Karen and I have been staying in Central Florida since the end of 2023. We've had a few opportunities to explore the central part of the state between Tampa Bay, Gainesville and Titusville/Coco Beach. It is so much more than Disney World and the other City of Orlando tourist attractions. Before Walt Disney arrived in Orlando, Florida it was primarily a military town. With a population of about 50,000 people, the area featured the Orlando Airbase and McCoy Air Force base. The swampland and breezy streets didn't exactly call out to travelers. We've learned the region was originally inhabited by Timucua and later Seminole peoples. Settlement began about 1843 around Fort Gatlin, a U.S. Army post. First called Jernigan for Aaron Jernigan, an early settler, the town was renamed in 1857 to honor Orlando Reeves, an army sentry killed during the Seminole Wars. The greater area of Central Florida is mostly flatland with significant amounts of open space and over 1,500 lakes and ponds. There is a mixture of wetlands, Cypress, Oak, Maple and Pine forests, pastures, prairies and coastline. On Thursday, February 15 we ventured out west towards Crystal and Homosassa Springs. Our travels took us to the Florida Cracker Monkey Bar located near the World Famous Monkey Island in Historic Old Homosassa, Florida. So what is a Florida Cracker? The term generally describes a class of early pioneers, mainly small farmers and cattle ranchers. Cracker cowboys are sometimes called cow hunters. When it was time for branding or driving the cattle to market, the cracker cowboys would search the swamps and round up all of the cows with the aid of whips and cattle dogs. Florida Crackers are also distinguishable by the style of their frontier homes, musical traditions, and food ways. The restaurant had a 4.7 star rating so we stopped there for lunch and were not disappointed. Karen had the Ponte Vedra Salad with Jumbo shrimp, crispy romaine lettuce, avocado, hearts of palm, onion, and vine ripened tomatoes arranged “Florida style” with choice of dressing. I had the Cattle Drive Burger, an 8oz Angus beef with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions & bacon and topped with a heap of crispy onion straws and sweet BBQ sauce served with kickin’ slaw. Our server, Madison was very cute and attentive. She provided us directions to the state park nearby after we finished our meal We arrived at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park after lunch and paid $13 each to visit. Karen got to travel the park via a wheelchair provided by the facility. Now I can say I push my wife around...ha ha! Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park occupies almost 200 acres around Homosassa Spring, which is the primary source for the Homosassa River. Although the spring has been the focus of human interest from prehistoric times, it was first developed as a tourist attraction in the early 1900's, attracting visitors from as far away as Europe. Beginning in 1978, the land around the spring changed ownership several times until it was finally purchased by the State of Florida to protect its environmentally sensitive features. The main entrance to the Park is along US 19 in the town of Homosassa Springs where you will find ample parking, a visitor center, snack bar and gift shop. From that location, you can take a tram or pontoon boat to the west entrance about a half mile away. There is a also a parking area at the west entrance along West Fishbowl Drive for those who wish to skip the gift shop experience. The central feature of Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is the main spring, where you can view the spring from the "Fish Bowl" floating underwater observatory, where East Indian manatees are almost always present. The Park serves an important role of being a rehabilitation center for orphaned or injured manatees that recuperate in the spring waters before being released again to the wild. There is a boat tour company to take snorkelers to the springs to swim with the manatees. These animals are truly gentle giants. While viewing from an elevated deck, we watched a manatee swim up to a lady in the water and roll over; it was beautiful and amazing! The Park also includes a large number of native animals in natural settings. Paved, wheelchair accessible paths wind throughout the park, allowing easy access for viewing black bear, Florida panther, bobcats, deer, alligators, and many other species. In addition to the animals that are housed at the park - most of which have been injured, or for some other reason cannot survive in the wild - a large number of wild birds and other species call the Park home. The main Manatee Spring is only one of many springs in an area within a four square mile area around the upper Homosassa River. Collectively the springs produce over 200 million gallons per day and act as the source for the river. The main spring, where the floating observatory is placed, emits about 67 million gallons per day, making it a first magnitude spring. Underwater explorations have been conducted of many of these springs. However, public swimming and scuba diving in the main spring are not allowed. This outing was another benefit and interesting side trip of our extended stay in central Florida as Karen continues the recovery process.

