Friday

Well we haven't seen the sunshine in a day or so which is quite unusual for Florida so that means we have been getting a fair amount of rain but no flooding in our area. The skies have been overcast with a cold north wind  which has kept us inside for most of the day with temps in the low 40's to a high of the 60's however that is supposed to change during the day on Friday(today) and for the weekend we are looking at the low 80's. No wonder I can't shake this cough.

Thursday morning started much the usual with a before 6 roll out, a cup of hot tea, a few quiet moments  and a bowl of cereal before riding out on my bike to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. The rain had slacked off as I pedaled out but commenced shortly thereafter for most of the morning. I bundled up as the damp cold just seemed to penetrate right to your bones with the chilly breeze. We had 6 players for an hour then picked up a couple more and by 10 I had a wet shirt and a tired body from this low grade chest cold. I'm taking Friday off from playing not that I feel bad or wasted but we have to attend little Joey's funeral in Tampa and with that I will miss playing. Anyhow I could probably benefit from not exercising for a day or so.

I pedaled home after a stop off at the library and the rain started to fall. Luckily I had a plastic bag which I put over my head to keep the cold rain off. I spent the rest of the day in the house reading as the rain fell off and on until after we headed to bed. We did take a trip to Sam's Club with GG after Amy and the kiddos left around 2. We stocked up on a few items we needed and then took GG home. Wow it has rained most of the night and I now hear it on the roof as I make this post. I guess this good be snow if it were 10 degrees colder.

Nancy fixed chicken fajitas for supper along with a fresh garden salad. Speaking of the garden wow does it ever love this rain. I will need to pick beans if I can get in to them and the lettuces seem to grow before your eyes. I sowed some new Bib lettuce seeds and I have some romaine seedlings I need to transplant into rows. The Brussels sprouts are forming little heads and hopefully will be ready for harvesting in a few days. I'm going to smoke a 13 pound turkey on Saturday for a family dinner in my electric smoker. That will be a first for me as the gals all want the dripping from a roasted bird for gravy as the dripping here will be lost. I'll do it about 6 hours with hickory wood from the mountains.

Well that was about it for Thursday as we watched an hour of the Idol show after Fox news. Seems our illustrious president is once again lying about the economy, job market and the real state of our union that he is trying to destroy with his secular progressive sycophants. We had better wake up and send them a message in the November elections. The other party had better quit thinking about their own re-election and do what is needed to get this country back on a firm footing or we will fall like the other great nations in history. Americans are resilient and with some leadership that is competent in all 3 branches of government we will succeed once again as the place of hope for those who have no hope because of tyranny from their leaders.

The Tea Party leaders are making great sense with their platforms for real progress for this country but are branded as terrorist from those on the left who want big government and a hand out without showing any effort to achieve. Europe is a great example of the failure that results from this type of leadership. I have no idea why the left continues to pursue these policies unless they want to see America become a failure and I'm afraid we are heading to end up that way, Wake Up America and lets be like those who in the first Boston Tea Party responded to those who restricted their freedoms and desires to be out from under the control of big government. They set up a government in Philadelphia that would change the polices and programs where all of us were set free by the Constitution. We are being lead to slaughter by those who want to subvert this great bill that guarantees our individual liberty and freedoms.

I like the message of the Tea Party platform which has some new faces and new ideas of how to bring America back to the forefront within the constraints of our Constitution. We need to be rid of the career politicians on both sides and get America back to work, to restore family values, have folks be held responsible for their actions, quit the killing our innocent and the helpless babies as a means of birth control and honor those who give of their lives to keep us safe from terrorists who want a jihad in America. Just my thoughts, LATER  

Thursday

Well Wednesday was mostly a rainy, windy day and by late evening it turned cold once again. By this week-end the forecast is to be back into the 80's with bright sunshine. This weather sure beats what our neighbors are getting just north of us. I doubt seriously if we will get any hard freezes again in the near future.

I started the day with a rollout a little before 6 to temps around the middle 50's so I had my usual hot tea, a few quiet moments and then a grapefruit for breakfast before pedaling out to the rec. While the overcast skies showed the promise of rain there was just a lite mist so I rode out. It did pour heavily at times during the course of the morning but I managed to slip home during one of those breaks after 2 plus hours on the court. We had a crowd of about  a dozen mixed players as this was an open day. So any caliber of play was allowed. I managed to stay on the court for most of the time and had a wringing wet shirt by 10.

I headed home and picked lettuce for another salad before settling in to read and catch up on some paper work. Nancy drove to the rec for her workout as the rain fell once again. It suddenly turned cold and temps began to fall dramatically around lunch time. Amy picked up GG and they came for lunch along with Sam and Eliza. We had frozen pizzas and salad for lunch and then Nancy made ginger snaps which filled the house with this awesome smell. We all had to have a few right out of the oven. We were having house church tonight and Nancy served the cookies for the snack along with Kathryn's delicious spinach dip and crackers she made and brought. We had an early supper due to our house church meeting at 6:30 of grilled salmon steaks, baked spuds and canned peas, yikes did that ever hit the spot and was delicious.

After Amy left we tided up the house; dusting, vacuuming and mopping the kitchen floor as we got ready for the house church folks. It had turned nasty with the cold wind and rain so we had a small crowd of 5 adults only. We sorted the clothing donated for the foster kids program and put them together by sizes then we sat around and discussed some future plans before ending the meeting with prayers for those who were heavy on our hearts and thoughts. It was a little after 8 when we broke up as we started at 6:30. We managed to get in the rest of the time slot for Idol. There were some good contestants with some heartwarming stories and that's what we like about the show. The judges seem to be about the folks and not about displaying their body parts as the last female judge did which what's her name Nicky something, managed to do.

I hit the hot shower afterwards and soon was watching a new Duck Dynasty episode until it was lights out around 11, LATER 

Wednesday

Well Tuesday turned out to be another nice wintery day for Florida. The temps were mild and it was shorts and t-shirts for most of the day. Another front moved into the area which is supposed to cool the temps back down to the 40's by morning and it brought rain showers just after dark.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 roll out and then the cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments, a grapefruit and banana for breakfast after posting this ramble. I pedaled out on my bike to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. We had a 2 courts going with very little down time and when I left at 10 my shirt was soaked. A really good workout to say the least. I stopped off at the library and picked up a couple new reads that I had ordered. I headed home to harvest lettuce, tomatoes and beet greens for a nice garden salad for lunch. Amy, GG, Sam and Eliza came for lunch and we ate healthy. Eliza slept through all of the noise and then we watched her while Amy and GG ran errands. She is just a cutie pie and seldom cries. We loved up on her and Sam and did manage a few new pics. I will post at the end of this ramble.

Amy came back and they headed out to pick up Ava from school at 3 and then we were all meeting up at GG's around 5:30 for a supper of enchiladas that GG was making from a new recipe along with a salad. After the cleanup we headed home at 7:30. It was starting to sprinkle rain and did so most of the evening until it was lights out for around 10:30. We tuned into Fox News until 9 then it was shower time and I read until lights outs. In all honesty I couldn't bear to watch Obama lie again on T.V. as he is the biggest fraud to ever occupy the presidency and that's my opinion. I may step on some peoples toes but I don't feel he has our country's best interests at heart so I exercised my rights by not listening to the liar, LATER   Here are a couple pics of Eliza from yesterday.

Tuesday

Well what a difference in the temps for Monday after an all night rain with down pours at times. The air was much like a spring morning when I rode out to the rec around 7:30. It was into the 60's to start the day and reached the middle 70's by days end with finally some sunshine.

I started my day much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out to a cup of hot tea, a few quiet moments, the posting of this ramble then a bowl of cereal with a banana and raisins before pedaling out to the rec on my bike. We had 2 courts of pickle ball in action with all advanced players throughout the morning and did I ever have a wet shirt front and back, yeow what a workout. Afterwards I stopped off at the library to check on some books I had on order then headed home. The garden looked well soaked after the overnight rain and the new lettuce seedlings loved the wet soil as well. I picked some herbs for a guacamole I was making for lunch to go along with some chicken salad and regular garden salad. Amy brought GG, Sam and Eliza.

After lunch Nancy had a follow up visit with her doctor on the endoscopy and colonoscopy she had in the last 2 weeks. We are encouraged by the results and with just a few lifestyle changes she should be good to go for another 5 years before she has to have the procedures again. We are thankful for those results and the doctor was really praising me for the gardens we have here and in the mountains. He emphasized the need to have fresh veggies in ones daily diet especially the organic ones I grow.

