End of Year Festivities

Mom with Pilgrims on Thanksgiving Isles YC

Every year the Holiday Season seems to start earlier - or could it be that we are just getting older  - and time seems to go by so much more quickly?

We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner at the Isles Yacht Club with our friends, the Andersons, Eitenmillers, Lordons with my Mom and Richard.  Mom's 99th birthday was the day before.  It was a food fest those two days.  Mom wanted Italian food at a favorite restaurant, Donato's in Port Charlotte. We had a wonderful dinner with Mom's friend, Norma Jean Rich.  The Chef even came out and sang to Mom in his best operatic voice. Truly, a time to remember!

Mom, Norma Jean, Joanne & Richard celebrating Mom's 99th

Next up on Tuesday, December 3rd, was a wonderful Holiday Dinner and Dance sponsored by St Vincent de Paul at the Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club.  What a beautiful setting with all kinds of pastas and sauces, not to mention terrific  people!  

Oops - one more little detail into our Holidays!  I discovered the "Perfect Boat" which was advertised briefly online located in Lighthouse Point (north of Fort Lauderdale).  After much convincing, I got Richard to look at it with me. 

Lickity Split, our new boat

Just a quick 2-1/2 hour jaunt over to the other side of the state via Alligator Alley.  Yes, we saw a 2016 Merry Fisher Jeanneau power boat with outboard engines in great condition.  Could we purchase it?  Would we put in an offer?

After much discussion and reviewing of our finances, we decided "to go for it."  Again, we traveled over to meet the surveyor and engine expert.  There were more negotiations to lower the price and finally, the day came to purchase the boat.  We decided to have it trucked over here.  But wait!  That required us to go over to Lighthouse Point for the 3rd time during the holidays and follow the truck (loaded down with our new boat) back here to launch it into Charlotte Harbor.

Hurrah!  We did it!  We once again are boat owners and can participate in our boating club activities and enjoy anchoring out - and the joy of fixing boats  - and speeding over the water with the wind in our hair and the salt under our fingernails!

More Holiday events.  Yes, there was the Garden Club Tour of Homes which is always so interesting as they use natural garden clippings to make incredible decorations.   

Our Friendship Force Club had a delicious time at the Isles Yacht Club Brunch.  Love all these people!

Following that, I organized our Friendship Force Club's Holiday Brunch at the Isles Yacht Club.  We elected new officers for the next 2 years (not an easy feat!) and enjoyed a spirited gift exchange.

Three days later on December 11 we attended our boating club's PGIslanders Holiday Dinner Dance and Change of Watch at the Isles Yacht Club.  Lots of fun!  The next day, we attended the Lighting of the Fleet, a beautiful event.  There is a countdown and all at once, every boat in the marina lights up.  We had a great time on Gene & Sue Fuller's new boat with lots of friends attending.

My 99-yr old Mom was enthralled by Paul Todd singing to her

The next evening we attended a Paul Todd Concert at our church, Sacred Heart, with my Mom.  What a fantastic evening of rousing music by this performer and his talented son.  On Saturday, Dec 14, we attended the Isles Yacht Club formal Christmas Ball.  We enjoyed sitting with our friends, Magda and Ford Cooper, and dancing to the band.


We rested for a day and then rang bells once morning for the Salvation Army at the local WalMart.  We had fun talking to people rushing in and out of the store and many people were generous.  Our red pot was full!

All decked out for IYC Ball

On Saturday, Dec 21st, we took Mom to hear the Venice Orchestra for their Christmas Pop Concert.  We had first row seats and enjoyed the harpist playing right before us.  Dinner followed at the Venice Yacht Club and Mom really enjoyed her steak.

I then began preparing for Christmas Day Dinner.  I made a turkey and Cousin Constance also contributed a grilled turkey and other dishes.  We had 14 people here and it was lots of fun.  We were so glad that cousin Jake, Claudia and her son, Andy, could come down from Tampa.  Cousin Constance had 3 surprise Amoco friends surprise Bill.  It was great!   Oh, and on Christmas Eve, we had dinner with Mom at La Florentino's followed by Punta Gorda Midnight Mass at 10 p.m.  Just a beautiful concert and Mass.

Andy, Richard holding Bleu Kitty, Claudia, Joanne & Mom (Marie)

Whew!  We have been cleaning up and relaxing since then.  We saw the movie, Little Women, which was very good.  Tomorrow is Richard's birthday and we will take our boat, Lickity Split to Pelican Bay to celebrate with our friends aboard their catamaran, the party boat.

On New Year's Day, cousins Tony & Karen stopped by with the new bride & groom, Claudia and Jake.  

Cousin Tony, Karen, Claudia, Mom, Me and Cousin Jake

We have so much to be thankful for and hope the New Year will bring more good health, friends, activities, joy and love.