Packing

Today we finished our packing.

Everything will fit in the car if Terry and I don't have to get in!

I returned the Internet equipment to Comcast and made a last-minute run to Dollar Tree for bubble wrap.

Terry cleaned the house while I was gone.

We went to lunch at First Watch and had our yummy pancakes.

Later we went to Diane and Tom's for a delicious dinner. We also brought them our leftover food!

We are doing some last- minute laundry and then will start loading the car.

Cruise Directors

Ethel and Sharon insisted on taking Terry and me to lunch today at TooJays, in Sumter Landings, as a thank you for being their "Cruise Directors."

I guess they have enjoyed the activities that we have done together! We know that we have enjoyed them as well.

After lunch, we came to our house to play mah jongg, and Joy joined us.  She was unable to make lunch and had still hoped that the rain would stop so she could play golf. 

The rain did stop and the sun came out but the ground must have been pretty wet and Joy did not want to play on wet grass, so we were able to enjoy her company one more time.

Sharon is seated, L-R Joy, Ethel and Terry

After mah jongg, Terry and I started to pack.  I got my big suitcase CLOSED and did not have to hire a 300 lb. man.  Of course, I held out some clothes for South Carolina and the trip home.

Talking about home.  What's with the snow???  Terry talked with the kids and everyone was home and accounted for.  Hoping that the snow will be gone and that no new snow falls between now and when we get home.

If we win the lottery, maybe three months next year!  Wishful thinking.



Webster Flea Market

Diane and Tom picked us up to go to the Webster Flea Market that is only open on Mondays.

It is the largest flea market we have seen.  I'd say that we only did about a quarter of it before we were worn out.  Terry and I did not find any bargains, Diane and Tom bought a few things.

 For more than 50 years, Webster Westside Flea Market has been a place to find everything imaginable! Many of our vendors have been in business here a long, long time.... some for more than 15 years.

You can find produce, flowers, bakery, jewelry,plants, boutiques, antiques, musical instruments, canopies, electronics, food, drinks and many other products and services!

 Come see for yourself why Webster Westside is a Central Florida shopping place Phenomenon! Open year-around every Monday rain or shine.

We left and went on a rural ride trying to decide where to have lunch.  We decided to go to Brownwood and try City Fire because none of us had been there.  We ate outside and it was delightful.

http://cityfirerestaurants.com/
      

The construction of new buildings at Brownwood is moving at a very fast pace.  By next year, we will not recognize the place.

15 Minutes of Fame

Today was a pajama day, we did not get dressed and both worked all day in our pajamas, until time to go to dinner.

We also decided on our route home, depending upon weather.

If you read the blog, you know that we went to a tea last week that was poorly attended.  However, there was a photographer/reporter there.

We made the Sunday paper!!!!  We could not get it any bigger, but you get the idea.

We got dressed in time to go to dinner at Ethel and Steve's.    

We had a delightful and delicious evening, with lots of laughs.

We all leave The Villages on Thursday.  Sharon and Norman and Ethel and Steve are flying home.  We are driving to South Carolina for a little family reunion and then home.

We are now watching the Academy Awards - who are all of these people?

Wonderful afternoon

We headed to Brandon, Florida (just under two hours away) for lunch with Elyse, Mark, and Katya. 

We have not seen them in about three years.  We missed Phil's funeral last year because we were just leaving Florida, so did not see them in Indianapolis.

In addition to spending two hours catching up, we got to see Katya's Bat Mitzvah photos (another event we had to miss).

We met at the Cheesecake Factory and had yummy lunches, with enough to take some home.  Terry and I shared a piece of cheesecake, so no dessert to take home....other than on the hips!

 

 

On the way back, MapQuest had us taking a strange route (not through a good neighborhood) and we quickly retraced our steps and just went back the way we usually go.

 



We got back too late for the Strawberry Festival, but Diane called and said it was "lame."  The craft fair at Sumter Landing is for two days, so we plan to go there tomorrow.

 

My telephone buzzed and there was a text, with a photo, from Stacy, who was at the Jewel buying Hamentashen.  Good price, I'm sure they look prettier than mine.

 

 

 





On the Road Again Prep

We left the house after breakfast this morning to go to Plaza Cadillac to have the car checked for our trip home.  Within an hour, we were out of there!

It was such a glorious day, that we decided to seek out the restaurant we had spotted on our last trip to Mt. Dora.  It is on the Dead River (do you love the name?)!

The restaurant was Hurricane Dockside Grill and we ate outside. 

Some kids saw the Gator, but we saw nothing.

We ate on the deck and saw boats dock and deposit patrons.

Our lunch

Did I mention that we ate outside and it was 80 degrees???

From there we went to Water Oak for a Flea Market.  We did not buy anything, but did look at the properties in the complex.  Nice complex of manufactured homes, near The Villages.



Got a few things at Dollar Tree and then came home. 

 Diane called and said that my mail was there so I ran over to get it.  Have been too busy working tonight to even open it.  Hope to do that soon. 





High Tea

At the end of January, I saw something in the Recreation News about a tea at Canal Street Recreation Center, at 1 P.M. today, for $3 per person.

Terry and I were interested and we asked others if they would like to go too.  Sharon and Joy said sure!

When Terry and I got to the Rec Center (early, of course), I went to look at the room and it was just set two to a table and five tables!  First clue that it might be a little lame.

The person in charge of the Rec. Center said that there would be 10 of us!  Of course, our group was 4, so just 6 others had signed up.  We waited until her "boss" got there, a little delayed because of a sick child.

Actually, the "boss" brought the food.  Chicken salad with cranberries, croissants, assorted breads, and dessert (cookies and mini éclairs).  With an assortment of teas, you helped yourself to cup of hot water.  It was paper plates, plastic silverware, and an assortment of mugs.

When we got into the room, I asked if we could rearrange it so our group and the lady we met in the lobby (Charlene  from Ohio) could all sit together.  Two other ladies wanted to sit by themselves and two had not arrived as yet.  Two ladies arrived late, they got lost, and the 10th person never showed.

While we were having our tea, a reporter from the local paper came and took our photos and interviewed us.  It turns out that Amanda, the reporter, is from Chicago near Midway Airport!

She asked us if this was a typical high tea and where else we might have had high tea.  All at our table had experienced elegant teas in various places in the world.  The most unusual one, was a high tea that Charlene had experienced in Turkey.

Terry is kicking herself that she (Terry) did not take a photo of us.  However, the reporter took some photos so we may be in the paper tomorrow!

We went to Anthony's to see if we could use our coupons from yesterday.  Terry bought a beautiful jacket (see below).  You really cannot make out how stunning it is from the photo.  It sparkles and looks terrific on her.

From there, we went to Beall's Outlet and Terry found another jacket that will go with a lot of things.

Because Terry did not have a black shell with her, we went to WalMart and she got one that will do
the trick for now.

We went to recycle our newspapers at the Temple and then came home to a spaghetti dinner.