life gets busy

LOL and so the blog gets neglected....

let's see - since the last post - when we were at the Cortez Village Festival - I completed my photo books for both New Zealand and Sydney this was quite time consuming hence the failure to get much else done. 

We had lunch with Al & Carol before they left for their six week cruise around South America... tried Dry Dock- food was good but the place was jammed - had to park way out on Gulf Drive -  would go back but not in season- Carol and I had the grouper tacos and Phil and Al had the lobster rolls...

Next my cousin Michele came for the weekend- and we did nothing- LOL- seriously we just hung out - went to lunch, went to dinner, got up the next day and repeated the same routine... hit the regulars (Moore's, Waterfront, Baci, Linger Lodge) - she found a new favorite drink along the way--- and we had a really nice bottle of burg at Cafe Baci-

Penny waited for Michele to arrive by blending in with the big cats on the bed covers in the guest room - LOL

and Lucy waited for Michele by drinking from the large bowl in the back yard- LOL

Penny looks on skeptically-  LOL

 

After Michele left we went up to Tampa to spend the night with CBGB- the boys went to a brown bag wine tasting and dinner and GA and I had dinner at home and discussed next year's travel plans- the four of us are going to do a barge cruise in France.  Wine - cheese - chef prepared food - and a small  bit of touring on the side - what's not to love. 

We met our Hawaiian friends Jan, Hiram& Adele and Doug & Debbie on the last barge trip we took for Phil's 50th--- and ahem, next year is our 60th year - and CB's 65th so as time flies - seemed like a good idea to do this at least one more time... we blocked out dates in May of 2014 for the trip along with some Paris time around the cruise dates-

The next day GA and I went to our class on The Romantics at the Tampa Art Museum.  This was the fourth week and each one has been very interesting and enlightening- I guess I slept through the lectures on this in college because all of this seems new to me once you get past the poets (must have been awake for that part!)

After class Phil met me at the museum and we saw the exhibit of selections from the Phillips Collection.  Some excellent works were included in the exhibit including a number of the panels from the Jacob Lawrence "immigration" series... and three baseball themed paintings I wish I could have photographed to include here-

our stickers from admission-

 

above Marjorie Phillips' Night Baseball and below a selection of thumbnails from the show-

 

We headed home to Pelican Point and Phil started to pack for his week in Chicago. But before he left we had gotten tickets to see the very last production of the Manatee Players in their old theater.  Their March production will be presented in their new space at the Performing Arts Center.  The last production in the old playhouse was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum...

We had never been to the old location and so we were happy we got to go while it was still held in the traditional venue.  But the musical seriously did not hold up, and by the intermission we both had enough of the not-so-funny broad farce, and we left. 

Yesterday Phil left for Chicago and I have been organizing things for the closing on the condo (flood insurance- yes or no? mitigation report on the roof scheduling? etc etc...) Michele is coming up to house/cat sit and accept deliveries - LOL... the good news is everything ordered for the condo is coming ahead of schedule - the bad news is - I wont' be here.  Michele has graciously agreed to spend some time here next week while I am away at Marissa's Bat Mitzvah.

So it may actually be a while before I post again because we get back late on the 11th and then between the 12th and the 31st we have two plays, a big wine event at the Ringling, two baseball games, the walk through - the closing - the moving - the cable install - the alarm install and some furniture delivery- -- -- -- oh and yes, Lew & Ellie are coming for dinner...LOL

so coming up- for those who do better with visuals-

 

will keep you posted of course-

better late than never- the SYDNEY photobook

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Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

NEW ZEALAND Photo Book

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Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

gone fishing

well not exactly - but we did go to the Fishing Festival in the Cortez Fishing Village yesterday.... this small village is where we go to buy our fresh fish- you have seen photos several times over the last couple of years- there are a couple of fish markets and a lot of fishing boats and birds- looking for a free meal...

each year they have a festival to raise money to save the wetlands next to the village and it takes place the third weekend of February and draws an incredible 25,000 people- the place is small- maybe ten streets in all five north and south and five east west in a grid- just east of the Cortez bridge to Anna Maria Island.

the day was chilly and it turned out rainy despite predictions of the rain being due on Sunday not Saturday... but there were still so many people that we waited in line for a long time for the shuttle bus to the remote parking location.

here are a few photos-

and below are some white pelicans we saw from lunch on the deck of the Swordfish Grill in Cortez just about a week before the festival - I had the shrimp sandwich which was very good but the music was so loud (even though we were seated across the deck) that I doubt we will return anytime soon...

I know the photo is blurry - they were far away - and it was my cell phone camera---

guests arrive, then leave, then more

arrive to take their places....

February rolled around - where exactly did January go? Flew by... Matt & Ann arrived 1/31 and we spent a relaxing four days together - did the usual route through favorites- Baci, Linger Lodge, Sign of the Mermaid etc...

on their last day we had lunch outside at Moore's and I snapped a shot of them on the dock-

our wines from the night we went to Baci- the 2000Terrabianca Riserva was ours and the Campofiorin was the restaurant's - we love that they have BYO for a corkage because we know we can bring something special when we want to-

Matt & Ann left on Sunday and Phil and I a bit caught up on Monday... then Tuesday I had the first session of my second class with GA-

the second class we are taking is on Romanticism in Art, Philosophy, Poetry and Music.  this one lasts for five weeks and meets on Tuesday at the Tampa Art Museum. 

The first Tuesday I left early by about 15 minutes so I could go get Lynn and Maryanne from the SRQ airport.  their flights were both early! Lynn arrived first from ORD and then about twenty minutes later MAK arrived from LGA...

we headed home and picked up Phil before we had lunch at the Shake Pit!

we spent much time doing nothing- and drinking umbrella drinks as we watched the sunset---

so after Lynn left - MAK was delayed a day due to the Nemo storm in NYC- we had a quiet Saturday and she made it home on Sunday.   I went to class on Tuesday and GA and I had lunch at the Oxford Exchange-- which- I can't believer I am about to type this....brings me up to date!

this weekend the Cortez Festival and then more social plans for the next six weeks - along with getting ready to close on the new condo- so stay tuned...

Finally New Zealand photos!

Click here to view these pictures larger

OH, I forgot!

January was sooo busy I forgot a whole bunch of things---

we saw pals Lew & Ellie for dinner between the Glengarry and the CBGB visit... and GA and I had a fabulous day in Ybor City at the Museum and Cottages as part of our Ybor City class...

 

  

 

 

so NOW we are ready to go on to February and our birthday company!