Michael (my husband) gave me St. Augustine as his wedding gift to me when we got married on 1/1/95. He had proposed to me at Point Fermin and Point Vicente (a rather long-drawn out proposal) just a year before. We didn't get really hooked for about the first six months. Then we got an invite to a reps show at Dana Drugs (the sight of the first purchase) in I believe Burbank. We decided to go and see what it was all about. It was a fifty mile drive for us, but well worth it. We won our second two HL's that day in the reps drawing. That was all it took, we were hooked.

Everytime Younger and Associates would ask which one we wanted them to make, our answer was always Point Fermin and Point Vicente. We were thrilled when Point Fermin was released. That one I will hopefully have till the end of my time on earth.

Then at the start of the 97 reunion, Kim told me I was going to get a thrill at the Saturday night dinner. Was she ever right. The cold chills that ran down my back when I walked into the room and saw Point Vicente on the auction table. Michael gave Kim's husband a run for his money when Point Vicente came up for auction. I am so glad our dear collectors in South Carolina got it as the price was a bit stiff for us. And they have given us visiting rights.

We can't wait for the new Vicente to come out , it's been a long wait, but I am sure well worth it.

We now have over 250 HL's. We are short 4 of the LE's, but have the rest. We really can't believe that we have won 16 of our LE's and one OE in drawings and at events. And we have been sent two event pieces by dealers as a "thank you for your business". At one event, we even won 12 HL calendars and three memberships in the HL Society and turned them back in because we figured we didn't need them. Little did we know at the time!!

We have learned so much about lighthouses and collectibles because of our collecting of these wonderful beacons. It's been a wonderful way to get an education.

Karen