My
wife Karen (we have been married going on 40 years) and I became boaters in
2011...something we have never done. We retired to New Bern, NC, and we are
surrounded by water (Neuse/Trent Rivers); unfortunately, they are very shallow.
Very wide, but very shallow. So we took our first boat course and certification
test and off we go. We purchased a 19.5' Tahoe which can hit speeds of 50 MPH. I
can honestly say we have not beached it yet, but I am told by fellow boaters -
plan on it. Karen and I are a little leary as both of us have never been "water"
people, but we continue to pursue this new adventure in our retirement
years.
I
retired as Director, Corporate Safety and Risk Management, Anheuser-Busch
Companies (18 years). I had a similar position at Carrier Air Conditioning (15
years). Karen's last position was Executive Assistant to the Bishop, Diocese of
Belleville in Illinois. We have 2 children with 2 grandchildren. My mom and dad
still live in the Homewood section of Fayetteville. They have lived there since
1952. We will be visiting with them the month of May.
We
also recently purchased a 38' Fleetwood Pace Arrow Class A motor-home. We are
members of a local RV club and travel each month with them. Our next trip is to
Mt. Airy's the first week of May. This was the backdrop for the Andy Griffith's
Mayberry, RFD. http://www.visitmayberry.com/
This
winter we spent the month of February in Florida with our motor-home. It was our
first try at an extended trip with the motor-home. We started out on Superbowl
weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC with friends, then Cocoa Beach, Fl where we met up
with a cousin whom I have only been with once growing up. Off to Disney - Ft.
Wilderness, in Orlando, Fl for 5 days. We then spent over a week at Frostproof,
FL with some volunteer fire department members that I serve with in New Bern. I
also was a volunteer firefighter/paramedic at Moyers Corners and Mattydale fire
departments in NY (delivered 3 babies!)
We
started our journey home by visiting Sebastian's Inlet on the Atlantic coast,
meeting up with the friends we started with at Myrtle Beach. Then off to St,
Marys, Georgia, and then a 9 hour haul back to New Bern, NC
This
year we plan on getting a little more experience in the water (yes - we are
terrified at that prospect) and eventually either a west coast trip or Nova
Scotia later this year in our motor-home. As I mentioned, we will be in Syracuse
in May, then off to Thousand Island's. We have not been there in over 30 years.
We will also visit Boldt Castle, which I hear is now fully restored. Then back
to see mom and dad one more time. My dad is 88 and his Alzheimer's is slowing
him down considerably. I am blessed to have them around so long, and it so sad
to see what his remaining time will be like. Very tough on my mom.
So
that's it! An update from the Costello's in New Bern, NC. I will keep you
updated as to our progress. Thank you fellow FM'ers for reading this. Great
memories living in Fayetteville, NY.
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Dave
Costello
252-633-7898
