Sunday

It got up to 82 degrees for a bit; most of the day was in the upper 70s. For my readers in North Carolina, this is what the sun looks like. 😁

 

 

 Because it was a weekend, we put Toby in his crate and hopped on our bikes and rode out to Honeymoon Island. We kept our distance and wore our 😷 while on the narrow and crowded causeway.

 

 

The beaches were packed with people. 

A gorgeous day

 

 

 Today's bike route out to the island.

John went to Home Depot and bought a light fixture for our closet, like the one we installed in the laundry room. The current one was florescent and stopped being reliable. I told him it didn’t matter since we don’t wear any of those clothes anymore, but he insisted. Getting dressed in retirement is about putting on the same elastic shorts you wore yesterday and getting a fresh t-shirt. How much light does that take?

Anyway, I have a new project to complete.

Today’s activity was to rake the backyard. Our back neighbors have an oak tree. It was easier than I thought because our backyard is small. I’ve also learned to do a half-ass job when raking because there will always be more tomorrow.

I found this Adirondack chair online. It’s made out of recycled plastic, melted into a resin and then formed into wood-like planks. I like this one because it’s full size, a modern interpretation of a classic, the back slats are angled on the sides (the back is not flat across), the front edge is a waterfall instead of a harsh edge, and the seat bottom is contoured. We wanted a bright color, but this one only comes in black, white, sand, brown, and gray. But the more I thought about our house the more I lean to white. Our house is busy-looking enough without adding colorful chairs. Besides, the chairs will have green bushes behind them, making the chairs pop. Any thoughts?

 

Miles walked: 5.8

Miles biked: 11.8

 

Saturday

I cleaned the rest of the house front this afternoon. The temperature was in the low 80s, and the skies were mostly sunny.

 

The work wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I had the right tools and house wash.

This morning, instead of walking, we rode our bikes to three different places on the Pinellas Trail that sell resin Adirondack chairs. We'd like a couple for the bed beside the front door. I also checked the Internet for different styles and better prices.

We've been reading about a property dispute near Ozona. A wealthy family is building a compound on land that abuts the Pinellas Trail. There is an easement from the street to the trail that is as wide as a street. In addition to providing access to the trail, it provides driveway access to a couple of homes from the street. The homeowner has planted trees and bushes on the easement, narrowing the path to the trail as you see above. You would never tell that the path is a public access. It feels like you are trespassing on someone's private land.

 

The path is lined with raised beds trimmed with paver stones. It's quite extensive, with irrigation and vegetation. The homeowners want the county to give them the land to preserve their landscaping, adding it to their parcel. They have tried to do so a couple of times over the years.

 

This past week the county rejected their latest request and required them to remove their plantings that encroach on public land. The fracas reminded me of the lax attitude about boundaries in Soltera, the co-housing community we used to live in. However, in this case, the county stood by the public, saying they did not want to "reward bad behavior" by agreeing to their request, just because the couple had invested so much money in "improving" the easement. Money was set aside to have the plantings removed if the couple failed to follow through. On our bike map at the end of this page, this house is at the northern most tip of today's route.

 

What is it about rich people, who have so much, that they think they can take what doesn't belong to them?

For Toby's 3:00 puppy mania we decided to put him in his crate and ride our bikes down to Stevenson Creek, passing through downtown. Toby won't nap as long as we are busy in the house, and he gets grumpy without an afternoon nap. It's a win-win solution.

 

Downtown was packed.

 

Stevenson Creek

 

We stopped briefly at Weaver Park for a bathroom break.

Toby continues to enjoy water sprinklers, surprising us both. He is usually scared of unfamiliar things and reluctant to get wet. On our early morning walk, he was fearless.

 

Home Style Bean Curd from New Bamboo

 

 

Today's bike routes

 

Miles walked: 5.3

Miles biked: 21.98

 

Friday

 The 80 degree weather has brought out the blooms. 

Toby discovered lawn sprinklers this morning. 

He figured out how to put his mouth around it to drink. And he didn't run off with it.

 

 

A friend of John’s dropped off something at our front door and offered us his power washer when he saw how dirty our entrance was. We don’t get guests usually so we’ve been ignoring the filth. 

I did research and learned power washers run $150. Having had one before, I know they’re a lot of trouble and can do more harm than good. They also don’t last long.

So instead of buying one, I bought the house cleaner, a heavy duty spray bottle, a long-handled brush, and some rubber gloves. We already have a hose and a quality sprayer.

I figured I’d probably have to scrub anyway.

 

 

 I cleaned the tile, the columns, and the bases.

 

 

I feared that I would have to paint, but once all the dirt was gone, the paint looks okay.

The doors were especially dirty. Now they look great. I have plenty of supplies left to do the two other front windows. A project for another day.

We got a takeout burrito to split from Juan’s Mexican Grill on Main Street. It’s so large that a half is plenty. Comes with chips and salsa, both made in the restaurant.

It’s kayaking season. Neighbors are flocking to the sound to enjoy the water and good weather.

We’re going to research whether or not dogs are allowed in the rental kayaks. I suspect not, but if they are it would be fun to take Toby out and explore the Caledesi kayak canals with him. I remember taking Dexter out in a kayak at Cedar Key. He couldn't wait to jump in the water from the kayak. I think Toby's inclination might run in the other direction: he probably will prefer to stay on solid ground.

Miles walked: 6

Miles biked: 0

Thursday

After lunch we drove Toby to Wall Springs Park. We started out on the Coastal Trail when we came upon two skate boarders. One skate boarder had jumped off and her skate board was traveling down the asphalt trail without her, heading directly at Toby, or so he must have imagined. He freaked out, tucked his ears, turned around, and headed back to the car. We had no choice but to abandon our Coastal Trail walk.

When we got back to the trail head at the entrance to Wall Springs, we sat on the benches and let Toby collect himself.

 

 

After a while, we headed north on the Pinellas Trail towards the Dunn Water Treatment Facility, about a half mile away.

 

He adjusted well and we enjoyed our walk. The temperature was about 77 degrees, and the warmth of the sun made us all sleepy.

This morning on our causeway walk we spotted a dolphin from the drawbridge. You can see his fin near the first boat wake in the foreground above.

It was a beautiful morning, a warm 65 degrees.

The ferry from Caledesi is coming in to dock at Honeymoon Island.

 

 

We spotted this beautiful tree bark on our afternoon walk. 

 On that walk, Toby met "Aunt Mary's," dogs, Guinness and Madison.

 

 

 

 We tried these crab cakes from Publix.

 

They were okay, but we're spoiled from eating the crab cakes from Jensen Brothers Seafood. 

 

Some blooming flowers in February.

 

 

 It's not called Florida for nothing.

Yesterday, I went outside to look at the yard and enjoy the sun when John called from inside the house saying that he couldn't find Toby. Did he get outside, he asked? I couldn't imagine how, so I went inside to look for him: closets, bathroom, etc. Finally, I looked under the bed, one of his favorite hiding places when he was a puppy and there he was . . . stuck. He hasn't been able to get under the bed for months, but somehow he willed himself to do so when one of his balls rolled under it.

John tried pulling him out, but he wouldn't come out because it was too tight of a fit. I lifted the bed by the side rails. I could only lift it about an inch, but it was enough for John to grab Toby and pull him out. It's never boring around here.

Miles walked: 10.6
Miles biked: 0