Jill's Family Visit to Missouri

Jill and greatgrandmother, Goldia Collier

Cory and his grandmother

Jill and her grandpa, Leanis Collier

Jill had a busy summer. A trip to NJ on the bus with her mother, a trip to Disney with Stephanie and Cory, a trip to Arkansas and to visit her aunt, Angie Oakley and her family, and then on to Missouri to meet her dad's whole family including her grandpa and her greatgrandmother. Then just last week she went with me and Jaime to Treasure Island and Madiera Beach, FL with Jonah, Mia and my friend, Carol Moore. Jonah went to Tennessee to see his dad's family and then to the beach. We all went to the zoo several times. It's a relief to be back in the school routine!

Beach! Thunderbird at Treasure Island

Critter from the front of Carol's swimsuit. He stuck that "arm" out and flipped himself over!

Critter

Beach, Jaime and Mia from under the cover of the beach canopy

Jonah, snake and scary pirate

Jill and Pirate

Pool and Tiki Bar

Carol

Jaime making a "Mia castle"

My friend Carol came to visit from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I think we figured out this is her 6th visit since I moved back here in 1976. And I visited her once. (What can I say? It is easier to get people to come to Florida than to Arkansas.) She treated to one night at the beach. We chose the Thunderbird since it was Labor Day weekend. Thunderbird is cheap, easy to rent and easy to find. I found it much the same as always: simple rooms with 2 queen beds, pool, tiki bar and wide beach with shallow waves. The beach is crushed shell rather than deep, soft sand, but actually easier to walk on for me. The water was clear and cool, the sun hot, all the people friendly, the beach bar Pina Colladas were expensive but delicious, the pool full of fun-loving kids and their parents with live beach music adding Jimmy Buffet atmosphere. We went to John's Pass for a seafood dinner and a little shopping. A perfect visit with an old friend and the "good old Thunderbird" as Jill called it (even tho this was her first time). I will definately go back again. Carol went back with a good story to tell since she found a beautiful shell and stuck it down the front of her bathing suit for safe keeping. She was unprepared for something to crawl half out of it and start moving around! I would have loved to be there for that, but telling the story is a lot of fun. Picture the creature from the black lagoon ... well, not quite that big.