TPA Exit 39

Encountered rush hour traffic near TPA this morning, particularly on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Since we had successfully navigated the route only last week, I didn't take out the GPS. Mistake.

While I remembered that the exit was 39B ("Take Interstate 275 North to exit 39B and follow the signs to the airport entrance"), I had forgotten that 39A and 39B are simply individual lanes after exiting on 39. No harm done. We exited on 40, turned left and got back on 275 S.

Arrived about 8:15, in plenty of time (I think) for Marilyn's 9:45 a.m. flight to Atlanta. Her ATL-YYZ flight should arrive in Toronto around 3:00 p.m.

This is the second time I've led us astray at TPA. I'll get it right when we leave for home on Saturday!

Nest Robbery

We've been enjoying the two mourning doves swooping into their nest in the bushes below us. They are an affectionate pair, cooing at each other and entertaining us with their energetic nest preparation.



Rusty blackbird: a loud egg thief

On Tuesday afternoon when I was swimming in the pool, I saw one of the aggressive blackbirds, later identified by Marilyn as a rusty blackbird, carrying a large white egg in its mouth. Bob later told me that the bird had systemically transported three of the doves' eggs, one by one, and deposited them in different palm trees.

In the early evening, the doves checked the nest again and again and seemed to be either house hunting or establishing a decoy nest somewhere in the neighborhood.

Corey Avenue

After lunch on Tuesday, Bob dropped Marilyn and me on Corey Avenue in downtown St Pete for a little shopping. A lucky dog may be opening a gift from Gone to the Dogs Boutique (on FB https://www.facebook.com/Gonetothedogboutique). We both loved the Kapfer Glass Studio, where the owner told us he sold works sent to him by artists in Toronto. Seemed a little unusual, but maybe works in glass are a sub-specialty with few distribution outlets.

Our walk home was only a mile or so but the sun beat down on Gulf boulevard, which has very little shade. I was glad to trudge into the cool condo ... and hit the pool once again to end the afternoon.

Finally: Florida Weather

I waited 40 minutes for this "sunrise". The day was much nicer than its beginning suggested.

Tuesday dawned gray, with rain in the forecast for the afternoon. We all swam anyway, and stayed at the pool after the sun made a mid-morning surprise appearance. The pool deck -- empty most days -- was suddenly full of cheerful vacationers, including a couple of frail looking men well beyond their eightieth birthdays.

A "real" Florida sky. Sun at last.

The sky looked iffy so I wore transition lenses rather than sunglasses, my usual optimistic choice in eyewear. When I finally got out of the pool after over two hours, I actually sat to warm myself on the chaise longue, something I hardly ever do. For the first time since we arrived in Florida, the sun was so bright that I had to shield my eyes from the rays. Pure bliss!

Marilyn took us to lunch at Sea Critters, where we sat on the porch beside the water. The same server we've enjoyed on previous visits (and I'll bet I have his name somewhere) regaled us with his good natured kidding and witticisms. Excellent open faced sandwiches for all of us (Marilyn: crab; Bob: grilled sheepshead; me: lobster).

The day was feeling like southwest Florida at last.