Apricity South 2

​April 3, 2026 - Friday

Got a very good night’s sleep last night, thankfully. Attended my last water aerobic class and was happy to find Jose working in the area. He is the esteemed head of maintenance for the Stoneybrook community. Residents can’t praise him enough. I did not know that he will check your home when not here until Nora (fellow swimmer and dancer) told me he works for her. What a relief to talk to him about doing the same for me. He is able to fix a few items that I discovered at the 11th hour of our stay. One of those is a ceiling light bulb (10 feet up) has burnt out and we do not have a ladder that high. He said that while he has the ladder in the house, he will change smoke alarm batteries too. He only charges $25 each time he checks the condo, plus whatever fixes he does. Phew! BIG LOAD off of my mind. 

A while back, I had mentioned this chore to Laura while we were swimming. She was happy to do it - lives here full-time just down the road a 100 yards. So I told her that I decided to have Jose do it for repairs. She was fine with that. As we chatted, she mentioned New York - where in NY? NY city - NYPD! Really? She retired young and moved down here to be near her parents. 

Mary is her neighbor and we have spent many a moment talking after swim class was over. She is returning home to Maryland next week.

I got an Inquiry from Airbnb about a rental from May 1 to August 1. That would be so wonderful to have someone in here and get cha-ching in the pocket. He is stopping by to check it out today, so Rich and I ended up lugging most of our packed stuff down to the car. We did a good job loading boxes and bags over a few weeks. Hopefully, this prospect will LOVE it and fill out the paperwork. 

Went for our last lunch at the Elks. Jimmy was sitting next to me and I heard him on the phone saying, “They have to catch him first.” He has a strong deep voice and loves to talk - I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did ask him if everything was OK. He said there was a bomb threat at USF (University of Southern Florida) and they were letting him know. Why? I am a government  interrogator and when/if they catch the perp, I will be called to interrogate them. He told several stories about his experiences. When he finished his lunch and was leaving, I told him we were leaving Sunday and is it ok if I ask him something. He said, Sure. When you speak of your wife, you always say, “When she was killed.” He said, “She was killed 28 years ago and it should have been me. My son always asks me why I can’t just say she died. I can’t! I don’t want to  talk about it, but I had a driver when I was working full-time for the government. I wanted my wife to be my driver. They said she couldn’t because she would need to go to school for 30 days. So I said, ok, I quit. The next day they told me when the 30-day school started and she became my driver.” The things you find out when you take the time to ask questions!

Said all of our goodbyes there and headed home to meet the hopeful renter. OOPS! It’s tomorrow, not today…

Other than that tomorrow is reserved for cleaning and then resting up for Sunday morning 2-day road trip. 

April 4, 2026 - Saturday

No walking today - no time / many steps were stepped packing, cleaning and scaling the stairs. Renter Christopher and 8-year-old daughter, Carson, came for a tour of the condo. This would be an ideal situation. They really loved everything about it, BUT the ^&%&^%&^% air conditioning situation may kill the deal. I called Air n Heat to let them know we were leaving early and find out the status of the replacement coil. Good thing I did, as they hadn’t exactly ordered it yet. They told me it would be 2 months before the company could BUILD it! Now that I have an interested renter, that’s not acceptable. So I will be calling them on Monday to twist some arms. 

Rich called ahead for reservations for tomorrow night. The first motel was charging $160 before taxes = $210 after taxes! No thank you. Called another one and it was about the same. When he said, no thanks she quickly said she could help him find something more reasonable and proceeded to tell us prices of other motels in the area. Never heard of such a thing. We ended up paying $120 after taxes at a Red Roof Inn. 

April 5, 2026 - Sunday Happy Easter

Happy to say, I slept a solid eight hours. After the last minute things you do, we locked the condo door and strapped into our overloaded, soon to explode vehicle. How did we get all of this stuff down here? We didn’t buy that much, did we? 

I drove the first shift from 4:30-8am. Yes, it was dark! I don’t like to drive in the dark, but with very little traffic and very bright lane reflectors on the roads, it was fine. I’d prefer that to very heavy traffic in the daylight. As soon as we got on I-10 with Rich at the helm, there was a horrific accident on the other side of the road. About 6 lit-up emergency vehicles with 3 more police cars coming on the scene, completely stopped the traffic. It had just happened - glad we didn’t see the actual event.

After listening to church, my second shift was from 11:30-3pm on I-95 N all the way. It was nice to drive in daylight, but it began to rain while on the miles and miles of construction. There were no workers (Easter Sunday), but it’s about all of the barriers and skinny lanes (in the rain). Pulled off at a Rest Area to hit the ladies room and change drivers - very brief, no gas needed yet. 

