Sunday Morning-Last day of May 2015

Well Saturday turned to be once again another gorgeous day here in the mountains. We decided to slip into Galax, Va and the surrounding communities for some shopping as we needed to order a new washer and while there stopped at several places for flowers, veggies plants, herbs and of course groceries. The big stock up has begun. It was close to 2 before we got back to the cabin after a 10'ish start.

I started the day with a nearly 6:30 sleep in. Of course that maybe due to the fact I hadn't slept well the past two nights and that Friday was a long day with lots of physical work especially walking up and down these yards that are anything but flat. I sure missed my golf cart as it saves me many steps so the first place we went to on Saturday's trip to town was to the Hillsville area to Battery's Plus. The old feller who runs the place sold me my last battery for the cart 7 years ago. Where did that time go? Anyhow while we were near the Farmers Market we slipped in to buy some fresh veggies none of which are local except for the sugar peas and some veggie packs. I bought some yellow squash and cucumber seedlings. We then headed back to Galax and stopped at Lowes for a new washer as well as several 9 packs of annual flowers. Just down the road was Wal-Mart so we made a stop there for more flowering plants as well as dill, cilantro and parsley plants. After shopping the aisles we headed out of town.

We always stop at this little country store and next to it there is a little place that sells plants and flowers as well. I picked up a couple packs of red lettuce seedlings as well as some green pepper plants and two pots of morning glory vines. That Ivy I planted 3 years ago around the arbor was still sleeping for some reason. The old saying was it sleeps the first year, creeps the second and leaps the third well mine seems to still be sleeping forever; anyhow these morning glories plants were looking great and already had 2 foot runners which I will train to grow on the arbor. That should make for some nice photo back ground later in the summer and this vine is a perennial and comes back each year.

It was in the 80's in town but as we got back on the Blue Ridge Parkway the temps dropped back into the middle seventies. After a lite lunch we headed outside to work once again. After installing the new battery into the golf cart I headed down to the shed to retrieve all of the porch furniture. Nancy had a bucket of cleaner and washed down all of the rocking chairs, picnic tables, swing and the screens and window frames as the yellow pollen dust was everywhere from the pine trees in the area. The porch floors were covered as well so I took the blower and removed most of it as well.

I then potted up the baskets we wanted for the steps and porches with a mixture of inpatients and petunias as well potted up my pepper plants. Those green peppers are nearly a buck a piece in the store and we love them but not to often at that price. I worked up another area of the lower garden and made hills of dirt and compost for my cucumbers and yellow squash. If all of these veggies mature I can open up a veggie stand but I'm a little disappointed in the kale and beet seedlings I brought from Florida as they are still some what wilted as are the tomato seedlings. Everything else I brought up seems to have quickly acclimated to the clay soil from the sandy soil in Florida, oh well!

I grilled a couple salmon fillets for supper around 6'ish and after the cleanup we headed back outside to work in the flower beds. I weeded the back yard beds and we dug up several plants that like to grow outside the border and moved them into some bare spots as well as sowed Zinnias seeds from last years plants into beds around the upper garden. That kept us busy until nearly dark when we sat on the porch in the rocking chairs for a few minutes as darkness began to set. It was so peaceful and the smell from the fresh mowed grass was magnificent. I could live here year round if the winters weren't so dang cold and dreary. Well it was shower time as it was nearly 9 o'clock.

I dozed after my shower watching about 5 minutes of the hockey game to see who the Lightning will play next week in the Stanley Cup finals and it will be the Black Hawks I think as they were up 3-0 when I fell asleep on the couch. I soon headed for some horizontal lab and was out until nearly 6:30 this AM. Today is our first Sunday back with our Cornerstone Fellowship family and we are excited to renew old friendship and familiar faces. Take a moment and give thanks and pray for our nation as we have those who want to see our culture destroyed as well as our physical being. Pray for leadership in the highest offices that will preserve our liberty and freedoms prescribed in our constitution and pray that GOD will once more become recognized as the glue that holds our society together, LATER

Saturday Morning at the cabin in N.C.

Well since I rambled big last night so I will keep this one short and sweet. This is the second wake up here and I must confess I did over sleep this morning until nearly 6:30 which is a big first for me in many a moons. The 14 hour or so work day yesterday had something to do with it as well. The stillness of the morning is broken only by the birds singing off into woods and the sound of the dew dripping onto the tin roof. The sun is still hiding behind the mountain and we won't actually see in until mid-morning which has us with wakeup temps in the high 50's.

I checked on all of the seedlings I set out yesterday and from what I can see from the porch and deck it looks as if all of them are standing erect despite their wilted positions yesterday afternoon. My legs are already feeling the effects of walking on uneven land and the extra trips yesterday up and down the hill had them feeling like the wilted seedlings looked, yikes it does take some getting use to this uneven ground.

I stayed up last evening and watched our Tampa Bay Lightning team beat the New York Rangers 2-0 in the final game of their series and now they will play in the best of 7 games for the coveted Stanley Cup. I know a couple of my pickle ball buddies had season tickets this past year so they will get to see our team in that series; its much like the super bowl except there will be at least 4 games to watch unlike the super bowl where its one game and winner takes all. Hockey has the most athletic players in any sport in my opinion and its exciting to watch as a spectator I think even on the tube; but in person its twice as exciting, oh well!!

Well I'm going to sign off as we need to head to Galax, Va this morning and order a new washer as well as a battery for my work horse the golf cart as well as some plants and flowers. We slept last night with one window open under a sheet and comforter without any fans on. It was so nice and a bit chilly for a change and stillness is just almost too still, LATER  

Friday Evening

Well since my last post on Wednesday we got out of town early on Thursday morning with a 3:45 AM departure for the high country. It has been so hot the past few weeks we were so looking forward to some cooler temps and a change of scenery. We made good time as we got to Elkin which is just at the foot of the mountain around 3:30 to stock up at Wal-Mart before climbing the mountain. The temp's dropped as we climbed the continental divide and it went from 91 in Elkin to 74 as we pulled in to the driveway.

The cabin was in relatively good shape despite a few dead flies; however the washing machine was leaking oil on the basement floor so we will head to Lowes in Galax tomorrow to order a new one as well as pick up a new battery for the golf cart. I really missed using it today as had to carry many of my garden tools in the wheel barrow and believe me I'm not at all use to walking up and down these hills. I did get the lawn mower started after charging that battery but the golf cart battery is 8 years old so there was no life in it despite charging it for hours.

I was up at my usual time before 6 despite not sleeping Wednesday night so I rolled out before 3 on Thursday. Tonight after a never sitting down day I should have no trouble with some shut eye. I was in the garden before day break transplanting my kale and beet seedlings and the sweet smell emanating from the woods was ambrosia to my nose. The aroma of the fresh turned earth was such a nice smell as well and brought back old farming memories. I fired up the weed whacker and spent the next 3 hours whacking down the knee high grass from around the cabin and all of the yards. After a lite lunch an apple and peanut butter I sowed some lettuce(s) seeds, radishes, 1/2 runner beans and sugar peas. The compost pile was loaded with tomato plants so I dug out 6 of them and transplanted them in the lower garden. I'm not real sure of the variety but the plants looked better then the ones I brought from Florida.

Around 2 I finally got the mower running so I decided to mowed the yards. Well at times I had to mow the same area 2-3 times to get the high grass down to a manageable level. I finished the backwoods yard after supper and just before dark. Wow what a busy day. Tomorrow its off to Galax so we will have a somewhat easier morning. I thought with all of the physical activity on the pickle ball court that I was in decent shape, well let me tell you these hills kicked by butt as well as all the hoeing in the garden. I couldn't have drawn up a more beautiful day for being outside with a mixture of clouds and sunshine and even the threat of rain at times. I will try to get back on my morning posts starting tomorrow, LATER

Here are a few pics of before and after of the cabin. The mountain laurel looks so much like apple blossoms and are just everywhere along the edge of the yards.

