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2005
2006
2004:
Camping at CBSP
Graduation
Moving to FL
Hurricane Frances
Thanksgiving in
GA
Eyring Visitors
Jarvis Visitors |
Letter
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Special |
Fort Family
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e-SCRAPBOOK |
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My mom and dad came down to Florida right after Thanksgiving to visit us
in Florida. They were the first visitors in what we hope is a long
string of friends and family who take advantage of the fact that we are
paying an arm and a leg to live here so you can come play in the
sunshine state and stay for free. Here we are at the highest point in
Jupiter, the lighthouse. |
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We went up the Jupiter lighthouse for the first time. It is an amazing
piece of history. Built around civil war times, the supply boat came
once a year for the lightkeeper's family, until Jupiter began to grow
around 1900. Lonely. It has one window facing each north, south, east,
and west as you ascend the spiral staircase. It has the only first-order
Frinell lens in the U.S., (engineers know what that is,) which can make
a 60-watt bulb shine many miles out to sea.
It has black covers so when it rotates, it gives it's unique signal:
1.5 seconds on, 6 seconds off, 1.5 seconds on, 21 seconds off. But I
won't tell you everything here. |
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We walked out on the Juno pier, which Mom thought was neat, since she
remember watching the news channels broadcast hurricane video of this
pier being hammered by the storm. The water was bright sky blue. |
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The highlight of the trip was going to Lion Country Safari. Less than an
hour from our house is an African open-air zoo/park. You drive straight
through the fenced areas of animals.
In the lion cage, this lion and many others were less than 15 feet
away, surrounded by signs that said "Don't even think about rolling down
your windows, or the lions will tear your arms off." and things like
that. Cool. |
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The rhinos are like nature's lawnmowers. They and the zebras kept the
grass to 1/2" high, and made their place look like a golf course.
"Welcome to 'Horn & Stripe' country club. Remember: Rhinos have the
right of way." |
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This is a Blackbuck deer, named not for this deer, but for the patriarch
deer of the herd that turns black. This one took a walk beside our car
as we drove along the road. |
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Here's the bird that's been evading our home for so many years!
Storks are really tall birds. Wood storks, with red heads and grey
bodies, are native to Florida. When you see them eating bugs in your
lawn, they look like walking lawn ornaments with those long wiry legs.
My friends says they're endangered, which, being interpreted, means if
they're standing in the roadway, you get to wait. |
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These water buffalo made us hesitant to keep driving. About 20 were
standing around the exit, and with headgear like that, you don't exactly
go charging up. Although they didn't look too intimidating, once we saw
them sleeping while standing and chewing their cud. "Psst. Look at
that. It's a Chevy malibu. Pearl white. My cousin got one of those and
really likes it." |
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Mom and I fed the Australian lorry birds. They look similar to parrots,
but they climb all over you like kittens. If their food wasn't so
expensive, I'd get one for a pet. |
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We went to the Dune Dog for dinner, a funky beach joint unique to
Jupiter. We went to the bridge, where we saw was a small sting
ray, and walked around our neighborhood. We also walked on the beach and
watched surfers on a really beautiful day.
Mom and Dad gave us our Christmas present early (thanks a million,
Mom and Dad!) They were glad to sleep on a real bed in a guest room, and
not an air mattress squeezed between the couch and TV. Eventually we
said goodbye, and Mom and Dad left to catch their flight home. Thanks
for coming! |
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Dave and Liz Robertson
Family
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