The beautiful beaches...from the St Andrew's Park Pier
Paul, checking things out on St. Andrews Bay

A beautiful rainbow, in the morning. It was truly awesome
Daughter Dee's Santa collection, or part of it

Son in Law, Tom, Daughter Dee, Paul and myself at a brunch in Ft. Myers

Dateline Ft. Myers/Cape Coral, FL. December 21, 2009

We are at our Daughter's for the holidays. We drove down here on Thurs. and Fri. of last week to spend the Christmas week with them.

We drove down in 2 days this time (we usually do it in one) because it was raining in Panama City Beach and we thought we might hit better weather farther south-WRONG! It is cold all the way to the Keys! Thank you, Northern Folks! :-)

We stopped in a town called Cross City, FL. NOT the garden spot of the state, but it was getting dark, raining and we were tired. Went to a place called the Cypress Inn for a bite to eat and we were the only folks in the place NOT dressed in Camo wear! Lordy, but we can pick them. Paul keeps telling me he takes me to all the best places. It is scary and I think he lies!

We spent the week before coming down here wandering around with friends that we met, Bill and Carolyn, they had never been around the area of Panama City Beach, so Paul and I took them to the parks and museums and then we played lots of cards. Fun!

We will be with Dee and Tom for this week and then it is back up the State of Florida for the rest of the winter. Sure hope it warms up, although I guess we should just be quiet, it is NOT snowing and it is above freezing :)

Hope you all have a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a joyful New Year.

I'll post again when we get back to our own place.

This is it for Christmas decorations, I love it

The end of another stormy day

The 25,000 gallon "fish tank" at our favorite restaraunt.

We get beautiful sunsets...with gunships (Navy)

Another week is gone and before I know it Christmas will be here. It has been a stormy December and we have not gotten outside too much. In between storms I go down to the pool and try some water exercises and then hit the hot tub. It feels really good on the aching joints :-)

Because of the weather we have been pretty much building bound, I will grant you, it is a BIG building, so it isn't too bad. There are lots of folks staying here, some long term like ourselves, and some short term.

We have played bingo, Wii bowling, reading and when we can get out without blowing away or getting soaked, we have gone shopping (me) and gone for walks, (me). Paul goes along and reads on the shopping thing and he goes for walks at his own pace.

I must admit, even with the rain and clouds it is a beautiful spot to be stuck indoors, because the sea is beautiful even in a storm! I am so happy to be here, and not fighting the snowstorm that hit back home.

Yesterday a friend invited us to go to a little old, out of the way joint for a bar-b-cue sandwich.

Well, let me tell you, this place was REALLY no more than a shed on the side of the road, with a double wide next door, about 20 miles north, in the middle of nowhere. The owner was very nice, the place was a joke as far as "eating establishments" go. No sanitary rules involved. No bathrooms on the premises, if you wanted to wash your hands before eating, you went into the kitchen to the "hand washing sink", the toilet was in a gas station, 1/2 a mile up the road. Food was served on what looked to me like lightweight parchment paper or (Cole slaw) in a Styrofoam bowl. The food was tasty, but Paul's stomach screamed at him all night. The sauce was deadly, even the "mild" version. I did not have my camera with me, but if we go up that way again, I will take a picture.

We are very amused by the "southern" or "Florida" way of doing things and whenever someone asks "what are they thinking" you just remind yourself of where you are :-) I don't know how this "joint" gets past food service rules, or even IF the are inspected. We both survived the night with no food poisoning but I don't know that I would risk the place again!

Last night Paul took part in an inter-active murder mystery put on by the activities dept. I didn't go, I was tired and achy. He said it was great fun and he enjoyed himself. Another missed Kodak moment.

Stormy Skies

The "Beach Patrol", looking for food

Ashley and some of the "BINGO" folks. Ashley works for Wyndham Resorts.

Friday, Dec.4, 2009

It has been a stormy week. We have had fronts going through here like mad, warm fronts from the gulf and cold fronts from the North and they have all been meeting right over the panhandle of FL. The cold snap up home has dropped all the way to Florida, NOT great. We have had high surf warnings, tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings. It can quit anytime now.

The sea has rearranged itself a couple of times this week and I never know where the sand bars are going to be one day to the next.

We have been pretty much house bound. We have done some running around the town and gotten some last minute Christmas shopping done.

We play BINGO a couple of times a week and we learned how to use the Wii, we both like Wii bowling and may invest in a Wii system when we get home.

We went to see the movie "Blind Side", it is a really good movie. I felt good after leaving the theatre.

I try to get in some form of exercise 3 times a week, but must admit to slacking :-)

That is about all that has gone on this week, not real exciting, but I AM doing the blog each week, as promised :-)

Talk next week.

Some friends from MN are supposed to get in today or tomorrow, it will be good to see someone from home.