Monday with Leighton

We had the most delightful day with our little girly.  She and I walked around Spring Bayou, picked tiny flowers (only two) and had a fun time on all the steps.  We saw two ducks, a mama and a papa but no manatee or fish.

Papa took us out to lunch at Rusty Bellies on the Sponge Docks and then we played a bit before nap time.  Leighton loved the shrimp, fish, fries and black beans with rice but was not a big fan of the hush puppies, sad to say.

Before nap time, Leighton just had to call her Mama on her (inactive) cell phone and tell her all about our adventures today.

We have a busy week ahead but an enjoyable one.  Tomorrow, the Women Who Do Lunch bunch are coming here for a crop day.  E is cooking up some great food for us and, with any luck, I'll get some scrapping done.  Wed. I am picking up Rob and he'll stay a couple of his vacation days with us.  We're having the family over Wed. night, off to Miss Vickie's for lunch on Thurs and Rob's belated b'day dinner here Thurs evening.  I'll run by Whim So Doodle's before I pick him up to pick up some product.  Friday is the Craft Beer and BBQ festival here in Tarpon Springs so I imagine E and I will head into town for that. 

I am losing my darling Jo as she goes home the end of this week.  Hopefully, this is just a short time away as they are pretty sure they have a year lease on a furnished condo.  I am so going to miss the time she and I have had.  Our walks have been the best even when we were oh so bad and stopped at the bakery in town...love you Jo!

Two Weeks later

Where does the time go?  Soo sooo fast when we are so busy, right?

Gene's surgery on his upper leg went well but there has been a complication.  While the tumor was removed successfully and was benign, the swelling has not receded.  Instead, his upper leg is very swollen.  The surgeon has given him a few days for it go down and then it may have to be drained.  There is no infection but it is still sore and very puffy.  Hoping for the best.

We had a wonderful Valentines evening at Casa Ludivico's in Palm Harbor...one of our favorite places to celebrate special events.  We were busy most of the weekend with friends and Monday (Feb 17) we had all 3 of the Grands as their mama had a workshop and there was no school for the kids.  It was great fun but I sure with the twins had napped like their sister did.

On Tues. mornings now, I either take Landon to his physical therapy for his aprexia (sp?) or I take Colvin to school.  That gives me some time every other Tues with one or the other of the boys.  Since they started school at their mama's school, I only get to see them for a few minutes before they head out to school Wed.-Friday and I miss them.  We are having a blast with Leighton, who is one funny little girl.

Jo and I went to Marcia's for craft day and each made a necklace under Marcia's tutelage...I loved them both and we had a fun day.  I got to stop by Cynthia's the other day where I learned about a wax card technique that is ultra cool.  We had Jo and Bill for dinner that night also.

I meet up with Janet M and our friend Lisa at Whim's on Wed. and followed up our  retail therapy with a tasty Mexican lunch at Red Mesa.  (insert mega laughs here).

Last night, Jo and I "ditched" the guys and headed to the Sunset Beach Concert (last Thurs. of the month here in Tarpon Springs).  Talk about a fun time...we took a picnic lunch, sang along with the duo performing and watched the night sky fill with stars.  Bliss

Tonight we are meeting our friends, Luann and Jerry for dinner at our go to restaurant in town, Tarpon Tavern.  Hoping the sun shines tomorrow so we can meet Bill and Jo at Miss Vickies before Bill heads home to St. Louis next Monday.

Today, a fellow Book Club friend, Patty, came over and we swapped art ideas for projects and played with some products...always nice to find people with similar interests.  Next Tues, the Women Who do Lunch bunch will be cropping at my house and I can't wait to see everyone!

Ok, that should do it...all caught up and with only a week to go in this month.  

A walk through Anderson Park

Two days ago, the fog descended upon us once again.  But, just like the postal service, "neither rain nor sleet nor..." You get the picture.  Anderson is right off 19 heading north in Tarpon Springs and borders Lake Tarpon.   Speaking of pictures...come walk with me.

Hopefully, I will have time soon to post the last 20 layouts I have done on the Aus/NZ trip.  I'll do them in small batches I promise.

Tomorrow is Stamp Fest and Sun. I am off to a private crop at Whim So Doodle where I design.  With any luck, I'll get even more layouts done.

Delightful lunch at the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City

What a great time we had with the Fraziers today.  They invited us to the Columbia, one of the most beautiful restaurants (imho) in the Tampa area.  We were celebrating Bill's survival and recovery from his stroke suffered here 3 winters ago today and also our collective 50 years of marriage. We had taken Jo to the Columbia when she had visited once before but this was Bill's first time.

The restaurant dates back to 1905 and this original of the now many offshoots in West Coast of Florida has the most amazing tiles, wood interiors and colors of all.

The food is just as wonderful and the sangria? Beyond compare.

 Our server, Carlos, was kind and attentive and conversed with Bill in Spanish.

And, the icing on the cake was a table side visit from Richard Gonzmart, the President of the Columbia Restaurant Group, who regaled us with tales of the restaurant, his father and grandfather and showed us the table where he proposed to his wife.  What a delightful day.

Just a walk on the beach...

Because we finally have warmer weather here in Paradise, Jo and I decided to take our morning walk  on the causeway at Howard Park and on out to the beach.  It was worth more than the one picture I post daily to facebook so ...here is the rest of the story.

The fog we had last night materiatlized again as Jo and I walked about half way across the cause way...it was surreal as we watched the houses across the bay disappear into the mist as did the people walking in front of us.

Once we neared the island, the fog burned off some and we were able to see the gorgeous colors all around us.

I know a lot of people have given up blogging for facebook and, while I do not blog daily like I use to, I shall continue to blog.  This is my journal ....my life in words and pictures.  Thanks to those of you who follow my blog.