Been a bit cool here in very sunny Florida. In the 40's at night. The Lovely Tom has even skipped his usual early morning golf a few times lately! That said, we still have lovely green grass, tall swaying palms and lots of blooms. Being a semi Maine resident, I get first hand reports. It is very cold and sometimes snowy. We begin having winter weary friends come for a respite in March. Boy oh boy, they'd love to come to the Merritt Island house!!! You would be very welcome.

Hey Annie, Oh if you could see me crawling, or whatever one would call those moves, out of my old clawfoot tub in Maine! As you probably know, those really old tubs are narrow (this one not much wider than my hips!!), so when you are ready to exit, you just hope no body is watching. Just the tree tops and birds for me. I found some handles in a bath catalog that attach to the tops of the sides, so you can pull yourself up and hold on securely while stepping down to the floor. Now I'm hoping to find bronze colored ones, as I put all oiled bronze in that old fashioned bathroom. Have short bronze grab bar on the knotty pine wall, but then I really have to do gymnastics to get out on the other side, as my short little legs won't go out of the sloping back end. But soaking in that tub with oatmeal powder is beyond luxury, especially with a glass of wine on my tray and soothing music playing. Funny old ladies, huh?

Thanks, dreamn. I will at least give it a drive-by.

No public tours will be offered this year, according to the info. Does anyone know exactly where the home is located on the Island? Merritt is a loooong island.

Greetings, DBC. You are the ruling monarch of the Dream Homes. You add lots of interesting links and conversation. I've been AWOL for a couple of years, but, as this home is right across the state in an area The Lovely Tom and I visit often, I decided to re-enlist. My fav home was the one in New Mexico. Always loved the high desert.

But this one is calling my name. I don't think I could blast Tom away from his regular winter golf buddies to move across state, but if the place can be rented, I'd keep it. If financially possible. I notice they have Realtor Dot something or other on the advertiser list. I've skimmed over all the blog posts and didn't see or missed any comment on rental. As this isn't in a development, it seems as though it could be rented.

Do you know? Also, do you know the GPS location of the house? If we're over in Cocoa next month, I'd love to visit. Need to find out if there will be tickets sold for an open house tour.
We adore Cocoa Beach. One of the very few places that hasn't changed too much. It's still the gold standard for funky little beach town. The split "business" district is just great, and there are a multitude of very inexpensive Mom and Pop beach front motels. November and December are good, as it's before the rates go up.

Anyway, glad to see you still blogging. Hope you are well and happily traveling, as are we, thankfully.

Hello Lovely Lessie! I decided to come back to the blog after a couple of years "off". Did you ever write your book? I seem to remember your son was getting married? Anyway, hope life is still good and full of blessings. I'm hoping to stop by this DH next time we go over to Cocoa, which we love to do.

Good ideas. I'll check with local groups. Yep, Lobster Shanty still there, still good. I was over there in November for a launch. Took a cousin who was in FL for a visit. She loved it, especially the day at the Kennedy Space Center. I think Tom and I will be going back for a beachy break soon. It's just so soothing to walk on the beach at daybreak, or sit there in the sun.

Hope all your men are doing well. You had all sons, I seem to remember. We drive by Va Tech every fall on the way back from Maine. Love going down the Shenandoah Valley. Have stopped at one time or other at most historic attractions, last...George Marshall museum at VMI.

Hello again, Astabula, once known as Virginia Tech Mama. Or near that. I've not been on in a couple of years, but this Dream home is near by. Hello all the oldies, Coop, WyoGirl, Toni, Cebe, Lessie, and others. Funny, intense debate would not let me log on at first, so I had to go through cyber purgatory to get back. The Lovely Tom and I go often over to Cocoa Beach to watch launches from the Cape. I'm a Space Junkie, and the beach is great. Lots of little Mom and Pop motels right on the beach for good prices, especially in the Fall.

Does anyone know if the house will be open for physical tours? I'd be first in line. Sooo much to do over there, and I think I've done just about all of it, now starting over.

Hi, Bee, Your friend in Maine here. Also live in Tampa, and it's said that the Cuban sandwich in the US was created in Ybor City, a fabulous urban enclave, where so many of the cigar factories were located. We have a great Cuban community in Tampa, most of whom came to work in the cigar factories. They and the Italian community in Ybor made Tampa what it is today. I don't know how to post links, but look at Ybor City Museum for more.

Thanks, everyone, from the crew to the bloggers for a great experience. I thought of all of you last night, 6-9. Lying up in our loft bedroom here in our tiny village on a back bay in Down East Maine. The loons started up with several of their calls. (Breeding pair are on the lakes now, sitting on eggs or garding hatchlings.) We both went down and out to the porch. We just sat and watched the fireflies, listening to the frogs, loons and breathing in the wonderful smell that is Maine. We've had so much rain and cool weather, I think everyone, including the non-humans were overjoyed that maybe summer is finally here. Both my Siberian iris clumps burst out into bloom by this Sunday morning. Breakfast on the porch, watching the shore birds chasing minnows and listening to the fledgling eagles raising a ruckus. This is my heaven. Now out to weed the garden. Best of luck to everyone who entered.