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9:36 a.m. - 2010-07-20
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We had the nicest vacation. It was great to see my brother and SIL. We stayed with them while the rest of the family stayed at an ocean front hotel about 20 minutes away. I think that helped alot. I wasn't always fretting about people leaving wet towels on other people's beds, or spending too much time with my folks who have lost some of their filters, which makes me nuts and then makes them upset, which makes everything worse.

Instead I stayed with my bro (who looks great) and my SIL at their new place which is on a canal. It was very relaxing. They say that we are easy houseguests, so no one was too stressed (I hope.) I only allowed myself to feel a little guilty that I wasn't spending more time with my parents and my sister, though we did get to spend alot of time with everyone.

Friday night after work, we met our neighborfriends and other friends for dinner at one of our favorite Italian pizza places and had a nnice time. Came home, finished the last minute packing, loaded the car and set the alarm for 4 a.m.

Saturday morning we landed safely, picked up our rental car and drove to my brother's house. My parents had been there a few days. My sister arrived about an hour later and we hung out in the afternoon. My sister brought goodie bags for all of the kids and my brother. My brother and SIL had backpacks with information, maps, towel clips and other goodies for each family, including squirt guns for all the kids. Of course his was a GIANT one, the kids had medium ones, and the grown-ups all had dinky little ones. It was a good laugh. We brought new beach towels for everyone. We hung out for a while then went to Tarpon Springs, a Greek fishing town not far from Tampa, and had dinner. My sister picked up the check. Then we walked around the village and they were having a street festival. My parents couldn't walk any more, so my sister took them back to the hotel and we went back to my brother's place. Sunday morning, my other brother and his family arrived. We went to the pool, did some grocery shopping, then had a cook-out in honor of my father's 75th birthday. My brother's kids sat on every piece of furniture with wet bathing suits. (That is why I'm glad that we didn't stay at the hotel.) My father had a good time, except that Andy caught him smoking and was very upset.

Monday we didn't have specific plans - my brother and SIL had to work; spouse took the car and went to Sarasota to do some research on his next book, and my mother and sister came to pick me up. We had breakfast, then headed back to the hotel. Everyone regrouped at the hotel after 6, and we didn't have specific plans for dinner and ended up getting subs from the grocery store.

Tuesday was Busch Gardens Day. I was dubious about this day (my parents ability to walk alot and the heat) but we had a good time, and my brother found a great deal on the web for both tickets and meal passes. For $15, you could have unlimited meals, but more importantly, unlimited BEVERAGES! We got our money's worth in the first two hours just with bottled waters. I especially enjoyed the animals, including the elephants who spontaneously danced to the music being piped over the loudspeakers.

Andy went on every rollercoaster including the most scary one - the Sheekra. No one else would go with him. We headed home, showered and went back to the hotel. (It was our anniversary.) I can't remember if we had dinner that night or if it was too hot.

Wednesday my bro and SIL had arranged a day at the beach - Fort DeSoto. I was again dubious (because we all tend to fry in the sun) but he had a canopy, speakers for music, we picked up subs and snacks for lunch and the beach was just gorgeous. We swam, napped, took little walks, the kids and some of the parents went kayaking. We saw pods of dolphins and a manatee, and around 5ish, we had enough and came home to shower. The grouop chose a sushi/teppanyaki place for dinner, but my other brother and his wife went out together for their 20th anniversary to another restaurant. We had a great time, and it turns out the restaurant owners were from Massachusetts and fell in love with the kids, feeding them extra sushi and gracing us with desserts in honor of the birthday and anniversaries.

Thursday we had tickets to a new installation by Dale Chihuly in St. Petersburg. Some of us didn't go, but I really enjoyed it. After that we went to the pier (meh) then found a place for lunch downtown where they had cucumber/rosemary water. Spouse and I treated for lunch. That cucumber water! So refreshing! (I'm brewing a pitcher at home right now.) Then we got cupcakes, went home or to the hotel and hung out until dinner. We had reservations at a restaurant in Ybor City called Columbia. They have the most amazing salad!

There was a wonderful dance show, and our table was front and center for the show. It was a nice evening. Friday, there were no specific plans, so my SIL and I got pedicures (they actually use power tools now on foot callouses) and spouse went to a huge used book store. Then the four of us went for lunch and headed to the hotel for beach and pool.

Friday night my sister treated us to dinner at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club (She has a membership in the town she lives/works, and there was a reciprocal deal.) It was great to be together, though the food was just meh.

Did I mention that Andy stayed at the hotel the whole time? He and the cousins got along well - I was braced for a skirmish or two by day three, but that never materialized. They made movies together, went to the beach, hung out by the pool and in general had a pretty great time. Andy even said it was as good as a cruise!

Saturday morning we met for breakfast, (our treat) then everyone headed home except for my parents who decided to stay one more day with my brother and SIL.

Favorite things about the vacation: Seeing how great my brother looks, and seeing how happy he is with his wife. Seeing their new place and how comfortable it is. Seeing all the kids laugh and giggle with one another. Hearing my father say that his birthday celebration was one of the nicest days in his life. Seeing the dolphins at Ft. Desoto beach. Listening to tunes, sitting under the canopy with my brother and laughing at the same songs we love. Finding little stone elephants to give as Christmas ornaments to every family. Having dates for breakfast every day thanks to my SIL.

In short, it was a nice vacation with few skirmishes and hurt feelings. I think we are just so grateful that everyone is alive.

And for now, that's what I got.

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