FL
Close shave
Last Saturday night Jett and I were playing cards (Hand, Knee and Foot, of course) with neighbors. Showers were expected, but it was a nice evening and so we were playing outdoors, on the picnic table, under the RV awning in case of rain. Just before 7pm we all received weather alerts on our cell … Continue reading
Hand, Knee and Foot
One of our favorite pastimes is playing cards and our current obsession is Hand, Knee and Foot. This is a variation on canasta which requires six decks and nimble hands capable of holding 20 cards or more. Like standard canasta, the hand initially consists of 15 cards and points are scored for canastas (7 of … Continue reading
Christmas lights, Florida style
Those one or two of you who have been reading this blog for over two years, you may remember that Jett and I celebrated our first Christmas in Florida by going on a boat tour of Christmas lights in Port Charlotte. Viewing lights on land from the water while dressed in shorts and T’s was … Continue reading
Spiny softshell turtle
We have grown accustomed to seeing gopher tortoises on our walks to/from the dog park here. There are at least two that frequently come out to bask in the sun and to dine on grass. But recently we encountered a spiny softshell turtle, a weird duck of a turtle with a pointed nose and a … Continue reading
Dizzy dog
Grace just turned 15. She has, until recently, not acted her age. On a recent trip to the dog park she was romping with a 2-year-old German Shepherd. But last Thursday she approached me at 7:40am, sitting on the sofa with my computer on my lap and gave me a get-me-up-there look. So I lifted her … Continue reading
The residency adventure
I think I mentioned that Jett and I are becoming Florida residents. We have both been residents of MA for a LONG time – 48 years for me and Jett’s entire life. It is, like selling the house, another big life transition. We knew it would take some work – we need to establish a … Continue reading
STS Hop 12: Bushnell FL to North Fort Myers FL
167 miles, almost entirely on I-75. This would have been a simple, uneventful trip in sunny weather had it not been for the idiot young woman who cut us off north of Tampa and who damn near caused a catastrophic accident. I guess she was missing her exit, so, at 70 mph, she swerved in … Continue reading
Carnival Breeze – Days 7, 8 and 9 – At sea and in the Everglades
We like ports of call, too, and shore excursions, but one the the best things about cruising is sailing along on the sunny open ocean, with nothing to do. Having two long, lazy days at sea to end this cruise – with beautiful sunsets – was just fine with us. The final days of a … Continue reading
Carnival Breeze – Days 1, 2 and 3
Jett and I are midway through a 9-day (8 night) Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Breeze, one of Carnival Cruise Line’s biggest and best ships. Our itinerary includes stops in Grand Turk (Turks and Caicos Islands), La Romana (Dominican Republic), Curacao and Aruba. After the winter we have had, we felt the need to get … Continue reading
Cousins
Once again I am playing catchup on my blog postings. This one should have been posted before I left Fort Myers because it was that last weekend before leaving that I traveled up to the Tampa Bay area – specifically, to Valrico, FL – to see my cousin Wayne and his wife, Patty. As an … Continue reading