My Birthday Gift

Yesterday the Highland Games were fun, but I paid for it last night with a glowing sunburn and realizing that I was tired.  A good night's sleep, however, was all that I needed.

Cool weather is still hanging around prompting long sleeves and sweaters in church this morning.  I hope that by this afternoon I will be able to sit outside and enjoy my book.  I say "book" although in reality, I am reading almost everything these days either on the computer or on my Kindle.

I discovered that my old Kindle, which I have had for many, many years, was finally starting to show signs of age.  On the flight back from Wisconsin, it shut down no less than six times.  I was able to reboot and reload it each time, but these shut-downs have been happening for months, so I am glad that Rick bought me a new Kindle for my birthday.

My older Kindle (left) is much larger than the new version.

My new Kindle, the Kindle Voyage, is the newest and lightest Kindle on the market.  As my pictures show, the new Kindle is much smaller than the older model, but is has a screen for reading that actually is slightly larger than my past Kindle.  The Voyage has a 330 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution, so it is very easy to read.  It also has a "nightlight" screen that makes reading in the dark possible.  As with my old Kindle, I also can read this Kindle out in the bright sunlight.

Screen size is almost the same.  The Voyage has no keyboard,
so it is smaller.  All keyboard functions are now available
through the touch-screen.

I did not like the recommended case that Amazon developed for this Kindle.  It had a segmented back cover so one could stand the Kindle on a table and read it hands-free.  I have never had the need to use my Kindle that way, any more than I would stand a book on end on a table, so I rejected that type of cover.

The Kindle Voyage is much more thin and light.  It will
easily fit into a large pocket or into my purse.

As the picture shows, this Kindle also is much more thin than my first Kindle.  As such, I wanted a cover that would not add a lot of bulk to the product.  I chose a synthetic leather cover by Fintie that suits my needs.  The Kindle snaps into the cover securely, and it has a magnetic closure that not only opens and closes the Kindle but also turns the power on and off with the same motion.

I am still getting used to the slight "pulse" motion that I feel each time I touch the area on the Kindle that allows me to turn the page, but that is just part of the learning curve.  The Voyage has the same built in dictionary if I come across a word I would like defined, and it has other vocabulary items that I probably never will use.  I can use the Voyage as a mini-tablet to search the Web, and once I figure out how to do so, I will be able to send my books both to my iPhone and to my MacBook Pro computer. I don't know that I would ever want to read a book on my iPhone screen or on the computer, but I have that option if I wish to use it.

Overall, I like my new "toy."  I can still borrow books through the Kindle Lender's Library, and Rick and I can buy books at reduced prices since no paper is involved with their distribution.  Additionally, when I travel I can take an entire library of books with me wherever I go.  This comes in handy when on a plane, in a waiting room, or on a beach.  Ah, technology!

P.S. Speaking of technology, I just received an e-mail that the TSA is having trouble processing my fingerprints, so my approval for the Pre-TSA may be delayed.  Arggh!

The Highland Games

We just returned from the 49th Annual Dunedin Highland Games which were held a couple of miles from our house in Highland Park.  I wanted to go to the games last year, but the weather was cold and very wet, so I passed.

The weather did not cooperate yesterday when the city was supposed to host a bagpipe parade; in fact, the parade was a complete wash-out.  I heard it rain during the night also, but this morning dawned a little cool (low 60's) and breezy.  Sunshine was predicted, so we took a chance and went to the games.

Admittance was expensive: $18.00 each, but the money is going for a good cause.  The Games are always the chief fundraiser for the Dunedin City, High School, and Middle School bagpipe bands.  The games also support the very large Scottish community that founded and still lives in the city.

A competitor performs at the solo pipe competition.

We arrived at the high school a little before 10:00 and rode the Jolly Trolly to the park.  So yes, Lindsay, we finally rode the trolly! The Highland Games have something for everyone including athletic competitions, solo pipe judging, sheepherding demonstrations, presentations of the tartans and clans, live concert performances (most of whom included bagpipes as a part of the band), lots of Celtic vendors, and some expensive food.

Young dancers try to place their steps in the correct
place around crossed swords.

