Happy Holidays 2010

These notes record the events of the period from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. This year's Christmas card featured the family Thanksgiving in our new townhouse in Lewes, Delaware. Our virtual insert was similar to the past few years. 

Thanksgiving

We were spending our first Thanksgiving in Lewes, Delaware at our new townhouse with our whole family. I awoke at 5:00 AM, ate breakfast, and started a weights workout before anyone else was up. By the time the other folks had stirred, I was on the bike trainer for an hour's workout. I had prepared the cooking schedule, which didn't start until 11:30 AM. Around 11:00 AM, we spent some time trying to get the kids to all pose for a photo that we could use for our 2010 Christmas Card. Then, after the turkey was on at 11:52 AM, there was a flurry of pre-lunch activity. After lunch, most of the family went out to the movies. Phil, Tom, Eric, Cathy, and I were the only ones left in the house. Phil and Tom played "Black Ops" upstairs while Cathy and I viewed the last two episodes (except the last 5 minutes) of the second season of "24." When the rest of the family returned home, pre-dinner activity continued. I had lots of help with the meal. We all sat down at 6:00 PM and enjoyed a great Thanksgiving feast. After dessert, we adjourned to the basement for a "show" put on by the kids. Later, the adults watched a football game and the kids watched at Taylor Swift concert. It was a wonderful family day.

Friday, November 26

I was up early as usual. The blowup bed that Cathy and I were sleeping on in our basement office didn't have too much air left in it by the time I got up. This was Black Friday and I was determined not to shop on this day. Cathy, Alex, and I went for a 5 mile walk on the Lewes/Rehoboth Trail while Katie ran. When we returned, all of the kids and the remaining adults were in the backyard kicking a ball around. We had pizza and leftovers for dinner. After dinner, Phil left to drive home in preparation for traveling to hunting camp on Saturday. Son Bill, Stacey, Tom, and Katie went to a 9:30 PM showing of the new Harry Potter film. Cathy stayed up until they returned, but I went to bed before 10 PM as usual.

Saturday, November 27

I got up at 4:30 AM. Son Bill, Stacey, and the kids were up around 5:00 AM and on the road by 6:00 AM (they didn't get home until about 8:30 PM). The rest of the family from North Carolina and Pennsylvania were on the road by mid-morning. Cathy and I tore into cleaning the house and were done after a couple of hours of work. After lunch, I did a weights workout and then drove to the Trail for a 5 mile run. My calf felt OK, but it was very chilly out there. I put the top down in the Moonbug in spite of the temperature in the mid-40s and drove to Starbucks in Rehoboth Beach for a cappuccino. We went to dinner at Fish On in the Five Points Village. I added Season Three of "24" to our instant queue and we watched the first episode. It was nice to be back in our bed again.

Sunday, November 28

It was in the 30s when I got up at 5:00 AM. When Cathy awoke, I moved my laptop into the living room and put ESPN on the TV as background noise. I worked on the Sunday Times puzzle and got all of it with a couple of small errors. Then I paid the bills online. After lunch, I did stretches and crunches and then spent an hour on the bike trainer. Afterward, I put the top down on the Moonbug and went out to Food Lion for some shopping. I replaced one of the outside garage lights. Then I used hefty steel sacks to organize our massive amount of trash. We had leftover chili for dinner and watched a couple of episodes of "24."

Monday, November 29

I awoke at 4:30 AM. The temperature was 23 degrees, signaling that we needed to get back to Florida for the winter. I started to look at good websites for some Cyber Monday shopping. Cathy and I spent a good deal of time shopping online, taking advantage of bargains and free shipping. Bill finished his Christmas shopping for son-in-law Phil with a theme of bike maintenance. After our shopping, we got busy on packing. After lunch, I did a weights workout and drove to the Trail for a 5 mile walk. It was chilly and a bit breezy and I kept thinking about Florida as I walked. I stopped at Starbucks on the way back home. We went for dinner at Gallucio's in Five Points Village. We were among a very sparse crowd of customers as we enjoyed our hearty meals on a chilly evening. When we got back home, we viewed an episode of "24" before Cathy took a shower. I unplugged everything upstairs and in the living room and turned the hot water heater to "warm" before turning in for the night.

