Saturday

Well the weather once more became typical for Florida. It was cool this AM but shortly changed to spring like conditions. There was just enough coolness in the air to make for great outside play and work. There was little or no humidity and the bright sunshine was evident as we spent the afternoon with Annsley and Gabe outside. It reached the middle 70's by late afternoon.

The morning started around a 6'ish wake up for me but I did manage to roll over for another half hour of horizontal lab. The eye seems to be on the mend as well with just a slight feel of some irritation at times. I must have scratched the cornea somehow and now its starting to heal over. After our morning routines with a cup of tea, quiet times and then I did the last piece of pecan pie for breakfast; not good for me but oh was it ever so delicious.

I headed out to the back yard and gardens as I wanted to suck up all of the leaves that had blown into the yard before the kiddos came around lunch time. I fed the gardens as well with a little Miracle Grow and then watered that in by hand. The temps were just perfect for being outside as well. The kiddos Annsley and Gabe came and we had a bite of lunch while their dad our son Bobby headed back to Riverview. Seems they were going to a wedding of an in -law on Jill's side of the family and then he was doing a wedding on Saturday while Jill hosted an Artistry party. They sure do keep busy with all of their Amway parties and his extra wedding activities. This Amway business has kept her from having to work outside the home on a regular schedule which really helps with being there for the kiddos.

After lunch we headed up to the outside playground at the rec which was open. It's a very nice covered playground for youngsters and the ground is covered as well with outside carpet. So they remain clean as well. The kiddos went barefoot for an hour and a half as we chased them, pushed and lifted them onto different equipment. After we were wore out we took them by McDonald's for a vanilla dipped in chocolate ice cream cone. That was the icing on the cake for them but the chocolate wound them up again so we headed to the back yard for some wiffle ball and bat play. We stayed outside until the shadows started to fall.

I grilled hamburgers and Nancy had buttered macaroni(one of their fav's) along with some canned peas(not one of their fav's) oh well. They ate well and even had seconds on the mac. They wanted books read so we did that until it was bath time and then we put on the movie Planes and I popped old fashion pop corn for them. By 8:30 they were sleepy as well as were we. I showered and read for a few minutes and was out by 10PM, Later

 

Friday

Well Thursday was the coldest morning here in many moons. It dropped to a low of 39 and by late afternoon we saw some 60's, yet the sunshine was in abundance with a breeze. We started the day much the usual with a roll out around 6'ish despite the rec being closed for the next 2 days. My internal alarm has me awake before 6 for some reason. Since I use to work shift work I'm surprised all of sudden I'm unable to sleep in. I think being back in a neighborhood where there is all kinds of vehicle traffic as well as sirens throughout the night doesn't help whereas at the cabin its so quiet, oh well.

After a cup of hot green tea and a few quiet moments to give thanks and lift up those we know who have physical needs we started the day. I had a grapefruit for breakfast while Nancy did her oatmeal and banana. I ventured outside after posting this ramble to be met by really damp cold air. With 2 shirts and a jacket on I hand watered the gardens and while in the sunlight it wasn't too bad but once I headed into the shaded portions of the yard yikes it was much colder. The windows in the house were all steamed and had water condensed on them so much so I had to take a towel and dry them. The frames are made of aluminum and each time it get really cold they condense the moisture to pools along their base.

Nancy was making a spinach dip as well as a pecan pie and a couple pitchers of sweet tea for the big get together at Bobby's later in the afternoon. We headed out around 1:30 to pick up GG and then I drove her car so it could get some travel time on the battery as it just normally sets for weeks. It's a fine driving vehicle and gets great gas mileage, anyhow we got there around 3 PM. Bob and Jill had the tables and house decorated exquisitely. The turkey smell emanated throughout the house and Annsley and Gabe were excited as well to see all of us. It wasn't long before Amy and family arrived and the girls went off on their own to play. The boys entertained one another out on the back patio/porch with cars.

It was close to 4:30 before sat down to eat a gorgeous tasty meal of; roast turkey with a gourmet gravy prepared by chef Bobby, GG made her dried stuffing as well as candied sweet taters, Betsy made her spinach casserole, Susan and Brian made smashed taters, green bean casserole an apple pie and candied pecans and Nancy made the spinach dip to munch on as well as the pecan pie to go along with Amy's 2 pumpkin pies and Errol made homemade rolls Bulgarian style they brought with them from Miami. Well needless to say we had more than enough and the plates were cleaned as the tastes were awesome. There was some fruit of the vine to accompany the munchies as well as the entrees.

We headed out around 8PM for Seminole as we were having lots of yawns due to the full bellies. Betsy and Braden left around 7 as she wanted to get to some store for a special. We noticed on the way back the stores and malls in Tampa were jammed packed with shoppers as well as the interstates looked like run hour traffic. We stopped and traded vehicles at GG's and then we headed on home. Arianne and Errol were still at Bobby's when we left and The Ross Family was fixin' to leave as well. GG fell asleep on the way home. Gabe was tuckered out with all of the excitement as he was ready for bed before we left. Ava and Annsley are like 2 peas in a pod as they play so well together and we hardly saw or heard a peep from them the whole time we were there. The boys with the addition of Jackson played quite well together along with Tess who is quite young. She is just a tiny thing but played right in there with the boys. We men watched a little football as well.

Well it was good to make this family tradition supper each year at Bob and Jill's. The food was awesome as usual and the conversations are enlightening. We had 15 adults and 6 kids this year and will add another next year with Amy's new little. We are excited and curious with anticipation to know whether it will be playing with the girls or boys. Nancy and I have so much to be thankful for as both Amy and Bobby have great spouses who are family orientated and who make the LORD a priority in their homes, LATER

Thursday-Thanksgiving Day

Well Wednesday was another busy day that saw us go from a/c to open the windows to close the windows and nearly to have the heat on to take the chill off. I don't expect this cold snap to last long as we are fore casted to be back in the middle 70's in a day or so; but that is typical Florida weather in the winter months. We had a neighbor friend who went from a/c to heat each year and never opened the windows, oh well!!!

The morning started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out, a cup of green tea, a few quiet moments, a lite breakfast and then a ride to the rec on my bike. The wind was strong and the black clouds made for some fierce looking weather and difficult pedalling. It rained over night with strong gusts that pelted the house and cleaned out the oaks trees of dead limbs and sticks. The yards and gardens were littered with this debris. I finally made it to the rec after fighting a strong headwind but the temps were still quite mild requiring only a t-shirt and shorts.

Today was the last day for the rec to be open until Saturday. I thought we would have a large crowd of players but mostly it was the advanced players with just a few of the beginners. We had 3 courts set up and the play was good for most of the time except for when you got a beginner in with 3 advanced players; but they will only get better when paired up with better players. The wet shirts were in abundance once again.

I headed home in a very strong headwind as the wind shifted from the south that was bringing cooler air in from the north. It actually felt good until later in the afternoon when the temps dropped dramatically. I worked in the garden and yards picking up debris and then pulling weeds. I fed most of the garden and the new seedlings with a little liquid fertilizer.  I finished installing a new burner for my old grill after a few minor alterations. Amy, Ava and Sam came for lunch.

After a lunch of roll ups loaded with ham and cheese and some fresh garden herbs I took down all of the tubs of Christmas ornaments and decorations from the attic. The kids were excited about helping to decorate the tree and Nancy put on some Christmas music as well. She eventually made ginger snaps for an even more festive mood. I retreated to the reading room while they decorated and had a grand time. After they left around 4:30 we headed out to the grocery as we needed frozen spinach for a dip we were taking to Bobby's on Thursday and of course a few other goodies. The stores were packed.

We came back and enjoyed some soft tacos loaded with herbs and sour cream. We stayed away from the big carbs as tomorrow we will load up on all of those traditional family dishes that are just loaded with them; but do they ever taste delicious especially smashed taters and gravy with GG's dry stuffing and Nancy's pecan pie. Oh well I must remember to eat small portions and try it all. After the clean up we retired to the couch to see what else this administration did on the eve of a holiday when most folks are to busy to catch up or pay any attention to their less than honest actions. Once again they are playing politics and the heck with what's best for the country.

