A beautiful Monday.....

January 20th, 2014

A beautiful Monday morning it is here in Florida. The sun is shining; the breeze is light and the temperature a perfect 22 C.  Our walk along Seaway drive this morning to buy a few things at the Seaway market was exactly the right conditions, not too hot, not too cool, but just right. The sidewalk was busy with all kinds of people walking, from the power walkers who mean business, to the leisurely strollers just getting a bit of exercise.  Of course there are the joggers who seem far too sweaty for me!  Everywhere seems much busier now that all the snowbirds have arrived on mass, much to the delight of the restaurant and store owners. This is there busy time when they make their money; oh how they love the snowbirds!

As usual I was tempted away from my blog writing by the call of the sun and the lure of the pool. What a lovely afternoon sitting in the sun chatting about life, planning social outings and discussing whether or not we should start yoga.   The jury is still out on the yoga although the new wellness center here offers some great programs.

Today is Martin Luther King Day here in the USA which means parades and marches to celebrate his life. The flag is at half-mast and although it is not a day off for everyone there is no school.  They also mark this day as a day of service. People gather, black and white, and do a service of good works for someone in need. The news showed different groups of people helping the elderly with fences, yards, painting, and other projects they can no longer manage.  Families hit by the recent flooding and fires were helped with clean up and I am sure there were many other good works going on even though it was not reported on the news. It is a nice concept to make the day meaningful.

Our book this week at book club was To Kill a Mockingbird. A very fitting book since our meeting was on MLK Day.  I had not read that book since I was about 12 and I had forgotten what a great story it is. I can see why it was named the book of the century.  I certainly gained much more reading the book now than I did when I had to read it in school.  Our discussion at book club was interesting since a few of the members lived in the deep south growing up and experienced many of the prejudices of the times and the integration of the blacks into the schools.   Growing up in a small prairie town in the middle of Canada with limited TV did not give me much exposure to the black culture and the plight of the people during my early school years. Our world was very small back then by today standards and it was not until I was a teen was their more exposure to the larger and often harsh world. It is interesting to note that although our early introduction to the black culture was so different all book club members seem to be at the same place now with a more open mind and limited prejudices.  We agreed that education and religious backgrounds had a big part in how we view the world today. It was an interesting evening with lots of discussion and everyone agreed the book was a great read. I think I will down load the movie and watch it again….nothing like a good old Gregory Peck movie.

On a different note, Brenda and Tom have arrived and are now settled into their condo at Ocean village about 2 miles down the ocean road. I have set them up with internet, email and Skype so those of you that want to connect with them can go ahead. Tom also has Face Time and imessage for you Apple users.  We have been out with them a couple of times and look forward to more fun ahead.

Better go catch some ZZZZ’s and finish this in the morning.

Pink…..the water this morning looks pink. The sun is rising in the east turning the sky filled small puffy clouds pink and they in turn are reflected in the mirrored water giving the illusion of pink water. Very cool!! Hmmm….should of taken a picture. There are just little snippets of beauty everywhere and sometimes you are lucky enough to catch the really rare ones.

It is shaping up to be a nice day so after my walk it will be pool time again. There has been no aquasizes the past week as the mornings have been to cool. Hopefully, these cooler nights will pass on and we can have back our 20 degree C. mornings.  (I am not complaining though as it beats Manitoba weather.) In the mean time I walk in the morning. I am sure missing my morning time in the pool though and my morning pool pals. Boy, I never thought that I would be the one saying I was missing the exercise. Perhaps I had better consider those yoga classes after all.

Roger is off to paint with his paint club this morning at the Fort Pierce State Park. He is really enjoying the club and it has given him a whole new perspective to painting what you see.  Tonight is jewelry making and tomorrow is Y Not Wednesdays at the clubhouse.  No wonder the weeks fly by here with all the activities to take part in. I did put my foot down at bowling league though, I am not a bowler and neither is Roger. Unfortunately they do not do bumper bowling for adults so I guess we are out. lol. He is getting better at bocce though so he can stick with that for now.

