The middle days: a weather turnaround!

Tuesday 8/5:

My last check in was Tuesday morning, where I lamented some bad weather plaguing our first couple of days.

Well I’m pleased to report that while we didn’t instantly get perfect blue skies and sunshine, the weather has mostly been a non-issue! Yay!

Tuesday morning as I wrote my post, there were bits of blue sky- looked promising!

After a long and lazy morning on the balcony and a short walk with my mom to a convenience store, we eventually met up with the boys, Ivan and my dad at one of the pools.

Unfortunately, my time there was a bit limited. I had enough time to swim for a little while and warm back up in the hot tub (the pool is a little chilly compared to the hot Florida air and also, I’m a wuss about cold water), but then an isolated storm cloud popped up.

This pool is an indoor/outdoor pool which would be great if it were just raining, but we could hear some thunder rumbles, so out we went. (They come around and close the pool anyway any time lightning is within 10 miles).

It was lovely while it lasted, though!

Fortunately, by the time we gathered our stuff and got back to the room, the little “storm” had basically rolled on by. We puttered around for a bit, sat on the balcony, etc… and then decided we’d walk to a nearby beachfront tiki bar for lunch.

It was a little farther than we thought – almost a mile. I mean, totally not “far”, but it was also HOT with the sun back out. 😅

We decided to walk along the street so our feet wouldn’t get all sandy on the way there, which I think was maybe a bad decision. At least along the beach we could have cooled our feet off in the ocean!

After a few complaints from the peanut gallery of “why didn’t we just drive”, we made it. 😆

It was also pretty hot in this tiki bar, but this place is a tradition for us. It has a fun tropical vibe, surfer theme, reggae music, etc.

We ordered food- I got a grilled chicken sandwich with tomato, onion and lettuce, some people got quesadillas, etc. And, beers + lemonades. 🙂

The boys played a few rounds of pool, always fun.

Chatting over cold beer on a hot day:

I took my beer to one of these swinging chairs and almost dozed off. 😅

Eventually we walked back to our place, this time along the beach!!! Felt MUCH better.

We cooled off in the air conditioning for a little bit and then headed down to the beach/pool for the rest of the afternoon.

I took my little beach chair down to the water’s edge and sat for a long time there, so I was mostly dry but the water would just lap up onto my legs enough to keep me cool. Felt really wonderful and relaxing.

The boys played in the waves.

I went in for a little bit, but maybe due to the recent storms, there is a LOT of seaweed this time!! Not huge clumps really, but just little pieces floating everywhere that make it feel like you’re swimming in grass… or hair. We’ve never experienced that here before (and we’ve been to this area many many times), so I don’t know what the deal is. It’s disappointing, because usually the water is crystal clear and so gorgeous here- one of the reasons we like this area! 😢 Anyway, many people don’t seem to be bothered by it, but it gives me the ick! So I have been sticking more to the pool, sadly.

I moved up from the water and sat by my mom after that:

And that was basically the whole afternoon! At some point went up by the pool/hot tub and hung out by Ivan and the boys there, too.

We finally decided we should head upstairs to get cleaned up- since it was nice and dry, we wanted to go out for a beachfront seafood dinner.

Finally took a shower:

Then, since we had all sort of “dressed up” (slightly), we snapped some family pics:

Heading out.. love seeing palm trees everywhere! Haha. Exciting for this Wisconsinite.

At dinner, with a beautiful sunset sky behind us and a tropical drink in my hand:

Key lime pie for dessert, my fave! We shared it and all just had a few bites. (Could I have eaten the whole thing? Absolutely. Did I need to? Nope!)

Back at the condo, a bright moon over the ocean. So pretty. Love the ocean sounds at night.

Then, possibly induced by a little too much food, pie and a rather strong drink (that I don’t usually drink!), I conked out early and was in bed by a little after 10. I felt soooo tired!! Probably also a compilation of a few much later than usual nights for us, too.

Wednesday 8/6:

I slept a glorious full 8+ hours (probably first time I’ve slept >8 hours in… I don’t even know how long. Usually I just can’t/don’t!) and woke up without an alarm a little before 7.

As usual, made my English Breakfast tea, headed to the deck, where, also as usual, my mom was already up… 🙂

The morning looked stormy in a distance, but seemed to be staying far enough away that we could still sit out. There were some rain sprinkles by us but not enough that they reached us under the covered part.

