USPS - Again??

I can't believe this.  I wanted to check and see if the package I sent to Greta had arrived on time, which was supposed to be Dec 19th but first I had to find the slip from the post office with the tracking number.  After checking the pockets of a jacket and coat which I could have worn that day I looked in my car and found it on the seat.

Took it and input all those numbers and expected to see the words "DELIVERED" but instead what did I see?

While I was telling a friend about this I had a deja vu moment and then found that it happened in 2013, also sending a package to Greta.  USPS - What's Up??  I hope they're going to expedite it so that it gets there in time.

Update:

12/24

After coming back to Rochester the package took off again for New Jersey and miraculously arrived at Greta's on Christmas Eve

The Applesauce Story

It started with an email from Nadine.

Dear Siblings,

Don't know if you felt turned off to pears like I did, after seemingly endless jars of canned pears and pears sauce when we lived on Curtis Lane. Up until last year when I rediscovered how good pears could be, because Finn loved them as a finger food, one pear a year was good enough for me.

I did take, however, Mommy's ricer for making apple sauce.

This year our peach crop was decimated by an April snow, but we had a bumper pear crop. What to do with them all? Pear sauce. A little sugar and cinnamon  - delight!

Then I responded

I guess I don’t remember being as overwhelmed with pears as you.  I remember Mommy’s applesauce and until I had store bought applesauce never realized all applesauce wasn’t red.

Then there was the texts

So I did do the experiment.  I bought a bag of Empire apples since they were the apples with the reddest skins and cooked them with the skins and then put them through the food mill with the skins.  I didn't include the seeds because I used an apple corer and divider.  This is the result.

This is the applesauce that I make from the apples on our tree that are mostly greenish click here to see them.

Guess that was how Mommy always made reddish applesauce.

No apples this year and looking at the link above the last time we didn't have apples was 2011. Wonder if the tree takes a break every 5 years.

P.S.  I bought 3 lbs of apples for $2.99 and got 26 oz of applesauce.  I could buy a 46 oz jar of Wegmans Natural Applesauce, No Sugar for $2.49.  The moral of the story is - it doesn't pay to make applesauce unless you pick the apples off your tree or you're doing an experiment.

Tuscan Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Tuscan Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients
1/2 tsp  Wegmans Tuscan Seasoning Shak'r **
1 Tbsp  Wegmans Pure Olive Oil
2 pkgs (12 oz each)  Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Cauliflower Florets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 carton (32 oz)  Food You Feel Good About Vegetable Culinary Stock
Italian Classics Grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Cheese Shop), for garnish


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add Tuscan seasoning and olive oil to large bowl; mix to combine. Add cauliflower florets; toss to coat.

Arrange cauliflower in single layer on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast 35-45 min, turning halfway through, until browned and tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add roasted cauliflower and vegetable stock to stockpot. Bring to a boil on HIGH; reduce heat to LOW; simmer 5-8 min until cauliflower is soft.

Puree soup to desired texture; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with grated cheese.

from Wegmans

** I didn't have the seasoning but I found this recipe and made my own

Tuscan Seasoning
2/3 cup oregano
6 Tbsp kosher salt
5 Tbsp paprika
4 Tbsp ground fennel
4 Tbsp garlic powder
3 1/2 Tbsp dried minced onion
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp sugar

Note:  I made 1/4 of the seasoning recipe and it made a lot.  I didn't have fennel so I left it out and roughly did the 1/4 of each ingredient and it came out fine.  The cauliflower was so good we had to have lots of samples.  Good thing I had a huge cauliflower.

Marriott's Fairway Villas - Oct 5-10

On Wednesday we left home for Absecon, NJ and the first leg of our vacation at Marriott Fairway Villa.  It seems like we just got home from a vacation.  Oh yes, we did only 2 weeks ago and it took me that long to get everything unpacked, washed, organized and packed again.  Hurricane Matthew was on it's way but I believed that we wouldn't get involved with it based on the timing of out stays.

