Roxie and Koura together in Florida

I was very much looking forward to witnessing Koura (my brother's dog) and Roxanne (my parents' dog) meeting for the first time! Lenny and his wife, Lexey, drove from Denver so that they could bring Koura with them. She got to swim in the ocean for the first time!

Roxanne loves going down to Florida with my parents. I'm really glad that she was able to make it down there one more time before passing... at SIXTEEN years old! What a happy, lucky girl she ended being -- having my parents adopt her from a shelter at 3 years old.

Going for a walk with all of the girls  : )

Koura and her beer

Cutie pie, Roxanne

Koura's new present! Bahahaha

Koura is worn out from all of this Christmas morning shenanigans!

Mom and Lenny both went outside... and the girls are WORRIED!

Aaaaand probably wondering why they aren't outside with them!

Mudeford Walk, Bournemouth

Bournemouth, England is a beautiful but very small place. The man at customs in the Heathrow airport was asking where I'm going, why, and for how long... when I said that I was going to visit friends in Bournemouth he said, "You know what they say about Bournemouth, right? ...It's the next step before Heaven's gate." Bahahahaha. I had heard that it's quite a retirement community but not put in those exact terms before. Bournemouth was gorgeous. 

Jen and Nick are both active and outdoorsy and this location, on the southern sea of England plays into that well. Soon before we all left Vietnam, Nick got a teaching position at a nice school in Bournemouth and a goal of theirs had been to be on the seaside. Nick went kite-surfing one day while I was there (Note: I was in a winter jacket and scarf all week!) and it was only in the 30's or 40's! Jen loves to walk and also runs and bikes pretty much daily with Freddie. We went on a 6-mile walk through nearby Mudeford one day and it was really peaceful and pretty... farmland, seaside, woodsy areas.   : )

Across the way here is Christchurch... we went there the next day!

"Hello Girls!" (Dad, I did say that as we walked past! Haha)

Beachfront cabins -- I want one!