April in Miami!

Sharon with Cynthia and Ron

30 Apr:  Tomorrow we hope to see cousin Sharon and watch Rhys play music.  And we DID.  Rhys as a 10-year-olf guitarist and his 6-year-old neighbor drummer are phenomenally good.  Ron made a trip to Walmart for frozen mango, blueberries, carrots and grapes beforehand, but in the evening as he tried to find the nearby IHOP, he went in the entirely wrong direction on a different street.  Since he has been similarly confused all his adult life, this is not worrisome.  Our visit with cousin Sharon was an unqualified success.  She was sufficiently distracted by our company/ conversation that she seemed somewhat oblivious to her perpetual pain while we visited.  She and Don live in Presbyterian Village in Athens (click here), a lovely, brand new facility.

29 Apr:  We took our time getting packed and on the road today.  Temperatures were a bit warmer than forecast, so we were very comfortable all the way.  The route was Mt Param Road through a posh part of Atlanta to Roswell Road north (not New Mexico) to I-285 E with a million other traffics, to I-85 N (traffics continuing) to E on GA 316 and lots more traffic.  Georgia 316 is one peculiar road, a divided highway with right hand exits and overpasses for many streets, occasional traffic lights, and occasional left had exits.  Ron missed several turns today and had to back track to get to the Ruby Tuesday in Winder.  The rest of the way eastward was without surprises except that Ron missd another turn when he was stopped at a stop light directly beneath GA 316 (that he intended to take).  The GPS told him that the turn was still .4 miles ahead, so we went 5 miles southeast on GA 53 before picking up US 78 northeast into Athens and then Epps Ferry Road to our Quality Inn hotel.  We visited Quint and Lori in the evening and enjoyed dinner with them and Rhys at DePalma's Italian Restaurant.  Their dog, Ollie, ate hole in Ron's pants cuffs.

28 Apr:  We slept well except for both of us awakening at 4 AM for a couple of hours before returning to sleep.  Up and oatmealed, Cynthia took a cold shower (apparently Michael forgot to turn on the water heater in the guest house.)  We luncheoned at Ruby Tueday again and stuffed ourselves wonderfully full.  Tonight Angi invited us over for dinner, and dinner was indeed marvelous.  Michael grilled chicken into wonderully tasty morsels, and Angi provided baked sweet potatoes and asparagus.

27 Apr:  Our readers know what comes first:  Exercise, then oatmeal with berries and bananas!  We bought our own food.  The hotel manager said she is excited about implementing healthy breakfasts. Yay for her.  Ron remembered a Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Marietta, Georgia (near Angi's) for lunch.  Yaaay.  They are open, although many Ruby Tuesdays are now closed.  Plans for the next two days are to stay with Angi in Sandy Springs, GA.  Route: N on I-75 to exit 261 (Ruby Tuesday) Delk Road E to R on Powers Ferry Road S across river to R (near Publix) on Northside Drive S.  There are marvelous HUGE mansions along this part of Northside Drive.

26 Apr:  We arose early, ate our oatmeal with bananas and berries and departed forthwith to the Archives, a two mile ride.  Unfortunately Ron found nothing of significance about the Joseph Henderson family there.

25 Apr:  And just like that, tomorrow turned into today. We have our own comfort food for breakfast, Yaay!  The manager asked how we liked the breakfast and was quite surprised when we replied that we cannot eat anything they provide and that we bought our own food.  At high noon we rode to Clayton State College and walked 3.4 miles around a lovely lake.  Cynthia had a protein drink and frozen raw veggies for lunch. Ron ate oatmeal.  5.0 miles total today  

