Quiet week

Its been a quiet week after Christmas and as we all settle down from the parties and festivities. We are now starting to think about New Years. Again this year, the party will be at our condo with us hosting about 26 people. The fun will start at 6 pm with a potluck and then carry on to bring in the new year!
Last night we had supper out at the new restaurant down at the inlet called Rhumcay. The fish was excellent and I do love my Mahi Mahi! Everyone said their food was delicious so we will certainly keep that  restaurant on our list. There is also live music every evening! Today is suppose to be 28 C so it will be a pool day for sure.
Here a few pics from the area.

the mansion that is decorated every year along the ocean drive

Saturday morning sunrise!

Pool visitors

a few more pics

Turtles catching a ride and a little sun!

turtles sunning around the pond

solstice fireworks

rocket launch

Christmas morning

Christmas afternoon

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! It is hard to believe that it is Christmas Eve already and tomorrow is Christmas Day.  The time here flies by so fast and with no snow it just does not seem like Christmas.
The December chill has been in the air this week but  did manage to sneak in a couple of pool days.

Tuesday, Roger went painting in the morning and then had bocce in the afternoon. We were out for dinner with friends to Taco  Tuesday at the 2nd street Bistro although we did not have tacos. Great evening  anyway!

Friday night was solstice and there was a spectacular fireworks display out over the  inlet waterway . We did not even have to leave the condo and had a perfect view.

It seems to be the week for eating out as Saturday we were out with our friends Karen and Terry to a new Mexican Restaurant that just opened. Fabulous authentic food at very reasonable prices. The evening was a late one with lots of talking and laughter.

Sunday, I did a bit of Christmas baking and cleaning as it was kind of cool out.  We were invited to dinner at our friends Nancy and Elvis's place and much to our surprise was a turkey dinner.  They served crab cake appetizers along with pickled herring in wine sauce. I was not sure about the  herring but it was very good. Roger liked it too and even had seconds. Nancy is Italian and she said they always have pickled herring at Christmas. After dessert and espresso coffee we settled into the Coquito which is a Puerto Rican Coconut  Rum drink . Oh boy, it is a finisher. I see why the serve it last! Nancy and Elvis are really warm and kind people and made us feel so very welcome in their home. We feel fortunate to have made such great friends here and to have had such a lovely meal and evening with them.

 I have managed to do a bit of Christmas baking but just some cookies. Shortbread, ginger cookies, and cranberry and white chocolate! Just enough for Christmas cheer!  Besides a cookie and a cup of tea go well with the Hallmark Christmas shows. No those movies are not over yet. Roger has been a good sport about it but we did break one night and watch Christmas in Connecticut, an old black and white Christmas favorite!

This afternoon will be spent at the pool chatting , swimming and tanning. Tonight's supper is at our condo with friends. Nothing speaks  Florida Christmas  like shrimp so that is on tonight's menu. Fresh jumbo shrimp with Cavetelli pasta in homemade vodka sauce and  a side of fresh asparagus. Simple and easy! After a day in the sunshine and water I am sure it will be any early Christmas eve.

Well I never got this posted on the 24th so now it is Christmas Day. Merry Christmas everyone!
We shared supper with Karen and Terry at our condo and laughed long into the evening. When we first started coming to Florida Karen said she could not cook nor did she like it . I have since encouraged her to step out of her box and try some new  recipes and and not worry if something did not turn out how she wanted. I must say she is getting to be a very good cook and helped in kitchen yesterday like a pro and  offered some of her own suggestions. She has even learned the art of substitution in a recipe and making it her own. Anyway our shrimp dish was delicious as was our dessert of turtle gelato and  cookies! Oh and we finished with a wee bit of Coquito from the bottle Nancy and Elvis sent home with us!

Christmas Day is another day to be spent at the pool followed by more festivities. We miss friends and family and think of everyone at home enjoying the holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

What ever the weather....

December is a month that can bring anything to Florida, storms, rain, wind and some cooler temperatures. Yes, there is some sun too, but this past week we have had a real variety of weather. Hot and humid ,cold and windy ,cloudy and rainy and a mix of sun and cloud.  Your mind plays a trick on you as you look outside and see cloud cover and wind and think, oh it must be chilly today. You step out the door and whoosh a blast of hot humid air hits you. Then other days , the sun is bright and you expect it to be hot but the wind is wickedly strong and cold. I guess it does not matter where you live,the weather seems to be a topic of conversation. |There is no complaint though as we still seem to find things to do, even if I am not basking in the sun at the pool!