Well I sure hope all of you who read this ramble have a great day with family and friends tomorrow as you remember the reason for this holiday. We have been a blessed nation as our history will show that despite some less than honorable folks in their role as our leaders. It seems people forget to do what is right amidst their own self importance. Our Christian principles were once an important facet of our lives and the basis for our freedoms and liberty. That seems to have shifted as we have lost our rugged individualism and no longer love others as we want to be loved. We no longer care about or protect the innocent and helpless. We have taken personal responsibility and accountability from the norm. We left old England to escape the absolute power of the king and now it seems we have let ours selves be hoodwinked by those politicians who want to control our lives once again. Absolute power corrupts absolutely!!! This started with the Woodrow Wilson days as he was the first to start us on this path of big government and liberalism. We must not forget what Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin did to their folks and the world.

I know I'm being an alarmist but we must not forget that we have checks and balances for a reason and that is our Constitution which has some awesome rights and limitations on those who purport to lead us. The leaders we have in D.C to my way of thinking does not have what is best for the country at heart, anyhow just my opinion, LATER

Here are a few pictures of the Christmas decorations!!! The other youngster is Phoenix from across the street who is Ava's age.

  

Wednesday

Well Tuesday was another warm muggy day which required the a/c to be turned on again; however a front is supposed to come through here later in the night and bring some rain and cooler temps. So cool there will be a frost warning for the counties to our north. Since we are surrounded by the Bay and the Gulf it's unlikely we will see any freezing temps. A change would be nice again for a day or so.

The morning started out much the usual with a 6'ish roll out, a cup of tea then a few quiet moments before a lite breakfast of a fresh grapefruit before riding out to the rec for 2 plus hours of pickle ball. Wow did we ever have some action filled play today with 10 or so players. Lots of wet shirts due to the fast pace. Afterwards I stopped offat the library for some new reads for both Nancy and I that we had on order.

I came back and hand watered the gardens and the new flowers in the front yard. Amy brought Ava by after her 1/2 day of school and then we watched her while she took Sam to the dentist for some cavity repair. It's outrageous what they charge for white fillings in a 3 year olds mouth, anyhow he did fine and was rewarded with trips to the treasure chest afterwards. After they took off Nancy and I headed to Home Depot as she wanted a real tree this year and I needed to buy new burner for my grill. We found a Frazier Fir that came from Boone for a reasonable price and a tree stand that cost nearly as much as the tree itself. We put the tree up and fill the bottom with water and the smell was delicious throughout the house. We have used an artificial tree for years so this is a first for us since the kids were little.

I worked on changing out the universal burner on the grill which turned out to be a bigger project than I first anticipated. It started to sprinkle so I put that job on hold until better lighting and drier conditions. The wind began to pick up and it was blowing rather briskly throughout the evening with rain showers. I somehow scratched or got something embedded in my eye and that irritated me all evening. It's a little better this morning but I can still feel the irritation or scratch, oh well. We pan fried some venison steak along with a baked potato and a salad for supper, Yum!!! After the clean up it was news time and then the O'reilly Factor.

Well today is Thanksgiving Eve and we are making plans to travel over to Bobby's for the big day with family. Jill's folks will be there as well as Arianne and Errol from Miami, Amy and her family as well as GG, Betsy and Braden. There will be a house full and Bob has the perfect place for such a large gang. He will make the turkey and we all bring the famous side dishes. Lots of good eating and it should be a fun time with all the grand kids as well. Those of you who are in the northern part of the country seem to be in for a major storm event that will bring snow to the higher elevations and some heavy rain. Seems this storm is making headlines so be careful, LATER

Tuesday

Well I have to correct a football score from yesterday as when I headed for some horizontal lab the Broncos were whupping the Patriots by 24 points and I learned when I awakened they had beaten the Denver team in overtime, Yikes!!!

Monday was another nice day with moderate temps but mainly with overcast skies and somewhat breezy. It looked like it might rain but we had none for the day. The morning was much the usual with a 6'ish roll out, a cup of green tea, a few quiet moments then a lite breakfast before riding out to the rec on my bike for some 2 1/2 hours of pickle ball. We had a good crowd of advanced players with some awesome rallies. Wet shirts were evident to everyone.

I stopped off at the library for a new read before heading home to work in the garden until lunch. All or most of the recently transplanted seedlings were looking good. I harvested some beet greens, basil, Swiss chard and arugula for our salad for lunch as Amy, GG and Sam came after being away for the past week. It was good to see them and they were fully recovered from their intestinal bug. I skipped the salad as Amy brought me a spicy chicken roll up from their lunch out on Sunday. It fit just perfect for my lunch.

After they left to pick up Ava from school Nancy and GG took off once again on a marathon shopping trip until after 5. I had chicken breasts thawing so when she returned she made chicken picata over linguini with fresh broccoli, yeow what a delicious combo for supper. After the cleanup we settled into the news of the day and once again this administration is making some fatal decisions regarding the welfare of our nation and its allies.

 Iran has made it known that Israel should be eliminated from the world and now we have given in to them in their pursuit of a nuclear weapon and their ability to make that come true. Iran has been a sponsor of world terrorism and now we have reduced the restrictions and even given them billions to start and further enhance their capabilities. We have some of the most inept leadership ever in Washington and in this administration. They will sacrifice our safety and the safety of the world by allowing these fanatics who kill their own people and us to further their agenda. This decision is used to take away all of the growing dissension associated with their many flawed policies and especially the health care act. Where are those who question this decision? And why aren't they making know to those who are only interested in getting something for free from this administration know what is going on. We need to wake up America before it's too late. Iran with nuclear weapons will be the fire starter for all out war in the middle east and we will see the drastic effects here in our land.

Well after trying to digest this awful blunder by those foreign policy leaders and the president I fear for the safety of my kids and grand kids as I hope Israel will not stand by and let this happen. We have thrown our fearless ally under the bus once again and have made it known we don't care about the balance of power in the region. That's what all of this is about, power and the use of it to further certain agendas, oh well!!!

I tuned into Monday Night Football and it was not very inspiring as neither team impressed me at all with their high paid players and lack of ability. I think college football is much more exciting to watch than the pros, just my opinion. Well I'm into a great read ALONE ON THE ICE about the Mawson saga into Antarctica at the turn of the century. WHITEY was a good read as well about the mob figure from the Boston area and I just learned in the news last week he was convicted of some of his crimes while in his old age of 80's. The book tells of his dastardly deeds and his escape into society for several years before an acquaintance tipped the FBI to his whereabouts. Interestingly well written and documented,  LATER 

Monday

Well Sunday was a busy one that started out a different way to worship and fellowship at Element Church in Tampa. Bobby likes to refer to "us" as the church and that one way of being a church family is to gather around the table and let each of us share our stories with food. So once a quarter we all bring something to share food wise and then we share some of our life stories after some praise and worship music. We had several to share their thankfulness and we had two different visitors speak as well as they were moved by this event. The food was plentiful from breakfast casseroles, pastries, muffins and breads, fruit and even some dips. There was plenty for all and it was quite laid back and there were many tearful as well as hilarious talks. What a great way to become a family as we get to know and share each others joys and fears.

We headed out after the nearly 2 hour service for Seminole. We as a house church for Pinellas help at the local nursing home once a month in conjunction with SFBC. This week Dan spoke and Nancy and I helped with pushing wheelchairs to the small service. Many of those we were familiar with have passed on and we did recognize a couple faces from SFBC who are still patients there. It is really depressing as most are women who have outlived their husbands and are just in states of reduced mental capacity and are wheelchair confined. It really takes a different person to work in a place like that as we see that most patients are just in various stages of passing on. Only a few have relatives that visit occasionally.

We came back around 3 PM and I settled in to the NFL for the rest of the day and evening. Our once 0-8 Bucs have now won 3 games in a row and are not the worst team in the league as they beat a division leader in the Detroit Lions. I know that is hard for many of our family who are avid Lions fans who live in Michigan. The Broncos looked like world beaters as they took apart the Patriots in the first half of that game which was played in very cold and windy conditions. Yikes, most of the games played yesterday showed very cold weather conditions for November.

Well I'm happy to say that all of our family seems to have gotten over this intestinal bug which really hit the grand kids hard but Gabe. Nancy and I skated by that condition so far and are tickled. I think using those good vitamins and supplements from Nutrilite helped as well as being very active in the exercise department. It's also good to report that Joe(Helen's brother) is doing well and is looking forward to coming back to his home in N.C. We really had a temperature change here in Florida overnight as this AM the temps were in the 60's. We turned off the a/c and opened the windows for most of the day and even closed them again in the evening as the temps dropped even cooler. It's nothing major but we are fore casted for the highs on Thanksgiving Day to be in the 60's, Yeah!!! LATER      

Sunday

Well Saturday turned out to be just a gorgeous day with the humidity abating and the temps not nearly as high as it has been. I actually sat out under the big oak in the back yard reading for most of the afternoon.

