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Ken Fitzgerald
12-18-2008, 11:37 PM
Merry Christmas!

On Christmas Eve the LOML and I celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our youngest son and his wife generously gave us a 12 day trip to New Zealand with many tours, hot air balloon ride, jet boat trip, whale watching trip, New Years Eve dinner on a 50' yacht...an evening dinner at a Mauri Cultural Center.....fly fishing with a guide..Just unbelieveable! We are jacked!

I have a friend who works for the same company I do. Ken lives and works in Christchurch our first stop. I can't wait to see him again and meet his lovely wife Anne.

One rather large catch......we fly out of Spokane, WA on Saturday morning. We have to be at LAX at 11:00 PM Saturday. Spokane has had 23" of snow in the last 24 hours Couer Da'Lene, ID ...19 miles away got 30" of snow. The roads conditions are terrible. All flights today were cancelled. The morning flights tomorrow are dropping like flies in room full of bug spray!

I've tried to make alternate plans but the airline's computers appear to be down due to the weather playing havack with the flight schedules.

We leave tomorrow at noon driving to Spokane.

Wish us luck!

Merry Christmas All! Happy New Year!

I'll see you here at the Creek in the New Year.

Steve Schlumpf
12-18-2008, 11:42 PM
Ken - Merry Christmas!!! Drive safe, have a wonderful trip and make some memories! Looking forward to hearing all about it once you get back home!

Have fun!

Don Bullock
12-18-2008, 11:55 PM
Congratulations Ken. Have a wonderful trip.

Merry Christmas

Dennis Peacock
12-18-2008, 11:55 PM
Congrats to you and the LOYL there Ken. Y'all be safe, drive careful, enjoy the trip and I expect LOTS of pics when you get back.

Remember...no pics? Never happened. ;)

Merry Christmas to you and everyone on SMC.

Belinda Barfield
12-19-2008, 7:40 AM
Wow! What an incredible trip! Good luck with your travel plans. I can't wait to see the pics. Happy Anniversary!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Jim Becker
12-19-2008, 7:51 AM
Have a wonderful trip, vacation and...ANNIVERSARY!

Phyllis Meyer
12-19-2008, 8:56 AM
Ken,

Have a fabulous trip! WOW, how awesome! Congratulations to you and your wife on your anniversay, and Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,
Phyllis:)

Paul Greathouse
12-19-2008, 8:59 AM
Ken

Have a safe trip and enjoy the vacation, I hope to do something like that some day. I'm with Dennis on the pictures.

Merry Christmas everyone, and please remember the true reason for the season.

Karl Laustrup
12-19-2008, 9:08 AM
Hey Bud. CONGRATS!!!

I do hope all goes well for you getting to the airport and getting on your flight to LAX.

I know you've been looking forward to this trip. If there was a way I'd sneak in your bags and go with. ;):D

Don't forget, take lots of pics. Above all, I hope you and your bride have a great time.

Safe Journey.

Karl

Jason Roehl
12-19-2008, 9:28 AM
Fair winds, following seas and grippy tires, I guess!

Congrats on the big 4-0, and may you have a wonderful holiday vacation with your bride!

Rob Cunningham
12-19-2008, 9:29 AM
Congratulations to you and your wife on 40 years. Have a safe trip and enjoy the holidays. Post some pics when you get back

Rod Sheridan
12-19-2008, 9:48 AM
Congratulations to your wife for putting up with you for forty years. :D

OOPS!!! Sorry, did I say that out loud?

I meant to say Congratulations Ken, enjoy your fortieth honeymoon.

We'll be thinking of you while we shovel the snow.

It may not be good thoughts, but we'll at least be thinking of you two..

Best wishes............Rod.

Ken Fitzgerald
12-19-2008, 10:21 AM
Congratulations to your wife for putting up with you for forty years. :D

OOPS!!! Sorry, did I say that out loud?

I meant to say Congratulations Ken, enjoy your fortieth honeymoon.

We'll be thinking of you while we shovel the snow.

It may not be good thoughts, but we'll at least be thinking of you two..

Best wishes............Rod.

Rod....You didn't say it out loud.....But I say it everyday....to her....Thanking her.......

Mitchell Andrus
12-19-2008, 10:24 AM
We want pictures!!!!

Congrats on the big 4-0

Chris Padilla
12-19-2008, 10:35 AM
I'm praying everything all works out for you but either way, you'll be together!

Happy 40th...an amazing accomplishment!!

Brian Brown
12-19-2008, 1:45 PM
Congrats Ken on fourty years! Also our wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year. At least Spokane has snow removal equipment. I'd be more worried if you had to connect through Vegas. Best wishes for a great trip. and get ahold of some of that ancient Kauri wood while you are there.

