Gina's Jewels

More renovations.....

We had another productive day at the Zenith house.   Today holes were plastered, wallpaper and graffiti were removed and lots of cleaning took place.   The worst part of renovation is all the cleaning and prep work.  But tomorrow…..we get to start painting, which always provides instant gratification!  The scary thing is that Stephan and I REALLY enjoy renovation work.  

In the morning, we stopped at Walmart and purchased some tools plus some frozen dinners for our lunch.   It didn’t take long to remember why I always cook and we don’t eat that kind of food.  At the risk of sounding like a pig, what Lean Cuisine considers a meal, we consider more of an appetizer!

We all enjoyed the pool and spending the day in our swimsuits.  Elvis ALMOST has Wagner trained….he drops his ball in the pool then waits for Wagner to go get it.   He could do this for hours.  :0}

The weather was great and we didn’t even miss the air conditioning.   The ceiling fans, breeze and pool kept us cool all day.   This is really a good little house. 

 

 

Renovation begins......

We spent Friday afternoon at Home Depot gathering items we knew we’d need to renovate the Zenith house.   We didn’t get all the items on our list, but we were all tired and decided we had “enough”.   $1000+ later we were on our way.  

Saturday, we spent the day cleaning, preparing to paint, flooring removal, etc.   A beautiful family once lived in this house, then the wife left with the children, the husband turned to drugs and eventually lost the house.   So sad.  It makes you wonder if it could have all been prevented. 

 

The carpet had lots of burns (and urine) in it.   When Stephan removed the carpet and pad, there was a tremendous accumulation of sand/dirt.   Either they had the worst vacuum cleaner ever or never cleaned.   I’m going to guess the cleaning declined as the drug use increased.

I don’t know who they are but I pray that each member of this family is on the right path now.  These carpet photos, which I took today, are actually AFTER all the floors had been professionally cleaned!  

It was 88 degrees today and we accepted that the A/C wasn’t working.   Fortunately this home came with a 2-yr “home warranty” package so we can get it fixed!   Another saving grace was that we could work in our swimsuits and jump in the pool whenever we needed to lower our body temperature or just wanted to take a break.

 

 Elvis had a great time checking out the new digs and was really excited when he saw the five ADORABLE little Yorkies that live next door!   He didn’t mind spending the day away from “home” as he had to survive on treats, go swimming and run in more space than he is accustomed to.  Our new neighbor, John, even offered to keep next door if we ever needed to travel without him.   Just wait till they get to know him better!!

Wagner spent quite a bit of time using the screwdriver to remove all the light switch and plug covers, door knobs, etc.    We all worked and were ready to relax!

I’m exhausted but wanted to get this update posted tonight.   Tomorrow will be another full day (stripping wall paper, cleaning walls, painting trim AND swimming!!

For Rent Soon!

We returned to the resort in Bonita Springs on Sunday evening and spent most of Monday cleaning our rig and truck from our dusty farm visit. Stephan grilled rib eyes for our lunch and then attempted to get our satellite back up and running.   We’re parked right under a large pine tree that provides welcomed shade but also provides sap, needles and tree frogs on the rig AND blocks our reception.   The resort manager gave us another satellite dish so then Stephan spent more time trying to get reception through it.  

On Tuesday, Stephan worked in the morning and we focused on school, then we met our Realtor for a final tour of the “Zenith” house.   It needs a lot of paint and flooring replaced but we really got a sweet deal on this property!

 

When we returned from the closing, Stephan spent more time on the reception.   Wagner made it clear that he didn’t want to miss a brand new “Dirty Jobs” episode.   Despite his efforts, by the end of the day, we could still only pick up the National Geographic channel.  So they decided they would play Xbox games in the evening and I spent my time playing Bejeweled, visiting with my sister on the phone and reading the local paper. 

Hunsader Farms 2009 Pumpkin festival

 

 

 
  
BBQ, funnel cakes, pizza, Greek food, turkey legs, kettle corn, corny dogs, lemonade, candy apples, ice cream and more were offered at the festival.   They also had a petting zoo, pioneer village, live music, BMX riders, corn maze, pony rides, RC planes, circus, dog show and more.   There was so much to do.  Heat, dust and fire ants aside, we had a great time!  

This is proving to be a really busy week for us so I can’t write much but hopefully the pictures will speak for themselves......

 

He said, she heard......

When my husband said he was going to change some light bulbs, this wasn’t what I envisioned!   

 

 

He's a man of many talents!
 
 

Long, skinny, tubular reptile = snake

We had our first taste of cold weather this week.   The afternoon air only reached in the low 70’s!    Go ahead and laugh at us but we were chilled to the bone and dining on hot soup.   We scrambled to dig out our “winter” clothes including our fluffy robes for the crisp mornings.   Okay, we actually only had one day that was “cold”.   Now the temps are back to the low 80’s in the afternoon; fabulous weather.   This means that our neighbors gather outdoors to chat, play games, etc.

It also allows for longer bike rides.   Wagner and I set out yesterday for what I thought would be nice long ride around the park.   We had rounded the first corner when he exclaimed “snake”.   Naturally HE wanted to go back and get a closer look.    Now, take a minute and read the article I had just read before our ride titled “Florida is not winning its war on 'Reptiles of Concern' (http://www.news-press.com/article/20091012/COLUMNISTS50/910120316/1002/NEWS01). For those of you who don’t have time to read the article….it states: “There are up to 100,000 constrictors proliferating in South Florida……..pythons can grow up to 20 feet….. Do you think I got a little freaked out when he spotted a snake?   Well, in the end, it turned out it wasn’t a snake after all.   It was an Eastern Glass Lizard(www.uga.edu/srelherp/lizards/ophven.htm) which is a “legless” lizard.    Although my son looked it up to prove me wrong, I still consider it a snake.

Stephan, amused at how quickly I could get a grouchy uni-brow, jumped on his bike to come get a look.   When I warned a resident that we’d seen a snake, he replied “yeah, they’re everywhere”.   On that note, I took my uni-brow inside for a glass a wine.

New trailer.....

Our offer was accepted on the “short sale” house primarily due to our realtor’s ingenious “escalator clause”.  The deal could still fall through as the bank’s foreclosure department could work at a faster pace than the short-sale department.  So for now, we just wait to find out if and when we’ll close.  

 

In preparation for moving our belongings out of storage, Stephan purchased an enclosed trailer we saw posted on Craigslist.   It was being used as a mobile cabinet shop so he has spent some time cleaning it out.    

 
  
The snowbirds are flocking south and even our little park is filling up.   They bring an excitement with them as they are excited about returning to their beach escape knowing their neighbors are battling the cold up north.   Sure now that the fun starts we’re thinking about leaving!   Well, in reality we have still not ruled out staying put and renting out both homes.   Wagner doesn’t seem to care.  He’s excited about visiting his friends in NC but is still happy in this little home.   

We were thrilled to hear that our Canadian friends will be returning to Florida for the winter.   Wagner is careful to contain his excitement about having their two daughters to hang out with but Stephan and I aren’t as subtle.  We can't wait for their arrival!  

I met with the owner of a local art gallery yesterday who was interested in showcasing my jewelry.    After hearing one too many horror stories about consignment deals gone bad, I knew that was not an option for me.   He was very complimentary and “loved my work”.  He purchased a nice assortment, not as many as either of us had hoped, but we each wanted the larger profit margin on the final sale!   As I was driving home, I realized that wholesaling my jewelry didn’t bring me the same satisfaction as a personal sale.  I missed the joy of a customer falling in love with a piece for their own collection or as a gift.  I guess it would be different if I were doing this to put food on the table.   Praise God that is not the case!

Envision and plan....

