We took a few days off last week to show Deanna, our friend from Moscow, around Central Florida. Some of the highlights were:

• Achieving the perfect sunburn at the beach.
• Getting stranded at Deep Creek. during a thunderstorm. Deep Creak is an alligator-infested deep water tributary off of the St. Johns River. We went out with some friends on a 24′ pontoon boat, and the motor malfunctioned just after we turned to head out of the creek. Then the thunderstorm hit, and we paddled it out with bolts striking all around us (it was a load of fun, actually).
• Getting stranded at Downtown Disney during a thunderstorm.
• Being blasted out of a canon at Castillo De San Marcos, St. Augustine (see the picture below).
• The kids enjoying themselves immensely (see the picture below).

Deanna left this morning to head to the Big Apple, and we are settling down again. All things considered, it was a great week.