David Sallee
12-19-2008, 1:48 PM
Merry Christmas and a Happy Anniversary to you and your wife Ken! Have fun on the trip my friend!

Be sure to bring back pictures! We all wanna see..;)

Dave & Dee

Rod Sheridan
12-19-2008, 2:21 PM
Rod....You didn't say it out loud.....But I say it everyday....to her....Thanking her.......


You're a lucky man......Have a great vacation.......Rod.

Andrew Derhammer
12-19-2008, 2:40 PM
You'll love it!
Did 5 days in Fiji, 5 in Australia, and 7 in New Zealand.
I think New Zealand was my favorite.(I was there in their winter so it should be better for you) It was cloudy alot but I loved the picturesque mountains and all. You do pickup the Kiwis' accent mighty fast. You may even catch yourself using the word heaps more often.

Bruce Page
12-19-2008, 3:03 PM
I'll see you here at the Creek in the New Year.

They don't have the net in New Zealand?

Congratulations on your 40th anniversary! That’s quite an achievement in this day & age. You and your LOYL must be old school.;) And you obviously raised great children too – another achievement!

I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for better weather up your way. There’s nothing like a little stress to get your blood pumping.

We expect lots of pictures!

John Keeton
12-19-2008, 3:41 PM
Have a great trip - and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Jerry Olexa
12-19-2008, 5:50 PM
Hope the weather cooperates for you...Have safe and enjoyable journey...You have good children with such a fine gift. CONGRATS and Merry Christmas!!!

Mike Langford
12-20-2008, 1:34 AM
Happy 40th Anniversary

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

Take lots -O- pics

Have FUN!!

Eat, Drink, and be Merry

Take lots -O- pics

Hug your wife 40 times a day

Drive Careful

Catch plenty of fish

Take lots -O- pics

Have a GREAT time

Cherish your time together

Make lots of new friends

Get up early....go to bed late

Lets see.......did I leave anything out?..........

ENJOY YOURSELVES......and take lot -O- pics! ;)

Jay Jolliffe
12-20-2008, 5:53 AM
They do have the net in NZ. We have friends there & get e-mail all the time. Have a safe & fun trip Ken.

Steve Clardy
12-20-2008, 8:08 PM
Merry Christmas to all.

Be safe if you are traveling

Jim Kountz
12-20-2008, 9:21 PM
Merry Christmas Ken and have a wonderful trip! Sounds like alot of fun although I dont remember getting your email inviting me along?? LOL

Dewey Torres
12-20-2008, 9:22 PM
Have a safe trip and Happy Holidays Ken. Well deserved!

Martin Shupe
12-20-2008, 9:34 PM
Merry Christmas, Ken, and have a safe and adventurous trip!

Ken Fitzgerald
12-27-2008, 3:31 AM
Thanks Martin! We have been having an incredible time and the Kiwis are an incredibly friendly bunch! We ridden in a hot air balloon....a helicopter to the top of a mountain used in a Tom Cruise movie, fly fished, jet boated...shopped ...shipped stuff home.

We leave for the North Island tomorrow.

We are having a ball!

Brian Brown
12-27-2008, 9:10 AM
Gee Ken,

Sounds like you are having a horrible time. You should have sent me when I volunteered! I'm tough, I could take it. :D Obviously you found a way through all the snow to get there. Glad you are having the time of your life, and we're looking forward to pics. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

Bruce Page
12-27-2008, 1:33 PM
Ken, I was wondering if you made it out of Spokane. It sounds like you are having a great time!

Ken Fitzgerald
12-31-2008, 6:55 PM
We are now "Homeless in Auckland" waiting for the limo to pick us up in 3 hours and take us to the airport.

It's been incredible. My DIL and son scheduled a truly remarkable trip for Sharon and I. I am still stunned by their generosity!

After 10 days of staying in 4 star hotels .....the Super 8 will never be the same!

Sharon's camcorder crapped out after 6 days but she managed to shoot 20 GB of photos. After we get home and get them loaded on the computer I'll post a few.

The beauty of the two islands of New Zealand might only be surpassed by the friendly attitude of the folks we met here. Truly a trip of life time. I am overcome by the experience!

This is Ken in Auckland....looking down....shaking his head in wonder!

Tim Morton
12-31-2008, 7:05 PM
I am forwarding this thread to my 2 daughters:cool:

Nothing beats a "trip of a lifetime" IMO:p

Welcome back in a day or two...hope you miss the cold snap....