Sew Let It Be Written, Sew Let It Be Done!: May 2010

Siesta Key, Florida

After 20 long grueling hours crammed in the Suburban with 4 college-aged girls, we finally arrived in Siesta Key, FL. It is a barrier island outside of Sarasota, FL. VERY beautiful. We think we like it better than Destin, if that is possible. We rented a 3-bedroom condo through VRBO (vacation rentals by owner). This is the front of the condo.

This was our back porch. It is screened in AND has sliding glass doors. It was nice being on the bottom floor. We did NOT have a view of the ocean from our condo, it was obstructed by another building; but we WERE on the beach so we did not have very far to walk at all. There were lots of lizards and unfortunately a harmless snake that lived in the bushes outside our back door, so after the 2nd day, we walked the long way around the building and didn't use the back door anymore.

This is looking back toward our group of condos from the beach.

The master bedroom (king bed - yeah!).

Our living area had a HUGE sectional couch that would probably seat about 8-10 people. Plus there were tw0 side chairs. We had plenty of room to spread out.

The dining/kitchen area.

The front entry way.

Some of the wildlife living around the condos. Besides the snake and the lizards, we found this little brown bunny eating outside quite a bit.

Here was a pelican that "dropped in" to eat dinner.

One of the many family pictures we tried to get while we were down here.

Kristen and her lil sis from the sorority, Kristin. We tried calling them K-dawg (Kristen Jondahl) and K-nail (Kristen Nail).

We brought our beach umbrellas we've had since 1992. They ALWAYS stand out on the beach and are a great conversation starter. The bathing beauties.

Kristen and Joe. We ate at the Dacquiri Deck and Raw Bar the first night.

Kaitlyn and me.

There is a big statue in Sarasota of the sailor kissing a nurse. I believe it's a famous picture from World War II.

Another day, different bathing suits. You know you HAVE to have a different one for each day!

Another family picture.

This beautiful flowering bush was across the street from our complex.

Kaitlyn and her best friend, Lindsey. Lindsey went to Destin with us last year.

Kristen and Kristin.

Family picture.

Dinner at Cha Cha Coconuts in Longboat Key, FL.

Joe and I.

Walking back from dinner at The Old Salty Dog.

This laundry was outside. You just walked up and used it (of course you had to pay).

Last day on the beach.

Last group picture.

Gator Country, Destin, and Bourbon Street

We left Siesta Key on Friday afternoon and headed North on I-75. We stopped at the University of Florida in Gainesville, deep in enemy territory. We found the AOII house. It was beautifully landscaped. Of course they have the tropical weather down there helping with that.

I took a picture of the "gator" outside the stadium.

Enemy territory. Sorry the picture is sideways.

This is at Fudpuckers in Destin. We ate a late lunch/early dinner there.

We got to New Orleans about 7:30 pm. So we got dressed to go out and have a late dinner and hang out on Bourbon Street. I had my first hurricane at Pat O'Briens back in 1983.

A little too many hurricanes? Just kidding, I was blinking and Joe was clowning around.

Joe and I stood outside this club for quite awhile. They were playing great music.

Here's two videos. One is of Joe dancing and singing on the sidewalk outside the Blues Club. They were playing "Let's Get It on." The other one is of Joe and I walking behind the girls down Bourbon Sreet. We were there "chaperoning" and being security guards. I was at first concerned at them being dressed up but we saw a little of everything down there and they were actually dressed appropriately.

French Quarter - Sunday, May 30, 2010

Sunday morning, we got up fairly early and went down to Jackson Square hoping to eat beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Good thing we ate breakfast at the hotel before we left. As you can see from the background, a storm was brewing. This is St. Louis Cathedral, it is a beautiful church.