Although it may be rooted in some early marketing activities, the model train around the Christmas tree is a treasured tradition in many families. In Steve’s family however the American Flyer layout was permanently installed on the underside of the ping pong table in the basement. Our kids remember our Lionel layout on two sheets of plywood during their growing up years. Then there was the great HO layout that Steve and a friend built upstairs in our Woodlawn house after our sons left for college. These days there’s not room here at the house for a permanent setup so bringing out the American Flyer is a treat and a fresh locally grown Fraser fir trimmed with our potpourri of Christmas ornaments is a perfect excuse to set up our circa 1948 set!
By deliberate choice we were in Medina for all the winter holiday festivities from Candlelight Walk in the days before Thanksgiving through A Christmas Carol and A Celtic Christmas as well as an Alex Bevan Concert and a historic house tour all the way through Medina’s 31st Ice Festival but perhaps the highlight was the town hosting hundreds of folks whose homes and lives were devasted by Hurricane Helene at the A Promise of Christmas Event the middle of January. It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing community!
The warmth we anticipated when we headed to the Caribbean in mid-January didn’t really materialize but the fun we had with our dancing friends and the great crew of the Margaritaville at Sea Islander more than made up for the not so favorable weather.
Aboard Jewel of the Seas, a favorite ship of ours, we enjoyed a foray into the history and geology of Canada’s Atlantic coast while enjoying the joys of friendships, longtime and new. Now we’re looking forward to returning to the same ship for further adventures!
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