After walking around the vendors to get a lay of the land, we stopped to watch the Highland Dance demonstration.  The picture shows some young girls performing the sword dance.  Each step of the dance must land in a specific quadrant of crossed swords.

An athlete prepares to pitch a baled bundle
from the end of a pitchfork above a pole
above his head. Ha.  Scottish fun!

We then went to the athletic area and watched men and women pitch stones, spears, logs, and bundles off of pitchforks.  I guess during the Scottish winters, one must find a way to use the materials on hand to have a little competitive fun.  Most of the sports were a display of strength rather than anything else.  Hurling a 28 pound weight at the end of a chain or throwing a large stone from chin height were two sports on which I and my muscles will take a pass.

Two little girls carry a clan sign while an elderly
gentleman sports a formal military kilt and jacket.

The opening ceremonies at noon included the singing of four national anthems: Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and America.  No on joined the first two, but a contingent of Canadians sitting across from us joined in the third, and the whole crowd sang the fourth.  Then we were treated to the parade of bands and of tartans/ clans.  This covered everyone from toddlers (I never knew they made kilts that small!) to the elderly.

The Dunedin City Bagpipe Band enters the field.

The bagpipe bands ranged from middle school children who did a remarkably good job to well-practiced city bands from Dunedin, Tampa, and Atlanta.  Other than getting a little sunburned, we enjoyed watching them march.

We wasted a dollar on a program that was definitely not being followed by whomever was supposed to organize the events, but we still found enough to keep us busy.  Will I go again?  Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the games, so that might be special.  We had an enjoyable day.  Everything was a little pricy, but in the end the funds are used to support musical education in the city, so our funds are going to a good cause.

Spring Cleaning and Surprises

I am sitting in our Florida room enjoying the cool air flowing down from the air conditioning vent.  We just returned from a humid walk, and Rick commented that we have reached the season where all exercise and physical activity must be done before 10:00 a.m before the heat and humidity get too high.  Actually, rain is predicted followed by a "cold front" that may drop temperatures "below 70 degrees" according to the weatherman.  What babies!  Anyone above the Mason-Dixon line would sell a kidney to have such wonderful temperatures.

The cool weather will be welcome this weekend since the Highland Games are in town.  This city is very Scottish, so the weekend will be filled with kilts, log throwing, parades, and lots of bagpipes and drums.  We missed going last year since the weather was wet, but the cooler temperatures this year should make the games and parades very enjoyable.

Rick took the Honda in for its first oil change this morning, and while he was gone, I started to work on scrubbing the main bathroom.  After using the bathtub and shower for the last four months, I wanted to really scrub it well and to polish the tile in the room.  After hours of labor, the basin shines, all of the tile is free of dirt, specks of paint left over from who knows when, and soap scum.  The bathroom gleams now and is ready for our guests.

Since tile surrounds three walls in the room, polishing all of
the tile is a bit more challenging than just scrubbing a tub surround.

Even our little Habitat for Humanity Resale $10.00 sink shines.

The tub surround sports a Gel-Gloss sparkle
in the morning sun.

When Rick came home, he printed the pictures of Stephanie's new floor plans which I am sure he will pour over until he knows the details better than the contractor does.  I really like the plan she developed with the builder, and I am sure that she will enjoy the house for many, many years.  She will have tons of space for visitors, parties, and just relaxing at home.  And the view she will have over a tranquil valley will add to the home's appeal.

Steph's floor plan (main floor) will give her plenty of space.  Her basement also
will be finished with a large family room, a bedroom, a third bath, and storage.

We made a quick trip to the Post Office to pick up some small boxes. (Sh-h-h... Easter is coming!) When we drove into the driveway, we were greeted by another sign of spring: a mama duck with ten ducklings.  Oy vey! The babies were all frightened by the car, so they all tried to hide behind mama next to our garage door.  After a few minutes, she waddled off, urging her brood to follow her over to the neighbor's shrubbery in their front yard.  The homes across the street from us border a lake, so the waterfowl usually stay on that side of the street.  I guess Mama wanted to take her brood out for a nice sunny walk... perhaps to tire them so they all would nap!

Ten ducklings total (some are hidden in front of Mama) try to
hide from us as we walked into the house.

Spring definitely has arrived in the city!

