Monday

 

We rode our bikes to the island and then walked back across the draw bridge and back. The weather was perfect: 81 degrees, mostly sunny, with a 13 mph breeze. After taking two days off to ride our bikes, it was nice to get back on our feet on the causeway.

 

 

Interior view of Honeymoon Island

 

 

This is the bike path on Honeymoon Island, a terrific upgrade to the state park. Now you don't have to share the road with cars. Sometimes it feels like a Disney World ride, it's so fun.

 

We took Dee Dee for a pre-dawn walk on the causeway, just before 6:00. The picture above is under a street light; otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see much. There were a lot of walkers out, beating the heat, I suppose.

Dee Dee is having a pretty good day. Our food strategy for the last few days has been boneless chicken thighs cooked in the crock pot. If you get her started on that, then you can sometimes work in can dog food and rice. It's hit or miss. If we sit down with her and hand feed her, she's more likely to eat.

 

Fabulous lunch. If I only had to prepare lunches, I would be really happy. They are so easy and delicious.

After lunch we rode to Kafe Racer and looked at bike seats and the new bikes. We have our eyes on Gazelle Arroyos. The company has made bikes in the Netherlands since 1892 with the royal seal. New bikes will have to wait, but it's good to plan and dream. The guy at the bike shop said they were "really smooth" and comfortable.

 

We've had a couple of brief showers this afternoon.

 I finally got around to this yard project of lowering the black plastic ring around the tree. Its purpose is to keep the grass away from the tree and give the lawn trimmers a barrier. Over time, the tree roots push it up to the surface, and then the grass grows under it, and it looks ugly. I used my tin sheers to cut the bottom of the plastic so the plastic would fit over the underground tree roots.

 

 

 

This one was a little more difficult, but at least it's now level (mostly). 

After this project, I picked avocados and delivered them to the neighbor who gave us our sign for the front yard and another bag to another neighbor. I didn't have to get out the ladder, picking 14 within easy reach.

 Dinner: Tuna steaks with sliced roasted almonds, mashed potatoes with the same, salad, and avocados.

 

Early evening library scene

 

My first day of my last vacation before retiring has been nice. I got an email from school that reminded me of the turmoil my colleagues are experiencing. In addition to closing the campus this week to walk-in student access, the college has had to close an entire building due to a suspected COVID-19 infection. The building will be sanitized and contact tracing for those exposed will begin once the infection has been confirmed. In the meantime, no one can come to campus to work in that building.

 

 

Miles biked: 19.54 miles (mechanical)

Miles walked: 8.7