I finally found some internet juice! Thank you, God! My laptop and I are grateful! If I sit in a certain chair in the corner by the window, I can steal I mean benefit from a generous neighbor’s wireless. And gaze at lovely palm trees when I get bored.
It’s been a good week in FL. A really good week. The weather has not been at its spectacular best, but I’ll take 50s in Florida over the Chicago blizzard we missed. Oh, and the earthquake. Did I mention the earthquake that hit our suburban neighborhood while I was away? I’ve always been the Queen of Excellent Timing.
I came on vacation with no expectations other than to soak up a little sunshine with my friend, Lisa, on an End-Of-Winter Getaway. (I thought acquiring a tan would be a nice bonus, but it’s been too cold to tan. But no worries, I have a tube of self-tanner sitting in my bathroom. It’s safer that way, anyhow.)
We’ve done some adventuring, Lisa and I. Here are the highlights:
Downtown Disney!
We made the 2 hour drive to Orlando in the pouring rain, with Serena, my GPS, as our navigator. Serena has Borderline Personality Disorder, and constantly tries to mess with my head, but she behaves around Lisa. So Serena got us to Orlando accurately. We ate caprese sandwiches for lunch in downtown Disney through a thunderstorm. But the rainiest day at Disney trumps the sunniest day at home.
A Murder Tour!
Serena got us to Casey Anthony’s house. I’ve had an odd obsession with that case since the beginning, and wanted to see the family home. We parked nearby, stealth and stalker-like, until I got out my camera. Then Lisa had had enough of my Wannabe Nancy Drew Behavior, and gunned the engine.
YWAM!
We ate dinner at Lisa’s sister, Megan’s YWAM base, and took a tour of the area and her house. I had told God, one day last year, that I wanted to pray for a missionary but I didn’t know of any. Then, out of the blue, Megan, a missionary, sent me some prayer requests. I had my missionary to pray for! Thank you, God!! I may not be one of your brightest bulbs, but I recognize a prayer calling when it jumps up and bites me on the.....never mind. (Inappropriate use of a metaphor.) It was so good to see the YWAM ministry close up.
Victuals and Libations!
We have done wines! We have visited wineries and done tastings paired with chocolates. We have eaten fabulously-prepared fresh seafood, which is my very favorite kind of food at a restaurant by the sea, which is my very favorite kind of retaurant. Steamed little neck clams in a butter-garlic sauce, grilled salmon, shrimp and crabcakes; all so yummy!
The Beach!
I love the ocean almost more than anything. It has a kind of magical aura that brings out my creative, spiritual, peaceful Very Best. We sat on the beach on a chilly day in which the locals were wearing parkas and scarves. We read in beach chairs and collected shells and envied seagulls their lifestyle.
I rate a vacation by how much I obsess about my real non-vacationing life. And this week, I have obsessed very little (which makes this vacation a 9.5. If it was sunny and 80s and I had a week of Good-Hair Days, it’d rate a 10.) I have skyped with my family and texted a few friends, but that’s it. The things in my life that I found really irritating the last few months have completely vanished from my conscience. I haven’t thought about them at all. I’ve just embraced each day with its Floridian Vacation Adventuring. I’ve been blessed with relaxation and laughter and sunshine. And a wonderful couple who have hosted me with such sweet hospitality. And a good friend who invited me here, and a husband who has played Mr. Mom while I’m gone. Blessings abound! Thank you, God.
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