Good Morning Boys and Girls!

Time to Retire!

2012-01-16T10:58:00.006-05:00

Well friends, as you have already noticed I am not putting much news on the blog as of late. The reason for this is two-fold. First of all, I am back at Avalon and busy as a bee. There is a LOT going on here and I spend most of my time out & about instead of sitting in front of the computer. The second reason is that one of our Avalon friends, Angie Pawson-Wildgoose from Fifth St started an "Avalon RV" page on Facebook. Jerry Bell also started a page and then found out there was already a couple of other ways to connect so he has been posting pics and info on the Facebook page Angie started. I also have been posting on the facebook site because it is SO EASY and it takes the pressure off of one person to keep it going. It also offers a number of features that I could never incorporate into the blog. For example, anyone who joins the Avalon page on Facebook is able to post info or add pictures. I don't have to do it! Everyone in the group has access to all the features.
Angie & I are administrators of the group. It is a "closed" group which means that only members of the group can read what is on our site and either Angie or myself has to approve any new "members". This gives us control over who has access to our information for security purposes (for example - whether we are at home or on vacation)
It is easy to get connected. If you do not have a facebook account you will have to open one. Go to www.facebook.com and follow the directions to set up your own personal facebook account. If you have trouble doing this, let me know. If you are in Avalon I can pop over and help you. If you are not here, send me your phone number. I have free long distance and I will help you over the phone. Another option is to ask one of your kids or grandkids to set you up on Facebook (always an easy choice)
Once you have a facebook account you will see your homepage. At the top of the page there is a "search" bar. Type in Avalon RV. Under your search bar there will be a few different boxes show up. Under the heading of "Groups" you will see Avalon RV.
Click on it and a page will come up. On the top right side of the page there will be a box that says "Join this Group". Click on that and a request will be sent to Angie and myself. We will approve anyone we know from Avalon or connected to Avalon.
If you have any trouble let me know and I will do my best to help you out. I think this will be a truly better way for all of us to keep in touch and it will be much more interesting with so many people contributing to the site.
I have enjoyed doing the Boys and Girls blog. It was my first experience in blogging and I appreciated all the feedback and good comments I have received along the way. I will say farewell as I retire this blog, but I look forward to interacting with all the Avalon friends and family via facebook. I want to give a big thanks to Angie for taking our communications to the next level. Adios Amigos!

Incoming!

2011-11-04T10:37:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone,
It is that time of the year again! We are hearing from all sorts of folks who are already at Avalon, on their way to Avalon, or getting ready to leave for Avalon! Soon there will be numerous pale bodies soaking up the sun at the pool and enjoying the good times once again. Some of the gang may not be able to make it this season and we will miss them dearly and hope for better luck next year. Others may have shorter visits but we will make the most of the time we have together. As for the friends who call Avalon home all year long, I think they are happy to see the first arrivals. Linda Williams sent me this note:

WE HAD OUR FIRST COFFEE HOUR. IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR FRIENDS COMING BACK. WE HAVE KIRBY STARTING SHUFFLE BACK UP, BINGO HAS STARTED.WE HAVE DARTS & CARD PLAYING STARTING FRIDAY. IT'S GREAT NOT BEING BORED. SEE THE REST OF YOU ALL SOON.HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK. LINDA

Thank you Linda. Makes you want to just jump in the car today, doesn't it!

Safe travels to all. See you soon in the sun!

Almost time to get packing!

2011-10-04T21:43:00.005-04:00

I can feel it in the air....it's almost time to get packing! Tom and Barb have arrived in Florida. Angie has been there for a 10 day visit and will be coming for the season in another month or so. I've heard that Geoff and Linda are planning on spending the winter in Avalon. I think just about everybody is getting excited to meet up with all of the gang. I know I am!
Don't forget to check out the Avalon RV page on Facebook. You can keep in touch with so many of our friends and you can "chat" in real-time or post comments or send messages. I think it is becoming the easiest way to keep in touch with each other.

Well, what are you waiting for....get out those suitcases!
See you soon in the sun!

Our laugh for the day!

