walked the beach Christmas Eve and spoke about our many blessings. Family, friends, our health, the weather... Wishing you all a joyous holiday season.

Glen, Connie & Katie... Oh and Sam n' Lu!

OOOSAWALLA HA!! (Connie language)

We picked her up at the Punta Gorda airport Wednesday afternoon and headed straight to the beach to get some sand in our toes. The birds put on a show just for Kate and sunset was on time and spectacular. Dinner at McCabe's Irish Pub off 5th Street (I "procured" a supply of monogrammed cocktail napkins for you, Tim). So good to have her here. She slept 12 hours for the past 2 nights. Poor working girl is all worn out. Muma Luv will take care of that.

Katie ran down the beach chasing the birds like she used to when she was 4. Some things never change...

Christmas shopping was fun yesterday. All the palm trees are wrapped in white lights. Santa is wearing shorts. Instead of Christmas cookies and egg nog we had Cuban pulled pork paneras and black bean soup. We stumbled into a wine tasting event (... and stumbled out). Connie only got lost twice so we have devised new reminders to carry our cell phones. It involves honking the van horn, doing a little dance, clapping hands and now pantomiming a phone call... then laughing hysterically as people look out the corners of their eyes at us.

Who has more fun than people?

Fort Myers

We need a bumper sicker on our van that says "We stop for Rainbows..." Big double above the Sanabel Captiva Causeway... Connie gets wicked excited....

Lat night we had dinner at a great seafood restaurant called "Prawnbroker" with Uncle Ray, Aunt Bev, Nancy and Michael. Lots of laughs "We decided on a new kitchen...", happy memories and sharing of news from the families. What a good bunch!

Sam n' Lu were welcomed and proceeded to make themselves a home... So many laps to sit in... so little time....

Katie comes tomorrow!!! WoooHoooo!!!

Sunset on the Gulf

Wow! Could really get used to this place. There is a lot of $$$ here... an understatement. But last night when we walked 33 Ave beach we saw only a dozen people over a 2 hour period. The poor rich folks were too busy taking care of their stuff to come out for a glorious sunset. Ya gotta feel bad for em...

Talked to my friend John last night. What a good guy.

6 Days to Katie!! YEAH!!!! can't wait to see her

Punta Gorda

Art and Carol invited us up for dinner and a boat ride. I had no idea that Art was into boating in such a "BIG" way. Who knew? We had a great day and can't thank them enough for the wonderful hospitality.

Art noticed the hat on Captain Harold Small from New Harbor Maine. He and his lovely wife Ellie stopped to talk for a few minutes with their dog "Buddy Love". We played the "who do you know game" and shortly had identified mutual acquaintances. If we had talked for a few more minutes we would undoubtedly have found we were related... Small world and wonderful people. Harold and Ellie invited us all over for drink and offered us the spare bedroom if we wanted to stay in Florida after January. Really nice people.

What a journey we are on...

editors comment by Sam and Lulu: And while they were out to dinner, we got to sit on the couch with Aunt Peggy (Carol's mom). We can't tell you how well she took care of us! What a nice woman!

Clam Pass

Sunset at Clam Pass. 85 degrees. We hear from family and friends that Maine got socked! And this morning it was 1 degree in Skowhegan. December is a tough month in many ways, but being in this warm and healing place makes it much easier.


We waded in the Gulf of Mexico for about a mile checking out an incredible array of shells. (Nanie would have filled her bucket in 2 minutes! see picture gallery...) Connie knew a short cut back to the car through the mangrove swamp trail and we ended up stranded on a peninsula! Next time we're bringing the Garmin! Incredible beauty. The sun melted into the sea.

Connie called her good friend Carol from Michigan who she hadn't seen since December 1999 just to touch base. Carol said, "Where are you?" "Naples Florida", Connie replied. After a stunned silence, Carol said " Oh my Lord, so am I!!" Long story short. She was sitting in a Starbucks on Davis Boulevard 5 minutes away from our condo. A picture is worth a thousand words...
Coincidences? Ya think....?

editors comment by Lulu: Sure is nice walking on a beach instead of on ice. Short dogs have a problem with 20 inches of snow! We went to a Christmass tree lighting last night and were mobbed by lots of little girls in red and white dresses. Samson found a friend named Everett. Check the picture gallery... It's so easy to meet people and spread joy when you are as cute as me and Sam...

that'll do,
Sam n' Lu

Sunday in Naples

Nice trip down the East coast of Florida with stops in Jekyl Island, Amelia Island and Saint Augustine. Saint Augustine was charming, all decorated for Christmas. Felt very old world. Took the back roads to Naples through Florida farm country. Reminded us of Belize... especially the prison complex and the orange trees.

Found a wonderful place in Naples, called Unity Church. Very embracing. Wonderful music, overlooking a pond, butterflies, flowers... a really peaceful place. It made us think of what Christmas has become in our materialistic society and of what it is really supposed to be about. We hope our friends and family can find the joy of the season and avoid the frenzied rush.

No internet connection at the condo so sitting in a parking lot where we picked up a wireless signal. We are "off the map" (except for an occasional blog entry). Feels pretty good.