Sunday

Toby, showing a little love at Lake Saundra.

It got up to 92 degrees today, so we took Toby to the lake to walk among the oaks.

We slept 10 hours last night, didn't get out of bed until 7:00. I think that's the latest we've slept since I retired. We have been exercising a lot. So much, that first thing in the morning we were already tired from the day before. We figured we needed an easy day today, so we only walked for Toby, except for one neighborhood walk this morning for us.

We rode in the go cart to and from the lake. We passed this house with blooming flowers growing in the gutter. Pretty, but . . . 

To keep awake, I took a leisurely bike ride south on the Pinellas Trail, all the way to where the trail crosses Alt. 19 near downtown Clearwater.

I stopped at the Stevenson Creek bridge to photograph the condominium progress.

We rode our bikes to Causeway Plaza and got New Bamboo takeout for dinner. The temperature was down to 90 degrees (98 with heat index), but there was an 8 mph breeze to make it bearable.

We finally got the right combination for Toby's raised bed. He likes this cushion the best.

Gone nighty night

Top view of the raised bed with cushion on top. Funny dog. He doesn’t like it without the cushion.

We delivered avocados to some neighbors tonight on our last walk. We have 3 trees bearing fruit this year, didn’t even know about the third tree until this year.

Today’s bike route to the edge of Clearwater, Weaver Park, and Causeway Plaza 

Miles walked: 6.4

Miles biked: 16.53

July walked: 9.7 miles per day (300.7 total for the month)

July biked: 9.31 miles per day (261.75 total for the month)

Year-to-date walking: 9.8 miles per day

Year-to-date biking: 6.8 miles per day

Saturday

After our Toby walk this morning, we rode our bikes downtown and parked at Main Street. Then we walked the Pinellas Trail south to Union Street, the southern boundary of Dunedin. 

We then headed to Edgewater Drive along St. Joseph's Sound.

The temperature was in the low 80s and we were able to stay in the shade a good deal of the time. It was an easy walk.

From there, we walked back to the marina and then back downtown.

Once we got downtown, we walked east to Douglass and then walked 1/4 of a mile south to Lyndhurst and turned east and walked three blocks to visit an open house we saw on Zillow. This cute house was built in 2015. It is energy efficient, has an open layout, nice kitchen and baths, tall ceilings, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, a little over 1300 sq. ft. The price has been reduced to $599,800 from $675,000. It would make a great vacation home, but it's not in the green zone, meaning the minimal rental would have to be 30 days. Even though it's not in the downtown core, it's close to many things: 4 blocks to the Pinellas Trail, 4 blocks to downtown, 4 blocks to the ballpark, public library, and senior center, 5 blocks to the hospital, 6 blocks to the water, 7 blocks to Dunedin Fresh Market, Dunedin Bowling Alley, and my doctor's office. It's not in a flood zone. 

Other than the price, there are some negatives: there's a large support tower tethering a nearby power line, next to the driveway, one car garage, and the backyard is accessed through the master bedroom, although there is a side entrance. We were surprised that the front yard was not completely landscaped. That would have added a lot of curb appeal. In our opinion, we think it would be a good deal at $425,000-$450,000 in this market.

After the open house, we walked back downtown, via the trail, and biked to Publix to pick up fresh fruit, milk, and BOGOs.

Live music in the gazebo by the train station. The downtown market was going on around the corner.

We tools Toby to Lake Saundra in the go cart after lunch.

We try our best to keep him out of the midday sun. 

Later in the afternoon, John played fetch with him in the backyard where it’s shaded while I removed a vine from a flowering shrub.

Rice and refried beans for dinner

This is Toby saying he’s ready for his last walk of the day, hanging out by the front door.

Pretty clouds on our last walk.

Toby at rest

Miles walked: 8.6

Miles biked: 8.14

Friday

 

The new owners of the Causeway Beach Wash began demolishing it today. The land and the lot next to it will become the new 51-room hotel for the Toronto Blue Jays when the players are in the city for spring training February through April. Most of the players are minor league players and don't have cars, so the organization needed a location near restaurants and a grocery store. I think this location will work out nicely for the players and the local businesses. The players will be bused to the training fields off Solon Ave. a couple of miles away.

The new hotel: top view looking west; bottom view looking south from the causeway.

We walked Toby this morning and then headed to the causeway on our bikes to walk. We were met with this sight of a gentleman trying to learn how to paddle board. His girlfriend had no problems, but she patiently remained seated waiting for him to get the hang of it.

Poor guy drank a lot of water.

I didn't get pictures of his last fall, face first. By this time, he knew he was being watched and I didn't have the heart to take pictures. He was a good sport. He kept trying. We shouted encouragement from the causeway.

Another interesting attraction 

Pretty views as always

We had a huge lunch when we got home.

Toby chillin on his new raised bed

We took it easy for the afternoon. We took Toby to Lake Saundra after lunch and played fetch with him in the backyard.

Bagpipe band practice at the community center on Michigan 

For dinner, we got a Jet's Pizza. 

Miles walked: 9.2

Miles biked: 5.24