2011-08-18T13:20:00.003-04:00

I received the following from Pauline Beard (Fourth St) and I thought it would be a good day to share a smile with my friends. It comes from a series about Florida Seniors funny moments.

Two elderly people lived in a Florida community....let's say Avalon..., he was a widower and she a widow, had known each other for a number of years.
One evening there was a community supper in the Clubhouse.
The two were at the same table, across from one another.
As the meal went on, he took a few admiring glances at her and finally gathered the courage to ask her, 'Will you marry me?'
After about six seconds of 'careful consideration,' she answered 'Yes. Yes, I will!'
The meal ended and, with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went to their respective places.
Next morning, he was troubled. 'Did she say 'yes' or did she say 'no'?'
He couldn't remember.
Try as he might, he just could not recall.
Not even a faint memory.
With trepidation, he went to the telephone and called her.

First, he explained that he didn't remember as well as he used to.
Then he reviewed the lovely evening past..
As he gained a little more courage, he inquired, 'When I asked if you would marry me, did you say ' Yes' or did you say 'No'?'
He was delighted to hear her say, 'Why, I said, 'Yes, yes I will' and I meant it with all my heart.'
Then she continued, 'And I am so glad that you called, because I couldn't remember who had asked me.'

Can you relate?

Have a great day!

Sad News.

2011-08-17T17:23:00.003-04:00

Good afternoon friends. I have some sad news to share. Larry Gohm, husband of Dorothy (Fifth St) passed away today. Larry suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday and sadly did not recover. Larry was a great gentleman and such a loving husband to Dorothy, always working so hard to make sure everything was "just right" for his sweetheart. He was as proud as a peacock whenever she sang on Thursday nights and he loved to take her dancing at "New York, New York". Larry will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Please keep Dorothy in your prayers. She has lost the man she called "the love of her life".

Greetings from Linda the Bingo Lady!

2011-08-15T22:19:00.003-04:00

Two posts in one day...must be some kind of record!
I received an e-mail from Linda W (Fourth St) and I wanted to share it with everyone.
Linda writes:

WELL NOT MUCH LONGER YOU ALL WILL BE BACK. WE WENT TO BREAKFAST ON APRIL 6TH. AT GOLDEN CORAL. WE HAD A NICE LASAGNA DINNER. WE HAD ABOUT 20 PEOPLE. IT'S STILL HOT,HOT. I'M GETTING READY FOR THE SEASON WITH MONDAY BINGO,NICKEL BINGO,DINNER THEATER, A MONTHLY CASINO TRIP. WE'RE ALL SET FOR THE CRUISE. I'M READY. WE HAD SOME NEW ARRIVALS IN THE PARK. WE'RE KEEPING THE HOME FIRE BURNING. JOIN FACEBOOK. EVERYONE IS THERE.UNTIL NEXT TIME. SEE YOU ALL SOON. LINDA

Glad you are hanging in there Linda. We miss everyone and we are looking forward to a great re-union soon.

Message from Sally

2011-08-15T14:56:00.003-04:00

I received the following message from our Avalon friend Sally who used to live on Fifth St and I wanted to pass it along.

We are regretting selling our place last year. Seems CJ is feeling better and we would like to be in Avalon this year. We are interested in renting a place Jan -March or April. Contact me at: 207/942-5429 or by email: Sally432@myfairpoint.net

Sally Polyot

So if anyone can help Sally and C.J out that would be great. It sure would be nice to have them back in the park this year.

As I am getting quite a few requests of this sort feel free to contact me with any places you hear of for rent this coming season and I will pass on the info.

Take care
Lori

August Already!

2011-08-08T22:48:00.004-04:00

My how the time flies! Last time I looked summer was just getting off to a good start and already it seems the days are getting shorter. Before you know it we will be basking in the FLORIDA sun - together again!
In the meantime I have some items of interest to pass along.
One of our Avalon family has started a page on Facebook called "Avalon RV Resort Clearwater Florida. If you are a Facebooker I am sure you will find it a great page to join. Thanks to Angie Pawson-Wildgoose for giving us one more way to keep in touch.

