Packing Up

A few days ago I was surprised to look into the back yard and to discover a flower blooming in my flower pot.  The pot holds the same freesia plant that sprouted wild in the back yard a couple of years ago.  I never water it; God does that.  I just leave it under the tree in the back yard.  Miraculously, it somehow survives, and this is the second year in a row that it has bloomed.  The picture I have is rather fuzzy, but it is proof that once again Florida produces some true survivors.

Once again, the hearty freesia blooms for a couple of days.

We are in the process of packing the house in preparation for traveling north in a few days.  Most of the food is gone, and what is left either will go to the neighbors or to the trash bin by tomorrow.  The weather outside is unseasonably hot and humid (as in late June), so we took a walk today in the air-conditioned mall just to stay cool while getting our exercise.

Rain is predicted for later today, so we took advantage of the dry weather to bring in and store the hammock and to move our bikes into the climate-controlled Florida room for the summer.

Yesterday Rick rearranged the shelving and other machines that we had in the garage so that the car can fit inside for the summer.  Being inside will protect it both from the summer sun and from the sometime violent storms that find their way across the Florida peninsula. We feel better having it inside where nothing and no one can damage it.  We'll pick up the rental car tomorrow and then plug the car in to the charger in the garage for the summer.

One of the things I wanted to complete before we left was the 1000 piece puzzle that Bonnie and I started last week.  I completed it before church this morning.  I promised Bonnie a picture of the completed puzzle, so here it is:

My big white desk works great as a place to complete
puzzles like this 1000 piece scene. See, Bonnie, I finished it!

This season did not go as we had planned.  The shower was a headache that should not have happened, and it cost us much more than we had anticipated.  We had a slightly unexpected trip to Wisconsin just after Stephanie's visit so we could help her while she recovered from her knee surgery.  Since she bought a new house, we will be home a bit earlier than originally planned; however, we really have completed what we set out to finish this year.

The new fence was a labor of love that was much easier than we had anticipated, thanks to the cement mixer.  We enjoy the privacy that we now have in the back yard.  The shower was a true hassle, but we learned what kind of labor will be needed to dismantle the main pink bathroom when we get around to that task. Limited funds will determine what jobs -- pavers, lanai slab, shed, remodeled bathroom -- we will be able to finish when we return in the fall.  Until then, we will enjoy our time with our family and friends in the north.

Bonnie's Visit

I have been too busy all week having fun with our guest to post anything on this blog.  Since Bonnie is now at the airport awaiting her flight home (for a few days before she take off again for Portugal!), I will use this opportunity to catch up.

On Saturday we spent almost the entire day at Fred Howard beach.  The crowds were not too bad, and the weather on the beach was gorgeous.  A cool ocean breeze kept everyone feeling fresh rather than boiling under the intense Florida sun.  The day was laid back and relaxed; I hope that Bonnie enjoyed being a beach bum with us.

Since Fred Howard beach is just off shore from Tarpon Springs (the beach is located on an island accessed by a causeway), when we were finished we took a stroll through Tarpon Springs.  Since the town is known for sponges, we had to go sponge shopping.  Bonnie bought a couple of "silk" sponges.  They are super-soft, small sponges that one uses to put on and to take off make-up.  They also are great when bathing babies.

We resisted the Greek bakeries (pats on the back) but were lured in by a candy store that advertised exquisite, "international" licorice.  Bonnie bought a little and shared the goodies with Rick.

Sunday dawned clear and sunny once again. We had talked to Bonnie about the numerous items in our house that we had purchased at The Container Store. Those items include everything from a toothbrush holder to a full bookshelf and computer desk component.  She said that she was in the market for a few things, so we spent Sunday going in to Tampa and visiting The Container Store.  For anyone who does not know of this marvelous place, just type the name into your search engine.  They will ship anywhere in the US.  We spent two hours at the store.  Bonnie left with a new piece of luggage by Baggallini and various other smaller items.  The store is opening a new brach in Milwaukee this fall and they also have one in Minneapolis, so I am sure that this is not the last time that Bonnie will venture into that store.

