Mystery of the Broken Acorns

Disclaimer: not an actual photo!

Photos.

Yesterday we washed the Traverse, as we have at least once a week since we got here -- much like home. We had vacuumed once before for sand, but more work was needed, and Bob decided to do a good job before leave Florida on Sunday.

He took out the rear mat entirely and found a pile of acorn shells. We haven't seen any oaks on the beach so the broken shells were likely hijackers from Minnesota. But how? Bob is meticulous with his car care so I couldn't imagine that so many shells had been carelessly left in the rear seating area.

As we drove away from the car wash, speculation began. Our first tendency was to wonder if they had come on the shoes of our Minnesota visitors -- but they were all wearing sandals with no tread that would hold an acorn shell. Could the pockets of my windbreaker, unused since last fall, have been full of shells? After discussion, we dismissed the idea of a Minnesota squirrel hitching a ride, even though we saw a gray squirrel like one of our backyard residents, scurrying across the road to a grassy park.

During the night, Bob realized he himself was the offender. Last fall, I guess he had "spillage" when taking bags of acorn shells to the compost site. The shop vac missed some of the shells because he did a quick clean-up, failing to remove one of the floor mats and do a thorough job. Now this surprised me!

Mystery solved; I know there will be no "next time".

Hennessey Visitors

Cath, Trudy, John, Mitch, Adam

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Our Florida vacation is almost over.

John, Trudy and the boys arrived last Saturday and we've enjoyed St Pete Beach through their eyes and experiences.

Bob, Trudy, Mitch, John, Adam

Lots of swimming in the pool and a day on the beach at Fort DeSoto were lots of fun for me too. The Gulf of Mexico was nice and chilly, with the usual therapeutic effect. Trudy made us a sandwich lunch which we ate at the picnic tables near the beach. The gulls stayed away -- so that made me think there must be plenty of picnickers on the beach itself, willing to share snacks with the birds.

We did a run on the Dolphin Racer (our second this season) and, once again, dolphins were plentiful and very willing to entertain us in the boat's wake. Yesterday we were back at Fort DeSoto for an hour of kayaking. Bob and I took pictures and then rode down the beach to catch them as they paddled by.

Most evenings, the visitors explored on their  own along the beach.  Yesterday afternoon, we delivered our crew -- bearers of happiness, all of them -- to Tampa International. We arrived way early, not wanting to be caught inTampa Bays Rays opening day traffic, as well as Easter Break travel to the airport, and, of course, the usual rush hour congestion on I275.

Fun week went by quickly and the condo felt strangely quiet.

House Cleaner

Who the hell cleans house on vacation? Well, I know my neighbor does because she lent me the bathroom cleaner I needed last week. I do like things neat and clean, and I am a laundry fanatic, so it's no surprise that I don't let things slide (much) when we're away from home.

We were expecting the second of wave of Minnesota visitors and I wanted to get the condo spruced up. The cleaners do an OK job, but not great, so I always wash dishes and linens myself when I get here. I'd cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen several times but they weren't really company ready, so I spent part of Friday morning cleaning and washing the tile flower. Bob did the vacuuming for me.

The heat had finally returned and that is a warm job. I looked curly haired and shaggy when I finished. Still, there's nothing quite like the satisfaction one feels when a job can be clearly defined and the results easily measured.

Pool Exercises

Because of many decades of knee problems and several chronic illnesses, I may be more aware than most of the fragility of apparent good health. Over the winter, I had several colds and the flu too, and inactivity seems to have resulted in a recurrence of muscle spasms in my lower back and left leg. Those commercials featuring sciatica sufferers? That's how I felt.

When I arrived in Florida, I wondered whether I'd be able to do my daily swims. Thinking that the right kind of movement would help, I started doing simple pool exercises to stretch my legs and back, as well as my usual swimming. The backstroke felt better than a front crawl, so I did more swimming on my back that I normally do. I followed up with 15 minutes in the hot tub.

I felt better after my first swim. Today, three weeks later, I am almost pain free. There are many resources on the Internet, but the basic idea is to stretch arms, legs and torso. I swim 10 laps, exercised for 5-10 minutes, and repeat at least two more times.  I am a strong swimmer, comfortable in deep water, so I do my exercises in chest deep water. The depth can be varied, according to skill level and ability to balance effectively.

When I get home, I intend to try some kind of land yoga class and, of course, keep up the pool work.

First Day of Spring

Spring March 20, 2018

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The first day of spring in this part of the country usually feels like a summer day in Minnesota. Not this year. After a few warm days with temps approaching 80F, we're back to the low 70s this morning.

