This little outing came up rather quickly a few weeks ago. Mom has Parkinson's disease and, for whatever reason, it was giving her more problems than usual, so my parents decided to come home from St. Petersburg early this year. They were under some time pressure to get home for a doctor's appointment, and they asked my sister and I to help them close their little place for the season.
They have the ritual down to a very exacting routine, actually, from emptying the fridge — "leave the beer for Fred. He likes that kind" — to slipping the panels behind the sliding door — it helps reflect the summer heat — to leaving small pans of kitty litter all over the apartment -- apparently it helps absorb moisture. It works for cats, so why not?
It wasn't all about vacuuming and covering furniture. We had a day to get the short tour of some of their favorite haunts. This bridge will haunt me, that's for sure:
We were already on the water, four lanes of traffic, and we weren't even at the bridge. I stayed calm and didn't throw up. I stayed calm and didn't throw up. I stayed calm and ... We crossed it coming and going to Ellenton Outlets, where I did a wee bit of shopping at the Birkenstocks store (the best part — the clerk didn't smirk when I told her what size).
Of course, we stopped at the beach -- Madeira Beach, about 10 minutes from their place. This is my sister — we both were a little stunned that we were actually here, barefoot on powder sugar sand.
This is me — maybe those smirking clerks have every right to purse their tight little lips. I do have big feet!
I like these pictures of Mom and Dad. Get a load of the bare-chested wonder in the background. It was a cool, 50-55 degree day; even us Northerners had a jacket on.
And, one can't hardly go to the beach and then not bore others with pictures of the water. ...
You're welcome.
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