Karen is now 9 days post surgery and had her first Physical Therapy appointment on Wednesday, February 7 for an evaluation. Her first manipulation PT appointment was 1 week post surgery on Friday, February 9. She worked out for about an hour and was sore afterwards but survived the treatment. Bill, her physical therapist thinks she is progressing well, but he warned her not to push it too quickly. Sleeping comfortably at night is Karen's biggest challenge right now. We're still trying to figure out the right timing for the pain medication throughout the night. During the days, Karen keeps moving around the trailer just fine with the help of the walker or cane we have available and she even gets in those short walks without any aids to help the healing and strength process. She is having no problem getting in and out of the truck or trailer. We're staying relatively close to home in Bushnell most of the time. Occasionally we venture out to run errands, however she will stay in the truck while I go into the store. On Tuesday, February 6 we got brave and ventured out on a double date with Sean and Kathy Earley as we decided to push the envelope to drive 30 minutes to the Texas Roadhouse restaurant for a steak dinner. Karen navigated the restaurant and the crowd just fine; almost felt like normal life again. Super Bowl Sunday we have planned another dinner outing to the local Mexican restaurant Pico de Gallo in Bushnell before the big game. Besides playing the role of caregiver, I've kept myself busy doing RV projects in our fifth wheel. I added an accumulator tank to our fresh water pump system and changed a couple of the water hoses. Fitted close to the discharge port of the pressurized water pump, the accumulator tank acts as a pressure buffer, ensuring a smooth flow of water from the outlets. Without an accumulator tank, the pump is liable to switch itself rapidly on and off whenever its flow rate exceeds demand from the outlets. We also had a small leak in the basement around the water pump, so I fixed that problem too. Project #2 was mounting our Roku audio sound bar on the entertainment cabinet in the rig to free up a shelf behind the TV. Project #3 involved upgrading our RV radio with a better model that includes a DVD and remote control. We can now enjoy some of our musical DVDs when we cannot get Pandora using internet connectivity. And finally, I'm replacing our stock outdoor speakers with better marine grade, higher output speakers to enhance our outdoor music enjoyment. Sean and Kathy came over during the week to talk about our upcoming trip to Alaska this summer. We've completed the number one item on the checklist: we scheduled our meeting place and time in Shelby, Montana for June 11, 2024. From there we plan to drive through Canada to Tok, Alaska by July 1, and spend the Fourth of July in Fairbanks, Alaska. From there we have a three day reservation to stay in Denali National Park from July 8 through July 11, before heading south of Anchorage and a possible meet up with Jeff and Dana Guidi ,tentatively looking at joining us for a week or two in July. We are leaving the travel itinerary loose to allow time to modify the route, destination and visiting times in each location. We finished our planning sessions excited to see progress in making this trip of a lifetime a reality! The Earleys are leaving Bushnell on Monday, February 12, but we will see them in a few months in Montana...WooHoo! That's it for the Classy Nomads for now as we enjoy the warm weather here in Florida. We have asked if we can extend our stay at Sumter Oaks Escapees RV Park for another month if Karen's recovery warrants it, but honestly I think we might be able to hit the road again by February 26 when our original stay ends.

Karen was originally scheduled to go into Jacksonville on February 16 to have her hip replacement surgery, Well that was what we planned for on our calendar. On our way to see a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral on Tuesday, January 30 she received a call from the surgeon's office informing her that he would not be available to do the surgery on that date. Okay, what are our options now? How about this Friday, February 2? Ah, say what? Instead of 17 days to prepare for her surgery we now had 3 days to get her ready. I got the new extended trailer handle installed and a small step-up platform from Amazon for her to facilitate getting in-and-out of the fifth wheel and truck. She and I made a reservation at the Wyndham Hotel, less than two miles from the surgery center and departed on Thursday, February 1 to arrive the day before. We picked up her walker en route and received a call from First Coast Surgery Center asking her to arrive at 6:30 am on Friday morning. We got checked into the hotel around 4 pm and went to the hotel restaurant for an early dinner.. Friday morning, February 2 we were up around 5 am to get ready. We arrived at the surgery center shortly before 6:30 am and got Karen checked in. The staff had her in Pre-Op by 8 am where I got in one last visit to reassure her and give her a kiss before they wheeled her to the surgery. room. At 8:55 am I received a text message stating that she was in surgery. At 10:16 am I got a second text message stating that the procedure was almost completed and that the Surgeon would see me shortly in the consult room. A few minutes later I received my third text message that the surgery was finished and that she was in recovery. Dr. Lincoln, her surgeon met with me and told me that everything went as planned and he walked me through the medications she would be on during the rehabilitation process. I got to see her in recovery around 11 am. She was so happy to have this procedure behind her. Tears of joy and thanksgiving flowed as the anesthesia meds started wearing off. Meet Tilly, the Titanium Hip. For those who are curious, Titanium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia, and chlorine. Because titanium is biocompatible (non-toxic and not rejected by the body), it has many medical uses, including surgical implements and implants, such as hip balls and sockets (joint replacement) and dental implants that can stay in place for up to 20 years. The titanium is often alloyed with about 4% aluminium or 6% Al and 4% vanadium. The next two hours were spent getting Karen back on her feet safely. Michelle, her Physical Therapist, started working with her getting out of bed and into a chair. She walked with a walker and turned around. Karen got light-headed a couple of times, so we slowed down the process. But by 2 pm we were released and they wheeled her out to the truck. She climbed in and we left for the hotel. Once we arrived at the hotel I carefully unloaded the 'package' and walked her to the lobby. After arriving back at the room she got horizontal on the bed and took a much needed nap. I ran out to get some food for us to eat later at the hotel. She was still a little loopy and the meds didn't help with clarity of thought, so we are in new territory for the lady who normally has it all together. Friday night was uneventful, so Saturday at 10:30 am we loaded up the truck and drove the three hours back to Bushnell, Florida stopping once to get her out to walk around. The medications are keeping the pain under control, but she has been dealing with nausea on occasion through the process. We have drugs for that too. Saturday afternoon we got back to the RV Park around 2 pm and she made it from the truck and up into the trailer to her recliner like a champ. Another quiet afternoon and evening with periodic walks around the kitchen island between naps, snacks and bathroom visits. Get her into the bed was challenging due to its height and narrow path between the wall, but she did it and we only needed to get up twice during the night. Sunday looks like more of the same as Saturday, however she seems more clear headed today than Saturday. My biggest concern is she might try to progress too quickly, so we've had that talk about easing into doing more. Next Wednesday, February 7 she has her first PT visit here in Bushnell. Until then, keep her in your thoughts and prayers for a complete, quick recovery. And prayers for me, to hold this spirited mare from getting away too quickly!