Stephan spent hours yesterday researching our moving options.   Do we rent a trailer, buy a trailer, pay a mover, etc.   It was supposed to be a no-brainer.   We rent a large enclosed trailer which he would load and tow down to FL.   I would drive my Suburban and tow a small utility trailer of Stephan’s.  Unfortunately, the rental trailers we’ve found just aren’t big enough.   The bids on having our stuff moved are about the same as if bought a trailer ourselves but then could resell it at a later time.

Of course, Stephan and I are still trying to wrap our minds around the whole concept of settling down.   We don’t really have this desire in our hearts but feel it would be good for Wagner.   Naturally, what is best for him is our priority.   As we try to envision ourselves moving all our stuff into a house we seem to get distracted by all the complications of being a “normal” community member.  Perhaps that is something only another “RV” family can relate to!

The photos below are of some of the things I spent my time on this weekend. 

    

 
 
 
   

 

Because he thinks we’re so cool....

Last week we had offers out on three houses.   One offer was accepted and we should close on that house around November 6.   We were outbid on the other two offers.  

Yesterday morning, I spotted a new listing and we met our realtor for a late afternoon tour.  With some fresh paint, landscaping and a thorough cleaning, this will be a GREAT house.   We submitted on offer on it but will have to wait a while for a response as it is a “short sale” and they move a bit slower through the system.   Stephan loves the palm trees.  

   

 

 Here’s a photo of us walking on the side of the house in the backyard.   Doesn’t Wagner look happy?   Like most kids his age, he just loves doing EVERYTHING with us including errands.

 

When the fish are biting....bugs don't matter

 

Doesn’t this look beautiful?   It really was nice to stand out on the pier watching the dolphins swim, people catching fish and the sun setting.   We met Phillip and Suzette at the Sanibel Island pier to do a bit of fishing.   It was all good until the breeze stopped and the “no see ums” swarmed in.  

No-see-ums are tiny biting flies which are less than ¼ of an inch long.  Get it?   They’re so tiny that it is hard to see ‘um.  The females bite and suck blood like a mosquito.   The bites are VERY itchy and scratching the bites makes them itch longer.  I speak this from experience.  :0(

Anyway, the fish weren’t biting but the no-see-ums were steadily eating away at our flesh so we were ready to scurry home.   We said our goodbyes and I explained to my brother that I love him BUT I like having skin too.   Just then, someone reeled in a large fish.   Don’t you know that Stephan’s hook quickly returned to the water?   The next day the three of us were polka-dotted with little red bites!

Three houses?

Stephan worked on Saturday morning and then after lunch, we met our realtor to look at three more houses.   We made offers on two of them.  So…. we currently have offers pending on three homes. 

On Monday, we drove back out to take another look at the houses.   In the late afternoon, we met my brother, Philip and his wife, Suzette, at Doc’s Beachhouse.   They are on vacation and stopped by to check out this part of Florida after spending some time fishing near Ft. Lauderdale.   Just as we were arriving at Bonita beach, we got a call from our realtor that our offer on one of the houses had been accepted!   

While we’re excited about fixing up a home, getting our stuff out of storage and re-establishing ourselves in a community, it’s a bit surreal to think about settling down and staying put.  It will be a hoot to see what we thought was important to save 2.5 years ago!   I’m predicting a huge garage sale and Goodwill drop off.  

We’ll keep our rig so we’ll be able to load up should hitch itch set in or we decide to head north for the summers.   We love the winter in Florida hope that our real estate investments prove less stressful and more fruitful than the stock market! 

It does look like the end of the year will be very busy for us……

Maybe it was some type of homemade shrine?

Wagner and his buddy, Mitch, had a few extended telephone conversations this week.   They had both purchased a Lego model a while back but neither could find their building directions.   The bulk of their telephone conversation was Mitch attempting to walk Wagner through the building process from his completed model.  I could hear Mitch (on the speakerphone) describe one Lego block at a time, then Wagner would dig through his massive stash, attach each piece as it was found and then they would move on to the next piece.   They both learned a bit about giving precise details.
 

We took a second tour of the “1925” home we submitted a bid on last week.   It is actually being auctioned and there is a minimum bid that was above what we offered, so this visit was to do a walk through and more closely estimate the expense of renovation.   Although we loved the property, the neighborhood just didn’t seem able to support putting the necessary funds (or sweat equity) into this particular home.   We threw out several guesses but still couldn’t agree on the purpose of this concrete structure situated on the back patio.  

 

At the end of our evaluation, our broker mentioned a “gulf access” home that he had come across.    We spent a fair time touring and evaluating it and came to the conclusion that it will be a wonderful home for someone – just not this family.  

When we returned home, we spotted the mama duck by the pond with her new babies! 

Homeless to TWO houses?

On Wednesday night, the guys headed back up to the Bass Pro Shop and participated in two classes. From 5:30 to 6:30 they both practiced tying basic fishing knots then from 6:30 to 7:30 Stephan practiced throwing a cast net and learned some new techniques for catching his own bait.

When they returned home, Stephan enjoyed sharing what he learned. Wagner didn’t elaborate on the class but he had a story to share about the cows he saw mating on the side of the freeway as they drove there. ;o/  I guess I have to be grateful that he learned something.

We decided that we should revisit investing in this area and met with a realtor on Friday. He took us by six properties from a list that we had given him and he had fine tuned. Well, by the end of the day, we were submitting offers on two homes.

I know it doesn’t seem right… going from homeless to TWO homes. Let me try to explain so that we don’t seem TOO crazy. One home is located about 20-30 minutes from Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island which is a good rental area. The other is just one of those houses that when you walk in it or on the grounds the vision of its potential just floods your mind. It is a 1925 Mediterranean style home that needs a major overhaul. The structure is sound; the original wood floors are in good condition, but needs HVAC, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, a kitchen, painting, etc. Friends that know our history know that we have a little experience with this! We will know if our bids are accepted next weekend. If not, we’ll continue on to a different project!

My cousin's wife had a "candle" party at her house on Sunday which provided a great opportunity for meto get some "girl" time in.   It was fun to chat, snack and shop with them.

Bejeweled, beading, biking.....

Yesterday was a good day. Wagner did an awesome job in school, Stephan enjoyed his work, and I got my highest score on Bejeweled Blitz plus spent some time making jewelry. While breaking 100K felt great, I think I will continue improving my score on my favorite word games (Bookworm and Scrabble).

I was inspired to work on a pearl cha-cha bracelet after seeing a cute (but overpriced) one in a catalog. Once you get started beading it’s hard to stop. I ended up making 2 bracelets and 2 pairs of earrings while in my “pearl” mood.

Our daily family bible study covered Exodus 16 & 17 which led us into a good discussion. After our usual afternoon thunderstorms, the skies cleared and we were able to enjoy an evening bike ride. In the evening, we enjoyed grilled sandwiches and popcorn as we watched “Over the Hedge” before heading to bed.

Browsing around.....

On Saturday, the local Bass Pro Shop was offering free archery practice. Wagner had enjoyed the archery practice he had during our stay at the YMCA Trout Lodge in Missouri, so we thought he might enjoy trying out some new equipment. As it turned out, Wagner and Stephan got to practice.

My Cousin Rudy and his grandson Skylar met us to do some browsing. Skylar just turned 4 so the store offered a lot of cool things for him to look at.

Rudy, aka “Gunner” for his service as a Gunner in the Marines, spent time talking guns with Stephan. When it started to seem like they could spend the rest of the day there, Wagner and I suggested we go to get lunch.

We went across the parking lot to Costco and browsed some more, munching on all the samples as we made our way through the store. Afterward, we shared a pepperoni pizza before going home.

We stayed around the resort on Sunday and enjoyed a big spaghetti lunch, riding bikes and playing games.

Bad skills, good attitude....

