Delray Beach - Week 8 - February 25 - March 3, 2013

On Monday, Marie got free tickets to go watch the tennis.

On the way there, we walked past the Swinton Community Garden . . .

 

 Here is Marie with ticket in hand for the tennis tournament in Delray . . .

It was great fun to watch, the rain held off, but the clouds kept us cool . . .

We watched a set of each of two matches, before heading for ice cream!

Tina and I had dinner at Old Calypso on the intracoastal waterway in Delray . . .

looking across to one of our favorite haunts - Deck 84!

Delicious sword fish dinner for Tina~

Tuesday morning had some ducks visiting Lanikai pool~

 I painted Tina's kitchen walls.

She is thrilled! And we got new blinds at Home Depot too.

Here are some before & after shots . . .

All done painting . . . need to put the new blinds up.

Jimmy & Laura arrived on Thursday and we went to Sundy House for a delicious dinner.

Jenny flew in from Boston on Friday.

Jimmy, Laura & I went to secure some free tickets for the tennis.

Then Laura and I went out for breakfast, and then a walk on the beach with Jimmy.

Tina, Jim, Laura & Jenny.

 I left around noon to head west to St. Pete Beach, on the west coast
to visit cousins Jim & Janet, and Kay & Bill who were visiting Florida from Indiana.

 I drove past many beef cattle ranches, and orange & citrus groves 
in the middle of the state.

Very rural landscape and lots of Indian names.

And very flat!

 I saw many trucks filled with oranges,
heading to market or to be juiced!

 Coming into St. Pete Beach felt like coming home . . . 
Dad loved all the water & boats!

Me too . . .

 Feels like you are in the middle of the water . . .
endless sky and water in every direction!

 Sunshine Skyway Bridge . . . over Tampa Bay

And up and over . . . into St. Pete Beach . . .

Saturday morning walk down to St. Pete Beach.

Jim & Janet's house is on the island of Vina Del Mar . . .
in St. Pete Beach.

Janet and Kay & Memphis, walking along the intracoastal waterway.

An early fisherman . . . 

the birds hang around for the bait or discarded fish . . .

 

 Walking down to Merry Pier in St. Pete Beach, on the intracoastal waterway.
There is the intracoastal waterway on one side of the peninsula,
and a couple of block over is the Gulf of Mexico & waves!

 The Seahorse Restaurant . . . a good place for breakfast & coffee . . .

 
All the birds resting and sunning on the tops of the piers my Merry Pier.

Merry Pier . . .

 Historic 8th Avenue . . . a few great shops and restaurants.
Just enough!
And an ice cream and coffee shop with good lattes!

The Hurricane Restaurant

(Dad, Joel, Molly & I celebrated New Years Eve here 6 years ago . . .

watching the sun set into the Gulf at dinner from the top floor!)

 Looking out to the Gulf of Mexico . . . and waves and sand . . .

 Kay & Janet & Memphis enjoying a morning cuppa . . .
looking over to Texas!

Saturday morning Canadian shuffle board contests . . .
between the waters . . .

Passe A Grille Marina ~ now repaired since the hurricane . . .
You might have seen damaged pictures on the national news 
when the hurricane passed through and blew the roof off!
taken from the bridge into Vina Del Mar.

Another walk along the gulf side . . .

searching for shells!

Cooler and windy on the beach with rain clouds threatening.

The Don Cesar Hotel in the distance . . . the pink towers . . .

Lots of shells!

I love the waves!

The Don Cesar from Vina Del Mar's bridge . . . up the intracoastal waterway

On Sunday I drove down to Sarasota to see Liz and her parents, about 50 minutes south.

Her dad was in for open heart surgery, and was just recovering.

It was great to see Kathy & Gene, and to catch up with Liz.

Liz and I went out for a nice lunch outside the hospital at a very nice health food store.

Gene quickly got his sense of humor back, singing into his pee jug!

Ain't medicine a miracle?

A good end to another good week!