Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a big hurry up and head over to Independence, Va. so Nancy could see a doctor about this poison oak or Ivy she contacted while helping our "mountain mom" Helen trim bushes last week. The rash has now spread over much of her body so she wanted a shot but instead got steriod pills which she has to take for about 10 days, oh well. They worked her in but it took close to and hour to get there by way of Sparta.

I started the day with my before 6 roll out to a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and a slice of fresh ginger root after my handful of vitamins and supplements made by Nutrilite and only distributed by Amway. I did my quiet time after posting this ramble and lifted up several by name and that included my newest old friend Richard from college. All is well as I've heard no difference in the status of any of the group except Joe our 91 year old friend is holding his own after lip surgery to remove some cancer.

We got to Independence around 9 and then headed over to Galax, Va. for some breakfast at Mickey D's around 10'ish then shopped at WalMart before heading over to Lowes for new potted perennials for the flower beds. Afterwards we did a shortcut through the mountain back to Sparta to pick up her scripts before heading back to the cabin around 1'ish. After a quick lunch I headed down to the basement to work on restoring it after the a/c install which required running a 110 line to the breaker electrical box. I pitched out lots of stored stuff which we have accumulated over the past years as well as did some maintenance. We took off to visit our "mountain mom" as she had single a/c unit installed in her real log cabin around 4'ish. It was freezing her out and made her place which gets so much more sunlight than ours very comfortable. This will save her lots of money come this winter on her heating bill as well. I took out her window unit and stored it for her and replaced the screen in the bedroom. This new unit is so quiet both inside and outside that you never hear running.

We got back around 5'ish and I shucked some fresh corn on the cob and fired up the outside grille to fry Swaii fillets after Nancy dipped them in egg and bread crumbs, yeow delicious is all I can say. Such a mild fish and so tasty and it went perfect with fresh corn on the cob slathered in real butter. I like a little fresh ground horseradish with my fish and I had a glass of vino on the deck while frying on the grille. After the cleanup I took down two loads of laundry we had hanging outside on the new clothesline. We decided after about an hour to hike to the top of the mountain and it was a perfect evening although the temps had reached into the middle 80's we had a slight breeze. We stopped a talked with Billy on top for a few and headed across the top to sit and chat a spell with Joe and Jetta Browning. They still have their place for sale and want to move back close to grand children in Ohio. She is such an artistic person as well as bakes and makes jams and jellies. She blessed us with a jar of her fresh made black raspberry jelly from her berry patch. This is the Cadillac of berry's in my opinion. Last year she gave me some berry slips from her vine and I have a few berries this year and would have more but the deer eat the new vines when they come out in the Spring, oh well such is living in the woods for only a few months of the year.

We headed back down the mountain as dusk approached and decided to set out the new potted flowers along the side flower bed where the workers crushed some of the flower while installing the new a/c. While we were cleaning out the mess I started a fire and burned up a lot of limbs and debris I had in the fire circle. We sat by the fire for a few after setting the plants in the ground then headed in a little after 9. I tuned into the Ray's baseball game on the internet and they won out over the Astro's 3-2. That is their 6 win out of the last 7 games and are now in third place behind the Yank's and Red Sox. I hit the shower and read for a few minutes before lights out for me around 10'ish while Nancy flipped channels. The a/c made it so nice in the cabin after a warm day. We closed off the upstairs with a curtain in the stairway which allows up to just cool or heat the cabin where needed thus saving on energy costs, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was a work day for some, other than me but I did help while staying out of the way of the crew which installed our ductless a/c units. There were 6 of them throughout the day and they started around 9 and finished around 4 and we now have a/c and heat in the cabin. So now we are cool and when the cold winds start to blow in October we will have heat as well. It did get rather warm later in the day and the cool refreshing air was a relaxer in the evening heat and humidity. Whats nice about this system is it can be from room to room depending where you are in the cabin so we can have the upstairs units off when we have no overnighters plus its so quite you have no idea its even running.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 rollout to my usual cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and fresh ginger root while I posted this ramble then lifted up several by name to my Creator for comfort and healing. I heard nothing different from any so all is well and we did see a photo of Nancy's mom GG at a memorial and she looked amazing in the picture. Wow what a difference a year makes. I never thought she would ever get out of the Miami hospitals and get to Michigan but she is one tough old gal. I heard nothing from Paw Paw so all is well I suppose and of course we speak with our "mountain mom" daily and now she is getting the same ductless a/c and heating system I had installed yesterday.

