Cocoa Beach March 7-28, 2024

PHOTOS 

GETTING THERE

We had a rocky start to our time in Cocoa Beach. My mid-morning flight didn't leave until mid-afternoon, due to what was eventually revealed to be "smoke in the cabin". I easily connected with my Uber to Cocoa Beach and arrived around sunset. Time enough to order provisions from Publix and Total Wine, all to be delivered the next day. However, I hadn't eaten all day because of the problems leaving MSP, and there was absolutely nothing in the apartment. So I was a little shaky and quite cranky.

Bob didn't arrive until the next day, because his opthalmologist, Dr. Huda Sheheitli, refused to clear him for travel until she had ensured that all was well after his eye surgery six weeks earlier. His own flight and car pick-up went without a hitch and he got to the condo in the late afternoon, in time for happy hour and a lenten Friday dinner of Gorton's fish fillets, baked in the oven, and surprisingly delicious.

We had a pleasant Saturday -- so easy to get used to a spectcacular sunrise and a great view of the lovely beach.

MINNESOTA VISITORS

We Minnesotans love our Florida vacations. In March, our first visitors were Sonia and Jim, who drove up from Sarasota where they were visiting friends from home. It was their first trip to Cocoa Beach so they enjoyed exploring the beach and walking all over town. One of their favorite spots for coffee: Grand Parlor Speakeasy Cafe. The cool darkness of the venue is particularly welcome on a hot day. The most fun for us was catching up, without time pressures or the distractions of daily life. Our guests  treated us to a good meal on a very windy day at Sunset Cafe.

John and Trudy were our next guests. They had been to Cocoa Beach last year so they had a good feel for what they wanted to do with their vacation time. They especially loved Port Canaveral, also one of Bob's favorite haunts. Lots of restaurants, people watching, cruise ships, various other boats, and miscellaneous activity ath the port. These visitors took us for a gourmet meal at Florida's Fresh Grill, where we ate and drank well.

They joined Bob and me for a meal with friends from my hometown of Temiscaming. We met at Fishlips and enjoyed our usual nonstop conversation. So much fun that our families support our desire to meet up in Florida.

The next gang arrived a few days after Trudy and John's departure.  Chris, Melissa, Aggie and Johnny rented their own condo in the same building, directly below us on the fourth floor. As happy as I was to see the adults, it was most fun for me to play with the children. Chris brought them up to visit every morning and before bedtime. They learned how to make our king bed and then showed off their skills on their own beds. We spent a lot of time in the pool, where the water wings were a huge success -- I had them ready because the entire pool is really too deep for young children. I was amazed at their excellent listening skills, respecting the imaginary perimeter I created in the "shallow" end of the pool.

A major hightlight: "breaking news!". One very chilly afternoon a group of "kids" (really young adults) arrived. One guy did a huge cannonball into the pool, announcing "Breaking News!'. Others soon followed and our little ones were thrilled and totally mesmerized. Aggie was soon doing her own cannonballs, shouting "breaking news!" with every jump. Our new friends at the other end of the pool proclaimed one of her jumps "the best", thereby making her day. Johnny was an observer until the next day, when he told me quietly that he was ready to do "breaking news", an expression will forever bring me back to that happy afternoon in the pool.

The day after they arrived, we met up with my cousin Nancy Rentz and her husband Tom, who joined us for lunch at Fishlips after driving up the coast from Vero Beach, on their ways to the Gulf coast. It was great to catch up and, especially, to have Chris, Mel and the kids meet Nancy and Tom. Family means so much to all of us and I'm always so happy to see people make connections.

The surf was pounding for virtually the entire time of their visit, but they made tood use of their time. I enjoyed taking pictures of the family from the rooftop. 

ROCKET LAUNCHES

All of our visitors got to see at least one rocket launch. The roof was the best location, but we got a fairly good view from our own balcony. I've seen quite a few launches now, and while they're not quite as exciting as the space shuttle we saw (Endeavour, April 19, 2001), it's still an emotional sight to watch in the sky over Cocoa Beach. I didn't get a good picture, but I can conjure up the memory of the ship in the sky, as it disappears into the heavens.

HOME ON HOLY THURSDAY

A familiar sore throat work me up one night late in our stay and by the time we left for home I was feeling very sick with a bad cold. I missed the Triduum and even Mass on Easter Sunday. No church, no choir for me. I was happy to be home with good memories of our 2024 Florida vacation.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye, 2023!

On New Year's Eve we finally had a little snow overnight, just enough to cover the icy glaze on the driveway and patio. I finished up a few end-of-year tasks before shoveling the driveway for the first time this season. There was too little snow for the neighborhood plow and it felt good to be out in the cold for even a short time. As always, I felt happy at the prospect of new geginnings in a new year.

• After being very healthy during the worst of COVID, I fell back into my old upper respiratory virus winter routine beginning in January. It was a really bad year for me for coughs and colds. As I write this, I'm recovering from yet another bout of feeling absolutely terrible for several weeks.
• I cleared more snow last winter season than I had since I was in Grade 9 in the winter of 1964-65. That year I had recklessly agreed to shovel our house steps and walkway, front and back, using a heavy steel shovel. The snow stuck to the shovel and the winter seemed interminable, much as it did last year.
• We went back to the Space Coast of Florida for two weeks in March. We stayed in a condo with a beautiful partial view of the Atlantic. The pool was great and so cold at the beginning of our stay tha, predictably, I was the only one using it.
• I began work as a teaching assistant at St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater. I help Caroline Bauer with 3rd, 4th and 5th grade music classes one day a week. Some days are grueling and I'm glad I don't work fulltime anymore.
• I sing in the choir at Guardian Angels Church in Oakdale. This is the church my beloved father-in-law, Harold Hennessey, attended before the "new" church was built in the 80s. It's also where I attended confirmation classes with Bob's granddaughters Angie and Dana, so the church always seemed somewhat familiar to me. I love choir. The members were very friendly to newcomers like me and one woman was particularly welcoming and kind. Now, almost four months in, I happily take my seat in the alto section on Thursday evenings and most Sunday mornings.
• The Wild and Vikes both lost their games, to the Jets and Packers, respectively. Let 2024 begin well for both teams.

