Time to visit family

The morning we left Coco beach was decent so we spent about 15 minutes goofing around on the beach.  It was nice and I saw a bird I had never seen before.  Not that I am any kind of avian expert but it was black with a long and slender multicolored beak, really interesting to watch.

Our drive from east to west was uneventful but slightly annoying that we had to stop every few miles to pay a toll until we got to route 4.  

We got to Tampa and had plans to go eat and then pick up the minivan (to have a vehicle big enough that everyone could fit in) but after Becky said she could be free for lunch, we switched plans and swung by the airport to pick up the minivan.  We learned something interesting at the Enterprise counter, one person can only check out a car at one time.  I suppose if you went through a different company you could get around it but I wonder if you might wind up regretting it if something happened and you needed to call on the insurance.  At least that is what the guy behind the counter alluded to.  

Whatever the case, I wound up being the primary on the minivan and we were on our way to see Becky for a little bit.  After we ate lunch with Becky we went down to Apollo Beach to Mike's house to drop off our stuff and then we went out to dinner.  Norma picked out a nice restaurant on the bay and we watched the sunset, a really nice evening.

The next day we went to St. Petersburg and walked on the boardwalk a bit and then want back and looked at a few shops after lunch.  The restaurant was nice in that it had a nice view of the bay and all sorts of mounted fish on the walls.  

Rachel and I listened to Norma tell us about her travels to Alaska and watch a video about the various cruise options.  As much as we want to go, we just don't have the money or time right now but we hope to in a few years after Rachel is out of school.  That evening we went to Chedders which was a pretty good casual dining place and then we went home really tired.

Thursday we got up and Kim and I helped with Norm'a broken toilet while Rachel and Cathy went to visit Pam with Mike.