Life this past  week was really laid back. A trip with friends to the movies to see A Star is Born and then supper out at Chili's. A shopping trip to BJ's, that is like Costco,and a few stops to check out the sales at Bealls and use out 30 percent off coupons. Roger finally has some new shirts and I have new slip on shoes! Reading poolside and catching up with old friends.

Roger and friend Terry were off to the Stuart Market on Saturday afternoon to check out the golf equipment and browse all the deals. Roger came back with a new golf glove and Terry a few new clubs. You never know what treasures you will find at the market.

Saturday night was games night at our condo with a group of friends.  Uno was the first pick to play and it was a rousing good time. This was followed up by Canadian Charades which left us in hysterics laughing. A great time enjoyed by all, playing the simplest of games, but really enjoying each others company.

Fortunately ,Sunday was bright and sunny and a pool day to be savored. A little swim and bake was just what was needed to round out the week. I have been carefully applying my 30 sunscreen but have started to turn my Florida brown already! Along with that  my Manitoba brown hair is turning it's Florida blond, even though I try and protect it from the sun. Tanned skin, blond hair, I must be turning into a Florida babe. Well not quite but the idea is appealing!!!

This week is the start of meditation classes. I hope we can all be quiet and calm enough to participate. I think Linda the leader has her work cut out to get this group in tune. I was reluctant to join in but was encouraged to give it a try. We will see how it goes.

I best get on with things today and perhaps do a bit of laundry and tackle the bathroom cleaning. Roger is already napping in the chair this morning before taking the car for an oil change and car wash. Once all the chores are done we will perhaps have some sun time at the pool!
Take care all!
Carol

Just a few pics......

Just a few pictures.......

Christmas Boat Parade

watching the sun come up

Dancing at the Christmas party!

Fun with Friends

Fresh picked Grapefruit....sweet and delicious!

Sunday morning in slow motion.....

Hello everyone, It is Sunday morning and we have been here a week tomorrow. For the most part we are settled in and already falling into routine around here.

Unfortunately, one of our friends passed away recently after struggling the last while with lung and heart issues. We attended his Celebration of Life memorial Friday afternoon saying goodbye to kind and funny man.  His wife Marcy is an accomplished artist and was very instrumental in getting Roger involved in the arts community and the plein air paint group.  We are glad we were able to go and show our support for her and the family.

Friday night we attended the Christmas party at the clubhouse with dinner and dancing. The food was fabulous, catered by a top notch local Italian restaurant. Everyone raved about the food.  The dance floor was full and we all danced to a variety of music.  The next day my body protested as I discovered muscles I had not used in a while.  Advil and Tylenol were a must!

No rest for the wicked as they say as we were up early to go to the Fort Pierce Saturday Market to get our pick of fresh vegetables and fruit.  There is nothing like fresh picked brussel sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and Florida onions and a few lemons, Clementines, and just picked Grapefruit.  We made a quick stop at the artisan bakery for fresh warm bread and a pastry, and then a bit of browsing before heading home for pastry and coffee.  All this completed before heading to the pool by 11:00 a.m. to soak up some sun.  Late in the afternoon a few clouds rolled in encouraging us to head home to think about supper.

 But wait, the day is not done…… it’s the boat parade at 6 pm. Our condo had the perfect vantage point to see the boats go up and down the intercoastal waterway so we just had to walk out our door on to the breezeway. Friends came over to watch and have a couple of drinks on what was a beautiful balmy evening. All the neighbours were out as well so it was a festive time chit chatting and watching the light decorated boats float by.  Needless to say at 9:40 we were heading to bed…..tired …..but a good tired!

This brings us back to Sunday morning, a day we will enjoy at the pool come afternoon.  A quite end to the week is needed as we rest up to begin another full week o fun and sun!

Have a good week  folks and take care.

Fun at the Christmas party

Carol

Getting settled....

A weak cool front has moved in the last couple of days which is very normal for December.  The sun is shining brightly but the wind is cold. The temperature is 14C this morning although it is suppose to get up to 20 C later today.  Not really pool weather today but that is fine since we have shopping to do anyway. Roger ventured out this morning with his painting group taking time to put on long pants which he never does down here!

   

Roger was busy golfing yesterday and I did some grocery shopping and picked up a few things at the dollar store.  Then it was off to the liquor store where I purchased a box of wine for those cocktail hours and a few bottles to have on hand for dinners and parties. We are all stocked up for awhile. After a light chicken supper I had to watch my Hallmark Movie of the day and then it was bed for us both. Its lights out early as I think all the fresh air makes for a good night’s sleep.