I watched Sam and Eliza while Amy and GG did some grocery shopping then Nancy took GG home after Amy left with the kids. I read while Sam played the ipad and watched a movie and Eliza slept next to me. She would make all of these facial expressions, stretch and then go back to sleep. She never cried once or really awakened fully. I could just stare and watch her little delicate features as she is so beautiful with a full head of hair. I just can't imagine people harming these perfect little ones and it just makes my heart ache when I read of the abuse administered to these little ones especially the partial birth abortions. Why would a people want to kill these little ones just so they can continue a lifestyle that precludes children. I'm totally dismayed at our culture where we save baby animals and not children. It really bothers me that my tax money is use to kill these little ones and I don't know how anyone in their right mind could support politicians that make this action part of their platform and call it women's rights. Unbelievable!!!   

Well I grilled a couple mid-western beef burgers from our Delicious Ribbon Gift and they were awesome and filling with fresh sweet onion, mustard, pickle and fresh lettuce on a fresh bakery bun for supper that accompanied some hash browns and fresh broccoli. Yikes was that some good eatin'. After the cleanup we settled in to the Fox news channel for the Greta and O'Reilly shows. I soon headed for the showers afterwards and then watched a little kick boxing before calling it a day around 10:30, LATER

Monday

Well Sunday was a day with several different types of weather; first it was chilly, then it warmed up to the middle 60's with bright sunshine and then it became overcast and finally it rained most of the evening and almost all night long. It hasn't got colder as I make this post but I'm sure all of this rain is snow for someone north of us as it's still really cold there. My garden will sure love this rain as the snow peas are blooming as well as the green beans have lots of new buds and little ones.

Well Sunday was also another gut wrencher and tearjerker as we attended Element. Joey's family was there and they spoke to us from the stage. Everyone was crying and sobbing but the most heart rendering quote was how they weeped for us(Element) who was praying around the clock for their little Joey and that our prayers weren't answered for healing and for a much needed miracle that would save his life. That was such a low for us and then again there was a high as well when we had another baby girl born this week. Sophia and Brandon had nearly a 10 pound girl. We are truly learning what it means to be a family as we shared in both the good as well as the tragic death of little Joey.

We headed out after the service and then after a quick lunch headed down to the local nursing home where we assisted with a service for the shut-ins. We pushed wheelchairs to and from the service and tried to give some love to those folks; many of them are quite severely limited both mentally and physically. We help with our old church from SFBC to bring this service twice a month to the home.

Well we just chilled the rest of the afternoon; reading, watching a little T.V. and Nancy was on Face Book. We ate leftovers for supper which were just as good as the night before. That is one dish we will make regularly whenever we have pasta, yikes the sauce was awesome. Dan and Carole came down around 7 as the church was holding a prayer service in Tampa for the families who lost loved ones this past couple weeks. We decided we would do the same here at home at the same time instead of driving back over there. We talked and then prayed together for the needs of our church family; healing for those who have lost loved ones lately and healing for the marriage difficulties that have come forth. It seems as we have become successful as a church family the evil one is causing havoc among those who are striving to succeed in their walk with and for  GOD. There is always a constant spiritual battle for one's heart in this life.

After they left I tuned in to the Alaska frontier shows and then got ready for some horizontal lab and soon thereafter it was lights out around 11, LATER 

Sunday

Well Saturday was another cold morning to start the day but by afternoon it was in the middle 70's with bright sunshine and blue skies. Now this is why we are in Florida for the winter or at least that's the way it should be. We actually opened the windows and doors for some fresh air for an hour or so. In the shade it was cool with a gentle breeze.

The morning started with me rolling out a little later than usual as the rec didn't open until 8, so I slept in until 6:30 'ish. After my usual routines of hot tea, quiet time and the posting of this ramble I had a bowl of cereal before heading out on my bike to the rec for some 2 hours of pickle ball. We had 3 courts going and 6 people waiting to get on. There were 3 or 4 of us advanced players so we seldom sat down as the winners stayed on the court with different partners throughout the morning. I sat out a couple times but ended the morning with a wet shirt. It was a good workout to start the day.

I headed home and the difference in the outside temps was at least 20 degrees in that 2 hour time span. Wow was it ever starting to get nice outside so I decide to work outside in the garden. I transplanted some Romaine and Bib lettuce seedlings. Then I took the blower and headed up on to the roof where I blew acorns, leaves and twigs from the roof. After a lite lunch of leftover collards, mac and cheese I headed back outside to work in the front yard. I dug up a trash can full of weeds that were starting to bloom and then hand watered the front flowers and grass. I was sweating in the sun as it was that hot. Back in the shade of the back yard out of the wind I decided to rest and read for an hour or so while working on getting some Vitamin D from the sunshine. I had hung a load of laundry on the clothes line and they dried in no time. There is something about having laundry outside on a clothesline that is homey to me.

Well we were having Dan and Carol for supper so I picked lots of lettuces, beet greens and herbs for the salad plus Nancy was making a garlic sauce with fresh mushrooms, butter, thyme and parsley over linguine with grilled marinated chicken breasts. We also had fresh green beans from the garden as well. Yeowza what a delicious supper and this is one we will have to have more often. She added a little white wine to the concoction as well for additional flavor. After the clean up we played 12 rounds of dominoes and Carole won by a nose over me which is unusual as I'm usually dead last as of lately. Well after they left I tuned into the fight channel and watched some good UFC action on Fox sports in between the Lightning beating up on Colorado in hockey.

Well today is church day in Tampa at Element. There will be many heavy hearts as we lost little Joey to his failed liver before a transplant could occur as well as several have lost grand parents this past week or so. There are a couple families having marital difficulties as well so we will be having a special prayer service tonight at the church for those needs, LATER 

Saturday

Well Friday was another cold day and the breeze made it feel even colder. I was up early as I drove GG to an 8 AM doctor appointment for a stress test then I came home and got ready to ride the bike to the rec for an hour and half of pickle ball. Boy was it ever chilly riding the bike as Nancy needed the truck for her 10 AM Bible study at SFBC.  Betsy came and got GG's car on Tuesday because Bradens truck transmission was on the blink; so we were trying to shuttle her to appointments as well as our own with one vehicle, oh well.

There were 8 players when I got to the gym so we had good play all morning and by 10 I was ready for some down time. The outside temps had warmed slightly with the sun shining but it was still cold with that north wind. The heat kicked on several times during the night and day as Nancy was having one of her "I can't get warm" spells. I try to keep the thermostat at 70 but she wanted it warmer for some reason. After the workout I stopped off for a couple new reads and picked up the biography of Charles Manson. What an interesting life story as he spent most of his youth and young adult time in reform schools and prison and of course he has been there since the late 60's as well. He was quite a con artist with the lives of those who were down and out and was in the Haight Ashburry district of 'Frisco when I was stationed in California about that same time during the hippie movement. I made a few runs down into that area to experience that culture shift first hand along with some of my buddies as well. Interesting to say the least.

I hand watered the garden and picked green beans once again. They are loaded with little ones as the cold hasn't killed them yet. Covering them at night has really made a difference. I also picke a huge mess of collards as well as lots of herbs as we were having the Ross Family and GG for a supper of chicken fried deer steak, collards season with Hickory smoked bacon, Jasmine rice, pinto beans with fresh onions and rolls. I also made a milk gravy from the steak and rice, Yeow was that ever some fine eatin' and we just about licked all of the platters clean. I think I may have just a smidgen of the leftovers for lunch.

On a sad note the little 4 year old boy, Joey from Element Church who was suffering from liver failure and was in a Miami hospital awaiting a liver transplant, passed away during the night. He was being prepped for the transplant when his brain began to swell. Keep Joey's family Michael and Maria Cooke in your thoughts and prayers. He had an older as well as a younger brother. The family as are we are devastated.

Ava and Sam ate well also as she love rice and beans and Sam loves herbs on anything and even by their selves. After the clean up we played a new card game called PIT on commodity trading which is fast and fun. Tyler whipped up good as his family has been playing this game for years. It was different and I would play it again in the future. Well after they left around 9 PM we headed for a hot shower as it was once again going to be a cold night and then I tuned into Gold Rush until it was lights out, LATER

Friday

Well Thursday morning saw lots of the frozen white stuff on roof tops and car windows in the area. Luckily I covered most of my tender plants and they looked rather good as it finally warmed up to the middle 60's for day after a cold start. It's supposed to be this way for the next 2 weeks as the Artic air is moved further to the south bringing us below normal temps; however last night(Thurs.) I didn't cover them as the temps weren't supposed to be as cold but the heat sure came on enough during the night.

I started the day much the usual with a 6' ish roll out, a cup of hot tea while I did my quiet time and posted this ramble before a lite breakfast of cereal for a change then a ride to the rec on the bike for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. That was a cold ride at 7:30 but I got a good workout with a wet shirt for the prize. We had 2 courts in action with mostly advanced players and the play was fast with some long rallies. I love this game for a great cardio workout and by 10 AM I was really to relax the rest of the day.