 Yesterday I awoke very tired even though I got a good night's sleep.  Bonnie and I decided to go shopping at some of the various consignment shops around town.  We had to wait until 10:00 a.m. since none of them opened before that time.  We found that the owners of consignment shops seem to have their own time schedule.  We went to one shop which was supposed to be open but was not.  Just as we were about to drive away, a car sped into the parking lot and a young woman got out.  She apologized for being late and explained that her washing machine blew a hose and flooded her whole garage.  For such a catastrophe, she was only 15 minutes late, so we went in to browse. Unfortunately for her, we did not find anything that we wanted to buy.

The next shop we stopped at also was closed, but we found some others that offered interesting shopping.  I bought nothing; however, Bonnie found a beautiful sheer flowered jacket that looked great on her and fit well.

When we got home, we dug out a jigsaw puzzle that occupied most of the rest of the evening.

Today we had a leisurely start to the day before we took Bonnie to one last experience: lunch at Steak & Shake complete with a chocolate shake.  Gourmet food Bonnie did NOT experience this week, so I hope that her stomach forgives us.

Note to Stephanie: Bonnie said that your glass bird dish worked well for holding her earrings and rings each evening.  The ibis bowl is a success!

Rain has been predicted for the last three days, but it has all fallen inland and thus missing us.  Today dawned cloudy with a suggestion of rain.  As we drove to the airport after lunch, about five drops hit our windshield.  As we were driving home from the airport after dropping Bonnie off, about 10 large drops hit the windshield.  Then it was clear, but as we drove down Main Street we saw puddles everywhere.  Certainly, while we were in Tampa, Gladys got a bath.

We had just finished putting our chairs and grocery holder back into the back of the car after we got home when the skies opened and the rain poured down.  We have had two brief, hard showers just to remind us that the rainy season is about to start in Florida.

This was a fairly laid-back vacation, filled with fun times and indulgent times of sitting in the yard and reading good books.  We hope that Bonnie had fun while she was here and that she will get home safely tonight.  

Seeing the Sights

My friend Bonnie arrived from Wisconsin yesterday after a long, slightly-delayed-due-to-weather flight.  She was only a half hour late which was remarkable considering that tornadoes and severe storms blew through upper Illinois and lower Michigan.  She left rain and cold to be greeted by sunshine and heat.

We had a delightful discussion to allow her to rest, and then traveled to Safety Harbor for dinner.  We took a short walk around the quaint village and then had a light dinner at Crispers.  After dinner, we walked down to the Marina and dock, stopping at the crane fountain on our way back to the car.

The Crane Fountain behind Bonnie in safety Harbor.

Today I had an early morning appointment, so Rick and I were out of the house by 6:45 while we let Bonnie sleep in.  We received a text from Lindsay this morning informing us that ice and snow north of Green Bay caused schools to close.  Stephanie also sent a message telling us that Rochester was experiencing snow, and my friend Rose Marie sent a snowy landscape from upper Michigan.  Do Rick and I miss the winter weather?  Not in the least.  Is Bonnie happy to be here right now?  I think so.

Bird of Paradise greet the morning sun.

I am always amazed that flowers can look
like crazy birds gone wild with a paint pot.

When we returned from my appointment, we drove to the Florida Botanical Gardens.  I had wanted to go there all winter and had not gotten there until today.  The early spring flowers were just starting to come out.  We spent about two and a half hours walking around enjoying the gardens and the views.

Early roses were just starting to bloom.
This one was white, pink, and red all
at the same time.

Iris blooms were gorgeous.

Subtle colors make this flower both
interesting and beautiful.

After lunch today we did a little shopping and then came back to Gladys for a rest.  The temperature right now is 79 muggy degrees, so we will stay inside for a bit but venture out this evening for an invigorating walk.

Mixed Up

For some strange reason, my earlier post on the TSA is now listed as more recent than my post on the bread.  I cannot seem to get them situated in the right order. Ah, well, if that is all that I have to worry about today, I am doing well!

