The weather in Florida during April always inspires us to get out and about, even more than usual. Days are getting longer, temperatures feel almost like Spring and everything is in bloom. Like January, April is symbolic of ‘out with the old, and in with the new’ as we adjust our wardrobes, our schedules, and our attitudes to face another hot, humid summer.
Celebrating
We celebrated Easter by going to brunch with a couple of friends. It was a departure from our usual home-cooked family dinner and traditional Armenian Egg Fight, but we are getting used to the ever-changing landscape of family holiday gatherings. Old traditions fade into new ones. We had a nice visit with the kids the week before, and my MIL opted out of the brunch invitation at the last minute due to ‘cold symptoms.’ Unfortunately, I was so busy enjoying the brunch buffet that I had no time for photos. You will have to take my word for it that Malcolm looked very handsome in his blazer.
Exploring
One early Saturday morning we set out on our bikes to explore the area close to where our new residence will be. We won’t move to the new place until next month, but we wanted to get a feel for nearby bike trails while the weather is still good. Out with old trails, in with the new…..
Jensen Beach is another ‘Old Florida’ throwback town, in terms of being a totally eclectic tourist destination. We have been there often, but there is something special about seeing the colorful, quirky town from the seat of a bike. Our favorite discoveries this day were a seafood shop and Lazy Dog Donuts. Pictured below are the two cinnamon toffee crunch donuts we consumed. The ride, about fifteen miles round trip, didn’t quite cover the calories, but, oh well.
Exercising
A few months ago, I signed up to participate in a Wisdom Warrior Challenge sponsored by AARP. The community we currently live in hosted the event, which was open to anyone over fifty-five years old. There were a total of six timed events; 50 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1600 meters. Participants were sorted into age groups with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes being recognized in each age group. About forty participants represented our community, with the oldest being 91 years old.
If you haven’t already done the math, I’ll do it for you. All six races total just under two miles. Of course, I ran all six, and surprisingly, I medaled in all six – three gold, two silver, and one bronze. We started with the sprints, which was a mistake since there were a few pulled muscles before we got to the last race which was a one-mile dash to the finish! Let’s just say, a few folks found a shortcut between the garages. Oh well, it was all good fun and we laughed a lot, acting like kids and feeling like Olympians!
With tennis taking a back seat for the summer, I have adjusted my routine to continue the weekly training sessions that I started for the race, (yes, I trained for a two-mile race) returned to strength training classes 2xweek, and added in more Pickleball sessions. Out with the old, in with the new…
Deciding
Our move from the apartment to the townhouse is all set – contract signed, notice given, move date determined, mover hired, and packing has commenced. We are actually doing it!
Changing
Continuing with the theme of the month ‘out with the old, in with the new’, I very impulsively got a new haircut. I haven’t worn short hair for many years, and am still adjusting. I will miss the days when a ponytail was the solution to a bad hair day, but, it was time. Next, I need to decide on color or no color; baby steps…
IPhone self-portrait. Setting ‘Studio Light Mode’
Relaxing
Malcolm discovered Tony DeSare during the Pandemic when he made it his personal mission to entertain us via YouTube every day from his home. Tony is a singer and Jazz piano player who has a lot of original stuff but mostly sings cover songs of Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, etc. We were thrilled to find that he would be in concert just three hours away from our home. So… off we went to St. Petersburg. The concert was last night and I’d love to tell you about it, but that will have to wait until our next post as we are making our way back home today and have a few stops along the way. Until then, please enjoy ‘The Very Thought of You.’
Reflecting
The end of a month is a great time for reflection and evaluation, whether you have invited guidance from a WOTY or not. This year I chose to forgo the WOTY and stick to the basic tenants of my happy life which is to maintain a healthy balance between mind, body, and spirit.
My April calendar was filled with small challenges and new experiences and Terri’s Sunday Stills prompt, ‘Roads, Paths, and Streets’ remind me that life doesn’t have to follow a predictable or ‘traditional’ path. Sometimes it’s nice to go with a gut feeling, be open to new and different choices, and embrace the road before you. It can be challenging, and sometimes stressful to maintain a healthy balance, but therein lies the learning, and to me, that is what makes the effort worthwhile.
Sharing
Sunday Stills – Roads, Paths, and Streets
Picture Retirement 
Hi Suzanne – well done on all those medals! I run like a drunk giraffe, so I’d have been bringing up the far distant rear if I’d even entered. Glad the packing is underway and that you’re familiarizing yourself with your next locale – it looks like a very pretty place. Well done on being brave enough to cut off your hair – I’m still hanging onto mine (I like the ponytail option still) but know I’ll cut it off one day. I don’t have much grey yet, so I’ll keep adding some highlights until I need to make a decision in that area too. Great catching up on all your news.