Wednesday Morning- one more wake up in Hot Florida for awhile!!!

Well Tuesday was another scorcher here in central Florida and despite the strong breeze the temps were well into the 90's. It also was a day that some low life stole our license plate off the truck while Nancy was last minute shopping. The morning started out for me with a 5'ish roll out as Nancy was "sawing some logs" through out the night plus I was antsy about running down the checklist for all of the things I needed to accomplish before leaving for the cabin. Now I have one other major "to do" thing so I will have to fore go playing pickle ball this morning. I was hoping to get in another play day as I had to miss Tuesday's play because of a VA appointment.

I headed out around 7:30 after my usual routines of a few quiet moments and the posting of this ramble to drop my truck off at Twill Auto which is rather close to the VA complex. Twill is owned by our house church members and good  friends the Botbyl's. I had them to change my oil and filter and to service the truck before the 700 plus mile trip on Thursday. I walked over to the VA complex which gave me a little exercise as it was close to a 30 minute walk each way; while there I took care of several issues; one was to get an opinion on the aggravating pain in my left shoulder and we(doctor and I) decided an injection of cortisone might be the first course of action and that surgery would be a last resort. He gave me some specific exercises for that area and almost immediately saw the pain easing effects of the shot. He was curious at how well my health  was holding up and I had to give him my secret opinion that hard physical work while at the cabin and that pickle ball kept me in shape here in Florida. He was in agreement that physical exercise, despite the occasional aches and joint pain as a result of the exercise where a big contributor to being healthy as we age.

After my shot I headed down to eligibility where I finally enrolled in the Agent Orange Registry that required me to get several chest x-rays, give blood and urine and will probably get a doctors evaluation and consultation sometime in the future. I had to have my DD 214 updated to include that I had "boots on the ground" during my 7 years of flying into the Vietnam war zone. We even carried the dastardly defoliate stuff on our aircraft at times when it became so popular in the field to use this carcinogenic liquid to clear the trees and bushes where the enemy would hide. I had several loadmaster buddies who had some major health issues just from transporting Agent Orange on the aircraft before dying. This is and was some very bad stuff. So far I don't think I have any issues at this time in life from my association with being in contact of the stuff.

Well after GG, Amy and the kiddos came for lunch I headed out to work in the yard and garden. I mowed and edged the yard one final time and got the back area ready for our leaving early Thursday morning. Today I will dig up my seedlings and plants and wrap them in wet newspaper for transporting them to the summer garden; but first I must head over to the tag agency and get a new license plate. The Sheriff's Office took the report and entered my old tag into the stolen tag registry. I hope they find this low life and make him pay with a trip to jail and a fine. The tag he or she replaced on my truck was expired and at one time registered for a trailer down on Treasure Island. Usually there isn't much they can do unless they stop the vehicle for some other cause, but the deputy insisted he would investigate as much as he could and let me know if they can apprehend the culprit. I was faced with this situation many times over 30 years of service and only if you should stop the vehicle or have it involved in a crash were you able to make an arrest, oh well. They broke my Ray's license plate frame taking the tag off as well which really ticks me off.

Well speaking of the Ray's they lost again last night and now are probably out of first place and the Lightning were whupped big time at home by the Rangers and the deciding game goes back to New York on Friday night, LATER

This will be my last ramble until I'm looking out into the woods from the kitchen table at the cabin where the temp's will be some 20 degrees cooler than here this morning and the highs will be what are the lows here. Give us a thought and a prayer for safe an uneventful travel if you fine the time.    

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday Memorial Day was a typical hot and humid day in sunny Florida. Temps reached the middle 90's and by late evening we had a tremendous thunder storm with a gully washer down pour of rain. We sure needed the rain as this is usually our dry season. I started the day off with a before 6 wake up and then after my usual few quiet moments and the posting of this ramble I decided to get all of the before leaving for the cabin house chores out of the way since we were not having anyone for lunch or supper. I vacuumed the house, cleaned the fans and then shampooed the carpets. That kept me busy right up to lunch time. Mean while Nancy was cleaning out the fridge and deciding what can and dry goods we needed to take with us and what to leave with Amy.

After a lunch of salad I piddled around in the yard and garden while Nancy took off to Target for some stuff she needed. It was blazing outside so after opening up some bagged leaves to cover the garden and protect my earthworms I headed in to watch a little of the French Tennis Open. We were heading to Amy and Tyler's for supper and we picked up GG on the way. We dined on unbelievably delicious smoked St. Louis ribs and along with a pot of the last of collards I had cooking since noon. We had Nancy's oven taters and there was fresh corn on the cob. GG made two very good apple pies each with a different crust but both were to die for along with vanilla ice cream. I skipped the ice cream but did sample each pie.

After eating Tyler and I took the kiddos outside where they jumped on the trampoline and rode scooters. Eliza Faye wants to be right in there with big kids and she just loves it outside. They had to give her another bath as she had one earlier before we came but being outside she is drawn like a magnet to dirt. We settled into the Ray's game during the rain storm and as soon as it let up we headed out to drop GG off ay her house. The water was running like a river down their street but when we got to GG's about 5 miles or so away the streets were basically dry.

Well the Ray's lost their third straight game despite some decent pitching but several of their key players are now on injured reserve. They are either tied with the Yanks or a close second in the division but the future isn't looking good with so many players hurt. The Lightning will play the Rangers tonight in Tampa and hopefully close out this series with a win and then move on to the Stanley Cup finals.

We are down to two wake ups before heading out on our trip to the mountains on Thursday. I have to have an injection into the bursae in my left shoulder today as I just can not get that joint back to being pain free. I'm able to work but certain movements cause me to cringe with pain. This evening we have to attend Betsy's youngest son Garrett's graduation from high school at the Safety Harbor Spa in Oldsmar. Tomorrow morning I will play my last pickle ball at the rec for a few months and then finish up the last few outdoor projects before packing our bags and loading the truck, LATER

Monday -Memorial Day 2015

Well Sunday was awesome day of worship, water sports and some fine eatin' as we celebrated daughter Amy's 32nd birthday with a delicious supper. We started the day with Nancy having some tummy issues so she remained home while I got ready and headed to Element Church in Tampa for what would be our last Sunday until November. There was a small crowd as many were out of town for the 3 day holiday but I saw three new faces in attendance. We had another message on "following" Christ as well as we all took communion together. We will be sad to leave such a loving young community of believers who now are referred to as millennials. All but Danielle and I from our house church were missing from the gathering.

I got back to the house a little before 1 and had a salad for lunch. Nancy was starting to feel a little better and she had kept busy with all of the prep work for the evenings supper while I was at Element. Bobby called and he and his kiddos as well as Ava who had spent the night with Annsley were at Danielle and Neal's house on Lake Seminole along with neighbor John and his son Phoenix. I brought along my Maharajah slalom ski so it could be used once again after 35 years of being in the attic. John had a new drag tube that would seat a couple adults or 3 kids and we had a blast being drug around the lake behind this ski boat jumping waves and being swung out on an arc at high speeds. What a grand time we had and the kiddos were thrilled and never wanted to stop. I headed out around 3 as the rest of them did all kinds of water boarding and skiing in between the rain clouds after I left. The clouds actually kept it nice and bearable outside in the boat.

Everyone including GG came for supper which consisted of two huge roasting hens as well as smashed taters, carrots, green beans and salad as well as biscuits. I stayed away from the biscuits and had just a small dollop of taters and gravy. Nancy had made a chocolate cake with her famous tasting white icing as well as ice cream for dessert. Wow what a feast and that will be the last family dinner until we get back from the mountains for a week or so in September. The kiddos all played great and now they entertain one another as they grow older. The girls had a fabulous time together overnight at Bobby's.