We were scheduled for an owner's update on Thursday, which in "timeshare" oops, I mean "vacation club ownership" language means a sales pitch.  Darn, there was a yoga class at 9:30 but our meeting was at 10:00.  Then about 9:45 we get a call about changing our appointment to Friday since the sales person was sick but to compensate we'll get an extra $25 on our $100 giftcard for attending the presentation.







We decided to take a ride to Atlantic City which was only 1/2 hour away but we didn't even get out of the car.  We did drive down to see the Absecon Lighthouse
which is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey.  We can cross that off our bucket list.  We decided we would have an evergreen bucket list which would be developed as we saw things we didn't know we wanted to see.

From there we went to Historic Smithville and boutght the most delicious cheeses at Magnificos. Cajun Crab and Horseradish Cheddar.  Back at the resort we went to wine and cheese where we didn't talk to anyone and no one talked to us either but there was good music.

On Friday we met with Michael, who stood us up the day before because he was sick and he really did have a bad cold.  We spent about 3 hours with him and almost bought some more points but that night I texted him and said we weren't interested.  He wanted to talk to us some more so we went back to see him the next day.

We went back to Smithville for a late lunch at Fred & Ethels.  We both got beers and chicken sandwiches and took half of it back in takeout containers.  We played on the putting green for awhile and Larry then hit a bucket of balls at the driving range.

On Saturday, we saw Michael and listened to an extended sales pitch on why we needed to buy $20,000 for an extra 2000 VCP.  He told us again to think it over.  When we left, thanks to Hurricane Matthew, it was raining and rained most of the day.

The next day was a little chilly and we went to the Edwin P Forsythe Wildflife Santuary for a walk and to get some fresh air after a day indoors.   I also texted Michael and told him we definitely were not interested.  AMEN!!

On Monday it was off to Williamsburg, VA.

Apple Cake

Dad's Apple Cake

Here is the story and recipe Sue Homsey included in the book At the Heart of It All: Sharing the Recipes, the Stories & the Love of Our Market(Cohber Press, $22.95):

" 'Dad' was my father-in-law, a proud member of an Irondequoit market gardening family. He was happy when I married in, and proudly showed me where his dad's stand was here at the Rochester Public Market. Dad would always double the topping for this cake, whereas I leave it off. If you can find Cameo apples, buy them! If not, any nice, firm, cooking apple will work."

Cake:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Salt to taste

1 cup sour cream

2 cups finely chopped apples

Topping:

½ cup chopped nuts

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating after each addition.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Stir in apples. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch pan.

For the topping, combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter.

Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Microwaved Claypot Fish

Another recipe pointed out to me by Larry.  It was in our paper on Friday and he was quick to mention that it's made in the microwave and only takes 15 minutes.  My kind of meal.
I'm putting the recipe here with a link to one of the many publications it appeared in, only because a lot of time you can't get back into the newspaper link without a subscription.
I'll post the picture when I make it.

This is the full article by Melissa D'Arabian via AP
https://www.yahoo.com/news/microwaved-version-claypot-fish-legit-delicious-152629029.html

This June 29, 2016 photo shows quick claypot fish in Coronado, Calif.
This dish is from a recipe by Melissa d'Arabian. (Melissa d'Arabian via AP)
My picture will replace it and look equally as delicious??

Years ago I was traveling alone for work in New York City, and I popped into a random restaurant across the street from my hotel.
I asked for a menu recommendation from my waiter, and he insisted on a claypot fish, a simple dish of cod, tomatoes, onion, potatoes and lemon baked in a small cazuela, or clay pot.
I was skeptical, but completely hooked at first bite: fresh, simple, comforting all at once. The veggies created a light aromatic broth that steamed the fish gently to delicate perfection. The simple meal was so good, in in fact, that I went back the second night of my trip and ordered the exact same thing. In a city with more must-try restaurants than I could ever hope to visit, repeat visits mean something.
I've made various versions of claypot fish myself over the years, using cute tapas-style dishes I bought while visiting Barcelona, and I've loved every one of them.
I was exploring the (crazy?) idea of making uber-fast meals in the microwave, and immediately claypot fish came to mind: could a covered glass dish provide the right environment to quickly steam the fish correctly, and avoid the rubbery-results one might expect from a microwaved meal?
The short answer is yes! The trick is not to overcook the fish, even by a minute, so check the fish frequently. I use a glass dish, so admittedly it's missing the charm and earthy flavor of the cazuela, but this microwaved version of claypot fish is legit delicious.
It's versatile (feel free to swap in some of your favorite ingredients or herbs), healthy, and full of vitamins and lean protein. Plus, anytime you can get dinner on the table in under 15 minutes is one less night you'll be tempted to swing by the drive-thru. And that is a huge win for both your health and your wallet.

