Port Isabel Lighthouse, Turtles & New Years Eve with the girls

Tuesday December 30th, 2014

We decided to go to Port Isabel today to look at and show Brenda, LeeAnn & Aimee the lighthouse.  We were going to take our car but decided to take Brenda's van as there is more room and it would be more comfortable.  It is quite a drive and took over two hours but the girls did well.  Aimee and I played "Guess Who" for part of the way.

They are renovating the lighthouse keepers cottage, so we were unable to go inside it but the lighthouse was open for climbing.

Port Isabel Lighthouse

This interesting tree was in the grounds by the lighthouse.  Would be a good climbing tree.

This bird was hidden in the branches and making quite a noise.  He made me search for him.  We always seem to have a black bird wherever we go and it always makes a lot of noise.  We think it is Sue's dad.  Sometimes there is a white one, which always seems to be in appropriate places for Bryan's dad.

I decided I wasn't going to climb this lighthouse as my back has been hurting a bit recently and I didn't want to make it any worse, so I stayed at the bottom and took pictures.

Bryan took this picture of me, as I was getting ready to take the next picture of him and the girls at the top of the lighthouse

Bryan, LeeAnn & Aimee looking down from the top of the lighthouse.  Brenda was up there as well but I didn't manage to get a picture of her looking down at me.

Only six people were allowed up at a time and there were soon more people waiting to go up but I managed to get this picture of them as they came out at the bottom after coming back down.  Brenda's at the edge of the picture.

Bryan, LeeAnn & Brenda at the end of their lighthouse tour.

We had to go to the Chamber of Commerce across the road to get our lighthouse passport book stamped.  These statues were on the way.

Aimee & I found this ape to sit on.

We decided to look around the Treasures of the Gulf Museum.  It was free to military, which was a plus. They still had their Christmas tree and nativity up.

There was a children's area there and the girls had fun with a puppet theatre.  They both put on a show which I unfortunately missed as I was in the gift shop but arrived just as LeeAnn was starting a second show and Aimee decided to dance on the stage.  I took this VIDEO mostly of the puppet show.

After looking around the museum we were feeling a bit hungry and decided to have lunch at Pirates Landing

Aimee posed as the pirate!!!

And we all had fun with this one.

After a nice lunch where we sat at a table looking out over the water we went over the bridge to South Padre Island 

where we visited Sea Turtle Inc., a volunteer place that works on turtle conservation.  There are turtle cams on the website where you can watch the turtles, although they are not always working.

Sue, LeeAnn & Aimee by the sea turtle sand sculpture

 

This turtle was waving at us

This was the view of the lighthouse on the way back over the bridge. 

The back of Pirates Landing restaurant with the water view from the bridge. This picture shows the World's Largest Fly Road and Reel but you will have trouble seeing it.  It is the yellow pole in front of the third tree from the right.  If you look closely you can see the top of the rod above the tree. I got this piece of information from Roadside America, which is a website that people use to list attractions that they have found in different places that you might otherwise not find out about.  

We headed back home after a fun day out with the girls and they slept on the way home.

Wednesday December 31st, 2014

New Years Eve - Another year has flown by.  The days have long gone when we went out and partied the New Year in but we still have fond memories of them.  Sorry about the blurry picture but I had to restore it from our scanned pictures and it was the best I could do.

Our first New Years Eve 1987-88 with best friend Chrissie.  Look at my glasses, oh my!!!!

Nowadays we have just as much fun staying in and avoiding the crowds.  This year we looked after LeeAnn and Aimee so Brenda, John & Collette could go out.  We had so much fun, watching movies and eating popcorn and no alcohol.  We didn't realize until we were discussing it later that we didn't even have a drink to toast the New Year, ha!! ha!! 

We watched Planes, Frozen and Country Bears.  It was the first time we had seen Planes and Frozen and we both enjoyed them.  Listen to this VIDEO of the girls singing.  Did you recognize the song?

Aimee's impression of a monster worm using her sleeping bag

LeeAnn was enjoying herself

but she tired herself out and was asleep before midnight

Aimee stayed awake and we took a selfie at midnight.  We still look remarkably awake!!

Bryan & Sue's New Year picture

We managed to stay awake until midnight but it wasn't long after that and we were all asleep in our beds.

See you next year………….

Traveling, Kingsville, Family & Christmas

Monday December 22nd, 2014

We left Georgetown this morning and headed towards Kingsville for Christmas & New Year.  It was strange being back on the road after so long and it took me a while to settle down.  I used to get very nervous when we first set out on our adventure as I wasn't used to being a passenger in a large vehicle  but mainly because this is our house with us and all of our belongings in it and I can't bear the thought of something happening to it.  It didn't take too long  for me to get used to riding along again and everything was good.

