More 7/7/07

7-7-07

07/07/07   was a big time party

HANGIN OUT ON THE RIVER

"CHEERS PAPA"   THIS MILKS FOR YOU !!!!

B'day celebration #84

Cruising Florida Gulf Coast

We are having a great time. Bruce has been posting pics almost everyday from his camera so I thought I would add some narritive. We took 2 days to drive to Sarasota and then we checked out the boat and unpacked all our things. Then we went to the grocery store and got stuff for lunches and snacks. We had dinner at Chart House Thursday night in Sarasota and honestly it wasn't that great, we all usually like chart houses but food wasn't fantastic here. We spent the night on the boat and then we were untied and off at 7:00 a.m. Friday. We went down the intercoastal for a couple of hours. I picked out several houses along the way I;m sure we could all enjoy and then we were out in the gulf. There were at least 2-3' waves so there was a lot of motion but it was great. We all sat up on the top and enjoyed the sights and read books and just relaxed. We even saw dolphins swimming and playing along side us two different times. That was fun to watch. Friday night we stayed at Burnt Store Marina. There was a nice restaurant right at the Marina so had dinner there. We left early in the morning again and then cruised to Fisherman Village Marina. That was a short water day and got there in time for lunch. That area was nice had about 4 restaunts to choose from right at the marina and also a big shopping area on the water. Dad bought a shirt there, we bought a picture and I got a handmade crystal and bead bracelet and earrings. We were talking to the shop owner, she makes all the jewelry herself and she asked where we were from and found out she had graduated from MU several years ago and then came to Florida when her husband retired from the military. Jason and Susan we even found a christmas present for the two of you. Sunday we left for Sanibel Island. This was the only place we stayed for 2 nights. Deck hand there when we came into our slip was a royal jerk, everyone else had been so nice. There was a restaurant litterally at the back of our slip where we had 2 dinners and one lunch. We took a walk around the area and saw some nice houses and landscapes. The rest of time we just relaxed and read books. Papa has read about 6 books now (if not more) This morning we left about 9 for Ft. Meyers. We had generator trouble and can't get it going so didn't have AC while we were running, so just opened the windows and got fresh air in. It wasn't bad at all. We were all up on the fly bridge anyone while we were driving here. wE use shore power at every marina so all is well. We walked into town for lunch today and then back to the boat. We found where we will eat tonight, so we will walk in for dinner a little later. The boat is really nice. A nice bedroom 3 steps down at the back of the boat. A Queen size bed and a bath and a shower and storage space for clothes and stuff, plus also a desk area for the computer. The front of the boat has the sleeping area that Dad and Bruce are using. They have a bath and shower too. There bed is basically 2 twin size beds that met at the feet for a wider area. They also have a closet for their clothes. The inside of the boat has a kitchen area w/ stove top, oven and microwave and small refrigerator and also a seperate icemake. There is a lot of storage and came stocked w/ pans and dishes and glasses etc. A full coffee pot and toaster. Then there is a drop leaf table, we keep it fully open w/ 2 chairs and then a full size couch on one side that wraps around to more couch for seating at the end of the table. Across from that is a loveseat size coach and next to that in the cornier is a 15" tv/dvd player. there is a bose radio w/ it. So really nice. Up on the fly bridge is where there is a another steering area. Arthur uses it instead of the sterring in the main area. There are 2 back to back sitting areas there, making about 4 love seat size seats. Then two big covered "boxes" to lay on, they are where there is more refrigeration, so that is where we are keeping all the extra food and drinks, plus have it handy since we all sit up there most of the time anyway. Ok, that was probably boring, but at least I wrote something. :)

more Kai

Here are more Kai pics including standing up, crawling up the stairs and his first Merry Go Round ride at the Columbia Mall

pics from gramma

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Various pics from last weekend of the ever popular Kai Robert Bratton and family

