Sunday Afternoon

Well Saturday was a busy day that started with me at the Rec. for some pickle ball at my usual 8'ish time then we got ready for the evening crowd an another family supper. I watched the Ray's lose to the Jay's in base ball after winning big on Friday night.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish rollout to start the dy. I had my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then spend a few quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving and prayer while lifting up those I know who need some divine intervention for comfort and healing. Afterwards I got ready to head out on my bike to the rec for two hours of pickle ball. We had a good turnout and I left with a wet shirt around 10'ish.

Nancy still had the two youngest Ross grand kiddos at the house as we awaited Amy and Tyler to pick them up from their overnight sleep with us. Ava had 5 other girls for a sleep over at her house and they never slept much; at least Sam and Eliza slept all night. After they left sometime around 11 I got busy helping Nancy with the cleaning chores for the evening family supper. I grilled chicken once again and Nancy made parsley tatters, Amy brought broccoli and cauliflower and of course we had a huge fresh garden salad and crusty bread. Amy also brought two frozen Marie Callendar pies; one banana cream and the other coconut custard, yeow where they ever tasty. I also had made a guacamole for starters while we had some fruit of the vine. Eric, Betsy, Arianne, Errol, GG and the Ross Family were all here.

They stayed until nearly 9 o'lock then all headed out as we or I had an early date with Bridgepoint to help with unloading the truck and trailer at 6 AM. It wasn't long after a hot shower I was ready for some horizontal lab, LATER  

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was anything but normal or routine after about 9:30 in the morning as I got a call while playing pickle ball to come home as Nancy had an accident( not as in a car or truck crash) but with her foot and specifically with her little toe. Yikes it was standing at a 90 degree to the rest of her foot so it was off to see the doctor and then to see a foot doctor which luckily her doctor got her in as the last patient. Yeow was it ever broken and he was able to shoot the foot up with a numbing agent and reset the toe and then wrap it. It was close to two before we got back to the house and then Eric was bringing GG home from the hospital and they stopped by so he could have some lunch.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6'ish rollout and then to my morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then spent some quiet time with my Creator before getting ready to ride out to the Rec. for what I thought would be a two hour workout. Well as was mention earlier that changed around 9: 30 with a call from Nancy.

After lunch I settled into my book for a couple hours before Eliza and Sam came for the rest of the evening and night. I grilled a fresh chicken for our supper and along with macaroni for the kids and some collards. Later I popped them some corn and then they settled into watching a movie after their baths. I hit the shower myself after they went to bed and then read and watched the Rays come behind to win big in Toronto until 10:30, it was lights out for me then, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was about as null and void as possible as I read the afternoon and late morning away after two hours of pickle ball. Nancy was at the hospital all day with her mom and brother Eric so I knocked out 400 pages of a 800 plus book, yeow what a fantastic read titled 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I post this ramble. I then spent a few quiet moments with my Creator lifting up those I know for comfort and healing before I did my morning checks on the internet with the mountain weather and obit's in Winchester. Afterwards I got ready to ride out to the rec. on my bike while I munched on an apple for breakfast. We had two courts in action and I never sat down for the next two hour as the play wasn't quite the caliber of an A player but pretty darn close. Some of these B players are doing quite well especially the young players who are 50 years my junior.

I headed home and hand watered the gardens before vegetating in the reading room. Bobby came back and had a quick lunch with me in between one of his jobs and then I was alone until 5:30 when Nancy and Eric came by for supper. I grilled salmon fillets and we had a fresh salad along with the last of the collards greens. Eric said he loved them so much I will put another pot on for our supper when GG, Eric, Sam and Eliza Faye all come for supper this evening as well and then the kiddos will spent the night as Ava has a sleep over with some of her classmates. Eric and Nancy took off after supper and went back to the hospital to visit GG and they got back some close to 10. I was in the shower and then read and watched a little NHL out of the corner of my eye but this book is so addicting. I  sure miss O'Reilly and "the Spin stops here" show on FOX. I'm hoping FOX suffers in the pocketbook for allowing the left to dictate what we the viewers want to see and hear and that is the truth about how the country is ruined by the left leaning wackos and liberals with no one to call them out except Bill. Hopefully Tucker Carlson and Hannity will step up but they just aren't up to Bill's caliber as of yet, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well we had a shake up around here after I got home from pickle ball around 10:30 or so when GG  (Nancy's mom) called from the hospital. She told me she felt faint around 6 AM and then passed out only to find the life alert necklace she wore was calling her and they in turn dispatched an ambulance and transported her to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. The rest of the day and evening was going there and then picking up Eric(Nancy's older brother) at the airport and bringing him back here for supper.

The day started much the usual with with a before 6'ish roll out. I did my routines with the cup of tea and turmeric while I posted this ramble and spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and prayers for those I know and love. I then headed out around 8'ish for the ride on my bike to the Rec for two hours of pickle ball. We have a couple new players that are moving close to the A range but they are college student and young which helps immensely with their status. They soon will be a steady A player. I got a great workout and left with a wet shirt. I stopped off at the library for a book I had on order.

This new read is by Stephen King title 11/22/63, yeow and what a great read it is so far. I've read over 100 pages as I had the afternoon alone since Nancy was at the hospital since around noon until 5'ish. Amy and Bobby both have read the book but I never heard of it. It does have over 800 pages but right now I'm wishing it had double that many as it's that good of a read. That day was infamous in history with the assassination of JFK and I know exactly what I was doing when I heard the news; pumping gas at Cather's Farm Market near Winchester, Va. Gas was 19.9 a gallon for regular at the ESSO station, oh well how that day still is so vivant in our memory.

We had leftovers for our supper which was a fresh garden salad and mac and cheese from Amy's te other night. We were scheduled to pick up Eric in Tampa after his flight from Detroit around 8'ish which was a few minutes early but forever for him to get to the pickup point. You no longer can park and wait on someone unless they are curbside. We got back to to GG's so he could get her car then he and Nancy came to the house so he could have some supper. I watched the Ray's battle from behind to tie the game and go into extra innings when I cut the lights out at 10, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday had some different occasions with a supper out to an eatery in the evening as we actually celebrated Ava's 10th birthday on the date and I took GG to have her hearing test done in St.Petersburg; everything else was much the standard routines except Bobby popped in for a quick lunch while he was working in our county.

The day started much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out. I had my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then spent some time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up by name those I know who are hurting or need of some divine intervention. Afterwards I checked the weather at the cabin and then the obituaries in my home town which seems kind of morbid to say the least. So many of my classmates have passed the last couple of years and I'm worried they may be adding my name to the paper. I have loss several USAF buddies that I flew with the last year or so as well to that nasty Agent Orange crap that was used in Vietnam to defoliate the trees and bushes. I'm worried this small basal cell carcinoma on my leg may be the start for my demise as well. I've been using the home remedy and it has reduced the size of the irritation to about the size of an eraser head so far after about 4 days. Hopefully it will eliminate it all together.