Well after baths they all headed out around 9'ish for home and all of a sudden it was so quiet in the house we could hardly stand it. I tuned into the Lightning versus the Rangers hockey playoff game and we prevailed 2-0 in their home rink, wow what a game that was and now they will come back to Tampa for what we hope will be the final game on Tuesday. The Ray's after winning the first two games of a four game series lost the last two games but are still in first place in the division over the Yankees.

We are are getting close to packing for the next several months while at the cabin as we eat down the freezers and our food stocks. We will eat at the Ross House today as Tyler smokes pork ribs and I will contribute the last of my collards to the meal which will probably include pinto beans and slaw. Amy has become such a fine cook much like her mother and sets a bountiful table. We are eating there again on Wednesday night as we will have the house in order for an early morning departure on Thursday.

Well take a moment to reflect on what this day means to many Americans who have lost a loved one  in the line of duty while preserving the freedom and liberty we so enjoy. This day should be one of our most celebrated holidays because of our strong military and the willingness of our men and women to lay down their lives for our nation. No thanks to this inept administration and commander in chief we now have lost our foremost might and influence on the world's stage of influence. We have allowed our land to be infiltrated by those who want to change our way of life and destroy our culture by this government all under the name of political correctness. I stand in awe of those who fought for our freedoms and what was right only to see politics ruin their legacy. I stand with Israel in their stand that "never again" will they be subjugated. We need to stand up against those in our government who want to see America's hegemony decline on the world stage

this next election and vote for the country over some party or person,  LATER      

Sunday Morning-our last Sunday at Element Church

Well I must say Saturday was a busy fun filled day that started with a before 6 roll out. Since the gym was now open for pickle ball on Saturdays I decided to hit the hard courts at 8. I had missed Friday's play as we watched our oldest grand son Sam graduate up to the kindergarten class. Well after my usual routines and a few quiet moments I pedaled out on my bike. The mornings here are still rather nice until somewhere around 10 when the heat and humidity show up for the day. We had two courts in action with mostly B players but I still was able to get in a good workout with a wet shirt and by 9:30 I decided to call it a day.

We were planning on leaving around noon or a little after for Brandon to spend the afternoon and early evening with Bobby and his kiddos. Amy and her family were meeting there also a little later in the afternoon. It was unbelievable the heavy traffic we encountered on the interstate thankfully going in the opposite direction both when we were coming and going. Usually after the heat sets in for the area most snow birds leave; either they didn't leave or more moved into the area from what we saw on the road. The roads are so congested despite all of the new construction and the opening of the toll roads as well. This area is starting to look like the metropolitan Miami area.

We took Annsley and Gabe to a super Target to shop for Bobby for fathers day which will happen while we are in the mountains. He has and always will be a great dad with and for his kiddos. We wanted to pick out something with the kiddos for him so we found a couple special gifts and Nancy will wrap them and have them for him on that special day from them. We came back and shortly the Ross Family arrived. We changed into bathing suits and headed out to the pool area in his complex. We tried to help Sam overcome his fear of the water and we made some progress especially as we got him to hold his breath and put his face under water but that took some time as he is so fearful of the water. All the other kiddos swim like fish and it took some real effort to get him to relax and enjoy the water. I can remember my not knowing how to swim and being so embarrassed even into my early 30's. I finally taught myself in my ex-in laws pool when I moved to Florida.

Bobby grilled marinated pork chops, zucchini and red onions and along with Jasmine rice and we chowed down on a delicious meal. Nancy had made peanut butter cookies for dessert. The kiddos were playing on the Wii and Eliza Faye was having a grand time on the bottom 2 steps of the stairway. After baths we headed out and Ava was spending the night with Annsley. We are planning on meeting up at Lake Seminole after church today for some water skiing and boat rides for the little ones and then we are celebrating Amy's birthday with a roast chicken supper and all the trimmings as we have our last family dinner for awhile. Should be a fun day as we remember those who sacrificed their lives that we may have such freedoms while serving our nation in the military. I only wish we had a deserving commander in chief who loved our nation and all of the freedoms we so valiantly obtained by their willingness to serve and die for; Freedom is not free.

Take the time today and remember those who are still in harms way, pray for them and our nation and for those who are away from home. Pray for the some leadership in the government and that we will have some folks who still love America and our freedoms that they will be elected. I'm so disgusted and fearful with those we now have in Washington and their self centered ways who have sold us out from the principals we were founded on, Wake Up America, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was anything but the usual routines that are associated with my mornings except for the roll out a little before 6 AM. I did have my usual quiet times to reflect, give thanks and lift up those who need a little special consideration. Afterwards the morning found us getting ready to head out to pick up GG and then head to Keswick Christian School for grandson Sam's graduation from Pre-K to kindergarten. Yeow, where did that time go? The ceremony was sweet and special for these 5 year old's and their teachers were in tears as they said good-bye to their students who were almost like their own children. Such dedicated, GOD loving teachers who make such a difference in the lives they touch. I think this was the way I remember my first grade teacher in 1952 at Gore Elementary School with Ms.Lineburg, oh so many years ago. I tremble with rage at what the school systems in America have become with their secular progressive teachings to our youths. We are seeing the results of that system in our jails and prisons.

Well after the graduation ceremony Nancy dropped me off while she and GG shopped and ran errands. I got a load of laundry out on the clothesline which dried almost as quickly as I hung it. It was once again another hot and dry day with temps in the 90's. The morning started with possibility of frost in the mountains with temps in the low 40's and even some high 30's. I'm looking forward to some cool mornings next week as we put the cabin and the yards in shape for the summer with good outside working weather. After a lite lunch I retired to the reading room and finished THE WILD TRUTH by Carine McCandless. It's a good read and she tells all about the dysfunctional family life she and her siblings endured and gave rise to what drove Chris to such a lonely death in the wilds of Alaska.

Amy and Tyler were heading out on a date night so we got Sam and Eliza around 5 o'clock. Ava was at birthday/pool party with one of her classmates. I grilled a couple sizzler steaks and with black beans and Jasmine rice we feasted. I picked up Ava around 8 from her party and wow what a house this was on the bayou. There were 8 steps up to the front door which was a tri-level and the pools were on the second level. I learned the father is a doctor and a very patience person as there were all girls from the second grade class at the party. Many of the school's administrator's were in attendance also. What a house full of 8 year old's.

It didn't take long for Ava to fall asleep on the couch as she and Sam watched a movie. I finally after several tries by Nancy got Eliza to sleep after her bath. It was almost 9 before she finally gave in and fell asleep after much rocking and singing to her. I vegetated to the bedroom to watch the Ray's come from behind and beat the A's again and the Lightning looked good for about one period then they fell apart in a big loss to the Rangers in Tampa. They now go back to new York for the fifth game on Sunday.

Well that was about it for the day as we got plenty of grand kid time in and then again today (sat) we are heading over to the Tampa area for an afternoon and evening with Bobby's kiddos, Annsley and Gabe. The Ross Family are coming also so we should have plenty of pool time at his complex as well as a gourmet supper. I think Ava is spending the night with Annsley so there will be some further bonding between the two of them. We are counting down to our departure date with 4 more days until we head out. I set up many of our accounts to the vacation schedule as well as activated several that have been on vacation. It's looking good for an early morning departure around 4 AM on Thursday and the fore cast for the mountains is only to be in the low 70's when we arrive, Yeah, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was a day that started out much the usual with a before 6 roll out in hot, humid Florida. This time next week I hope to be updating this ramble while looking out of the cabin and into the woods of North Carolina with morning temps down somewhere in the 50's. Yeow, am I ever looking forward to some cooler temps. After my routines of a few quiet moments, a lite breakfast and the posting of these thoughts I headed out on my bike to the rec for some 2 hours of continuous action on the pickle ball courts. We had a good mixture of A and B players today and everyone left with a wet shirt. I stopped off at the library for a new read that requires mentioning and I will do so later in this ramble.