24 Apr:  Morrow, Georgia until Wednesday.  The breakfast at this Comfort Inn is not good.  We bought our own oatmeal, berries and bananas.  It is convenient to have an IHOP next door for egg white veggie omelets, but the wait was excessive.  We tried the protein pancakes (olive oil instead of butter in the batter), and they are fine.  The drive to visit cousin Don C. in Lithonia was interesting and uneventful; the ride home facing the sun was unnerving to the passenger, but Ron is a confident rider.  We stopped at Clayton State University to walk for an hour and twenty minutes on their lovely campus.  That was so enjoyable, we will do it again tomorrow.   Our route to and from Don's was amusing in that we were on 5 sections of Panola Road: Clayton State Blvd to L on N. Lee -> N. Parkway to R on Forest Parkway -> Panola Road -> Village Parkway and R on W. Panola Road, L on E. Atlanta and immediate R on Fairview Road short distance to L on Panola Road to L on GA 155 (Snapfinger) across river to R on Panola to R on US 278 (Covington Highway) to L on Wellborn to R on Stone Mountain, L on Shadow Rock R on Holt L on Deshon

23 Apr:  Our lunch at IHOP in Macon with niece Danielle was lovely.  The cook did a geat job with our egg white omelets.  Todays ride north on US Highway 23 was delightful; little traffic, lovely verdant hills and woods, etc.  The GPS was hard to read for the last ten miles on Interstate 75, but Ron was able to see enough to make the correct turns and get off at the correct exit for Morrow, Georgia.  

22 Apr:  Breakfast at the Comfort Inn was Yuk.  Post Covid restaurants are understaffed with long lines; many closed.  We had a lovely visit with Don Bankston and his wife, this AM.  The ride from Brunswick, GA to Macon, GA was made so enjoyable by a stop at Captain Joe’s Seafood Restaurant in Baxley, Georgia.  Mmmmm!  Their salad bar was a delightful surprise.  The Hilton Garden Inn no longer serves dinner in the evenings, a big surprise, so Cynthia ate a protein bar.  We drove towards a blinding sun to Kroger to buy pretzels, frozen mango, oatmeal and berries, our evening meal.  Our route: Golden Isles Parkway N to county road 99 W to US 341 to Jessup, Hazelhorst & Eastman, US 23 to I-16 into Macon, I-75 S to hotel.

21 Apr:  Orlando to Brunswick, Georgia by evening.  Verizon and Wi-Fi are deplorable in Florida.  Our overnight was at a Choice Hotel, which features package instant oatmeal, bananas, apples and oranges for fruit.   But two long lines of fat-laden eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy.  So folks are Happy.  We are happy with our oatmeal and fruit.   Route: US 192 W to US 27 N to L on county road 474 (W) to FL 33 N to FL 19 N in Greenland to US 17 N at Palatka to I-295 W around Jacksonville to US 17 N to I-95 briefly into Brunswick

20 Apr:  And so we go!  Who knows what time Ron will have us packed and on the road!  But, today, we begin a two-day ride to Brunswick, GA.  Hotel rates are now astronomical.  We said goodbyes to special new friends and to old friends like Diane, plus the staff. We finally departed Pritikin at two PM and arrived in Kissimmee (near Orlando) at eight PM after un uneventful but windy and chilly ride.  Seeing an IHOP and Denny’s within walking distance was a good sign, but they were short-staffed in both places.  We opted for IHOP.  Interesting to see people order monster cinnamon rolls!  We are full and ready to go to sleep.  Our route was simplicity itself: North on 87th Street to US 27 north (Okeechobee Street), skirting South Bay by taking FL 827 and county road 827 to find US 98 N through Pahokee then back on US 27 N and followed the GPS directions to W Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway and a Comfort Inn.  The wind was too strong to enjoy the one good view of Lake Okeechobee from a highway overpass.  (Altogether, the scenery was disappointing.)  Ron found it amusing to go right through Lake Wales.

19 Apr:  Ron again rode, facing the morning sun, to Margate, FL to visit former boss Jerry and wife Judy.  They were not yet home when Ron arrived, so he waited on the porch eating frozen mango until they did arrive with grandchildren in tow, Lucas and Andy, Becky's kids, amazingly well behaved.  Jerry revels in seeing shock register on faces when he tells people that he is 80 years old.  Jerry and Judy are still in great shape.  Cynthia has core, then cardio classes, followed by a body composition scan.  Ron returned tonight, but two hours late.  The GPS took him to the old Pritikin location in Aventura, FL !  He was only a little lost in metropolitan Miami but his GPS finally got him back after he set it manually.   Route: US 1 N to Florida Turnpike/ Ronald Regan Toll road to exit 66, FL 844, Atlantic Blvd to Margate Blvd.  Return trip was a mess following the GPS that found Pritikin's old address at Aventura Mall.

