Winter is settling in and we are doing what we can to survive the “Dark Ages” of January to March. While the adventures are still happening, the colder and shorter days are slowing some of the activities down.
We have taken a multi-pronged approach to keeping active…
Shoveling snow…making ice candles…  |  |
Having a party to watch the Patriots beat up on the Jets…no wait…that was how it was suppose to turn out. Fortunately (at least from my point of view) the Steelers vindicated the loss…of course I will now be cheering on the Packers…At least this gave us an opportunity to make some three-day chili, have people bring over cornbread and salad, and spend an evening with friends.
The hot tub continues to be an oasis in the middle of cold days and nights. It may be cold getting out to it, but once you are in it becomes easy to enjoy and the warmth stays with you all the way back across the deck into the house.
While the hot tub is nice, we also figured that a trip to Florida would get us past some of the snow. So off to visit Dad for a long weekend. Of course, with the snow storms moving up the east coast, we woke up on the Thursday morning we were set to leave and found out that our flight was cancelled. Fortunately, the airline automatically rebooked us to a later flight in the day, so it actually gave us some time to get the current storm results off the walkways and cars.  The snow was actually beautiful (other than the shoveling part) and made the house look nice in the winter light. |   |
With the delays and changing flights our trip took us from Providence to Chicago to Tampa. All in all we spent about nine hours in airports and planes...arriving in Florida just after midnight.
Our nephew Brian, who decided to continue living in Tampa after graduating from the University of Tampa earlier this year, picked us up and provided carrier-service to Zephyrhills where Dad winters. We had a great time visiting with Brian during the trip—we don’t think we have seen him since last May—and he stopped in for a few minutes to say hi to Grampy as well. Since it was so late he decided to head right back to his place in Tampa, but it was great to spend some time with him.
Coming in so late—earlier that morning—Friday started out as a slow day. Dad’s dialysis appointment got moved up a little bit so after we dropped him off Cheri and I decided to do some shopping and a few errands. I took the opportunity to get Dad a wireless router and set it up at his place. Now he can bring his laptop out on the porch…over to the couch…into his bedroom.
My sister Deb came over from Lakeland, where she now lives full time, to spend part of the afternoon with us. She brought along a new chaise lounge for Dad that he wanted but hadn’t been able to find in stock at the local Home Depot. So while Dad was finishing up dialysis I put the chaise lounge together as well.
Out on Dad’s refinished porch he now has the chaise lounge and he is displaying his ability to keep some plants in bloom and flourishing out there as well.  |  |
Saturday morning we awoke to the sound of the Valleydale Park annual Yard Sale. We were at Dad’s last year for this event as well and it is quite an undertaking for the Park. Residents start setting up tables on their lots the night before and by 7 am the early-bird lookers are already making their way through the Park. It is almost non-stop cars until just after 10 am with people looking for just the thing they didn’t know they really needed.
Dad took advantage of the event and put a couple of items on two of his friends tables—Ruthann & Harvey’s and Bill & Georgianna’s—both of which sold. As a last minute thought he put the old chaise lounge frame out on the curb…mostly for trash pickup, but when someone asked I told them Dad wanted $2 for it…he offered $1 and I took it for Dad…gone and with more money in his pocket then when he started.
Cheri did take advantage of the nice weather and went to the outdoor track by a nearby hospital (I wonder if this is a Florida thing…put the ICU near the exercise area…hmmm). She was able to get in a three mile run, so at least one of us got some exercise over the weekend.
After she got back (and showered) we packed up Dad’s car and headed out for Melbourne on the east coast. Dan and Paula Chang now live in Melbourne Beach and we had arranged to head over and spend the night with them.
Dan and Paula have a beautiful house right on the Intercoastal Waterway and we arrived just in time to have cocktails and appetizers on the back patio overlooking the waterway.
| We were also able to enjoy the sun setting over the Waterway. Dan and Paula say they often see and hear dolphins and manatees just off their quay, but we were not fortunate enough to glimpse any. However, there were large numbers of pelicans and seagulls perching on the roofs of the dock structures next door (a special thanks to Danny for providing these pictures). |  |
The Changs fed us extremely well…all washed down with some good wine…and then we watched a little bit of a movie, visited some more, and then all headed off to the guest rooms.
 | Sunday morning Dan and Paula combined to give us a big breakfast and we spent more time just visiting. It was very relaxing and too soon we needed to load up Dad’s car and head back to the Tampa airport. Before we headed out we did get a photo of Cheri and Paula together. |
We made the trek back across the State and arrived just as we had planned 90 minutes before flight time. It was hugs and goodbyes on the curb with Dad and then our return travels from the sun and 70 degree weather to another planned snowfall in the coming week…it is after all winter in New England…and we are looking forward to it.
The Adventures continue…
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