We brought our bikes down from their storage area in the rafters, so if we do not get too much rain tomorrow, we will actually get back on them and take them for a spin.  I do not know how far I will be able to go; if I never try, though, I will never find out.  My goal is to ride to the trail and down it a bit by the time we go north in eight weeks. That might seem simple to some, but my muscles will let me know how much they are willing to travel each day.  We are back to taking our usual walks, so I will remain optimistic about the bike rides also.

While we were gone north for the last three weeks, Steve generously came to our house to take in the mail each day and to check on the house. We are taking Chris and him out to dinner this evening as a thank you.  We'll go to Crispers for a relaxing evening in safety Harbor.

Smiles, Showers, and Sunshine

In keeping the story line going from my last post, we were able to return to Wisconsin from Minnesota on Sunday as planned, but not before we took Stephanie to see a model townhouse on Saturday.  She was able to walk fine, and she wanted to view an open house built by a contractor that was about to build in a neighborhood that Stephanie has been watching for a while.  The condensed version is that Rick totally approved of the quality of the construction, Stephanie met Jenna who is now her real estate agent, she liked what she saw in the townhouse, and yesterday she signed papers to buy her new home in her ideal neighborhood.

During the course of the week, Rick and I looked into moving to Rochester also, but lots of research and number crunching told us that moving to Minnesota would be "marginal" money-wise (to use one of Rick's favorite terms).   Yes, we could do it, but in doing so we would commit to a 30-year-mortgage that would not allow us to do anything else.  I do not want to spend the last third of my life living to pay off four walls in a state that I could only stand to live in five months of the year.  We love both of our daughters dearly, but we are no longer fans of the frozen winters in which they live.

Our time in Minnesota allowed us to spend quality time with Stephanie, and we are really happy she has made the decision to move.  Her new home will be completed in mid-summer, so we will be available to help her pack and move.  We also were able to spend time with Lindsay and Chris, and of course to try to spoil our grandson Owen as much as possible!  We hope he is having a ball building towers with his new 200+ building blocks.

Our trip back to Florida went smoothly.  We drove to Milwaukee the evening before our flight because we booked a 6:50 a.m. flight to Tampa.  Up at 3:56 a.m., we had a quick breakfast at the airport and were cued in line for check-in before 6:00 a.m.  Neither of us got Pre-TSA approval this time, but as we got closer to the gate, we were herded into two lines.  Ours went to the right and we were able to keep our shoes on and keep everything in our bags as we set them on the x-ray machine.  The only thing people had to do was to empty their pockets.  We were through with no problems!  The other line had to do the whole regiment of taking off shoes, opening luggage, taking out electronics, etc. We were lucky to get into the fast line which was second only to the TSA approved line.  The whole experience, though, convinced us that we needed to get Pre-TSA approval.  More on that in a bit...

On the flight we sat next to a cinematographer who was traveling with a film crew to the Gasparilla Film Festival in St. Petersburg.  He said his film, The Surface, was the lead film for the festival. We watched the trailer, and it might be a film we want to see.  The man said that it is just being released in the theaters next week.  I am cheap, so I probably will wait until it comes out on disk.

Florida welcomed us with sunshine and temperatures in the high 70s.  I love it!  My hands have been frozen for the last two and one-half weeks, so feeling the sunshine was marvelous.  Gladys looked great when we got home; however, our neighbors have purchased a very large boat that is currently parked in their driveway.  The neighbor lady welcomed us home and confirmed that the boat is, indeed, theirs. I hope that the driveway is not going to be the permanent parking place for their vessel.  It somewhat blocks our view when backing out of the driveway, and the boat in the driveway means that their other vehicles must be parked on the street in front of our house.  This is beginning to look more like a parking lot than a neighborhood. (Stephanie, I know you can relate!)  I will hold my tongue for now because I suspect that other neighbors will complain before I will.

This morning we did something that we have waited five months to do: we each took a shower in our new master bathroom shower.  What bliss!  The new shower head is great, the water was warm, the plumbing worked fine, the water flowed down our new drain as planned, and the light streaming in allowed me actually to SEE what I was washing!  The new fan kept the steam to a minimum, and I could move wherever I wanted without touching a wall. I have to admit that after the last shower, this one felt sort of like taking a shower in a subway tunnel.  Everything was tiled, white, and cavernous, but overall, the shower was great!