I got ready and rode out to the Rec. on my bike around 8'ish for two full hours of pickle ball. We have a couple of really good B players who will move up to the A class with more playing experience so I got a good workout and left with a wet shirt shirt around 10'ish. The A players are somewhat nasty when it comes to belittling themselves to play with the B's but so what in my book and I don't miss their attitudes. I'm there for the exercise and the thrill of having fun while exercising; if not I could always go into the boring weight room and do the treadmill like Nancy does. No wonder she can hardly wait to hike the mountain instead of walking on that contraption.

We had leftover pasta fasoule soup for lunch when everyone came including Bobby. Afterwards I took GG to St.Pete for a hearing test and to have her aids tweaked. The doctor mentioned to her that she had lost more hearing and that her aids were about at the stage they longer were as good as they were 5 years ago. They have new technology which would help with her hearing as well and the cost would be around 3 grand after her insurance payment. I told her to go ahead and get them and enjoy her final years with good hearing as she is always saying "what" whenever you speak to her. I'm not sure if that is out of habit or lack of hearing.

We headed out to Jade's Bistro for supper as per Ava's request but when we arrived they were closed due to a family emergency sign that was posted on the door and along with several other strip store businesses owned by the same family so we went to another Asian eatery near GG's house where we have eaten take out several times. It was very good and plentiful. We dropped GG off at her house afterwards and then headed home to watch the Ray's hold onto a win in Baltimore against the Orioles. It wasn't long after a hot shower I was ready for some horizontal lab with lights out at 10'ish, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was much the mundane day with everything being usual except we invited the Botbyl's down at the last minute to help with eating a huge pot of pasta fasoule soup that Nancy made from the Easter Sunday ham bone which she had frozen. I did speak with Paw Paw and he sounded much like his old self as Dee his youngest daughter was there for a visit.

The day started with my usual 6'ish or a little before roll out. I did my morning cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric but now I've added one more routine to the routine and that is a couple table spoons of apple cider vinegar with some orange juice to the daily regiment which I use to wash down my handful of Nutrilite vitamins and supplements which at present represent 10 individual items in one swallow. Since I've been using the vinegar and egg plant poultice on my leg to combat the basal cell carcinoma I decided to start using the vinegar internally as well. Oh well who know what the good effects really are but I once used vinegar daily for many years but have gotten lazy here lately so what a good time to get back on that regiment.

I headed out to the Rec. around 8'ish on my bike and since there are few A players left I've decided to stay the whole two hours for good workout. I did manage a wet shirt by the time I left at 10. Most of the really good A's don't like playing with the B players and its a shame they feel that way but since this is a public Rec. there really isn't much they can do except stay away and pay to play some where else. The majority have gone back up north for the summer. I enjoy the workout and helping the B's become A's as many of them have over the years. We now have a couple of young players in their 20's who have picked up the love of the game and their quickness is very challenging even for some of the A's.

I stopped off at the library to return some reads and then headed home to hand water the gardens. Nancy took off for the Rec. for her workout on the treadmill and I piddled around the house until lunch time. Amy brought some leftover pizza and along with a fresh garden garden the lunch was tasty. After Amy and Eliza left to pick up Ava and Sam from school Nancy ran errands with GG. She had the pot of soup cooking and the smell permeated the house. The pot grew so Nancy decided to invite Dan and Carol who had no plans for supper and we enjoyed the meal together. After the clean up we all took off on a nice walk around the neighborhood as the temps had dropped considerably. It was a great evening to be outside and the breeze had a bit of a chill. I set the sprinkler on the front yard for a couple hours as we settled into the Ray's game.

Once again the Ray's had a 3 run lead but lost the game with some poor pitching in the end to the division leader Orioles, oh well. Rain delayed the game in the 8th inning but I cut the lights off at 10, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday started very early for me with a 5 o'clock wake up as I wanted to be at the Rec. to help with the unload of the huge truck and trailer as we are a "church in a truck" so to speak. I was the third man there to help and eventually more arrived within minutes. We had the vehicles unloaded and the large roll on cases distributed to the proper areas in no time and with in an hour and half we could hear music from the auditorium for sound checks. We had 75 volunteers or so throughout the course of the morning and our first service had 117 new folks which was down from the 311 on Easter Sunday but still a good showing and the second service had 108 folks and these were not counting the kids (fifth grade to babies)which was some where around 60 for both services.

After the second service we headed home around 12:30 and met up with our Cool Peoples Club at the Botbyl home for burgers, slaw, chips and dips. We settled into the Ray's game and then the girls wanted to watch a movie so the guys came down to our house to finish watching the game which saw the Ray's blow a 4 run lead and lose the game. Yikes, the bats were working in the first inning but nothing after that, oh well we are still at .500 ball and not the worst team in our division. Nancy had made a decant dessert of chocolate pudding with Oreo cookie crust and whipped cream and we had a generous helping around 3'ish. That held me for the rest of the day while everyone else had a lite supper of salad and dips around 6'ish. We got into a raucous game of Sequence around 4'ish after their movie and the boys smoked the girls 5-2 once again.

Everyone left soon thereafter around 7'ish and we decided to meet for lunch on the beach this Friday. The Tracy's headed back to the Dade City area which is about an hour north of us. The Botbyl's and us decided to take an evening walk through the hood and got in some exercise. It was a beautiful evening with a nice breeze despite the the temps in the 80's. It was a great day of helping folks be comfortable and getting closer to GOD. We did lots of hugs, handshakes and tried to make everyone feel welcome in our second service. We have met so many nice folks in our volunteers on this launch team and are looking forward to serving with them and getting into life groups or as some call it "community", LATER

Sunday Morning at 5:15

I'm up early as I get ready to ride out to the Rec. to help with setting up our Bridgepoint Church campus. The huge truck gets there at 6 and I'm just a few minutes away by a bike ride so I will give you a modified version of Saturdays activities.

It started much the the usual  6'ish roll out some quiet time before we got ready to head to Brandon for Gabe's ball game. We had Ava and Sam with us as they were getting together for the weekend due to it being Ava's birthday. I dropped the girls off at Einsteins in Tampa to meet up with Katie and Annsley before Sam and I went on to the ball field. Gabe's team lost to the number one team who are good fielders but they played tough throughout the game. Afterwards we all went back to Bobby's while I went for lunch at Chick filet. We stayed until nearly 2'ish before heading back to Seminole then rested until it was time time to pick up GG and head to Amy's for a family birthday supper.

Tyler had smoked chickens and along with mac and cheese, baked beans and a salad the meal was delicious. We also had cobbler as per Ava's request instead of a cake for dessert. She had a great time with Ansley and they where best buds as were Sam and Gabe. The evening was topped off with a win by the Ray's on a hard fought game over Houston and it was after 9 when we took GG home, LATER  

Saturday Morning

Well Friday started much the usual with a 6'ish rollout despite the fact I wasn't playing pickle ball at 8; but instead we were attending Keswick School elementary concert where two of our grand kiddos attend and participated in the singing. That lasted until a little after 10 so I missed the activity at the Rec. oh well.

