What Will I Do All Day?

This morning Jim returned our rental car to the Hertz kiosk across the street from our resort.  We went without a car for the first three days here and are going without for the last three days--a two week rental out of the three weeks we are here.   We had made a few trips (Dali Museum, The Sunken Garden, John's Pass, Pass-a-grille, Treasure Island Golf, two church services) and there really was nothing else on my list of things to do. But I felt confined without the option of using a car.

 I had worked through the books I had brought along and another one that I had purchased from the St. Pete Public Library sale.  I was almost finished with Maggie-Now by Betty Smith and was sorry to see it end.

We are using up the food we have purchased and did not plan on eating out today.

I had slept well (and that is not a given) and had plenty of energy and wondered what I was going to do with myself all day.  I was restless.

Plus steps to the Tiki Bar--1000 plus

But now when I look back on this day, I know I was not bored but enjoyed it thoroughly.

Jim and I went for separate walks--mine down 55th Avenue, a finger of reclaimed land with lovely homes.  I listened to Laura's Best of Both Worlds podcast and that made me feel like I had company.  At one point, I laughed aloud!  We both kept trying to further our 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of the scene right outside our patio but we fear we may not finish it.  Why did I choose a photo with so much sky?!

I finished Maggie-Now with regrets and looked for a few more books in the resort office. I fixed supper (a hamburg-pasta-canned tomato mixture that my mother used to call spaghetti) with minimal ingredients and put it in the refrigerator for later.   I went for a swim in late afternoon after the sun worshipers had left the pool and enjoyed a few minutes alone in the hot tub.

Jim took me out for a mango margarita at the Tradewinds Resort's Tiki Bar across the street.  We listened to live music and watched the sun go down.


After supper we decided we really wanted dessert so we walked the half mile to Publix and got some New Orleans Caramel Praline ice cream. It was pretty soft by the time we got home but it was delicious.

So now it's TV sports for Jim and some more reading and maybe a crossword puzzle for me.

Today was the warmest one we have had here.  Tomorrow will be ten degrees cooler and I really don't know what I will do tomorrow either!  I hope to be as relaxed as I was today and at least we will be thankful when we remember how cold and wet and icy it is back home in South Bend!