tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29877041106575360922024-02-18T23:38:22.853-08:00Phil & Julie's AdventureThe adventure continues after moving back from EnglandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger515125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-35752657388593669872013-07-14T12:35:00.000-07:002013-07-14T12:35:30.033-07:00Stehekin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Stehekin is a small village at the north end of our 50 mile long Lake Chelan. It has 75 permanent residents and can only be reached by boat, air, horseback, or hiking. The summers bring many visitors to this remote area who enjoy camping, fishing, and the beautiful pacific northwest. Julie and I took our first camping trip here since 2001 and spent the night on our boat. We camped at Weaver Point campground, about 40 miles from our house and did enjoy the trip even though we had some high winds and rough water. As always whenever we travel, we do meet some interesting people. It was hot when we arrived so I jumped in to cool off. I forgot how cold the snow runoff is and didn't stay in long at 54 degrees. Gees! I couldn't find my boys until the next day. Lunch at the local Pastrey company is something you gotta do while in Stehekin. We have seen some really beautiful country while living in Europe during the last 6 years. I believe Lake Chelan, and Stehekin rates right up at the top of the list during the summer months here. It's been 2 months since I've posted a blog and do need to keep the stories going. Our blog will not be 'Phil & Julie's UK Adventure anymore but will have to be renamed.....I'm thinking about that.....<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-51984727418481317302013-05-04T10:38:00.000-07:002013-05-04T10:52:44.940-07:00The three C's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every one's heard of the three C's to a successful relationship, if you haven't, this could really help. Today My bride of about 30 years returns to the US where we will start a new chapter in our lives. For the first time we will live together 24/7 which is something we've never done. I am usually gone about 3 months a year working on my projects. Shown here packing out is my final inbound flight to the US from England. I will miss the outstanding service on a flight that I've taken a dozen times.<br />
As I relax in business class I gave a lot of thought to this adjustment we will both have to make. I truly believe the secret is in the 3 C's and that's all I will ever ask of Julie. Cook, Clean, and Comply,,,It's just that simple. I will do all the rest no matter what it will be. She might want to add something to that but it just won't be necessary. So this evening when I pick Julie up at Phoenix Sky harbor, she will began a one year break from her busy and stressful career. It will be huge comfort to her when she finds out that I've totally removed any and all stress from our lives going forward.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-50710967981294016182013-05-04T09:04:00.002-07:002013-05-04T10:48:12.053-07:00Crownline 266<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now that we will be living at our Lake home for the summer we need a boat on the lift. We sold our last boat 4 years ago as we weren't there enough to use it much. I searched on-line while in London and found this 2000, 266 Crownline with only 106 total hours on it, in Sacramento California. I flew into Sacramento this spring and did a test run on Folsom lake. A full mechanical check sorted our a few issues so then I bought it. We needed a boat that was big enough to overnight on but would still work fine for day use, fishing and skiing etc. A covered bow and a plenty of power is important on this lake where rough weather can happen on any day. This boat is 26 ft long with a big block motor and weights 4700 lbs dry. The fuel tank is 75 gallons so with a few people and gear this will be all our 6,000 pound lift can handle. Our garage is deep enough to store this inside during the winter months. Skimpy bikini's get free rides.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-33385686679821331532013-04-20T09:45:00.000-07:002013-05-04T14:05:12.054-07:00Baby Owen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Owen Lawrence Summers was born May 17, 2013 at 1;52 AM. 7.8 lbs, 19 inches tall. This is our first Grandson, and the first child for Brooke and Scott Summers. I was able to stop in the middle of a trip to Sacramento California, and fly into Phoenix in time to welcome Owen into life. It sure brought back vivid memories of our two children being born. Very proud of Brooke who was in labor over 30 hours without any food or sleep. Finally she gets to hold her child and he dumps his very first payload all over her and Scott gets the cleanup duty. I'm telling you, they never quit doing that. <br />
