Actually the little piggy ran around the side of the house!
When we pulled up to our driveway Tuesday evening around 7:15 p.m., we saw a black piggy butt wagging its tail up by the garage door. As I pulled the car up into the driveway, he sauntered off to the side of the house and was lost in the dark. Wish I had had my camera!
We had a lovely time Tuesday with Barbara. Mark picked her up while I was getting my mani/pedi and hair trim. My one toe was ingrown and painful, but my nail tech Nicole is a miracle worker! So now I have no pain. Yay! We swam a little, which was my first time since August 20! It felt so good to swim a few laps and sit in the hot tub for a few minutes. We had a nice veggie taco dinner and then dropped her off at the Gaylord Palms for her conference. I will pick her back up tomorrow at 3.
Yesterday Mark and I had a lovely day at the De Soto National Memorial in Bradenton, along the Manatee River. Hernando De Soto landed his armada there on May 30, 1539. He had many ships, 700 men, including slaves, conquistadors, and 12 priests. There were also some women, hundreds of horses, pigs (thank you very much), and dogs trained to kill people. Yeah, what a guy! He had already made his fortune as a young man in Peru with Pizarro. He left Spain at age 14 on that expedition and came back super rich from plunder in his early 30s. He got married and settled down to a wealthy lifestyle. After two years he got bored, greedy, and power hungry. He got Royal permission to mount another expedition to Cuba and to explore Florida because he promised so much more gold and treasure and slaves. He got nothing. They marched through Florida, killing and destroying the cultures of the native peoples, for four years. They went up into what is now Georgia, SC, even over to Arkansas. In Arkansas De Soto died of a fever in 1542, where he is buried in an unmarked grave. The remnants of his people made it back down the Mississippi and were rescued in 1543. Not a very proud chapter in Spain's history, in my opinion.
Still the memorial is beautiful with a one mile trail along the river
with historical markers along the way. The weather was perfect, and we
had a lovely time playing tourist in Florida.
Today we
have to leave very soon for the monthly NARFE meeting followed by
grocery shopping and a movie at Solivita tonight. Good to feel good
again.
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| Lunch at Peach's in Bradenton on the way. |
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| Entrance way |
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| Got my passport stamp |
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| This helmet weighs six pounds. Ridiculously heavy on the head. |
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| Beautiful day on the Manatee River |
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| Gorgeous trail |
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| Sabal palm, the state tree |
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| Looking up the river towards Bradenton and Palmetto |
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| Monument in honor of the 12 priests on the expedition |
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| Visitor Center |
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