Rick and Emily Francona wish you all the best in 2020!
Some highlights of our 2019...
New Zealand - Australia Cruise
Rick lectured on the Crystal Symphony for a few weeks - a tough job....
Bad weather forced some changes in the itinerary, but it was still a great trip.
 |
|
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Bernard and Rick both caught (and released) blue marlins in the Sea of Cortez
Watch the video - "Marlin Quest"
The gang: |
Our favorite taco stand
|
Sonoma Wine Country
Our annual wedding anniversary pilgrimage to the grapes - we have been married for 37 years
We met up with Briggs and Cynthia Matsko - also celebrating their anniversary!
|
|
Soda Rock was burned to the ground in the fires this year
Wilson Winery |
St Anne's Crossing Winery
Matrix Winery |
A short road trip up the coast to visit Millie North in Washington
|
The Thanksgiving Group through the years
|
The annual Wooden Boat Festival, Port Townsend, Washington
with friends Dave and Carol Elliott
More festival photos on Facebook
Guatemala
Emily traveled to a remote Mayan area of Guatemala in support of our Rotary club education and literacy project
For more on this life-changing project, see Let's Leave No Girl Behind
More Guatemala photos on the Francona Travel Pages
Sacramento, California
Always enjoy spending time with Cynthia and Briggs Matsko!
La Quinta, California
The annual Desert Classic Golf match
The La Quinta crowd: Linda and Clive Clark, Briggs Matsko, Rita and David Smith |
|
Polo season January - March
Ran into a friend from Oregon - Ginny Reich |
Interview on Israeli television via Skype
|
Monterey Peninsula, California
A visit to the Presidio of Monterey, Building 274, where Rick learned the Arabic language 46 years ago
Lower left: Niniv Ibrahim, one of his intructors
Center: Mike and Cheryl Merritt , who have retired from their floral design studio, Twigery
Right: Scupltor Edward Drapkin and his wife Natasha Lipkina (and his homemade насто́йка, a Russian vodka infusion)
Home
The view from the deck - sunrise - the 4.5 earthquake (November 29)
Nikki, 19 years and two months old. She was the runt of the litter; we were told she might not survive. We lost her sibling Pasha in December, she's now the undisputed queen of the castle. |
We live directly under USAF Aerial Refueling Track 8A (Southbound). We get to see - and hear - a variety of refuelings about five miles overhead - we call it "the sound of freedom." KC-135 and B-52 (left) - KC-10 and C-17 (right) |
Wildlife sampler - deer, darter, Northern harrier
Independence Day gathering in honor of Melissa, Ellie, and Bernard Froehlich
The annual windsock launch party |
2019 running of the Port Orford Lifeboat Station Jerry Can Race |
The weekly wine gathering on the deck - Emily's birthday apron (she really is good at this!)
Cheryl Cherise - Nanci Johnson - Nancy Dowdy
Rick and new apron, buffing up for his 50th high school reunion, speaking at a Rotary conference, and the US Marine Corps ball
Whales off the deck
Visitors
Steve and Mary Jo Long - Ed and Debbie Roethler - Rod and Bernice Laverdure
New Brighton High School - Class of 1969 50th Reunion
New Brighton is famous for the Hot Dog Shoppe (where I worked in high school), the Francona baseball players (I was not among them), and being a major stop on the Civil War Underground Railroad
Rick's grandkids
In 2020: Alexa (upper left) will be 11
Bella (upper center and right) will be
13
Dante (lower left) will be
16
Dominic (lower right) will be 20
In Memoriam
 Lt Col Carol Morehouse, USAF (Ret) 1956-2019 |
|
 Dr Ed Dowdy 1939-2019 |
The Pasha Cat |
Rick
and Emily Francona
P.O. Box 1421 - Port Orford, Oregon 97465
rick@francona.net - @MiddleEastGuy
emily@francona.net
www.francona.com - www.rickfrancona.com
Previous editions: 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019