guaranteed

Gotta love the Tervis Tumbler guarantee. 

They replaced  9 of our glasses today 

that were etched or cloudy.  

If you stop by I’ll serve you a cold beverage in one.

florida 2017

Recently we were blessed to spend a week
with our four children and five grandchildren

When you are just learning to sit up a basket can help {Silas}

This little one loved our morning porch sits {Selah}

Here is one cute bathing beauty {Opal}

Just hanging out by the palm tree waiting to go to the beach {Ezra}

An evening at one of our favorite waterfront restaurants - Pops {Cedar}

A family that plays together . . .

seth and abigail

Hurrah. Visitors from the north.

Shark tooth hunting . . .

South Jetty kayaking . . .

Myaka River boat touring . . .

A farewell sunset . . .

We enjoyed our week together and were sad to bid farewell to our January guests.

porch sit

If all goes as planned  . . .

this morning we will be enjoying our morning coffee
on this porch.

We look forward to a relaxing few months
reconnecting with our Florida friends
and searching out new volunteer opportunities. 

I will enjoy a cup of coffee right here

while reading your blogs in the mornings

and then in the late afternoons 

perhaps a cocktail 

and soon - hoping a few

friends and family will join us for a visit 

in sunny Venice, Florida . . .

the guest room is ready

a little secret

America's Happiest Seaside Towns 2015

Meet the winner of Coastal Living's annual search for the best 

coastal places to call home - for a weekend or a lifetime. 

#2 Venice, Florida 

"Venice is a town with a big heart, It has 14 miles of gorgeous beaches. 

On shore, the pleasures of Venice are equally beautiful. 

The lushly landscaped avenues of the historic district were 

designed in the 1920s as an homage to the town’s Italian namesake."

shh let's keep it a secret

{America's Happiest Seaside Towns}

spring break visitors

It is a blessing when children

visit and brighten up your retirement days

first farewell gathering

When I was teaching I always thought that the minute I began writing on

the June calender time raced and the end of the school year came faster.

Now in retirement I find that as soon as the first of our friends head north

time races and before you know it winter in Florida comes to an end.

First to leave Tome and Sharon {this week}

Then Kathy and Jim {next week}

Later Cindy and Tom {end of April}

Last in this group - us {first of May}

Safe travel friends

not yet pictured -  many other friends we have 

made at CCE and will miss over the summer

visitors

With spring around the corner we are expecting several sets of visitors.

A blog I enjoy summed it up well . . .

What I learned is that when family needs a place to stay they aren't looking for a luxury hotel, just a bed with clean sheets and a smiling face handing them a hot cup of coffee in the morning. When friends come to visit they don't expect a gourmet meal and a pinterest ready atmosphere, they just want a safe place to talk about the ups and downs of life. {Lemon Lane Cottage}

cookie decorating

This is the first time in 33 years we won't be with any of our children for Christmas. 

So . . . we needed to recruit friends for the traditional cookie decorating. 

Thanks Cindy and Tom.

Last year , , ,