I’m not good at Bejeweled but continue to grace the bottom of the weekly tournament roster. After dinner on Wednesday, we went to the Golf Safari Mini golf (www.GolfSafariMiniGolf.com ). I could blame my poor score on the mosquitoes, humidity or even pressure from my loved ones, but in all honesty, my golf balls landed in water THREE times because it’s a poorly designed course. Okay, okay, so I’m a poor golfer too. The bright side is that Wagner had a GREAT time laughing at my skills and by letting me go first, he learned what NOT to do.

Although our weather hasn’t changed, we’re getting into the autumn spirit. I’m looking forward to attending the Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in Bradenton (http://www.hunsaderfarms.com/upcom.htm#pumpkin). They have a corn maze and a petting zoo at their farm. I found this while looking at local festivals to participate in during the holiday season.

Wagner is now on book 5 of the Ranger’s Apprentice Series.  As I’m sure all parents do, we wonder if we’re bringing him up correctly. I think that as long as he eats well, laughs daily, plays in the sunshine, displays good moral character, and progresses intellectually, he is doing fine.

While we were doing our weekly Walmart shopping, he FINALLY found a bike he could commit to. It’s candy apple red with black accents and we were able to find a matching helmet. Yes, the matching thing was my idea NOT his. When we returned home, I posted the 3-wheeler on Craigslist. It sold and was picked up within 3 hours!

After a leisurely morning around the house on Friday, we spent some time on Bonita Beach.   We all had fun swimming in the warm calm water and playing amongst the swarms of little fish.  

It was so funny because every time we’d tap the water surface, they would jump out of the water and flip.   One almost flipped into Stephan’s mouth, one did a few flips on the top of my head, and several flipped up on our arms and chests.   Stephan caught one with his bare hands – now that’s fishing!!   We got a good dose of sunshine (and laughter) then returned home for a late lunch and nap.   In the evening we laughed out loud while watching “Funniest Home Videos” on TV before crawling into bed.  

Too WILD for me....

Hitch itch has set in. Stephan and Wagner are content but I’ve got traveling on my mind. We’ve had some other workcamping opportunities offered to us but none that seemed “better” than our current deal. One position was at Myakka River State Park which is located about 90 miles north of here in Sarasota. We like Sarasota and enjoyed snorkeling at Point of Rocks the last time we visited.

We drove up to Myakka on Friday to get a look at the RV site they were offering, the park amenities, etc. The park is ideal for bird or wetland creature observers. Hikers might enjoy the 39 miles of hiking trails, a canopy walkway and a 70-foot tower that you can climb to view the forest, prairie and wetlands. We visited the new gift shop, which also offers food, drinks, kayak/bike/canoe rentals, WiFi, etc. I’m guessing that it is also where you would purchase tickets for the “Tram Safari” ride and the airboat cruise. You can read more about the park at  www.FloridaStateParks.org/MyakkaRiver.

I think this is an interesting place for an adventure but was glad that we previewed the park before committing to 3 months residing here. Elvis and I would NOT do well living in an environment this wild. I love the Florida beaches but not the snake/alligator/mosquito swampland experience.

On our way home, we grabbed a bite at Taco Bell and then stopped at Camping World where we purchased a bike rack that hangs from the ladder on the back of our rig. While we were there, we test drove a few bicycles but none of them were a good fit for Wagner. So, that search continues…

Exceeding expectations....

On Labor Day, Stephan worked and Wagner did his school work in the morning and then enjoyed a BBQ lunch which I prepared for them. Lunch included grilled chicken, sausage, potato salad and “southern” beans. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and enjoying our personal hobbies.

Yesterday, after lunch, they headed out to do a bit of shopping. They stopped by the Bonita Springs bike shop to check out their current inventory but didn’t make a purchase.

They continued on to Walmart to pick up a few groceries plus a gift for Wagner. A while back, we had given Wagner a personal challenge, raised the bar on particular skills and offered an item from his wish list as a reward when it was mastered. We all agreed that he had met (actually exceeded) our challenge and it was time to claim his prize.

They returned home with the “Republic Attack Gunship” aka "RHE Low-Altitude Assult Transport/Infantry (LAAT/i) Repulsorlift Gunship". It not only made Wagner happy but provided us with over 1000 more LEGOS in the living room!

Wagner spent the rest of the day engrossed in building taking breaks only when necessary and to ride bikes with us. 

 

 

 

As for our "little" boy, he was busy with his own work - destroying a chewy.

Stephan had also purchased a “National Treasure 2 = Book of Secrets” DVD and pizza, which explains how our evening was spent.  While it may look hard to believe, we actually can use our living room for reading, watching movies and piano lessons!  I laugh when I look back at how uptight I used to get if we had company coming and there was anything out of place!   You can see I've given up all hope of making a first impression as a great housekeeper - a happy boy is much more important.

A cheapskate and two fishermen...

I’m enjoying my cruiser with its back pedal break and no real accessories other than the basket I added to the handlebars for Elvis. Wagner and Stephan prefer the brakes on the handlebars and can handle more gadgets than I can. This week we took action on our decision that it was time for Wagner to upgrade from a heavy tricycle to a more lightweight 2 wheel bike. We checked the inventory at Walmart, Target, Kmart and Sports Authority. We just happened to see a bike shop in Coconut Point shopping center and stopped in to see their selection.

Bikes have really come a long way in the last 40 years! Pictured below is a new 'hybrid" bike that automatically shifts gears for you!

Stephan took it for a test drive and thought it was great until he rode the Trek Navigator 3.0 which we found while he was out on his first test drive.

For about $500, you can get a new bike with a few accessories! I am talking waaaaaaaay cooler than my dumpster bike. Before my head exploded from sticket shock, we agreed to go home and think about it and see if we could find a better price or even a used one. I think there are people who can justify these bikes but I don’t think that a few laps around an RV park requires that much of an investment.

Over the weekend, the guys spent a bit of time doing a little “catching” in the pond. Wagner said that it really doesn’t count as “fishing” because you get a fish every time your hook hits the water!

Not a swimming hole....

This week, Wagner and I read “Black Horses for the King”. It’s a historical novel set in 5th century Britain which follows a Celtic boy’s work for King Arthur in preparation for battle against the Saxons. We enjoyed the book and it also served as a perfect introduction to watching one of my favorite movies. I appreciate “First Knight” as I have compassion for Lady Guinevere’s struggle between her love for Sean Connery and Richard Gere (aka King Arthur and Sir Lancelot). The guys enjoy teasing me as I try to explain the whole princess/knight in shining armor concept to them. Perhaps it is something only another woman can grasp.

We spent most of our week here at the resort. Sunny mornings and rainy afternoons remain the norm for this time of year. A neighbor spotted 2 small alligators in the pond this week. Although we’ve tried, we haven’t seen the little gators ourselves.

In an earlier post, I included a photo of a “snakebird”. They swim submerged with only their head and neck visible and it looks like a snake. I was finally able to get of picture of one swimming in the pond.  Creepy!!!

Conservancy field trip...

Yesterday, Stephan took Wagner to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida (www.conservancy.org) located in Naples. While admission is typically $9 for adults and $6 for kids, we were blessed to find a FREE admission coupon on their website!

Wagner started out taking some great photographs during their expedition. Unfortunately, the camera battery went down right when they started the boat tour.

The Discovery Center’s animals (which included baby alligators, fish, frogs, snakes and lizards) were Wagner’s favorite part of the day.

Stephan enjoyed seeing the baby sea turtles, aquariums and the rehabilitation area which included a bald eagle.

 

They returned home in time for a late lunch and we spent the rest of the day with bike riding, reading, Legos and games.  

One smart guy....

I enjoy the view of the pond from my bedroom window – perhaps too often on the recent rainy afternoons. I confess that I have lingered in bed just to sit and watch the pond activity.

There is always something to see with the iguanas, turtles, fish and birds that visit. The birds that I see here are completely different from those of my childhood which makes the Egrets, Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Great White Herons, hawks and ducks of special interest to me.

