A Hodge Podge

Shall we start with something super positive? Sounds like a plan to me.

Far easier said than done, but it is a lofty goal that we all can strive for. The above sign was discovered displayed at a roadside motel on A1A near Flagler, just one of many.

But, I am getting ahead of myself because my last post we were still in St. Augustine with more to say and so I shall. In our room, yup, back there for a moment, I got a kick out of noticing this:

Okay, so leaving the city behind, we stopped at the lighthouse and learned that there was far more to it than we originally thought. So, yes there is the lighthouse, 

that requires climbing more than 200 steps to the top.

Your reward, after managing that, is a view towards the old town in one direction,

and a view of the Atlantic Ocean on the other. It was a HOT and humid day creating a haze that made the view not quite as clear as at another time of the year, say in January when the weather is usually perfect. We did learn that giving the interior of the lighthouse a fresh coat of paint was just recently completed. According the docent, it was in sore need of a refresh. 

As to what else there is to see, the answer is, quite a lot. 

Here's a link to their website which is much better at explaining the many displays should you care to visit. 

We spent some time cooling off, oh wait, sight seeing is what I meant to say, inside the air conditioned keeper's house that was filled with all manner of interesting things.

It, too has undergone some refurbishment, which makes me wonder who picked out this amazing wallpaper with the very subtle pattern featuring yours truly's favorite subject.

Those silhouettes are pretty darn good as well. 

Finally, there is a small building filled with loads of memorabilia pertaining to the role the lighthouse played in WW11 which is where I found this:

I don't know about your knowledge of rationing, but mine was sketchy at best. Would people rally the same now? Hopefully, we will never have to find out!

On the road, finally making our way down A1A, we stopped at the public beach, not to be confused with Anastasia State Park where we spent the previous morning.

We had to content ourselves with just looking, but it was not easy as the water looked so inviting! Continuing along the scenic route, near Flagler Beach the sand gets very orange.

Very much unlike the beaches we left behind.

What, are they the same bunch? Of course not, there are ten in one photo and eleven in the other!

Back to reality, it has been mostly fun and games if you don't count the influx of medical bills to be found in our mailbox in one fell swoop.

It's going to be really something when they are all totaled up, which if my twice broken wrist bills are any indication, they will be arriving for months.

Tuesday was Primary day when we go to the polls, unlike most of the folks we know who vote by mail. We were surprised to discover that our polling place was actually hosting two precincts for the first time. I learned from Mary, who is very much involved, that many places now do not want to host voters.

Filling in the bubbles on the ballot, I got to thinking how old fashioned we are in so many ways. We still get the daily newspaper, we have a landline, we hold a solid book and turn pages when we read, and I make most things from scratch. There's a lot more, but those are a few that come to mind.

On the other hand, I mostly know how to work our television, so there's that to be proud of! As well, you did read about pickleball in this space before it became national news. 

Woo hoo...we are trendsetters after all.

Speaking of old-fashioned, Nancy made reservations for Wednesday night at Linda's La Cantina to thank Bruce for his help. I was there for my role in moral support.

Nancy engaging in her favorite sport--people watching! 

Here's a serious blast from the past, a time when our parents used to dine there.

How they have maintained their excellent quality for all of these years, despite family upheaval on their end, is a real mystery. Either my eyes are getting bad, or the picture of the menu isn't very good, both of which I hope are not true, because those prices are something else. 

As are the prices today, a fact that I am including for future reading. Ever since I was not well we have been limping along allowing our food supplies to dwindle, but I finally went grocery shopping several times last week, and oh my goodness, it is unreal. Seemingly no goods are immune. The same holds true for our monthly dues here at LPV. Bruce, along with other committee members have spent three Saturday mornings, figuring out the budget for next year, and there is just no way an increase can be avoided. It's a painful turn of events for those folks who are on a tight budget. And just when we think we have it bad, I read in the newspaper the other day how energy costs in Britain may rise by 80% in time for winter!! Impossible to imagine.  (Just trying out something new.)

Red sky at morning,

along with red skies at night.Fantastic cloud formations most days and a bevy of crows on the telephone wires as we head to pickleball in the morning.

Someone remarked that crows on the telephone wires are predicting an early Fall but I could not find anything to support that notion. On the other hand, I did find this about other animal behavior predicting the weather.    Fascinating reading actually. Rain has been plentiful.

Back to pickleball--this morning I allowed myself to be convinced to play three more games for which I am now paying the price! 

That's all for today dear readers, I'm just too old and tired.

your friend,

Gail

 

A Second Honeymoon

I bet that title grabbed your attention, didn't it? It came to me as I sat down to write this post, in part because the length of time we were gone on this anniversary get-away was nearly identical. In those days, with our employment status, we were lucky to get two days off, thus it was a short and sweet honeymoon.

You've all heard the story before about us arriving in St. Augustine on our wedding night just after 9PM, only to discover closed restaurants at every turn. McDonalds it was for this hungry pair! So, while St. Augustine has clearly gotten larger in the last 49 years, I did notice that loads of the restaurants still close at 9PM. Perhaps it has something to do with this not being the ideal time to visit the city because it is so blazing hot to be strolling along taking in all the city's charms? 

