Packing up and heading out........

But not to the mountains..... I just like looking at some of the views from last summer's long trip and looking forward to getting away again. We've been wanting to get out on the road but preferred to stay within a few hours of home.... But, since the entire retired population is in Florida in the winter, all of the campgrounds and State parks were full. As of yesterday, the bird migration was in full force and you could hear the collective sigh from the full-time residents around the state. We happened to be on the roads yesterday and I- 75 northbound was bumper to bumper with spring breakers going home, snow birds heading north and more RV's than I could ever count returning home. It was quite an amazing site. Around here, Jan-Mar is a popular rental season and yesterday we were finally able to pick up open tee times and get a reservation at a state park.

We're heading over to the coast for a few days of beaches and kayaking and birding and some exploring. Pictures at 10...............

A day on the golf course....

We fought the gale-force winds and played 18 holes yesterday......having finished a pretty good front 9, we battled the back 9 and the wind was fierce....so much so that it whipped the score card off our cart and sent it sailing to far off places. It was impossible to reconstruct our scores so I'm assuming we broke 80 !!!! Anyway, the coolers popped open about the same time and we played the last couple of holes feeling better.

This course is one of the original and it is quite lovely with some large homes and mature trees. We are all responsible for our own lawn care and landscaping and mostly it is pretty nondescript and appropriate. And then we came to this..............

No accounting for some people's taste or sense of humor..........it was rather creepy, especially in the land of the old and decrepit....

Family Fun

Company came and went and look what they left ! Love tulips and these are just perfect..... My sister, Maureen and her grandson Josh, flew all the way from California to enjoy the sunshine, Florida style. First stop was a trip to see Winter from the movie Dolphin Tail..... the aquarium was busy but Winter cooperated and thrilled the




crowds.

Josh became very adept at catching anoles that had taken up housekeeping in the lanai. He's better than a cat at keeping them in check.

Like all the kids who visit, he loved tooling around in the golf cart. Rules are very strict down here about not driving until age 14 but he 'practiced' around the block.

And of course, he swam and swam and swam.

I'm having problems with picture placement today....

Anyhow, we spent ALL day at Universal on Monday. Fortunately, it was warm and breezy and not too uncomfortable. We waited an hour for the Harry Potter ride. The castle and village are impressive. There are warnings about motion sickness on the ride and midway thru, I had to close my eyes to keep my breakfast in place. It is a fairly long ride and the wait was about an hour....it was very well done but once was enough.
Becca had a day off and joined us. She and Josh rode all of the roller coasters while we sat in the shade.
This is a quick view as they zipped by.
Maureen and Josh waiting in line for Harry Potter.
Becca, Josh and Maureen in Jurassic Park. Universal has 2 parks and they charge admission to both....it is very expensive for a one day pass to both and then we added the Express Pass for everyone so we could by-pass the long lines.....it works well but can't see how the average family can afford it. (they don't accept Express Pass at Harry Potter).

So, it was a great weekend....filled with good times and catching up.

The guest room is now empty and reservations are being accepted................

And, yes , I do have an opinion about the Manning /Tebow/ Bronco events ..... I think it was very risky and I think that Tebow should have stayed put and learned from 2 great mentors (Elway and Manning) and waited patiently because Peyton probably doesn't have a lot of time left......Then it really could have been Tebow Time.

Grandkids are the flowers of life...........

.............yep, I thought that one up.....sorry for the bad metaphor but I just love all of our Grand-Millers. And today is a very special young man's 9th Birthday. He is witty and very smart and tall and loves steak and his cats and his brother.....and Star Wars.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW PAUL.....

( I took a picture of his class picture, thus the glare on the photo....I haven't opened the box on Photoshop yet nor figured out how to scan ....)

And then there's the story of Alex. !! Our jock, , our golfer, our handsome hunk of a 17 year old....... just the nicest , sweetest, funniest kid ever.... and more broken bones over the years than anyone should experience.
Here he is at 6 with a perfect swing......he is a natural at golf and also an excellent lacrosse player. Unfortunately, his latest injury during that violent sport has put him on the sidelines once again. And since it's a broken right hand, it also eliminates golf for awhile. He started at an early age with both arms broken in rapid succession (fell off of top bunk and then injured on a trampoline)....the fractures continued including the bilateral stress fractures in both tibia a year or so ago from lacrosse.... and another broken arm from lacrosse within the last year or two..... there were injuries from snow boarding and football also. I can't remember them all but suffice to say, he is familiar with the ER. I'm hoping that this talent for all sports will now focus on golf where the injuries are not life-threatening.