Yesterday Rick and I went online to apply for the Pre-TSA status so when we fly we do not have to wait in line to check in.  Rick had read that if a person did not apply online and make an appointment, the chances of getting in for approval were not great.  He read horror stories of people waiting for eight hours three days in a row because they did not have an appointment.  We filled in the forms and made appointments at the Tampa airport for this afternoon.  Am I glad that we did!

We arrived early and checked in with the Pre-TSA office agent.  She said that she had appointments every 15 minutes but tried to take walk-ins when she could.  We saw no less than a dozen people stop by, register, and wait around.  Rick's appointment was first, so five minutes before his appointed time, she called him in ahead of the four people who were waiting.  He was in and out in about 10 minutes.  She took two more people after that and then called me in for my appointment.  Since we had filled in the forms the day before, I simply had to show my passport, double-check that the information she pulled up on-screen was correct, and then enter my Social Security number.  That was the easy part.

She then asked me to put my two thumbs on a fingerprint scanner.  I did, but I was not pressing hard enough, so she asked me to do it a second time.  This time the thumb prints scanned correctly.  Then she asked me to put the other four fingers of my right hand on the machine.  Sigh.  I knew I was in trouble.  After 49 years of taking 10 - 12 blood tests a day out of those fingers to control my diabetes, I knew that my fingertips were in pretty rough shape.  She tried five times before the word "failed" did not show up on the fingerprint screen.

She then asked me to do the same with the other four fingers on my left hand. What?  Seven out of 10 fingerprints is not good enough?  I tried once with the left hand.  "Failed" flashed across the screen.  I explained about the blood tests, and showed her my beat-up fingertips.  She asked me to moisten my fingers and try again.  "Failed" again.  For time three, she held down my baby finger which was not showing at all.  "Failed" flashed again.  For the fourth time, she told me not to press down as hard.  No go.  "Failed" again.  As with the right hand, the fifth time was the charm.  The government of the United States now has a copy of my fingerprints, for what they are worth.

When I came out of the room, I told Rick that he did not have to worry.  If he wanted that townhouse in Minnesota, he just had to give me a little time, and we could afford it.  When he looked at me like I had lost my mind, I explained that since a highly trained professional could not get my fingerprints, I was going to turn into a cat-burglar. I could steal all kinds of loot to fence for a fortune and pay cash for the townhouse.  With these fingerstips, the authorities would never catch me!

We are happy to be back.  I smiled all the while we walked outside today, I'm looking forward to getting back on my bike before the weather gets too hot, I enjoyed a wonderful shower today, and I just feel so much better in the bright sunshine.  Yes, I see work that we have to do around Gladys.  Yes, I know that traffic and other minor annoyances are present here too.  Yes, I miss my family, but no, I am not sorry that we are back at Gladys.  I missed the old doll while we were gone, and I am content to work around here -- outside -- until summer returns to the North.

Progress

Holding onto springtime in Minnesota is like trying to hold fog in your hand.  You can feel the essence of the season around you -- sunshine, gentle winds, melting snow, and rising temperatures. But like the soft embrace of the cool, damp fog, the phenomenon disappears if you try to fold it into your fingers.  Spring flirted with Minnesota yesterday, but today we awoke to an icy 32 degrees.  Granted, the temperatures have risen once again with the sunshine of early afternoon, but everyone knows that spring may not linger yet in the coming weeks.

Stephanie continues to improve. Against the doctor's orders, and totally unknown to her, instinct took over in the middle of the night and Stephanie awoke to find herself sleeping on her stomach.  This is her normal sleeping position, and as such, she got a great night's sleep; however, her orders were to keep her leg straight and elevated on a pillow.  Oh, well.  She needed the sleep and the leg was not overly swollen because of her sleep position.

We were able to remove the bulky surgical dressing today, and the incision sites -- all three of them-- look good.  Having the big bandages gone is a relief, and being able to better wash around the surgical area also helps.  She was able to stand and to wash today, and we were able to wash her hair also.  That always makes me feel more human!