So how was it that we decided to go there in the dog days of summer? Well, for one thing it was our anniversary, so there's that. Actually, for Christmas Michelle and David gave us a very generous certificate to stay at their favorite place,

which remained in our top drawer since that time. So, while it probably would have been a better choice to go during the magical Christmas season there, I figured we would just go for an anniversary celebration.

Following pickleball, we quickly packed bags, stopping at E-Tennis on Fairbanks to buy Bruce some new shoes, and then hopped on I-4 towards I-95 for the short drive there. But of course, we actually veered from that driving plan, taking the more scenic route for a good part of the way. But I've no doubt you'd already assumed as much, didn't you?

A few days earlier I had Bruce look at the rooms, choosing the one he wanted. Giving me three choices, we ended up on the top right in the room called Isabella,

with the balcony door just outside our room door.

One cannot go wrong with this view of the bay while seated in wicker chairs with a nice breeze from the water to keep one cool.

Excellent, right? We looked around a bit taking in all the sweet vignettes around the property.

Or at least I did while he took a wee bit of a nap. We hadn't been there long before Matt and Tom called to wish us a Happy Anniversary. They are so good about remembering which I can't say I always was about my parents, but then again, their anniversary was actually shrouded in mystery, a story for another day. Here is a post I discovered when they gave us a wonderful anniversary gift.  Following a lovely chat, Bruce and I took a little stroll along the water,

admired the nearby homes,

and stopped in a few of the shops. This wall of clocks most definitely got my attention! Do you think the clerks still hear the ticking everyday?

Returning to the bed and breakfast,

we enjoyed what they called, "the social hour" along with another couple who were visiting from Port St. Lucie.

While chatting with folks, it usually does raise some eyebrows when you say that you are celebrating your 49th wedding anniversary, although I am not entirely sure why. As I recall, repeating our wedding vows we said it was until death do us part, and so far so good on the death thing! 

When earlier we had been strolling, there was nary a cloud in the sky,

so after deciding on which of the restaurants to try from Michelle's recommendations, we set off walking the five or so blocks there. Because it is the old town, the streets are so narrow leaving one to walk in the streets, however, every now and again there are sidewalks to take advantage of, something that will come up shortly.

Because it is the off season, we were able to get a table at the wonderful preserved. (I know, weird not capitalized, but so be it, right?)

The moment Bruce knew there was Creme Brulee on the menu he was sold! Actually, that was on the house after we were asked if we were celebrating anything special. 

Why, indeed we are!

You may have noticed many posts about going out to lunch, however, dinner dates have been few and far between for years now. Actually probably ever since we returned from Vancouver. There we were spoiled because we could walk everywhere. Here there are a myriad of obstacles to a good night out on the town. So, being at a nice restaurant for dinner was a real pleasure. We began the meal by sharing a delicious carrot gazpacho. Oh my word, was it ever tasty and refreshing.

Remember that blue sky I described? That was now a thing of the past.....rain lashed the windows with great gusts causing all of the outdoor diners to scramble indoors. Thunder and lightening boomed and crackled as we ate our entrees. Bruce's scallops were outstanding.

My short ribs were fork tender and delicious, however, my eyes were far larger than my stomach and I was stuffed way before finishing! That said, I did have a few bites of the luscious Creme Brulee with just the right amount of crack to the sugar coating.

What I neglected to mention is that the restaurant is in one of the old homes in the part of town called Lincolnville. Finally the torrential downpour ended and a few folks returned to their front porch seating. 

Remember how I mentioned the sidewalks? Fortunately there were some as we made our way home with lightening flashing all around us. Seriously, a little scary. Plus there was some street flooding to navigate. When we got back to the inn I heard from Patti, wondering how we were faring with the weather as she'd seen it on the television in Orlando. It was most definitely a pretty impressive rainstorm, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

Following a scrumptious breakfast the next morning, 

during which time the guest we met the previous evening took our picture as we dined on one of the courtyard tables, the humidity was crazy high as well as just plain dampness from the torrential rainstorm on Wednesday night.

I'd like to make mention of said guest because I found it so fascinating that she kept telling us about flaunting her community rules when it came to her garden. At LPV Bruce is on several committees, at least one of which is tasked with getting people to do what they are supposed to do. Thus, because she lives in a community governed by rules, I could not get over how much satisfaction she seemed to derive from breaking the rules and getting away with it. It takes all kinds, right?

Soon thereafter, we got ready to go to the beach, an activity that I was very much looking forward to because it has been SO long since we've been there. We set up at Anastasia State Park where last we camped in the cold.

The weather was pretty much perfect for a beach visit with a nice breeze and bonus points for sand that was barely hot to walk on. Here's the aging honeymooner.

The beach is wide with higher dunes than on some of our Florida beaches.

One mistake I made, out of several trip related, is that I brought my Panasonic to the beach because it is the least expensive camera I had with me. While that part was a good idea, there is only a tiny, pretty much useless, viewfinder so seeing what I was actually photographing was more of a guess than anything. Because the sun is so bright, using the back screen is not really an option. Nevertheless, I did take a few photographs that pleased me, but none more so than the one below.