I have received a request from Ron Steeves to post something on the blog in case there is someone looking for a renter for the coming season:

Ron writes: This is a retired police Sergeant who I served under as an Auxiliary Constable on the New Brunswick Highway Patrol. I forward this to you as Avalon allows motorcycles. Thanks, Ron

I am considering going back to Florida again this year, alone this time. I am thinking of the period Nov to Mar. I would like to find a reasonable place like a trailer or apartment with one bedroom, furnished, kitchenette and a place to park my car and my bike. It does not have to be on the beach. Can be anywhere at all for me.

UPDATE: Ron's friend has found a place, not in our park, but somewhere nearby and that he thinks will meet his needs quite well.

That's all for now. Hope all the "boys & girls" are having a great summer.

Welcome to our summer home.....some are home...some are not!

2011-07-27T17:30:00.004-04:00

Hello my friends! I can't tell you how much I am missing all of you! Thankfully we have lots of ways to keep in touch while we are away from our Avalon home. I have heard from a few friends so I thought I would pass a few messages I've received so we can all feel connected. Here goes:
Nancy Bendiksen from 2nd St writes:

Just wanted to let you all know we are still suffering with the heat. The heat and humidity. Also, have had lots of rain. Flooded poor Marvin's deck and spread to the RV's in the back. That's not usual, but the pump they installed is suppose to get rid of it before it gets too high. Pump wouldn't work, but they fixed it the following day and now it works great. Really sends that water down Second Street.

We're having a real problem with "lubber caterpillars" here. They are about three inches long and very colorful, but do they ever do a job on the brushes and flowers they like. They also don't like to die. Spraying them doesn't help. You have to throw them in soapy water or squish them. Ugh! What a mess. They seem to like Frank's old place at the end of Third street.

Don't know if anyone have told you, but Ace Hardware has closed it's doors. No more post office and no more Ace Hardware. The couple who own it retired. They have been in that same store for 36 years. There was a nice article in the paper about them. Snowbirds are sure going to miss that place. Us residents, too.

This is what the owner said in the paper. "We are closing because of the changing markets and buying patterns. This is certainly influenced by the big box stores, but we have always felt that there was some good in Home Depot and Lowe's. We began seeing a shift in business in mid 2007. The recession hit us at that point. At first, we thought it was a normal business fluctuation, but it continued. It was after the winter months, when all the snowbird customers had gone home, that we began realizing the end might be near". So, farewell to Ace Hardware. It was a good place to go if you were looking for just one item.

Went out to breakfast last Saturday to Smitty's, at 58th and 122nd. Ten of us showed up and we all enjoyed the morning and socializing. Dottie always comes, even though she doesn't live here any more and Brenda and Ray, who have also moved out, but enjoy coming to breakfast with us.

Hope you are all well. We are hanging in there. Will be heading north this summer for a couple of weeks. That's if the gas prices don't blow us away. Anxious to see family and friends, as we haven't been up there for a while. Maybe we'll try to find those great white sharks that are being spotted around the cape.

Look forward to seeing all our snowbirds soon.

Blessings,

Nancy (Joe says "Hi"!)

Thanks Nancy. It sure is nice to hear how things are going in Avalon.

Ron and Pat Vanover have been on the road again and send word that they are safely back from their trip to Denver and Oklahoma. They had some good news to report when they returned:

Guess what is building in our town? Yes! A Cheddars! Took the grandkids to see cars 2 in 3D and went to French Lick Inn to let them ride a really old train that after 1 hour out is robbed by cowboys on horses! Then we stopped and the kids got to sit on the horse. After an hour back to town we arrived at a hotel with a really nice water park. We stayed over night and spent more time at the water park the next day...a fun weekend and I know they had a good time. Memories.... that is what it is all about! Hope all of you are doing well. Glad Bill is out of the hospital.
Pat & Ron

I hear from Linda W on 4th St and she tells me that it is HOT< HOT< HOT and quite lonely without us. We MISS YOU TOOO Linda! Linda had some sad days this summer as she had to have her poor little Missy put to sleep. I know that some people think they are "only " pets, but to those who love them, they are our furry kids! We love you Linda!

