Florida Weekend

My sister and I made it safely to Florida to see our Dad!! We did sit in the airport for a nice six hours while our plane was delayed due to "maintenance". We ended up getting here shortly before sunset on Friday. This was actually the only time that the sun has shone on us, so I am so glad that I had my camera and took these pictures! I love to play with my camera, and I actually had the time.
We are staying at the Water Club on Longboat Key. It is my Dad's newest acquisition. We are in the back of this building on the 6th floor. It is absolutely beautiful, even without the sun. You can look out one side of the place and see the bay and the Sarasota buildings skyline...and then the other side looks to the beach and the Gulf of Mexico.
Or you can just walk downstairs and sit by the pool...from which you can also see the ocean. I love this...it is double the pleasure to have both!
You can see it was even a bit cloudy on Friday night, but it made for an awesome sky.
So, contrary to what my husband may have written, we are not frolickly on the beach or applying any sunscreen. It is only about this warm....

Regardless, I am just so happy to be away from Dayton that I don't mind the cloudy weather. In fact, I was the crazy one yesterday that got into the outdoor pool when it was only 60 degrees and cloudy. The pool water is about 90, so I took advantage and swam about 1000 meters...channeling my old competitive swimming days. And then quickly got out and went into the hot tub. The people who work here were wearing stocking caps and gloves. HAH!! Hey, I have learned to live life to the fullest.

Shortly after that, it did start to rain for the day. Soooooo....we went to Target and bought tons of stuff for the new place. This is the main reason we are here anyway. We are trying to get it ready so that YES I can actually bring my family down here once Ally enters into the maintenance phase of her treatment and the doctors clear her for travel. I am hoping for late summer on that one. We bought blankets and towels and beach toys and kitchen stuff and toiletries and picture frames and vases....and Dad's bill was about $800. But....again, that is what we were supposed to do, right?

So that is about the extent of it. I have gotten a full 9-10 hours sleep each night which is amazing. (love that melatonin, by the way). I have actually had the time to read a book (New Moon, from the Twilight series...guilty pleasure). I am exercising each day. Enjoying my time with my Dad and my sister. We are going out to some really really good restaurants...and anyone who knows me well will appreciate this....I ate fish!! YEP, Grouper. Wow, I don't know what got into me. It was really quite good if I just put the whole "texture issue" of it out of my head.

It is supposed to be cloudy all day today with rain coming tomorrow. I really don't mind. I can go look for shells with my sweatshirt on. Maybe go for a run, with my sweatshirt on. Either way, I am not at home where it is 24 degrees according to my husband. I do check on the family several times a day, via our awesome webcam...I can see them. (which, by the way, how funny to offer a two year old M&M's via the webcam, she just doesn't get it...Dad tried that) Ally is doing just great and that makes the whole trip that much better and less worrisome for me. I am hoping Dad shares the pictures of the awesome WSU Men's basketball team wearing their Ally's Army orange. I saw it online a bit, but would love to see some pics. Hint hint.

Better go...I have about 24 hours of relaxation left before I have to leave this beautiful place.