Our goal each winter is to spend time with all four of our grandkids in Florida, their parents too if they’re available, but that’s optional. Here’s a report on Carter and Jeff’s visit. Reports on Rebeca, Esme and Griffin’s visit will come soon, as will a report on our trip to San Diego to visit Reagan, a freshman at UCSD.

Indian Shores, FL – Monday, February 28, 2022

We wear clothes for protection from the elements – lots of clothes when it’s cold, skimpier clothes when it’s hot. We wear clothes to enhance our appearance. We wear clothes to make a statement. 

I’m still trying to figure out the lady on the Indian Shore Beach Monday. Skimpy, despite 72- degree air blowing at 10 to 15 miles per hour that made me slightly cool in shorts and t shirt. Without getting too graphic, let’s just say that, viewed from behind, her lower garment consisted of two straps about the diameter of a single strand of 12-gauge household electrical wire, leaving exposed virtually all of a quite attractive behind. Fortunately , it was cloudy so sun burn wasn’t a serious issue (remember the little girl in the Coppertone ad?). The top garment strap? I never got that far up to notice. 

Maybe it’s my advanced age or maybe I need a course of testosterone injections but my thought at first was less prurient and more practical: “Does your mother know you’re out in public dressed like that?” But then I noticed her gait and body language: stiff, haughty and challenging as if to say, “Look if you want you dirty old Florida retirees but I’ll dress exactly as I please, thank you very much.”

What did she look like from the front?  I didn’t dare look. Instead I studiously watched my kite flying a good 500 feet in the air. It’d been flying for 30 minutes, requiring absolutely no attention but I made as if only my careful technique was keeping it aloft. 

Kite flying is what brought grandson Carter, Nana and Uncle David to the beach in the first place. Too cool for swimming but ideal for kiting. Carter used two sticks to replace missing struts on one kite. We had three up for almost two hours. No beach goers were seriously hurt when a kite would occasionally tailspin into the beach. But philosophical musings appear when you least expect them. And, like Ben Franklin, I found cause to wonder about natural phenomenon while flying a kite. 

But I digress. I’m supposed to be travel blogging about Carter and his dad, Jeff, and their winter-break visit to Florida. 

This isn’t just your normal fly-to-Florida-and-go-to-Disney trip. It’s a trip enmeshed in a tale of drama, tension and unknown. Originally the plan was for them to fly to Florida Saturday afternoon and stay through Saturday. But smack dab in the middle of the week was a Sunday playoff hockey game that might determine if Carter’s Flames team would make it to next weekend’s championship series in Connecticut. 

The Flames were ranked nine out of 18 teams; only the top eight go on. Would a victory on Sunday propel the Flames to #8? Unknown. Not all of the season’s game results we’re in. Only one thing to do: the guys stayed back so Carter, a big, strapping defenseman you’d just as soon not get checked by into the boards, could skate in what might be the deciding game. 

Long story short: with eight seconds to go, the Flames leading the #1 seeded team 5-4, a player broke toward the Flame’s goal with the puck. Carter sprawled across the crease on the right, Cam the goalie protected on the left but the puck got through anyway. Final score: 5-5 tie. 

It wasn’t until last night, Tuesday, that word came down: the Flames were #9 regardless of the Sunday game’s outcome. 

We of course tried to console Carter with the usual platitudes: you tried your best, you can’t win ‘em all, you’re a better person for experiencing loss. And now we know you don’t have to fly home Thursday night for the tournament but instead do what all losing teams do: play golf in Florida!

But don’t kid yourself; losing sucks. After a 50-something game season having it all come to an end is simply a bummer. But Carter’s as strong inside as he is outside and is already rebounding to be the great, fun guy that we love and love to be with. 

Carter and Jeff’s delayed flight arrived just before 1 AM. We all got to bed shortly after 2. Jeff’s first work call was at 8 AM and his calls continued much of the day with a break for waffles with fresh Florida strawberries. 

Carter and I made a Walmart run for bathing suits (2 for him, one for me), a toothbrush and whatnot for Carter and two big bags of golf balls in anticipation of golf outings in Miami. Us guys tend to play exciting golf with shots that favor woods, underbrush and especially water. But with a generous mulligan policy and judicious use of the foot wedge club we have fun. Judy? Hits them not very far but right down the middle every time. Talk about watching paint dry. Boring. 