 

Having grown up in Texas, I have an awareness for the variety of snakes that are camouflaged yet possible reside near this pond. One afternoon when I was NOT taking a nap but relaxing overlooking the pond, I noticed this dark thick neck sticking out of the water. Certain that it was a water moccasin, I called (that sounds better than “yelled”) for the guys to come look. After letting me panic a bit, they explained that it was a BIRD.

Anhingas are nicknamed “snakebird” because of their ability to swim submerged with only their head and neck visible. http://www.avianweb.com/anhingas.html

Wagner is very good at identifying wildlife. Our travels have provided a great opportunity for exposure to so many creatures that he has taken the time to read and learn more about including familiarizing himself with what is native to specific areas.

Mark your calendars....

 

Doug Phillips posted yesterday.....

"The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival is pleased to announce that the 2010 SAICFF and the presentation of the $101,000 grand prize award for Best of Festival will take place the week of October 28-30, 2010 at the Municipal Auditorium and the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San Antonio."  For more information, visit their website at:  http://www.independentchristianfilms.com/.

As many of you know, we participated in January, 2009 and strongly support this endeavor.   We recommend that, if you are able, you attend.  The films, fellowship and witnessing are great!

 

What a rut we've gotten ourselves into

 

We sleep, eat, study, watch movies, ride bikes and hang at the beach.  

 

  

 

Below is a photo of one of the Bonita Beach beggers.  They stroll around and act like they want to be your friend.   Don't be fooled - they only want your sandwich, fruit, chips, anything that they can take from you.

 

There will be test on this later....

My cousin Rudy organized a family get together at their community pool on Saturday. It was a great opportunity to spend time learning more about my relatives.

In the picture above, I am sitting next to my cousin Rosie.  Unfortunately, we did not get a good photo of her son Justin who was sitting just on the other side of her.   The photo below is of Laurie (my cousin Daniel's wife) and Katrina (my cousin Mel's wife). 

 

 

In the picture above, the first man is Eddie (my cousin Theresa's son).   Theresa lives in Michigan and I have not met her yet.   Eddie lives and works here in this same community.   Seated next to him is my cousin Daniel and then Kim (my cousin Rudy's daughter).

To the left is Rudy's other daughter and on the right below is Rudy's wife, Judy.

There were a lot of names to remember between all the adults and kids!   The kids were busy swimming, playing with their toys and on the pool tables.   They seemed to always be scattered around having fun and thus we ended up without any photos of them.  ;0{  Now we have a goal for the next get together....

 

More seashells....

 

Going to the beach is a great way to start the weekend. Yesterday, we decided to head out early to spend some time at Sanibel before the daily afternoon rain. When we visited Sanibel Island back in February 2008, (http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-306347-sanibel-island-bus-harley-kids-april-beach-cat) the beach was piled really thick with seashells.

Our timing was off today, but we could see the band of seashells just beyond the first wave during high tide. My plan was just to wait it out because I obviously was not going to leave without a fresh collection of shells.

Stephan snorkeled in the waves and tossed treasure back to Wagner on the shore until Wagner and I bravely started fighting the waves ourselves in pursuit of a prize memento. I say “bravely” because there was a warning sign posted at the entrance to the boardwalk stating “Caution: Shark Sightings in Area”. Nice.

My “shell bag” was so full that I had to sort through the lot to identify the true “keepers” while we were still at the beach. When the thunderstorms started rolling in we made our way back to the truck to head home. We stopped at Taco Bell for a “snack” on the way home and devoured nachos, a quesadilla, and four tacos. It was a wise choice as we had intended on grilling but it was raining when we returned home. Oh those afternoon rain showers make for good late afternoon naps!

Changed dreams?

Stephan spent some time this week talking with a realtor about our property in Costa Maya, Mexico (http://www.puertocostamaya.com/index.html) . The cruise ship pier was destroyed when the area was directly hit by Hurricane Dean a few years back. Naturally this had a huge impact on the local economy.

 

The Mexican government remains committed to the development of this area and has made several improvements to the infrastructure of the port and the neighboring fishing village. The port reopened in record time (especially by Mexico standards) and the Costa Maya’s new berthing station makes it one of only 4 ports worldwide with the capability to accommodate the next generation of cruise ships such as F3 (http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=982) and Genesis-class (http://www.worldcruise-network.com/projects/genesis/) types!

 

I haven’t seen any recent pictures of the “Beach Club” (http://www.delphinusworld.com/locations/delphinus-costa-maya.php) which is located near property but am sure that it will not take long before the jet skis, parasailing, snorkeling, and “swim with the dolphin” activities are back to normal.

Looking at the pictures in the above links makes it hard to consider selling. But, the media’s effects on the economy, whether the newscasts are correct or not, also weigh heavily on the decision to sell or maintain our dream property.

Riding around.....

My beautiful seashells........

 

August seems to be a month where we tackle our projects in the morning knowing that there is rain coming in the afternoon. I checked my blog entries for this time last year and discovered that last August was very similar. A tropical storm was passing through and brought much needed rain to the area.

I realized that somehow I hadn’t mentioned our bike riding in recent blogs. In an earlier entry, I posted a photo of the 3-wheeler that we purchased and below is a photo of my newest ride.  Now before you get jealous and start thinking that I got more stimulus money than you…..

Stephan found this bike abandoned back by the resort dumpster. He cleaned it up, put a new front tire on it and now I have my very own PINK cruiser!  I'm thinking a cute pink riding outfit with white Keds and a basket on my handlebars would be great additions.

Anyway, a few days later, one of the other workers here gave Stephan another bike so that we could all ride together. His free bike isn’t cute like mine - but it serves its purpose.

Last Friday evening, we even rode outside the park and down the main street to get take out Chinese food. After that I was feeling pretty good about my riding skills. On Saturday morning, Stephan and I rode further down the way to an “International Grocery” store. I had to stroll through it just to see if there was anything I needed to eat. There wasn’t anything that I couldn’t live without.

On our way to the store, I glanced down one of the streets we were crossing and noticed the entire street was blocked off by police yellow ‘crime scene’ tape. A police car was parked at each end of the street. Everything else in the area seemed to be moving along as normal so we assumed that it was a wreck or a downed light post. When we returned home, I read in the news that a man was found dead in that driveway, his neck was cut, and no one in the neighborhood knew him. Isn’t that sad?  Yesterday, I read that an arrest had been made.

We had planned on spending Wednesday afternoon at Golf Safari Mini Golf but it was raining too hard.  We'll try again next week to take advantage of their "Wacky Wednesday" special!

School, Legos and beach time...

Over the last week, we have spent most of our mornings focusing on school work. During this time, our home has been converted to a Lego workshop. Wagner started building and then enticed Stephan to join in. They have been digging through his vast collection, sorting pieces, searching for specific pieces, etc. It has been a time and space consuming endeavor which provided satisfying entertainment during the daily afternoon thunderstorms.

 

I did interrupt their fun by requiring some family time at the beach. On Saturday, we spent several hours at Barefoot Beach (http://www.colliergov.net/Index.aspx?page=455#preserve).

When we arrived it was overcast and still low tide. We went for a long walk, collected some seashells, returned a few beached critters back to the water and even found a few starfish. Afterward, Stephan went snorkeling while Wagner and I sat and read; people watched and enjoyed our snacks.

Afterward, we enjoyed some quiet time at home and then attended a service at Living Waters Church (http://www.livingwaterscc.com/) in the evening.

 

On Sunday morning, we visited Fort Myers Beach. It was low tide but the shore didn’t offer as many shells or critters for us to investigate. We had a good time playing in the water, digging for treasure and skipping sand dollars. Stephan dug a hole which provided a good spot for them to watch some fish, a crab and each other.

 

 

Wagner also dug a hole and then attempted to lure us over so that we would fall and trip when we stepped in it.

 

Mas familia....

We spent some time visiting with my cousin Rudy on Sunday afternoon before we met up with the rest of the group.

