Staycation 2019 - Day 1 and 2

My SIL Susan had a New Year's resolution to celebrate her five years of cancer survivorship, starting with the day she learned she had cancer. She loves the sun and palm trees and happens to have a SIL who lives in Florida, so Staycation for us!

That time also corresponded with my friend SueG's vacation time, so she jumped into the fray, starting with cooking dinner for our whole family when we got back from the airport. Both Susan and I really thought my brother would surprise both of us by hopping on the plane as well, so we didn't invite any more people to join us. It was disappointing when he didn't. I was SO sure he would. We got over that quickly, however.

My SIL has straightforward vacation needs. Food. Sun. Morning cup of coffee. Palm trees. Beach. Not in that order. This year instead of going to the old stand-by places that my SIL insists upon, we decided to try new places and new things. Starting on Monday.

Because Sunday was the five-year date of learning, she had triple-negative breast cancer, and she wanted dinner at E and E Stakeout to celebrate that. Unfortunately, it was not the best meal or the best experience. The waiter was good but overworked. It took too long to receive our drinks and our bread. Our mojitos were mostly seltzer water with a lime. When our food arrived, Susan's steak was not well-done. As my brother would say, it was still mooing. Darcy's steak was also mooing, and so we sent them both back. When they were brought back out, Darcy's was okay, but Susan's was now medium-rare. She gave up. Chef Erwin obviously did not believe his steak should be seared to well done. In exchange for that foul-up, the waiter offered her a free dessert? Uh? Seriously? For a $30 steak?

In pouring my coffee, the java kid (another waiter since ours was busy) stuck his thumb in my coffee, left it there during the entire pour, and when he passed my cup to me. SueG and I both saw this, but by that time, I was just over the whole night. I drank it. E and E is our local "nice" restaurant, but it truly has gone downhill in the last year and a half. Totally not worth the $200+ bill, we racked up in steak, liquor, and dessert.

Our morning was spent at the beach where we slathered on the sunscreen. The Gulf was beautiful and calm, the sun burning hot, and the beach only somewhat crowded. Susan walked. SueG and I hung out in the water, chatting with vacationers. Even Susan got into the water, which I don't believe I've witnessed in the past. Maybe up to her knees.

New things. Looking forward to the week ahead.