Our Last Full Day on Pine Island!

Can't believe it is time to leave Pine Island and head back to PA.  The time has flown by!  We were up 7 and got ready very quickly.  For the 1st time we actually cooked and ate breakfast before we met Chuck and Melissa for pickleball.  That was a first.  We are just getting into a routine and it is time to leave!  Wow!  It was a bit windy, but we all played well, especially Melissa.  I think it was the new pink pickleball outfit!  Chuck and Melissa actually beat Ken and I 3 times and they did their happy dance.  We we glad to do the happy dance with them.  We left the court at 9:30  and Ken and I spent the next 3 hours doing more prep ork for leaving tomorrow.  Ken did a great job of packing the CRV - so much to take home.  That is when full-timing looks so perfect - no more packing and unpacking!  I cleaned and scoured Waldo.

At 12:30 the 4 of us rode our bikes to the Low Key Tiki Hut for another delicious lunch.  Neil and Nancy drove there to join us and we had such a fun time. Chuck, Melissa, Ken and I rode back to the CG and stopped to play a game of shuffleboard which was won handily by the women - Yes!!!  Then we drove to Matlacha to fulfill one of the things on my Bucket List for this winter - ice cream from Great Licks.  I really love their Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip.  Then we walked around Matlacha and the town park.  We got back to the CG at 5:30, but Chuck and Melissa drove back to the park to look for Melissa's prescription glasses that had fallen out of her pocket.  Fortunately she found them on the bench on the dock!  

Ken wanted his final photo of the eagles on our bike ride.
The eaglets are getting big!

Another photo of the palm tree plantations!

Can't beat the wonderful bike path on Pine Island!

The 6 of us having lunch on the dock at Low Key Tiki Hut!

We always have fun playing shuffleboard, but it was very hot!

The nice pool are at Pine Island CG!

The homemade ice cream at Great Licks is incredible!

 A painting of Ken's favorite bird - the roseate spoonbill!

The backyard at Lovegrove Gallery at Matlacha!  Here is where
we renewed our wedding vows several years ago!

This is the owner, Leoma's, office!

See the little baby ospreys on the nest!

The fishing pier at the Matlacha Park!

We needed to rest, but this is how Melissa lost her glasses!

We thought we blended right in with Leoma's house!

I spent time posting on my blog while Ken rested.  Then we spent time cleaning out the refrigerator, scrubbing it, and then defrosting it.  We only had a few item to give to Chuck and Melissa.  We really did a good job of depleting our "food inventory".  We spent from 7:30 to 11:15 playing games with Chuck and Melissa and feeling sad that it was our last night of spending time together.   We will miss them so much.  They are talking about joining us for part of our trip out west and we are hoping so much that they do.  It would be great to share the experience and adventure with them.  The 4 of us did go over to see Neil and Nancy to say our good-byes and have a "toast" together.  It has been a very special time on Pine Island!

We were in bed by midnight and not overly excited about the long drive ahead of us!  But this winter in Florida has been one to remember and cherish!