Welcome, 2024!

In my hometown of Temiscaming New Year's Day always seemed cold and grey. I usually went to early Mass "to get it out of the way" and remember sitting in St. Theresa's Church feeling overheated and itchy. The pastor, Monseigneur Latourelle, would give a variation of the same homily every year and we always sang the same song:

Mon Dieu bénissez la nouvelle année

Rendez heureux nos parents, nos amis

Elle est toute à vous et nous est donnée

Pour mériter le Paradis. 

Pour mériter le Paradis. 

I enjoyed watching the Rose Bowl parade on our black & white TV and made a resolution to attend the Rose Bowl in Pasadena someday -- one that I haven't yet kept but I still watch the parade, so beautiful on the large, high-pixel TVs we have now. When I was a teenager, I often went skiing on this day and in my twenties, during a time when I liked to party, I decided that New Year's Eve was NOT a good night to go out. I got into the habit of going to bed early so that I could wake up clear-headed and energetic on New Year's morning.

Bob is pretty much in agreement with my on the revelry issue so we rarely venture very far on New Year's Eve and "partying" is limited to one drink for him and a couple for me. Today, I hope to deliver our grandson Johnny's third birthday present, a parking garage so that he doesn't have to appropriate (read "steal") his sister's doll house to park his vehicle collection.

Happy New Year! May 2024 be the year we see peace in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Merry Christmas

This year winter has not really begun yet. The winter solstice came and went, and on this cloudy Christmas morning the temperature is 52F, with no snow in sight. Yesterday, we enjoyed Mexican Christmas Eve with Jim and Sonia and their beautiful family.  In the late evening, we drove to Guardian Angels Church in the rain for the vigil Mass. Choir and liturgy director Zach Stachowski led the choir and instrumentalists so masterfully that I felt happy with the music we so lovingly played and sang.

As I listened to the Christmas readings, I thought about far away wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the holy places without pilgrims this year. I remembered photos of then Palestine taken by my father, Harry J. Ryan, when he served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII. He wrote to my mother (then Mary Macpherson) in 1942 that "here I am on leave in a city in Palestine called TEL-AVIV (pardon the printing but habit makes me print names). It is 20 miles from Jerusalem, about 40 from Bethlehem  and Jericho ." 

The world was then at war, but in that troubled time my dad was able to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and take a photo of the place Christians believe Jesus was born. This is a photo from that era. There have been so many attempts at achieving peace  in the Middle East in the 80 years since the end of that war. So many seem to have been half-hearted and self-serving, and here we are still today with so much pain, sufferting and hatred.

As I think about all the victims of war, conflict and poverty around the world, I'm grateful for, and hopeful because of, those who work for the common good at home and abroad, including military personnel, members of the foreign service, humanitarians and all people of good will who won't give up on striving for peace. Happy Christmas to all! 

Let there be Peace on Earth

Jill Jackson/Sy Miller

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be

With God as our Father

Brothers all are we

Let me walk with my brother

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With ev'ry step I take

Let this be my solemn vow

To take each moment and live

Each moment in peace eternally

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me

Cocoa Beach 2023 - Third in a Series

A few highlights:

• Meet-up with my cousin Nancy and her husband, Bob. My most vivid memories of Nancy are from the unforgettable trip to New York City for my cousin Audrey's wedding. Our dad took my sister Marilyn (then 8 or almost 8) and me (a few months short of my 11th birthday) for about a week in the spring of 1961. We got on a TCA (Trans-Canada Airlines, renamed Air Canada in 1965) DC-8 in North Bay and landed at Malton (the international airport in Toronto, Lester B. Pearson International Airport since 1984), where Marilyn and I went through US Customs & Immigration. I remember the questioning vividly, because the agents were obviously trying to make sure we were not kidnap victims. They asked the names of both our parents and whether our mother was aware of and approved of our trip. I have thought of these guys "just doing their job" many times in cases of parent kidnaping.

          We made it to New York and spent a whirlwind week visiting our relatives (a story for another time)

Cocoa Beach 2023 - Second in a Series

 Haven't done so well keeping up with things. Let's just say we've hit quite a few beach bars:

• Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill.  We were there twice, once on the lower level and the second time on the second floor patio. The best item we ate was grouper bites. We also had peel & eat shrimp on our first visit. The portion was so large that we brought half home and had them a few days later. They were good ... but not great.
• Went back to Fishlips on Monday. We had the same grouper bites and tried a new appetizer, "bang up shrimp" -- Korean flavors and very good.
• Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar. We had grouper bites and a brie cheese plate (brie with walnuts, warm baguette, strawberries, melon, granny smith apple slices). Bob loves grouper and I really enjoyed the brie combo plate.
• Seafood Atlantic. The oven "had issues" the day we were there, so we had a limited menu. Not a bad thing, because the shrimp cocktail was easily our best ever. We enjoyed chips and salsa too in the perhaps overly sun-drenched patio.
• Gator's Dockside Bar. We had just eaten lunch at home (grilled cheese, canned soup) so we just had drinks at Gator's -- Bob's usual margarita and a Bud Light draft for me. We sat at the bar and met a couple from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Like us, they were enjoying a little respite from winter.
• Cocoa Beach Ale House. We stopped into this local bar the day after St. Patrick's Day, so I had a Guinness on tap, thinking it would be fresh (it was). Bob made the mistake of having his usual margarita which was a disgusting orange concoction. The server explained that orange was added to "cut the lime taste", which it certainly did. I think she must have been told to add a slice of orange but somehow misinterpreted the instruction. We had coconut shrimp with our drinks (delicious) and brought home a turkey BLT for dinner, with chips. The BLT was so large that we had only half the first night and the rest on Sunday. Just great.
• We went back on Tuesday, March 28, two days before our departure. I had a Guinness and a Modelo, Bob a Michelob Light. Coconut shrimp again, along with chips & salsa (never thought Bob would be a C&S guy, but he's changed). Same take-home BLT wrap, but this time the tortilla seemed to be chipotle-flavored. Equally delicious.
• Sunset Cafe We had a late lunch here after a quick trip to the Village of Cocoa. I'm writing this weeks after our visit, so I can't quite remember what we had. I think it was a delicious shrimp cocktail and the fish & chips lunch special. I went with a cabernet sauvignon and Bob probably had a margarita. The view is great, and you can take a boat trip on the Banana River from here.
• Captain Hiram's  We had lunch here with my cousins, Nancy and Tom. The drinks were good, and we enjoyed our grilled chicken sandwich. Mostly, we loved the company and the view.
• Squidlips This was our last lunch in Cocoa Beach. The coconut shrimp were pretty good, and we liked the fish tacos. Bob had his usual delicious Margarita and I (mistakenly) ordered a Key lime martini -- very good but really a creamy dessert beverage, not an apéritif. The vieew of the Banana River is great and it's fun to watch little kids treat the fish to  vending machine fish food. Well worth a happy hour visit.
• We've also enjoyed some pretty good food from Publix. The best was probably yesterday's tilapia, which I sautéed and served with salad and seafood salad. Really good

Fiscal note: food seems very expensive here, although eating out is comparatively cheap. It must be hard for working families to make nutritious meals.

Cocoa Beach 2023 - 1st in a series

We made it to Florida after all. After a winter of inclement weather, we left MSP just ahead of more snow on Thursday, March 16. Sonia drove us to the airport in a light rain and we left right on time. In recent years, we've often sprung for first or business class, and our flight was comfortable and enjoyable. We had a delicious grilled chicken salad for lunch, along with plenty of water and, for me, a glass of wine white with my lunch.

By the time we got to Orlando, we were tired but wired and ready to take on the car rental experience. I hadn't done my usual "serial rental reservations" to get the best price and just stayed with my original midsize SUV I got on my initial Expedia reservation. By chance, a few days before the trip I signed up for "Avis Preferred", so we went directly to the "Preferred" line in the parking garage. Great!

What was not so great was seeing a group all packed into OUR Traverse, ready to leave. They said they were on their third car already and weren't ready to give up THEIR Traverse, for which the alpha female in the group waved their receipt. Back to the desk for me. The rep gave me a new receipt, this time for a Jeep Compass.

Bob asked me why I hadn't asked for one of the Cadillacs in the stalls, as he struggled to use the manual seat controls of what he said was a cheap, poor excuse for a vehicle. With receipt in hand, he marched back to the desk and soon returned with a new receipt for -- get ready! -- a Cadillac XT4. Unfortunately, I hadn't understood when signing for the original vehicle that I was agreeing to leaving without a full tank of gas! I thought I was agreeing to return the vehicle full, as was the case as recently as a year ago, but no. About 3/4 of the way to Cocoa Beach, the "low fuel" light came on, but fortunately we made it to a gas station and were soon at our building.

Push button entry worked without a hitch and we were soon settled in our comfortable apartment. We made it to Publix in time to pick up a few groceries for the weekend. After a day or so, Bob liked the car a lot so that was a good thing.

Looking ahead to Spring!

I love the increase in daylight during the month of January but am always happy to see the end of that long month, especially this year. Bob and I were both sick with some kind of ugly upper respiratory virus. One night, I found myself thinking that I had updated my will just in time, but fortunately we both got better in a couple of weeks and the will remains in its fireproof location.

This morning I was up before 5:00 a.m. and embraced the concurrence of the first day of February and the day before trash pick-up. As always, I cleaned appliances (a habit I picked up from Meggan Kerkenbush) and changed the furnace filter; I decided to get rid of what I think of as "wishful freezing" and pitched overbaked brownies, uninspiring pork roast, a portion or two of spaghetti sauce, and what was once a delicious side of black beans and rice. I emptied last weekend's leftovers from the refrigerator and, feeling just a little guilt, push a full trash bag in the barrel.

The sun is shining and a warm-up is promised for the weekend. Can spring be far away?

Merry Christmas!

I was a little late making my holiday cards this year, mostly because I couldn't decide on a design. In the end, I sent out more than I usually do, because I found out that people still seem to like getting something in the mail. I don't have a list -- I simply go through my contacts and add or subtract, mostly the former. I regretfully omit some friends simply because I don't have a street address -- I don't Google addresses if doing so feels instrusive.

I send the same design to most, and for a few others I make cards that reflect the underlying Christian mystery of the birth of Jesus. The entire process from conception to getting the envelopes mailed takes a few weeks. It's a grounding experience that is as spiritual and joyful as any other during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

The 2022 card has simple bilingual messages (front: Merry Christmas  ~ Joyeux Noël; inside:  Happy New Year ~Bonne Année) and the image of cardinal (hand matted on red construction paper glued on the front; with the same image printer-generated on the left inside). 

For some, especially family and friends who live far away, I include a photo with a note on the back. 

I'm writing this as I watch the winter crew plow and shovel our neighborhood streets and driveways. The volume of snow reminds me of the snow filled days of my childhood. It's a good feeling, especially because we got the trash barrel out just in time, and back in the garage before the snowplow got to our house.

