We are still here!!!

Funny Story- We get our trash picked up every morning.  If we miss the pickup we like to run it up to the trash area ourselves.  If we are going out of the park on an errand or to work we put it in the back of the car and head off to drop it off.  Yesterday, on our way to work, we put our trash in the back of the car.  When we got to work we realized we forgot to take the trash to the trash area.  OK, we will put it in the trash on the way home. We arrived at our door after work about 12:40 a.m. only to realize we forgot again to leave our trash at the trash area. Ok, we will drop it off at the trash area in the morning because we have to leave early for an appointment.  We arrived at our appointment only to realize AGAIN we had forgot to drop our trash at the trash area.  OK, on the way back we will surely remember to drop our trash at the trash area.  Turning into our park we realized we FORGOT again, turned around and took the trash to the trash area.  YAH……………………………………………………….

In the spring we see these beautiful trees with bright yellow or pink flowers.  We have often wondered what they are.  The bark of the tree is smooth and the leaves are sparse.  I got the following explanation from the internet about this tree:  “The showy Tabebuia tree announces springtime in South Florida, with varieties that flower in pink, lavender-pink, and golden yellow.  These highly ornamental trees grow between 20 and 30 feet and make great single specimen tree.

All are deciduous - losing their leaves in winter - though during warmer winters they may shed leaves later in the season just before flowering.  Tabebuias prefer a sunny location. They develop seed pods but these won't create a nuisance by littering the ground and sprouting everywhere.”

We did not work for four weeks and for us it was like vacation.  We took a short trip to Pompano, FL near Fort Lauderdale, where they have a non-smoking casino.  We also like to pack our things for the beach and plan a beach day.  Almost every time we go there it has rained and we do not make it to the beach.  It did that again.

We had a very nice visit with my brother Randy & sister-in-law Sue.  One day we drove to Long Boat Key, south of Tampa, and relaxed with them at their pool and on the beach.  

 

 

Then they came over by us and along with my other brother Jack we spent several days together.  We went to the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, FL, and into Disney (Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios) with them.  They ended up in Epcot for the fireworks.  It was a very nice time together.

Another funny story – In the fall of 2011 we drove to FL by way of Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania,  New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and on to Florida.  In New York we stopped in Seneca Falls where the Seneca Falls It’s a Wonderful Life museum and Archives is.  This town was the inspiration for Frank Capra to make the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life. It has a bridge exactly like the one that George Bailey jumped from in the movie. In fact there is a plaque on the Seneca Falls Bridge dedicated to Antonio Varacalli who died while saving a despondent woman who jumped from the bridge in 1917.On to the story-while there we bought an ornament in the gift shop.  The owner told us that “ZUZU” (Karolyn Grimes) the only living person from the movie comes in once a year for their festival.  We asked if they would get her to sign the ornament and they said they would.  Just a few months ago we got an e-mail from the owner.  He said he put the ornament in a safe place so he could get it signed but he had forgot where he put it.  So he had “ZUZU” sign another one and mailed it to us at our Florida address.  It was returned to him because it was off by one number. So he sent it again.  Last week we got the ornament.  Yah……………. It only took 4+ years. If you ever get up that way make sure and stop there. It is a unique town.

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter.  We celebrate HIM on this day and what HE did for us.