One day shy of three weeks we finished our deck construction at Lake Swan Camp. Not counting the two younger camp staff, Kevin and Daniel that helped us with the heavy lifting, the average age of the  construction crew of eight men from RVICS, SOWERS and Campers on Mission was 72 years. The assignment was physically challenging but incredibly fulfilling to see how much we accomplished in 11 1/2 days time. Periodically during the construction I used my drone to capture the progress along the way. Lifting many of the construction features, like the 6x6 stanchion posts and 2x12x16 headers was a bit "hairy", but we had plenty of hands on deck for those assignments and thankfully we all stayed safe during the process. Floor joist were hung with 2x4 sleepers running the 60 foot length. Once they were attached, deck boards were then screwed on top.. A notch was cut in each of the 6x6 posts to attach 2-2x12x16 headers for the roof rafter assembly. Below you see Bill Ellis, our job construction site superintendent, finishing the notch with a reciprocating saw. After the headers were lifted and attached they were wood screwed together and 5/8 inch lag bolts were used to attach the two boards to the post. Below you see Dirk Small cut off the extra end of the bolt. Below you see two of our SOWERS, Charlie Schoeneberger and Jay Johnson attaching straps to the header and rafter junction for the roof. With the rafter assembly completed, the 4x8 sheets of 1/2 inch plywood roof deck were attached to cover the deck below. Kevin, our camp staffer is opening a box of the liners that will cover the roof deck plywood before the metal roofing arrives to complete the roof . Below the deck we added a 2x6 facia down to ground level to finish off the overall look. This was the first time I've ever participated in a construction project of this magnitude and I learned so much in the process. To stand back and look at something of this scale we helped to build is extremely satisfying. The camp director was very happy with the finished deck and could not say thank you enough for our efforts and the quality of workmanship. Bill did an outstanding job of leading the combined team of volunteers from three different entities. We all worked seamlessly together under his direction and accomplished the job without any serious injuries. We all picked up a couple of cuts and scratches along the way, but by far the greatest complaint was from sore muscles and overall fatigue. The job really kicked our butts. However it was worth it. Not bad for a bunch of old timers! Regarding all the ladies, they completed their painting assignment in the Anniversary Lodge. During November and January, the ladies painted the interior of 8 large guest rooms. This involved painting an accent wall in one color, the other three walls a different color and painting the trim a 3rd color. It was a big job working around the bunk beds in each room but they accomplished a lot with the RVICS, SOWER and Campers on Mission ladies all working together and having fun in the process. They joined us the last day for the drone photo below. Well done ladies! On Friday January 26, Karen and I departed Lake Swan Camp for Bushnell, Florida to meet up with Sean and Kathy Early to begin firming up our Alaska 2024 trip plans. Leaving Lake Swan Camp was bittersweet. We really bonded with all the team members and camp staff on this assignment as we worked together and had fun together. It is our hope and wish to meet again on another assignment in the future or on the road as the Classy Nomads travel.

