December 31, 2007

What a wonderful year this has been. Each year seems to bring us more happiness than the prior year. We didn’t accomplish all our goals this past year but we did manage to check off many items on our list.

We traveled a little over 5000 miles in our Motorhome visiting friends, family and interesting places. Our first big stop was in Sedalia, Missouri to attend our first Rally. This was a Bounders of America Rally where everyone attending has a Fleetwood Bounder Motorhome. We joined our great friends Richard and Vera here. They taught us the joys of attending a Rally. It was a lot of fun and we picked up many tips on traveling and Motorhome maintenance. We traveled together the remainder of the summer and fall except for one month when they returned to New York to attend the funeral of a family member.

After the Rally, we headed West and our first overnight in a Wal Mart parking lot. Once again Richard and Vera to the rescue. They helped us through another first experience. This was a different kind of camping for us and now we will be more comfortable camping at Wal Mart in the future.

We also visited Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama on the way back to Florida. We had a lot of fun and great experiences in each State. You can look back through our blog to see our adventures.

In June, Mike bought a 5th wheel trailer and parked it at Ponderosa RV Park just a few lots from us. It is nice to have him nearby again.

A real treat this summer was watching Abby play baseball. She is a very good athlete. This fall was also terrific when Jill, Karl and Abby visited us in Florida. We had a fun time visiting Walt Disney World, Sea World and the beach.

This truly was a great year. Thank you Richard and Vera for the fun times traveling together. We look forward to more fun times together.

Richard, Vera, Char and I want to end this year with the following message for all our friends and families.

We wish everyone a very a HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROPEROUS NEW YEAR.

December 24, 2007

It has been a few days since my last entry. We have been busy doing lots of fun things. We spent two days at Lazy Days RV Center for some warranty work on our Motorhome. We visited several merchants to check out the many sales. We didn’t buy much but did have fun watching the many shoppers hurrying from store to store looking for the perfect gift. We went to our favorite restaurants where the food is always excellent.

We enjoyed ice cream at the mall.

We walked around our Park viewing the many lights that our neighbors put out for everyone’s enjoyment.

This is the Bardin Palace.

This is our Motorhome.

And best of all, we just relaxed and reflected on the true reason to celebrate this time of year.

Today we visited Mike at work and he gave us a tour of the warehouse and the shop where they make the fixtures and cabinets that go into the merchandise shops around the world. Yes, they do work for every Disney location. They build pieces for Walt Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, Paris Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Honk Kong Disneyland, both ships The Magic and the Wonder and the World of Disney in New York City. It is fascinating to see the process used to build a life-size figure of Mickey Mouse or some character that thousands of guests will touch and look at in one of the many Disney locations.

Mike’s desk.

Here we are with a mighty big ant.

We have been getting emails and phone calls from friends and family in the frozen, snow-covered North. It makes us Thankful to be in Florida. Our temperatures for the next week will be in the mid to lower 70’s. Our local TV station said for a white Christmas we should go to the beach and play in the white sand. Sounds good to us.

Unlike last year, we are fortunate this year to have our son and friends with us to celebrate Christmas. Tonight we enjoyed the Carolers that strolled through our Park.

Here we are patiently waiting.

When the carolers arrived, it was worth the wait.

Tomorrow we will attend the Ponderosa Christmas Potluck Dinner with our many friends.

Merry Christmas from your friends Richard, Vera, Mike, Char and Ray.

December 10. 2007

This is a wonderful time of the year. We can enjoy the beautiful Florida weather and be with friends and our son. Tonight we went with Mike to the town Disney helped build, Celebration, Florida. It is a small town with many beautiful homes, a lovely shopping area, outstanding restaurants, rocking chairs along the lake front where you can set and take in the beauty of this small town, a walking-jogging-bike riding trail and lots more.

Our reasons for going here was to watch it snow and spend time with Mike. We also wanted to see the children playing and having fun in the Florida Snow (it is made from soap) making snow angels and getting covered from head to toe.

It was nice to see everyone laughing and having fun. The temperature was in the mid 70s and a terrific night to walk around town or visit the local merchants. The snow will continue to fall each night at 6, 7, 8 & 9 P.M. until the end of December. If you are in the area, stop at Celebration and enjoy a wonderful evening.