Tuesday, November 30

I arose a few minutes before 4:00 AM and went out to dispose of the many bags of trash that we had accrued. The location is secret, but a few boxes returned to their home territory. I set the thermostat for 50 degrees and turned off the water before we headed out of the door. We drove to Middletown, DE for breakfast at a Starbucks at about 5:45 AM. We bought a USA Today along with our coffee and food. Then, we drove to the Philadelphia Airport and turned in our Enterprise rental. We caught the shuttle to the terminal and went through security and walked to our gate by 8:00 AM. I used the laptop for a while as we waited. The flight to Fort Myers went well. When we landed, the temperature was in the high 80s. We ate lunch in Chilis in the airport before bailing the Gearcar out of long term parking and driving to Naples, where the temperature was 91 degrees. We checked-in and picked up our mail. I had to hustle to prepare for my 10 mile run. Cathy and I walked together for a mile and then I ran 5 @ 9:34 min/mile. During my pit stop, I put a blinking light on the back of my visor. I ran another 5 miles @ 9:25 min/mile with the last mile @ 8:52. Both calves were a bit sore when I finished and went into my stretching and elevation routine. We had leftover quiche and risotto for dinner. We viewed "A Serious Man" - dark and funny. I didn't last much longer before heading to bed.

Wednesday, December 1

I woke up at around 5:00 AM and ate breakfast without the morning paper, which hadn't been delivered in spite of my specifications in the vacation stop. My right calf was a bit sore and my left calf was less so. I organized the recyclables for pickup later in the morning. Cathy arose at about 6:15 AM, not feeling well, and went back to bed. A cold front was heading our way. We had a bit of rain, followed by wind and cooler temperature. We went to Starbucks/Publix for some shopping. Because my calf was sore, we viewed "24" instead of my riding my bike. After lunch, I drove to the sports rehab for a session for both of my calves - very painful, but hopefully helpful as well. Afterward, we viewed "24" and had an early quinoa and frozen meal dinner. Cathy wasn't up for any activity, so I walked to the clubhouse to help with Christmas decorations. I worked mostly on ladders from 7:00 PM until 8:40 PM. I brought Cathy a couple of cookies and a cup of hot cider. I started watching a strange documentary, "Loose Change 9 /11." Anyone interested should also see "9-11 Loose Change Second Edition Viewer Guide." We put the heat on before heading to bed, as the temperature was predicted to drop into the mid-40s overnight.

Thursday, December 2

I slept in until 5:15 AM and awoke in a chilly house since it was in the 40s outside. I did three crossword puzzles (Naples Daily News, Cross Synergy, and The Onion) before getting going for the day. I did some Sun Salutations, crunches, and stretches and then went out for a short, 1:39 kayak paddle up Gordon River to the Nature Conservatory. I wore my shortie wetsuit due to the cool temperature and the heavy wind. After lunch, we walked to LVCC and talked with Sondra about the need for new students, since Cathy is out of contact with Elda. Later in the afternoon, I took a 10 mile bike ride on the Comet. We watched a couple of episodes of "24" and then went out to dinner at Grouper and Chips. I had the usual Seafood Chowder and Linguini with Blackened Grouper, Cathy had a delicious Grouper Taco meal. We watched a couple of episodes of "24" when we returned home. The heat was on due to the temperature dropping to the mid-40s overnight.

Friday, December 3

I got up at 5:20 AM. I did a couple of crossword puzzles and did some exercise/stretching. Shortly after 9:00 AM I called to cancel my PT appointment for Tuesday afternoon due to the Naples Christmas Parade and the soreness from my last session. Cathy and I went on a Christmas shopping excursion to Stein Mart in North Naples and to the Coastland Mall. I managed to get a cappuccino for my trouble. After lunch, I prepared for a 6 mile run. Cathy and I walked for a mile and then I ran at an easy 9:30 min/mile pace. My right calf gave out after 3.86 miles. I had to walk back for almost 2 miles and noticed that the pain was less when I landed on my forefoot when walking. We watched a couple of episodes of "24" after I got back. We grilled burgers for dinner and watched the last episode of the third season of "24." We thought that this was the best season that we've seen of the show.

