July 2021



  • July started off with a bang – Hurricane Elsa came up the coast and after much tracking and work warnings, it did virtually no damage.  We barely even got any rain.  Based on the radar, someone was getting it, but it pretty much skipped over us.
  • The weekend before the hurricane we were still getting a bunch of rain.  It limited what we could do and I know Gil likes to go out and do things on the weekend as he spends way too much time in front of the tv during the week.  So we went to a flea market in Lakeland that offered a free circus show and alligator farm on the premises.  The circus performed on two different stages at different times of the day and were basically just local performers with some skill.  There was a girl who had trained cats, a magician, a mime…they were all talented individuals but it was about what you would expect from a free circus.  Gil and I both took our turns to be photographed with a live alligator.  She was a small thing and was very docile when we held her for photos.
  • I went bowling with my friend Jennifer from work last month and I started thinking that maybe this could be an activity that Gil could enjoy.  I brought it up and he started getting arrogant about what scores he ‘used’ to get pre-stroke and I decided to call him on it.  We went to the bowling alley. Once we were there, Gil had to play around a bit and kind of ‘re-learn’ to bowl with his current physical changes.  He got a little frustrated in the beginning but he got it figured out.  Scores aren’t great, but he’s knocking down the pins and occasionally knocks them all down.  We went a 2nd time with Gina & Phil and decided to use the bumpers.  Gina had never bowled before and was learning.  Honestly, bowling is a lot more fun with the bumpers.  We could bank the ball off the side and still get a strike, lol. 
  • After getting my travel plans all solidified, I’ve had to change them again.  I only have 7 pages in my passport.  So…again, the trip has been re-arranged.  In the end, this re-arrangement is providing a lot of other issues to be fixed…like packing for multiple destinations and different seasons.  So, new plan:  I’m only packing for the Camino and Paris….then I’m going home.  I’ll get a new passport and then back to Paris for the 30th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and then off to Africa for a 75 day safari.  I’m going from Cape Town to Nairobi and hitting the Garden Route, Kruger and the Serengeti during the Great Annual Migration.  Its going to be an awesome safari and I wouldn’t have signed up for it if I didn’t need to re-arrange.  I’d looked at it before but I thought it was the Nairobi to Cape Town tour just reversed.  And part of it is, but the part that I did last time: VicFalls to Cape Town is up the east coast rather than the west!  So I’ll get all new stuff except for Cape Town and VicFalls – and those two places will save me some money.  I can also come back and donate plasma for a few months and maybe make a few extra dollars.  I’m going to need to come up with a plan for then, otherwise it will just be costly and unproductive.  But I have time to consider that.
  • Because of the change in my schedule, I will be back in the states for the Honolulu Marathon in December.  Debating on whether or not I do it.  Its another flight plus the cost of the marathon.  Gil might come too.  It could be a nice trip.  And after the Camino, I should be in great shape.
  • I got Gil to do another 5k – this time it was the Cinco de Mayo 5k – we did it in July because that’s when the medals finally showed up (won’t be using that virtual race company anymore).  But we did it, with a few water breaks, sit down breaks and a bathroom break.  And Gils time wasn’t too bad, right around 90 minutes. 
  • I attended a shell ceremony with my local Camino group this month.  We did a lunch and an informational session and a the Shell Ceremony.  It was nice.  I got a lot of good information and I took a lot of notes.   Made some small changes to my packing list based on the info provided and I’m feeling pretty confident on my pack now.  I have it packed except for things that I’m currently using, such as electronics.
  • I used my State Park pass for the first time in a long time.  Took Gil up to Homossassa Springs State Park for a few hours.  We left just as the rain started coming down, it was excellent timing.  On the way home, we swung Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins State Park and then the Werner Boyce Salt Springs State Park.  We got in a lot of steps, took some nice photos (although I forgot my good camera at home) and really enjoyed the day.
  • Oh!  And Disneyland Paris has started doing annual passes again this month!  I'll be able to do that when I get to Paris in November. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

May 2021

Image
May has turned into a the beginning of the next stage.  We’ve been fully vaccinated and the world is slowly starting to open back up.  I’ve put together the Costa Rica trip, which is now taking place in August, as the airfare is much cheaper.  I was able to get it through SW and use my point, yay!  I’ve booked lodging for 11 days - $300 for the first 10 days and $100 for the last day, lol.  I could have gone cheap on the last day, I have places that I use close to the airport, but the name brand hotels next to the airport are usually really expensive and I was able to get one for $100.  We’ll have a full hot breakfast (included in the room) and a ride to the airport.  Our flight is at 8am, so I figured being really close and having that breakfast available would be worth the extra cost.  Plus, a pool, a bar and air conditioning will be nice as we wind up to go home.   I’ve rented a room in Paris for the month of November.  Th...
Read more

Pilanesberg National Park

Image
My last full day in Africa, I had planned to go to Kruger National Park. I had found a 1 day trip that picked up in Johannesburg and I’d paid over the internet. Around 7:30pm the night before, someone from the company contacted me and informed me that they wouldn’t pick me up at my hostel due to problems in the area and I needed to pick another pick up location. Pick up was at 5am and getting up even earlier in hopes I could get an Uber to another location was ridiculous. I emailed the company back and requested to cancel as another pick up location wasn’t practical. I waited around 30 minutes but never received confirmation. I went down to the check in desk at my hostel and discussed the situation with the girl behind the desk. She contacted the company by phone for me and confirmed that they would be willing to refund the pre-paid tour. She then contacted another tour agency and booked me a trip to Pilanesberg National Park instead. I’d discussed my one day trip to Kr...
Read more