Saturday- Sunny Day but Cool!

Ken was up by 6 but I only starting facing the day around 8!  He had done a lot of reading and was ready for breakfast, so he made himself an omelette.  I did some work on the blog, realizing that the draft I had made for Tuesday and Wednesday (it was all but finished) was somehow deleted - so frustrating!  So, I redid that one and finished Thursday and Friday!  What should have been a quick project turned into a major one!

Ken had vacuumed while I ate a light breakfast and then he wanted to finish our game of Hand and Foot that we had started last night!  Somehow he felt "lucky" this morning, but that was short lived.  I beat him the next 2 rounds.  I think he maybe a little reluctant to play again in the near future!

Ken worked at his desk while I did some work in the kitchen and put in a load of wash.  I had a nice phone conversation with Jamie and she is concerned that Ken and I have no plans for Easter since we postponed our family celebration until next Saturday.  She invited us to their house tomorrow morning (we are going to church this evening) for tea and cinnamon rolls because they are going to Dane's parents later in the day for an Easter meal.  We will meet them at Church at 4:30 and then as per Bria's birthday request (she is 11 tomorrow) we will join them and Dane's parents at 5 Guys for dinner and then go to Jamie's for ice cream cake and a fun evening.  Jamie is always so thoughtful and wants family together whenever possible!

I called Lanie and Sam is still sick!  It has been a tough few days for her family.  Hopefully Sam will be on the mend soon!

Before lunch, I put on my SAS and Ken and I went for a walk.  It was sunny and about 50 degrees, so a nice day to walk.  When we returned, we had a light lunch and by 4:00 we were on our way to church, meeting Jamie's family and Dane's parents.  It was a good service with lots of "food for thought"!  I thought the music was especially meaningful.

As per Bria's request for her 11th birthday, all of us, plus Adam, Steph and their children - friends of Jamie's family) went to 5 Guys for delicious, but greasy hamburgers and fries.  Then back to Jamie's house just for an evening of fellowship and ice cream cake.  We had such a good time for it is so special to spend time with family and friends and Jamie's house is always so welcoming.

What an amazing 11 year old!

Ken and I were back home around 10:30 and it was time for bed.  This was a special day!

Thursday and Friday - Beautiful Day Followed by Another Rainy, Damp One!

Ken left at 7:15 to stop by Jamie's to drop off our recyclables and to visit with everyone before the girls left for school.  He met Gary for breakfast at 8, so it was a short visit with Jamie's family.

I got ready for the day and then had a 1/2 hour phone chat with Noela, who is still in Florida.  They will be leaving tomorrow morning to head back to Canada, but will make several stops along the way.  We had a very nice conversation and will look forward to seeing each other this summer (hopefully) or definitely next winter in Florida!  We are both having fun painting on rocks, so we sent some pictures to each other of our "masterpieces"!

Ken and I had planned to pick up Sam and Katelyn today and have them here until Saturday, but after talking to Lanie, that is not happening. Both of them are not feeling well so hopefully they will improve in the next 24 hours and we can get them tomorrow.  Today is Bob's birthday Lanie and Bob had plans for a movie and dinner today and then going out with friends tomorrow night.  So much for best laid plans!

I left to have some blood taken for some blood testing (just a check-up) and came back to eat breakfast - 24 hours of fasting makes one hungry!  I finished a load of wash and then spent some time on the computer and painting more rocks.  

Because Ken and I had a change of plans for today and now had some free time, we decided to go for a walk.  I thought it was time for me to try my Scoliosis Activity Suit again, so I put it on and off we went.  I must say it went well on the 1/2 hour walk.  It was a beautiful afternoon with temperatures near 70 and sunny, a very nice change!

It was time for more painting when I returned and then we worked together to make dinner.  Ken grilled and we ate dinner watching the Evening News.  I went through some cooking magazines so I could save a few recipes and throw away the rest while watching Grey's Anatomy.  Ken was in the office reading and listening to some videos.  I cleaned up my office space and by 9:30 went to bed.  

