Gezelligheid

Our Christmas and New Years were spent on the road traveling, visiting friends, and at our yearly vacation spot on Longboat Key.  Everywhere we stayed, with family and friends, was gezelligheid. 

I love gezellig, watching a movie at home with the warm ambiance from the fire and pretty Christmas decorations, along with a dog or cat or two.  Traveling is not always a warm and fuzzy experience.  But while we traveled, staying with friends, and spent a week at the condos, we experienced gezellige homes, over and over again.

Gezelligheid has NO accurate English translations.  People will try and try again to tell you that it means cozy… or quaint… or familiar…or friendly… or a nice atmosphere… or a fun time, but you get where this is going; no one word can really sum it up.  Gezellig and gezelligheid are less about a word and more about a feeling.  It's the general togetherness that gives people a warm feeling when time is spent with loved ones, especially after a long absence.  (Dutch words)

I have decided that Windows 10 is not gezelligh.  It is evil and completely unusable with Blogger.  Something needs to go, and I need to decide what.  For this blog post; as you will see - photos, text, and spaces are not placed well.  I have spent hours trying to get rid of spaces, and move photos with text.  IMPOSSIBLE!!! 

Sunday, Christmas eve, after taking sweet Maggie to the dog kennel, securing the house for our absence, kissing my kitties goodbye (all the while telling them to behave) and getting a ride to the airport... I sat and waited for a delayed flight.  After five hours at the airport I was finally on the plane (seen right), heading to Orlando.


The flight went well, in spite of the baby across the aisle that cried the WHOLE time. 

Joe picked me up at 7:00 and an hour later we arrived at Sarah's (where the stockings were hung by the chimney with care). 

Two glasses of wine helped me unwind and relax while Dan and Diane (Sarah's daughter) watched TV with Joe.

I chatted with Sarah and her sister Martha out in the kitchen and before long I was ready for bed,  but first I had to do a little stocking stuffing.

Now they were too heavy to hang, so we placed them on the hearth.













Christmas birthday morning, while my tea steeped, I walked across the street and out on Sarah's dock.  I sat in the Adirondack chair and enjoyed the fresh, crisp air, and the view of the lake.

Sarah, her sister Martha, and I, all enjoyed our morning tea.

Once the 'kids' woke up, it was time to dig in to our stockings.  Daniel got new black socks, among other things.  Joe transferred his loot into a shopping bag.


Sarah Santa was extra nice to the Villhauers.


Daniel helped Elanya put together her new doll house.

I had an absolutely wonderful Christmas morning especially watching Elanya opening and playing with her gifts.

One of my many gifts from Sarah was two oyster shells that have cultivated pearls.  They were preserved and in air tight plastic.

I got a white pearl and a purple one.

We left the gezelligheid of Sarah's and headed for Mom's, arriving there after 90 minutes.  Once we got settled in, we decided to go out for a large, late lunch.  Joe called, probably ten places, and finally found an IHOP that was open, and off we went.  I was rather disappointed that I couldn't have a salad because they didn't have lettuce.





I took a much needed 90 minute walk around Mom's neighborhood.  This is the bougainvillea by the tennis court.

Ibis on Hartridge Lake by Mom's condo.





A rather friendly, curious squirrel that let me get quite close to him.


We had snacks for dinner and Mom and I hit the hay early.

We were up and out the door of Mom's condo at 7:15, made quick tracks to Tampa airport, and I was so thrilled to see Britney (it's been a year since I've seen her).  We stopped at a Denny's because Britney had not had a real meal in over a day.  (She had spent the night on a bench in the Ft Lauderdale airport).





On to Longboat Key, we were thrilled and amazed that the units were ready and we were permitted to check in over four hours early.  Once the car was unloaded, Joe and I went to the pool, Britney and Mom went to nap, and Daniel took his military suit to the dry-cleaners.

Once I'd had enough sun, I came in and unpacked and got the Christmas tree set up.

Joe and I with Dave and Mom

Dave grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats for dinner while Patti got all the other yummy fixin's ready.

Cathy and Ralph arrived after dinner was cleaned up.  Carol, Chris, and Travis arrived at 10:30.  And Courtney, Mike, and Valencia arrived at 11:30.  We all made it to Silver Sands!