The morning started with the usual roll out around 6'ish despite it being a week-end day. I decided I would head to the rec for a couple hours of pickle ball just for the exercise as Sat. is an open day and all levels of players are allowed to participate. After my usual morning routine, a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast I rode out around 8 AM. The rec doesn't open on Sat. until 8 whereas the week days its 6:30.

Well we had 3 courts going with 4-6 players waiting to get on so we played the winners split which was to my advantage as I never sat down all morning despite being paired up with several older beginner players. We did have a few of the advanced players there which kept it interesting. I did instruct lots of the beginners and they seemed appreciative. We had several in their late 70's play. I had a soaking wet shirt by 10AM. It was good exercise and I can feel myself getting in better shape each day and I think I'm losing the spare tire as I've been holding down my fatty food intake.

I came back to work in the garden transplanting lettuces and moving up seedlings into 9 packs. I moved up Serrano peppers, basil, romaine and red leaf lettuces. I noticed the new radish seeds I sowed a couple days ago are breaking through the soil. So far all of the hearty green veggies are looking good. I must get Nancy to take a couple photos of the beginning garden so I can compare to later. This is the time of the year to garden in Florida.

After a lite lunch I headed back out with a good read and enjoyed the nice dry breeze in the back yard. Nancy even opened the windows for a breath of fresh air to clear out the house. I headed in to watch a little football as the evening shadows started and then grilled a couple salmon steaks for supper to go along with some doctored up brown rice and canned spinach, yeow very tasty.

Nancy took off with sister Betsy for a concert that GG was performing in Seminole. It was after 9 before she got home and I was just getting out of the shower. The Baylor Bears got ripped by the Sooners of Oklahoma which was a prime time game. I found a kick boxing event live from new York which was very good and watched that in between commercials until it was lights out at 11, LATER   Today is corporate worship at Element Church in Tampa so we will car pool with neighbors Dan and Carol. This morning is the "table" where we all bring a dish of some kind to share with others then we eat and fellowship together. Afterwards we head to the local nursing home here in Seminole to push wheelchairs to a small worship service for those folks.

Saturday

Well Friday was another hot and muggy day in the lowlands of Central Florida. I kicked off the morning with a 6'ish roll out to a cup of green tea, a few quiet moments then a lite breakfast before riding out to the rec on my bike for a couple  hours of pickle ball. We had 3 courts going almost from the start with a gang of 15 or more at times. The wet shirts were everywhere and then another gang came at 10 AM with even more of the intermediate players. Wow the popularity of this sport is ever increasing.

I stopped off at the library on the way home for a couple new read and that's what I did after lunch. There is a new book out titled ALONE ON THE ICE about the Antarctica mission in the early years of the 20th century. I love to read about their will to survive in the frozen cold of down under and I picked up another read on "Whitey" Bulger who was a mob figure and just went to trial in the last few months and was convicted. Both look to be great reads as I have to finish a couple I already had started before delving into these separate but fascinating stories.

Nancy was at SFBC for her Friday morning Bible study then she picked up GG and brought her for lunch. Amy finally found the bug that Sam and Ava contracted earlier in the week and she was up all night barfing and then we learned Bobby was up the same night with the bug but had completely different methods of ridding it from his body. Seems both of them are on the way to recovery and doing much better. Bob and Jill celebrated their 10th anniversary as they headed out for an evening in Sarasota. All of the grand babies are doing much better as well and the bug seemed to have missed us, Gabe and Tyler so far; despite being around all last Sunday for supper, oh well!!!Our mountain buddy Joe is also recovering after being so ill after his operation and is talking about coming back to his home near Sparta after Thanksgiving. His daughter has been looking after him in Tennessee since he fell ill and we are glad to hear he is doing much better.

I did a little garden work with hand watering a couple times during the day but everything loves these warm nights as the seeds begin to sprout. I need to transplant more lettuce into rows as well as some peppers and more sweet basil that have sprouted. Nancy spoke with Mechelle from Sparta and she and Caleb were headed to Charlotte to pick up a new pooch for him. Andy and Caleb have bagged several deer in the last week and are loaded for meat for the winter. Seems the local food closet will make out once more as have we with their hunting skills. I would only eat venison for my red meat it I had my druthers.

Nancy and I stayed close to home after a frozen pizza and salad for supper. We tuned into the news and its even more depressing to see where the administration is now delaying the mandate for sign up until after the mid-term election so the folks won't know how much they will have to pay extra for their health care. What a devious bunch of politicians and another example of how we are losing our rights to choose and decide. With that law will be another big way to redistribute wealth in the country. Good-bye to our freedoms, our right to pick and choose what we want and what's best for us; but not with this bunch in Washington as they now will make decisions that will demand we purchase at their rates what they have decided is best for us. There goes liberty and individual rights to decide as well as takes what we worked and saved for to pay for something they are exempted from obeying or being a part. This is unconstitutional and unconscionable and just what the founding fathers feared when you give away checks and balances within a government that is out of control, LATER

Friday

Well Thursday was once again another hot and muggy day with temps into the 80's, so the a/c is still running. It seems a bug has invaded Bobby and Amy's household with the kids first showing some signs of it starting with Sam. He did several upchucks on Monday afternoon then Annsley and Jill the next day, Ava on Wednesday and now Amy herself on Thursday evening. Nancy and I have managed to stay healthy but at times both of us have been a little queasy. We have been company free the last 3 days at lunchtime so maybe that has made a difference. We had all 4 grandkids here on Sunday so maybe something was passed among them at that time, oh well!

The day started the usual around a 6'ish roll out. After a cup of tea, a few quiet moments to reflect and give thanks, I had a lite breakfast before pedaling out to the rec for 2 plus hours of pickle ball. We had a good group of players that started play at 7:30 and lasted until 10 AM. The wet shirts were in abundance. Afterwards I stopped off at the library and returned some books. I finished THE BARTENDERS TALE by Ivan Doig and what a refreshing read as basically told by a 12 year old about his father in a small town in Montana. Good reading.

I worked outside in the garden until lunchtime then retired to the reading room for the rest of the afternoon except for hand watering the garden in the late afternoon. There were some rain clouds around but we got none so its hand water at least once and mostly twice a day as the sandy soil dries out quickly despite all of the mulch. The garden is doing great and I harvested some arugula and basil for our noon time salad. I sowed more radish seeds and once again fertilized the sweet onion sets as they require lots of nitrogen nutrients. The last time I grew the large sweet onions they turned out to be some of the best I've ever eaten.

I thawed out a couple of the sirloin steaks we purchased with our Ribbon Gift from Amway and they were delicious despite me grilling them medium well instead of medium rare. I hadn't grilled any in quite awhile and left them on just a few minutes too long; but they were still juicy and tasty. This Mid-West Company seems to have better quality meat than Omaha Steaks which Amway use to endorse. We are quite pleased with the meat we have purchased from them and will continue to use from time to time.

After the cleanup we retire to the front room and Fox News. The news about our leaders in Washington is not well and we as Americans better wake up to what is happening as we are on the verge of letting those who were elected to serve us; serve them as now they are making decisions that could drastically change our way of life. Already we see racial violence in the streets with punks violently attacking innocent people because of their ethnicity and or skin color. The change that was proposed by those in D.C. has been one of deceit, fraud and infringement on the basic rights of the pursuit of freedom and liberty by all with a little hard work. We are in a crisis here in our country and we have lost the respect from our allies abroad as well. GOD help us!!!

Well I've said my thoughts about those who are leading us down the road to government takeover or socialism and the destruction of our once happy lifestyles where everyone had the opportunity to make a better life than their forefathers had. I see our institutions that made us a great nation at one time being destroyed by inept leadership and now the disregard for our basic family life is on display. No longer do we promote individual responsibility and achievement.

Well I could go on with such disappointments that plague my thoughts and I fear for my grandchildren and what they will face in the future unless we corral and limit the people who we elect to serve us. I'm afraid they are out of control and no longer have our respect or the best interests of the country in mind. It seems power or incontrol is their agenda, LATER      

Thursday

Well Wednesday turned out to be a busy day that started with a 6'ish roll out. I wish I knew why here in the low flat lands of Florida I awakened around 6'ish or a little before and in the mountains I can sleep easily another hour or so before awakening. I usually head in to bed about the same hour each night, oh well!