I did my usual morning routines that started with the cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator lifting up several for comfort and healing by name. Afterwards I did the social media checks and then got ready ready to head out around 9:30. The concert was well done with a mixture of band and chorus singing and every class from kindergarten through 5th grade participated. Nancy dropped me off at home afterwards while she headed for her Friday Bible Class. I read the rest of the morning and then mostly throughout the afternoon.

I checked on the basal cell carcinoma for home treatment and found an interesting one since I can't get in to see a dermatologist until the end of May. It reports the use of apple cider vinegar and egg plant will heal the skin abrasion in a couple of weeks and to to keep the area closed to sunlight. I just happen to be growing egg plant so I picked a small one and took a small piece of the skin and along with daubing the area with vinegar placed a band aid with the egg plant skin in it. I kept that attacked to the area all day and then again after a shower over night. I'm curious to see if this home remedy works. Even if it does I will still see the dermatologist but I have over a month until then. I only wish I had started this treatment months ago when I first got this irritation on my leg, oh well.

We had a large lunch crowd as Bobby came just before Nancy got home and then Amy, GG and Eliza came a few minutes later. Bobby ate and ran as he was very busy while in our area estimating homes for redo's. We had a couple of frozen doctored up pizzas along with a fresh garden salad for our lunch. Eliza was in her make believe world as she GG and Nancy played doll house until it was time to go pick up Ava and Sam from school. Nancy took her mom GG to the library and then home where she picked up a couple of folding chairs for the birthday supper this evening Amy's house for Ava.

We will take Ava and Sam with us this morning to Brandon to watch Gabe play baseball and then the kiddos will have the afternoon to play together before Bobby and Katie bring them back to Seminole for Ava's 10th birthday dinner and celebration. Looks like another day of delicious eating and family fun. I grilled salmon fillets for our supper along with grilled asparagus, yeow do those two ever complement one another.  I tuned into the Ray's baseball while I set and moved the water sprinkler after dark on the front yard. We are throughly dry here in central Florida with brush fires once again. The Rays were winning at one time but wound up losing in the later innings to the Astros, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was much the usual with nothing happening out of the ordinary. The weather is hot but not as humid as usual with still no rain. I did a bunch of hand watering both in the mid morning and late evening as there is a ban on sprinklers to just once a week except for hand watering and those of us who have wells.

The day started much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out. I had my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then I spent some quiet time with my Creator in humble thanksgiving and intercessory prayer for those who I know are hurting. Afterwards I got ready and rode out on my bike to the Rec. for a good hour and half workout with some good A players on the pickle ball court. I left whupped and with a wet shirt around 10.

I hand watered the gardens then spent the rest of the morning on the internet until lunch time when Amy, GG and Eliza Faye all came for lunch. Nancy was at her doctor for a consult on her lab reports which were all normal especially since she is on blood pressure, thyroid and cholesterol scripts, yeow. I pinch myself when I tell folks I'm on good eatin', great vitamins and supplements at my age. I have been using too many desserts lately so I'm going to miss the sugar this weekend when we have Ava's 10th birthday supper on Saturday and then our get together with the Kool Peoples Club on Sunday after church with the Botbyl's and Tracy's. I've been lax the past couple of weeks every since we went to Bethesda, Md. for Paw Paw's surgery. I put on a couple of pounds around the spare tire.

Speaking of Paw Paw I did talk with him today and he sounded good except I noticed he has loss his ability to remember time and its relationship to his whereabouts. He mentioned he had the replacement 5 days ago when its been nearly three weeks. He did say he was walking some but still using the wheelchair which I though was rather interesting instead of using the walker. Other than his lapse of time memory he sounded strong in his voice and wondered if we were in N.C. or Florida. That made me feel as though he was still in control of his thoughts of where I was. He didn't mention anything about going back to his old residence which has become a contentious idea with me as there is no bathroom on the first floor which means he would have to go up and down the stairs constantly. The idea he would fall again is out of the question but the last time I saw him he was adamant he was going back there. I sure hope the girls refuse to give in to that idea but that is there decision. If he gets to where he can walk without a walker he should sell that place and get a small one story flat and enjoy the rest of his years without the fear of climbing steps to use the bathroom.

Well The Ray's came from behind to win in the last inning on Wednesday and then blew out the Tigers on Thursday afternoon with and 8-1 win. At times they play and hit like world champions and other times like amateurs. They have won more than they have loss at present. I was really thrilled I got to go to a game this week with grandson Sam, Tyler and neighbor Dan. It was fun and the tickets which were usually 40 bucks where free which made it even better. Once a week or so the Ray's give free tickets to the military, veterans and law enforcement. I qualify on both fronts which has been an honor to serve my country and now the Ray's are honoring that with free seats which were very good seats.

Well we loss our spokesperson for the conservatives who want the real unbiased news in Bill O'Reilly being fired from FOX. I think they have made a mistake and I'm hoping they pay for this mistake in loss of revenue. Bill was right on about most things and he knew how to report the facts about the liberals and the elitist. While he never took sides politically he was an advocate for the truth and those who hated him for it decided to get rid of the messenger instead of the message by using sexual harassment as the cause to do so. It's a shame it has come down to this in our society but that happens when we have this new generation of snowflakes who want everything handed to them without being held accountable. The fact that Trump won over their Hillary has them in total disarray so now its how to destroy people personally with false accusations and innuendo and the new owners of FOX have fallen for this as well, so long FOX as I will watch to some degree but the likes of Shepard Smith and now this action has left a bad taste in my mouth for this network, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday was much the usual with nothing out of the ordinary except for taking GG(Nancy's mom) on some errands after lunch. The day was another rain less warm day but the humidity wasn't too bad. I did some pickle ball, worked in the garden and then after supper I hand watered the front yard until it was close to 8.

The day started with a 6'ish roll out to my usual morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble. I then spent so time with my Creator in thanksgiving for another day and lifting up several by name before checking the social media and then getting ready to ride out to the Rec. on my bike for nearly two hours of play. We had an old female visitor from up north who was here last year and she is a good A player. We teamed up against the two better male players and whupped them several times over the course of the morning. She is very good and a few years younger and we kicked butt all morning. A few of the male A players do not like to play against females but we settled that score when we shut them out for most of the morning. I left with a wet shirt and bushed by 10 ish. I made a quick stop at the library for a new read by Lee Child before heading home to hand water the gardens.

I harvested a nice ness of collards for a neighbor then decided to cook up a mess for ourselves for supper. We were having GG and she likes collards as well and they were so good. They continue to produce despite the heat and are so healthy looking. The sweet onions are finally starting to bulb out and I noticed the Rosemary cutting are showing some green which means they are rooting. I want to take one with me in June for my summer garden along with the Thyme and Thai basil from cutting as well; all of which I want to transplant in June.


