December 8

I've been up since 3:00 am, having awakened in Wisconsin to below freezing temperatures and snow flurries.  We flew out of Madison at 6:00, out of Chicago at 10:00, and into Florida at 2:30 with 76 degrees and rain followed by sun.  After picking up the rental car and buying groceries and other paraphernalia, we arrived at our condo on Sanibel Island facing the ocean.

Rick and I have talked about visiting here since we first met some 37 years ago.  The last real, full week's vacation we've had together was 23 years ago when we took the girls (3 and 7 respectively) to Disney World.  Anne says visiting your children at college, even if doing fun stuff while there, doesn't count as a real vacation.  If it did, it would be 7 years.

At any rate, we got here as it was getting dark so no scenic ocean photos tonight.  We can hear the ocean, just not see it tonight.  But we do have a screen porch facing the water, so there will be photos forthcoming.

The folks who run Ocean's Reach Condos kindly left a bowl of shells in the living room.  So very tired, but much art making tomorrow....  Mary