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LOL at running like a drunk giraffe–that sounds like a perfect description of me.
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Hi Leanne, thanks for the image of a drunk giraffe. That one made me laugh. My hairdresser wants to start with highlights, to start gradually moving away from the dark color. Maybe that will be step 2. Have a great week.
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April was one busy but fun month, and a hearty congratulations on your medals. 👏🏻👏🏻 I hope your move to the townhouse goes smoothly, but more importantly that you feel right at home once you’ve unpacked. New haircut looks nice, and the decision to color or not is an interesting one. I made it a half a dozen years ago, I’ve never regretted it., but you do have to be at a point to embrace the change. Happy May!
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Congratulations on your medals 🏅 any day that involves fun and laughing is a great day! Good luck on your move! I hope you enjoy your new home. I love your haircut! I like your
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Thoughts on roads and paths. Sometime the road takes a turn you weren’t expecting and you just have to stay strong and continue on. Happy May!
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Judy, my hair is fine and I has thinned a lot the past couple of years. The color helps to give it a little volume, and that is the main reason I have resisted. May is going to be busy and somewhat hectic, but when all is done, I think we will like the change.
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When I was younger I had thick auburn hair that the stylist thinned. They don’t have to do that anymore. 🙂 I got tired of not missing a hair appointment or the gray creeping up on the sides was noticeable. It certainly wasn’t too pretty the first couple of months, but I truly like the silver now. I earned every one of those gray hairs, and I embrace it with a smile. 🙂
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Congrats on the medals and good luck with your move!
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Hi Janet, thanks and thanks! The race was more silly than serious, but I would do it all again.
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Suzanne,
Whoa–six races and six medals is something to brag about. Sounds like a fun event. Speaking of fun, I would love to participate in an Armenian Egg Fight. When I was younger, we would always have an Egg Toss on the Fourth of July and have some great memories of the fun we had. Your pictures are great. I love the bluebonnets and the new “do!” Have a great week! Joe
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Joe, I miss the egg fight. It is a long-standing tradition of Malcolm’s family (as it is in most Armenian families) and always sparks a bit of competition, and some creative cheating! We love Texas in the springtime – they certainly know how to do bluebonnets.
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You always seem to have well-balanced months, Suzanne. I love the new haircut and as you can imagine, I would opt for the natural look. No color! Congrats on running all six races and winning the medals. Have a happy move next month!
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Hi Liesbet, I do try to pay attention to balance. Next month will tip sideways a little, but I’ll try to keep it together. Thanks for stopping by.
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Sounds like a busy and productive month! I like the new haircut 😀 And good luck for the move!
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Thanks, Sarah. Fingers crossed that all goes well.
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Your hair looks very nice short but I know what you mean about those bad hair days. My hair is very fine and will frizz up – especially in humid weather. Good luck on the move! Sounds exciting to me but then I love changes.
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Jan, my hair is naturally curly, fine, and thin….a baseball cap is my new best friend.
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HI Suzanne, congratulations on your swag of medals from the Wisdom Warrier Challenge. I love your new shorter hairstyle and it is good to make changes occasionally. I had my hair cut a bit shorter again and it is looking much healthier. Exciting times ahead with your upcoming move. Lots happening in your world and I look foward to reading about what you do during May xx
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Sue, my entire race would be less than a warm-up for one of your runs, but I am proud of myself, nevertheless. It did make me want to get out more often. May will be challenging, but fun too. Still getting used to the new hair.
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Oh Suzanne, you did it and that is what is most important – not the distance. Well done you and again I love your new hairstyle xx
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Hi Suzanne, Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Jensen Beach has a nice vibe and colourful beach art. Congrats on running and winning the medals! Your new haircut looks nice. I should look up the “studio light mode” setting on my phone. Good luck with your move. I look forward to reading your post-move update.
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Hi Natalie, if you have an Iphone, just select Portrait, then Studio Light and you’ll get that nice even light with no shadows that is flattering to every skin tone. Fingers crossed that all goes well with the move. Have a great week.
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Always good to challenge the body. Oh what am I saying, no it isn’t, it’s just good when it works out well. As it did for your month of April. New beginnings because Aries is the first sign of the zodiac perhaps?