I was in the hospital with Brooke and Scott, and also stayed with them at their house for the first 3 days with their new child. It's a tough adjustment for a young couple bringing a newborn home. Every parent knows there's not much sleep in the house for a few weeks, but I actually slept quite well in the spare bedroom with the door closed. I do enjoy being a Grandparent and am really lucky to have my two granddaughters living only 10 minutes away. Too be honest I wouldn't want to start all over again but this is really fun.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-37105570070924494232013-04-11T17:15:00.000-07:002013-04-11T23:32:09.104-07:00Career Break<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
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<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Barclays Announcment; Senior Executive Julie
Roddy, Director of Retail Lending Services has decided to take a career break
with effect from 4 May 2013, to allow her to return to America to spend more time with
her family. Julie has made tremendous customer centric improvements within
Mortgage Services over the past two years including the implementation of the
Mortgage Originations Program. We'd like to thank Julie for her personal
support and her contribution to Barclays to date. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">This is what Julie decided to do in December of last year. We have missed out on family and friends, and would like to spend time with our grandkids in Arizona who we hardly know. Julie will take up to a year off and will have a job with Barclays to go back to if she chooses. We will now adjust to living together 24/7 which we've never done. We will live at our lake home in Washington State for the summer and then be in Arizona for the winter. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-68567709663353157162013-04-02T09:21:00.001-07:002013-04-02T09:21:43.870-07:00Beer Bike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This might be the greatest invention I've ever seen and found it in downtown Budapest. This can be rented for 180 euros, ($230.00). This includes seats for 12 beer drinkers, up to 60 mugs of cold beer, music, and a sober driver. You can tour the city but of course everyone has to peddle. Go where ever you want in 4 hours, with frequent pit stops also included. I can't think of any better way to see Europe. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-49441783906267932982013-04-02T08:04:00.000-07:002013-04-02T08:09:22.426-07:00Budapest, Hungary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend we flew to Budapest, the capitol city of Hungary, for the Easter holiday. A short 2 hour flight got us out of the cold London winter to a very popular European city. The modern 5 star Budabar Hotel was our base and it worked out well as it was in the heart of the city center.(bottom pic) Ranked as the 25 th most beautiful city in the world, Budapest still couldn't hide the destruction of WWII which we see often in Europe.(second pic). The name Budapest came from 2 military forces in 829 AD, Buda and Pest, each based on opposite sides of the Danube River. We had brilliant weather half the time and more nasty rain our last day. A local river cruise was a good way to see the city on a rainy day. The Hungarian stew and the hot spiced wine kept us warm as we checked another great European destination off our list.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-10791807520761105512013-03-27T05:29:00.000-07:002013-03-27T13:00:06.123-07:00Milan Moss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our very dear friend Milan Moss passed away on Sunday at his Seattle home. He was 87, and was preceded in death by his wife Gwen in 2005. Julie and I met Milan and Gwen in 1994 when we bought our Lake Chelan cabin as they had the cabin next to us. He and Gwen both spent a good part of the summers on the lake and they became a part of our lives there. I spent countless hours fishing with Milan in his boat and became very good friends. The summer days always ended at their house for happy hour and usually dinner with all the neighbors as well. Although Milan's health was not good in the last few years he still managed his Seattle business and came to the Chelan cabin that he loved so much. Milan always opened his door to our family and friends, and there were many. No matter how tough health and business problems got for Milan, he never complained, ever. We should all try that. While passing through Seattle 3 weeks ago on my flight home to London, I had a great visit with Milan for about 3 hours at his home. Bless you my friend and thanks for being a part of our lives.<br />
. There will never be a day at the lake that I won't think of you both...We sure had some fun....<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-60752926758359149652013-03-26T02:52:00.000-07:002013-03-26T02:52:12.405-07:00Venice Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here in Venice we had half of our time touring the local sights in the sun and half in miserable rain and wind. We did see local attractions such as St Mark's Basilica, The Grand Canal, and the Piazza San Marco. The one hour gondola ride was the most fun for us and the most popular with canals jammed with other tourists doing the same. This city is often the threat of high tides where the water can rise over a meter above the high mark. This flooding has caused all lower floors to become useless and even forces most shops to shut down during the flooding. I am so glad that we took the time to visit here. So many of these historic European cities are within 2 hours of our London home and yet it's so frustrating that we just can't get to them all.