WEEKNIGH CLAYPOT FISH
Start to Finish: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound fingerling potatoes
4 fillets of Dover sole, or other white fish, such as cod or flounder, about 1 pound
3 roma tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons capers (or briny olives)
chopped parsley, for garnish
Pierce the fingerling potatoes two or three times each with a fork and place in a glass microwave-safe dish with cover. Fill with enough water to cover about one-fourth the way up the potatoes (about ½ cup water) and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Microwave for 10 minutes. Potatoes should be firm but with some give. Season the fish fillets with a little salt and pepper and lay on top of the par-cooked potatoes.
In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, onion and capers. Spoon on top of the fish. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes.
Check for doneness — fish should be opaque. If not done, microwave for another minute or two, but check every thirty seconds. Let sit for a minute or two and then serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Nutrition information per serving: 273 calories; 88 calories from fat; 10g fat (2g saturated; 0g trans fats); 71mg cholesterol; 572mg sodium; 24g carbohydrate; 4g fiber; 3g sugar; 22g protein.
___
Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook "Supermarket Healthy."
___
Online: http://www.melissadarabian.net

RIP Fred

What a shock when Paul called Larry on Friday to say that Fred died overnight.  They had just spoken and were going to have lunch on Tuesday.  Instead on Tuesday we went to his wake and shared dinner with his wonderful family.

He had a military funeral honors ceremony including the folding and presenting of the flag, the playing of Taps and a 3 gun salute.

Here are some pictures we had from when Fred visited us at The Villages in 2012.

This is the official obit

Frederick J. Wagner Jr.

Hilton: July 22, 2016. Predeceased by his 1st wife, Marilyn. Survived by his wife, Susan; children, Kathy (Mark) Sydor, Doug (Mary) Wagner, Mike (Mary) Wagner, Patti (Tom) Thompson, Paul (Lisa) Wagner and step-son, Alex Hackett; grandchildren, Aaron, Stephen, Catherine, Peter, Jared, Zach, Jane, Scott, Jackie & Adam; sister, Jean (Anthony) Luciano; sisters-in-law, Linda (Richard) Vandenberg and Mary Roessel.

Friends may call Tuesday, 3-7 PM at the Funeral Home, 777 Long Pond Rd. (between English and Latta). Funeral Mass, 10:00 Wednesday at St. Pius the Tenth Church (Chili Ave.). Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Friends wishing may contribute to the Epilepsy-Pralid Foundation, Inc., 1650 South Ave., Rochester, NY 14620.

Published in Rochester Democrat And Chronicle on July 24, 2016- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/democratandchronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=180762684#sthash.jXxH1Fm0.dpuf

First Dental Procedure

Well, I was going to have my half tooth pulled as my first procedure at the Eastman Dental clinic today.  Half tooth, what's that?  That's the half of the tooth that was left after my bridge was removed when I had to have 2 teeth extracted this winter in Florida.  However, since I had taken 6 alendronate (generic Fosamax) pills over the previouse 12 weeks (one every other week) I have to wait 2 months.  Back when I had a tooth pulled around 2007 there was a conern about Fosamax and tooth extractions, then 2 years later when I had another tooth pulled the concern was gone.  Well it seems that since 2014 the concern is back again.  I went there already knowing this.

