Great way to end the month

with a visit from my son and having the whole family here together.  E is doing good but tends to over do so we are taking today off...no morning walk, no weeding, no cleaning...just relaxing.  That is today...yesterday we did all of the above to excess plus had a great time with the kids.

I picked Rob up in St. Pete around noon on Sat. and, poor guy, he has been cleaning up our tech messes ever since.  The good news is once a part comes in and Chris installs it for us, E can have his big desk top computer back and I get the new lap top we got when we thought the desk top was dead.  My phone no longer tells me I have no memory left and my tablet loads much more quickly...yea, Rob!

Now, on to more fun things...swimming

Playing with Legos with Uncle Rob

After dinner tom foolery

Reading to dolly

And waving hello to our Beach Buddies from Week 29 at Estero Island Beach Club...

Hope your Sept. is a good one and happy last day to the dog days of August!

And all I wanted to do was

take a quiet, peaceful morning walk.  I've skipped a couple of days walking due to the temps and humidity here.  Today, I headed to my favorite walk , Spring Bayou, early hoping to evade most of heat.  I made it no further than a couple of blocks from where I park when I ended up embroiled in a bit of a to do.

An older gentleman asked me if I would take a look at a manatee in the bayou and tell him if I thought it was behaving abnormally.  Sure...no problem and yes it was.  First, I've been walking this bayou for the past 8 years several times a week and have yet to see a manatee there this time of the year.  Dolphin yes...manatee, no.  It is far too warm for them at the bayou during the summer months.  And the poor thing was breathing strangely as if it were struggling for breath. 

The gentleman, Bob, asked would I call Wildlife (the number posted for calls at the bayou) as, when he had called, he felt he has been "dismissed".  And I call.  And was also "dismissed".  This was perfectly normal behavior for a manatee...um, no.  Described what I saw (manatee is 'bobbing' in the water, surface breathing several times a minute and not showing its tail at all.  I was told a biologist would call me back.  Never happened. 

Fast forward to other people calling as well and the Tarpon Springs Police show up...bless their souls.  They are not trained for this.  They put in a call as well.  I get a call back on my cell from the same person I had talked with before and she wants me to take a picture.  Asks me how long it (no clue, can't see the tail).  Another woman had already done that and sent the photo to her at Wildlife.  Would I describe the behavior of the manatee...yes, once again I do so.  Now I'm told the manatee is giving birth.  The woman who sent the picture gets on my phone, tells the Wildlife she has seen manatee give birth and this one is NOT. 

Now, throw into the mix one of our homeless people, a very thin gently dillusional barefoot woman who has told us all God has sent her to be a blessing to the manatee, that she has called the manatee to her (there are now 2 manatee, the second one circling and nudging the ill one), and that instead of rousting the homeless sleeping on a park bench, the police should hug them. She tells us the manatee have names, Miracle and Hope.   The one policeman to whom she addressed these remarks was less than amused.  As those of us are trying to communicate with Wildlife, this poor soul is in our faces telling us she has blessed and cured the manatee and we should all stop talking so loudly.  Wildlife is telling me she can't hear me, could I speak up.  A no win situation as trying to explain to our homeless guide is not working.

I had to leave...I had left poor E for over an hour now and had only walked 15 min. of it .  I did what I could as did Bob, my new friend, Pam and her husband and the Tarpon Springs police who were unfailingly polite through out the entire lecture from our homeless woman.  I may never know the fate of the poor manatee.  If anyone from Tarpon Springs hears, please let me know. 

Just another day in my life.

My fascination with alleys

stems back to my childhood and all the summers I spent with my Nana in Waterloo, Ia.  There was an alley that ran from my grandmother's house down to my cousins' grandmother's house and a block or so more.  The alley was was cinders and provided not only trash pick up but entry into garages, none of which were on the street. 

I loved walking down the alley (or, at night, racing down it).  It was like a sneak peek into the lives of our neighbors.  The Cusamanos on the right of my Nana's house, had lots of kids and a bit of a ramshackle back yard.  I loved their place full of tents and tree swings.  The Stones, who lived on the other side were a bit more upscale.  They had the only maid in the neighborhood.  Their back yard was a bit on the sterile side.  Down the alley was where 2 sisters, my summer friends, lived.  The Willisons had the most beautiful back yard with a grape arbor and a garden with a lily pond if I remember correctly. I always knew when I was getting close to my Nana's house as the profusion of roses she had planted on her fence and the gate to the alley permeated the way.  Her garden was lovely until I had to help weed. 

All these memories have sent me exploring the alley ways of my town, Tarpon Springs, and I have enjoyed my ramblings even more than usual.  I have discovered one alley way downtown that leads behind both houses and businesses and past some delightful graffiti, brilliantly colored and executed.  Another alley way leads behind houses towards a bayou and winds hither thither and yon.    If I discover more, I'll report back. 

E has taken to some "rambling" himself.  It has been a week since his surgery and he has started his walking part of his recovery.  For the past two days, he and his walker (whom we should really name) have traversed up to half a block.  The goal for this week is to the entrance to our street and back.  Wish him luck.

Have a wonderful week and try some exploring in your home town.

Busy few days here in Paradise

As most of you know, E went into the hospital on Monday for his back surgery.  The previous week was spent getting tests done, meds changed, and 3 doctors signed off on the operation.  The surgery was more extensive than anticipated but the results should be awesome.  There was a piece of cartilage pressing on a nerve to his right leg which was removed along with assorted other protrusions.  The recovery is 6-8wks with rehab starting week after next.

Today is his second day home and the biggest challenge is keeping him down.  He wanted to go grocery shopping and I had to put my foot down.  1.  he is not suppose to drive for ten days  2.  he is not to lift anything over ten lbs. for at least 2 wks 3.  he can't get in or out of our compact car easily

So, when our friend, Bob, comes by later for a visit, I'll head up to the grocery store then swing by the hospital and pick up a jacket I left, then by Jo's condo to see if we left E's cane in the back of her car that we borrowed to get him home from the hospital yesterday.  Hope Bob is ready for a long chat...lol.

I do get a couple of hours here and there as he does take about 3 nice naps a day...bless those pain meds.  I also keep him out of the kitchen when I am cooking,  Kibitzing is not allowed.  I know lots of people get joy from preparing food but I am not one of them.  My idea of cooking is to either order out or prepare something that takes less than a half hour start to finish. 

Will post here and on facebook as to E's progress and thanks to all who have kept us both in your thoughts and prayers.

Tomorrow is the day

Our Papa, the love of my life, friend to so many, is undergoing back surgery.  For the past few years, his back has been giving him more and more problems, pain and prohibiting him from living the life he wants to live.  So, after trying exercises, meds and rehab, we have reached the decision to have it dealt with surgically.

We have not entered into this lightly and have spent the past week with E undergoing heart tests etc. to the point where there was a mere fraction of the week not spent in a drs. office.  We are being positive and putting our trust in the surgeon's hands. 

We had the Grands (and their folks) over for swim and lunch and hopefully, the next time we can all gather for one of the family events, Papa can fully participate.

Our friend, Bill Frazier, has just undergone knee replacement surgery.  We have scheduled a Caribbean cruise with the Fraziers for early Oct...so get well soon, both of you guys! 

For those of you have called or texted, thanks! Your good thoughts are so appreciated.  Increase them ten fold tomorrow, please.  And God, grant me the patience I shall need being a goofer and a coach in the days ahead.  Gene is NOT a good patient; we have been there, done that before.  Thinking of bungee cords, or is that illegal?

Off to share a glass of wine with my honey.