Part VII

I finally achieved the most important moment of my trip. I visited the Palms of Manasota, the retirement community for lesbian and gay people. It’s beautiful. The houses and apartments are distributed among waterways, gardens and parks. The Majesty model villa has a two car garage, two bedrooms and a small study. I liked it. However, I was hopeing for something with 3 bedrooms and a study because I need a studio to work in, and I need two spare bedrooms as I plan to have my grandson, Adam, perhaps Ruth, other family members, and as many of my friends from the cold, cold North, at the BIG NEEDLE visit me as often as possible. I would also like a fireplace if I live in this area of Florida, as it can get fairly cool a day or two at a time during the winter. It’s back into the low seventies today, but last week we had a couple of days with highs in the fifties and frost at night. Perhaps I should be considering areas further south. Naples can be a few degrees warmer, but the nights are still fairly chilly. People here tell me that the warmest part of Florida is the Southeast, around Miami and Fort Lauderdale. I also understand from talking to the LGBT organizations that Fort Lauderdale is one of the most diverse communities in Florida. So, I plan another trip late winter, or early spring to visit there. However, at this time, it’s time for me to head back to the cold North. Ugh!

So, as I plan my departure may I present an appropriate photograph, Dear Journal. I took it from Turtle Beach, located at the Southern tip of Siesta Key, and known in these parts for especially beautiful sunsets.

Tsunami Victims

Give to the following in order to help reunite orphans with distant relatives, and to insure that your money is used by people with true humanitarian concerns instead of proselytizing religious zeal.

American Friends Service Committee, and UNICEF


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