Lisa, Canadians, pool, Shabbat -Yr 1, Days 220-222

Pompano Beach, FL

Again, very busy with client deadlines so no time to update the blog until now.

On Thursday, I met a buddy from HS (38 years ago).  We were distant acquaintances back then (pretty much just knowing each others' names) but have become a bit closer on Facebook and through a common friend there.  It was really wonderful meeting her in person and getting to know her better.  I think we would have been good friends back then had we known each other.  Lisa: here's to more good times to spend together in the future!  We met over breakfast in a NJ type diner and then went over to the hospital.  She then came back to the CoW for a little while.

On Friday I spent most of the day working.  We schmoozed a little with our next door neighbors, Bob and Linda, who are also from NJ (Bordentown, which was about 1 1/2 hrs south of us). Here is a  photo of the tape measure to prove how close our sites were.  This is from his front door to our slide directly across:

4 INCHES separating us!

Later on Friday afternoon - which, by the way, was 76 degrees (sorry to my friends & family in the northeast who are experiencing the cold, snowy winters which we are grateful to finally be away from), we heard music coming from the pool area.  I came to a good stopping point in my work so we decided to put on our bathing suits and go investigate.  The area was very crowded and there was a live band playing.  Many folks were dancing and it seemed like there was a line dance to everything.  A lot of talented folks there, too.

The pool area, surrounded by tiki huts

 NOTE ABOUT THIS CAMPGROUND:  it caters very highly to the Canadian snowbirds who come down from Quebec.  In other words, everything is predominantly in French.  It was even difficult to find a notice on the bulletin board about activities that was in English.  Most of the songs played by the band were in French and almost everyone around here speaks French (in fact, someone came by with a question, and when he heard us speak English he was almost excited and very relieved!)  I often feel like I'm in another country at this campground.  I find, also, that most people are not very friendly.  I almost miss the southern tradition of everyone waving hello to you.  Here, no one even makes eye contact.  I feel like I'm in NYC.

I also need to share that Florida has really amazing sunsets.

Today -- Shabbat -- we found a Chabad shul only 2 miles away and decided to go.  Although I did not find the services very inspirational (not much singing), the people were very warm and welcoming and we felt very much at home.  They had a simple kiddush lunch and we hung around for quite a while.  We even met someone who lives in the same campground we're staying in for 6 months during the year (the other 6 months he RVs in CT with his 5 children).  Unfortunately, he had to leave early so we never got a chance to exchange sites so we could meet later in the day.

After returning from shul, we took our usual Shabbat nap, and then sat outside in the warm sun with our magazines.  I made myself a mixed drink with ice tea and moonshine and got a little bit too drunk!  Mitch enjoyed my silliness and I enjoyed being joyful, especially after such a stressful week.