I had to be at the VA a little before 1PM for my yearly physical and the results of my blood draws a couple weeks ago. Everything looked good and except for the tendon contraction in my left pinkie finger of which I had an x-ray and a flu shot I was good to go. I will have a consultation on that hand abnormality(Dupuytrens contracture) and probably have it taken care of at the VA. So far I'm thoroughly pleased with my doctor and he seems to be on top of the latest procedures in health care. I had a good walk on the grounds as that is a huge complex while I left my truck at Twills Auto for a new fuel filter to be installed. Twill's is just across the highway from the VA center and the temps had reached the middle 60's with bright sunshine which made for a great walk.

Well I headed home to hand water the gardens and in the shade the air was still a bit chilly with a slight breeze. The day was great for drying clothes on the line and I hung 2 loads after getting back from the rec. I grilled a couple marinating chicken breast for supper along with a baked sweet 'tater and fresh steamed broccoli. Afterwards we chilled on the couch watching FOX News and then we tuned into the Idol before hitting the showers. It wasn't long afterwards I was once more ready for some horizontal lab reading the inside of my lids, LATER

Thursday

Well Wednesday started out cold with a strong north wind and it stayed rather chilly all day. It may have reached the low 50's but it sure felt colder as the wind was quite brisk and by late afternoon I ventured out to hand water the gardens and then to cover some of the more tender plants from the frost that was expected overnight.

The morning started usual for a change as I roll out around 6'ish then did my quiet time and had a bowl of fruit before pedaling out to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. It was just 2 of us for a half hour or so and we got in 3 games of singles before another couple of players showed and by 10 we had 2 courts going with 8 players. It was a cold ride out around 7:30 and the north wind had my eyes watering. I bundled up with a sweater and a lite coat and wow did that ever feel good. It had warmed up a few degrees by 10 but not enough to make it comfortable. After a quick stop at the library I headed home to await Amy and the kiddos for lunch.

We had some leftover vegetable soup Nancy made the day before and did that ever hit the spot on such a cold day for lunch. Little Eliza is just so cute and snugly and we spoiled her while Amy ran some errands after lunch. Sam was into the games on the ipad which is really a great babysitter. That's why Nancy wants one for her birthday so both Ava and Sam can play games. After Amy left we tided up and got ready for our house church gathering at 7. We had 8 adults and 1 kid and we watched a video presented by focus on the family about truth. Actually Jesus said that is why he came was to bring the truth about GOD. It was a very interesting and informative perspective most folks never give much of a thought. There are several segments in this series and hopefully we can view them all.

Nancy made a 7 UP pound cake for dessert and Kathryn brought a yummy dip. We also collected gift cards for a family from Element whose little 4 year old son is under going liver complications a may possibly need a transplant in a hospital in Miami. There is also a site on our Face Book page where you can donate to help offset some of the costs for this treatment if your inclined to do so. Its at Help Support Joey and his family and the website is www.youcaring.com.

Well that was about it for Wednesday as the meeting lasted until close to 9:30. After a prayer time of lifting Joey, the White Family and our son and his family up we called it a night. That hot shower felt good and afterwards it wasn't long until I was reading the inside of my eye lids, LATER   

Wednesday

Well Tuesday was a day that started with cold temps and eventually warmed up enough we could open the doors and let in some fresh air and sunshine. It reached the lower 70's by late afternoon. However the heat was on to start the day and then again by bedtime another front moved in the area bringing cold air moved about by a strong northern wind. This morning the heat is running as I make this post. Florida winter weather is so changing it's a wonder we all don't stay sick with a cold. I'm finally getting over the sniffles and a cough after a week or more of the darn thing.

Well we started the day several times during the night as Nancy was getting ready for her scope of the colon around 9:30. I skipped pickle ball again and stayed with her until it was time to bring her home around 1 PM. She was the last scope of the morning and we spent nearly 4 hours there but the results were great to hear and see. The doctor removed 1 polyp and did notice some diverticulum but no infection so that was a good report. She is back to eating normally with some adjustments due to her hiatal hernia which seems to be the reason for all of her discomfort in the abdomen and chest area. We are thankful for that diagnosis. That will be another reason to try and shed a few pounds and continue exercising plus eating lots of fresh vegetables. I did manage a trip to the rec after lunch for a treadmill workout as I've missed my workouts on the courts for the past several mornings.

Speaking of fresh veggies I harvested another batch of green beans and lots of greens for a salad of 5 different lettuces as well as lots of fresh herbs. Nancy made a huge pot of vegetable soup for supper which is awesome. Amy brought the kiddos over after picking up Ava from school and we sent her home with enough for supper as well. Eliza is just so cute and perfect. She slept most of the time here but we did get to love up on her and Ava and Sam. After supper and the clean up we settled into Fox News and the O'Reilley show before I headed to the shower. Nancy had been up several times during the night with her pre-op for the scope and of course that kept me awake as well.

We see where our family and friends in the mountains and northeast are in for another round of winter weather that could be severe with snow and below freezing temps, Yikes what's with the global warming predictors that want us to reallocate our assets for their cause. There is no common sense among those prognosticators; just political hyperbole, Later

Tuesday

Well Monday started out on the chilly side but no frost which was a good thing for my tender garden plants. It did warm up into the high 60's and maybe even 70 in the bright sunshine. We just vegetated as the rec and library were closed. Nancy did get a load of laundry on the clothesline and I worked in the garden a little after lunch. She was anticipating her fast or clear liquid diet due to her colonoscopy on Tuesday(today).

I read for the biggest part of the morning after our quiet times and breakfast of fruit for me while she had hot tea and some kind of vegetable broth. She did make some jello for her lunch and for supper a clear beef flavored broth and a cup of tea. She was on the throne for an hour and half starting at 8 PM and then again at 3 AM when I had to set the alarm to awaken her for another round of ingesting this clean out solution plus 64 ounces of water. The girl could float a battleship with all the liquids she was forced to drink.

I ate some left over salad for lunch and I hated to do that in front of her and then some leftover baked zitti for supper. We did get in a nice long walk through the hood in the early afternoon when it was the warmest and then we read until it was time for supper. Afterwards we just chilled on the couch watching the news and then I read until it was lights out for me around 10:30. There wasn't much going on and it was kind of boring except for Nancy's diet which she stuck to really well, LATER

Monday

Well Sunday turned to be a rather nice somewhat warmer day after a heavy frost to start the morning. It reached the high 60's by late afternoon and then a few rain clouds moved in to start another cold front. The rain was just a few sprinkles and then it cleared off and that dropped the temps a few degrees but nothing like last week.

We started the day off with our usual Sunday morning routine of our quiet times then a lite breakfast before getting ready to head to Tampa for worship at Element Church. It was just a little unusual as Bobby had one of his elders give the message and he did a fine job on the parables about the lost sheep, coin and prodigal son. The music was awesome and there was a good crowd on hand as well. Bobby will be gone next Sunday as well as he is going away for a week on a small sabbatical to recharge his batteries and work on his second book. It's nice to know he has other men in the church who can deliver the message as well as lead music.

After the service we headed home and travelled somewhat on the new crosstown which brought us out near the church; it sure made a difference in traveling to and from the church time wise and we missed some congested areas in Tampa. After a lite lunch we settled in to getting ready for Eliza Faye's first visit to our house with her grandma from Kansas. I made up a guacamole for snacking and then Nancy has a leg of lamb roasting in the oven along with smashed 'taters and green beans from the garden and I made a huge fresh garden salad with 5 different lettuces, beet greens and fresh basil and dill. Yeowza was that ever beautiful and delicious. GG made a fresh apple pie for dessert along with vanilla ice cream. So much for eatin' lite today.

After vacuuming I settled into the playoff games and both of my picks won so the super bowl will between the Broncos and the Seahawks in a couple weeks. I really don't have a favorite but this could be Payton's last hurrah and I've always thought he is a class act and while I like the QB Wilson for the Seahawks as well he is just in his second year. He will be around for some time to come and the 'Hawks came into the league the same year the Bucs did; so I may pull for the Broncos. I know, what kind of logic is that, but since the Bucs have already won a super bowl title and the 'Hawks haven't I want to kept the Bucs special as they are a home town team. Did I mention the Bucs have a whole new coaching staff with some caliber folks and proven winners. Hopefully next year we will once again be a contender.

Well during the afternoon some old church friends came by with tons of gifts for Eliza Faye. There were several outfits, toys, diapers and blankets. Many thanks to the Havener and Davis families for their generosity. We were good friends at SFBC for many years and we both have since moved on to different churches but retained our friendships. We saw them at Joshua's funeral service on Friday for the first time in a long while. They visited for a couple hours in the afternoon laden with gifts for the new little one.

Well that was about it for Sunday as we kept quite busy. Grandma Cindy has been a big help with this first week of Eliza Faye being home. She is leaving on Tuesday for Kansas and she will be surely missed. Nancy heads in for her colonoscopy on Tuesday so I will be doctoring her this next day or so as she prepares for that procedure. I will miss a couple days of pickle ball this next week but hope to get back full time in the coming weeks, LATER    Here are a couple of the latest pictures of Eliza Faye from last evening. Ava is just so enamored with her and today Sam wanted to finally touch her as well.

