Josh, Lindsay, and Mackenzie

As many of you know, I was going to be sent to Florida twice in two weeks for work, so I convinced them to let me stay over and save the company a plane ticket. I stayed with Josh's family for about 6 days (Josh also flew over to vacation) and I worked for about 4 days of the trip (I was in Florida for 8 days total). Various things happened while I was there, so I thought I would share some of the more exciting events and/or life lessons.

1. Theresa and I golfed on two occasions, while the guys went 3-4 times. I lost my first two golf balls on this occasion, so let's have a moment of silence for those blessed balls.

2. Doug's birthday was on Friday so we were able to be in town for his birthday which was great. On Saturday we participated in perhaps the largest Bunco party ever...34 people attended. It is on this occasion I learned that Theresa would rather show off her house and the furniture therein than provide ample seating indoors to her guests. (just kidding Theresa, you have every reason to want to show off the house) :) Luckily her daughter vetoed and we were able to get everyone in the house (did you know Florida is just as hot as Texas in the summer? Did you know it's worse with humidity? These are things I didn't think possible, but are true.)

3. Related to the Bunco party, we womenfolk went to the store to buy rations for the party. It was on this trip that we learned that the trunk of a Chevy Impala can hold a tub full of groceries and 200 pounds of ice. Oh, and don't forget the ginormous chocolate chip cookie cake resting precariously on top of said ice.

4. Theresa and Doug own two kayaks. They also live on a pond so I suggested we kayak the pond. This pond makes you feel like a master kayaker. It literally takes you about 10 seconds to get from one end to another. 15 if there is no wind. You can do 20 laps without breaking any semblance of a sweat...and that's all in about 3.5 minutes. This has inspired Theresa to get a raft and relax on the pond. I think she's got something there...

5. Theresa and I (mostly Theresa, though I did have creative input) sewed a pouch for us to give Kirk as a going away present (to store the Thor's Hammer Matt made a few weeks ago that we have all the employees signing). The pouch turned out well, but Theresa and I learned many a valuable lesson about button holes and the desire for a rivet gun.

6. When I left to drive back to Orlando, I was the only one in the house. Theresa had given me the code to the garage, but I had neglected to ask which garage door had the code pad (they have two different garages). When I couldn't find it on the main garage, I began inspecting other options...in hindsight this was stupid, but I was tired. I found instead an electrical socket which upon opening housed not only a wasp nest, but three angry wasps. Two of them decided to take their anger out on my right leg and so for the first time since I was eight years old, I was stung (but this time I was stung twice). Luckily the one that stung my right calf didn't stay attached too long, but the one that got the right ankle was murder. I ran into the house and put Benadryl on both stings immediately. I then (after closing the garage) drove to the gas station and got Benadryl pills to take as well. This worked well until the next day at the office when my sock started cutting off circulation in my leg because the leg and ankle were swelling up. Both bites are now working in concert with one another to totally eradicate any evidence I used to have a right ankle. As a results, I wore flip-flops to work. As of 4 this afternoon, I'm still swollen. Drat!

7. The flight back was my second worst flight ever. It might even tie for worst. My seat back wouldn't go back, my light didn't work so I couldn't read anything, I had a headache, the people next to me were yelling at their sons (in front of us) the entire flight, the people behind me had befriended the people across the aisle so they were yelling, and I was itching so bad people around me probably thought I had gangrene. It gave me a new appreciation for people who take sedatives before flying.

8. As a side note, I realized last night that I should probably add on to my quirk list. I have an unassailing need to unpack from a trip immediately upon return to the house. It's unreal. I really didn't do anything in the house until I was fully unpacked. I guess it helps that we're going out of town again tomorrow (albeit on a car trip) and for two days didn't want to live out of a bag.

All in all, the trip was a success. The work part went well, and the visiting part was stellar. We got to relax, enjoy good food and good times so it was wonderful. I can check off one more visit to Florida before the tail falls off the country so that's always a good thing. :)