Stephanie is totally off all prescription pain medications and seems to be tolerating the discomfort of the surgery with just ibuprofen to ease the inflammation. She is progressing well!

The cats seem to be tolerating having the extra company in their domain. They snuggle up to us and are not showing signs of undo stress.  Right now Blossom is lounging in the sun in front of the patio doors, and Lucy is asleep in the bedroom.  If I had to be an animal, I would want to be a house cat.  I would have a warm bed, toys, food, treats, and as much petting as I chose to have.  Others would take care of my litter box, and I would take frequent naps in heated huts anytime I desired.

Rick and I are keeping busy with small projects around the house.  Rick has scrubbed and re-caulked the shower in the main bathroom.  I have tried to give the house a thorough cleaning, knowing that Stephanie will not be able to do much until her knee further heals.

This house is getting outdated, so Stephanie is trying to decide if she should put money into remodeling her kitchen, baths, and basement, or if she should put this house on the market and move to a new house or a new townhouse.  She has lots of options available to her.  She is at a turning point right now, so she has lots of decisions to make.

We are considering driving back to Wisconsin on Sunday if Stephanie is able to fend for herself at that time.  She continues to improve, and as she moves around more, she certainly will be glad that she has had her knee repaired.

Wild Ride

We had quite the adventure driving north to Minnesota, thanks to a snowstorm The Weather Channel called Thor.

We started our journey last Wednesday, leaving Florida with a weather report that matched its nickname of the Sunshine State.  We encountered some sea fog for the first part of our journey, but that is not unusual for this time of the year.  Construction had us cautiously take certain routes, but we were able to avoid Tampa rush hour traffic (both because we left at 3:40 in the morning and because we traveled north before we headed east), and we made good time in the morning.

At one of the waysides, we encountered a kitten who liked the warmth under our truck.  We think that she was wild; when I chased her out from under the truck, she jumped up and settled herself on the top of the dual tires.  Further persuasion had her on her way.  I suppose she hangs out at the wayside because people either drop food or feed her.  She did not seem malnourished at all, so she probably enjoys her free life.

Of course, just when I want to make sure I am wearing a medical alert bracelet, I get the clasp caught in a string on my shirt and pull the O-ring out.  OK.  That's not good.  Into my wallet it went so I did not lose it.  I'll have to fix it when I get home.

We made good time and reached Montgomery, AL, still enjoying 80 degree temperatures.  We were originally supposed to drive as far as Cullen, AL, but listening to weather reports of the delayed Storm Thor (which was supposed to all be east of us by this time) convinced us that traveling as far as we could while the sun was still shining would be a good idea.  I am so glad that we made that choice!

By mid-afternoon, we left Alabama, crossing into Tennessee.  The temperatures were starting to drop, and we lost our sunshine to cloudy weather.  Nashville is always our nemesis, and this time was no exception. By the time we reached the south part of Nashville, we were both exhausted and the weather was starting to deteriorate.  We decided to try to get north of Nashville to Clarksville, and that was the best decision we made the entire trip.

Nashville met us, once again, with pouring rain.  We watched the temperatures drop from the mid-40s into the mid-30s in about 15 minutes' time.  To add to our frustration, the wipers on the truck had just baked in the Florida sun for 18 months, so they were dry and ripped in one place.  They did NOT clean the windshield well, adding to our annoyance.

We finally cleared Nashville and headed toward Clarksville.  The temperatures continued to drop.  When we were 8.8 miles from Clarksville, the temperatures outside hit 32.  "Well, at least the rain has not turned to ice yet," Rick said.  Man plans, God laughs.  Not thirty seconds later, icy flakes started to pelt the windshield.  In the time we drove that almost 9 miles, the streets turned from wet to a layer of ice.  We were tired, the sky was dark, the weather was crap, and the streets were dangerous.  We were never so glad to see a hotel in all of our lives!

We awoke the next morning to a world that rivaled Disney's Frozen. After the ice from the evening before, we had the added delight of 8 inches of snow. Everyone at the hotel was trying to decide if they should continue their journeys.  The news casts that morning informed us that Nashville was pretty much closed down -- no schools, no industry, and finally no government.  Emergency vehicles were the only thing supposed to be on the road, and police urged everyone to stay where they were.