Since I'm having issues with this tooth and we're going to be out of the country for almost a month before the two month critical period passes I had a procedure done to take out any living material in there.  It wasn't exactly a root canal.  The dentist had to go into my tooth with these tiny little files and dig out whatever was in there.  It was a very tedious procedure and his assistant was washing with some bleach stuff as he did it, therefore the precautions they took in the set-up so that none of the material would touch any other part of me.

Don't I look cute?

AAdvantage Miles

I can't say that I understand the way airlines work.  I was looking for a one way flight from Barcelona to Rochester for April 2017.  If I wanted to buy a ticket from American the price of the fare that was available was twice as much as a round trip.

I wanted to use points and when I first got on to look when the date was available that we wanted, it was 30K points for an EconomyMilesSAAver flight with a great flight direct from Barcelona to Philadelphia and then Philadelphia to Rochester.  I didn't book it right away since it seemed so early and we wanted to be sure that we were going to stay in Barcelona for a few days after a cruise, before we went home.

Two days later I went back on and that same flight was now

Purse Crazy

I am an addict.  I must admit it.  I get sucked into something and I can't stop,  The only thing that saves me is I am also ADD so I get bored after awhile and move on to some other addiction.  For the past two weeks it was purses.  I wanted to make two purses.  One for Margie and one for me and I wanted to make them using jeans pockets.  But then I wanted to find the perfect purse pattern and had to keep trying new ones.  I still have one more that I want to make but then I will move on to my next obsession - painting.  Or am I just trying to postpone that memoir that I want to write.

Anyway here are the purses I've done so far.

 The last one I did is reversible but too small for what I want.  The final purse I'm going to make is going to be reversible but the size of the other ones.  Not in denim - using some fabric I have left over from other things.

Foot and Mouth

Today I had my second appointment at the Eastman Dental clinic in an attempt to figure out options of what to do with my teeth, or lack of, that makes the most sense.  As alluded to in previous posts I had a winter devoted to my teeth and wound up with two bridges less by the end of March.  One lower right which fell off before we went away for the winter and couldn't be glued back because there was nothing left to glue onto.  The other upper left afater getting two teeth pulled that were under the bridge.

I was checked and prodded for bone condition, full mouth x-rays, photos taken with a torture contraption held in place by the assistant as the dentist took the photos, that hurt my stretched lips more than anything.  The lips need to be well moistened and stretching exercises should be done beforehand, if only I knew.  Then I had a 360 X-Ray.  This whole process took 2 hours.  My next appointment is July 14th when I will get the results.

Then when I got to read my emails I saw that Gerry sent out a note that he was having surgery on his foot similar to one he had in 1992 but on the opposite foot.  Of course, I had a picture of that and sent it.

Then also sent the update.

Concerning Vodka

Two of my favorite hot weather alcoholic beverages are Vodka Gimlets and Vodka and Tonic.

When we were in Florida this winter I noticed a shortage of Rose's Lime Juice which is used for the gimlets.
When we came home too, same problem.

I kept looking online to see if there was some manufacturing problem with the Rose's but could never find an answer.
The other day I noticed that Dr Pepper Snapple Group is now the owner of Rose's and I also saw that Schweppes is also one of their brands so I contacted them through their email page about why I can't find the Lime Juice or Schweppes Diet tonic in our area.

I got back the following reply.

June 15, 2016
Hello Barbara:

Thank you for reaching out to Rose's with your inquiry. Constraints in the global availability of clarified lime concentrate is impacting the supply of Rose’s Lime Juice. We are exploring alternative solutions to keep Rose’s Lime in stock, but based on concentrate availability and demand, you may experience intermittent shortages. Please rest assured that keeping Rose's in stock is our top priority.

For your inquiry about Schweppes Diet Tonic Water, product flavor offerings are introduced based on our knowledge of needs and wants in local markets. We are challenged to sell a large variety of SKU’s in a limited amount of space. We face this space challenge in retail accounts, as well as route trucks and warehouses. I did a search of 100 miles of Rochester and unfortunately, Schweppes Diet Tonic Water is not available in your area. However, we will forward your comments and interest to the appropriate teams and make sure your voice is heard.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and enjoy the rest of your day!

Sincerely,

Nick
Consumer Relations


When I looked at their website today I noticed that Rose's Lime Juice isn't on there anymore.

