GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT WE'D BE WITHOUT YOU

 Each day, we think of our minions back home and miss them oh so very much.  As I muse on them, I begin to wonder just who are the minions?  Of course, I just realized - WE ARE THEIR MINIONS!

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• Laissez les bons temps rouler......................

What to do when the weather becomes more like home?

Today we decided on the movies!  The temperature is in the 40s with a blustery wind making us feel like we are back in KC.  So....no power walk -which by the way, is becoming less power and more walk by the day. And no shelling.... too bad because there is no competition out there today - not even the birds.  And no pool.....cool kids have taken their party elsewhere.










Since the last movie was my choice - WILD - this movie is Larry's choice - THE KINGSMAN!

As you can see, we choose only classy theaters.

And no need to wait in the long concession lines, we have smuggled in our stash of goodies!  As the movies begins, you can hear all the other smugglers going for their own contraband.

 

Movie Review:  Dad ***  Me*+

But hey, we are happy!

HE SELLS SEA SHELLS BY THE SEA SHORE

It is hard for Larry to resist the call of the sea in the early morning.  The best shelling seems to be right after the sun comes up.

And the birds know it too!! This bird followed me closely and patiently waited to steal anything I might uncover.

Ah Ha! A shell for the collection!

He has the early morning beach to himself - if you don't count his fellow sheller and photographer - which obviously he doesn't, given the distance he put between us.

Sometimes the strangest things wash up on shore.

The shell collection is growing! Where do we put them all?  

Lucky relatives - the answer is clear!

KICKIN' IT ON FRIDAY!

It's time to kick back and relax??? It's Friday and we decide to go where the day takes us.

First stop is Guppy's Restaurant, always a favorite.  

Of the four meals below, guess which one is Larry's? 

Tuna, cod, grouper, french dip?

BINGO! 

After lunch, we head to the Sea Coast Sea Bird Sanctuary, not far down the road.  It is a rescue center for all the area birds plus visited by a ton of beach birds we need rescuing from.  Holy Moly, its filled to overflowing with Pelicans, White Pelicans, sea gulls, and oh so many other birds that I cannot remember them all. I would like to take a picture of the sanctuary but I am crouched over trying to cover my head as we walk through - bird poop everywhere! 

What trip anywhere is complete without the miniature golf challenge?  Smuggler's Cove turns out to be the 'Masters" of miniature golf courses - and 25 live alligators available for interaction!

We are hooked.

 Silence please, as Lucky Larry is about to make a very important putt!

Dilly Dilly's ball is the one in the hole!  Our first hole in one!

Billy Goat's putting form.

And Petunia's fifth hit on the same hole.

Life is good - and the sunset brings that surprise every time!

Tonight, we are having our early Valentine's dinner at the Columbia Restaurant just across the street from our condo.  Honestly, you can smell the exotic aromas from the 9th floor of our building! Yowza!  Hardest part of the evening is deciding what to order.









Julie and Bill opt for the sea food paella

 Larry and I choose the chicken, pork and chorizo paella.

 Dessert follows - It's Crema Catalana!  Our favorite!










Thank you Julie and Bill for treating us to dinner and making us your Valentine!

But wait - the day is not yet done!  We have learned the game of Mexican Train - and now Larry blows his choo choo and wins!

Followed by the evening's entertainment - A side of Bill not often seen.  Is it talent, balance or alcohol? You decide!

As we say at the end of each day, WOW, that was so much fun!!

EPCOT = 16,000+steps

It is a cool morning in Clearwater Beach; but we have listened to our resident weatherman - it's warmer inland - and decided to head to Orlando and all the MAGIC that only Disney's Epcot can provide.  Julie has her Fit Bit in place and ready to measure our progress in steps.  Since there will  probably be no lovely pictures at the end of the day(in fact, we may not even be speaking at the end of the day), we have a fellow visitor take this pic!  

What to do first??? Not a hard question for Larry........Larry <3 all aquariums. This is THE LIVING SEAS exhibit.

Then we are off to explore all the options for short lines at the attractions.  Too late we realize what a Fast Pass means and how to use it.  A Fast Pass means that if you have one, you do not wait with the unfortunate 'others'- if you don't have one, you are the unfortunate 'others' - and all the new attractions are about an hour wait.  Cutting our losses, we head to the Energy Pavilion to catch Ellen DeGeneres take on the evolution of fossil fuel.  It's a hit!  And so are the dinosaurs!

From there we decide to refuel ourselves at the closest restaurant.  And then it's on to Spaceship Earth.
















After lunch, our quartet decides to visit the World Showcase beginning with Mexico.  The outside of the exhibit speaks of the artistic side of the country.  The inside of the structure speaks of the cartoon stereotypical portrayal of Mexico and possible future law suit.  Yikes, we hurry along to the next exhibit!

BUT WAIT!  IS THAT A MARGARITA STAND???  AND HAVE JULIE AND BILL ALREADY GOTTEN IN LINE??

YES!

 LOOK OUT - WE KNOW WHERE ALCOHOL LEADS!!!

After walking through the representation of Norway and China, we finally arrive back in the USA!  This exhibit is sooooo worth it.  It begins with an acapella group doing the traditional early american songs.  Larry declares that the woman in blue can really belt it out.  ( so maybe the second wife from Ybor has moved to the #2 spot)

This is followed by the recounting of our history by Ben Franklin and Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).  It's not to be missed.













Onward we treck!  Probably we have gone about 12,000 steps at this point.  We head to Mission Space - a journey to Mars in a flight simulator.    As we prepare to enter, we are forced to decide if we are 'men or mice'!  The choice is that of a more intense ride or a less intense ride.  3 of the 4 of us choose less intense.  The 4th (me) chooses more intense - but quickly runs back and chooses less intense.  Yeah, it was the right choice.  None of us will ever be allowed on the real shuttle to Mars.

Before we leave, we are treated to the dancing waters show that only Disney can produce.  It's hard to leave but we have about 3,000 more steps to the car!

Ah, so much left to see.  We are saving that for the next trip!