Spectacular Spring

If you've ever taken Baxter for a walk you know that it can be a terrific pain in the neck. Not only is he stubborn about going where you want him to go, he stops to mark nearly every mailbox, light pole and fire hydrant he comes across, making for a pretty much stop and go process. Inadvertently I've found a new way for him to get his exercise; I've begun taking him to Cypress Grove Park, letting him run free in the big open fields.

Right now, with the glorious weather we've been having, it is just great. When we arrive he literally jumps out of the Element taking off like a little rabbit. Of course I go in the early morning when there are few people about with no chance for him to get too far away. This morning it occurred to me that it was like when my children were young--I preferred to let them run a bit free, watching from the sidelines, knowing they would come back when they realized they had gone just a little too far. They, of course, will probably dispute what I've said, but that's how I remember it. I would not make a good parent today because I hated to keep them too tied down. Naturally we had some rules, but not nearly as many as some. I will attest that we were pretty strict about grades, however nothing like what I went through as a youngster. Chores, same thing. My siblings will tell you we had to do everything around the house which made for some very unhappy Price children. As such I made sure that our boys knew how to do laundry, wash dishes, vacuum etc. but mostly I did it. I really didn't mind. These days I have so little that needs doing that looking back it almost seems a privilege.

The park has a lovely lakefront setting with gigantic, old moss-draped cypress trees and a rose garden that is bursting with colorful blooms! Best of all it is but a mile away.

Speaking of exercise the bike is getting used!

The days have been busy this week with Monday a learning experience about shipping rates. I had a fantastic sales weekend at the markets with one man buying two smaller canvases asking if I would ship them to California. When he asked me how much it would cost I was way off--by like ten dollars! Anyway, it all worked out fine by both of us. I shipped the one I told you about last week to Pennsylvania. Things have indeed been going well for Out & About Photography.

I learned late last week that Mr. Roger's son Ed is not cancer-free despite two surgeries, radiation and chemo therapy. Recently he not only graduated with his engineering degree from UCF, but he bought a house nearby with a house warming party on the horizon. Roger was despondent over the idea of more surgery. I went right over to Angela's house asking her about her latest surgeon, calling from there to pass on the information. Angela took over the conversation, encouraging Roger with her latest surgical success story; she's had a total of eighteen on her face alone from the near fatal car crash twenty years ago. I hardly notice her glass eye anymore, and after having the big mass removed from behind her good eye she looks great, with the sweetest personality you can imagine. We love having her across the street. In fact she is going to watch Mr. Baxter next week while we are gone.

Right now the big excitement is for our camping trip next week. I can't believe I'm going camping but it was actually my suggestion. Bruce is so thrilled he wants to leave right away. We've settled on a state park named Oscar Sherer, six miles south of Sarasota. There is a large lake with sandy beach and what they are calling a creek looks like a river to me! I've reserved a spot along the river with a bath house very close. If you care, and most likely you don't but I'm posting it just the same! I've not been camping in maybe fifteen years, mostly because I hate the preperations and packing but with all my new experience with showtime it has been a primer. We'll be sleeping IN the Element rather than a tent. Without the back seats there is adequate room for both of us to use sleeping pads and linens. The canoe will be hoisted onto the roof by Mr. Bruce, although I'll help if I can, and the bikes mount on the back. Bruce is an old pro at camping dating back to his Boy Scout days. Hopefully the mild temperatures of late will continue. Tomorrow we'll get into more specifics about "Bruce and Gail's Upcoming Adventure."