Ponderings from a Tuesday that feels like Monday
I suppose that would be because today was the first day back to work for John and the first day of the new school year for our youngest. It's her junior year. Wow. She and I are both struggling a bit amidst the in-between. :-)
We returned Saturday very late from our Florida beach vacation. I have a lot I want to write here. Now I realize I want to write here more than anything for the sheer purpose of a journal for our family. No better or grander purpose than that.
I think maybe I'll just use this as a spring board for a few other posts to come in the next week or so.
First, the vacation was wonderful. If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times; one week isn't enough, but at the end of the second week I'm ready to come home. I'm not sure if that's just acceptance of the fact that it really doesn't matter whether I'm ready or not, we have to return home, or if I really have had enough of being out of my own space and need to return to the familiarity of our home and routine. Florida is a fantastic place to visit, I don't think I want to live there. I love the Midwest - I'm a Midwest girl at heart, what can I say? Palm trees and sand are great for experiencing something new and different, but I love my four seasons and the variety of trees (and corn fields LOL).
The first week was insanely chaotic. So many people and my nature to control everything so everyone gets to do what they want... I figured it out but not before I drove some of my peeps a little crazy :-0 I'm tickled that so many people got to join us this year, and no one more so than my Mom. I think it's safe to say she really, really loved it. Others did a great job of just doing their own thing and enjoying it to the max, and they are already planning their return trip for next year.
We have decided our timing stinks a little. I don't want anyone to miss any school next year (or the next, or the next), and we prefer to enjoy vacation and not come back into the fray of back-to-school and have no Summer left to relax. So next year it will be a bit earlier, and the next year even a bit earlier than that. Our target will be the first couple weeks of July. Next year won't work that way because dear son-in-love will be returning from tech school mid July... and we wouldn't dream of going without him.
We learned we will need to have more condos. There is a good reason the limit is six. It's all well and good to have air mattresses for overflow but man that makes for a lot of crowding in the common space.
This is the first year that the youngest was allowed to take a friend. She made it through the first week (of sheer chaos) and then very sweetly asked if she could return early with the first week crew. I hope it was just the chaos and that we didn't kill a friendship - our brand of crazy can be a bit much for normal people ;-)
The weather was perfect - every. single. day. The last day was especially good because it cooled down a little. It was windy and cloudy but we spent every possible minute soaking up the sand and sea. That is until we were chased out of the water by a would-be alligator. A big group of us in the water watching dolphins in the distance jumping and playing made a run for the beach when the nearby paddle-boarders hollered "Alligator!" and proceeded to scatter themselves and head to safety. What? Alligators in the salt waters of the Gulf of Mexico? Indeed, it could be true so we learned from a quick Google search. However, we believe it was rather a manatee that had been hanging out close by for most of the two weeks. The paddle-boarders didn't really know what manatees looked like and only guessed alligator. This is what we're going with anyway. No one will really know for sure.
So for a breakdown of the two weeks;
We arrived Saturday afternoon and the condos were not ready. My niece got the good news that the previous renters had apparently trashed their condo and it would be a little longer than expected to be available. :-( She had such a great attitude and didn't let it slow them down one bit.
We proceeded to unpack when the condos opened up, and then a group of us hit the local Aldi and Publix to do our grocery shopping for the week. I spent a whole lot less than in years past. And I didn't have to experience the Sam's customers' glares and comments. Thank you Jesus. Folks also opted to buy for their own condos/families. That helped a lot. And our eating habits have changed drastically so that had to help also. I HAVE LESSONS LEARNED TO WRITE ABOUT ON THIS TOPIC - reminder to myself to come back to do that!
Sunday was a visit from our oldest daughter and her family who just moved to the other side of Florida a couple months ago. Sunburns and more crazy! Miss my grandbabies and their parents :-)
Monday - just a beach day, wasn't it?
Tuesday - deep sea fishing for a sizable group, and man oh man did they bring in a haul of fish!! Tuesday was all-you-can-eat crab night at Cooters so fish was on the menu the following night. Delish! Speaking of Cooters - it no longer holds any interest for me, sadly. We arrived with our very large group (I called ahead and made arrangements with the manager who was extremely helpful) and got ready to order the crab only to learn that the price had gone up over $12 per person in the past two years. $40 for all you can eat crab. No thank you, not for me anyway. Out of 26 of us, maybe 6 people opted for the all-you-can-eat. The rest ordered off the menu. I have to say that although it has been a big deal to us every other year, I won't return. I'd rather explore some other places. The food was mediocre and the atmosphere is hot and crowded. Worth it for a decent price, but not when it climbs that high. Just my opinion. And the service was BAD this time. I will say that has never happened. The service is usually extremely good and friendly. I think we just hit a bad day for this particular server. One of my son-in-loves already provided an online review and was contacted by the manager who promptly handled the situation with professionalism and generosity. Great customer service in the end!