Sad that we didn't get to have Sam and Katelyn here and give Lanie and Bob some quality time together.  Hopefully we will get them tomorrow!

Today, Friday, was another very cloudy day with off and on rain and showers.  It was mild in the morning but got cooler as the day progressed.  We were both up by 5:20 and I got ready to meet my Curvette ladies for breakfast - they need to come up with a more reasonable time to meet, after all, we are retired!

I left at 6:30 and Ken was doing some studying for his breakfast with his mentor at 8 today.  I had a fun time with my special friends and was so happy to see them again - 1st time since December.  When I left I had a message from Lanie that Sam was still not feeling well and had a fever.  So, looks like we will not be having them here this weekend.  I talked to Lanie and she and Sam were on their way to the Dr.  I decided to head to AC Moore and Michael's to get some craft kits for the girls for Easter and some Mod Podge to paint on my rocks as a sealant.  

On the way home I got a call from Lanie that Sam does not have strep but a flu/virus, so no medicine was prescribed. She has a fever of about 101, so she will be "laying low" today!   I realized how stressed Lanie was feeling and suggested that we celebrate Easter next weekend.  Lanie was hosting it on Sunday, but with 2 sick gals, she does not need that extra pressure.  So, I called Jamie and we are going to celebrate Easter and birthdays (Bria, Cali, Bob, and Katelyn) next Saturday.  That will work well for everyone.  

I was home by 11 and Ken was back close to the same time.  He had stopped to visit a high school friend who is paralyzed from a fall about 2 years ago.  Unfortunately there has been little improvement for Chris!  We chatted for a while and then we both did some reading and I worked on this blog.  At 1, Ken left to see the movie, "Paul, An Apostle of Christ"!  I decided to stay home and "catch-up" on somethings here!  After posting our expenses in our budget program (somehow we keep spending money!) I went on Pinterest and printed out some ideas for stamping cards.  Then I used Modge Podge to seal the rocks I had painted and it worked so well - no running of the paint or the markers!

Thought I should share some of
my "creations"!  This is before
the shiny Modge Podge Coat!

We left at 5 to stop by Sharp Shopper, pick-up sandwiches at Subway, and go to Wilbur to get a few items we had forgotten to take out.  We met Sam, Kathy, Fred, and Doloris at 10,000 Villages to spend 2 1/2 hours listening to The Chestnuts, a musical group comprised of 2 members who played football with Ken in High School.  What a fun evening with friends and great music too!  It is the last time 10,000 Villages will be having Friday night music and their Cafe had closed weeks ago (that is why we could bring in food and drinks!).  We probably went there about 5 or 6 times a year and we will miss having that opportunity.

So good to spend an evening with Kathy, Sam, Doloris, and Fred!

Introducing The Chestnuts!  The 2 on the right, Steve and Tom
graduated with us and played football with Ken!

Ken and I were back home by 9:15 and enjoyed hot tea while playing 2 rounds of Hand and Foot, which I am winning.  We will finish the rest of the game another night.

Tuesday and Wednesday - More Cold, Damp Weather!

After doing some stretches and getting ready for the day, Lanie and I chatted about Ken and I having Sam and Katelyn here from Thursday afternoon until Sunday.  It is Bob's birthday on Thursday, so they are going to the movies and out to dinner.  Friday evening they will spend time with their friends.  Ken and I look forward to having Sam and Katelyn with us.

Ken was doing some reading when I left at 10:30 to meet Cindy and John at the Hempfield Sports Complex to play pickleball.  It was a rainy, rather miserable morning.  They charge non-members only $3.00 to play on their 2 courts in the gym and it is available until 3 - quite a bargain.  My only problem there is the lightning, which creates some shadows, but it gets easier the longer you play.  

The 3 of us left there around 1:30 and went to Mick's for lunch.  They have an eatery in Mt. Joy and near Lititz, but I had never eaten there.  They have many good food items to choose from including lots of delicious sounding salads.  I really enjoyed the salad I chose and it was so large I took 1/2 of it home!

