Rick and Emily Francona wish you all the best in 2023!

Some highlights of our 2022...



At home - sunrise from our deck

The annual windsock launch - this is number 25

We live directly under Military 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."

Here are two images of a US Navy E-6 communications relay aircraft being refueled by a USAF KC-135 tanker (top left) and a USAF KC-10 tanker (top right). The lower images are KC-10 tankers refueling USAF C-17 heavy lift cargo aircraft.

Bucks across the cove vying for a few does

Rick continued his COVID hobbies - learning to cook...

...and mixing cocktails

Emily continues to explore wine...

...and remains active with the District 5110 "Voices of Rotary" podcast team, interviewing recipients of the Service Above Self award and sharing their stories. Click on the image above to listen to her latest interview.


Winter in the Desert

Joshua Tree National Park - Reggie (our roadrunner) - big horn sheep

No shortage of places to eat and drink - we've seen happy hours as early as 2:30pm

Love the availability of fresh produce in California


Travels

Cruising (Again!)

We were scheduled to speak on two Crystal cruises - both canceled

We were offered a two-week back-to-back speaking engagement (round trip Vancouver) on the Silversea Silver Muse. We had a good time, despite the Canadian immigration and COVID bureaucracies (which we got to enjoy endure twice)...

A mini-reunion in Skagway, Alaska. I noted that Dan Leach had posted some photos from a cruise ship (The Radiance of the Seas) while in Seward, as they were heading south. We docked next to that ship the next day in Juneau as we were heading north. We couldn't make a meeting happen there, but both ships were in Skagway the next day, so we made a point to meet.

In 1979, Dan and I went to Officer Training School together, then on to Signals Intelligence Officer training school together - we were members of the infamous "Not Ready for Prime Time Lieutenants" class - named for a few stunts that, let's just say, the command staff did not fully appreciate....

Hey, 43 years later to the month, and we haven't changed a bit....

In 2023, we are scheduled for two cruises/speaking engagements on Silversea.
Our own safari to South Africa and Zimbabwe will be a highlight of the year.


Alaska

Click here or on image for more Alaska photographs

Sonoma Wine Country

Our annual anniversary trip - where we spent our honeymoon 40 years ago!



Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Great time with goddaughter Melissa, Bernard and Miss Ellie, joined this year by Hayden and Tenaya Williams


An artificial country in the desert near the Salton Sea....


Cape Cod


Francona Family Reunion 2022

On the left: First cousin Amy, me, Amy's husband Duane Shumaker
On the right: Granddaughters Alexa, Bella, son Mike, and second cousin Jay Sigler

Cousin Lou Francona Cousins Jay Sigler and Patty DiBartolo (co-chairs of the event)
Cousins Kristine Weigel and Marlana Clark Cousins Jay Sigler, Patty Giannetti, Tim McKinstry


Friends and Visitors


Winetime ladies: Lilith Zakarian, Nancy Dowdy, Nanci Johnson


Georgianne and Bernie Dunn on Cape Cod


Briggs and Cynthis Matsko in Rancho Murieta


Hal and Francie Kibby at Indian Springs


Fellow cruise speaker Ed and Barbara Sobey in Port Orford

 


Linda and Clive Clark at Indian Springs


Ben Hord and Peggy Martin in La Quinta


Sculptor Edward Drapkin and his wife Natasha Lipkina in Carmel


Mike and Cheryl Merritt in Carmel


Matskos, Clarks, and Franconas with Dave and Rita Smith at Babaloo's


Rick's Grandkids


Son Mike and his wife Melissa with their two daughters and the Francona Family Reunion in - where else - Aliquippa

In 2023, Alexa will be 14

In 2023, Bella will be 16

In 2023, Dante - who graduated high school - will be 19


In 2023, Dominic will be 23 - here at his wedding to Kayla, flanked by his parents


Volunteering

We continue to support Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala to help change lives. This little nonprofit organization's education and literacy programs bring hope to Maya children and families in Guatemala's remote western highlands and helps lift them out of generational poverty - one child at a time!

Emily was recently interviewed on a videocast titled "Someone You Should Know" about these programs - watch it here.


In Memoriam

Roy Butts
Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army (Retired)
Korea - Vietnam
1932-2022

 

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

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