Andrew and I are heading out today for Boca Raton to visit his grandmother Rose for Hanukah.  However, before we go, we wash all the dogs.  Dianne was dog-sitting Gail's dog Bear while she was out of town, so we have four dog baths to deal with.  Dianne hasn't been able to wash her dogs since she had surgery on her knee, so Andrew and I stepped in.  She was very grateful to have clean doggies. 

Afterwards, we hit the road, heading out across Alligator Alley (now I-75) to Boca Raton.  It's sunny and 70 degrees- another beautiful day in Paradise. We stopped at a rest stop (with no facilities) along Alligator Alley for lunch where we saw a local pull in, pee next to his truck, grab a beer out of the back and continue on his way.  Lovely.

Our trip through South Florida revealed lots of blue tarps on roofs, evidence of the very active hurricane seasons they've been having lately.  One joke: "What is the ANSI approved wind rating on a blue tarp?"  

We got to Boca Raton in time to relax a few minutes and then head out to a birthday party for Andrew's great-uncle Joe Lynn.  Uncle Joe is the uncle of Grandma Rose Arbiter, Andrew's grandmother.  The party was at a Greek restaurant in Boca Raton called Mykonos.  The appetizers were great, the food was very good, but the belly dancer kept interrupting the different people giving speeches honoring Uncle Joe.  The belly dancer had a huge feathered headdress more like that of a Las Vegas showgirl rather than a dancing gypsy.