"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime"-MARK TWAIN

Monday, December 31, 2012

Great Year

 

As the last day of 2012 dawned on the Gulf Coast of Florida, temperatures were a lot warmer than previous days, but scattered clouds covered the sun.

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As I walked the beach this morning, I noticed the hundreds of wave lines of small debris left along the way as the water receded.

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For whatever reason they brought to mind our past year of traveling around this great Country. All the ins and outs, intertwined within each other, sometimes following the pattern, occasionally breaking away to leave an individual mark. Kind of like our year.

Last January we traveled to Florida, meeting Judy, along with Janna and Mike.  March found us at the Green Eggs and Ham Rally where we hooked up with about sixty old and new friends. April found us in Northern Arkansas, and May found us following our grand daughter to the state softball championship game, along with her high school graduation.  June was pretty quiet, but July found us headed North and West all the way to Glacier NP and a tour of parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Utah; before returning home in September.  Along the way we were privileged to meet Emily and Lynne.  October was balloon month in Natchez and Arkansas.  November was spent around home, but here it is the last day of the year and we are again on the coast of Florida.

Many twists and turns, but almost all of them brought us closer to so many people we didn’t even know a year ago. We are thankful for meeting every one of them.  There are those we only know through their blogs such as Kim, Horst, Sharon, The Ducks, The Longdogs, and many many more.  Though we haven’t met in person, we consider each one of them a friend. Our goal for 2013 is to try and make many more.  Somewhere along the way.

Sally and I got out and hiked part of the Florida Coastal Trail this afternoon.  It was fun to get out and about after hanging around the trailer the past couple of days.

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Happy New Year to everyone.  We wish you the best year ever for 2013…….jc

9 comments:

  1. The Traveling Longdogs hope to get to meet you and Sally too.

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  2. Enjoy and hugs to Sally. PS We got around 7" snow on the ground and still coming down.

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  3. I always enjoy reading the end of the year wrap ups of friends. Thanks for posting it. :)

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  4. What a special story of your journey...met so many and so many more to go in 2013....maybe US! Your living the good life... May your be blessed and safe in 2013 in that sweet Casita...thank you for sharing it all. xoxox

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  5. It's been a wonderful year because you made it so! I love the spirit of adventure you 2 and Sally have. Wishing you many many more happy miles in 2012.

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  6. A rich, wonderful year. So many beautiful places, and so many wonderful people. I love your analogy of the lines in the sand. The pattern of our lives. :)

    The Florida Coastal Trail looks like something I'd enjoy exploring.

    Wishing you, Wanda and Sally the very best in the year ahead!

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  7. You do know that you and Wanda are my Hero's and Mentors....thanks for the great memories, and adventures you shared with all of us in 2012.....you two..or I should say three...sorry Sally, have the right site picture......hoping I meet you 3 next year.....Continued good health, many miles of wonderful memories...safe travels, and a GOOOD beer, or glass of wine..haha...Horst sends

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  8. Also loved your analogy of the wave lines...... been looking at the same lines and saw remnants, I suspected, of the big oil spill!

    Happy New Year!

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  9. Happy New Year Jerry and Wanda--we are glad 2012 brought you into our lives!

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Thanks for looking, and comments are welcome.