March 30th, 2013

Oh it’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood!! Water is like glass, sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky and the air is warm and fresh; pretty darn perfect is all I can say.  The manatee have rolled in this morning for a feed along the docks where the some boats have already pulled out for their trip home up the inter-coastal waterway. It is amazing how manatee, so big and awkward can move so gracefully through the water.  It is a quiet morning and as I sit and write this blog I can hear the splash of water as the birds hit the water diving for fish. The song birds are singing with a cheerful lilt as if they are happy that spring is here even in the south.

Today marks one week until we head home and leave this wee bit of paradise. Let’s hope spring is present in Manitoba when we arrive. We are off to the Saturday market on the waterfront for fresh vegetables for tomorrows Easter supper with friends. There’s nothing like fresh baby asparagus and new garden carrots. Yum!!

We have returned from the market with our goods and ready for a nap after being in the hot sun this morning. Although, the pool is calling my name so perhaps I will go for a refreshing dip instead. Yup, the pool wins out. Off to the pool I must go.

As we eat up the rest of our food, start packing up a few things, and clean as we go I can’t help feel a little excited about going home. It will be great to see everyone and get ready to enjoy the yard, BBQ’s and other summer fun. Don’t get me wrong I will miss this southern living, but Canada is still the best place to live….no doubt about it.

See you all soon as we should be home by the 10^th of April. Happy Easter to all!

 

March 23rd, 2013

Hello everyone. I guess by now you figured I might have given up the blog as it has been awhile. No, I just lost track of the days, and weeks, living life as Floridian. Somehow life has taken on its own form here and believe it or not we are very busy. The days continue to fly by and we are now on the countdown to return home.  It has been a great winter with much activity and we have made many new friends and tried many new things. We miss everyone back home, but I do hate to leave the warmth and sunshine. I will miss looking out the window every morning to see the boats in the water. Today the water is very calm and there is only a slight ripple as the tide comes in creating a rippled reflection of boats and condos in the otherwise glass like marina.  The sun is bright as it gleams down on the boats and the birds are chirping away singing their spring songs. I will enjoy this bit of paradise a little longer and hope the snow has melted away by the time we get home.  

We enjoyed the company of Barb and Frank for a week earlier this month and now we are on our own until we head back. Last night was the snowbird farewell party at the club house and it was a roaring good time. Food, drink, music and dancing, can’t get much better than that. There is nothing like a live band to get people moving and shaking. Yes my feet are sore this morning from all the lively dancing but oh how much fun it was.

Many of the people here are of Italian background coming from New York and New Jersey. To my advantage I have acquired a few good Italian recipes and the coveted recipe for real Lemoncello. I hope when I make it at home with the store bought lemons it as good as with fresh lemons and tangerines here. It takes a week to steep and then magic, it is delicious. I have only made one batch and it turned out amazingly. I can see myself drinking lots of lemon drop martinis this summer on the patio.  Rosa our mentor is going to give us Tuscan cooking lessons next year making sure we know how to make the perfect sauce for any pasta or recipe. She also thinks we need to know how to make perfect Italian bread and buns. Should be fun!

Today is the brunch and Fashion show at the club house and I hear they have 50 people signed up to come. The cost is only 2 dollars for mimosa, quiche, fruit, dessert and the fashion show. Apparently there are some good door prizes as well. It is only from 11:00 – 1:30 so there will still be lots time to get to the pool today and take in a little sun and exercise.

 It is a hot weekend with temps today to hit 29C and tomorrow 32C.  There is nothing like walking into that glorious refreshing pool when it is hot out.  Perhaps I was a fish in a previous life, or better yet a lovely mermaid! Either way I am drawn to the water.

Book club is winding down and we are on our last book. It is a great read called Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. It is a wonderful endearing story and such a lovely book to end our winter book club. We have laughed ourselves silly at that book club as we discuss the books we have read, even the ones we did not like. We have melded well as a group and our different backgrounds and life experiences have made for good exciting conversation. I will miss our bimonthly  meetings for sure.

Roger has been painting up a storm here and will soon have to stop to let the paintings dry so he can pack them up to take them home. We should be home by April 10^th as we leave here on the 6^th . We will see you all soon. Take care all.

Carol