Facebook has been a real blessing this summer. I have had the opportunity to keep in touch with Tom & Barb and Traci & Emma; George & Marie, Kirby & Deb, Donna & Lenny to name a few. I would encourage you to open a facebook account and find your friends! You don't have to talk a lot. It is just nice to know how they are doing.

Well friends, stay well and keep in touch. Soon we will be back in the sun together!

Happy Can-Am weekend!

2011-07-03T22:23:00.003-04:00

Hello to all!
Ed & I just returned from a long weekend at the lake (Lake Erie) where we celebrated Canada Day (July 1st) There is nothing quite like sitting at the campfire and being surrounded by fireworks! Then to top it off, on Saturday night we were treated to another show in the sky....an amazing lightening storm accompanied by wind, rain and thunder...and a few tree branches tossed on the roof! Quite an exciting evening, but all is well, and Sunday the beautiful breeze off the lake made up for the early end to our evening Saturday. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and fireworks will be high in the sky along the opposite shore as our neighbors celebrate. It is another reminder of the closeness of our two countries. Hope this special holiday weekend is enjoyed by all the friends of Avalon.
Missing each and every one of you!
Lori & Ed

Happy first day of Summer!

2011-06-20T22:54:00.002-04:00

Hey there friends! Hope you are all well and enjoying the weather. We have had some good & some bad, but all in all it has been fairly nice (soggy, but nice!) I received the following message for everyone from Linda Williams (Fourth St):

WE'RE STILL HOLDING DOWN THE HOMEFRONT. IT IS HOT,HOT. I FORGOT TO THANK NANCY & JOE FOR HOSTING OUR BREAKFASTS EACH MONTH. THEY PICK A PLACE & WE ALL MEET THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH. THE CORP. OFFICE HOSTED A BBQ FOR MEMORIAL DAY. WE ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE A POT LUCK AGAIN THIS MONTH.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR NOTES TO ME FOR MY LOSS OF MY DOG MISSY. SHE WILL BE MISSED.
OK TILL NEXT TIME.SEND US SOME RAIN OR SNOW OR SOMETHING THAT WILL COOL US OFF.
LINDA 4TH.ST.

It's good to know that all is well in Avalon. I always enjoy spending time in Canada with my family, but I sure do miss my friends from Avalon!
Take care & keep in touch. If you have any news to share, you can send me an e-mail or post it as a comment.

Happy days to all.

Time for an update!

2011-06-11T22:51:00.003-04:00

Hope you are all well and happy and enjoying the summer with family and friends. Ed and I have been busy selling our Fifth Wheel at the lake in order to replace it with a bigger unit eventually.Right now we have put our 27 ft travel trailer on our lot at the Lake so we can still enjoy the summer with our friends. We are still trying to sell our house.Some day.... when God is ready to unleash us on the full time RV world!
For those of you who have been asking, our granddaughter is walking and running and doing very well. We are hoping to spend a weekend in October at Avalon, just her and I - doing all the things a 13 yr old and a nana can enjoy together.
I am headed to Sudbury this week to see my sisters and of course, to drop in on Norm and Brenda and see if I can stir the pot a little!
I have heard from the Seddons, the Vilanis, Ron & Judy Steeves, and Mary and Ray Schmidt. I get the feeling we are starting to miss each other! I know I miss each and every one of you!
Keep on having a great summer. Musicians...get busy picking a few new songs for Thursday night....its coming up quickly.
Love you all & can't wait to be back in paradise with the nicest folks on earth.
God Bless you all real good!

I wonder how the old folks are at home?

2011-05-26T14:08:00.002-04:00

Well, the words of one of Joe's favorite songs came to mind so I thought it was time to say hi to all. Although we are far apart we are still close to the heart. I get the odd piece of news from Avalon. Linda Williams sent along this greeting:

I thought I'd write & let everyone know what's happening here in AVALON. The weather is beautiful & hot,hot. We still have NICKEL BINGO on TUESDAY. LARRY & FRIEDA from 3rd St. hosted a last minute POTLUCK SUPPER this past SUNDAY. We had about 20 people. Most everyone who is leaving for the summer has gone. I went to the Doctors the other day & it's been 1 yr. & I'm cancer free so far. JACKIE & JOHN from 5th St. are getting married on our cruise in JAN 2012. I have everything set for that . The bus is booked, the cruise is booked and I'm ready to go. Well goodbye til next time. We're all fine here and we'll keep it going till you guys get back.
LINDA 4TH ST.

