Bar B Que and Other Sights

Travelers Rest has become “Travelers Busy”, as you can see from our Blogs. We will need to come home to “rest up” from all of our “fun” down here. We finally had a beautiful, warm day yesterday. However, it was short lived as we have been surrounded by “tornado watches and warnings” today, as well as a massive amount of rain. When you look on the weather map for Florida, you will see us northeast of Tampa by about 45 miles. We are at Dade City, which is off of I75.
As you are aware of, I am sure, Lester has been searching for all of the BBQ places within a forty mile radius of TR. We found the Deep South Family BBQ as you can see, and enjoyed a yummy meal with all of the fixins. The place was fun with the whimsical signs, and the Univ. of Florida/Florida State rivalry quite apparent. We could have ordered “fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, and Fried Green Tomatoes”! There was also “valet parking” for those so inclined.
The TR Quilters hosted a Quilt-a Rama to make quilts to give to Hospice and the police Department as well. Over 80 women participated and we completed 32 quilts. Everyone was welcome to help and there was a job for everyone. We had “Helen the Ripper, Patty the Presser, Cathy the Cutter, and Sally the Sewer”. It was AWESOME to be a part of it. TR is a very caring community, and also donated 40 pints of Blood to the Blood Bank, food for the Food Pantry, and several thousand dollars to the Rally for the Cure.
I have enjoyed more sewing time down here than I ever have had at home. I just “had to make” sundresses and doll dresses for my granddaughters’ Birthdays. They turned out really cute. Since I have two sons, I am now enjoying sewing a few things for the Granddaughters.
Note the picture of the gentleman and his “eleven” little Dashounds walking along. They are all “rescue” dogs, and Doug Pederson has given them all a loving home. We have a Kennel Club at the Park, a “doggie park”, and many pet activities. There are over 200 dogs in the Park!!!!
I will close now so that we can catch up on the latest CSI and Mentalist shows. We have to do something to pass the time away in our 25 foot Airstream. It has shrunk down to about “two feet” after this very cold winter when we had to stay inside so much. I hope Les and I don’t have to resort to an appearance on Dr. Phil to straighten out our relationship!!!!
Take good care, and love to All.
Mary Ann, Les, and Polly/Paulie

Port St. Lucie and Butterfly World

John and Nancy welcomed us again this year, by “gifting” us with John’s beautiful woodworking treasures. We will especially enjoy the fish trivet at the “nest”, and will get much use from the beautiful Black Walnut and Oak pens. Nancy gave me a most thoughtful book of the history of St. Mary’s College in Raleigh, NC. Amy and Bob Jimison will enjoy reading it because they were married in the St. Mary’s Chapel. Thanks John and Nancy!

While visiting with the McGees, we drove down to Fort Lauderdale and Pompano to visit the most fabulous Butterfly World. It is the work of one man’s dream, and houses exquisite Butterflies of many species, as well as Hummingbirds, Parrots, Lorikeets, Spiders, and many other “creatures” that I don’t want to meet in the dark night! Tucker, we hope you like the big Tarantula! I tried to bring it home to you, but they wouldn’t let me!

We ate a very tasty lunch with a beautiful beach view at the Sea Watch Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. That is where we found “Bugsie the Bunny” when we left the restaurant. We returned to Port St. Lucie along the Ocean Highway where we feasted our eyes on ”mega mansions” and “mega yachts” on both the Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway. We found it rather “obscene” when we remember all of the folks who have lost jobs, homes, and health!

Nancy and I had some shopping and sewing fun, but we can never do enough of that!!! We celebrated our time together with a meal at Cowboys BBQ Restaurant. Les ate his greens in the form of Fried Green Tomatoes and Fried Green Beans! (“Grease is good” says Lester) After a very special time with our friends in Port St. Lucie, we returned home by way of Yeehaw Junction, and we ate subs and Cuban sandwiches at a little grocery and sandwich shop near Lakeland, FL.

Since that trip, we have tried to stay warm in our little “tin can cave”. We had three warm days in a row, and everyone crawled out from their caves and from under their rocks to see what the sun felt like. I know you can feel our pain. We have been able to sit on our porch only 3 days since we arrived on January 5. Thursday the temp will be 22*!!!!! March doesn’t look too promising either. Enough now. We must go prepare for the COLD!!!! Much love to all of you-family and friends.



Mary Ann, Les, and Polly/Paulie

Cape Coral and Sanibel Island

What a wonderful time we had visiting Rosalie and Gene Mulligan-dear friends from Wilmington, who “winter” at Cape Coral, FL. Their “Florida home” is beautiful, and we were given an awesome “suite” to stay in. Polly really enjoyed it, too! We were joined that first evening by Amy and Bob Jimison (staying on Sanibel Island) and Gina and Jerry Kenny (visiting with the Jimisons) for a wonderfully “yummy” dinner prepared by Rosalie (with Gene’s help, I am sure!) I can’t tell you how special it was for us all to be together down in FL. Our friendship goes back 40 years when we all started in Lancashire.

The next day the Mulligans drove us to Sanibel Island, which you can see is beautiful! We had never seen Banyan trees before. How marvelous they are! And the beautiful Golf shore, gathering shells, and just taking in the beauty surrounding us. The “Sanibel Stoop’ is aptly named, but the older we get, the harder it is to “unstoop’!!! I was fascinated to see the sea creatures that had attached themselves to the crabs etc. My Granddaughter Elizabeth, and I had taken a workshop at Cape Helnlopen and learned about these “symbiotic” relationships, where both parties benefit from clinging together for food, protection, or transport. Cool!!! We drove over to Captiva Island just to “gawk and drool” at these “mega mansions” that lined the roads. When I win the Lottery, I promise I will share it with you. There were two homes that looked like “misplaced White Houses”. Actually, I am not envious because I would just have more rooms to put my “piles”!



We had a great time seeing how the “other half” lives. As Sunday was the Super Bowl, we were invited to enjoy the game at neighborhood friends of the Mulligans. Again, we were treated to “yummy” food, and the best part about it was, we girls didn’t have to watch the game! We could just eat and drink our way through the evening. Great fun!



Monday was spent with the Mulligans driving us back and forth to the auto repair shop to get the van fixed. It was only $1400!! It was very good that we got to the Cape Coral before the engine ran dry. Oh well! Thank you Rosalie and Gene!! We had a wonderful weekend, and it was so special to be together in Florida. At least, we don’t have to shovel!! Sorry folks! That was unkind!!



The cutest little “Burrowing Owls” live in holes they have dug in the ground. As they are “endangered”, their homes are protected and there can be no development on the site. If you get too close to them, they will fly out at you. These little critters were living in the Mulligan’s community.



Tomorrow we will drive down to Port St. Lucie to visit John and Nancy McGee-Les’s roommate in college. I know we will have a great time, because we did last year, and it will be special just being together again. Take good care, and keep warm.



Blessings,

Mary Ann, Les, and “Polly/Paulie”