nothing new

I haven't checked any blogs in weeks but tonight I see Cadence has posted along with very cute pictures. So I thought I should at least add a note here. There is nothing new going on. We are still traveling for work every week to Mississippi. I am getting a lot of cross stitch work done and as the the daylight hours stay longer I'll get even more done. I have become addicted to the game Jewel Quest Solitaire, you can ask Arthur, every spare minute I'm home I'm playing that game. Now he has ordered me a power cord so I can take the spare laptop we have that has the game on it, in the car with me and play even more. Now that I find exciting. News from Cimarron Dr. is that we have a new ceiling fan and light in the breakfast room. It is really pretty and looks so much different than the old gray fan and light that was there. The other change is that I bought new dishes today. Service for 8 for a whopping $60. today at Wal-Mart. I couldn't pass up the bargain, because I really like the dishes. Yesterday we spent about 4 hours, emptying the hot tub, cleaning it, moving it out about 1 foot from the back wall of deck and installing a lift for the cover, so we don't have to pull it off ourselves each time and stand it on the deck, now it will just open and stand up at the back of the hot tub. It will be so much more convenient. Then we refilled the hot tub and put in all the chemicals to shock it for new water. Came inside to relax and think about all the good stuff we had accomplished for the day. Arthur walked outside 10 minutes later and then all hell broke lose, there was a leak on the line for the main pump and all water was pouring out. Well after a lot of heartache and angry words. He thought and thought and planned and planned and today he bought a small brass fitting of some sort and with the use of it, some sealant and a hair dryer, it is supposedly fixed. Now we won't know for sure till tomorrow. The sealant has to sit up overnight and then we will refill tomorrow and see what happens. Believe me I want it to work. But if not we are going to the home show tomorrow and then we will look at new hot tubs, believe me that is not our choice. We want this to work. Ok, I've bored you to death, but David and Cat are here doing their income tax on the computer on our turbo tax software and I can't get to the lap top to play my solitaire game so I took this opportunity to bore all of you that have read this far.

KATRINA 18 months later in Gulfport, MS

WHILE WORKING IN SOUTH MS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE DROVE DOWN TO GULFPORT. WITHOUT SEEING THE DEVASTATION YOURSELF YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT IS LIKE. MILES AND MILES ALONG THE COAST THERE IS NOTHING, WHERE THERE USE TO BE BEAUTIFUL HOMES, THERE IS NOTHING 3 & 4 BLOCKS IN FROM THE SHORE. YOU SEE FOUNDATONS WITH FOR SALES SIGNS EMPTY LOTS WITH BROKEN TREES WITH FOR SALE SIGNS. JUST STILL NOTHING IS BEING REBUILT. EVEN THE BEACHES ARE DESERTED.

Winer in Mid MO

THE PIC OF ARTHUR CLEANING DRIVEWAY IS THE WEEKEND OF THE SNOWFALL,AFTER THE WEEKEND OF 2 DAYS OF CLOMPLETELY CLEANING ICE OFF DRIVEWAY. PRETTY PICS, PRETTY TO LOOK OUT, BUT NOT IN ITS 3RD WEEK WITH MORE TO COME, GETTING VERY TIRED OF LOOKING AT IT. WHEN IS IT SPRING?

ICE

Some of us are stuck in Missouri in the winter. We have Jason and Susan and Kai in Kansas City, we have Barbara and Arthur and Zack in Missouri and we have all of Bruces and Dads dogs in Columbia. We are all here stuck in our respective home because of ICE yes folks thats ICE. We have electricity and we have food and water (we won't starve yet) but wait..... where are Bruce and Dad and Leslie. why they are in Australia. And what time of year is it in Australia???? Well I'll tell you it is summer and in the summer it is sunny and hot and there is no ice. You can get out and walk and drive and go and see, but alas here in MO where everyone is suppose to leave we are not experiencing that. Ok, you there in OZ, post pictures, post messages, let us know what we are all truely missing. Of course we miss you all too.