Back Home Again

The week of Valentine's Day has seen some pretty nasty weather the last couple of years. In 2007, we had three feet of snow on the 14th and it shut down everything- except the power. This year, we had a bit of snow earlier in the week and then a terrible snow/freezing rain/ice storm on the 13th, which meant school was canceled. We spent the day making thick classic Western sugar cookies with frosting and all the trimmings.

Two days later, I grabbed my husband's indestructible suitcase and waded through the mire of airport travel delays. I finally reached my destination (roughly 10 hours late) to find my elated sisters at the Tampa airport, ready to take me to the paradise they had already discovered. The night was warm and smelled like sea water and green things. I couldn't wait to see it in daylight! After a tour of the Sandpearl, we all slept like rocks.


In the morning, as the sun began to rise over the harbor to the east, I found a bag and went out to see the ocean. It was feeling very generous, and I filled my small sack with an urchin, a lightning whelk, several halves of sunray venuses, a few elegant dosinias, an empty but intact zigzag scallop, a third of a sand dollar (maybe 40¢ worth), an iridescent piece of a pen shell, a faded and worn fighting conch, a gorgeous little beaded periwinkle, and a tiny white set of coquina wings. The crown jewel, though, for me was the washed-up sea star.



The rest of Saturday was spent at the spa, inspecting the shops, wading in the ocean, going to a movie together (Definitely, Maybe), and eating dinner at the grill by the beach. Before retiring for yet another sound sleep, we had some sister bonding time with our pooled facial materials: scrubs, masks, toners, moisturizers, cucumbers, etc. It was fun.


The Sandpearl was a true resort, and the sunshine made it look like heaven. We ventured out to Largo on Sunday for church, which was spiritually filling and revitalizing. Next, we visited the Weedon Island Preserve. Another great site and a stellar little visitor's center. Dinner that night was at the very popular (for good reason) Island Way Grill. I had the tempura shrimp, which was very good. Dessert, though, was the best I'd had so far on the trip: a very thick and rich molten chocolate cake. Delicious! A dip in the hotel pool finished off the day.

Monday morning brought us back to earth with Tona's early departure back to Massachusetts. Kari and I had one more morning to comb the beach, then we packed up and headed to the airport. I put on my mental hip boots and again slogged my way through disgusting delays and dreary disappointments, making it home by 9pm that evening. My little boy was asleep, my girls were finishing one more "welcome home" picture upstairs, and my dear husband was mopping the kitchen floor as the dishwasher hummed away. It was nice to be home (especially as compared to being in airports), but it was a weekend to be remembered forever- thanks, Tona and Kari!