This morning is lovely sunny, but chilly with a brisk, almost fierce, northerly wind.  Tonight will be cold with a freeze warning posted for the interior of the state.  Tomorrow dawn should be calm and clear, but then the sun will go to work and restore the famous south Florida warmth.  The termperature should break across 70 degrees tomorrow afternoon and reach 80 on Tuesday.

We're glad for this because Rob, Mark, and Joe have arrived at Fort Myers Beach.  Whereas Floridians enjoy a little cool in this season (even frost, but not a freeze because of the damage to plants) the tourists want warm weather for their Florida escapes even in February.

Yesterday was a big day for us.  Anne and I took Mom and Dad to the opera at Noon.  We first dropped a car at the airport for "the boys" and then arrived at the theater to enjoy the live broadcast of Rigoletto from New York.  The Met seems to have found a motherload of great singers and gives them the opportunity to reach the world on Saturday afternoons.  The sad clown conducted himself disgracefully and suffered his grand tragedy with great song.  We wonderfully enjoyed the spaghetti musical despite its sad ending.

Then we drove directly to the beach and were graced with a fine spaghetti dinner.  The weather was already chilly so we mostly stayed inside warmed by conversation, a bit of wine, and great company.  The travel, we were told, went very well.  The magic of telephone texting made the vehicle transfer a snap, and Rob remembered the route to the time-share.  The brothers made time for the traditional stop at Sun Harvest Citrus for refeshment and to purchase a key lime pie.  We enjoyed that that tasty dessert with dinner.

We stayed to watch an episode of Wheel of Fortune before Anne and I drove Mom and Dad and the two vehicles back to Heritage Cove.  Mom went to bed, but Dad watched episodes of Pawn Stars until ten o'clock when Anne and I told him we were retreating to our bedroom. 

This morning I prepared the usual Sunday full breakfast, this time with bacon, eggs, and toast.  Anne was going to serve grapefruit, but forgot.  Still, we had juice and coffee.  Blessings abound.  We had got up with plenty of time for arrival at the nine o-clock mass, but Dad tarried after breakfast and they left very late.  Anne fretted, but the next mass was not until eleven, so they went anyway.  I stayed home, cleaned the kitchen, and now post this news.  I also listen to the famous Decca (London) recording of Il Barbiere di Siviglia (with Nucci) on a compact disk.  This was a Valentine's Day treat between Anne and me.  Thanks Mark & Mary Helen for your guide to classical recordings that I perused during the bridal shower.  It led me to this recording.

This afternoon we again go to the beach, as probably we will most days this week, packing the crock pot and ingredients for what looks to be an oriental brown rice dinner.  Have I mentioned lately that I married a wonderful cook?  We'll probably stay mostly indoors today, but if the wind is not too fierce Anne and I at least should make a walk down the beach.  The bad weather will at least reduce the number of people a bit.  The birds will be huddled.  They cannot stay inside.

Mom was discharged by both the physical and the occupational therapist in the last seven days.  She has met her goals and is mostly making her way with the walker now.  We'll still use the wheel chair for longer treks as necessary.  She is a champ.  I feel bad asking her not to help too much.  As weak as she is her spirits are always good and her smile bright.  She sweetens the morning.

Dad too is energenic at times and pushes hard, perhaps to boldly at times, on the walker .  I scold him to use the device when he at times abandons it.  We don't want another fall.  We scold him less for wanting many snacks; he takes great joy in small pleasures.

So, they will be home soon and I finish these notes.  To quote the finale of Il Barbiere (though in Italian of course), "May love and eternal faith be seen to reign in your hearts."