I woke up a little late this morning after a good night's sleep -- better than the night before when I tossed and turned so much that I should have quit trying to sleep shortly after midnight. It was almost 7:00 a.m. by the time I got out of bed to heavy fog on Boca Ciega Bay. I knew that unsettled weather is likely today, so I waited until almost 7:30 before going for my morning swim. The sun rose about 20 minutes later, a silver ball behind the clouds.

Because of a tornado watch in Sarasota, 40 miles or so to our south,  and possible thunderstorms this afternoon, we'll head up the shore for the middle part of the day. It doesn't really feel like spring, nor will it tomorrow when part of the day will be in the fifties under cloudy skies.

Sun and warmer temperatures return on Thursday, a warm-up in time for our next Minnesota visitors. John, Trudy, Adam and Mitchell arrive on Saturday, and it looks as though they're bringing 80s with them.

Rencontre Temiscaming - en Floride

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The girls

It's always fun to get together with friends from my hometown of Temiscaming, Québec. Fifty years ago or more, many of us left town. I went to Montreal where I spent the next 17 years. Many others settled in the Ottawa area, and our companions yesterday were all from the national capital region; Bob pointed out that he -- the only non-Canadian in the group -- was in the minority.

Because of social media, most of us know one another better today than we did as teenagers. That is certainly the case with the women at yesterday's lunch at Billy's Stone Crab. The group is a little different from year to year, but we  really keep up with one another on Facebook and via email, so there isn't that much catching up to do.

Our table

The conversation tends to move to long ago events in our hometown and the mood sometimes gets a little intense and emotional. I always marvel at how far we've come ... and how that little town has  left such a profound and lasting impact on our lives. I sometimes forget the details of Temiscaming families, and, as always, I learned a lot about the present during our discussion of the past
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Our husbands have gotten to know each other over the years too. Yesterday, they chatted amicably or simply watched "the girls" talk. We went our separate ways just as the evening "early bird" diners were moving in, lingering a little in the parking lot, reluctant to move on too quickly.

Enjoyable and satisfying.

Pennsylvania Special Election - Congressional District 18

I can't resist a political event, so I couldn't wait to follow yesterday's election results on TV. I really didn't know what to expect, and I realized fairly early on that the race was too close to call so I wasn't up late following it.

According to both the New York Times, Fox News and other news sources, Democrat Conor Lamb may have defeated Republican Rick Saccone. As of 30 minutes or so ago, Lamb was leading Saccone by 0.3 percent. There is no mandatory recount in Pennsylvania; in Minnesota, a recount in a federal election is triggered if the difference in the number of votes for the winning candidate and any other candidate is less than 0.25 percent. The next couple of days should be interesting.

The more interesting statistic is that President Trump carried this district by 20 percentage points in the 2016 general election.

Spring Break on Clearwater Beach

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The streets were full but lots of space on the beach

We hadn't been to Clearwater Beach since 2011, our first year on the Gulf.That year, we went somewhere every day, as it was all new. I wasn't impressed with Clearwater Beach then -- the overbuilding and crowds were simply too much for me. I guess I've gotten used to both, though I am still stunned that every square inch of space is used, and there is more concrete than water or palm trees.

Sand Key Park

Yesterday was another cool day so we drove north. There wasn't really much traffic, and we covered the 22 miles in less than the 53 minutes allocated by Google maps for that time of day. We saw more of the beach this visit, but still had trouble parking. Some of the spring breakers on the beach were in swim wear (brr!!) but many were wearing jackets and sweatshirts.

Not really much of a party atmosphere, I thought. At 54F, too damn cold. We crossed the bridge to Sand Key Park, where the large parking lot was quite empty. A few fishermen sat on the rocks, and one family picnicked not far from the rocky shore.

The water really was clear and blue, and quite beautiful.

Joy in the Wind

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I swim twice a day in the pool, but  haven't yet taken a dip in the Gulf of Mexico. I like to play in the waves and then warm up on the beach, but in 55F weather, there is no warming up after a swim so I haven't been tempted by the waves. Besides, I really prefer a good pool to any kind of fresh water -- almost unbelievable for someone who grew up in the north woods, but there you are.

Too windy!

On Monday, we drove over to Fort De Soto Park to check out the beach. The day was windy and the sun was not quite warm enough to make one linger on the pier looking for dolphins, a usual favorite thing on visits to the park.

Not much joy among the huddled egrets or other shore birds, none of which lingered very long as they pecked for food on the beach. We moved on to the beach at the far end of the park, where we could see kite sails in the distance.

