FRIDAY EARLY MORNIMG

Well we are on our way home - we left Naples at 5am.  Only 300 miles to be out of the state and Florida is a long state.

We stopped at a rest area after 2 hours to let all of us have a break.  Dogs love it.

We went to Dirty Dancing last night and had dinner before at The University Grill- it was wonderful.  We wish places at home had their bread and olive oil treatment.  Oh it was yummy.  We are about to stop for gas at a Pilot.  It is 2.50 a gallon.  Oh well.

GETTING READY TO LEAVE FLORIDA

Well here we are getting ready to leave Florida.On TUESDAY we met Ron & Polly at 11:45 for lunch at MiroMare, hummmmm, I feel like I am repeating myself.  Sitting over the water on a water inlet having lunch under an umbrella sue is pleasant.
I had  Chicken Caesar Salad and have never seen chicken pounded that thin.
After we went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, we had a wonderful docent that spent an hour with us.  It is so hard hearing all the statistics and yet you want to remember so many of them but don't really want to quote them for fear of being inaccurate.  The numbers are staggering and the stories break your heart.  The photos really bring it home and the one message I heard loud and clear is the German people knew what was going on because of all the camps.  I guess you just wanted to believe so many were ignorant of what the Nazi's were doing.
WEDNESDAY Frank wanted to get together with Jim and I was happy to see have one last gathering.  
THURSDAY  Jim went to a Men's Breakfast at Ron's church, the speaker was Michael Beck.  Would love to have heard him speak.
We bought 2 of his books.
Jim ran some errands and one was to get more Balsamic Pomegranate Vinegar.  It is so yummy.  He had to gas up and run to Walmart and Publix.
OK here comes the hard part.  We have noticed the dogs have been scratching themselves a lot lately, well there was a reason for that. Somehow they have got Florida Flees so Jim got special shampoo and flee & tick stuff - the scratching kept him awake last night, Otto kept hitting the wall with his claws.  They are much better today.
Tonight we see Dirty Dancing and we will do dinner at The University Grill.  Will be fun.
Going to have an apple.
LATER.

TUESDAY MORNING

Tuesday and counting down.
It has been a busy few days.
Going to start with MONDAY: We  had a wonderful day together and at 3pm we headed out to meet Frank and Helen at "The Blue Martini"
On the way we stopped and picked up some pain patches for me and "cash wonderful cash", let's get together.
We drove over to Frank and Helen's and hitched a ride with them to The Mercado shopping center where The Blue Martini exists.
Jim had lemonade, Frank a coke, Helen Pinot Grigio  and I had beer.
They have a wonderful happy hour, we had a fruit and cheese tray which was huge and two different chicken dishes, a lemon pepper chicken with cilantro pesto and  a Thai chicken tenderloins with a mild peanut dressing and slaw - it was wonderful.  All 4 of us ate to our fill with 2 drinks each with 20% tip for $66.00. After we went back to Frank and Helen's for dessert.  Helen made me a fake cocktail and it was yummy but I think I would probably tweet it a little, cranberry juice with tonic water on ice, Jim doesn't like tonic water so we could use soda. Will have to try that but we would  n use diet cranberry juice.  Had a wonderful time visiting at their home.  It really is designed in the Florida style.  A very comfortable home indeed.
My goodness I hope it doesn't take me so long to fill in the blanks for the last few days.
SUNDAY: what a wonderful day, I have been using my walking sticks, I have not been able to find rubber tips for them yet and everyone tells me their walking sticks come with rubber tips, mine didn't.
We went to The First Presbyterian Church for the last time.  We will truly miss it.
We went out to breakfast with Ron & Polly after at Dolly's.  It was really close to church and was good.
SATURDAY: we did the water taxi again, I love it.  We had lunch at The Boathouse and took a ride the whole way around.
We also did The Museum of Military Memorabilia at The Naples Airport where it's housed.
FRIDAY: we were going to do the dog beach so the dogs could romp in the ocean but to get to the beach you had to practically submerge through knee deep schummy water.  Jim said no but I would have gone for it.  Instead we went to Thr Royal Scoop homemade ice cream shop in Bonita Springs.   So fun and who doesn't like home made ice cream.