December 9, 2007

Disney’s MGM Studio Park was where we played today. Richard, Vera, their son David, his wife Eliza, Char and I had a wonderful afternoon and evening on the attractions and seeing the Christmas displays. Almost everyone went on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock’n’ Roller Coaster, Muppet Vision 3-D, Star Tours and Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show. I sat out all except the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show and Muppet Vision 3-D. While the others were twisted, turned upside down, dropped, vibrated and journeyed through space, I had a good time people watching and enjoying another great Florida day.

This is at the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show that has seating for 5000 people. Did you notice the great hats?

There was a lot of fast paced car action at the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.

Standing in line at the Rock’n’ Roller Coaster attraction.

David and Eliza in front of Muppet Vision 3-D.

If you want to see a truly awesome light display, go to Disney’s MGM Studio. This light collection is originally from the Osborne family in Arkansas. It is difficult to imagine this quantity of lights at a private residence. The crowds for this presentation are heavy so be prepared to share the streets with thousands of people.

As you can see above, you will need to work to get the perfect picture.

Walt Disney World is an absolutely fantastic place to visit. Even though Char and I worked there for many years, it still is a magical place for us. We never tire of seeing our friends and fellow cast members that still are there. I hope everyone has the opportunity to experience the magic and feel the pixie dust that Walt Disney created.

December 8, 2007

We had another great pancake breakfast in the recreation hall this morning. There are lots of planned activities in our Park but this is my favorite. A regular group of volunteer breakfast chefs cook the pancakes and sausages to perfection. Then the volunteer servers deliver the steaming hot food to the tables. Everyone always has a good time.

Thurman, one of the chefs came out of the kitchen to check on the diners.


This is our hard-working, happy server, Gerald.


Notice Bill’s technique. This is an excellent example of how to properly serve a table.


Another chef, Francis, came out of the kitchen to make sure everyone is satisfied.


Finally, our server gets to relax and enjoy a great breakfast.

Thanks to all the hard working volunteers, this was a fantastic breakfast. We look forward to the next one.

December 7, 2007

While at the German Pavilion in Epcot last Tuesday, we talked with Master Artist, Thomas Guenther, from the Goebel Company here for a Hummel signing promotion. We learned that Vera has two Hummel Figurines she bought during a trip to Germany on their honeymoon. Herr Guenther agreed to sign them if we brought them into him. This morning we drove to Epcot and had Vera’s Apple Tree Girl and Apple Tree Boy signed. He checked the markings on the base and told her the years that they were made. He also gave her an estimated value of each piece. I think Vera was happy to learn how much they have increased in value over the years. Now they will be safely stored away again in their traveling home.

Herr Guenther signing the Apple Tree Girl.

Herr Guenther talking with Vera.

Herr Guenther signing the Apple Tree Boy while Vera and Richard watch.

After a little shopping we started back to the car. Along the way we stopped to enjoy the wonderful flowers through out Epcot. Here is a picture of Vera in front of some Hollyhocks.

For those of you in cold northern locations, please notice that Vera is wearing a sleeveless blouse. The temperature here today was in the lower 80’s. We had another very pleasant early December day.

December 6, 2007

Today we wanted to do something exciting like our Granddaughter, Abby, would do. We are not as good at baseball as she is so that was out. We can’t swim as well as she does so that was out also. Soccer - out. Running and jumping – also out. Then when we were talking with our neighbors it came to us. They needed a dog sitter for the day while she went to see the shuttle launch and he went to work at Disney. Excellent! We can do something exciting and fun like Abby would do. It was great and I think Dusty had a good time also. Here are some pictures of Dusty.

December 4, 2007

This is such a beautiful time of the year to visit the Disney Parks. Today we went to Epcot for lunch, the Candlelight Processional and to look at all the great Christmas decorations.

This is the Mariachi Cobre band at the Mexico Pavilion.

Next we headed to Germany for lunch at the Biergarten.

The food and entertainment was outstanding. Above you can see the Alp Horns and below the bells being played.

Later in the day we watched the Candlelight Processional at the American Gardens Theatre. Guest celebrity, Dennis Franz, narrated the retelling of the Christmas story. We enjoyed an orchestra featuring over 50 professional musicians from the Central Florida area and a chorus of over 400 singers, which included Epcot’s Voices of Liberty, a participating guest choir and many volunteer Walt Disney World Cast Members from all areas of the Company.

After this very moving experience, we slowly walked around and enjoyed the beauty of the Christmas decorations, the 65 foot tall Christmas tree and the many lights of Epcot.