We hit the road about 1:30 and arrived at Dave and Ro’s beach house at Indian Shores around 2:30. Jeff did calls until 5:30 while the rest of us went kiting and philosophical contemplating . An early hamburger, salad and baked bean supper and we were back in Sun City Center in time for a rubber of bridge before bed. 

Tomorrow we’re off to Miami for a stay of an in determinant length (we know, as I type that the guys won’t have to return until Saturday). 

I’ll try to give an update in a day or two covering the water park, a couple of golf outings and our deep sea fishing expedition and whatever else might arise  

 ja

Miami – Tuesday, March 1, 2022

We’re staying at the J W Marriott Turnberry resort complex on the north side of Miami. We started Tuesday in Sun City Center with a crepe and strawberries breakfast and we’re on the road by 10:30. We did Panera for lunch and got to the hotel by 3:30. Jeff was working on the phone most of the way. 

Our afternoon included a few strokes at the Marriott’s driving range, a dip in the pool at the Marriott’s water park and a couple hands of bridge. Dinner was at the Corsair, an informal dining room that satisfied all four of us. We finished with another bridge session. 

Miami – Wednesday, March 2, 2022

We’d made a tee time reservation for 3:30 the next day, Wednesday, so after breakfast we headed over to the water park for a couple of circuits around the lazy River ride and lots of time floating in the pool. None of us, including Carter, are big water slide fans so we felt no need for that even though they have what looks to me to be a big one. A late lunch and then it was out to the golf course for warmups on the range followed by nine holes on the Soffer course, the longer and more difficult of the two here at the Marriott. 

The course was in perfect shape and absolutely gorgeous vistas of the course and the Miami skyline in the background. The course is, to be sure, challenging although we all played well. I am glad, however, that we bought all those balls at Walmart the other day. 

We learned later that this course is one of Tiger Woods’ favorites here in Florida. We’re going to scout out the locker room to find his locker. 

Afterwards we Lyfted it to a nearby restaurant Jeff had googled called Timo. The guys had pasta, Nana scallops and I had a yellow fin snapper dish with clams and shrimp in a tomato-based sauce and rice. Really good grub all around. 

And of course there was bridge before bedtime. 

Miami – Thursday, March 3, 2022

Thursday (today as I type) is fishing day. We had chartered a six-person boat, the Lady Mitchell and her crew, captain Jesus (from Cuba) and mate Nano (Uruguayan). Castoff was at 8 AM so we did a quick breakfast at Starbucks and got the car out for the 15- minute trip to the marina. 

The weather was perfect, the boat not new but perfectly seaworthy and the crew both competent and entertaining. If we had come back empty handed we’d still have had an enjoyable morning. 

Jesus and Nano visibly relaxed, shedding built-up tension and worry when, about an hour into the trip, we had two strikes (we had six lines in the water). January and February are the worst months for fishing; Nano said he’d once gone eight days without a fish. It was for him pure agony. So a total zip out on March 3 was totally possible. 

I had written my own description of the fishing experience but, you know what? Carter beat the old man with his description hands down. So here’s how the guy holding the rod saw his trip to Florida:

This trip was a bit different but still tons of fun. We arrived a day later so I could play my hockey game. Even though we tied it didn’t matter and we were still not in the playoffs but I got to stay an extra two days. We arrived at two am and then, the next day around lunch we headed off to Uncle David’s beach house. There we spent a half day kiting on the beach and finished it off with dinner, then headed home. 

The next day we left for Miami where we would have a fun filled 5 days consisting of playing on the nicest golf course I’ve ever seen, swimming in the pool, playing cards in the hotel room, and last but certainly not least deep sea fishing.

It was our first time deep sea fishing so we didn’t know what to expect. After about thirty minutes of no bites and looking for the Frigate bird we caught our first fish, a good-sized Mahi-mahi.

Then we found the Frigate and this was great because if they are flying out in the oceans that means they are following a school of fish. We know this because their feathers don’t have enough oils so, they can’t land in the ocean and have to dive at a fish on the surface.