I did get in some garden work as I transplanted a dozen or more kale seedlings and my lettuces are showing some great colors as well as the radishes are up and the half runner beans are putting on new leaves. All of the tomato and pepper plants are looking great and I noticed new buds on the jalapeno pepper plant. The herbs all made it and are adding new growth as well. The flowers in the side planter were crushed by foot as the worker(s) were in the area due to the install but they will come back next year plus Nancy wants to add some new perennials flowers there where they workers crushed the existing ones. There wasn't many destroyed but what they did crush was to the ground.

We got in a nice after supper hike to the top of the mountain and visited with the Brownings for an hour or so. He is using one of his cabins as an airbnb and is keeping it occupied. It's a small place but so cute and near the rear of their house. He has it listed at a very reasonable price per night and even cheaper for much longer stays. We headed back down the mountain as dusk settled in an around the cabin. I hand watered some of the new seedlings with a mixture of horse manure in water which seems to give the new seedlings some much needed organic food.

That was about it as I hit the shower and then read until 10'ish, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday was a work day except for late evening when I hit the pickle ball court for nearly two hours with 4 other players and I had a shirt soaked work out. The biggest part of the day in between rain showers was spent on reconstructing the arbor which we had a do over a couple of times to get it looking the way we wanted it to look. The wind over the winter had nearly flatten it and it wasn't great for photo shoots like years in the past.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 rollout to my usual routines that start with the proverbial handful of Nutrilite Vitamins and supplements washed down with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and a slice of raw ginger root while I posted this ramble this spent a few quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. All is well as I've heard no difference. Our dear friend Joe had some cancer removed from his lip which required 20 stitches, yikes and he is 91 years young.

Susan and Richard brought up a bag of delicious Georgia peaches so I had two for my breakfast and then I headed out to check on the gardens and flower beds. There are more Zinnias popping up and the lettuces are leaving some green colors in the veggie beds. I need to transplant my kale seedlings as I lost two yesterday for some unknown reason. I headed up into the back woods to cut new poles for the arbor and then I torn down what was left standing or leaning of the old one. That kept me busy for quite a spell as I would have to stop every hour or so for the rain. The fog had moved in also which required a long sleeve flannel shirt for most of the morning but by late afternoon we had blue skies and bright sunshine, finally. I along with Nancy's help and instruction finished up the arbor around 5 and then had a bite to eat before heading out at 6 for the pickle ball court at the Roaring Gap Club along with 4 others. We had a new player who is an old family friend and while he is in his 20's he picked up the game quickly. I was able to leave by 8 so the other 4 who are 30-50 years younger could wear themselves out. I was bushed after being on my feet most of the day.

We ate leftovers for lunch on a wrap and then finished up the beans and corn for supper, yeow such fine eatin'. I love the way we eat here in the mountains with bacon favorite dishes which bring out the taste. Seems everything tastes better here and I think the quality of the water from the well makes a difference. The city water in Florida is treated with some chemicals and tastes yucky and I'm a water drinker. No sodas and occasionally a glass of sweet tea but mainly water.

I hit the shower after getting home and helping Nancy move some beds out of the way upstairs as the a/c folks come today to install the ductless a/c. It's been so damp and chilly I'm having second thoughts but I do remember those couple days when we had the window a/c on, yuck, oh well. It wasn't long after reading for a few the sandman called around 10, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was wet soggy, damp and a rather cool day which almost makes me think twice about putting so much money into an a/c system for the cabin; but I know we will have some unpleasant hot nights for those who join us here over the years. We had to close all of the windows it was that chilly and damp and just last week I had to drag out the window a/c unit as it was too hot for Nancy, oh well.

The day started much the usual with a before 6'ish roll out to my routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and a slice of ginger root. Yeow what a concoction as the turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and I love the taste of ginger which is awesome for any digestive issues of which I have none at present. Anyhow I did my quiet time with my Creator lifting up several by name and now I have a new person(s) to add to the list; my old college friend and room mate Richard. Wow, he has been through so much and is still physically handicapped, he must use a walker to get around but his mind is clear and sharp. I will say more about our reunion later in this ramble. All is well with those I lift up by name daily as most are advanced in their ages.