I hand watered the new seedlings some of which are nearly a foot tall and the jalapeno peppers are setting fruit. I believe all will make it for another week before I can get them transplanted into the cabin garden. Nancy was at the rec doing her workout on the treadmill so I started this new read titled THE WILD TRUTH. A few years ago there was a book title INTO THE WILD where a young man abandoned all contact with his family and lived in the Alaskan wild and eventually died due to starvation. It was unknown why this college educated young man choose this path; well his sister has written this book after 2 decades to tell the real story why her brother Chris did what he did. I've only scratched the surface with about 1/4 of the book completed but it's a real life story of a dysfunctional family and you can draw your own conclusions toward his decisions and what it cost him and his sister who now tells all.

Amy, GG and the kiddos came for a lunch of bacon, egg, sliced tomato and onion sandwiches. We used the last of the tomatoes from the garden and were they ever tasty. All of my tomato plants this year were volunteers from my compost pile and they were the best crop in several years. I think one of the reasons was due to the extra trace minerals from the Organic Garden Shop that comes from out west that is processed from a dried up sea bed. It sure made a visible difference in all of my garden plants as well as an abundant harvest.

We were going to Amy's for a supper of stuffed green peppers so we picked up GG and headed over around 6 o'clock. The supper was delicious and the kiddos were so cute and wound up to have us visiting. We settled in to the Ray's game on T.V. and finished it later upon getting back to the house. The Ray's beat the Oakland A's and now tonight (Friday) the fourth game of the Lightning game versus the Rangers will be played in Tampa as well, Go Bolts!!! That was about it for the day except we got some good results from GG's last blood tests which indicated her blood levels are improving as that was a holding point on our departure date. She is improving and is showing no signs of the prior conditions she had when the loss of blood triggered her heart issues. I will now put lots of our services on vacation and open up our services in the mountain. There is lots to do before packing and we seem to have it down to a system, LATER  

Thursday Morning-1 week before we are on the road

Well as this next week slides by so quickly we are anticipating our return to the mountain cabin and to new adventures hopefully in a cooler climate. It was brutal here today with high humidity and temps in the 90's. I started the day with usual routines of my quiet times, lite breakfast and then a bike ride to the rec for some 2 hours of pickle ball with a mixture of A and B players. Our B players have really improved especially one player I've been coaching. She will eventually become the best of the women players as she is a quick study and gets more experience and playing time. I made a quick stop at the library on the way home.

Nancy was off to drive her mother to a doctors appointment and then after lunch to another one as we try to get all of these out of the way before next week. I was on the phone with Direct TV and they were being cooperative regarding adjustments to my bill and equipment. I'm sure glad of that as I hate "to change horses in the middle of the stream" so to speak; but I may change the package some time down the road as we don't need 200 channels, oh well!

Amy and the kiddos came for lunch and she brought me her Olive Garden leftovers from her birthday dinner last night which was delicious. Nancy also had a couple frozen pizzas doctored up with fresh mushrooms in the oven for lunch as well. After eating Eliza came and sat on my lap as she watched her videos which she adores but today her attention span was limited to about 15 minutes. I love how she wrinkles up her nose and laughs with her eyes and smiles. She is such a charmer and has me wrapped around her finger. She is putting more words together and knows everything you are saying but hasn't quite been able to form sentences. She and Sam wrestled on the floor and she is one tough little cookie as she never cries or gives up to his somewhat roughness.

Well we took GG home after Amy left to pickup Ava from school and her car after having the oil changed and 4 new tires installed. Seems the tires on the car had been on there for 8 years and still looked good but dry rot was starting to age the rubber. She was worried about them even though she doesn't drive and its only used when there is a scheduling conflict or when one of the kids needs it for a trip. We made a stop at Sam's Club for some goodies and then again at Publix's. After dropping GG off with her goodies we headed home to chill until it was time for our weekly house church get together.

This week we did the Tracy's House and she prepared a sumptuous meal for the 6 of us and we had all kinds of discussions about this up and coming summer and fall trips. They will head to the mountains as well in a week or so and then we will fellowship throughout the summer in Sparta and then our big adventure trip out west to Lake Tahoe in September where we will stay at Kathryn's brothers cabin in the mountains there for about 10 days with side trips to Yellowstone, San Francisco and Napa Valley. This should be an exciting summer especially for Nancy as she has never been west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Well we tuned into the Ray's and Lightning games in the back ground and while the Ray's loss 2-1 the Lightning came back in an overtime thriller to beat the Rangers and now have a 2-1 game lead. That was one of the highest scoring games I've seen in awhile. I turned it off with the score at 5-5 a little before 11 and decided to read about the results this morning; and they won, LATER

Wednesday Morning-8 days and counting

Well Tuesday turned out to be a typical Florida day with heat and humidity but there was an onshore breeze by late evening which kept it in the upper 80's instead of the usual 90's. It was also a special day for us as our beautiful daughter Amy who turned 32 was born on this day in 1983. What a special day that was as I would not only have a son but now a daughter. So with those results and the fact I wasn't getting any younger we decided one of each was perfect for us and now we had an older brother to look out for his sister. GOD was good.

The day started out much the usual with a before 6 roll out and after a few quiet moments to give thanks, reflect on life and lift a few folks up for some special considerations one of whom is the son of a new dear friend in the mountains who is suffering with clinical depression, pray for Josh. I ate a lite breakfast and then headed out to the rec for 2 hours of pickle ball. We had mainly A players today with a few of the top B players in the mix and the action was fast with long rallies and the wet shirts were in abundance. I'm surely going to miss this good play on the inside court  but will hopefully have some action on the outside courts in the mountains with the non-skid surface. I stopped off at the library on the way home for a couple new reads. I headed out around 11:15 to have my final two crowns installed on the molars who had root canals a week ago Monday. They seemed find so now I have 3 gold crowns which really intrigued Sam as he saw pirates with gold teeth in some show. He wanted to know all about the gold crowns and how and why I had them in my mouth. He is such a inquisitive little boy which a great imagination. I think he now puts me in the pirate class.

I caught up on some paperwork and then tried to rectify the new bill I received from Direct TV for the cabin, wow did they ever increase their rates and because I still have the original receiver they wanted to charge me a hundred bucks for them to bring me out a new receiver which is what I need to receive their signal for programming. You can imagine my response to that so I'm looking at their competitors and what they have to offer, oh well. The folks I spoke with both times were operators in the Philippines, what's with that!!!

Amy and the kiddos came for lunch as GG had another appointment with the physical therapist at lunch time. We finished up the rest of the salad and some left overs as well. Little Eliza Faye sat on my lap and we watched her favorite kids videos for nearly an half hour which says a lot for a kid her age and their attention span. After the kiddos left to pick up Ava we made a Wal-Mart run as our batteries in the portable phones were going on the blink so we could get new phones with new batteries for what it cost for two replacement batteries. That seems such a waste but we have had these phones for a couple of years now and take them back and forth with us to the mountains each year.

Well after a lite supper I headed out to work in the yards as the heat had somewhat dissipated or became more bearable with the evening breeze. I took the blower and cleaned the roof's of sticks and twigs as well as the gutter then edged the borders of the house and yards as well as trimmed the shrubs and then mowed up all of the cuttings and the grass. That kept me busy right up to dark. Then it was shower time and I watched the Ray's defeat the Braves in Atlanta 5-3. I'm sure my buddy's Gerald and Kay from Sparta were tuned into the game as they are big Braves fans. I will have something to crow about when I see them in a couple weeks.

