Things are going swimmingly here on Campbell Street with each new day better than the previous one. It is just plain glorious. We just gave yet another tour to friends with Tammy proclaiming it was like a fairy tale. I could not agree more.
That said, because of the moving process I never had the time to give our trip down to Florida its' due. Mostly we went out to eat with friends and family. We missed the twins 45th birthday on April Fools Day so we made up for it with a trip to the Tap Room at Dubsdred. Gosh it was good to be enjoying delicious food with our loved ones!
That would be me, Bruce, David, Michelle, Fallon and Bill around the table. We ran into Bill and Fallon in the parking lot and the light was so nice I could not resist photographing the new-soon-to-be parents!
Actually it is not really so soon but it is in the works. Yes,
you read that correctly, if all goes well we will be first time grandparents at the ripe old age of 70! Actually my sweet husband had a birthday on Saturday and is now 71. If you are the praying kind please keep them in your prayers!
We enjoyed a lovely evening with Joe and Cynthia at a tasty Mexican restaurant situated lakeside in Baldwin Park.
Joining Keith and Patty at a nearby restaurant called Cava, they regaled us about the joys of being grandparents as their daughter gave birth about three months ago. We also met up with them at the Dover Shores pickleball courts where we were greeted warmly by the gang. Those were some very fun days for us and apparently folks missed us in our absence. The feeling is mutual.
Rene and Lisa are so much fun to play with,
as our Keith, Patty and Maryanne.
Sunday we spent the morning playing pickleball in our community,
followed by lunch with Mary at Johnny's.
Another day we made a visit to Orlando Wetlands Park in order for me to see some big birds for a change. We were not disappointed as there were plenty of them, beginning with this Sandhill Crane and their teenager who greeted us almost as soon as we began our walk.
There were so many Wood Stork and plenty of Roseate Spoonbills too.
And what exactly do I mean by plenty? This is but one spot where the nests were plentiful.
Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Anhingas, you know, all the usual suspects at this time of year! The Red-Winged Blackbirds were having plenty to say.
No trip to the Wetlands is complete without gator sightings.
Vultures too! Holy cow there were a bunch.
I did some roaming around the community which was lovely. In case you are new to this space, and are wondering what I mean, there are two lakes, two swimming pools, tennis/pickleball courts along with folks who have garden plots. While there, look what I came across.
I took this one below at the big lake,
and the one below at the small lake on which we have our place.
I spotted the Wood Ducklings and Mama one day and it was two days later that two ducklings were missing. Missing is a bit of a euphemistic term for what really happens to ducklings so often. Lots of predators around including the otters in the lake and the hawks in the skies above.
I've seen a bunch during our time living in the village, but opening the front door to be greeted by a Peahen was a first!
Actually, as I recall there were four of them!
Aside from cleaning out our storage space, seeing friends and family, visiting doctors/dentist, Bruce wanted his tools and I wanted more clothes. He won the car space battle, but I did manage to bring this batch up here to North Carolina.
I was blessed by a visit to Patti's remodeled condo which is fantastic btw, with Susan coming over to join us. Connie came downstairs on more than one occasion, gifting us with soup that she knows Bruce loves. And there was a visit to Hawkers with Nancy because those are two things we cannot do without while in Orlando.
Then it was time to head back to the mountains with Bruce doing one last check of the door before departure.
Although we have called it home now for five years the only thing that bothered me before leaving was the thought of all of our pretty things just sitting there. More than one person has asked if we are planning on selling it but now that we are going to be FIRST TIME grandparents, for the near future, the answer is no.
Breaking with tradition we took the interstate all the way to Macon in hopes of making it in one day. One thing I did neglect to mention, and while it won't be much interest to you, it will be a reminder for us in the future. Bruce took the Subaru into the dealership for an oil change and in a bit of a disappointment, to put it mildly, they pointed out all manner of maintenance that needed to be done. Not only did it delay our departure while waiting for a part, it put a pretty big dent in our wallet to the tune of $2,500. While that hurt a bit it is good to know that we won't have to do much in the near future.
Anyway, the drive was lovely in Florida with wildflowers roadside,
but always my favorite part of the trip, no matter the route, is when the mountains first come into view.
This was a pleasant drive since we avoided Atlanta and before long we were on the winding roads that have become somewhat familiar.
During our ten day absence the trees burst into GREEN and so many shades of green.
It was just glorious to my eyes! Our plans don't include heading back to Florida for some time but when we do, this route might just be the ticket for both scenery and speed.
This afternoon, the windows and doors are open to a lovely breeze with the sweet sounds of the ever present birds filling the air. Furthermore, the last of our purchased furniture should be arriving in the next few hours and then I will give you another tour. Gosh, it is just lovely although it does still look a bit like a showroom but personal touches are coming in here and there. Tammy will be arriving soon with some daylily and iris bulbs from her garden to ours, some of which are 85 years old. Growing up in West Virginia, both her mother and grandmother grew them. Does not get much more personal than that, right?
Praise God from whom all blessings flow is what I'm thinking right about now!
your friend,
Gail
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