We have just completed our first week of the January RVICS (Roving Volunteers In Christ Service) project at Lake Swan Camp and Conference Center in Melrose, Florida. The team is made up of four couples. I'd like to introduce them to all of you in this blog post. Steve and Joyce Parlette (on the left) are the teams leaders. They are originally from Ohio and have been with the RVICS ministry for six years now. They travel in their Reflection fifth-wheel by Grand Design and were our team leaders back in November 2023 also here at Lake Swan. Steve worked in IT before he retired and now does magic as a ministry. Joyce ran a knitting non-profit for years providing items for new mothers and their babies. Our newest couple to RVICS is Dirk and Julie Small from Pennsylvania (on the right). Dirk is a Pastor with a passion for missions looking to retire soon. Julie, a former teacher is retired now and they are looking to see if RVICS will be a good fit for their future. They are traveling with their dog Tilly, who is very cute and enthusiastic about this new adventure and loves making new friends. They are traveling in a beautiful 42' Jayco Pinnacle they picked up used but was meticulously cared for by the previous owners. Rounding out our team are Kerry and Peggy Stover (in the center next to me) who come from Indiana, They travel in their Jayco Eagle fifth-wheel trailer and have been with RVICS for three years. Kerry and Peggy come from manufacturing backgrounds and bring a long-list of skills to the project. The are part-time RV'ers and still own a "stick and bricks" home so they can be close to their grandchildren. In addition to our team from RVICS we are working with three other couples from SOWERS (Servants On Wheels Ever Ready) and two couples from Campers on Mission. One of the couples with SOWERS, Jay and Laurie Johnson are from Glennallen, Alaska so we will definitely need to pick up some hints and secrets from them for our Alaska trip next summer. The town they live in is named for Major Edwin Glenn and Lt. Henry Allen, both leaders in the early explorations of the Copper River region. The name was originally written as two names, but later made into one word by the post office. The community is about 4 hours east of Anchorage and north of Valdez dating back to construction of the Glenn Highway in the early days of World War II. The women have been assigned the interior painting of the dorm rooms in the Anniversary Lodge. This is the same building our women were painting back in November. The project is challenging due to the interior wall material being difficult to paint and there is a lot of trim to cut in as they proceed. With his electrical background, Kerry is installing new LED light fixtures in the dining hall. The rest of the men have been assigned the construction of an addition to the Chapel in the camp. This 12'x60' addition required 2'x2' concrete footings to be set and poured, with seven 12' - 6x6 vertical stanchions to support the floor joists and sleeper along the overall length. We completed all the concrete footings, stanchions and horizontal framing in the first week. Monday we will continue attaching joist hangers and begin the laying of the 2'x6' floor joists, Our hope is complete the floor framing for the addition by the end of week two.

The mornings have been chilly as we start out the new year. We've seen temperatures in the high 30 degrees but nothing below freezing yet. I was told by an employee at the local Ace Hardware when I was getting one of our propane tanks filled that they had five days in a row last year in the 20"s. Still, we're in Florida and expect the weather to be relatively mild compared to the rest of the country. Tuesday, January 2 we were off at 9 AM for Karen to get her pre-op lab work done for her upcoming surgery on February 16. I ran errands while she got her blood work and an EKG. On Wednesday, January 3 we traveled up to Jacksonville for Karen's "Joint Replacement Class". Her hip replacement surgery is now becoming a reality as we get her to the appointments for pre-op labs and physical therapy. Our biggest immediate question today was about stairs, which the fifth wheel has a few to navigate.. Karen will also have to get in and out of the truck post surgery which will be no easy task as well. The class was about 2 hours long and very comprehensive. We left realizing that we would have to make some travel changes to our scheduled tentative plans. Instead of staying four weeks at Sumter Oaks RV Park in Bushnell, FL, we are going to shorten that stay until only February 12. This will allow us time to relocate closer to Jacksonville for Karen's surgery date and and follow-up physical therapy appointments. We cancelled our three days at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, FL and informed our RVICS team leaders for the Dothan Community Church project in March we might not arrive on time. The travel schedule will depend on how quickly Karen's recovery proceeds. We will need to talk with Perry, the Lake Swan Camp Director, about returning and staying from February 12 until March 12. This would give Karen almost four weeks to recover from the surgery before leaving the area. On Thursday, January 4, two more of the volunteer workers for our project began arriving. Dirk and Julie Small came in with their 42' Jayco Pinnacle fifth wheel from Pennsylvania. Our last couple, Kerry and Peggy Stover, arrived on Friday with their Jayco Eagle fifth wheel so we now have all our crew on the property. In addition to our team, three other couples from the SOWERS organization started arriving to share the RV facilities so we have a full house of camper volunteers.. On Friday, Karen and I drove into Gainesville to hike the La Chua Trail which is an excellent wildlife watching site, with an elevated boardwalk and lengthy dike out to an observation tower which is part of the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. It is a massive landform in North Florida visited and written about by William Bartram in 1774, with an unusual twist for a prairie. It has a drain. That drain is called Alachua Sink, and every once in a while it clogs up, turning the prairie into a lake. In times of drought, water collects at this end of the prairie, as do the alligators. When Paynes Prairie floods, the dike portion of this hike is closed for the safety of visitors. The boardwalk remains open, providing a great perch for alligator sightings. On this visit, the dike portion was closed so we could only walk 1.7 miles of the 3 mile round-trip trail. Hundreds of birds included Snowy White Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Hooping Cranes, vultures and hawks congregated. But the stars of the trail were the alligators. All along the banks were alligators. Too close for Karen to feel comfortable, so she keep her distance.

