I have reached year 57!

Having a birthday is strange now. I love the cooler weather in November. I love getting cards and calls from the people I love the most. I love it that Lou writes something special to me and brings me flowers. I love my life now more than ever; I have a husband who is there for me no matter what. I have children who are successful and productive adults. I have a business to run with Lou (who does the hardest part). I have "arrived" in the sense that I don't want for anything! The uncertainty of life keeps me from fretting about the future but forcing me to enjoy the present. Knowing I have weathered really difficult times keeps me from worrying if I will come up against something I cannot handle. I am in a unique place and I spend a lot of my time in awe and wonder that I am here. It is a good feeling and I know I am blessed!

So I officially started my birthday celebration on Friday. I got a nice evening of blue/pink sky out at the dock after dinner. Saturday morning Lou was off to the shop to work on his Harley. I took my camp chair and headed out to the dock. The tide was way, way low. I think I remember it being like this last year, but still it was impressive. You could walk across most of the bay and the deep channels looked like rivers in a muddy basin. I spent a couple of hours out there reading and writing. Lou had made reservations for Saturday evening at the Ruth's Chris Steak house in Tampa, just a 15 minute drive from the house. I did a nice long spa-like time getting ready in the afternoon; taking a long hot bath, doing my nails and getting my hair just right. Lou came in about 3:30 with a lovely Fall Arrangement in a basket from the florist.

We had a lovely dinner. The table cloth was sprinkled with confetti and I had a fun dessert that I even took a photo with my phone. The filet and shrimp were the best. I have never been disappointed in a steak at Ruth's Chris. Turns out it is Ben's favorite steak place too.....the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as they say.

Sunday morning Lou took me out to one of our favorite breakfast diners. We had originally planned to rent a kayak for the day and explore the bay, but with the cool temps and the high winds we decided to take a car ride and explore some areas east and south of us. We started out around 11am and headed south over the Sunshine Skyway. Seeing the parasailers from the road we got off the main road and stopped to watch, getting a couple of pictures.

We ended up in Punta Gorda in the afternoon. We stopped in the park along Port Charlotte Harbor and had some goofy moments by the statue of Ponce de Leon. The weather was cool, sunny and perfect! We have lived in Florida for 5 years now and we have travelled so many places. It is interesting how it is actually becoming home.