A Waterfront Thanksgiving

Patio view during  late-afternoon Thanksgiving feast

Our second annual Thanksgiving week in Palm Coast with our two Florida daughters, one son-in-law and the new grand dog, Toffee was much like the first: beautiful condo, delicious food, golf, a tiny dip--mostly in the hot pool--and an excursion to Burrito 101. I'll skip the turkey feast food photos this year. It was more buttery and bacon-y-good than well-photographed.

So just a few notes to highlight what was different this year.

This year we spent five nights at the condo at Hammock Beach.

This year there was no early morning turkey trot, thankfully. I developed painful shin splints last year.

This year the turkey was brined with a prepared mix and added apple cider, with slightly different aromatics inside. It was given an under the breast-skin rub of butter and tented with foil. It was a little less than done in this oven for some reason but was tender and flavorful--the best turkey breast I have had in many years!  G. (who is a leg man) consumed most of the dark meat, and I will have to assume that was also good.

Dessert was homemade pumpkin ice cream with ginger snaps that was indeed *amazing.

New this year was the women joining the men on one of the elite resort courses for a best ball scramble against the husband--which we lost! I stayed back to lounge in the sun on our patio and to keep company with the boat-bound dog, Toffee, on the second day of golf scrambling--which the husband also won handily. A funny video was put up by R. on Facebook and that should be enough about the golf. But let me just say that it was a gorgeous golf course, supposedly designed by Tom Watson--with some killer bunkers! And it was  warm and breezy, a partly overcast day requiring no sunscreen. The only thing that sucked was the playing of the game by the three of us who don't play weekly. I became an expert at filling my fairway gouges with the sand provided in jars on the cart.

The ball in the bunker that was in the video!

The highlight of the trip (besides the Thanksgiving feast) was our first boat ride on the Providencia. Would the winds calm down enough for us to be able to take her out? It had been either too windy or the boat had been under repair on previous visits, so yes, this was a maiden voyage for three of us, although old hat for the other three, including the Toffee dog, who seemed to take the trip down the intercoastal in stride. The only thing that excites Toffee is chasing tennis balls at the beach.

The only eating out at a new place was on Flagler beach on the way home to the Orlando area. We had delicious shrimp, burgers, fries and a pitcher of amber bock at the outdoor picnic tables at High Tides at Snack Jack, a place that caters to dogs. Toffee was given a bowl of water.

Yes, we went back to Burrito 101 this year but new this year was this *amazing Spanish dish which translates "soupy rice," consumed by the son-in-law. The restaurant is run by a Colombian family.

And yes, the dog came along to this restaurant as well, joining us at the outdoor seating. Interestingly, everywhere the dog goes, he is arm candy. It is like taking a walk with a super model according to his parents! The husband tried it--and he didn't get far at all before he was in several conversations with others enjoying the nice weather outdoors at the European Village, as (mostly women) oohed and aahed over Toffee.

But--we indulged ourselves in Winter Park a couple of times--at The Coop and at Shake Shack (new to the husband), as well as taking a boat tour out of Winter Park that highlighted the very expensive new and historic mansions in the chain of lakes around the city--from rich former lumber men to athletes like Horace Grant, who lived there for awhile (played for the Magic) with all things sized to his nearly 7-foot height.

All in all, a great week! We hope to spend more time in Florida in the future ... as full retirement plans develop!

*amazing used with apology. (Trump surely seems to have had success with the word!)