HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  Our plan was a belated Christmas with the kids in Sarasota.  Thomas, Jess and Michael's flight arrived on time on 12/26.. Ryan and Janelle were not so lucky.  After being delayed out of STL for six hours, Frontier cancelled the flight with no plans for another flight or re-booking.  Turns out frontier doesn't contract with any other airlines to assist stranded passengers.  My recommendation:  don't fly Frontier!  Ryan and Janelle were able to get on a Delta flight the next day ( for about 3x the original cost) and arrived in Sarasota on the 27th. We had a GREAT time with the kids and Dale, Janice's dad.  We spent the 28th on the beach at Siesta Key.

Rick and Ryan at Siesta Key

Michael enjoys his first trip to the beach with mom, Jess, and dad, Thomas

Continuing with the kids visit to Sarasota, after a day at the beach, the gang decided to stay poolside on the 28th.

Michael's first time in a pool!

Janelle enjoys the 85 degree weather

Grandma and Michael chill in the shade

Michael and Great-Grandpa Dale discuss who has the better looking hat

The kids were all safely back home for New Year's Eve.  Janice and I already miss them!  We pulled up stakes on the 31st and traveled a whole hour to Ft. Myers.  Janice has a good friend who lives in Ft. Myers, and (if the weather cooperates) we plan to take a day trip by boat to Key West.

Janice and I hope 2016 is safe and prosperous to you all!  God bless us.

 We  headed down to Tampa, where we stayed until 12/22, then on to Sarasota.  In Tampa, we stayed at LazyDays RV Resort.  LazyDays is the largest RV dealer in the world... over 1,500 units in stock, a 126 acre complex, 200 service bays, and a 300 site campground.  No pictures from Tampa cause, to be honest, we just kicked back and relaxed.  We met some really nice people and the staff was very friendly.

Arriving in Sarasota on the 22nd, we awaited the arrival of the kids and grandkids.  One of our ventures was to "The Ringling,"  A large complex encompassing the circus museum, mansion, and several art museums.

Visited the Ringling Museum while waiting for the kids arrival

Old Circus Wagon.  Beautiful Woodworking!

The Ringling Mansion

Ringling Mansion Interior

Ringling Mansion Patio Overlooking Sarasota Bay

The definite high point of visiting Tampa was hooking up for dinner with an old (literally) flight buddy of mine from Vietnam.   Flying out of Camp Evans for 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in 1970-71, were the two studly pilots shown below, Rick Wray & Juan Torres, a/k/a/ Thunder 25 and Thunder 13, respectfully.  Juan and I had not seen each other for 44 years!!  We shared a telephone call with Thunder 33, Terry Vraniak, who now lives in Alaska, and the years slipped away!  Love you guys!

Thunder 25 (L) and 13 (R) 44 years after Vietnam

We lead off a series of Savannah posts by introducing you to the Pirates' House, established in 1753. Now a popular retaurant near the river, the house was just what its name implies.  Pirates frequented the establishment, both to take their leisure and to "Shanghai" unsuspecting patrons to crew their vessels.  Legend has it that a Savannah constable was Shanghaied and it took the unfortunate three years to work his way back to Savannah.

The Pirates' House

Excavations have uncovered several tunnels between the Pirates' House and the river.  These tunnels allowed the pirates to travel in secrecy and to aid in the covert transportation of Shanghaied patrons.

An Uncovered Secret Tunnel

Savannah's River Street

Naturally, the area adjoining the Savannah River offers interesting history, as well as modern restaurants and entertainment.  The streets are comprised of "ballast stones," which were used by the ships for... you guessed it... ballast. 

Access ramp from Bay Street to River Street, still in use today

At the time of the Civil War, the price for cotton was established in two places: Savannah, GA and Liverpool, England.   Savannah, it was through the cotton exchange on Bay Street.

Note the bridge?  Bridges such as this would span the ballast stone streets below.  Brokers from the various cotton brokerage houses would stand on the bridges, examine the massive bails of cotton being transported below to waiting ships, and set the price.

The old cotton brokerage houses were in the buildings to the left

Savannah's Squares

Savannah was designed with 24 squares.  A couple have been used to construct new government buildings, but 20 or so remain.  The squares are shaded and great places to relax, read a book, or just meditate on the history that surrounds you.  Here are two in the historic district.

Lafayette Square

Thirty-acre Fosyth Park

Casimir Pulaski Monument in Savannah, or Pulaski Monument on Monterey Square, is a 19th-century monument to Casimir Pulaski, located at the Monterey Square not far from the battlefield where Pulaski lost his life during the siege of Savannah.

Sources vary with regards to when the cornerstone for the monument was placed, with either 1825, involving the presence of Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayett, or 1853 being given.