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop at La Grange. Bryan stretched his legs while I made sandwiches.  The view was not bad as we sat eating lunch.

Hattie & friends enjoying the view

Hattie was mums "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" bear.  We found her on one of our shopping trips in Vegas.  We were both attracted to this bear at the same time, sitting at the top of the elevator as though she was screaming out "buy me, buy me".  We looked at her and wondered what was  so special about her.  She had a red hat, like the red hat ladies, and scarf.  Then we found the button that you pressed and she started to sing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".  It was so loud and for a moment we were shocked and had to have a quick look around to see if anyone had noticed us playing and dancing with this bear but we were safe.  We burst out laughing, played the song again and the bear got put in our shopping basket.  We have played her many times since and she always brought a smile to our faces.  I told mum many times that I wanted to bring the bear to her funeral and have it sing the song but mum was horrified at the very thought and I think of what people may think, so I refrained and respected her wishes and to be honest I couldn't bring myself to hear that song at that time. She didn't get the name "Hattie" until we got back to the motorhome and Bryan suggested it and so Hattie was reborn and is our companion and co-driver on our trips.

We arrived at our regular stop at Gateway to the Gulf RV Park in Victoria, Texas for the night.

Tuesday December 23rd, 2014

We got up and headed out to Kingsville, Texas.  The ducks were waiting opposite our site to say goodbye to us.

We got to Natures Own RV Park in Kingsville and got set up.  John & Brenda invited us for dinner but we decided to stay in and relax.  We are always pretty tired after traveling and even more so after more than one day on the road. 

Wednesday December 24th, 2014

I put my Christmas decorations up again after having to take them down to travel.  Next year we need to try and stay in the same place for the whole month at least to save the decorations fiasco.   Also did some cleaning and wrapped some presents.  

In the evening we went to the Christmas Candlelight Service with John, Brenda, Collette, LeeAnn, Aimee and Bryan's ex-wife Joanna & her husband Nick.  Brenda is in the choir and we helped LeeAnn light her candle.  It was an emotional evening for me as I sat in church and remembered mum.

Thursday December 25th, 2014 

We were up early and went to John & Brenda's for breakfast and to exchange gifts and watch the girls open their presents.  

We found out we were not having Christmas dinner and so we had our Christmas crackers with breakfast and wore our hats.

LeeAnn opening a present with Dad watching

Aimee with one of her presents

Brenda with a pretty bow & smile

Emily sat on Bryans lap & watched everything as well

Everyone had fun opening their presents and we helped LeeAnn with a 3D puzzle she had been given. It wasn't long before it was just John, Bryan & I trying to complete it and we ended up having to quit for a while.  Bryan & I have tried a 3D puzzle before, a few years, ago and it got the better of us then.  We did manage between all of us to get a little further with this one but still not finished!!!

We had Turkey leftovers for lunch and watched TV.  The girls had a friend visit and they played on the trampoline for a while.

We were invited to John's dad Russell's for the evening but we declined and on the way home stopped at IHop for Christmas dinner.  I had turkey and Bryan had ham, it was not very good but I got my gravy fix. 

Friday December 26th, 2014 - Monday December 29th, 2014

We stayed in and caught up on some everyday things that needed to be done.  I didn't feel 100% so we just relaxed over these days.  I stumbled across this saying which pretty much sums up what I think. Nothing worthwhile in life is easy.

On the 29th I found out the International Space Station would be visible flying overhead at 6.09pm for a few minutes.  So we went outside and looked for it.  We really didn't know what we were looking for but the sky was clear and we soon spotted a bright light moving across the sky in the direction it was supposed to be.  It looked a bit like a plane except there were no flashing lights, like you get with a plane.  It was just a bright light. 

It is the small white speck just left off center

Tomorrow, we are going for a ride to find a lighthouse with Brenda and the girls.  Should be fun.

It's been a while………..Annual Christmas Newsletter

Well, Hello………………..

Yep, it's been a while and I need to get back in the habit of writing again.  I will try and fill in the blanks as time permits.

To get started, here is our annual newsletter which, for those of you who may not know, will explain the long absence from the blog.