I had two whole chickens cleaned and ready for the smoker at 7 AM and the smoker was loaded with applewood and a touch of hickory wood I harvested from the top of the mountain at Norm's place a couple years ago. The smell of the smoke was awesome as we got ready for our first meeting ever with Susan, Richards lovely wife and a saint to say the least. She has been his life line for the past 7 years and has given him as much of a semblance of real normal living as possible. She is amazing and her enthusiasm of life is awesome. She and Nancy jelled right away as we shared life's stories and experiences. We brought up names from Gardner-Webb long forgotten by both of us and shared stories of me living with Richard's folks before enlisting in the USAF in 1966. It was a grand time and the day went much to quickly as they headed out in the overcast skies, rain and fog. They had a two hours drive back to Gastonia. There was never any silence except when chowing down on Nancy's delicious fare.

She had precooked half runner green beans with bacon  made a large fresh salad with homemade dressings, corn on the cob and of course the juicy moist beer in the rear birds from the smoker as well as brownies with ice cream and whipped cream, yeow what feed. They brought us an nice bag of fresh peaches which were beautiful and such aroma as I can smell this minute on the counter. (I will have some for breakfast with cream). We shared stories from the past 50 plus years and while Richard is somewhat hard to understand due to his fall which left him partially paralyzed and slurred speech his mind is alert and functioning. It saddens me to see him after such a long time but according to Susan he is a miracle survivor of the aortic aneurysm which is usually fatal and later from a fall which caused the speech issues.

We will meet them later this summer after their travels as they are gad about's as well, down at the Gardener-Webb campus and have lunch out. We are hoping to make this get together at least a couple times a year although it is difficult for Richard to navigate our porch steps. I wanted to share the mountain top vistas with them on a golf cart ride but the pouring rain kept us inside all afternoon. It was such a delight to reunite with him and to meet his awesome wife, Susan who is I said earlier is a marvelous life line for him. We just stayed in the cabin after they left hoping they would make the right turns on their way out of our 'hood and to find the road down the mountain; they did and let us know they made it home safely. I never ate a thing the rest of the day except for a handful of nuts around 7'ish. I read for the rest of the day and caught up on some social media. It wasn't long after 9, I hit the shower and was soon reading in bed by 10, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was basically a do nothing day except for some garden work later in the day as I had a noon dental appointment in Sparta to fix the chipped and lost filing of the front tooth which turned out to be a bigger job than just one tooth; Dr. Flowers also took out another filing and replaced another filing that had some decay. Needless to say this was two hours in the chair and costly but she did a magnificent job and it was well worth the expense in just how she brightened my smile as well as made the teeth so smooth.

I started the day with a before 6 roll out to my routines; a hot cup of green tea laced with ginger and turmeric while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. All is well with those as I speak with our "mountain mom" Helen every day and later I spoke with Paw Paw and GG is doing well also. We ate light for breakfast as I had my apple for the day and then around 11'ish we had a sandwich before heading to town. After the dental  job we made a trash drop at the dump then headed to Food Lion for some goodies and then the veggie stand before heading home. It was a bright sunshine day when around 5'ish all of that changed to some clouds and a light rain. I did manage to resow my radishes and noticed more of the beans were popping through the ground. The garden is doing quite well.

I was going to hand water but decided to hold off as the clouds came up and then through out the night I could hear the rain on the tin roof. We are anticipating a visit today from my old college room mate before I went in the USAF. He and his wife are coming mid morning and having lunch with us and hopefully spend the afternoon catching up from the past 52 years or so. I'll cut this short as really there wasn't a whole lot to report or talk about except the big dental job, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday was another beautiful day with awesome temps in the 70's  much like we are a custom to here in the mountains. We did get a late evening rain shower which caught us out and up on top of the mountain but luckily we were in the golf cart so we didn't get soaked. We attended Cornerstone where a guest speaker from the Gideons who just happened to be the high sheriff from Grayson County, Va (Galax) presented an interesting message as our pastor was on vacation. We were thrilled to be out in an hour for a change which is what we are use to at our home church in Florida.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my morning routines that start with a cup of hot green tea now laced with turmeric and fresh ginger root. I did my usual lifting up several by name and giving thanks for another day and all the blessing in life especially the blessing of being here in the mountains. We headed out to a local Mexican eatery with Mechelle and Caleb for lunch then made a few stops before heading home. We just chilled the rest of the afternoon until Neighbor Gerald and Karyl came up with their huge great dane Bella for a sit and chat around 4:30. We had a nice visit with them before they left around 5:30 as we enjoyed the front porch and petted Bella. She is such a gentle dog and very smart but huge at 115 pounds.