I was home by 3 and Ken had taken a walk and done an amazing job of cleaning up and organizing the office.  It looked like a brand new room!  I continued my painting rock project and then he had a bean burger and salad for dinner.  I was still "full" from lunch, so more food was not on my "radar"!

Ken left at 6:15 for Celebrate Recovery and I spent the evening painting more rocks while watching The Voice.  Ken returned at 9:15 and by 10 we were in bed.

Today, Wednesday, was another cold, cloudy day with spotty showers.  Ken had made an appointment to go to Water Street Rescue Mission in Lancaster, a Christian Center, to tour their facility at 10 and I decided I should go along and find out what their organization is all about.  We are looking for another opportunity to serve in the area and thought this could be a strong possibility.  We discovered it is definitely a place where we would love to serve.  It is an amazing complex that covers a city block and offers a place where homeless folks can stay (when they are willing to be a part of their program) and get free meals, medical and dental care, access to a computer lab, take some classes including Christ centered ones, etc.  The Mission serves over 400 free meals daily but again, you must be living at the facility to qualify and all that requires is a willing heart to want to change, especially if you have an addiction.  The residents can leave and return at will, but they must earn enough "credits" each week to remain.  I can't say enough about the quality of this facility and the wonderful care the residents receive.  It is almost totally supported by donations with some help from grants!

Ken and I were back home by 11:30 and after lunch, he went to get new tires on our Civic, which we knew were needed.  Hurst Tire Service was extremely busy so he only returned around 2:45.  I had done some clean-up around the apartment and then did some crafting and reading.  I made salads for dinner and Ken grilled burgers.  

We left at 5 to go to Masonic Village to play Pinochle with mom and dad.  It was so nice to spend the evening with them and they were so excited to be playing cards again.  The men won the 1st and 2nd game, the men the 3rd, and the women were winning the 4th game when we had to call it a night.  I think that means it was a tie for the evening!

We were home by 9:30 and it was off to bed.  This has been a special day!

Monday - Cold Morning But Then Mild!

Ken was up around 6:15 but I only arose in time for the Morning News.  After doing my stretches ( I am finally back to doing them) I showered and we had a light breakfast!  It really is time for some better eating and diets to begin!

Ken did a lot of work at his desk and on the computer while I went through all my shell pieces, only saving a small amount that I thought could be used for making jewelry, just in case I decide to make more (I don't think so!)  Around 11, we left to go to Costco because our freezer and cupboards are rather bare.  By 1:15 we were back home and after putting everything in its proper place, we ate lunch.

I spent all afternoon cleaning out cupboards, cabinets, etc. getting rid of unnecessary items and rearranging.  I think I covered every nook and cranny in the dining area, kitchen, and LR.  It felt good, but it was also rather tiring.  Ken carved the chicken we bought at Costco, shoveled the balcony and was able to put our bikes in the storage shed outback.  The shed is hardly large enough so it takes a bit of work to get the bikes and bike rack in there.

Ken made salads for dinner while I worked on my blog and downloaded photos.  I had gotten behind the last several days.  We watched the evening news while enjoying our dinner and then I had a chat with Doloris.  We hope to see them this Friday evening at 10,000 Villages where The Chestnuts, a musical group composed of friends from our high school class, will be playing.  I did some additional work on the blog before sorting through some more items that needed to be "thinned out"!  How do we accumulate so much????  I must admit that a lot of it is my craft "stuff".  Somehow I have a hard time getting rid of things that allow me to be creative!

Sunday - Church, Time with Cali, and Then to the Wedding of My Sister's Granddaughter!

Ken and I must have been tired because we only woke at 7:30 and had to keep moving to leave for church on time.  It was just starting to snow when we left our apartment.  What is that about????  It is Spring!!!!!  We were excited to sit with Jamie and Dane and then spend time chatting with Bria and Cali after the service.  We had hoped to go to breakfast with Lloyd and Deb, but they were not there this morning.   It was snowing steadily when we left church.

