GRANDPARENTS

February and March have flown by since the last post and much has happened in Bill and Jane's life. Little Elijah William Lefort was born on February 25 at 2:30 AM - mom and baby healthy and happy, what a joy!

The Florida State Fair

Once again Bill and Jane made the short trip to Tampa to attend the Florida State Fair in early February. They got to see a real live alligator wrestler, a horse and buggy competition, several very good singing groups, and of course some great food.

The Group "HEARTBREAK HOTEL"

Winner of the Dog Show

Tarpon Springs Greek Festival

Dick and Judy (from London, Ontario) and Bill and Jane made the trip to the Gulf of Mexico to attend the Greek Festival in Tarpon Springs. This city has the largest Greek population in the US. The festival featured an arts and crafts exposition with some beautiful and unique works by artists from up and down the east coast. Of course the day was topped off with a meal at Mama's Greek Restaurant.

Dick, Judy and Bill

Some of the many sponges



Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Nick and Ellen gave Bill and Jane a Christmas gift - tickets to a Sabres game at the St. Pete's Times Forum in downtown Tampa. They did pre-game at Andrechuck's Bar & Grill across the street from the forum. The place was packed with Sabres fans, some on vacation, most transplanted, but all expecting a big win. Unfortunately, Miller let in three goals in the first 10 minutes and the Sabres lost 5-3.

Faceoff


Thurman Thomas was at the Game

Kumquat Festival in Dade City

Each year a big festival is held in Dade City to celebrate the kumquat, a little orange fruit that tastes sweet and tart. The festival features a big craft show, a car show, an antique show, entertainment on several stages, and of course kumquats in numerous foods and drinks. Bill and Jane had great fun and a piece of frozed kumquat pie.

Mountain Man Rendezvous

Bill and two buddies from Forest Lakes checked out the Mountain Man Rendezvous, a get-together of backwoods people who live in the same manner as mountain men from the 1880's. It is held in Withlacoochee State Park near Dade City. The people who choose this lifestyle (men and women) live in lean-to's, canvas tents or teepees, hunt their food with black powder longarms, and basically live off the land. It was extremely interesting. They sells furs and pelts, buffalo jerky, hatchets and other backwoods paraphernalia to the public. There was even a hatchet throwing contest and other demonstrations.

Grandparenthood

Bill and Jane (and Abbie and Bailey) made the long trek from Zephyrhills to Buffalo in mid-February. Besides the birth of their grandson, they had scheduled a doctor's appointment for Bill's shoulder, dentist appointment, doctor for Jane, income tax prep and doggie haircuts. They also got the terrible news that Bill's cousin Jeannie Marzolf was killed in the Continental Airlines crash in Clarence Center, NY. The trip wound thru Florida, Georgia, S. Carolina, N. Carolina and W. Virginia, with a stop-over in Charleston, W. Va. the first night.

Mountaineers of West Virginia's Stadium

They had to smuggle Abbie and Bailey into the four star hotel in Jane's purse and a large blanket. The next day onto Pennsylvania and back to New York, where snow and cold greeted our travelers. Bill and Jane stayed at Greg's place in Buffalo and were able to attend the calling hours and funeral mass for Jeannie. They also got to visit Brad in Brockport before driving on to Syracuse where Hotel Hachey became their abode. Elijah William Lefort was born at St. Joseph's Hospital at 2:30 AM on February 25. He weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces and measured 21 inches long (football or baseball player?) Nick and Ellen were very tired but very proud parents after the birth of Elijah. Bill and Jane had a great time at Dave and Pam's with trips to Texas Roadhouse and Dinosaur BBQ. Greg and Brad made the trip to Chittenango to see their new nephew, and Jonny visited Elijah at St. Joe's. Jonny was able to give an outside tour of his prospective new house in the Strathmore section of Syracuse. Finally it was time for Bill and Jane to return to the Bus in Zephyrhills aka home sweet home. They departed not a minute too soon as a large nor'easter was afoot and Bill and Jane encountered a snowstorm just south of Washington but continued driving south where it became just rain. After an overnight stop in Dillon, S. Carolina, it was southbound again and back to sunny and beautiful Florida!

ELIJAH WILLIAM LEFORT

NICK, ELLEN AND ELIJAH

POPPI AND ELIJAH

MIMI AND ELIJAH

GREG AND ELIJAH

BILL, JON & DAVE HACHEY AT TEXAS ROADHOUSE GRILL

DAVE HACHEY AND BRADLEY AT TEXAS ROADHOUSE

Can-Am Day at Forest Lakes RV Park

Bill and Jane got back in time to celebrate Can-Am day in their park. On this day, the Americans thank all the Canadians for visiting and being gracious neighbors, and the Canadians likewise thank the Americans for being their hosts for the winter. Both national anthems are sung and everyone is decked out in patriotic clothing. Bill helped prepare a large breakfast to start the festivities, followed by all sorts of games and contests, then a great lunch followed by music from Dinky Cameron who hails from Nova Scotia.

Dancing to Dinky's music

Bonnie and Delores making the lunch for Can-Am day.

YANKEES GAME

Bill and Jane got to attend a Yankees-Tigers game during spring training in Lakeland, Fla. They went with Bob and Jeannie and Lee and Joyce from Michigan (Tiger fans). They tailgated in the parking lot prior to the game. It was a sellout and the Yankees kicked butt - 10 to 2!

Joker Marchant Stadium - Lakeland, Florida

Yogi Berra crosses the infield

Melky Cabrera

Johnny Damon

Full stadium

Launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery

After one postponement, Bill and Jane made the two hour trip to the Atlantic side to observe the launch of the space shuttle Discovery. Bob and Jeanne Nichol from Michigan traveled along and they all hooked up with Ron and Lil Bogner who were camping at Jetty Park which is twelve miles south of the launch site. Jetty Park is right next to Cocoa Beach which was packed with vacationers and shuttle watchers.

Cocao Beach

The hours leading up to the evening launch were filled with dolphin sightings, food and drink, and even a navy submarine being escorted through the jetty by tugs. Finally the time for launch arrived as the hundreds of park patrons anxiously gathered to watch the sky. At 7:43 PM the Shuttle Discovery lifted off in an amazing display of sheer power, fire and thunderous noise.

A sonic boom was the first noise heard followed by a tremendous rumbling as Discovery slowly rose into the air and shot upward.

The sky was filled with the flames of two solid fuel rockets and the huge liquid fueled main rocket attached to Discovery. As it gained altitude at incredible speed, Discovery left a beautiful smoke trail in the receding sunshine which became a wonderful rainbow of color but primarily orange.

Many multiple shuttle watchers called this the most beautiful launch they had ever seen. You couldn't help but burst with patriotic pride to see what our nation can accomplish. Our shuttle watchers visited with Ron and Lil for a while before departing for Zephyrhills, and unfortunately got behind a line of traffic stretching all the way to Orlando. It took 4 1/2 hours to get home, but was worth every minute of it to see such a breathtakingly beautiful launch.