We followed this bird for ten minutes until the now famous Mahi-mahi mayhem occurred and we had three fish on the lines at the same time. We caught these fish claiming victory over the Mahi-mahi mayhem and waited about an hour later we got a bite.

Imagine this Mahi-mahi mayhem had occurred about an hour ago you lost the Frigate and are losing hope of catching another fish.

Then out of nowhere we get a bite I run over to the fishing pole and the fish had gotten out of its grasp. After that 5 seconds nothing happens, but then a rod on the other side of the boat caught a fish a big fish.

I run to the rod and see it’s losing line fast so, I start to reel it in. It’s pulling hard I’m already pulling as hard as I can and I’m not reeling it in at all. Then it loses a little tension the boom a huge Mahi-mahi jumps out of the water 100 yards from the boat and it’s on my line.

I start reeling it in and 30 seconds later my dad’s rod catches a fish that’s just smaller than my fish and it’s about to 200 yards out so we begin the excruciating 20 minute process of reeling the fish in. When we finally pull them in it took my Dad, Nana, and our captain to pulling a giant 44 inch 30 pound male Mahi-mahi and I pulled in a 49 inch 35 pound female Mahi-mahi.

The day totaled six fish in just 4 hours with my fish being the biggest and the one that’ll be mounted on my wall. All in all I had a wonderful time in Florida and can’t wait to come back next year.

The kid can not only fish and play great hockey but he’s a pretty darn good writer if you’ll excuse some grandparental pride.

The result: two trophy-worthy mahi-mahis  Jeff’s was a male measuring 44 inches and 30 pounds. Carter’s was the prize winner at 49 inches and 35 pounds. Mom and pop maybe?  Let’s not go there; too sad to contemplate. 

Back at the dock Nano cleaned and filleted the four smaller fish. The big ones aren’t as tasty as the smaller guys. Stop by Carter’s room someday and you’ll see his 49 incher mounted on the wall. 

Next stop: a CVS store near the hotel to buy a cooler and zip lock bags to transport the mahi-mahis back to Sun City Center. They’ll hit the grill and freezer exactly three days after departing this world. Hopefully they, unlike visitors, won’t stink after that interval. 

We hit a pizza joint for lunch and then hit the hay for a recovery nap after all that fresh air and excitement. Bridge before dinner of course. Then we put on the feed bag at the Marriott’s Bourbon Steak Miami. Carter and I had steak. Judy and Jeff had a lobster/seafood creation assembled table side. A great dining experience worthy of the restaurant’s reputation.

We needed a change of pace so we put away the bridge decks and instead played a canasta variant called Hand, Knee and Foot, which is all the go with old folks at Sun City Center these days. 

Tomorrow: more golf.

Miami – Friday, March 4, 2022

It’s hard to top a day like yesterday. We had a lazy morning, a dip in the pool and a round of afternoon golf on the Turnberry’s second “less demanding” par-70 Miller course. Challenging enough for this crowd of duffers but it’s the fun, not the score that counts. We scored very well on that measure.

Dinner that night was back at the less-formal Marriott restaurant, getting to feel like home after a dinner, a couple of lunches and breakfasts. I don’t remember what we had but I do remember dessert.

Carter, the sharp fellow that he is, noticed a 14-layer chocolate cake on the menu the first night (OK, maybe it was 7-layer, I forget. It seemed awfully tall). Served with hot chocolate sauce and ice cream, one was big enough to serve all four of us. Carter had the lion’s share but I wasn’t far behind. Jeff and Nana? Survival of the fittest.

Last night, at the fancy steak joint? The cake wasn’t on the menu but Jeff twisted the server’s arm and got a slice sent over from the other restaurant.

And tonight? You guessed it: slice number three.

Miami – Saturday, March 5, 2022

Today is packing and going home day. A breakfast, a hand of cards or two and then lunch.

Lunch, you say? At the Marriott? You guessed it again: slice number 4. We’d better get out of this place while we can still waddle.

We dropped Jeff and Carter at the Ft. Lauderdale airport and drove on home via the center of Florida, near Lake Okeechobee. It was eight-ish when we arrived, just enough time to cook up a serving of mahi-mahi and freeze the rest.