Thanks Linda for holding it all together for us while we are gone. Hooray for you and your cancer free body!!! I am sure we are all thankful for your super recovery.

Ed and I are enjoying our weekends at the lake and we are happy to report that our granddaughter Erin is walking and running and doing great. She is even participating in some sports. Thank you for all the prayers on her behalf.

Everyone else is doing fine as far as I know. I will post any news I get as it comes in.
Take time to smell the roses this summer and take good care of yourselves.

Update

2011-04-26T15:15:00.002-04:00

Greetings to all.
Sad news from my brother-in-law Norm Vanier. His mother passed away quietly late Thursday night. All of her children were able to make it to Oregon in time to see her before she passed. She lived 88 years, mostly in wonderful health, survived 2 husbands and had 5 children, around 20 grandchildren and over 30 great-grandchildren. I guess none of us can ask for more than that. RIP Margaret Vanier-Stossel.

On another note, Donna and Scott Hillier (4X) made it home last week. They were trying to slip through Georgia in between storms but I guess their truck didn't want to co-operate. They had to hunker down while a few repairs were being made, but all in all they managed fairly well and are now back in Ontario.
I haven't heard of any other troubles so I guess the rest of the crew is making out just fine.

The weather here in Windsor is as fickle as ever. Spring in the afternoon and winter after the sun goes down. My brother-in-law Norm Depatie who is still at Avalon tells me it is a hot as h*** but strangely enough I do not feel sorry for him!

Take good care of each other wherever you are!

Just when you thought it was safe to go home....

2011-04-19T20:45:00.002-04:00

After a great ride home on Sunday we woke up to the cruel reality that it is still winter in Canada....not officially, but that white stuff on the ground is strong evidence that Mother Nature is not finished playing tricks on us yet. Hopefully the Easter Bunny won't have to borrow a sleigh from Santa to make his rounds.
I hear from those at Avalon that the sun is still shining. Wouldn't it be nice to have just one more day at the beach?
My sister Pat and husband Norm Vanier (from Third St) arrived home last Friday, but are already on the move. Norm's mother (88 yrs old) who lives in Oregon is doing poorly and the family has been called in. His sister Vivien from Washington state suffered a heart attack just 2 weeks ago. I am sure they would all appreciate your prayers at this time.
Take care and keep in touch.

Where have all the snowbirds gone?

2011-04-15T01:06:00.002-04:00

It is hard to believe that just a few days ago the streets of Avalon were full of merrymaking vacationers and it was hard to get from the pool to the Rec Hall without a lot of hand-waving and hello-ing! It is really quiet here! And it's going to get even quieter by the end of the month. But, it has been a good season! The weather has been awesome and the fellowship....well, you all know why we love Avalon.....it's the people who make this place a wonderful home away from home.

I heard that Paul and Jan Urquhart have arrived home safely in New Brunswick after being chased by a tornado (maybe it was just a cloud of dust kicked up by an angry greyhound trying to get his share of the winnings!)
Ansel and Dorothy had a small mishap on the way (somebody rear-ended them!) but they were able to continue on and made it home. As they say "No news is good news." so I imagine the rest of you are doing just fine.

I have added a page to the blog called AVALON BULLETIN BOARD. A number of folks have expressed an interest in being able to contact people who might have a place for sale or rent in Avalon. If you click on the page heading you will see the instructions for those interested in posting an ad. We will see how this works and modify it as we go along.

Ed and I will be leaving for home on the weekend. I will miss this place - but most of all I will miss you guys! Six months is a long time...I am sure I will be looking forward to November before I even get across that old Howard Franklin Bridge!

