Extra Extra - Robson coffee maker dies; parents bleary and cranky

Not to worry, the children have survived the 3 day loss of parental coffee intake. We have been making coffee each morning as part of our wake up routine. However, due - we think - to a low voltage feed, we apparently fried the chip in the coffee maker and it now just flashes at us... After a few tense days which included Deryl literally driving 20 miles each way to find a quicky-mart coffee shop, we have purchased a new machine. Just had a cup which is what gave me the energy to write a little this evening.

Here's a bit more detail of what we've done over the past several days. Some may be a repeat from short posts I've uploaded directly from my Iphone.

Last Saturday, 2/13, we spent the day at Kennedy Space Center. Even though it was a Sat, there was hardly any crowds. We pulled our rig up w van attached to the very front of the "RV/bus" parking area and were less than 50 yards from the entry gate. Spent a few hours on the bus tour (thanks to a tip from the Palmers) and then headed back to the RV for a lunch and a short rest. Then, went back in to finish up looking the place over. We got to see the "real" room where the Apollo mission control was conducted - it's been frozen in time as an historic area. Definitely would count the day as a science class day for the kids with a ton of international history mixed in. The presentations that they had there were excellent and well visualized with real footage, etc.

We spent Sat night at a rest stop on I-95 which was the second night in a row that we didn't have a proper place to stay. But, honestly, I slept great and was quite content. We put 'er in park, extended the slideout and made ourselves comfortable. Some road noise but not bad -especially when you're exhausted.

After a breakfast, shower/shave and pulling out our "church" clothes - which is to say the least wrinkled shirt and whatever shoes of Jonah's aren't wet, we headed off to an Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church which was only 20 minutes away. From there we were stumped. We didn't have a place to stay that night (again - everything booked due to holiday weekend) but didn't want to travel (work) too much on Sunday since we're trying to maintain it as separate from our weekly chores of travelling and such. We decided to head up to St Sebastian St Park for the afternoon to walk and enjoy the scenary (we were told it was already booked up) and then head back to I-95 to sleep at a rest stop somewhere. Long story short is that the park did have spaces open for walk-ups and we were able to get a pull-thru site. This was a BIG answer to prayer as we really needed to unwind and rest from all the travelling and touring - being a tourist takes a lot out of you!

We arrived at the park just as a rescue squad from Seaworld was arriving to rescue a manatee. It was a young one which had a sensor on it. They had been monitoring it via satellite and knew that it hadn't been moving for an extended period of time. So they launched a boat and scooped it up and were going to take it to warmer waters.

We've now stayed at the St Sebastian park for third night as I write this and really have been able to relax a bit. Kids are quite happy to do school and then buzz around the park. Yesterday required shorts and swimming suits and sunblock. Today was too windy and cool but was still super sunny. Played chase at one point and managed to cut both boys' hair. I headed out this afternoon to stock up for our time in the keys where we expect everything to be a lot more expensive. (This is when I bought a new coffee pot) Bought all sorts of stuff: milk, butter, eggs, cereal, cheese, fruits, frozen veggies, cookies, marshmellows, cornbeef hash (!!!), bacon (!!!), soda, flour, brown sugar, 2 cantaloups, Eggo waffles, gatorade, beers of various flavors and tuna fish. Also bought a few #6 x 1/2" machine screws and nuts to fix the handle on the screen door. Ended the evening watching the sun go down and then saw our first dolphin swimming around in the cove nearby.

Uno has become to game of choice. Elena and Isaac are able to hold their own and don't need any reminders about shouting "Uno" if the other guy forgets to announce when they are down to one card. Jonah will sit on my lap (which is really more of a glacial sliding action which can really wear your inner thigh muscles out!) and help me pick cards and decide who to give the Draw 2's out to.

Tomorrow is a travel day to the keys. Hoping to be in Long Key by 3 or 4PM so that we can get situated before the sun starts setting. There's a pool there and a small beach so the kids will have plenty to keep them occupied. Planning to see Doug & Anisa Itkin and their two boys in Key West on Thursday. They are down visiting Doug's folks who we also know fairly well (they live in Providence too) and we may score a ride on their 50' Grand Banks which would be pretty sweet. Darren and his wife Kathleen and Evan are all coming down to tour with us starting Thrusday night and we're intending to work in some snorkeling and who knows what with them. Looks like the weather will be in the mid-60's down there which is still not super warm for that area but we'll be loving it for sure.

gotta hit the sack... more photos another time.

(By the way, if you plan on starting your own blog, don't use Blogger! It's very inconvenient to format these postings and add pix. And a number of people have had a hard time leaving comments.)