Rick went outside in bitter cold to clean off the truck.  A layer of ice coated the windshield.  When he came in, he said that everything was ice under the snow.  We continued to watch the news and learned that Highway 24, our route out of Clarksville to Illinois, was totally blocked with jackknifed semis, trucks stuck at the bottom of hills, and traffic backed up for miles.  OK.  No sense in trying that way.  The hotel graciously extended out check-out time from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

As the sun rose higher, we both ventured out to see if we could get the truck out onto the city streets.  The truck started right away, but as Rick backed out of the parking space, our back wheels hit ice.  He tried to shift into 4-wheel drive.  For his efforts, he got a message that said, "Have 4-wheel drive checked."  No go.  We figured the mechanism that allowed us to change into 4-wheel drive was frozen.  I got behind the wheel and Rick started to push.  When he was nearly dead of a heart-attack, a man came out and helped him push the truck back into the parking space.  He told us that he had taken his car out that morning and got stuck on ice five times.  Others had to help him push over icy spots to get back to the hotel.

Going back into the warmth of the hotel, we heard that Highway 24 was still closed with over 450 cars and trucks stopped dead on the road.  That fact, and the recently stuck truck, convinced us that traveling anywhere that day was out of the question.  Impatient I am; stupid I am not.

As noon approached, we felt the need for more nourishment than BelVita crackers and an apple.  The hotel was surrounded by restaurants a short distance away, so we ventured out on foot in the freezing cold to try to get some lunch.  Of course, I had made a last minute decision not to bring a scarf with me, so my gloved hands went over my ears to keep them from freezing while we gingerly walked over the ice to Arby's.  Walking back was better since the wind was behind us.

After lunch, we heard the rumor that Highway 24 was supposed to be open.  Newscasters told us that was not true.  The highway eventually did open for a couple of hours that afternoon, but officials warned that whatever melting might be happening would definitely turn back to ice that evening.  It was too late to even try to venture out, so we went back to our room. As the temperatures rose into the 30s, we ventured out with the truck (not getting stuck this time) and found a bar open where we could buy a pizza for dinner.  The large mall in town was closed, but the bars were open!

The next morning dawned sunny but near zero with wind chills below zero.  That was frustrating because Clarksville was supposed to reach into the high 50s by the end of the week.  Nashville was still an icy mess, so we were very glad that we were north of that city.  The traffic report that morning told us that Highway 24 was again closed.  Apparently over 250 people had tried to get  through when it opened on Thursday, and most of them spent the night in their cars and trucks after the road froze over again.  National Guardsmen were called out to give them food and water.

The view from our hotel window late Thursday.  The black track
show ice, not dry pavement.

The traffic report also suggested an alternative to Highway 24: Highway 41 that went north to Evansville, Indiana. Since they recommended it, we decided to give it a try.  We heard that Highway 24 was still closed, but enough of it around Clarksville was open and dry, so we ventured out on that and connected with Highway 41.  Thankfully, it was dry all the way through Kentucky to Evansville, and the further north we went, the less evidence of snow and ice we found.  Yes, we still saw numerous cars and trucks that had slid into the medians, but our roads were clear.

To make up lost time, we decided to really push our travels, driving as far as we could.  Our target was Janesville, Wisconsin, but we did not know if we could drive that far.  However, we are nothing if not stubborn.  While Rick did most of the driving, I took the wheel long enough to give him time to rest a bit.  When we were both dead tired, we pulled into Janesville.  We had left Tennessee that morning, traveling to Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and finally Wisconsin.  Five states in one day is enough for anyone!

The next morning our 3 1/2 hour journey to Minnesota seemed like nothing.  We were glad to get to Stephanie's house where we could settle in and get something other than restaurant food to eat.

On Monday, we took Stephanie in for her knee surgery.  She was a bit groggy when we brought her home later that afternoon, but she was able to eat dinner with us before she settled in for the night.

This morning (Tuesday) she said she had a restless night since she is not used to sleeping on her back with her knee propped up on pillows.  However, she walked from the bedroom to the living room without crutches, and she is on the road to recovery.  THAT road, I submit to you,  is far better than any roads we have ventured upon for the last few days!