Ken and I decided to go out to breakfast to have time to relax and chat before going to Jamie's to pick up Cali.  Bria is swimming again today at York, so Cali came home with us so she could go to Alexandra's wedding.  The swim meet was not over until 5:00, so Dane, Jamie and Bria planned to come to the reception.

PawPaw, Cali and I played 3 games of Racko and had a lot of fun.  PawPaw decided he needed to rest, so Cali and I played War, Fish, and Crazy 8"s before we left for the wedding at 2:30.  We went to mom's room and dad was there too!  It was wonderful to see them after being gone for about 3 months.  They looked so healthy.  It had stopped snowing and the sun was out, so Ken walked with Dad (he was on his electric wheelchair) to the church on the property of Masonic Village.  Alexandra and Todd had decided to get married there so mom and dad could be part of her wedding day.  

It was a very nice ceremony and Cali was happy to sit with her cousins, Sam and Katelyn. Ken and I were thrilled to see Lanie and her family. 

Waiting for the ceremony to begin!

Alexandra and Tood exchanging vows!

Here is Mrs. Alexandra Wagner!

The happy cousins!

My parents with their great granddaughter!

Hard to imagine that Mom is 88 and Dad will be 94 in
a few weeks!

 After picture taking, Cali went with Lanie's family to the reception while Ken walked back with Dad to his room and I drove mom to that parking area.  The van picked up Dad in his wheelchair and then Ken, Mom and I followed them to the reception, arriving there around 5:45.  All of us had time to visit while having hordeorves.  MaMaw played Old Maids with the girls.

MaMaw playing Old Maids with her great granddaughters!

Jamie, Dane, and Bria joined the group around 6:15 as we were heading into the reception area.  Our family had such a fun time!  The little ones made cards for Alexandra and Todd and then they enjoyed doing some dancing.  My parents had a fun time too and I know they were so happy to be a part of the celebration and spend time with family.

My sister and her husband, John.  The proud grandparents!

Todd is in the Air Force stationed in
Virginia Beach!

The girls gave the wedding cards they made to their 2nd cousin!

Our daughters, Lanie and Jamie, and Jamie's
daughters, Bria, and Cali!

And now we added Lanie's girls, Samantha
and Katelyn!

What a crazy group!

Alexandra with her grandparents!

My mother and dad!

Of course, Cindy and I had to get in on the photo!

Lanie, Bob, and girls!

The girls enjoyed dancing, but Samantha
is in a class all her own - I think it is
interpretive dancing!

Cindy and the girls decided to dance with the group!

Jamie didn't want to be left out!!!

Mom and Dad with their great granddaughters!

The van came to pick up Dad at 8:30 and Mom decided she was getting tired and drove back with him.  Ken and I were home by 9:30 and went right to bed.  It was a fantastic day, but we were ready to rest!!!!

Saturday - Busy Catch-up Day!

Ken and I had gone to bed early and had a good night's sleep after so many hours of traveling!  We took our time getting ready, having breakfast, etc. and left around 10:30 to take Wilbur to his parking spot (storage area) in Ephrata.  It had been plowed and was very easy to get into our space.

We left there and went to pick-up our "new" car - a 2012 Honda Civic at a friend's home in Ephrata.  After changing the license plate, Ken followed me back to the apartment.  By then it was 12:30 and time for lunch.  

I did some work on the blog and put a few more things in their proper place before the 2 of us left at 1:45 to go to Bria and Cali's swim meet in York, about 40 minutes from Lititz.  So good to see Jamie and Dane again and to chat with Dane's parents, Dan and Sue.  The girls did very well at the meet, including Bria's relay team breaking the old record for this championship meet.  We were able to chat with Cali, but Bria was in the last event and we needed to leave right away.

Bria and Cali were surprised that we were in the stands as
well as their summer swim coach who came to watch!

Bria entering the water for backstroke!

She did well in this event!

Cali getting ready for her swim!