Saturday, December 4

Another cool morning, but it was 100% sunny and the wind was light, so kayaking seemed like the best idea. I paddled for 4:45 and 16.3 miles to the mouth of Rookery Bay. I saw a lot of dolphins, one of which swam under my kayak in shallow water on purpose. I also saw a manatee on the ICW (here is someone else's photo of what I saw). I took a shower in the utility room afterward and then ate a late lunch of fresh fruit and yogurt. We went out to Office Max and Starbucks/Publix to pick up some items. I did most of the work in preparing a pasta dinner. We viewed part of "Public Enemies" before tiring of all of the Tommy Guns. We discovered that we were using a laundry soap in the dishwasher when suds spewed out all over the floor. We hadn't realized that laundry products came in the same kind of cubes as dishwasher detergent. (Caveat Emptor!) We watched Virginia Tech beat Florida State in the ACC Championship Game (Katie and Tom were in the stadium) while sopping up the suds. After the cycle was complete, I wiped out the rest of the suds from the dishwasher and sent it through another cycle. I headed to bed at 9:30 PM.

Sunday, December 5

I arose at about 5:40 AM and tuned into ESPN to catch all of the football scores from Saturday. I learned that VT was heading to the Orange Bowl to meet Stanford on Monday, January 3. It was another cool morning. I did some Sun Salutations and crunches before heading out for 40 miles of bike riding. I wore several layers due to the chilly air. It was sunny and beautiful in spite of (or because of) the temperature. It was a bit windy, so doing the laps along the airport was interesting. Both calves were somewhat sore all day. After lunch, we drove to Tin City, where we parked and then walked to Cambier Park with our new Sherpa Chairs. We sat through a mildly entertaining Christmas concert by the Naples Orchestra. The day went from sunny to cloudy while we were sitting. I went to Starbucks before the concert to get a cappuccino, but should have also had a crossword puzzle to do. I had already started the Times Crossword at home, but had no hard copy. We stopped at Oakes Farm Market on the way home. I finished the crossword with two problems: 1. "hopon" as the answer for "board" and 2. "soles" as the answer to "undersides." We had tortellini and gnocchi for dinner and viewed the excellent thriller, "Ghost Writer." It's hard to boycott pederast filmmakers like Roman Polanski and Woody Allen when they make such good films.

Monday, December 6

This was a chilly and windy day, but the sun shone brightly. Cathy tried to go to Fran's fitness class at Rock Creek, but it was cancelled until after the New Year. I bundled up and headed out for a 13.1 mile walk in 3 segments:

I was pretty happy with the way my legs felt and my pace. When I got home after the third leg I registered for the Goofy Challenge at Disney. I figured that I would challenge myself a bit more since I would be walking the two events.

Tuesday, December 7

I got up at about 5:30 AM on a morning which started at 40 degrees. I decided to wait until it got warmer to do some kayaking. Cathy and I went out to shop for a few items at Target and Sunshine Ace Hardware. After lunch, I headed out on a chilly, windy, fishing paddle. I wore my shortie wetsuit, but was still cold after almost 4 hours in the wind. The fish were all hiding from the cold, smarter than I. I had a long, hot shower after returning. Our neighbor, Judd, came over to give us Panettone for Xmas. He sat and regaled us with stories of his flying days during WWII, very appropriate for this Pearl Harbor Day. We had quinoa and a frozen meal for dinner and viewed episodes of Season 4 of "24." This was the night of the Naples Christmas Parade, but we decided that it was too cold to go.

Wednesday, December 8

Another cold morning. I took out the trash and recyclables. The garbage can had been knocked over, presumably by raccoons, but two bungee cords kept it from opening. I had a pretty easy time with a difficult Times crossword. I spent some time researching ways to buy the book, "A Random Soldier" and came up empty for normal online sales. Cathy went to a class at the gym and the grocery store. I put on a few layers and went out on the bike. I only lasted one lap because of the cold wind. When I came back inside, I called Richard Clifton Studios to try to buy a copy of "A Random Soldier." I left a voice message. When 11 AM rolled around, I put a sweatshirt on in addition to 3 other layers and went out for a 20 mile bike ride. After lunch, I headed out for another 20 miles on the bike. For this last leg, I only had 3 layers on top as the day had become warmer and the riding more enjoyable. Cathy was sitting out in the sun when I got back. I set up my bike stand and cleaned the bike before putting it away. I noted from my log that I had cycled for 833 miles so far on the Comet. We had quiche for dinner and viewed the excellent film, "The Girl Who Played with Fire." Later, we viewed a 30 minute segment from the documentary "Restrepo", a companion piece to the book "War" that I had read on the iPhone. Both works reinforce my opinion that the U.S. policy in the Mideast is screwed up and futile.

