Springtime in Florida, Almost Spring on Mackinac . . . and Our Very Own Sunset Inlet Miracle 3/20/16

Hello from Florida, where the temps are rising, the Spring Breakers are partying, and where Flagler Beach is quickly changing from sleepy winter beach town to thriving place-to-go for early vacations, good food, and cinnamon sands.

More and more days now – with the time change and the warming temperatures – we can climb the spiral stairs in the evening to the top deck  . . .

. . . and watch as God lowers the sun below the horizon, in a spectacular kaleidoscope of colors He’s kept for His own personal paint palette.

Even with beauty like that though, I found myself missing springtime in south Georgia this week – especially when lake friend Marianne posted photos of her beautiful azaleas blooming.  There’s just nothing like a south Georgia spring!

Two girlfriends, Sue and Jennifer, and I went to a 2-hour Restorative Yoga class last weekend, and it was a hoot (it’s not supposed to be a hoot, it’s supposed to be “restorative” – but that was before the three of US arrived).  You see, Jennifer, Sue nor I had ever done yoga before, and we were the only “rookies” in the room.  When the instructor found out I had neck problems, she modified every position to facilitate not harming any progress I’ve made – which was awesome. But . . . if we hadn’t been in a very quiet, meditative, calming environment, I would have been laughing out loud throughout the entire session.  I really had no idea there were so many ways you can twist and pretzel your body and then hold the position – for anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes.  News flash . . . I still don’t!

This was my favorite pose, and the only one I could remotely duplicate.  And no, this is not me, Sue, or Jen.  This lady looks like you’re supposed to look in this position. I looked like a passed-out bear in hibernation.

ON THE ISLAND

Mackinac is still cold, but most of the snow is gone – although they did have a few flurries this week.  Ferry service is back in full swing.

If there were leaves on the trees and several more ferries out there, this could be a summer day!  No ice visible anywhere.  (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Against that cold, crisp evening sky, the Mackinac bridge makes the perfect backdrop for one of the island’s cannons. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Mackinac children leave the island school for the weekend.   Their Spring Break is the week following Easter.  (Photo: Tom Chambers)

My friend, Steve Fridley, is on the island right now and shared this beautiful photo of the Straits, the lighthouses, and a sky full of stars.

Another from Steve Fridley – an unusual angle and silhouette photo of the Grand Hotel against a coral sky.

PERSONAL STUFF

Ted and I celebrated our 27th anniversary on St. Patrick’s Day and had a wonderful dinner at 386 Restaurant, just a few miles north of our house. I posted this photo earlier in the week on Facebook and want to use this space to say THANK YOU for all the good wishes and thoughts.  You made Ted and I feel wonderful and very loved.

OUR SUNSET INLET MIRACLE

A couple of weekends ago, our new next-door-neighbors, David and Lisa, threw a baby shower for their daughter who lives in Utah and is due in April.  They invited me to come over, and a large group of family and friends played baby shower games and watched with laughter as she opened her gifts.  Two days later their daughter flew home, and David and Lisa were resting from a very full weekend when David suddenly developed a really, really bad headache and began to feel sick.  A few moments later he threw up.  He rested the remainder of the day and throughout that night.  I was leaving to work in the ER the next morning as they were packing the car to go back to Jacksonville, which is their permanent home.  I asked David how he was feeling, and he smiled and said, “My head is still hurting.  I’m going to work, but I’ve also got a doctor’s appointment.”

Just after I got home from the hospital and was eating lunch, I received a text from Lisa.  “David has had a fairly serious stroke.  He is going into the ICU at Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville.”  I immediately let other neighbors know, and our neighborhood prayers joined those of David’s family and their Jacksonville friends.  David is 49.

Over the next few days we anxiously waited as time passed and test after test was taken.  The tests all showed the blood clot that caused the stroke, but, miracle of miracles, the blood clot did not injure David’s brain in any way.  The part of the brain where it was located is one that controls very little in the body.  He has no neurological symptoms at all – no loss of motor skills, no slurred speech, no memory loss. NOTHING was affected.

David is on a blood thinner, and he has a monitor implanted in his chest that downloads data to his doctors each night.  He was released from the hospital after less than a week, and two days later he and Lisa took their other daughter and their grandson on a Disney Cruise . . .

. . . and this afternoon David and Lisa joined Jennifer, Ernie, Ted and I for a late lunch and an afternoon of boating.

I asked David on the boat if I could share his story, and he said, “Absolutely!  Please let people know my symptoms were nothing but a bad headache and nausea.  It never crossed my mind that I was having a stroke.  I honestly thought I might have a brain tumor – but not a stroke.”  David wanted everyone to be aware of the unusual symptoms in case the same thing happened to them.

So now we laughingly and lovingly call him our “miracle” neighbor.  And we thank God for answered prayers.

Hope everyone is doing well and had a great weekend!  God bless.

Jennifer, Lisa and I on the boat this afternoon . . .

. . . with our Three Musketeers!