FRIDAY - ONLY A WEEK LEFT

Well here we are only one week of vacation left, we talked yesterday and we believe it has been the best vacation yet.  We visited urgent care yesterday because I have gone from walking with or without my walking sticks to almost crawling.  Bending over is excruciatingly painful.  Turns out it's a bladder infection, I think I tweeted my back about the same time and need to see a neurologist when I get home.  I will get over all this in fact after getting some antibiotic's and Vicodin and a shot for pain I am doing better.  She also recommended icy/hot patches - just like the ones I have seen them advertised on TV.  
Jim has been a peach, but I need to get better fast. I have lots to do when I get home.
It's funny - all I want to do is celebrate this year because I made it to 75, I have 2 brothers and a 67 year old sister in hospice that didn't and won't get to 75.
It goes without saying we would love to have mobility.  When I close my eyes I am speedy Gonzales.  If only I could slow my brain down.
I need to remember to contact Heather Webster, she left me a message about some ideas for the rummage sale.  Love it love it love it.
I think we need to have a fun food item too, we will see.  So many wonderful people at church to count on.  I miss them.
I even had time for laundry.  Even on vacation it needs to be done.
After our day at the doctors we visited Pei Wei, I love that place and I always have leftovers?  Lucky me!  

MONDAY MORNING

Here we are working on a Monday again.  We only have one Monday to go before we head for home.  I am looking forward to my regular routine again.  I need to start going through my junk so I can get ready for our church rummage sale.  You feel so disconnected on a two month vacation.  I know I should look at it as two months of just living somewhere else but its hard to relate to it like that.  It is just too long a period of time.  I think you need to establish another parallel life here but that's just not for me.  I like the life I have and I guess I miss the day to day stuff in Remer.  I miss being so far from the kids.

We have had so much fun this week.
With the exception of my bladder infection.  I just kept getting sicker and sicker and figured it had to be my back but it wasn't.
I am quite silly, have medication and pain pills now so things should improve.  I should have noticed my kidney was really 
tender, where is Skye when you need her?

Sunday we went to a huge flee market after church.
Monday the inter-coastal waters so Jim could fish, we saw some cool alligator's and baby ones too - I bet we saw 15-20 babies.  The MOM was watching close by.
Tuesday we stayed home and Jim washed the truck.  Looks great.  


Wednesday we went to the beach and Jim fished and I sat in a higher chair than a beach chair, I have been getting weaker and weaker, now we know why.  I could never have got up out of a beach chair.
Thursday we did laundry and went to the Doctor, got a bunch of meds and went to Pei Wei.   We will have to go there one last time so I can get some of their lettuce wraps.  They are so very yummy.

This vacation stuff is mind boggling - who can go on vacation for 2 months anyway, what would I do or where would I be without my sweetie.  He is just so good with money.  Me, not so good but that's another story, and does he take care of me.

Do you know something, we leave for Remer one week from tomorrow.  We will be home before you know it.

I heard the "Bear" is back.  Oh joy.
We really never named him, I figure it has to be a boy, if she was a girl she would have her cubs with her some time.

SATURDAY

We wanted to go on a driving adventure, at least I did, we travel on Immokalee to the Ocean all the time and there is a town of Immokalee about 1/2 an hour from here so we shot out for it.  We stopped in a Goodwill and I found the prettiest blue vase for Linda.  I found one of my favorite prints for $7 and bought it on a whim for Skye, I did text her and she said if it was under $10 to get it.  It is Van Goug's Starry Night.  That is such a beautiful print.  Then we went to the Seminole Casino.  That made us feel old because we went to the service desk to get a players card because you can "spin" for money.  You get $10 on a card and then play it.  Well we did that but it truly took over an hour to figure out how to do it and walked away with $24 and it would have been more but the machine makes you spend the $10 on my machine anyway.  Goofy, all we wanted to do was take the $10 each and roll it over to lunch.  It was too funny really and took way too long and finally we decided to go home and have salmon.  Good meal,   The funny part of the meal is we stopped at Publix first to get a couple of sweet potatoes and I looked at the bill on the way home and for 2 sweet potatoes it was $4,29.  That just seems like a lot for 2 potatoes.
Need to shower for church.  Later.
Did laundry yesterday too.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY-FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Well on Wednesday Jim and I went to the Ocean, he found this new place at Clam Pass.  At least that's what I call it, it may be its name.  We park for $8.  It is so fun to just walk around in the Ocean, warm breezes and heavenly water.  The people watching is great.  Sometimes I have to wonder what people are thinking when I see huge people in bikinis.  Its bad enough that I feel like a cow when I don a swimsuit but there really are some sights to behold.
I know its silly but I wish you could have pets at the Ocean.
I also know there are Pet beaches but Jim just doesn't want to go there and our dogs don't interact.  Its the big dogs that really are fun to watch at the dog beaches.  They romp and just have a hoot.  I know I did laundry this week but I don't think I got around to it until Thursday when Jim went to Fish Alligator Alley with Frank.  They were only gone till noon.
Friday we were busy busy busy. 
Friday we went over to Frank and Helen's house.  It looks like a designer home.  A Florida designer home.  All white and light blue accents.  Sailboats and shells.  Their condo is really beautiful.  We met and they took us out for Pizza at a place called "The Crust", Good pizza but the wait was about 1/2 an hour plus.  There are so many eating places in Naples but there are lots and lots of people that go out to eat.  Here it is the middle of April and you would have think lots and lots of snow birds have already gone but there are a lot of people that live here year round.  Imagine, paradise year round.  Of course the summers get hot. 