The morning was much the usual with a cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast before pedaling out to the rec for a couple hours of pickle ball. Today was an "open" day which meant players of all skill levels could use the prime time which is usually for advanced level players. We had a couple beginner/intermediate players to show up and play but for the most part there were many advanced players in the group. One in our group left shortly after he was forced to play with one of them. The less skilled players will only get better when they can be matched up and involved with more advanced play. We have a few who are just difficult to play with and made such a fuss that now the rec director has set aside 2 days a week with open play. I tried to explain this is a public facility and we are lucky to have as much time as we do for advanced play.

I headed out to the library after PB for a couple new reads before heading home to work outside in the garden and yard. Nancy had gone to the rec to get her workout on the treadmill so I edged and mowed the yards which kept me busy until lunch time. After a salad I headed back out to finish up. Amy, Sam and GG were busy with other stuff so it was just Nancy and I for a change.

We were having a supper at our house church friends, The Tracy's over at Indian Rocks beach at 7. I just chilled reading for the rest of the afternoon after doing some paperwork. I found an interesting book titled THE BARTENDERS STORY that was very good reading and quite interesting that was set back in the early 60's. We got ready and rode with neighbors Dan and Carol over to Patrick and Kathryn's beautiful 3 story condo for supper. Wow is she ever a wonderful cook and she knows how to entertain and set a table. The lasagna and 2 kinds of salad were awesome as well as the garlic bread and of course cheesecake with topping for dessert. I passed on the cheesecake because I had 2 helping of lasagna(there went my chance to reduce the spare tire) oh well we had a wonderful meal and we discussed what we were going to do for projects for our house church this up and coming year. There were 4 couple in attendance.

We decided one of our projects or ministries would be to set up a closet for foster babies, kids and even those who are 18 and older who are being sent out in to society after being in foster homes for most of their lives. We hope to co-ordinate with the other house churches in Element as we know several in the church who are foster parents and many of them get placements over night or in short notice. That sounds like a worthy cause and we are all very interested in making that happen. Our dilemma at first is where to establish the closet at Element to make it accessible to those in the Tampa area because we are in Pinellas County which is about 50 miles away, Oh well!!

Well that was about it for a Thursday. I haven't heard anymore from Helen about how Joe is doing but no news is good news. I learned Sam had an intestinal bug on Tuesday afternoon then Ava today as well as Annsley and Jill. I'm hoping it by-passes Nancy and I, oh well that's what happens to grand parents. Amy continues to pooch out with the new baby and I don't know how she will be able to carry this baby to her January due date. It would definitely help them tax wise if she delivered before the first of the year which I think she will based on her size, LATER    

Wednesday

Well Tuesday found us once again with high humidity and quite warm temps up in to the 80's and lots of rain clouds but no rain. The garden sure seems to like this type of weather except for late afternoon when the cold weather plants begin to show some wilting. Needless to say I'm hand watering twice a day and I'm lucky to have a shallow well with plenty of water.

The morning started around a 6 'ish roll out to a cup of green tea, a few quiet moments and then a lite breakfast before riding out to the rec on my bike for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. We had about 10 players with 2 courts going that were all fairly well matched and the play was fast with lots of rallies. The wet shirts were everywhere. Afterwards I headed home as I had some books on order from the library and they hadn't arrived as of yet.

I worked in the garden transplanting some lettuce seedlings as well as hoed weeds that have already started to show some colors. It looks as if the new seedlings are really starting to add some growth and I will soon be enjoying some of those fresh veggies. The beet greens and arugula are really for the salad bowl; and the Swiss chard will soon be ready for the saute pan. The tomatoes are setting fruit as well.

Amy and Sam brought GG for a lunch of salad and I made a huge bowl of guacamole. Yeow is that ever some fine eatin' with some taco chips. Amy says my concoction is the best ever and I must say its better than any I have eaten out. The secret is a little fresh squeezed garlic and minced sweet onion along with some olive oil, cilantro, a squeezed lemon or lime with salt and pepper to taste and of course a couple ripe avocados. After lunch I retreated to the computer room for some reading and finished up the book LOST GIRLS about the Long Island serial murders that has not as of this date been solved. It was a good read and well written by Robert Kolker.

Nancy had a some venison marinating for supper which I grilled to go along with brown rice and fresh green beans. Yeow there is nothing like fresh(frozen) venison which was harvested by our mountain buddy Caleb Dalton this fall in Illinois. Many thanks to him and his dad, Andy for providing this delicacy. After the cleanup we settled in to watch the Fox news channel and once again learned this present administration is somewhat less than honest about the policies they have and are promoting and how the main stream media in no longer reliable about their reporting or investigative journalism of them.

After O'Reilly it was time for the showers and then to read until lights out around 10:30, LATER  

Tuesday

Well Monday was much a usual day with nothing really exciting happening but we did hear some good news about our friend Joe who is our "mountain mom", Helen's older brother. He is out of the hospital, eating regularly and on his way to recovery after gall bladder surgery. It seems his bowels are working again after being asleep. We are thankful for that good news and once again thank all of you who remembered him in your thoughts and prayers.

The morning started around a 6'ish roll out to a cup of green tea, a few moments to give thanks and reflect, the posting of this ramble before heading out on my bike for a couple hours of pickle ball at the Seminole Rec. We had a good crew of about 10 to 12 players some coming late and a few leaving early, but by 10 AM I was bushed. I think giving blood the day before drew down on my strength as at times I was winded. We had some good matches and lots of wet shirts.

I stopped by the library for a new read titled LOST GIRLS. It's a true story about the girls found murdered on a Long Island beach and the crimes have never been solved. It's a good read and well written about those girls lives and the lifestyle that brought them to their demise as many were in the night life of prostitution.

The garden is doing well with carrots now poking through the ground. They should do well here in this sandy soil also the teardrop tomatoes have little ones showing as well as the new lettuce seeds I sowed a couple days ago are showing some color. I have cukes up and hope to transplant them in a day or so as well.

Amy and Sam picked up GG and brought her for a lunch of tuna fish and salad. It was rather hot and muggy so we stayed indoors after eating and then Nancy took GG shopping when Amy left for home. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and resting from pickle ball. We decided to clean up the leftover pork roast dinner from last nights dinner for supper and wow was it still ever tasty. After the cleanup we tuned into the Fox News and then I meandered into the bedroom for football until 11. The Panthers were winning when I shut the lights off, LATER

Monday

Well Sunday turned out to be another busy day as we worshiped in Tampa at Element Church. This was "bloody Sunday" which meant the blood mobile was in the parking lot when we arrived just before 10. I made my donation right away and got back inside for the message that Bobby brought. The music, message and the personal sharing of how attitudes were changed regarding being foster parents brought tears to your eyes. We brought Annsley and Gabe back with us for the rest of the day.

The morning was much the usual with a 6'ish roll out. After our quiet moments and a lite breakfast we got ready for the 45 minute ride to Element. It had warmed back up into the low 80's with lots of bright sunshine. The traffic was horrendous for a Sunday morning so we decided after the service we would come back on the toll road and hoping to miss all of the traffic that was heading for the Bucs game that started at one.

We got back to Seminole around 1 PM and made a quick lunch for the kiddos and afterwards I settled into the Bucs vs the Falcons game. If I didn't know better I would have though the Bucs were undefeated the way both offense and defense were playing. They kicked butt almost all of the game and won big for a change. That is their second win in a row and looked good with rookies while doing so.

Amy brought Ava and Sam to play with Annsley and Gabe and they were in their own worlds from then on. They really played well together and played hard the whole time. I just sat back with a glass of vino and let them play; wow do they ever have some energy. I lost 10 pounds just watching them running from each other, playing hide and seek and some kind of animal act where each of them act like a dog. They finally wanted to go outside and play much to my delight as that helped on the noise level. It was a great time had by all and the house was quite when they all left around 7:30. Luckily it was a school night and that helped with the early departure.

Nancy had a pork roast in the oven and smells awakened your taste buds along with smashed taters, broccoli and gravy. The kiddos had seconds which is a big change and then she baked a couple chocolate chip cookies for them for dessert. After the cleanup Bob and his crew dropped GG off at her house on his way back to Brandon and then Amy and Tyler headed home with their crew. Nancy and I vacuumed and finished with the dishes and then sat down to rest and I nearly fell asleep. What a day being a grandparent. I love it but it can be tiring at times. The kiddos all seemed to get along and the girls love to have the boys chase them which they did with the volume turned up.

