The Florida Flywheelers

Today was my lucky day - I got to go to the Florida Flywheelers Antique Tractor Show with Roger! Actually, I was happy to go - it was payback for him going to Chinatown twice while we were in Kuala Lumpur!
This was unlike any other tractor show. The grounds cover about 100 acres with many permanent buildings. Many of them privately owned and containing personal collections of antique tractors, farm equipment, trucks, cars and implements. There is an old fashioned village with all the establishments you would expect to see - many with people doing demonstatrions of long forgotten skills. There are all sorts of RV's parked all over with their tractors and junk sale items nearby and everyone drives an ATV or golf cart! It was more flea market than tractor show - but they did have a tractor pull and parade.
It was 90 degrees with no shade and between the tractors and the ATV's the dust was horrible! I wore my comfortable flip flops and my feet and legs were black with soot! Glad we had time to come home and shower before meeting Ray and Kyle for dinner!
We saw many one of a kind items. Where else can you sit in an pink ATV named "Little Booty II" eating a fried Oreo cookie watching a girl crack her bull whip with one hand while she smoked her cigarette with the other!!
Sorry, AnnaLee and Salle, I could have bought you antique tractor earrings but Roger wouldn't let me shop!
Roger got several comments on his "3rd Annual Mackinac Bridge - Antique Tractor Crossing" hat - other Michiganders that also did it!

Lift Off!!

We drove to Titusville, FL Thursday and watched the space shuttle launch. How awesome! We saw it lift off and then several seconds later heard it!
A beautiful day so we saw it clearly.
We rode with Dick and Sally, and their friend Andy - Brian and Barb and George and Sue followed us. We packed a lunch and got there about 1:00pm for the 4:50pm launch. We found parking spots across the street from a McDonalds and view spots out back so we had food and bathrooms handy!
Ray and Kyle Lasich were there too. Ray is in Florida for about a month - for the launch and the Tiger's spring training. Kyle flew in Wed. night and will leave on Sunday. We'll be able meet them for dinner on Saturday because they are staying not far from us.
We are so fortunate to be able to see one of the last shuttle launches - cross it off our "bucket list!"

Oasis of the Seas

It has been a while since I have updated my blog. Megan & Carlos were unable to visit for Superbowl week-end. Megan hurt her knee playing volleyball and then ice and snow brought the whole state of Texas to a standstill that week. Guess if she had to hurt her knee it was a good time to do it because classes were cancelled and she had time to rest and recuperate. It is doing better now. We are hoping they can reschedule for Feb/March sometime.
We just got home from a week long cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Oasis of the Seas. It is the largest ship available now - 6,000 guests and 2,000 employees! It is awesome! We stopped in Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. We went with 5 other couples from our RV club, the Boomers, and had a great time. We took an excursion in St. Maarten and went sailing - a competition with two other sailboats - like the Americas Cup. Guests help crew the boats along with the "real" sailors. Ann & I were "wenches!" Our boat won the race - it was exhilarating! Thanks to Dave & Marion for telling us about it! Thought of all you Yankees in the snow as we donned our sunscreen and bathing suits! Now it's time to diet, detox our livers and get some sleep!