5-30-17 Marietta Town Square:

When Angie said she had a Dr. appointment in Marietta, I asked her if she'd like me to ride along with her.  I know it's about 45 minutes away.  She accepted my offer and suggested I go check out the Town Square while she's at her appointment.  So I did.  I had never been to Marietta before, so didn't have any idea of what to expect.  I was actually thinking she was sending me to a mall.  I was pleasantly surprised to find a cute little town square like so many little town squares, but this one was bustling with restaurants, specialty shops, and even a park in the center of the square.   So I parked the car and walked around.

5-26-17  a walk through George Pierce:

We finally found another restaurant that we might include in our regulars---Hammerheads Seafood Bar and Grill.  Another advantage to it is it's near one of the Gwinnett parks that I like---George Pierce.  So after dinner, we went to the park.  Ken dropped me off at one part of the park, and parked about a mile away.  I walked the paved and boardwalk trail to where he parked.  One night, we even went to the softball fields and watched some adult softball.  It was fun watching some sports again.  Now if only I could get back into some!!!
Photos from my walk:

5-24-17  Dinner and camera club meeting in Lawrenceville:

I was glad the camera club meeting wasn't while we were in Florida.  The speaker today was a bird photographer and apparently makes a living doing so. 
But first, we met Angie and Josh in Lawrenceville for dinner.  Then Ken went back to their house with them and I picked him up after the meeting.
Dinner---another new place for us---Universal Joint.  An interesting bar in the old town area of Lawrenceville.  We were even able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.  Hope we get back there!  Gotta get Ken to branch out and leave the Buford/Suwanee area for dinner!

5-23-17  FLL-ATL

The time has come that they're kicking us out of the resort.  A lot happened to Wyndham while we were on this vacation----their new website went up (Voyager).  Meant it was down for several days while we were there, not that it really mattered.  I thought about trying to pick up another day at Royal Vista, but we just went there and hung out at the beach and pool instead.  But the new system has millions of Wyndham owners now in an uproar.  Lots of changes!  The biggest change for me is I don't know if I'll be able to do any more cancel / re-book for discounted points/ get free upgrades anymore.  Oh well, I guess time will tell.  At least I'm one of the ones who can get on the site now and have made a couple good reservations with upgrades in the past couple days---probably for units others are loosing because they had overlapping reservations (one of the new things---must have different names on overlapping reservations within 48 hours or one will automatically be cancelled).  Calling into Wyndham now has about a 2 hour wait.  Progress........................

Anyway,
We checked out of Palm Aire at 10 am and leisurely made our way to the airport.  We had a 12:55 flight on SW.
Good old FLL airport as seen from I-595

Got to the airport with plenty of time to do nothing.  I did get on the computer and delete a bunch of pictures while we waited.

Our flight was on time and not crowded.  Nice having a seat between us.  It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but we've flown enough that it didn't really bother us that much.

 Good overview of Port Everglades.  We've been here many times to catch cruises.  Hopefully will be here for many more.

5-22-17  a final trip to the ocean, ride along A1A, and then to Wakodahatchee:

Our last full day of our vacation is upon us.  Of course we have to go to the beach again!!!  So after a breakfast at Moonlite diner, we headed back to Wyndham Palm Aire to be on the computer to check into our flight 24 hours from our flight at 12:55.  Then we were on our way to Wyndham Royal Vista so we could park free at the beach---something there isn't much of in South Florida.
This is along A1A as we were getting close to the Royal Vista.

The beach here at Royal Vista is really nice. 

5-21-17 Everglades!

What should we do today???  I keep asking Ken what he wants to do, but he's no help.  So I suggested another trip to Naples, or a trip to the beach, or a trip down to the Everglades.  He took the suggestion for the Everglades.  We had been there once before,  Jan. 2016. 
At that time, we saw a ton of birds.  So I was excited to go again.  It was about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Pompano to the Ernest Coe Entrance of the Everglades.  So I took a couple pictures from the car.
Like this one of the water tower in hollywood---I liked the painting on it. 

This brought back fond memories of the night we went to the Cardinal/Marlins game with Angie and Josh in 2016.  Seniors got in free on Thursdays!

5-20-17 the beach, Wakodahatchee, and Green Cay---Yea!!!:


I had hoped to spend the day at the beach.  But it was pretty rough today.  At least it was sunny and warm.  So we sat in our thrift store chairs for a bit.  I did go into the water a couple of times.  I applied lots of sunscreen.  Then we spent some time in the Royal Vista pool.  Nice that Wyndham allows you to use their other resorts when staying at another one.

 Deceiving how "calm" the water looked on "film".