2023 is in the rearview mirror and what an action packed year it was! Traveling from California throughout the southwest to Texas, continuing east through the south to Florida for the Winter then on up the east coast to Virginia and over the Appalachian Mountains to Kentucky and Indiana for the Alliance RV Rally in June. Onward to a wedding in New England and Canada for the Summer then down to Maryland for our first RVICS project in September. With Fall around the corner we continued south through Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia and back to Florida where have been since the end of October. It was a great year seeing the country and spending some extended time with family and friends along the way. With a new beginning ahead, Karen and I have a pretty good idea of where and what we want to see and do for the new year. January and most of February will be in Florida. We start another RVICS project on January 8 through January 26. We will be working again with Steve and Joyce Parlette as our team leaders and two other couples who are yet to arrive at the camp. Karen is scheduled for pre-op labs on January 2 in Keystone Heights nearby Melrose and on January 3 we travel to Jacksonville for her "joint replacement class". For those who missed it, Karen is having her right hip replaced on February 16 here in Jacksonville, Florida. Believe it or not, it is an out-patient surgery and I'll bring her home later the same day! According to her doctor, she should be on her feet the same day with a walker and three weeks later no walking aid will be required. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as we take on this new medical adventure together. Before her surgery we will move the fifth wheel to Bushnell, Florida for 18 days at the Sumter Oaks RV Park and meet up with Sean and Kathy Earley to plan our next big adventure later in the summer. June 2024 through September 2024 we have scheduled an RV trip to Alaska via the Alaska/Canadian Highway (ALCAN). We met Sean and Kathy at the Alliance Rally last year and floated the idea back then. The enthusiasm is still high, so now it's time to do the work of travel routes, timing, reservation planning and miscellaneous other logistics. Foundational to this trip is "the Milepost". The Milepost is the best-selling travel guide to Alaska and a "quintessential reference" for northern travelers. The Milepost includes mile-by-mile descriptions of more than 15,000 miles of road in Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta. It's 700-plus pages detail accommodations, camping, fishing, fuel stops, restaurants, attractions and services found along the highways and byways of Alaska and western Canada. The guide's Travel Planning section answers frequently-asked questions about travel in the North, including what you need to know about crossing the international border, traveling with pets, the Alaska ferry system, driving conditions, railroads, tours and wildlife. Suggested itineraries are mapped out to help travelers plan their trips. The 2023 edition of The Milepost® is the 75th edition of this classic annual travel guide, which was first published in 1949 as a 72-page guide to the recently opened Alaska ("Alcan") Highway. While the log of the Alaska Highway is still the foundation of this guide, it has been joined by dozens of connecting routes as well as newer roads, such as the Dalton Highway, the Dempster Highway and the recently opened road to Tuktoyaktuk. All highway logs, which are updated every year by field editors, include a look at the history of the route and often the natural history of the region. The Alaska Highway section includes a brief history of the Alaska Highway that is a poignant reminder of the scale of this project. The Alaska Highway was named an International Historical Engineering landmark in 1996. Between February and June we have two additional RVICS camp projects scheduled in Alabama (February) and Nebraska (May), multiple family and friends visits along the way and a total solar eclipse in Texas to experience. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse, known as the "Great North American Eclipse," will trace a narrow path of totality across 13 U.S. states. Heads up Texas relatives: we're giving you fair warning that the cousins are coming your way! I'm sure it sounds like a very busy agenda for the year but in reality we have plenty of time to accomplish all the traveling and relax in the process. One thing we have learned this past year is how to adjust our plans. The real beauty of this lifestyle is the ability to stay as long or as short a time in any location we visit. We plan on using that method again as we continue our traveling throughout 2024. May God continue to guide us as we purpose to share His love with those we meet up with. Stay tuned, the adventure continues...