Come to think of it, all three of our past favorites were a disappointment to me this year. Not because the food of the service wasn't good at the others. One of my favorites, Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, seated us inside (at our request) on a series of high tops and by the time we were done most of us could barely move from the stools, ouch!! My favorite item on the menu had been removed and without the outdoor atmosphere, no longer a favorite for me.
Our favorite pizza place, The Slyce, was still delicious and had excellent service, but I think I'm just partial to Peel Pizza now. Speaking of Peel Pizza, I'm hungry for their Maple Bourbon Pork pizza!!! Thank you, Dakota :-)
Wednesday - was supposed to be Florida Aquarium day, but the elevator in the condo building was out of service. I was going crazy trying to wrap my head around details that just weren't coming together smoothly so we opted to do another beach day instead. It proved to be a very sad day for my daughter who traveled back to our side to join us at the aquarium and ran into challenged herself. She later shared her disappointment and sadness about not pushing through to go to the aquarium. That was part of a later meltdown that we worked through together. There seemed to be a lot of meltdowns happening these days...
John's Pass happened several days, of course. Who doesn't love shopping? LOL
Then the first week folks (many of whom got very ill the last day or two - ick!) left early Saturday morning, saying good-bye to those staying behind. Lots of prayers got them home safely!
The second week was so much less chaotic. To be clear, it was not because people had left, not entirely anyway. It was definitely an attitude adjustment for me that helped bring some calm to the second week. We still had people sleeping on air mattresses in our condo - even though there was an empty bedroom in the other condo! Apron strings, what can I tell ya?
We finally made our way to Kissimmee to see our daughter's new home and spend some time at Disney Springs. I can't explain my growing affection for all things Disney. I blame my best friend and her family and my own children's love for it. I bought myself cute little mickey earrings. I'm wearing them now. Don't judge me, just don't.
More beach time, more shopping, more dining out. We actually returned to PJ's Oyster Bar the last evening and enjoyed that thoroughly.
The previous post included lessons learned about condo selection, but I think it included some other things too. I'm not sure that our strong consideration for flying next year is on that list, so I'll add it here. Strongly weighing the possibility. I will be forced to simplify, and that can only be a good thing.
Coming soon... wonderful things that happened while we were on vacation. Maybe something like a proposal? I think I remember something like that...
Sam
We returned Saturday very late from our Florida beach vacation. I have a lot I want to write here. Now I realize I want to write here more than anything for the sheer purpose of a journal for our family. No better or grander purpose than that.
I think maybe I'll just use this as a spring board for a few other posts to come in the next week or so.
First, the vacation was wonderful. If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times; one week isn't enough, but at the end of the second week I'm ready to come home. I'm not sure if that's just acceptance of the fact that it really doesn't matter whether I'm ready or not, we have to return home, or if I really have had enough of being out of my own space and need to return to the familiarity of our home and routine. Florida is a fantastic place to visit, I don't think I want to live there. I love the Midwest - I'm a Midwest girl at heart, what can I say? Palm trees and sand are great for experiencing something new and different, but I love my four seasons and the variety of trees (and corn fields LOL).
The first week was insanely chaotic. So many people and my nature to control everything so everyone gets to do what they want... I figured it out but not before I drove some of my peeps a little crazy :-0 I'm tickled that so many people got to join us this year, and no one more so than my Mom. I think it's safe to say she really, really loved it. Others did a great job of just doing their own thing and enjoying it to the max, and they are already planning their return trip for next year.
We have decided our timing stinks a little. I don't want anyone to miss any school next year (or the next, or the next), and we prefer to enjoy vacation and not come back into the fray of back-to-school and have no Summer left to relax. So next year it will be a bit earlier, and the next year even a bit earlier than that. Our target will be the first couple weeks of July. Next year won't work that way because dear son-in-love will be returning from tech school mid July... and we wouldn't dream of going without him.
We learned we will need to have more condos. There is a good reason the limit is six. It's all well and good to have air mattresses for overflow but man that makes for a lot of crowding in the common space.
This is the first year that the youngest was allowed to take a friend. She made it through the first week (of sheer chaos) and then very sweetly asked if she could return early with the first week crew. I hope it was just the chaos and that we didn't kill a friendship - our brand of crazy can be a bit much for normal people ;-)
The weather was perfect - every. single. day. The last day was especially good because it cooled down a little. It was windy and cloudy but we spent every possible minute soaking up the sand and sea. That is until we were chased out of the water by a would-be alligator. A big group of us in the water watching dolphins in the distance jumping and playing made a run for the beach when the nearby paddle-boarders hollered "Alligator!" and proceeded to scatter themselves and head to safety. What? Alligators in the salt waters of the Gulf of Mexico? Indeed, it could be true so we learned from a quick Google search. However, we believe it was rather a manatee that had been hanging out close by for most of the two weeks. The paddle-boarders didn't really know what manatees looked like and only guessed alligator. This is what we're going with anyway. No one will really know for sure.