Bobby, GG, Amy and Eliza all came for lunch and we had ham salad sandwiches on fresh bakery rolls, yeow where they ever delicious. After lunch I settled into reading and then when Amy left to pick up Ava and Sam I took GG to run her errands. The vacuum cleaner wasn't working properly and it was because the belt had broken so we got a new belt at the Oreck Store and then we headed to the tag agency to pick up a new tag as hers expires the end of the month. Seems they don't always mail you a renewal and I noticed last time we had the car the tag expired this month. We took care of those issues and then headed home as GG was eating supper with us. We had a glass of vino before supper while I grilled pork chops which went with collards and yellow rice. The supper was delicious to say the least and then after the cleanup I headed out to hand water while Nancy took GG home.

I learned that Fox cancelled Bill O'reilly as several female filed complaints against him and I'm not sure if I believe they are true. He was and is quite a figure for conservative America and the liberals and the left hated him and so because he was successful I'm sure many took advantage of his wealth with their false allegations, oh well. I will miss him and the "spin stops here" show which highlighted many who hates the American ideals and dreams. He gave fair and balanced commentary throughout his career and came from a working class family who desired to see the ideals we once observed become prevalent again. He was for the working class man and opposed the ideals of the welfare state while staying apolitical. I will miss him and his down right straight forwardness.

Well the Ray's were leading 5-1 when suddenly they gave up some walks on some questionable umpiring and when I shut the lights out at 10'ish they were losing by 2, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well I must say Tuesday evening found me doing something I hadn't done in years and that was watching the Tampa Bay Ray's play baseball at the Tropicana Field in St.Pete with my oldest grandson Sam, his dad Tyler and neighbor Dan and the Ray's beat the division leader Detroit Tigers 5-1. Great game and we had the best seats in the house at club box level behind home plate.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out and then my routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble. Afterwards I spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several I know and love then I got ready to ride out to the Rec. for a good nearly two hour workout on the pickle ball court with 3 other A players. I was whupped by 10'ish and then rode home to hand water the gardens and harvest some lettuces. I was surprised this last batch of lettuces have matured because of the heat which usually kills everything by April but since we've had a few rather moderate temp weeks the garden is still thriving except for the plants that were planted last November.

I cleaned and then spun the lettuces to get the water out and made a huge salad as well as bagged a bunch for sandwiches and to add to the salad bowl throughout the week. I have another half dozen egg plants showing signs of maturing at different stages and I picked the first of my Asian hot peppers for the fajitas for supper which we pulled with Amy's family as we were going to the ball game. Tyler called me and said he had 4 free game tickets that were given to him by a co-worker in the early afternoon so we changed plans so we could go and see the game. We all had our Ray's shirts on and Sam was so cute.

It was after 11 before we got back to the house as the game was over three hours long. We saw a couple of home runs and some good pitching by the Ray's as well. The inside stadium is a very nice venue and so comfortable with no sweating, mosquitoes and great seats and I'm at a loss the Ray's want a new place to play outside in this Florida heat and humidity and with rain showers at times. Although we could surely need some rain as well now. There was a good crowd and lots of Detroit fans in their shirts and ball caps but it wasn't sold out either so I'm not sure spending lots of money would garner enough fans to make it worth the change in a new venue, LATER

Here are a few pics that I took yesterday of my beautiful orchids our "mountain mom" left with me several years ago when she moved permanently to N.C. The fern was hers also. The Confederate Jasmine is so awesome in smell as well as we have one on the front porch as well as here on the back fence.

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was another warm day with lots of bright sunshine and blue skies but still no wet rain as we are very dry. The shallow well is still producing water so the garden is surviving. I was still somewhat in a funk after the long day on Sunday but was exhilarated from the results of the turnout for the opening service at the Rec. for Bridgepoint Church.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my usual morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble. I then spent a few moments with my Creator in humble thanksgiving and prayer for those I know who need some divine intervention while in their need for healing and comfort. Just an up date on Paw Paw who seems to be doing better and is walking with a walker basically pain free now that the broken hip has been replaced. It's amazing at his age he is doing so well physically.

I got ready around 8 and headed out to the Rec. on my bike for a good hour and half workout on the pickle ball court. Most of the A players are gone now except for a couple who only play a couple times a week but I had a good workout with the B players and did some coaching along the way. Pickle ball is a team sport but can also be an individual sport when attempting to improve your game with specific shots. I enjoy making shots while at the same time keeping the rallies long and helping others to improve on their game thus I get the wet shirt from a good workout and whether I win or not makes no difference to me. I love the endorphins that come from a good cardio workout.

I made a quick stop at the library to drop off some books before heading home to hand water the gardens. Nancy was getting ready to walk up to the Rec. for her workout so I piddled around in the garden. I noticed two more white orchids had opened up and they are so beautiful. I need to take some pics and add them to this ramble. Nancy has been remiss in her picture taking with the camera as she uses the Ipad instead of which I can't add to my blog, oh well. The orchids are just gorgeous and have such a delicious smell as well. I have a couple of more buds to open and will have a total of 8 so far that I have found. I started with one plant and have separated it several times giving away to lots of folks this beautiful plant which takes no effort to care for. It's an air plant and once a year I may give it a shot of miracle grow or hit it with the water hose but thats it.

Amy and Eliza came for lunch and then I settled into the reading room for the next couple of hours during the hottest part of the day. By late afternoon the sea breeze made it very nice to be outside so after a light supper of leftovers I headed out to pull weeds and hand water the gardens and the front yards. I did notice a little green starting to show in the once brown grass in the front yard. I did set the sprinkler a couple times last week but with the drought and the huge oak the grass has stayed brown and dead. I worked outside until nearly 8 then headed in to watch the Fox Cable news. It wasn't long until it was shower time and then some NHL playoffs. I'm not as interested since the Lightning never made the playoff's but did watch a couple of games until they went into overtime. It was lights out for me and some horizontal lab around 10'ish, LATER Here are a few pics of the orchids, Stag horn Fern and Jasmine.

Monday Morning

Well Sunday was a very busy day high lighted with it being Easter and with the first service open to the public in our inaugural campus church at the Rec. center in Seminole. I along with several volunteers met at the facility a little before 6 to unload the truck and trailer and help with setting up. This is a big job and luckily we have very dedicated folks with expertise in so many fields especially the sound and sound areas.  We fill the auditorium with standing room only for the first service and then nearly to capacity on the second service. We counted the attendance at 305 for the first and I didn't hear what the count was for the second service but nearly every seat was taken excluding all of the volunteers which numbered closed to a hundred. We registered over a 100 kids for Kidspoint plus I did notice a few kids who went into the the service with their parents who didn't register. What a successful opening Sunday and the message was awesome as we try to help folks get closer to GOD.

