One of the moms’ sayings — and the verdict on the whole weekend.
Six friends reunited in Florida. The weekend brought the heaviest rain Jim and Lisa had seen since moving to Jacksonville, a pirate boat, a haunted carnival, a tie nobody settled — and just enough AI mischief to finish the story.
October 9–12, 2026 · Jacksonville & Amelia Island, Florida
HostsJim & Lisa Landon
TravelersPeter & Dru · Mark & Kim Falck
Lisa, Dru, and Kim at Lisa and Jim’s clubhousePre-dinner at the clubhouseView full size
Every photo in this keepsake is clickable — tap one to open its full-size file in Google Drive.
Friday · Oct 9
The rain arrived first
Jacksonville welcomed the crew with a proper deluge. By arrival, the rain had turned from weather into a running joke. Lisa’s group-text verdict was simple:
“haven’t seen this much rain since we moved here”
Paddle boards were proposed. Jim improved the plan:
“put the rope behind the truck, a little music and we will be set”
Inside, Halloween was already in full swing: skeleton wine glasses, a haunted village across the entryway console, and a BOO sign waiting at the clubhouse bar. Before dinner, Lisa, Dru, and Kim got ready at Lisa and Jim’s clubhouse — the right venue, and already dressed for Halloween.
Skeleton wine glasses at Jim and Lisa’sHalloween started at homeView full sizeLisa, Dru, and Kim at Lisa and Jim’s clubhousePre-dinner at the clubhouseView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Friday
Saturday · Oct 10
Pirates before the storm
A sunset cruise became the weather story of the weekend. The Flying Dutchman waited at Fernandina Harbor Marina: pirate ship, open water, and six people willing to trust the forecast. The cruise doubled as Mark and Kim’s 39th-anniversary dinner. Mark, Kim, and Jim led the way aboard.
The Flying Dutchman at Fernandina Harbor MarinaThe evening’s transportationView full sizeBoarding the Flying Dutchman at Fernandina Harbor MarinaAll aboardView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Saturday
Saturday · Oct 10
The crew and their pirate
Before the dock disappeared behind them, there was time for the crew’s first pirate portrait. Once aboard, the pirate worked his way into the camera roll — six friends, one pirate, and no sign yet of what the sky had planned.
The crew and the pirate on the dock at Fernandina Harbor MarinaBefore departureView full sizePirate selfie with the crewShipboard evidenceView full size
The crew with the pirate aboard the Flying DutchmanStill dryView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Saturday
Saturday · Oct 10
Fort Clinch, a shark, and the storm
The route carried them past Fort Clinch and along Cumberland Island. Everyone watched the shoreline for the island’s wild horses. None appeared. Back at the marina, the hanging shark added one last bit of local spectacle.
Fort Clinch from the waterWild-horse watch: unsuccessfulView full sizeThe shark at Fernandina Harbor MarinaA dockside double takeView full size
Then the storm arrived mid-cruise. Clear plastic ponchos came out, the crew laughed through it, and the comparison tells the whole story: dry pirates before; weather-tested pirates after. The rain finally moved on, and sunset broke through behind it.
Before the rain / After the rain — the poncho crew on the Flying DutchmanThe storm, in two framesView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Saturday
Saturday · Oct 10
Thirty-nine years
The anniversary celebration continued back at Jim and Lisa’s with cake, candles, and a smile for the camera. Thirty-nine years after the wedding day, the evidence still holds up:
“even back then they couldn’t keep their hands off each other”
Then · Mark and Kim on their wedding dayeven back then they couldn’t keep their hands off each otherView full sizeNow · Mark and Kim · 39 yearsAnniversary smilesView full size
Now · A kiss for the agesMark and Kim 39 years and a kiss for the agesView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Saturday
Saturday · Oct 10
The horse that never showed
The horses never showed. AI was less patient.
AI-generated · joke shot
“In my AI imagination”
The wild horse at Fort ClinchIn my AI imagination — doctored AI joke shotView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Saturday
Sunday · Oct 11
The weather gods paid up
Sunday started around Jim and Lisa’s table with all six, breakfast, and mimosas.
“the girls were reluctant to get their picture taken”
Sunday breakfast at Jim and Lisa’sthe girls were reluctant to get their picture taken · all six, mimosas includedView full size
“Jim and Lisa were praying to the weather gods since Thursday and after sacrificing us last night they came through with great weather today.”
— Peter, Sunday morning
Jacksonville 2026 · Sunday
Sunday · Oct 11
Falcon’s Nest and a haunted carnival
The sunshine carried the crew to the Omni Amelia Island resort. Lunch was at Falcon’s Nest — restaurant #9 on the resort map.
The Omni Amelia Island resort mapFalcon’s Nest is restaurant #9 · Sunday lunch stopView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Sunday
Sunday · Oct 11
Grey Matter Distillery
Grey Matter Distillery had gone all in on a haunted-carnival Halloween: hanging skeletons, eyeball lanterns, a glowing neon Gm sign, a “Welcome to the Carnival” banner, and one enormous evil-clown mural. Naturally, the group stood right in front of it. The mural deserved its own frame.
The crew at Grey Matter DistilleryWelcome to the CarnivalView full sizeThe evil clown mural at Grey Matter DistilleryFull haunted-carnival commitmentView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Sunday
Sunday · Oct 11
Dinner at Dockside
Dinner Sunday night was at Dockside Seafood Restaurant, where the fresh-and-smoked fish market display included lionfish on ice.
Dockside Fish MarketSunday dinnerView full sizeFresh fish on ice — including lionfishDockside Seafood RestaurantView full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Sunday
Sunday · Oct 11
Unfinished business
Sunday night closed with Sequence: Premium Edition, guys against girls. The score reached 2–2. Everyone went to bed. The rematch remains pending.
Sequence showdown — guys vs. girls, tied 2–2Unfinished businessView full size
And then there was Peter’s other idea: all three couples shoulder-wrestling in the surf while two small wild horses watched from the beach. Entirely AI-created. Spiritually accurate.
AI-generated · Peter’s ideaThe chicken fight — the three couples, an AI creation“CHEERS!!!!”View full size
Jacksonville 2026 · Sunday
Monday · Oct 12
Pool day
One last easy morning before the flight home. Monday morning at the pool — at Del Webb Wildlight — came with its own tournament lineup: corn hole and axe throwing.
Corn hole by the poolMonday pool games · Del Webb WildlightView full sizeAxe throwing by the poolMonday pool games · Del Webb WildlightView full size
Four days, six friends, two storms, two imaginary horses — and one rematch still waiting.
Jacksonville 2026 · Monday
Jacksonville 2026 · Weekend Souvenir
See all the photos
Every photo in this keepsake — plus the 19-second kiss video — lives in the full Google Drive album. Tap any photo in this PDF to open its full-size file, or browse the whole album:
Video: Jacksonville 2026 — the 2-minute storybook Watch the video
With thanks to Jim and Lisa Landon for hosting, to Mark and Kim Falck for 39 years of inspiration, and to the weather gods for eventually coming through.
“I couldn’t find one thing wrong with it!”
Jacksonville 2026 · October 9–12, 2026 · Peter & Dru · Jim & Lisa Landon · Mark & Kim Falck
