Tampa Stopover
After a month in Mexico, we returned to Tampa for two and a half weeks, for some minor but necessary medical procedures. Steve’s last dermatology screening determined the need for two surgical excisions. I was due for a mammogram. Good news - all results were clear! We are so thankful for our good health!
Our home in Tampa was a vintage bungalow right near our old neighborhood of Hyde Park. It was nice to be back in familiar surroundings, just a short walk from restaurants, shops, supermarkets, a pharmacy, and even a movie theater. I wonder how much longer that little house will be there? It was the only single family home remaining on the block.
The weather was lovely - sunny and in the low 70’s. I enjoyed my walks along Bayshore, with the water on one side and stately houses and oak trees on the other. One day I watched three dolphins swimming at a leisurely pace. Nearby, a pair of pelicans repeatedly flew up and then dove into the water in unison - maybe it was a seafood brunch date?
What good luck that we were in Tampa during the Gasparilla International Film Festival! We attend the screening of a terrific documentary film, To Walk 500 Miles, created by Crosby, the daughter of my friend Brooke. The film told the tale of four twenty-something cousins through-hiking the Colorado Trail. Crosby is a wonderful storyteller; as we watched, I could feel the pain of her blisters, the bitter cold of the wind and hail, and the elation of the stunning mountain vistas. We think this adventurous young woman has a bright future as a filmmaker.
We saw a play by Jobsite Theater at the Straz Center: The Shark Is Broken. It took us back to 1974, during the filming of Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws. Roy Sheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss are stuck on a small boat between repeated shooting delays, thanks to the notoriously faulty mechanical shark. Let’s just say there were some short tempers. The cast was excellent, and the play was an entertaining peek behind the scenes.
It was lovely to catch up with Tampa friends! We had dinners with couple friends (Michele & Craig, Angela & Will, Kasey & Bob), and happy hour or lunch separately with work friends (Jenny, Suzanne, Evelyn, Ryan). I also did a volunteer shift at Ronald McDonald House with Becky. There were more friends that we missed seeing; we’ll try again next time.
Steve’s parents were doing well. We had another stroke of good fortune with timing: Steve’s sister Sandy was in town for a visit, along with her daughter Lyric, son-in-law Brendan, and adorable grandson, three-month-old Killian. What a treat to see them all!