We left the facility around 12:30 as I had been there since before 6. I didn't stay for the total breakdown and packing of the truck and trailer. We did stay and clean the auditorium before heading to the Botbyl's for a delicious lunch the Tracy's had prepared for us. They spent the night and came to the second service and they too were amazed at the turnout and reception the church received on its first Sunday. It was awesome and we were energized to say the least. We too have made some great new friends and community as well. Scotty our campus pastor was awesome and led by serving as well as did all of us.

We had a delicious lunch of Mexican food then headed down to the house to get ready for the family dinner which included Amy's family, Bobby and Katie, Betsy, GG and Braden. The Ross kiddos missed their cousins Annsley and Gabe but still had a grand time hunting Easter eggs in the back yard. The supper was delicious with baked ham, scalloped taters, green bean casserole and roasted carrots as well as salad along with crusty bread. We had artichoke and cheese dip to start the juices flowing along with some fruit of the vine and Amy made two delicious apple pies for dessert. There goes the spare tire again. It was going on 9 before everyone took off for home. I was whupped after such an early morning start and never sat down until we had lunch as we worked both services.

This was an Easter to remember and hopefully we made a difference in life changes for folks as we see hope once more with the resurgence of Christianity in our nation. The past 8 years has seen the upstart of the ideology which is seen in the terror groups and has now become so prevalent in our nation. Hopefully we can return to the hope that Jesus portrayed for mankind and the love of life and not the needless slaughter of folks who won't bow to their demands. How did we ever let those folks become so prevalent in our in society, LATER

Easter Sunday Morning at 5 AM

Well it early much like years ago when the women went to the tomb of Jesus looking to anoint his body but the tomb was empty which makes the difference in the life of a Believer. Jesus overcame death which can only happen if he is GOD and thus we Believers have that faith that after our bodies have given up life on earth we can have eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. What a beautiful story as its told in the Bible and gives most of us in America real hope that basically the country was founded on with this belief.

Well Saturday was a busy day that started with the belief we were going to Brandon to watch our grandson Gabe play ball with his team coached by his dad and our son Bobby. Well the mother of Gabe decided she didn't want Gabe to play ball so she decided since it was her weekend to have the kiddos he wasn't allowed to attend. Bobby called before we made the trip over and gave us the news so we didn't see either of the kiddos as Annsley also likes to attend Gabe's games. What a rotten thing to do on her part in denning her son to be a part of a team and play ball of which he loves.

We piddled around the house and then we got ready after to lunch to head out to a 2 o'clock service at the main campus in St.Pete to Bridgepoint Church. It was an awesome service with several hundred in attendance and then we came back around 5 to work the second service at 6. There was a family fun day open to everyone with barbecue, face painting and several games outside. The weather was beautiful and Pastor Tim gave an inspiring message. We met up with the Botbyl's and Tracy's afterwards at the Bonefish Grille which was just a few minutes away in Tyrone Mall for a delicious supper. The only bad part was eating so late at night. It was 9'ish before we got back to Seminole on a full stomach and then we had to get showers as we had the Tracy's spending the night.

Well this morning I'm heading out to the Rec. just as soon as I finish this post to help with setting up the "church in a truck" with our first service for our Seminole campus. We will do this every Sunday until we can find a permanent building in the Seminole area. It's unbelievable the amount of volunteers who have helped to get this campus started especially starting at 6 AM with the unload of all of the equipment necessary and then reloading once again after the last service which ends around 12:30. It will be a full day for many but oh so exciting with the chance to make a life change for someone. I'm sad to think that after June we will miss this weekly blessing of being an integral part of this campus as we head to the mountains. I remember back when Cornerstone did the same thing for months at the elementary school in Sparta before GOD blessed us with a permanent building.

We will have another family dinner this evening with all of Nancy family and our family except for Annsley and Gabe, LATER

  

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was another warm day but not nearly as humid with temps in the upper 80's with bright sunshine and NO rain. We need rain as the state is literally on fire with brush fires everywhere. I did a mixture of play with a great workout at the Forbes Rec. Center in Pinellas Park with several "A" pickle ball players for nearly two hours. The time slot is open on Mondays and Fridays for the very best players in the county and I'm thrilled I was invited to participate in the action. I left with a wet shirt and tired body but it was great to know I could play with guys so much younger than myself as I was the oldest player.

I headed down to Bay Pines VA for a blood draw as I was having my yearly consult as well as having a place on my leg that just wouldn't scab over looked at later in the day. My primary doctor was amazed at my labs and over all health and set me up with a dermatologist to have the sore looked at evaluated. She thinks its a basal cell carcinoma which is a common form of skin cancer and the biopsy which confirm that when I get in to see a specialist. I was thrilled with her assessment of my overall health and she was amazed I was on no prescriptions at my age. I think growing lots of my own veggies, good exercise and the grace of GOD has given me my health as well.

We ate light for lunch with a a bowl of soup and a sandwich before I headed out back to the VA for my consult. Afterwards I chilled for the rest of the afternoon reading and then while I grilled some salmon fillets I hand watered the gardens. The humidity seemed to have left during the evening hours and it became quite pleasant out. We settled into the Fox News until the Ray's game started a little after 7 and then watched them blow out the Red Sox's with a 10-1 score when I cut the lights out around 10'ish.

Today we head over to Brandon to watch grandson Gabe play baseball and Bobby manage the team. I'm not looking forward to the drive with such traffic congestion but hopefully with it being Easter Weekend most of the northerners have left or getting ready to leave the area and our roads will become less congested. The engineers who put together the interstate in Tampa have got to be the worst in the world as the backups are for miles long especially during rush hours. We will attend and work the evening service at Bridgepoint Church today then meet up with the Botbyl's and Tracy's for a late supper at the Bonefish Grille and then on Sunday we will work two services at the Rec. for our inaugural service at the Seminole campus, LATER

Friday Morning (Good Friday)

Well Thursday was another warm day with bright sunshine and lots of humidity but a nice breeze kept it pleasant outside for working until the mid afternoon. I got in a good workout at the Rec. on the pickle ball court and then made a stop at the library on the way home. We had a large lunch crowd which included Bobby who stopped by in between jobs.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out and my usual routines. I had a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric but then something happened which caused to me to spill the cup totally onto the computer desk and my lap. I leave a spoon in the cup to stir the turmeric while drinking but for some unexplained reason I caught the spoon with my hand and luckily moved the cup away from the lap top and onto my lap and onto the floor. Well let me say turmeric stains clothing and I had to soak my pants in a bucket of hot water with a strong detergent all day to finally get the stains out. What a mess at 6:15 in the early morning.

I now keep the cup on the side away from the lap top  and the desk. I did manage some quiet moments after the clean up, lifting up those who are hurting and in need of some divine healing as well as honoring my Creator in thanksgiving for my many blessings. Our dear friend Kimberly had stomach surgery on Monday after several delays and she is awaiting the results of the pathology. Paw Paw is progressing with his rehab and now today I go to the VA for more blood work and to have my yearly checkup before we head out to the cabin in May. I do have a sore on my leg that won't heal albeit's very small but annoying so I'll have the doctor's opinion as per Nancy's request.