We had a wonderful visit, and went back to their house for key lime pie and ice cream and strawberries.  I don't really like key lime pie and this is supposed to be the pie of Florida.  Jim loves it but there what sweet doesn't he love.  Publix has really wonderful bake goods.  We eyed a chocolate cake and it was truly a work of art.  In this humidity it wouldn't look that good sitting out for long. 
The girls at home had DOSS at Gail's house and I have to call someone and hear all the fun news.  There is always fun news.
It was a good time with Frank and Helen.  She is so accomplished.

WEDNESDAY MORNING

Here we are closing in on only 2 weeks left of vacation.  We didn't walk the circle on Monday, instead we went to Alligator Alley so Jim could go fishing.  We can bring the dogs with so its a lot of fun and they love not being left behind.
Jim is always looking for ways to bring them with.  He is far more sensitive to it than I am.  I just make sure our plans don't include leaving them in the truck at all.  It's against the law in Florida and by noon you know why because by noon it's usually already 80 degrees.
I love bringing a chair and watching him catch fish because you never know what he is going to bring in.  He uses live shrimp when fishing in the ocean and I think he uses worms for the fresh water cannels.
I wish I could remember what we had for dinner that night but I know Jim went to Publix grocery shopping.  I love it when I don't have to go.  He does such a super job, he doesn't need me.
On Tuesday I think was the day we went on an adventure to find Pei Wei.  I was so pleased to find Naples had one.  Here it turns out it was in the same shopping center as Bokamper's Sports Bar.  We were driving around the shopping center and finally asked a couple if they knew where it was when they were coming out of a bank and they said yes, its right behind you and we turned around and there it was, as big as life.
We were able to bring the dogs to the outside portion of Pei Wei to join us.  After lunch we noticed there was a bakery right next door and what was fun is there was a huge sign in the window stating they had been a winner of "Cupcake Wars". Jim went in and bought me one little cake coin.  It was the size of a silver dollar and cost $1.00.  I just wish it had taste better.  It was just fun to see all the different cup cakes they made.  They had a free tasting of cinnamon bread that was scrumptious. We went for a walk around the mall with the dogs and you should have see the arbors covered with bougainvillea.  The flowers just take your breath away.  
I found a designer thrift store and purchased a Vera Bradley Back pack and used it when we went to the Ocean on Wednesday.  Love it and its so colorful. 

MONDAY MORNING

Here I am posting almost a week later and supposed to remember what I did since Jim went to Lake Placid on Tuesday.  I really think I need to reevaluate how I do my journal.  It would only take me a few minutes each day to do this. 
Jim had fun at their luncheon on Tuesday, there were 4 of them and 3 of the guys I think live here, I know 2 live here and maybe the other one just vacations here but I am surprised how many people live here year round, I know that makes me naïve but why? 

