I Distinctly Remember My Birthday Was Last Year

Well, 36 sure came fast!  I think I never really planned to be any older than 35. Ever. So this  birthday was kind of a hard one. However, when you really think about it, a lot could happen to you in a year.  Cancer, car accident, severe injury or illness, dancing in the Super Bowl as a shark- yes there are thousands and thousand of ways you could not make it to your next birthday. All of which I am going to tell you about right now.... In all seriousness, every birthday really is a reason to celebrate.  I might be getting way past the oldest I ever wanted to be, but I'm still here.  And I can't really be sad about that. 

Besides, I deal with my mid-life crises pretty well.  Last year for my birthday we were on a boat.  A cruise ship, in fact.  This year, we were driving boats.  And don't tell Jacob, but next year, we're going to build a boat!  

We went over to St. Pete to drive some little speed boats out near Fort DeSoto.  

No experience required!  

With high temps just above 70 degrees, we actually did need our jackets.  

And you can see the Sunshine Skyway bridge in the distance behind me.  

We got a little history from our guide about the St. Petersburg area.  Including the little tidbit that these very rare "white pelicans" only come and stay here for two months out of the year.  Who knew?

Don't freak out, but we also saw dolphins.  About three different pods.  Here is the ONE photo out of about 20 I took trying to get a picture of them.

Close...

Closer...

A little TOO CLOSE!!!

And the trip also came with a long lazy tour of the myriads of multi-million dollar homes and condos along Tierra Verde.  

Trivia time!  Which star from the hit 60s TV show MASH lives right on the waterway we passed and has a 40,000 gallon aquarium on which he parks his car??  None other than Jamie "Klinger" Farr.  True story, straight from the mouth of our salty, beach bum guide Scott.

You got a problem with fish tanks?

Sunday I went to my parent's house for presents, cake, and ice cream.

PiYO mat!!!

And also so Grandma could help Luke with his cursive writing.  They aren't teaching it in school anymore, so Luke decided he would just have to teach himself.

Zs are hard!