UGH!

About a month ago, while still in FL, I was playing with Titan and noticed an area behind his upper front teeth that didn't look quite right.  We agreed to have it checked out when we got home and that's what we did today.

Dogs like Titan tend to have an abundance of gum tissue and that's what we were hoping the issue would be; however, the vet seems to feel it is a tumor that needs to be removed.

Next week didn't work for our schedules, so he will go in on May 11th for anesthesia, x-rays and a biopsy.  If she feels it hasn't progressed too far, she will remove it, along with some of his upper teeth.  If she feels it's more than she can handle, we will have to take him to a specialist.

I'm so bummed.  I know either way, it will be painful for him and I'm hoping that it isn't anything super serious and if it is, I hope I noticed it early enough!

Wish us luck and send some positive energy our way.  We are planning to have this handsome man around for a long time!

Ahhhhhh, Floor-i-duh sunshine

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;o)

Seriously???

Hello Mother Nature!  Just a quick reminder...it's APRIL, in case you forgot.  You're such a prankster.

It reached 37* today; however, the sun came out as we were leaving the gym and most of the snow melted quickly.  We are running the wood stove tonight, tho.

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;o)

Haiku

Found this today while cleaning out an old notebook.  It was written on 8/15/13, probably while at camp.

Sunrise comes early

Diamonds dancing on water

Stirred by a light breeze

Lenten Rose

I love this plant, it is always flowering when we arrive home from Florida and the flowers last all summer, eventually turning a nice, soft ash pink.

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;o)

The Worst Part of Spending the Winter in Florida...

I hate the drive but I'm really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed!

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;o)

Final Day of the Season

Hot and Humid today.  Had Titan out for his walk by 10:15 and spent the rest of the day finishing the cleaning and packing the car.

Completed everything by 4:00, sat on the front porch and had a beer.  

Had McDonald salads for dinner, quick and easy to clean up.  Took Titan for another walk along 41 once it cooled off.  Set the alarm for 5:00 (ugh!) and went to bed at 9:30.

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;o)

A Busy Day

There is always so much to do just before we leave!  Took Titan for a walk around the Linear Loop, got him a new toy for our night in the motel.  Ate lunch at home and spent the next 2-3 hours packing and cleaning.  Bill put the separator in the car and burned off the grill.  

We went to the park around 4:00 to read; it was very nice and relaxing.  Around 6:00 we walked to the Tiki Hut for our final visit of the season.

Finished up most of our food for dinner, did a last load of wash, cleaned the shower.  

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;o)

Not Much Time Left

Our next to last day and it's always super busy.  Took a short walk around the Linear loop because it was already pretty warm.  Ate lunch at home and spent the next 2-3 hours packing and cleaning.  

We went to the park around 4:00 to read and relax, then walked to the Tiki Hut for our last drink around 6:00.  

I really enjoy this little slice of heaven but we never get here as often as we should.  Maybe next year... 

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;o)

Call 911

We had breakfast at Waffle House...yum  Took Titan for a walk from Landmark to the hospital.   Shortly after leaving the car we thought we smelled smoke and discovered a small mulch fire at the base of a palm tree near the park.  

 It was weird to be the one calling 911.

We hung around for a few minutes until the engine arrived, then continued our walk.

Everything was back to normal when we returned.

Probably the most exciting thing that's happened on a walk and that's a good thing.

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Today's Haiku

I don't want to leave

Winter weather still hides there

You cannot make me

Winter still hides there

Gray days seem never ending

Leave me in the sun

As our time to leave draws closer, I cannot help but think how nice the days are here and what awaits us on our return to Maine.  It will be awhile before summer makes her return.  As much as I look forward to seeing family and friends, the ride home depresses me.  The farther north we travel, the browner and grayer everything gets.  Except Virginia...I love Virginia...everything is in blossom.  Okay, so it's only as we travel north of Virginia that it looks more and more like winter.

Oh well, this too shall pass.

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;o)

One More Week!

We'll be on the road and headed home in another week.  We went to Mercer's today for coffees and wi-fi, since the owner never came to repair the wi-fi after the lightening strike!  We checked out another gym, which is too expensive, picked up a prescription for Bill and did some shopping.

After lunch, we walked Titan around the Linear Loop, where we spotted this big lizard walking around one of the gardens and then climbing up a tree.

We dropped Titan at home, made iced coffees and went to the park to read.  

After dinner we headed to Ponce de Leon park for the sunset.  It was nice, but nothing spectacular.

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Friends, Gelato and the Beach

We met our friends, Archer and Karen Ann, in Venice for lunch at Trattoria da Mino.  It's a cute little place and the food was very good.  We planned to spend some time together after lunch but their tiny little dog, Rocky, wasn't feeling well and they wanted to get back to him so they headed home and we stayed in Venice.  We did some window shopping and got gelato; I wandered through the quilt shop.

 I swear this is some of the best gelato ever!

From there we drove the short distance to Venice beach and sat for awhile on one of the benches.  The beach was quiet and the water was emerald green.  Venice beach is a beautiful beach where lots of people like to pick up shells.

Once we got home, we sat on the deck long enough for Titan to enjoy a frozen treat.  It was 85* and too hot to sit in the sun for very long.

We took Titan for a walk along 41 after dinner and caught sight of a beautiful sunset.

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Visiting the Nina & Pinta

We decided to tour the replicas of the Nina and Pinta, which were moored at the marina in Fisherman's Village, but first we stopped to see Martha at the coffee shop, got coffees and sat in the "mall" people watching.  It's always fascinating. 

These two ships travel 11 months of the year and are crewed by volunteers from all over the US and the Caribbean.

The Pinta is 85 feet long and 24 feet wide, with 4000 sq. feet of sail.  Both ships are covered in pine tar, which is a natural water resistant.  

The Nina is 65 feet long and 18 feet wide, with 1919 sq. feet of sail.

These two ships have been to the marina before, but this was the first time we took advantage of the tour.  It was fun but difficult to imagine crossing the ocean in one of these.  Ugh!

We left there, had lunch at home and took Titan for a short walk around the Linear Loop.  We dropped him at home and then took our own walk from Fisherman's Village to the hospital.  The round trip is about 2 1/2 miles and took us nearly an hour.  We stopped at the Tiki Hut on the way back for an adult beverage.

It was a gorgeous day...not a cloud in the sky!

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Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl

Today is Wendy's 36th birthday.  This is one of the problems with being in Florida, I miss my children's birthdays...every year!

Wendy is such a delight, not just my daughter but also my friend (at least I think so).  She is smart, funny, compassionate, honest, and very creative.  She has worked incredibly hard building her business Beedandy, or as she likes to call it..."an empire".

She enjoys working out at the best gym in town and doesn't seem to mind that her mom and "stepdad" workout with her (and Dan).  There are a lot of children that would die if their parents were with them at the gym.  I love being able to see her almost every day, it's a special blessing and one of the things I miss most while In Florida.

She has grown into a beautiful, independent, strong young woman and I'm so proud to be her mom.

Happy Birthday Honey.  I sure do miss you when I'm away.  You are the best daughter eva and I love you, tons!

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;o)

Hurricane Charley Sunset

It was a little cooler and dryer today.  We had a nice walk over the bridge, saw the stingrays and the colorful lizard who's name I can't remember ;o(  After dinner we went to the section of the Harborwalk by Hurricane Charley's to watch the sunset.

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;o)