Vacation and Visitors

A lot has happened since I last posted anything.  Megan and I took a much needed trip to St John in the US Virgin Islands.  The island was beautiful and not too crowded.  75% of the island has been set aside as National Park Land, so most of the island is undeveloped.  Meg and I went kayaking/snorkeling on our last full day there.  We saw a number of beautiful fish, as well as some wild donkeys, which apparently are all over the island.  A number of people have asked us if we would return to St John in the future.  I doubt we will for a few different reasons.  Megan and I really enjoy seeing and enjoying new places, so the thought of returning to a destination does not really appeal to us much, knowing that there are so many other beautiful places to see.  Also, for me St John lacks a lot of the culture that I think you get to experience in other places, because it is a US Virgin Island.  This may sound weird, but I felt that it lacked the unpredictability you find in other places such as Mexico.  I'm not talking about the, you may get shot, kind of unpredictability, but the kind where you end up buying an iguana from a random kid on the street, kind.  Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful and safe and predictable.  Many people love that.  We met numerous older couples who had been returning there year after year for 20 plus years.  Because we were fortunate enough to live and travel in Europe, we have really been able to define what we enjoy when we travel.    

Solomon Beach - Only way to get to the beach is by hiking trail or boat.

View from our Room at Estate Lindholm - Highly Recommended

View of Cruz Bay from Estate Lindholm

If anyone is interested in the B&B, you can find some good info at the following link:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147410-d291427-Reviews-Estate_Lindholm-Cruz_Bay_St_John_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html

My mom (GG) and her friend Donna Koehler were kind and gracious enough to come and spend 5 days with the boys so we could get away.  They had a great time with the boys.  Donna had our yard looking beautiful when we returned from our trip!  They took the boys to Cracker Barrell one night for dinner.  They said that while they were eating, someone in the next room was coughing loudly.  So loud that they said it sounded as if the person was choking.  Apparently Cole, who is very good at mimicking, immediately started making the same coughing noise over and over, and he was still doing it when we returned from our trip!  We cannot thank GG and Donna enough for taking such good care of the little guys, and allowing us to take our vacation.  Brett came down for the St Patrick's Day celebration in Savannah.  The next day he took mom and Donna to Charleston, where they enjoyed a couple of days of much needed relaxation, before flying back to Texas.  

GG with the Boys in Savannah

Mom and Donna - Notice how nice Donna had the yard looking.  Thanks Donna!

The day after mom left, Paige and her boys, Will and Clayton, arrived for a 5 day visit.  Megan really enjoyed spending time with her sister and nephews.  The boys and I were able to play some basketball at a local outdoor court.  Paige was sooooooooo excited to see CoCo.  She and Will and Clayton had a blast with the boys.  They all went to Forsyth Park one day, and we all went to Tybee island another day.  The wind was blowing very hard when we got to the beach.  It didn't slow Cole down though.  He quite enjoyed walking into the stiff wind and watching all the kite surfers who were out that day.  Cooper was less enthusiastic about the strong winds.  We had a good meal at AJ's Dockside restaurant.

Paige with Cole at Tybee Beach.  Clayton and Will are playing in the sand.  

Megan with Cooper on a windy day at Tybee Beach.

I just returned from Charleston.  I went up for a day to spend time with Brett.  We pub hopped all around Charleston, and watched a couple of the NCAA tournament games.  We had a really good time just hanging out together.  Neither of us could remember the last time just us two had hung out.  Megan celebrated the birthday of Michelle, one of our good friends here in Savannah.

We really appreciate all the love and support from all our friends and family, who have helped out so much the last few years.

The quote below captures what I desire to experience every time we travel somewhere new.

"Day by day we lose some of our restlessness and absorb some of the spirit of quietude and ease that is in the tranquil atmosphere about us and in the demeanor of the people."

                         -Mark Twain  The Innocents Abroad

More pics of our recent trip and the boys can be found at http://bickel.smugmug.com

Spring has Sprung

Cole taking it all in.

This week was a good week for us and the boys.  Both boys are well on the road to recovery from their latest snotty noses and coughs.  When one gets sick we always know that the other will not be far behind.  We know the course the sickness will take, and in a way this is comforting.  As GI Joe always said, "Knowing is Half the Battle!"

Yesterday we spent much of the day at Forsyth Park having a picnic with some friends.  It was a beautiful day.  Overcast, and not too hot or cold.  Just right.  Rain was in the forecast but we lucked out and stayed dry.  The boys loved being outside.  They love to run free!  We spent much of our time trailing closely behind as they went exploring, always there to keep them from biting small dogs or little girls.  James Shaner (in pic below) and Michelle came over for dinner.  James is an excellent cook, and he prepared a French meal for all of us.  The menu (all prepared from scratch):  French Onion Soup, Scallops, Roasted Beets, Scallops on top of a carrot puree.  It was delectable!

Our friends the Michelle and James Shaner (left) and Mandy Waterman (right).  Mandy's husband Doug is currently deployed to Iraq.

Coop carrying grapes to his new buddy David Muccioli.

Just happened to catch a photo of these guys taking part in a citywide game of "Capture the Flag."  Gotta love Savannah!

 Our spring is quite busy. Meg and I will be taking a five day trip to St John soon.  My mom (GG) will be coming out, along with her friend Donna to watch the boys while we are gone.  We are excited about the trip, but I know it will be tough being away from the little guys for that long.  We are fortunate to have family willing to keep the boys.  Megan's parents will be keeping the boys in April when we attend the American Association of Endodontists Meeting in San Antonio.  We plan on making stops in Austin and Ballinger while in Texas.  It is time for us to start considering places where we will eventually settle down.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  We are going to the Masters in April.  Our friends the Dalzell's scored some tickets, and invited us to come.  We are pumped about this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The rest of the pics from our picnic can be seen on our smugmug site, along with thousands of other photos.  Just look in the feature gallery at  http://bickel.smugmug.com

With all the upcoming St Patrick's Day festivities about to kick off here in Savannah, I figured I would include a photo from St Patty's Day in Dublin in 2007.

St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin
 

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
- Mark Twain Innocents Abroad