After they left we decided to have some pop corn for our supper after such a large meal for lunch. That is usually our routine on Sunday's after church. We sat and watched some TV while munching on the pop corn then since it was so beautiful out we took off on the golf cart to the top of the mountain. Most everyone was either away from their places or closed up for the evening we did see and greeted some folks visiting at Helen's AirBNB from Columbia, South America and from Orlando,  Fl. We saw rain off in distance so headed back down off the top and got caught up in a heavy down pour as we entered the woods; but the leaves protected us until we got on the open driveway. The shower didn't last long but gave the wind and sun parched ground a nice drink. I piddled around in the garden checking on the progress of the seedlings and discover I now have half runner beans up in just three days, wow.

I got a message from my old college room mate they will visit this Tuesday mid morning so I will do a couple of beer in rear chickens on the smoker. I haven't seen him since 1966 and I lost contact over the years. He and his wife Susan whom I've never met will visit. He has some medical issues from a stroke he suffered several years ago and it seems she has taken over for him which is a blessing. We corresponded back and forth the past month or so after I was finally able to make contact with him. It wasn't long after 9'ish I hit the showers and then read until 10'ish, LATER 

Sunday Morning..

Well Saturday started out with dense fog but soon burned off and a light rain blessed us for about 10 minutes then the skies cleared except for a few clouds and then it was almost perfect temps in the 70's; so it quickly became a work day for me except for a late afternoon hike to the top of the mountain. We eventually took a golf cart ride to the top after supper to visit with folks until nearly dark.

I started the day with a sleep in until 6:30, yikes that's rare for me but I guess the work day before had be sleeping soundly past my usual before 6 roll out. I did my morning routines that start with a cup of green tea laced with turmeric and now fresh ginger while I post this ramble and then spend some quiet moments with my Creator in lifting up several by name. All is well as I've heard nothing to the contrary. This dad gum chipped tooth is very annoying as the sharp edge has my tongue very tender as well as my lip. I sure hope I can get in to see a local dentist on Monday or I may have to take a chain saw file file and grind it down, oh well.

After a mountain breakfast of free range eggs (the yoke is as orange as a navel grown in Florida) thick sliced hickory smoked bacon and grits with homemade jam on toast I headed out to split the huge blocks of sawed wood with a sledge hammer. Most split with one wack but a couple needed wedges to split them open enough to where they could be handled easily for loading. I worked up both trees in about and hour and probably have a couple of cords of firewood for neighbor Joe on top of the mountain. The skies had cleared by then so I fired up the weed whacker and commenced to edging the property which took me a good hour or more. The sun had started to dry out the grass by the time I was finished and then it was time to mow. Since we had such a large breakfast I skipped lunch with just an apple sometime around 1'ish. Wow does this place every look awesome after a manicure of the yards. I decided to trim the lower blue spruce tree branches in the front yards which has grown so much over the winter with all of the rain. They must be close 20 feet in height and I'll need a ladder to reach some of the upper branches later in the fall when I trim the top branches.

We decided to take off on a hike to the top as the afternoon was perfect for hiking. Nancy is having some difficulty getting her self back into mountain shape as her legs and lower muscles are just not in tune yet. She made the top after several stops and then we visited with several on the walk around the mountain top. The views was breathtaking. There is a cell tower crew on top of the mountain installing new equipment on top of these 100 feet plus towers and their voices carry very well down the mountain. They have been there for two days and at first we thought there was folks in our backwoods yard. I can only imagine the views those guys on top of the towers experience. We came back and I turned on the TV to see what sports was on while we got ready for a supper of tacos. Nancy made a delicious guacamole and we snacked on that while I watched the Tampa Bay Ray's beat the N.Y. Yankees in a shut out at the Trop in St.Pete. We only see the Ray's games when the major networks carry the Yankees games on TV.  The Ray's had such a bad start but are now playing decent baseball and they swept the series with the Yanks.

