Tikkabik

We arrived in Bonita Springs, Fla. safe and sound on Easter morning. We left Mashpee on Thursday, stopping for a night at Sue and Quinn's in Virginia (we all had a great time enjoying their hospitality and the company of their two sons and daughter, by the way).

The second leg of the drive was a real killer -- we left a bit later than we probably should, so it was evening before we passed into Georgia, and we had another five hours of driving after we hit the Florida state line (Bonita Springs in near Naples, so you have to drive almost the entire length of the state. And Florida is big).

Highlights on the ride down included our first Cracker Barrel experience and passing out for several hours at a Florida rest stop -- Bonnie and I were just in no condition to keep driving, which is why we got to Bonita Springs on Easter morning instead of the wee hours.

The condo where Judy and Ed spend their winters is absolutely gorgeous -- an end unit that's right across the street from a small pool the kids have already partaken of, and next door to a boathouse that some of the residence use for parties. Behind the boathouse is a lush garden of tropical flowers and several charcoal grilles shared by the residents.

It's pretty quiet in the development presently -- Ed tells me that the busy months are January through March. Then a lot of the residents flee for cooler temperatures throughout the summer. There are a lot of older folks in the development, but I've seen a few families with younger kids as well.

Easter was spent with family. Bonnie's aunt Jeanette and her husband, Joe, came over (they're here on vacation too). Ed and Judy made a great spread of turkey stew, baked ham and other stuff. Some of Ed's extended family -- cousins I hadn't seen in a few years -- arrived earlier in the day.

We should have the rest of the week pretty much to ourselves, with Grandpa Ed and Grandma Judy. Today we're taking the kids to the beach.