I read, etc until almost 9 and then decided to hit the gym. (I had “intended” to workout every day, since this is a chill/relax trip and there’s really no reason I couldn’t… but, I just didn’t! Until yesterday.)

Ethan and Ivan joined me. The condo gym is just okay. Has some nice cardio equipment- several good treadmills and ellipticals, and one bike. For weights, it has 4-5 machines- leg press, lat pull down, chest press, etc. But… the dumbbell selection was laughable.

Here were my choices:

I did 10 min on the elliptical to warm up, and then pieced together a little leg workout.

I did 4 sets of leg press, and then used the 25 lb dumbbells to do static split lunges, single leg Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges and some plank cross arm taps for a little core. Relatively quick workout and decent!

Satisfied enough with that, we headed back, changed and then, since weather was still a little cloudy/maybe wanting to storm but it couldn’t seem to decide, we went out for brunch at the Waffle House!

We northerners get a kick out of Waffle Houses… they’re kind of our little “welcome to the south” beacon when we drive down. Once you spot your first Waffle House, you know you’re in more southern territory!

Okay, yes, it’s kind of a greasy dive diner vibe in there, but it was SO GOOD!! I got some combo plate with “everything” (YOLO) and Ivan and I shared the big waffle, too. I soooooo rarely eat waffles (or pancakes)- they just aren’t really my thing. But this waffle was good. Yes, I felt a little grossly too full by the end, but it was worth it. 🤣🤣

Then, after brunch, the weather was cleared up, just as we’d hoped. So then I stuck my bikini on my now feeling bloated and carb overloaded body and went to the beach. 😅 (Actually, I think I laid down for a 15 minute “power nap” on my bed, first! Didn’t sleep but I felt drowsy after all that food lol!)

Me with my mom 🩷

The boys again in the ocean:

Then later we spent a long while at the pool, which somehow we got basically all to ourselves!!

Eventually they went up and I went back to the beach to gather my chair and sandals, which I had left on the beach. It was so beautiful by this point, late afternoon….. I sat down for another half hour or so to wait for my parents to get back from their walk.

It was already after 6, I think, by the time we all got back upstairs. We briefly debated what we wanted to do for dinner. I didn’t really feel like getting “cleaned up” enough to go out… and neither did the boys.

We decided we’d eat in and have the opportunity for:

a) great sunset viewing from our balcony

b) time to go to the pool and hot tub after dark (something we always like to do, but hadn’t done yet) and

c) going down to the beach to walk along the water after dark and look for sand crabs (another tradition we always do at least once and love).

I snapped these pics of the boys… aren’t they just getting so handsome? I realize I’m incredibly biased, but still. I really think they are! 🥰

The sunset was breathtaking. The BEST views from this 11th floor balcony! I really, really love the huge balcony at this place.

53+ years of watching sunsets together… ♥️

The boys agreed to pics with their mom… 🙂

And then, out of nowhere, this sneaky little cloudy popped up! And ruined our perfect “sun dropping into the ocean”. Hahaha. Oh well.

These people below were having a bonfire which looked fun! (It’s a thing you can pay for and they’ll set it up for you and provide smores – not sure it’s allowed for regular people to just make bonfires on the beach?)

Ahhh so so pretty.

At around maybe 8:00 we went back down to the pool! It was nearly empty, so it was perfect.

Finally, the boys, my mom and I went down to walk on the beach. I had packed some flashlights.

It was beautiful and balmy – a big reason we love Florida in the summer. The nights!!! Are so amazing. Warm and so comfortable without being “hot” but not even a touch of being chilly either, which I love.

Found a huge sand crab! And lots of little ones.

And that was a wrap on Wednesday!

That brings us to today, Thursday morning. It’s looking like our best weather day yet- clear and sunny and should stay this way.

We’re planning to place and order for peel-and-eat shrimp from a local seafood market for lunch to eat at our place, and I think perhaps go out for more beachfront/seafood somewhere tonight! Otherwise, more reading, lounging and relaxing is in the forecast.

Oh! And look! I just noticed- it looks like the seaweed has mostly moved out farther!! See how clear it now is along the shore?

Okay, off to go start my busy day! 🤣