On a more somber note we lost another major city in Iraq because of the lack of leadership displayed by this potus and his cabinet. So many of our soldiers gave the ultimate sacrifice for this effort to liberate the folks of Iraq but this potus failed to know or have any concern except for political reasons about preserving this country for the democratic principals we fought so valiantly for and to the loss of so many. It's disgusting to see the excuses and the rhetoric used to describe the loss of such a vital city to the terrorists who want to kill us all in the name of their ideology, Wake Up Please somebody and bring back some sanity and common sense to what is happening in the world and to what is displayed by this incompetent administration, LATER    

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was another hot and humid day here in sunny Florida and we never got the evening thunder storm which has started to become a daily occurrence this past week. Those rain storms sure help to cool things down. We were out doing some last minute shopping at Home Depot after dropping GG off at home around 4 and it was so blasted hot we just wanted to leave right then for the mountains and some cooler temps.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out and after my usual routines and a few quiet moments I got ready to ride out on my bike to the rec for two hours of workout on the pickle ball court with 10 other players. We had a challenge court in action which kept us in a constant state of action with long rallies and some hard playing. My shirt was soaked by 10 and I was whupped after being in action for such an extended period. I only have 5 or 6 more days of playing before hanging up the paddle with this gang for awhile. I credit this game with helping to keep me fit and healthy but I'm so looking forward to the clean air and distant views while hiking daily to the top of the mountain and the smell of over turned soil while getting my garden ready for planting. There will be no laying around after lunch reading the afternoon away at the cabin and of course everything done outside is walking around on a hillside or uneven land. My muscles will get a workout just from going up and down the steps in the cabin.

I got back to the house after a quick stop at the library in time to watch little Eliza Faye as Amy took GG grocery shopping. We had a fun time watching her kid videos on the lap top and then we read a couple books and by then Nancy got back from her workout on the treadmill at the rec. Eliza was so sleepy but we could not get her to nap until finally after lunch and lots of rocking she went down for nearly an hour and a half. She sure hates to miss any action by napping much like her mother. We always said if you want Amy to wake up, put here in bed!!! Oh well.

After a lunch of left over Zuppa soup for me that Amy made last week as was just so delicious. I'm the leftover eater as they all dined on deli meat sandwiches and Sam had his veggie plate and Eliza chowed down on leftover pasta noodles which she just adores. We settled into staying in out of the hot afternoon sun and heat until it was time to take GG home. We did a few little odd jobs for her before heading out to the Depot. It was going on 5 before we got home and it was time for a glass of vino before a cold supper of leftover rotisserie chicken on a bed of fresh salad, yeow was that ever delicious. After the cleanup we spoke with our mountain mom, Helen and her son Rick had left this morning to head back to Florida after a whirlwind week end there where they attended the Gray reunion in beautiful Black Mountain, N.C. It's been many years since I've been down to that area but its just as beautiful as our area is along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Well I tuned into FOX News and learned this incompetent administrations foreign policy has allowed for political reasons the fall of another major city in Iraq where American blood was shed in the fight against the tyrant Saddam and his forces. We liberated the country but failed to leave a peace keeping presence there for political reasons and now the terrorists have once again subjugated the locals. How did this incompetent bunch ever become the commander in chief along with his cabinet which included Hillary become our leaders and policy makers, oh well!!!

Well I tuned into the Lightning game and they were up 5-2 when I turned the lights out for some horizontal lab, LATER      

Monday Morning

Well I must report this weekend has been one of seafood gastronomic delight's with grilled salmon on Friday night, Yellow Fin Tuna on Saturday night and mussels, shrimp and clams yesterday for lunch after church. Yeow!! Anyhow there goes the spare tire once gain but what delicious "high on the hog" eatin' as we country folk like to say.

The morning started out with my internal alarm clock waking me at 5:30 to quarter to 6 which unfortunately is now a constant with my body. Getting up that early never really bothered me as I use to get up about that same time every day before leaving the farm to milk cows and feed the farm animals and then while flying with the USAF we were up at all hours with mostly early morning take off's and then with the FHP I was "on call" which meant being called out many times during the night for fatal crashes, oh well I would like to know what it feels like to just sleep in one morning especially now that I'm retired over 11 years from all of that "having to arise". Oh well!!!

We got ready for the "gathering" at Element Church in Tampa after our quiet times and car pooled with Dan and Carol. While the crowd numbers were small we still have a core group and the doors are still open for now. Bobby led the praise music today and Erin brought a nice message as well. There were lots of hugs and handshakes and we still have a great number of kiddos as now most of our attendance is from millennial's who are the 30's in age with lots of kiddos. I'm the dinosaur in the crowd as was I on Saturday night at the birthday party for Kathryn, yikes!!! Anyhow after church we headed to the Olive Garden for a sumptuous lunch which held us for the rest of the day except for a lite snack for Nancy so she could take her scripts. I even pasted up the cookies and ice cream at the social after the musical; at times I'm incredulous of my will power to forgo these delight's and other times I buckle with just one small taste. Is this a sign I'm maturing???

I tuned into the Ray's baseball game during the afternoon and watched them destroy the Twins in a 11-3 shellacking at their home field and then we got ready to head to our old church at SFBC to watch our oldest grand daughter Ava, participate in the summer children's musical. We picked up GG and she went with us and afterwards there was an ice cream social. The attendance was near capacity and the musical went well. We once more were warmly greeted by many of the old members and were asked several times when we were coming back. Element we feel is like being on the mission field for that area of Tampa and while we are small in numbers GOD is still using us in many special ways as we partner with the foster kids village as well as a missionary family in Peru, South America who by the way need some special considerations as their oldest daughter has contracted a rare form of malaria. Please keep the Rice Family in your thoughts and prayers.

Well we got another strong thunder storm with heavy rain just before dark which should help with the grass to grow and cool things down just a bit. It's been in the 90's the past couple of weeks and we are so looking forward to those cool mornings in the mountains which have been down into the 40's and 50's to start the day. Well as we draw closer to our departure we are trying to wrap up some last minute doctor's appointments as well as decide what to pack and take with us. We always over pack just in case we might need it "says Nancy", oh well!!! Next Sunday will be our last Sunday with our Element Church family and we are already close to tears.

 We did hear from our newest mountain friends Sam and Marcia and learned they have left our Cornerstone Church family to attend another church family where our "mountain mom" attends. They still want to socialize with us on Sundays after church as well as during the week. Seems Marcia is in a regional hand bell choir and several of those members attend the Sparta Methodist Church plus they have a Sunday School hour which Cornerstone doesn't have. They grew up with this type of church functions at the corporate worship on Sunday's as did we at one time.

Well that was about it for the day and now I must get back on the pickle ball court this next week and cut down on those foods which has a tendency to puff up the spare tire, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well, Saturday turned out to be a typical Florida summer time day with temps well into the 90's and by late evening a thunder storm with all the lightning fire works erupted in the skies of Tampa Bay. We were on our way back from a surprise 60th birthday party in Tampa and the lightning streaks from the clouds to the ground were magnificent to observe and the streets were gushing rain water. We just caught the outskirts of the storm as we drove home with the Botbyl's but could see it off in the distant.

The morning despite it being a Saturday was much the routine for me as youth basketball was over and the gym was once more available to pickle ball so after my before 6 roll out, a few quiet moments to give thanks and reflect on life I had a bowl of cantaloupe before riding out to the rec on my bike for some hour and half of play. We had 3 courts in action with players waiting to get on. What a big change from Friday when we had only 3 players and I played against two for most of the morning. Nancy wanted to go to the beach by 10 so I left play a little early.

The beach was perfect and the water was warming up to perfection for swimming. Tyler brought the kiddos as Amy had a baby shower to attend at church. We had a splendid time playing with them and now little Eliza Faye has suddenly become a beach bunny whereas before she didn't like the sand or the water. Sam has also overcome his dislike and fear of the water and now rushes into the waves head first. I've never before seen such a sudden change in their behavior all most overnight for the beach. Needless to say after a couple hours of harnessing and watching all of this kiddos energy and the heat of the sun we were whipped. It was going on 1 PM before we got back to the house.