        

Sunday

Well Saturday was rather chilly throughout the day with temps staying in the low 50's for a high but the brisk breeze out of the north made it feel even colder. It was sweater weather for sure despite the bright sunshine. I didn't see any frost in the morning hours and that was due to the wind but we did get down into the 30's for a low. We are supposed to warm up briefly into the high 60's for the next couple days but the lows will stay in the 40's for the nights. I shouldn't complain as I spoke with family in Virginia and North Carolina and the highs were in the 20's; yikes now that is just too dad blame cold.

We started the day with a sleepin until nearly 7 before rolling out. I wanted to get in a couple hours of workout on the pickle ball court so I headed out driving as it was too cold to ride the bike after the posting of this ramble, a few quiet moments and a bowl of fruit. We had 3 courts in action and up to 7 players waiting through the morning. Most of these were intermediate players so the winners stayed on the court until upseated by a better pair. I managed to spend the morning on the courts except for being paired up with a beginner a time or two so I had a wet shirt by the end of the 2 hours and it felt good to exercise after being away for most of the week.

Nancy headed out shortly after I got home and a quick stop at the library. The rec and the library are closed Monday due to MLK Day. She was having her hair done and that would take a couple hours so I read for the afternoon except for heading out to hand water the gardens during the warmest time of the day. It was cold in the shade with that wind blowing so I had a coat on as well.

We met up with neighbors Dan and Carol and headed out to the Greek Village here in Seminole for supper. It had been awhile since we were last there and the food was tasty and plentiful. Afterwards we came back for a game of dominoes which took up most of the evening with Nancy winning big time and me losing big again. We decided to call it a night around 9:30 and they headed home. We tuned into our respective likes on the tube with me watching a little tennis, boxing and basketball until it was lights out after a hot shower.

Today Sunday is corporate worship day at Element Church in Tampa. We will head out around 9 'ish  as Dan and Carol will ride with us. We will entertain The Ross Family with the new girl Eliza and grand ma Cindy along with GG for a roast leg of lamb supper this evening with all the trimming. Cindy has to leave for Kansas on Tuesday and she will surely be missed. On another note I noticed as the sun breaks the darkness this AM all of the roofs around us are covered in a white coating of frost. I didn't think it was going to get that cold last night according to the weather report but there is the frozen white stuff everywhere. Hopefully the trees once again protected my tender plants as I failed to cover them with blankets last night, Oh well!!!, LATER

Saturday

Well it was another rather nippy day for the sunshine state that started out with frost on all the roof tops. I'm glad I had covered my most tender plants but the trees that surround my house seem to shield the gardens and yards from any damaging ice. I slept in again as I was going to forgo any pickle ball play today due to attending the funeral services for our friend Joshua White at 10 AM. Speaking of Josh its a shame he passed at the young age of 24 and I suspect when the investigation is complete there could be criminal charges as a result of his death from someone spiking his drink with a drug.

Well we have the heat on and with the strong north breeze it been on most all day despite the bright sunshine. It did warm up enough in the late afternoon to turn it down for a couple hours but by evening the temps dropped once again into the high 40's. We started the day with our usual quiet times and a lite breakfast before getting ready to head out for the memorial service in Largo and afterwards back to our old church for food and fellowship. I would estimate between 3 and 400 folks attended this service to remember Josh. There were stories of laughter and tears and we saw lots of old friends we hadn't seen in years. Some from as far away as Orlando came to honor his memory.

We just chilled after getting back from the luncheon and I uncovered my garden plants and deemed it wasn't necessary to cover them again tonight. The temps got up into the low 60's and felt rather nice out until after dark. We are in for another front pushing through that might bring some rain and cooler temps but none that are calling for a freeze. I have more beans to pick and I picked a couple more tomatoes that are ripening.

I had taken a  couple packs of cubed deer steaks as we were having GG for supper and along with a broccoli from Tyler's garden and a salad from mine we had us a feast. The girls baked a sweet 'tater but I passed on it as I has a large lunch at church. I grilled the steaks and that is one marvelous tasting meat and so nutritious as well with no steroids or harmful additives. I could eat that red meat forever and never miss another piece of beef. Nancy took GG home after the clean up as she was dozing on the couch during the news.

We settled into the news until it was Gold Rush time for me as I enjoy that reality show. It gets a little mundane at times as they repeat part of the last segment into the next but I find their work exhilarating and with the promise of striking it rich from their efforts in a land that is somewhat harsh but breathtaking. After a hot shower I read until it was lights out around 11, LATER

Friday

Well this morning I awakened to a heavy frost throughout the hood; luckily I covered the tender plants last evening and of course the large oaks help with keeping the ice from the gardens as well.

Thursday was another cold and windy day with wind chills into the low 40's. I don't believe the temps got much out of the 50's but the cold north wind was miserable for us thin blooded flatlanders. I slept in under an extra blanket until 7 AM as the gym was closed due to some maintenance so there was no pickle ball. I had to take GG to the doctor for an echo cardiogram at 9 so that worked out as Nancy had a doctors appointment as well. After our quiet times and a lite breakfast I headed out.

I was back to the house by 11 and then I read and stayed in out of the cold wind as I still have a little cough and head cough. This thing is hanging on much like the cold that Amy had for a couple weeks. Hopefully I can be rid of it with out antibiotics. Nancy picked up GG after her appointment then brought her over for lunch. After wards we headed over to Amy's so she could meet Eliza for the first time. Wow has she changed and is so cute and cuddly. She is nursing well and has already started to regain the weight she lost at birth. Cindy, Tyler's mom is making some awesome dishes as well and being a great help with the kiddos. Amy looks great and is regaining her strength with Tyler and his mom being there for her and the kiddos. She loaded us up with some delicious leftovers for our supper as well. We stayed and played with Sam until it was time for Ava to be picked up and then we dropped GG off at her house and came home. I drug out the sheets and blankets and once more covered the gardens most tender plants. All the house roofs near us without any trees around are covered with frost this AM(Friday)

Well today I will skip pickle ball once again as we are attending the funeral this morning for a young man who we knew from birth who was killed by someone slipping a "molly" into his drink. A "molly" is a form of the drug Ecstacy which is very dangerous to the brain. Joshua's brain quit working as a result and he died within hours after getting to the hospital. It is so sad to think that someone did this probably as a gag to see what his reactions would be and not necessarily to harm him; but the opposite occurred. He was just 24 years of age but the one good thing out of this is that he was a believer and we have to hope that he has been reunited with his mother in Heaven who also passed after being taken off of the ventilator several years ago. Twelve peoples lives were made a little better as his organs were donated to those in need. What an awesome young man he was and this is a lesson to young folks to be aware of who you make your friends. He was with some less than honorable people that he worked with and this was the result of his lapse in judgment; so sad.

After supper we tuned into the Fox News and then watched 2 hours of the American Idol show before heading in for a hot shower before calling it a night around 11, LATER

Thursday

Well Wednesday turned out to be a day that had temps that were rather chilly early in the morning with lots of sunshine and by late evening it had reached the low 60's and then heavy rain showers inundated the area after dark. I started the day much the usual with an early roll out as I wanted to hit the pickle ball courts around 7:30 since I missed the workout on Tuesday.

After a cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments to lift up those I know who needed special consideration and to give thanks for my well being I cut up a grapefruit with a banana and a handful of blueberries before pedaling out to the rec for a couple hours of play. We had 2 courts going for most of the morning and the play was a little on the slow side as we had a few of the intermediate players in the mix. While I didn't get the proverbial wet shirt from the workout I did get some much needed  exercise and the fact I'm still fighting this head cold and an occasional cough my energy level was somewhat lower.

I stopped off at the library to pickup and return a few reads then headed home. The temps had come up about 20 degrees since early in the morning so I worked in the garden and then decided to mow up the weeds and leaves in the yards. That kept me busy until lunch time. Nancy was off on her rec workout and once she got home we had a lunch of chicken salad wraps. I just chilled the rest of the day reading and doing some honey-do jobs as we were having our house church tonight at our place.

We baked a frozen pizza for supper and afterwards we did the final preps for our group that was coming at 7. We had 9 adults and 1 child and after a great discussion and prayer time especially for the family of our young friend Joshua White who died unexpectantly after a "molly" was slipped into his drink on Monday night. His organs were donated to 12 different people so a little of Josh will make life a little better for a few. The investigation has failed to identify who the culprit was that spiked his drink but hopefully he or she will be held accountable and will have to live with that forever on their conscience.

