March 14, 2008 (Fri) Englewood, FL (10) - The last 10 days can best be described as unremarkable, meaning there has been very little worth entering into these chronicles. A week ago Wednesday, the big events of the day were a walk on Englewood beach in a brisk wind and looking at the pictures Gail and Phil took on their recent whale watching trip (very interesting). On Friday, Mark got together with George, from a few doors down, to play some guitar together. On Sunday, a couple of ladies from Bom's (Joy's mother) church stopped by to share Holy Communion with her (and us).
On Monday evening Mark went to the "Bluegrass" jam session in a local city park. (Apparently it's a weekly event). It turned out to be more country than bluegrass There was only one song(?) that could be call bluegrass and one that bordered in it. He wasn't familiar with either. The rest was what one might hear on a country/western radio station that doesn't play the new country rock kind of stuff. There were maybe 15 musicians milling around "on stage" at any one time - some playing, some not. There were others standing around in the background kind of strumming along to themselves. Of those on stage - actually one end of a picnic pavilion - four (guitar, fiddle, harmonica, bass) played about every song. Oh, and there was on old fella standing in the back playing the washboard. The others came and went depending on the song. The "soloists" normally did only one number while the rest accompanied. It could not come near being mistaken as "professional" but they were having fun even to the silly extent of one old fella hitting himself on the head with castanets as he did an inappropriate "jig". The singing was often off key and lyrics forgotten - at one such occasion the audience filled in until he got back on track again. It was just a bunch of old folks - this is a retirement area - getting together to entertain an audience that numbered maybe 50 to 75 people who seemed to be regulars. They chatted among themselves, sang along now and then and occasionally one or two would go up to the microphones and sing a number. The atmosphere of a Rocky Horror Picture Show event came to mind although not really similar.
Tuesday was the day another space shuttle was launched from Cape Canaveral. It was a night launch, 2:30am, and we were told it might be visible from here. Not to us! We set the alarm and got up to watch. It was overcast, so there wasn't a hint of anything going on out that way. Another space program related disappointment.
We have no transportation here other than bicycles and Q who is parked out in the bank parking lot so we don't go out much. We've bicycled down to the Publix supermarket a couple of times and brought groceries back bungied to the back of the bicycles and in backpacks. One trip was very windy and cold! We also hoofed it a couple of times. We have used Q too, when Bom needed to go out. At 96, we didn't think she'd want to sit on the back of a bicycle.
Other than that Joy worked on her quilting, played SkipBo and worked jigsaw puzzles with her mother, did crossword puzzles and read a few books. Mark tried to catch up on the computer work (banking, taxes, etc), played his guitar, and read a couple of books. Very relaxing!
Q042680 SunTrust Bank parking lot (parked)
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