After a salad with leftover salmon I tuned into the Lightning playoff game and it was a thriller despite our team losing in a close contest 2-1. It is the best of 7 series so we still have ample time to win the series and play for the Stanley Cup. The Rangers have a couple of our former players and we have a couple of their former players but we played this game in their house which seems to make so difference with the noise level and cheering sections. After that game was over I tuned into the Ray's game and they to were losing to the Twins. We hit the showers as we got ready for the evenings festivities and celebration.

We left the house around 4:30 to pick up the Botbyl's and headed to down town Tampa in the Hyde Park section to the Copper Fish Restaurant. It was just down the street from Bern's Steak House which has been the number one restaurant in Tampa forever but this place we went was also voted in the top 10 places to eat as well. It was valet parking only if that tells you anything about the area.

Patrick Tracy had invited 18 close friends of Kathryn's to celebrate her up coming 60th birthday with a surprise dinner at this restaurant. Well I must say the service and food was very good and one of the best ever for me and Patrick footed the bill, totally. He planned this without her knowing and she was surprised as she and her daughter Lauren entered the eatery. He decide the night of dining and fellowship with her and all of her friends there were believers in Christ which I thought was unique in an of itself. What a great time we had and we got to know several who we had never met before who were millennial's (young folks in their 30's) as well as some of their senior friends who were our ages. (I think I may have been the oldest person of age in attendance). We had a table set up as you enter the eatery with all of the festive decorations and place of honor in the restaurant. It was very nice and the menu looked like it belonged on the shelves of a library.

My entree was Yellow Tail Tuna grilled to perfection with crab in a sauce over a special rice with shrimp, yeow is all I can say. This was basically a seafood place but Dan had a fillet that looked and smelled awesome and he too licked the platter clean. Nancy and Carol both had the chef's special of Maine lobster, crab, shrimp and scallops in a rich cream sauce over a grain. Delicious, as I tasted hers as well. Everyone seemed to love the food and we started with calamari, shrimp and oysters as appetizers. Yikes I don't think I've ever dined with such an array of different delicious seafood's. Well after the birthday cake and lots of great conversations, plenty of hugs and well wishes along with promises to friend folks on Face Book we headed out for home somewhere close to 9'ish or after. We sort of lost our way while heading in the right direction of old downtown Tampa and found another main road which took us a different way home. I actually stopped at a gas station and ask for directions(which is very unlike me) only to learn we were headed in the right direction and to verbal harassment (of I told you so) from the back seat drivers of Nancy and Carol. What a fun time we always have together with Carol and her continuous laughter.

Well what a full fun filled day and one we will talk about forever as we surprised Kathryn and for Patrick's generosity and the opportunity to mingled with their forever close friends. We were able share some of the experiences we have had together and while our friendship is relatively new compared to some of 30 years or more, we were honored to be within this circle of believers and their children who were both there and their friends, LATER

See you in the morning at Element Church in Tampa!!!

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was once again another very hot and humid day with temp's into the middle 90's and by late afternoon the clouds did build and we got some cooling off rain. It's starting to feel like the doldrums of summer and its only May. At least the mountains are cool with highs only in the 70's. We had another family supper as Nancy's brother heads back to Michigan this evening after being gone for over a month.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out and then a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast before heading out on my bike for 2 hours of pickle ball at the rec. We had a small crowd this morning and I was whupped by 10 AM. After a quick stop at the library I headed home to hand water the new seedlings and piddle around in the yard until Nancy completed her work out at the rec. Since no one was coming for lunch we ate a little early then got ready to head to Sam's Club and pick up GG on the way.

We needed a new camera as ours was dropped and we could not get it to function after that plus we wanted to pick up fresh salmon for supper as Eric is Catholic and doesn't eat meat on Friday's. After Sam's we made a stop at Publix for GG as she needed several items not found at Sam's Club. After dropping her off with her goodies we headed home to put the house in order. I vacuumed and checked out the new camera which has some added features such as a battery and a plug in re-charger, 30x the focus power plus a lens cover. None of these were on our old Cannon. Hopefully this one will give us as much pleasure in capturing some moments for posterity.

I made a guacamole to start the gastric juices flowing while we sipped a little vino. I grilled 2 huge fillets which were perfectly seasoned and along with pasta, sauteed squashes, a fresh salad and crusty bread we feasted once again. We had bought a rotisserie chicken for the kiddos as they aren't fish eaters however Sam did like a piece I gave him. Ava can't eat it because of her affinity to mercury and Omega three complications. After the cleanup we started a game of Logo but it was getting late and the kiddos were fussy and wanted to go to bed.

The Ray's lost to the Twins in Minnesota 3-2 after leading for most of the game. It was going on 11 when that game ended so it was shortly lights out for me, LATER    

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was a typical Florida day with high heat and humidity and some areas of the county got a heavy rain shower just before dark. We were at Ava's school for her piano recital at 7 PM and the skies opened up and when we got home which was maybe 5 miles away the streets were dry which is typical for Florida as well. The day started out much the same with a little before 6 roll out and then I did my morning routines, a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast before riding out to the rec on my bike for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. I was still having some stomach cramps but not enough to hinder my activity on the court. I kind of laid around most of the afternoon reading and only to find out this bug is prevalent with lots of folks. I stayed away from food except a few peanut butter crackers for lunch and a salad for supper and this morning(Fri.) I'm fine, thankfully.

Speaking of Ava's recital she did magnificent for only her first year of taking lessons and I think she will become an accomplished pianist. There were at least 25 other students who participated in the recital and some of these older kids were fabulous musicians. They each did about a 2-3 minute piece and certainly some of the older kids were better than the newer ones and played more difficult songs. We saw lots of familiar faces in the audience and on a sad note we had our camera accidentally knocked from Tyler's hand onto the floor and it broke. So we will have to replace it and hopefully Sam's Club has one as good as this last one has been for us.

Well we came home and watched the Ray's once more beat up on the first place Yankees 6-1 in baseball. If all goes as planned we will wake up 2 weeks from today(Fri.) at the cabin and hopefully cooler temps. It was into the 90 plus here today and very humid. I did make a list of "to do things" and some of them are naturally outside in the afternoon heat, oh well. Nancy spoke with our "mountain mom" Helen last evening and she has the heat on up there as the mornings have been down into the 40's and not getting much out of the 60's during the heat of the day, wow am I ever looking forward to some of that weather. We also heard it's very dry there as well after all of the rain a couple weeks ago.

That was about it for the day as we are on the count down with 13 morning wake ups before the trip north. We are starting to get sad about leaving the grand kiddos, our kiddos and of course GG. Hopefully she will do fine with her health as we have done all we can to make life easier for her at her advanced age. We hope she will head to Michigan to stay with her son, Eric while we are gone this summer. She and Amy pal around daily but Amy and her family will be gone 2 weeks in June to Kansas to visit Tyler's family, LATER

Check out Ava's recital photo on Face Book that Tyler shared with us.

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday started out much the usual with a before 6 roll out to start the morning then my handful of vitamins and supplements to get the body fueled up washed down with a cup of hot ginger laced green tea. For some reason I seemed to be having some stomach discomfort from the day before and I hope I wasn't catching the stomach bug that Tyler caught, anyhow it wasn't enough to sideline me so I continued on with my normal morning routines. I did my quiet time and then posted this ramble before a lite breakfast of cereal and then my ride out to the rec on my bike for 2 hours of pickle ball play. We had two courts in action despite that many of our winter players were gone until next fall. I had a soaked shirt by 10 and I was hoping that what ever was causing me some discomfort at times had been sweated out. I stopped off at the library on the way home for a couple new reads.

