Minnesota at Last

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We thought Tuesday would be an easy day, and it certainly started off that way. We felt we were home when we crossed the border into Wisconsin, not far from Illinois.

The morning was chilly but we really weren't prepared for the sleet when we stopped for lunch near Menomonie. The sleet got worse but turned to a cold rain by the time we crossed the St. Croix River into Minnesota in the early afternoon.

We picked up our mail and were soon in our own garage. Unpacking most of our stuff was fairly easy and we were both happy to be home. Sunshine briefly graced the sky at the end of another great day.

I ♥ Minnesota.

Practice Safe Text in Tennessee

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Monday was another long driving day, starting in Decatur, Alabama, through Tennessee, part of Kentucky and almost the entire length of Illinois to Rockford. As we approached Nashville, I kept seeing a very catchy sign: Practice Safe Text. Don't Do It While Driving. Turns out the electronic billboard must have been the winner in a contest: great idea and even better message. In the morning, we entered our home central time zone and thereby gave ourselves another hour on the road.

During the long drive through Illinois, as the weather changed from spring in the south to near winter in the north, I thought about the strain of political campaigning in a large state like this one. The culture changes from southern to midwestern in only a few hours, and it must be difficult to spin an honest, effective message on the campaign trail.

We were both quite "shredded" by the time the day ended at about 6:30 p.m. An error in judgment led us to another Comfort Inn, lodging that must be the absolute worst in that hotel row just off I39. The full dumpster behind the hotel gave me a bad feeling, as did the old carpeting and decades old furniture. I was surprised that the WiFi worked quite well and TV wasn't bad either. Nevertheless, I felt we -- or at least I -- deserved better and immediately decided that I would splurge on my hair as soon as we got home.

Bob correctly noted that it was clean and the bed was very comfortable. He also liked the smell of cleaning products in the hallways and the fact that the desk clerk walked around the breakfast room with a disinfectant bottle, cleaning tables with what looked like a clean rag.

I couldn't wait to leave Rockford on Tuesday morning.

Sweet Home Alabama

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We were on the road before 6:00 a.m. Sunday and spent the morning in Florida. We entered the Central time zone and crossed into Alabama almost concurrently. The Welcome Center is knew, and Bob noted right away that the parking area is badly designed, but I thought the entire area was just fine. Until we went through Alabama a month ago, I thought Sweet Home Alabama was the name of a movie. I didn’t realize it’s a phrase used everywhere at taken seriously by everyone. Unfortunately, the photo I took of the Sweet Home Alabama sign was ruined by my thumb print.

My first – and ongoing – impression is that the people are so courteous. The ladies behind the counter in the Welcome Center put me and my sometimes fake Minnesota Nice personality to shame. They greeted me warmly with what seemed like the utmost sincerity.

Later on, a little boy of about five held the door for me and another child at a gas station greeted me with a sweet “Hello Ma’am”. I think I need to work on my manners, and I know I'd like to return to Alabama for a real visit sometime.

We drove into the parking lot at the Comfort Inn in Decatur, Alabama shortly before 5:00 p.m. I’m ashamed to admit that somewhere along the way I’ve become a fussy snob. The hotel was perfectly fine, and for $65 (with a coupon I got at the Welcome Center), it was a bargain. After all, we were at the hotel for only a couple of hours, but I ungratefully think we should have held out for something a little more upscale.

I’ve stayed in my share of real dumps, and this place was a palace compared to many of them. I kicked up my feet to watch a little TV and slept like a (good) baby. The next morning's breakfast was excellent and we were on the road by 8:00 a.m.

Last Days

Last sunset

 
 
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The jetpack guy

Friday was a beautiful day. We had lunch at The Moon Under Water with friends from the Ottawa area, who winter in St. Petersburg. Linda O. and I were high school classmates and we've enjoying getting to know each other as adults. It was a steamy day, so it was nice to be sheltered from the sun on the restaurant's porch. The food was very good: a half-order of fish & chips for each of the man, a salad for Linda, and the "lunch express" special of soup, salad and half sandwich for me. After lunch we did a little grocery shopping and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the deck.




Torrential rain

The biggest thrill of the afternoon was watching a guy with a jetpack high above the water in front of our condo. After a spectacular sunset on Pass-a-Grille, we treated ourselves to ice cream at Paradise Sweets. I've (mostly) avoided rich foods this year but I did have a toasted coconut cone yesterday and it was both delicious and easy on the digestive system. Bob enjoyed his usual butter pecan -- last one until next year.

I got my swim in this morning well before 9:00 a.m. but soon after, the winds came up and the rain began to fall. Bob was sitting on the front deck watching the weather but he came in suddenly when a sheet of torrential rain threatened to drench him. Gulf Boulevard filled with rain again, and we imagined the little Corvette here, with water over the hood. Glad we left it at home, safely stored until mid-April.

We used our time to pack for our departure tomorrow and had a late lunch at Leverock's bore Mass at 4:00 p.m. Bob put most of our things in a cart and filled the car, with only a few items left for tomorrow. We expect to be heading north early Sunday morning.

Eye Opener

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On Wednesday afternoon when we were at Bubba Gump's for lunch, Bob's sunglasses fell apart. Bob dropped the lens and loose screw into one of the baggies I carry in my purse. The first hit on my "optician St. Pete Beach" Google query was Modern Optics on Corey Avenue, only a mile or so from our condo.

The next morning, a few hours into a warm, bright Florida day, we parked on Corey and Bob went into the store to have the screw tightened. Meanwhile, I took a few pictures on this interesting street and did a little window shopping. After ten minutes or so, I finally decided to check on him. I found him at the counter looking at frames. There was no charge for the screw repair.

Modern Optics serves a clientele from all over the country. I was immediately drawn into the discussion and started trying on frames, surprised that I looked great in a large pair of rectangular sunglasses, very different from the round red ones I wear now. The optician -- very knowledgeagle and a great marketer too --  gave me about a dozen pairs to experiment with, all of them wide enough for my broad face. Some glasses had flexible plastic bows, and almost all frames were available in a wide selection of colors and patterns. I was almost prepared to buy a pair on the spot.

We're very happy with our eyewear provider but we learned that our frames are discontinued models, one explanation for the low price we paid. I also discovered that larger "everyday" glasses look better on me than the narrow ones I wear now, and I know that the no-line bifocal would be better in one of the frames I tried on. And why wouldn't I wear a more "daring" frame now that I'm retired? I certainly don't have to project a "conservative" or "serious" image.

One more useful snippet of information: prescription swim goggles don't have to be out of reach either. I always thought they would be prohibitively expensive but that's not the case. I quickly found several websites with online ordering.

We wondered if a similar provider exists in the Twin Cities, and found several possible candidates, including the Spectacle Shoppe in Minneapolis. Because of our visit, we're thinking differently about future eyewear purchases now.