A Day with Aunt Harrie

Bev and Tucker dropped me off at the OG train station and I bought my ticket and enjoyed waiting for the train in my favorite 80 degrees and sunny weather.

The train had power that worked so I was able to charge my phone - in both directions.  

I didn't get a metro card when I bought my tickets because I could only find one for $25 and I would never use it before it expired so I figured I'd just wait till I got to the station.  Since there were lines at all the machines I asked an attendant if I could buy a 2 trip metro ticket and he looked at me and said "What you should get is a senior round trip."  I was about to kick him but since he was probably close to my age and followed up with "But that machine is broken so I'll let you in" and he proceeded to unlock a gate for me to go through.  It doesn't seem like that long abo when I was getting proofed to prove my age.  Even on the train ride in and back the conductor didn't look twice when I handed him my senior/medicare train ticket.

I got to Aunt Harrie's around 1:20 and we visited, looked at pictures and had a Mexican lunch.

Aunt Harrie was diagnosed with cellulitis on Friday and after a couple of days on antibiotics she's much better.  Her friend Lil stopped by to check on her and Joy came back from picking up next door neighbor Alan from the hospital.  He hobbled in on his walker a little while later.  He had knee replacement surgery.  

When everyone was gone we took some selfies.

Then Aunt Harrie said she was tired and that was my cue to leave.  Besides it was already 4 o'clock.  The time went by so fast.

Since my hip was feeling good and it was such a spectacular day I decided to walk.  I walked down 7th Ave the whole way for 2 reasons.  One, it has lots of good stores and teo - in case my hip started to give me a problem I could hop on the subway.  I decded to take a photo of my interesting sights along the way.

Greta Visit

I arrived on Thursday and it was hockey, hockey and more hockey.  I almost had lacrosse thrown in on Sunday but Tucker's hockey team made it to the finals and he wanted to play in it.  This is the video of the game (but only when he was in it).

Hunter also played on Sunday before going to his lacrosse games.  He was easy to identify with his unique sock style.

Everyone won on Sunday.  Myles and Hunter's respective lacrosse teams won their divisions championship and Charles, who was in Lake Placid for a mountain bike race got his spot in a Colorado race.

Myles is way taller than me now.

Tucker had his last day of school on Friday.

After we picked him up at school, Hunter, his friend Tripp, Bev, and I went to see The Jungle Book.

Sunday night after an awful storm that lasted about 5-10 minutes (I was home with Tucker and Greta rode trhough it with Hunter) we all went to the Beach House for dinner.

London Plans

To get to the Tower of London from Sheraton Park Lane

Balsamic Marinated Portobello Burgers Recipe

I made this marinade for portebello mushrooms yesterday and it was really good.  Have to remember to try it again.

I found the recipe here: - - - >  http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/09/balsamic-marinated-portobello-burgers.html

Marinade:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon finely minced thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, and salt.

2.  Place portobellos in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade, seal bag, and toss to coat mushrooms thoroughly. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Blueberry Chicken Chopped Salad

Blueberry Chicken Chopped Salad - U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council: Fresh, tangy, healthy and filling – what more could you want from a salad? This blueberry chicken chopped salad is perfect for a nutritious lunch or hearty dinner. Heading to a cookout or potluck? Take a bowl of this blueberry chicken chopped salad for a dish that’s sure to leave your friends and family’s taste …

I made this salad yesterday (without the chicken) and took it to Audrey's for Larry's birthday dinner and it was delicious.  I have to say it was a little time consuming chopping up the lettuce and onions but maybe it was because I was watching TV at the same time that seems to always slow me down.  Since she was making dinner I made the salad without the chicken.

Salad

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
• 1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries
• 1 cup roughly-chopped toasted pecans
• 2/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup blue cheese (or any soft cheese)
• Dijon vinaigrette (see below)

Dijon Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

To make the salad:

Season chicken breasts on both sides generously with salt and pepper.

