We're Back

Arnold promised in at least one of his movies, “I’ll be back,” and so we are. We spent the last couple weeks of last year at our daughter’s home outside Tampa. We also spent most of the first week of 2025 down there. While we avoided some of the nasty weather Montana serves up, we’ve been home long enough to witness freezing rains and the resulting icy roads. I’m glad we weren’t driving back from Billings on the ice in the winds!

Before you think about suffering a bit of jealousy, the weather was not the usual heat we’ve had while there. It wasn’t terribly cold by our standards, but the locals thought it was. We saw more people wearing full-length pants, long-sleeved shirts, and jackets than usual. Some days it barely got up to 70°. The mornings hovered between 40° and 50°. We did get to golf courses on three separate days. We took in the pro hockey game where the Florida Panthers thrashed the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Their matchup right after that, on the Panthers’ ice in Miami, went the opposite way.) We also got to see Jim Gaffigan’s latest comedy show at the Amalie Arena.

But the hockey games we most enjoyed were the ones our 14-year-old grandson played in. He suits up for the 14U Clearwater Ice Storm A team. The other grandson, who plays for the 12U Gulf Coast Flames A team out of Ellenton, had no games while we were down there, but we did get to see the team practice once. Being there in person beats watching the games via LiveBarn.

Most of my houseplants survived our absence. They did get watered once during those three weeks. I soaked them before we left, and again upon our return. I’d expected some damage, so am not devastated. The geraniums are the most unhappy. Maybe they’ll recover. The plants I most wanted to survive did: the clivia miniata from my mother, my Hoyas, the little Christmas cactus, and all the succulents. I was pleasantly surprised to find both the rosemary and parsley still green. Those usually depart when we’re away.

The three amaryllis that were budding when we left obviously bloomed fully when no one was here to appreciate their beauty. I’ve pinched off the dead blooms at the top of the stalks to prevent seeds forming. I left the stalk so whatever goodness is in them can descend to feed the bulbs.

My feral cat has not departed. It was really happy when I resumed feeding it, although it’s still not trusting me to get close enough to find out if it’s male or female. We left kibbles in a bucket on the front deck for it. A friend stopped by to put more out for it, as did our daughter on the day she watered the plants. The friend reported the kibbles had been scattered. He scraped up what he could, put it back in the bucket, and made sure the lid was more secure. The ring camera showed we were visited by two large raccoons one day. I suspect they got into the bucket.

We were also visited by a large skunk. It stayed out front, but did saunter close to the front steps. On the same day, there was a badger out front. Mr. Badger came up the front steps, and then stooped under the deck where my feral cat likes to hide. The skunk and badger refrained from fighting, unlike the battle I filmed years ago. There’s been no sign of those critters, other than the cat, since we’ve been home.

There were eight deer wandering through the yard this past week. Dennis first saw the deer heading east, through our backyard. He was in the recliner watching tv when they attracted his attention. They were cautious going east. I took photos. After I’d put my phone down, they came scampering and capering back through at a fast clip, heading back west. The next day there was a young three-point buck out near my garden space. We were surprised he still had his antlers firmly attached. I snapped a couple long-distance pics of him. I should be concerned for next summers’ garden with all these deer in our yard, but I still so enjoy seeing them here.