I Took it all for Granted

Blimey! It's cold out today but the weather was Florida-perfect when our friends from the U.K. visited us recently. Carole never needed her jumper as the temperature was in the low 80's. The first portion of the week we needed an interpreter but eventually caught on to what they were saying. Every day Trevor put on his trainers and headed over to the gym to exercise and use the steam room. I had never been in the steam room before so Carole and I tried it out. It was so relaxing and cleared out our sinuses. I wondered why I had never before utilized it. Sometimes you have to see something through another person's eyes to appreciate it. The whole week was an eye-opener.



We rarely go to the beach here in Florida as we spend the summer at the beach in New Jersey. Our friends wanted beach, beach and more beach so we were happy to accommodate them. After two days at Anna Maria beach, two days at St. Pete beach, and a day at Fort De Soto beach, Trevor said our beaches were brilliant. He was right. The sand was soft, the surf gentle, and the beaches were free. In New Jersey they sell beach tags for $5 per person per day. We witnessed preparations for a wedding at one beach and pelicans diving for their food at another. Twice we had lunch on top of the roof overlooking the gulf at The Hurricane restaurant in St. Pete. We couldn't stay away from the Star Fish Company located on a working fish dock near the beach at Anna Maria. The picnic tables on the dock with birds and boats all around made for a very relaxing atmosphere. The seafood could not have been fresher. We felt like we were on vacation, too.



When feeling peckish, we ate Buffalo chicken wings, Cuban sandwiches, grouper sandwiches, fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail, seafood salad, fish chowder and more grouper sandwiches. That was just lunch. We indulged ourselves with some good dinners and celebrated Carole's birthday at my favorite Thai restaurant. We laughed as a server at a sub sandwich place tried to translate Carole's request for a tomaahto into a tomato.



We took two days off from the beach and shopped at the local mall and the outlet shops. Our friends got more bang for their buck here and purchased so many things that their luggage was bulging on their return trip. Carole had a big thrill at the supermarket when she purchased a large quantity of zip-lock baggies as they are unavailable over there. Who knew baggies could bring such happiness? Just one more thing I have been taking for granted.



After long days of sun or shopping, our U.K. friends were knackered. Out to the lanai they would go to snooze or read on the lounge chairs. They just couldn't get enough of the Florida sun and beautiful weather.



Each night we enjoyed cocktails outside on our lanai. Dave made Manhattans, Green Appletinis and Cosmopolitans. Trevor always toasted us with cheers my dears. Dave and I rarely sit outside to enjoy a sunset and drink before dinner but our guests opened our eyes to another pleasure found right here at home.



After they returned to the U.K., I received a note thanking us for their visit. Carole said it was their best vacation of the year. I was thinking, don't be daft! They had toured Egypt and Greece earlier in the year and Florida was their best trip? Perhaps, at the end of the day, it may be the simple things that make life enjoyable...things such as exercise, tasty food, shopping for bargains, beautiful beaches, relaxing around a pool, sunsets, good friends, and baggies.