Wednesday; it rained last night and has sprinkled on and off most of the day. That's really OK with us. We most likely won't be walking back over tp the beach anyway. It is a good 500 yards t the beach and Ms. Kate has an awful time trying to walk in the sand. She fell yesterday in the process. She's fine because the sand was loose and soft. I guess walking with a replaced knee makes it hard to do.

This morning I went out on the balcony of our room and sat for awhile. As I said, it had rained and the smell of the fresh rain combined with the smell of the star jasmine that grows all around us was intoxicatingly delicious. I can literally reach off of the balcony and touch the trees and there were birds coming in and out right there within an arms reach. As I went out on the balcony last evening I looked up and there was a big tree frog of some kind sitting on the top edge of the hurricane shutter looking down at me. It was cool. I wasn't sure it was real at first but I could see movement under it's lower jaw as it breathed or maybe it was its heart beating. It was still there when I finally went to bed; but it was gone this morning.

We had a good complimentary breakfast here at the hotel this morning. Then we decided to go exploring and see what was around us. We did some geocaching along the way and then found the Vero Beach Outlets. Ms. Kate checked out the Coach outlet store but they didn't have anything that she already has or at least nothing new that appealed to her. Will wonders never cease?

We stopped at a place where we were hoping to see Manatees but there were none there this morning.  We'll check it again. I hope to see some. I've never seen them in the wild. They are such a gentle creature and they are endangered. Their only natural enemy is man and his boat propellers. They are just another example of the wonderful nature that God has created and like so many of God's creatures; man is slowly destroying them out of existence. Last year the last Black Rhino was killed. What a sad state of affairs that is.

We plan to start for home on Friday morning. We could make it in two very long days but I think we'll take it easy. For one thing, we are supposed to get snow at home this weekend there is no telling what the roads will be like. So, we'll spend an extra day on the road and take our time. And --- just maybe there will still be enough snow on the ground for me to use my John Deere a little. Our other option would be to leave here tomorrow and head out but I think not!

I think tonight we are going to walk down this street to a local pizza place and have pizza for supper. We eaten too much "foo-foo" food and it is time for a pizza. Last night I had a pasta dish that was OMG fantastic. It was a 8oz lobster tail, with ten huge shrimp, and a dozen clams all over a bed of pasta that was cooked in calamari sauce. Yeh, time to go lighter fare this evening.

So that is my story for today. I hope your day has been as relaxing and good as mine has. Peace be with you.