The Florida Keys

In spite of a torrential rainstorm we drove through on our way into the Keys, we managed to make it to Grassy Key and the town of Marathon (about half way down the Keys). Remember, there is only one road through the keys...at least this one was a two-way road now and bridges hoping from one key to the next (one seven-mile bridge).

We stayed at the Jolly Roger RV Park, had a beautiful site with lots of grass,a concrete patio, and a large grassy lot behind us that wasn't used for anything. We had coconut trees and palm trees shading us. We had absolutely beautiful views of the sunrise coming in our large back window every morning. It is a relatively small park with several planned activities like wine tasting (bring your own bottle to share), taco night (tacos provided, potluck for everything else), board game night (again bring a game to share), chili/poker run (admission was a can of chili, they combined all the different kinds and we walked around the park for the poker cards), a spaghetti supper for Valentine's Day which benefited the Sea Turtle Rescue mission, etc.

We spent one entire day at the Dolphin Research Center (just a couple doors down from the RV park). It is amazing how they can train the dolphins and the babies were so cute! Fun day!

There was eating out...Key Colony Inn's fabulous brunch and early fare, Sparkey's happy hour with 25 cent chicken wings and peel-and-eat shrimp, the Stuffed Pig, No Name Pub with its dollar bill decorations, the Florida Fishery, etc.

And, of course, there was Key West itself. We took two trips down, one primarily for bar hopping and the other for site seeing. And no trip is complete without sunset at Mallory Square with all the street performers (there is one street act that has trained cats -- yeah, regular run-of-the mill cats).

There were the beaches -- great for relaxing, sunning, and reading. (We didn't do much swimming and only a little wading.) Peterson's dogs enjoyed playing in the surf though.

We tended to do a lot of that (all three) not necessarily at the beach. One person told me reading is a Keys disease.

It was fun having the opportunity to spend time with great friends and just relax in the warm almost perfect weather (especially since the north was getting hammered over and over with cold, ice, and snow). We really did sympathize and worry about you all -- and it did make us appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the warmth we did. Jerry has worn shorts exclusively since we left Orlando.

Fall 2010

School starts and we didn't! What a great (and strange) feeling -- this retirement thing is finally soaking in!!

We have a lot of "projects" that were waiting for retirement too. One of them was residing the house. Jerry tore all the old siding off himself but we hired someone to put the new siding up. We chose a light gray color, and now that it is done, it looks fantastic. Next spring will be the landscaping...:-)

One of our dreams for the first fall of our retirement was to travel to the Northeast and see the colors. Another big wish was to go back to Iowa for the Clay County Fair. So we did.

Just before Labor Day, we met Bert and Shelly half way and picked up my Mom for a visit in Ohio. We spent the Labor Day week/weekend camping at Maumee Bay State Park. Lindsey and Aaron were home too so also were camping with us. We had a great time because Jenn, Emily, and Heidi were all able to be up a good deal of the time too (camping some of the time). It was great for Gma R to get acquainted with all the great-grandkids again and with Aaron, the first time she had met him.

We returned to Iowa with Gma via Battle Creek, MI area and then up through the Upper Pennsula and down through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Had a great trip, taking our time along side roads, visiting wineries, being tourists, and just relaxing.



After getting to Iowa, we spent one day at the Clay County Fair. What fun! Haven't been to the fair for probably close to 40 years!

From there we traveled south through Illinois and Indiana to Southwestern Ohio to Cesar Creek State Park for the State Wide State Park Campground Host weekend. Was a fun time with lots of friends from MBSP (Maumee Bay State Park).

After a few days at home, we took off for Lindsey's and points East to see the fall colors. Lindsey is also expecting her first baby late October which is the primary reason we were headed that way.

We stopped at Lindsey and Aaron's for a day or so. We were camping at Alexander Bay. Visited a couple of wineries in the area. Lots and lots of them in this part of the country!

