Our Florida home - November 7, 2024
Very warm today with lots of sunshine. The highlight of our Saturday was meeting Charlotte and Doug for lunch at The Rum Bucket - they had never been. We sat outside and enjoyed our lunch and conversation! Great afternoon!
In between lunch we walked in the park.....almost daylight savings coming and losing that hour of sleep!
Spectacular day....I was off to get a haircut. Starbucks shares the same parking lot, so first, got a hazelnut latte. So much fun to yak with Jewel and catch up on each others news. Back home and fixed Trader Joe's tomato/basil soup (sooo good) and grilled cheese on sourdough!
Mark was working away while I was gone getting Big Red ready for traveling on Monday to Lakeland. Gary, next door, helped him lift bins into back of truck that had been stored underneath Flo. Since we hadn't planned to be here the next 3 days, now we have extra time to get it all together!
Did a load of laundry and organized our closet. I walked in the afternoon and then we both walked late afternoon. Visited with neighbors Joe and Barb but kept our distance as Joe has been sick with fever, cold, cough, etc. And Barb is all stuffy....still so much sickness going around.
Enjoy your weekend!
I played RummiKub in the library with Vicki for 2 games (I won both) and then Anne joined us for 2 more games with Vicki and I the winners.
Mark drove to the Coconut Point Medical facility (where I had my shoulder surgery) for a CTA procedure (Coronary Trans Artery). He had this done in 2004 and all good and in 2010 with a sight change. Mark asked Dr. McCarty about doing it again (been 15 years) and he gave the ok. They have a brand new machine and this location has the only one in the Lee Health System.
We both took a nap in the afternoon.....such a beautiful day with deep blue skies, very breezy and sunny - high of 73 but with the strong wind, feels much cooler.
Our weekend plans have changed. We were leaving tomorrow for Pensacola to visit Blue Angel friends, Carol and Bob from PA. They are the in-laws of Tom Frosch (Ryan's boss with the Blues). Bob fell a week ago and has been in the hospital for several days and now in rehab. Too much going on for Carol and last thing she needs right now is visitors, so....we had a good chat last night and canceled our trip. We also had planned to meet Ann and Duaine (owners here at 104). in Destin for lunch on Monday, so that won't be happening either.
So, we'll leave Monday afternoon with Flo and drive to Lakeland to visit my brothers and sisters-in-law....Flo has an appointment on the 13th to have a new hot water heater installed in Lakeland.
Euchre tonight and I won with 32 points and Greg had 31 points. Small crowd - just 3 tables. Maybe too chilly to venture out? Fun time!
It's Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten season. Mark and I went to 9:00 Mass at St. Vincent de Paul (several from CT were there). Great to see the church so packed!
Came back home, had a quick bite to eat, changed clothes and then off to Arcadia - first to stop at Dollar Tree and then met Joyce and Butch who came from Frostproof at The Arcadia Seafood Grill for lunch! Wow....excellent (crab cakes for Mark and me; shrimp for Joyce and Butch). Right across the hall (this is the old post office and was built in 1926) is the Florida Farmhouse Coffee Shop . How convenient as when we 4 get together, we usually end up in a coffee shop! This was a cute little spot, but both the restaurant and coffee shop were very COLD!
It was so windy today but thought we would sit outside rather than the chilly coffee shop. Mark and I got a table for 4 and had just sat down when a very big gust of wind blew massive amounts of dust and dirt at us. Whoaaaa...no thanks, so went back indoors and found another seating area between the restaurant and coffee shop. Had a great visit....so thankful that Butch is doing really well after his scare from lung cancer. Alleluia to these dear friends!
A stop at the Ranch RV Park to give Joan a pair of earrings from Janet. And she gave us an ice pak for Lydia. It was starting to rain, so a very quick "hi" and "bye".
On home but drove thru some very heavy rain.....and when we got back to CT, not a drop although that changed a short time after when the heavens opened up big time! Yikes!
My "boat sisters" arrived home safe 'n sound this afternoon - sooo many happy memories😊
One final day with my "boat sisters" and it was a dandy! We met for lunch at Buckingham Farms - they loved it! Back to CT for some games - Donna and I beat Chris and Teri 2 games of euchre; I won at Gin 13 (new game Chris taught us) and finally I taught them RummiKub - they love it and all going to order that game. Teri and I were the winners.
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Mark was our chauffeur and took the ladies to Doc Fords for dinner - but first we drove around and showed them some of the damage from Hurricane Ian. We were on the patio but it was very breezy and cool, so luckily we could get a table inside - much more pleasant and a wonderful meal.
We've eaten soooo good these past few days! Stopped at Surf 'n Style and Donna and Teri got in some retail therapy.
On home...................sad good byes and big hugs for these dear "sisters". They hope to make this a tradition each winter and increase by one more day each year! 😃 I will see them Memorial Weekend at Superior Marine. Wishing them safe travels tomorrow back to Ohio.
We walked around downtown and checked out a few shops.
Then back to Cypress Trail and a relaxing afternoon sitting on the patio.....they caught up with Mark and we had lots of laughs At 4, we enjoyed the Mardi Gras parade here at CT. Lots of decorated golf carts and the folks throwing out beads and candy. Fun!
At 4:30, we girls left for downtown to have drinks on top of the Luminary at the Beacon Drinkery. Beautiful evening to sit outside.
Time for dinner at Firestone Grill - a wonderful meal at this neat place. Up to the SkyBar for martinis to end this very enjoyable day with my crazy, fun, awesome "boat sisters"!!!
On home and caught up with Mark and our day....also a good chat with Liam who called to check in! Nighty night.
Today would've been Mark's mother's 99th birthday!
And 15 years ago today - 3/3/2010, Mark and I were hit as pedestrians walking across the street in St. Pete, FL....
Mark and I went to 9:30 Mass at St. Francis with Father Steve and then to Panera for breakfast. We had some free time before heading to the Barbara Mann theater, so read and played some games on our I-pads./
Then off to the theater for the 1:00 performance of "Come From Away", the story about the 38 planes, 7000 passengers and crew and 19 animals that were told to land at Gander, Newfoundland on 911. What a story (all true) and so well done with singing, dancing, laughs and tears. Just remarkable and we highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance.
Came home, I changed clothes and was off to The Boathouses to meet my "Boat Sisters" from Port Clinton who arrived this morning till Wednesday. Soooo good to see Donna, Chris and Teri. We had a drink by the pool while waiting for our table - so many laughs and talked non stop.
We all enjoyed our food and the music and then said our good byes (after a harrowing scary 10 minutes or so when Donna couldn't find her phone!!!😨😨😨 But happy ending as she had left it in the car!!! Til tomorrow.....these gals have been up since 3:30 AM so very ready to call it a day. No picture....😞
On home and told Mark all about our reunion with these fun friends.
Zoom tonight was with 10 siblings....lively conversation as always.
March came in like a lamb here in Fort Myers today - absolutely gorgeous day - 79, sunny and breezy! Allie and Owen came at 9 and Mark drove us downtown to Ella Mae's for breakfast - so good along with plenty of chatter!
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