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.