Amy wasn't coming for lunch because she thought she may be contagious with whatever Tyler had contracted. I was having some moderate cramps but that was about all. I took some ginger in a glass of water and that usually helps with any tummy pain and it did to some extent; however I wasn't having diarrhea. We had lunch and while I wasn't hungry I did pick at a little leftover pork before retiring to the reading room and taking several catnaps throughout the afternoon. We initially decided we wouldn't attend our weekly get together with the house church gang but at the last minute decided to go to the Bone Fish Grille for supper in Largo with the gang. I picked up the Botbyl's and we met the Tracy's there around 5:30.

We had a sumptuous supper of; steaks, trout, shrimp, turbot and all the trimming. Yikes was it ever tasty and Kathryn's filet was a little too rare so she sent it back and then later the manager came by to apologize that she wasn't satisfied the first time so he ordered her another steak to take home with her. Yikes, that was a first. We have always had good service and food at all the Bone Fish Places.

We came back and tuned into the Ray's game and once more they beat the first place Yankees by a 3-2 score. We are holding our own despite losing a couple big time pitchers and hitters and we are now in second place in the league. I mentioned at supper that we are just two weeks away from leaving for the cabin and we all wondered where did that 7 months go. The six of us are planning on some fun times this summer and in three weeks at the cabin as the Tracy's leave the same day we do but will overnight with friends in Atlanta. The Botbyl's fly into Greensboro the same day as we leave and will stay a week with the Tracy's at their rental cabin. We will all get together those next few days for suppers and games after we get the cabin in order and then 3 more couples are coming from Florida for the Carlson wedding on that next Saturday. It should be a busy time as we have lots planned in the next couple of weeks. It will take us several days to get the cabin in order as well as make the grounds presentable and plant my garden. I'm hoping my conditioning from daily pickle ball play will help with all of the work that needs to be done before guests arrive.

Well that was about it for the day as I turned in around 10:30 after taking a glass of baking soda and water to help with the bloated belly. I did wake up during the night with some minor cramps but nothing serious, LATER      

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday started out much the usual with a little before 6 roll out and then after my morning routines and a few quiet moments I hopped on the old bike for a ride to the rec for some 2 hours of pickle ball. We had 3 courts in action with one of them a challenge court of A players only. I competed on all the courts so I could get a good workout and besides there are different aspects of your overall game where different tactics and shots are used. I mainly wanted a soaked shirt and I had one by 10 AM. I stopped off at the library on the way home.

GG and Eric took off for Miami earlier in the morning to visit family there so it would just be Amy and the kiddos for lunch. Little Eliza Faye is stealing our hearts daily with her antics and of course Sam is such a cutie as well. We ate leftovers along with a salad I put together. I did manage to harvest some beet greens and kale from the new seedlings I'm planning on taking with us to the cabin and transplanting into the garden there. The recent root canals have given me no pain or discomfort and I'm thrilled for that blessing. The dentist called me this morning to check on me and he too was delighted to hear I was doing so well. I'm still taking some Advil every 8 hours for the inflammation but have no pain as a result. He informed me the roots were very inflamed and if left unattended they surely could have abscessed and brought on that horrible cycle of pain I experienced a couple months.

After Amy left to pickup Ava at school we headed out to do some shopping at Wal-Mart. I needed to add minutes to my Trac phone as well as get oil and a filter for an oil change on the truck before we leave in about 2 weeks. It was in the high 90's outside and very dry however all of that changed about 6 ish as huge thunderheads, storm clouds and lightning invaded the area. We finally got some much needed rain and the water was like a river in the streets. It poured off and on for over an hour and did cool things down considerably. Our neighbor just got his new roof on in time and this rain was a great test to the workmanship which was completed only about an hour before it poured.

I grilled a couple marinated chicken breasts for supper and we put that over a bed of salad. Just what we needed a lite supper as the past week or so we have been eating heavy with Eric and GG here every night for supper. I have put on a few pounds as a result and need to cut back with just the two of us. After the cleanup we settled into the Fox News channel until the Ray's and Lightning games came on. Well the Lightning prevailed with a win to take the series and move on in the playoffs over the Canadians and the Ray's came back to win 4-2 after being down 2 runs to the Yankees early in the game. I think the Ray's are in second place behind the Yanks.

Well that was about for the day as the games ended with both Tampa Bay teams as winners and my eyelids were getting heavy, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday started out much the usual with a before 6 roll out. After my early morning routines and a few quiet moments to reflect, give thanks and lift up those I know and love for some special considerations, I got ready to ride out to the rec on my bike. We had at one time 3 pickle ball courts in action with a variety of A and B players. I did manage a soaked shirt by 10 AM and was feeling the effects of overeating for this past week and the addition of 3-4 pounds to my belly. Ever since Eric, Nancy's brother has been here with their mother, GG had some health issues we have been having large lunches and even larger suppers and not only did we have an abundance of rich food on Sunday for Mother's Day but again last night at GG's house.

When I got back from the rec there was a phone call for me from the endodonist office in St.Pete that the 3 d xray they had taken last Thursday was inconclusive due to the power outage and they were inquiring about how the molars were doing. At that moment they had settled down considerably from the excruciating pain from the night before, but I knew I was going to need at least one if not two root canals on them as I did not want another abscess. So they set me up with a 12:15 appointment and it was after 3 PM before I finally got out of the dental chair with my bank account more than a couple grand less, yikes!! Well the molar roots were very inflamed and at first I had a difficult time in talking the doctor into doing two at one time but after the 3 D xrays he was satisfied that I needed both of them done together at one time right away,oh well. At least that is finished and now all I need is for the final crowns to be installed next week.

After getting back to Seminole where the temps were in the high 90's and settling in for an hour we headed towards GG's house. We made a stop at the grocery for fresh broccoli and a few other goodies. She had made 2 large meat loaf's along with baked potatoes and we brought broccoli and salad and crusty bread for another delicious meal. I've been weak with the crusty bread but did stay strong on the pound cake for dessert and passed on that. We tuned into the Ray's game and they were getting pounded by the Yankees by their home runs. We even had a couple home runs off of their best pitcher but to no avail. Well that was about it for the day as by 10 PM I was ready for some horizontal lab along with 4 Advil gel tablets. The pain really hasn't been to terrible but yesterday when the dental assistant tried to remove the temporary cap to xray the molars I thought I would go through the roof, so finally the doctor numbed me and all went well. I can still feel that head splitting jolt of pain in my jaw, oh well.

Well those two molars were the last teeth from my Air Force days with amalgam filing so I'm thrilled about that. Everyone of those molars had to have root canals after being worked on nearly 50 years ago. It just seems as long as they were filed there was no trouble until the teeth began to crack and leech with age, oh well. I'm wondering if that is a sign of old age for me, yuck if it is!!!!LATER    

Monday Morning

Well Sunday, Mothers Day was filled with lots of hugs, praise and worship as well as some fine eatin'. We started the day off with our usual routines for a Sunday morning; quiet times, lite breakfast and then get ready for the gathering at Element Church in Tampa. Dan and Carole rode with us and did we ever have a full church this day as 4 separate families dedicated their babies to GOD and we as a church dedicated ourselves to their upbringing in GOD'S word. One of these families were in town visiting friends and heard about our dedication ceremony and wanted to participate in this joyous occasion for their child. There were lots of mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers present who wanted to see and be a part of this dedication as well.

We headed home afterwards and had a lite lunch then got a 9 pound bone-in rib pork roast ready for the oven. We were having a family dinner set for sometime around 5'ish but that of course changed to closer to 6 as one family member is habitually late for all meals which at times is very irritating, oh well!!! You can choose your friends but not your family as the old saying goes so we must sustain. I managed along with GG and Eric who were here early to watch the Rays lose a close game to the Rangers and then we watched some good golf play waiting for some members to arrive. We had a well done rib roast with sauerkraut in the roaster along with kielbasa and hot dogs and smashed taters and a salad as well as crusty bread. Amy made two chocolate cream pies with whipped cream on top which were awesome and I had a piece as well for a change.