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
2. Transfer chicken breasts to a separate plate and let rest for at least 5-10 minutes.  Then chop into small, bite-sized pieces.
3. Add the chicken to a large bowl with the lettuce, blueberries, pecans, red onion, blue cheese, and vinaigrette. Toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

To make the vinaigrette:

Whisk all ingredients together until combined.

Egg Cream

We went out to lunch today with Jo Ann and Jerry to Gruby's NY Deli on Hilton Head Island.
I had an egg cream, the first I've had in years.  In doing some research about it I came upon this recipe  that I'll have to try when I go home.  I knew the ingredients but I wasn't aware of the actual order of creating it.

New York Egg Cream Recipe:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NYEggCreamHistory.htm

This recipe was shared with me by Bonni Lee Brown, who lives in Bradenton, Florida. Bonni writes, "My Dad made egg creams all the time at his old-fashioned drug store and luncheonette, called Joe Fordham Pharmacy, that was at Kings Highway and East 5th Street in Brooklyn. Egg creams were traditionally made in a small Coca-Coca glass. Two cents plain was both the cost and the name of a plain glass of seltzer. When Dad heard that my mother had given birth to me, around 11:00 a.m., he proudly offered free egg creams to everyone to celebrate!" - Bonni Lee Brown (2008)

Recipe Type: Beverage, Chocolate
Cuisine: Mid-Atlantic
Yields: 1 serving
Prep time: 5 min

Ingredients:

Approximately 1/2 cup cold whole milk*
1 cup bottled seltzer
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

* Skim or 1% milk won't foam as well.

Preparation:

Pour 1/2 inch of cold milk into a tall soda glass.

Add seltzer or club soda to within 1 inch of the top of the glass; stir vigorously with a long spoon (this will cause it to become white and bubbly with a good head of foam).

Very gently pour 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup slowly down the inside of the glass; briskly stir with a long spoon only at the bottom of the glass where the chocolate sits. The resulting drink should have a dark brown bottom and a 1-inch high pure white foam top (if you mix it too much, the foam disappears).

NOTE: Drink Immediately! Do not let the prepared Egg Cream sit for a long period of time (5 minutes or more) as it will go flat.

Makes 1 serving.

Vistana Beach Club

5/13
We had a late check-out from PGA and were hoping for an early check-in at Vistana.  However, we got there really early, around noon, and there wasn't a room ready so we went to Shuckers.  A perfect way to start off the vacation on the beach.

 We had my favorite lunch

When we went back to the resort our room was ready and we couldn't have a better room, right on the beach.

This is the view from the deck

 and this is the view from the other side

3/14 

Loved watching this dog on his board

 We took a walk on the beach as far as Shuckers - 3 miles round trip

and Larry took a pic of Margie and I from our deck since he walked back way ahead of us.

For lunch we took Margie and John to Shuckers

3/15
On Tuesday we hung around and at night Margie and John went to dinner with her daughter's in-laws who live here and we went to the wine and cheese at the resort.  At night it was time to pull out electronics.


3/16
Margie and John left today and Laura arrived with Kathryn.  They hung out at the beach and I joined them when they moved to the pool and hottub.

 Then we walked on the beach and collected shells.

When we were in the hottub this guy moved from the chair to my hat.  I never did get to sit on the chair.

We heard that this blue heron has been on a sight for 20 years.  He loved posing for pictures.

Laura was really good at finding shells and crabs on the beach.  This one was even big enough for me to see.

We got to go to Shuckers one more time.

Lots of pelicans, usually flying by in their V shape pods.

As part of my no chew diet I made strawberry smoothies.

On Saturday we drove Laura back to Stuart and we went on to Delray Beach to see Doris and Michael.  Larry and Michael played golf, Doris had things to do and since I wasn't feeling to great because of my teeth (see    ) I hung back and eventually went out for a walk on the beach and at night we went out to a Mexican restaurant.

 We were tired of using the awful wine glasses they had so stopped at a Dollar Store for some better glassware.  The glass on the left was what we were using for wine and vodka gimlets and the glasses we used for vodka tonic glasses weren't big enough.  Too bad they didn't have plastic.  Next time we'll pack our own.