Well best get a move on here and head out for my walk before it heats up to much outside.  Take care all and talk to you soon.

Carol

Back in Fllorida...

January, 10th, 2014

Well hello to everyone. It certainly has been awhile since my last blog, but fear not I will catch you up on our comings and goings.  We made it home for Christmas and froze our buns off with the lower than normal temperatures in Manitoba. I think it was about day 10 before I started to warm up. It was a whirl wind visit to Brandon as we tried to fit everything in, the visiting, having drinks and dinners and finishing our last minute shopping.  We had a Christmas dinner out with Jenn and Cory before heading to Portage to see Roger’s Mom and then on to Stonewall to finish up our stay with Angela, Michael and the grandkids.  .  We were able to visit with my mom sisters, brother and in laws, outlaws, nieces, nephews and the like in a matter of a few days. As cold as it was we managed to get out and about. It goes without saying that the grandkids are wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. I could fill this page with how smart and bright and engaging they are but then you would just see me as some crazy Grandmas! lol We had a great Christmas, but were glad to leave the cold behind and head back to the warmth of sunny Florida.  We were safely  back on December 30th, just in time for the new year.  
 

 

New Year’s was a blast here at the club house with a live band, dancing and free champagne.  There was lots of lively chatter as well with many a laugh to go around.  The night ended in the wee hours of the morning and the next day we were a bit on the slow side. It was a very quiet New Year’s Day.

The weather has been pretty good here although we too have had some cooler than normal temperatures for this time of year.  The forecast ahead looks good though so soon we should be back to our warm and sunny skies.  Yesterday we had horrendous rainfall, about 8 inches. There was flooding everywhere with road closures and flash flooding. I could not believe how much rain came down and so fast.  Roger went to the drugstore before the rain started and then barely made it back to the condo. Water was rising fast on the mainland and cars were stalling in the streets.  Crazy weather everywhere!

We took a drive to Daytona to have a visit with Colin and Heather and see their lovely large condo on the ocean. What a beautiful view looking out over the water and the sound of the ocean is mesmerizing   as the waves roll up on shore.  The birds scattered about dodging the waves and searching for something to eat. How funny the little birds are scurrying about hopping and flitting like they were walking on hot coals.  You could be entertained for hours just watching the world go by off their 10^th floor balcony. Lovely!!  We spent the afternoon at the Ponce de Leon Light house and museum area.  Very interesting and we were able to get some good pictures. Our visit was topped off with  a delicious meal at a restaurant on the water (with leftovers for the next day). Hope to see you again soon Colin and Heather.

Unfortunately, I have come down with bronchitis so have started the antibiotic and inhaler regime as prescribed to me after a visit to the intermediate care clinic. The doctor was very pleasant and after the usual questions and exam I was off with my prescriptions. Thank heavens for travel health insurance! I will take it easy for a few days and then hopefully get back into the routine at the pool.

Many of our friends have arrived for the winter and it is great to catch up with everyone.  Book club has started, beading resumes this week, and the social activities and events are being planned. It is shaping up to be a busy but fun time.  I will keep you posted!!!

Carol

Merry Christmas.....

December 20^th, 2013

Hello and Merry Christmas. As most of you know we are back in Manitoba for the Christmas season. Roger calls it our “12 days of Crispness.” What a shock to hit the -37 C temps when we exited the airport. I was like an ice cube for 2 days, but I have finally warmed up and seem to be acclimatizing nicely… well as much as one can any way under these harsh winter conditions. 

The past couple of weeks before arriving home were filled with the usual holiday parties and events, including the boat parade, tree lighting, and a drive through the Golden Pond Retirement Park that had an open house for people to drive through to see the elaborately decorated community of lights. It took just over an hour to drive through and was really very well done.  The residents partied in the cul de sacs while others played music, directed traffic and handed our candy.  It is a different feel to the holiday season in Florida with decorated palm trees, glowing flashing pelicans and decorated boats.  In the boat parade Santa’s sleigh was pulled with sea horses….very cute but kind of strange. We hated to leave the warmth and sunshine behind but it has been wonderful to connect with family and friends here in Manitoba.

