Prepping for Pompano

Every summer my SIS and my niece visit us in Florida usually in June. This year their visit got pushed back due to driving school (my niece, not my SIS) and the fact that my annual trip to Indiana wasn't going to happen due to school obligations. We originally  planned on a two week trip, but then they had the opportunity to travel with my brother to some golf tourney and so they only flew down for a short week. Because we are owners in Club Wyndham, I thought it might be fun to spend a few days on the other coast and so I booked us into a place in Pompano. Wyndham has three resorts in that area, but the only one I could get us into was one that I have visited previously in 2006. It isn't on the beach, but it is fairly close to it and there is a shuttle that will take us to the beach if we want.

Susan and Gabby got here late Saturday night and we stayed up until almost 4 o'clock in the morning talking. While the kids had no problem getting up the next morning, Susan and I were a tad sluggish. Susan, of course, went directly outside.

She stayed there until we left for Pompano on Thursday, even when the skies were overcast and raining, her faithful pool companion at her side.

We also ate out because that is what my brother and his family like to do. I have never met a family that eats out more then them. I've decided I can't vacation with them longer than a week because I can't afford it! I had found an article in our newspaper before they arrived that listed some new restaurants that had opened on the beaches and Madison suggested that we try some of them when Susan and Gabby arrived. She said we should do what we did when we visited Indiana last summer and visit new restaurants and rate them. I thought this a jolly idea and so one night we picked a place on the list and ate there (those ratings will be forthcoming in another entry).

The drink special for the night was Rum Runners for $5 and so Susan ordered one. I wasn't too keen on that and asked the waitress for a suggestion. She named two of them as her favorites, one of which had been one I had been eyeing. It was called the Bahama Mama or something along those lines with banana liqueur and rum and some fruity juices. When the drinks came mine was delicious, but Susan's was nasty. It was full of alcohol that could take the varnish off of wood and while it was pink we did not taste anything fruity in it. Susan inquired as to what was in a rum runner and so I googled it. I found a sight that not only gave us the ingredients, but also the history of the rum runner which I read aloud. I suck at reading aloud. I always have. My mother use to make us read aloud and then when I would stumble over words she would correct me and give me the definition of the word. I'm not sure why I have trouble with words, but I do. It has not improved with age and wisdom so I rarely read aloud to certain people (my husband and Kelly) who might roll their eyes at my mispronunciations.

I was reading about the history of  the rum runner on a site and how it was invented in the late 1950's in Florida. I kept going on and got to this part that said, "A very tasty concoction was developed using the excess alcohol and viola!" Only instead of reading "viola" the way the french pronounce it, I read it "vi-ola". Susan let me read a few more words and then corrected me on the pronunciation. I was sure I had not made this mistake, but Madison, snickering, sided with Susan and in looking back over what I had read aloud I realized I had mispronounced it. Then we all laughed, and ever time someone made a statement or a remark the rest of us would throw our hands into the air and shout, "VI-OLA!". It will now be the hashtag for our upcoming trip for those following along on social media.