Bria off the block again!

Cali contemplating her next event!

Cali doing butterfly!

Cali was pleased with her time!

We drove to Lancaster to meet our couples card club at 5:15 at Ciro's Restaurant for dinner.  We were about 10 minutes late since we had stayed to watch Bria's last swim.  So good to see all of them again.  Then we went to Dan and Jackie's house to play cards.  After Kreiders and Reddigs left, we spent about a half hour talking with Dan and Jackie.  It is always nice to catch up on each other's families and what is happening in our lives.

We were home by 11:30 and ready for bed.  We have certainly been busy since returning to PA.

Thursday and Friday - 46 Degrees but Sunny When We Left Harbor Lakes! Back to PA!

Ken did some reading and devotions before I got up at 6:15.  We put last minute items in a safe place for travel, had cereal, and then went outside to disconnect the electric.  Ernie and Noela came over just as we were finishing.  It was time for hugs and good-byes but the 4 of us made reservations to return to Harbor Lakes again next year, so we will be together again.  Also, we are planning to make a road trip to Canada sometime this summer to see them and Barry and Deb.  

Ken and I hooked-up the CRV in front of the office and left the CG at 7:40. 

Ready to head to PA, but not excited for the cold weather.  I
prefer the palms swaying in the warm breeze!

 

Good-bye Harbor Lakes Campground until December!

 We did some reflecting on our time here in Florida and we both agreed that it was an unbelievable winter.  Being connected to a Church and serving there was such a blessing.  We met so many wonderful like minded people.  All our special events with Rick and Joyce and Ernie and Noela added so much to our time too, such wonderful friends!  Then of course, it was sharing special days with my sister, Cindy, and John.  We always enjoy being with them and especially our pickleball games!  I could go on and on about all our wonderful adventures, but let's just say we created lots of amazing memories that will have a special place in our hearts forever!

When we got on I-75 I called Cali to wish her a Happy 9th Birthday - where does the time go????  I also talked to Jamie regarding the snow in PA and she said the schools only had a 2 hour delay today.  They did get about a foot of snow which ended around 8 PM last night, but by this morning the roads had been plowed and driveways and sidewalks shoveled and already most of them were bare.  It was going to be very sunny and in the 40's today, so the biggest concern now is possible flooding!  We had planned to stop at Exit 57 at Walterboro, SC, but because today's weather is fantastic for driving and things at home seem to be good, we will keep driving as long as we are alert and feeling good!  Who knows how far we will go?????  Maybe we will make it home tomorrow instead of Saturday!

It took us a long time to get out of Florida (it is a very looooong state!) because there was an accident and road work on I-75 as well as road work on Route 310.  We stopped for lunch at Exit 1 in Georgia and we had been driving for 6 1/2 hours - wow!  While we were driving to that destination I made lots of phone calls and sent some messages to friends.  It was a great time to "catch up" on correspondence!

We made a couple gas stops, rest area stops, but kept driving until we reached the Cracker Barrel at Lumberton, NC, having driven 638 miles (but who is counting!).  By then it was 9:15 and we hadn't had dinner, so we went into Cracker Barrel for soup and Ken had a pancake! 

I must have been extremely tired, because I didn't even take off my make-up (haven't skipped that step in years) and we both decided to sleep in our clothes.   Knowing Ken, I assumed we would be back on the road very early, so why would I want to waste time dressing and putting on fresh make-up in a few hours???? We were in bed by 10:15 (in the parking lot of Cracker Barrel) and feel asleep rather quickly.  

At 3:15 Ken was awake and asked if I would mind if we started "rolling".  No problem for this gal, for it was what I had planned for today!  So by 3:45 we were back on I-95 after all I was dressed and my make-up was still in place!  At 5:00 we stopped at a Denny's for breakfast and then the trip north continued. I sent some phone messages to friends and family that wanted us to keep them updated as we traveled.  I must admit that I took one 45 minute catnap around 8 - my eyes were so heavy!  