Happy trails to all! I will be in touch after I get back home.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

2011-03-19T01:28:00.004-04:00

We are getting close to the end of the "season" and the pictures are coming in fast & furious. I am adding them to the photo link as time allows and I hope you will all take a peak and see how much fun we are having! A special thank you goes out to Sam for taking such nice photos and sharing them with us. I have added a few names and comments here and there but to be honest, it's a long job and one that I hope to continue after I return home. (Notice I put hope in bold....at least it will be on my "to do" list!)
I have been away quite a bit this winter (thank you for asking about my granddaughter - your prayers have been a great source of strength for us as a family and I am very excited about the great progress she has made. I hope to put a nice picture of her on the blog when she is standing up free of crutches) I have missed a lot of time here, but I am I truly grateful for every minute I have had here with my wonderful Avalon friends and family. You guys are the best and I love you all very much.

This week will be jam-packed with activities. Have a blast and finish off the season in true Avalon style!

I want to give a special word of thanks to all the hard working volonteers who make Avalon a fantastic place to stay. We have the best cooks, servers, decorators, organizers, and cleaners etc... around! When there is a job to do at Avalon there are always lots of eager helpers and each and every one deserves a huge thank you from everyone. Every weekly activity from the Monday morning meeting, Shuffle, Bingo, Bunco, exercise, biking, Music Night, Bid Euchre, Darts, Line Dancing takes planning and preparation and commitment. Thank you, thank you , thank you! You are the life of our "Avalon Party". The special activities like Barb B Q's, Dances, Can Am Day, Ft Desoto, Cruises, Casino trips, Luncheons etc are all the result of a lot of hard work by people who want us all to have a great vacation. Thank you friends for your participation.

So lets get out there and have a great time celebrating our friendship this week!

Good News!

2011-03-03T23:43:00.006-05:00

I received this piece of news about George and Janet Hazen (2nd St - across from the Rec Hall) via Ron & Pat Vanover and I know that you will be happy to hear it:

Hi all
Life is good!!! Had my final test at the hospital on Tues. Mike (doc.) called me yesterday and said no-- CANCER, tumors, polyps, or stones. The bleeding was from a weakness in the prostate (radiation 6 years ago).
Doug called yesterday (thanks again Doug) and said that Gineen's place was available for renting. It was tempting, however, not enough time, now. If it could have been for 2 mo. we would be on our way.
Here's a little tip for you guys heading home (north east) at the end of the month. Don't be in a hurry, they are forecasting, long range for a cold Spring in Canada. I also kid you not!!!! the snow back here is something else. One of our outbuildings is 14 ft. from ground to eve and I could easily walk unto the roof from the ground (albeit mostly slide off from the roof). On second thought maybe you should stay down there until June and surely the snow will be gone by then.
Enough of the gloom, it rained yesterday and over the last couple of weeks daytime temps have been above freezing but damn cold at night.
Enjoy, drive easy on the way home, and with any luck we will see some of you guys this summer and if not in the Fall for sure.

Keep in touch Geo & Janet

What great news! I guess this has just been a crazy winter for medical issues for so many of our Avalon family. Hopefully next year will be better and we can have one happy crazy re-union!

I think this little cartoon says it all:

I'm rich! I'm rich!

Silver in the Hair

Gold in the Teeth

Crystals in the Kidneys

Sugar in the Blood

Lead in the Butt

Iron in the Arteries

And
an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas.

I never thought I'd accumulate such wealth.

New Photos

2011-02-28T23:45:00.003-05:00

Just a little note to let everyone know that I have added some new photos. Eventually I will sort and label as many as I can, but for now they are just in one big album. Newest additions are from the Shuffle Day and Pulled Pork luncheon. I will be back in Canada for a couple of weeks, but if you want to drop off pics to me when I get back (Lot 340) I can post them on the site. If you have them on a disc or a photo card it only takes a few minutes for me to download them to my PC and I will add them from there. Thanks for all the contributions so far. Hopefully we will get some good shots from Mardi Gras, Can AM, Ft DeSoto, Thurs night music and even Bingo!
As Kirby says....keep having fun at Avalon!