On Rich’s second shift, the GPS lady (let’s call her Gypsy) told us to avoid crashes on I-95 by taking this detour… only 20 minutes on back roads. It was confusing as she said to stay on this route which was originally I-95, but now it took us on an exit which is the new route. Glad we listened to her, because when we went on an overpass we could see the “parking lot” of cars that did NOT listen to her. 

Mr. Impatient started talking to the traffic via me. I pulled out the unopened bag of Caramel M&M’s and offered him some. It soothed him for a while, but eventually I was the only one eating them and they are almost gone. They are like a little PomPom with a colorful sugar coating.

Trying to find the “bright side,” I mentioned that if we hadn’t stopped, we could have been in the accident. He replied, “Or we could have been ahead of it.” Hmmmm… We’ll never know.

We’re getting tired and have 3 more hours to go… 

April 6, 2026 - Monday

The motel wasn’t bad at all - not real posh, but for the number of hours we were there, it was fine. However, we did not sleep well - Ugh! Big day ahead of us which we started at 3:30am. I waited until daylight to drive. All went well. Rich did the rest of the driving as I was waiting for a call about my air conditioning. The arm twisting with Air n Heat wasn’t necessary since they informed me that the unit is old for Florida; parts are not available anymore; new 2025 regulations prohibit replenishment of Freon. There is a new product they use now. So I bought a new unit which will be installed on Wednesday. With that decision made, the rental deal is moving forward. After the background check, things will solidify. 

Son-in-law, Dave, and grandson, Zachary, gathered this huge pile from the fallen tree branches in my yard. Notice the fence has been replaced as well. $$

My four grandchildren came after school to unload the car and put boxes in appropriate rooms.  We did the annual height measurement, marking each pencil mark with initials, date, and height. Leanna, the oldest has reached her peak, Jacob grew another inch to 6’5”, Lily might pass her sister soon, and Zach is taller than me now. 

April 7, 2026 - Tuesday  

We both slept a solid 9 hours last night. Now to start putting everything away and settle in. Grocery list is done and I was off to the store. Took Mom to vet for Sadie’s (her kitty) distemper shot and check up. She did really well at the vet’s, but cries while in the car.    

Snow fell and wind whipped - 34 degrees, 17 with wind factor.                                 

April 8, 2026 - Wednesday

Well, it has been 5 days without a walk - taking a little break before the weather warms up.

Leanna and Lily asked me to go to the JV softball game this evening to cheer on their friends. I found a sunny spot to sit and watch them and the game. When the sun moved and I was in the shade, it was too cold so I left. 

As I reflect on this, our first winter in Florida, I realize that we adjusted well to our new surroundings, new environment, and new people:

✅founded Stoneybrook Strummers

✅walked, water aerobics, and/or line danced every  

             day except 4 days

✅played/performed with Aloha Ukulele group 

             regularly

✅played NY Times’ Wordle Spelling Bee, 

             Connections, and Strands daily

-recently started playing Crossplay (like 

                 Scrabble)

✅made numerous new friends through music, 

             activities and Elks

✅Blogged weekly

✅stayed in touch with friends in the Southwest and 

             New England

✅created 45 new pieces of art (Rich)

✅mapped out off-the-highways routes to avoid 

             traffic (Rich)

        ✅purchased new A/C system

April 9, 2026 - Thursday

It felt good to walk again today - it was crisp and windy, but Dee and I persisted. Lunch with Paula, Debbie, and Terry at 51 Park Street. I had a bowl of baked onion soup - delicious. 

I will be posting this Blog monthly while in New England… 

Apricity South

​March 27, 2026 - Friday

Was able to do the whole walk this morning before going to sing and strum in Lakewood Ranch. It was a fun song list and a lot of folks showed up. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gg52cfZrcwoXgE2o9

March 28, 2026 - Saturday 

Went to Publix at the crack of dawn! As we get closer to our departure date, the decision making conversation is: 

“We have 3 more weeks!” 😳Organizing boxes to pack. 

“We have 3 more weeks!” 🥲 Leaving the people/music we have come to love. 

“We have 3 more weeks!” 🥴 Thinking of the drive home. Stress

“We have 3 more weeks!” 🙃 Shopping for BOGO sales on candy, snacks, etc. We can leave extra for Randy’s family.

“We have 3 more weeks!” 😁 Anticipating reuniting with family and friends.

Charlotte left for her daughter’s at The Villages yesterday, so my walk without her this morning was’t the same. The entertainment ended up being garage sales throughout the community. Stoneybrook advertises it and opens the gates for people to come in and shop. There was a lot of activity.

