"The two basic items necessary to sustain life are sunshine and coconut milk." ~ Dustin Hoffman

So - We are finally here in Stuart, Florida.  We beat it out of town a day early in order to avoid the  predicted storm that was headed our way.  I love Christmas time in our home, and felt very strange about packing things up so quickly and so early.  As it was though, I'm glad that we did.  While we hit torrential wind and rain through Virginia, and bumper to bumper traffic through the Carolina's, we did not encounter snow or ice - both of which would have had us stranded somewhere!

I have to imagine that the first two pictures below look as though they had been totally planned!  The first is of our Christmas tree by the curb the day we left.  The second, we ran across on our first trip to the beach! Bruce asked me if I wanted him to straighten it up - I said "No, no, no!" and told him he would understand why when I showed him the picture from home.  It just cracks me up!

Not long after I took the picture above, some boys pulled the tree from its resting spot and dragged it in and set it up.  This was about when we left - I am picturing it adorned with seashell ornaments now!

It has taken us awhile to get settled and I think that we are finally getting the lay of the land.  Yesterday I got my library card - the library system here is phenomenal!  I also scoped out the local knit shop and am ready for their first "social knit" time!

I hope to share our adventures in the weeks and months (3!) to come.  In the meantime -

Happy New Year!