Thursday, December 9

It was raining hard when I arose before 6:00 AM. I did 4 crossword puzzles, including the Thursday Times puzzle (in under an hour). I did my exercises and then cleaned both bathrooms. I also windexed the mirrors and doors in the house. Obviously I was somewhat bored by being trapped indoors by the rain. Cathy called the office manager, Ingrid, at LVCC to describe her problem with getting in touch with her student and my need for a new student. Ingrid assigned me Primitivo Sanchez, formerly from Mexico as a new student. I called him and set up to meet with him on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM at LVCC. I asked Ingrid to reserve a room for us to meet in. After lunch, the rain finally stopped. I went to the office and picked up our new coffee pot, the same model as we have in Delaware. I set it up to run a cleansing run of just water. Then, I dressed in many layers and headed out for a 13.1 mile walk in three segments. My legs were a bit sore, but not in the calves. I had a hard time trying to get any speed going and ended up with a pace barely under 16 minutes per mile. Later, as I was lying on the floor with my legs elevated, I talked with our friend Linda Keech about some computer woes that she was experiencing. After I got showered and dressed, we drove to Bonefish Grill for dinner. The crowd was unusually sparse, so we sat in a booth instead of our usual spots at the bar. We had grouper and salmon, preceded by the usual Bang-Bang Shrimp. When we returned, we viewed the rest of an episode of "24" that we had started a previous night.

Friday, December 10

I awoke at 5:45 AM and switched on the coffee in the new pot. The coffee was excellent! The morning temperature was in the high 40s, but it became sunny and the wind wasn't too strong. Cathy had an eye appointment at 10:15 AM, so I dropped her off at the hospital and then headed to Starbucks/Publix for some shopping. When I got back home, I watered the plants and got my kayaking gear ready for an afternoon paddle. Tom and Brenda Cox came over to thank Cathy for a get-well gift that she had left for Brenda on Thursday. I showed them around the house and told them that Cathy was at the doctor's. Cathy called, so I drove to the hospital to pick her up. After lunch, I headed out for a 3 hour paddle down to Gordon Pass. I took it easy and enjoyed the warmth of the sun in spite of a pesky NW wind. I went without a wetsuit for the first time in a while. When I landed, I took a shower and then headed out to Target to buy some Winter Solstice decorations for our front deck. We had pasta for dinner and viewed "Please Give", an enjoyable, low-key Indie film. We also finished watching the "Restrepo" documentary. The saddest part of the whole thing was the afterword that the U.S. pulled out of the valley in 2010 - what a waste of blood and treasure!

Saturday, December 11

It was a bit warmer when I arose at 4:50 AM. The combination of chilly air and wind made me wait until almost 10:00 AM before venturing out on the Comet. I rode for 20 miles and then took a lunch break. Meanwhile, Cathy took a walk and we passed each other several times. During lunch we viewed an episode of "24." Around 1:00 PM, I went back out to ride another 20 miles. There was a cold wind blowing from the northwest that made half of each lap uncomfortable. Afterward, we drove to Starbucks/Publix for some shopping. When we got home, I prepared my dinner of quinoa spaghetti, dates, and walnuts. I packed it in a gallon zip-lock bag and put it in the fridge for later. We packed up our stuff and headed out at 5:30 PM to go to the Christmas Party at the clubhouse via the bridge, where a few people were left over from Happy Hour. We had a good time at the party, with good conversation at our table (Alex, Carmen, Jack, Diane, Pauline, Ed) and lots of dancing. We headed home at around 9:15 PM. We viewed an episode of "24" before heading to bed.

Sunday, December 12

I got up a bit after 5:00 AM and got my (first) breakfast. The temperature was in the 50s from the onset of the day, but a front was due to pass through later. I went out at 7:45 AM for a 5 mile walk and completed it with a pace of 13:40 min/mile. I was pretty sweaty by the time I was finished. At 9:30 AM, we went to breakfast, with our neighbor Judd Brodie, at Skillets on Tamiami Trail. They had an excellent menu, but I settled for fruit and yogurt and a couple of toasted bagels which I drowned in jam. When we got home I went out for my second and third 5 mile walks at paces of 14:30 and 15:16 min/mile respectively. The wind became very strong toward the end of the walking. A very narrow front came through late in the afternoon, dumping some rain, but we were able to grill burgers for dinner afterward. We watched a very good Indie movie, "Abandoned", and then a few episodes of "24."