After the cleanup from supper we took a golf cart ride and stopped to visit with Shawnee and family for a few before stopping at the Brownings for a spell and by the time we headed home Nancy was chilled. We saw a large doe in the back woods road which is probably the same one that has run through my gardens a couple time. I noticed more Zinnias are popping through the ground as well as more lettuces and Swiss chard. Everything else is doing well except for tomato plant which is still in a pot. The recently transplanted kale seedlings into 6 packs containers seem to be taking to the pots as well so we should have plenty of salad makings in a week or so. The cukes and herbs are doing great as well.  That was about it for the day as it was shower time and the I curled up with a John Jakes book titled CALIFORNIA before the sandman called at 10'ish, LATER

Saturday Morning at the cabin with dense fog

Well Friday was another basically work day except for our first hike up the back trail to the top of the mountain which really is work, wow it will take awhile to acclimate these flatlander legs to mountain ones. We got another quick shower that came it for about 10 minutes but the winds were so strong it was blowing rain sideways into the upstairs top windows which seldom if ever happens.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out of for me to my routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and now a small slice of ginger root. I've been missing that taste and the medicinal value of ginger is great. I did my quiet time and all is well with those I lift up daily. I saw a picture of Paw Paw with his middle daughter Pat who now has retired and moved back to their W.Va. home. The girls are hoping to get him to live with her and get out of the Winchester house where he is susceptible to falls plus he will have company and be in a much safer environment. GG is doing as well as can be expected and Nancy speaks with her daily and of course Helen is doing great while still living alone.

After a light breakfast of fruit I headed down the driveway to smooth out any ruts and it wasn't too bad. I did cut a channel alongside the drive in a couple places to keep the heavy rain runoff from the middle of the drive and then clipped several overhanging bushes. That kept me busy for a couple hours so I fired up the chainsaw and finished cutting up the large oak tree that had fallen in the backwoods. I want to help neighbor Joe with his wood for the winter plus I hate to see this good wood rot up in the woods. I'll split it into manageable pieces and haul it out to the driveway with the golf cart so Joe can load it on his trailer. He too is another hard worker at the age of 85 along with Jetta his wife who is so talented both as a seamstress and artistically. We sat on their front porch later in the day for a nice long visit with her as Joe is back to working part time.

We saw and chatted with several on top during our hike but we cut it short as I began to have hunger pains around noon with nothing but fruit for breakfast. It was a beautiful day with low temps and humidity and we saw several out working their places. The Butzback's were up from Winston as well as the Brown's and we saw where Billy was out working on the foundation for his new garage along side their place. He is doing the work himself and it looks very professional and strong. We came back down the mountain after cutting the hike short and sat on the front porch eating our lunch, yeow so peaceful and beautiful and the food tastes so great here. We were on the deck for our supper as well when I chipped a filling from the front teeth on a rib bone so now I'm off to see a dentist hopefully this coming week. I'm wearing my tongue out probing this crater which is sharp as well.

We sat and read for awhile after the rain shower which left it too wet to do much except gander at the new sprouts popping up in the garden from seeds. All seem to be doing well except the radishes which usually are up in three days. I moved some kale seedlings up from a pot into larger containers as they are only and inch or so. All of the ones I started along with the beets seedlings died. Well that was about it except to mention the Zinnia seeds have sprouted and we are seeing more each day break ground. The potted plants we purchased are looking healthy and blooming beautifully.

We got a call from the Tracy's and now they will only be here for two nights instead of a week as Patrick had some skin cancers removed that required stitches and can not travel for nearly three weeks. We are making plans for sister Dee and her youngest daughter Kelly and family to visit over the first week in August during the Fiddlers Convention in Galax. I'm trying set up a time which suits an old college friend and his wife to visit for a day who I last saw the day I entered the USAF in '66 . I finally was able to contact him after all these years, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Yesterday saw us with a first while being here for just a week. We got a gully washer of a rain last evening and it was so much needed, plus it cooled the temps down to where we had to close the windows. Since it was the longest day of the year and really the temps held in the low 70's we headed over to give a hand for our "mountain mom" Helen with some chores she just can not handle easily.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my routines that start after washing down a handful of those Nutrilite vitamins and supplements while I heat a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric. I spent some quiet time with my Creator as I gave thanks for another day and all the blessings of life while lifting up several by name. I've heard nothing to the contrary so all must be well with these I daily pray for. Most are getting up there in age so basically I'm lifting them up for comfort and well being in this their stage in life.