We head back to Florida on December 30^th for the remainder of the winter and will be back in time for the arrival of our new grandchild in early April.

Roger and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy  2014.

palm tree at the entrance to our condo complex

 

boat parade

Thanksgiving over....and on to Christmas...

December 3rd, 2013

Hello everyone,

Another week has slipped by with a mix of weather and the big American Thanksgiving.  There has been a fair amount of wind and rain with sun off and on as is typical we are told, for Florida November weather.  I manage to get to the pool everyday so by Canadian standards the weather is not too bad. It is usually myself and a few other hardy Northerners as we are called that are in the pool.

Thanksgiving is over but the shopping hype continues. Every day there are countless ads and emails about Black Friday sales Black Weekend sales and the approaching Cyber Monday.  We have not ventured into the swarms of eager shoppers, but have driven by the parking lots to see them full to capacity. This is especially true for Walmart and Target.  On Thursday, which was the real Thanksgiving here we went with a group of people to a great restaurant on the water called manatee Island. The food was fabulous and the view could not have been better.  Watching the water birds, the sail boats and other water craft cruise by was a nice touch to the day. There was the traditional thanksgiving food like turkey , ham, stuffing, regular and  sweet potatoes, but it was so nice to have the mahi mahi , shrimp, and smoked salmon.  The desserts were countless and Roger said the pecan pie was delicious but I opted for the warmed Bree cheese with fresh strawberry glaze coupled with fresh oatmeal raisin cookie; a good choice as it was to die for.  Our reservations were for three in the afternoon so we had time to walk off some of our meal before we headed to friends later for coffee and “holiday custard pie”.   Now we are on toothpicks and water for the weekend. Lol

We tried a lovely new wine this week called Gnarly Head which is an old vine zin. A beautiful medium bodied red wine that is very smooth and is great wine to sip and savour.   It is made in California and has won several awards. I hope we are able to get it in Canada when we get back otherwise we will just have to drink our fill while we are here.  Last week we tried Malee Point Shiraz which was also very good. I am not sure what next week’s pick will be, perhaps a new white wine is in order.

We look forward to the arrival of more of our friends now that Thanksgiving is over.  People seem to arrive in waves, the pre-Halloween, the post-Thanksgiving and then the post-Christmas crowd.  As some people arrive others go back up north for the holidays only too eager to return to the sun once the holidays are over.  We are excited to go home for Christmas and see everyone, but I know that we too will look forward to returning to the warmth and sunshine down here.

Last night we were out for dinner with friends as Carrabas, an Italian restaurant, which was extremely good. They call it “amore night” with great specials.   A four coarse meal for  12 or 15 dollars a person  depending on what you order along with dipping bread and half price drinks.  A pretty cheap evening out for dinner and lots of fun.

 The week ahead promises blue skies and sunshine with low wind, perfect for lounging at the pool.  The weekend holds the Santa Claus parade, the tree lighting on the harbour and our community Christmas party at the clubhouse.  Before you know it we will be on the plane home for the holidays.

Have a great week everyone!

Carol

Late Posting......

November 22, 2013

I am a bit late posting this week as our social calendar has been full and we always seem to be on the go somewhere. I suppose it is a good that we are busy and keeping active with the days just flying by one after the other.  There is no time for boredom and we are sure sleeping well.  I continue to get up every day for aqua sizes that start at 8 am so the day begins bright and early with barely time for coffee before heading to the pool. I have not yet convinced Roger to come but the number of water fitness beauties are growing every day.  Roger’s early morning is his painting morning with his art group as he heads out before 9 am.  It’s early to bed and early to rise here these days although I still have to get down to the jetty to see the sunrise.  We have seen lots of sunsets but sunrises are still on the list of to-dos. 