 We snacked with a great dip and brownies during and after the breakup and made plans to once again meet next week at our house. Patrick was missing as he is on his way to Israel with his brother for  nearly a 2 week tour of the Holy Land and then down to Rome. Sounds exciting and I'm envious. Well it was after 11 before I started to read the insides of my eye lids. I forgot to mention Eliza and her mom Amy got home from the hospital in the early afternoon as her blood sugar  reached normal levels. We are excited to visit today and love up on her, LATER

Wednesday

Well Tuesday was a day that will remain in my memory forever as we were faced with such joy, immediate love and affection for our 5th grandchild a beautiful girl Eliza Faye Ross born the night before and with the sudden passing of a young man who we knew for 24 years, Joshua White. Wow what a day of highs and lows. His passing maybe the result of a criminal element that surrounds the condition he acquired that left him in a coma and subsequently brain dead on a ventilator. There is more to this story and we will see what the investigation brings forth.

First the day was a rainy one that started with me skipping pickle ball after my usual morning routines. We were to pick up Cindy(Tyler's mom) who is staying with Ava and Sam until Amy gets home from the hospital with Eliza. We headed to the hospital where we would all get to hold and meet her for the first time. She is a chunk at nearly 9 1/2 pounds and nearly 22 inches long with dark black hair. She is perfect except for a little low blood sugar and her being a sleepy girl who isn't a voracious eater as of yet. Finally by late evening her test results were showing some vast improvements as a result of eating and that should let them bring her home on Wednesday. My little girl Amy was awesome and is doing great. I actually believe she could have "picked cotton" shortly thereafter giving birth to Eliza. (That was the picture in the deep South when women gave birth in the morning and then went back to work in the evening). All of her babies were in excess of 9 pounds and she just being a twig herself.

We took lots of photos of the family celebrating with Eliza, Sam is the only one who wasn't thrilled to hold her initially. We all went down to the cafeteria except for Amy at the hospital for lunch and then we learned the terrible news about Joshua. Our old pastor Mike(Joshua's uncle) came by and filled us in on the news that it looked as if he would not wake up. The story was that Joshua was with some friends slightly imbibing and smoking some marijuana when suddenly he began to act in an erratic manner. It's believed someone may have slipped a "molly" into his drink which caused him to take off on foot running and eventually that led him to lose consciousness and eventually his death. A "molly" is slang for a homemade concoction of drugs that creates a high. It seems Joshua had become friends with some of the people he worked with as a waiter that were less than honorable.

Well the skies finally cleared off in the afternoon and the temps dropped to fall like conditions. We ate lite for supper with just a salad and then the evening was filled with more drama and conversations. I hope all of you who believe in the power of prayer will lift up our son Bobby and his family in thoughts and prayer as he is being faced with some adversity and decisions that could affect his whole being. Being a pastor, one is always under attack by the enemy especially if your effective in your ministry, LATER ..Here are just a few of the pics we took of the new addition to our family.

 

Tuesday

Well Monday was an historic day for us as grandparents as we now have a new grand daughter born last evening around 9:30 PM. We welcome to our life Eliza Faye Ross the daughter of Amy and Tyler Ross along with big sister Ava Mae and brother Samuel Tyler. Amy and Eliza are both doing fine at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida and we hope to visit with her today and bring her sibling as well as her paternal grandmother Cindy Ross who is visiting from Kansas with us. It should be quite a celebration.

The day started off much the unusual for me as I was at the Veterans Hospital for a blood draw after a fast at 7:00 AM. It was a bit nippy with temps just above the 40's mark. I wasn't there more than a total of 30 minutes so I made it to my pickle ball session about on time as I stopped off on my way back from the hospital. We had 2 full courts in play with some great action for over 2 hours. I had brought my vitamins, supplements and a banana to eat before play after fasting for the blood draw. I did start to feel a little tired towards 9:30 so I headed out after a wet shirt workout for the library before getting home around 10.

It had warmed up to 70 degrees by then with beautiful sunshine so I piddled around in the garden enjoying the warm sunshine until it was lunch time. Nancy had driven her mother to the grocery and after she got back we had wraps for lunch. I picked a nice mess of green beans(picture at the end of the ramble) and a 1/2 dozen teardrop tomatoes along with some basil and dill for Amy who was coming by for them. She was making stuffed grape leaves for her family and Cindy. Seems she missed getting to have any before heading off to the hospital to deliver Eliza(at that time they had no idea if it was a William or Eliza).

We headed out around 5'ish to GG's as niece Erica and her family which includes 5 boys and 2 girls were coming for a visit to GG's. They were supposed to be there for supper but got delayed in Naples and it was nearly 8 before they arrived. We ate a supper of meat loaf, baked spuds, fresh broccoli that GG made and a garden salad and chocolate chips cookies that we provided. Betsy came by after work as well. We had been getting progress reports from the hospital all evening and when we decided to leave GG's for home is when Amy delivered. Tyler had his phone out in the recovery room and we could hear Eliza airing out her lungs which is a good sign. She seems to have healthy ones from what we could determine from the sounds she was making.

Well after a hot shower I watched a little T.V. then read until the sand man cometh and it was lights out around 11, LATER

Monday

Well Sunday was one of those days is why you live in Florida in the winter. Highs of 70's with very little humidity and a easterly breeze which made it so pleasant and comfortable. In the shade it made you want to be active. We started the morning with chilled temps after a rain on Saturday night as another front moved through the area. It's much like a Spring morning in the mountains.

We did our usual Sunday morning routine before heading out to Element Church in Tampa as we car pooled with Dan and Carol. Bobby had an awesome message and the praise music was up lifting. There was a nice crowd and we mingled afterwards before heading out. We decided to eat lunch in the old downtown Tampa "yuppy" restaurant that is always busy. The food is all made from fresh ingredients and while its a little pricey the flavors are delicious and the portions are limited. I never saw any fat people eating there. I can't tell you what I ate but it was good with 3 shrimps in a bowl of pasta, corn, lots of fresh green herbs and a yeast roll for 12 bucks. It never had a name and its called ''sit down, shut up and eat what I bring you" and Dan ordered the same thing and his was some kind of beef medallions over a bed of pasta as well. Each order is different  and very tasty. I could have eaten a little more but I was satisfied. The name of the place skips me as well as it's in a strip mall but the place was packed.

We headed home afterward to watch the Panthers lose in a valiant effort against the 49'Niners( a team I once rooted for while living in California) It was a tough game and both teams hit with furious tackles. Many players were left on the field at various times throughout the game. I headed out to hand water the garden in between games then settled in to the second game where we saw the Broncos defeat the Chargers in a close game as well. At half time we had a salad for supper as the lunch did keep rather satisfied.

Well after a hot shower I tuned into the Alaska shows until it was lights out while Nancy flipped channels. This morning I'm fasting as I head to the VA  for a blood drawn with regard to my yearly physical in a few days. I have to be there at 7:15 so I will cut this short. Amy still hasn't had the baby and I will take my gym clothes with me and stop off at the rec for some pickle ball on the way home, LATER

Sunday

Well Saturday was another warm, muggy day here in central Florida. There were lots of rain clouds around and maybe a few sprinkles at times. We still have the a/c on despite it being nearly the middle of January. We are still waiting for the arrival of our 5th grand child but so far no movement despite Amy's due date is today(Sunday). We met up with our neighbors and headed over to our other house church couples condo on the beach for a delicious supper around 6:30.

The morning started with me sleeping in until after 7, actually I was making myself stay in bed due to this cold I'm battling. So far I'm gaining and keeping it from going deep in my chest by using some Robitussin cough syrup; boy that is some nasty stuff but once I took a dose I slept great and no coughing whatsoever during the night. Last year I let a cold and cough turn into the flu which eventually caused some pneumonia in my left lung and that was a scary time for me with trying to rid the fluid from lungs. Yikes for a couple weeks I was out of commission.

I hand watered the garden some time in the mid morning after a breakfast of eggs and grits. I just took it easy and read for most of the day while Nancy headed out to do some shopping and Amy came by to drop off their pet hamster. Seems Cindy (who came for a visit from Kansas) Tyler's mom isn't a lover of the furry little creatures and felt she would enjoy her stay much better without the thought of it escaping from the cage; plus the little feller is nocturnal and would probably keep her awake with his playground antics during the night when he comes alive. Oh well he just hides in his cage amidst all of the tunnels in daylight.

We headed over to Patrick and Kathryn's for a delicious supper of ; wild rice and meatballs in a mushroom sauce, fresh broccoli, a fresh garden salad (from my garden) and strawberry short cake for dessert plus a French ordur've to start with. We sat in the living room watching the playoff game while eating this magnificently prepared meal. She is quite the hostess and cook and puts on the Ritz with each meal. We were starting to get into a game of Sequence after Patrick so diligently filled the dish washer when their daughter Lauren called and indicated that maybe she over did it on a 38 mile bike ride during the day. She was suffering from dehydration and was quite ill so Kathryn graciously took off to be with her and we shortly there after headed out as well. It was a grand time except for the call about their daughter and we will keep her and Patrick in our thoughts and prayers. Patrick is heading to the Holy Land on Wednesday for a 2 week adventure with his brother.