I had a great hour and half workout at the Rec. before heading home with a wet shirt. I harvested more lettuces and cleaned them and made a huge bowl of lettuces and kale for the base of a salad. Nancy adds cucumbers, carrots, onions and tomatoes to the base before serving the salad along with a couple of frozen pizzas for lunch. I read the afternoon away after lunch and then we headed out to pick GG up from the hair dresser and take her home. Nancy needed to get her car as GG has another doctor's appointment the same time as I need the truck for my appointments. Luckily she has the spare car despite the fact she doesn't drive.

We spoke with our mountain mom briefly and spring has arrived in the mountains with warm temps up in the 70's. That's quite a change from last week when we saw snow flakes before leaving the cabin just a week ago. We are getting excited about the inaugural Easter service at the Rec. for our new church campus For Seminole. Hopefully it will be a success in helping folks get closer to God. Nancy and I will work both services as a greeter at the doors and then I will help with the set up that starts at 6 AM and then we have to have everything out of the REC. by around 1:30 or so. We will attend the Saturday 6 PM service at the main campus and serve as greeters there as well. It will be a busy weekend with a family supper here on Sunday and to watch the Ross kiddos hunt for Easter eggs. The Triplett kiddos won't be here as their mother will have them for the dinner time this year.

Well that was about it for the day except our military dropped the biggest non-nuclear bomb on the strong holds of the enemy in Afghanistan yesterday sending a clear message that our Potus is through with their unnecessary killings in that part of the world and that their days are numbered. Finally we will let our military annihilate these who terrorize in the name of their god, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday saw us with more hot and humid temps yet a breeze kept it comfortable especially during the late evening hours. I did get in some yard work after supper as it became quite comfortable outside. The morning found me at the Rec. for nearly two hours of pickle ball. I left whupped with a wet shirt and then had to pedal home.

I did get in some yard work and hand watered the back gardens. The tomato's are just about done for this season and the Swiss chard is gone as well. The kale, collards and lettuces are holding on for now but the high heat during the day requires two hand waterings and they soon will be gone as well. The few half runner beans are drying on the vine and I will shell them and use them for plantings at the cabin. I've noticed lots of earthworms in the garden when ever I did in the soil laced with oak leaves which is a fantastic sign. I have several bags of leaves waiting to be broken up for their digestion and eventually turned into soil and fertilizer. The veggies love the worms casings.

Amy and Eliza Faye came for lunch and then the girls took off to do some shopping so I watched Eliza. She of course wanted me to play doll house with her and after the girls got back Amy asked her if she liked playing doll house with me and she said "no". I hear her and Nancy playing together and I'm not quite the fantasy player those two are, oh well maybe that will keep me from the doll house. She did need a snack so I fulfilled that request. We ate some left over smoked chicken along with Brussel Sprouts for our supper and some canned beets and after the cleanup I headed out to pull weeds and hand water the front yards. It surely needs some work but mostly rain as the only green was basically weeds and I pulled lots of them out.

That was about it for the day as it was nearly 8:30 when we came in from outside. It was shower time and then some Fox News before some horizontal lab around 10'ish, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was another warm day with the ugly humidity facing us again which is usual here in sunny Florida. There was a nice breeze throughout the day which usually keeps if comfortable until early afternoon when it really becomes too hot and muggy to work outside. I caught up on some much missed reading after lunch while I had two stuffed chickens on the smoker for supper.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out which has become a normal pattern for me. I did my routines that started with a cup f hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then honored my Creator with a few minutes of quiet time lifting up those I know who are hurting and to give thanks for my blessings of which there are many most especially are my kids and grandkids and family. I spoke with Paw Paw and he sounded good and sister Dee was with him at the facility visiting when I called. Their weather has warmed up considerably as has the mountains. Last Friday we had snow flurries and today it was near 80 in Sparta and we saw where the low 90's was in Pennsylvania.

I got ready after posting this ramble to head out out to the Rec. for nearly two hours of pickle ball with 4 other A players. Wow did I ever have a workout and my shirt was soaked as well. I did stop off at the library briefly before pedaling home. Nancy was getting ready for our evening supper with the Botbyl's and Tracy's as well as lunch with the usual gang plus Bobby who was working over in our county. We had a good short visit with him while he ate a sandwich. His company is keeping him quite busy as now he is the only estimator for the houses they flip.

Amy, Eliza and GG stayed until nearly 2:30 and Eliza was quite charming and so funny with her make believe characters. She loves to play doll house with Nancy and shows so many different expressions. She is quite the thespian. After they left I checked on the "smoking chickens" with beer in the rear and added more applewood for the smokey flavor. I smoked them for 5 hours as they were huge and we will have plenty leftover for lunch today. Nancy had oven taters rolled in olive oil and coated with fresh rosemary and parsley and roasted in the oven along with a salad the Carol brought and a chocolate French silk pie that Kathryn brought. I had a pot of collards cooking all afternoon and they were delicious and fit in perfectly with the others dishes and the chicken; what a feed that turned out to be.

After the cleanup we settled into the game of Sequence and finally the girls won on the 5th game(3-2) after the whupping we gave them last time(5-1). It was a raucous game to say the least while we listened to some Alabama music. They all left around 9'ish as the Tracy's had an hour drive back to Dade City. We watched some of the Fox Cable Channel before I headed for the shower and then lights out a little after 10'ish, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was a mixture of exercise and fun on the pickle ball court and work in the garden and yards until dark. The heat and humidity is showing its ugly face once again so the a/c is back on after a beautiful morning with temps in the low 60's. The day got warmer as the bright sunshine enveloped the area and no rain in sight. We did make a Sam's Club run after the lunch crowd left for the day.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish roll out and once more to my usual morning routines that included my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble. I surely missed this daily occurrence while on the road last week. I spent some quiet moments with my Creator in humble thanksgiving and prayers for those who were hurting. I lost another fellow loadmaster from the 60's to death a week or so ago and with all of his health issues I feel Agent Orange contributed to his demise as we were exposed to that cruel chemical while carrying it aboard our aircraft and then once again being on the ground in Viet Nam. Joe was just 70 years young. Paw Paw is back from Walter Reed and in Consulate which is in Woodstock, Va. It's a nursing/rehab facility which will monitor his progress.

I headed off to the Rec for some hour and half workout on the pickle ball court. Many of the winter players have left for their northern homes. We still had enough players to fill two courts and I did get a good workout despite most of these players were B players. I've taught and coached many of them but pickle ball is like tennis in that you can play yourself to a certain extent with shot selection. I stopped off at the library for a new read on the Texarkana serial murders back in the 40's. Looks like a very good investigative reporting story and how unlocking the mystery that surrounded it for decades.