Christmas Day was spent mostly in bed attempting to recover from my unfortunate illness. Nurse Karen was able to find a Covid test for me at Safeway; I tested negative and was greatly relieved. Thank goodness. We spent the last week in Sonoma County saying goodbye to our friends in the area. Thursday night, December 28 we celebrated our last night with a wonderful dinner out with our good friends, Jeff and Dana Guidi. We made reservations at a wonderful venue in Santa Rosa we used to take our parents to for special celebrations, We brought two bottles of wine with us and had a wonderful dinner at Ca'Bianca Italian restaurant. We had a great night enjoying great cuisine, drinking incredible wine and laughing together as we wrapped up the evening. We will miss all of you and look forward to the next opportunity we have to see you again. Friday morning, December 29 came early. Our flight out of Oakland was at 11:45 AM, but we got word from a friend who had missed their flight on Thursday that the airport was a zoo. So to be safe, we left Healdsburg at 7 AM allowing plenty of time to travel to the airport and return our rental car. Fortunately for us we arrived with no glitches, checked in, got boarding passes and had our luggage tagged all the way to Jacksonville, Florida. We boarded on time and headed to San Diego continuing on to Nashville, Tennessee. From Nashville we changed planes and flew the final leg to Jacksonville where we arrived at 11:45 PM. I took the long-term parking shuttle bus to get the truck while Karen stayed with all the luggage. Guess what parking for 44 days cost us? Only $440.45...ouch! I picked up Karen and we loaded up all 4 full-size suitcases, one carry-on roller bag and two backpacks to drive back to Lake Swan in Melrose, Florida. We arrived early in the morning at 1:45 AM on December 30 to 36º F and a chilly trailer. We opened up Trinity, turned on all the heaters, changed into our PJ's and got to bed. Unpacking would wait until the next morning. I still had a cough so I didn't sleep great, but I was glad to be in my own bed again. We checked over the rig the next morning and everything looked good, so we started the odyssey unpacking the luggage. It took the whole day! On Sunday, December 31, New Years Eve we attended church, went out to brunch and did our grocery shopping to refill the refrigerator and pantry. Our team leaders, Steve and Joyce joined us for dinner and we sat outside around the gas fire pit until it got too cold. Karen and I spent a fun evening watching old movies until midnight. It was a quiet New Years celebration, except for the loud music the neighbors are playing and the occasional firework explosion nearby. We thank God for a blessed and exciting 2023 and we look forward to continued adventures in 2024. We pray God bless you in 2024 with good health, loving relationships and an abundant life! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

We left Fiji on Tuesday, December 19 at 10:35 PM in the evening and arrived at SFO in California on Tuesday, December 19 at 12:30 PM in the afternoon. By flying east across the International Date Line we got back the day we lost on our way to Fiji. The Fiji Airways flight took nine and a half hours returning to the US and was smooth. Our group cleared Customs, picked up our baggage and took the parking shuttle out to the long-term parking garage where Bill Bullard had parked his truck. We picked up our Budget rental car and drove back to Healdsburg in Sonoma County for the remainder of our trip. We both spent the next day catching up on sleep, The last ten days have been a mix of whirlwind travel, relaxing multiple massages, diving adventures and countless moments of laughter and joy. Another memorable diving adventure in the books! Now begins the conversation about the next diving adventure...maybe a live aboard in the Maldives? Maldive Maniacs maybe, huh...?!!! Thursday, December 21 Karen went into the Total Concepts office to work and I went to the Veteran's Administration Clinic in Santa Rosa for my annual physical and surgery to remove a suspicious mole on my back. I left the VA Clinic with stitches in my back and a sore arm from my flu shot. By Friday, December 22 I was sick with a head cold and a cough. This is why I don't like getting a flu shot! It's not uncommon to feel tenderness at the injection site and experience mild symptoms within the first few days. Everyone was concerned about Covid-19 but honestly I think it is more the reacting to a foreign antigen and triggering the production of antibodies plus traveling fatigue. Karen started getting congested after me but with milder symptoms. The plan was to travel to El Dorado Hills for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and return on Tuesday evening, but our son Nick and his family are all sick too! So we will isolate to be safe, hunker down at the AirBnB, enjoy Christmas music, read, relax and rest up. It is weird to think we are spending Christmas Eve in a barn. But the accommodations are far superior to what Joseph, Mary and Jesus were provided with on that first Christmas night. Christmas Eve we enjoyed watching Handel's Messiah on the TV and a meal from Safeway of hot meatloaf, mushroom ravioli and a salad. I've been catching up on blog postings, if you haven't already noticed. Despite the less than desirable circumstances we still find joy as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. And like the shepherds in the field of Bethlehem that amazing night, we rejoice with all people of faith! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory. Lord, King, God of heaven, Father almighty: Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. To all our family, friends and blog subscribers, here's wishing you all a joyous and blessed Merry Christmas!