Showers of Success

Today started successfully with all of us getting up early to get Stephanie to the airport on time.  We were on the road by 8:00 a.m. so she would have plenty of time to make her 10:40 flight to Atlanta.  Rick always errs on the side of caution, and today that worked out well.  We had heavy but flowing traffic... until we got onto the Courtney Campbell Causeway.  Then traffic came to a complete halt, and we were no where near the Tampa end of the road.

Yesterday I had downloaded the Bay News 9 app on my iPhone, so I logged in and learned that an accident had closed down the right lane of the eastbound Causeway.  That information prompted us to get into the left lane immediately to avoid the inevitable bottleneck further up the road.  (Sometimes technology actually DOES come in handy!)  We inched our way across the Causeway, still getting to the airport in more than enough time for Stephanie's flight.  A text message a little while ago informed us that she had safely landed in Atlanta, but another just now confirmed that she was being shuffled from gate to gate for her final flight home.

Just as we pulled into a parking spot at the airport, we received a call from Largo Glass telling us that the installers were ahead of schedule, and could they stop by early to install our glass shower doors?  As much as we would have liked to say, "Yes!" we had to delay them until we could get home again.  Why when you want servicemen to come early, they don't, and when you need them to come on time, they are ahead of schedule?  Never fails.

Our new shower doors await the final installer
who needed to bring the correct door handle.

We arrived home and were able to contact the men from Largo Glass who still arrived before our noon appointment time.  They did a great job of installing the doors; however, Rick had to stop them as they were starting to install the handle.  They brought the wrong handle!  First the installer called Largo Glass, then Rick called Largo Glass, and finally I called Largo Glass to learn that they were sending out the right handle with a different service man since our original installers had to go on to their next job.

Success.  The door -- and thus the shower --
now is complete.

At long last, we now have a completed shower!  It stinks terribly right now due to the silicone they used to seal the door panel next to the wall, so I am glad that we installed the fan back in the fall when we first demoed the old shower stall.  We certainly need good exhaust ventilation in there today.

A question regarding the balance to our bill was resolved as we wanted, so our new shower is now complete and paid for.  This should have happened back in November, but at least it is finished now.  We will let the silicone dry thoroughly while we are gone and will be able to come back to a spacious, light-filled, usable shower.  Hooray!

One final good note is that since the shower issues all have been resolved, Rick's blood pressure has returned to normal.  Let's hope it stays that way as we face three days of driving north in the truck. Pray for light traffic and dry roads!

Happy March!

Happy March, everyone!  I hope for all of us that March will be a better month than February.   At the very least, I hope that the snow stops falling in the North, and that our remodeling here in the South finally settles down.

Stephanie arrived on Tuesday, a little late due to delays in Detroit, but safe and sound none the less.  She was tired, so we did not do too much other than to let her get settled in for the evening.

Wednesday dawned with thick sea fog again, but it lifted by the time we were on the road heading for St. Augustine.  We decided to stop at the outlet shopping malls in Orlando on our way to the East Coast.  Originally we had planned on stopping on the way home on Friday, but we had the time now and were not sure what Friday would have in store for us, so we headed toward the malls.

Rick decided to get gas while were were off the road.  We pulled into a gas station and he was about to put his card into the gas pump when he noted the price.  He stopped and got back into the car.  "What's wrong?"  I asked.

"Look at the price," he replied.  Yikes!  This gas station wanted $5.89 for regular gasoline.  Who were they kidding?  We pulled out in a hurry.  Perhaps the people in the Orlando hotels or in the swanky condominiums across the street are dumb enough to pay those prices, but we knew we could find less expensive gasoline elsewhere.  We were not desperate for it, so on we went to the malls.  Tumi was our main target, and after a couple of sale purchases, we were on the road again.

Our Holiday Inn hotel offered us great accommodations (other than a rather noisy refrigerator), and its location suited us well.  That evening we drove into St. Augustine and introduced Stephanie to Crispers which is becoming Rick's favorite restaurant.  The rain that was predicted all day did not come until the middle of the night when we were all snugly tucked into bed.

Approaching the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument.

Access to the Castillo is only on drawbridges
that span the moats that encircle it.