It seems that the big Daddy fish I have been observing might be a predator based on the activity in this little video clip. The mama’s are chasing him away. He looks like a different species. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ioKhsLdCy6kgggS58

March 29, 2026 - Sunday

Walked before winds picked up. Trying to accomplish something on the To-Do-List each day. Also, did laundry and went to on-line church. Played a little bit today. Rich made stir fry…

March 30, 2026 - Monday

Went to water aerobics - the heating pump wasn’t on so a few people turned away, but it wasn’t that bad. Signed my tax return today - yay! 

Met Tim and Dee at the Elks for a farewell Florida lunch. They fly out on Wednesday returning to Massachusetts and brought us some goodies that they can’t finish. Bye bye…

We were on the front porch when our next door neighbor, John, came home from work. It was the first time we met him. Met his wife once a while back. He is a professor at Lecom Medical School for physicians and pharmacists. They are renting here now, but they have found a home of their own. The owner has put the condo on the market. 

Talked with my son last night and since they have a car reserved for their arrival on 4/17, we will not need to take the Suburban to Tampa Airport for them. Phew! We keep hearing nightmare stories about the traffic, getting lost in the airport parking lot, etc. This allows us to leave earlier and get to see the kids and grandkids before they start their vacations. YAY! In looking at the calendar, we picked a week from tomorrow to head out. You know that 3 week scenario I wrote about above? It just got switched to 7 days! 

March 31, 2026 - Tuesday

Rich, good traveler that he is, checked the weather and it is going to rain and storm all day Tuesday! Soooo, we can shoot for Monday or Wednesday - I say Monday. 6 days! We can do this, I know we can. Good thing we are flexible…

So after my walk, we started adjusting the To-Do list and added a few more things. Very happy to say, we got several things done today that we kept putting off. One of those things was putting the new car cover in the Suburban. Couldn’t find the one and only key we have! Looked all over the condo - in pockets, the washing machine, drawers, etc. Rich was the last to have them, but he is so organized and would never just put them down anywhere. With the clock now ticking, we called the Chevy dealership. They were kind enough to tell us it would be cheaper to call a locksmith. So we called Doors, Locks, and Keys. They were here within an hour. 

Within that hour, I went into the guest room to check out the readiness to receive guests. Lo and behold, there were the keys in a pile of bungy chords for car cover, registration, and a new cleaning cloth! Of course, it was me, myself and I who moved his neatly arranged pile into the guest room when I was neatening up for company.  🥴

This locksmith has quite the setup - the back of his van is a complete office/workbench. I don’t think he was here more than 15 minutes, including starting the car to be sure it worked. He had quoted us $195 initially, but because we only needed a new key, he charged $100. Sweet! Now we have a spare key for the Suburban, which we have been without for years. No idea what happened to it. 

We took a ride over to the Rec Center to get a windshield sticker for gate access for the KIA. I took a picture of the one on the Suburban to get it updated, if necessary. Drove through the gate to confirm it is still good. It is! Phew…

April 1, 2026 - Wednesday HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY to Nora💕

Water was cold again as the pump hasn’t had time to warm up. Friday will be my last day - hope it’s warmer, although once I’m in it doesn’t bother me at all. 

Jim and Cynthia are back from their trip to Pennsylvania to meet their new granddaughter, Margaux. This was our last jam session for this year with all but one player. We will stay in touch through our TeamReach app through the summer and be ready to meet in November. Hopefully, we will hear from the Activity Committee and the Board to become legit.   

April 2, 2026 - Thursday

Haircut by Joe at 8:30 haircut just to shape and clean things up. No time to walk today…

Had our last meetup with the Aloha Ukulele Group - it has been so much fun and fulfillment for us. These are not only talented people, but kind and caring - always seeking opportunities to help others. They handed the VFW $600 for scholarships from last week’s raffle at the Uke Fest! 

Big, LOUD thunderstorm this evening. We need the rain desperately; the state is regulating irrigation for lawns. And they keep on building…

Apricity South 2

​March 20, 2026 - Friday  HAPPY SPRING 

Walked my walk. Met friends from back home at the Elks today. It was really fun. A fellow Elk, Paul, bought drinks for everyone in the bar. We never saw him before, but as he was leaving I asked him if he would mind taking our picture. He immediately said, “I want to be in your picture!” Ok - who will take the picture of 7 of us? My friend, Bob. So we gathered round the table and Bob took our picture. Paul reminds us so much of, Kevin, a friend back home.