Rick is on the phone busily researching central vacuum systems for Stephanie's new house.  This is a win-win situation.  He loves to research, and she does not have the time to do so right now as she handles her new job.  He will research this to the nth degree, and she will have the best vacuum system on the market for the money she wants to spend.

Once again, we are in the count-down mode. We are here for two more weeks, so we are starting to gather items to take North, to calculate what must be eaten in the refrigerator and the pantry, and to complete any last-minute jobs outside that need to be done before we leave.

My friend Bonnie is coming this week for a visit, so that will be a nice break from working around here.  We can spend some time seeing new things and just relaxing in our now private back yard.  I really dread going back north just because of the weather.  We are starting to get into the muggy weather here, so I hope the weather next week will be intolerably hot and sticky.  Then I will not feel so bad to go back to a Wisconsin and Minnesota spring.

I think that everything is ready for Bonnie's visit, so we are off now for the airport.  Today promises to be a good day.

TSA, Trees, and Trims

Rick checks the TSA web site each day, but neither of us has gained pre-TSA approval yet.  He seems to think that since he is a loyal, tax-paying, law-abiding citizen, that he should just automatically be given the pre-TSA approval.  I am sure that will happen, but as he gets older, my husband gets more impatient.  As far as I am concerned, I wonder if my trouble with the fingerprint machine will ever allow me the approval.  My only crime is having small hands that did not fit on the machine well and damaged fingerprints from 49 years of multiple blood tests each day.  Time will tell...

I wish that the approval would come through, though, since we have moved our travel plans up by a month.  We originally were going to travel north on May 19, but we are going back early to help Stephanie with her move.  She sold her house, so she now is trying to find temporary housing to move into while the contractor finishes her new house.  Moving is a royal pain to begin with, and having to do all of the packing and hauling alone makes the task that much greater.  We are happy to be able to help her with some of the packing, and as she sorts through her belongings, I will take some of them back to Wisconsin to sell in a rummage sale.  I have a basement full of items I want to get rid of, so adding hers to the pile will not be a big deal.  One step at a time, though.  She first needs to find a new place to live, and she needs help with the packing.  What and how she packs will depend on where she will live until August.

Yesterday we met with a local tree removal firm to get an estimate on removing our palm tree and bottle brush tree from the front yard. The Queen Palm is old, leaning toward the house, and not terribly healthy.  I would love to plant new palms, but they probably will be along the south fence once we have the shed built.  That could be a year or two down the road.  The bottle brush tree is dying.  The city arborist told us to "take it down and put it out of its misery."  I like a bottle brush tree, but that, too might be a future addition to the back yard.  Our plans are to plant two foxtail palms, some ti plants, and some other bushes in a grouping in the front yard.  Then, after we install a paver sidewalk, we can add some other low-growing bushes to replace the palm in front of the kitchen windows.  As the old saying goes, "It only takes money."  Oh, yeah.  That's what we are lacking!

The last couple of days have been fairly laid back.  We actually tried to go to the beach yesterday afternoon, but even the small, local beach at Fred Howard park was overrun with Spring Break people. We finally gave up, came home, and just relaxed in our backyard.  Now that we have the fence up, we have complete privacy even though the neighbors were working outside.

The neighbors are finally fixing up their house in preparation for a wedding reception they will hold in a couple more weeks.  The fascia boards on their house have been peeling for over a year, but they have both been too busy working to do much about them.  Now the wedding has given them motivation, and they not only are sanding and painting the fascia, they also are painting the house, weeding the flower gardens, and adding new mulch all of the way around.  Their repairs actually make our house look better.

In keeping a neighborly viewpoint, I used part of today to trim our one remaining bush that is located near the neighbor's property.  I could not trim the bush too much since it is just starting to bloom, but I was able to trim off the really obvious high points and to pull most of the weeds that try to grow through from underneath the bush.  It still is a little full for my tastes, but it is better than what was there before.