It feels a lot like ... Hanukkah and Christmas!

Ya Can't Fix Stupid

 

Scott and John attacking the job with resolve

I've always had a sneaking suspicion that I qualify for the "too stupid to live" label. Yesterday's clothes dryer incident yesterday reinforced that creeping angst.

On Thursday, using one of the sharpest knives in the drawer (from my great new Henckel knife set, a Christmas gift from Trudy and John), I sliced my left thumb while cutting bread for dinner. Yes, I do know how to use a knife safely, but I may need some retraining. Anyway, the cut required a rather clumsy bandaging job that impedes motion. This is, of course, a lame excuse for what happened yesterday morning.

As I always do, I cleaned the lint filter after a load of laundry. I noticed a layer of lint in the slot that houses the filter, so I used the previously successful methodology of dampening a paper towel, folding it up, and swiping it along the lint layer. The first pass was successful so I got greedy and went for  couple of small clumps lower down in the opening. To get a stubborn ball of lint on the left, I transferred the folded paper towel tool from my right hand to my left, but the instant I inserted it, my injured thumb lost its grip and the paper towel fell far down the slot.

Oh oh. I thought turning on the dryer might dislodge it, but the noise was awful so I knew that couldn't be good. I tried to reach for paper towel with the pointy end of a long paint brush, but was afraid of dropping it so I abandoned the effort and realized I needed help. I just didn't feel up to confessing my stupidity to Bob, so I let it go for the time being.

Fortunately, Chris invited us to lunch and I was able to tell my tale of woe during a fortuitous discussion of crazy dumb things! Scott promised to have a look that afternoon.

In the end, Chris, John and Scott all got involved. The attempts included pulling out the dryer from the wall, removing screws, vacuuming the slot, detaching the vent and using an industrial blower to get the paper towel out. Success! Bounty paper towels are certainly heavy duty, because the item was dislodged intact, with a small amount of lint attached to its surface.

The dryer was soon back in position for a test run. It works great and, as recommended by the guys, in the future I'll use a vacuum to remove any lint that escapes the trap. Although you can't fix stupid, I may be just smart enough not to avoid that same dumb mistake next time!

Seminole 2022 - Last Day in Florida

 Pix.

Today is our last full day in Florida. While the weather is great, the home environment is really not very comfortable (bed, couches, chairs, noisy A/C, plumbing problems, dirt ...) and we'll be happy to get home. Still, we'ver enjoyed the last week. A few highlights:

• Dolphin Cruise at John's Pass. It was a perfect day and we saw lots of dolphins and seabirds.
• Visit to Fort DeSoto Park. The day was sunny and warm, and we enjoyed watching people on the beach, as well birds in the water and in the air. Afterward, we had a snack at Sea Critters (margaritas, peel & eat shrimp, grouper nuggets).
• Short hop to Lake Seminole County Park. The park was much larger, greener and cooler than I had imagined. The alljgators didn't show up for a photo op, but I was OK,
• Our usual visit to Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, where the people watching is as fun as waiting for dolphins and manatees.
• Meggan and Scott's weekend with us, including great dinners at Stefano's and perennial favorite Salt Rock Grill.
• Meet-up with Lind O. and her husband Gerard for a wonderful lunch at Bon Appétit in Dunedin.

I'll think about how much I enjoyed swimming in the morning and early evening, and am glad that I learned how to take care of a pool. I'm fairly sure that hardly anyone (except my siblings and a few younger relatives) would have enjoyed the cold water. Scott showed me how to set the temperature of the pool, and I kept expecting the water to warm up -- which it did during a heat spell a few weeks ago. However, the inadequacy of Plan B (the sun) led Bob to ask the pool guy about it. He checked, and said the capacitor was shot, so there is no warm-up in my future.

I'll miss the enclosed patio where we've eaten most meals. However, it was hard to clean up to a satisfactory state and it's even harder to keep it reasonably acceptable.

Spring in Minnesota will be enjoyable!

Seminole 2022 - Winding Down

 Pix.

Time flies by, even when you're not having that much fun. It is a little too quiet for me on this residential street in Seminole.

I've kept myself occupied with watching the news (almost all disturbing), reading (I have a few books on my Kindle, including my choice for April book club), swimming (I've got the pool space quite nice now and I'm pretty good with the skimmer), and the ongoing cleaning project. Everything we step on or touch is fairly clean now, including shower curtains, dish towels, etc. Still, I'm getting a little tired of cleaning when I won't be reaping most of the benefits.

The weather is beautiful. The high humidity experienced last weekend has dissipated and yesterday was fresh and lovely. I got away with resisting the temptation to buy some warm clothes and am happy that I brought three swimsuits so I never have to put on a wet one. I really do like having my own pool.

Seminole 2022 - St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick (Wikipedia)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I've hardly ever gone out on this day, for a variety of reasons, including crowds, green beer, and false good cheer. Bob associates the day with a meal of corned beef and cabbage (usually greasy and disgusting) and years ago I started making it for him and Chris, who also enjoys it. It's grown on me over the years and this morning I have corned beef simmering on the stove because I don't want to babysit the oven later in the day. Once it's tender I'll simply refrigerate and save for later.

Our Lady of Kyyv (tweeted by Fr. James Martin, SJ

Yesterday I walked to Winn-Dixie and picked up cabbage, red potatoes, carrots and Irish soda bread. When I prepare at least they won't be cooked to death. We'll eat on the patio as we usually do. A quiet day, one more suited for reflection than celebration this year.

It's hard to be on vacation while the war in Ukraine rages on. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the British parliament via video and received a standing ovation. On Tuesday, he spoke to the Parliament of Canada. I didn't hear the speech but was touched when I read the trascript and saw that he addressed the Prime Minister as "dear Justin". Zelenskyy spoke virtually to Congress yesterday and to the German parliament this morning. He is fearless, demanding, full of passion. Today's news shows continued relentless bombing of Ukrainian cities.