 Helen amazes me as she is out there working along side of us at the age of 90. We have to make her sit down while we did the work but she is right there. I mistook her saying she wanted her box woods cut when she meant trimmed and I did a number that required cutting them both back to about 1/10th their original size; they needed it as she found she had a concrete slab they had covered up with being so large. We spent the morning cutting, trimming and piling the brush for her. She is so cute driving her electric golf cart around and it really comes in handy for her. It took her years to get one as her son Rick realized she needed one and purchased it for her. It saves her some many steps as well as she has her garden tools in box in the back bed.

We came back to the cabin around noon and devoured a garden salad with a grilled left over chicken breast as we sat on the front porch for the first time to eat lunch. It was fabulous with a slight breeze and birds were giving us musical show with their happiness. We could her a hawk in the area as one lives nearby as well as turkeys. After lunch I headed down to the basement to catch up on some small things then headed to the back woods to saw up a huge oak tree that had snapped off in the last wind storm for our mountain top neighbor Joe. Nancy interrupted that chore as she needed to go shopping for some antibiotic cream as she imbedded a dried stick into her cheek while working at Helen's. So I cleaned up and we headed to Galax to the super Walmart around 2'ish.

Well we loaded up again with necessities, goodies and gas before heading home around 4:30. The BRParkway has finally been resurfaced and it a such a pleasure to travel on it as the scenery is awesome. It was cloudy and looked like rain for most of the day and we finally got a nice hour or so soft rain at first and then the water was running down the driveway. I will need to check the road for ruts this morning. I fried fish on the grill and we had fresh broccoli and cantaloupe for our supper and ate outside on the deck, wow such a beautiful setting and the food tastes so great here. I did manage to transplant some peppers neighbor Billy Avant grew from seeds for me as well as the cilantro seedlings which looked very poor and I got them at half price as well as the last of the volunteer tomato plants I found growing in my compost pile last week. I had transplanted them into bigger pots as they grew in a clump and wanted to give them some attention before setting them out into the garden. These volunteers I hope are from the tomato's sister Dee gave me last summer when we visited her place not only where they pretty to look at but oh so tasty. I had a couple that rotted so I had throw them in the compost.

Well that was about it for the day as I checked the social network and then hit the shower and read until 10'ish, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well this time last week we were on our way from Florida to the mountains; how time flies when your having fun. Wednesday was a work day until late evening when I met up with 5 other players mostly church members and a couple L.E.O. at the club for nearly two hours of pickle ball for me. They were still playing after I left, of course they're 30-40 years younger for a few of the guys than me; but I held my own. I'm sitting here in the bay window and just heard a turkey gobble in the backwoods yard. Yesterday morning after I checked the flower beds for sprouts a deer ran through leaving its tracks.

The day started much the usual for me with a before 6 roll out to my routines that start with my cup of green tea laced with turmeric after washing down a handful of Nutrilite vitamins while I spent some time with my Creator after posting this ramble. I lifted up several by name and all is well except I tried Paw Paw's number and got no return call which is unusual. I headed out to check on the gardens and flower beds and did notice I now have some color where I sowed Black Seeded Simpson lettuces seeds 4 days ago. Most of the seedlings are looking good and I had to water them last evening with a hose and a time or two during the hottest part of the day. Speaking of hot it has been beyond normal until yesterday when we didn't have to turn the window a/c unit on. The temps were down but the humidity was very low which made it great for working outside.

After another mountain breakfast(two this week) of fresh sausage, homegrown cackleberries(egg), grits and with some horseradish on the side for my sausage we dined which left us so full we skipped lunch and settled for an early 5'ish supper because I was playing pickle ball. After breakfast I filled up the weed whacker with fuel and headed down the drive to clean the ditches and trim back some of the over hanging trees and shrubs along the driveway. That kept me busy for the next couple of hours and I could feel the muscles in my legs as I walked and worked my way up the hill. I took a cool break in the basement then decided to clean out from under the back porch where I will be placing my a/c condenser and unit come next Thursday. I spoke with neighbor Gerald and he too is getting one installed in his cabin along with our "mountain mom" Helen.

