We left Lake Griffin State Park in Fruitland Park, FL on Friday, December 22, 2023 and drove a little over an hour southeast to Wekiva Springs State Park in Apopka, FL, just north of Orlando. We like to be at this campground during the holidays as it is not too far from our Florida kids/grandkids.
The first thing we did after getting set up was to go to Publix to buy our Christmas Eve meal items. It seemed like everyone else who lived in the area was there also. What a madhouse!
It wasn’t a whole lot better on Saturday the 23rd when we stopped by Perkins’ Restaurant for some of their awesome muffins and then it was about 10 times worse when we went across the street to Costco to pick up some wine and their delicious croissants. I think it’s probably the one time of the year when being in Costco’s cavernous warehouse FEELS crowded.
Then I dropped Cindy off at Amber’s while I went and picked up Ann for a father/daughter afternoon. Since we only get to see each other in person now for about two months out of the year, these times are important to me. We enjoyed lunch at Moe’s Southwest Grill (new menu since the last time I was there) and then walked across the parking lot to the movie theater.
I don’t actually watch it anymore, but all my life I’ve been a fan of professional wrestling. My dad was a fan and I grew up with him watching it on TV and occasionally attending live matches. Ann also grew up with her dad (me) watching it and occasionally attending live matches, but it wasn’t until she was older that she became really interested in it and so for the past couple of decades we have shared the fun of watching gladiators of the squared circle demonstrate their ahtleticism. The movie we went to see was “The Iron Claw”, a movie based on the lives of the Von Erich wrestling family out of Texas and titled after their signature wrestling “hold”, the iron claw. I used to watch them on TV at least once a week when I was a kid and teenager. Ann had seen one of the brothers when he wrestled in the WWF, now WWE. So, we had a shared knowledge of them though mine went back farther.
The movie wasn’t bad. They moved some dates around and combined some things, as movie adaptations are wont to do, but overall it was a good retelling of this tragic family’s history and we liked the portrayals and performances. But for me the best part of the afternoon was getting to spend time with each other. I always miss my little girl, no matter how “grown up” she may be.
Sunday, December 24th was our Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. I think we all received gifts we liked, at least I know I did. The food was good and we watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for a little extra jolt of Christmas Spirit. After Ann and the kids left to go home Cindy, Amber, Abby and I drove around a little bit looking at homes decorated for the holidays and ooohing and ahhhhhing at all the lights and decorations. Then Amber and Abby went home and Cindy and I cleaned up and fell blissfully into bed after a long, tiring, but good day.
Early Monday morning, Christmas Day, as we were leaving the campground we saw several deer having their breakfast. First we stopped by Amber’s and Ann’s to see what else the kids had gotten from Santa. I also received two bottles of homemade Coquito from Amber. Coquito is a Puerto Rican beverage made with rum, coconut milk, coconut cream, vanilla and spices that I discovered (and fell in love with) when I was deployed to Puerto Rico a few years ago. Afterward we drove out to DIsney Springs to meet our friends Kirk and Laura for lunch and a movie. We had a delicious lunch at Splittsville, a restaurant and upscale bowling alley, then walked next door to the theater to see “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” on the big screen. When we first got to Disney Springs that morning it was fairly deserted but by the time we came out of the movie theater the place was teeming with people. It seems fewer and fewer people stay home on Christmas Day anymore. On the way back to Nomad we saw more deer in the campground, so they sort of bookended our day with their presence.
Tuesday Cindy had labs at 10 am and then we picked up Abby to spend the school holiday week with us and went to grab a late breakfast. First we tried Panera but they ended breakfast just as we arrived and placed our order, so we weren’t happy with that lack of customer service. Then we stopped by IHOP because Cindy felt like she wanted pancakes but the entryway was filled with people waiting to be seated while 20 tables were empty. We waited 10 minutes and no one even acknowledged us, so we left there. We finally ended up at Keke’s in Winter Park and Cindy got her chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream, so all was well.
The next couple of days were more medical appointments and then spending the day with Abby watching parts one and two of Guardians of the Galaxy, which I think might be Abby’s favorite of the Marvel movies.
Friday we had to drop Cindy off for another medical appointment while Abby and I enjoyed a fast breakfast at McDonald’s. Then we stopped by Amber’s to pick up Ann’s last Christmas gift which was late in arriving. Afterward we went to get prescriptions filled and to pick up some electrical parts I needed in order to install the new trailer tongue jack.
Then it was over to Ann’s to give her the Christmas gift that arrived late; an item autographed by one of her favorite celebrities. Not only had it arrived late but it turned out when she opened it the damn thing had not been autographed like it was supposed to have been, so I was pretty pissed with the online vendor I had purchased it from. They will be hearing from me.
Then Abby and I picked up Cindy and went to Shake Shack for lunch since Cindy had not had anything to eat since dinner the night before because of her test. I like Shake Shack, but the prices have gotten pretty unreasonable. Afterward we all went back to Nomad and watched Guardians of the Galaxy part 3 and played Harry Potter Uno that night.
On Saturday, December 30, 2023 we hiked a mile to the springs and a mile back in the morning. Then Cindy and Abby spent most of the day teaching each other tatting and crocheting, respectively. Granddad did some reading and writing from his easy chair.
Sunday we all three hiked 3 miles down to the lake and back. Thankfully no mosquitos like there were last year when we hiked down there. When we got back I made pancakes and bacon on the griddle for a late lunch and then we spent the afternoon playing Scrabble. Abby beat both grandma and granddad by more than 60 points! After dinner that night we had a campfire and Abby made S’mores, then she watched something on her laptop while Cindy and I finished re-watching for me and first watching for her season 2 of The Umbrella Academy. Then we watched the ball fall in Times Square, toasted each other with champagne (except for Abby, who had sparking grape juice), called our kids and grandkids around the country to shout “Happy New Year” before heading to bed.
Monday- Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to my younger brother! Looking forward to seeing him a week from now. New year’s night we went to Kirk and Laura’s hoe for an awesome meal of pot roast and to see Laura’s mom, Royda, who had arrived in town the day before from cold, snowy Michigan. Cindy and I always love getting to see Royda and spend time with her.
Tuesday I took Voyager for an oil change and then Cindy and I took down all the Christmas decorations and lights around Nomad and packed them away.
Wednesday I drove into Orlando to the storage room to meet a potential buyer of my old Tonneau truck bed cover. Afterward I stopped by Panera for a long lunch. I miss the days when they played classical music. Then I had new tires and brakes put on Voyager.
On Thursday Cindy had her final appointment with her primary care physician. Afterward I dropped her at Amber’s while I went to Ann’s to take her to lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings, then when I dropped her off at home it was time for last goodbyes with the her and the grandkids. We won’t see them again until next November of 2024, so lots of hugs and sadness. Then I drove to Amber’s to pick up Cindy and we had last goodbye’s with them, but we’ll see them in February at the Florida Caverns in the panhandle during our stop there.
On Friday, January 5, 2024 we left Wekiva Springs State Park and headed for Colt Creek State Park in Lakeland, Florida.
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