Seminole 2022 - Lunch with Canadian Friends

 Pix.

Wednesday was a good day. We drove to Dunedin, a new destination for us, partly along the beach, through a lot of Clearwarer that we hadn't seen before.

Bon Appétit is a pleasant restaurant right on the water with a solid dock and waterfront area. Linda and Gérard were waiting for us outside the restaurant and directed us to the parking area. It was a little windy and we decided to eat indoors, where Linda had reserved a table. We could have waited for first come/first served patio seating, where reservations aren't avaible, but we were very happy with our table and our waiter, Jonathan, whose nametag identified him as an Ohioan.

Three of us had salads (Greek for Gérard, Caesar for Bob and me) with either grilled chicken or salmon. Linda chose a hamburger with blue cheese on lettuce instead of a bun. Dark beer for Gérard and me, cabernet sauvignon for Linda, "just water" for Bob. Food and service above average.

A number of years ago Temiscaming friends started and annual lunch tradition, sometimes with as many as five or six couples COVID cust short our stay two years ago, and we didn't go to Florida last year, so we hadn't seen Linda and Gérard since 2019. We four were the only attendees this year and while we really missed our other friends, it was so much fun for Linda and me to catch up. The husbands talked amiably beside us as we chatted non-stop.

It was beautifully warm in the late afternoon so I got my swim in before the evening rainstorm. It was a fine day.

Linda, Gérard, Cath, Bob

Seminole 2022 - Clear Weather

 Pix.

We're learning our way around this part of Pinellas County. The topography of this section of the Gulf coast is challenging, such that there are many angled roadways and, it seems, lots of streets that end because they terminate at some water source. Many drives require a lot of turns and it's easy to lose sight of the ultimate destination. Fortunately the Google Maps app comes to the rescue.

Yesterday we drove to St. Pete Beach "the long way", east on Park Boulevard then south on Park Avenue, east again on Pasadena to the Gulf. We sat on a bench watching a guy paddleboarding as a young family fished on the boardwalk, competing with pelicans and an aggressive great blue heron.

For dinner we had leftover noodles from Stefano's and shrimp, simply sauteed in butter with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder (that's all I had). This morning we woke up to a day that promises to be a little warmer. I hit the pool early and worked a little more on all the debris from Saturday's storm. I added some water to bring up the level. The pool guy comes tomorrow so he'll do a mch needed professional job.

Seminole 2022 - Cold Spring Break!

 

Surfers at Sand Key Park

Pix.

Not a great beginning for spring breakers! The temperature fell steadily all day yesterday and the wind was crazy. After it died down a little, I swept the pool deck as well as I could but left the overturned chairs where they were. Decided against a swim because of all the debris in the water.

We went out in the afternoon and drove north on Gulf Boulevard. Stopped for the first photo op at Indian Rocks Beach and I could barely hold my camera steady enough to get a few shots. It was strangely exhilarating and very enjoyable. A few people were walking on the beach, most of them in long pants, sweatshirts and jackets. We moved on to Sand Key Beach, where I loved watching the crazy surfers in the high waves.

You could tell which of us was the native Minnesotan. Bob, of course, brought clothes for every season and was comfortable in the cold and wind. I, on the other hand, made the strategic decision of packing only a carry-on bag, leaving behind the dress-up clothes, many extra pairs of shoes, sweatshirts and long pants. I couldn't remember ever needing warm clothes in the many years I'd packed them, so I was quite confident in my decision. However, yesterday I was definitely a little chilly in shorts, a tee and my light Vikings windbreaker. This morning, I woke up to about 39F, almost unheard of in the Tampa area at this time of year.

I'm not buying something warm because I'd have to get it home and I'm not going to stuff that bag. Meanwhile, I think I'll get leaves and branches out of the pool. I love swimming in warm water on a cold day. The sun is shining and a warming trend is on the way. 68F later this afternoon.

Seminole 2022 - Wind and Weather

Windy afternoon in Gulfport

Pix.

Being a creature of habit, I stick to my home habit of changing sheets on Friday. While the sheets were dring, I hosed off the pool deck, skimmed the pollen off the pool surface, and did some incidental cleaning, like the cushions and outside furniture.

After lunch, we took a drive to Gulfport. We don't use a standalone GPS anymore, but my phone works really well and we made it without incident. We enjoyed spending some time in the pier but didn't stop in one of the waterfront bars for a beer.

Front yard during heavy rain

I didn't swim yesterday evening or this morning, because of high winds and then, today, heavy rain, with thunder and lightning. I took advantage of water on the patio to mop it, but my tools are somewhat inadequate so the best I can say is that it (along with everything else) is cleaner than it was when I arrived. The Players championship has been delayed until about noon. 

Spring break in this area started today and there are vacationers from all over who've returned to Florida after an absence. If I were here for only a week, I'd be sorry to see a forecast of cold, windy weather with (much needed) rain.

As for me, I have my Kindle, my camera and daily Spanish on Duolingo, so I'm just fine until I turn on the TV and am assaulted with images of the tragic war on Ukraine.

Pix.

Florida is pleasant even on a rainy day. I got to swim morning and evening, at the usual time. Continued on the ongoing cleaning project (today's items: llaundered shower curtain and liner in our bathroom; washed and dried four glass patio doors. The tiles inside have now been mopped twice and the place now feels pretty good. This weekend I'll get the patio done again. Note to self: it may be a bad sign when one's husband openly mentions OCD and related disorders.

We drove in the rain to Treasure Island and stopped at Seabreeze Island Grill for drinks (margarita for Bob, cabernet sauvignon for me) and appetizers (delicious grouper nuggets and coconut shrimp).

