Back in Florida

After a wonderful week with family in beautiful Colorado, I arrived back in Florida (also beautiful) Sunday night. We still don’t have TV, phone or Internet so have to go to a Regional Rec Center to get an internet connection. I unpacked a few more boxes yesterday and then we spent the whole afternoon shopping. Our largest purchase was a new King mattress for our new bedroom set. Today we waited for the Corvette to be delivered. Then we were off to get my driver's license and register both cars. I thought I had proof of insurance for both cars. Unfortunately, I didn't read the small print and brought the Arizona cards and not Florida. So...Arne had to race home while I finished getting my DL. We're officially registered to drive and vote in Florida.

Since Marla gave such a good recap of our reunion, I’m going to refer you to her website and her entry on Rocky Mountain Reunion. Click on the link on right side of this page for Adventures of Grandma, Drew and Kayley.

After leaving the reunion site Friday morning, my part of the family headed to Denver. Thanks to my nieces, Heather and Melissa, I discovered Hotwire.com and was able to get two rooms at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Denver for $60/night. It was one block from the 16th Street Mall which is several blocks long with trees down the center of the street and no auto traffic. We were also less than two miles from Elitch Gardens amusement park. We spent Saturday from Noon until 9:30 PM at the park. I rode several rides, including a couple of the coasters, and could still take the turning upside down. Gracie, who turns 7 this month, has no fear. She went on every ride for which she was tall enough. She really wanted to go on Mind Eraser, insisting she had grown enough by the end of the day to qualify.

Sunday morning, I took SuperShuttle to the airport, leaving before the others were awake so there were no sobbing Grandma or granddaughters. Flight was on time and I took the Villages shuttle to Lake Sumter Landing, 5 minutes from our house, where Arne was waiting for me. It was a great week. Now back to work getting this house in shape. Our first house guests are expected in less than two weeks...a couple from Sedona who are considering a move to Florida.
Visit from Fort Collins relatives...Cousin Barb with her two granddaughters, Marla, Megan, Jan, Aunt Ellie (my mother's sister), Me, Uncle Darrell (my dad's first cousin and brother-in-law), Barb's son Ken,and daughter-in-law Brenda. My cousin Joyce (Kalkwarf) Erickson and her husband Gordon came up from Denver.

The following pictures were taken at the Butterfly Museum. Kadin took all of the pictures except for the one of her and Gracie with me. Not bad for an 8 year old.

Daughter Lisa
Son Erik
Grandma with Nick, 22, and Taylor, 13
Grandma with Gracie, almost 7, and Kadin, 8 1/2.