It is funny, yesterday we were talking about me going on an airboat ride.  Jim is being real encouraging because he would rather have his fingernails pulled out than go on an airboat ride.  He was talking about the snakes falling out of the trees on me and fun stuff like that.  What do you think, encouraging?  It did make me laugh.  For me I have horrors like, what if the motor stalls or the driver has a heart attack.  I have no sense of direction.  I don't know.  Today we are going down by alligator alley and that is where we see the airboat places.  I may have him pull in to one so I can inquire.  Sounds good to me.
Can you stand it, yesterday I got up at my usual time about 5am and took the dogs out, I could see my breath.  It sure makes good sleeping weather but really, I came here to get away from that kind of weather.  That doesn't happen often.

I am typing without my glasses, they are somewhere but for the love of mike I don't know where and I don't want to wake Jim up.  He likes to sleep in but in all honesty, my sacrum and only take so many hours on my back, or walking, or sitting or especially standing.  Church about kills me, some of the hymns are 4 plus verses and go on forever.  Whine, whine, whine.

Sunday we sure had a fun day, we started off with church, it was The First Presbyterian Church, now I know we would join that church if we moved here, we will never move here or stay more that 2 months if I can help it.  They had the best female preacher.  Pastor June Barrow.  "May I Re-Introduce You" was here theme.  She started off with the sweetest story about her parents and since they only live 2 hours North of here in St Petersburg she can see them often and how she is writing their memoirs.   What a fun thing to do, she talked about all the things she is finding out about her parents that she didn't know.  It was so interesting and she wove it in to the message.  I love the message in Colossians.  Out of the Lutheran Study Bible.  "Because Christians of all ages have already been united with Christ through baptism, we therefore let Christ's love, peace and forgiveness guide our lives and our relationships with other Christians, with members of our family and with people who are not Christian."  Anyway that is part of the message.
She also shared with us a story about a priest in Auschwitz concentration camp.  It about tore out your heart.  It's a true story about how a an SS officer decided to kill 10 men because one prisoner escaped.  As he called the 10th man out, the man fell to his knees weeping and he cried, "my wife, my children, I will never see them again."  A fellow prisoner, a priest offered to take his place and the SS officer allowed it and the 10 were taken off to a starvation room where they were given no food and water and over a two week period and everyone had died except the priest and the SS officer felt it was taking too long so they put the priest to death by lethal injection.  Now that was a powerful story, the priest's name was Maximilian Kolbe, he died on August 14th 1941 and the Polish prisoner's name was Franciszek Gajwoniczek.  He lived to be 92 and had a rock with the priest's name printed on it so he would see it every day and never forget what one man did for him.  I looked up the story, needless to say - as Christians, we can make a powerful difference.  To serve. 
Back to Sunday:  In the afternoon we went to Broadway Palms Dinner Theater and we saw "Funny Girl".  I want you to know the lead star really carried the show.  She did an amazing job.  What a voice, it was probably the best show to date and we have seen some really wonderful shows.
We have one show to go, Dirty Dancing on our last night here.

We took a drive Saturday but for the life of me I can't remember to where.  We do that a lot.  I know we went Wednesday we went to Alligator Alley so Jim could fish and Thursday he went fishing with Frank to a new spot on the Ocean which we went to on Friday. 

Wednesday night we went to The Barbara Mann Theater to see Broadway Big Bands, the two singers were ever so fantastic and the band was great and I loved the little quips the leader of the band shared with us.  Loved it.  Jim sneaked out during intermission and bought me a necklace and earrings, they match the beautiful enamel ring he bought me perfectly.  What a surprise.  I love it.

Brings us to today and we will have to walk the circle.  I use the sticks and it helps.  All the kids are back in the US of A.  Just nice to have them all back from vacation.

TODAY JIM GOES TO LAKE PLACID TO GATHER WITH ARMY BUDDIES

We need to do our shopping this morning because Jim needs to leave at least by 11am.  I think he will take the 91 mile route, not the 98 mile route.  We will see, it would be fun to go but where would the dogs and I be as he gets together with the guys.  This is his time and we will have fun here.