By evening the rain had stopped. Weather forecasts sounded dire, including wind chills by Sunday, but this morning is clear and beautiful.

Seminole 2022 - George C. McDonough Nature Park

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I like finding new parks wherever we go. Some are great and others are a disappointment. McDonough Nature Park is one of the best! It's also known as Turtle Park, and the turtles are visible at the park entrance -- sunning on a little island, swimming around a bubbler, lounging on the rocks. Children and others are delighted.

Birds of prey (eagles, hawks, vultures, owls) injured in the wild, rehabbed incompatible with a life "on release", are displayed in large enclosures. Seeing these majestic birds in captivity always makes Bob sad so I generally do not post any photographs. They actually seemed fine to me, especially the ones paired with another bird of the same species. Anyway, the education programs are valuable.

I walked all the way to the Intracoastal Waterway and was fortunate to hear an osprey making a fuss in a tree overlooking the water. He or she seemd displeased with the few visitors that afternoon and I was hoping that he/she wouldn't take some kind of dislike to me as I watched a shot a few photos.

We stopped at Winn-Dixie on the way home and I raced in to grab a few things for the pantry. We had drinks and a picnic supper on the patio. After dinner, I did my quick cleaning of the pool and was dismayed to find a baby turtle in the pool.  I got him out gently and he walked away toward the grass. I was, however, dismayed to see him back in the pool this morning. I got him out with the shallow pool skimmer and off he went into the garden. I made small pool with a sunning rock for him but I haven't figured out what to use as an on-ramp yet. I hope I won't have to make a trip to the turtle pond with him!

Seminole 2022 - Warhawk Nation and Other Musings

 

Seminole High School is the building on the other side of the fence

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It seems ironic that the most peaceful messages I receive every day are from Seminole High School, with its jingoistic Warhawk Nation brand. I started my week with a recorded blast of the school song, the pledge of allegiance, uplifting messages from the administration, encouragement to all students, and a reminder that these are the last few days before spring break.

Our rental house abuts against the SHS property and we see the kids on the street when we go out at the end of the school day. Because mornings are chilly, they are almost all overdressed for afternoon heat, and I couldn't help thinking that many Minnesota kids would prefer to be chilly at the beginning of the day rather than too hot later. Anyway, they look like a cheerful bunch and I love hearing announcements during the day, between the period bells. I wrote a note to the school yesterday, letting them know that positivity and optimism have an impact beyond the student body. I did not mention the opposition of Florida's indigenous people to mascot Wally Warhawk and various other offensive manifestations of school pride. Surely this issue could be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties!

Meanwhile, in war news,  Russia continues its murderous assault on Ukraine. I just heard on NBC that one hundred refugees per minute cross into Poland. The images of displaced people, including so many children and animals, are shocking and so very sad. I can't help remembering the songs of protest during the Vietnam War. 

RIP Laura Nyro whose lyrics to Save the Country are poignantly 60s ... "in my mind I can't study war no more!"

Seminole 2022 - My Own Pool

My pool

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There's nothing I like more than a good pool. I can remember almost every pool I've ever been to, and I've hit a lot of them over many decades. I think the worst was a frigid unheated pool in California nearly thirty years ago where I insisted on a swim in the frigid water, and one of the best was an infinity pool at Hotel Las Brisas in Ixtapa. Our pool at Sunrise Resort in St. Pete Beach was pretty good, especially in the early morning or late evening. The pool at this house looked fine in pictures but the reality was something else again. My feet were filthy from the concrete and I created a small muddy puddle when I sat on the furniture in a wet swimsuit.

Bob showed me how to use the net so yesterday I cleaned the water surface, fairly successfully. Then Scott got the hose and together we cleaned the deck.The grit had really been driving me crazy but we got it looking pretty good and definitely a lot cleaner. Then Scott hiked up the pool temperature to 80F. He told me that it had been set at 54 (!) and while the water was warmer than that, it was certainly a little too brisk, even for me. It had already warmed up yesterday afternoon and by this morning it was still refreshing -- well on the way to "just right".

This morning Scott added some water to bring it up to its proper level and, well, it looks and feels great. Early this afternoon I mopped the enclosed patio and, while it needs at least one other pass, it's a lot brighter.

So, after just a little effort I'm really enjoying my pool. 

Seminole 2022 - A Good Weekend

 

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We had a pretty good weekend. On Saturday morning I found a good mop and large bucket. While Bob was showering, I swept all the floors and washed the indoor tile. The difference was immediately visible and a sense of clean space began to take hold. The counter and table surfaces are pretty good from repeated cleaning.

Meg and Scott arrived in the early afternoon in time for lunch. We at on the outdoor patio and later in the afternoon I went for a swim. We finished the day at Stefano's, a venue Scott found online. We all loved the space and the food. We all chose something different: Bob (salmon - "best I ever had"), Scott (spaghetti and meatballs), Meg (scallops), me (seafood pasta). The pastas were all perfectly prepared and the wine (pinot grigio for Meg, cabernet sauvignon for me) was good too.

On Sunday we were out and about, hitting Bongo's on the Beach for noon drinks and appetizers. We had dinner at one of our favorites from previous years, Salt Rock Grill. More good meals, maybe a little too good. This is a fruit and veggies day.

Seminole 2022 - Acceptance and Enjoyment

 

Pool Area

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Thursday was a more normal day, as reality sank in. We are going to be here for a month so we might as much enjoy our time in the sun. I really enjoyed both my morning and evening swims, especially as I try to make sure my right shoulder (recently treated with physical therapy for rotator cuff tears) is properly rehabbed before I get by to my Y swimming routine.

