We have once again spent some time in Homestead, with brother Bill, his wife Cecelia, and the others who live at their house: Art and Bill’s mom Clara, Cecelia’s mother Carmen, Cecelia’s son John, and his two daughters Elisa and Melanie. It’s a four-generation home! We stay in our van, of course, and help with meals and projects around the house as we are able. It’s always good to be with family, and we are thankful that they actually want us to be there! I love seeing the brothers interact and get silly like they did when they were children. And I enjoy getting to know Cecelia better each visit, and being able to visit with Mom Joyce too. She’s hung up her knitting needles, so to speak, but still keeps in touch with friends and family by phone and mail. And aside from her diabetes, she has no major health problems.

We have also been able to spend some time in the Everglades National Park, and have camped at two different campgrounds at the southern tip of Florida. We have learned a lot and have enjoyed the great variety of wildlife, especially birds, in this fascinating ecosystem. And for the first time in our year of travel, we have encountered a mosquito problem! And boy, do they have mosquitos at the Flamingo area of the park! But we have learned to cope well enough with the situation, and have stopped short of buying the “bug jackets” and “bug helmets” for sale at the marina store. We’re just glad that it’s not summer, when the problem is much worse.

We plan to again spend the winter in Florida, and are hoping to be back in Georgia the last week of March, when grandson Andrew will be bringing his fianceé Alisha, over their spring break from college, down to meet the Georgia side of the family. We are definitely looking forward to that!

And that’s as far as we’ve planned for now. We’ll see what the weeks and months to come hold for us. Thanks for your interest!