12-22-25 Panama City Beach

 

 So what did Cocoa do last night.  She brought Layla a bunch of little animals to play with since she knows how much Layla loves animals. 

Reading the note Cocoa wrote

awwww!

Layla finding more places to hang out

like under the table

Time check out the views again- this is from the window in Angie and Layla's room.  

Layla in her window

a look at the kitchen.  I thought it a little strange there was no low table, but it does make for another big work space.

Now to the lanai

pelican's flying by

Layla ready to head out for the day.  Taking our beach stuff in case we find a beach we want to hang out at.

And we are off to St. Andrews State Park near Panama City

Love the parks in Florida

a minute into the park and there's a deer!

 and lots of sand dunes

first stop, a little viewing area.

Hard to see here, but the island was full of nesting Great Blue Herons.

One was hanging out by the lookout.

There's even a trail around the lake
                        

                                        and a better view of the Great Blue Heron          

 

Even saw an alligator

Layla got a little freaked out being this close to the shore.  She was afraid an alligator would come get her

Heading back to the boardwalk

and across the street to check out the wetlands there

Then on to the area where a ferry takes people to other islands.  We didn't take the ferry, maybe would be neat to do in the summer when we could snorkel at an island.

But I took a walk one way while Layla and Angie hit the bathrooms and playground.

someone passing by said the views were really neat farther around the bend, but I was afraid I was getting too far away.

the ferry coming back

Some of my wildlife along the way.

A couple gals pointed this bird out to me.  Looks like a juvenile bald eagle!

Even saw a great white egret

another look at the eagle before it flew off

Found the girls at the park

checking out the pier by the ferry 

another Great Blue

Then---an adult Bald Eagle!!!!

On the way around the park, we shopped to check out the Gulf side

Looked really inviting, but a pretty good walk out to the water's edge.

The water looked really calm and inviting, but Layla wasn't impressed.  She was ready to go back to the resort and hit that beach.

Bye St. Andrews park beach.

Back at the resort, we loaded the beach stuff up on a cart and made the long trek from the parking lot to the back of the condos, then took the stuff off the cart and carried the stuff to the beach.

                                          

It was getting late, but we still had an hour or so to enjoy the beach.

Layla went right to the water.

                      

 That looks like a pretty high jump.

someone's creation

heading in.

and out and back in

 

Looking back at Angie and the busy beach

There was a shallow sand bar out about 100's so we decided to head out to it

still heading to the sand bar

she learned to dive under the surf

I made it to the sand bar where the water was only to my calves and Layla liked playing in the slightly deeper water before the sand bar.  

For someone who complains when my pool is in the 70s, she sure loved the Gulf 60s.

and the weather was perfect again.  mid to upper 70s and dry.  Lots of sun.  Perfect!

she even found some shells

waiting for the next wave

another shell

As we started to head back, Angie was waving me over.  She was on my phone.  So I got out to see who it was.  It was the Social Worker at the Marietta Center for Nursing and Healing asking all sort of really stupid questions: can Ken live on his own, is he independent, who's going to take care of him, how does he get his groceries, ... .  I mentioned several times he was just there for a 4 night respite and will go back to the way it was before respite----me taking care of him 100%.  What was really annoying me though, was it was nearing sunset and I wanted to enjoy sunset!!!!

The sun was minutes from setting when she finally said someone would call me tomorrow before they released Ken and then she hung up.  The whole conversation was stupid.  At least the sunset was pretty.

throwing sand at us

finally done with the Gulf---time to head to the heated pool for a quick dip.  

Good bye beach!  So sad to say goodbye.

BAck in the room, we had more chili and more visiting and movie time.  

Another perfect day!!!  Except for the nursing home stuff.  Not only did I get the call from the SW, but Ken is still having high blood pressure.  It was over 210/120 yesterday.  So I was also in contact with Andrea and she was going over, as well as Josh, and talking to the nurses about his meds.  I was afraid this sort of thing would happen and was why I was so reluctant to go on a respite before, but this last minute one caught me by surprise and Ken seemed to be "stable" at the time.  But I suspect he was anxious from the transportation and change of caregivers.  Probably wondered where I was even though I had discussed it with him a few times.  But I figured he wouldn't remember since his short term memory is so bad.  I also found out they didn't change the tv for him or turn it off---or lights.  I told them he's not able to do anything, including pushing the call button, but they insisted he have it.  Plus the bed was short and his legs were hurting when they brought him home.  They didn't do catheters so he some sores.   It was  a perfect time for me, but not so much for Ken.