Supper was absolutely delicious and we devoured nearly all of the roast as several plates were sent home with the party that is always late for any meal. After the cleanup we got out a huge tub of old pictures that we haven't looked through in years and started to laugh and share stories about the circumstances of many of the photos. We even threw or culled out a few photos which caused some bad memories and some that caused heartaches. We noticed lots anatomical changes to some in the old photos as some very close resemblances of some who were just babes then to some who are babes now. It was a fun time and many pics were taken home to add to collection for later viewing . We only got through maybe a third of this trunk which we will save for viewing another day.

Folks started leaving around 9 as it was a school night and Bobby had a long drive home by himself as his kiddos were with their mother which he gave up despite it being his weekend to have them. Betsy and Braden left and then GG and Eric as well as the Ross Family and then all of a sudden it got quiet in the house and then my two molars seemed to want to act up. Wow did they ever change my attitude about the root canals and today I'm making an appointment to have them done despite the costs and the ability of the pain meds to control them at times. Last night was not one of those times and I had to finally get into the prescription pain meds to finally get some relief after midnight. My jaw felt like the abscess was back. I wish I knew what is going on with my jaw and these two molars.

I awakened sometime after 2 AM with the pain finally gone as the big pain killers must have kicked in and so far this AM I'm pain free but I've had it with hoping the body or the teeth would settle down and be normal again. I've been going 12-15 hours in between taking 800 milligrams of ibuprofen since the original prep was done a week ago Wednesday and I truly thought as well as did my regular dentist the teeth would settle down but not last night after the supper. I was once again in mortal pain and decided since last week we couldn't decide which of the molars was the culprit to just do both of them this week. I've had it with mouth pain, oh well. That's the way the day ended for me after a fantastic meal with the family and some great laughter from photos and remembering the days of old, LATER  

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday turned out to be a nice day despite the heat however the humidity was rather low so it made for a great beach day. Later in the evening we headed over to our old church in Seminole to remember and celebrate the life of Jessie(Carol Botbyl's mom),a neighbor and friend who passed on this week at the young age of 86. The memorial service was fitting to her life as a believer, a great grandmother, grand mother and mother. We know she is in a much better place with good health for a change. There were several members from Element Church in Tampa who attended as well to honor Carol and Dan and her memory.

We started the day out with a somewhat later than 6'ish roll out, but not much as my internal alarm is very active. After my usual morning routines with a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast we headed out to Redington Shores for some beach time. The water was just perfect for swimming and I got in a good long swim as well as a good mile walk in the surf. This past week has been great for adding a few pounds with all the cooking for GG and Eric as well as large lunches and eating out and the scales proved that point. I must cut back after this evenings mothers day feast of pork roast and all the trimmings, Yikes, I'm up 4 pounds in a week and I only missed one day of workout. I did get in a little yard work after a lite lunch.

Amy, Tyler and the kiddos joined us at the beach for our last hour and little Eliza Faye was so cute. We also saw Dan who brought his 4 grandsons who were full of energy. The weather was perfect and we worked on our tans as well. We only have two more Saturdays to soak up the sand and sunshine at this beautiful beach before we see our beautiful leafed out mountains and all of the greenery. I'm so looking forward to the flower and vegetable gardens and the the beauty of the mountains as well as the healthy produce from the veggies. The smell of fresh cut grass is so endearing and brings back such fond memories.

Well that was about it for the day as we got back from the service at SFBC around 7:30. I must say we were pleasant surprised to see the upgrades to the building which were long overdue; however I wonder if maybe that kind of capital expense couldn't have been used in a more humanitarian way but who am I to judge. There were some much needed improvements no doubt as the building we started gathering in was much the same for 30 plus years, oh well!

I tuned into the Ray's game when we got home and they won big again over the Texas Rangers 7-2 and the Lightning lost another game in Montreal 2-1. They will come back to Tampa for the 5th game on Tuesday after having a 3 game lead in the best of 7 game series. Well today is the gathering in Tampa at Element Church and we only have 2 more Sundays before we join up with our mountain church family at Cornerstone in Sparta, N.C. Remember to praise GOD not only today but everyday and lift up out nation that is being transformed from within by those who now want to make what was wrong, right, the fact there are those who are changing our culture by political edicts to limit our freedoms and rights and to make this country subservient to a radical ideology and religion called Islam that will cut off your head if you fail to acquiesce to their philosophy. We who love our nation and our families must be vigilant to those who will destroy our way of life as we now know it, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was one of those great family get together days after my usual 6 ish start. I rolled out after a good nights sleep which meant those two molars have settled down once again through out the night. After a few quiet moments and a lite breakfast I headed out to the rec on my bike for 2 hours of pickle ball. We had just one court in action for the morning with 6 players but the action was continuous and we all had wet shirts by 10 AM. The library was closed for the day so I headed home to water the seedlings and pick what was probably the last of the teardrop salad tomato's.

Nancy was at the rec finally getting to do a workout as she has been busy with her mom's circumstances as well as watching Eliza Faye while Amy got in a couple of her appointments. We are getting close to our departure date of the 28th for the cabin so everyone is getting in some last minute appointments. Eric will be here for another week so that is a big help in running GG around to hair and doctors appointments. They came for a lunch of bacon, egg, and onion sandwiches with my home grown tomatoes and wow were they ever tasty. This has always been one of GG's signature lunches over the past 36 years I have been in the family and she still knows how to bring the flavors together. Amy brought Ava, Sam and Eliza as Ava had an upset tummy at school. She wasn't quite herself and they didn't stay long after we ate. Little Eliza did crawl up on my lap for awhile to watch her favorite video on the laptop before they all headed for home.

After everyone left Nancy made Ms. Jessie's favorite cookie recipe for the memorial service being held Saturday evening at our old church in Seminole, where we all attended before Element Church was started in Tampa. The Botbyl's have family from out of town staying with them as they plan and prepare for all of the activity that has surrounded her passing and the planning of this evening service.

We met up with the Ross Family at Bone Fish Grille at Tyrone Mall for a sumptuous meal along with GG and Eric. Wow did we ever have a very tasty meal with all having different entree's from bang bang shrimps, coconut shrimps, rainbow trout, Arctic Char, Ahai tuna, fish and chips to Thai shrimp and pasta, Yikes was it ever tasty and we had a great waiter as well. The kiddos did super and ate great all except for little Ava who was eating bland due to her prior upset tummy with just plain rice. We headed to GG's afterwards and got into a hotly contested game of Spades where the guys(Eric and I) whupped the gals(Nancy and GG) big time. There was some complaints to my score keeping initially but at the end the score was like plus 475 to minus 15 as the guys won. Nancy tried to go nil at the end for a quick 100 points but GG played right into our trap, oh well it was nearly my bedtime when we left some time after 10 o'clock. We did get to watch the Ray's put a whupping on the Rangers from Texas big time at the Trop. Tonight the Lightning play what we hope will be their last game against the Canadians so they can get ready for another play off round in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

Well that was about if for the day and I must say GG is doing so much better with her health issues. It's almost like she has regained her strong health and composure back to where she was before all of these issues began occurring a few months back. We are starting to feel much better leaving in a couple weeks and then when Amy and Tyler go on vacation from the area in June she is planning on going to Eric's until Amy gets back. Amy looks after GG and runs her to many of her appointments plus they have lunch nearly every day and have her many evenings for supper. Amy and her pal around and are good for each other as she gets to be with her great grand children almost daily.  GG has new hand holds for her shower as well as had a hand held shower head installed to make it easier for her to bath while sitting down. She now has a lift chair to assist her as well but she so far has refused to use it as she refuses to believe she will need it. I do see some similarities that started with Wilfred(Nancy's dad) and GG and their head strong ways with facing advanced age, oh well it's sometimes frustrating for us but hopefully we can frustrate our kids at some point we before we all pass on, LATER