Monday, December 13

I slept-in until 5:45 AM. The wind was howling outside and a freeze warning was in effect from 11:00 PM, so it didn't seem as though a nice day was dawning. I thought about kayaking, but changed my mind as the cold wind continued all day. Cathy did an exercise class in the park and another at her gym. I went to the office to talk with Kristy about my computer workshop starting in January. Then I walked to LVCC and talked with Ingrid about using the facility for tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She gave me a key to the front door and went over closing up instructions in case I need them when I leave. She had reserved one of the rooms for me for Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6 PM this week. When I got home, I wrote a blurb about the computer workshop and sent it to Kristy. Then, I walked to the office and ensured that Kristy had received the email. I picked up a DVD I had ordered about the RAAM race, "Bicycle Dreams." I had read about the documentary in an adventure magazine. After lunch, I viewed the film about the incredible race and the people that compete in it, riding bicycles from San Diego to Atlantic City within 12 days. The winner often does the ride in about 9 days with an hour's sleep a night. Sadly, Jure Robic, the winner of five RAAMs, died when hit by a car while training near his home in Slovenia. Better that way than rotting in his own urine in a wheelchair in a nursing home. We had quinoa and a frozen meal for dinner. We viewed the tolerable chick flick, "Letters to Juliet", which somehow sneaked into my NetFlix queue. It was a beautiful travelogue of Tuscany if viewed with the sound off and several scenes excised.

Tuesday, December 14

I slept-in until almost 6:00 AM in my cozy long johns. The temperature outside was 37 degrees and it was windy as I arose. My legs were still somewhat sore from Sunday's walking, so I decided to take another day of rest. I went to Office Max to pick up a weekly planner for 2010-11 for my new LVCC student. I also bought some new pens. Of course, I stopped at Starbucks on the way back home. A bit later, Cathy and I drove to Lely Palms to pick up our former neighbor Lou Hale. We came back to Rock Creek so that Cathy and Lou could attend the Ladies Luncheon. I ate lunch and viewed the awful movie, "Jackass 2.5" on streaming NetFlix. I spent some time during the afternoon preparing for my first tutoring session with my new student. Cathy and Lou returned from lunch and headed back to Lely Palms. I walked to LVCC and met my new student, Primo Sanchez. We spent a good first hour together. At 5:00 PM, I walked back home via the bridge to talk with the hardy folks at Happy Hour. We had leftover quiche for dinner and viewed a few more episodes of "24."

Wednesday, December 15

I was up by 5:30 AM, when the temperature was 36 degrees and the wind was light. After morning exercises, I headed out at 8:00 AM for a five mile walk. I wore six layers on top, including a wool cap and hood from my coat. I decided to not time myself, but to hit it pretty hard anyway. After I got back and changed, we drove to Riverchase Dermatology for appointments. We both had some biopsies for possible skin cancers. On the way back home, we stopped at Starbucks/Publix. After lunch, I headed out for two more five mile walking segments. The temperature was moderate, so I only wore three layers on top. Two fellow Rock Creekers, Grady and Bonnie, came over to download Malwarebytes to put on a flash drive and install on their computer. We went to dinner at Bert's Chowder House on Fifth Avenue, where we had excellent seafood dinners. We viewed an episode of "24" and then I viewed part of a remake of "Nightmare on Elm Street" on DVD - good special effects, but I didn't like the new Freddy.

Thursday, December 16

The temperature was 39 at 5:45 AM when I arose. Cathy went to her exercise classes. I waited until 9:00 AM to launch in my kayak for a 4 hour, 14 mile paddle down Naples Bay and the ICW. I kept to the left on the way out because of a mild SE wind. On the way back, I noticed a wind shift to the SW and went up the left side of the bay. I still wore my wetsuit in spite of the warmer temperature. After a shower, I ate a late lunch. I received a LiveStrong jersey and a gift card from Amazon from Tom for XMas. Also, Katie sent me a Xmas stocking with coasters and 3 of Rachel's Halloween candies. Later, she told me that she forgot to include a Starbucks card. After lunch, LVCC called to let me know that my student Primo had come in to explain that he couldn't make our meeting that afternoon. Also, they said that the center was to be closed between Christmas and New Year's Day. Later, Primo called and we agreed to meet next on January 4. Cathy and I took a walk to the end of North Road and back, a distance of 3.5 miles. We went to Happy Hour at the bridge. I left early to get our pasta dinner ready. I did 100% of the meal preparation. We viewed part of the very lousy movie "Cop Out", reinforcing the rule that all of Bruce Willis' movies suck except for "Pulp Fiction" and the "Die Hard" series. We viewed a couple of episodes of "24" until bedtime.

