Chapter 19. November, and We Are Truly Thankful. December Scares Us Badly

Yes, this our view for the next six months or so.  And we are grateful...

...and this rogues gallery shows a sampling of our Pelican Lake buds...

First Row, left to right: Beverly, Leslie, Marilyn, Cindy, Judy, Julian.

Second Row, left to right: Vaughn, Rick, Captain Stan.

The above photo was taken at the Captain's favorite sunset bar...appropriately named The Sunset Grille on Marco Beach.

The sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico, as seen from...you guessed it, The Sunset Grille

The Captain boating in the Ten Thousand Islands area on December 1st...

Leslie's new pet riding with her in the Jeep.  He likes the shade of the radar detector.  We named him Geico and released him at Pelican Lake.

Yes, it's what you think it is...a four foot long alligator cruising in front of our site...could this be our little Geico on steroids???

They caught the little critter and moved him to a place where he would be more welcome...

A nice German dinner with old friends from Negril, Jamaica, Tom and Joyce.

Vaughn and Marilyn's pup Tyson.  He and Opie like to hang out together 

Chanukah, Motorcoach style.  

BAD NEWS.  Murphy (our 12 year old middle "child") has horrifying seizures in the wee morning hours of Christmas Eve.  A 2AM visit to the puppy emergency room leaves all of us exhausted.

In subsequent days the seizures become even more violent and more frequent.  Another wee hours emergency room visit results in the recommendation to have a MRI conducted to determine the cause of his malady. 

The MRI confirms our worst fears...our little guy has a large brain tumor.  We learn that the cost of invasive cranial surgery is, for us, staggering.  Nonetheless, the Murph is our boy, and he'll get the best care available.  No hesitation.  We love the little bugger.

The Murph the evening before his scary surgery.  (I wish Leslie and I slept so well that night)

Our sweet Murphy after brain surgery.  Very groggy, but alive!!!

Murphy. a few days after his surgery.  He came through with flying colors...not bad for a 12 year old.  Our good friends Vaughn and Marilyn, and Judy and Julian kept us propped up during our darkest moments while we waited to get him home from the hospital.  Pet lovers understand...

Within weeks, Murphy is his old self again and we pick up our life which had been on hold...

Relaxed again, we drift offshore from Marco Beach...

Lunch with Marilyn and Vaughn at the Speakeasy on Marco Island

New Year's Eve with Ken, Leslie and Julian (not pictured are Marlaine, Marilyn, Vaughn, Judy and your auld lang syne, the Captain)

And so ends the adventure that history will refer to as 2014...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...it was the winter of despair, it was the spring of hope. (Charles Dickens)

But by any measure, it was our year, and we flourished...

We look forward with anticipation to see what awaits our clan in 2015. 

Check back in as your humble correspondent, the Captain, gives you a ring side seat to the new year..