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-31440757668758548822013-03-26T01:44:00.001-07:002013-03-26T02:17:13.935-07:00Venice, Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We just returned from a visit to the northern Italian city of Venice this last weekend. This was our 4 th trip into Italy and out first to Venice. Our flight was less than 2 hours from London Gatwick airport and it was sure great to escape the bitter cold and snow that has hit the UK. We stayed at the historic Hilton Malino Stucky in Venice, which is a beautifully restored flower mill. Our flight to Venice was full as most are with over 50,000 visitors a day traveling to one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations. This city of 300,000 dates back to the year 421. It was built on 117 islands, has 177 canals and 409 bridges. All transport is done either by water or by walking. The pics show Julie boarding our Easy Jet flight, the snow covered Swiss Alps, the Grand Canal, and the Hilton hotel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-44806046377716166892013-03-19T00:07:00.002-07:002013-03-19T00:07:32.733-07:00Cardiff, Wales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sunday we took a 3 hour train ride to Cardiff, the capitol city of Wales. This west coast city of 350,000 is the most popular tourist stop in Wales with about 20 million visitors each year. The Cardiff international sports village and Millennium Center, make this England's biggest media center outside of London. Julie had a business meeting here on Monday and I tagged along to see the city. As usual I had to endure the elements to see the local sights and get my story. Again I could see the Romans had a lot of influence here as I toured the 11 th century Cardiff Castle. Although it was bitter cold there were no lack of tourists at the castle, museum, and the very modern Millennium Stadium. The most popular sights were within walking distance of the train station. I had a chance to chat with a few tourists and see a beautiful city. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-88345429612466501292013-03-11T11:57:00.004-07:002013-03-11T19:56:01.048-07:00Silverstone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Silverstone is the home of England's world famous Formula 1 race track, one hour north of London. Today I did the ultimate driving experience, starting with a driving techniques briefing teaching safety, car handling and passing rules. The race cars were a 1.6 liter Ford Duratec 16 valve, that would do 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds with a 4 speed gearbox. We followed a pace car for 20 minutes getting used to the cars and picking up speed. Then about 10 of us got the green flag to race for another 25 minutes. A lap was a bit over a minute with an average speed of around 70 mph and a top speed of 90 to 95 mph. It was dam cold at 32 degrees, wind blowing, and snow falling before we finished. I got passed once and made 3 passes but could have gone another 30 minutes even though I was freezing. Sure brought back some old racing memories. Great Christmas gift from Julie, Loved it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-53342542356086274092013-03-10T09:37:00.000-07:002013-03-10T09:58:46.876-07:00The Bodyguard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night Julie and I stayed at the classy Mayfair hotel in Green Park, London. We took in one of the newest West End shows, The Bodyguard, which has recently made its debut at the Adelphi Theater. The musical is based on the smash hit movie which stared Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. This romantic thriller that featured the music from the late Whitney Houston, was a sold out show. To make it even better there wasn't any rain on a rather warm London night which meant a lot of people on the streets. Just the way I like it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-78423652330613684512013-03-10T08:57:00.001-07:002013-03-10T09:40:36.359-07:00Hot Tub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The tub has been on our bucket list for years and now is here at our lakeside cabin. I built the deck for the tub last year as we never really had a good place to put one, out of the way. Last week while in cold Lake Chelan, I bought this jacuzzi tub in the nearby city of Wenatchee. I hired a boom truck which had a reach of 60 feet and we needed every bit of that to set it on the deck below down by our dock. It will get plenty of use this summer as the lake only gets to 70 degrees max in the summer, but mostly in the mid 60's.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-12347409361500165522013-02-11T04:45:00.003-08:002013-03-19T00:14:48.001-07:00Horse Meat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yup, DNA testing has found it here in the UK and many of the European countries. Discovered first in Ireland, this has now affected distributors in the UK, France, Sweden, Romania, and Poland. Now recent tests have found up to 100 % horse meat in many frozen prepared foods such as Lasagna. The DNA testing doesn't lie and this is now believed to be the work of a criminal conspiracy. We do much of our shopping at the Tesco supermarket chain here in London. They are pulling many beef products off their shelves as horse DNA was discovered there. I cook tacos every week, shown here, and I thought they tasted like beef, but I don't really have a clue. Maybe I need to go to a vet and get checked out if I get the trots. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-71833221748716415752013-01-30T04:24:00.000-08:002013-02-09T02:01:14.127-08:00Blog Post 500<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is my official blog post number 500, a milestone, and here's how it started. The adventure began with Julie's job change to Barclays, and because of her energy and dedication we are still here today. Top photo was taken when Julie and I moved to England in October 2007, bottom photo is our current British pub shot, oops, I mean mug shot. A great American friend, Ruth Lowe got this crazy idea to build a travel blog for us. At that time, I didn't even know how to spell the word blog so I needed a lot of help. Ruth and Randy from Washington State, have been my tech support since then and without their help I wouldn't be writing this now. The Lowe family is shown here with me, on the London Eye, during a 2008 visit. You guys are the best!<br />
Keeping this story rolling along has completely changed my life. I try not to go a week without a story so this forces me to get off my arse and find something new. We've visited over 20 countries in 5 years, some multiple times, meeting the most interesting people, many of which will remain great friends. We respect other cultures and beliefs even though ours are different. I do my best to try all of the food and booze where ever we are. It's the honorable thing to do. <br />
The Blog has been like a diary and allows our family and friends a way to keep up with us. Facebook has been a wonderful way for us to follow everyone else. Reading and writing are not my specialties therefore I keep my stories short trying not to be a bore. I always include pictures, facts, opinions and if you're lucky a few censored jokes. <br />
We do miss our family and friends in America so much, and that's an empty hole in our lives. We always make the very most of every minute we spend with all of you. Our passports recently expired after 10 years and it's a good thing because they were chucked full with extra pages. We now have our new passports with extra pages so we have 10 years to fill those pages. Our work is cut out...I say...GET ER DONE! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-54261911497303973912013-01-28T05:34:00.002-08:002013-02-09T02:03:02.472-08:00On the streets of Egypt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've been on the streets of Egypt before so we know the routine. Be prepared to get hassled because it will happen and I love it. Again this is a tourist driven culture and the locals don't eat unless you spend money. If you look into a shop without even going in you're a target and you get followed until you go into another shop. We took a lunch break at the Hard Rock Cafe before going out for more abuse. Sharm el Sheikh is a spendy city for the local shop owners, hotels and resorts. The slow economy and political unrest in the country has made it really tough on the tourist trade. Mostly people in the western world would feel uneasy coming here. This is the only country I've ever been to that I don't have to use my charm to get someone to talk. You can get everything from a camel ride to a genuine cheap 'rolax' watch. Everyone wants to be your friend if they think you got some dollars.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-8066441513740032152013-01-28T02:46:00.000-08:002013-01-28T02:53:32.739-08:00Egypt Resort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our travel package to Sharm el Sheikh included accommodations at the 5 star Ritz Carlton Resort on the beach of the Red Sea. Tourism is the lifeline of Egypt's economy and this resort was only 20 % full so it was like a ghost town for us city dwellers. In 2005 terrorists attacked this small city killing 88 and wounding over 200 people. Along with this attack the revolution in Cairo 2 years ago has really hurt the tourism trade here. Security was very high at the international airport and at our resort so we felt safe enough. Our travel package included half board which means morning and evening meals with drinks. The Ritz had a great mess hall but also included 3 restaurants, Italian, Asian, and Lebanese which we took advantage of at our cost. We had weather in the mid 80's and loved swimming in the sea. We did take a one day snorkeling trip that was fun as well. It's never fun without people around and we did meet some British folks that were fun, after some of my expert training. I sure wished there were more inmates at the resort to talk to, that's where I get my best stories. So another destination checked off our wish list. Very relaxing...