Fun Florida Friends

Steve and I were able to get away for a long weekend to visit our dear friends in Florida. (History - Steve and Scott worked together and I met his wife Tracy we all became friends; their daughter was about 2 or 3 and our daughter babysat her and we had family fun time and fun couple times too. Scott took a job in Jupiter, Florida =( and we took a 'vow' that we would take turns going to see each other every year. We have kept up that vow for 10 years and it will keep going for as long as we can. Thru Scott and Tracy we met Frank and Karen who also live in Florida. They became our good friends too and we would all do things and we took vacations/cruises together and Karen would come out for girls weekends too. Tragically and sadly, our Frank passed away last July, but he is still with us when we get together).So it was our turn to head East to the 'other coast'. We used to take the Southwest flight right into West Palm and it was direct and was 5 hrs. Well, Southwest on Nov 1 ended that direct and we then were routed to Ft. Lauderdale via Baltimore on the way = 10 hrs of flying, but boy are they worth it! Adam took us early to the airport on Thursday and we flew all day.....

We got in Thursday night and chatted up the car ride all the way from Ft. Lauderdale to our fave Cuban restaurant in Jupiter where we enjoyed a cuban feast!!! We ate baskets of cuban bread, had mojitos, pork, rice and beans (christiano & negros) and of course yummy fried plantains. Saturday we had a lazy and relaxing morning and then headed out on their great boat for a day on the water - up the inner coastal (by all the rich golfers house - Tiger, Greg Norman, etc) and then they took us up the Locahatachee River (everglade like) to see 'Trapper Nelson's cabin. This guy in the 30's to 60's had was a trapper and had all these buildings and they turned it into a national park....legend has it that he was shot by the husband of some rich West Palm Beach lady who he enticed into his cabin....but after looking at pictures of him and the cabin and seeing all the bugs, I think that is an urban legend! After we looked around we headed back and of course we took turns driving the boat and it was so fun! In a place where we had to idle slow Eagle Eye Captain Steve saw an alligator sunning - it was awesome. We also saw lots of Osprey nests (huge) and Spanish Moss hanging everywhere - which of course I had to get some as I pay a fortune for that at Michaels! We stopped at a great place on the water and tied up and enjoyed some appetizers and the view and then hopped back in the boat back to 'Burt Reynolds and Friends Boat Launch'. We laughed so hard because Tracy and I were in the front of the boat and we had mimosa's but we were going so fast and bouncing on the water so hard they would spay and spill and it kept hitting Steve and Scott behind the wheel. When we stopped for lunch we noticed the entire windshield was covered with orange juice! We got home and did a few things and then headed over to Karen's for one of her fab gourmet dinners. This lady could run a cooking school and she entertained us with her culinary skills....we made Steve and Scott get in the kitchen with her to learn how to cook the wonderful spaghetti cabanara she cooked....and then she set a beautiful table with her wedding china - it was so lovely and nice and we teased our wedding china was paper plates! We laughed and talked for hours and had such a wonderful night. Saturday it was guys fishing day and girls shopping day. Steve took the camera so the only pictures I have are of the big fighting fish they caught. Us girls caught our fair share of bargains as we all love Bealls and all the Bealls outlets , the Vintage stores and of course my other fave, Nautical & Nice which I always find something. It is all seashell and beach stuff and this year I got a seashell garland - lovely. We stopped for lunch at 'Harry and the Natives' and it was as fun and crazy as it sounds - I love that place. It was a great day for the girls - just shopping and taking our time (so rare for the 3 of us). The guys got home from fishing and cleaned up and Scott bbq'd some great steaks while we all played Bahama Bimini - a rope and ring game (frustrated, but addictive). Tracy made her wonderful green bean casserole and a salad and potatoes, and we also had some yummy left over spaghetti carbonara and of course more of that delish banana cake Karen made. Sunday it was the guys golf day and Karen was busy planting flowers so Tracy and I headed to Boca to the big indoor swap meet there. It was visual overload for me....literally so much to take in and see and you have all heard about the Boca ladies and their love for Bling - I am hear to tell you that is true, true, true. We shopped and shopped and I got some fun things and even found a Valentino knock off purse my sister has been looking for (thank you verizon phone camera) and got me a Valentino too! At one point (hours into this) we looked at each other and we both knew we were done (but happy)! We made a few more stops on the way back to their place and the guys were still golfing. We were suppose to go to Jetty's a great place on the water, but Karen came down and we chatted then we showered and got our PJ's on and ordered chinese for the guys to pickup on the way home....ahhhhhh....it was perfect. We also got to watch a movie (can't remember the last time I sat and watched a movie!) Queen Latifa - The Last Holiday - so cute. Monday morning came to early and we headed out a little after 4 a.m. for our flight back - this time via Chicago (yea, right) and got home in the late aftenoon and Kristen picked us up and we rushed to see our boys. Happy to go and Happy to be home. Thanks Scott and Tracy and Karen for a wonderful time.....your turn to come West next!