Yesterday, on a beautiful perfect day, I had lunch with 4 Connecticut visitors.....and I took NOT ONE picture....not of them, nor the food, nor the conversation. It was so great to welcome Claire, Mickie, Sheila and especially, my friend Norma from Ct. They are spending a month in Sarasota and touring the state visiting friends. I fixed a delicious (if I do say so) asian inspired bok choy chicken salad ( special thanks to Rian) with egg rolls, fruit and the best Key Lime pie ever from Publix.....(they even have a commercial showing the making of it). It was a delightful day and I'm so happy we were able to meet up.

Later, my favorite Miller and I filled our RED SOLO CUPS and headed to the Square to take in the music and the evening. The sky was stunning and I thought I'd share it with you since you didn't come along on our ride. (iPhone camera)

March 13, 1970

It was Friday the 13th when we welcomed our 3rd son. Despite the fact that we couldn't name him Elizabeth, he became a wonderful son and we are so proud of all he's accomplished in his 42 years and the fine man and father that he has become. And, yes, that is a black eye on that child......he had two black eyes, an egg on his forehead and a scraped nose from tripping on a sidewalk a week earlier....now days, they would have arrested us for child abuse.

To celebrate this event a few days early, we played golf on Sunday....it was another overcast grey morning and we mostly had the course to ourselves.

The only company watching our brilliant shots was this rather beige seagull .... and he was unimpressed I think.

Exercising the brain....

To all of the accomplished photographers out there........ don't cringe....I'm learning.

Since I bought the new camera several months ago, I have been slightly intimidated by it and have floundered a bit. I have read and studied and asked questions. I just finished a very basic 5 hour class at our Lifelong Learning Center.....(they offer over 1000 classes, tours, speakers for 'personal enrichment' at a nominal cost).
Anyway, I'm getting smarter and I'm taking more pictures and I'm viewing the world a bit differently.


The above pics were all taken with different cameras. As I learn about one, I get better at the others. This picture of a mockingbird in a crepe myrtle tree looks rather grey but since the bird IS grey, beige and black, and it was a very overcast drizzly day on the golf course yesterday, I guess I captured the moment. I should have used video as he was serenading us.

I picked up a copy of Photoshop Elements but haven't opened the box yet. Not sure I want or need something that complex but iPhoto seems a bit lacking. I might try Picasa first.

PS: Thought I'd spice up the blog a bit with this new font....stay tuned, I may go NEON next. !!

Family time......

It was a great Girl's Weekend.!! Jenna and Lizzie flew in

to see the Fairygodmother-in-training and we packed a lot of walking and shopping and sightseeing into a few days. We went to St Augustine but by-passed the Fountain of Youth for the beach.

Do two pair of glasses on your head work better than one ! ?
Daytona Beach is unique in that you can drive on the sand. Rather convenient if you carry a lot of beach stuff but busy busy busy. I think I prefer the quieter beaches with softer sand where you have to schlepp your important stuff thru the dunes.

On the last day, we wandered about at Epcot. They are gearing up for the Flower Show
later in the week and the topiaries were in place.
And with lunch at Italy and a stop by China and Norway and Mexico, we made short work of the world.

Driving home, this skywriter summed up the weekend for me ....

Can we buy you a drink ?

Joining us at dinner last night was this fine fellow...........................
He seemed to enjoy our conversation but refused a drink, even one with an umbrella in it.

Red Solo Cup........

Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup (Lyrics)

Yes, I agree.....this is a real sign that I have way too much time on my hands...... but it's a catchy tone and I was humming along even on the golf course yesterday....seemed to help (2 pars and a birdie).... but listen just once and it will stick in your brain forever.

Show us your beads..........

I didn't know they meant "THOSE BEADS !" Mardi Gras is alive and well in TV. We went early and stayed late and Freida managed to capture the best place to people watch.......the feathers, the purple and green, the outrageousness, the great music from 3 different bands around the Square. The Preservation Band was straight out of New Orleans with their version of "When the Saints Go Marching..... Next year you really should plan to come down for it......next up is St Patrick's Day and it will be another wild and crazy night with the showing of the Shamrocks.........

The next morning it was up and out early for the much needed hair treatments and cut.....and then off to see the Fairy Godmother. She is looking great and seems to still enjoy the full days of dressing up those little princesses and then spending the off hours being a kid again in the Magic Kingdom. We shopped, we ate, we shopped some more.

Tonight is Italian Night ..... our monthly neighborhood gathering for the Inner Circle neighborhood. They knew of my cooking skills and asked me to bring iced tea !!

Almost March and the weather is changing.......it was a lovely winter and now the temperatures are rising and a bit of the humidity is in the air....it won't be in full mode til May so you still have time to show up for the nice days. The golf courses have lost their winter brown and are all green and lush. The alligator mating season will be happening soon and they will wander all over in their search for love.... especially on the courses.

We had heavy rain on our drive home .... a real Florida downpour with the lightening and thunder and blinding road condition. It's hanging around this morning but I'm hoping for a dry spell to get the walk in. Already 70 degrees at 6 am. !

I'm off to find my Italian clothes........