Well it was a good day for football for the Bucs and despite being the last team in our division they played well and I watched a little of the Broncos beat the best team, record wise in the late game. I fell asleep watching that and was soon under the covers. We got word that Joe, Helen brother was out of the hospital and on his way to recovering at his daughters house in Tennessee who is a doctor. Thanks for all who lifted Joe up in your thoughts and prayers. The gangrene was from the old gall bladder tissue that was removed by the laparoscopic procedure, LATER   

Sunday

Well Saturday was a busy day right up until it was time for a shower and then some horizontal lab. We did the oil change with our house church, shopped at Sam's Club and then had Ava and San over for supper and then let them wear us out until nearly 10 PM before they finally slowed down and conked out.

We started the morning with a 6'ish roll out as we had to be at Twill Auto by 9 for our first appointment and after our quiet times we did our own thing for breakfast as I fried up some left over taters and a couple cackleberries. The yokes of these store bought eggs are yellow whereas the ones from the mountains are orange and there is a difference in taste, oh well!! We had 12 different cars we worked on changing the oil, filter and even replaced some much wore out wiper blades all for free. We also gave them a $10 gas card and had fresh donuts and coffee while they waited which usually was about 15-20 minutes at the most. We checked the tire pressures and fill up all the fluid levels. Nancy, Carol and Danielle stayed with the women in the waiting room and was just there being a friend if they needed someone to speak with. We were finished by noon then headed home for a bite of lunch.

We took off for Sam's after lunch and then stopped at Lowes for a dill plant and Publix for some goodies we need for Sunday nights supper. Bob and the kids along with GG, Amy and her family are coming for a roast pork supper with all the fixin's. We will bring Annsley and Gabe home with us after church and then Bob will join us later after some meetings. Jill has an Artistry appointment and won't be able to make it. We will have all 4 of the grand kids here so it should be a festive occasion with some good eatin' as well.

I piddled around in the garden after we got back from Sam's and now the beans, radishes and peas are showing good color as well as 3 kinds of lettuces are up in the pots. I'll give them a couple more days before moving them into individual packs and then a week or so before transplanting them into the garden. Lettuce usually does so much better here because of the sandy soil and we just love our fresh daily garden salads. I noticed a few small tomato's starting to head up as well as lots more blooms. Hopefully this will be a good year for tomatoes as well. All of the green plants are looking good and I've noticed some additional leaves on the beets and Swiss chard.

We fixed beef burritos for supper and the kids really loved them as they both ate well and both wanted different topping as Ava wanted onions, cheese and tomato whereas Sam just wanted meat and nothing else. After the clean up I managed a few quarters of college football while the kids ran back and forth between the bedroom and the living room with their puppy dog play. Nancy made them cookies which really wired them up and finally they slowed down around 9'ish enough so Ava was asleep on the couch when Amy and Tyler returned to pick them up. Sam was still awake but was engrossed in a movie. Amy said they had been going strong since their 7 AM wake up. Where do they get all that energy, LATER   

Saturday

Well Friday turned out to be mostly cloudy with a few sprinkles in the late evening and nighttime. The temps stayed up in the low 70's for most of the day. We hit a few pockets of light rain as we drove over to Bobby's in Brandon for the 300 point club supper. The 300 point club is a monthly get together to honor those who have been successful for their endeavors with promoting the products that Amway distributes.

The morning started much the usual around a 6'ish roll out. After a cup of hot green tea and a few quiet moments I posted this ramble before riding out to the rec for some 2 1/2 hours of pickle ball. We had a full house with 3 courts going for most of the time slotted with some great rallies. The wet shirts were evident throughout the players and few quit play a little early which left the last couple matches using the regular scoring as opposed to rally scoring.

I stopped off at the library for a couple new reads before heading home. I watered the garden by hand and noticed I have sugar peas popping through the ground and some new leaves on the beets, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce. Everything else looks good and so far I haven't lost a seedling except for the lettuces I started in the mountains and then transplanted into 9 packs. They haven't done well and that was expected as the cold there really held them back. I may get a dozen or so to make it but I started new seeds here for the lettuces and I have a pot of them up and hopefully ready for transplanting in a day or so.

Since my garden and yard work is basically caught up I read for the rest of the day except for a little hand watering before heading out to Brandon. Amy and Sam came for lunch after Nancy got back from her Friday morning Bible study at S.F.B.C. We had a nice salad and I finished off the last of the left over roast beef. Sam wanted to play inside and Nancy read him a couple books and then made chocolate chip cookies for him. He is such a sweet boy. Paw Paw called from Virginia and they are having some winter like weather with the temps down into the teens. He loves to hear from Sam and his exploits so Sam took a moment to talk to him on the phone.

We just read and then got ready until it was time to travel nearly a hundred miles to Bobby's for supper. There were 20 or so folks gathered and he had 2 huge pots of gourmet soups; roasted duck pumpkin bisque and a split pea which both were awesome along with a fresh salad and lots of bakery bread. There was some fruit of the vine as well as desserts. I had to skip the desserts but the pumpernickel was my downfall.  We then played a game of charades which pitted the gals team against the guys. The guys won and all had a great time; we must play this game the next time we are in the mountains the way it was played with this group.

We headed out for Seminole a little before 10 and traffic wasn't nearly as bad as going over during rush hours. We used the toll road going over which made a difference as the radio spoke of major traffic backups on the bridges. It was close to 11 before it was lights outs for me as I had showered before we left. Today, this Saturday morning our house church is doing free oil changes for single moms, military wives and widows at Twill Auto. We do this every 3 months and provide donuts and coffee as well and even give them a $10 gas card. This evening Ava and Sam are coming for supper and we will watch them while Amy and Tyler register for their upcoming new baby shower. This should be a busy day as well.

I almost forgot to mention the month of November has a great promotion for all of the Artistry Products such as cosmetics, body lotions, makeup, skin care. etc. Check out our website at www.amway.com/JNTriplett and see the info on these products. I'm offering to send you a duplicate order absolutely free, so the price is half off or you get twice as much for the one price. This BOGO offer comes ONLY from me and our team leaders and is not a promotion from Amway. Nancy uses these products and has found none as good as the Artistry Brands. This offer ends November 30th.

On a more somber note our dear friend and brother of our "mountain mom" Helen is still in the hospital in Bristol and now has been diagnosed with having symptoms of gangrene in the abdominal area. Keep Joe in your thoughts and prayers as he is up there in age, LATER

Friday

Well this time last week we were on our way down off the mountain heading towards warm sunny Florida after a below freezing start. The cold weather sure made it easier to leave our friends and the cabin as we yearned for warmer temps. This morning is the second morning here in Florida we have turned the a/c off due to a cold snap that came through; however its expected to once more reach the low 80's today after a chilly start.

I started the day off once again with the internal alarm clock waking me around 6'ish. After a spot of green tea I posted this ramble then spent a few quiet minutes before heading out to the rec for some 2 1/2 hours of pickle ball. I found the center stanchions for the portable nets once more back in the carrying bag in the equipment room. I spoke with the rec attendant and let him know the 2 missing pieces were back and then he told me why they were missing. Seems a player took them home to modify them so they could be used in either net set up by drilling a hole in the stanchion. Oh well at least we have them back and the director was not to pleased with his action.

We had 2 full courts going with a couple waiting to get on for most of the morning. Once more the wet shirts were evident to the good workout we were having. I could feel the good ache from 3 full days of play in the legs and back by the time 10 AM rolled around. Today Friday will be my last play for a couple days as we have plans for Saturday morning which the rec has let us PB players have that time slot as well and I'm sure the rest will be good. We have several days we will miss as the rec will be closed starting with Thanksgiving, Christmas and then New Years, oh well.

Amy and Sam picked up GG and they came for a lunch of leftover pizzas and salad. Afterwards Sam and I headed out to the back yard where we worked on his t-ball hitting. He soon lost his enthusiasm as he just wanted to watch me slam the ball. He is more into his "inventions" with the dead sticks he finds in the yard from under the big oak tree. The weather was gorgeous for being outside as the gals all had long sleeve shirts on due to the breeze. They headed out around 2:30 to pick up Ava and return GG to her house.