Well after dropping off Dan and Carol we headed in to watch the rest of the game and shortly thereafter got ready for some horizontal lab.  After a hot shower I was soon reading the inside of my eye lids. The Seahawks did a number on the Saints and the Patriots were beating the Colts when I turned the lights out. Don't forget that today is the Sabbath so take a few moments and give thanks ask for blessings on those who are in need or ill and set aside a time to honor GOD in some way. We like to by getting with others in a gathering, giving hugs and handshakes, singing and hearing a word from our pastor in this case our son, Bobby. Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers as well, LATER

Saturday

Well here it is the 11th of January and the day before yesterday the heat was on all day and night and yesterday we had to once again turn the a/c on as the temps reached up into the 80's with high humidity, unbelievable!! We went from heat to a/c overnight. What's with this weather. I'm reading a book about the unbelievable heat wave that struck the northeast in 1911 that killed upwards of thousands in July with unprecedented high temps of over a 100 degrees for several days in a row that also devastated the farming community. Oh well, that surely wasn't caused by high green house gases from auto emissions.

Friday started out with overcast skies and warm temps but pleasant as I rode my bike to the rec for some hour and half of pickle ball. I cut it short as I could feel a head and chest cold was dragging me down and I wanted to conserve some energy. The morning was much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out then a spot of green tea before a few quiet moments then a bowl of fruit for breakfast. I stopped off at the library on my way home from the rec. Sam was coming as Amy had a doctor's appointment and Nancy had her Friday Bible study class at SFBC at 10; so Sam and I would pal around. I managed to water the gardens and picked a half dozen ripening small tomato's before he arrived.

I did get out 2 loads of laundry on the line as the sun was out on full mode and the warm breeze made for good drying outside on the clothes line. Sam came and I let him watch monster truck and construction videos. He is fascinated by the big trucks and the noise they make. Tyler is taking him to a monster truck event at the Bucs stadium in a week or so which will give him something to talk about for days. Amy and GG came for lunch and we or I cleaned up some leftovers then I retreated to the reading room where Sam once more wanted to watch videos on the laptop. We had to include some ABC's videos in with the others as he will be starting pre-school next year and he did quite well singing along with the video.

After they all left Nancy took a hike through the hood. She seems to be doing a little better with her tummy as I'm regulating some of the foods she likes to ingest. I think staying away from; dairy, coffee, citrus, chocolate and tomatoes have helped somewhat. All of this started after menopause for some reason, oh well lets not go there. We got a call from Bobby that he was over at the Veterans Park in St. Petersburg to help with a funeral for our good friends the Carlson Family. DJ 's father passed away unexpectedly and the service was at 3 PM. Bobby had another meeting in Clearwater so he came by for a hour or so and visited. He seemed in good spirits and optimistic about some issues he has been facing for some time. He still needs lots of prayer.

I grilled a couple chicken breasts and Nancy made oven 'taters coated with fresh rosemary and parsley along with a garden salad for supper. After the cleanup we headed into watch the Fox News channel and to see what the screw ups in D.C. are doing to our country. The big news is the Gov. of New jersey who maybe a contender to challenge Hillary in the 2016 election is being investigated by the DOJ because a staff member of his allowed some political pay back on a bridge closing while 16 months have gone by and we have no DOJ(federal) investigation where 4 Americans were slaughtered by terrorists. What is with this main stream media not calling for some closure on what happened there instead of a bridge slowdown, Oh well!!!

Well the high temps here are to continue until another cool front comes in on Monday but we will only be down into the 50's at best but at least we have received a little rain along the way. We are still waiting on Amy to deliver in the next few day, LATER    

Friday

Well Thursday after a chilly wet start ended up with warm temps. The weather can change so quickly here it's a wonder we all don't get sick and I think I'm trying to develop a cold. I've been loading up on extra Vitamin C and an antihistamine before bedtime. So far I haven't lost my energy or desire to workout but I will give the workout a rest this coming weekend.

The day started much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out, my usual cup of tea, then a few quiet moments after the posting of this ramble before heading out on my bike to the rec. We had 4 players to start and eventually ended with 2 pickle ball courts in action with 8 good players. I had a good workout with a wet shirt  as I headed out around 10. After a quick stop at the library I headed home in a light rain. It rained hard off and on for most of the day so there was no need to water the garden.

Amy and Sam came for lunch and we finish the beef barley soup along with a ham wrap. I retired to the reading room and spend the rest of the afternoon napping and reading. Sam was into a video about monster trucks and watched them until it was time for them to pick up Ava at school. He is maturing so quickly and his vocabulary is awesome for a 3 year old. We saw them again as we all were invited to GG's for a supper of chicken and dumplings(sourbelly), salad and dessert around 5'ish.

The supper was very good as GG made her dumplings or noodles from scratch. The gravy was very good and I must admit that could become one of her best dishes as it tasted that scrumptious. Amy made a cherry cobbler for dessert and with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream(I indulged) the meal was complete. The kiddos played hard afterwards while I listened to the news until it was time to head out for home. The temps were so warm we were thinking we needed the a/c on as the humidity was very high.

After a hot shower it was time to read as the news was saturated with some of Gov. Christie's staff being fired for political paybacks about a traffic slowdown on a bridge into N.Y.C. He held a news conference and did the right thing but when we have 4  Americans killed over a year ago because of the lack of leadership and the attempt to cover it up and no one has been held responsible,  doesn't seem fair and balanced to me. Watch out if your a republican or libertarian or a conservative  or a patriot and especially a Tea Party member(Taxed Enough Already) as the far left(liberals) in the main stream media will excoriate you. Oh well!!!

We still are hoping Amy will have this baby sometime over the weekend as Tyler's mom, Cindy fly's in on Saturday morning from Kansas to be here for this grand entry. Keep Bobby in your thoughts and prayers as well as he is dealing with a full plate of issues, LATER    

Thursday

Well Wednesday was another cold day with overcast skies but not quite as chilly as the day before; but for us flat landers with thin blood it was cold and the heat was on and is still on as I write this post. I started off the day around 6'ish with a cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments and then a breakfast of fruit before driving to the rec instead of riding on the bike, besides I had several books to return at the library after pickle ball.

We had 4 players to start the morning for the first hour or so and the play was fantastic especially since I missed Tuesday's play. We had a couple more players to dribble in until 10 AM when we had to call it a day. I believe it was too cold for many to turn out. I achieved my goal of a wet shirt from the workout. I'm afraid the wet shirt may come back to bite me despite wearing a coat out into the cold air as I'm suffering from a minor sore throat. I've been loading up on Vitamin C since then and this AM while it was still there it doesn't seem to be any worse so far. I'm also using a little honey in my hot drinks hoping to coat the throat as well.

I picked a nice mess of fresh collards and added a couple strips of smoked bacon for seasoning and the aroma filled the kitchen  all afternoon as they simmered on the stove. Yeow were they ever delicious along with some grilled venison steaks, baked macaroni and a Caesar salad from the garden as well. The cold didn't seem to kill any of my veggies however the cukes look a little peaked. I'm sure glad I took the time to cover the more delicate plants while the leafy plants seemed to thrive on the cold. I gave the garden a good watering when I got home from the rec.

Amy and Sam came for a lunch of leftover beef barley soup on this still cold day. After lunch Sam wanted to watch monster truck videos on the laptop so I hooked him up with several videos while I sat beside him and read. I'm reading a true crime book which is very well written by Kathryn Casey titled DEADLY LITTLE SECRETS. The setting is in Texas with a young pastor and his family. This is a must read. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the reading room as it was still to chilly to spent much time outside. Tomorrow its supposed to be in the 70's and then again for the weekend with a gradual warm up to 80. Well after the clean up from supper we tuned into the Fox News network for an update on what's happening in the world. I'm saddened to see what is happening to our nation with such poor leadership especially when the commander-in-chief who has no compunction about sending our military into action when he doesn't believe they can win and that he doesn't trust his generals. That's what we elected without being properly vetted by the news media when a community organizer with no experience is elected to the highest office in the land.

Amy still hasn't delivered her baby and we wait anxiously for it's arrival. I got a late call from an old friend Walt Hampton in the mountains. Walt and I go way back when we became good friends after he wired and plumbed our cabin. We got to know his family and shared many suppers with him and Theila. They are suffering all kinds of health issues with their age and we try to chat at least a couple times while we are in Florida. He remarked that its the coldest he has seen the area in decades with lots of pipes freezing and bursting. It was good to touch base with him again. Well after a hot shower I read until going on 11 then decided to call it a night, LATER

Wednesday

Brrr was the order for the day in what is usually hot, humid and sunny Florida. I complain about the a/c on whereas now it is the heat on. Luckily it's not to cold that the heat pump doesn't work; but it's downright cold here for the past day or so. It was in the low 30's with a wind chill into the middle 20's. I know I should be thankful I'm not in the northern sections of the country as it's really cold there with below zero temps and minus wind chills, oh well!!!

