I can’t believe it’s 4 months since my last blog. I always start out thinking that each blog will be the same as the rest but somehow my life seems more interesting when I think about it, so here goes!

In the first part of May I took a vacation in Puerto Rico. It was the first time that I had used my ‘time share’ and after a 3 hour flight I found myself hiring an SUV car and driving to the hotel. The Rio Mar hotel was splendid at first site set in lush countryside with golf courses for those so inclined. My suite was equally impressive with a sufficiently equipped kitchen to cook meals if I wished. It was when I ventured down to the bar that I got my first shock. A simple drink was $20! I had money but why would I want to pay such ridiculous prices. The restaurant was the same. So I decided to venture outside. The advice from kind staff at reception was to try the kioscos just a mile away. The nearby streets were full of cars waiting to find space by the beach. I found a restaurant bar which seemed very popular and a seat by the bar. It was perfect with excellent food and a view of the beach and the setting sun. Later I returned to the hotel to watch some TV and open a bottle of wine my brother Pete had given me when he visited in January.

The next day I had one of those time share appointments in which they try to persuade you to buy more. It didn’t start well as the guy kept forgetting my name. After an hour I was free and hit the road in search of a beach one of the staff had recommended. I parked the car and walked for 20 minutes through the ‘jungle’. It was a well worn path so there was no chance of getting lost. At the end of the track a stunning beach opened before me. The water was shallow and so clear that you could easily see all manner of fish swimming about in it. I spent most of the day there doing my usual sudoko puzzles. On the way back to my car I took a diversion to another beach. This was the opposite of the first. The water was deep and there were waves! This was to be my beach of choice for so much of my vacation. On the final day the water was so rough that I returned to the calmer beach.

Every evening apart from one I ate at the same place. The one exception found me in a restaurant where there was some excellent jazz being played. Half way through my meal I went to the restroom. When I returned to my table it had been cleared of food and drink. I complained and they initially offered me a 25% reduction. I countered with an offer to pay 25% of the bill. While all this negotiation was proceeding the lady serving at the bar kept pouring me more drinks. Nevertheless I had decided not to visit again.

During my trip I had hoped to visit el Yunque rainforest but could not gain admission because my age and heart condition did not permit it. Apparently they had had to rescue several old folk who found the trek too much.

I had also hoped to visit the ancient walled city of San Juan. I did in fact visit it but there was nowhere to park the car. Then a storm broke and I decided that it might not have been a good idea to walk around the city. Unfortunately the storm meant that the car GPS did not work and there I was trying to escape from a city I did not know, completely lost. Eventually I found signs that directed me to more familiar sounding places and the hotel.

During the trip I was able to watch the coronation of Charles III and felt very proud to be British!

The whole vacation had taught me that I am not a resort hotel kind of person. Most of the guests were wealthy americans who were there to enjoy good weather and some golf. Most never strayed from the hotel. They were afraid to venture outside for fear of being robbed or worse. I never felt fear there at all. I needed a place where I could meet people and bar prices that were reasonable.

Back in Tampa by 10 May I was able to meet up with friends. While I’d been away I had let a friendly neighbor use my house. He had a large family reunion and needed space for two guests. In return he looked after my pool. This turned out to be a greater task than he had expected and weeks later I was still enduring algae. Then someone told me that filters deteriorated after a year. So I bought a new filter and all my problems were solved.

A friend from Scotland, Ross, had spent the last 5 months touring the globe and wanted to end his tour in Key West so I agreed to join him at what was also my 65th birthday weekend. We had decided to drive down to Fort Myers and get the high speed ferry to the heart of Key West. The journey to Fort Myers was fraught as a highway had been closed and the diversion meant that we were close to missing the ferry. We had both visited Key West before when Ross had been there with his family. In the few days we were there we found plenty of new things to do and visit. We discovered a great bar and restaurant near the port which was both cheaper and better than any in Duval Street!

In May I contact USCCB (American Bishops Conference) seeking to be pro-active about the psalm responses. I shared with them a document in which I listed all the psalm responses I had come up with for the three-year cycle. The document was warmly received and will be used when they come to consider what the responses might be.

With all that vacation May was a great month. June opened with a storm which is appropriate for the first day of the hurricane season!

Halfway through June the Choir began its summer break. So we had a celebration at a downtown restaurant to which we invited my predecessor at Sacred Heart. Sean would be leaving Tampa a few days later so it really was a farewell. The choir break meant I had less to prepare at work so I used the summer to revise my ‘New Wine’ Mass which I wrote 13 years ago. Most of the revisions were to the ‘Glory to God’. I also prepared separate editions for Choir, Instruments, Keyboard/Vocal and Guitar. The most exciting aspect was working with a friend, Amanda, on the front cover. I asked her to include a crucifixion scene in the background, some grapes in a basket, a bottle (with the title on the label) and a glass on its side with some spilt wine. The result was pretty amazing, I think.

On 4 July I joined the ex-colonials at O’Briens and was horrified to see my first hotdog eating contest. This had to be the most hideous event with the winner eating 62 in 10 minutes.

This summer was one of the hottest I have experienced since arriving in Florida. I wasn’t able to get out on the kayak because I was concerned that the middle of an ocean was not the place to be if my hernia started misbehaving. I was instead able to enjoy time by the pool and in my own house.

The longest running saga centred on my dishwasher which gave up the ghost in the middle of June. I contacted First American Home Warranty who, after sending 5 different contractors were not able to fix it. At the start of August they agreed to replace it. The appliance should have been delivered on Monday 28 August but it never appeared. Since then I have been trying in vain to get the delivery sorted. These four lines in the blog do not represent fairly the amount of time I have wasted on this exercise and once they complete the process I shall be looking to cancel the renewal of the policy.

Yesterday morning saw the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. Tampa was affected by the outer bands of this Cat 3 hurricane but my house did not suffer at all. There were high winds and much rain but really we escaped the bullet. Elsewhere in Tampa there was terrible flooding and I suspect that when I return to work tomorrow things may not have fully recovered.