2017 Feb - Florida holiday - week 2.......

Tuesday 14
Hubby's birthday!

We started the day with Hubby opening his cards (mine L&K's and those early arrivals I'd brought with). The weather was cooler and windier so we decided not to bother with the trolly tour again and had breakfast (I tested out the hotel waffle iron gadget which was more fun than delicious) then checked out of the hotel. Hubby set the sat nav then between him and K navigated totally against most of her directions, some of the time she sounded quite cross. We took the coastal road which was quite scenic and headed to Daytona and just like our trip there in 2012 we couldn't get onto the beach, so as compensation we made an early lunch stop at the nearest ihop. While Hubby did all the driving we kept him going with regular bursts of singing Happy Birthday, he was thrilled of course hahaha. In the evening friendsL&K had planned which restaurant we should have his birthday meal, but they couldn't book and of course valentine's day is very popular for eating out so we couldn't get in.....back in the car heading for one of the country clubs but when there we found it to be a special 3 course menu which none of us wanted........back in the car and to an Italian restaurant called Meza Luna. Yummy and such a shame I couldn't eat more than about half of my chicken carbonara as it was huge. Of course being the US the waiter immediately asked if I'd like it boxed but I declined. Back home early so Hubby could have a beer or two as he'd been driving. Think it was a successful birthday/valentine day.

Wednesday 15
Well it was our usual lazy relaxed start to the day for Hubby and I, friendsL&K had been to their early pilates class and back mid-morning. Hubby and K had a little job to do putting some lights back up around the lanai then we had a sandwich lunch while going through the villages daily papers to decide what we should do with our day. Then it started raining. And then an alarm sounded on L's mobile phone with a weather warning, so the tv went on

Of course that looks a lot worse than it actually was. We had very loud thunder, some lighting and very heavy rain for about an hour or so then stopped completely. So the plan changed to late afternoon cinema then straight to a restaurant and maybe dancing in the square afterwards. The men were happy as we saw Star Wars Rouge 1 (don't think L or I would give it a glowing review so I'll say no more lol). The streets,  restaurants and square were really quiet, guess the thought of more rain had kept people home. We ate in the Bavarian Brewhaus, and it was lovely. We've not been having desserts at all as meals have been so filling but on our way out I noticed some cheesecake in their cabinet and said yum, so L then promptly ushered us down the street to Too Jays and we bought a whole New York cheesecake to take home. Cuppa's all round and half the cheesecake eaten and it ended up a quiet evening of laptops/sudoku/crosswords etc stuffed and content.

Thursday 16
General sort of lazy day apart from three of us going out grocery shopping while L did a bit of housework (she kicked us out lol). I don't actually do supermarkets at home Hubby does it all, so here it's not only a novelty but fun to look at all the products we don't have. All dressed up for an evening out, to The Eisenhower recreation centre for The Collierite's Valentine's Party. (L&K live in the Village of Collier). Great bbq buffet, lovely people, Blake Guyre was the lead of our three piece entertainment and they were really good, so dancing all night too. Wonderful evening

Friday 17
It was a Shuffleboard morning and friendsL&K beat me and Hubby 2 sets to 1

Lunch at home was added to by last night's leftovers, so much food at the Valentine's party that couldn't go to waste, so we enjoyed cold beef and baby potatoes along with salad etc and then we finished off the New York cheesecake yummy. Late afternoon we headed out in the golf cart into Brownwood for a little bit of shopping then a brief stop at the square to watch Scooter entertain the crowd then to Too Jays deli restaurant and meeting up with more friends of theirs, a couple that live opposite them. Six of us eventually had a lovely dinner, took nearly an hour for our meals to arrive, but gave us all something to laugh about. After dinner we all came back and had a really fun evening playing Mexican Train

I actually won three rounds and came second overall, must have been that half glass of prosecco I had hahaha

Saturday 18
FriendsL&K had been invited to a surprise 80th birthday party and when they said they had friends staying the birthday boy's children who were hosting the party insisted that we came too. So a lazy morning, a quick lunch and we arrived for 2pm as instructed. Hubby and I were made so welcome and we'd met some of these friends previously at the British-American night so we had some lovely conversations. A big shout of "surprise" when our octogenarian arrived and he was definitely surprised, after our introductions I then got to meet his wife who happens to have the same Christian name and surname I had before I got married and friendL had already told each of us all about the other. There was a lot of really yummy food. So when we left there was no need for dinner so we decided to have a night in with Netflix.

Sunday 19
The men had a golf game booked starting around lunchtime so instead of having breakfast then an early lunch we decided to go out for brunch but couldn't go out until K got a help-desk call back on a techy problem even Hubby couldn't solve. 10am and the call came as booked, lasted about 20 mins and K was told he'd get an email with instructions within 24 hours and it would then be valid for only three hours! So a yummy brunch then home in the cart, check emails, then because we can't have four people and two lots of golf clubs in the cart at once we all went in the hire car for the men to drop us girls in Sumter then back to check emails and swap car for cart and out again for golf. We shopped and there was a great craft market that seemed never ending. We both bought stuff and briefly stopped for a cuppa then shopped a bit more

We'd arranged to meet the men at 4pm under the clock and they both popped back to the cart to stow our shopping, then we watched a bit of a jazz band on stage and met up with friends making us a group seven. It's always good fun on the squares people watching, happily dancing or getting very possessive with the chairs. They all had a drink as it was happy hour then we went to eat at Thai Ruby. We got back a bit early for bed so put a film on, "Woman in Gold" starring Helen Mirren. Brilliantly done and made me cry. All to bed but still no email!

Monday 20
Today we made plans to have the day out but first we'd been invited over the road by their lovely neighbour friends for breakfast, so K having checked his email and still nothing we went over. They had gone to so much trouble, first offered coffee but as Hubby and I prefer tea K had brought over the tea bags and had to make it as they don't know how. We had home made pancakes some stuffed with cheese and others with fruit preserve (even our hostess isn't keen on US jelly) they'd made a huge bowl of fresh fruit salad and toasted muffins and it was all delicious and we stayed quite some time chatting. Back home and finally the email had arrived so K could sort his problem before we left again. About 30 mins by car and we were in Silver Springs State Park where three of us took the glass bottom boat tour with Captain Oscar

If you can zoom in on this last picture you may be able to spot three turtles a cormorant and a baby gaitor. Meanwhile L was on shore eating a huge icecream so when we came ashore we had to queue for icecreams too. Just the four of us out to dinner tonight and back for another film, this time L chose it as she'd read the book Before I Go To Sleep which was a psychological thriller with Nicole Kidman playing the lead. I would highly recommend it.

Tuesday 21
All too soon our two weeks have ended so up, packing, stripping the bed and ready to leave after lunch. Big goodbyes, we love L&K and they are brilliant hosts. Journey home was all pretty much as it should be apart from a fair bit of turbulence during the flight. Actually worth noting I used the toilet on the plane and that is a first for me hahaha. Hubby had a short nap but I didn't. And somewhere over the Atlantic the day changed.

Wednesday 22
Landed on time and nicely through the automated passport control but our cases were the very last to hit the carousel. We now have "hive" on our heating so it was great for Hubby to switch on the heating at home before we'd left Gatwick. Walked through our front door just after 10:30am. Made tea before anything else (Daughter had previously bought fresh milk and bread) then I unpacked so I could sort out the gifts as Daughter was coming 1pm-ish and we saw O and a bit later R as well. Thankfully neither of us seem to suffer jetlag so we kept to our usual Wednesday night activities although when friendH offered to drive I gratefully accepted, wouldn't want to fall asleep driving home at midnight.

Thank you friendsL&K xx