From cool northern air to warm southern sun and back again. Again this year my sister and I made the trip with our Dad to Florida, where he stays to keep warm while we head back north to endure enjoy the seasons. The transition as we (they) drove (while I crocheted in the backseat) from cold to slowly warming up temperatures was one thing, but hopping a plane in T-shirt weather and being picked up by your Hubby holding a winter coat….well let’s just say it takes a while to adjust!
There wasn’t time to complain, I hit the floor running. I had three days till Thanksgiving, and family dinner was at our house this year. I decided to add to the fun by getting our Christmas tree early and having the house decorated for the event (so early I might add that no one around us was set up selling trees yet. The perk was that our friendly, local tree farmer escorted us into the woods, helped us pick out our tree, and then gave it to us! Gotta love favor!). Let me just say…I have NEVER had my tree up for Thanksgiving, even when the kids were little! My oldest son reminded me that it was two days before Christmas when we put up a tree last year. So WHY, do you ask, did I decide this was the year to surprise everyone with being ahead of the game? I’m blaming it on the temperature drop between Florida and home, maybe shock. But in hind sight…I’m now relaxing by a warm fire as I write this, sitting next to a beautifully decorated tree in the warm glow of its lights. So that’s one thing crossed off the December to do list. Here are some highlights from the trip…
First and foremost- I got to spend a week with my girls (my youngest daughter and her now 9 month old baby girl)-highlight for sure!
Of course there are never any complaints about having to spend time at my brother and sister-in-law’s place.
He even popped the cork on some bubbly while we celebrated some much needed sibling fellowship time on the dock.
Not to mention their 35th wedding anniversary!
I’m oh, so grateful for both of them!
We took the baby girl to the beach…..
...and we visited one of our favorite places in St. Pete, Mazzaros Italian Market. All that goodness under one roof! LOVE this place! It would be dangerous to live close to.
So I took some pretty pictures…
and ate some good food.
Unfortunately the neighbors were away, so no fun visits with them. (They were sorely missed!) I took this photo for you, Bob & Pat, hope you are having a great time!
We did get to meet the neighbors on the other side and it seems they are Mazzaro fans also. So lots of great “foodie” talk.
We shopped a little.
I found this sign, which made me think of the Beekeeper. So…
…I said a tearful good-bye to this little cutie…
…and headed back to the “Not So Little Brown House” on Main ST. EB, to another cutie.