It’s hard to keep track of everyone when you are dealing with 14 cousins from just one uncle! Their father is my mother’s brother. Rudy, Carol, Rosie, Daniel and Mel are all in this area right now. The rest of their siblings are in Texas and Michigan, I think.

Mel is in the process of relocating to Bonita with is wife, Katrina, and their 2 kids. He recently purchased his parents’ winter home. They have spent the last week packing up the parent’s belongings to ship to Michigan and getting the house cleaned/ repaired for Mel’s family.

It was fun to meet and/or visit again with everyone. The last time I saw Rudy, I was about Wagner’s age and he was a young adult. I don’t believe Mel (the youngest) and I had ever met.

The afternoon passed quickly as we shared our stories and for me brought back many memories of my grandparents. I think it was a great experience for Wagner to see the camaraderie between distant relatives and hope he will pursue relationships with his extended family when he is grown.

 

Carol, Raphael, Daniel and Jared (Daniel's son)

 

 

Mel and Daniel

 

 

Ford Estate....

School was rough on Tuesday as Wagner was dragging from going to bed too late. I believe that meeting and getting to know distant relatives is important so I deferred a portion of his work to another day.

On Wednesday, we took advantage of Regal Cinema’s free movies and watched “Mr. Bean’s Holiday” which we all agreed was absolutely ridiculous but made us each laugh out loud. On our way home, we purchased some steaks and cheese (two items everyone needs in large quantity) at Costco on our way home then spent the rest of the day indoors enjoying the thunderstorms.

On Thursday, we toured the Edison Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.  www.efwefla.org/  We enjoyed touring the grounds, the interior of Ford’s home and the gardens. Afterward, we enjoyed the air conditioning in our Ford truck while driving by a few homes for sale in the Ft. Myers River District.   There is just no doubt in my mind - I still prefer Anna Maria Island!

 

 

 

Carol called as we were driving home which led to us meeting for lunch at Subway (I really like the toasted Italian sandwich). Afterward, we followed them over to see the house her parents had “wintered” in for many years. It is now being repaired for their youngest son and his family to occupy. 

Later in the day, I relaxed with my MP3 player and Elvis as the guys battled away on the X-box.

 

School is delayed in the morning.....

We spent most of our time around the resort over the weekend. We grilled burgers on Saturday and I made a big pan of lasagna and breadsticks on Sunday. On Monday, we drove into Naples to join the local homeschool group for bowling. It was a great way to gather information on the local activities and meet a few people.

Later in the day, we picked up Carol and Rafael and met for a drink at Rosie’s house. Rosie is Carol’s sister, another one of my Uncle Rudy’s 14 kids. It was fabulous to meet her and we had a great time exchanging family stories, etc.

 

 

Dear Carol asked Wagner what he wanted for dinner and, without hesitation, he replied “king crab legs”. Carol thought it was a GREAT idea so off we went to have dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack. Now if you don’t think Wagner is spoiled, you MAY change your mind by the end of this tale.

Have you seen the “take your top off” commercial for Joe’s which are actually referring to the “top” of steamer pots? They use these big metal pots to serve your choice of seafood along with corn, potatoes, sausage, etc. Okay, Wagner ordered a king crab leg pot, Stephan ordered a snow crab pot, Rafael ordered the double pot of snow crab, Carol ordered the double lobster pot, Rosie ordered a salad and I decided that I’d share. I knew there was going to be way too much food.

Just after Wagner’s pot was placed before him, Carol had him make room for the double lobster pot. Turns out she was planning on sharing Rafael’s pot and had ordered the lobster because she wanted Wagner to be able to try it. I’m sure that you are near tears for what this poor child must endure. As it turned out, everybody shared everything and we all had our fill.

At the end of our meal, we heard music coming from inside and noticed that several of the servers were line dancing to it. Carol popped up and went in to join them.

I’m sure that by this point you have figured out that she is not only a very generous woman but also one that seizes every opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest. She knows how to “dance like no one is watching”. I love it; you know it kind of makes me look a tad conservative!

We drove Rosie home and went back in to finish off the remnants of happy hour. This turned out great because we were able to meet Rosie’s son when he got home in the evening.

We didn't get to bed until after 11 which is WAY late for the Rau's on a school night!

More houses and "cousin" time....

We completed our school work early on Thursday so that we could meet Carol and Rafael for lunch. Our plan was to eat at a local Chinese restaurant that she had enjoyed in the past. Unfortunately, we found it closed when we arrived.

We all liked Rafael’s suggestion for “the fish market”, so we drove over to Rodes Fruit/Fish Market/Restaurant on Bonita Springs Road. For many years, they had a beach location but at some point relocated to have a larger more upscale restaurant. Our lunches included raw oysters, salmon, grouper, French fries, black beans/rice and salad. Everyone enjoyed their meal and the time we had to visit. Carol and Rafael continued on their own to run some errands and we returned home. It rained in the afternoon creating a great atmosphere to lounge with our books and a Star Wars movie.

I woke up on Friday ready to take a tour of the great bargains in Naples. I called to invite Carol and discovered she also woke with real estate on her mind. She had already talked to a few realtors and had an appointment to tour a few places of interest.

We had prepared a route which would allow us to experience different neighborhoods and get a feel for what was being offered. After our tour, we had lunch at Costco before I dropped the guys of at the theatre to watch the latest Harry Potter movie. While they watched the movie, I enjoyed a bit of retail therapy at my own pace. I even had time to sip on a cappuccino at Panera Bread before picking them up.

Carol & Rafael

Tuesday, we toured six homes in Cape Coral with a local realtor. While there are many “deals” out there, just looking at the homes was enough for us. We didn’t feel the need to commit ourselves to any of them.

On our way home, we stopped at Subway and split a small pizza and foot long spicy Italian sub. We hadn’t expected to spend 4 hours on the house tour so we were all tired and ready to relax.

Once we got settled in, I started another Ann Burton book on my MP3 player. “Rahab’s Story” started out quickly with Rahab being cast out from her father’s home and transitioning into the life of a harlot. Sex, lies, desperation, friendship, courage, death, betrayal, etc. - you know I’m captivated by it!

While I was off learning about ancient bordello life, the guys played X-box games and watched a Star Wars movie.

 

 On Wednesday, we met my cousin, Carol and her husband, Rafael for dinner at Docs Beach House (http://www.docsbeachhouse.com/). Carol, one of my Uncle Rudy’s 14 children, lives in Michigan, but just happens to be in Bonita Springs for a visit. We got to know each other over dinner (grouper fingers, hot wings and calamari) then spent some time visiting on the beach. We are two years apart in age, yet I have an 11 year old and she is expecting her 2nd grandchild soon! 

We had a great time visiting with them and made plans to get together again.

Pond activity....

While I was walking from the truck to the RV after Church on Sunday, I spotted something that looked like an iguana over by the pond. The guys joined me as I started slowly walking towards the pond but my “creature” had disappeared. Just before they bailed on my adventure, we spotted a big iguana under the pier. Wagner and Stephan took a lot of photos and awed at the details of his beauty.

 

I tend to look at the pond throughout the day, just in case the ducks are something else might be out there, and am excited to have another visitor to watch for.

Stephan welcomed the refreshing rain on Monday while he worked trimming palm trees and general landscaping duties. During that time, Wagner and I struggled through school (some days are just not fun and exciting). Afterwards, we traipsed around the Naples Walmart for a while.

I have really been enjoying my MP3 player. I realize this isn’t a new gadget and that most MP3 users listen to music on them. BUT, this little toy has added hours of reading pleasure to my life. I have always been a bookworm but this enables me to “read” while leaving my eyes and hands free. I just finished “Abigail’s Story” from the Women of the Bible series. The author, Ann Burton, delves into the Book of Samuel providing a feel for typical lifestyles and obligations during the time Saul is the king.  Good stuff and I can "read" in the middle of the night without turning any lights on!!

