7/15/2013 – 11/3/2013


We had a wonderful trip back to MN and NE by way of Asheville, NC to see my brother Bruce and then on to MO to see niece Kim and family(especially new great, great niece Addison) and then landed at my sister, Diana’s in Eagan, MN. As usual with our trips back, the days were filled with Dr. appts (all is well with both of us) and visiting family and friends. We had lunch with the Anderson’s and Kristofer Lund at the Mongolian BBQ (sure miss having one of those around). Then there were various get-togethers with Ken Gelao, the Sheldons, Nellessens, Wolsteds, Jerry Davis, Robinsons, John LeMoine, Maggie Boehm (got caught up on some of the Unisys folks), and Larry Wicklund and Bambi. We got a day trip in to Mankato to see niece Mitsy and Tom. Great Niece Shannon was busy getting their house ready to sell but we got to spend some time with her and great, great niece Kamden. Bill and Judy Rohde had us over for a lovely meal and we talked about other sailors as well as some of the Unisys folks Bill R. and I worked with over the years. We headed up to Duluth/Superior to catch up with folks there but stopped at the Anderson’s lake home on the way to spend a couple of days with Nancy and Roger and Barb and Rob Rothwell. Nanc and Barb and I go back to toddler days; it is such a warm and comforting feeling to be able to spend time with such long time friends. Once we got to Superior, WI, we had lunch with Steve Shick and then headed over to Barker’s Island Marina to see the folks there. There was a new girl there and she said, “Oh, my gosh, Bill and Sylvia Mueller. I have heard so much about you.” I didn’t ask what that might have been; it probably went along the lines of these two crazy seniors who took off on their sail boat to distant places. Another day trip to Rochester and we were able to spend time with the Browns and Wobigs. Brunch with the Robinsons and Greenbushes and then lastly a gathering at the White Bear Lake VFW with some of the old White Bear Lake sailors finished up the visiting rounds. There were others folks we didn’t get a chance to or couldn’t see, of course, and that is always a disappointment. But we were so happy to be able to connect with everyone we did manage to see.

Then it was off to NE for Sylvia’s 50th class reunion. It turned out that brother Bruce had his 60th the same week-end so Diana rode to NE with us and brother Scott drove up to NE from NM. We stayed at nephew Randy’s in Omaha and then Bill and I went on to Beatrice to stay with Barb and Rob Rothwell for a night while the 3 siblings and Randy went on to Fairbury to stay. There were reunion gatherings to attend and a chance to catch up with old friends. Bruce, Diana, and Scott came out to the country club to one of my class’s gatherings and that was a kick. But there is never enough time though and I wish I had had more time to connect with so many of the old class mates. I have such fond memories of growing up with them.

It was a fun to be back in the old home town but it as with so many small towns has changed so much. It isn’t the same place it was when I was growing up. Diana managed to contact the folks living in our old house and the husband graciously met us there and took us on a tour. There is now a lovely kitchen and great room in the back with a large tuck under garage and deck and a downstairs bedroom and bathroom where the dining room was but other than that it is basically unchanged. The bedrooms upstairs are the same and the layout of the bathroom is the same. Even the attic was familiar. It was wonderful to be able to walk around the house after 46 years (for me) and let the memories just rush in. So while we were on a roll we went to Grandmother Dot’s house. No one is living there right now but we were able to look in the windows and see the updated kitchen and the relocated stair case but it like our home was much the same as when we were growing up and it too was in lovely shape which sadly can’t be said of many of the places in Fairbury.

As a final treat for the reunion week-end, sister Kit and nephew Bob met Bruce, Diana, Scott, Randy and Bill and me for breakfast in Beatrice before Bill and I headed back south. As we were driving to Beatrice Diana took us on a detour to see a tiny little prairie cemetery on the border of Jefferson and Saline county where she had finally found the grave of our great, great, grandfather Tippin. She had been looking all over the East and Midwest for him and it turned out he was buried just miles from Fairbury. Although it was too short a time at the breakfast gathering it was great to get all 5 of the siblings together at one time. There have been many various gatherings the last 3 years since our Bon Voyage party but we hadn’t all been together since then. Though sadly we have lost in-laws, we are so lucky at our ages to still have all of our brothers and sisters around.

We finished up the trip back to Brunswick by going to Kim’s in MO again and spending an extra day with them and then to Birmingham, AL and home to Eos at Brunswick. Eos had done just fine without us so it was do the big grocery trip and then settle in for boat work and fun times in Brunswick like the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits festival, First Friday’s downtown, the Cinema Gourmet showing of Vertigo (with a very interesting lecture about it preceding the showing), games of Chicken Foot dominoes, a movie here and there, the monthly evening with the Darien Drugstore Cowboys at the Confederate Station, Linda Bandelier’s evening of songs and story-telling and a high school theater production. And surprise, the weather actually got good enough that we had Eos out several times with various sailors along for the fun.

One week-end we drove up to Richmond, VA and visited a high school friend and her partner. They were such gracious hosts and it was wonderful to spend an easy-going relaxing time with them. Lynda and I had such a marvelous time really catching up with each other and going down memory lane – like the time she drove my mother to Tuscaloosa for a visit while I was at the U. of Alabama.

There are new folks on our dock, Doris and George on Grace, Keith and Lynn on Mystic Girl, Bob on Acadia while Bob and Renee on Mary H have moved on up to Savannah. Steve and Duffy on Kit had lightning strike their boat and it had to be towed to Savannah to a boat yard there for some major repairs. What a bummer for them!! And, of course, other cruisers are returning and getting ready to head south while others have sadly for us sold their boats and are moving on to another phase of their retirement. And then there are folks like Ric and Linda on Magic and Keith and Lynn on Mystic Girl who are just starting out their cruising. Oh, what a marvelous life style we have chosen – it suits us so well. And the friends we have made and are making are the most important part of it.

We are busily working on our future plans and are hoping that we will be in Puerto Rico for next hurricane season so we can then cruise that part of the Caribbean for a while. The Virgin Islands are calling. Hopefully we can answer the call.