We were up early this morning. I set my alarm for 6, but woke up just before it. My friend had already been up and taken a shower, and packed. It was amazing to me that it hadn’t woken me up when she took a shower, since the bathroom is connected to my bedroom, but I was grateful.

I’ve had a little cough, which is associated with the allergies I’ve had. So last night I had a bit of a hard time getting to sleep for the coughing. Note to self, don’t take Mucinex to break up stuff right before you go to bed, because it does it’s work in the first hour or two, and will keep you up. So I got to sleep maybe around 1. Up at 6.

We left early for the airport, not knowing what the traffic into Tampa would be. Luckily, we didn’t run into much, so she got there in plenty of time to check in, etc. We got to see the sunrise over Tampa Bay on the way there. It’s a beautiful clear day again, so the sunrise was not terribly dramatic, no pink and gold clouds, but still the horizen had that rose gold color for awhile. I was sorry to see her go. It’s been wonderful to have one of my besties from CT here, someone who has been a friend a long long time. Our visit was seamless, there was no awkwardnes, there was easy conversation, we both like to do the same things. I think I may go up and stay with her in August or September. September is the hottest month here, so maybe then. It’s generally nice weather and cooler in CT then.

My son called me yesterday, and told me he can take some time off in April, he was pretty sure. Then he called me back and he got it confirmed, so he’s coming to see me in 2 weeks!!!!!! I am SOOOOO excited to see him! He will be here almost a week! I bought his ticket last night, it was only $237 RT from Denver to here! So cool. He says he’s most looking forward to having some good seafood, lol. And he wants to go to a Tampa Bay Devil Rays game. Their field, Tropicana field is about 3 miles from my house, so that’s cool. And we can get cheap seats I think, though I’ll have to check. I have missed that kid so much…..so much.

He put up a status on FB saying he was so so so excited to go to FL and see momma! Sweet kid. It’s been almost 9 months since we have seen each other. So cool…..

So, life is good, really good. Just couldn’t be happier about things at the moment. Love and light, everyone.

It’s my friend’s last night here. We were at the beach, and went to lunch overlooking the beach complete with margaritas. We’ve been sitting around talking, reminiscing. We have been friends for so long, since my son and her youngest daughter were in kindergarten. We used to go boating together, weekends in Montauk, NY, Watch Hill RI, New London CT. I remember when the kids were small, she bought a bunch of sand dollars at a craft fair and we planted them on a small beach in Montauk. Then directed the kids and they found them all, they were so excited! We’d all pile in our dinghy, 4 adults and 3 kids and go into town for dinner. It was so much fun.

Anyway, that was before we both got divorced, and we all thought life was going to end up a lot different than it did.

We got to talking about our dating lives, which we both already knew plenty about, we’ve both helped each other through them. We were talking about the worst Valentines gifts we ever got. Now…she has had more relationships than me, been divorced twice as long. So has more stories. Her worst was giving a guy some wine and a cuddly throw, and getting a keychain with a heart on it in return. He said, to help her find her keys. She said she was reading a book at the time called, “The Rules” which was basically a lesson book in how to tell when a guy is just NOT that into you. One of them was, if the valentines gift is not romantic, he’s just not into you. Keychain, not romantic.

Since my only relationship since I got divorced was the nameless one, I related that I’d not been actually with him on Valentines Day. The only one where I could have been when he wasn’t with Betty was the first one. But he’d done the prison whore about 3 weeks before and we were broken up.

She said, “I don’t think that scenario was in the book.” We both burst out laughing. “If he does a prison whore, he’s just not that into you.” OMG, I couldn’t stop laughing. Yeah, I’d say screwing a hooker is a dead giveaway.

Well, anyway, after we stopped laughing, we gave our hands a hot wax treatment, and drank more wine. Life is good.

Love and light, all.

Turquoise Blue Water

Crashing on white sand beaches

Windy on the Gulf.

I’ve been having so much fun with my friend, I haven’t had time to write. Which is crazy, really! But good fun.

Her plane was 3 hours late, we still don’t know why but Jetblue gave her a $75 credit because of it. I think it had something to do with the crew’s rest time or something. So, she got in around 10, we got home around 10:30 Thursday night and stayed up til 1 am talking. It took me another couple hours to actually really fall asleep, so yesterday I was so tired, but just pushed through because we were having so much fun.

We went into the commercial district down by the water front, and she got to see the town, do a little shopping. They were still taking down the tent etc from the block party we’d missed the night before. We had lunch at an outdoor cafe. Then we went home, put on our bathing suits and went back to the town beach for a couple hours, because God knows if you get to FL from cold snowy New England, you want to get to the beach! We hung out there for a couple hours, which was good for me, I rested, we talked. She and I have been friends for 20 years, we never run out of stuff to talk about, lol.

In the evening we went back to town for the artwalk. First we went to the bar/restaurant where we’d missed St. Patty’s Day block party and had a glass of wine. We walked around a bit and we ended up at Mangia Gourmet, the place where I go to open mic. They had a great band, we had another drink and just sat and listened.

My friend keeps saying how I landed in the perfect town. And how she doesn’t want to go home. And how she wants to move here, lol. She’s much younger than I and isn’t really close to retirement, but is a nurse, and could get a job anywhere, But her kids are up in CT, and she just moved into a new house at the same time I moved here. So, I think she’s tied there for awhile, but will probably move down here when her kids have moved on their own. As it is, they are both successful professional girls, a nurse and a PA. She’s of course not really ready to make a move like that but is weighing her options. She wondered about the hospitals here, how many and what kind of hospitals. I laughed, like this county has the 2^nd highest number of retirees in the country, lol. There are plenty of people who need hospitals!!

Today we’re going over to my sisters on the island. We will hang out at the pool, the hot tub, walk down to the beach, maybe go to a beach market. We’re gonna end the day at my favorite restaurant on the beach.

Anyway, it’s been so great to have her here. I have missed my people from home so much. Really really just what I needed, to hang out with someone who’s known me for so long. Well, off to get ready to leave. It’s a rough life, but someone has to live it, lol.

Love and light.