I picked up GG again for supper around 5 PM and we had baked chicken with baked sweet potato and sauteed yellow squash and onions, yeow was that ever delicious. After the cleanup Nancy drove her home and I vegetated watching Fox News until it was shower time after O'Reilly and then it was lights out for me shortly thereafter around 10. The extra days of playing hard caught up with me as I tried to read for awhile, LATER
  .....Just an update on Joe as he now has 'sleeping bowels" which has resulted in more IV's and a longer stay in the hospital, keep him in your thoughts and prayers!!!

Thursday

Well it has become chilly here in usually hot sunny Florida with temps down into the 50's overnight and when I got ready to ride on my bike to the rec this morning I had to put on an additional shirt. The wind was quite brisk which added to the chill. The sun did shine for most of the day but it remained in the low 60's for the most part.

I started the day with being wide awake around 6'ish and with a hot cup of tea started the day with a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast before heading to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. Wednesday has been designated as an open play day by the rec so there was a mixture of intermediate and advanced players on the court at the same time. When I went to set up the 3 portable pickle ball nets someone had taken either on purpose or being mischievous the center stanchions from 2 of the net bags. They were nowhere to be found in the equipment room. That left us with one court. We cannibalized the 2 remaining nets and managed to get another court and then reverted back to our original nets with the poles in the floor and a old fashion net. We did manage to finally get 3 courts on the floor with several players waiting to get in on the action.

I was whipped by the time 10 AM came around then stopped off at the library for a couple new reads from the non-fiction section. The outside temps had warmed up about 10 degrees so I decided to apply the mulch around the recently planted flowers in the front yard. Amy and Sam where heading to Tampa to have lunch with Tyler so Nancy took off to bring GG for lunch and then a stop for her at the library and then the grocery before taking her back to her house. We had salad and leftovers for lunch then I settled in to reading for most of the afternoon after hand watering and using a little Roundup in some weedy areas of the back yard.

We were having our house church small group at out house around 6:30 so it was vacuuming for me while Nancy busied herself with dusting and cleaning bathrooms. We were pulling a lite supper of pizzas, salad and cake. We had 9 adults and one kiddo and made some plans for the up coming holiday season about our projects for humanity. This Saturday we are changing oil for single moms, military wives and widows at Dan's shop for Free and then helping some foster parents at Element with Christmas toys for their tots just to get the ball rolling for our house church projects.

Well that lasted until close to 8:30 then I read until it was time for the shower and then some horizontal lab as my internal alarm now is quite punctual at 6 AM. I did hear from our "mountain mom" Helen that her brother Joe had a set back yesterday morning with some complications from his surgery but is in good hands with his daughter by his side in a great hospital in Bristol, Tennessee. I spoke with Eddie our buddy in Sparta and he said the wind chill there was 2 degrees yesterday morning but with lots of sunshine. He seemed quite a bit better as the excruciating pain in his leg has subsided and he is able to rest better and has started to enjoy food once again. He is still mostly bed fast but does have a hospital bed so he can get some relief by pulling himself up. He goes back to Virginia to the doctor on Friday for the infection he is still fighting in that leg.

That's about all that is happening here with us except we have finally turned the a/c off for a day or so and the smell of the wreath is wonderful throughout the house. Many thanks once again to the Dalton's for this blessing, LATER  

Wednesday

Well the difference in temps here and at the cabin is quite a contrast; snowing and below freezing and hot and sunny with the lower 80's. I'm really enjoying this change as my legs are getting some tan once again. I spent all late morning and afternoon until nearly 4 PM outside in a t-shirt and shorts and breaking out in a sweat at times. As much as I love the mountains this weather here in flat Florida is especially nice this time of the year as I'm an outdoor person.

The morning started with my internal alarm clock wakening me a little after 6. I needed to get ready and be on the court by 7:30 as some early players like to get into some really fast play before the mix of players show around 8. We had 2 show before 7:30 and then 2 more gradually came in and we did get in some great play. Seems since I've been gone this summer the enthusiasm has been lacking for the early play; but now that has changed. We've added a couple players from the intermediate group into our advanced play and they are proving to be steady and consistent players. We had 2 courts going for over 2 1/2 hours and the wet shirts were evident to the group. This kind of exercise is addicting.

The morning started with a hot cup of tea while I did my quiet time and posted this ramble before riding out to the rec on my bike for some pickle ball. Nancy would later head out for the treadmill when I returned around 10:15. Sam was at the house when I pedaled back from the rec so he and I worked out in the garden where he helped me plant some seedlings I purchased yesterday at the Depot.

 I'm growing some Brussel sprouts  for a change as both Nancy and I love them steamed then slathered with Dijon mustard. We then planted some onion seedlings that will make large sweet onion bulbs. Last year I finally figured out the secret to growing large sweet onions and that was the depth you plant them; the root end just needs to be barely covered by the soil and as they mature your scrape the dirt away from the onions bulb that actually grows and expands on top of the soil. Nancy returned and Sam was showing off his "inventions" which were sticks he found in the yard that were all kinds of tools. His imagination and vocabulary is amazing for a 3 year old.

Amy came back from her checkup and we had a nice lunch and then I headed back out to the garden where I spaded up another section for the tomato seedlings I started in the mountains. They took off with a growth spurt when the warm air heated up the soil in their pots. Nancy and I headed for the front yard after Amy and Sam left where we clipped and edged the hedges and vines. I got the soil ready for setting out 36 Salvia flower plants and we transformed the front yard area in a couple hours. It was just a gorgeous day for working outside. I even got up on the roof with the leaf blower and cleaned the roof of sticks, leaves and acorns as well as the gutters.

We got ready around 5 and headed over to GG's for leftover roast beef supper which was as tasty as the day it was prepared. After the cleanup we headed out around 7 for the Depot once again to purchase Cypress mulch for the flower beds in the front yard. Wow what a busy day we had and it was so relaxing after a hot shower as we settled into Fox News and then Nancy with her dance shows for kids. I headed in to read and watch a little of a little of the frozen north life styles before it was lights out for me around 11, LATER
...Just an update from yesterday's post the Bucs actually came from behind to win the their first game of the season..also Joe(Helen's brother) was operated on early in the morning for gall bladder surgery. The operation was a success as far as we have heard.

Tuesday

Monday was a perfect day for November and for working outside in the yard and gardens. I managed to spend most of the day outside until late afternoon when we made a Home Depot trip for veggie seedlings, etc. as we took GG home on the way.

The day started with me rolling out around 6'ish or a little after as I want to get back to being at the rec around 7:30 for some pickle ball play. I did my quiet time with a cup of green tea, posted this ramble then had a glass of concentrated vegetable and fruit juice for my breakfast. I'm hoping to reduce this spare tire this winter. I headed out to the back yard where I clipped the bushes and began stripping the garden of the weeds and grass that invaded the gardens while we were at the cabin for the last month or so.

I spaded up several areas for seeds and got the beds ready for the romaine lettuce, cabbage and Brussel sprouts seedlings we picked up later in the day. I also picked up a rosemary seedling, cilantro and sweet basil seedling as we use a lot of these herbs in cooking and salads. I bought some sweet onions seedlings that were looking pretty bad and they gave me a deal on 2 for 1 as they were starting to rot around the edges but I think I can save them. Nancy picked out red and purple salvia flowers to be planted in the front yard around the hedges. I will plant them later today(Tuesday).

Amy, Sam and GG came for lunch and we had a fresh salad with leftover cold chicken on top and wow was that ever tasty. Afterwards Sam and I headed outside where we spent a couple hours spading up the side garden and sowing carrots and then we played with the soccer ball. I got him to catching the ball consistently and now he is kicking it much better than just a few weeks ago. He is such a bundle of energy. After they left to pickup Ava at school we headed out for our shopping trip along with driving GG home.

I grilled a couple bone-in pork chops and they were delicious along with some oven taters and canned peas for supper. The front yard was starting to dry out so I set the sprinkler and then worked for a couple hours while watching the news and then the Bucs once again lose a big lead and fall behind the Dolphins. I was so disgusted with their play as they were behind when I turned the lights out at 11, LATER
.. Just an update on our friend Joe in the mountains as he is getting for surgery on his gall bladder as I post this ramble, thankfully his daughter who is a doctor decided he needed to have better care and took him with her to Tennessee. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he is 86.

Monday(Veterans Day)

Well Sunday was a busy day that started with awesome worship at Element Church. We were greeted with lots of "welcome backs", hugs and handshakes. Bob had a great message to go along with the praise music. The Element band is a little more livelier with their praise music than Cornerstone but we certainly love both styles that honor our LORD. We saw lots of new folks and welcomed a new family visiting for the first time from Nebraska as they moved here with his job change. We visited with our Jill's folks(although she was away on business) Brian and Susan who brought Annsley and Gabe with them. Annsley was giving hugs and kisses while Gabe was being a typical boy and playing hard to get a hug or kiss.

