Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:22:15 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/ Csonka.net en-us http://geneandtina.csonka.net/images/logo.gif http://geneandtina.csonka.net/ cookie1001@aol.com http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article79.html Gene and I spent three days in Orlando with Yoyi and Arturo, Cristy, Gloria and Paul, the grandchildren,and Dan in the Tree house Villas in Disney World. Dave and Lori stayed in the nearby Saratoga Springs Resort. We all arrived on Friday - beautiful blue skies and 60's temps greeted us and made the entire visit quite pleasant. During our stay we visited Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Epcot over the weekend and on Saturday morning Dan, Dave, Gloria, and Paul ran a 5K Run through Epcot. Cristy ran her 13 miles on Sunday morning - happy to see absolutely beautiful weather instead of the rain and sleet that prevailed in the January half marathon. The Tree house villa was nestled among the cypress trees and though we saw only squirrels and songbirds it was fun " camping out " in Disney! Paul went all out Saturday night and prepared grilled hot dogs and roasted marshmallows for Smores! Gene got to ride "Soaring" twice on Sunday and Alexa got to ride it for the first time that day! When the ride started she called out a nervous" whoa" but with reassurance she handled the experience remarkably well for her age. Of course I have to mention the luncheon with the Disney Princesses in Cinderella's Castle. The meal was quite delicious and having one princess after another visit our table was a delight for Alexa and the Lords at our table. Yes, our server named Tina Marie consistently titled Arturo and Gene as " my Lord" whenever she spoke to them. And yes they enjoyed the royal salutation!!! But it was Paul Andrew who got the kiss from Sleeping Beauty! That lad is quite the charmer.... Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:22:15 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article78.html Woke up at 6:45am to feed kitties and checked the temperature outdoors- 38 degrees! Yes, this has been a different winter in Florida. In all my travels in the last five years I have sought cool locations with scenic mountainous terrains. This winter Florida has definitely provided the cool- in fact this past week every state except Hawaii had snow on the ground! In the afternoon Stephanie and her sister Jessie came over to visit and brought us gifts- a matched pair of Valentine glasses and a lovely Valentine Day card. Tootsie and Simba quickly ran to their kitty sitters and were ready for lots of playing.... After their visit I prepared a roasted turkey breast with all the fixings. I ate very little stuffing- I have been somewhat folllowing the Paleo Diet which does not allow bread - but once in awhile....I have been back on my exercise routine since the school district began free classes at a nearby school. Pool at home too cool for water aerobics. In the evening we headed over to the Three Oaks Banquet Center for some dancing- the only thing I wanted for Valentine's Day. We danced for two hours-plenty of slow dancing for snuggling between the lively musical selections. It was so love-a lee ...... Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:41:45 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article77.html It was as bad as predicted- the Gulf of Mexico temperature dropped to 48 degrees and the temperatures last Monday and Tuesday morning reached 29 degrees! I wore my winter coat to school for a full week and my winter gloves. The windows in my classroom leaked air so badly that the temperature was 50 degrees by the windows in my classrom..... It finally made the low 70's yesterday so the Big Chill of January 2010 is now a memory. The snook in our normally warm waters and tropical fish farms in Tampa and South Florida took a major hit but this is the way of nature. Nature's plan works in the long duration but seems often cruel in the moment.... At least those chubby manatees set their GPS for the warm waters of Florida Power and Light and made it through this ordeal! Though in some ways this is not the best maneuver for these gentle mammals.After several nights in the garage our orchids are back out in the lanai. We are not placing them out in the yard just in case OLD MAN WINTER decides to pay another long visit! Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:29:10 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article76.html We began our trip heading to Sarasota to pick up Dave and Lori. Lori and her mom Edna served a delicious Christmas meal when we arrived and afterwards we enjoyed a nice visit at her parents lovely home which is situated in a quiet area with plenty of trees and nature. My kind of place! We still had about 50 or so miles to the Tampa Airport - hoping for no traffic issues- and to our delight everything went well. Flying on Christmas Day you would think would be quiet but surprisingly the US Airways flights we booked were full in Tampa and Phoenix! We stayed at a very nice Best Western by the airport in Reno and on Dec. 26th we shuttled by bus to South Lake at Stateline, Nevada. Our condo on Kingbury Grade was about 5 miles from the casinos and Lake Tahoe. The location on Quaking Aspen Rd. was just over a thousand feet above the lake ( elevation at Lake Tahoe is 6500ft.)and provided a scenic view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Carson Valley. Every morning at sunrise I would open my eyes and feast on the glorious beauty of the distant mountains as well as the majestic pines that stood beyond our balcony. Each day it flurried -one morning the pines were like a picture post card - dusted with snow like a sugar coated donut. Dan literally skiied the entire Heavenly Mountain- his skill level is a high level blue. Dave has advanced as well and is now skiing blue runs. Lori ,unlike me in Beckenridge, hung in there and made it through the difficult fist timer skiing experience. After the 3 days of skiing was completed we then took the Gondola at Heavenly Village up to the Adventure Park and snowtubed. The next day we headed to the Humboldt- Toyaibe National Forest and snowmobiled through the beautiful snowy countryside. Lori taught me how to play Craps and we had fun winning( some of the time) both in the Tahoe casinos and the beautiful Peppermill Casino in Reno. We had perfect weather during our trip and no travel issues. However, since we have been back home we have had 2 nights below 35 degrees and in the next 3 nights we are expecting 2 nights at 31 degrees. Looks like I brought home some of that winter wonderland- all except the snow!!! Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:40:46 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article75.html I was prepared for some freezing temperatures and even the 20's in Tahoe but upon returning from our Christmas vacation I would never have guessed a full week of 30's and 40's in SW Florida ! According to the meteorologists it has been 80 years since Florida has had this long of a cold snap! The highs the last 3 days has been in the 50's! As soon as school dismissed for the holidays Dad,Dan, and I headed over to Miami to visit Paul , Gloria, our adorable grandchildren, and Gloria's family. It was brisk but very comfortable and great weather for outdoor birthday parties . I tagged along with Gloria, Alexa, and Paul Andrew and enjoyed seeing all the little sweethearts at play. We also watched video of Alexa and Paul Andrew in their school Christmas performances. Alexa amazed us with her stage presence, singing and then bowing with obvious delight! Paul Andrew was such a patient fella- he stayed put in his chair without a fuss and only once did he began to slide down in his chair .... Can only imagine what he was thinking through the whole performance! It was wonderful getting together with Gloria's family - we made the trip over early before Christmas since December 25th we would be heading to Lake Tahoe with Dan, Dave, and Lori. Alexa and Paul Andrew will be ready for a winter wonderland trip in the years to come and hopefully Grandma will still be in snowtubing shape... That's another story! Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:12:14 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article74.html It was again a very cool Thanksgiving in Estero- the temperatures plunged to the high 40's at night and low 70's for the day's high. Great weather for baking! We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Dan, Paul, Gloria,Alexa, Paul Andrew, and Mary and Charlie. Lori and Dave arrived the next day with still plenty of food for all. Lots of leftovers!!! All of us did varying amounts of shopping. Paul and Gloria hit the big sales at midnight at Miramer Outlets. Alexa helped prepare the sweet potato pie and painted wooden Christmas ornaments just like Paul did 30 years ago. I have to say her hand was steady for a 3 year old! Paul Andrew and her had a blast in the Bounce Castle and gave Dan and Dave a workout lifting them up and over the sides! Grandpa definitely made the perfect choice buying this for them. Paul and Gloria headed up Saturday for the Gator- Seminole game ,leaving Alexa and Paul Andrew with us.They actually tuckered out earlier with us- could it be that bounce castle does have a magic charm in it after all? Thank you Lord for all your blessings and for all our family and friends .... Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:45:40 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article73.html The Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri are truly hidden treasures! On October 29th we flew up to Little Rock, Arkansas to begin our week long adventure. The Ozark Mountains are more like big hills, knee high to the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, but captivate with their own special charm. Up and down with gentle curves the quiet countryside road beckons and makes for a lovely drive. On our first day traveling north on Route 7 the skies cleared and the glorious autumn leaves of gold sprinkled with red here and there covered the hillsides. What beauty to behold... Our first stop was Petit Jean State Park- no thanks to Maggie Magellan -our GPS voice tells me to turn on this driveway width dirt road. I prevailed and waited for a sign on the road and ignored that female voice spewing out from the dash! The Cedar Falls were spectacular thanks to the tremendous rain that soaked Arkansas the day we arrived. Our first night in the Ozarks was in the Buffalo National River location-first national river designation in the USA. Our cabin at the Buffalo River was a dream - we even had three deer outside our cabin at dusk! The next morning we drove 5 minutes from our cabin and saw several elk that are part of a herd of 400 that started with 100 elk brought over from Colorado in the 1980's! Was not expecting to see wild bull elk on this trip! We hiked the Lost Valley trail and I was in seventh heaven walking among the golden trees, high dolomite cliffs, flowing streams, and the Eden Falls. The next four nights we stayed at the Big Cedar Wilderness Club. Rustic elegance with a beautiful stone fireplace and lavish cabin decor our cabin was absolutely beautiful! The restaurants on sight are historical buildings-again all beautifully decorated and the food was scrumptious. Yes, the Ozarks in autumn are a quiet place to relax and will be calling me again... Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:06:57 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article72.html Even though Alexa and Paul Andrew had been sick with upper respiratory problems this past week they perked up on the weekend so we were able to take them to Solara Surfside- a beach hotel. Alexa was very excited to head over late Saturday afternoon and first order of business was Paul Andrew and her checking out the 2 bedroom condo unit . We headed out to the beach late ( around 7pm)and it was amazing how warm the Atlantic Ocean was - mid 80's at least! Alexa thoroughly enjoyed standing at the water's edge and watching the very gentle waves roll in and Paul Andrew was fearless. Paul had to hold him back - Paul Andrew was ready to leap in! Something tells me my grandchildren are loving water more and more as time rolls on!! Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:13:24 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article71.html It is officially fall but in reality it is still summer. I know the hot and muggy weather will leave when the almost daily rains halt and a front arrives with lower humidity but I am growing impatient. I guess when you travel to states with cooler summer temperatures it makes you more aware of the heat and humidity. Okay, enough whining…. I have enjoyed the pool this summer . The water aerobics I do are fun and provide another way to exercise and I guess , at least to Alexa , quite entertaining. The end of August when we were visiting in Miami we had a great time in the pool. When she was not skimming along with the water noodle I brought over she was calling out with me the number of repetitions of my leg kicks . Unfortunately, Paul Andrew could not join us since he was recovering from a cold. Dan joined us when we were over at Paul and Gloria’s- it was the end of his summer break with fall classes starting up that week. We enjoyed a great lunch at Chili’s and both Alexa and Paul Andrew did very well at the restaurant! Students have already completed five weeks of classes in Lee County. We have switched to an alternate day block schedule which gives teachers seven class periods. The current budget crunch launched this schedule and I have to say that 84 minute class periods are much better for science instruction than the 45 minute classes we have followed for several years. We did not travel over this four day weekend- no hurricanes so far meant an extra day off from school. A minor case of bronchitis hit on Thursday night so it was better we stayed home and took it easy. Did get started on some projects like creating folders of pictures from years of Estero Bay field trips that are stored on old hard floppies . Need to get out of the Dark Ages…. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:37:17 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article69.html Just 10 days before heading back to school we began our next adventure - north to Maine! Daniel had visited us for a few days and drove us to the airport before heading back to Orlando . Flying again to Portland ( like last fall when we went to New Hampshire) we again rested up near the airport and took off in our rental car the next morning ! Though New England had mostly a cool rainy summer our visit was filled with sunny skies and 75-80 degree weather. So what did we do? We climbed the tiny 50 foot tall Pemaquid Lighthouse. Exploring many rocky beaches we found several colorful stones. Seafood and blueberry desserts were the mainstay of our diet. The splendor of Acadia National Park was everything we hoped and more! We walked around the West Quoddy Lighthouse as the fog rolled in and got to hear those somewhat eerie foghorns calling out to distant boats. In Houlton, Maine we ate in a historic bank now called The Vault Restaurant and at Hopewell Rocks we watched a 35 foot tidal range in 5 hours. We tried blueberry wine in New Brunswick Canada and enjoyed Tim Horton's donuts in northern Maine. The drive through Baxter State Park did not reveal those elusive moose I still have not seen in New England! Our final day in Maine carried us into New Hampshire for a few miles - would have loved to visit our cabin we stayed in last fall! After our week in Maine my dear husband and I have no doubts that Maine is a great place to visit but many of the roads need repair. Could those Maine winters be at fault? Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:47:35 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article68.html Oregon Memories Soaring snow-topped mountains Calming cascading streams Chirping birds and chipmunks delight! Willowy waterfalls Fragrant flowery plants Hidden hillside delights! Streaming sunlit rays Forest fragrance pervades Mountain meadows so bright! Rocky rivers give way Wild waves pound away Sensational sunsets to stay in Memories I cannot forget...... What delights! Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:32:42 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article67.html We decided that it would be great if we could fit in a family get together and since we had not visited the Fountains in Orlando this looked like the ideal spot! Dad and I arrived a day ahead of everyone else and along with Dan we got to see a rainstorm that whirled in like a surprise tropical storm. Dan has mentioned from time to time the intensity of Orlando thunderstorms! Wow, he was not joking! Fortunately, the next day when Gloria's parents and grandparents arrived the rain was more tame. Alexis really enjoyed the pool area and her little dolphin squirt gun! Paul Andrew was in the covered floating toddler seat for just a few minutes when the drowsies hit him hard. I have a complete set of other small squirt guns for them to enjoy next summer when they are a year older! Dan and Dave headed to Blizzard Beach for a few hours- had a great time but the wait lines were a bit long as to be expected. January is probably the best time for short lines I would imagine. Fortunately, after his class, Paul was able to have dinner with us at Outbacks but unfortunately the space shuttle launch was delayed. I had my fingers crossed that it would happen- blame it on all those pesky afternoon thunderstorms!! Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:51:51 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article66.html Our anniversary cruise on the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas sailed June 21st . Paul took us to the Miami Airport and we fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico where our cruise ship was docked. Upon arriving at the ship I thought about Paul proposing to Gloria just 5 years ago on June 15th,2003 on this very same ship and now here we were embarking on our 35th anniversary celebration. Once on the ship we immediately went to our stateroom- the oceanview was very nice with a very large closet for all those clothes I packed. And yes I did end up wearing almost everything.... After a light lunch in the Windjammer Cafe it was ship exploration time! This was our first ship with a promenade and it apparently was helpful in providing orientation because I became the designated leader! Our cabin was close to the dining room so we only ate in the Windjammer if we got back late from an excursion. Every evening we enjoyed dinner with two delightful couples. Our conversations covered everything from travel stories, world events, children and grandchildren, and everything in between. Looking forward to keeping in touch with Betsy and Hugh and John and Barbara. We booked five excursions and our first day at sea we relaxed in the solarium and I did exercise a wee bit. Our first port was Barbados and as our snorkel boat headed out the rain began . Fortunately, the boat was covered and the rain stopped when we arrived at the turtle feeding site. The hawksbill turtles arrived right on cue along with huge pufferfish when they began releasing squid in the water. It was amazing being so close to the sea turtles but I wonder what they think of all those humans trying to get a look of them as well as touch them! The next port St. Lucia was spectacular with the mountainous terrain, windy roads and the over 2,000ft. Pitons. Our guided walk through the rainforest was challenging with the steep and sometimes slippery terrain but the waterfall and the volcanic ash backrub made it all worthwhile to my dear hubby! Like last time in Antigua we did a catamaran snorkel trip. The reef is still rather bleak from all the hurricane damage 10 or more years ago but Deepwater Bay where we spent some time relaxing has the most tranquil ,turquoise water. The time we spent there was a part of our cruise we will never forget. Our day in St. Martin,Maarten was a nice mix of shopping, sightseeing with a visit to Orient Beach and barbeque lunch. Our dinner mates John and Barbara decided to sign up for this excursion so it was nice spending the day with them. Our last and most expensive excursion was the snorkel trip at Buck Island, St. Croix.The water temperature was around 80 degrees and visibility was excellent. The elkhorn coral was massive but in 1989 Hurricane Hugo devastated the elkhorn coral and it is slowly growing back. Very slowly.The brain coral for the most part was in great shape.And we saw the largest school of blue tangs- more than 200! We did manage to get some dancing in on this cruise and though we were on the go found time to just relax and have a great time together..... and that's what it is all about. Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:43:16 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article65.html July 4th weekend is now over- enjoyed a delicious dinner with our dear friends Mary and Charlie and watched the movie Independence Day on TV. Lots of fireworks went off in the neighborhood so no problem staying home! The first 3 weeks of summer break has quickly sped by. We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary with Mary and Charlie- they took us to Mantanzas Inn Restaurant at Ft. Myers Beach. The temps. that evening were pleasant and the seafood was scrumptious! We even got to see dolphins from our dockside table!We also traveled with them two days later to Largo, Florida to attend the memorial service for Mary's brother Ben. He was a wonderful guy with a great sense of humor, kind heart, and will be greatly missed . On June 20th we headed over to Miami and enjoyed spending time with Gloria, Paul and the grandchildren. Gloria had just finished taking Alexa and Paul Andrew to swimming lessons for 2 full weeks. I could definitely see the progress they had made! Gloria gently released Alexa at the center of their pool and Alexa swam to the wall. Paul Andrew also swam underwater and is doing very well for his age. Alexa still has some apprehension and she touched my heart when she said to Gloria " Take a break, Mommy". Gloria let her take a break but then had her practice again. With time my grandchildren will be like fish... Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:31:04 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article64.html Alexa, Alexa how can it be! My beautiful granddaughter you now are 3! No longer a baby, so tiny, so small, You now stand a whopping 37 inches tall!! With each passing year our love for you grows, You have such a beautiful smile and look so cute in those bows! Your interests are varied but there is no doubt, You love your Disney Friends and computers you easily figure out! For sure your 3rd birthday party was a blast I hope you made a big, gigantic wish, Cause there's so much all of us want to do with you And one of them is Grandpa teaching you how to fish! P.S. Until you're ready Grandma will practice with you with plastic fish! Love you, Grandma Sat, 16 May 2009 16:21:39 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article63.html Our Bahama Cruise on the NCL Sky was over my April Spring Break so the strong winds and rough seas of a March sailing was not expected. Actually, the seas were not all that rough but the high winds kept us out of our first port of call- Freeport. The skies were overcast and kept the high for the day at 68 degrees and I guess going in and out on our balcony cooled the cabin down enough we actually ran our heat in the cabin instead of A.C. We headed to the casino to hopefully not lose too much money but when Gene was on a winning streak we had to cash out. Now the ship was heading in to Nassau a day early for a medical emergency! We start to think that maybe the Sail and Beach Excursion might not be that great with the weather being a bit on the cool side so we changed our excursion to an underwater submarine experience! Well the next morning we head out on Nassau's pier and discover the " Explorer Sub" excursion is cancelled. But like they say in Jamaica " no problem!" Maybe, years ago I would have felt like the cruise was a disaster but it was nice just taking it easy, eating great food, and seeing Rich Purpura again( a comedian we saw on the NCL Sun last year). Plus the last stop at NCL's island Great Stirrup Cay was picture perfect! The sun was out, the air temperature was around 80 degrees and the ocean water was perfect! Gene had the underwater video camera and I had the underwater digital camera which would take up to 280 pics. I stopped at about 180 and to my surprise and delight about 80% of them were quite nice and in focus. Last year at these same coral heads at Great Stirrup Cay I had many out of focus pics. We did not get to see Paul and Gloria and the grandchildren after the cruise since they were still in Chicago but at least we saw them before the cruise. Paul Andrew was walking quite well holding your hand- it's just a matter of time before he takes off!! Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:12:16 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article62.html Gene and I have never visited Tallahassee in the springtime and have never seen a live shutlle launch. The visit to Tallahassee was a planned Mom trip -we thought this time of year the weather would be great and as events unfolded the shuttle launch was just plain luck! We headed up to Orlando to visit Dan staying at our favorite hotel the Radison. The plan was for the three of us to then drive up together to visit Dave and Lori for the weekend. Dan was planning to see the Space Shuttle Discovery launch before we arrived but the launch was postponed with a weekend launch projected. After a leisurely breakfast we headed north up the Florida Turnpike. On I-10 an unexpected treat- to my delight redbud trees were blooming. I have not seen these trees in bloom since 1990 in North Carolina.The bright reddish pink flowers on this small tree are very showy and eye catching! We found Dave and Lori's apartment with no problem and to my delight beautiful tall trees were everywhere. Unlike our area trees are not all cut down when homes and apartments are built. As Dave warned the pollen was quite heavy - many of the vehicles left parked during spring break were becoming completely covered in the pollen. To our amazement none of us developed sneezing or watery eyes! Jack was happy to meet us- though he is a bit timid he cannot resist playing tug of war especially when new toys are provided. As I learned his first mission is to destroy the sqeaker when it is time to rest from all the physical exertion. I was amazed how quickly he accomplishes that task! We headed to the State Capitol soon after arriving since we wanted to go to the top floor to take in the stunning view of Tallahassee and surrounding forests. Even though I do love beautiful palm trees I sometimes miss the tall forests of hardwood trees.After a late lunch at Panera's we headed back to Dave and Lori's place and enjoyed playing cards and sharing some laughs. Breakfast the next morning was at The Broken Egg. The owners selected a charming old home on a lake for this delightful restaurant that served scrumptious breakfast foods. The azalea bushes were in full bloom during our visit and just like the capitol area there were plenty of azaleas at the restaurant to dazzle the eye! Lori and I left Dave, Dan, and their Dad at the apartment to work on computer projects and we spent a few hours shopping and getting a pedicure and a manicure. This was only the second time for me and I have to say this is one treat I need to do for myself once in a while.To top it all off Dave and Lori picked a great place for dinner- the Japanese restaurant had wonderful chefs/ entertainers! Before we knew it Sunday had arrived! I am so glad we got to see how nice Dave and Lori decorated their apartment - if it had been cooler I would have asked for them to light up the real fireplace! After breakfast we headed back to Orlando with Dan and to my delight the Space Shuttle Discovery launch was still on for Sunday, March 15 around 7:45 pm! Paul had just finished his weekend classes in Orlando so with perfect timing we join up at Dan's and then head to Titusville to see the shuttle launch. Even though the traffic got backed up several blocks away from Spaceview Park which is 15 miles from the launchpad we somehow found a parking spot and a viewing position in the park to get a superb view of the shuttle launch. I felt so many emotions as I saw the Discovery rockets ignite - no longer delayed she and her brave astronauts rapidly left Earth leaving behind a trail of color in the sky . I cheered with all the people at the Spaceview Park as she sped away thankful that we were able to witness this proud moment and truely spectacular human achievement! Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:54:53 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article61.html On January 31st the Armand's celebrated Paul Andrew's First Birthday with a big Country Western themed birthday party!! The weather was picture perfect- not a cloud in the sky and 70 degree weather. It was fun dressing up in western garb and seeing everyone at the party! For the special event a petting zoo was provided for the children. I expected maybe a dozen animals but was I surprised! About 6-8 ducks, 10 or so chickens, 2 large domestic geese, 2 piglets, half dozen baby bunnies, 2 baby goats, 1 puppy, 2 kittens were set loose in an enclosure. With the constant motion as the barnyard critters moved about it was difficult keeping count... We had a blast feeding the farm menagerie and trying to video all the clucking, honking, squealing was a hoot. Two very sweet ponies were also brought in for pony rides and Alexa thoroughly enjoyed her first pony ride at her Buies home. Paul Andrew enjoyed the Bounce House and all the animals but he was not interested in a pony ride and let his wishes be known. His expression as his Dad fed the goat a bottle I will never forget. Paul encouraged Alexa to feed the ducks and 2 geese and I was amazed how well she did. Those geese were almost as tall as her!! What a wonderful experience this was for all the children and for the big kids as well! Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:56:58 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article60.html Old Man Winter decided to descend on even South Florida! On January 22 we woke up to 31 degrees in Estero! Before heading down to Marathon we uncovered our orchids, praying the evening temperatures that night would not go as low. Our first night at the Hammocks in Marathon we turned on the heat- got down to the 50's. I guess if we lived in Pennsylvania we would have opened up the glass slider doors out to the balcony and enjoyed the 50 degree night air ..... On Friday morning we drove down to see Bob, Tom, and Anita. The skies were a beautiful blue and the air was dry and in the sun quite lovely. After looking at several of our family videos Bob and I headed out on Anita's front porch and we began to wrap- jewelry that is. Heh, Heh! As always Tom and Anita's plants looked ever so robust in their yard and their tomato plants were so lush and heavily festooned with some really large- baseball sized tomatoes. On Saturday Gloria and Paul arrived with Alexa and Paul Robert . Paul Andrew had woke up his parents before 6am that morning so we gave Paul and Gloria an hour to nap while we took the grandchildren outdoors to check out the hammocks , iguanas, and the resort grounds. Afterwards, we headed down to Sugarloaf Key and it was instant giggles for Paul Andrew when he saw Corkie playing tug of war with her toys.Bob suggested we go down to the canal and feed the fish some bread. Alexa soon discovered Tom's smaller boat sitting on the dock and decided climbing in and out would be such fun. Of course Paul Andrew had to go on the boat and join his big sister! Sunday we headed down to Key West and rode the Key West Conch Train and got to play tourists! Paul Andrew and Alexa enjoyed the ride and we were glad we did not go on it late Saturday because the air was still quite brisk even early in the afternoon. We took some pictures at the Key West Aquarium- reminded me of our first visit to Miami and the Florida Keys in 1987- 3 years before we made Florida our home! On the way back to the Hammocks we stopped to see Bob, Tom, and Anita and said our goodbyes to Bob. Next year will be our turn to visit him! Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:56:10 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article59.html Welcome 2009 and Goodbye 2008! As expected the 2 week holiday from school passed ever so quickly. And also as expected the temperatures were warmer than Thanksgiving.Before heading over to Paul and Gloria's for Christmas we celebrated with our neighbors with a Christmas Party at our home. Patty Campbell and her girls drove down from Nashville and joined us and the Olive family brought their 2 week old son Hogan for all of us to coo over.. it was truely a wonderful evening to party with our friends ! On December 23rd we headed over to Miami to spend Christmas with all the family. Gloria , Alexa, and I got busy making homemade sugar cookies and using cookie cutters and homemade colored frosting we created stars and trees and cookie men. Even Daniel decorated a few- he has always loved the soft sugar cookies from Publix- my recipe was not the best so must keep experimenting!Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning breakfast was as always delicious thanks to Yoyi's culinary skills! Paul Andrew was constantly pulling himself up to investigate everything and chew on whatever he could get his hands on. Alexa was trying to quickly grab her favorite toys and hide them from his view as he scoped out her interesting toys. Maybe Paul Andrew was tiring her out because as Gloria told me Alexa settles down quickly when she is is tucked in to bed , says her prayers, and kissed goodnight. Now could that Minnie Mouse blanket I got Alexa have magical powers.... For Christmas I got Paul Andrew and Alexa a Mickey Mouse plane that I just loved- the safe whirling prop with flying lights was hypnotic! Dave and Lori arrived Christmas afternoon - it was wonderful having all the family together. The day after Christmas they sailed out of Miami for a 3 night Bahama cruise on the NCL Sky. Cruise ships are so beautiful decked out for the holiday season. On Dec. 29 my dear husband and I flew out to Denver, Colorado. Nancy Avalon a dear friend and coworker at Ft. Raleigh National Historic Site had contacted me in September after 28 years and invited us to come visit! We were in our early 20's and had the time of our life conducting living history programs portraying the life and times of the English colonists who attempted to settle in the New World in the 1580's . 400 years later it is still a mystery what happened to 100 men. women, and children.... We spent 5 glorious days with Nancy and her boyfriend Aeron. Our first evening we visited an Irish Pub and over some delicious beer we listened to many fine musicians playing celtic music I so dearly love.The next day we headed to Golden, Colorado - enjoyed all the trains in the Colorado Train Museum and nearby in the Lookout Mountain area saw Iguanodon and pteropod dinosaur tracks all over a mountain side. On December 31 Aeron drove us out 160 miles on I-70 to Glenwood Hot Springs. Nancy found a lovely B&B called Lavender and Thyme for us to stay at for 2 nights. Built in 1898, this lovely Victorian styled home was simply enchanting. And maybe ghostly as well... supposedly Doc Holiday is buried under the house. Due to a very icey road he was buried in a vacant lot at the bottom of the hill where our bed and breakfast now stands. Did not see his ghost. Only delicious food each morning, beautiful decor in the house, and our wonderful innkeeper Jan who made us feel right at home.New Year's Eve we headed to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool . This 405 X 100 ft.pool contains 1 million gallons of water. The spring that feeds this pool has 122 degrees water and is cooled to 90 degrees . A smaller pool has 104 degrees water. It was an amazing experience surrounded by the dense mist hovering in the 25 degree air above the water! We headed to the 104 degree water last to heat up before getting out into the chilly air. Polar bear I am not.... On New Year's Day we snowmobiled at Sunlight Pass Mountain and had a blast!! The trails and views were fantastic! Our last day in Glenwood Springs we headed up to the Glenwood Caverns and viewed some really unique formations. Nancy and I glided down the mountain on the Adventure Park roller coaster and at top speed we screamed and later sang a few old ballads as we acted like a bunch of kids! Though Nancy and I had not seen each other for 28 years it did not seem like all that time had passed. Needless to say we had a wonderful visit to Colorado and look forward to Nancy and Aeron's visit to our bit of paradise.... Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:54:23 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article58.html It was Thanksgiving in Estero this year. All sons agreed to head to the homestead for the celebration. Paul agreed on the condition that I would make his favorite breakfast of homemade waffles, turkey, and gravy. Of course I agreed. On Wednesday, Dan arrrived first then Dave and Lori. After some lunch Lori and I chatted a bit and later Dave and her left for some shopping before she flew out of Ft. Myers that evening for New York to visit her sister. From the weather report we would be seeing the upper 40's . This has definitely been a cool November in SW Florida. Thursday morning Paul, Gloria, Alexa, and Paul Andrew arrived a bit after 9am. Paul in his college days would sometimes surprise us arriving at the crack of dawn. Always the early bird of the family. Charlie and Mary joined in the cooking. Charlie did his usual deep fried turkey and I roasted a turkey. Alexa and Paul Andrew had lots of fun playing in the bounce house set up in the foyer. Dan and Dave kept them entertained and got plenty of exercise keeping up with these pint size powerhouses! Alexa enjoyed feeding the Goobers, our parrot cichlid fish and playing out in the lanai in her new sandbox. Paul Andrew was crawling everywhere and pulling up. He would always look our way and smile before crawling off to his new destination. I woke up Friday morning around 7am with Paul returning from Best Buy. He was the only family member to get up early for Black Friday. All of us headed out later to shop at Miromar Outlet and later thet evening Dad and I watched Alexa and Paul Andrew when everyone went to the movies.The temperatures were in the low 70's - just lovely in the daytime. Alexa enjoyed playing at the clubhouse playground and as usual had lots of fun swinging. Saturday's menu switched to pizza- time for a break from turkey and we watched the Gators beat the Seminoles. Urban Myer is a great coach and I have to say I like him as much as Bobby Bowden.... In closing, it must be told that the three sons really surprised their Dad. On Thursday,tucked away in a cardboard apple box was a Macbook Pro , a computer their father hoped to eventually purhase. The sons conspired and purchased one for him - needless to say their Dad was overwhelmed by their thoughtful conspiracy! My three sons... Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:24:43 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article57.html Cannot believe it has been a full two months since I last posted a story. So, let's get started!!!On September 26th Gene and I flew out to Portland, Maine and for 4 glorious days we became official Leaf Peepers in New Hampshire! Yes, that it what nature lovers are called that take literally hundreds of photos of trees decked out in red, orange, yellow and every shade in between! Even though Hurricane Kyle threatened to ruin our long awaited visit to New England, we experienced just periodic rain that dampened only our rain jackets and definitely not our spirits. Nova Scotia was Kyle's aim and according to the weather channel on our first night in our cabin it has been 17 years since a hurricane brushed the coast of Maine! I am starting to feel like I am a hurricane magnet. We had a wonderful time searching for moose( no luck) and spying on roadside turkeys. The White Mountains were dressed in absolutely stunning fall colors- the best color in the last 3 years according to locals. We walked up trails where the balsam fir fragrance was like 100 yankee candles and gathered red maple leaves that were so beautiful a color that red will never be the same for me. The Flume Gorge and the forest service road to Watervilles Valley will not be forgotten. And the 2 nights in our cozy little cabin in the White Mountains was very special in so many ways..... In October we visited Gloria and Paul twice. The second visit Daniel made it down from college and we all got a chance to play with Alexa and Paul Andrew and see and hear all their new " learnings ". Alexa newest words from preschool were " no way" ! She definitely said it with plenty of enthusiasm and gusto and got her message across. She still loves horsey rides and greets us at the door ready for a hug and kiss. She follows her Mom everywhere around the house and probably I was the same with my Mom when I was Alexa's age. But when it comes to horsey rides her Dad is like no other. Dan saw how much his godson has grown and how easily Paul Andrew is pulling up and crawling all over. Grandpa was busy as well taking photos of the cuties! I got to join Gloria and the grandchildren for a fun halloween party which was a wonderful party for all! Over the Veteran's Day Holiday Gene and I headed down to the Florida Keys and stayed at the Hammocks. With the minor cool front boating and snorkeling was out but we had a wonderful beach walk at Bahia Honda and visit down to Sugarloaf Key to see Anita and Tom. On the way back we stopped in Miami for a quick visit before heading home. We have had many nights already in the 40's and this has been one of the coolest November's I remember in years! We do not have the glorious fall leaves like up north but the beautiful yellow flowers of our Cassia trees have been dazzling and remind me that summer's heat and humidity has been swept away for now.... Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:03:26 -0500 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article56.html It still makes it to 90 degrees each day but when I head out in the early morning dawn there is a hint of cooling air- a promise that the long hot summer will eventually give way - October please sweep away the humidity!! School has been moving along- lots of budget concerns with the economy downturn and slowing student population growth. I have 5 sections of Marine Science - busy setting up our aquariums and all that involves. Been dealing with some allergy issues- par for the course this time of year. Two weekends ago we headed over to Miami to visit everyone! Upon arrival at Paul and Gloria's I peeked in the door after I rang the doorbell and saw my darling granddaughter Alexa peeking back. Of course I cannot wait to hug her and Paul Andrew and enjoy as always being a kid with them. Alexa cracked us up when her Granddad starting taking pictures and she called out "Cheese"! We got a great shot of Paul, Gloria , Alexa , and Paul Andrew monkeying around on the floor. On Sunday we went to church- still amazed how well behaved my grandchildren are in church... Before heading home Gloria's family served a wonderful dinner - guess we tired out Alexa - she felt asleep in her highchair during the meal! Paul Andrew was still going-played ball with me during the Miami Dolphins game - he kept rolling the ball back and forth using his feet while lying on his back! I wonder if Larry Csonka started out this way..... Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:20:45 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article55.html Today is the last day of August and a day before Hurricane Gustav slams into the coastal region somewhere near New Orleans with predicted winds around 140mph. Let's hope this storm is not another Katrina- but it sure looks like it according to all the models. The first week of August was spent in Brea, California in the LA area. Gene, Dan, and I traveled with Gloria, Paul, Alexa, and Paul Andrew for a week long visit. This was Dan's and Paul Andrew's first visit to California and Gene's and my first visit to southern California. We enjoyed a direct flight on our way out there and I was amazed how well Alexa and Paul Andrew did since 4 and a half hours is still a long time for a toddler and a baby! We planned to visit the San Diego Zoo and visit Shannon and her family the first weekend. We took the tour bus around the zoo- smart idea -the San Diego Zoo is huge! We sat on the top level which gave us excellent viewing - we could see how long the panda lines were and decided a quick view was better than standing in line for an hour! On Sunday before we headed to Shannon's we visited the La Brea Tar Pits, Beverley Hills, and even drove along the Pacific Highway in Malibu. We took Malibu Canyon Road as we made our way to Shannon's which I thoroughly enjoyed - Paul was driving! It was great seeing Shannon again after 18 years and meeting Milt, and their 2 adorable children Amelie, and Lucas. Over a delicious meal everyone got acquainted - Alexa had a blast playing in Amelie's sandbox! Hope we get together again when they head over to Florida! The rest of the week we visited a variety of places while Paul worked. We got together with Anna Maria and her granddaughters at a lovely park, at Huntington Beach Alexa and I ventured out into the Pacific Ocean and our legs did not get chilled! On Tuesday we enjoyed a delicious lunch with the Disney characters. Paul Andrew accidentally punched Dale in the eye when "she" bent down toward him- did not get that on video! On Wednesday I drove the freeway(YIKES) so Dan and I could go to Knotts Berry Farm Amusement Park. The rides were fun and Dan got to ride a scaled down version of Dragster- Xcelerator. I really liked Montezuma's Revenge! On Thursday we went to the Discovery Center -it was a great place for children as well as adults but on the day we went there was too many day campers. Wall to wall kids with noise to match... On Friday Paul was able to join us for a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific at Long Beach. Even though I like the setting of the Monterrey Aquarium more I have to say this aquarium has fantastic exhibits . Alexa and Paul Andrew enjoyed seeing all the underwater critters - Gloria let Alexa get her hands in the touch tanks. A wonderful ending to our California trip. The trip back home took longer since we did not have a direct flight but overall the little traveler's did great! School began the following day after we returned home and we already used our first hurricane day the following week when students started school courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay. This storm gave Estero 10 inches of rain and stayed in Florida for 6 days! It actually made landfall at Cape Romano just below Naples. Thank heavens this was not a Hurricane Gustav!!!! Well. we have another serious month or two for storms- we can only hope September and October do not get even worse.... Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:30:17 -0400 http://geneandtina.csonka.net/Article54.html We had a grand time spending the July 4th holiday with family and friends in Siesta Key, Sarasota this past weekend! Dave's fiance, Lori, is from Sarasota and it worked out that she and Dave would also be down in Sarasota for the July 4th weekend .The weather cooperated 100% for the fireworks at the beach and the turquoise water and talcum powder sand was an unexpected delight! It was great chatting with everyone, relaxing in the calm seas, and playing with the little ones. Paul Andrew seems to be taking to the water like a fish- I can see a future snorkler... Alexa is taking her time checking out this new environment but she enjoyed wading in the shallows at low tide and helping Grandpa Csonka find seashells along the water's edge. She semi-dozed in Grandpa Armand's arms under the beach umbrella and like all of us found the beach breezes relaxing. Paul, Dave, and Dan impressed many beach walkers with their beach sand fortress they created! The evening beach strolls were enchanting- Gloria and I saw the green flash as the sun dipped into the horizon on the last evening- maybe next time Dan and Paul will see this amazing phenomenon!! However, we did not succeed in finding her carving of her initials in the "Point of Rocks" located around the bend on the beach when she was in high school. I say we definitely will have to return again to this lovely beach destination.... Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:17:34 -0400