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Ha, ha, true. The first sprint almost took me out of the rest of the race. I had a challenger pushing me from behind and of course, I had to be a smartie and kick up the pace. Honestly, I have never thought of April and new beginnings being associated with Aries as the first zodiac sign, but it makes perfect sense. It’s just something I grew up with. Spring cleaning, and all that…
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You live in an area of Florida that we’ve never explored but you certainly make it look appealing! You know I have a special fondness for “Old Florida” towns, but I trust that you will have decent grocery options nearby, unlike Apalachicola, LOL.
Your new haircut looks great, and I’ll be interested to see if you decide to “go natural.” The pandemic decided that for me, and it was a shock to discover that my hair was almost entirely silver after soooo many years of lowlighting it. Honestly, I’m still not completely adjusted to having gray hair, but I sure am happy to not spend so many hours at the hair salon. 🙂
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Laurel, we love our little slice of Florida. It’s a great mix of old Florida charm and sophistication, and yes, we have great markets. I did consider letting the hair go during the pandemic, but I wasn’t ready – still not entirely sure if I can go through with it. Hope your week is off to a good start.
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First of all how fun to venture out on the new beach boardwalk on your bikes, Suzanne! Love those beach shots! And hooray for a new do. You look great with short, dark hair! I went short 2 years ago and almost cried when hubby thought I looked middle-aged (duh-I was 62). I let mine grow back and it’s fine and no to coloring–hoping my red hair turns white like my dad’s. April was sure a busy month for you all. Huge congrats on medaling in 6 running events–oh my gosh, I can’t run any longer! I’m impressed! I love the snaps you shared of the road, is that you walking the yellow-lined highway? Love those tulips. Thanks for taking advantage of the triple-challenge-dip and enjoy our week!
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Hi Terri, that is me on the highway. Malcolm and I were taking a break from ‘wedding weekend’ festivities a few years ago when his college buddy got married in Santa Ynez. I was quite enamored with those golden hills. I can’t picture you with short hair. Glad you grew it back out. I probably will too. Triple challenge dips don’t come around very often, so I do tend to take advantage when I catch one. Have a wonderful week. I’ll get back over to read your post soon. Just getting back from our long weekend.
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I enjoyed your update and the photos. Your choices for Terris’ Sunday Stills were great.
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Hi Kirstin, I’m glad you enjoyed the post and photos. I loved looking through my archives to find a few that fit Terri’s challenge and remembering all those beautiful places.
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These were great examples of road, paths and streets Suzanne, I love the tulips! Well done on your run and the medals, so exiting. You have a lot going on by the sounds of things so hoping all works out for you. Your hair looks great but I can imagine it takes some time to get used to the change. I’ve grown mine and am still surprised it’s got so long (long for me) as it’s very slow growing and quite fine too. Colouring helps plump up fine hair so I believe and I have some foils put through mine these days. Thanks for taking the time to link up to our WBOYC, it’s always great to see what you’ve been up to.
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Hi Debbie, now that I have had it short for a few weeks, I think that a medium length might work better for me. The color does add body, so that’s a compelling reason to keep it up. My hairdresser has suggested foils many, many times to start the process of going lighter. Maybe that’s a good choice. April was busy and fun, and May is going to be a bit hectic, but when all is done I think we will have made a good choice. Thanks for the comment, and for hosting WBOYC.
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Hi, Suzanne – What a fun race. Congratulations on your medals and your great community spirit. I love your new haircut. I am always afraid to go shorter (as I overrely on the ponytale) but I have remained dye-free for quite some time (even though I reserve the right to go back to colour anytime). ❤
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Welcome back and thanks for stopping by. I went baseball cap shopping today. It’s a decent substitute for the ponytail.
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Congratulations Suzanne on winning all those medals! And thanks for sharing the photos of Jensen Beach. The bright colors…and of course donuts…make me smile. Also, I love the new haircut, but I understand what you mean about a ponytail being the solution. Here’s to a joyful May!
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Thank you Christie. I don’t love the new haircut, but it is growing on me. The donuts, however, were love at first bite!
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Well done on collecting all those medals Suzanne. We have recently moved to a new area and have loved exploring the trails and paths by bike and on foot. I could quite easily go for one of those donuts.
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Thank you Jennifer. Bike riding is the best way to explore a new area. Donut shops do cause a bit of a problem for me though. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
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Your life seems full and lovely. I like the haircut! It’s bouncy and fresh. Stay healthy and hope you enjoy your new digs.
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Thank you for the vote of confidence for the new haircut. I’m finally getting used to it. Have a great weekend.
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You too!
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