Graduation Season: David

The third innovative way to have high school graduation was to rent out the Daytona International Speedway and have all 300 or so graduates drive around the track with their families in the car or truck with them and announce their name as they drove by the podium. They announced their names as they crossed the finish line with a checkered flag waving.

Of course, with so many cars and trucks that look alike, if was easy for your graduate to speed by before you had a chance to get a look on your computer, especially since the camera wasn't aimed at the finish line. With some 300 or so graduates, it took two hours for them all to speed by. There wasn't even time for speakers. I'm sure it was fun for the graduates to drive on the speedway, but we thought they could have planned better how to use the camera.

We think this was David's big black truck below

 but it sped by so fast on the screen we weren't sure.

 At least we got a picture of him. 

When they announced his name, a grey truck was speeding by.

At least we got to enjoy the two and a half hours in the comfort of our home office.

Graduate Season: Maddie

This graduation was prerecorded and watched by everyone on YouTube. 

It included short presentations about each graduate. 

The graduation speakers were also prerecorded, one a former astronaut who graduated from the high school twenty years earlier.

Everyone had their name called and walked across the stage

then turned for a photo moment

It closed with a montage of everyone moving their tassel from left to right, some then tossing their hat. Of course, the state where this high school is located is heavily hit by the corona virus so everyone was photographed individually doing everything, then it was spliced together. Lots of work but an excellent job.

Florida Lightning Display

This is just a 20 second sample of a 20 minute lightning display seen from our front porch in Florida looking towards the ocean.  It looked like a CGI Animation for a movie. It was hard to believe that it was real.  Florida is considered the lightning capital of the USA, maybe even the world.

Graduation Season: Maren

High School graduation season is going full steam ahead in spite of corona virus shut downs. This first one we attended was put on like a drive in theater. we parked the car and watched it all on a movie screen from the car. The speeches were prerecorded. Of course with such brilliant grandchildren, our sweet Maren was by far the top in her class for grades and you can see from all the cords she is wearing, she was honored by about every organization you can think ok, In fact, some she couldn't remember who they were.

 decorated hat (animation major)

 proud family

 social distancing

 friendly wave

 grandpa ready to take photos above the cars

 getting the diploma

 proud parents

 proud grandparents

Estas son las mañanitas....

Mother's day breakfast in bed. French toast, fruit, buttermilk (her favorite treat) with a side of orchids. What could be better?

Of course the highlight was waking up to a lively rendition of our favorite Mexican celebration song Estas son las mañanitas.

May the fourth be with you again!

We decided to give Aurelia and Nick a romantic celebration of their first year of marriage.

 Here are the master chefs, servers, and cake decorators.

Turtle Steak?

How about this as an alternative for turtle steak?

Yum, yum. Nice and juicy!