OUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

We committed to working for three-months in the ticket office for the Baltimore Orioles during their Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida. It is incredible just how much work has to be done in preparation for the start of the season. Season ticket orders, flex plans where the customer selects a series of 5 games, and single game ticket sales all are begun during December and last until the team actually begins playing games in early March. The best part of this part-time job is the wonderful people we work with in the ticket office. Being around Paul's favorite sport is also a compelling reason to return for our second season.

Wendy and her two children, Amelia & John, were able to spend part of their spring break in Sarasota. The photo below was taken just inside the left field gate at Ed Smith Stadium.  The orange umbrellas are in the third base picnic area which overlooks the bullpen.

Laura,John and their two children, Jack & Henry, also came to Sarasota during this time. All four grandchildren kept Grandpop and Grandma very busy. We enjoyed several meals together while the children got to experience an Orioles spring training game against the Boston Red Sox. 

Everyone got to enjoy many of the amenities that Sun-N-Fun RV Resort has to offer. The children played mini-golf, slid down the 2 1/2 story Hipo Slide, bounced on the 30x40 ft. jumping pillow, played shuffleboard and took walks throughout the nearly 200-acre complex.

After spring training was over, we also spent 5 days at Disney's Animal Kingdom with Laura's family. Henry and Jack were so excited each time they went on the balcony to see the jungle wildlife right outside our room.  Some of these animals looked quite fierce and it was comforting that our room was several floors above ground. A sampling can be found in the pictures below.

Reticulated Giraffe

Ankole Cattle and Giraffe

Roan Antelope

East African Crowned Crane

Marabou Stork & Eland

And yes, Disney provides a chart to help identify these animals. We have now practiced our wildlife viewing skills in preparation for spending another summer in Grand Teton National Park.

In the four days we spent at Disney, we never once went into any of the theme parks. Henry, being 18 months is easily amused by the simplest of things as you can see in the photo below.

Jack, who is now almost 5, is shown below playing in one of the geyser fountains at Downtown Disney.