18 Apr, Post Easter… Ron is in the Keys, Cynthia is at Pritikin in Doral, FL  She did 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer: 2.5 miles and 300 calories, followed by the fitness trainer at 9:30, then lunch.  This afternoon, it is time to memorize her speech for the Rambo reunion, and walk again at night.  Total 6.9 miles today!  Ron and friends Greg and Cindy had a leisurely day at the beach, relaxing and enjoying the ocean views.

17 Apr, Happy Easter Sunday!  Cynthia has wished everyone in the Western Hemisphere Happy Easter!  We awoke to news that Carol and Bill are engaged.  Yaaaay!  Bob and Bobbie left to return to Maine, such a great couple!  We had early AM final labs, took the strength class, Ron packed, and we returned to the dining hall to eat lunch at 12:30, starving.  Ron was able to be on the bike heading toward the Keys by 2:30 PM.  He will return Tuesday night to retrieve his beloved bride for early Wednesday AM departure towards GA, a two day ride.  Cynthia walked on the golf course trail tonight… 6 miles total today.  Ron's ride to Big Pine Key was uneventful although Miami Turnpike traffic isn't fun.  Neither was facing the Florida sun while riding westward, although the sparkling sunlight off the water was quite striking.  Lots of bridges, lots of water views.  Cynthia usually revels in the water views, so it seems strange that she preferred to eat a few more Pritikin meals rather than ride to the keys.  Route: FL 826 toll road to FL 874 toll road to Ronald Regan Florida Turnpike to Homestead and US 1 into the Keys.

16 Apr, Holy Saturday:  Two fitness classes this AM, Cynthia has a workout with her trainer at two, and a haircut at three. Today,  James made Ron an Easter egg omelet.  Tooo cute!  The variety of fresh fruits and veggies is such a treat for us.  Cooking class was a delicious delight, including pineapple sorbet.  The chef invited Ron to eat the leftovers.  The class applauded!  Dinner was very pleasant!  We enjoyed the company of  a cute couple from Connecticut, Lisa and Richard.  She is here for two months. We walked the trail tonight

Ron scarffing cooking class leftovers

15 Apr, Good Friday:  James, dining room manager, made Ron an Easter Bunny egg white veggie omelet!  Cute.  Ron eats an inordinate amount of food, goes to cooking classes so he can eat the leftovers, and loses weight.  The vegetable Quesadilla was delicious.  Cynthia lost two pounds this month, too.  Our box of clothing is almost ready to ship back to Texas.  We had a great evening walk. 

14 Apr, Maundy Thursday:  The clock is ticking!  Ron leaves Sunday for the Keys; this means our packing has to happen tomorrow and Saturday in order to ship a box of our belongings back to Texas. Cynthia stays here until Ron returns Tues. night for our Wednesday departure towards GA.  

13 Apr:  Ron has celebrity status at Pritikin again because of outstanding labs.  (Also he finished the new puzzle.)  We had good sleep, and we had a good day with  three workout sessions. 

12 Apr:  We are not sleeping enough at night because of early rising.  Cynthia had labs drawn at 6;45 AM, and Ron has yoga at eight AM.  Today Cynthia's new Earlens hearing aids allowed her to actually hear the lectures.  Frank's lecture on feet and the back this AM was terrific; Cynthia especially enjoyed Dr. Fruge's talk about the necessity of sleep.  Zzzz. Dr Fruge uses a CPap.  That might be nice, but it certainly would interfere with cuddling.  The day is lovely.  So was our evening walk at sunset.   

