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Monday came. Part of the trip was supposed to involve a visit to some other relatives who also live down in Florida when the weather is cold. Also, my aunt and uncle came down in early December, but my uncle is sickly, and he got ill and couldn't make the trip back to PA where they live. 

 So here is some family breakdown:

Aunt Sissi is my late grandmother's sister. Thus, my great aunt.

Aunt Sissi and Uncle Jack gave birth to Carol

Carol married Dennis and they had two kids named Jamie (older) and Dennis Jr. (younger)

Jamie has three children, one of which is named Riley, who is my goddaughter.

I was supposed to come for the day to visit Uncle Jack, Aunt Sis, Aunt Carol, and Uncle Dennis (Sr.), but Uncle Dennis has had failing health for a long while now. Like he has diabetes and has had multiple heart attacks and he has to undergo dialysis every night, but he always pulls through and always makes it out. Sadly though, his health has gotten even worse and he had to have half of his foot removed. I was told that he was not doing well on Monday, so I didn't come. I spent the day, instead, putzing around with my grandmother, and then trying to find the gym. I borrowed the car and it took forever.

One thing about Bradenton, FL is that that the driving is slightly confusing. Many of the streets are numbered, but, you will have jumps from like 80^th St. to 70^th St. yet the numbers in between can't be seen from the main road. Instead, those streets will be tucked into some neighborhood. Basically, shit creeps up on ya when you aren't expecting it, and it sucks. 

But, I made it. And I was happy with myself because I learned from a previous mistake. When I was in Pittsburgh, I tried to go to a gym called Urban Active. I signed up for my free pass and everything, but when I got there, they would not let me have it because I was visiting. Those free passes were only for local residents. My lying ways are not as honed as the used to be, so I told the truth to see if he would just let me in. This doesn't work on older straight men. I can use my charm on women and gay men, but my cuteness is not even noticed by the straight men, so I didn't get in. But, for the Florida gym, I gave my grandmother's address and a sob story about how I was down to help her heal from surgery or some such thing. Boo yah! Entry.

Gym was great. Felt great to run and lift and do the stuff that needed to get done. My body is still tight from it too. My new thing is 5mins on the treadmill at 7mph, then I go lift something and do an ab thing, then I get back on the treadmill and run for 1m at 9mph, then back and lift something else. I repeat this until I am so broken and tired that I can't do it again. It's fucking great.

Drove back home late, dinner was already started, and by the time I got home I could eat again. The entire day I was talking to a boy named Ricky who I met on Grindr. He's a southern black gentleman who teaches classical dance and he is the Vice Principal of the School where it all happens. I always meet men from the South, and I love their little quirks and things. Anyways, I met him up and we went to see Black Swan. Movie was fuckin killin. I thought it was way cool, and I hate Natalie Portman like poison but I'd swallow this movie down whole. He had work the next day, so I just went back home. 

One of the nicest things I did was take late night walks around my grandmother's mobile park. Now, she bought a mobile trailer thing there like 25 years ago and it is in pretty decent condition. You walk up the street and you hit the bay. You go a mile down the road and hit the beach. The park itself is called Sunny Shores, and it is off the beaten path and behind a flower nursery. The air smells great because the bay is right there. I would love to buy Shehara a place down there, so she could have a place for the winter that is easy to take care of, that has kind neighbors, and is easily bikeable to everywhere. 

At night, I would walk around the streets and smoke and look at the stars because there are so many in the sky. Brooklyn brings a lot to the table, but as man enters, nature fades. I rarely see stars like I saw them Monday night. I can remember the last time I saw them I was camping in Delaware for the annual Colegrove Birthday Bike Trip to the beach. We were sitting on the bunker and the stars were so so so clear.

 I came in and went to bed feeling great about my life.