Ridin Dirty!

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Jodie and I  haven't ridden bikes together since we were kids.  It was a lot more fun this time than it ever was before.  No one-upmanship! However, she did race along screaming " Out of my way!  I can't stop!"  Believe me, anyone hearing that readily complied.  We made it all the way to Palm Harbor.  I believe that is very close to Key West!

It was our last full day in Florida - and we went out in style! 

A million tomorrows shall all pass away ere I forget all the joy that is mine today.

How to survive the MU vs KU game:  We got our snacks and settled into our favorite game watching spots as the game began.  As the game intensity increased, no one was allowed to leave their seat, not even for a bathroom break.  Bob swore he would do laundry if the game went south for Mizzou ( I had my laundry bag ready for him) and Jodie was banished to the computer to look up stats after yelling one too many times "Get back in your seat!".  Larry was the referee!  I tried to do what I was told but decided to take my book and head to the back room to read for a while, returning to find the game on a razor's edge for the last 5 minutes of regular time plus overtime - that's  45 minutes in real time.  Mizzou lost in what will always be remembered as the greatest border war game ever.

Thank goodness there was church on Sunday!  We needed to go!

The regatta was in full swing on the gulf when we returned from church.  It's decided - I will take senior sailing lessons when we next visit Clearwater Beach.  Senior Sailing lessons seems to mean that you are towed to the Gulf and then taught in baby steps how to steer a dingy. I'm recruiting a second mate now. Any takers?????? And my motto

Another view of the pirate ship - I lost $5 betting with Larry on the number of times they shoot the cannon.  It's 2, by the way.

Jodie and Bob's first dolphin show. 

We went to Clearwater Marine Aquarium today - along with about everyone in the area! What a difference the movie 'A Dolphin Tale' can make!  The aquarium is really a rescue facility for marine life that has no chance to survive on its own.

Finally - we found Frenchie's on the beach!  It was a glorious Monday afternoon and we toasted the day as we looked out on the beach!

After lunch, Ooooh La La!

On the way back, I realize that even my shadow has grown -Yikes! I'm in the middle -  it's up to you to figure out the rest!

After much too much discussion, Jodie and Bob sit in a swing they love to walk to and share the afternoon.  Do I hear music???

This may not be on CNN worthy, but Bob made a very important discovery!  Mint M &Ms!!! It has changed the course of all our waistlines. 

I could have won my $5 back tonight as Larry declared there would be no sunset - too cloudy. Another career is born - weatherman!  But we had this gift from God!

The Gender Split

It's a foggy and cool morning(about 7am) when we head out to the beach for shelling.  Jodie has chosen a different path - the leave me alone I'm sleeping path.

No matter when we approach the beach, it always presents something new.

Two shell Nazis?

The Boys

Today is the first day of spring training for a lot of the Florida teams.  The Philadelphia Phillies are training in Clearwater, Florida and that's about 20 minutes from our condo.  A no brainer!! The guys are headed to the Phillies first full team practice and the gals are headed to John's Pass to shop(the time for purchasing the ugly t-shirts has come).

These are the Phillies starting pitchers and other pitching candidates going through workouts.

Below is Dontrelle Willis, who has been on about 18 different teams in his career, discussing pitching strategies with a fellow teammate.

Ryan Sandburg - the legendary major league player - is now a coach for a Phillies minor league team.

Just hanging aroung the team and catching the excitememt of the upcoming season was enough to renew the hope for our team this year!  GO ROYALS!!!

The Girls

Finally, we get some unfettered shopping time!  It was fun to just head off down the road as two sister who had nothing more important to do than spend the morning together.  We discussed everything - yes - that means you blog reader! Although, since we have known each other longer than anyone else on earth, some things do not need to be said.  But I will anyway!  I continue to learn from my big sister.  She starts each day with hope and the joy of sharing, prays for each person in her life,  tries to do what she believes is the right thing always, and can still laugh at herself.  And Bob is right there beside her every step of the way.  You will never know a better example of how to live your life.

This is the beach right across from Guppy's Restaurant.  Yuck!!! Tourists!

Yes, we argued over which one of us is the one in the red suit 20 years from now!!!

We met the boys for lunch at one of our favorite places - Guppy's! 

After a prayer, each meal begins with a toast!

You would think that after a late lunch there would be no room for dinner.  However, we managed to find a way.  About that time, talk turned to who could still fit into their clothes, followed by all the vacation excuses.  Pretty soon the photos will all be from the neck up.

And so another day begins, but not without checking the paper and Internet for all the important events.

And we are off and running again!

Today we went to Boyd Hill Nature Preserve for a long walk on the lovely trails that weave through the park and out onto the lake.

The trails are wide and well marked so no need to display our navigational skills or lack there of.

The lake is exactly where one would expect to find gators.

And being the planning maestro, shell nazi and now budding naturalist, Larry is the first to spot a gator,.....

And a bald eagle.

We came upon this enormous specimen and were wondering if it could be real.  It never actually moved from the spot it was in but you could see it breathing in a slow patient rhythm.  Time to run!

After that, Jodie was very careful to check the water, the bridge, the banks, the brush around the trail, pretty much everywhere she stepped.  And I was right behind her.

We stopped to have our picture taken by this pond.  Jodie as you can see is still thinking about that gator. 

These signs - what can I say -

This is how our naturalist planned to protect us from the gator, after he clapped and whistled for the gator to come.  Last one out is the looser!

And so we survived nature - remember kids to always take a naturalist with you when you go on a hike!