and just under 3 tons of food were consumed. The Yankee Trade was a big success as everyone left the gathering with a gift.
Bill and Jane got to spend a week in Potsdam, NY staying with Jane's mom and visiting with relatives they hadn't seen in a long time.
Snow storm in Potsdam
The two weekends around that week were spent at Dave & Pam Hachey's house in Chittenango.
Let's just say the stock at Sam Adams Brewery had to have risen several points. 
Dave's famous Christmas cookies
We got to sing in the St. Pat's Choir and Abbie and Bailey got haircuts. Bill got back to Buffalo in time for the Bills-Dolphins game at Ralph Wilson Stadium which Buffalo won in a rout.
Bill was finally able to schedule a second opinion on his shoulder problem. Dr. Mark Tetro looked at the MRI, examined Bills shoulder, and announced surgery was necessary. It looked like the return trip was in jeopardy until an opening came up - the very next morning - due to the death of a patient. As things fell into place, Bill and Jane were ready at 6:00 AM and Bill had his rotator cuff repaired by 10:00 AM. Six weeks of healing is called for before PT can begin.
Christmas was very special at Greg's house. Nick and Ellen came to Buffalo, Jon and Brad rolled into town, and gifts were exchanged by all. Jane cooked up a spectacular chicken cordon-blue dinner and the meal was awesome. On Christmas night, a gathering was held at Bill's parents home in Strykersville, and prime rib was the main course.
On December 28 at 5:00 AM, Bill and Jane departed cold, snowy Buffalo with a packed vehicle (which included Jon & Brad and their luggage) bound once again for sunny Nashville. We turned left at Cleveland, went straight thru Columbus, Cincinnati and Louisville, and hit Nashville by 4:00 PM.
Bill was finally able to schedule a second opinion on his shoulder problem. Dr. Mark Tetro looked at the MRI, examined Bills shoulder, and announced surgery was necessary. It looked like the return trip was in jeopardy until an opening came up - the very next morning - due to the death of a patient. As things fell into place, Bill and Jane were ready at 6:00 AM and Bill had his rotator cuff repaired by 10:00 AM. Six weeks of healing is called for before PT can begin.
Christmas was very special at Greg's house. Nick and Ellen came to Buffalo, Jon and Brad rolled into town, and gifts were exchanged by all. Jane cooked up a spectacular chicken cordon-blue dinner and the meal was awesome. On Christmas night, a gathering was held at Bill's parents home in Strykersville, and prime rib was the main course.
On December 28 at 5:00 AM, Bill and Jane departed cold, snowy Buffalo with a packed vehicle (which included Jon & Brad and their luggage) bound once again for sunny Nashville. We turned left at Cleveland, went straight thru Columbus, Cincinnati and Louisville, and hit Nashville by 4:00 PM.
Our beloved RV started right up, and we were back in business! Jon and Brad got a quick tour of the honky-tonk district on Broadway and enjoyed several aspiring young country singers and some older ones as well.
Brewhouse in Nashville
but made it to a Walmart in Valdosta, Ga. by nightfall. Jon's famous Walmart Fried Chicken for New Years Eve Dinner, what a treat. 
Cadillac Ranch Bar
Coyote Ugly Bar (where the movie was made).
Outside a bar in downtown Nashville
Outside a bar in downtown Nashville
At Charlie Daniels Museum
On Sunday we all went to the Bills Booster Club in Nashville to see Buffalo drop their final game to the Eagles.
Wait till next year!
On December 31 we set sail for Tampa Florida. We traveled thru Chattanoogo and hit Atlanta at rush hour,
One armed Bill
but made it to a Walmart in Valdosta, Ga. by nightfall. Jon's famous Walmart Fried Chicken for New Years Eve Dinner, what a treat.
On New Years Day we arrived in Zephyrhills by 11:30 AM and got hooked up to cable in time to see the Buffalo Sabres play the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium. What a great game, only to see Buffalo lose in a shootout. Damn Sidney Crosby! The RV park here is beautiful, with horseshoes, shuffleboard, billiards, darts, a hot tub and heated pool. The people are all so friendly, and the pace of life is slow. Our second nite in Florida it got down to 29 degrees - the first time in six years - we thought we were done using propane! However, it soon warmed up to 80 degrees and our bodies are confused about what season it is.
Our first trip to Tampa was quite eventful. Our Michigan friends, Ernie & Ray, suggested we eat at Quaker Steak & Lube, a sportsbar in Clearwater.
We got there about 1:30 PM and ordered the chicken wing buffet, when Jane saw a face she thought she recognized as Pam Hachey's brother-in-law. Of course Bill told her she was crazy, but Jane got up and inquired if he knew the Hachey's. It was hard to see who was more surprised, but the bottom line is Pam's father, sister and brother-in-law , brother and sister-in-law and several neices and nephews had all met there for a late lunch. We visited with them for quite a while, and determined the odds of meeting them at that particular place and time were approximately 8 million to 1.
We got there about 1:30 PM and ordered the chicken wing buffet, when Jane saw a face she thought she recognized as Pam Hachey's brother-in-law. Of course Bill told her she was crazy, but Jane got up and inquired if he knew the Hachey's. It was hard to see who was more surprised, but the bottom line is Pam's father, sister and brother-in-law , brother and sister-in-law and several neices and nephews had all met there for a late lunch. We visited with them for quite a while, and determined the odds of meeting them at that particular place and time were approximately 8 million to 1. After lunch we all went to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a place that rescues beached or injured marine life and nurses them back to health. We saw sea turtles, eels, stingrays and a North American otter, but the most interesting part were the rescued dolphins. One of them (Winter) had her tail and fins cut off from a shark attack and had been fitted with a prosthetic tail which actually worked! Winter has since become a magnet and inspiration for people who have lost limbs.
Friday Jon & Brad helped Ernie & Ray move some heavy stuff into the new house they just purchased in Zephyrhills. Afterwards, Ernie & Ray treated everyone to the buffet at the Golden Corral, better known as the Hog Trough, where Jon & Brad ate enough to actually fill their stomachs for a short while.
On Saturday Jane and Bill went to the Big Top Flea Market near Busch Gardens. It was huge, and bargains galore, kind of like a cross between a big craft show, Walmart and an antique show.
Back at Forest Lake RV Park, we are all adjusting to the warm weather. Jonny was catching some rays outside the RV 
when he got stung on the hand by something. After swelling up to his wrist, we took a trip to the Zephyrhills ER to get it treated. Looks fine after benadryl and steroids.
when he got stung on the hand by something. After swelling up to his wrist, we took a trip to the Zephyrhills ER to get it treated. Looks fine after benadryl and steroids.
We'll be doing periodic blog updates so stay tuned for future adventures!
Signing off for now,
Bill, Jane, Jon & Brad