Blueberries for bait...

Stephan got our weekend started by taking care of the grocery shopping while I finished up school with Wagner. I sent him with a small list for just a few items that were on sale at Publix. He came home with the sour cream, blueberries, cherries and steaks from the list but also added wine and flowers!

After last year’s refrigeration issues, I still remain grateful to purchase dairy products! We decided to save the steaks for another day and enjoyed the cool sour cream on top of our spicy enchilada left overs. Later in the evening, we enjoyed fresh brewed coffee along with warm peach crisp and vanilla ice cream. I guess you can tell we’re not on the South Beach diet? We’re more on the eat plenty and then go to the beach plan.

After our morning coffee on Saturday, we loaded up and found a good spot on the beach. Unfortunately, the water wasn’t very clear as quite a bit of grass was coming in. Stephan and I walked a bit while Wagner spent time reading under the umbrella. Since we didn’t feel like swimming in the grass, Wagner and I got a little mischievous. We thought it would be cool to see if a bird would swoop down and grab a blueberry from Stephan’s belly button. He wasn’t as keen on the idea.  ;0{  We came home shortly after that.

 

Later, we swam in the pool then Stephan grilled three huge rib eyes for a late lunch. They were wonderful with some garlic mashed potatoes. Of course, we had to take it easy after that.

Are we related?

This was one of those weeks that starts out slow but then is gone before you know it. Monday was the typical “back to it” kind of day. While Stephan worked, we focused on school, laundry, etc. After school, Wagner pulled his boxes of Legos back out and created a battlefield which covered most of the floor in his room (aka the living room).

 

The guys took advantage of the free movie times and watched Spiderwick Chronicles in Fort Myers while I did some paperwork and filed my quarterly taxes. This also gave me the opportunity to have lunch ready when they returned. I baked a pan of enchiladas and a pot of Spanish rice to go along with it. Stephan worked a few hours in the afternoon while I forced Wagner to study. We heard from friends in North Carolina, Texas, Canada and Greece today which got us reminiscing and feeling a bit lonely.

Wednesday’s free movie was Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Absolute nonsense, but it did make us laugh. We must have lost our good judgment during the silly movie as we chose to have lunch at Dairy Queen afterward. Way back in the “good ole days”, Dairy Queen had big delicious home-style hamburgers and was known for their soft serve ice cream. I was always a bit partial to the chocolate dipped cone. The fact that the hot chocolate hardened around the ice cream was fascinating back then. Boy, have times changed. The hamburger was small. This was actually a good thing as it was of such poor quality. Our lunch annoyed us and opened the door to indigestion. But it got something in our stomachs so that we could take a drive to look at houses.

There are incredible deals advertised for new homes. We wanted to tour the area so we drove from the theatre out to Lehigh Acres. It was so sad to see planned neighborhoods only partially occupied. The grass was tall, the streets were deteriorating, windows boarded up, some no longer had trash pick up and only a few had owners that cared for them. We’re not real quick, but we knew that it was not an area we wanted to invest in! On our way back into Bonita Springs, we drove by a few houses in the $108-150,000 range. We did see a couple that landscaping, paint and some TLC could really turn around, but nothing that screamed “THIS IS THE NEW RAU HAUS!”.

After we returned home, Stephan put in a few more hours of landscaping and Wagner griped about school. I had a call from my Mom, who enlightened me with the fact that I have family that has lived here in Bonita Springs for years. Hmm….obviously we weren’t close but they are cousins that I met on several occasions at my Grandma’s house. When you start digging into the “Rodriguez” side of the family, there are just too many to keep track of. On the other side, there have been so many “relationships”, that I’ve just always gone through my days accepting that I could be related to ANY one I meet! It’s o.k. “son of Adam, daughter of Eve” stretched out!

Thursday was another uneventful day with school and Stephan finishing up his grueling 16-hour work week. I grilled chicken & sausage, and baked fresh focaccia bread to serve along with Mediterranean carrots and pasta for lunch.

 

Living Waters......

Stephan completed his 16 hour work week by mowing around the park. I just happened to look out the window while I was cooking lunch and caught a glimpse of him buzzing around on one of those zero turn models. I joked that he was probably enjoying himself and would lose track of time. Sure enough, I had to send Wagner out to get him for lunch. He wasn’t ready to quit for the day, but we convinced him to take a break, join us for a spaghetti lunch and then he could continue.  I know now that an old fashioned mower will never be good enough.

Since he was off work on Friday, Stephan burnt some of his energy washing the truck and rig. The weathermen have forecast rain every day that we’ve been here, but we’ve only had a few scattered showers. Of course it did rain, right after Stephan finished washing the truck and rig.

On Saturday, we drove to Fort Myers to do some browsing around in the morning. In the evening, we went to a service at Living Waters Community Church (http://www.livingwaterscc.com/). Our first experience attending a Saturday evening service was great. The congregation is very friendly and even invited us to stay and join them for a taco buffet there at the church. Pastor Ivie reminded me of Pastor Ed Young from the DFW area. We are looking forward to worshipping with them again.

After our Sunday morning routine of watching Joseph Prince, Creflo Dollar, Ed Young and Joel Osteen, we were ready to spend some time at the beach. It didn’t take long for us to load up and relocate. The water was smoooooooooooth.

 

Wagner prefers the waves to play in but settled for snorkeling in the calm water. He found a starfish and somehow even managed to catch a small tropical fish with his hands! Stephan found a few sand dollars and some nice shells. We all enjoyed our time in the sunshine and then relaxing in the A/C munching on pizza and salad.

Nice ride......

On Monday, we got back into our school work, ate grilled ribs at lunch, played Sequence and Stephan spent several hours on the telephone with a computer repair tech in India. Fortunately, they were able to get everything fixed so the time invested was worthwhile.

Stephan drove the bike to work on Tuesday morning. I'll have to keep my eye on him - - you know how girls treat guys with nice wheels!  ;0}  Anyway, he spent his day weed whacking the park while Wagner and I went to the movies. Every summer, Regal Entertainment Group hosts free movies for kids on Tuesday and Wednesday. We drove to a theater in Fort Myers for our 10 am free admission. We arrived at 9:30, selected our seats and then watched as the seats filled with children being bused in from local day camps. We enjoyed watching “Spiderwick Chronicles” enough that Wagner will probably see it another time with Stephan. After the show, we stopped at Walmart to pick up some groceries, ate like starved dogs when we got home and then joined Stephan for a swim after he finished working. School didn’t start until late afternoon so by the time we finished our lessons, the day was over.

Not ones to turn down free entertainment; we visited a theatre in Naples on Wednesday to watch “Despereaux”. Stephan joined us for this movie as we had read the book as a family and he could postpone week whacking until the afternoon. It turned into a whole date. First the movie, THEN we went to Costco for lunch and a bit of shopping! When we returned home, Wagner and I got started on school and Stephan went to work for a few hours.

In the evening, we attended a service called “The Gospel according to Mayberry” at the New Day Christian Church in Fort Myers. Wagner enjoys watching the old “Andy Griffith” shows and its characters (Barney, Opi, Otis, Ernest T. Bass, Gomer, etc.). Stephan was cast as Barney for a short skit, we watched an episode and then broke into groups to discuss it. It was interesting to take time to analyze a show we enjoy for its lessons. All the other kids were outside playing ball but Wagner chose to stay and participate in the group discussion. This show led to discussions on humility, pride, love, forgiveness, etc. We had a good time participating together and discussing it even further on our way home.

Chameleon? How about shrimp instead?

