Retirement is quite busy!

Ross is in two choral groups:  the church choir and the community Chorale so it's a busy season for him and of course since we just returned from Australia/NZ November 14 I have been scrambling to be ready for the holidays.  However, I always have time for Bible study, the church services and special services and that makes me sit and be calm!!!!

We had the FAB6 - we made that up and it works - for dinner this month as it was our turn and of course I always say the standards are high but the laughter is higher!!!  I have known these ladies (and their husbands) for a long long time - since the 1980s when we shared an office at the hospital.  We always manage to get onto a very weird topic and this time it was whether you would be bathed after you died and before you got cremated...hmmmmmm????

 Next - at someone else's house - our old clinic group and we still manage to get together and catch up and laugh.  I have been retired for 7 years and it has flown!  So 5 of the 6 in this photo are now retired and having fun.

 My niece Molly has the most charming little girls ages 6, 4, 2 and 8 months and we will get to see them this week.  I can tell that my brother is watching these little sweethearts from heaven as I can even see him smile at them in my thoughts and dreams.

 Niece Sara has the little twins named after my brother and they are now 4 months old and so cute too.  I do hope to see them before too long.

 This was July 2011 and Alex and Lily (Molly's oldest) are pretty much special cousins.

 Lily this week as a snowflake in kindergarten.  My how time does fly.

And today Jenny sends me a picture of the new creation - Gingerbread House!!!

 Lucy 2009 - just over a year old and quite inventive about finding a place to sit.

 1960s in my farm house and my 3 brothers.  I guess I must have taken the photo.  I do see the one Christmas stock that we shared and the very very short tinsel tree barely visible behind my Dad.  We thought it was the greatest thing.

 Yes - Ross and I in the front seat of the hot air balloon in Cairns Australia.  The company had two balloons and they are the only balloons in the world that hold 20 people.  I think most only hold up to 8.  Took a lot of hot flame to get us up in the air!....I guess that's better than the reverse of a lot of hot air to get us up into the flame:):):)

So - I'm planning three trips plus a couple more now.  Next two are easy and it's California and the one after that is Croatia and I'm checking out a day trip to Montenegro  and here's what I found so far.  So instead of going on our own we are hiring a driver from small company who will take us there and back, be a tour guide, join us for lunch and pick us up and drop us off at the Dubrovnik apartment....YES!!!!!!! 

Since the language is Montenegrin it may be a mix of Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian so it might take a lot of work for one day!

...Montenegro:  However, you must register within the first 24 hours of your stay. If you are staying in a hotel or tourist facility, the hotel will automatically register you; otherwise you are personally responsible to appear at the police station to do so. If you do not, you may be subject to a fine, incarceration, and/or expulsion. 

BAY OF KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

 ROAD SIGN = WHY WE AREN'T DRIVING AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TOWNS CROSSED OUT!  I know it has been a war zone in the not too distant past.

 Merry Christmas to all!