Home from Florida

OK, I blew it. I promised three a week, and last week I only made 2 posts. My apologize to those of you who are counting… ARE any of you actually counting? Probably not. On the other hand, the week before I made 4 posts, so the last two weeks AVERAGE out to THREE a week… So, I’m good, after all. Right? Of COURSE, right!

One of the reasons I missed a post last week was last week was the week Scott and I flew off to Florida! We had a great week in Daytona Beach with my cousin Kathy and her husband Don, and with my Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Lew.

Friday, the 20th, we flew down from Omaha to Orlando. When we were driving over to the airport, the temp here in Omaha was a mild 9 degrees. Wind chill factor was below zero. We landed to a pleasant 74 degrees in Orlando. So when the rental car agent recommended an upgrade to a convertible, I was very much in favor, especially with a 70% discount!

We headed off to Daytona Beach with the top down, and of course, no GPS so we immediately got lost. We ended up going east out of town, and ended up in Titusville, where we had lunch at a delightful little cafe, Caffe Chocolat.

Saturday began with the requisite morning swim in Kathy’s pool… brrrrrrrrrrr! No, it wasn’t requisite, and I’m the only one foolish enough to attempt it!

After lunch at the Ocean Deck, where I ate my first oysters AND aligator meat, followed by fish tacos (I’m in HEAVEN!) Kathy suggested we go to the Daytona Beach race track. Now let me tell you something. I’ve always considered racing BORRRRRRINNG! Watching cars go round and round on a track on television is a magnificent soporific as far as I am concerned. But, in hopes of being a courteous guest, Scott and I agreed, so off we went to the track.

At Daytona International Speedway you can actually do a ridealong with a racer in one of the cars. Or, if you want to pony up $475 you can actually DRIVE one of the cars. While we were there there were several people who’d coughed up the half k for the drive so we watched them. In addition, a couple of the racers’ mechanics were putting two cars through their paces. Those in the ride along or driving experience were going about 140 mph, and the mechanics were doing 200 plus (or at least so I am told).

For all you race fans out there, and especially for YOU my big brother Bob… now I get it. O! M! G! Just standing there watching those cars, hearing them coming, FEELING them coming, and passing was a huge adrenelin rush! One senses the raw power somewher deep within, viscerally.

Afterwards, we drove down to Ponce Inlet where, it is my understanding, some 500 or more years ago Ponce de Leon first came ashore in Florida, we stopped in for drinks (I was driving, so Diet Coke only for me).

Later Saturday night we ate dinner at Carribean Jacks (or something like that) for dinner (crab cake and cold shrimp) where I saw my next purchase. A small little boat off on the other side of the marina… I think it was only about 75 feet or so and about 3 stories high…

We wrapped up the evening with a fantastic round of WII Bowling (3 full games). I want one!

Yesterday, it was home to Omaha and Council Bluffs and our little girl Princess Nikki! Tonight we pick up Ixchel and our little family is together again!