Sunday - March 18

Sunny, warm, breezy.....perfect Sunday!    We went to 11:00 Mass at St. Francis, ran a few errands and then picked up friends, Earl and Rhea from Bloomington at The Fairfield Inn.     They've been vacationing with their daughter and son and spouses near Sanibel this past week and now in Fort Myers a few days.     We had such a nice visit and lunch at Bahama Breeze - delicious mojitos, coconut shrimp and lobster/shrimp quesadillas.   After lunch we went to Sun Harvest - neat gifts, gourmet foods, fresh OJ and lots of other goodies!

 

Rhea and Earl

 

Back to Flo around 4ish.   I read and then rode my bike around the park.   

 

"Maeve the Builder" with her favorite hat

 

Connor's biography project - Derek Jeter and his world series trophy

 

Have a great week.....our last here in Fort Myers!

St. Patrick's Day - 2018

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY

What a spectacular day for the "wearin' of the green"!   

  Clear blue skies, 80's and gentle breeze.

After breakfast we walked down our street for the start of the parade and here are some of the fun entries:

Our own Tice Fire Department led the big parade 

Decorative cars

and golf carts

 pulling the kiddies

and doggies

and all decked out in their finery

We had a fun afternoon - ran some errands and then arrived at River Bend which is the new home for Mike and Judy from Michigan.    We were with them in January at Water's Edge in Okeechobee and Judy had 2 very serious surgeries.    She is doing great now and they have bought a lot in River Bend (between LaBelle and Fort Myers).    Their lot and the park are beautiful!!!

So good to see them and catch up!    They have sold their home in MI, too, so more nomad friends!

Mike and Judy

Brady's birthday is a week away but he is celebrating this weekend with friends at Lake James

5 men in the hot tub

The kiddies enjoying a nice day outdoors

Meanwhile out in Jackson Hole...

3 rosy-cheeked guys after some time on the slopes

Ryan reports no injuries, great skiing and fun week!!!

Friday - March 16

Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning

but it was a beautiful sunny day - cool in the morning and then warmed up to 78!     I got a manicure in the morning and then back home.    Our Canadian friends, Ron and Lois came from Punta Gorda.    So good to see them as we missed last year cause Lois was ill.    Always enjoy being with them and today was full of laughs and catching up!

 

We visited on Flo and then off to downtown FM and wonderful lunch at Izzy's (opened last June but first time for us - had been recommended by Beth and Charlotte).    Sat outside and loved, loved our grilled cheese/lobster sandwiches (Ron, Mark and me) and Lois had a great lobster salad.    Definitely a new one to add to the list of great eating.

 

Great friends, Ron and Lois, wonderful lunch, perfect sunshiny day

Ron and Lois

 

It's springtime on Flo.....

beautiful tulips from Ron and Lois

THANK YOU!

Our skiers are having a great time in Jackson Hole

Ryan, Michael, Drew, Davis

 

 

 

Wednesday-Thursday, March 14-15

Wednesday - Chilly start to the day and breezy!    Everyone walking around in their jackets.....warmed up to 72 with lots of sunshine!

After breakfast Mark went to the office to finalize some plans for upgrading our lot.    We are ready to toll with more pavers expanding our patio area, landscaping and shed - cha ching$$$cha ching!!!

Our friends arrived around 10:45 - John (minus Beth who is teaching), Charlotte and Doug are visiting for Charlotte and Doug to meet Flo and then all have lunch from the food truck.   We visited, walked to the club house and "What?   Where's the food truck"????    Went to the office and found out it broke down and not coming today!     ARGHHHH!!!!!

However, Mark suggested we drive to The Mix Grill as he went there with my brothers a few weeks ago.    It was very good (gyro salad, tuna, BLT, potato leek soup, etc., etc.)    They went on back to John's and we'll meet up later this afternoon.

Mark, Pat, John, Charlotte and Doug

Late afternoon we drove to Parrot Key for dinner/Gatlin show.    We met Beth and John, Charlotte and Doug and had a ball.    Dinner was great and the best entertainment.    Gatlin (Darryl and Andrea) are so talented and put on a different show than when we saw them on my birthday!    Big crowd again and Andrea crooned to John who is celebrating his birthday today!    First time for Charlotte and Doug to hear the show - everyone left happy, happy!!!

Waiting for dinner at Parrot Key.

Charlotte, Beth, Pat, Doug, John, Mark

Happy Birthday John enjoying Andrea and her special song to him!

Late till we got home so no blog tonight!

Thursday - another 42 degree morning.   We were off to 8:15 Mass and then to orthopedic doctor to have Mark's hand checked.   After filling out all the forms, getting another x-ray and then cast cut off, Dr. Francesca Swartz came in and proclaimed the hand healing as good as it gets!     He is now in a splint and goes back Friday, the 23rd for another x-ray.    She does not see any pins or surgery in his future but no lifting for a month.

Off for a late breakfast at The Oasis (family restaurant close to downtown that is always packed).    It was very good and plenty of leftovers from my frittata.

Back to Flo, where the workers have started digging up the grass area where pavers and landscaping will go.    Plenty of equipment and guys doing their thing!

Philip had lasik surgery this morning in Fort Lauderdale - all went well and hope he'll be as pleased as we've been since having our lasik done in 2002 (Mark) and 2003 (me).

We had several shopping stops and then arrived at Tommy Bahamas in Naples at 5:00 and met Sue, Jerry, Sharon, Harry, Connie and Steve for delicious dinner.   Just a gorgeous day and evening!   So fun to get together one last time before we all leave Fort Myers/Naples

 (except for Steve and Connie as Fort Myers is their home)

Harry, Sharon, Pat, Mark, Connie, Steve, Sue, Jerry

 

Gorgeous bougainvillea in Naples

 

A very sad day with the crash of the 2 Navy aviators in Key West and the bridge collapse in Miami.

Prayers for the victims and their families.

 

Tuesday - March 13

😞😟😡A chilly low of 42 this morning, but the sun was shining as we went to 8:15 Mass.   Came back home and got Flo in order, had breakfast and then around 10:45, our friends from Okeechobee arrived.     We had such a fun January with them and now they came across the state to see us, meet Flo and see Cypress Trail.

Sue and Jud and Sue and Gary are so much fun......we visited and then all left in Gary's truck for downtown and lunch at Pincher's.    Good as always and chatted non-stop.   

 

Mark, Pat, Gary, Sue, Sue, and Jud
Look forward to seeing them next January!

 Been rummaging around in the car to get out some chilly-weather clothes.   By mid afternoon it warmed up nicely to low 70's.   I went for a bike ride and then we both enjoyed a nice
"walk in the park".    Mark will probably not be riding a bike anytime soon!   😡

I've had viewing the cherry blossoms in Washington DC on my bucket list for a long time and this is the year (next week we had planned to head there and see Ryan).    It's hard to predict just when is peak viewing time but with the warmer temps in February, they were saying March 17-21.   But now with some really cold temps (3 nights in a row below freezing) those buds are tightly closed and it's been pushed back to the 27th-31st.    Thousands of people flock to DC each year to see the beautiful blooms from the 3000 cherry trees that were given to us from the Japanese in 1912. 
 We're rethinking our plans???


Nighty night from Cypress Trail