The Wonderer returns...

I know you didn't miss me but I'm back. Back from glorious Jamaican weather to glorious Florida weather... ok so we didn't go for the weather but we topped up on relaxation, fun and cocktails of all descriptions!

4 nights of Sandals and I feel like a new woman... raring to go (until I leave my office and see all the washing that needs doing!).

I'm not going to dribble on too much about it, but here a few pics for you .. you'll get the drift.. lazing around reading, drinking cocktails and eating too much... I was very proud of myself ... I didn't log on the whole vacation and only phoned to see if Gary was ok ( not missing us one bit) at doggy daycare..

I loved Jamaica, and the people were amazing..we're already planning next year...

Gary wishes he'd been able to come to Jamaica

Reading my book view no. 1

all I was allowed to take of hubby

from lunch spot

Our villa

catch a ride here after too many cocktails

amazing fan palms

new spot on beach

rocking the new hat

maids had nothing better to do!

breakfast location

Is it wrong to make your dog pose with Red Stripe?

Vacation preparation...

I've been busy this week... what with lots of work to finish off, a stack of ironing ( and when I say stack, I mean STACK - I hate ironing, I normally like to save pile of it for when my friend Anne comes, but she doesn't like me anymore and hasn't bothered to visit) (Only joking Anne..do you want to book a holiday when I'm back from Aus?)and there is the packing...Packing, where are you going Clare?

Well, I'm off on a little sojourn to Jamaica actually (Whoop Whoop). Consequently this week has been manic. Today is nails day (you should see them) and I pity the poor girl when she starts on my feet.. don't quite know what has happened to them these past two weeks but they look something like this....

Maybe not quite this bad!

Hoping by this afternoon they will look like this!

Then its a home to touch up the gray... yes, not only am I not a natural blond, I have tons of grey too!  I don't know what my natural colour is anymore its been so long that I've been dyeing it. Unfortunately whilst my Mother is extremely youthful in the face (hopefully this will pass down to me!) she went grey very early in life and I followed quickly behind.. so in between highlights I have to touch my grey up every 2-3 weeks... nightmare!

I've booked Gary into Doggy Daycare for the weekend - he goes to Dog Day Afternoon. He always has a great time and gets to play all day with the other dogs! I did tell him this morning that he was going on his holidays and didn't get much response..

Gary not taking any notice of me ..

I'm not having my dog ignoring me, so I coaxed him up and got him to sit and listen me ..

'Gary, Mommy loves you, but she's leaving you for 4 days at Dog school. You'll have a great time, and wont even miss us'

 As you can see, he doesn't care a hoot...and what tongue!

Maybe get one more post in tomorrow before I leave, but if not, Bon Voyage...and I'll be back with an irritating amount of tropical pictures next week xx

Think of me when I have to get off my sunbed to swim to the pool bar...


UPDATE....

Nails buffed and shined, I look like a human again, although as I chose to have 'holiday, no work nails' I now cannot type!

Gary ..loving the taste of my new nails!

Going 'Arty' in Sarasota....

The last day of our holidays in Sarasota (New Years Day) and it was a bit chilly so we decided that a spot of lunch out might be in order and some of us (me!) needed something to soak the gin up! so it was off in to Sarasota about 20 mins from the tennis centre.

On our arrival we were greeted this ...

It seems we had walked into an Sculpture & Art exhibition... this is the  26-foot tall “Unconditional Surrender” sculpture on Sarasota’s Bayfront. The traffic-stopping sculpture was first brought to town for Sarasota’s Season of Sculpture three years ago and has been bought back by donations from local residents...Mom & Dad stand in front for scale!

The sculpture recreates a famous photograph of a World War II sailor kissing a nurse during the end-of-war celebration in Times Square. I tried to get Jody to re-create the scene, but he was having none of it, walking off to look at the other art..
He found a weird alien looking craft which is apparently some mathmatical piece (I didn't understand when he explained it to me) although it was kind of cool...

As our walk down to the pier continued we saw a beautiful dolphin fountain

Another strange alien pointy thing (technical term)

And a strange, large round thing (again technical term)

As you can probably guess I'm not that bothered by art most of the time, but I LOVED the kissing statue. I have to admit that I was more interested in where we were eating for lunch and I was freezing (hence no more pics).
Eventually we ended up in an Irish bar (Q. why wherever you go in the world is there always an Irish bar?).. and were soon feasting on burgers and Guinness...we stayed to watch some football and then braved the cold winds back to the car...all that remained now was to pack up our things as the vactaion was officially over in the morning..
Thanks Mom & Dad, we had a great time and it's the first Chritmas I haven't put weight on with all the exercise we've had!!!! 

We are on vacation....(Holidays for my British friends!)

Just wanted to share some vacation pics with you...we 're playing tennis down in Longboat Key near Sarasota in Florida... It's not been super warm, but we did make the beach one day!
Enjoy

Shopping in Armand Key

Mom & Dad - Dad till happy at this point oblvious to how much money Mom has spent!

I've told Jody that I want this tree next year!

Our holiday home (Anne thinks this is Posh?)

Pretty water bits!

The walk to tennis...its quite nice here!

 

The tennis club - and Mom collecting the balls!

The beach!

Mom on the beach....

This comedy photo is for Anne....she loves this sort of thing!