Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec

Here we are!  Four months later.  That's not too bad is it?  We've had one event roll right into the next one since I last posted!  Sometimes, when so much is going on, it's hard to know what to write.  Activity overload = too much to say. 

Apopka preps went very well.  The week of convention kindly cooled down a tad, so we were able to welcome our visitors with comfort.  However, the rains from a tropical storm began the Wednesday of convention and didn't stop (at all; ever) until the Wednesday after convention.  Oh dear.  The dining tent was one giant sieve.  An image remains in my memory of heads shaking no as we tried to get them to sit down to eat at the dining tables.  Every seat was a puddle!  Anyhow, if anybody starved, it was their own fault.  :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nate, Darla and Rhya arrived on Sunday of Apopka and stayed until Wednesday!  It was VERY SPECIAL to have them around.  I was happy that they got to meet the FL staff and see who I spend my life with.  Rhya is top notch!  Sweet, tender, spunky, shy, hilarious, flexible, smart.......  We 4 went to the Atlantic coast for Mon and Tues night.  The waves were just right, so we went to the beach both days.  One night was spent in a hotel and another night with Miss Maye. Nate's a great bro, Darla's a great twin, and Rhya's a great niece. The time flew by and we're happy with our memories.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then was the trip to Mississippi for the Jackson convention.  Irene and I made some visits in FL's panhandle on our way out.  According to our trip log, it was a 961 mile trip out and a 818 mile trip back.  It really takes a long time to get out of FL!  Jackson convention was wonderful; we were happy to be there for two years in a row.  They've set up 4 FEMA trailers to use as visitors sleeping.  Irene, Tina and I were in one and we counted it as our week of camping...very cozy!  in a cabin under a grove of pecan trees...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then was the trip to Ontario!!!  What a splendid month.  It felt almost surreal to be where the weather is nippy,  the snow can fly,  the floors are carpeted, root vegetables are served, homeade desserts are made, many people are related to each other, it gets dark at 5pm, you can drive to a home without needing a gate code, etc...  FL is a good place to be, but a trip back to home culture was exciting and, tho this sounds strange, relaxing.  

There are some items unique to Canada such as... butter tarts, lots of pie, tea pots, frequently served carbonated water and ginger ale, the saying 'right one' used by the young and old, box stores, of course kilometers & celcius, the toonies ($2 coin), Tim Hortons...

Two little humorous occasions that come to mind at the moment:

*A 60-something year old lady with alzheimers had a thought to share at breakfast.  "You know, it's funny, but sometimes I forget that I have Alzheimers!"  hahaha. 

*A visiting English brother worker was listening to the banter of some younger brothers and stated ever so properly in his English accent, "We're all entitled to our own stupid opinion."  haha.  His sense of dry humor suprised us every now & then!

The meetings went very well and everybody seemed to have spent time in the house of bread.  Special meetings are a time of plentious fellowship, with our coworkers and our friends.