Oh my word there is much to say and write down before my memory fades. Oh wait, I have photos for that! I am including a photo of the house the day before we drove down to Florida so that I can note when exactly the creeping phlox blooms. It looked oh so different upon our return; the profuse flowering was fading, however the Japanese Maple went on steroids in our absence.
Tat same day, Bruce's friends from his working days came for a visit on their way back to Tucson, AZ. As is our custom, after a visit at the house above, we walked over to the Murphy Chophouse about two blocks away and enjoyed lunch, followed by a bit of time visiting on the porch. Jim and Fern were delightfully entertaining and according to her, we met before many years ago, although you know me, I have no recollection of that meeting!
Look at us sitting outside!! Yes the weather was definitely warm enough, just in time to prepare us for the upcoming days.
A few things for posterity's sake, I saw a Brown-headed nuthatch for the first time ever on the Riverwalk.
Super exciting as was the blooming of our lilac tree. Ancient, it does not produce too many flowers, but by the time we returned some were larger, but most were done for the season. They do smell as wonderful as everyone says!
I know it sounds crazy but I was worried about the garden, however, those worries were for naught as John came over every other day for watering and no critters bothered it, so that was very good news indeed. Checking my last post, that should you have missed it,
you can catch it here, there was no mention of my potato plants because I did not even know they had come up until the morning of the day we left! I was flipping out and even more so now as there are like five plants, three of which are already seven inches tall!!!
Because we planned to stop in Valdosta we packed on Thursday morning and off around 9:30, avoiding the traffic in Atlanta by taking the beltway, followed by time on SR41 which afforded us some nice scenery as well as the town where saw this wonderful mural. So cheerful with a good message.
In the morning before our four hour drive to Orlando, I roamed around the hotel grounds looking for birds and found wisteria instead.
When we arrived in Orlando, sadly our tree, while not looking any worse, looked no better!
Since our last visit they cut back all of the shrubs in hopes that they will come back. It seems unlikely that will happen with our tree but I guess we will find out.
We were anxious to see Christian and our wishes were granted, He's looking at a book that Matt and Tom bought him for Christmas. I just love how he is already concentrating, something his grandmother has always had trouble doing.
I sent a photo of the two of us to Fallonabout two weeks before our visit hoping she could show it to Christian a few times before our arrival in hopes that he would not cry when he saw Bruce. I think it worked!
Saturday morning we joined our friends from the complex for pickleball, including my sister Nancy. I walked to the courts and oh my goodness, for the first time in years, I spotted an eagle high up in the pine trees by the big lake!
Look who else I saw! Note that roof that is looking very weary. This morning I wrote the final check for our special assessment charge for replacing all the roofs in the complex. Whew! That said, the contractors are doing a very good job, helping to set our minds at ease. (juvenile little blue heron)
If there is anything I miss about Orlando, besides our friends and family, it is the big birds. Always a trade off though and I am learning to photograph the little ones because I practice nearly every day. Sounds pretty crazy when I type it, but it is the truth. :)
We drove to DeBary, about forty miles from where we live in Orlando, on Sunday at noon, for the celebration of Cris's life. Some years ago they moved to a small community on the St. John's River where there are plenty of folks who use golf carts as evidenced by the line up of carts beside the clubhouse when we arrived.
The crowd was large to honor both Cris and his wife Judy and the girls, Katie and Jessica.
Bill and Fallon,
were able to attend because her Mom watched Christian, something she does at least once a week.
David and Michelle came as well.
When our boys were young, Cris (Bruce's brother) used to pull the boys behind his boat on inner tubes, much to their delight.
Our niece Mallory came down from Minnesota with her mom Michele, Bruce and Cris's sister.
When asked to speak, both Bruce and Michele told stories. Bruce talked about how proud he was when his brother became an Eagle Scout. I love Mallory's expression.
At first Judy did not want to speak, but she gathering her courage, she talked about what a good Dad Cris was to their daughters.
Katie and Jessica are to her left. While it was hard to lose Cris, it was a case of being happy that his suffering is over.
More cousins,
Lots of old photos were displayed and I took a few home. When I picked up the one pictured below, I could not believe it was Bruce on the left, and even though he says it is him, I am still somewhat skeptical! As you may recall, we have known each other for nearly sixty years.
Look at all those badges Cris has! They were two years apart. Bruce and his sister Michele, and Judy and her sister Margie.
All four told stories from different perspectives and it was a joy listening to them. Cris and Judy married on August 11, 1972 and we married on August 18, 1973. Bruce's Mom and Dad always made a big deal of our anniversaries and the older I get, the more I cherish those memories.
The drive home was easier than the drive there and we drove through downtown on our way back to the condo which is about two miles from this spot.
The weather was the best of the three times we have been there in the last three months which was a blessing. No calamities awaited except the ice maker was frozen but eventually thawed. We did better with our meals, something we have learned how to manage over time. All positives.
A hard freeze, the hardest anyone can remember, I believe happened in late January killing so much of the vegetation in our complex that is known for beautiful, mature landscaping.
On this visit there were places with color, including along the big lake.
Something funny I watched was a squirrel carrying a large hot dog bun, presumably from a trash can?
And look who went fishing!
We saw the family two more times, went birding as well as a trip to Costco. I wish we had left one day later in order to see the Artemis take off but we didn't, however, we did see the nearly full moon for ourselves on our last night, over the lake in our backyard.
I spent many hours watching the sky over Lake Willisara, sunrises, moonrises, and birds, always birds.
Will I ever catch up? I'm certainly going to try.
your friend,
Gail