Summer in Winter....I love it!!

2011-02-27T00:58:00.005-05:00

Hello friends. Hope you are somewhere in the sunny south enjoying the winter. The weather has been fantastic the last couple of weeks and it looks like there are more beach days in the forecast. I will be heading home for a couple of weeks and then returning for the last Hurrah from March 13th to mid April. It has been a short winter for me but my granddaughter is getting better and that's what counts.
I am in the process of adding pictures to the blog. I have had to set up a new account with "Photobucket" in order to add and edit photos. The new account is directly linked to the blog. There are some great shots in there from breakfast, the dances and the cruise to name a few. I will organize them and put some names on in my spare time (Hahaha!) You can still find the old photos from Avalon on the Photobucket site under AvalonRV but I had to create a new account due to passwords etc. to add the photos from this year. The Vanovers have been generous in sending me a great selection of photos to work with. The pics should give us a few good chuckles and lots of great memories. When you click on the picture link (palm trees beach scene)on the right hand side of the blog a page will pop up with a purple palm tree background and a lot of little pictures. You will see above the pictures in VERY small print: View all...view slideshow etc. I suggest you click on View slideshow and work through the pics from there. Enjoy!
Thanks again to Pat and Ron Vanover. You guys are a couple of the nicest boys and girls I have ever met!

Lori

It's beginning to look a lot like winter ---YUKKKKK!

2011-02-01T14:48:00.005-05:00

Well here we are in the great white (and I do mean white!) north recovering from yet another snow storm. You don't know how badly I wish I was at Avalon. But, duty calls and when your kids need you it's impossible to enjoy yourself on a vacation. It is good to see our granddaughter improving each day. There have been ups and downs and relapses along the way, but we are grateful for the progress she has made and we are getting ready to celebrate her return to school (at least part-time) next week. We have also been able to get in some extra hugs and kisses from the rest of our grandchildren so that is a great bonus.
I am hearing from the folks in residence at Avalon that they have been enjoying some fairly nice weather. The "cruisers" have returned and all activities are in full swing. I bet there will be a few "Super Bowl" parties this weekend....ahhh, the good life!

With Valentine's day coming up, I thought I should pass on this information from Marv Harrison:

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates: You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building! So, a woman goes shopping for a new husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs. She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads: Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids. 'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.' So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking. 'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going. She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads: Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework. 'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!' Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads: Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak. She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads: Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. PLEASE NOTE: To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street. The first floor has wives that love sex. The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

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Hail, hail the gang's all here...well almost!

2011-01-07T17:31:00.003-05:00

It is starting to look more like the Avalon we know and love every day. Most of the regulars have arrived and all of the activities are starting to have a following. Thursday night Music has resumed and we had a terrific time with lots of pickin' & a grinnin". We rang in the New Year with "Kenny K" who entertained us with his singing and music stylings on the keyboard, guitar and sax. We had many compliments about the great party and we are happy to say that he has agreed to provide the entertainment for us for next New Year's Eve as well.
I have heard from Geoff and Linda Hixson (Fourth St). Linda has one more specialist appointment and then they are hoping to get things arranged so they can come down for at least part of the season. They will know better in a week or two. It will be nice to see Linda relaxing by the pool and Geoff being...well...Geoff!
I received an e-mail from Evan and Neva who used to own a place on Fourth St. They have been in contact with Art and Joyce Akrill of Fourth St. Joyce has had surgery and is undergoing by-weekly treatments so they will not be returning to Avalon until the fall. I'm sure that we will all keep them in our prayers as we look forward to a full recovery for Joyce and a great reunion next season.
Ed and I are back in Canada for a few weeks. Our granddaughter Erin has been ill and we want to be home to help her as she recovers. While we are gone we hope everyone continues to have a great time and enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine. We have had a few cold spells, but so far it still has been nicer than last year (although that was one year that won't be hard to beat weather-wise) Trust me, a cold January day in Florida is still better than a warm January day in Canada - it just costs a little more, that's all!