TUESDAY - TIME FLYS

To think we will be home in 4 weeks.  Been here 5 weeks and the weather of course has been perfect.  On Monday we went on an Adventure.  We went up to Coral Gables and took a look at a house that John & Pam are going to rent next year in March.  Great area.  Their rental has a swimming pool, is on the channel and even comes with a boat.  What is fun about this Adventure is that we can bring Otto & Makons with.  We found "Rotary Park" and took them for a walk. 
On Sunday we went to church at The First Presbyterian Church and heard Dr. David Cook.  A wonderful motivational speaker.  Author of Seven Days in Utopia which became a movie staring Robert Duvall.  He was wonderful how he wove Christian values of change, acceptance and transformation into the road ahead for every Christian.  Really wonderful speaker.  It sure took me back to the old days of working and I so remember going to listen to Author and Futurist Joel Arthur Barker speak on Paradigms and Vision.  Speaking of my old job, Ray Christensen, the past owner of ChartHouse International Learning organization passed away on March 26th.  I started working for CH (ChartHouse) back in 1990 and worked there 14 years.  I don't know when I had more fun in a job but I could say that about my job at the Grain Exchange for Benson
Quinn that I had for 14 years or working for my Ex-husband Smith's Jewelers Service for a dozen years.  I have been so lucky in my work life.  I wish there was a way for me to be in Minneapolis to go to the Memorial Luncheon that will be at The Mediterranean Café on April 15th for past and current employees but I am still in Florida and won't be back until after that date.  I had so much fun with our special sales team at CH.  Harry, Sarah, Sharon, Ken & Russell and I remember Paul & Connie, Kathy & Stephanie, I wish I could remember all the names of former employees but it escapes me but I so enjoyed them all.  I was so lucky to have worked at CH but I know I could say that about every job I have ever had.  Even the silly jobs I had in-between like being a Centrex-Information operator at The Star and Tribune on weekends or the Telephone Information Operator at the U of M.  I remember working at the Dime Store, Kresge's in downtown Minneapolis across from Dayton's.  I worked in the donut department making donut's and remember the food counter's from the old days.  I really enjoyed that too.  Also worked in the dry cleaning industry near 50th & Lyndale.  I sure have gone down memory lane. 
Ray gave me the chance to be in Sales and I flourished.  It was fun.  His storytelling in the videos he produced was so wonderful.  I especially remember the Pat Summerall Safety Films.  Their Are Choices, was one of my favorite and of course the Sigurd Olson Video.  Of course the most successful was The Business of Paradigms and The Power of Vision.  Wow we sold the heck out of them.
Ray retired and JC, his son took over and what can we say about The Fish Philosophy series.  My goodness, to see a son hit that kind of success following the Father's success. 
I have rambled down memory lane long enough but I am sorry I will miss the celebration of his life.  He and I shared birthdays exactly 10 years apart. 
On Sunday we went to see Young Frankenstein (the musical), which was really wonderful and out to dinner after at the 821 Bistro again.  Fun fun fun.

WEDNESDAY

We walked and then went to Miramar Shopping center, the fountain in one of the courtyards is pretty amazing and huge.  I needed didn't even go in to many stores that were beckoning and calling me by name.  The spender in me stuck to the task at hand and visited just two stores.  Legg's Hanes because I needed some new unmentionables and The Crocs Store.  I like the pair I bought at our rummage sale from Jean so much I wanted another couple of pairs and since they were buy one and get the second pair for half off, they had me at Hello!
I know I spent too much time looking but Jim said he didn't mind since he had a book and was waiting in the truck with the dogs.  I even managed to sort of loose my way when I came out a different door but used my "Find Friends" App on my phone and walked toward Jim's location.  Love that App.
From there we looked for a Goodwill store.  I was looking for a couple of specific things.  Can't remember what now but we know it had to be important.  Ya rite.   
I did find tons of fun stuff.  Today I can't remember what but I am sure I couldn't live without it.  Wednesday is Senior day and red tags were 50% off.  I have a whole case of vases for Linda so we can give away more bouquets.  There a pourple one I didn't get and wish I would have to go with the.  We have tons of knives and spoons in the camper but no dinner forks.  You should see the nice forks.  Doesn't take much to excite me.
I just talked to Skye, she and Jon just took off for Mexico, they are so excited, they went to Jamaica in January and now Mexico.  They will overlap with Mac and Laura only one day.  I wish we were all together like last year but I don't see that happening again.  Maybe next year and I will take Heidi with me.  She would be really good company and willing to stay back with me.  Hummmmmmmmmmm.  There I go dreaming again.
I am having so much fun here in Florida and next year we will be here but I think we have to be back in April.  Cancer treatment.  It won't go away for Jim for 2 years.  We haven't even started treatment yet.  Home to dinner.