Friday, June 11, 2010

San Francisco

We are only in San Francisco for 2 nights - just long enough to do a bit of sightseeing and repack the bags to head on home.

Cupcakes for Breakfast!! (they even had gluten free cupcakes). Yum, delicious!!



Jacqui, Nikki & Hannah with the sea lions at Pier 39 (they were here 20 years ago when Nikki & Steve came to San Francisco with their friend Grant)


Of course, what trip to San Francisco wouldn't be complete without the cable cars.

We head on home tomorrow via Japan - thanks so much for all your support and care. We truly appreciate all the family & friends who made this year possible for us, especially Milt & Patsy who handled all our mail, and the Jennings who very kindly looked after our dog Fifi. We have also really appreciated all the emails, cards, letters and photo's that you all sent from home - it really helped us a lot. We have missed you all and can't wait to be in Canberra on Monday!!!!!! Lots of love, Nikki, Steve, Jacqui & Hannah

St Louis & Yosemite

We had a great time catching up with Tammy, Matt, Zac & Anna in St Louis (Tammy is Steve's exchange student sister - she lived with the Colemans for a year in 1984). We got to eat in a fantastic greek restaurant (with flaming cheese - "oppa"), as well as the Old Spaghetti factory, visiting the St Louis Arch & the Museum of Westward Expansion, but what we enjoyed most was just hanging out, talking and playing games.

Hannah, Zac, Steve, Matt, Tammy, Anna, Jacqui & Nikki


Matt has been deathly sick since last November with Guillian Barre Syndrome, but has improved dramatically (with a lot of hard work)

Tammy!!


From St Louis we headed over to Yosemite, on our way there we stopped in Oakdale - the Cowboy capital of the world




Coyote


Deer in the village, right near our park (we wondered if this deer - and it's ticks - had Lyme Disease)


Jacqui and Steve got to see two bears up close and personal as they headed back to their car after watching the sun set

Nikki did a watercolour painting workshop in Yosemite & loved it


Jacqui, Nikki, Hannah & Steve at the giant Sequoia's


Hannah has been very unwell & not able to do much - thankfully the car worked really well as a bedroom too.

Farewell Annapolis

We were very sad to be saying goodbye to all our neighbors and friends in Annapolis. Here they are...


Erin, Aaron, Shannon & Quinten Leong (we had our last meal in Annapolis with them at crab shack, where you get to whack your dinner open with a wooden mallet)


We gave away a lot of our "Australiania" that we had been travelling with over the year - it was very popular

Jackson and Kev the Kangaroo (he loves Kangaroo's)


Jacqui & Gus - Jacqui has been working part time in Gus' deli & sandwhich shop during the year. He is 92 and goes for a swim every day, and runs the shop from 5am to closing every day of the year.


Jake, Sarah & Kyle (Ben was in Tennessee working on his campaign for congress). Sarah (who is a Marine Major) very kindly drove us to the airport - thanks so much Sarah.



Mike, Chu, Ella & Jay (Lucy was asleep).


Connor, Vanessa, Taylor, Tanner & Chuck


Carla & Emily (Jacqui & Hannah have been babysitting Emily a few times a week since September.


Russ, Jen, Jacob, & Abigail (Anne-Marie was asleep)


last but by no means least - Nicole and Paul(Jackson - and his Kangaroo - were already asleep)


This is the sign for the fallout shelter in the basement of our building

June - Mill Creek & Annapolis




During commissioning week (graduation week) 1st year midshipmen (called 4thies, because they are 4th class midshipment - 1sties are the students who are graduating) climb Herndon Monument to replace the plebe hat (dixie cup) with an officer's hat. We watched the calss of 2013 climb the monument in 2mins and 5 seconds. In the past it has taken up to 4 hours, as senior mids would grease the monument and tape or glue the plebe hat to the top. For 2010 the monument was not allowed to be tampered with, because in the past few years several mids each year have had to be flown out with spinal and brain injuries.


The Navy precision flying team, the Blue Angels flying over our house (there are 2 other planes as well - they were doing other acrobatics at the same time). Jacqui took footage and put it on youtube here



Jacqui & Steve went up in Jerry's plane (an experimental ultra light float plane). They had a fantastic flight, and really enjoyed it. We've had a few weekends with Jerry & Phil at Mill Creek during the year, and it has been such a peaceful beautiful place with great company - we will miss you.


Phil, Jerry & Cryton & Lister the cats

June - New York

Breakfast New York Style - Bagels in the strip park


Nikki & Hannah went to see Mamma Mia - here they are in Times Square about to head in to the theatre. The show as a LOT of fun.


Jacqui & Steve went to the baseball, and had a great time


Hannah & Ban Ki Moon at the UN headquarters



The UN has it's own post office

May - on our cruise to Bermuda

At the end of May, Nikki, Jacqui & Hannah went on a cruise to Bermuda (& New Port, Rhode Island). Unfortunately Steve had to work, and so had to stay behind in Annapolis.


On the Beach in Bermuda (J & H)



Checking out the sun lounges by the pool


In the ship pool - being rocked around by the ship moving on the waves - it was a LOT of fun

Getting ready for dinner one night (on our balcony)


Jacqui & Manual, our butler


on the balcony, as we leave NY city


Hannah snorkeling - the water gave her a lot of freedom, as she didn't have to hold herself up. We all enjoyed the snorkeling - but it was COLD

March/April - around Annapolis, new citizens, sailing, and starting our goodbyes

Since we are on our way home now, I wanted to get up as many photo's as I can - here are the last few months in photo's.


Our friend & neighbor Ben Leming - this is his "green light" for retiring from the Marines, as he is running for Congress in Tennesee (6th District). He is a really lovely guy, and we have enjoyed talking politics with him & his wife Sarah (also a Marine) a lot - we wish him the best of luck!



We splurged and bought ourselves a cricket bat (you truly can get anything online in America). The local kids LOVED playing "backyard" cricket with us & we had a great time.


We went to the Cherry Blossoms in DC - it was beautiful


At the Army-Navy Rugby game (Go Navy!!)



Handing out Rosemary at the National Anzac Day Memorial Service at the National Cathederal (the girls also handed out Rosemary at the Anzac Day dawn service at the Korean War Veteran's Memorial).

The girls became US Citizens (Steve is also a dual citizen with Australia & the US) - but they all "still call Australia home" (it just makes travelling and working in the US so much easier in the future)


This is the Tecumseh statue at the Naval Academy - the mids decorate it for important sporting events, in this case the Army-Navy Rugby game.


Sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with Steve's boss George


At the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center in Hyde Park New York with Dr Fallon (one of our three Lyme Disease Dr's). We are so grateful for his support and treatment - it has made a massive difference to our healing from Lyme Disease.