Soaring!

The white sands looked like snow, and the fine grains of sand in the air made photography difficult. I walked over to the shore to watch the sailboarders. They were gleeful, talking with great animation as they rested between runs.

I felt apprehensive when a lone woman walked over to the water with her sailboard. Some of the men had taken some time to get their boards set up, and I was afraid that the wind and heavy waves would be too much for the woman. I shouldn't have doubter her! She righted her sail and got her feet positioned on the board.

She was soon speeding over the waves, indistinguishable from the men. Even better, no one seemed surprised. It was an awesome afternoon.

Daring to be Different

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We go to Mass on Saturday evening, so Sunday is usually a day of reading and relaxing around the condo. This week was no exception, so we were getting a little antsy by the end of the afternoon. We had a light dinner at the Oyster Shucker.

Shelling at Pass-a-Grille

I made the mistake of ordering the "soup & salad" combo. The bowl of corn chowder was much too big, so I should have left the salad, but did not. It was not very good, and I wasted about a quarter of what I had on my plate. Bob got the twin filet dinner, which seemed OK, but not great. I don't know what possessed me to order the "two for one" margaritas. I really don't drink margaritas, and they are usually really high in calories, but for some reason that's what I had. I hadn't had a margarita for about a decade and I think it will be another decade before I order my next one. Not delicious. Not even good.

Shelling at Pass-a-Grille

After dinner, we drove down to the end of Pass-a-Grille. The sun was beginning to drop, and a few people were walking along the beach picking up shells. Two women, dressed in similar plain collared blouses and long checked skirts, looked like mother and daughter. As they worked, the skirts got wetter and wetter, but they seemed oblivious to either the wet clothes or the fact that they looked very odd, dressed more for church than the beach, walking on the sand and over the rocks.

On a warmer evening, they would have looked much more out of place, but it was cold and hardly anyone was on the beach. And so they picked through the shells, completely at ease, or so it seemed. Feeling nothing but admiration for these strong women, I felt a little guilty taking their pictures, but not guilty enough to stop.

Cold Front

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In St Petersburg overlooking Tampa Bay

I really don't mind colder weather because the pool is empty when I want to use it -- but then again, it usually is when I go down for my morning and evening swims. More so, now that it is chilly all day. Yesterday, our high was 62F. It's warmer today, but a morning arctic chill was certainly a deterrent to all but the hardiest.

Yesterday, most people walking up and down Gulf Blvd were wearing fleece and many were warmly dressed from head to toe. Bob and I settled for light jackets and shorts, but we were quite cold, on occasion.

Doesn't matter to us, really, because we're here for a month, but many visitors have only a week or so on the beach. Somehow, it seems wrong to see one's breath in the cold air. Looks as though the next 10 days will be cooler than normal. Still, the sun is shining and the water is blue. Can't complain too much.

Too Much Imagination

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Our visitors left on Sunday morning. It was chilly and a little breezy, as we're in what Floridians call a "cold front". Temperatures have actually fallen to the mid-fifties after dark and daytime highs haven't reached 80F since late last week.

The good news is that I love this kind of weather. I like to swim in the morning (the earlier the better) and evening (after dark is best). Last year, I observed the new signs that indicated pool hours were dawn to dusk, but most others did not and I was a little put off that I was missing my swims at the times I prefer.

This year, I noticed that the pool signs are contradictory: one says "dawn to dusk" and the others indicate the pool area is open 8 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. In fact, the pool gate is open as soon as the maintenance guy gets here around 7:00 a.m., so I decided that I'd swim at about 7:30, when I'm really the only person in the pool area. In warmer weather, the pool seat grabbers are there to claim their spots for the day, but not right now.

Sunrise Resort pool after dark

In the evening, I've gone for my swim both before and after dark. The other night, it was really cold and there was no one outside, not even on the balcony.  I felt so isolated that I actually got a little spooked. The night was dark except for a bright full moon over Boca Ciega Bay, and I could hear the night birds and other after dark sounds.

I thought I heard someone in the bushes, though I knew it was really the pool pump.  I thought about itinerant serial killers and various beach murders I've read about over the years. I imagined the mess a slit throat would make on the pool deck. I got out of the pool, looking over my shoulder as I grabbed my glasses on the poolside table where I'd left my things. Because I was cold, I stepped in the hot tub, moving around so that I had a pretty good 360-degree idea of my surroundings, but stayed only as long as it took me to warm up. I scampered up to the elevator and back to the condo. Feeling silly, I said nothing.