Tuesday was anything but usual including the weather. It never much got out of the 40's and the wind never stopped blowing. We did see some sunshine but that seemed to make no difference temp wise. I had covered my gardens tender plants with old sheets and they seemed to have survived for now but I will see the difference once it warms up again if they will live and produce. By this weekend we are expecting the temps to get back in the 80's. Usually the cold for some plants stuns them and sends them into a downward stage before finally dying. Cucumbers and green beans are a couple of plants the cold really effects along with sweet basil. The cabbage family does great with the cold so I have plenty in that linage with the collards, Brussel sprouts and lettuces.

I skipped pickle ball today as I drove Nancy to the clinic for an endoscopy as we had to be there at 8 AM.. She has been having pain in the chest and stomach area along with heartburn, bloating and all the symptoms of IBS. Well the procedure showed she has a minor hiatal hernia as well as some gastritis. This diagnosis will cause some lifestyle changes to correct it for now. Hopefully we can do that by using some common sense eating habits and it will require us to limit our indulgence in the huge family meals; in other words we need to lose a few pounds and eat smaller portions. I will continue to eat the hot spicy foods; but Nancy must limit herself with less chocolate.

We were back home by 11 AM and it was still cold as a well diggers drill especially with the brisk breeze. Amy picked up GG and they came for a lunch of canned soup, salad and deli sandwiches. Afterwards Nancy made a batch of ginger snaps which are actually good for the gut except for the sugar. We are anxiously awaiting Amy to go into labor and we thought surely this barometric change would send her to the hospital; but no movement as of yet.

Nancy took the frozen standing rib roast bones from Christmas dinner and made a pot of beef barley soup for supper and wow was that ever delicious on a cold evening. We have enough leftover for lunch today when the gang comes, yumm!! After the clean up we settled into the Fox News channel where the news is broadcast in a forthright manner and not like a bunch of sycophants that want to cover for an inept administration. We learned this bunch in D.C. is letting the terrorists takeover major cities in Iraq that were settled with American blood and it looks as if the same thing will happen in Afghanistan. Those in the region who favored us against the terrorist are now losing faith and their lives. We continue to give into the regime in Iran and once they develop enough plutonium for a bomb they will annihilate Israel and Jordan who once considered us as their allies.

 There is no real leadership in Washington and our state department is a joke; of course " what difference does it matter". We are in trouble not only here at home with once again unemployment benefits being renewed because this administration has failed to promote policies that help the private sector to add jobs so folks can get employment; this bunch has thwarted efforts for that to happen. I'm beginning to think there is no common sense in D.C. and their actions want to keep folks dependent on the government. We are in a world of hurt if we don't get some real leadership and I don't fault just one party. It's the whole bunch that needs to go and I think we need to start voicing our concerns about those who purport to be there for us. We have cantered to the special interests for so long it's now coming back to bite us. There is a major culture shift taking place in America with the government aiding an abetting through legislation to accomplish this shift. That's my take on what's happening with this administration and I wish those who have access to the people through the major media outlets would report what is happening in a straight forward manner. Thankfully we have FOX News which seems to report the facts and doesn't spin it to make some look good or cover up what's really happening in our land and around the world, LATER       

Tuesday

Brrr it's down right nippy here at 38 degrees this AM and it started with a severe drop off of temps in the early afternoon on Monday after a hot balmy day on Sunday that nearly reached 80 in parts of the Bay Area. Monday morning started rather warm in the upper 60's as I rode out to the rec around 7:30 and stayed in the low 70's until around 2 PM when a brisk north wind blew in; quickly dropping the temps. By dark it was in the high 40's and the wind was still bringing in that cold air.

The day started much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out, a cup of green tea, a few quiet moments and then a grapefruit with a banana for breakfast. I headed to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball with 7 others. We had 2 courts going for most of the morning and the play was great after a long weekend. We got back one of our regular players from the frozen North in Canada where the snow and below freezing temps found him for the holidays. The pictures he sent us was unbelievable with snow piled thigh high and temps in the minus degrees, yeowza!!! At 10 I was ready for a break and headed home after a quick stop at the library.

I piddled around in the garden harvesting some romaine, red leaf and blacked seeded lettuces as well as another teardrop tomato for a fresh garden salad for lunch. Amy and Sam came to eat with us and we picked the rotisserie chicken carcass clean for the salad as well. Yeow did that ever make for a delicious lunch. We headed out with Amy to learn the route for dropping off and picking up Ava at school should that need arise due to her going into labor. So far no word of that happening over night. Nancy headed over to pick up GG and take her for a late doctors appointment around 4:30. She stayed after Nancy picked her up and ate a supper of pork chops, parsley 'taters, lima beans and a salad.

I covered the cukes, tomatoes, green beans, basil and thyme with old sheets as well as the orchid's. The wind however made it difficult to keep the sheets in place especially on the cukes as they were climbing on the chain link fence; but hopefully they will survive. It's supposed to only warm up into the high 40's today and be another cold night on Tuesday before another warm up to the 70's by the end of the week. That's one good thing about the winters in Florida as it never stays down into the lower temps for an extended period.

I tuned into the FSU vs Auburn championship game around 8:30 and the Seminoles were getting whupped  pretty good by the Tigers at half time. I watched a little of the third quarter before I started reading the inside of my eye lids so we called it a night around 11. Well to my surprise when I awakened this AM I saw where the Seminoles came back to win the game; so much for the dominance of college football by the SEC. I know several folks who think they play the toughest schedule in all of the college ranks. Well that myth is put to rest with the ACC beating the SEC in this game on national T.V. Too bad I couldn't stay awake to watch it.

This morning (Tues.) Nancy has to be at the Bardmoor Clinic for an endoscopy at 8 so I will for go the rec and pickle ball; but do hope to get in a workout later in the afternoon on the treadmill, LATER   

Monday

Well Sunday was an awesome day of worship at Element in Tampa with lots of music, testimonies and prayers for the new year. There were lots of new faces as well and the crowd was rather large. We hung around after the service for a rare ownership meeting(business) that let everyone know what was going on with our finances and how we were able to retain our facility and maintain weekly. We are in our 6th year and the arrival of new members(babies) is unbelievable. We just had another one yesterday and several more made announcements and there were at least 3-4 who were very pronounced and due to deliver in the next several weeks, oh well! We still are waiting on our Amy to deliver any day as well.

The weather changes so much from one day to the next here in Florida as Nancy had the heat on to take the chill off this morning and this afternoon we had the doors and windows open and on Monday night there is a freeze warning for the area. I will have to take old sheets and blankets and cover some of my garden veggies as a result. I picked a couple more small teardrop tomatoes and the green beans are ready for picking as well. I will definitely cover these two as well as my cucumbers and basil plants. The rest of the garden should fare alright as most of them are cold loving plants.

We had a lite lunch when we got back from Tampa and then I settled in the wild card playoffs and both game were very good with no blow outs. I was ambivalent about the results as my team was a disgrace this year and now I'm rooting for the Panthers in Carolina despite the fact they are in our division and we play them twice. What miserable cold weather in Green Bay for a football game and that usually is an extra plus for them but they looked rather weak in the first half but came back to make a game of it in the later moments. The 49' Niners will be a team to contend with as long as their QB stays healthy and can scramble and run. He made the difference in that game. The Bengals played well for most of the season but their QB reminds me of the old Bucs and his decisions to throw into tight coverage; not smart and it cost them a win. I don't think the Chargers will get past next weeks game or will the Colts; just my opinion.

Well that was about it for the day as it reached the high 70's, almost a balmy 80 in the afternoon with bright sunshine. I actually set the sprinkler on the garden as I watched football. The windows were open until after dark when it dropped down into the 60's but a big blast of Artic weather is heading our way for Monday night. To all of our mountain and northern friends stay safe and warm, LATER

Sunday

Well Saturday turned to be just a tad warmer with temps that reached the upper 60's despite it being overcast most of the day. I started the day early around 5'ish as I had to be in St. Petersburg at the VA hospital for a hearing test at 8 AM. It was cold out with temps in the 40's and a brisk northeast wind made it a chilly walk as I had to walk quite a distance from where I found a parking spot. Yikes that is one big place and seems as if there is constant construction. My test results was about the same as the last one I took in April but thankfully didn't seem to be any worse.

Nancy and I took off to do some shopping at Sam's club and then a stop for GG at Publix's before bringing her car back with us to our house. It needs running plus we want to have another vehicle while waiting for Amy to deliver. We both have doctors appointments in the next 2 weeks and with one vehicle and the possibility we may have to drive Ava to school if Amy is in the hospital; thought it best to have a second vehicle available.