Friday, December 17

It was a bit warmer at 49 degrees when I arose shortly after 5:00 AM. Cathy went to her exercise classes. I did 40 miles on the Comet without the benefit, or the tyranny, of my GPS watch which was doing a good job of playing dead. After lunch, I drove to Best Buy to replace the Forerunner 305, my third Forerunner, but they didn't have the model. I went to Target, who had it for $140 and wouldn't price match the $109 on Amazon. I went to Sports Authority, who didn't have the model. I called Walmart, but they didn't have it. I drove to Naples on the Run to buy some Gu Roctane. They didn't have the 305 either. By the time I got home, it was in the low 80s, so I rode for another 20 miles. We grilled burgers for dinner and tried to view "Splice" on DVD, but it was too gruesome and poorly done. We viewed a couple of episodes of "24."

Saturday, December 18

I slept until after 6:00 AM. We didn't have to run the heat overnight and the temperature was pleasant as we arose. The weather forecast and the radar indicated that we were in for a lot of rain. At 8:00 AM, two men from Chariot arrived to do some warranty repair on our park model. I headed out on a five mile walk, which ended with me walking in the rain. It rained very hard for a few hours. We went to Starbucks/Publix and got soaked when we loaded our groceries in the car. After lunch, I headed out for the rest of my 18 miles of walking. It was after 5:00 PM when I finished. On the third five mile leg, I heard a growl and saw a bobcat looking at me from the woods near the yacht harbor. I was a little spooked by it, but walked past the spot again on the last leg. We had quinoa and a frozen meal for dinner and viewed the last two segments of Season 4 of "24." We also viewed the first episode of Season 5 to verify that we had begun watching "24" with that season. Seeing the opening episode this time was different since we knew the backstory of the characters.

Sunday, December 19

I was up just before 6:00 AM. Without the heat on, the house was a comfortable 71 degrees. I spent the early part of the morning getting packed for our Christmas travels. At a bit after 8:00 AM, we drove into Naples for an outdoor church service at Cambier Park. The highlight for me was my pre-church cappuccino at the nearby Starbucks. After we got home, I drove over to the walking trail to unsuccessfully search for bobcat tracks. After lunch, we drove to Belleair to Bob and Marianne Bialas' home. We arrived before 3:30 PM. It was chilly and windy, so I quickly gave up on my plans for a walk to Publix. Cathy wanted to watch the end of the Eagles game, so we had a chance to see the miracle comeback from being down 31-10 with 8 minutes left in the game to a 38-31 victory. We went to E and E Steakhouse for dinner. After dinner, we viewed "Survivor", which reinforced our habitual ignoring of that show.

Monday, December 20

It was 39 degrees when I arose at around 5:30 AM. I did a couple of crossword puzzles during and after breakfast. Bob had to go to work, but we others drove to St. Petersburg to visit the Chihuly Museum there. We ate lunch at The Oyster House in St. Pete. We had good meals served by a grouchy waiter, followed by coffee two doors down. We viewed some glassblowing and bought a pair of glass flowers for our house in Naples. Marianne made a wonderful pasta and squash dish for dinner. We finished watching the final stages of "Survivor" before turning in.

Tuesday, December 21

It was the day of Winter Solstice at 6:38 PM EST. I had planned to do a 18 mile walk on this day and had decided the night before to walk on the Pinellas Trail to the St. Petersburg waterfront, where we were the day before. I got Cathy and Marianne to agree to meet me around 1:00 PM in St. Pete. It was a warmer day, so I only needed three light layers on top and my running tights, calf sleeves, and orange running shorts below. The morning was sparkling clear and the walk was great. I did a "dress rehearsal" with my fuel belt loaded with four bottles of G2 laced with GU Roctane. I ran the GPS watch continually, including for restroom stops (and peeing off the side of the path), for the 18 miles. I averaged 14:44 minutes/mile for the walk. Cathy and Marianne drove to St. Pete and walked up the trail to the Rays' Stadium, where they waited for me to arrive. I walked an extra 3.5 miles to get to the car. We ate in the Alma Restaurant where we had great food at a moderate price. We stopped at a coffee and wine shop on the way back. We went to dinner at Kiku Sushi in Clearwater Beach. The sushi was great!

