Lights Out

 We are in the middle of an ice storm. We also live in a neighborhood with many, many large trees. So sometimes are electricity goes out.

We grab the battery operated lantern (bought for just this purpose).  I light some candles. I get a fire going in the fireplace and we wait it out. This one was at night and we got lucky it only lasted about 3 hours.

This is the first one that we have had since I got my new recliner. Electric recliner.

Foot rest Up

It took me a couple of tries trying to climb out of it. I was laughing too hard. See, on vacation the recliner that Mike sat in most nights the foot rest never wanted to go back down. He had to force it. I stayed away from it because of that.  Looked like too much work. Well now I know climbing out wasn’t easy either.

Vacation 2023

 Mike and I like to get away for our anniversary every year. Last year he had shoulder surgery so we didn’t get to go till march. Anniversary is February 14.

We enjoy getting away for a week and playing golf. Sharen asked me ‘why just one week?” I had no idea, but Mike and I both like the idea of warm weather, playing golf, soaking up the sun, sight seeing, and Mike wants to try fishing. I booked 2 weeks.

I found the perfect spot. It was a small (only 20 Condos) private rental with its own fishing dock. It was on Anastasia island near St. Augustine. 

Perfect sunrises

Perfect moonrises

Perfect sunsets 

All from the porches of our condo.

Mike enjoyed fishing and caught the biggest and the best fish.  I told him beginners luck. He catches a beautiful flounder that even had the regular fisherman on the dock envious. They recommended using shrimp for bait (or mud minnows). We used shrimp. Me I catch a slimy skinny thing no one knew what it was. I showed this picture to the kid at the bait shop. He told me it was a lizard fish. Yuck.

A flounder

Lizard fish

The weather was perfect. we got 3 round of golf in. 

Golf partners

The course was really short for women and I was hitting the ball pretty good - I actually beat Mike - for the first time ever - on the front side. I short 43 to his 45.

I really wanted to visit downtown St.Augustine and see the oldest Catholic Church in the US. The streets were very narrow and the houses all looked historic well worth the day walking around getting steps in.

Not made for car traffic

Catholic Church

It was beautiful 

I chose this location because Mike and I both wanted to see the Golf Hall of Fame. It’s in st.Augustine. It was a cooler day and not very many people out. We both enjoyed it. My favorite is still the Baseball HOF and Mikes is the Hockey HOF.

Bill Murray’s restaurant for lunch

I’m glad we stayed the extra week.  the condo was very nice and the beach was practically empty. A few old couples like us sitting around reading. 

Spent a couple hours here

The sand was hard enough for cars to drive on and our walks each day were along the waves.

When I was growing up and taking our yearly vacation to Wisconsin Mom would always bring games and a puzzle in case of rain. I brought along a puzzle, for old times sake. It did rain 2 days out of the 15.  First time I fixed a puzzle on a glass table top. 

Brought the north with me

I still would not ever want to live in Florida. Visiting there for a few weeks is enough for us. The green pollen covered your cars. Ours was parked in an underground parking garage and the place had its own car wash. Still got filthy. The whole strip of houses along the beach lost their walkover piers to hurricane Nicole. Our complex’s was out for 5 months. I guess each state has its good and bad.  I’ve always enjoyed the changing of the seasons. 

We will stay where our kids and grandkids are and just visit the sunshine and warm weather s long s we’re able.