After our shopping foray and a lite lunch we headed to Largo Mall to pick up a new pair of tennis shoes for me and wound up with 2 pairs because a second pair was half price. Rack Room had a nice selection and Nancy thought Sketchers shoes looked rather cool for the same price as New Balance. Seems I wear out a new pair every 6 months or so on the pickle ball court. We stopped off at the library for a few new reads before heading home.

I settled into a new read before the wild card football games came on T.V. around 4:30 and saw a very great come back game for the Colts who were down 4 touchdowns in the second half to win by a point. Their QB Luck was awesome despite that I was pulling for the chiefs as they were the worst team in the NFL last year. The second game turned out to be a defensive contest with about half the points scored. The Saints came through with a win over the Eagles by just 2 points. Both games were exciting to watch with no blow outs.

Well today is worship day at Element Church in Tampa so we will head out around 9 AM. It's not supposed to be as cold this next couple of days until another Arctic blast comes in on Monday night. We are hoping the barometric change will help send Amy into labor as we all are anxiously awaiting for this baby to be delivered. I have a feeling it's a girl and so does Nancy but we will see; just as long as it's healthy we will be very happy, LATER 

Saturday

Well Friday was a chilly, windy, and drab day that found me inside except for the ride to the rec on my bike the first thing in the morning. My eyes watered from the cold air most of the way there but by 10 it had warmed a couple degrees enough so the eyes no longer watered as I rode home. Yeow it was nippy.

The morning started with a roll out around 5:30'ish as the wind awakened me several times during the night. After a cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments and then the posting of this ramble I got ready to head out on my bike, brrr; the wind chill had it down in the 30's. We had a nice crowd for a change with 2 pickle ball courts going almost from the start. The play was fast with some really nice play and I had a wet shirt in just a short period of time. I'm going to have to miss today(Sat.) play as I have an appointment with the VA with regard to my hearing. Seems I'm having the "insects sound" playing constantly in my ears as a result of all those hours flying in a jet. This will be my second test I've had within a year regarding that condition.

After a stop at the library for a couple reads I pedaled home to check on the gardens. Everything looked good except for the sweet basil which does not like cold weather. I think I will cover it tonight as its supposed be cold once again before a moderate warm up that starts Saturday night. The temps didn't much get above 50 all day long but at least in the early afternoon we saw some sunshine which helped it to feel warmer. Nancy took off to head to GG's to meet up with Amy and the kiddos for lunch and to help with taking down all of the Christmas decorations for her. I had a bowl of leftover black-eyed peas and a ham sandwich for lunch and then read the rest of the afternoon.

Nancy was feeling a little better with her tummy discomfort so we decided to bake a couple chicken breast along with some rice and fresh green beans for supper. After the cleanup we settled into the Fox News and saw where the northeast had received some major snowfall. We spoke with our "mountain Mom", Helen and it was so cold there you didn't want to venture outside. The strong wind made it feel below zero with the single digit readings. I guess when I can ride my bike while wearing shorts outside the first thing in the morning, leaves me little room to complain about the cold weather.

I tuned into the 2 bowl games on T.V. later in the evening and saw some really good games in the first halves. After a hot shower at half time I was really for some horizontal lab and was soon there after reading the inside of my eye lids, LATER

Friday

Well Thursday started out much the usual way with an early wake up around 5:30, then my usual cup of hot green tea, a few quiet moments, then a piece of fruit before pedaling out to the rec on my bike. It was overcast and looked like rain. There was just a slight chill in the air as well which required a flannel shirt. The 10 minute or so ride was uneventful except for the lack of cars on the highway. All of the schools here are still on Christmas vacation.

We had a rather small crowd once again and with a mixture of players. We did get in a good 2 plus hours of play which left me with a wet shirt. We eventually ended up with 2 courts in action with 8 players. Afterwards I stopped off at the library for a read before heading home to work in the garden. I once again gave some of my new seedlings a drink of liquid fertilizer. We had enough rain the past couple days to eliminate hand watering for a day or so. I hung a load of laundry as the sun appeared from time to time but all that changed in the late afternoon.

The skies darkened up and we got some heavy rain once again which lasted off and on throughout the evening and night. The forecast is for more rain and strong winds that will bring in another much colder front. We are fore casted for temps to fall into the high 30's in the next 24 hours with strong winds as well. It's part of the strong front that is now hitting the north with snow, sleet and below freezing temps, yikes it looks as if it will be a big winter storm.

Nancy is still having some discomfort with her tummy. I think the dinner with all of the new year traditions did her in once again, so we ate lite for supper with a mixture of canned cream of chicken and mushroom soups. That made for some good eatin' for a change. We sat around afterwards watching the Fox News channel and then I tuned into the Alabama vs Oklahoma bowl game. The Sooners put it on the Crimson Tide with a big win. There are a couple games on tonight which should be good as well.

Well Amy and us are still waiting anxiously for this new baby to arrive on the scene. They all came along with GG for lunch and we ate some leftover garbanzo bean soup as well as salad for lunch. They visited for a couple hours afterwards as the rain kept them inside. Ava and Sam play much better together especially on their ipad. They both are very good with its operation and the games on it. I think Nancy wants one for her birthday and we will see if its worth the money. She thinks that will help entertain the grand kids when they spend the night from time to time, oh well!! LATER

Thursday

Well Wednesday was mostly an overcast day with rain showers most of the morning and it was a rather cool day to start as well. It didn't get much out of the 60's but with no sunshine which is rare it felt even chillier. We had a big family get  together planned at GG's house later in the evening where she had the usual New Year's Day feast and we were happy to have Bobby and his kiddos, Amy, Tyler and their kiddos, Betsy and Braden and of course Nancy and myself. After eating we got into a game of Apples to Apples until Bobby and the kiddos had to make that long trip back to Riverview.

The first morning of the new year was much like any other morning except we tried to sleep in as we were up until after midnight. I managed to stay in the sack until nearly 7 but my internal alarm had me awake at the usual before 6'ish. We did our usual quiet times and then lounged around as the rain was falling and it was a little chilly in the house. We made a breakfast of eggs and grits somewhere around 9 AM as our mountain mom gave us a call from the frozen mountains. It was in the 20's there and expected to get even colder as the day wore as well snow was in the forecast for later in the week. This has been a really cold winter so far but the heavy snows have stayed away.

She mentioned she is having to replace a culvert that runs under her driveway as its rusted out leaving a somewhat dangerous situation should the road give way while traveling across it in her car. Her son Rick noticed the severity of the problem while he was visiting from Florida over Christmas. We had a nice conversation about all that was going on there and got caught up on all their health issues as well. Joe her brother is slowly recovering from gall bladder surgery as well is her sister Martha from back problems. We wish them a speedy recovery.

I tuned into a little of the Rose parade before finding some college bowl game around 1 PM. It use to be there was a game on just about every station and you could watch which ever game had the closest score. I did watch S. Carolina beat a good Wisconsin team and the bowl game in Tampa was a good game until the very last few minutes when LSU ran over an Iowa team. We headed out around 3:30 for GG's with a large pot of black eyed peas cooked with a smoked hog jowl and some smoked ham added for additional flavor. I savored a bowl of them around 2'oclock for my lite lunch and were they ever tasty.

GG had a pork roast roasting in the oven along with kielbasa, Nathan dogs and sauerkraut and the aroma was throughout the house; definitely one of our favorite meals. There was smashed taters and a nice salad as well. Betsy brought some bread and Amy made a delicious dessert of crushed oreo cookies, puddings, whipped cream layered in dish with chocolate syrup. Our friend at Cornerstone makes this dish and I don't know what it's called except delicious. I broke down and had a huge portion. It's that decant. Oh well what a feast that was and we all love sauerkraut except for Jill who stayed home and worked on some business paperwork. We did get in a little of the Rose Bowl Game while playing games. After Bobby and the kiddo's left around 8:30 we decided to played a game called Hedband with Ava and Sam. They were hilarious and it's really a fun game. I think we all enjoyed this game and it was fun to play with the little ones. You wear a headband and a card is placed in it with a subject and you have to ask folks around the table what you are and this is done in a timed space. The kiddos were hilarious and really asked some great questions. That was the first adult/kids game we have played with them and it was a hoot.

Well after the cleanup and putting the table back we got ready and headed out around 9:30. I got into the late game until about 10:30 then it was time for some horizontal lab. We hope all of you had a good start for the new year with good food and fun with the family. We ask blessings to all for a healthy and prosperous year ahead. Many thanks to all who find my ramblings refreshing and just a hint of what goes on in our life. Speaking of life we are still waiting for the little one that Amy is about to give birth to any moment. We are anxiously awaiting to meet this little one that we know not what it's gender is. That will be the big surprise for the start of this new year. We also are expecting to meet a couple of other new babies this year as our niece Kelly is expecting a boy and our niece Liz in Michigan is expecting another girl. Lots of new babies this year at Element as well, LATER