                         MERRY CHRISTMAS 2014, HAPPY NEW YEAR 

                                         LOVE FROM SUE & BRYAN              

Bryan, Brenda, Ryan, Sue & Christina at Ryan & Christina's Wedding -  March 7th, 2014

Mum & Sue
Mum had written "Happiness" under this picture"

CoCo & Mum
Together again in Heaven

 Well, as many of you know, my beloved mum passed away in September and so this year has not been what we had hoped for at the beginning of the year.  However, we have still had good times and I (Sue) am very fortunate in that I got to spend some quality time with mum before she passed.

We also lost our Black lab/sharpei CoCo in January when she had to be put down due to numerous ailments. 

On to better news, Ryan & Christina got married on March 7^th and we flew to San Diego for that.  Shortly after that, on April 10^th he left on a six month deployment.  Welcome to Military Life & being a Navy Wife, Christina.

After starting the year in Pensacola, Florida we traveled further south spending time in Orlando.  Yes, near to Disneyworld but did not visit as we were watching the pennies.  We did do other touristy things and will leave the Disney parks until we go back and spend longer in the area. As residents we can get an annual pass and would like to take advantage of that when we know we will be there for two winters. From there we drove North mostly along the East coast.

Bryan got to fulfill one of his bucket list items when we stayed at the infield for the Daytona 500.  It was an amazing experience and we had a great 5 days.

We discovered that the East coast is vastly different to the West coast and similar to the UK in some ways.  The squares in Savannah were designed by James Oglethorpe, a British gentleman, and modeled on the squares of London, as were the ruins of a plantation that we visited. 

We decided to join the lighthouse society and visited many lighthouses as well, which we both enjoyed and helped us to get some exercise.

We were in North Carolina when I received the call from my mum on June 7^th that she had lung cancer and Bryan immediately told me I needed to be with her, even though at that time we did not know how long she would have or what treatment she might be offered.  We somehow knew that this was not good.  On June 11^th I was on a flight from Atlanta for London.  I was due to go in October and so I just changed the outgoing flight.

Bryan drove the motorhome and spent time with his mom in Louisiana, brother Pat, Karen & Taylor and Brenda, John, LeeAnn & Aimee in Texas before leaving the motorhome in storage in Georgetown, Texas and flying to London.

I really don’t know what I would have done without Bryan and our nightly conversations on Facebook as he talked me through so many different situations and emotions.  It became clear that I needed him with me and he arranged to get a flight over.  He arrived the morning of September 9^th to learn that mum had passed away in her sleep that morning.  She knew he was arriving and I would have someone to help me through everything. 

After the funeral we went on a coach trip to North Wales just to get away for a few days and for our anniversary.  We then visited Dave & Shelagh in Kettering, Sean & Caroline in Corby, and Stuart & Ros in Tetbury, before heading to Ian & Kris’s to stay for two weeks and spend time with them and Bailey & Kai. 

We paid a visit to Upper Heyford and had a tour of the old base where we first met, much of which is derelict now, and visited the houses we used to live in after we first met.  Quite a trip down memory lane. 

Ryan & Christina had arranged to visit mum in November and they still came over and we showed them the sights of London and the countryside.  Ray & Julie arranged an early Christmas dinner so we could have an early Christmas together. It was a busy but enjoyable week. 

I had booked tickets for the Tennis World Tour Final at the O2 when I knew I would be in London when it was on, and so Bryan & I went to that.  Roger Federer withdrew with an injury and so I got to see Andy Murray in an exhibition match.  Much better than Roger Federer, for me anyway!!!  I think mum was watching out for me and making me happy.  J

In the end we were ready to return home.  Many thanks to Ray & Julie for putting up with me and then us for so long and opening their home to us and also to mum for the last few years.

We returned to the States on November 25^th and have been visiting with our friends Johnnie & Kathy before going to Kingsville to spend Christmas with John, Brenda, LeeAnn & Aimee.  It is difficult getting back into our daily routine after 6 months but we are slowly getting there.

I apologize for not writing anything in the blog since I got that awful news back in June but I haven’t had the heart to write anything.  I will start again, hopefully very soon but at least at the beginning of the new year.  I hope to catch up with some of the events in the last 6 months of the year there as well and post some of the pictures we took in the UK.  I know mum would have wanted me to as she used to look forward to reading it. Follow along here http://lilypadtravels.blogspot.com.  There are more details there of our travels during the first part of the year.

Sorry, this is a little longer than normal but it has been a long year!!!

Merry Christmas and our Best Wishes for a Happy New Year.

Love  Sue & Bryan xxxxxxx

Bald Head Island, NC

June 1st, 2014

Well got up this morning and watched the remainder of Andy's match.  i think Andy was happy that he beat Kohlschreiber after a hard fought match over two days!! 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 12-10.  Well played to both of them and I'm relieved Andy got through. 

