Our First Thirty Days:

My goodness, when Art put this list together I realized I really did need afternoon naps! Happy 2025 friends!

Said “Goodbye” to our friends

Moved to our new home

Changed our address

Outside the Post Office

Art completed the paperwork for his pension and is now officially retired from Disney

Unpacked, hung pictures and felt at home by Christmas Eve

Dining Alcove from the Kitchen

Leased a new car

Registered to vote

Got new licenses

Joined the Dali Museum

Became a member of the St. Pete ShuffleBoard Club – Completed the Basics Boot Camp, and will attend Strategy Camp this Thursday. Art’s playing regularly, Beth at least twice a week.

Picked up our Library Cards. (The Library is across the street from Shuffleboard.)

Attended 2 services at The Cathedral of St. Peter – Beth was blown away by the organ music (as in I’m not used to loud anymore) and very contemporary sermons (Let’s connect the Webb Telescope with “In the Beginning was the Word”.. Hallelujah) Beth is registered for a book study beginning this Thursday.

Double booked our first week – Jen’s Birthday dinner was the same night as the Hermitage White Christmas Party. Attended both.

-We’re learning the public transportation system. The Looper is a free trolley that runs around downtown making it easy to “hit the highlights”, The Central Trolley runs up and down Central Ave (Central Ave separates North and South Streets and is Downtown’s Main Street) and rode the Sunrunner Bus across town to St. Pete Beach. (It stops right outside our door.)

Christmas dinner with Jen & Chad and their neighbors who gave us lists of their favorite places in St. Pete, including their favorite restaurants.

Beth found an in-person OA meeting whose members have lunch together weekly at the Frog Pond Restaurant. She’ll skip lunch to attend Friday Follies Poetry Prompts on Zoom the 1st and 3rd weeks of the month.

Merri and her boys finished school vacation week here. We used the “Let’s Roam” app for a scavenger hunt to see the highlights of downtown St. Pete and had an unexpected New Year’s Eve sleepover with them due to their flight delays.

Found the AMC theater around the corner – disappointed in “Mufasa: the Lion KIng 2” but we used the partnership between Fandango and AMC to watch Wicked at home (5 stars from Beth – Art is looking forward to its ending sometime around Thanksgiving.)

Drove to the Saturday Farmer’s Market at the Al Lang “Rowdies” Stadium. We can walk there once we learn to buy only the veggies we need.

Art started a new part time job with daughter Jen’s side gig, and has completed his training for “Home Watch” . He now has one house he’s responsible for. (His employer is setting him up for success.)

Art completed the AARP safe driving course online and saved $$ on our insurance

Beth continues to focus on her poetry goals with online workshops, and a submission challenge.

On The Books For The Next Couple Of Months

Visit the Imagine Museum: Contemporary Glass Art (tickets a gift from Judy and Geoff)

Visit the James Museum of Western History

Art’s Official Celebration of 25 years with the Walt Disney Company the last week in January – we’re staying at Disney’s Poli and in addition to visiting a couple of folks, plan to play croquet with the Celebration Croquet Club.