Baby was not expected for the next three weeks so we took off for Eastern New York and the Adirondack Mts (see picture to right), primarily the Lake Placid area, to be "Leaf Peepers". We explored the area, were in awe of the fall colors (which we hit at their peak that first week of October) and the scenery, took several day trips including one into Vermont. One day we took a train ride between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, a fun trip but chilly. We were surprised at the number of campgrounds that closed for the season the first of October including all the state and most local/county parks and it did get cold but most of the time the fireplace was enough to keep the entire camper warm.

In the meantime, Lindsey's doctor decided that the baby needed to come a week earlier than her due date, so we headed back to Calcium north along the St Lawrence River. The scenery and colors continued to be amazing.

October 13 brought Isaac Aaron Kriekel into the world! A perfect little boy, grandbaby #6! I'm not sure what we have done right, but we have the most perfect grandchildren ever!

We stayed with Lindsey and Aaron and Isaac the next couple of weeks to help out, then headed back to Bowling Green as Aaron's parents were coming for a week also. Babies are so much fun, they just want to be held and loved! Tough job but loved every second of it.

While Aaron's parents were visiting, Aaron was deployed to Afganistan for the next year. We were so glad Lindsey wasn't alone then. Lindsey had sprained her back so was able to lift Isaac but not if he was in his car seat, so she needed us to come back out to help her. Jerry only stayed for a few days but I was glad I was able to stay longer.

A couple of weeks later, our nephew, Erik Bruns (also in the Army), was transferred to Fort Drum after two years in South Korea. He was at Lindsey's often, working on his car or just hanging out. So good to see him again!!

Emily, Sami and Cole came out one weekend to meet Isaac. Emily had expressed a desire to "learn to like wine" so we all (including Erik, Isaac and the kids, and all the rest of us) went to a winery for wine tasting. Fun Time! Erik discovered he likes the drier wines like his parents and Emily and Lindsey are like us and like the sweeter, fruitier wines. Cole asked Lindsey how she got Baby Isaac "back in her tummy" when she had him in one of those moby wraps.

We also stopped at a restaurant that had an ice rink in it. Cole was fascinated with the skaters.

The first week of December, the day after receiving 16 inches of snow, the three of us returned to Bowling Green. (We had to wait until the interstate was open again around Rochester after being closed because of the snow.) The trip was uneventful, Isaac was a great traveler.

Lindsey stayed in Bowling Green until after returning from Florida -- which brings us to the next blog --Florida and Disney Christmas Adventure!

And So It Begins

Jer and I retired in the Spring of 2010. We have been planning and dreaming about this for years!

Jer retired from teaching -- 35 years in an elementary classroom (mostly 4th 5th & 6th grades). Despite this, he is still sane (yea, hard to believe). Elaine retired from teaching and secretarial positions (all post-secondary/office education).

The girls totally surprised us in early April with a Retirement Party. So many friends and family there including my Mom and Bert and Shelly from Iowa. Lindsey also broke the news that she was expecting our sixth grandchild that weekend. What an almost overwhelming time.

We have the best family anyone could ask for. Our four girls are all happily married and, most importantly, have produced six perfect grandchildren -- Jenn and Greg have Evan (7) and Kaleb (2); Emily and Kevin have Samantha (7 and the only girl) and Cole (4); Heidi and Ryan have Greyson (1 1/2); and Lindsey and Aaron have Isaac (3 months). They all are campers (all have LARGE tents) and enjoy joining us camping. (Jer and I are much too old for tents!)

Part of our plan is traveling extensively through the United States and Canada. To aid in this accomplishment, we purchased a 5th wheel camper in the Spring 2009 after two years of research and searching. We decided the 3200RE Sundance best fit our needs and wants -- with a little tweeking. We ordered our camper with a full back window rather than the large tv filling the back wall. Two opposing large slides make for a spacious living area complete with a fireplace, leather couch and two easy chairs. Jer says there is too much storage, I'll just fill it with stuff. He is probably right.

We spent the first summer breaking it in (and us in learning to drive and back a 36-foot fifth wheel camper--I still can't do it but I'm good at directing and telling Jer what to do...lol). Also equipping it -- what fun -- new everything!

This brings us now to Summer 2010...continued in the next post...