Nicole, Patti, and Britney

Michael and J.J.

Breakfast at the beach front condo.

The week flew by and various individuals did the usual walks, sunning at the pool, sitting at the beach, reading, swimming, fishing, Pokémon hunting, going to the gym, playing poker and other card games, watching movies, sitting around chatting, biking, shopping, computerizing, bird watching, viewing sunrises and sunsets, AND ESPECIALLY eating and drinking.

I didn't keep track of what happened when or who cooked what dinner... ain't nobody got time for that.
I just took photos to document and remember the fun.

David with other beach loungers.

Mom opening Jean's gift basket to us.

Camera war with Ralph.

The beautiful blanket Courtney knit for me.

My beautiful daughter Courtney

The shawl Courtney knit for Mom.

Unicorn fun came in two different gifts.

Courtney, Britney, and Valencia opening the oyster shells from Sarah, that had cultivated pearls in them.

Tabitha, our wonderful house service lady, dared to enter.

One of many sunsets.

Dave and J.J. fished almost everyday.

Britney took this, peaking through the Christmas tree and also this of the sunrays on the gulf, that peeked through the clouds.

On our way to the boat tour at Mote Marine.

Spotting dolphin and many different birds.

We got off the boat and had a nice nature walk on this little island.  It was a good opportunity to take a bunch of photos.

Michael, Carol, Holly, Nicole, Patti, and Travis. 

Courtney photo bombing this one of Dan and Valencia.

Britney, Nicole and Valencia by a black mangrove. 

Britney and I faking a discovery.

J.J. making fire like a survivor.

Back to the boat and we were underway.

Once across the Inland Waterway, out in Sarasota Bay, and heading back to Mote Marine, we were going into the wind and it was cold. 

We dropped a net and trawled for awhile.  Once the net was pulled ashore, Ashley our scientist sorted through the various sea weeds and pulled out marine life.




She put them in containers with labels and passed them around.

Feeling cold when we got home, warm tea and sitting inside occurred.

Another beautiful sunset.

Carol, Dave, and I saw this raccoon on the boardwalk that would not back down and 'run away' so was kind of scary.

Moon ring. 

Just before sunset on Saturday 30th, we had a professional photographer take pictures of us on the beach.  Some were taken closer up to the condo and some by the ocean's edge.  Everyone was a good sport about posing in different groupings.  I will post the pro's photos in another blog.

 

Michael the pro-photographer took this sunset photo once we were all done.

It had cooled off by the end of the week so we had to bundle up a bit more on our evening walks.  We were giving Britney a hard time about her Peruvian hat, but then wished we had one too, while out in the wind.

The last poker game, concluding the week's tournament.










Courtney was the big winner.



















Sea gull waiting for the catch of the day.



























Another sunset.

Getting ready for a night on the town New Year's Eve.



The view of the moon rising over Sarasota as we drove into town.







We arrived at Sharkey's early and the 7:00 reservation would not be ready until 7:30, so we had an hour wait.  Pokemon gaming, tourist shopping, and a walk on the boardwalk occurred while we waited.

 

We finally got seated and all had a very enjoyable dinner.

Then it was outside for the beach New Year's Eve Party, with band, dancing, and bondfires.

The band wasn't that great, so there wasn't much dancing, and it was cold, so we left at 10:30.  

Home at 11:30 for a quick New Year's toast and a little noise making when the ball and pineapple dropped...
then us old farts went to bed.

It was a cold, rainy, New Year's day... perfect for sleeping in, watching football, working on this blog, gaming on computers, etc.  The only time I went outside was when Carol and I walked to the gym to workout. 

Britney and Carol went beach combing once the tide went out.  The high waves hadn't brought in as many shells as hoped for, but they found a few good ones.   

One last sunset photo taken earlier this week.

Tuesday the 2nd, we all packed up and headed for home.  Joe drove Britney and Travis to Tampa airport at 5am and returned to take a nap.  We left the beach condo at 10:00, took Dan and Val to the car rental in Sarasota, and drove to Jim and Debbie's in Jacksonville.  Traffic was heavy and slow moving.