Our 7 day adventure at the Paradise Resort on Taveuni ended on Saturday morning December 16 when we returned to Viti Levu for the final three days of the "Fiji Fanatics" diving trip. Our hosts and staff at Paradise Taveuni Resort made sure to send us on our way with a song and full bellies after breakfast. A five-star review of this resort does not do it justice for the staff hospitality, accommodations, dining facilities, quality of the meals, and scuba diving department. Everything was fabulous! We all agreed we got our monies worth and everything we hoped to experience. We arrived in Nadi, Viti Levu in the early afternoon and took two taxis to the Aquarius Hotel near the airport. The Aquarius Hotel was an inexpensive, no frills accommodation where we stayed before leaving on December 19 to return back to the US. During these remaining three days in Fiji we scheduled an optional shark dive, botanical garden tour and a mud bath/hot springs session. Diving with Bulls Our dive team member, Patrick Sharp put this excursion together for Monday, December 18 which required we drive to Pacific Harbor, Viti Levu the day before. He had arranged for transportation and an AirBnB for us to use. So on Sunday, 6 of our group packed up our diving gear, drove the three hours to the Pacific Harbor five bedroom home on the south side of the main island. We arrived in the late afternoon and hung out around the pool before getting a taxi to a nearby restaurant for dinner. The next morning the shuttle from Beqa Adventure Divers arrived at 8:30 AM to pick us up. Unfortunately the weather conditions were terrible with heavy rain squalls, thunder and lightening; I half expected the trip would be cancelled, but we arrived at the dock facility and started the process of checking in and getting geared up and on the boat. There were five divers from the "Fiji Fanatics": Patrick Sharp, Bill Bullard, Mike Grummell, Suzy Wheat and myself. The boat crew consisted of the boat captain and three shark guides or wranglers. While at the dock before leaving we did a comprehensive dive and safety briefing, then we were off to the dive sites. In the protected waters of the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, we tied up to moorings and prepared to enter the water. The sea state was rough due to the weather but not unlike conditions off the California coastline and islands I have previously dove. We entered the water and held on the mooring line before descending as a group with our guides. We proceeded to the "Arena" at approximately 100 feet where we would spend 10-12 minutes observing. The Arena is where the Bull Sharks have celebrity status. Once we were all in our assigned spots, the guides released food from the suspended bait box. Normally the guide will hand-feed the sharks but not today. The visibility at the site was only twenty feet and there was a slight surge, so the guides had their hands full wrangling sharks and divers. I had added extra weight to facilitate staying on the bottom more easily so I could shoot digital still images and video with my underwater camera. We got a real show with multiple 8-9 foot Bull Sharks and a variety of other species including Sicklefin and Silvertip Sharks, not to mention an assortment of reef fish looking for a free meal of leftovers. As we concluded at the first level, we swam up the sloping reef wall to 33 feet to spend 10-15 minutes with the Whitetip and Blacktip Reef Sharks. Our final stop was at 13 feet to do our safety decompression stop while hanging our with the "Reef Shark Mafia". Apparently, the Whitetip Reef Sharks have no sense of personal space and enjoyed cruising around us as we waited. Advertised as the best safety stop you'll ever make, guaranteed! Well, we all made it back onboard the boat bouncing on its moorings. What a wild and awesome experience! While on the surface, Captain Earl informed us that the conditions were deteriorating and the second dive would be cancelled so we headed back into port. We had no objection, what could possibly top the first dive! So we headed back in through the rain, thunder and occasional lighting. We got back to the dive shop, showered and changed, while the crew washed down and hung up our gear. What happened next was frankly unbelievable. The owner of the dive shop informed us that the dive was "on the house" due to the terrible conditions. I thought our $200 dive may be discounted but not free; incredible! We made sure to contribute a generous tip the crew/staff and bought a bunch of souvenirs before we left. Following the dive we picked up Karen and drove to a local restaurant for lunch before heading back to Nadi. Botanical Gardens and Mud Our last day was December 18 but we still had plenty of time before our 10:35 PM flight leaving Nadi for SFO departed. We had one full day to explore the local area before heading to the airport, so Suzy Wheat coordinated a van tour and visit to a local orchid garden and mud bath/hot spring. The gardens were beautiful but the highlight of the day was at the mud bath and hot springs. Oh boy, did we have a good time! The fun began by covering our bodies with mud from clay pots, Laughter and jokes filled the air as we proceeded in covering every inch of exposed skin. It was a bonding experience as we dried in the sun before entering the mud pond to wash off our dry mud layer. From the mud pond we moved to the first hot spring to soak and rinse then to the final hot spring pool before showering. I don't think Karen and I would have ever done this on our own initiative, so thanks to Suzy and the rest of the gang for going along with the idea and being such good sports to even do it!

One of our reasons for traveling to Fiji was to dive the Rainbow Reef, Fiji Islands, discovered by Jacques Cousteau and now known as the soft coral capital of the world. The Rainbow Reef is a reef in the Somosomo Strait between the Fijian islands of Taveuni and Vanua Levu. It includes one of the most famous dive sites in the South Pacific known as the Great White Wall. It is named because of the white coral inhabiting the area at depths between 45 and 200 feet. Rainbow Reef impresses with stunning collections of red, yellow, purple, pink and blue soft corals, which thrive on the currents that bathe the reef in a nutrient-rich flow. A kaleidoscope of bright colors underwater and marvelous marine life. this reef is home to 230 hard and soft corals and about 1200 species of exotic marine life including nudibranch, flat worms and shellfish. We spent four out of our five, two tank dive days exploring the Rainbow Reef. In addition to the Great White Wall, two of our dives were at the "Cabbage Patch" coral structure. Cabbage Patch is a sloped reef full of different kinds of stony corals. It was named as Cabbage Patch from the big field of Cabbage Corals there and their resemblance to giant cabbages. The field of cabbage coral here is larger than the size of a basketball court. Most of the cabbage coral are over one meter (3.3 feet) high and some are higher than two meters (6.5 feet). The patch size is impressive! The corals form upright whorls with layers inside layers and they are yellowish and greenish in color, making them look like giant cabbages.. If you take a closer look at the coral, you can see hundreds of thousands of individual polyps on them which they use for feeding. The scenery is just stunning! The coral patch is located at around 42 to 50 feet of depth, with the clear visibility, snorkelers are also able to enjoy this amazing scenery from the surface.