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-17754708360133309092013-01-27T23:27:00.000-08:002013-01-28T00:47:51.640-08:00Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In 2008 Julie and I spent a week in Egypt visiting Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Last week we escaped the dreadful cold British winter and took a week holiday in Sharm el Sheikh. Our 5 1/2 hour flight was out of London Gatwick airport and we were so lucky to have no delays with all the the fog and snow. This small city of under 40,000 called the party capitol of the Red Sea, is on the same parallel as Miami Florida. Sharm el Sheikh depends totally on desalinated water which is used for everything but drinking. This is no problem for us as we didn't go to a week in the sun to drink water anyway. All electricity here comes from the Aswan High Dam 700 miles away. The currency here is the Egyptian pound, shown here, and ten of these equals 1 English pound so get plenty. I took the last shot 5 minutes before we landed in Sharm. Most of the big resorts over here partner with airlines to offer some great holiday package deals. Wish we had more travel time as our bucket list keeps getting longer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-19424049709988959882013-01-18T03:22:00.000-08:002013-01-18T05:02:12.809-08:00Texas Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I traveled to Weslaco Texas to do some cosmetic work on our commercial building. With a change of tenants this required painting, roofing, electrical, and some HVAC work on the exterior of the building. I had as many as 10 workers hired to get this work done in the 5 days that I was there. Every worker I had on this job was Hispanic and I have to say these guys are the best. My limited Spanish is terrible in a normal conversation but on a job site I can communicate what I need just fine. These workers put in a full day, then out comes the BBQ and the feast is on. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-14298621815850430102012-12-26T13:12:00.000-08:002012-12-31T00:15:00.548-08:00Tea at the Ritz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tea at the London Ritz is a sophisticated British tradition. Black tie mind you, the world famous Ritz is usually booked out one to two months for the most exquisite afternoon tea. The management made a last minute holiday exception for what they called, a very famous American blogger and his beautiful wife Julie. We were honored beyond words. Delicate sandwiches, baked jam, scones and pastries accompany a classy selection of teas. You can also celebrate a special occasion with a cake and champagne, which is what we did. The adventure continues....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-16292165145934146602012-12-22T23:47:00.001-08:002012-12-22T23:55:13.095-08:00Rubber Duck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you kidding? Shown here is a giant 1/2 ton rubber duck floating up the Thames River under the Tower Bridge. It passed the O2 arena and landed here in Canary Wharf for a rest on the canal outside of our flat. This was a publicity stunt to kick off what was called a 250,000 fundation grant. What a great way to get a festive holiday smile out of us Londoner'sUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-77719663091658433462012-12-19T14:08:00.002-08:002012-12-19T14:25:29.358-08:00Dutch Submarine Arrives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just when I think I've seen it all, The Dutch Submarine HNLMS Bruinvis arrived yesterday and tied up at our dock. We have had several Royal Navy ships here in the past which were opened to public tours. This is the first submarine to arrive here on the Thames River in 15 years. This diesel powered Walrus-Class sub has just returned from a NATO mission and the crew of 60 are taking a few well deserved days off. I had a great chat with a NATO officer stationed here in England, who was a fellow American from Texas. Hats off to all of our military and our allies, you guys rock!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-5598419926742835992012-12-11T07:28:00.003-08:002012-12-11T07:37:36.084-08:00Scott & Brooke Summers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Summers. Our beautiful daughter is now married to a wonderful young man and they start their life together. The wedding was the best and the party after even better. We do thank all family and friends who came to share this day with us. It is a bit emotional for me as I was once the most important man in Brooke's life. Now I pass that on to Scott with all my blessings. We will leave the warm Arizona winter sun in a few days for our cold home in London. The memories of our great time here just might keep us warmer...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2987704110657536092.post-43764434140583995702012-12-02T10:45:00.002-08:002012-12-02T10:47:06.398-08:00Happy 35, Brent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy 35 th birthday to son Brent yesterday. Now here in the Arizona sun Julie and I are reconnecting with family and friends. Last night we got to celebrate Brent's birthday and spend time with the grand kids that we only see once a year. We now are staying with great AZ friends and enjoying the winter. wearing our shorts every day. We are in the last week leading up to our daughters wedding. The bills just keep coming in.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0