How have you all been? We're in between our sons' weddings (July 3 and October 10) and planning for an upcoming vacation the end of September. The following are little bits and pieces of news we would like to share with you:
* We've finally taken up the invite of boxing pals Tiptoe & Tonto, who have asked us out west several times after coming east to 2 of our gatherings - Back to Our Roots and the first Bed & Boxing. We're pleased to say that they are also coming to our upcoming Bed & Boxing 3 - A Green Mountain Adventure which is just about booked up.
Sue & I are heading to Chicago for 6 days at the end of September. After that, we'll say our goodbyes to Tiptoe & Tonto, rent a car and head down to Springfield, IL for4 days to see all of the Lincoln historical sites including the Lincoln Presidential Museum & Library. I've been a Lincoln buff for years and read Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals long before it became fashionable after the election of our new President. Really looking forward to this trip. Tiptoe was kind enough to offer to host a gathering for us while we're in Chicago. Sue & I are looking forward to meeting you all and exploring Chicago area's boxes and eating emporiums!
* Jei, a local CT boxer, who you've probably seen at gatherings in New England, is back at basic training for the National Guard. We encourage all boxers to drop a line or card to Jason at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas before he comes home in late in October. He's probably quite homesick and nothing cures that than a boost from his letterboxing family. His address is:
A1C Jason T. Kiely, 0909 527 I Avenue, Unit 1866, Sheppard AFB, TX 76311-9999
* It's official! Tony & Veronica are thrilled to announce the adoption of little Amanda Lynne on August 10, 2010. Sue & I feel like proud grand parents. Although we're not quite old enough to be grand parents, we are old enough to be aunt and uncle. When Sue asked what Amanda should call me, Tony replied "Gruncle" which is a combination of great and uncle. Gruncle it is! Join us in welcoming Amanda to their family through an email, a card or just by stopping to say hello when you see them at a gathering.
* Airfare has just been announced for our Letterboxing Cruise to Alaska!!! in July of next year. Danielle Weber, our dedicated travel agent, has worked closely with Celebrity Cruise lines and the $1000 per person airfare has been dropped to just under $650 per person from JFK in New York! That's pretty substantial. Airfare also includes transfers from the airports to either the Fairbanks hotel (if you are doing the pre-cruise land trip) or the cruise ship (if you are doing the cruise only) and transfers for all travelers from the docks in Vancouver when we disembark to the Vancouver airport which is approximately 30 minutes away.
Details can be found on our cruise page and if you are sure you are going, please sign up on our Atlas Quest event page so we might send you an invitation to our private Yahoo talk list organized specially for the cruise to share info and cook up some letterboxing mischief! Danielle's contact info is on the special cruise page reference above so you can ask her for discounted airfare from your closest airport. We've learned a lot since our First Letterboxing Cruise to Bermuda in 2008, so this should be quite a trip especially with the breath-taking Alaskan scenery and wildlife. Celebrity is know for luxury and terrific food and we were able to get pricing on this cruise for the same price as what the other run-of-the-mill cruise lines were offering. Don't miss out on this bargain and all of the excitement that happens on a cruise; especially a letterboxing cruise!
