Did you miss me? What’s that, you didn’t know I was gone! Okay, that’s alright. It’s not like I announced it to the world-wide-web I would be away. Remember, I’m a little OCD and ahem…paranoid, so letting the cat out of the bag that we were fixing to take a mini-vacation was absolutely out of the question.
Only other people can tweet, announce on Facebook, or blog about their impending plans without fear of vandals or burglars. The first time we do something like that, then we’d be burnt toast. Yeah, okay I know, I’m obsessively anxious or maybe just plain crazy, but I live happy in my little space.
Where did we go? For years, our sweet friends have graciously invited us to come see them in Florida where they spend the winter. We didn’t have a chance until now to take them up on their offer. On March 17th with our bags packed and lots of adrenaline, we were southward bound for plenty of sunshine and fun in beautiful Naples!
We arrived at our destination 12-hours plus later. The first thing we did in town got gas. I commented how I had managed to not forget anything while packing. That’s when DH noticed in the rear view mirror his scruffy appearance. At that precise second, he realized an ugly revelation. “I forgot my shaver,” he exclaimed. I looked at him with my head tilted sideways in disbelief, “You’re kidding, right?”
Nope, he wasn’t teasing. All I can say is thank the good Lord for smartphones. Three phone calls and nearly an hour later, DH had a new shaver in hand and we were ready to make the last 10-minutes to our good friends’ house. At their doorstep, we got affectionate greetings. “Welcome to the poor side of town,” my girlfriend joked. They have a beautiful home. I laughed, “Okay, I can get used to living on the poor side.”
We spent the next four days, A & J chauffeured us around. We shopped (mostly browsed) in upscale shops and took in the sights. We drove past multi-million dollar beachfront mansions which were incredible. I felt like royalty being in their nice car while viewing huge, expensive houses. My inner princess-self came out as I rode around town in my magical carriage, but then again, you know DH always makes me feel like a princess, right?
We leisurely strolled through downtown along 5th Avenue and stopped for coffee and conversation before proceeding to go the Naples Pier where we then saw dolphins, seagulls, pelicans, and a sea turtle. The sun was beaming, but the breeze kept the temperature comfortable.
J & I had fun in the kitchen. I showed J how to make my Maple Nut Fudge and she found a Chewy Coconut Macadamia cookie recipe to make with the fresh coconut from their yard. We beheld a breathtaking sunset over the Gulf and enjoyed a movie night from the comfort of our lovely hostess and kind host’s home, and we had the pleasure of dining out twice, but the best meals we had while in Naples were those that J fixed. She’s like a gourmet chef!
This little mini-break at the end of winter and start of spring was such a welcome treat. Despite the cold winter-like weather and then finding our right rear tire flat Friday afternoon, we still had smiles on our faces. I think we carried some of that Florida sunshine back to Knoxville with us, if only in our hearts. But, guess what we got yesterday morning and this morning? Snow! That’s so wild! The good news is, next week’s forecast looks more promising. Maybe, spring will return so we can finally enjoy what we missed all winter.
Patrice’s Chats on a farmhouse porch questions are:
- Melanie asks “What kinds of seafood have you tried and liked? What is a unique seafood you’ve eaten? We don’t eat seafood often. It’s usually only at times we’re on vacation at the beach. For instance last week we had stone crab legs which are native to the waters of Naples. We have eaten Maine lobster, Maryland crab cakes, lobster or crab rolls, oysters (which we did not care for at all), clams, mussels (rubbery), swordfish, scallops, and shrimp (probably my favorite).
2. Anne says, “An unforgettable holiday moment is anytime we can visit the coast of Maine to see one of their lighthouses – so beautiful! (She’s on the other side of that BIG pond. I believe a holiday is a vacation on this side. )
- Arlene wants to know, “When was the last time you tried something new?” Last week, we tried mussels. They weren’t bad and the weren’t good, but it was interesting to try them all the same. Life is too short to experience new things. Also, we had Naples cold stone crab legs. These were good, but I think maybe I would have liked them better if they had been hot.
4. Becky asks, “Who or what inspires you?” I look for inspiration in those around me, as well as fellow bloggers or current circumstances.
5. Madonna wants to know,” How did you choose the names of your children. Wendell adds,”If you don’t have kids, how do you choose pet names?”Like most expecting parents, we flipped open the baby name book and began highlighting the names we liked the most, then began eliminating them one by one till we settled on our most favorite pick.
It’s time to grab a cup of coffee, so join me as I visit my regular random/coffee chat lovelies. You can find them listed under Daily Blog Hops at the top of this page. 
Have a terrific Tuesday!
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