It was so nice to finally get to Jim and Debbie's.  The drive hadn't been that long or bad, but I hate sitting in the car more than a few hours.

Jim and Debbie have a house full with son Jeff, his wife Erin and their daughter Kennedy.  Seen above, Kennedy checking out Joe.  Seen right, Leo (the little one, of three dogs) who was allowed inside and a great lap warmer.

We played lots of bridge, had a fantastic dinner, and enjoyed relaxing and chatting.

Wednesday it was very cold, rainy, and windy.  Debbie and I went to the YMCA mid-morning after it's delayed opening because of the weather.  We had a good workout.  Meanwhile, Joe and Jim went to the casino.  The temperature dropped throughout the day.  Winter storm Grayson was storming up the coast, causing havoc as it went.

Late afternoon, we four loaded into Debbie's car and drove up to Jackson Beach to visit Greg and Gilda at the condo they rented for the month.


After drinks and snacks and great conversation we went to Poe's for a fantastic dinner. 

We bundled up, climbed into the freezing car, (the temperature was below 32) and drove the 45 minutes back to Jim and Debbie's.  

We all had a night cap, mine was a hot chocolate and rum toddy, and finished a bridge rubber we had started earlier in the day.






The temperature early Thursday morning was 23 degrees.  We waited until 10 am to leave Jim and Debbie's, giving the sun a chance to melt any water that had frozen on the road.  


30 miles into Georgia, we hit the beautiful glaze of ice that covered the trees.  Thankfully the highway was fine.  






We were a day behind winter storm Grayson's path, but the roads in the south don't get cleared.  Due to several accidents, I-95 was backed up for miles, from where we were to our exit, so GPS re-routed us.  We soon were in frozen slosh on the back road. 

Then in shady areas (and on bridges) we found that the road was snow-packed and icy.  We had one near accident and I went nuts.

We finally, safely arrived at the Stretch's in Sun City, outside of Bluffton SC.  Hilton Head island (15 miles away from Bob and Marge's) had gotten 4 1/2 inches of snow Wednesday. 


It was a late, white Christmas. 

I enjoyed all of the decorations they left up, on account that we were coming.  

Marge had cooked a great hot turkey and cheese melt sandwiches we had for lunch shortly after arriving.  And later we had a fantastic salad and home made lasagna for dinner.  We had chatted and shared stories and photos all afternoon and late into the evening.  So good to catch up with each other.

 Friday morning after bacon, eggs, toast, and cranberry bread, we were on the road for home.  It was icy in spots, leaving Sun City, but clear sailing the rest of the way home.

In the car for over seven hours, plus one gas stop and rest stop.  We got to the kennel and busted Maggie out from her play group, ran into Food City for necessities, and were home by 5:30.

The Christmas lights were on timers and already on, Jan had turned up our thermostat, and once we got everything unloaded and had dinner, I showered and was in my PJ's before 7:00.

I wanted to get this blog done and posted but Monita wanted to snuggle and made it difficult.  At last I decided I was too tired and went to bed, where both cats joined me.

I love the gezellighe of home.  There is no place like it.

 

I mentioned in my post of Saturday 12/23, that after shopping for Christmas sales (at Tractor Supply which I didn't disclose) I had come home and worked 90 minutes on a surprise project.


These are the photos I took to show and tell you after the surprise reveal.

A month ago I had seen this rooster outdoor Christmas decoration and sent a photo to Patty, who collects roosters.  She actually kind of liked it, but it was too expensive.  Well at 40% off and splitting the cost with Shirley and Joe, we bought it as a retirement / house warming gift.

However, there was a fair amount of assembly needed.

Step 1- spread out all the pieces.  Stevie quickly climbed into the hollow body of the rooster and Monita was in pursuit of Stevie.  In spite of pet curiosity, I got most of the rooster together, saving the wings for later.

I did have to disassemble part of it to place the power cord down the leg and out the back.   The instructions gave no hint as to how to bring the cord out from the inside of the body and I didn't realize the problem right away.

I took the rooster to Patty's, taking care not to get too much glitter everywhere.  I got the wings on and then had to move one of  Patty's large ceramic roosters.  I placed this silly new one on this table, and now, actually really like it.  Welcome to your new gezellighe home and to Fairfield Glade Patty.