Memories of my golden-haired Jon boy came flooding back, remembering how he was a crawler for so darn long, not walking until he was 17 months old!! In those days we were members at Ft. Gatlin Swim Club where we spent most summer days in an effort to stay cool. Jonathan would crawl all over that deck in spite of how rough it was. People used to accuse me of carrying him too much as an explanation for why he refused to walk which was entirely untrue. And as most of you know, people often equate those firsts as if they are a sign of intelligence or something. I am here to dispel those notions as Jonathan turned out more than fine! I assume this darling little boy will as well. 

People watching can be so entertaining, don't you think?

There's more to the story, but for today, let's call it a wrap, shall we?

Here's to more anniversaries to come....beginning with our 50th!

your friend,

Gail

The Destination

Following a good night's sleep after finishing my book, I awoke at 6:15, thanks to my handy phone alarm. Showering in my weird handicapped bathroom, I threw on a dress, brushed my hair and teeth, and took off. The sky was still dark with stars and a sweet crescent moon.

Checking into the Anastasia Inn, the clerk told me I could walk over the bridge to the Old City, however, knowing I'd be walking around everywhere to take photographs, I opted to leave the key in the room, and take the Pilot into town. A warning dear readers, there are a lot of photographs to come!

The early morning fisherman were already out in force as the dawn became day.

The bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway is named "The Bridge of Lions," and if you're interested in knowing more about this famous, newly restored bridge, click on this link. The lions, after a full restoration and cleaning, now look like this:

Or, at least one of them does! One of the reasons I left my room so early, aside from wanting the best light, was wanting a good parking spot which I found adjacent to the Bay. And here come's the sun:

I don't know how many people follow the same routine as Bruce, emptying pocket change and placing it in a tray on our dresser. Good thing I raid said tray, putting all the good change in a little bowl in my car. This came in very handy because the spots are $1.50 an hour, meaning lots and lots of change for my purposes.

So, I began walking the streets to see what I could see. I re-visited some of the places I saw nearly two years ago. If you've never been to St. Augustine it is unlike most Florida cities with narrow lanes and alley ways. Many of the buildings are quite old, as are the colorfully painted homes, shops, and galleries. A typical street in the old city looks something like this one:

Or this one:

Recently Roger sent me a list of my top 25 selling photographs, one of which is from our last visit to St. Augustine coming in at either #3 or 4. Thus, I was hoping to find another winner during this trip. I've yet to find one in my current batch that I think will ever rival Aging Gracefully, however, the customers will be the ones to decide.

Remember what I told you about the battery chargers? Well wouldn't you know it--I brought a charger for a camera I didn't even have with me, neglecting to bring the proper one! When will I ever learn?

There are lots of quirky and fun homes to see, including this one which is part of our continuing cat series:

During our last visit to celebrate my birthday two years ago, I came across what I thought was a darling scene--a turquoise house with a white picket fence and a slew of cute birdhouses. No one else thought that scene was anywhere near as cute as I did. This time I saw what it looked like on the other side of the fence:

Brick lined tiny little streets with stately homes on either side:

Perhaps stately isn't quite the right word because when I think of stately I think of larger lawns, but you get my drift.

I went onto the main drag, heading over to Flagler College. Here's a little educational sign about our Florida history:

Over 1,000 miles of sandy beach! No wonder I have loads of beach pictures! It seems as if everywhere I go there is nature to be found:

Maybe the photo is too large for you to see her photographing the Monarch butterfly? In the above history lesson it also mentions the state population in 1963, which has nearly quadrupled since then. Here's why:

Air-conditioning. Indeed!

Because we visited during the Christmas holidays before, Flagler College was closed to visitors. Not so on Saturday; in fact, they were doing tours for potential students. Apparently, many of the current ones ride bicycles around town.

Flagler College, founded by none other than Henry Flagler, the man who shaped Florida,

is very striking indeed. For many years the buildings served as the Ponce de Leon Hotel, in fact, I'm pretty sure this is where we stayed during our two day honeymoon back in 1973, however, I can't be sure. Somewhere I've got a receipt I must find... I digress, here's a side view:

and a close up of the fantastic lions which flank the gates:

Most definitely a lion thing going on in St. Augustine! Seeing as it is a college town, I expected to find some original street art, which I didn't, however I did find a small Shepard Fairey sticker:

Very hard for me to imagine how he got so famous using an image of Andre the Giant.....

I saw so much more and obviously took many more photographs, however, I must leave you with this one:

Having just heard from Bruce that I'm going to California for nearly a week in the morning, I need to get my act together around here. One reason I was ill-prepared during this trip is because I got ready too hastily, not to mention, just before I left I was having to review dresses Angela purchased to go to a late October wedding! This time, as God is my witness, I will pack everything I need!!

If you can believe it, this little spell is the longest that Bruce and I have ever been apart, aside from our last two years of high school. I am more than ready to rectify this situation! Blogging may not be happening, however, maybe so. We shall see...