FLORIDA - BAD DAYS ON VACATION, I THINK NOT!

Haven't had a bad vacation day yet, and hope we never do. But it is appropriate to say that it would be better than a good day at work. Except, I miss the people!

We took a mini vacation last week and left the motorhome here in Bushnell. We drove down to Port Charlotte to stay with my great niece and her family and visit her brother and his family while there. It was wonderful, and such a great visit. They all have such sweet children and all are five and under!

We stopped in at Edgewater United Methodist Church for service on Sunday morning where my great nephew, Andrew, is youth director. We also got to lunch with his youth group and him for a get acquainted time after church. They have a very roomy area upstairs in the theatre building which is their church. There are three rooms plus an office in this youth area. As you can see they have air hockey , lounging area, a pool table and a mini kitchen and eating area where we had the luncheon . The church holds two services a contemporary and one traditional each in it's own theatre. The largest part of the building is under reconstruction after Hurricane Charlie several years ago. Their services are so full that they need to be more active with this reconstruction. Right now this area also stores many things. They have a Thrift Shop and a Bicycle ministry where they take in used bikes and refurbish them and give to those who need them and ship many of them over seas.

After the luncheon we checked in at my great nieces and relaxed for a while and then went off to a a park at Port Charlotte Harbor.

They have a beautiful home and Becky's husband, Jeff, has done such a great job decorating it including the figures that he painted on styrofoam for on the children's walls . The time was very relaxing and the three girls just loved having someone visit. They were constantly thinking of things for us to do, such as reading and doing crafts. There was also time to hold the baby and make over her . Then Gary and Jeff seemed to enjoy the patio early in the morning along with the baby while Becky and the girls had breakfast in the kitchen .

The evening in the park was great with a lovely fenced in play area for the kids and on the walk to the playground, we saw a dolphin repeatedly surfacing in the water. It did not jump out high enough to get a picture though.

We had planned a family day at Englewood Beach in Venice on Monday with both families. A picnic lunch and digging in the sand was the entertainment for the day as the tide and wind was pretty strong making any swimming impossible. But I think that the kids preferred paying in the sand anyway. We were content to just sit and watch them while mom entertained the baby . I sure don't envy them all of the gear that they had to take along!

Tuesday after doing crafts with the girls and visiting with Becky, we took a Sunset Cruise from Fisherman's Village. We went early so that we could walk through all of the shops and listen to this gentleman play the sax in the main walkway. It is amazing to see all that is for sale and none of it of any use to us.

While on the boat we could see down waterways where there were many homes with private piers and also many condos . There was even one under construction right at the water's edge. We were impressed and enjoyed the quiet ride. We had some wind so it was cool but the sunset was pretty . Hated to see it end, but all good things must come to an end. Right? We watched in amazement as they pulled the boat into the slip at the wharf. You sure wouldn't think that it was going to fit as they came up to it . But it did, thus a very short gang plank!

Becky home schools their oldest daughter and Wednesday is classroom day with twenty to thirty other children. So we had other plans for the day and drove on farther south to Bonita Springs for a luncheon for former Salem, Ohio residents who are now living in Florida including retirees and snowbirds. They more than doubled the number attending from last year and we had a wonderful visit with those we knew already and met new acquaintances. Before we left they took a picture of the group of 64 and also a picture of those who actually graduated from Salem High School . How many do you recognize?

On Thursday, we went to Andrew's home and visited with he and his wife, Kelli, and their little boy. He is so sweet and just a bundle of energy! They just arrived here in January and are renting from a very nice couple who filled their freezer and pantry for them as a "Welcome". It is a very nice home and they have settled right in. They have made many new friends through the church where he works, and they seem to be adjusting to the change well! We did think to take a picture of them together before we left .

Now on up the road on our way back to Bushnell, we stopped to see a dear friend from our old Sunday School class at First Friends who moved to this area about seven years ago. It was so good to see Barb and she sure welcomed us with a lovely and delicious lunch. After some visiting and catching up at her condo, she drove us on a tour of the Historic District of Venice and down to the Gulf to the jetties where she snapped our picture and we took this picture of a fellow kayaking between the jetties . Then we went to the beach where her daughter got married a couple years ago and also stopped at another beach beyond that. While walking the bridge over the dunes we spotted this turtle and knew that our grandson would appreciate this picture. Barb says that all of this part of the coast has sandy beaches and one could take a LONG walk on them as they run continuous. We decided that would have to wait for another trip!! Her daughters have both married and settled in Orlando and she has several other relatives in Florida, so she is very much at home!

Agape' Class, does this look familiar to any of you ??

Since all good things must come to an end, we said our goodbyes with dreams of maybe being a condo resident one day as she is! It is a beautiful area and usually about ten degrees warmer than where we are in north central Florida. Some day, Barb! Thanks for a Wonderful Day!