On December 4, 1942 at 12:35 am

Carol Wagner was born in the city of  Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia. Carol was the first of nine children that would be born to Gilbert Clark Wagner and Antionette Katherine Vaughn.

About 1945

About 1968 with Jennifer

Today Carol turned 70 years old. After three children, a 25 year career teaching at Indian River Community College, a heart attack,a hemorrhagic stroke, a broken hip and being around me  for over 46 years she's still the same cheerful, wonderful, positive person I married. I've never met anyone quite like Carol. In all the universe I truly believe there is no  happier person. I just can't imagine my world without her.

Still smiling after all these years

We've been talking recently, about being 70 and what it means. Age is clearly relative. We can remember at one time thinking that 50 was over the hill.  When my 90+ year old mother was living in the ACLF, she would comment that there were some *elderly* people living there as well. I guess when you're 90,  90 isn't *elderly*. What is *elderly*?  Perhaps it's when you just give up living.  We know we're not kids anymore, but we don't feel like old people either however it is that old people should feel.  Our plan is to continue our travels until we are simply no longer able to do so and then just take things from there. Our working and savings years are behind us. Going forward we do as we please, go where we want and buy what suits us. When you're 70 you're allowed to do such things.

This morning I made Carol pumpkin pancakes for breakfast; one of her favorites. For dinner we got a take-out rotisserie chicken from the Peruvian restaurant. The chicken is very good, but  mostly we went there because they have another of the Birthday Girls favorites; fried bananas. 

The girls sent a bouquet of roses and called to say hello. Jennifer sent a Care Package of great Christmas type cookies.

So happy birthday my dear.

Love, Ed

Our Colorado Casita

We're moving.

When we were on our most recent, and longest, trip we began discussing moving west.  Most of our friends live out west and the states we enjoy visiting the most tend to be there as well. My mother was our last tie to Fort Pierce; she passed away in February of this year.  We're going to miss this house and all the memories.  Suzanne, Izzy and Oliver were here a few weeks ago for one last visit to "home". Jennifer and Alex and their families are coming down for the week after Christmas for one last look. We're going to miss the beautiful back yard we created over the years. In 1999 Carol and I hand dug the Anniversary Pond as our anniversary gift to each other. Over the years we would bring home rocks and pieces of driftwood  from here and there and put them by the pond as memories of our travels. Now we look at the rocks and simply can't recall where they came from but we enjoy them nonetheless.

The Anniversary Pond

 The big oak tree out front we bought as a twig from an FFA sale shortly after we moved in.  For many years, each Christmas I would climb to the top of the tree and string dozens of lights. It became a neighborhood landmark. With time I became too old for such things.

The oak tree

 We're going to miss sitting out back in our shorts on New Years day.  We're going to miss our long time neighbor Martha Harris.  Her husband, and my friend, Byron passed away several years ago from complications related to Parkinson's disease.

We searched the MLS on-line listings for a month or so, but with Carol's special requirements, simply could not find a house that worked for us in a location we liked. Today we signed a contract to have a house built in Longmont, CO. Our casita is only a ten minute walk from where Suzanne and family live and very near two wonderful city parks.  The house should be completed in April.

Now all we need to do is dispose of 45+ years of "stuff", sell this house and take off.  We bought this house in  October, 1972 for $28,000.  Jennifer was five, Suzanne was not quite two and Alexandra wasn't yet born. I had just been transferred by Barber Lumber Company from West Palm Beach to become the manager of the Fort Pierce lumber yard. Carol was a stay-at-home mom. 

Come April, we'll start all over in our new and ,most likely, our last home.