June 2nd, 2014

I watched Andy play again.  His match was easier today and he won in three sets.  We decided to go to    the civil war historical site here at Fort Fisher.  Unfortunately once we got there it was closed on Mondays.  We will have to try and come back.  The lighthouses we want to see are also closed on Mondays so we headed back to the house.  We have both been feeling really tired and so another rest day won't hurt.  

June 3rd, 2014

Today we caught two ferries on our quest to find more lighthouses.   We decided to go to Bald Head Island.  This island does not allow cars so you either walk, ride a bike or hire a golf cart.  We decided we would hire a golf cart but first we had to get there.  We arrived at the Fort Fisher Ferry just in time to get on a ferry to Southport.  The trip took 35 minutes and was a great deal at $5 for Tilly and both of us. 

Enjoying the ride

Got a picture of me taking a picture in the car on the ferry

Looking behind us

We took a picture of Price's Creek Lighthouse, which can only be seen from the ferry or a boat as it is privately owned. 

We landed in Southport and drove the short distance to the terminal for the ferry to Bald Head Island.  We parked the car and walked to the terminal. Unfortunately we arrived there at 11:30am and the next ferry wasn't until 1pm.  I didn't realize there wasn't one at noon, ugh!!  Anyway, we waited and sat in some rocking chairs watching the boats go by.  We ate our lunch as we waited. 

Eventually the ferry arrived.

This was a shorter 20 minute ride and only a passenger ferry.

The breeze was lovely

We saw Oak Island Lighthouse from the ferry. 

                                      

As we approached Bald Head we could see the lighthouse (Old Baldy). 

Entering the docks

We got our golf cart and off we went.  First stop was "Old Baldy". 

The Keepers House

Getting ready to climb 110 steps

First landing looking down

View from the second landing window

About halfway, phew!!

 The view from the top which was accessed by a few steps like a ladder.

Bryan on the way down

 Although we have climbed more steps than this, this climb was harder than any we have done so far.  I think it was because the steps were steeper.  We did it though, yay!!

These flowers were outside the light keepers house.

You could tell Bryan is a golfer as he drove the cart around with no problems, turning around and reversing without a second thought.  We drove to the other end of the island to see what was left of Cape Fear Lighthouse.  The guide at Old Baldy had given us passport stamps for Old Baldy, Cape Fear and Price's Creek after we spoke to him and told him we had seen Price's Creek on the ferry.  They had only received the two other stamps two weeks earlier so our timing was good. 

Cape Fear Foundation

Cape Fear Lighthouse Foundation

Captain Charlie's Station

We drove the cart along the beach road back toward the ferry landing.  

There were several big houses with views over the ocean and the occasional golf cart whizzed past us. The speed limit was 18mph.  We went along parts of the road seeing no one, it was very quiet. 

I took this VIDEO.  Bryan decided to go a little quicker once we got away from the houses. He wanted to test out his four wheeling.  Don't worry the trees weren't as close as they look.

Another view of Old Baldy

Not sure what this chimney was

We had rented the golf cart for three hours and all too soon it was time to return it. We didn't have time for a sit down meal and there were no fast food places so we got an ice cream and waited for the ferry ride back to Southport.  This phone box was by the ice cream shop. You can't even find these in the UK anymore.

Sue calling family in the UK

We saw this cute cannon on our way back to the dock.

We got on the ferry and returned to Southport.  We took pictures of these houses as we were leaving Bald Island dock.

We arrived in Southport and had just over an hour before our ferry back to Fort Fisher so we had a drive through Southport.  We found a Hardees and stopped for something to eat.  We got back to the ferry terminal and caught the last ferry back to Fort Fisher. 

These seagulls formed a guard as we left

The sun was just starting to set

I think the fresh air, sun and breezes on the boats were great but I did catch the sun on my face and forehead and we were both exhausted but happy after another great day out exploring. 

June 4th, 2014

We stayed in today and got ready to leave tomorrow when we head north toward Havelock, North Carolina.  I watched Andy Murray play Gail Monfils and it was another 5 set match which he eventually won.  Phew!!  Next stop the semi-finals and Rafa Nadal who has won 63 out of 64 matches played at Roland Garros.   Here is a report of the matches today and on Friday Andy will play Rafa.  Rafa is obviously favorite, this is Rafa's tournament, he is the King of Clay but I am sure Andy will give it his all and who knows maybe, just maybe he will win. Maybe he will become only the second player to beat Nadal at Roland Garros.  You will hear me shouting from wherever you are. 

Take Care