5-19-17 Loxahatchee Park:

We decided to ride by Angie and Josh's old house and see how it's looking.  Loved this place!  Nice to see it's still looking good.  in fact, the grass has never looked better!

Had breakfast at another of our favorite breakfast places---D'Apple, then went in search of more wetlands.  We had gone to the main park at Loxahatchee a couple times during the year that we lived here, so we decided to go check it out again.  The birding wasn't great there before, but it was a nice walk.

5-18-17  Flamingo Gardens:

When we were trying to decide what to do today, I mentioned Flamingo Gardens.  It's another reciprocal garden with our Missouri Botanical Gardens.  I didn't realize Ken had never been there!  When he said he hadn't, that was it---I decided he needed to go.  So after brunch at Moonlite Diner, we were off to Davie, Florida, to the gardens.
 It was another cloudy day.  In fact, we went through some rain on our way there.  Plus it was really wet around Davie.  But it happened to not rain anymore while we were at the garden.

I've been here many times---many of those with Angie.  But we never really looked around the gift shop.  They have a lot of really neat stuff here!  Too bad we don't still live in Florida, I might have bought some of it.

5-17-17  Time to get some more birding in!

So this time we headed to Green Cay.  It isn't as good as Wakodahatchee for birding, but it's still a nice walk.
I was surprised to see all the plant growth in the water.  Looked like it would make it really hard for the birds to fish.  Last time I was here (a year ago), the water was really clear.

 another look at all the plant growth.

5-16-17 a very happy birthday to me with a trip to Naples!

We lived in S. Florida for a year and only made it to Naples once in that time!  Now that we're vacationers again, I was anxious to get back there.  We saw the most spectacular sunset there last time.  So about 11 we took off on our 2 hour ride to Naples.
But first---we stopped at my favorite thrift store of all time----to look for beach chairs.  We were successful!  2 chairs in one carry bag and a grass matt all for $6.  Ken's even considering bringing them home by checking them as luggage.

Then we made our way to the toll road---75---Alligator Alley---and on across the state.  I even logged in to our Sunpass account to see if the portable transponder we bought was doing it's job.  It did---Yea!  Only slow down was this accident.  It was a long way for an ambulance to go!  Hope everyone was ok.

5-15-17  Time to visit the baby birds!

And time to move from Wyndham Royal Vista to Wyndham Palm Aire.  But not before witnessing a pretty impressive sunrise from our room.  It was about 6:30am.  I thought of going down to the beach, but figured it would be over by the time I got down there.

Wyndham Palm Aire---2 bedroom, rm 975:

Not on the beach, but this is the Wyndham in Pompano that is closer to where we use to live.  It's also much bigger, so there's usually upgrades available here.  We were in the main building where check in is held as well as music and a bar and cafe are---Fountain Palms.  I've stayed in this building several times and in Sabel Palms a couple times---never in the other buildings.  But I like this building---convenient to both pools. 

We were on the 9th of 10 floors.  The 4 bedroom presidentials are on the 10th. 

5-14-17  a very merry Mother's Day!!!

Missed the kids, but enjoyed where I was!  Too bad they weren't here, too!  Who doesn't love a beautiful beach?!!!  And butterflies and birds???!  And great food???  And a sunset on the beach?  And relaxing in a pool???
But first----we made a trip back to the airport.  Ken had been fighting with our Acura's fob.  It didn't want to start right away.  Kept coming up with key errors.  So we went back to the airport and the car rental center.  They were totally understanding and quickly changed out our car---another Acura, but a newer one and, so far, no fob problems. 

Then we headed down A1A to one of our favorite breakfast places in Pompano---Sunshine Bagel.  Had a long wait for our food---about 40 minutes, but it was good.  Then it was time to go back to our resort and head to the beach!

5-13-17 Wyndham Royal Vista:

Ok, this isn't my photo, but it's a stock photo, so I assume it's ok to add it to my blog. As this shows, Royal Vista isn't a huge resort, but it is all on the beach side of A1A.  That makes it a premium Wyndham resort!

Originally when I was booking our accommodations, I couldn't get the first 2 nights at Palm Aire (at least not with the free upgrade).  So I figured if I was going to have to split the reservation, we might as well spend a couple nights on the beach.  Glad we did!  Especially since I was able to get this unit as a free upgrade.  We were in a 2 bedroom deluxe.  I believe deluxe means it faces the ocean and the plain 2 bedrooms face A1A.  But the layouts and furnishing are the same---I think.

5-13-17  back to the land of Palm Trees and Flanigans!!!