I picked a huge mess of lettuces and then cleaned it as well as got it ready for the salad bowl. Afterwards I headed back to the garden and uprooted the Swiss chard as the nematodes had taken over on their roots and caused them to wilt. I harvested more tomato's and peppers which just seem to never stop producing. I then hand watered until it was time for lunch. Amy, GG and Eliza came for a lunch of sandwiches and then I retired to the reading room for a couple hours until it was time to take GG home and make a Sam's run. We are having the Kool Peoples Club for supper on Tuesday so I'm doing "beer in the rear" smoked chickens for this occasion.

After a supper of fresh salad with a grilled chicken breast on top I headed out to finish up the yard work as the temps had begun to cool down. I fired up the edger and mower and did both yards and then set the sprinkler until nearly 9:30. The yards are so dry. Well it was shower time and then a little of the Fox Cable Channel before lights out at 10'ish, LATER

Monday Morning

Well after a couple of nights of good rest we were ready to get back into the rhythm of life in Florida for the next couple of months. We love to travel, meet new folks, worship in different venues with believers and of course eat local. Sunday morning found us with house guests after being one for nearly a week and we are in deed thankful for family.

We started the day with a 6'ish roll out as we were heading to the main church campus for a worship service and the last tune up before we go live in Seminole at the Rec. for the new campus of Bridgepoint Church. We are excited about how we can be an influence in making a difference in someone's life and even in the hope for that difference for their eternity. We had a great showing for the launch team and we are constantly making new friends as we have now become an integral part of that effort. It will take a lot of work each week as we are now a "church in a truck" with having to unload, set up and then break down and reload the truck each week with the equipment necessary to make the meeting a success.

After the service we met up with a new couple as well as the Botbyl's and Tracy's for lunch at Rib City which is just around the corner from the church. We got to know Dan and Donna who now live in Seminole and are part of the launch team. He is a former dentist and now both are retired as is all of our group including the now recently retired Dan Botbyl from Twill Auto. His daughter and son in law now run the business. We had a great tasty meal which held us the rest of the day except for some old fashion made pop corn around 6'ish. Nancy took her mom shopping in the afternoon and I vegetated watching the Ray's and the Lightning win their games and the final few holes in the Masters Golf play.

The weather has just been near perfect with cool mornings and no humidity. We have the windows and doors open during the day with the a/c off. I set the sprinkler on the gardens during the afternoon as rain fall is just at drought level. There are lots of brush fires in the county and surrounding areas. Well, that was about it for the day. I will head out to pickle ball this morning then get in some yard work as the weeds grow even when it doesn't rain. The trees are fully leafed out and the Confederate Jasmine is delicious in smell as it too blooms on the front porch and back yard fence, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday found us sleeping in until nearly 7 o'clock as we were both exhausted after the 3 AM roll out the day before. We got ready and did our morning routines that included some quiet time and then social media catchup as well as hand watering the gardens before heading out for Brandon. We had a 10:30 date to watch Gabe play ball who is coached by son Bobby. It was a bit nippy to start the day and the beautiful temps persisted through out.

Gabe got a couple of hits and his team came back from 4 runs down in the last innings to win only their third game. The boys were so excited to finally win a game. We headed over to Bobby and Katie's house to exchange Easter baskets with the kiddos as Bobby doesn't have them that weekend. They had another appointment in the early afternoon so we headed home. The traffic once again was heavy with a back up in the "malfunction junction" where I-4 intersects with I-275. There was some poor engineering going on when this road was designed, oh well; it was nothing like what we encountered last week in the D.C. area on I-66.

We had a quick lunch and then I washed the road grime and dirt from the truck while giving the front yard a drink at the same time. The grass is brown but since we had a rain a couple days ago I do see some green at the roots. The garden fared quite well and I picked some carrots, tomato's, kale and herbs. I gave the neighbor a mess of collards as they too have exploded with growth. I took a bag of herbs, kale and tomato's up to the Botbyl's as were were having supper together and then the Tracy's were spending the night with us. We ate and then played Sequence and the boys won big with a 5-1 shellacking over the gals and then we played Golf another card game and Nancy won with the lowest score. We settled into the last couple innings of the Ray's vs Jays game on TV and the Rays won in extra innings.

Well today we are back with our church family at Bridgepoint. We will serve as door greeters in the 9:30 service and then next Sunday we open up the new campus at Seminole to the public. We are excited for this too happen and the church has sent mailers out to all of the residents of Seminole. We are hoping to fill the auditorium as most folks honor Easter Sunday. Well its good to be back in Florida and we don't miss the cold temps as our temps here is normally hot and humid are now really very nice with no humidity and a cool breeze which has the highs in the low 70's. Perfect weather. Don't forget to worship somewhere today and lift up those who lead our nation especially our president who is fighting to drain the corruption that has so permeated our government in both political parties. I'm hoping he can get term limits for the congress and once more get those who represent us to represent us and not worry about re election and how much of a fortune that can amass while in office. It's shameful to see the corruption that Trump has exposed in the government and even to the office of president, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well after 2600 miles and 10 days of travel we are back at the Florida home front until May when we travel to New Orleans and then to the cabin for the summer.  I've missed this daily routine of posting this ramble but will be back at it now that we are settled in for awhile. I won't get to specific with the details of the past 10 days but an overview for anyone who is interested.

We took this trip because of Paw Paw(dad) who is near 90 was having a total hip replacement and we weren't sure if he would do alright at that age but it was a success and he was up walking the next day. We traveled to Bethesda Maryland which is so close to Washington, D.C. that traffic is a night mare for that area despite having a metro. I would go insane trying to drive those congested roads daily at all hours. Unbelievable the amount of traffic. Walter Reed Hospital is a magnificent and majestic facility which is now a military hospital run by the Navy. The staff was dressed in fatigues and very cordial. The food in the mess hall was very tasty and rather inexpensive and was open to anyone in the facility.

We spent a night with friends of sister Dee in Gaithersburg, Md which is about 18 miles from the hospital. Once again the traffic was horrendous for the area as the roads aren't built to accommodate such heavy volume. We had a great stay with these folks in a huge house with 5 bedrooms which they are putting on the market and moving out of the area now that he is retiring from the government. Maryland countryside was beautiful and except for the traffic I would consider living there.

We were spoiled by sister Dee and Mike as we had the run of their beautiful place in the farm country of the Shenandoah Valley. We did some site seeing along Route 11 and the old small towns like Woodstock which was built in 1752. Many of the original limestone building still stand and adorn the the roadway and areas of this beautiful valley surrounded by the blue mountains. The many working farms are just so picturesque along this old highway. We just love the area but it was cold, damp and windy for most of our stay except for when we first arrived. We ate "high on the hog"which is a country expression. We had some first meals and dishes which included a seafood boil of crab, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and another meal which included salmon, asparagus, peppers and squash wrapped in tin foil and cooked on the grill; all of these were delicious to say the least. We did of course eat out several times at various eateries  along with Mickey D's, so I added a few pounds to the spare tire during this trip. We even ate at a Shoney's buffet on the way back to the cabin on Thursday which was very tasty and was the first in about 30 years.

