Tuesday - Off and On Cloudy Day and a Bit Cooler!

Ken was up early to do his morning routine and I appeared at 6:45.  I decided not to walk today but go to North Port to play pickleball.  Ken left at 7:15 to meet Ernie for their walk.  He was back by 8:30 just when I was ready to leave for pickleball.  It was rather overcast and in the low 60's.

It is nice to play pickleball at North Port Park where all the players speak English and play at about the same level.  It really is a fun group of people!  Having no sun to shine in your eyes and a very light breeze made it a perfect morning for playing.  I left after 1 1/2 hours and enjoyed about 4 games all with close scores.  Ken had spent the time reading and doing some raking outside.

Noela and I left the CG at 10:45 and went to Hobby Lobby, Goodwill, and Wal-mart getting back around 12:15.  By 12:45 the 4 of us were on our way to Pine Island to have lunch at the Low Key Tiki Hut, but it took us a long time to get there because of backed up traffic once you entered the island until you got into the center - it was crazy.  Never did figured out what caused such congestion!  

We loved our lunch sitting out along the water - skewers with chicken, pineapple and onion and also with bacon wrapped scallops with pineapple and onions.  From there we went to the St. Jude Trail for the 1 1/2 mile walk where Noela and I got some palm branches to use for the tails on our coconut fish.

The Low Key Tiki Hut - a great place to sit and have lunch!

This boat was coming in with all the crab traps!

Getting ready to walk the St. Jude Trail, something we do
every year - tradition!

Looking for the just right palm branches for the tails of
our coconut fish!

Rather colorful!

It is a rather rustic trail that reminds you of Old Florida!

Looks like a 2 headed eagle!!!!

Relaxing by the water at the end of the trail!

We took a short drive around the CG on Pine Island that both of us have stayed at numerous times.  We talked to one of the campers we know in the park and she said traffic has become so bad that she tries not to leave the island.  This year they added pedestrian crossing lights in Matlacha and that is why traffic gets so "backed up"!  It has become a major problem and many of the people who own homes there have decided to sell.  We noticed on our last visit that there is no new construction and many businesses and lots are for sale - it is such a shame, because everywhere else in Florida there seems to be a "boom" of growth!

On the way back to the CG, we stopped at McDonald's for hot fudge or hot caramel sundaes - so good!  It was almost 7 when we arrived back "home" and I decided not to play pickleball - rather windy and now chilly!  Ernie and Noela came to play cards around 7:15 and the 1st 2 rounds of Hand and Foot we were only about 50 points apart.  But, the 3rd round proved to be a disaster for the women - neither of us got into our foot.  Needless to say, we lost the game by a huge margin!  Noela and I decided that Ernie's "lucky shirt" had to be destroyed and soon!!!!!

I really wanted to watch New Amsterdam, but by the time I remembered it was on, I was too tired to watch.  Off to dreamland!!!

Monday - A Warm Day Mostly Spent at the Campground!

It was a "normal routine" morning for Ken and I with him leaving at 7:15 to meet Ernie for their walk.  Noela and I met up with them around 8 and it was warm already!

Ken and I decided that it was a good day to spend time at the CG "catching Up" on somethings and relaxing after so many very "full days"!  He did some work on the computer and I did some reading and chatted with Fred and Doloris who left Florida on Sunday and were now within an hour of home.  The RV repairman came at 10:30 and by 12 he and his co-worker had both the sunshade and the nightshade working perfectly.  Both blinds required new motors and there was more work than we anticipated getting them reprogrammed to go up and down properly and coordinate with the truck engine.  

I got a phone call from Cindy and they just heard that they got a site here in Harbor Lakes for next winter - I am so excited to spend the winter with them!  They weren't thrilled with the site but just glad to get in.  Soon after we ended our chat, they got a another phone call from the CG that they had a different site available that might be better for them.  So, I got on my bike and checked out the 2 sites that were possibilities and there was no question that the 2nd chose was the best and they won't be very far from us. 

Had a good phone conversation with my mother and I am so thankful that Dad and she are doing well.  Ken read and rested and I decided to do some card making. I now realize how nice it is to have an area at home that is set-up for this craft project.  Working out of bins and tubs and having them on the floor around you is not an easy way to work and be productive.  I had a good time, but I think my card making supplies will stay at home next year!  I did get 5 cards made that I really like but it takes patience to do that here in the CG.

Ken and I took a short bike ride around the CG and then it was time to make dinner.  Ken had made salads this afternoon, so I sauteed chicken with peppers and onions to put on them.  So good!

Ken and I both left around 6:45 - he went to Celebrate Recovery and I headed to the pickleball courts.  There were only 4 of us there and we played for about an hour.  I went back to Wilbur to shower and then work on cards while watching "The Voice".  Ken was back by 9:15 and by 10 we were in bed.

Sunday - Gorgeous Hot, Sunny Day!

Ken and I left for church at 9 after a brief visit from Ernie and Noela on the way back from their walk.  Had an inspiring church service and sat with our friends from back home, Eddie and Lori, and then the 4 of us went to Denny's for breakfast.  What a nice Sunday morning!

Back to Wilbur around noon where we quickly changed and packed our bag to go to Manasota Beach to meet Rick and Joyce.  It was in the upper 80's with lots of sunshine so we realized it could be very difficult to get a parking space there at this time of day especially since it was a Sunday.  Well, that proved to be very true, for after driving around the lot for about 10 minutes or more, it was impossible to park, so we called Rick and Joyce and decided to go to their community pool for the afternoon.  That was a great choice.  There were only 2 other couples there who were neighbors of Rick and Joyce and we had a wonderful time just relaxing in the pool and chatting.  Ken and I left at 4:15 and headed back to the CG.