11 Apr:  We are blessed with another unusually cool day for south Florida, a forecast high of 80 degrees with a cloud cover and breezes; it feels chilly at 70 degrees mid-morning.  The A/C in the fitness center feels like subzero.   There are no organized fitness classes on Mondays, but Cynthia has a personal trainer hour and Ron is deep at work on the new puzzle.  We meet the loveliest people at Pritikin, and some left yesterday. 

10 Apr, Passion Sunday takes time for meditation on the suffering of Christ, and also on Holy Week ahead.  This is a lovely day in Miami. Cynthia’s hearing cleared.  Yaaay  

9 Apr:  And another cool, lovely day filled with a lot of exercise, too much food, and great conversations.  Chef Vince received a new puzzle which Ron promptly started.  

8 Apr:  This is a gorgeous day in Miami… cool breezes blessed our walk to breakfast.  Our normal schedule prevailed, like overeating three times a day, plus snacks.  But it is good, healthy fruits, vegetables, and grains so we each lost two pounds in two weeks.  Tonight’s dinner service was crazy.  The woman who joined us never did get her meal.  We walked the golf course trail accompanied by a gorgeous sunset.  

7 Apr:  Today’s torture was core, cardio, and fitness training for Cynthia, and Ron continued with core and two cardio’s, plus lectures and mind-bending puzzles.  Cynthia remembered to set a workout on her Apple Watch, but she forgot to turn it off after the exercise.  This means the exercise numbers look astounding!  We both had medical appointments today… and continue our gold star status.  

6 Apr:  Another successful day of being good little longevities.  We exercised, attended lectures, and Cynthia’s fitness trainer Jacky taught her how use her Apple Watch to record workouts.  Only two more weeks left of our Pritikin stay!  The days are racing by.  Cynthia is finally getting serious about writing the speech about Colonial Swedish women for June.  

5 Apr:  We sent Ron's pacemaker report electronically to the doctors in Houston before breakfast.  Exercise classes were followed by another great lecture by Frank.  Cynthia had a 2:30 appointment at Mercy Hospital to have her hearing checked.  Evidently, her current hearing loss issue is head congestion that started clearing by lunchtime today.  She used one of the private cars available for Pritikin guests that comes with a driver.  It was not cheap, but the driver waited for her so she did not have to hassle with an Uber on the return trip.  Dinner conversation with a Harvard instructor and an MIT microbiologist researcher was delightful.  The sunset was marvelous.  Sleep is good! IRS ALERT 

4 Apr:  Cynthia awoke to an absence of sound.  She alerted her audiologist and ENT in Texas, and she had a personal trainer for her workout session.  Ron did cardio, attended two lectures, did puzzles, and ate a lot.  The light rain is lovely.  Are we boring or what?  This happens when Ron is distracted by jigsaws, Pritikin or genealogy, but it is marvelous fun for us.

Rambo Reunion tees

Ron at jigsaw during cooking class

3 Apr, Sunday:  We had two workout sessions.  Cynthia had a personal trainer for an hour.  Ron walked to the market, did a second 30 minutes of cardio, and walked the trails tonight.  Plus, we ate a lot.  We talked a lot.  And we wore our matching Rambo shirts for a publicity photo-op session!  A fun day was had by all of the survivors!  Us!

The Cross from Dublin

Cynthia didn't explain this one

2 Apr:  Cynthia’s book, A Lost Sheep of Shenandoah. is published and awaiting marketing.  Son Paul and Granddaughter Zoe sent the photos of the cross from Dublin Ireland today; she is looking at grad schools.  We had core, cardio, and Cynthia had a fitness training session.  Ron ate a monster salad followed by another cardio session and the charges paid.   The food today was divine.  We said good-bye to Tami, a very lovely lady who is leaving early in the AM, and enjoyed dinner with Ward from Toronto, a nice breath of fresh air! 

1 April, Happy Birthday Samantha, with humongous hugs from Grandmother and Ron!  Granddaughter Zoe and her dad are in Ireland attending a writers conference while shopping for graduate school. And we are happily exercising and learning more about keeping our bodies heathy in Miami.  Ron is feeling much improved, but Cynthia is dragging.