Tom and Janet bought a smaller house in Coral Gables, a huge 1920's planned community just west of Miami where every home is of a design different from all the others. The community features lush gardens and incredible tree canopies over streets, huge banyan trees in medians, fountains, golf courses, parks, historic churches, shops, world-class restaurant row, and a location convenient to everywhere.
Their yard is large enough for their guest cottage, lounging, and their own lush garden.
And Tom designed a pool specifically for their space. This is the view when one comes out of the guest cottage every morning. Not bad.
The neighborhood's feral cats enjoy the pool as well as the cushions on Tom and Janet's patio chairs.
And this year there's the bonus of the honey bee hive in their kumquat tree.
For us it wouldn't be a trip to Tom and Janet's without going to the Saturday morning Coral Gables farmer's market, a lovely walk from their home on Cortez Street.
One of my favorite sights along the walk is this kapok tree, usually inhabited by several bright green parrots eating kapok seeds.
Kapok fluff is all over the neighborhood this time of year. I believe this fluff has been used to stuff pillows and quilts in the past. I know the artificial stuff sold for that purpose today is called "kapok."
The farmer's market is just perfect for people-watching.
We've met Tom's employer, Rolando, and wife Maria several times before, and on this trip we met them, along with another couple who knew them through business connections for dinner at a Spanish restaurant in downtown Coral Gables, a fun night!!
Sunday morning at the Coral Gables Congregational Church brought a Mardi Gras service full of laughter, jokes, great music. For instance, the service began with the teen handbell choir processing, then taking turns telling knock-knock jokes. As the adult choir processed, members threw Mardi Gras beads and paraphernalia to the congregation. Pastors were wearing purple and green wigs.
My outfit courtesy of Tom and Janet.
Tom in the green hat amid the choir.
Loved the altar and also the post-service jambalaya and King Cake luncheon.
Just a garden and house I liked.
We were also able to catch up with Allen's childhood friend, Tom Monson, and his brand new wife, Rosemarie, a newly retired realtor in the Ft. Lauderdale area. She was originally an engineer in Romania but fled the county gladly during Ceausescu's dictatorship.
Last we heard from Tom, he was married to Eileen and still teaching psychology at Florida Atlantic University, but had ended his long-term relationship with our friend, Edyta. Through Edyta, we tracked him down. Turns out he'd met Rosemarie on Match.com, and when her health took a turn for the worse before Christmas, decided to go ahead and get married.
We met at a lovely restaurant on the beach in N. FLL, Rosemarie's suggestion.
One of the small-world stories now in our repertoire is that Tom's main home is in Brunswick, Georgia, the town where we stayed right after Charleston on this trip, and from where we explored the beautiful Georgian coastal barrier islands. I always knew he had a home in Georgia, but had had no idea as to where.
