The Return
For Pictures…Link #1...AAA Blessing & Family Album

Greeting Dear Ones:
What a relaxing and rewarding week we spent on our boats in Okeechobee.
It was a blessed time of refreshment and work in order to do much-needed repair on the boats. Dockie and Ann joined us at different intervals and we took small boat runs on the rim ditch and up Taylor Creek. Since it was windy the first few days we worked instead of boating.
Dockie and Charlie spent two days…four hours each….perfecting our generator and electrical problems in the Milagro. I don’t use the term ‘perfect’ lightly….Dockie insisted time and time again…..”We will not quit until it is fixed perfectly…” When they did stop….we knew the job was done….Ann and I were told to leave the dock/Tiki Hut area because our talking was disturbing their concentration…Banished to our boats….we took up our favorite pastime with our books for reading.
What a delightful punishment!
At the end of the week we received a call from our cousin, Yvonne, that her mother, our Aunt Claudia, had died. She was the last of our Father’s family so it was a significant happening in the history of our Baxter Family.
Loading up a weeks supply of dirty clothes, tools, etc. we packed our gear and headed back to the Tampa Bay area.
Next morning, Friday, we get up early and head to Live Oak in north Florida for the funeral. It is about a 3-4 hour drive and we arrive just in time for the 11:00 service. With mixed emotions of gladness to see dear relative and experiencing the loss of a family member at the same time….it was a very precious and special event. What a sight of beauty it was to see the continuance after Aunt Claudia of all the family members with their young and beautiful children bursting with life.
(See family group picture on Link #1.)
The church service was a tribute to her faith and a timely reminder during this spiritual season of….Easter. The fact that there is life after death as we know it in the human form….makes Easter a wonderful time of rejoicing and victory. That was the feeling while chatting with family members and getting to know some of the younger ones.
Yes, definitely….It Is A Good Life….NOW and….hereafter!
Leaving Live Oak on our return home….we made a spontaneous decision to make a quick stop over in Gainesville at the University of Florida where Charlie and I met many years ago.
It was fun….and sad at the same time. Parts of the town was run down and others parts were restored. As we found my first apt., we discovered that seven graduate students were living in the old Southern house and were gradually restoring it to its former glamour. What a delight when we knocked on the door and they very proudly showed us around. I recognized all the rooms as wonderful memories came flooding back of a time of innocence and….safety. Leaving there we then found the next apartment I had when Charlie and I became engaged. It is now Lawyers offices and the staff was delighted to give us a tour as well. Remembering that my landlord did not allow males in the female ’quarters/apartment’…..Charlie had to knock on the door and ask me to his car in order to present the engagement ring and ask me to marry him!
My….how times have changed.
Next we toured all of the University…..saying…”Remember?”
Stopping at the same ROTC Dept. we found that it was a “Welcome Alumni” week-end so Charlie felt right at home there. From Cadet to Col. was molded from those roots….as a proud military tradition continued thru Charlie and his brothers as well.
Lastly, we drove to our on campus, married housing area. We then lived in old converted Army Barracks, with a little park in front and tennis courts to the side…..park and tennis courts still there….high rise dorms took the place of our old army barracks family home. Having two of our three children, Lynn and Chuck, there during our college years….placed many memories of wonderful, delightful…..early family life ’hard times’ into proper perspective for both Charlie and I.
We have lived so many of our youthful dreams and far beyond to those we could not have even imagined.
Being a hard-core “Gator Fan” became a life-time experience!
Yes, Chris…..you KNOW what I am talking about!
Today….I celebrate Life, Family, Fun, Faith…..and Blessed Memories.
Enjoying Life with those you love….is Truly Living!
Celebrate….The Good Life…and MORE to come!