Our First Drum Circle

It's been a very busy week. Three days of pickleball, laundry, and Thursday was the Appreciation Dinner and Dance (and St. Patrick's Day celebration) at the park.  The park provided burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, cupcake, and beer or soda.

It was a very hot day which did not make the dining comfortable.

 Our table where most of us wore green.

 Mark eating outside where it was much cooler.

Another group photo of our table.

On Friday 15 of us went to Rum Bay for lunch.  To get there, we drove about an hour, parked the cars, then we got on a boat that took us to an island at the Rum Bay restaurant.  The food was great.

 The guys posing for us.

On the boat ride we saw an osprey nest with mamma and 4 babies - the babies were hiding.

 The dolphins were mating all around us.

Waiting to order lunch.  Fish tacos were fabulous.

 After lunch we were able to walk the private beach for 30 minutes.  The beach was deserted.

A beach group photo

 The gigantic birds with very large wingspans.

Millions of shells.

A dolphin playing in our wake on the way back.  Pam took this picture.

We got back to the park in time for some people to take naps or go to the pool before we had another happy hour at Sally and Lee's.  We incorporated the bulletin folding since that was the only time we had to get them done.   

 Anita and Ann roasting weenies.

This afternoon we all headed to Nokomis Beach for the drumming the sun down gathering.  Hundreds of people gather five or six rows deep in a gigantic circle to listen to at least 60 drummers on their bongos beating loudly for at least 3 hours before sunset.  People get out in the circle to dance, hula hoop, belly dance, or whatever they choose.  Great people-watching.

 This guy was quite entertaining in his leather shirt.

Yes, I hula hooped.  First time in over 45 years.  

 A shot of the crowd a half hour before sunset.

 Early in the afternoon.

 Pam and Dennis hooping.  Dennis was very good at it.

 We even got Mark out there.  

One young guy playing with fire.

We've all realized our winters are coming to an end in the next couple weeks, so we are trying to cram in everything we didn't get to.  This makes for an insane week.  Hopefully we'll save some things for next year when we are here longer.  

It Sure Gets Hot in Florida!

We've been having fabulous weather for the past week and a half.  This week is in the upper 80s, with record highs every day.  We love it!

We are playing lots more pickleball.  It doesn't hurt Mark's back so he's doing that instead of golf for now.

While Pam was back in St. Louis checking on Mom in the hospital, and then getting her into an assisted living apartment, we had a few meals with Dennis.  He took us to the Thai Restaurant.  That was delicious.  Of course, we are topping off most meals out with a trip to Culvers for dessert.

 The building doesn't loo like much, but the food was fabulous.  We have to get back over there before returning home in a few weeks.

Spaghetti dinner with Rick and Ann and Dennis.

I failed to get a picture, but Rick fried fish for us one night also.  He thinks he has enough fish now so we can have another fish fry now that Pam is back.  Can't wait.

We went golfing with three other couples one afternoon for just nine holes.  Lots of laughs, then dinner at Longhorn.

Sunset at the golf course just as we were finishing.

Mark playing pool volleyball.  Way too crowded for me.  He only lasted one game.

Mark got his new bike last week.  

The park patrons put on a Hee Haw Variety Show this past weekend.  Lots of laughs!

Everyone waiting for the show to begin on Friday night.

The cast of the show.

Happy hour last night to celebrate Tuesday!

I took Butch for a haircut at PetSmart this past Saturday afternoon.  What a fiasco that was.  We always take him to PetSmart, but the girl who did him did a horrific job.  Mark called the store manager yesterday and told us to come back this morning and someone else would give Butch the haircut we wanted.  We were happy - Butch was not, but at least now he can see.

He's not really as mean as he looks.  It's that underbite that makes him look vicious.

I had to do five loads of laundry this afternoon.  I learned a lesson while doing it at 3:00 this afternoon - never do laundry in the middle of the day when it's 88 degrees outside.  I don't understand why the laundromats in RV parks are not air conditioned.  At least we have some clean clothes for a while.

We saw a couple alligators in the park today while biking.

This is just a little guy in the pond.

We found this guy just off the fishing dock in the river.  

He was very large, and creepy looking.

Great pic that Mark got while trying to get the alligator in the shot.

It's Like A Never Ending Wedding Reception

Our friends (and family) in the park have been complaining about the weather.  They claim we brought the cold with us, because we've been cold most of the past 10 winters.  While they are cold, we are fine (except for one afternoon) as it is still warmer than anything we had last winter in Gulf Shores.

Mark played in a two-day golf tournament a couple weeks ago.  His back hasn't been the same since then.  He had to visit the chiropractor another time, but is ok now.  We're supposed to golf Tuesday afternoon.  He's able to play pickle ball pain-free, so we usually do that most days.

Lots of parties in February in the park.

First was the Valentine's Dance.

I say nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing.

The Valentine's group photo.

The next week we had our "Heartland Party" for people in the park from the Illinois, Midwest, and any other state west of the Mississippi River.  The menu was salad, potato salad, beans, hog wings (yes, they were delicious.  Not sure what part of the pig they come off, but they fell off the bone - my Dad would have loved them!)

One day we went with Fraser and Cathy to meet Pam and Dennis and Ann and Rick at Snook Haven restaurant after they kayaked.  It was a great restaurant, and we'll go back

Goofing off at the riverside.

Trying out Cathy's "selfie extender" on her Iphone at one of our bulletin folding happy hours.

I finally made it to water aerobics a couple weeks ago.  I used to take this class at least 4 days a week years ago - after the first 10 minutes, I was dying!  I wasn't sure I would make it through the final 50 minutes.  I'm gonna try and make it there tomorrow.

The Mardi Gras parade was unlike anything we had ever been, but still fun.  The dinner/dance that followed a lot of laughs.

 Waiting for the parade to come by us.

Cathy, Fraser, Candy, and Mark on Cathy's golf cart.

 Ed and Elizabeth decked out in their fancy hats.

 Yet another group photo.

I flew home for 5 days to see my grandsons and Mom.  I had a very busy scheduled while home, but got to see the kids everyday, and even overnight on Friday.  I spoiled them rotten!  I squeezed in a trip to drop off the tax papers, a haircut, lunch with a friend, a visit with Dennis and Ann, and Michael and Angela, and dinner and lunch with Mom and my brother in-between the grandsons.

 Just happened to catch this STL Cardinals logo in a farmer's field in Illinois, from 10,000 feet in the air.

My favorite buddies.

Dinner with Jerry and Mom.

Saw downtown STL out of my window on the way back to Florida.

On my first day back to the park, Rich and Shar made dinner for a large group.  

 Karen and Steve arrived in the park while I was in St. Louis - so good to see them for a month.

The next day some of us girls went to the Tervis Tumbler store and then ice cream at the Nokomis Grove.  Sadly, later in the day, we went to Culver's with Pam and Dennis.  Again, ice cream twice in one day.  (Sorry Dr. G - we won't be losing those pounds you wanted us to get rid of!)

 I got a new bike last week.

 A going away gathering for Gary and Ruth.  It was a very cool evening for a BBQ.

And here we are two days later, basking in the sun and pool.