Wednesday, December 22

I awoke at 5:00 AM and got my breakfast while doing a crossword puzzle. Bob joined me later for his quick breakfast and then he was off to work. We left around 8:14 AM and started driving north, eventually on I75. We stopped at a Ruby Tuesday for salad bar for lunch. We stopped for the night at Hampton Inn in Macon, GA. As soon as we got into the room we called Son Bill to discuss plans for Thursday. We went to a friendly Mexican restaurant for dinner. Later, back in the room, we talked with Son Bill again.

Thursday, December 23

It was 34 degrees in Macon when we arose at about 5:30 AM. We headed north up I75 and headed for the Never Enough Thyme restaurant, where we were to meet with Son Bill and Stacey at 11:00 AM. We were in the area at about 10:00 AM, so we went to a Starbucks. We got a call from Son Bill that he and Stacey were at another Starbucks a few miles away, so we drove over to meet with them. We all went to J. Christopher's for breakfast and lunch items. We picked up the kids from their school. Billy went with Son Bill and Stacey to a doctor appointment. Cathy and I took Sarah with us. We went to Barnes and Noble in The Avenue center for some items for the kids. Then we went to Son Bill and Stacey's house in Cumming. Later, we drove to the Lake Lanier Lights after a stop at a pizza place for dinner. We spent some hours in a long queue and finally drove by the lights. Then, we stopped at Santa's Village where the kids visited Santa. We arrived back at the house rather late.

Christmas Eve

I arose a bit after 5:00 AM and got breakfast. I headed out at 7:30 AM for a 20 mile walk on the Big Creek Greenway. I drove to the trailhead near Exit 12 of Route 400. The temperature was in the low 20s, so I wore 5 layers and heavy gloves. After 12 miles or so, Son Bill passed me on his 20 mile run. When I got back to the car after 14 miles, I shed my coat and gloves. The temperature rose into the 50s and it was sunny, so I walked my last 6 miles in pleasant conditions. I averaged 15:44 minutes/mile for my walk. Son Bill was back at his car when I finished, and we drove to a Starbucks for a debriefing. I called Cathy and got an order for some items to buy at Publix on the way back. Meanwhile, Cathy, Stacey, and the kids went to the farmers market in Roswell. Stacey started in on a whole day of baking and cooking. We had turkey meatloaf and vegetarian lasagne for dinner. I indulged in a pecan pie bar after dinner. The kids put out "reindeer food" before getting dressed for bed. Son Bill read "A Visit from St. Nicholas" to the kids in the glow of a fire. After the kids got to bed, we all pitched in to organize the presents under and around the massive Christmas tree.

Christmas Day

I arose a bit later in order to keep from disturbing the kids. As the whole group awoke, I grabbed a quick cup of coffee. Son Bill and Stacey kept the present opening calm and organized. Highlight gifts were a huge dollhouse for Sarah and a bicycle for Billy. They both received an air hockey table. After opening gifts, we ate a light breakfast, including the Panetone that our neighbor Judd had given us before we left Naples. Outdoors, it had started to snow and quickly put us into a winter wonderland. Son Bill and I headed out for a trip to Starbucks and a convenience store to pick up a bag of ice and three bundles of firewood. When we returned, we moved the large presents to their proper places and played with some of the smaller presents before having a sumptuous brunch. Afterward, the snow was deep enough for playing outside with the kids. Later, we enjoyed a quiet Christmas afternoon. We had our Christmas dinner of filet mignon and grilled swordfish as the snow continued. Late in the evening, I brushed the snow off of the XTerrra with a broom, but the snow continued to accumulate. The final total was about 4 inches. The temperature dropped into the 20s and was slated to continue below freezing for a couple of days. We wondered if we'd be able to leave in the morning.

Sunday, December 26

I was up around 5:00 AM. The hill leading out of the Autumn Hills neighborhood looked very icy and challenging. The TV news indicated that the major highways were OK, so we decided to leave at around 8:00 AM. We packed the car and said our goodbyes. I shifted into 4 wheel drive and we made it up the icy hill very easily. We gingerly drove the few miles to the highway before shifting back to 2 wheel drive. The rest of the drive back to the Bialas home in Belleair was very easy, but the traffic was heavy. We arrived just before dinner time. I grabbed a quick shower before we enjoyed a hearty meal of leftovers from the Polish Christmas Dinner of the night before. Bob's sister Joan was also visiting. We watched a football game after dinner.

