Panama Canal Cruise

Disney Wonder, anchored in Cabo San Lucas Harbor

Disney Wonder, anchored in Cabo San Lucas Harbor

On Sept. 14, 2013 we boarded the Disney Wonder in Los Angeles, California for a 14 night cruise through the Panama Canal to Galveston, Texas.  On the west coast of Mexico, we had shore excursions in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. Then we went through the Panama Canal, and the following day made landfall at Cartegena, Columbia.  Our final Port-of-call was Cozumel, Mexico, then two days later we were back in the U.S. when we disembarked in Galveston, TX.

Several people we met on the ship expressed surprise when we told them this was our first cruise.  "You mean that you picked a 14 day cruise for your first cruise?  Most people make a 3-4 day cruise their first cruise to see if they like it first".  We usually told them, "Whats not to like?" 

As a matter of fact, They have another cruise next summer that I would love to take, but I've already got an idea of what to do next summer already.  Maybe the following summer.

Harold Turns 75

SANY0050.JPG

On Saturday, September 8, 2007, Harold (Papaw) celebrated his 75th birthday with the help of two of his sons, and assorted grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, neices, nephews, other relatives and friends.  Lots of food and drink was consumed by all.  And everyone seemed to have a good time. 

 

Birth of Charles Robert

SANY0004.JPG

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - Charles Robert was born at 7:48 pm EST in Parma, Ohio to Steph and Josh.  He weighed in at 6 pounds 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. 

Josh's parents got on a flight to Ohio from Austin, TX and landed about an hour and a half after his birth.  This is their first grandchild.  Lynne and Ron went up after they went home to help so they have help over a longer time.

It turns out, Charles was born with a birth defect, the popularly named "Blue Baby Syndrome" and had Open-Heart Surgery on July 10 (at 7-days old).  Charles is doing fine after the surgery.  

 

Our October 2007 Vacation

SANY0280.JPG

In Early October, 2007, Lynne and Ron took a week off from work and went on a road trip through New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.  We visited the UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico, the Painted Desert and Petrefied Forest National Park, the Meteor Crater in Winslow Arizona, a couple of sections of Historic Route 66,  The Grand Canyon National Park, The Four Corners National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park just outside Cortez, Colorado.

Mindy & Joel's Wedding

MW00080J.JPG

On August 2, 2003, Mindy married Joel.  The wedding was held at the church the couple were already attending together while engaged.  Many friends and family from both sides of the family came from all over the country.  There was food, music and dancing and a wonderful time was had by all celebrating the union of the couple.

Germany - 2000

MVC-011F.JPG

May 12, 2000 Mindy graduated from High School. May 26 Ron turned 40. To celebrate they took a trip they had both wanted to take for a while. May 17-23, they went on a week long tour of South-Eastern Germany.  Landing in Frankfurt, they rented a car, and drove the Autobahn to Bodensee (Lake Constance) and spent a week going where the wind (or chance, or whimsey) blew.

 

The only plan was a guide book, an English-German dictionary, and a reservation at a Bed and Breakfast in Uberlingen. 

 

Ron and Steph in D.C.

Steph in front of the Gemini re-entry module. 

Steph in front of the Gemini re-entry module. 

During October of 1999, Ron and Steph used our flight privileges to take a day-trip to Washington D.C.  They spent the whole day at the Smithsonian Air-Space Museum on the Mall.  They saw many interesting sites, like the Washington Monument surrounded by scaffolding (it was closed for renovation), and Gemini and Apollo re-entry capsules, and the Wright Brother's prototype flying craft.

Ron & Lynne in San Diego

MVC-001F.JPG

In June of 1999, to celebrate that year's wedding aniversary, Lynne and Ron took a long weekend and went to San Diego for 4 days.   The weather was beautiful, i highly recommend this trip.  San Diego is a city well worth the trip.

 

Ron and Mindy in San Francisco

MVC-022F_1.JPG

In April of 1999, during Spring Break, Ron and Mindy went to San Francisco for several days.  They visited Muir Beach, the Exploratorium, Carmel, Cannery Row including the Aquarium, and the Winchester Mystery House.  All in all, it was a wonderful father/daughter week. 

Ron and Steph in San Francisco

MVC-011F_1.JPG

Just after Ron started working a new job in August of 1998 that came with non-rev flight privileges, Ron and Steph tried them out with a weekend trip to San Francisco.

First stop, of course, Fisherman's Wharf, but other standard tourist sites were on the itinerary also: The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway 1, Muir Beach, and the Oakland Aircraft Museum.

The most interesting thing that happened was trying to get back home.  It turned out that there was an outbreak of the "flu" and over half of the AA flights that weekend were canceled because of lack of warm bodies in the cockpit.  That made it very difficult to get back home.  They were supposed to leave at 9:00 pm on Saturday from Oakland, finally got two of the last three seats on the last flight out of SFO on Sunday evening.