Since we had to change airline plans, Rick has been busy changing tickets, working with the post office to forward mail, and coordinating the six other things we must do to shut down the house in a few weeks.

This morning I changed one doctor's appointment from late May to next week.  I always try to get blood work draw the week before my appointment, so that meant at the last minute I had to go in for a blood test today.  I'll get a copy of the results so I can take them back to Wisconsin with me for my summer appointments there.

After that, we had an early lunch and then were off to get very badly-needed haircuts.  Now, at least, we will not frighten little children when we fly home on the plane!

The other triumph of today was taking a bike ride.  We went three times around the lake.  Rick measured the distance to see how far we could go if we rode down to the Trail.  Right now, I could ride from our house to the Trail and back again.  I need to keep riding each day to see if I can build up my muscles so I could actually ride ON the Trail once I got there!

The weather has been beautiful the last couple of days.  We try to walk at least once a day; that way we don't feel so guilty when we spend time in the hammock reading our books in the afternoon.  I am beginning to learn what relaxation is all about.  I rather like being retired!

Odds and Shapes

I should play the lottery because yesterday I certainly beat the odds.  After a day of cleaning the house in the morning and spending the afternoon being lazy at Fred Howard Park beach, Rick and I had dinner.  After dinner, Rick wanted an ice cream cone at Micky D's, and I wanted to take a walk.  I told him that we would let my blood sugar decide who got what he or she wanted.  If my blood sugar was 1 less than 125, we would have an ice cream cone.  If it was more than 125, we would walk.  I tested my blood and we both watched the meter record the results: 125!  I don't know what the odds of that happening really are, but I think I immediately should have gone out and bought a lottery ticket.

As it was, we went to McDonald's for a vanilla ice cream cone and then came home to walk off what we had just eaten.  Naturally, when I told Stephanie about all of this, she informed me that I had -- hm-m-m, what did she call that? -- something like an "undefined variable" which is why my math was, once again, flawed.  Sigh.  I guess it really does not matter since we both got what we wanted in the end.

Since we are out of remodeling money for the year, we have been working on trying to remember what we can do to relax.  After going at full throttle for the last 40 years, we both feel guilty if we don't do anything but sit around, read a book, take a nap in the hammock, or watch some TV.  I enjoy sewing, and Rick wants to get back into his Nantucket baskets, but we somehow feel that we should be doing something else.  I think our entire generation has forgotten how to relax!

I know that relaxing isn't the only thing I have forgotten.  A couple of bananas that we purchased a few days ago were too ripe to eat, so I decided to make some banana bread.  I dug out my recipe  for zucchini-banana bread, got all of the other ingredients at the store, and after an early afternoon appointment, I started to make the bread.

Pecans, bananas, zucchini, eggs, and all of the other goodies that go into the bread were soon mixed together.  The recipe told me to divide the batter into two pans.  Oh-oh.  I knew I had a glass bread pan, but I had forgotten that I threw out the other bread pan I had here in Florida because it had a "special" coating so nothing would stick.  Right.  Unfortunately, that special coating also made sure that everything cooked in the pan was raw in the middle and burned on the outside.  The last time I used the pan, I had had enough, so I threw it out.

So I was one pan short.  I knew I could call my sister-in-law and see if she had a pan I could borrow, but I figured they would be outside since they had two huge trees removed from their yard yesterday.  H-m-m.  Maybe I could call the neighbor down the street to see if she had a pan.  I could even give her a loaf back in the pan for letting me borrow it.  But I don't really know her that well, and I am not sure she would be thrilled to lend me a pan.

My loaves of bread look different but should taste the same.

The ingredients were too expensive to just toss, so I took a leap of faith and made the second "loaf" of bread in a round cake pan. The timing of the loaves was a little tricky because the round, flatter pan baked more quickly than the loaf pan, but in the end I have two loaves that at least look edible.  I hope that they taste good enough to serve to our guest, Bonnie, when she comes in tomorrow.