I piddled around doing little jobs and by 2'ish I was whupped and decided to rest on the back porch reading until it was time to put the marinated chicken breast on the grill for an early supper of corn on the cob and a fresh salad. We sat outside on the deck in the shade of the huge tall pine tree and the breeze made it so nice to be outside. Nancy at times had goose bumps as the air really dried out. No window unit today.

I headed out around 6'ish and played to 8'ish before heading home to hand water the gardens and flower beds until 9'ish. It was still light outside as I headed in for the evening and then hit the showers and and read until nearly 10:30 before the sandman called, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was another mixture of play and work as we took off and went to Sparta, N.C. to shop, garbage dump, library and then several garden centers looking for bedding flowers and some fresh veggies. We found very little bedding flowers but did find a couple over priced perennials but the big deal was fresh half runner beans and new tater's at a produce stand.

I started the day with a before 6 roll out to my usual routines of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then some quiet moments with my Creator in prayer and thanksgiving. All is well with those I lift up daily and we got see out "mountain mom" Helen for the first time in over 7 months. She looked great and is spry and ageless at 90+. We sat and visited then got a selfie with her on her porch while overlooking the mountains and fields of broccoli. I will go over on Friday and help with some "honey do's" for her. We rode the golf cart over to her place and what a beautiful ride with the fields of hay and corn in presence of the mountains in the back ground. This area can not get any prettier.

The morning air was clean and crisp but by the afternoon it was in the 80's and muggy so when we got back from town we turned on the window a/c which cooled things down and took out the moisture. We made plans to have the ductless a/c installed for the cabin a week from tomorrow. It's a little steep but son Bobby thought it was a good deal and he knows about these systems. It will sure make it nice for those who visit on these rather unusual hot days and nights; as for me I head down to the always cool basement which is in the 60's but Nancy is not in favor of my doings. Oh well.

I worked basically in basement throughout the hot afternoon and then after supper it starting cooling down so we worked in the flower beds. Russ one of the neighbors came by for a visit and he is definitely wanting to sell his cabin which is only a few years old. The draw back is it is on the road and only a single bedroom but it does have a full basement which could easily be converted into two more with another bathroom. It's quaint and very cute and well made but Linda,  Russ's wife wanted it close to the road which is a gravel road but still I would not have it that close. They have 5 lots about 2 1/2 acres that go with it for about 145 K.

Well it was 9 when I finally called it a day from being outside. We planted all of our purchases as well as moved some plants into other parts of the yard. I transplanted the Swiss chard into the upper garden and it looked fabulous considering the beets transplants did not survive nor did the kale plants. I did sow both from seeds a couple days. I also sowed some half runner bush beans which I did not know existed. I've only know of the climbing beans which needs poles and take up a lot of space but I learned of a bush type so I bought a handful of seeds and sowed them in the upper garden, yummy. The only draw back is you have to harvest them bending over whereas the pole beans can be done standing up. We hand watered with the hose all of the flower and garden beds as not only is it hot but dry.

Nancy made a delicious supper of runners and taters cooked in bacon, oh my so good as she cooked them chicken broth and left the bacon grease in the pot. The taste was awesome and then we had fresh cantaloupe for dessert which was the best tasting one ever, another oh my. Thankfully I'm on my feet working for most of the day or I would be butterball fat again. Everything tastes so much better here and I do believe its the water, LATER

Tuesday Morning at the cabin

Well Monday was another work day but I truly love what the looks of the place is becoming. It got a bit hot and muggy in the afternoon so I put the window a/c unit in the living room which cooled the place down but mainly took out the moisture. The a/c rep came at 10 AM right on time which is unusual as these mountain folks are always so busy or have some other issue that keeps them late or not at all. Come to find out he use to attend our church when it first began but decided the church next door to his business was where he would attend as his pastor is also the electrician he uses in his business.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 roll out. The night air chills down the cabin to where it's a bit chilly in the mornings and I must wear a shirt while posting the ramble. I started with my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and spent some quiet time with my Creator in humble thanksgiving and lifting up several. All is well. Amy went by our house in Seminole and watered the tree and the new grass as it hasn't rained since we've been gone and the tree leaves were wilted. She and the kiddos picked jalapeno peppers and checked on the house.