I look forward to hearing great things about the January 21st "Hollywood Dance" with Donna and Lenny. Although costumes are optional I'm sure there will be a few "stars" that come out to Avalon to join in the fun.
Hope to see you all at the pool soon!

It's the most Wonderful time of the year!

2010-12-27T23:49:00.002-05:00

That's right...it's the Holiday Season, and you know what that means at Avalon....parties and dinners, sing-alongs and Christmas parades! Yep....we're having a great time. And it keeps getting better. This week we are expecting a large number of our friends to arrive for the season. A few more days and the island will be bustling.
Last week we enjoyed a terrific Christmas dinner. Kudos to Mary and Ray (Third St) and their team for preparing and serving a fantastic meal courtesy of Corporate.
On Christmas Eve Kirby led the 2nd Annual Avalon Christmas Parade with twice as many participants as last year. I'm sure the residents of Avalon and Donovan's were WOWED by the beautifully decorated golf carts, trikes & bikes and "seasonally dressed" pets...not to mention the appearance of at least THREE Santas!!! Afterwards we had a great time in the hall singing, snacking and being silly!
I am looking forward to ringing in the New Year with "Kenny K" who is being brought to us by Rick and Dianna Frick (formerly of First St) Shine up your dancing shoes and get ready for a great evening.
All of the regular activities will be in full swing in the new year. Bingo, shuffle, darts, cards, line dancing, bunco, Monday morning exercise, Thursday Night Music, zumba... there is something for everyone. In addition, a large number of residents are going on a cruise the last week of January. Imagine....going on a vacation from your vacation! It doesn't get much better than this folks!

Long time....no post!

2010-12-12T22:19:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone. I am sorry for not being more consistent in my posts, but I had to fly back home to be with one of my grandchildren who has been very sick. She is making good progress and hopefully will be out of the hospital soon. It has been nice to be here for her and her Dad, and also to spend lots of "Nana" time with my 4 other grandchildren. What isn't nice is that white stuff on the ground! I think I am getting used to bundling up every time I step out the door, but when a mighty blast of winter hits you in the face it sure makes you long for Florida. I know, I've heard that the weather in Florida hasn't been the greatest lately, but trust me, it's still better than this!
I will be getting back to Avalon just in time to start preparing for all of the upcoming events. We are looking forward to the 2nd Annual Golf Cart Christmas Eve Parade followed by Carols and goodies in the hall. Our New Years Eve Dance is always a great occasion and this year our entertainer is singer and musician Kenny K - on loan from "Eaglewaters Resort" in Wisconsin. Then comes January with all the activities in full swing!
Hope to see you all soon at Avalon.

Avalon Update

2010-11-23T21:04:00.002-05:00

Good evening friends,
I thought it was time to catch up a little. I've been enjoying the wonderful Florida sunshine so much I haven't hardly had time to read my e-mail.
Bev and Doug Seddon sent a note on November 17th to say that they had been to the hospital to visit Peter Craske (from First St) He has been in the hospital 3 times in the last 6 weeks, but he is on the mend now and he is planning to arrive in Florida in a couple of weeks. It will certainly be good to see him again.
I had a call from Geoff and Linda Hixson (Fourth St) and although Geoff has recovered nicely from his pacemaker operation and is clear to travel, Linda has been troubled with some heart problems and has to see the specialist before they can come down. They are hopeful that they will make it down this season, but it may not be until well into February or March. I will let everyone know when I get any more news from them.
People are arriving at Avalon every day and I expect there will be quite an influx after Thanksgiving. The weather has been beautiful and the pool is magnificent - of course nobody believes me because I have been seen in the pool on some pretty cool days!
Monday night Bingo has started up again and the crowd is building each week. The Angels and Devils are fighting over the nickels, dimes and quarters every Tuesday, and the Spades and Diamonds are trying to win bragging rights at darts on Friday night. The Mighty Avalon Shuffle Warriors are off to a great start this season with a couple of wins under their belt already. We are trying "Zumba" on Sunday nights until Line Dancing starts in January. If we keep it up we will all have to go shopping for smaller sizes by February - Oh no! ....shopping!!

Looking forward to seeing y'all here soon!