Thanks to the protesters at the ATL airport (and most airports) in Feb., that caused us to end up driving to Orlando, we had to go somewhere before June 9th or loose the money we paid for the Orlando flight.  So we put it towards airfare to Fort Lauderdale.  Unknowingly, I scheduled our flight here exactly 1 year from the day we moved away from S. Florida!
Angie and Josh drove us to the ATL airport.  It actually wasn't a bad ride.  Only took about 50 minutes.  Traffic was heavy on 285 (since 85 was still closed), but it was moving.  Once at the airport, we were through security in minutes and to our gate in less then a half hour.  For such a huge airport, they move people through it very quickly!  (BTW---north bound 85 opened today!!!  South bound is expected to open tomorrow)
Our 1:55 pm flight was on time and we were in Fort Lauderdale around 4pm. 

 Having only carry on luggage, we headed straight to Budget rent a car.  Our rental was waiting for us---thanks to Fastbreak--- and soon we were on our way to Wyndham Royal Vista.    I suggested we head down Highway 1 and over to A1A for a nice ride along the beach.  (We've recently realized that's one of the things we really liked about Florida---the road system is pretty much grids, so there are multiple ways of getting around---unlike around Georgia!  When 85 burned down, 285 became the main bypass and traffic suffered even more then usual because of it. )

5-12-17 my Birthday dinner!

Angie and I rushed home (4 hour car ride) from KNoxville so that we'd be back in time to go to dinner.  They wanted to take us out to dinner for my birthday before Ken and I left for Florida for 10 days.  I didn't plan that trip too well, we were gone for Mother's Day, as well as my birthday.
I made them choose the restaurant and they chose Bare Bones in historic Buford.  We had been there once before---for Josh's birthday last June---and really enjoyed it, but it is expensive (although not for us since they picked up the bill!).  I was happy to be going back!

 Although I was tempted to go with a salad, I decided to splurge.  Josh suggested we share the special which included porterhouse steak for 2, a side, and a dessert for something like $50.  Guess that's really not bad for 2 people.

5-11 and 12, 2017  Angie and me to Knoxville to check out an Estate sale:

A couple days after Ken and I got back from Knoxville, Angie and I were on our way back there!  She found an Estate sale there on the 12th that she wanted to check out.  Lots of folk art and old furniture like she likes.  So she asked if I wanted to go with her.  Of course I said yes!  So we made it a little mother/daughter trip.  Don't know how many more of those we'll get now that they're in an adoption program.
With traffic still a mess on the perimeter highway due to the burned down I-85, we took the back route to Knoxville.  It took us up through Ball Ground, Ga.  Ken and I have been through there many times on our trips to and from Chattanooga and the North Ga. mountains.  This place always looked interesting.  Angie said she had heard lots of good things about it, so we made it part of our trip!  Lunch in a bus!

 The Burger Bus.  Pretty reasonably priced, too.

5-7-17 Wild Love Bake House, Mid Mod and TU garden---Oh my!

Time to try out another new-to-us restaurant for breakfast.  But first---a ride up to where the kids almost bought a piece of land and had a house built.  The land to the left is that lot.  A lot more remote then where they are now.  Nice views, but probably longer commutes.

Then we were off to the city to try out another new breakfast spot, Wild Love Bake House---sort of like a Starbucks.  Lots of teas and homemade pastries---and students sitting around using the free wi-fi.  I got a tea with steamed milk  and this strawberry rhubarb pastry.  Ken had a biscuit egg sandwich and chocolate milk.  The kids had a biscuit sandwich, a croissant and some other pastry with their tea and coffee.  I thought it was a little pricey at $45, but the kids treated us and it was yummy. 

The outside of the bake house---to the far right---as we were walking to an old garage turned mid century modern store---Mid Mod.

5-5-17  back to the Smokys:

What a difference a day makes!  After the day of upper 80s 2 days ago, today it was only going up to about 50---in May!  It rained all yesterday and stormed a bit, too.
So when I saw some sunshine, I suggested we go back to the mountains and run up to Cades Cove.  Such a gorgeous ride, even to get to the park.

Love the barn quilt signs.

Got to the park only to find it CLOSED!!!!  The storms yesterday came with 80 mph winds and blew a bunch of trees down.

Great Smokey Mountains Park Closed!!!

borrowed from a National Parks photo---some of the damage in the park.

Great Smoky Mountain Park's photo

So we spent a little time by the river at the edge of the park---where we exited the park the other day.

the river was a flowing'

downstream

still some moisture around from the storm yesterday.

a couple fisherpeople.

another stream running into the one above.

so clear

one last photo of the river a little farther downstream.

Not the day I had planned, but it was still a pretty good one.