It always seems like our week at Long Boat Key goes way too fast. Like most people, I want to keep a good thing going. The majority of us don't want the holidays or a vacation to end. And who wants to leave the beach, warm air, and sunshine, to head north? 
Wednesday 1/1 - New Years Day - The most difficult part of vacation ending, is saying goodbye to family. Britney, Dan, and Valencia had to depart a day early to get back to their jobs. At 6am, they all left with Joe, who dropped them off at the Tampa airport.
This photo had been taken the night before when I was trying out a racing game with Nicole, Val, and Dan. I gave it many tries, but did poorly.
Cathy showed up for breakfast in an even wilder combination of attire than the first morning.
We had one of our better views of the beach and ocean because it was a clear day.
As people slowly emerge from their condominiums, we always gather for breakfast at our ocean view condo. This photo was taken by Carol a few days earlier.
These two photos were also earlier shots of Carol's, of one of our street walks, and another of one of our beach walks.
The beach had really changed because of erosion from all the tropical storms since last year, leaving a big ledge of sand to climb up and down.
This is one of the nights when the evening's game was poker. 
And this is what the main area of the large condo looks like when filled with most of us.
Carol got many good pelican photos, this one I really like.
Several had played a few ferocious games of shuffle board the day before and complained of sore arms the next day.
During one walk, we had the pleasure of watching at least seven manatees feeding in this canal.
In another neighborhood, where there had been a vacant lot, this interesting house was being built.
I relaxed at the beach with a few, while others fished and played beach games.
We also finally got Mom to the pool for the first time all week. And there was more sunning to occur there.
Dave had blown up their pool floats so there was fun with that also.
This is Mom's smoking lounge on the balcony of the main large condo. The last dinner is always leftovers as we try to clear out the refrigerators before packing up to leave.
On the last night at the beach, before the sun sets, it has been a tradition to go out and watch the sun disappear below the horizon while enjoying popcorn.
Much of the popcorn ends up on the sand as the contest is to see how many times in a row you can throw a kernel into the air and catch it in your mouth. I believe ten is the top score.
We even tried synchronized popcorn tossing.
Look at Ben in this selfie Courtney took. He has a mouth full of popcorn. Bahhh ha ha ha.
I had decided hand feeding myself was a better way to enjoy the popcorn.
More photos were taken of the group on our last night together and of us watching the sun go down.
And here is one last look down the beach. Our condo is the first one on the left, next to the one that is all lit up, which I believe is actually the sun reflecting off windows.
And a look at our last sunset over the gulf, which Carol captured with her camera.
Several of us took one last walk. It is hard to see, but there was a school of minnows over the submerged green light by a dock at the marina. Once back, we went to our respective condo (four total) and started packing up. We had to return dishes and chairs to their proper place and we got all of the remaining food down to the ocean front condo. There was a flurry of activity.
Thursday 1/2 - My last sunrise at the beach, looking out the front door of our condo. Sidensticks and Bakers had already left. The Leiningers were soon to go, followed by Jean with Mom and Brianna.
With the Christmas and New Year’s holidays passed, I was still trying to hang on to the last precious moments of it, while recalling the fun and starting this blog. However, once I was sitting in an empty beachfront condominium, all alone, with all my family departed, (I was waiting for our sick daughter Courtney to wake and Joe was lounging at the pool catching the last of the Florida rays) the holiday feeling was gone. It was quiet. It was sad. It was depressing.
But, we eventually traveled to Jacksonville, which was slow going at times because 75 was all backed up. So GPS took us cross country.
Once at Jim and Debbie's, more holiday fun and reunion with loved ones continued. We started with drinks and football while catching up with each other.
After a delicious dinner, Courtney returned to knitting while the four of us played bridge.
Joe using his phone as a coaster.?
Joe warming up with borrowed clubs.
Here are the golfers at the first tee-box, preparing to get started. I walked the whole course, collected many golf balls in the rough and water, and took tons of photos of Joe, Jim, Debbie, and Greg as they golfed. I also saw lots of wildlife.
I really enjoyed the Florida sunshine, watching my friends, and the nature all around.
Can you see the remnants of holiday decorations beyond Jim's head at this green?
I always think snowmen look out of place in Florida.
What a beautiful golf course. Different than ours on the plateau and mountainside, but pretty in its own way.
These turtles aren't in very good focus because I was so far away, but my approach had already scared one into the water. The splash is how I noticed them.
