St Pete 30

Oct 15 - 16, 2012

Oct 15
I got the house clean for my guest.  Sandy from Siesta Key came for an overnight.  As most of my friends know, I am not much of a cook.  It's not that I can't cook; it's that I have trouble thinking of what to cook.  Karen gave me a simple menu: saute garlic in olive oil with spinach and fresh tuna and put it over brown rice.  There's a fabulous fish store in Gulfport and I went there to get tuna chunks, which are about a third of the price of tuna steaks but are the same meat.

When Sandy arrived, we spent some time by the pool, overlooking the bay, sipping pinot noir.  Ah, life is good.  Then I made dinner, and we settled in for one of our favorite shows, Dancing with the Stars.  This season, winners from previous seasons are competing, so the dancing is superb. 

Oct 16

This morning I introduced Sandy to Gulfport.  Today was the Fresh Market - the sidewalks were lined with booths selling arts and crafts, food items, and fresh produce.  I saw many of my new Gulfport friends.  We walked down the city pier, which I've been wanting to do.  It was a glorious day - sunny and warm with a light breeze.

We sat outside to have a tasty lunch at Tangelo's.  First Vivi stopped by on her bicycle to chat, then her partner George stopped by on his bicycle.  Every time I go to Gulfport I feel like it's home.  I think I know more people there than in Grecia.

We stopped at Karen's because I wanted to show Sandy Karen's house and studio, which are coming along really well.  Geez, I still have not taken a picture of her house.  Karen bought it in a short sale one month ago and has been working hard to fix it up.  I'll miss Karen's housewarming party.  She's asking for cuttings of plants that she can start in her yard, so I chopped off a branch of a plumeria bush and will go plant it in her yard while she's gone next week.