At Anastasia , you can’t pick your neighbors.
Well you can’t pick your neighbors anywhere ,
The neighbors there could’ve ruined the trip if we let it, but we just ignored them.
Loud, trash everywhere, ignorant.
Controlling what we can and focused on the positives, out in nature, with our family, enjoying the moment.
The day before was a 10 mile run that didn’t go as planned, a nice run on the beach turned into a slog on a non existent trail, there used to be one there but not anymore. Ankle deep water was the MO for 3 miles.
A rough time makes for a great memory.
We left Anastasia early and headed towards Tampa, where we would stay with family for the week.
Thinking about how interesting the week is going to be, we’re all so different.
Would we clash? Embrace? Laugh? Shout? All of it? How would the trip go?
Some people are 3 minute people; you can only spend three minutes with them. Others are 3 hour people, and few are 3 day people.
We’d be spending 7 days with them.
On our way to Tampa we put an itinerary together and while we didn’t stick to that plan to the letter, it differently helped in experiencing the things we wanted to experience. We used the plan as an outline and did most of the things on there.
The favorite was Friday, the Tampa zoo and walking through ybor smoking cigars, eating good food at the bricks; enjoying some drinks, and doing some shopping.
This was everyone’s favorite day and it’s funny how this was the day when the drinker of the group wasn’t drinking after an argument broke out Wednesday night. It was amazing to see the different between drunk vs sober, I only ever really knew this person when they were drinking and it was nice to see them sober and how they acted.
The Clearwater aquarium was such a unique Aquarium because all the animals there are rescued, rehabbed, and released if possible. It’s not their forever home if it doesn’t need to be, some animals can’t be released back for various reasons like a young orphan or a severe injury.
During the week, it’s amazing to realize how the company you keep affects things.
Your thoughts, your actions, how you feel. Are you hanging out with friends that are just drinking buddies? Those that are striving towards something greater? Those with good habits or bad?
A good habit would be working out; a bad habit would be binge watching TV as a form of distraction.
The Clearwater trip came to an end, it was a fun week but I’m definitely itching to get back on the road, the peace and quiet, the ability to think, alone time, even dealing with boredom and not being stimulated all the time. Getting back into somewhat of a routine and realizing how important personal time is. Habits bring us up or pull us down. It doesn’t happen overnight but eventually, time exposes everyone.
We’ve gone on Florida trips with them before and stayed at hotels; this time we stayed in an Airbnb and it was a way better experience.
More privacy, a lot more room in the house, and champy loved being able to lay outside while we were in the pool. This was only his second time being around a pool and he went in twice!
I remember being young and afraid of the water, it was cool seeing him step into his fear and doggie paddle like a champ.
We ended the trip in Dunedin. (Pronounced done edin because that’s where all the retired lesbians go – a local told us that lol) We hit some shops, grabbed a few drinks, and some amazing vegan food at the green table at the Dunedin mix which was such a unique little spot.
That’s been a theme for this trip, bangin vegan food and we have yet to be disappointed.
– Sealevel vegan
– Hungry vegan
– Beech
– Tacobus
– Wood fired pizza
– bistros
– Bricks
– Green table
We left Clearwater and made it to St. Andrew’s state park in Panama City, what a vibe. This may be the best spot to date, no bugs, amazing Mariana views, beautiful sunsets
To healthy habits🎉
Joe DiAndrea 