I am not sure what these water fowl were, a type of loon maybe, but they had been drying their wings until I got too close, and they headed back into the water.
This (video) includes some golfers and an ibis(?) fishing.
We got home to clean up and had a little down time. This is Jona, Jim and Debbie's dog.
Courtney was feeling a little better, so joined us for dinner. We three girls sat in the back of Jim's big truck.
Dinner was at St. Mary’s Seafood, which has all fresh catch of the day cuisine. I was the only ‘land lover’ who went with a beef dish.
Greg's wife Gilda joined us for dinner and then they came over to Jim and Debbie's for dessert and champagne.
After the Maurer's left, more bridge was played until bedtime.
On the way, we had lunch and then dropped Courtney off at the airport in Savannah. Later we learned that her flight to Charlotte was delayed, and she thought she was going to miss her connecting flight. But then the flight out of Charlotte was real late because of a flat tire. (This is one reason I put up with the long drives.)
It was nice to be out of a moving vehicle and better yet to see Bob and Marge. After visiting for awhile, Joe took a nap and I went for a five mile walk. A view of one sidewalk in Sun City that I took to get to the nature preserve.
The boardwalk through the preserve was over 8/10ths of a mile long, with posters about the habitat along the way.
It goes through a marshland and I saw lots of wildlife.
Joe and Bob were in the hot tub when I go back.
Bob and Marge had left up their Christmas decorations for us, which I really appreciated. Keep the holiday spirit alive. After a delicious pork roast dinner, we watched two exciting bowl games. Well, I went to bed at the end of the 1st quarter of the second game.
Stevie and Monita were so glad to see us and to look over all the stuff we hauled in from the SUV.
Patty had reported earlier in the week that all the cats and dog were fine. She and Maggie had gone over to our house a few times, to watch football or read, and give the cats some people time, letting all four cats mingle.
Patty would open the door to the sun room and let all the cats come and go and interact as they wanted. She said there were no fights, just some hissing. She said one afternoon Styx slept on the back of the couch and Stevie sat nearby watching. Stevie eventually went up and slept in the round bin on the cat wall. Babe did some running around and playing. If she got too close to Monita, Monita would just thump her on the head and hiss a bit. Then when it was time to eat they all went to their separate corners and Patty fed them dinner and closed Styx back in the sun room. She had actually done this several times while we were in Florida.
So as soon as we had the SUV completely unpacked, with everything in the house, I opened the sun room and our bedroom doors. All four cats intermingled with very little problems, just a few hisses. Styx climbed into my suitcase while I was unpacking it. Above, Babe is really getting big.While I was reading in bed before 'lights out' there was a fight, so I closed Styx back in the sun room for the night because I didn't want to be woken by a cat fight.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. I got lots of blogging done in the morning and worked at taking down Christmas decorations all afternoon. I got both Christmas trees and all of the outside decorations put away. The holidays will be extended no longer.
Styx enjoying the sun.
Again it was a beautiful day. Joe started in on moving mulch, and I finally got caught up on this blog.
For some reason, the ravine in the lot next to Allen's, at the big dip on Lakeview, was being cleared. I noticed this while driving to lunch.
I met Shirley, Patty, and Marci for lunch at the Village Mall and we talked about our up coming cruise and reviewed plans for this 'holiday' as the Brits would call it.
Retirement is comparable to an extended holiday. Every day is like being on vacation.
After lunch I came home and took a nap on the floor in the sun. Then for the remainder of the afternoon and evening, I focused my attention on Christmas de-decorating. It included lots of housecleaning, and many trips upstairs to the bunk room with bins and bagged big stuff.
I have been distracted by a good Patricia Cornwell novel (Depraved Heart) I started when we left the condos on Long Boat Key. So I also did lots of reading when I got tired of cleaning.
Look at Babe's cute little foot.
I continued with de-decoraing under Stevie's watchful eyes. She soon tired of it and made a little 'nest' in the garland.
Once I boxed up the greenery, Stevie moved to her favorite chair.
Monita was happy on the dog bed and Styx and Babe were sleeping on the cat tree in the sun room.
Peace and harmony.
I chose horseback riding rather than the gym because I just wasn't energized after an interrupted night of sleep. I figured, what's one more day?
I only rode for an hour and stayed in the barnyard most of the time. I let Amiga graze quite a bit because the mare pasture has very little grass in it.
Patty and Shirley dropped by just before 8pm on their way home from a function at the Lutheran Church. We compared notes on our cruise itinerary and are all ready to go...just 38 more days.
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