The cabin was very nice upon our arrival but that changed quickly as a front moved through which brought much needed rain. We had supper with some of our mountain friends in Sparta and got to visit our "mountain mom" Helen while there as well the next day we helped our good friend Kimberly who has some major medical issues. It turned damp and cold and we even saw some snow flurries before leaving after a one night's stay on Thursday. The trip back to Florida was very cold to start with temp's in the 30's and the strong wind gusts at times was evident on the truck. Speaking of the truck we broke the new F150 in and we got great milage along the way. The comfort of the seats was amazing for long distant travel. We did try to stop every hour and half to walk which makes for healthy living and the prevention of blood clots of which I had once several years ago. The trip was uneventful except for the high volume of traffic in the D.C. area and then again on I-75 in Florida, yikes where did all of these people come from?

Well usually it's so hot and humid in Florida this time of the year but it was in the low 70's and quite windy and dry. Amy and Tyler had watered my garden while we were gone and it did quite well. GG had us over for supper along with the Ross clan and we loved up on our grand kiddos and then again on Saturday(today) we will visit with the Triplett kiddos at Gabe's ball game in Brandon(another 100 mile round trip) oh well. We will be back at our church on Sunday and get ready for the opening day of our new campus in Seminole on Easter Sunday. We have missed our new church friends as well as our Cool Peoples Club couples. We will get together with them Saturday (today)evening for food and fellowship as well and one couple the Tracy's will spent the night with us as they live about an hour north of our area.

Well that's is about it for this ramble and so I will be back for my daily rambles as I've missed these early morning get togethers with you my readers. I've stayed away from the news but I must say our new president is once again putting America back into a position of regaining our credibility of standing up for the weak and oppressed and fighting those whose ideology is subservient to their religious fanaticism. We have gained a new supreme court justice who will honor the constitution which is above and beyond any form of government ever known to mankind. Our founders where right on when we gained our freedoms from the mother country and knew how to never become subservient to one persons rule ever again, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well the past couple of days found us in the metropolitan area of Washington D.C.  which includes Bethesda, Maryland and even as far north as Gaithersburg, Md.  Walter Reed Hospital is an active military facility operated by the Department of Navy and is not only a huge place for all personnel with military backgrounds on active duty but for veterans as well.

I'm going to give a brief synopsis of the past several days which found us in northern Virginia and in Maryland for an overnight stay with Dee's friends from Europe who opened up their gorgeous home for us for the night. We headed out on Sunday morning for the two hour ride to the hospital with Paw Paw on board. We had a nice lunch prior to checking him in at the facility and then we stayed with him until they processed the checking-in period and then he wanted to rest until we came back later in the evening for a visit. Josie and Pat his two older daughters met us there around 5'ish and we visited with him until we headed out to Gaithersburg for the night.

We met back up at the hospital later in the next morning as his surgery was scheduled for pre-op at 6'ish and would be the first operation on this Monday. He was in recovery until after lunch and then we all met up with him in his private room. We also met with the surgeon who was very informative and down right personal with his procedure and what he found. It seems the knob on the femur was completely broken which would be the cause of his pain and discomfort. He was satisfied that his operation would be a success and now Paw Paw has to abide by the rehab process. We were all thrilled with his prognosis.

We noticed a complete change in attitude with his knowing the procedure went smoothly and that he was no longer in pain; of course he was still under the influence of the nerve block so he felt none of previous pain. The medical staff was first class and very helpful and everyone was so friendly. We felt he was in the best care ever. Pat and Josie were spending another night in the area so we headed back to Woodstock. The traffic is unbelievable with 5 and 6 lanes congested for 20 miles or more. We plan to go to the hospital on Wednesday as Josie and Pat leave on Tuesday and then we are thinking he should be able to go back to the nursing home in Woodstock by the weekend.

Well that was about it for the past couple of days and we plan on leaving Thursday for the cabin and then back to Florida by the weekend or on Friday. I noticed the weather forecast is for snow and rain on Friday with the lows into the 30's. We are ready for some warm temps as it's been very chilly here in the valley with strong winds and periods of rain, LATER  

Saturday Morning

Well I'm back on the internet after being away for the past several days and we have traveled nearly 1200 miles. The cabin was cool when we arrived on Wednesday afternoon and we quickly opened up the place to let in the warm 65 degree temps while we turned on the the water and checked all of the faucets. We eventually turned on the two electric heaters that run on 110 power. After all of the air was purged from the pipes I turned on the water heater and it wasn't long until we had hot water. I should mention the new Ford F-150 truck did great on our trip north. We managed around 20 + miles per gallon and except for a low tire sensor we had a good ride and love the way the truck handled.

We met up with the Luffman's and Dalton at a local eatery for supper and caught up on all that's been a happening with them since we left in November. We headed home and soon decided since 3 AM had come so early that we would call it a night around 10'ish. I awakened early on Thursday and the the weather had done a 180 from Wednesday which saw me in shorts and a short sleeve shirt when we arrived but now the skies were foggy with a heavy drizzle and cool temps. We headed to town to have breakfast at a local eatery and then over to visit with our friend Kimberly who just got out of the hospital the day before in Elkin. Well she told us of her impending stomach surgery which is scheduled in about a week. She had a doctor's appointment in Sparta at 1PM so we drove her to the doctors then to the hospital for a blood draw before taking her out to lunch. Afterwards we took her home and then visited with our mountain mom Helen for an hour or so.

We got back to the cabin and saw out friend and neighbor Gerald who came by for a visit. Since we had eaten a late lunch we skipped supper and then once again hit the sack around 10'ish. We received some much needed rain overnight and at time so loud it wakened us throughout the night. We got up and left around 9 on Friday morning and after an uneventfully drive we got to sister Dee's house around 4'ish. We decided to head over to the place Paw Paw was staying for a visit. He seems in good spirits and was glad we had made the trip from Florida.

Dee had a pot of homemade vegetable soup which was perfect as the temps were in the high 40's with over cast skies. We had a delicious supper and by 10'ish I was ready for some horizontal lab after a hot shower. We slept in this morning until nearly 7'ish. Dee had made a delicious egg and sausage casserole along with a fruit salad for our breakfast. We decided to ride with them out to the landfill where we unloaded their trailer loaded with garbage and yard clippings. Afterwards we decided to take a ride up to Winchester and check on Paw Paw's house and then have lunch at Chick filet. We made a couple of stops on the way back to Woodstock where Paw Paw is staying. We visited with him then made arrangements for his travel to Bethesda Sunday morning. Dee and I will transport him to the hospital and then spend the night at a friend house near the hospital. We will stay at the hospital until he is out of surgery then make a decision on what course of action to take for the rest of the week.

Well we are having  a supper at Dee's this evening and then will watch some of the NCAA games before calling it a night. We have to pick up Paw Paw around 9 in the morning for the transport and then check him in at Walter Reed by 1 PM, LATER