We drove over to Brian and Susan after church to pick up a bookcase for daughter Amy that Susan was selling and brought it back to Seminole for her. We had a lite lunch around 2 PM then chilled until it was time to head to GG's for the birthday dinner for Betsy. GG had a 12 pound roast beef in the oven(median rare) and it was cooked to perfection to go along with smashed taters, gravy, broccoli and salad. The eatin' was superb and after awhile we had coconut cake  for dessert. Braden and I did the cleanup then we headed out for home. We wanted to watch the 2 hour special on National Geographic about Killing Kennedy which is based on the book by Bill O'Reilly that started at 8. Well the reenactment was right on with the book and I believe it put all of the conspiracy theorist to bed about LBJ or the mafia having a hand in that assassination of our president.

I tuned into a little of the NFL afterwards and then Nancy spoke with our "mountain mom" about her brother Joe who is ill with some pain in his abdomen. Seems he was in the emergency room in Sparta due to the terrible soreness and the diagnosis wasn't what his daughter who is a physician in another state thought it might be, so she took him back to her hospital for a second opinion. Keep Joe in your thoughts and prayers as he is in his late 80's.

The garden transplants seem to be doing O.K. except for the pesky squirrels that keeping digging in an around the plants. I shot a couple with bb's but that only causes them to scamper into the nearest trees, too bad you couldn't eat them as I grew up on squirrel meat in Virginia as a kid. Here the pesky critters have no natural enemies and they run rampart everywhere. The only time we see one dead is when they play in the streets and get run over by a vehicle.

Well today is the day set aside to honor those who have served in the military for the preservation of our way of life in this these United Sates of America. I was honored and privileged to serve 4 active years in the USAF and then another 3 active years in the reserves where I continued to serve during the summers, weekends and holidays while attending California State University to acquire my bachelors degree. All of those 7 years were during the Vietnam Theater in southeast Asia on an airplane that carried troops in and out of the war zone along with materials to support the conflict. I was blessed to never have been in actual combat on the ground but did have several buddies lose their life when their planes were shot down or plowed into mountains in that rugged country while supporting those on the ground.

We were young teenagers and never gave it a thought about giving your life for your country but essentially that's what we who served did when we took the oath to uphold the constitution. It's too bad those who are in leadership in our government today aren't held accountable for their actions that lead to the loss of Americans in harms way while serving their country, Oh well. We definitely have let a group of politicians become a separate class that puts them above the people they were elected(questionable) to serve and be above the laws they enact for the rest of us. That's just my opinion, oh well!!!LATER

Sunday

Wow what a difference 700 miles makes when it comes to climate. The weather here got a little hot in the afternoon so the a/c felt pretty good. It stayed pretty much in the 80's but the humidity was quite low as I worked outside until nearly 4 and never really sweated like I normally do; of course I was in the shade of the big oak in the backyard as I mowed, weeded, spaded and planted in the gardens.

The day started with me wide awake at 6'ish I wanted to get in some pickle ball at the rec which opened at 8 on Saturday. I was there 20 minutes ahead of time as it usually opens at 6:30 during the week, oh well!! We had 3 courts in action with a couple waiting at times. Several of the Canadians were back and there game has improved tremendously. We had some great play with long rallies and the ball doesn't skid as much on the wooden gym floor as it does on the painted concrete floor at Cornerstone. I got in 2 full hours of play and never once sat down. I did manage a wet shirt for my efforts.

I stopped by the library and picked up a book for Nancy in her Red River series by Loraine Snelling and a non-fiction book for me. I haven't had a chance to look at it but the titled intrigued me; BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS by Katherine Boo. Its about the slums of Mumbai, India. I headed for the house on my bike and then stayed outside until late in the evening. I transplanted all of the plants I brought back from the cabin and they seemed to love these warmer temps. The beets looked like I could harvest some leaves already for a salad and the Swiss chard and spinach looked good as well. The arugula and watercress looked a little wilted but I think they will survive. I had 4 nice teardrop tomato plants that I sat out in October that are blooming . The gardens had some grass growing once again so I weeded that out and mulched the 'maters. I planted 2 rows of bush beans and 2 rows of sugar peas and transplanted several small marigold seedlings. I'm not sure if they will make as a squirrel was already in them this AM digging. I got a shot off with my bb gun and he headed for the trees next door; but they are a real bad nuisance here digging constantly in the garden and uprooting my plants. I think I need to lay some chicken wire down until the plants get big enough to survive their digging.

Amy, Tyler and the kiddos came by for a visit just before supper and it was good to see them. They were attending a conference at church all weekend including meals so they were busy. Nancy had taken her mom, GG shopping so I had the whole day to myself working outside. The warm sunshine felt good to these old muscles. I got a lot done and now its off to Home Depot for some more veggies plants and flowers on Monday.

We are getting ready to head over to Tampa for worship with Element Church and get some hugs and handshakes from our church family there. We will see our other 2 grand children Annsley and Gabe there as well as our son the pastor. It seems it will be another busy day. Well it's easy to get back into the mix of things with another big dinner this evening at GG's house as we celebrate Nancy's sisters birthday. There will be a house full there with lots of good eating; roast beef, smashed taters, gravy, salad and broccoli and coconut cake for dessert as per her request.

To all of our mountain friends we want to thank you all for your hospitality extended to us this past summer and winter. We can see and smell the beautiful wreath which hangs on the back of the front door and emits such a fragrance that reminds of the mountains and you all. Nancy and I are blessed to have met such fantastic folks that we worship with, eat with and play with there in the yours and ours beautiful mountains, LATER

Saturday

Well Friday was a long day that ended with us having a safe trip of 700 miles back to sunny and warm Florida. I started the day around 3 AM(actually earlier than that as I never sleep the night before making this trip either to the cabin or back to Florida) with the temperature down into the low 30's. I never noticed any frost as it was dark but down off the mountain at our first stop in Rock Hill, S.C. everything was covered with the white frozen stuff. We try to stop and walk every hour and a half or so to keep from having another blood clot but it was so cold we just walked around inside this huge truck stop for several minutes after gassing up for $2.93 a gallon.

We had on 3 layers of clothing when we left so we could peel a layer off the further south we traveled as the temps warmed up and by the time we stop outside of Tampa for a walk around a rest stop we were down to just a t-shirt as it was in the high 70's and just beautiful. It was so bright outside it took some adjusting as I donned the sunglasses which I hadn't done all summer. We pulled into the house around 4 PM after getting caught in the traffic backup in Tampa and quickly unloaded the truck. Everything looked good and the veggie plants I brought back looked good as well. The tomato plants I had started in October in the garden are now blooming. I think about 3 or 4 made it on their own while we were away.

We headed over to GG's for a glass of vino and set down to a chicken casserole and salad for supper. She looked great for her age and is still quite the cook. That's where Nancy gets all of her expertise from. After the cleanup we headed home about 7'ish and then finished unpacking after a grocery stop. After a hot shower I laid down to watch the last of O'Reilly and conked out. Nancy was still doing her thing and I'm not sure what time she came to bed. I did wake up after a bad dream about our crazy neighbor that once lived next door and tried to blow the neighborhood up with propane tanks before she was shot. Yikes I can't believe I dreamed about her!!!

Well we are thankful to all who kept us in their prayers for safe travel as we had an uneventful trip. The traffic was lite most of the way except for stop and go traffic in Tampa. We saw more cars there than we saw all year in downtown Sparta. The humidity seemed to be non-existed despite the temps in the low 80's which actually felt nice for a change. My legs saw the sunlight for the time in weeks, LATER

Thursday (last full day at the cabin for this year)

Well Wednesday was much warmer to start the day and despite some fog and mist to start out, it turned out to be beautiful with blue skies and lots of sunshine; I even managed to get another load of laundry out after lunch on the clothesline. We hung around the cabin for the most part except for a mid morning run over to the Dalton Farm for a homemade wreath made from Frazier Fir to take back to Florida.

We got our hike in for the day just before lunch and it was truly beautiful on top. We said goodbye to Norm and then Joe before heading back down for a lite lunch of leftovers. I picked a nice mess of collards from the upper garden as well as some lettuce, beet greens and arugula for a nice salad for supper. We were having Gerald for marinated chicken breasts, collards, black-eyed peas and salad and what a feast that turned out to be. Delicious.