It was another perfect travel day and when we entered PA we got a call from Jamie that all appeared good at our apartment and she was sending us pictures of the street in front of our building and the parking area where we put Wilbur when we arrive home.  All looked clean and very "doable"!  Rather amazing, considering they have about a foot of snow the day before!

We stopped near York to have lunch and in that strip mall there was a service for licensing and titling cars -  Wow!  So we went in and were able to get all the paperwork for the car we will be picking up in Ephrata tomorrow completed as well as getting the license plate and owner's card immediately, all in about 20 minutes.  What a deal and we thought we would have to put that into tomorrow's busy schedule - DONE!!!

We enjoyed a delicious pizza buffet (not good for our soon to begin diets!) and then arrived at our apartment in Lititz at 3:15!  We were so thankful to have gotten home in such good time and with no issues.  We love uneventful trips! Ken did a positively amazing job driving.  Over 1100 miles and he drove everyone of them!  We were amazed that the parking lot at our apartment was cleared of most of the snow and we were able to park Wilbur in his usual spot!

Hard to imagine that this area had 12 inches of snow 2 days earlier!

Then it was time for the fun to begin!  You forget how much loading you do for a 3 1/2 month trip in Florida, but you are quickly reminded when you start bringing things back into the apartment.  We worked together unloading the car and then I stayed in and put everything into its proper place while Ken continued loading and unloading.  It is a massive job especially when you live on the 2nd floor!

After such a big, late lunch, neither of us were hungry, so we showered, watched a little TV and were in bed by 9, rather exhausted to say the least!  We are excited to be back home to see family and friends, but not a fan of this cold weather.  Hopefully the temperatures will improve by the middle of next week.  Our blood is used to the warm!!!!!

Again, we feel so thankful in so many areas!  

Wednesday - Last Day in Florida for 2018!

Ken did some reading and then went for a walk with Ernie.  I only got up at 7:45 after a restless night of sleep.  I did my stretches, showered, and got ready for breakfast.

When Ken returned, we had omelettes, cleaned-up, and then Ken did more work outside, including getting on the roof to sweep, while I did some cleaning and scrubbing inside Wilbur.  We spent time trying to decide on our plan for heading home because Jamie called and they had gotten about 3" of snow yesterday and it was snowing at 8 this morning and supposed to continue all day (8 to 12 inches!).  Don't they know it is spring????  After much discussion mixed with some frustration, we decided to leave tomorrow morning, but only after 7:30 or so and maybe stop for 2 nights instead of 1 to give the snow in PA more time to melt!!!! Once we finally decided on a plan we felt much better!

At 10:45, Bill and Donna stopped by so I could show Bill how to wire wrap shark's teeth and he was a fast learner!  It was nice to have another opportunity to visit with them.  They left Wilbur around 1:15 and we had a light lunch.  I picked up Noela at 2:15 and we went to get gas in the CRV and then shop at Michael's, Beall's Outlet (I had a $5.00 rewards credit that had to be used before May, so I didn't have a choice but to go shopping) and then back to the CG by 4.  Ken had done some additional prep work while we were gone and took a short nap!

At 4:30, the 4 of us headed to the shuffleboard courts to find out once and for all who the best players were and guess what, the women won both games.  I must admit they were close, but none the less we were victorious!  It was a lot of fun!

Ken and I spent about 45 minutes winterizing Wilbur (it is a process, but Ken really knows what he is doing) and by 6:30 we were at Ernie and Noela's to eat dinner together.  Because we had winterized, we had no water, so she had offered for us to cook our dinner there - I had leftovers and Ken grilled a bean burger.  Noela had made salads for all of us!  How Nice!!!!  Just as we finished eating, Jim and Joyce came by to say good-bye to Ken and I, and the 6 of us spent the next 2 hours visiting.  It was a wonderful last evening in Florida.  We had planned to play Hand and Foot, but it was a relief for the men to not lose again (I mean play again!!!!)