So for a breakdown of the two weeks;
We arrived Saturday afternoon and the condos were not ready. My niece got the good news that the previous renters had apparently trashed their condo and it would be a little longer than expected to be available. :-( She had such a great attitude and didn't let it slow them down one bit.
We proceeded to unpack when the condos opened up, and then a group of us hit the local Aldi and Publix to do our grocery shopping for the week. I spent a whole lot less than in years past. And I didn't have to experience the Sam's customers' glares and comments. Thank you Jesus. Folks also opted to buy for their own condos/families. That helped a lot. And our eating habits have changed drastically so that had to help also. I HAVE LESSONS LEARNED TO WRITE ABOUT ON THIS TOPIC - reminder to myself to come back to do that!
Sunday was a visit from our oldest daughter and her family who just moved to the other side of Florida a couple months ago. Sunburns and more crazy! Miss my grandbabies and their parents :-)
Monday - just a beach day, wasn't it?
Tuesday - deep sea fishing for a sizable group, and man oh man did they bring in a haul of fish!! Tuesday was all-you-can-eat crab night at Cooters so fish was on the menu the following night. Delish! Speaking of Cooters - it no longer holds any interest for me, sadly. We arrived with our very large group (I called ahead and made arrangements with the manager who was extremely helpful) and got ready to order the crab only to learn that the price had gone up over $12 per person in the past two years. $40 for all you can eat crab. No thank you, not for me anyway. Out of 26 of us, maybe 6 people opted for the all-you-can-eat. The rest ordered off the menu. I have to say that although it has been a big deal to us every other year, I won't return. I'd rather explore some other places. The food was mediocre and the atmosphere is hot and crowded. Worth it for a decent price, but not when it climbs that high. Just my opinion. And the service was BAD this time. I will say that has never happened. The service is usually extremely good and friendly. I think we just hit a bad day for this particular server. One of my son-in-loves already provided an online review and was contacted by the manager who promptly handled the situation with professionalism and generosity. Great customer service in the end!
Come to think of it, all three of our past favorites were a disappointment to me this year. Not because the food of the service wasn't good at the others. One of my favorites, Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, seated us inside (at our request) on a series of high tops and by the time we were done most of us could barely move from the stools, ouch!! My favorite item on the menu had been removed and without the outdoor atmosphere, no longer a favorite for me.
Our favorite pizza place, The Slyce, was still delicious and had excellent service, but I think I'm just partial to Peel Pizza now. Speaking of Peel Pizza, I'm hungry for their Maple Bourbon Pork pizza!!! Thank you, Dakota :-)
Wednesday - was supposed to be Florida Aquarium day, but the elevator in the condo building was out of service. I was going crazy trying to wrap my head around details that just weren't coming together smoothly so we opted to do another beach day instead. It proved to be a very sad day for my daughter who traveled back to our side to join us at the aquarium and ran into challenged herself. She later shared her disappointment and sadness about not pushing through to go to the aquarium. That was part of a later meltdown that we worked through together. There seemed to be a lot of meltdowns happening these days...
John's Pass happened several days, of course. Who doesn't love shopping? LOL
Then the first week folks (many of whom got very ill the last day or two - ick!) left early Saturday morning, saying good-bye to those staying behind. Lots of prayers got them home safely!
The second week was so much less chaotic. To be clear, it was not because people had left, not entirely anyway. It was definitely an attitude adjustment for me that helped bring some calm to the second week. We still had people sleeping on air mattresses in our condo - even though there was an empty bedroom in the other condo! Apron strings, what can I tell ya?
We finally made our way to Kissimmee to see our daughter's new home and spend some time at Disney Springs. I can't explain my growing affection for all things Disney. I blame my best friend and her family and my own children's love for it. I bought myself cute little mickey earrings. I'm wearing them now. Don't judge me, just don't.
More beach time, more shopping, more dining out. We actually returned to PJ's Oyster Bar the last evening and enjoyed that thoroughly.
The previous post included lessons learned about condo selection, but I think it included some other things too. I'm not sure that our strong consideration for flying next year is on that list, so I'll add it here. Strongly weighing the possibility. I will be forced to simplify, and that can only be a good thing.
Coming soon... wonderful things that happened while we were on vacation. Maybe something like a proposal? I think I remember something like that...
Sam
Comments
Post a Comment