Otherwise, I've enjoyed my solitude. The pool water isn't too hot, as it sometimes is when the weather is warmer, and I love getting out of the hot tub into the cool air.

Doesn't get any better than this.

Crabby Bill's Revisited

We've been to Crabby Bill's several times in the past, mostly with visitors to St. Pete Beach. Bob and I have never been too impressed with the food or drinks, but it's a good place to go with a family and we thought it would accommodate all seven of us nicely.

Chris took us all out early Saturday evening after Mass at St. John Vianney. Although the service was somewhat lacking, we really enjoyed our dinner. Two of the kids had mac & cheese, and the other tried the whitefish. Melissa ordered an appetizer, Chris the crab legs, and Bob and I shared a grouper plate. Chris ordered peel & eat shrimp (delicious) which we all shared. Bob and I also had a cup of New England clam chowder, which was really good. The server brought a huge piece of chocolate cake to the table for dessert, as a kind of apology for the uneven service. It must have been good: the kids seemed to enjoy it.

After dinner we drove to Pass-a-Grille and spent a very short time on the beach. The last embers of sun were rapidly fading in the sky, and the north wind was too cold for us to stay long.

I think the visitors enjoyed their last night in Florida and we have revised our opinion of Crabby Bill's. The food was good and you can't beat the view of the beach.

A Pod of Dolphins

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I made the mistake of Googling "how many dolphins in a pod", and I still don't know. Let's say there were lots of dolphins yesterday when we were out on the Dolphin Racer. We were last on the Dolphin Racer several years ago and, while the ride was fun, the boat was crowded and there weren't all that many dolphins. It's also difficult for a short person like me to see over the heads of taller passengers, and that day, it seemed that everyone was tall.

Yesterday was a different day entirely. I felt a little doubtful about the excursion because the skies were cloudy and this didn't seem like the best boating day. I was wrong! The seven of us -- Chris, Melissa, Lena, Everett, Eloise, Bob and I -- boarded with a small group promptly at 1:15. We saw our first dolphins about 5 minutes into the boat ride. The captain explained that we would have to wait awhile before he could go fast enough to make a legal wake, but it was fun to see the dolphins anyway, especially at least one mother with a baby.

Not much later we were free to create the wake that attracts the dolphins. We had lots of takers, some jumping in the others, others just riding the waves. The captain said that in ten years, he had never seen dolphins jump so high.

Captain Dennis and first mate Mike, who will soon have his captain's license, took great care to explain that the dolphins like to swim in the wake and are too smart and fast to get run over or hit by this or any other boat. He must get a lot of questions about this subject because he addressed the issue in one way or another several times.

The Captain and Mike are very personable and they thank each passenger for taking the cruise. Toward the end of the ride, he invited the kids up for a photo behind the wheel. Melissa handed over her cell phone and Mike took a picture of each child. Then he asked me if I wanted one, so what the heck. I went too. So did Chris and Melissa.

Later, Chris, Bob and I stopped at Bongo's for a beer and appetizers (coconut shrimp, shrimp cocktail, spinach and crab dip). The kids had been swimming all morning before our outing, so she took them home for a rest. We had a wonderful afternoon.

Happy Change-Up

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Kids in the pool

On Wednesday we drove to Tampa International to pick up Chris, Melissa and the three kids. They're in Florida until Sunday, staying just north of us at the Alden on the Gulf side of of the street.

Chris, Melissa and the kids

Their suite wasn't ready yet so we spent the afternoon together here at the pool. Melissa had told me that the kids wanted to snorkle so I found a mask and snorkle set for kids on amazon.com, and ordered three of them in different colors, for about $8.00 each. I felt a little doubtful, but Chris taught them to snorkel in about 10 minutes and they were soon happily exploring the pool. I hadn't realized that this would improve swimming skills, but Chris correctly figured that keeping one's head down is less tiring and the kids can swim farther without fatigue.

I made lunch in our condo and brought it down to the gazebo area. The food disappeared quickly and all were soon back in the pool. At the end of the afternoon, we packed up and spent the few hours before sunset with them at the Alden. Their suite has a direct view of the Gulf of Mexico, and while it could use a little updating, it's spacious and seems fine for the five of them.

Bob and I sat with Chris at the little outside bar and enjoyed a couple of drinks, while Melissa and the kids went swimming in the Gulf. After sunset, Bob and I came home to our pasta aglio et olio we bought at Mazzaro's on Tuesday. The little antipasto salad was a tasty accompaniment.