Roaming Through Retirement



November—Experiencing Florida
A couple of years ago, while on our 18-month RV Road Trip through the eastern part of the USA and Canada, we spent two weeks at the Sun N Fun RV Resort in Sarasota Florida and loved it.  Sarasota is on the west coast of Florida along the Gulf of Mexico and just south of Tampa Bay where this picture of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was taken.  We decided to make it a point to spend a few months here--and that we did this year.  We arrived on November 1 and will be staying through Christmas Eve.  So far it has been great, not only for us but with the friends and family who came to visit us in Florida.   

The holiday season takes on a different character in Florida than what we are normally used to.	Glorine joined a group of intermediate players in a game of Pickleball.
We got to enjoy live music at the Tiki Bar four times each week.  This outside venue couldn't be nicer.	This band was purely awesome.  Both singers had their rock and country classics down perfect.
Dennis and Nancy took a three-month excursion of Southeastern USA in their brand new Class C RV and spent a week with us at Sun N Fun.	Forbes rates Siesta Key Beach as one of the top two beaches in the USA and says it has the finest, whitest sand in the world.  And great for sand sculptures.
Dennis and Nancy joined us for a walk along the beach and couldn't believe how powdery the sand was.	On a tour of Tampa and St. Petersburg, we stopped at the Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Center.
This Manatee, also called a sea cow, came up for air and posed for this picture.  They weigh up to 1,000 pounds and can eat up to 1/4 its weight in sea grass each day.	We all got in several games of Shuffle Ball and a round of billiards.   Dennis surprised us with how good he was at both games.
Al Barnhardt, one of Larry's five Godsons, stopped in for a short visit. He loved Florida and is coming back.	The weather could not have been better as we soaked up the sun on Siesta Key.
That evening we treated Al to a great restaurant with an awesome view of the sunset.	The Sunday following Thanksgiving Denise, Craig, Clara and Chase flew in for a week at the resort.
Back at Siesta Key and the first time for us to really enjoy the warm water along the Gulf.	This sand sculptures was done by a local Floridian and inspired us to give it a try.
Not quite as good as the polar bear, but it was fun working together on this sand castle.	Clara and Chase loved bogie boarding.  Larry and Craig both caught a few good waves at body surfing.
We enjoyed the view at this restaurant that had $5 sliders and other happy hour specials.	This water fountain was right across the canal from the restaurant, where we took an after dinner stroll.
We captured this awesome picture of the kids as they hunted for sharks' teeth next to the Venice Beach Pier.  We struck out, but it was fun trying.	A kind Samaritan stopped by and found out that we were not having any luck, so he reached into his pocket and gave Glorine a handful of these tiny fossilized sharks' teeth.
The 39th Annual St. Petersburg's Boat Show was on and we spent the whole day seeing all the big boats for sale.	We toured mostly the expensive ones--like $3 million. Some had up to four berths, each with private baths.
The exhibitors had boating accessories for everyone. Craig tried this one on for size, but Larry got it as a present from the kids!	Music was playing on our final night together.  The kids were flying home. They took it all in while they could.  Our time together in Florida was wonderful!

November's web page includes November 1 through November 30.