The temps stayed up around 50 for the evening and it was nice out on the deck as I grilled. After dark the sky was filled with many stars and you could see the Milky Way it was that clear. During the night another front moved in with lite showers as we were awakened with rain dripping from the dormer onto the tin roof. The morning still had moderate temps in the high 40's. I'm sure glad I have everything from outside, inside the sheds, basement and under the porches while they were still dry. Now I just need to pack the truck in between the rain drops. I noticed the back woods yards are covered once again with fallen leaves but it doesn't look as if I will get them blown off due to the rain. Those leaves help with the growth of moss which seems to really love my yards this past year, oh well!!

We will be away from this keyboard for a day or so as we leave before daybreak tomorrow, Friday for the 700 mile trip back to sunny Florida. We will miss all of our mountain friends and of course the freedom to roam around on your land. There we are confined to a 100x60 foot lot in a sub-division where your neighbors are in spitting distance. The land is perfectly flat as well but with snow and cold temps here in the mountains the warm sunshine will feel good. I do have my gardens to tinker with plus pickle ball 5 days a week,

the library and most important our kids and grand kids. The trade off isn't so bad after all, actually it's the best of both worlds and we are very thankful, LATER  Here is a shot of the awesome smelling beautiful handmade wreath the Luffman's and Dalton's blessed us with. I think they sell them as well and ship to all over the country for the holidays.

Wednesday

Well Tuesday was another "colder than a well diggers bit" for most of the day especially in the morning as it was in the 20's to start and finally reached the 40's. We slept in until after 7 as those warm flannel sheets are so cozy. We kind of hung around the cabin except for taking a couple hikes and then a couple golf cart rides and then I headed out after dark with neighbor Gerald for some pickle ball at Cornerstone.

After our quiet times we did our own thing for breakfast as I want to use up the last of these delicious mountain eggs provided by the girls next door who are quite the foragers. I see them in my yard scratching for bugs and worms most afternoons and do they ever lay some great eggs. I fried up some bacon outside on the grill and brr was it ever cold as the breeze kept me in 4 layers of clothing, yikes it is time to head South.

After eating I headed out to the mailbox to send in my change of address for the post office and that was one cold ride on the golf cart. Seems the mail never ran today for some reason. The last time we rode out on the golf cart to check we met up with Gerald who was also checking his mail then we hiked up through some woods along our road. The loss of leaves really gives you a good look at the layout of the land. We found a field that we see from the top of mountain and we are always wondering where it is. It was fun walking through the woods and we found some interesting stuff. We saw a large stack of rocks that had been there for ever and was definitely placed there by humans. We saw lots of deer stands and signs of where deer have been pawing the ground looking for acorns. There are very few acorns this year for them and the turkeys to eat due to the over abundance of rain. That seems just the opposite.

I spent a couple hours doing address changes and suspending some services via the phone as it draws closer to our Friday morning pull out for Florida. We just need to pack and load the truck on Thursday before leaving around 4 AM. I like to beat the morning rush hour in Charlotte which is about a 100 miles to the south of us.

I grilled some salmon steaks for supper and we had rice and green peas to accompany them, delicious. After the cleanup I got ready to head out for pickle ball. We had 5 players for the first hour or so then 3 of us played 2 on 1 which really is in the favor of the single player most of the time. We had a good workout and then placed all of the chairs back in position for Sunday Services. I'm thrilled that we have about 5-6 regular players that have really become enthusiastic for the game and maybe more by next year. It was close to 9 when we got home in a drizzle, fog and mist. The temps seemed to have moderated a little as this morning(Wed) it was 20 degrees warmer than yesterday, LATER   

Tuesday

Well Monday was another cold day that started somewhere in the 20's and never got out of the 40's despite plenty of sunshine. The clouds and breeze kept it chilly and the bare trees emphasized the winter like conditions. We are really going to miss our mountain friends but I'm getting ready for some warmer temps even if it calls for some a/c. The cabin is still cozy at 70 with the little gas heater but going outside in the cold air makes for adding extra clothing. The pesky bugs seemed to have disappeared so that makes it nice for hiking.

We slept in until 7'ish and despite it being an hour later it's nice to wake up with the daylight breaking. We have been staying up late due to football and Face Book. After our quiet times and a lite breakfast I headed down to the basement to put in some laundry and then eventually hung it on the clothesline. We then took a hike down the road to visit with neighbors Dan and Joyce who have their place up for sale. We noticed they were up and doing some mowing. Last week a strange truck came in our road and Gerald noticed it on his way out and alerted us to this strange vehicle; so I took off on the golf cart and spotted the truck at their place. Apparently they had tried to break into their storage shed and I just happened to pass by shortly after they had arrived. I passed by the drive several times looking down their driveway which must have scared them away as they left the area shortly afterwards. I think they must target places that have for sale signs out front as I spotted them shortly after Gerald alerted us by phone.

We headed back up the mountain along the back trail after our lengthy visit and then eventually called it our hike for the day. We saw lots of fresh deer signs along the way. We came back to the warm cabin and ate a lite lunch before getting ready to head out to Galax, then to Independence and finally to Sparta. We needed to dump trash, return some items at Wal-Mart and pickup a few things, then gas up before heading to Dr.K's office for Nancy's flu shot and then to Sparta to return some library books and pick up some Braggs apple cider vinegar from Katelyn who brought it with her from her store in Mt.Airy. It seems the health store in Sparta was out of the stuff and we could not find it anywhere in Galax. Nancy has found that mixing the vinegar(with mother) with unsweetened cranberry juice lessens her discomfort of gerd or acid reflex.

We were leaving Sparta and saw in one field along the highway at least 50 or more deer grazing like cattle  and then in another field in town 4 large deer and one was a nice 4-6 point buck just about 100 feet or so from the highway in broad daylight grazing; yikes don't they know it's bow and arrow hunting season. We headed on out of town and got back to the cabin as darkness began setting in and the temps were dropping fast. It was down into the 30's as sunset occurred. I gathered the laundry off the line and they were ice cold so we let them set by the heater before folding them, yikes it's definitely time to head south.

We heated up the left over chili for supper which was awesome after sitting for a couple of days. Yeow did that ever hit the spot. After the cleanup we tuned into the Fox News channel and then I watched the last half of the Bears beating up on the Packers in a close game. It was late by the time we headed for those warm flannel sheets, LATER

Monday

Well Sunday was another busy day that started out around 7'ish(actually was 8'ish) when we rolled out of the sack. Brr was it ever chilly with the brisk breeze which made it feel even colder. We cranked up the small gas heater which has kept the cabin comfortable to our delight and amazement. At times I wished I had put a fireplace in and I guess I still could if I should ever decide to retire here permanently.

After our quiet times and a hot cup of coffee for Nancy and hot green tea for me we made our own breakfast. I finished up the apple pie with milk and she boring oatmeal which was the most nutritious no doubt but I had the better tasting one. We got ready to head to Cornerstone for our final Sunday and at times a tearful one. There were hugs and tears from both us and them as we said good-bye until next May or June. We have been made to feel so welcome here and have made some great friendships.

We hooked up with the Dalton Family for lunch out at the Mexican Restaurant and then again at their farm later in the evening for fresh roasted deer ham that Caleb shot on Friday. Wow was that ever delicious and the way Andy prepares it in the smoker is awesome. We headed home to watch a little football before I hooked up with neighbor Gerald around 2:30 and we headed back to Cornerstone for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. There were 5 of us and we played some great points until it was time to head over to the Dalton's for supper. Gerald stayed and ate with us as well.

Nancy and I stayed and played several games of Sequence with Mechell's folks, Gerald and Kay along with Katelyn and her beau Curtis. We had a great time and somehow the gals once again won all but one game and that was a tie. I guess they have the bragging rights this winter until we return as we did last year when the guys won the last game of the year(the only game we won) and we bragged all winter. We have a lot of fun and especially when its 8 folks playing. We headed out shortly thereafter for the cabin as it was pitch black. The temps were dropping down to 31 as we rode in the lane. We saw several large deer in the backwoods yard with the truck lights as we parked.

Well it was a sad day at times as we will certainly miss our mountain church family and friends. We will keep up with many on Face Book and a few have tuned into this ramble at times but it's winter time and I need to get my garden planted in Florida as well as renew old friendships there plus we want to hold and love up on our grand babies and get ready for our newest grand baby who is appearing around the first of the year, LATER