February 18, 2012: Tampa, Zephyrhills,and Bartow, Florida

My Mom and I had decided that we needed to go on this trip to Florida to check out the areas once again to see if this is where we wanted to move.     We had a nice flight on Air Tran from Grand Rapids to Tampa.   Jeanne and her husband, Kevin, drove us to the airport which was so nice.   It made it so much easier.     We got to Tampa and picked up our rental car through Dollar Rental. I was shocked that the cost of the rental car for a week was going to be $575.   Roughly $194 of that cost was just for taxes.    I think I need to be in the car rental business.    


We drove to Zephyrhills to the Heartland Assisted Living Center to visit Norm.    He was waiting in his wheel chair at the door for us with a big appreciative smile.      


We took him to lunch at Chilis.  He told us this was the last restaurant he took Grandma to before she moved back to Michigan 2 years ago.      We had a nice waitress and meal.      Norm was using his walker to get around.     I took him to the bathroom and waited for him outside.     


Then, we went to Grandma's mobile home to check it out.  It hasn't been lived in for 2 years.  We were shocked that most of the furniture was still in there.   We were expecting it to be empty.    The ceiling in the living room had mold and looked very bad.    We were shocked at how much the trailer had deteriorated.   


Norm had some bathroom issues and had to use the bathroom immediately. We didn't know what to do, as the water was shut off. My mom went to the neighbors to find someone to help, but no one was home. Meanwhile, Norm had exploded all over the floor and toilet and in his pants.    I helped clean him up.   The smell made me throw up in the garbage can.  We didn't have any toilet paper so used what tissues that were there.     Poor Norm felt so bad.       This happened about 3 separate times. What a mess to clean up.    Mom found the neighbor, Theresa, who came over to turn on the water, so I was able to flush the toilet and wash my hands.


Theresa has been taking care of Grandma's neighbor, Ruth, every day.   


Then, we went to see the memorial stone that Norm had made for Grandma.  It is over at Betmar on the other side near this Canadian flag.   


Norm's niece, Cheryl, stopped by the memorial to meet us.    She is 67 yrs old and never been married.  She has 2 sisters who have never been married.  They all live in Chicago.      Cheryl is such a sweetheart. She has been taking care of Norm's 7 rental properties, plus his house, and him.     She comes to Florida for 1 1/2 months and then goes back to Chicago for 1 1/2 months.    


We dropped Norm off at his home and then followed Cheryl back to Norm's house for a 2 night stay.  


We had plans to meet my high school friend, Leah Engle, in Lakeland.  We hadn't seen her new town home she got there so that was nice to see.  Leah took us to this wonderful restaurant in Bartow called "Stanford Inn".   It was a fancy restaurant inside an old house.  The food was excellent.     Then, we went back to Leah's house and got to meet her dog, Misha, whom she has been taking to obedience classes.   Misha showed us all of her tricks.    Leah took us on a tour of her new home which was very nice.