Monday, December 27

I was up at a bit after 5:00 AM. I did all 3 crossword puzzles from the morning paper and the Times crossword online. At 8:45 AM, Marianne and I drove to Bob's office in Clearwater, where Bob removed two squamus cell cancers from my right ear. Because I tend to bleed copiously, Bob wrapped my head in a bandage to keep compression on my ear. We all ate lunch back at the Bialas house before we drove back to Naples. We arrived back at Rock Creek at around 4:00 PM. We stopped at the office to pick up our mail and then went to Starbucks/Publix for some shopping. Back at home, we unpacked and organized our things. We placed our glass flowers, our Christmas gift to each other, on our glass shelves. We were happy to be back home after a very nice trip. We had quinoa and a frozen meal for dinner while we viewed "Chloe", a good drama. I needed to take some Tylenol with codeine to help me sleep.

Tuesday, December 28

I arose at 5:30 AM. The outside temperature was 35 degrees and we had frost on the windshield of the car. I did three crossword puzzles for get the day underway. Our neighbor in Delaware, Gina Timmons, sent us some photos of the snow at our townhouse. Bill Hynes sent us a print of the group photo from his 70th birthday party in Oil City, PA. I took that photo and the collage from the BassMan half distance duathlon to Office Max and got them scanned. Cathy and I took a rather cool and breezy walk along the airport. We went to dinner at Grouper and Chips. When we returned home, we viewed "The Lightkeepers" - a raging chick flick.

Wednesday, December 29

I awoke a bit after 5:00 AM. I did a couple of crossword puzzles and took out the trash. Then I did some stretching and exercises and took a 5 mile speed walk @ 14:22 min/mile. At 10:00 AM I went over to Bruce and Marsha's home to fix a problem with a "Security Shield" virus. I had brought my laptop and looked up instructions on the web and then downloaded 3 pieces of solftware to copy to their computer and install and run. Seemed to work. After lunch we went plant shopping. We bought an orchid for our bedroom from Driftwood Nursery on Tamiami Trail and Bird of Paradise and two bromeliads at Home Depot on Naples Boulevard. When we got home, we planted everything except the orchid. We went to the bridge for Happy Hour. We had pasta for dinner while we watched the lame chick flick comedy "Bounty Hunter."

Thursday, December 30

I slept until 6:00 AM. I did both crosswords in the Naples Daily News for a change. Cathy went to exercise classes in the park and at the gym. I did some stretching and floor exercise and then went out for a 10 mile walk. I carried G2/Roctane in a couple of bottles in my fuel belt. I averaged 14:35 minutes/mile for the trek in spite of 2 pee stops and an interruption for a shouting match with 2 people with 6 loose dogs on the path. The guy in the pair had 4 black dogs with him and drove a black car with Florida license J06STV. Later in my walk the guy stopped his car and got out to talk with me. We agreed that if he controlled his dogs while I exercised I wouldn't report him. When I got back from my walk, I tried in vain to get his name and address from various web services promised more than they produced. After lunch, I did bills and discovered a very high propane bill at our Delaware home. I emailed Ed Dee, but received an "out of the office" reply. I went to the clubhouse to check on a VGA jack on the big TV there and found that it existed. Cathy and I drove to Best Buy to get some cables. Back home, I was able to connect my laptop to our TV for video, but not sound. I discovered that I needed a male-to-mail mini-jack cable, not the mini-jack to RCA cable that I had bought. We drove to the Naples Botanical Garden to view the Winter Solstice celebration that was in its final night. The area was lit with torches, providing a lovely scene for a balmy night. We went to dinner at Bonefish Grill afterward. When we arrived back home, we viewed a class B movie, "The Square."

New Year's Eve

I awoke at 5:30 AM after a night without heat for the first time in weeks. I did both crossword puzzles in the paper before heading to my laptop. Cathy went to her exercise classes. I worked on materials for the computing workshop that I'll be running on Wednesday nights in the clubhouse from 6-7 PM. I signed up for a domain name to use for a website to store handouts and examples. The temperature reached 80 degrees, but the sky was overcast for most of the day. After lunch I drove to Office Depot to buy a few items for the workshop. We left at around 4:30 PM to drive to the beach at 7th Avenue South for the Rock Creek gathering for the sunset and fireworks. It was a beautiful evening with a great sunset. The fireworks were very nice and enhanced by reflection in the calm water. We spent some time gridlocked in traffic as we worked our way back home. We went to a party and bonfire at Fran the aerobics instructor's house. There was a good crowd there. We headed home by 11:00 PM and watched the ball drop on our small TV.

It was a great year. We enter the new year of 2011 with high expectations.

 

William G. McArthur