A Personal Note

 

Preface: My main motivation for starting this blog was to keep my mother and step-father up to date on where we were at and let them in on all places and things we are seeing.  My step-father has become a fairly good user of the computer and the internet (although it is dial-up!) and they both enjoy the pictures.  Along the way I have picked up many additional followers and the blog has become a useful vehicle to keep our family and friends up to date on what we are doing.  For this posting, as my parents are avid readers, I am making a personal post directly to my mother as her birthday is next week.  For the rest of you, you are welcome to read this post as well.

Mom,

Today Fran and I did some sightseeing in St. Augustine, Florida.  This city is the oldest city in the U.S., as it was settled by the Spanish back in 1565.  The Spanish sailed here from Spain and landed on the shores of North America at what is now called St. Augustine and set up a city.  Where they landed they held a mass as a Catholic priest was on the voyage.  After they settled and formed the city a chapel was built on the site and a version of that chapel still stands.  We visited the landing site and chapel today and we purchased a St. Anthony votive candle and lit it in your name at the chapel.  It will burn for six days.  A card from us regarding this candle will be arriving shortly.

Here are the pictures

This is the spot where the Spanish landed.  As a monument they have erected a 280 foot cross.

The current chapel on the site.

Inside of the chapel.

Your candle.'

Happy Birthday Mom!