Following showers and eating a very light supper, Burt and Pat arrived at 6 for an evening of Hand and Foot.  It was a fun evening even if the men won "big time"!  In the 3rd round neither Pat nor I got into our feet, a sure way to lose a game!  It was a wonderful evening with special friends!

They left around 9:30 and Ken and I did some reorganizing in the front of Wilbur because the RV repairman is coming at 10:30 tomorrow to fix the windshield blinds.  We were in bed by 10 after a rather busy day.

I had great phone conversations today with Lanie and Jamie.  It was so good to talk to them and hear what is happening in PA.  It was snowing while we were talking and I was glad to be in the warm sunshine, but missing our families back home.

  

Saturday - Gorgeous Warm, Sunny Day!

Ken was up early to do his morning routine and woke me at 6:30 for our group walk!  I felt so tired after a bad night's sleep, so decided I might need some addition rest.  But after 15 more minutes in bed, I convinced myself I would feel better if I walked. 

Ken left at 7:15 and Noela and I headed out to meet the "boys" at 7:45.  It was a gorgeous, very still morning!  Ken had taken his camera with him and got so many photos of the different birds that are right here at the CG.  It is amazing!

The wide road in front of our campsite.  So much room
at Harbor Lakes!

The path over the little bridge behind our campsites!

So still this morning!

An anhinga drying his wings!

Our resident eagles!

A baby blue heron!

Egrets

Blue Heron!

Juvenile ibis!

An Osprey!  They look rather "mean"!

Ken will soon meet up with Ernie!

The boys are within site!
 

A rather large alligator!

With those kind of reflections in the water you know it
is very still!

Back to Wilbur to have breakfast and Ken loaded our bikes while I got breakfast together and then packed water and snacks for our ride on Pine Island.  Before we left, these 2 alligators were on the shore across from our campsite!

Introducing Ollie and Mollie!

Ernie, Noela, Ken and I got in their truck and off we went for the 1 1/4 hour drive to Pine Island.  We did stop to see the burrowing owls, but we only saw 1 and it was banded!

We parked in the center of the island and rode the 8 miles to Bokeelia, enjoying all the palm growing plantations.  Noela and I stopped to look for a few dry coconuts for painting fish, but we only found 3.

Lots of nurseries along the way, but several were also For Sale!
Sad to see all the dead and neglected palms at those abandoned
businesses!

On our coconut hunt.  They need to be dried and no milk inside!

They also grow star fruit on the island!

We pass this gentleman on his bike every
year and he always gives us the "Peace
Sign".  This year he actually said Peace to Ken!

What a great place to ride - level and cement path off the road!

Rounding the corner into Bokeelia.  What a "Kodak" moment!

The pelicans were sitting along the dock!

Bokeelia's fishing pier!

We turned around and rode the 8 miles back to the truck and by then we were all ready for lunch, for it was 2:15.  We planned to eat at our favorite place on the island, Low Key Tiki Hut, but it was "packed" for their annual duckie race - so much for "best laid plans"!  So option 2 took us back towards Bokeelia to the Lazy Flamingo, which offered a nice lunch sitting outside overlooking the marina.

Let's get back and have lunch!  I was hungry!

Eating on the deck of the Lazy Flamingo!

Some of the sites and houses when we drove through Matlacha (looks alot like Key West) -

You can rent these Tiny Houses!  So colorful!

We got back to the CG at 5:15, unloaded and "unpacked", showered, and then did some reading.  Ernie and Noela came here at 6:45 and we play Skip-Bo which the men barely won, and then Uno with the women being victorious.  They left at 8:45 and Ken had a good conversation with one of his "brothers" back home.  I worked on this blog, finally had a chance to do a pedicure, and downloaded today's photos!

By 10:30 we were both in bed to do some reading before it was lights out!

Friday - Food Pantry Day

Ken had a very short night's sleep because he was up at 4:30 AM, did a lot of reading, and then made us breakfast while I did my morning routine.  What a guy!

By 8:40 we were on our way to Edgewater Church to help at the weekly Food Pantry.  We had lots of food to give out today including an abundance of desserts (large decorated cakes), fresh fruit, and many rolls, crescents, and loaves of bread.  It felt good to give out so much good food to folks who needed and appreciated it!  When it ended at 12:30, we cleaned up the area and then 16 of us went to Longhorn Steakhouse for a delicious lunch.

So many large cakes and leftovers fancy boxes of Valentine candy!

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Everyone that comes to the Pantry gets a bag of canned goods!

What a special group of people that we are blessed to call friends!

Before we left for lunch Ken took some photos of the church's volunteer bike shop.  They give bikes for free to people who qualify, send some to Haiti every year, and also sell some at the church's Thrift Shop with the money going back to the bike shop for parts, etc.  What they do there each week is amazing!

Ken and I were back to the CG by 2:45 and Ken was exhausted from all the work he had done yesterday and today.  He read and then rest.  The RV repairman was supposed to come around 3 to reinstall our windshield blind and sun shade, but he had another job that had to be finished today and rescheduled his time with us until Monday.

I did some reading and playing on my tablet and then spent about 45 minutes at Ernie and Noela's to chat and talk about our plans for tomorrow.  I came back to Wilbur and  Ken was reading outside.  Soon Ernie and Noela rode by on their bikes and stopped in to visit.  We decided not to get together tonight and rest up for bike riding tomorrow on Pine Island.

After watching the Evening News, Ken went to Publix to get some ice cream - some for tonight and when Burpent too much of the evening playing on my tablet.  I was too lazy to get out any of my craft projects and work on them because it was 7:30 and I didn't think I had enough time to accomplish enough before I would have to put everything back.  Needless to say, I wasted 1 1/2 hours!  

I was in bed by 8:45 to read and Ken joined me around 9:30.