Our holidays

I had a wonderful birthday surprise this year.    Jesse and Erin were scheduled to  fly in to Sarasota on Christmas Eve to join us at the VRBO house we rented on Longboat Key.

the pink house

Rocky was adorned with falling Hibiscus flowers

  Instead they were seated in the restaurant when Dave and I arrived for my birthday dinner, two days early!    I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them sitting there.....and to think I was grousing all day about him not calling me on my big day!    Dave was in on the secret, I didn't know he had it in him!   What a wonderful birthday.

We shared a good dinner at Euphemia Haye and even went upstairs to their fabulous dessert room afterward.    We ate too much, but it was a birthday - right?

Lew is intoxicated by my birthday flowers

We had a relatively quiet time together this year.    Erin's beloved mother died recently and she was on all of our minds.



 

Here are some pictures from our time together.

guy talk

Lew daydreams on one of the beds

and greets Erin

and kisses Jesse

and tolerates Christmas decorations

and watches us cook

and waits patiently in the elevator.....

the canal dock behind the pool lanai

Dave roots in the foliage trying to reach a beautiful Egret feather for me.
(mission accomplished)

Lots of birds in the undergrowth along the canal

We had rain on and off during their stay but tried to enjoy the pool when we could.

deep conversation

The beautiful white sand beaches of Longboat Key were just a short walk across the street.   We visited as often as we could, taking lunch or happy hour there.

the shelling stoop

Working our traditional puzzle took up a lot of our time, in between flu or cold induced naps that is.....

the last piece!

Lewis had a daily window visitor

he took his landscaping duties very seriously

hanging mangrove roots were tempting

We ate a few dinners at favorite restaurants and enjoyed a few at our pink house's dining table together

Bouillabaisse at Beach Bistro

Foggy night at The Shore restaurant

walking on the docks at The Shore restaurant on Sarasota Bay

Jesse and Erin left for Denver on New Year's Eve morning.   It was hard to let them go this year.

Sunset over what was once the beautiful Colony Beach and Tennis Resort

On the bright side, as they left, our dear friend Judi arrived to spend the next week with us.  More, later!