Friday was our day of sight seeing.  We started at Castillo de San Marcos, the Spanish fortress built from 1672-1695. It is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States, made of coquina, a soft rock made of compressed shells, sand, and stone that was mined in the area.  The fortress was built as a defense against the British, local Indian tribes, and pirates depending on the time period.  It changed hands to the British in1763 and was returned to the Spanish in 1784. When the United States acquired Florida in 1821, the fortress became part of the US military defense system.

The inner courtyard of the Castillo.

Cannon stand ready to defend the Castillo
from the gun deck at the top of 28 foot walls.

What remains of the 60 - 77 cannons that once rested on its upper gun deck and the various rooms that reflected the various cultures that occupied the fort make an interesting walk through history.

Other sights was the row of original Spanish houses that line St. George Street.  Rick was totally turned off to them because each of these houses now holds a "tourist trap" restaurant or shop.  Ways too commercialized for our tastes.

A fountain in the courtyard of Flagler College includes
fish and turtles that spew water into the lower level.

We then ventured to Flagler College. Henry Flagler made his fortune being a partner in Standard Oil and in the railroad business of the 1800's.  Sent to St. Augustine by physicians who felt the Southern climate would be good for his  wife, Flagler soon discovered that the area could be a winter haven for the rich and famous of New England.  He started to develop the area with grand hotels and rail systems to transport people southward.  He is credited for developing much of the eastern seaboard from St. Augustine to Miami, sending his rail road as far south as Key West.  Although hurricanes eventually wiped out the rail access to the Keys, some of Flagler's monumental hotels still stand.

Hand-carved columns grace the hallway as one enters the College.

Built in 1887, the former Ponce de Leon Hotel is the present-day Flagler College.  Students there study and are housed in some of the former hotel rooms and parlors, and they dine in the formal dining room surrounded by 79 Tiffany glass windows.  Tiffany chandeliers light the Flagler Room which was formerly the grand parlor.  We ventured only into the outer courtyard (filled with scaffolding since the exterior walls were being refurbished and painted) and the inner foyer.  Seeing the marble fireplaces and hand-carved oak pillars, I decided I had to visit the Ladies Room.  Wow!  That is the first time I have walked into a Ladies Room that included a marble fireplace, cherubs above the doorways, and more detailed woodwork found only in a palace.  The room obviously did not start life as a Ladies Room, but the present day use makes a very nice rest stop.

Even the Ladies Room contained a marble fireplace and
beautifully tiled floors.

I wanted to see Flagler's other hotel, the Alcatraz Hotel built in 1888, across the street.  It is the present-day Lightner Museum, but Rick was not interested in paying the price to see it, and it was getting late, so we ventured onward.

The oldest wooden schoolhouse, made of cypress and cedar,
in the United States.

St. Augustine is the location of the oldest wooden schoolhouse in America.  I took a picture because this time I was too cheap to go inside just to see some automated mannequins reenacting a school day from between 1750 - 1760. The building, though, illustrates what choosing the right woods for the climate can do for a structure.

Friday saw us driving south to the Kennedy Space Center.  We had visited the Center last year with Stephanie, but at that time we ran out of time so we never saw the Astronaut Hall of Fame.  Our pass got us into everything free, so we started with a general bus tour of the Space Center. The day was cold, miserable, and rainy. Our bus tour was far less detailed than the tour we took a year ago, but that is because many of the landing pads and buildings have been leased or sold to private businesses who are getting into the space business.  The tour was up-to-date, though, discussing current projects to Mars and current schedules for launches.

Most of Cape Canaveral's acreage is actually set aside as a wildlife preserve, and we heard again about the eagles that nest there and the 4,000 - 6,000 alligators that call the area home.   The Hall of Fame was both interesting and educational.  We still did not have enough time to see it all, but for anyone who has a child over the age of 10, the trip to the area is worth it.

Yesterday we spent time with our nephew Jon who came up to Dunedin.  It was raining, so his obligations of the morning got rained out.  He joined us for lunch at Dunedin Brewery, and we all had both good food and good conversation.

Sunshine finally came out today, so we have spent most of the day at the beach!  Tonight Steve and Chris will join us for dinner, so I had better stop writing and get started with my preparations for dinner.  We have thoroughly enjoyed having Stephanie visit us these past few days.