Gator Hunt and then HOME!

Thursday, March 21:   After all of our journeys and misadventures, my brother HAD to get back to work today! SO ... today was basically a day of catching up, organizing my stuff to be ready for my flight tomorrow, etc. Since Carol was working too, I was able to work on my Monday Night Bible study for a few hours in the quiet of their beautiful house.

My dear friend and former roommate, Robbie, lives in Riverview--about 40 minutes from Safety Harbor. We had gotten together last year for about 7 hours of laughter and reunion (after about 15 years of NOT seeing each other). Robbie works as a hairdresser (she has many talents--this is just one of them) and she was off work at 2:00. David dropped me off at her salon and we had THREE wonderful hours together. 

There is something about a kindred spirit friend ... a year can go by ... or even twenty years ... and the re-connection is as smooth as silk, time is meaningless, everything just picks up where it left off, memories are sweet, understanding is deep. God has blessed me with a few kindred friends, but Robbie stands out from them all. I love her dearly. She has the most beautiful heart and she is, by far, the funniest person I have ever met. Being with her, even if it is only three hours, just rejuvenates my spirit through and through. She loves the Lord dearly. She encourages and comforts and sympathizes. She challenges me, always, to walk faithfully with Jesus. She reveals her deep secrets. She loves me just as I am. What a treasure you are, Robbie.

Friday, March 22:  DAY ELEVEN

The only thing not accomplished on my 2019 vacation bucket list was to SEE a real live alligator out in the wild--NOT, mind you, at an alligator FARM--yuck. Who wants to see a bunch of alligators in a closed-in pond ... ???

 So my sweet sister-in-love commissioned her very serving husband to take me on a gator hunt on the way to the airport this morning. She suggested a walk out in Tarpon Springs. Lake Tarpon is a fresh water lake. There are paths and small ponds, and a friend of hers says she says gators there all the time!

 SO ... off we went!

 Doesn't it just look like a bunch of alligators would be hanging around in here? Come out you guys!

 Isn't it beautiful in here?

 Watch out, you birds! There are alligators about!

 David said we had about a half hour to find our alligator ...

 There were lots and lots of BEWARE of alligator SIGNS ... but not a single gator ... chickens!

 Isn't this squirrel SO sweet? I wonder if he knows HOW DANGEROUS it is in here!

 Watch out, bird! There are alligators EVERYWHERE (apparently).

Well ... so much for our gator hunt! It would have been very grand to have seen one of these creatures out in their own habitat ... but we had SUCH a lovely walk back in all of this beauty! I could NOT complain.

Since we had a few extra minutes to spare on our journey towards the airport, I suggested we stop in at Duncan Donuts and have a snack--my treat! So we did! David took this "selfie" of us ... I love this kiddo SO MUCH.

We drove to the airport from here and David dropped me off. I quite reluctantly got out of his truck and hugged him (prolonged) good-bye, teary-eyed and everything ...

My flights home were unremarkable. I did not take a single picture! 

And then I was HOME!

AND I was welcomed home by Dylan, Kelly, and the kiddos! We were super happy to see each other! Aidan was his same funny, laughing little self ... he is blocking the bright sun with his book because it was directly in his eyes.

 And look at Brendan's happy smile! I missed you guys SO MUCH!

 We all went out to eat at a little Mexican place over on 28th Street that I can never, for the life of me, remember the name!

L'il darlin Erin Lucia ... eating chips and checking me out ... she gave me some very big smiles, just not for my camera.