Best of the Weekend

 

 

 

I'm still working on the house, but trying to also get out and do some fun things and try to start to feel like life is getting back to normal. Friday afternoon, after hanging some art on the walls, I packed up my bag and walked to the pool for a couple of hours. It was a perfect day; sunny and a little breezy, but great for jumping in the pool to cool off. I'm trying to pace myself in the sun and always wear sunscreen and a hat, because this light skinned girl will get burned very easily in the hot Florida sun. Later, I even cooked dinner for the first time in my new kitchen and I'll share the recipe this week.

 

 

 

Saturday, the weather was very rainy, but we had dinner plans with friends in town from Michigan and we just grabbed an umbrella and made the best of it. We had to eat inside, but still had a great time catching up. We anticipate quite a few friends calling us to make plans when they visit Florida. St. Armands Circle on Longboat Key is a great place to enjoy a night out.

 

 

There was more heavy rain on Sunday, which delayed my flower planting plans, but I went shopping instead and found some pillows and other things I still need to pull everything together. It will be a process and you will get a peek every now and then until I can show you a complete room.

Happy Monday!

 

All Moved In

 

 

 

The moving truck came on Saturday and it has been a whirlwind of a week since then, but I unpacked the last boxes yesterday morning and it feels really good to be finally in our new home. Because we downsized so much, I have found space for everything even though we went from a two story house with a finished basement to everything on one floor. But, we have large walk in closets in every bedroom, a really large walk in pantry and an extended garage for extra storage space. We even have room to spare, believe it or not. When the boxes started coming into the house and I started to unpack things that I thought were important to me and that would fit with Florida decor, I realized quickly that another trip to Goodwill would be in order. Everything just needs to be lighter, brighter and more colorful. It will be fun to find just the right things to make it all feel like a Florida home.

There is still a lot to do, but since it is a new house, there are really just finishing details that we can accomplish over time. Next week a handyman is coming to install ship lap on a wall in the dining area and install the remaining ceiling fans we need. I need to find a rug for the living room and decorate the guest bathroom. I need colorful pillows and bits and pieces of beachy decor that I can find in all the cute little shops in downtown Venice. And, in the next few days (if it ever stops raining) I hope to fill some pots with colorful flowers. I am itching to discover what kinds of flowers I will find at the plant store.

The photo is just a hint of some of the new things we have found and as the rooms are finished, I will post more photos. Now that life is a little more back to normal, I hope to start posting on a more regular basis. I miss writing about all the little, day to day happenings that this blog is about. Thanks for hanging in there with me as my life took a huge u turn. It will be fun to bring you along on my Florida experiences.

Happy Thursday!

 

Beach Adventures

 

 

 

 

 

While we are waiting for the moving truck to arrive, we have been exploring some of the different beaches in our new area. One of the reasons we picked Venice, is its close proximity to the gulf beaches, including free and easy parking. We are also very close to the number one beach in the United States - Siesta Key.

The Sarasota area is full of tourists and we made the mistake of trying to go to Siesta Key on the Sunday of Memorial weekend. After driving around and learning about the area for a future visit, we gave up on finding parking and headed south to a beautiful beach on the tip of Casey Key, planted our beach chairs and had a relaxing afternoon. We even saw dolphins swimming close to shore. We decided that the next time we attempt Siesta Key, it will be earlier in the day and may involve mimosas.

One of the things we will enjoy the most is heading to the beach for sunset with just our beach chairs and a cooler with wine and beer. We found the perfect beach for this in Caspersen Beach, at the very tip of Venice Island. It feels remote and even a little like Hawaii, with a rocky shore and palm trees lining the sand. I've never seen a beach like it in Florida, but I think it may become my favorite. It is also full of seashells and shark's teeth if you want to wander, rather than sit.

Life in Florida is good so far.