Time flies when you're having fun...and company!

Well, I have not posted for a week and a half...time is indeed flying. Between counting my proton treatments down and hosting friends and relatives, time is indeed flying!

After Don and Connie Sarver hooked up and traveled west, friends from Ames, Barb Peterson and Jere Maddux arrived for four days of fun. The weather was not good, with rain, fog and chilly temps...but the friendship was sunny. We visited a lot, played some bridge, and our guests spent most of a day at the Florida Proton Therapy Institute, including the weekly lunch and a tour of the facility.

The day before they left, daughter Erin and her kids plus family friend Babbs Dawster flew in from Iowa. We surprised them at the airport, and that was an exciting time! It ws fantastic to see Erin, Jaiden, Mason and Ethan again, and getting to meet and know Babbs.


The weather was uncooperative most of the week. We did manage one day at Jacksonville Beach, although it was pretty chilly. The hearty northerners were still able to get in the water...actually they were the only ones in the water besides some surfers with wetsuits! brrrrrr!!!







We also made it to St Augustine, and the kids really enjoyed the historic fort, complete with the cannon firing and the walls made of cochina (sea shells + mortar). On the 4th, the kids organized a surprise birthday party for Ellen on Wednesday...complete with cake, gifts and flowers! Ellen was really tickled.


the family at the zoo, Tim, Jaiden, Erin, Mason, Ethan and Ellen

We spent one day at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, having a great time at a great zoo. The zoo is laid out very well with loops stringing out from a main walkway. It is not huge, so that you can do the whole thing easily in one day. Note the name was Zoo and Gardens. The plantings are fabulous and the whole thing was like a lush rain forest or Florida swamp. The most fun was feeding the Giraffes and watching the black jaguar trying to catch a fish in the pool.

The last full day of the visit we all went to a Children's Museum on the south side of Jacksonville, where there were all kinds of stations, like the fire truck, the post office, the puppet theater. Lots of fun opportunities for creative play. We really enjoyed the visit from the kids Erin and Babbs...we are thankful they all were able to come down.

I am down to two treatments at Proton...It is amazing that so many treatments have passed by so quickly!