COLD AGAIN IN FLORIDA, BUT WARMING UP!

From Hampton Inn Ft. Myers/Estero to Naples, Florida to Dade City, Florida

Travelers Rest Resort, Dade City, Florida

February 8, 9,10, 11, 2016

54 F, sunny

Thursday, February 11, 2016:

I am in the TRR library with good Internet access at noon. This morning I worked with Mary Lou with her garden club. The TRR garden is fabulously wealthy with Florida jungle-like flora. We planted poinsettias, chalk marked cedar boards on the boardwalk that needed replacing or tightening, and cleaned Spanish moss off an area of Spanish Bayonet plants (Yucca aloifolia—member of the agave family). The plants’ leaves are razor sharp!!!!! Needless to say I am not dressed for encountering sharp leaves, mud, and bugs, but I survived. There were 18 people helping in the gardens today---they meet every Tuesday and Thursday to work and then have refreshments. I try to help every year when I am here. The temperature seems to be in the 60s and actually quite comfortable in the sun.

Nature at  its best--a sandhill crane near our cabana in TRR

 

TK went off with Scorchy to retrieve their 16 ft. R*pod by Forest River camper that has needed factory work despite being brand new. I am eager to see it! Even though ML and Scorchy are in their 80s, they are still so active, and take short camping trips around Florida.  

R*pod by Forest River

Scorchy with his new R*pod Camper

TK is going to be happy that at the Garden Club work time someone said that there is a Chihuly museum in St. Petersburg as well as a Salvador Dali museum.

 

For lunch we went to Truly Mediterranean Grill in Dade City, an authentic Greek restaurant. The chicken gyro was excellent, the first one I ever had. TK liked his beef and lamb gyro. We wandered around antique shops and other boutiques in the village for a while—I think that was old Dade City.   

Dade City, Florida

 Monday to Wednesday:

The temperature has fluctuated from the 50s to the 60s. Over the past couple days we spent some time with family and one of TK’s old friends, Mike B. We had dinner one night with TK’s brother Tom and Carol at the Cheesecake Factory plus another fantastic lemon meringue cheesecake. Last night we had dinner with TK’s nephew Jeff and Carmel and at a Mexican restaurant.

My eye appointment checkup where Carmel works resulted in minor surgery and an unexpected extra day’s stay. Apparently 90% of people who have cataract surgery get “YAGS Capsul..”, and that requires minor laser surgery. I am so fortunate that Ophthalmologist Dr. Pascucci said he could do the surgery the following day. He has a very busy practice but was so considerate of our schedule.

Wednesday, immediately after the minor eye surgery, we started driving north to Dade City with a detour to a mall and a little lunch. The drive was pleasant with little traffic. This time of year is the height of the snowbird season. I think everyone is staying inside because of the perceived cold weather. It is storming snow in Erie and Jamestown!

We arrived at TRR about 2:30 p.m. where TK’s sister Mary Lou and her husband Scorchy stay in the winter. It’s just like home in the cabana that we have become so familiar with! Hopefully it will warm up on Thursday! And, as it turned out, the Internet is still sparse here. No access!