We've got our bearings now and had no trouble getting out to a main road, Hwy 694/Park Avenue. Traffic seemed like less than we were once used to once we got to Gulf Boulevard. The coast is, of course, overbuilt but the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay are very beautiful.

We drove to a few favorite places, including the boardwalk at Land's End and the very end of Pass-A-Grille. We had fish & chips and conch tacos delivered from DJ's Clam Shack which we enjoyed on the patio. Because the shade is inoperable (or, as we say in Minnesota, "broke"), we sat in the hot sun of the late afternoon.

TV is working well. WiFi is good. Watching the terrible war in Ukraine, I feel sad and very angry.

Seminole 2022 - Day 2 (Still Married)

 Pix.

Let's face it, the choice of this property was mine. I did have my doubts when I saw only one review and noticed right away the absence of basic safety equipment (like a handrail -- and more) around the pool steps. I did look up property valuation compared with similar properties in the residential neighborhood and was reassured -- of course, location-location-location applies, and this is a great location.

Bob has been very kind in not blaming me, but I am defensive about every innocent negative remark. Yesterday's included shades that almost fell apart in the enclosed patio, toilet issues (fortunately not clogged ones), uncomfortable seating, TV problems (to which I am fairly indifferent, especially with Live-TV on my laptop for the news and a few other programs I watch). So many more. Seems we're used to the good life with solid doors, soft-close cupboards, lots of outlets without overloaded power strips, new plumbing, shades that don't fall apart. The list goes on.

Yesterday we hit the Dollar Store, one of my favorite places which but Bob is definitely not a Dollar Store shopper. I stocked up on cleaning supplies, though I feel a little disheartened and will not get into my habitual cleaning frenzy. Just praying that the washer and the dishwasher work. If not ... oh well, let's not go there.

On the positive side, we are getting a few laughs. Our worst vacation experience is still Barker Lake Lodge nearly 10 years ago and we still crack up when we think about it. "It's gonna be warm", said Bob cheerfully a few minutes ago. While the bed didn't seem quite as comfortable as it did on the first night, it was still pretty good. I'm hoping that the two small bruises inside my right elbow are from a bang and not an insect.

Already inquired about getting back to our longtime rental in St. Pete Beach next year. Sunrise Resort is looking better and better!

Florida 2022 - Seminole

We returned to Florida this year for the first time after leaving two years ago at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year we stayed home and lost our St. Pete Beach rental of many years. After much dithering and indecisision, Bob and I decided to try a new rental in Seminole, an "upscale" community north of our old favorite St. Pete. Using our Delta credits from 202, we sprung for first class on Delta.

Yesterday was our first day. Jim M. gave us a ride to the airport and our flight left right on time at 9:30. While flying first is not what it once was, the seats were very comfy, especially for me, a frequent occupant of the middle seat. My "charcuterie and cheese" breakfast was delicious. Bob took the "banana bread" menu choice and we shared our selections, including really good fruit and nuts.

Tampa International (TPA) seemed less busy than I remember. I had reserved a Hertz car through Delta and the line was short. Probably because we ended up forking over ore $$ for the extra driver and a vehicle upgrade, and but that Chevy Malibu isn't much of an upgrade: noisy under the car (Bob says A-frame), left signal that won't turn off, chemical smell that I hate. Inauspicious start.

We took the wrong exit to Seminole and drove through construction to get to the house. Let's just say that it photographs well but needs many updates, like everything (plumbing, electrical outlets, TV, furniture). The look is dated and dingy and the pool lacks a railing on the stairs.

Our bed, however, is very comfortable and the coffeemaker is good. The outdoor space also looks very nice. This morning I feel a little more positive but have mentally gone through every room and updated everything.

Still, it's Florida nad the weather is beautiful!

Let the be light ... or not!

Love our automated Hunter Douglas Silhouette shades. However, one of the sets of four shades wasn't working properly with its remote. Although the shades worked fine on my phone app, Bob prefers to use the remotes. He was driving me crazy trying to get shades lined up. Over a period of several months, we learned how to change batteries in the shades and in the remotes, reset shades manually, fix mis-alignments between the little puck that fits in the "Pebble" remote holder, reset the hub, and all kinds of other things, some of them useful.

On the first Saturday of the Olympic games and the day before the Super Bowl, I took it upon myself to fix this irriting problem. Now. I pulled out the now familiar instruction booklets and fiddled with programming the living room remote. Big mistake, because I couldn't get any of the shades added to a remote configuration routing. After an hour or so, I decided to call Customer Support. I was a little surprised when the recorded instructions advised me to press "1" if I'm over 50. Well, I'm two decades over 50 but I felt a little insulted, thinking that there was a special dumbed down assistance protocol for seniors. Turns out I'd mistakenly called the wrong number and was connected with a very nice lady who wanted to sell me a medical alert system.

Finally, I got the right number but the so-called "hot line" is hot only M-F at 9 AM EST. Next, I called the retailer, Viking Blinds. The designer was busy with customers, but she got back to me later that day and provided a link to instructions, which I already knew but no matter. I contact Hunter-Douglas on the Monday but I really needed more help than HD could provide.

Finally, it dawned on me that Bob had been right all along: the remote was defective. We brought it into Viking Blinds and the lovely designers there agreed with us. They ordered a new remote (free) which was immediately shipped by HD. Bob and I worked together on the operation and we were in business 10 minutes later. The shades work perfectly.

Open Border

Air travel to Canada from the US opened in August, when I already had an October reservation for Toronto. My sister was planning shoulder surgery and I was to be the post-procedure helper. In the end, the surgery did not happen but all reservations had been made, so I stuck with my plans.

The instructions for travelers were somewhat confusing and cumbersome, but I was fully vaccinated with a booster, and figured out how to time the required COVID 19 test. My "enhanced driver's license" was not the passport replacement I had expected, as a passport was required for several of the many phases of preparation and execution of travel plans.