In the meantime, Paul told us he dealt in underground real estate. I knew right away - he was a funeral director. He has 4 establishments and his children are beginning to take over. All of the jokes started coming out - everyone is dying to see him, etc. He gave us each a card in case we needed it - just call Paul. When he asked where we were from, it was all Massachusetts except Rich (New York). He said he was from Binghamton, NY - it so happens that Rich’s daughter, Nora, is working there as a traveling nurse. Then he said he grew up in Rutland, Vermont which is very close to Rich’s town of Whitehall. He used to go drinking as a young teenager at Hampton Manor, in Hampton, NY, which is the equivalent of us going from Lee to the State Line in NY as the drinking age was 18. They knew so many of the same places. 

We skipped lunch and I had a mid-day vodka with cranberry and seltzer. I was so tired and hungry when we got home! Can’t keep up with these youngin’s anymore…

March 21, 2026 - Saturday

Walked with Charlotte and Shotsy. We took our time and really just meandered around the loops. It was amazing to see all of the work being done around the beautiful homes. The power of an HOA (Home Owners Association). There was a meeting last week about property violations - mostly trimming shrubs and trees, power washing, mold and mildew, painting, etc. People have been warned several times through email and snail mail. Now they will be fined $100/day for each violation until they comply. Glad I have a condo… 

When I got home, I dove into the owner’s closet again. Oh Boy! I pulled everything out and sorted it. It’s mostly toiletries and beach bags full of stuff, golf clubs, 4 scooters, a partial bottle of Tito’s, and some kitchen supplies. Anyway, I was able to consolidate, organize, and put it back together - exhausting. I am now acutely aware of how much easier it is to travel in the motorhome.

I have a 2004 Suburban here year round - covered and the battery disconnected. It only gets used while family is vacationing here. Since my son, Randy’s family is staying here for a week in April, we took her for a spin around the community - all seems well except for the windshield wipers which we will replace. 

March 22, 2026 - Sunday

On my walk today, the sun hit the pond just right and I was able to see fish holes/nests where females had fanned the sand away to lay their eggs. There were a bunch of them. As I was taking the picture, I saw a huge daddy fish making the rounds. I assume he was fertilizing those eggs. 

March 23, 2026 - Monday HAPPY 96TH BIRTHDAY, MOM ❤️

It sure felt good to swim again today. Took my uke to Jeff to get the A string replaced. He used a little heavier string this time. 

From there, we went to Sharky’s at Venice Beach to meet up and lunch with 9 friends from Lee. We were an hour early and the parking lot was already filled up. So we drove a ways to find parking on the side of the road. It would have been a hike and Rich was commiserating about it when a Shuttle golf cart pulled up next to us, “Would you like a lift?” WOW! Perfect timing. 

We sat at the Tiki Bar waiting for others to arrive. Turns out the guy next to me was from New England. Oh really, where? Maine. Where in Maine? Preparing myself for yet another person connected with the village of Raymond and/or Panther Pond, I told him about how many people I meet know of them. He says, “I know Raymond and drive by Panther Pond on the way to my sisters.” Oy! He just retired from accounting in April and has been in Venice for 4 months. They have only cooked twice in that time. They go out - cha-ching! He had some scoop on Sharky’s - they serve 2000 meals a day! It is always packed - in the winter by snowbirds and in the summer by the locals. They pay their rent according to the proceeds they earn. Last year, they wrote a check for $1.5 million!

After four hours of drinking, talking, finally getting a table at 2pm, enjoying a very nice meal, and then bidding everyone goodbye, we headed for the parking lot in hopes that the shuttle was still running. No one in sight - so we started walking. Then the shuttle pulled up asking, “Would you like a lift?” We were so happy to see him (same guy) that I asked if I could take a picture. I asked his name - Jack. Then he said he has a twin sister whose name is Jill. His father’s name was Jack, therefore, so was his as at the first born son. His aunt was working in the delivery room at the time of his birth. She said, “If his name is Jack, then his twin sister’s name has got to be Jill.” And that was that. 

March 24, 2026 - Tuesday

Early walk - more fish holes and big daddy still trolling around. I swear he’s two-feet long! 

I added a purple tint to my hair for ha ha’s. It is very subtle, but I love it on cousin Lynn’s hair. So had to give it a try. 

March 25, 2026 - Wednesday

Substitute water aerobics teacher - Barb. Terry had to go to Cincinnati for a board meeting for a couple of days. We were supposed to host the jam today, but I had to cancel due to a churning stomach which I guess was a bug. Slept in the afternoon, had a very light dinner, and went to bed early. Woke up with a headache every two hours. We were supposed to go shopping, but decided to wait.

March 26, 2026 - Thursday

After a shower, I tried to go for a walk, but only made it about 100 yards before I turned around.  No gas in the tank. Going to lay low today.