It is very quiet here as many of the snowbirds have not arrived yet.  It is lovely and peaceful and I have enjoyed watching the birds come and go from the pond. They each have their own feeding patterns and ways of catching their food. There are the high diving birds, the slow stalking birds, the casual feeders, diving ducks, and the tall egrets and herons that quickly snatch their food once they see it. This morning, a pair of small turtles are sitting on the low bank sunning themselves, necks stretch out long with their heads pointed toward the sky. I have not seen any baby turtles yet this year but I am sure they are around. The landscaping here has come back beautiful after being destroyed by the hurricane last year.It is amazing how nature can rejuvenate itself if given a chance.

Well I best get a few things done before Roger returns from painting. Hope all is well back home. Talk soon.

Carol

Monday arrival.....

Well,we finally arrived at the condo on Monday around noon.  We awoke Monday morning to the sounds of thunder and rain. At first I thought it was big trucks roaring by but soon discovered we were in the midst of a severe storm.  The power had gone out and the hotel was operating on auxiliary power which meant very dim lighting. Roger went to the lobby to see if he could find coffee and soon discovered there was a tornado warning and emergency alerts were going off all around. After about an hour we checked the radar and decided if we headed south we would drive out of the storm as it was a relatively narrow band of severe weather. In what appeared to be a small lull we loaded the car and took off down the interstate.  I must say I was not in favor of this idea but it proved to be correct and we soon drove out of the rain. The traffic cooperated and we breezed through Orlando and we were soon driving up to Harbour Ilse.  

The temperature was 30 C. with a light breeze, perfect pool weather.  We ditched the unpacking and headed on down to enjoy a swim and catch up with friends. It feels good to be back in the land of sun and palms.  Roger already has a game of golf lined up for Wednesday and there is a Christmas party on Friday.  Last night was cocktail hour with friends and tonight we are all heading out for supper.  We are easily slipping back in to the Florida life.

I will write in few days!  Take care all!

PS. I am sitting enjoying a cup of coffee this morning watching all the herons and ibis , and egrets!  Blessed for sure!

Day 3 on the road.....

This mornings sunshine was a welcome reprieve from the gloomy cloudy skies of the past couple of days. A bright blue sky with nary a cloud in site, lightened the soul as the warm heat of the sun shone through the car’s windows. 

Traveling  on a Sunday has its advantages when driving through cities like Nashville and Atlanta. No rush hour traffic or commuters to be found. I would say it was the quickest we have ever moved through Nashville. Perhaps,everyone was sleeping in after a night out of living it up at a downtown honky- tonk. 

I always enjoy the trip through Tennessee  marvelling at the rock lined interstates with cascading waterfalls down the rock face , and the very steep inclines and declines that twist and turn through the tree covered hills. It is truly beautiful countryside. They call the hills around Chattanooga mountains ,which they are I guess, but not like the Canadian Rockies. These are tall but mostly tree covered taking on a hazy blue hue in the distance. The scenery was perfect for our long Sunday drive.  

The traffic from Chattanooga past Atlanta was heavier although I know it can be worse on a weekday (been there done that). Traffic also slowed at times which caused a wee bit of frustration lending to those words...”how much further”.....! 

Today we learned that there were 22 tornados that went through central Illinois yesterday. We heard about one while gassing up at some small,town yesterday. That had gone through about an hour ahead of where we were. Apparently, there were more not far from where we traveled but luckily we saw nothing!

Tonight we settle in Lake City, Florida. Tomorrow we will reach the condo after our long few days on the road.  I hear the pool calling my name......

Talk soon.

 A rest stop in Tennessee 

Day 2 on the road...

There is not too much to report today. We were up early with a quick breakfast and on the road at 6:45.  Yawn. Yawn. It was a sleety rain this morning with temperatures around 0 C. It continued to rain throughout the morning, sometimes heavy and other times a light mist. Those big semi trucks put out quite a spray when you are behind  them which gives our windshield wipers a good workout. The afternoon brought little sun but something just as good.....warmer temperatures.
We stopped this morning in Wisconsin Dells for our annual cheese buying expedition. My heart almost failed when they said they had no rosemary cheese, but alas they found some in the back cooler. I know it sounds weird but it’s really good. I also bought pesto cheese and an award winning Gouda. Roger picked his chocolate cheese and a smoked cheddar.  All set now for the holiday season.

Tonight when we stopped at a BestWestern in Paducah KY it was a balmy 19C. Whoohoo!  
It was recommended that we try the Mexican restaurant down the road from our hotel. The parking lot was full , (a good  sign), and the food was fabulous. A really authentic locally owned place.  The best kind.  Now, I get to relax and watch the Halmark channel with all the sappy Christmas movies. It makes me absolutely giddy! Roger is on his iPad trying to avoid the whole TV experience.  He just doesn’t know what he is missing! Lol

Talk soon.
Carol