I forgot to mention that we bought a tricycle on Friday. If you’ve ever seen me ride a bike (or participate in ANY sort of athletic effort), then there is no need to explain the need for 3 wheels. The plus is that Wagner also enjoys it and can be put into delivery service! The tricycle we found on Craig’s List actually looked much better in the photo than in reality. After Stephan and the Seller drilled holes, moved some parts, etc. it came together enough for us to pay ½ of his asking price. It is sturdy and designed for commercial use but perhaps doesn’t consist of all the original parts for a “Trailmate EZ Roll Regal Tricycle”. It will meet our needs at this time.

After church, we packed our snacks, chairs, and umbrella and got set up on the beach. It was sunny when we were packing up, pouring down rain while we drove, and then sunny again for the 4 hours we spent on the beach. I collected some seashells (because that is what I like to do) and the guys bobbed in the gentle waves. The water wasn’t very clear but I’m sure it is because of the sporadic storms.

While lounging on the beach, Wagner decided (and wanted me to document it on my blog) that whenever we do get a house, he wants to have a pet Chameleon. He saw one at the Creation Museum and has kept thinking about since then. We’ll see. While my enthusiasm on his idea didn’t make him happy, he was delighted with the fettuccini and shrimp that I served for dinner.

 

Seashells, tattoos, steak and fireworks....

 

We spent Friday familiarizing ourselves with our new territory. We walked on the beach, picked up some groceries at Publix and then spent the rest of the day around the park. We were really surprised that we didn’t have the weekend surge of campers especially since it was a holiday weekend. It is very peaceful here.

 

 

 

After spending a leisurely morning around the house on Saturday, we realized we had missed the local July 4th parade. We made our way to Flamingo Island Flea Market (http://flamingoisland.com/index.html) where they were celebrating with a pig roast and live music. It’s a nice market, not air conditioned but breezy and not too hot. The people were friendly and we spread some “red, white & blue” cheer through the crowd with patriotic tattoos. We enjoyed the smiles and laughter that these small gifts brought to people. The lady pictured with me below, was excited to “have something to talk about” and quickly talked one of her girlfriends into getting one also. Isn’t she cute?

Later in the day, Stephan spoiled us with grilled porterhouse steaks. They were delicious and much more than the four of us could consume.

In the evening, we were blessed with a fireworks show visible from our livingroom window. It was great sitting in the air conditioning, in our pajamas watching our own “private” show. We still aren’t sure if it was the Bonita Springs town show or some other professionally handled affair. Either way, we enjoyed it!

Bonita Springs

While chatting on the beach this weekend, we decided that we have been in PCB long enough to know that this is not an area where we want to settle down. The beaches are great, it is close to some family, but it is just not a town we could call “home”. The crowds of tourists were too much for me.

In reality, we don’t know where (or even IF) we’d like to settle back down. I imagine that when the time is right and we are in the right location, we’ll just know it.

What we’re wondering now is…. do we stay put and enjoy the beaches or move on to experience a location that we might want to invest in?

We did a bit of research on the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area but didn’t feel led to head in that direction. In all our travels, the only area that had really appealed to me was between Sarasota and Tampa. I love it there and have just about convinced the guys that it is the perfect place for us IF we decide to settle down.

Well, as our week began to unfold, the answer became clear. On Monday evening, Stephan once again asked me why we were still here at this location when we know we wouldn’t be settling down in the area. On Tuesday, Stephan emailed out his resume for a job opening I found in Bonita Springs. On Wednesday, Stephan was offered that position in Bonita Springs which would only require 16 hours per week for our site/utilities. Eight hours less labor per week in southwest FL – our next location was chosen.

When we arrived at the Bonita Lake RV Resort (http://www.bonitalake.com/) on Thursday evening, we were delighted to find it a very quiet park with an active lake and mango trees! Gerry greeted us, gave us a golf cart tour and let us choose our site.

 

 

The photo above was taken from the pier looking back at our rig.

Our timing was perfect. Shortly after we got set up, we were nestled inside listening to the much needed rain showers. This serene park will pick up in a few months, as it is a haven for the snowbirds arriving in the fall/winter.

We're just not news worthy.....

 It was a slow week, in that nothing EXCITING happened. We were all busy with school, chores, normal everyday family stuff. We spent an unusual amount of time indoors enjoying the air conditioning as the area endures a heat wave. In a way it has been good, as it has promoted spending time on our 6th grade lessons. Had the weather been “perfect”, we would have really struggled to focus!

On Friday, I got my hair cut and the guys hit Starbucks and a few shops at Pier Park. Later in the day, we walked around the docks at Capt. Andersons here in PCB. It was fun to see the sunburned fisherman coming in from the fishing trips, thrill seekers gathering their courage to board the Sea Screamer and families embarking the pirate ship.

 

On Saturday, we participated in the Panhandle Watermelon Festival in Chipley, FL. The celebration included a 5K run, a parade and then the festival and concerts. I was happy that my booth was set up in the agricultural center so I would be in the shade. However, rumor had it that the temperature combined with the humidity in the enclosure made it “feel like 106 degrees”. While there was only one time that I thought I’d faint from the heat, the animal smells emanating from the hot dirt floor were a consistent displeasure. During our sweltering time there, we managed to enjoy kabobs, grilled corn, hot dogs, sodas and yes, even watermelon. About 3,000 people attended the festival but it was just too hot for most to linger.

My jewelry website is down and will remain so for perhaps another month. Rather than get on my soapbox airing that nightmare, I’ll simply state that I am choosing joy. 

Michael Jackson AND Billy Mays were my age.   Kinda creepy....

Quartz, rubies and amethyst.....

On Saturday, we left the resort about 7:30 am and drove straight to Fort Walton Beach. After a major effort to find the correct address, the guys helped me unload the truck and set up my tables for a jewelry show. They continued on to Pensacola to spend the day at the National Naval Aviation Museum. (www.NavalAviationMuseum.org)

I was located in the courtyard of a little shopping center which includes “Fokkers Sports Pub”, a Thai restaurant, Pet Boutique, a Cigar shop, and Stella’s Boutique. It’s in a good location but hard to find as it’s located behind a nightclub and “Tattoo Zoo” which front the 98. Piper, the owner, has invited a group of “artists” to participate in an open market each Saturday. It’s a new event and I’m confident that as word gets around and her press release is out, the activity will pick up. As for this particular hot, humid but otherwise enjoyable day, participation and attendance were low.

 

An old (my age) biker named Bo, was set up next to me. He was offering kids the opportunity to search for either fossils or gemstones. For $5 per bag, I was impressed with how much treasure each child actually acquired. He has a very animated personality, a passion for vintage motorcycles, a big heart and I enjoyed working next to him.

There was a Jamaican family grilling jerked chicken and playing reggae music. Other vendors were selling tie-dyed clothes, homemade spaghetti sauce, etched wine glasses, and art prints.

Did I mention it was REALLY hot? I think that even my ankles were sweating. Piper offered margaritas to all the vendors but I thought it would be wise for me to stick with iced tea and water.

The smell of the grilled chicken was in the air, the music was playing and the fan (which Bo was kind enough to point in my direction) kept blowing his cigarette ashes in my eyes. You know I didn’t give up the fan but did give him hell all day about his chain smoking. He sincerely confessed that it had taken a lot for him to give up drinking, drugs, and EVEN smoking pot; he had to have his cigarettes. God love him and his “one little vice”.

The guys had a great time at the aviation museum and didn’t return until dinner time. They went in to Fokker’s and ordered a pizza while I started packing up my wares. After Stephan finished eating, he came back out to trade places so that I could enjoy my pizza in the air conditioning. When I entered the pub, I first noticed the musician on stage playing the harmonica and guitar. Then I noticed that Wagner was the only person in the Pub. There he sat with his pizza, sipping his drink, and enjoying the private performance. I laughed with him about it, then later introduced him to the concept of tipping the band as we made our way out.

As Stephan and I loaded everything into the truck, Wagner sat on the bench outside “Tattoo Zoo” and chatted with his buddy, Mitch. We were all tired and ready for bed by the time we arrived home.

Catching up......

