Saturday Kathi and Mary went on their planned trek to IKEA in Orlando.  Mary returned about 4PM with her treasures.  She had found two more wicker chairs for the sun room which has become the dining space.  They are arm chairs, much like the others out there but natural wicker in color.  They will be stained a bit darker color to match the two chairs currently in use when we have guests.  Mary mentioned that when she got to Kathi's Dave was cleaning up the "war zone" from last nights fireworks which were the best ever. She also mentioned that Dave had removed a snake from the dining room.  They were in the process of having the concrete drive and sidewalk replaced with pavers.  At that point of the job, the concrete had been removed leaving a gap under the screen door which appears to be the way the snake arrived.  Unfortunately, the snake crawled under the china cabinet. When Dave moved the cabinet, he found a very mad snake who thought he was cornered.  As soon as Dave showed it a way of escape he headed for the door as Dave helped it along with a piece of trim.  This of course further convinced Mary that a permanent Florida abode was not viable in her eyes. Incidentally, I agree.  Since the kids were going to another party, Mary and I spent a quiet TV evening at home.

     It was a quiet Sunday except that Mary made a foray to the local Publix to forage for some provisions.  Kathi called and invited us to come for party left-over's which we did at about 5, arriving home about 8:30 to put out the garbage and recycling for an early Monday pick-up.  Garbage is picked up twice a week (Mon & Thurs.) but recycling only once (Mon).  These people don't recycle much but we almost overfill the container each week.  When we return for the winter we decided that we will ask the village for another.
    Monday was a typical Florida weather day.  This afternoon  typical Florida thunderstorms.  In the past they had skirted around us sometimes with no rain at all.  This time they proceeded right over us, weatherman reported strongest storms right here over Safety Harbor.  At one point lightning struck literally in our backyard with a blinding flash and momentary power shutdown, including shutting off the TV.  Luckily, we had earlier cancelled dinner plans saving us from a possible soaking.  Apparently, the lightning did something to the laptop used as my desktop computer.  At first it did not want to "boot up".  After I shutoff and restored power it did boot successfully but for some reason I was unable to get any streaming audio last night.  Also, my network printing  capability failed. Perhaps an electrical jolt changed the sharing settings.

     Dirk was here this morning and we watched a Transformers movie.  Kathi had a couple of medical appointments and he stayed with us for a few hours.  We planned this morning to leave on Saturday to come home.  That will give us a week at home before we head to upstate New York (Rochester) for a short visit.  Then home during the last week of July for a while to take care of some medical issues. This afternoon I went to the fitness center and then ran  a couple of errands. Once again, the thunderstorms surrounded the area with most of the storms centered over Hillsborough County (next county west of us). Although it thundered a lot my car only got a few drops while I was in Walmart.  Mary and I were just discussing what we learned on this trip.  This place which doesn't have any neighborhood activity going on during the winter (except Bingo and pot lucks in the clubhouse) has even less going on in the summer.  In addition to the 21 mostly vacant units for sale in the park with the "snowbirds" gone and the regulars doing what I call reverse snow birding for the hot summer, the park is a virtual ghost town and kind of depressing.  In addition, we decided that driving, while relaxing, was not really practical for a trip where the stay is two weeks.
   It has been so hot that you really do not wish to be out. I took my annual July 9th shower (stole another phrase from my friend Don), and went to the fitness center before heading over for the weekly dinner gathering.  On the way out leaving dinner the weather was threatening and we were sure we would be in a "gully washer" before we got home. However, although lightening was visible all around, we managed to arrive home dry.  We will miss the weekly gatherings with family.

    If it was hot yesterday it was even hotter today if that is possible.  The temperature was to be only about 91 or 92 but with the heat index would be over 100.  I talked to a friend in Tinley Park and he mentioned that it had reached 100 there today.  The big difference is that when it gets hot at home you can count on a break in two or three days with perhaps the ability to shut of the A/C and open the windows to a breeze.  Not possible here.  It was in the 90s when we came home this spring and even hotter now.  We decided that perhaps a 4th of July trip would not be wise in the future. This is a problem now.  With Dave's Dad now living here, there is no place left up home to produce the fireworks show. So it appears that the show will be in Florida for the foreseeable future. Dirk arrived about 4:30 to spend the night for the last time this trip.  He immediately got the Thomas and Brio trains out and with B's help constructed a layout. Next time we come we need more track specifically curves.  When we return for Christmas I plan on building a Lionel Christmas layout.
     Today is getaway minus one day.  Mary has been busy gathering things together for the trip home.  We will load the car this evening after sundown when it might be a bit cooler.  Then we only need to contend with the mosquitoes. Kathi is coming with bathing suits from her house and she, B and Dirk will try out the Briar Creek Phase II pool for the first time since we have been here.  Mary mentioned this morning that she heard a strange  noise last night  that appeared to be under the floor.  Perhaps it was a nocturnal critter who somehow found a way to get underneath. We will leave here tomorrow morning and with God's help arrive sometime late Monday afternoon or early evening.  Then we will be home about a week before heading for Rochester, N.Y. and another family gathering.   Finally we arrive home around 30 July so I can proceed with taking care of some medical issues.  Hopefully if the timing is right I will be able to get the hip replaced and be well enough along in recovery by Thanksgiving time to return South.  Sometimes I wonder which is our temporary abode.  We'll figure it out someday.