We were back to Wilbur by 9:30 and went right to bed.  Plan to be on the road before 8 tomorrow morning, but a little "anxious" as to what to expect as we head north!

Tuesday - A Busy Day at the CG and Then to Sweet Tomato for Lupper!

I had trouble falling asleep last night so only got up at 8.  Ken had already done his reading and had left for a walk with Ernie!  When he returned, we went to the laundry to put in 3 loads of wash.  Amazing how much laundry accumulates when you don't do it for 2 weeks!

Ken spent a lot of time working outside loading things in the CRV after he had vacuumed the inside.  Can't believe our time in Florida is ending in a couple days!  I guess it is true that time goes quickly when you are having fun!  I was back with the clean clothes around 11:15 and I started to pack up our clothing and we placed it in the car, making it easier to unload when we get back to Lititz.    

Noela stopped be and we chatted over a cup of chia.  When she left, I did some dishes, flat ironed my hair, and then went over to their 5th wheel to do her hair.  I had offered to try to style it several weeks ago and it just never happened, so today was the day.  I blew it dry, flat ironed it, and then styled it with some "paste".  She was pleased with the results and I must admit, it did look fuller and less wavy!

At 1:15, the 4 of us left in their truck to go to Costco in Sarasota and then have a late lunch at Sweet Tomato, a place where the 4 of us love to eat when in Florida.  After a great lunch, we headed back to the CG, but there was lots of heavy rain during that drive with lightning and thunder.  It had become a drizzle when we were back to Harbor Lakes.  

I worked on this blog while Ken took a little rest.  Then at 6:30 we went to Ernie and Noela's to play games.  None of us needed dinner after all we ate at Sweet Tomato!  It was a fun evening!

My mom did call today because she was worried we may get caught in the snow storm that is up north starting today.  We plan to leave early Thursday morning and hope that by then it will have warmed up enough to clear the roads.  If not, we will take 3 days instead of 2 to get back to Lititz!  Cindy and John left North Carolina yesterday, a few days early, and arrived home late that evening.  They said it was cold and rainy when they left!

Also an update on getting my father to the reception for his great granddaughter's wedding.  We have a driver who will take him there and pick him up in his wheelchair so he can be part of the festivities.  We are so happy that it could be worked out!  It will probably be the only great grandchild he will see get married!

Monday - Gorgeous Day That Was So Special!

Ken was up earlier than me (normal morning) and did his reading before I was "shining"!  He left at 7:45 for a walk with Ernie.  I got ready, did some reading, and then had breakfast almost ready when Ken returned.

Did dishes and then Ken loaded the car for our final trip to the beach for this year.  We left for Manasota Beach at 9:15 making a stop at the bank on the way.  We met Rick and Joyce at the beach at 10 and did a lot of chatting before the men went for a long walk and Joyce and I went looking for sharks teeth.  It was a perfect weather day on the beach with temperatures near 80, lots of sunshine, and just a nice breeze.  The surf would come a shore and spread out the shell pieces and after each "wash" it was fairly easy to find the teeth.  The water was warm and felt good when I was on my knees and the water came ashore around me.  Joyce and I did that from about 10:45 to 1:15 and then sat on our chairs to just talk.  

The "boys" returned around 1:45 and by 2 the four of us were leaving the beach to have lunch together at The Lighthouse Grill at Stump Pass off Placida Road.  What an unbelievable setting on the water at Stump Pass Marina.  We had to wait an hour, but who cares, for it was gorgeous to sit and chat along the water.  Each of us had pulled pork sandwiches with their hand cut fries and it was all very good!  Definitely a place that we would return to!

The Lighthouse Grill - a very nice place to eat!

Our view while relaxing on adirondack chairs!

View from our table!

Rick and Joyce have added so much joy to our winter
here in Florida!

We said our good-byes on the parking lot and it was not an easy departure.  We have really enjoyed all of our times with Rick and Joyce and will definitely miss that they no longer reside in PA.  I guess we will just have to come to the Venice area of Florida more often.  We really do treasure and value their friendship!

