Today is Wednesday, December 21, 2022, the first day of winter. I am back from my late fall sojourn to the wilds of central Florida and to other sections of the wide state. Elliot and I returned from staying with our cousins in Boynton Beach for most of the vacation just last night, when our JetBlue flight arrived at JFK Airport around 9:45 p.m., minutes earlier than expected on the original flight manifest where we were supposed to land a little after 10 p.m. However, the time gained from getting in earlier than expected was altogether lost when the pilot reported on the intercom that an agent to take the plane into the gate was missing in action, so we had to wait at least a half hour until someone appeared to usher the flight in. So it took us more than an hour to get home, which was around 11:11 p.m. when we opened the front door with our key.

To discuss our trip a little bit, I can say that we crisscrossed the state in our little rental car, a 2022 Honda Accord, from one end to the other. We made various excursions away from our base of Boynton Beach to first go to Spring Hill, the home of the historic Weeki Watchee mermaid show and to Tarpon Springs, which is home of the Greek Sponge Docks, on central Florida’s Gulf Coast. Many Greek eateries line the well-known Dodecanese Boulevard, where we dined at famous Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill. We then drove to Ft. Lauderdale where we stayed at a Hampton Inn, near the district known as Las Olas, which was a bustling center of activity at night. Here there are many restaurants, bars, sidewalk cafes, and shopping outlets. On the last night we were here, we met two people from our hotel who were walking to the area to engage in the annual Santa.con, which was probably canceled for the past two years because of COVID-19. We asked to walk with them since they knew how to get to the district much faster than we. The first day, we took a circuitous approach to the site, confronting someone to tell us where an address was. So this time we latched onto to these two young people, a young woman from Stuart, Florida, I believe, and her male companion who walked with Elliot in back of us.

The highlight of this 12-day trip was our chance encounter with a white-haired gentleman walking a Bengal cat on a leash in Tarpon Springs as we toured the downtown area. How many people have you seen walking a cat, let alone a Bengal cat? I would hasten to say, “not many.” Elliot had no compunction about walking up to the cat’s “human” and asking him questions about his animal and how long he had been walking his pet. The other highlight involved another feline, this time our hosts’ cat, Tommy, a gorgeous male, ginger-coated cat who ambled up to Elliot one evening and fell asleep in his lap with no hesitation. This was a total surprise at the moment, even though we had been recipients of this cat’s friendliness many times before. Tommy reminded us of our dear, departed Jocelyn a lot. And this was good for Elliot who is still grieving the loss of Jocelyn from October. So this trip to the Sunshine State was quite cathartic for him. Our last night, Tommy even graced our room and stayed with us for a short while before padding out of the room and seeking other usual places where he could lie down. For our last day with Rene and Roland, Tommy fell asleep on my arm as I sat on the couch in the living room. I felt very honored that he trusted me enough to do this. We really feel then that Tommy is indeed a special feline just like Jocelyn was. Unlike most cats, Tommy was around the whole time just like Jocelyn. He loves to be around humans, without doubt. And so did Jocelyn; she rarely hid just like Tommy who enjoyed being present with everyone in the house and enjoyed going in and out of his own little door leading to the enclosed garden outside where he liked basking in the sun.

Back to reality: today marked an impassioned speech delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from the United States Capitol, addressing both chambers of Congress, to wild applause and a lengthy standing ovation from members on both sides. Zelensky expressed gratitude for American support in fighting Russian aggression since the war began, almost 10 months ago. Zelensky made a strong point in stating that the war was not just a European war involving only Russia and Ukraine. He indicated that American support for the Ukrainians would “guarantee the future of our common freedom, the freedom of people who stand for their values.” Zelensky affirmed that funding for the war “is not charity,” which will be a significant touchstone for his address in days to come. He asserted that “Ukraine will never surrender.”

This brave step taken by a leader whose country has been ravaged by another terroristic country should bring out our solidarity for this country at peril. Zelensky appeared, despite obvious threats to his own personal safety, since he met with President Joe Biden earlier today. Zelensky appeared at the White House not in a suit and tie but in his now-familiar military green garb. This visit marked Zelensky’s first trip abroad since Russia invaded in February.

I will now take my bow since it’s late here and I don’t have time to report on stories that floated by as Elliot and I sojourned in Florida. Tomorrow is another day.

It’s good to be back.

Stay safe and be well.

Here is a winged denizen of Wakodahatchee Wetlands, which is a park in Delray Beach, Florida, very near our cousins in Boynton Beach.

Here is another bird from those Wetlands.

This strange bird is called an “anhinga,” who comes from the Tupi Indians in Brazil, meaning “devil bird” or “evil spirit of the woods.” We were told the bird has been called the “skeleton bird” as well.

Here are two cast members from the mermaid show at Weeki Watchee.

This is the little mermaid from the 30-minute show at Weeki Watchee.