Fri, 11/1 – I took Dad to his doctor’s office for a blood draw; then ran some errands before returning to the house to pack for my weekend away at EPCOT. This is a 21st birthday trip for granddaughter, Vanessa. A couple of years ago, I told her I would take her to Paris for her 21st; but I became hesitant when they were rioting over there this spring. So, Vanessa said she would be happy going to EPCOT instead. I thought that was a good alternative, since they have an Eiffel tower there as well. I picked up Vanessa, but she drove over to Orlando. At Vanessa’s request we walked across International Drive to the Olive Garden for supper. We stopped at a liquor store on the way back to the hotel where I bought a bottle of champagne and some orange juice for us to have mimosas in the morning (her birthday). Upon our return to the room, we found a bottle of champagne on ice. I had told the ladies at the front desk that we were here celebrating V’s 21st birthday when we checked in and the card with the champagne said that it was from them! Since it was already cold, we couldn’t let it go to waste. We both slept well that night.
Sat, 11/2 – I wished Vanessa a happy birthday and gave her a gift from her mother. It was a T-shirt with Minnie Mouse ears and said Birthday Girl. Then I showed her the one that Kellie gave me – it says Birthday Squad. Kellie drove over Saturday morning and she had her “squad” shirt on when she arrived.
We spent a nice day at EPCOT with a good amount of time in France where we had a terrific lunch at the Chefs de France restaurant. We all had French Onion soup to start; Vanessa ate Beef Bourguignon for her entrée; and I had Crème Brule for desert while Vanessa ate some birthday cake which the waiters surprised her with. After supper in China we left the park around 7:30 p.m.
When we got back to the hotel, I opted to stay in while Kellie and Vanessa visited Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Wonderworks, and a club called the Sugar Factory to end up their very long but very happy birthday for my oldest granddaughter.
Sun, 11/3 – Thur, 11/7 – We checked out of the hotel Sunday morning and headed home. When I got home, I found that Dad had developed a pretty good cold while I was gone so we both rested the rest of the day. I had a much-needed massage Monday morning and did my usual volunteer work on Tuesday with Wednesday and Thursday both being quiet.
November 8 – 14
Fri, 11/8 –Dad saw the doctor for a 6-month check-up and the doc says he is AOK. I got my haircut and then set off to Ormond Beach to stay overnight with my brother-in-law, Edward.
Sat, 11/9 – Dad and I left Edward’s in the morning to drive south to the Daytona Drive-in Christian Church in time for the 11:00 rehearsal for my niece, Melissa Cambre Frantz’ ordination service. After the rehearsal, the participants shared a sandwich lunch and then returned to their never-before-used, brand-new sanctuary for the service which was beautiful.
After the service, Melissa asked the immediate family who attended, along with some of her clergy friends to join her for an early supper at the restaurant where her son, Michael, works.
A good time was had by all.
Pictured above from left to right are: Mary Cambre, Tom Cambre, Rev. Melissa Cambre Franz, her father Rick Cambre, Bill Cambre and me, Charlene Cambre Hoffmeister. Around 6:30 we headed home, following my brother, Rick, south on US 1 to Oak Hill, then about 20 miles east on a 2-lane road through a swamp to get to SR 415 and then to the southern by-pass around Orlando which joins up to I-4. After about 20 miles on I-4 (with way-too-much traffic) we got on the Polk Parkway which goes south around Lakeland and then took back roads from Lakeland to Parrish, arriving home just around 11:30.
Sun, 11/10 – Dad, Emma and I attended church and Sunday school.
Mon, 11/11 – We rested up on this Veterans’ Day Holiday.
Tues, 11/12 – Dad and I returned to Ormond Beach – this time via I-75 to Ocala and then SR 40 to Ormond. We took a detour to drive by the cabin in the Ocala Forest that Dad built and lived in for many years. It looks like it is being well-kept by its new owner. We were both amazed at the water level in the lake saying we could not remember the last time it was this high!
Wed, 11/13 – I drove Edward to the Advent Hospital aka Ormond Memorial at 5:00 to check in and prepare for his surgery which was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. The surgery lasted about 4 hours and then he stayed in recovery for about an hour and a half. He was taken up to a room on the seventh floor around 2:30 p.m. The doctor told me that the surgery had gone well and Edward was awake when he got to the room. I went back to his house about 4; ate an early supper with Dad; took care of a few things around the house and was in bed by 7.
Thur, 11/14 – Today was my son’s 40th birthday. Happy birthday, J.P. I got to the hospital about 10:30 a.m. and met the doctor’s assistant in Edward’s room. He answered some questions from both of us and then said that Edward would be released this morning. We were back home around 1 p.m. We all rested in the afternoon.
November 15 – 21
Dad and I left Edward’s on Saturday afternoon, 11/16, returning to Parrish in time to babysit Emma so that JP and Kellie could attend a dinner for the Bradenton Runners Club.
On Monday, 11/18, Dad woke up not feeling well. His blood pressure was high (for him) and he was in some pain, so I called the doctor’s office and took him in to the office in the afternoon. The doctor examined him and said that he thought the problem could be corrected with a slight life-style change and some over-the-counter medicine.
The rest of the week was routine.
November 22 – 30
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Friday, 11/22, would have been Rick’s 70th birthday. I miss him more than words can say. I toasted Rick in the hot tub Friday night.
I woke up with a sore throat the next morning – which lasted two weeks!
On Tuesday, 11/26, Emma helped me make some snacks for Thanksgiving while Kellie drove to Ocala to pick up her half-sister, Teri.
I got a roast going in the crock pot for family supper on Wednesday, 11/27, and baked a pecan pie for my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner in addition to my veggie tray.
Thursday, 11/28 – Happy Thanksgiving to all. I heard from my “tried and true” friend, Sallie before 8 a.m. Thanksgiving should be a day spent with family when at all possible. We were blessed this year to have the following people at our Thanksgiving dinner which Kellie prepared.
Tom Cambre, age 98, my father.
Rick Cambre, my brother and his daughter Reverend Melissa Cambre Frantz with her son, Michael.
Bill Cambre, my brother with his wife Mary, and their daughter, Christina with her boyfriend from Belgium, Wim.
Charlene Cambre Hoffmeister (that’s me)
J.P. Hoffmeister with his wife Kellie and their two daughters, Vanessa and Emma (my granddaughters.)
Kellie’s parents, Roy and Judy Clark with her half-sister, Teri.
By my count – that 16. How wonderful it was to see them all. Kellie’s parents live in Palmetto, but all of the rest of the family members traveled from out-of-town.
On Friday, 11/29 – JP and Kellie joined Bill and Mary and Christina and Wim to go kayaking on the Little Manatee River. Afterward, we grilled hot dogs and hamburgers for an early supper and then all got into the hot tub to ease our various aches.
Bill, Mary, Christina and Wim returned to spend Saturday with us watching football and swimming in the pool for the afternoon. They left in time to get back to Mary’s mothers place in Tampa to watch the FSU/Gator game that evening. Bill, Mary and Christina all graduated from Florida while my husband, Rick and I attended FSU making Thanksgiving football rivalry weekend always interesting in our home.
Our journey has been inspired by Joy and Steve Fredrick. You can see more of their story at