We have enjoyed some evenings down at the water, especially the jetty where the new park and walkways are so lovely. There are people of all races and all ages walking along, fishing, or just sitting watching the water and boats.  On Sunday there were families with their picnics enjoying the beautiful evening, elderly couples holding hands on the benches and there was even a wedding on the dunes overlooking the ocean.  After 2 years of construction down seaway drive the benefits are paying off creating a small piece of paradise on this lovely little island.

We have had a fair number of days lately with cloud and a bit of rain mixed in although I am always able to get pool time every day.  Apparently it is typical weather for this time of year and since the temperature is still warm, 24-28 degrees C. we do not complain. With the mix of sun and cloud it gives nice variety to the day.  Yesterday we had whapping storm in the afternoon with 4 ½ inches in an hour. It was torrential rain that filled roads and canals and although it eased off a fraction the rain continued to pound down for several hours.  No leisurely evening walk on the jetty last night that for sure.

This week was Y Not Wednesday at the club house where we have potluck appetizers and drinks, socialize and get a good dose of laughter in.  Last year it was Thirsty Thursday, but the date had to change to Wednesdays because bowling league is Thursday now and interfered with people attending.   I have had several offers to join the bowling league, but I think I will pass and opt for the occasional game of Bocce instead. Bocce is very big as there are many Italians that live here.  This means there is never a shortage of baked Ziti, lasagna, Italian sausage and peppers or lemoncello . It is a real Italian smorgasbord at the potlucks.  Yum! Yum!

It is hard to believe another weekend is here. We plan a quiet weekend, but who knows what might come along. We will go to the fresh market tomorrow and perhaps the fish market as well. I have a craving got snapper. I love the fresh snapper down here as it is so mild and flakey, although most people here are grouper fans. I find grouper a bit fishy, but it is still good and most popular at restaurants.  (Of course Norma, we will not ask for the sweet almond sauce. lol)

I have been slowly getting used to my new camera but have not quite mastered it yet. I like it though and hope in time I will get more proficient with using it. . The SLR is a great but a steep learning curve for me.  

It is American Thanksgiving on Thursday and we are off to dinner with friends to Manitee Island Thanksgiving dinner.  We are not sure what to expect but agreed to go along with whatever they planned, so 3 pm dinner it is. I do know we are overlooking the water so the view alone should be good. Once Thanksgiving is over I imagine the push to Christmas will be crazy. Black Friday is fast approaching and the ads and flyers are filling the papers. It is strange to see the decorated palm trees and the non-traditional Christmas colors like turquoise and lime green decorations on the light posts and buildings. They have red and blue as well as another Christmas combination.  I am anxious to see what they  have in their Santa Claus Parade in  couple of weeks. I will be sure to take some pictures to post.

Hope all is well back in Manitoba. Take care everyone and keep in touch.

 

Carol

birds of  feather.....

 

                      

 

 

 

 

Out and About.....

November 10^th, 2013

A quiet week here as we enjoyed the warmth and kept ourselves active.  The weather was warm bout 26-29 degrees most days, but bit cloudy this week with occasional spurts of rain.  Most rain was at night so it did not interfere with being out and about. Between crafting, painting, reading, walking, biking, fishing, photography and pool time we managed to fill out our week.  Oh, and I can’t forget happy hour with friends to round off the day. Yes, life is good here although we certainly miss everyone at home. 

Yesterday we went to the navy seal museum for their fall muster which included a great demonstration of what the navy seals do. Service dog demonstrations, sniper shooting, helicopter recognisance, takedowns, and Para trooping.   The Afghanistan re-enactment with demo ammunition and explosives was so real. The noise of the guns, smoke and bang of the explosives created quite an unsettled feeling.   The whirl of the helicopter set down in front of us and men with their camouflage uniforms, helmets and guns hung out pointing their weapons at the targets. A thick green smoke screen made cover for them to rescue marines from danger and apprehend the enemy.  It was all very tense and realistic as they made calls over the radio. The helicopters pulled away and a military plane flew over with the paratroopers. They dropped from the cloudy sky with wide white billowy parachutes, landing exactly on their target.  The crowds cheered and the music blared and over the loud speaker you could hear the “hooyaa” ! It was all very American and very rah rah rah, but still a spectacular show.  As we approach Remembrance Day tomorrow (or Veterans Day as they call it here) it was a reminder of how many sacrifices are still being made by those who serve and their families.

