Days 9, 10, 11, and 12

 

My sister said a friend of hers who comes to Florida every year said this was the coldest January in memory for her.  I would feel worse about that if I had any more energy for long walks or exploration. Walking has been difficult for me and I have been happy to take my husband's arm for support.  I have been quite content to sit in the condo and enjoy my books and enjoy sports on TV.  And to enjoy looking outside at the beauty of the bay at any time of day or night and checking out the pink sky over the Gulf at sunset.

We decided to enjoy a restaurant we have visited every year--Agave.  It is a very untouristy Mexican place with inexpensive margaritas and tasty meals.  It is noisy and crowded and it was great again.
 

The weather was a bit warmer today--and will get warmer each day with the warmest day this week the one in which we hope to be heading home.  

Our prayers this week have been with Laura who is struggling with pretty bad hip pain and has spent a lot of time in bed.  And for Susan's dad who had a heart attack and now has had complications from his treatment and is back in the hospital.  

Day 10  We made a quick trip to Publix and Dollar Tree before getting gas and returning the car to the Hertz kiosk across the street.  Jim put in a grand total of $2.64 worth of gas to fill the tank.  We had not gone far at all and the car was a hybrid.  

Today is the warmest day thus far.  I may even venture to the fishing deck on the bay and enjoy the sunshine.  I have just spent an hour perusing books on my "want to read" list on Goodreads and have downloaded a few of them.  We have some frozen lobster bisque for supper--I couldn't find any fresh servings which I knew they had last week.  Jim is always glad to have the rental car returned safely.  I always feel constrained without wheels.  But just one day and a half and we head home.  I checked the flight status and it is still a go on Thursday.  May that continue!

-------Day 11  

Yes,  that is Jim in shorts and sandals for the first time since we got here 11 days ago.  And we have just downloaded our boarding passes for tomorrow's flight at 12:14 pm.  It is a beautiful 76 degrees outside and we enjoyed sitting by the bay for a while.  We are having great weather just in time for us to leave!

On our last evening it was warm enough to enjoy drinks at the Tiki Bar across the street at Tradewinds.  A meal of jumbo hotdogs and french fries from the Food Truck next to it was perfect! 

I am so glad we have our boarding passes and am optimistic that things will go better heading home than they did getting here--with our delays of day after day.  I am eager to be home and yet feel a bit melancholy because I really do think we will not do this again.  Travel was difficult and stressful.  I am finding it hard to walk anywhere without taking Jim's arm.  Life gets to be more and more limited and I am thinking that is OK.  I like home and will be happy and I hope contented to be home soon.

------------And after listening to the news tonight, I am thinking that I am not going to fly anywhere again. There were too many air incidents. May we have safe travel tomorrow!  I am saying my prayers.  

------------Day 12  Home at 4:40 pm.  Our flight was uneventful and landed early in Newark. We had to wait to deplane because there was a medical emergency mid-flight and an ambulance was there to pick someone up.  Newark is a big airport and it was a long walk to ground transportation and lots of traffic where we were waiting for our Uber.  Six minutes away--now four minutes--now five minutes!  Four Uber rides for this vacation--and all went well.

So glad to be home!  Thankful for the beauty of St. Pete Beach and for the good eating and drinking we enjoyed.  But home is best!