Showing posts with label Jim Laughlin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Laughlin. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Charlene's Birthday Party–May 16, 2014 (b. 1944)


My flight is booked, I AM going to Hawaii. I won't eat for the next two weeks, until my next payday 2/19, but I AM going to Hawaii and will be staying at Kahana Beach Resort, 4221 Lower Honoapiilani Highway, Maui part of the time.

My 70th Birthday is May 16, 2014. Please join me for this epic event. The only reason this event is epic is that I was shopping for a wheelchair in 2006 because I could not walk and weighed 300 pound. Since then I got new knees thanks to David Swankie and a boat… than a new life and have kayaked 49 states, only leaving Hawaii to kayak, our 50th state, my 50th state to kayak and on my 70th Birthday.  No I don’t feel 70.  I feel better than when I was 40 and that truly amazes even me.

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The maiden voyage of my new Kayak was on Lake Tahoe in the company of Ellie Beals who paddled with me that day in 2009.

There is time if you care to join us... to make your own arrangements.
Hope you can join me to celebrate this great day and great achievement.

My Schedule:

5/13 - 8am depart San Jose, CA, arrive in Kahului, HI at 10:20am
5/13-15 staying with Matt and Cherrish
5/16- at Kahana Beach Resort, 4221 Lower Honoapiilani Highway, Maui
5/16 - KAYAK HAWAII - my last of 50 States to Kayak
5/17 - at Kahana Beach Resort, 4221 Lower Honoapiilani Highway, Maui
5/18 - at Kahana Beach Resort, 4221 Lower Honoapiilani Highway, Maui
5/19 - check out from Kahana Beach Resort, 4221 Lower Honoapiilani Highway, Maui
5/19 - staying with Matt and Cherrish
5/20 - depart HI at 12:30pm and arrive back to San Jose, CA at 8:30pm

Paddling with me will be son Richard Bailey, Matt and Cherrish Beals, and hopefully others.

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CREAM of the Crop… L-R: Richard Bailey, Elle Beals, Matt Beals, Chris Bailey, and Andy Beals.  (Their initials spell CREAM).  Beals children are children of my best friend of 40plus years, Betsy Beals Stafford.

It's gonna be a grand party. A once in a life-time happening.  I sure wish all five could be with me, but 2/5 of the gang will be swell.

Can’t go, but want to help????

Anyone who helps will receive a post card from Hawaii after the paddle and I hope it will be a photo of me in the kayak, if I can arrange that there.  If you donate, order art work or buy from my store and want a post card, be sure to send me your mailing address to charlene.swankie@gmail.com

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Wishing everyone I love could be there with me
for my 70th birthday party.

By helping a friend, Possum Hunter, out after he lost all he had Christmas night in an apartment fire, and having a front tooth break off and needing to have it extracted and an implant in last week, I am very very low on funds.  I could sure use some help making this dream come true and in accomplishing the goal I set out on in 2009, of kayaking all 50 states. See Index of States KayakedClick on the donate button in the upper right corner of this site, if you can help a little bit, even if only a dollar or two.  Or click on the Art Work tab above if you would like to commission me to do some Art Work for you. All art work will be completed before I go to Hawaii.

You could also help by buying through my Amazon Store http://astore.amazon.com/kayakin-20
- a portion of your Amazon purchase will go to supporting my kayaking
adventure or for my next adventure, hiking the Arizona Trail in 2015 (820 miles from Mexico to Utah).

Thank you for your support and Aloha
Charlene Beaty Bailey Swankie

--
"It's not the destination that is important, it is the journey. It doesn't
get any better than that, until tomorrow." Swankie

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Seasons Greetings to One and All

Alone in the desert, I have been baking goodies with the Sun Oven.  Today I set out in search for the elusive vandwellers camped out West of me about 20 miles… to share with them this Christmas Day.

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Painting by Debbie Jenkins.

If you really aren’t in the holiday mood, Lou Travels began a Facebook group called Humbuggers United… just for silliness and fun.

Being alone when you are lonely(a feeling new to me).. is a bummer, but sometimes you get a wonderful treat and this one… is the BEST Christmas gift I could have gotten this year… a video of ALL of my descendants together (a first).

Try this link for skydiving video of all my flying babies.  https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=ac1291870308f748&id=AC1291870308F748%214299&sff=1

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Photo by Rhonda Bailey

Uncle Richard, holding his niece Zoey and nephew Will.  The big one in grey is my son, the small one in green is my grandson 3 and the little one in blue is granddaughter Zoey 5.

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Photo by Rhonda Bailey

Zoey’s daddy (my oldest son) is watching proudly behind the glass at her right foot.

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Photo by Rhonda Bailey

Will’s parents are on other side of glass, behind Will’s right arm.

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Santa was so excited when Zoey told him she was going to pretend to be on of his reindeer while she was flying… so he just had to fly for her.  If you watched the video, you saw he almost lost his drawers here.   See the tall gal on the right behind the glass, that’s my oldest granddaughter, Tori Bailey.

The season also reminds us of times gone by… so I reflect.

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Our upstairs neighbors (like brothers) Rickie and Danny Higgins, from McKim Street, Indianapolis, IN, year about 1949?

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My one and only grandson, Will from Wenatchee, WA, abt 2011?

And many more sweet memories… see slide show.

Happy New Year and have a Fantastic 2014.

Who is Swankie?

My photo
Anywhere, USA, Full-Time USA traveler, United States
In 2006, I was shopping for a wheelchair. By 2007, I had new knees, better health and by 2008 a kayak. In Aug 2013, I kayaked my 49th state, Alaska, at the Holgate Glacier and in May 2014, I kayaked Hawaii, my 50th state, to celebrate my 70th Birthday and the finale to the wonderful adventure of Kayaking America. Next up... Re-kayaking southwestern states.

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