to all the Canadian GG's on here.. hope you had a great holiday

Hope you have a great day.

Thanks again for starting this site, those many years ago. Have developed many a great friendship with Groupers over the years.

Your day, but can't help but think of many that have left us or don't post much any more. Sal Mercurio, Patrick Doré. Dan Spisek, Dan Gavin, the Guy from NH and many more. Always glad to see the old timers that are still here.

Again Duff, Happiest of Birthdays.

I talked to my dad at 0700 this morning and he's doing well.  One thing about Dad is his schedule.  I hope you guys have a great day.

Taco is on the other side after over 15 years with us.  She was a street dog that Stacy bottle fed for the first 2 weeks we had her. She's the one in the front of the pic.  Our dog pack is one dog short this evening.

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It's off to an early start this year.

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Several years ago, a couple college friends and I got together and decided we all wanted to do a European vacation.  Well it finally came together and 4 of us with our wives took off and we all landed in Passau, Germany to start a Danube River cruise on Viking.  I will say, in spite of some minor problems that I'll get to, it was an outstanding vacation and cruise.  We visited Passau, Germany, Linz,Melk Krems  and Vienna Austria, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, and Budapest, Hungary.  One can visit and see only so many castles and churches, but each one was beautiful and some dated back to some earlier centuries. I think the most impressive site we saw was arriving in Budapest at night with the many buildings, especially the Hungarian Parliament building with it's 365 spires, all the bridges and building on both sides of the river lit up.

When we arrived, Pam had checked her luggage with all her meds.  We were sitting around on the "Sun Deck" when she had a seizure.  When she checked her luggage, she had no access to the meds and missed 2 doses of her anti-seizure meds. She has a history of seizures and I knew exactly what was happening.  Anyway, the crew called an ambulance and off we went to the local hospital. The put her in a room and took me into an office where the clerk insisted I "must pay."  I gave her my credit card and she rang it up for 1000 Euros ( $1129.00) and then let me see my wife.  They wanted to keep her there for the night, but by the time I got to her room, she had recovered (normal) and I told the staff we were returning to the ship and had them call me a cab.  We were not off the boat for more than 1 hour.  I returned to the hospital the next morning and received an itemized bill, 114.02 Euros with instructions on who to email and what information to supply to get the balance back.  I did this 10 days ago, but it still has not been refunded so today I called the credit card company and initiated a protest of the 1000 Euros.  I've also made a claim to the Travel Insurance company for the 114.02 Euros

Then  we had the weather problem.  It was 40* - 50* the entire time we were there and rained every day but one. .  We had raincoats and still enjoyed the tours, except one.  That day, it was raining 40* and blowing 40 MPH.  We did not leave the boat, but could see the castle we were to visit from the boat.

The last day, the weather finally broke and Pam decided we were going to go it alone, no help from a guide and we were going to visit the Hungarian Parliament building.  We departed the hotel where we were staying during our 3 day cruise extension and too the subway, but took the wrong subway and got lost.  With some help from the locals, we got straightened out and finally made to to the right subway stop.  Wee took  the  tour  off this amazing building which also includes a viewing of the kings crown which dates to the year 1000.  Could not even photograph this.  We got on the correct subway going back to the hotel, but upon exiting, turned the wrong way and walked 2 blocks away from the hotel before realizing our mistake and turning around.  Part of the excitement and trip.  It was fun.

And we had a scooter problem.  I purchased an electric scooter for Pam to get around on the various tours we were taking.  Out first flight was from Tampa to Chicago.  When they brought the scooter to the plane door in Chicago, one of the handles was broken.  She could still use the scooter with the handle on the other side, so, no big deal and she did use it on several tours.  But, when we tried to fly it home, the Lufthansa agent in Budapest would not let the 417 Amp Hour battery on the airplane.  Their limit is 300.  even though we flew Lufthansa to Germany, he insisted the battery was not going back to the US on the plane stating Lufthansa min Chicago made a mistake.  I gave him the battery and he promised to mail it to me.  It has not shown up yet!    But, United is handling the damage claim for the broken handle and they have been very responsive.

Bottom line, it was a wonderful vacation and reunion with friends in spite of minor problems

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

I took delivery on my new hauler this morning.  It's a beast and easy to drive.

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Headed to Elbow Cay and a week at my brother's beach house.  It's gonna take some time getting used to blue water at the beach again.

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at the local golf course lake on the drive home from the beach just after sunrise a couple of days ago  ..as previously posted on my FB page

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