While visiting the islands of Fiji we experienced the pleasure of their wonderful hospitality as well as some of the traditions of the Fijian people. Our first experience was with "Bula", the common greeting that means "hello". We couldn't go anywhere and not be greeted by an enthusiastic "BULA" during our stay at Paradise Taveuni resort. The staff also greeted us by our first name whenever we encountered them on the grounds or on the boats. And each evening we were serenaded with lovely Fijian music during dinnertime. On Wednesday, December 13 after we finished our dives at Rainbow Reef, we traveled to Kioa, a small island in Fiji, an outlier to Vanua Levu which is one of Fiji's two main islands. Situated opposite Buca Bay, Kioa was purchased by settlers from Vaitupu atoll in Tuvalu, who came between 1947 and 1962. Before our group went ashore the women changed into their sarongs and the men put on the traditional "Sulu" to show respect for their customs. Visitors to Fiji bring a light tropical wardrobe: bathing suits, shorts, T-shirts. We soon discovered “sulus” (known throughout the Pacific as pareau, lavalava or sarong) are also a must for both men and women. The wrap-around “sulu” is Fiji's most distinctive and versatile form of dress. The population of Vaitupu, their original home island from 1860 to 1900 was estimated to be 400 people. Vaitupu is home to the second-largest population in Tuvalu, numbering 1,576 per the 2002 Census and 1,555 in the 2012 census. Despite its relatively large size, Vaitupu became so overcrowded during the 1940s that a number of families migrated to Fiji to live on Kioa Island. Neli Lifuka was the magistrate on Vaitupu from 1945 to 1951. He was instrumental in collecting the funds to purchase Kioa Island in Fiji. Initially 37 people migrated from Vaitupu to live on Kioa Island; within a decade, more than 235 people followed. Kioa is one of two islands in Fiji populated by migrant communities from the Pacific Islands, the other being Rabi, also in the Vanua Levu Group and home to a displaced Banaban community. Early in 2005, the Fijian government decided to grant full citizenship to the Kioa and Rabi Islanders. As a culmination of a decade-long quest for naturalization, a formal ceremony was held December 2005 to award 566 citizenship certificates to residents of the islands and their descendants (some of whom now live elsewhere in Fiji), which entitles them to provincial and national assistance for rural development. When we arrived on Kioa Island we were each crowned with a fresh flower wreath. As we all gathered in their community hall, one of the elders shared a bit about the history of their people. The community proceeded to greet us with their traditional music and dance. On Thursday, December 14, back at Paradise Taveuni Resort we celebrated with the staff and other guests a traditional Fijian Lovo banquet and kava ceremony. A lovo is an underground oven used as a traditional Fijian method of cooking food in large quantities to bring together communities or groups. It can be likened to a Fijian version of a barbeque or grilling, with somewhat more smoky flavors. Everything from fish to chicken to pork can be cooked in a lovo and the meat will sometimes be bundled up in banana leaves to retain the moisture. Once the food is inside, the pit is covered in banana leaves, soil or potato sacks and left to slow cook for several hours. The meal was introduced with the ceremonial kava. In Fiji, a kava ceremony is a ritual in every village you enter as well as a key feature on your Fiji resort 'things to do list'. It is commonplace for Fijian families and friends to gather together on a daily basis and enjoy kava together. It is what Fijians commonly refer to as 'Fiji time'. Kava, otherwise known as yaqona, or quite simply, grog, is the traditional national drink of Fiji. It is a mildly narcotic and sedative drink made from the crushed root of the yaqona (pronounced yang-GO-na) strained with water. It is served in a large communal bowl as part of the traditional kava ceremony. When drunk, it creates a pleasant, numb feeling around the mouth, lips and tongue, as well as a sense of calm and relaxation. Yet despite the naturally calming effects of the drink, the true experience lies in partaking of the complete kava ceremony. Kava is traditionally served as part of a ceremonial atmosphere, most commonly in welcoming guests into a village and on important occasions. The kava ceremony focuses around the communal Kava tanoa (bowl). Guests sit in a circle around the bowl which is placed in front of the leader. The ceremony commences with the actual production of the kava. The plant is pounded and the pulp placed into a cloth sack and mixed with water. The end result is a brownish coloured liquid – the Kava gold. It is then strained and ready for drinking. Once you receive your Kava, clap your hands once with a cupped hand making a hollow sound and exclaim: Bula! If you can, drink your Kava in one 'gulp'. Then clap again with your hands cupped – and say: 'Maca' (pronounced maa-tha), as a means of confirming 'the cup has been drained'! I drained three cups full of kava during the ceremony and felt my lips become a bit numb. After dinner, Karen and I watching the sunset then retired early so we could be up at 6:00 AM for breakfast and on the boat by 6:30 AM for our last day of diving.