July 2020 - Largo Florida

hanging out at the pool

black skimmer eggs

black skimmer baby just hatched

black skimmer baby

skimmer nesting area on the beach

I have not spent the summer in Florida in recent years but one thing that I have noticed are the sounds of the cicadas! There are 19 of the 3000 known species here in Florida
Another quirk of Florida summers is the thunder and lightening and afternoon showers that sometimes just appear from nowhere!

31 July 2020 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with Sara then morning workout at the gym, afternoon thunderstorm. The gym closed for April and May and did not charge us then reopened in June, taking our money in June and July. Their offer to us was a free month, but in reading the fine print, that free month was for your last month before you terminate. I decided to just terminate for now, not knowing where this pandemic is heading, and to have the month of August be my free month. They have moved the equipment further apart and ask that folks wear a mask but not all do that and they have spray bottles available for everyone to clean the equipment with their personnel going around and doing the same.

30 July 2020 Thursday - Largo Florida
Because of the lockdown, the only time that I see my mother is when she visits her eye doctor every two months. First stop at Natures Food Patch for organic veggies and fruit then visit with mum where the doctor said that her eyes are still doing well.

29 July 2020 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with Sara then spent most of day doing genealogy.

28 July 2020 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning workout at the gym then visit to eye doctor to get fitted for new spectacles. Afternoon genealogy classes via zoom, first one on dna and second one on occupations of our ancestors. Then appointment with dentist to fetch my new night guard. I really do think that the old one that I had made in Madagascar in 2007 was causing part of my recent teeth issues.

27 July 2020 Monday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with Sara then yoga with Andrea via Zoom then time at the pool.

26 July 2020 Sunday - Largo Florida
Morning workout at the gym then visit to the new Sprouts

25 July 2020 Saturday - Largo Florida
Morning walk and then a bit of cooking with another one of my mother's kitchen toys, this time the Range Mate, which actually is quite nice. Initially cooked chicken thighs and then did sweet potato wedges which came out crisp and yummy!

24 July 2020 Friday - Largo Florida
Morning appointment with local doctor for my annual physical that I normally have in Juneau but not this year! Time at the pool with a few other folks from the community. One couple did have interest in the history of this community so sent them some of the results of my research.

23 July 2020 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with Sara then visit to dentist for final crown placement of #4, hopefully the end of the major dental work, although my tongue is still numb after two months and may remain so for longer based on discussions with several folks in the dental industry.

22 July 2020 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning visit to mum's alf to drop off some stuff then walkabout at Bonner Park.

21 July 2020 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning walk on beach with Kim, enjoyed exploring the Seabird Sanctuary and newly arrived black skimmer chicks on the beach. Ma and Pa switched their turns on the eggs so that we may view them briefly (about 24 days til hatching)! Great coffee at Gypsy Souls Coffeehouse, just across the water from where my mother lived back in the 1980's. They only do takeout from the window and have outdoor seating on the water. Home in time to take cover from the afternoon rain storm.

19 July 2020 Sunday - Largo Florida
A new Sprouts opened last Wednesday so visited there early this morning, much better to drive three miles than fourteen miles one way (the store in Clearwater to which I have been previously going), then a bit of pool time before the afternoon thunderstorm.

16 July 2020 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning walk then water aerobics...

15 July 2020 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with neighbor Sara then yoga via zoom. Marty had opened the yoga studio for classes a few weeks ago but she decided to close down again with this new outbreak. Evening monthly meeting of the HOA.

14 July 2020 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout at Weedon Island Preserve then shopping at Trader Joe's and Fresh Market then afternoon dental appointment with periodontist who did say my gums have improved after root canal and crown procedures.

13 July 2020 Monday - Largo Florida
Morning walk with neighbor Sara then delivery to mum at assisted living facility. Enjoyed time at the pool listening to two other neighbors discuss their previous years of travel.

12 July 2020 Sunday - Largo Florida
Fortnightly travel to Whole Foods and Sprouts for organic veggies and fruits.

11 July 2020 Saturday - Largo Florida
The temperature prediction for today is 90 but "real feel" is 102 at 3pm! Walk to the library to fetch some new reads.

10 July 2020 - Friday - Largo Florida
Morning walkabout then appointment with the "bug man" Mark. He visits first Friday every two months to spray for bugs (mostly palmetto) although this month it is second Friday due to holiday last weekend.

9 July 2020 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning bike ride then water aerobics with the ladies at the pool. We found more historical documents and photos of this condo community from the 1970's so will be busy scanning and typing index to news articles in the Seminole Courier from the 1970s.

8 July 2020 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Our water was turned off all day to repair leaking pipe to our fire hydrant.

7 July 2020 Tuesday - Largo Florida
Morning research at the genealogy section of the library. It is great to be back at the library but unfortunately none of the genealogy volunteers have returned yet so miss the sharing of our findings.

6 July 2020 Monday - Largo Florida
Early morning walk to the dentist then two hours in the chair for crown prep on #4, upper on the other side of my mouth, now to learn to chew on the other side...and then a warmer walk back.

4 July 2020 Saturday - Largo Florida
Early morning four mile walk with Susan before she flies to Colorado for the next four months. A bit of overcast with rain today so trying out some of mum's small appliances. She just loved to cook but has been unable to recently so before we take them to the consignment shop, thought I would try making pizzelles.....but much too much work and much too much butter and egg and sugar and flour, I depleted my supply. They turned out well though and shared them with the neighbor.

3 July 2020 Friday - Largo Florida
Early morning walk with the girls then drive to alf to drop stuff off for mum! Afternoon genealogy research, have connected with some new folks for my adopted friend so great chat on the phone.

2 July 2020 Thursday - Largo Florida
Morning appointment with the eye doctor to find that my eyes are still doing well!

1 July 2020 Wednesday - Largo Florida
Doing my annual blood draw in Florida instead of Juneau, then time at the pool.