This week has absolutely blown by. I finally sat down to update the blog and realized that I hadn’t written in over a week. On Thursday, my dental work was complete and tested on hot, cold, spicy, chewy and crunchy foods so I returned to San Antonio to spend some time with Dorrie and Perry.

On Friday, while Perry mowed the lawn for his mother and sister, Dorrie drove me around town to do some shopping. Afterwards, we went to visit with Noel and Emma at their home. At 4 pm, the four of us met Van and Missy for happy hour at Wildfish Seafood Grille (http://www.wildfishseafoodgrille.com). It has been a long time since happy hours were a part of my life and this was a real treat. Our party ordered the Oysters, Gulf Shrimp Cocktail (served on ice with spicy mustard and Atomic Horseradish), a wedge of warm, melting, Saint Andre cheese (served with toasted baguette slices and Vierge sauce), the Wildfish All Lump Crab Cake (sautéed with Chive Remoulade Sauce), Salt & Pepper Gulf Shrimp (from the Wok, with Ginger, Sugar Snaps and Red Chile), sliced Filet Mignon “Hot Rock” Ishiyaki with Togorashi Spice and Soy Broth, AND the Maine Lobster Bisque. The food was every bit as impressive as it sounds as was the chic, contemporary atmosphere. If you’re in San Antonio and want to take advantage of the ½ price Happy Hour specials, make sure to arrive at 4 pm; any later and you’ll be in line waiting to get in.

Don't feel sorry for the guys.   While I was at Happy Hour, they were enjoying a BBQ social here at the resort.

On Saturday morning, Perry dropped me off at the airport for my 11ish flight to Dallas. After our late arrival, I was informed that my connecting flight was and would have a 3 hour delay until the next available flight. It wasn’t a big deal, I made myself comfortable and enjoyed my MP3 player (after collecting the $238 check from American Airlines for my inconvenience).

Stephan and Wagner spent the day touring a large marina in Destin and the Air Force Armament Museum (http://www.afarmamentmuseum.com/) before coming to the airport. It has been a busy week, catching up on missed family time.

Acuna

Dorrie loaned me her car for my trip to Mexico.   I drove down mid-morning and made a detour for lunch (a brisket sandwich at Rudy’s BBQ) before crossing the border, then checked into the Villa Real (http://hvillareal.com/homeeng.html).   I didn’t have much time but thought it would be nice to brush my teeth before my dental appointment. 

 

 

You know my dentist is GOOD if I’ll travel from Florida to Mexico to see her!   I’ll go ahead and just add her website for those of you that missed it earlier:  http://mydentistinacuna.com/.    I have only 2 warnings:  (1) you’ll save a ton of money, and (2) the food here is DELICIOUS and you WILL gain a few pounds.    I don’t know if it’s part of growing up (notice I didn’t say “getting old”) but I’ve had some dental issues this year.   I wish they had been as simple as fillings.   My current issue is another root canal plus an onlay for that tooth. 

 

After spending the afternoon getting the root canal and having a temporary onlay fitted, I returned to my hotel room, waited for the numbness to fade and then treated myself to a plate of nachos, side order of guacamole and an ice cold Tecate. 

Back in Florida, Wagner spent the day at Zoo Camp while Stephan worked and in the evening, they grilled up some Red Snapper for dinner.   In my absence, they harvested the first ripe tomato from my “garden” to enjoy on a salad.  It’s enlightening to know how self-sufficient they can be.

 

 

Driving and fishing......

Stephan and Wagner had a fishing date with Phillip and Suzette on Saturday.  Dorrie, Perry and I had a long drive to Texas on our agenda.   We left the resort about the same time, some more thrilled than others.

Our first stop was in Destin to check out the beach and get another cup of coffee.   The sand and water were just beautiful.  We noticed a sign for “5 cent Beer Night” and gathered that perhaps; just perhaps; these individuals were left over from bargain night.

 

We stopped in LA at “The Boudin Shop” – it was the “fresh pralines” sign that lured us in.   They didn’t have any pralines but they had a good selection of alligator meat (jerky, sausage, etc.).   I’m sure it’s just me but LA seems more foreign to me than Mexico.  The music makes me anxious and the food isn’t appealing.    To each his own.

 

 

We made good time (14 hours) from door-to-door including our stops.  It was a long drive but it was nice to have it out of the way rather than committing 2 days to it.

The décor in Dorrie & Perry’s apartment makes you feel like you’re walking into a magazine (and I’m not talking about Farm & Home).   They are creative decorators and their home looks fabulous.   Although as simple as I am, I’m never sure if I’m allowed to use certain towels, etc.   ;0}

Sleep came quickly after our arrival though I’m not sure why I was so tired.   I didn’t drive; I just sat there and nodded off every now and then.   Go figure.

 

 

Meanwhile, back in FL, the fishing crew limited out on Snapper and pulled in a nice grouper too.  Stephan’s fish were over 15 lbs.! 

Sister in common....

Phillip and Suzette arrived on Thursday for the weekend with some of their friends from Tallahassee. We went over and spent a few hours visiting in the evening and discussed some options for Friday. Dorrie and Philip had never met.   Dorrie and I have the same mother, different fathers.   Philip and I have the same father, different mothers.  Sounds worse than it really is.   They aren't related but have a sister in common.  Got it?

 

As we were driving to St. Andrews State Park on Friday morning, Philip called and offered to take us to Shell Island on his boat. The water was just a bit rougher than my stomach prefers, but I made it there without any problems. There were seashells everywhere, mostly broken, but there were plenty to sort through, which is one of my favorite things to do. After Stephan and I found a modest offering to give Dorrie, we rejoined the group on the bay side of the island.

 

 

We visited, snacked and just enjoyed the beach during which time, the water grew rougher. Perry and I were thrilled to be back on land and grateful to not be seasick.

Philip and Suzette returned to their campground to spend time with their friends and we opted to sit in the park’s gazebo overlooking the beach. We grilled hamburgers and spent some time preparing for our departure on Saturday morning.

But their food is good.....

The combination of the probability of rain, rough beach conditions and Dorrie’s leg feeling better, led us to Pier Park for some shopping. We roamed the promenade with all the other tourists until our lunch time hunger pangs led us to Hunt’s Oyster Bar for a seafood lunch.

 

 

We had the absolute worst service ever. It began with the hostess forgetting that we were standing on the patio waiting to be seated. After I grew tired of hearing my stomach growl, I peeked in to check our status only to see a few empty tables and the hostess seated at the bar flirting. O.K. she was sorry and quickly seated us in a corner table. There we sat for quite a while before our waitress acknowledged us because she was dealing with a customer who couldn’t seem to communicate how he wanted his 4 items split onto different receipts. She apologized for the delay and took our order but only remembered to bring 2/3 of the appetizers. We waited patiently for our meals as we watched the table next to us receive prompt service. The food finally came. Well actually, someone delivered two meals and stated that our waitress was bringing the others. Again we waited and watched our waitress serve the table next to ours. When she finally glanced our way and we explained the situation, she quickly returned with another meal, at which time, she realized that we were waiting for TWO meals. When the last meal was finally delivered, we had shared our unhappiness with the manager, received a discount for our inconvenience, and knew we would not return to this restaurant.

We did a little sight seeing on the drive home. Later, the guys decided to do some more fishing. Unfortunately, they were rained out before landing any keepers.

Made in the shade....

 

 

Tuesday was a perfect day to spend the morning at the beach. We loaded up and drove back to Beach Access 16 to claim our space. Stephan put up one of our new free umbrellas which allowed us to spend several hours there.

When we returned home, Dorrie made some Spanish rice to go with our grilled chicken fajita lunch. Afterward, we enjoyed sitting in the shade outside while the guys disappeared into their “x-box” world.

Later, the guys decided to go fishing which resulted in one good keeper. While they were gone, Dorrie napped and rested her leg as I shopped online.