Easter Sunday on Longboat Key

At eight o'clock this morning I was still lying in bed, awake but not terribly energetic.  I hadn't slept especially well last night, lots of silly dreams which naturally I cannot now recall. When at last I had the vigour to draw back the draperies I could see that, as my dear mother has so often advanced, the sun always dances on Easter morning!  It was another brilliant day on Longboat Key.  I subsequently heard from the athlete in the family - he who returned from an early morning walk up Longboat Club Road and afterwards a brawny production in the fitness room - that things were well underway around the resort for a Easter egg hunt for the children.  This was the first of many indicia I later saw throughout the day that the family undertaking of foregathering on Easter was in full swing.  Everywhere for example there were people carrying colourful paper bags obviously laden with gifts of one description or another; there were scores of seniors - all appropriately dressed for Matins and Easter brunch; the car park was stuffed beyond the designated spaces; and the beach was extraordinarily crowded with families of young parents and their children (many of whom were playing in the Gulf, swimmining, water boarding and kiyaking).

When I returned from my morning walk and sunbathing on the beach I proceeded immediately to prepare myself an English muffin with freshly ground peanut butter.  And a cup of tea.  I placed both on the glass top table on the balcony to await my return from a brief duty on my computer.  When I went back to the balcony, half of my English muffin was gone.  I can only assume a clever bird spoiled my delight.  The act is however perhaps worthy punishment because earlier when I was coming back to the suite I sureptitiously expropriated several coffee and tea Keurig cannisters from the housemaid's cart outside another door.

We have succeeded to drain almost all our food provisions.  We have just enough fresh salmon and greens for dinner this evening.  Tomorrow and the next day we shall put on the nosebag at one of the resort restaurants. Then we'll have a week of dining out as we return to Canada.  Small wonder we so appreciate having our galley kitchen here.

The sun was hot and the sky exceptionally clear. I couldn't resist returning to the beach this afternoon.  The beach was very busy but I found an abandoned folding deck chair by the shore and I sat there for the better part of an hour, a self-satisfied old fogey taking in the sights.

The heat was made tolerable by the sea breeze which had picked up since my earlier morning adventure. I envied the people swimming in the sea - something I've been told by my surgeon not to do for at least six weeks.  Even though the time limit has perhaps expired already I also have in mind the warning of our health insurer that if there are any related medical problems here before we return to Canada it's on our own ticket (not exactly a cheering possibility considering the last episode cost the insurer something approaching a half million dollars of more).  It's the same reason I threw the remaining half of the English muffin over the balcony - I have no intention of contaminating myself with anything from a bird.

As usual after dinner this evening we trudged onto the beach once again for a stroll.  Our normally uneventful walk was punctuated this time with a fishing expedition.  We knew from the moment we saw the young fisherman that he had his work cut out for him.  The chat among the onlookers was that he would never outlast his catch, whatever it was, this in spite of the fact that the fisherman was strong looking.  Below are some photos of the affair, the happy conclusion of which is that the shark was released into the sea, to the delight of the entire audience!