Everything went off without a hitch at Terminal 1, Minneapolis-St. Paul. Check-in, TSA check, boarding and service during flight were very efficient. I sailed through Customs & Immigration in Toronto, not noticing right away that I had been selected for an additional COVID test. The test required creating an account with switchhealth.ca, an easy enough task if only my glasses hadn't kept fogging up above the required mask. That added at least 30 minutes to my arrival ritual. Fortunately, the Stratford Airporter picked me up earlier than my scheduled 3:30 time, so I was at my sister's before I had expected to leave Toronto.

Then began the job of scheduling and paying for a COVID test to re-enter the United States on November 1. Shoppers Drug Mart webite was the front end for a LifeLabs COVID test registration. I opted for the more sensitive PCR test because I didn't want to risk the possibility of a false positive result that would delay my eligibility to return to the US, and also put me into quarantine. The first time I tried to pay the hefty charge, the payment engine failed and I had to start over, which I didn't do until the next day. The next day, scheduling and payment were easy, but the required print job (yes, I had to print paper to take with me to the test) wouldn't display right away. In the end, after an inordinate number of hours, I had everything I need for a Friday test three days before departure.

Yesterday, Air Canada sent me an email warning me to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure. Out went my plan to take the train to Toronto from Stratford and spend a couple of hours with my brother and sister-in-law, whom I haven't seen for 3-1/2 years. I made another pricey reservation on the Stratford Airporter, cancelled my ViaRail reservation, and am now good to go --- I think.

This has been a moderately frustrating experience. Before the two countries are ready for an easy, routine crossing of the "longest undefended border in the world", rules and procedures need to be clarified,simplified, communicated and put into practice.

Remembering 9/11

Everyone old enough to remember that terrible September day has a story. Mine is not the still raw grief-stricken account of those who lost family or friends, nor does it have the immediacy of stories told by eyewitnesses in New York, Washington or Shanksville. Still, the events of that day are seared into my brain.

It was a stunning morning in St. Paul, Minnesota, the kind of day that qualifies as a "top ten weather day". I was off work, and I was looking forward to spending time outdoors after dropping off my son and a classmate at St. Agnes School, where both were freshmen. I arrived a Nativity Church a little early for 8 AM  Mass. The pastor, Father (now Bishop) Peter Christensen was talking with  someone outside the church, but I couldn't resist announcing  I'd followed advice from his Sunday homily -- something like "have the confidence to try new things", and that morning I had parallel-parked my Dodge Grand Caravan in a tight space -- a new experience for me, as I usually chose a drive-in spot large enough to park a bus. Father Peter seemed preoccupied and I apologized for interrupting his conversation.

At Mass, Father Tom Margevicius announced from the pulpit that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I turned on the radio for the short ride home, where my husband was watching coverage of the disaster on TV. We spent much of the day in stunned silence, following the tragedy in real time. My son reported later that he had seen the news on TV in the waiting room at his dental appointment.

I have little recollection of work the next day. I know I told a colleague at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that I had had "become an American" the day before. A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, I had taken the oath of citizenship 15 years earlier, but had always considered my primary citizenship to be Canadian. On September 11, a glance at the clear blue sky told me that I was as American as any of my neighbors.

Since then, I've been fairly diligent in trying to learn and understand US history and culture. Always a political junkie, I'm now a student of all levels of government, with a particular interest in  the separation of powers. On this twentieth anniversary of 9/11, I mourn the divisions in our country but was encouraged as I listened to former President George W. Bush speak uplifting, hopeful words in Shanksville, Pennsylvania: "... Whenever we need hope and inspiration, we can look to the skies and remember." A perfect azure sky no longer fills me with pre-9/11 unrestrained joy, but I remember with gratitude and sadness that day and those whose lives ended in such horror.  

The Turn

Today is my 71st birthday, one that I never imagined I would reach, but here I am, very much alive, in relatively good health.  As always on this August morning, I am reflecting on "the turn".

When I was a little girl, on summer evenings my mother would take my sister, brother and me to the playground at the end of Elm Street in our hometown of Temiscaming, Québec. We'd walk up the lane and down the little hill, sometimes "swim" in the small rectangular wading pool and always play on the monkey bars or the big wooden swings. Around the time of my birthday, darkness would fall suddenly, seemingly much earlier than only a few days earlier. I began to think of my birthday as "the turn" ... the day summer faded a little and fall stared us in the face. After August 10, evenings and mornings cooled. Lake water temperatures declined and school supplies made their appearance, welcome to some kids but not to me or my siblings. We all dreaded the day after Labor Day and the beginning of another interminable school year.

For a few years when I was a young teenager, I celebrated my birthday at John Island Camp near Spanish, Ontario. There, "the turn" was even more apparent. Birch leaves were yellowing and the wind blowing off Lake Huron gave presaged winter blizzards in that beautiful, primitive location. Later, when I worked at the Temiscaming waterfront, I noticed that kids left for home earlier in the afternoon and were less inclined to return for an evening swim, when the shadows of rocks and trees darkened the water way before sunset.

This is my second birthday in the "new" house, and I'm pleased with the house, grass and patio, a small space that is gradually coming together. The sun is rising later and I turn on the light when I get up at my usual 5:00 a.m. In a summer of drought, we're grateful for rain, and I'd be happy to see a shower on this usually perfectly sunny and hot August day. Not much chance we'll actually have any more rain than the couple of inches that fell over the weekend.

Over the years, I've sometimes talked about the"turn" phenomenon and fear I've ruined the otherwise perfect month of August for those who took note. In Minnesota, winter never seems to be more than a weather forecast or two away, but today I'm pushing "the turn" out of my mind and enjoying this great summer morning.