Back to Wilbur to shower, work on this blog, and I changed to play pickleball tonight here at the CG.  Ken went to Celebrate Recovery to see his "buddies" and enjoy the service.  I played pickleball from 7 to 8:15 and had such a good time with some of my Canadian friends.  I went right to Ernie and Noela's and Ken arrived at 8:30 with Hot Fudge sundaes for all of us from McDonald's.  What a delicious treat!  We chatted for about 1/2 hour and then Ken and I returned to Wilbur to read and then head to bed.  

This was certainly a very special day.  We will miss so many wonderful friends when we leave Florida!

Sunday - Good-byes to Our Great Friends at Edgewater Church!

Ken had a very restless night (maybe a bit too much caffeine later in the day) so we both only got up at 7:30.  Got ready for church and were on our way around 9.  We met Eddie and Lori there, but also spent time going around giving hugs and saying our goodbyes to the many folks who have become our friends this winter.  We are going to miss them so much and the wonderful things we have done and learned by attending this fantastic church.  It has added so much meaning to our lives this winter!  It was the last sermon for the series entitled, "Struggles" and it has been an excellent one making us all aware of the amount of time we spend on our electronics and what the scriptures have to say about our so called "addiction"!  We found it a very helpful series!

After church there was more time sharing with friends before having breakfast at Denny's with Eddie and Lori.  We have been grateful that they share Sundays with us at Edgewater and then having more time together at breakfast.  We will look forward to seeing them back in PA.

Ken and I were back to the CG by 12:15 and we both did some prep work for our trip home.  Ken put air in Wilbur's tires and took everything off the awning before putting it away for the rest of our time here.  It is supposed to get windy tomorrow and then a storm on Tuesday evening, so it was good timing for that job.  I put all the decorative things inside in their proper place for traveling, so it is starting to look very "bare"!

I worked on this blog and Ken rested and then at 2 we went with Ernie and Noela to Punta Gorda to walk the 1 mile bridge over the Peace River to the waterfront.  It was a warm day, but what a nice cool breeze on the bridge.  We were hoping to see the stingrays that come in to mate around this time of year.  We saw a couple thousand there last year, but today we didn't see any!  We did get to enjoy the very colorful lizards when we started the walk.

Wow, what amazing colors!

The bridge is 3 lanes on both sides with pedestrian walkways.
The bridges north and south are separated, so you have to
go under the bridges when you get to the end of both sides!

Beautiful, sparkling water!

Just about to the end of the bridge and entering Punta Gorda!

Lots of sailboats were on the water today!

When we were at the waterfront we walked to the ice cream shop for some delicious homemade ice cream - what a treat!!!!!  We walked back to the CRV on the other side of the bridge and saw more of the multi-colored lizards!  We had to go under the bridge by way of some rocks to get back to the car.  

Enjoying our ice cream while checking out the boats
and yachts at the marina!

On our way back to the car on the other side
of the bridge!

These 2 photos show "campgrounds" for the boaters.
They can tie up to the buoys for the night!

This doesn't look very safe to me!

Hopefully you don't have to float over any huge
wakes from other boats!

Saw this lizard on the way back and it is a
different one!

At the end of the bridge we went down the rocks
to go under the bridge to get to our car on
the other side!

No problem!!! I'm coming!

It was a gorgeous day for a walk across
the Peace River!

The 4 of us stopped at Wal-Mart on the way back, arriving at the CG at 5:45.  Ken did more work outside, including checking the air pressure on the CRV's tires and loading and reorganizing the bins in the basement of Wilbur while I made salads for dinner and washed dishes.  After dinner we congratulated ourselves on all we had accomplished today and then talked to Rick to plan a get together for tomorrow, probably the last time we will be together before we go back to PA.  Then over to Ernie and Noela's for 2 games of Skip-Bo and we each won one!  Ken and I were tired and returned to Wilbur by 9, showered, got things ready for our time with Rick and Joyce tomorrow, and were in bed around 10.  

Another great day in Paradise!