Sunday, January 15, 2023

Life is Better With Friends...



The trail varied between dirt paths and wooden
bridges







 Life is better with friends and we have a lot of them in Florida. At the end of my last post we had just left the Palm Coast after a visit with the Perrys. On the drive down to Winter Park we stopped for a walk and lunch at Gemini Springs Park. This 210 acre nature park was rescued from development by the County and opened in 1996. The multi use Spring to Spring trail there is 26 miles long and we hope to bike it one day - but we didn't have enough time at this visit so hiked the nature trail around the DeBary bayou.

After lunch we continued on to Winter Park, the home of our friends Harpal & Jeannie Dhama. Harpal went to school with my sister Paula and I have known him for over 50 years. Two years ago we stayed in their home twice but without them. They were visiting their sons in California. So it was a happy reunion. We enjoyed walks, talks and some excellent meals. They are able to keep Baby with them while we meander around Florida staying with other friends and family. We'll be back after a week or so to pick it up and see them again. 

A very beautifully plated vegerarian
plate at a local Mexican restaurant.

Harpal and I laugh it up










Our next stop was Jupiter where our friends and neighbors from Shrewsbury. Weezie and Stan Duda. spend their winters.  They had bought tickets to a Historical Society of Palm Beach County benefit called "Was it Murder? Mock Trial" and that proved to be a fun evening, followed by an excellent dinner overlooking the ICW nearby. We almost didn't get to see the show. We arrived just before the 6 PM start and found all the doors to the Courthouse closed. Perseverance won out when a gentleman let us in and we grabbed the last plates of appetizers and a glass of wine before joining the crowd in the courthouse. Audience members had been recruited to join in as jury and even cast members so we missed that opportunity. At this point we were still enjoying beautiful clear skies and warm temperatures. But that was about to change. On the way the next day to St. Petersburg where my first cousin Joanie and her husband Kent live in the historic district right near the parks surrounding the bay we endured some heavy rain and winds. And then the temperature dropped.

More to come in my next post...

Stan, Scott and I in downtown West Palm
Beach - starting to be windy but still
a pleasant temperature.

Weezie and Stan in their lanai overlooking the 
golf course.





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