Now that Halloween is over and American Thanksgiving fast approaching the sale flyers are pouring in. Every store is on the hunt for the shopper who wants to part with their money. Coupons and supersales seem to be the norm here and one does not venture out without checking their coupons, either from the internet or the paper. Smart phones have apps for coupons and are seen being used at the checkouts. If it is not on sale or you do not have a coupon then you don’t buy it. The other day while shopping at the craft store people in the lineup were trading coupons before they reached the till. Luckily, Roger had printed off extra coupons so I was able to contribute to the coupon swap and shop. Black Friday notices are starting and we must not forget Cyber Monday which seems to be very popular.  I think I will leave black Friday to the brave souls who want to risk the mobs just to get a good deal.  There are certainly signs of Christmas in the stores as decorations, trees, and Christmas home décor fill the shelves and isles. Macy’s had beautiful trees all decorated in different themes.  It is quite different to see nautical themes, ocean themes, beach themed, even a peacock tree along with the more traditional. Santa’s big red mailbox sits at the entrance to the store beside a desk with Christmas paper and pens for children to write letters to Santa and then mail them.  It was very cute to see kids of all ages writing their precious letters and dropping them into the box.  Christmas music is blaring from all the store speakers and I am already tired of “walking in a winter wonder land”.  It definitely is a popular song and I figure it’s because they don’t get snow or cold here. Kind of a fantasy…lol

Not much else is new with us. We hope all is well with everyone at home. Take care all.

Carol

Roger fishing at sunset...

 

My eye is on you!

 
                             

The end of week one....

November 2, 2013

Here we are at the end of week one, starting to tan up and finishing our settling in. Life here is much quieter than in the winter months as many of the snow birds have not yet arrived. According to the locals it is right after American thanksgiving that the snowbirds flock into the area.  We are enjoying the quiet and peacefulness as most days there are only 6-8 people at the pool.  The stores and restaurants are not busy and traffic is at a minimum.

The seaway drive to the jetty is finished, after 2 years of construction, and it is a beautiful drive.  Palm trees line the road and new sidewalks are in place. The jetty park is complete with lots of seats for viewing , resting and fishing. . The traffic circle keeps traffic moving and it is easy access to the ocean by the jetty and around the corner and down A1A,(ocean drive).  It will be quick to get to Brenda and Toms place this winter. No more detours…..yipee!

Roger has purchased a new sea fishing rod and fishing licence. It took a bit to get his licence as he had to register with homeland security because we live outside the US. I am all for security, but really for a fishing licence. I guess he passed inspection because they eventually issued him a licence and told him he is now officially registered and he should have not more problem getting licence’s etc.  Whatever that means? He is out back on the harbour wall fishing with the guys tonight, enjoying the setting sun and hoping to catch the big one! 

It is beautiful sunset tonight with an orange sky with streaks of deep yellow and a few thin white clouds stretched across the horizon. So beautiful.  The sunrise still eludes me as getting up that early is not on the agenda yet, at least for me.

Roger has set up his painting equipment and has joined a painting group that meets in different parks and beaches throughout the area to paint. He has only been once but seemed to really enjoy it and plans to keep going.  It is different type of painting than he is used to but he seems to enjoy it so that is the main thing.

I set up a space for my jewelry making yesterday and plan to get started in the next day or so.  I look forward to the start of weekly bead nights  with the jewelry making group we have here. As we expand our creative minds there is lots of fun and laughter over, the “oops”, the” uglies”, and the “oh that’s beautiful “creations.  Of course, a glass of homemade Lemoncello always tops off the evening.

All in all, it has been a good first week. The weather has been fantastic, the days at the pool perfect and it has been great catching up with our friends.  

Take care all and have a wonderful week!

Carol

 

fishing for their supper.......

morning stroll on the sea wall....