Back in Naples!

The last few days have been very relaxing.  We got to go to Rib City on Wednesday (fifty cents beer night).  Once again, my baby back ribs were melt-in-your-mouth yummy!

Yikes...I already had two of my ribs before taking this photo!

our favorite waitress, Melissa!!!

We are spending a LOT of time at the beach this last week here in Naples.  The weather has been much cooler (high 60s, low 70s).  We even had rain one afternoon and evening.

more spring breakers having fun

another sand castle - - my least favorite of our trip 

a bit windy; my jacket came off soon after this photo since I was hot wearing it

backing out of our beach parking space...LOVE our car's back-up camera!

state park road

heading back to the condo from the beach...bridge ahead of us

view from the bridge

Roof tiling continues to progress slowly back at Emerald Bay.  The rate this is going, our roof will not be completed by the time we leave to head up North.

roof tiling.....where to park?

back view of some of the units here at Emerald Bay...no new roof yet for this building

our Naples condo.....best rental ever!

getting sick of tiling!!!

some progress is being made...slow progress

Another day, another chance to go to the beach!

We have been watching this downed palm tree get buried more and more with each tide.

pelican flying over pass

yup, another pelican photo

one of the paths that leads from a parking lot to the beach

sandwiches at the beach for supper

Russ at a distance...

Russ up close!

We watched the fishermen for a while.  There was even a man fishing with a net.  No one was catching any fish.

one of parking lot #5's paths

 The next morning, we were back at the beach!

spot the coquinas burying themselves

spot the sand mermaid; terribly constructed hands and head

although the body and fins were impressive

The past few days we also checked out Lowe's and Home Depot.  We began looking at closet organizers, garage storage systems, pendant lighting, patio furniture, etc. for our new house.  It was quite fun!

traffic at the long light on Immokalee at the Tamiami intersection...in January and February all lanes were filled with cars; now many snow birders have returned North

tiling continues...even on Saturdays

Today Russ and I spotted our German beach friends, Harry and Dorothea.  (We had been looking for them the past few days.)  We spent over two hours with them this morning!

Russ, Harry, and I took a walk to the pass.

pelicans flying in the distance

my friends, the birds

Back from Satellite Beach

Russ and I had a great time in the town of Satellite Beach on the Atlantic coast of Florida.  Here are a few more photos taken during our week's stay:

Yes, I am wearing my "fat" shorts! In the far, far distance is Cape Canaveral. 

Few swim in this section of the beach due to the sharp "shell rocks" in the water that can cut your feet and body when surfing.   In this photo, you can see some of these that have washed up on shore.

great waves for surfing

surfer in action

looking south; kids playing in the waves coming ashore 

Lisa is a top-notch cook!  We ate like royalty!

an angel statue placed the backyard in memory of Lisa's mother who lived in this house 

hanging out in the tiki hut

a cute bar off the main street in Melbourne, the town to the west of Satellite Beach

historic downtown Melboure, home to many bars and shops 

riding in Jay's convertible; GREAT car for a warm night in Florida!

great buds (Dennie and Jay)

Blissful Meadows golfing friends - ending five wonderful days days of Florida golf

Dave is wearing jeans because he is about to head to the airport to return to New England's subfreezing temperatures!

Russ and I left Satellite Beach late yesterday morning.  We had a meeting at 3:30 p.m. with our house builder in North Port on the Gulf side of Florida.  (Yes, we are having a house built for us in North Port, FL, at the 55+ community of Cypress Falls at the Woodlands.  We are moving to Florida late summer!!!!!)  We took Rte. 70 across the state stopping in Arcadia, about thirty-five minutes from our new home.  This flat route goes through brush, cattle fields, and orange groves.

Cattle fields on one side of the road...

...orange groves on the other side.

heavy showers for about fifteen minutes; these clouds are leaving

Russ and his family lived in Arcadia for a year twenty-three years ago when Russ couldn't find a music position in New England.  (His parents were living in Naples at the time.)  Russ was the music teacher/band director at the high school in Florida.  His youngest son, Matt, went to kindergarten in Arcadia.  We went by the house where the family stayed that year.  Russ could not believe the changes.  Sadly, the lot was split in two; another house is on part of his orange-grove side yard.  Only ONE orange tree remained on the original lot.  His windmill was in great disrepair.  Russ also could not believe how many stores and restaurants are now in the town.  Arcadia is no longer a little town with no place to go.

Russ's first house rented in Arcadia

Russ bought this house and lived there for the remainder of the school year.

what remains of the old orange grove and windmill

high school in Arcadia

marching band practice field behind this parking lot

orange groves upon leaving Arcadia

We got to Cypress Falls about forty-five minutes before our meeting with the builder.  We visited our lot; it now has a doc box.  Five days from today, action begins on our property (surveying; property stakes affixed).  The lot gets leveled a week from today...and then building commences!  The house should be ready for us mid-August at the latest.

doc (document) box on our property

our lot (between these two homes)

watching this corner-lot house (three houses down from our lot) going up the past few weeks

Russ's brother Paul's lot (yup, he is building, too!!!)