Steve and I left home on Oct.11, 2013 to head out again to Orlando (for work) and Daytona ( to see my dad) and then to Panama to await the birth of our grandaughter, Soleil Naomi Wilt. The princess took her sweet time as she was 9 days late, but appeared on the scene at 20″ and 8lbs 12 oz. We are watching big brother, Carson, while mom and dad have a couple days at the hospital to rest up for real life.
Lots of first impressions of Panama, but I know it’s not a complete picture yet as we are in the outskirts of town (Panama City) and not yet to the Wilt home-base in Santa Catalina, some 6 hours away in the jungle.
That comes after we spend 10 days in a missionary compound where it is busy and we have been sequestered (my meaning=holed up) in two bedrooms. Our bedroom is about 8′ x 12′ with 4 bunk beds lining the walls with just enuff space to walk down the middle. Mind you, that and a bathroom is it! We make our meals in the communal kitchen and retreat to the bedroom. The bunks do not allow for sitting without hitting ones head. It feels like you’re getting in a drawer to go to sleep. But it’s clean and free and it is what it is.
Now I guess my only complaint is there is NO HOT WATER. We clean with a lot of bleach but that shower can be awfully shocking. KC and Jono’s bedroom is next door with a double bed and one bunk set. We visit by sitting all around the double bed. Oh, they do have 3 folding chairs — the luxury suite.
It rains a whole bunch here in Panama, it’s a Jungle out there! But it’s not scattered showers, it’s a bucket thrown at you. The country is very green, but they are rather trashy; no litter laws. I guess they figure that something will grow over the mess eventually. The canal that bisects the country is a couple blocks away and the ships are huge! They are enlarging the canal to allow for even bigger ships. Lots of little tug boats scurrying around working 24/7.
But first impression: if you stare at it long enough, it will Rust, Mold, or become Overgrown.
We are in Barcelona and Steve has to work 8-5. That’s ok because that’s what got us here and is what’s paying for it, but I am now the solo tourist.
It feels like home to be among the folks at Focus on the Family here in Colorado Springs! They welcomed us back with lots of new projects and challenges. And we couldn’t do it without our friends, Wally and Pam Hasbrouck opening up their house for a WHOLE MONTH! Can you imagine house guests for that long?
Winding down on our East Coast Tour. It is perfect weather in Boston and we arrive for Veterans Day. Because of our military ID’s, our Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley is FREE! While Steve works his Liver Convention, I get to tour the city. 
The line snakes out in front of the door and hungry faces gaze in and bet which diner is closest to finishing. It is worth the wait. I dined on fettuccine and shrimp in white sauce and Steve had squid ink pasta al freddo. And then a stop at Mike’s Pastry for jumbo Cannoli! Mama Mia!!
Another beautiful location for higher learning as well as military training. 
There is some damage from the hurricane, but mostly just blowing the autumn color off the trees. A few beautiful scenes still lingered.
Princeton in a fabulous town! 
Hurricane Sandy hit this state pretty hard. Though the storm has moved on, a lot of neighborhoods still have no power (and it’s COLD here) and the gas stations have either no electricity to pump the gas, or no gas. The lines are humongous at the stations that are rumored to have petrol, and thousands stayed in their cars all night in hopes of a visit by the gasoline fairy.
We travel cheaply so we can travel more and the rewards are time with friends and family and a chance to utilize military accommodations. But this time we had to resort to sleeping in our rental car in the parking lot of a Marriott here in Princeton, New Jersey. Thirt ynine degrees and cold toes, but we snuggled and slept and will always remember my b’day dinner with my honey, and deluxe abode we shared. Brrrrr
Two years in the planning, a long way from home, and a lot of pressure to finish, and HE DID IT! Steve Morales completed the 37th Annual Marine Corp Marathon (biggest in history) in near record time of 6 hours 8 minutes! YOU try running for that long (at 64 yrs of age to boot)!
And speaking of spectators, let’s hear it for the dedication they exhibit in standing there for hours cheering others all in anticipation of ‘their’ runner coming by. Then running to the next viewing opportunity. This is not a job for the weak-willed. Way to go, Debbie, Carolyn, Jeff and super-Julie who ran some of the race at critical times. Well done, indeed!
“Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”
Nelda and Ed Cockman were church friends in Huntington Beach and had boys that could play with Robbie and Andy. We were in a small group that would do ANYthing for each other and we still all stay in touch. Forever friends that bounced around a lot but find that Pinehurst, North Carolina fits just right!
We may know of it as The British Open, but over here it is THE Open. It is the first and ultimate in golf and a course carved out of the rolling bluffs along the north western coast of England. The tournament rotates on which course it is held on, and this year it is at Royal Lythum/St. Anne’s (two villages that border the same course).