I woke up in Florida. Not really a big surprise since I arrived last night, but the realization always seems to hit you on your first morning in a hotel. I’m here with a guy……are we dating, are we serious? My mother would like to know, but I’m just enjoying the relationship for what it is – fun. His daughter’s birthday was yesterday, and she’s here all weekend for work. So, we decided to join her. Thoughtful, right? To join someone in Florida in late October…. such a sacrifice. Ha. At any rate, she needed the steamer I brought her since she doesn’t know how to use an iron, much less a hotel-provided iron, so I was awakened to provide directions as he rummages through my luggage to find it.
I showered and got ready – why do hotel showers not all have fantastic water pressure? Honestly, I wish I could delete the fancy end tables in the living room part of this suite and use the money saved to buy a shower head that would provide fantastic water pressure. The hotel did provide full sized bottles of everything in the shower though, so I don’t want to give the impression that everything about my experience was bad.
I forgot q-tips. Ugh. Most unfortunate. Next time I’ll have to pack before the night before I leave. Speaking of packing… I’ve noticed that everything I brought smells like my house. Which is something you don’t notice when you’re living in your house, but something you definitely notice when you’re somewhere else. Trying to decide how I feel about this.
I looked through the shirts in his suitcase and made some quick calculations about which of my clothes matched better with the clothes he brought, and made my selection for today. Tank top, skort, and my Crocs sandals. Gotta love temps in the 80s! I ironed his shirt using the cheap hotel iron, and remarked about how much ironing I’d done in my previous life – back when I had a husband who wore dress shirts every day. And about the fact that I brought a steamer, and yet somehow still ended up ironing.
My daughter’s doctor called regarding blood work she had done yesterday. Gotta love having children who are old enough to schedule and get themselves to their own appointments so I can do things like fly halfway across the country without worrying about it. The nurse told me that her hemoglobin was normal, and she’s definitely not anemic. She was pretty convinced that she was because she has all of the symptoms. I’ve tried to assure her she’s just normal, but it’s always nice to have blood work back me up.
So, I texted to tell her the results and we had a quick text conversation… yes, while she’s at school. All three of my kids text me from school almost daily. And, while the teacher in me wishes they were paying attention and not texting, the mom in me loves that they want to tell me things about their day as they’re happening. I definitely didn’t/don’t have that kind of relationship with my mom, so this feels like a victory, and I’ve decided to embrace it.
On our way out the door, I grabbed a cup of tea in the lobby while he stared in awe at the hot mess express of a woman whose service dog was going berserk. He indicated to me through eye contact that he’d like to document the experience with a picture, but he’s not very fast with his phone camera, so he walked ahead and I snapped two quick pictures which I edited and texted him in the car. He’s planning to send them to his friends who own a bar and are currently dealing with a delicate service dog situation. The rental car is in my name because I get a substantial discount through work, but he does all of the driving.
Things I remarked about on the drive: the great clouds, the fountains, the construction, the other events going on at the same venue. We also discussed his younger daughter’s college choices, and a text I received from my oldest son about the charcuterie board he made last night.
I’ve used my time at the event to write up my morning so far, check Facebook, and text a couple friends. While I appreciate what’s happening, I’m ok with dividing my attention. I also bought a used coffee table from a friend on Facebook for a project that another friend and I have coming up. I’m planning to send my daughter to pick it up for me after school, but I’ll wait to text her about it until her day is over. I have to say that I love living in a world where this is all possible.
Walking to the car, I was told that I was in charge of picking lunch. Which was instant anxiety. I don’t do well with picking restaurants when I’m prepared, let alone when I’m picking for someone else who’s paying AND in a place I’ve never been before. But no pressure. It’s fine. Everything is fine. I asked some leading questions to try to figure out what he’s in the mood for. He dodged all of them. Great. Here goes nothing.
I picked a sushi restaurant that happened to be his daughter’s favorite. So, we got her some carry out food to enjoy once we had finished our amazingly delicious food. I looked up the restaurant, and it is a chain, but it’s only in Florida.
After lunch, we returned to the hotel, delivered the to-go food, and I headed down to the pool to get some sun while I read and worked my diary entry again; he stayed in the room to watch TV.
It’s amazing what a couple of hours reading by the pool can do for a person! I’m pretty sure I would be in a much better mood if I could consistently lay in the sun and read books. I also caught up on Facebook, texted a few good friends, and heard from my ex-boyfriend’s grandma who just had surgery yesterday. I sent flowers, and she was doing well enough today that she was able to send me a picture of them. She somehow manages to be both sweet and the appropriate amount of catty all at once, and I love it.
I know some people think it’s weird that she and I still talk. But 1) she took my side in the breakup. 2) it’s not often that you get to befriend an octogenarian, so you can’t just throw away friendships over things like selfish grandsons. 3) I’ve lost all of my grandparents, and she’s definitely a replacement. But I digress.
When the clouds covered the sun, I went back up to the room, showered, and was given the task of choosing the restaurant for dinner. Two restaurants in one day! Ugh. I was at least given a category this time: seafood. Unfortunately, in Florida, that doesn’t narrow it down much. But it’s something at least.
We picked out a restaurant, got in the car, successfully navigated there, and it was closed. Like closed-closed. Like, they had a fire or something and there was caution tape everywhere and boards on the windows closed. Thanks, Google.
Luckily, we were right on the beach, and there were plenty of other options available. We ended up at another restaurant and had the most amazing food! Oysters on the half shell, seared tuna, fried clams, shrimp, and scallops, and blueberry bread pudding with ice cream and caramel for dessert! It was so delicious I could probably write an entire diary entry just about my dinner. But I won’t.
Afterwards, we walked down the block to the beach. He really didn’t want to get his feet sandy, but he begrudgingly acquiesced, and I appreciate him for it. He might complain, but he’s willing to be momentarily uncomfortable when it’s important to other people, and I think many times men don’t get enough credit for that sort of thing. We met up with his daughter, pictures were taken, and we hopped back in the car for a quick drive back to the hotel.
The hotel fire pit was a great after dinner destination. More Facebooking, more writing, some conversation, some sports watching on the phone. I brought my book but never cracked it open. These Florida nights are delightful though. It’s no wonder people come down here for the winter. It’s the perfect set up to enjoy a drink.
Speaking of, I went to the hotel bar to get a drink, and I ended up talking to the bartender and a local couple. I walked the bartender through making an “almost paloma” with the supplies he had on hand, he charged me half price for the drink because I was “so great” (I assume he meant funny), and I tipped him the other half and then some. After my drink was made, I talked to the couple about boating, the cult that is The Ohio State fan base, and they gave me some restaurant recommendations for places to watch college football tomorrow as well as fine dining for dinner. They also invited me on their boat. I’m obviously passing because they could be serial killers who appreciate good food for all I know. But it was nice of them to offer.
We finished the night with playoff baseball in the room. The Astros are going to the World Series. So, that’s cool. I, of course, did more Facebooking and texting. I got caught up on the work drama I’m missing while in Florida. Tomorrow morning, we don’t have anything on the agenda, and I’m pretty excited to sleep in as long as I want to.