After a mountain breakfast of bacon, eggs, grits and toast with homemade jam I headed out to finish a project of restoring one of the benches for the picnic table as well as finish tearing apart one of the wooden benches for the fire circle. The a/c man came and was only here for a few minutes. I took him down to neighbor Gerald's cabin and showed him in so he could give him and estimate for the same thing as I'm getting. He also stopped by our "mountain mom" place to give her an estimate as well. It will be a big improvement especially since I don't have to lug these window unit upstairs when it gets to hot for Nancy; as for me I just go down in the basement which is always in the 60's but she refuses to go there to cool off, oh well.

I put up a new clothesline for her and she washed sheets and they dried in no time. I hand watered the new seedlings and flowers as they showed signs of wilting in the heat. It reached 85 on the back porch and there was warnings of high heat index for the mountains which is uncommon. I tried to work in the shade areas of which there are many depending on the time of the day. I did some weed whacking in the back woods area where a huge tree have fallen due to the high winds this winter and since it was in the shade I fired up the chainsaw and cut it up for neighbor Joe Browning on top of the mountain as he burns firewood during the winter months and he used up all of his wood this past winter. I have another huge oak tree that is also down further up in the woods of which I will cut up for him and roll the blocks down to where I can pick them up. Thankfully they will roll easily down hill.

We took a golf cart ride out to the mailbox and saw the Conley playing in the cool water of the stream by the Grant and Shirley's. We use to do that as well on hot days as the water in this stream is running ice cold from within the springs in the mountain. Russ took me for ride in his new Gator ATV and this thing goes 45 mph as well as climbs straight up hills. He took me up this back trail which only dirt bikes and hikers use and up we went like a piece of cake. It has a window shield, dump bed, 4 wheel drive and power steering and it comes with a steep price tag of 11 g's, yeow. It was too late to visit our "mountain mom" as we had to prepare supper and the cleanup so we postponed until this morning when I will go over and put her window a/c unit in for her. If she get the new system all of that will go away.

I decided to burn a pile of old boards and tons of dead limbs from the yards and it took no time to burn up. I had my garden hose adjacent to the fire pit in the ready position as Nancy gets all worried when I do my country boy projects. She is always worried I'll burn down the woods and the cabin. I piddled around outside until nearly 9 PM before heading in and checking the internet for news and FB . It wasn't long until I was in the shower and then it was lights out for me at 10 or a little before. I caught myself napping at the laptop while Nancy was in the shower, LATER 

Monday Morning

Well Sunday was an awesome day of worship and we renewed old friendships at Cornerstone Church in Sparta, N.C. I was saddened as we missed one of our dear church members who had passed on to Heaven over the winter, Carroll was an awesome man as we got to know him before he ever gave his life to Christ and became a stalwart at Cornerstone. We got up with 10 other friends and met at the local Pizzeria for a delicious salad bar and pizza lunch buffet. Carroll had actually started that business many years ago when we first started coming to Sparta on vacations and all of my kids and friends knew him as he took many family photos of our gathering in his pizza parlor.

I slept in a little as I'm starting to unwind and getting things under control here at the cabin. With so much to do it was hard to sleep-in especially the first couple days. I'm sitting here looking out into the backyard woods to almost totally silence except for a crow off in the distance and the drip of dew on the tin roof. It's rather chilly with the morning air coming through the windows but oh so nice. It does get rather warm in the afternoons especially upstairs in the bedrooms so today I'm having an a/c rep come out and give me a quote on putting the mini-split ductless system in the cabin.

We headed over the Galax, Va. to the super Walmart and Lowes where we stocked up and then purchased bedding flowers and veggies as well as some seeds. I bought red and yellow bell peppers, jalapeno pepper and some cukes plus Nancy's variety of flowers both large and small. We got back around 4'ish and had missed several phone calls as she had forgot and left her smart phone at the cabin. We planted all of the flowers in the different beds and I moved the smaller beddings flowers in pots for the porches and steps. We decided to turn a portion of the circle drive into flowerings Black Eyed Susans which are perennials.

Well Nancy was on the phone for a good portion of the evening as she caught up on missed calls. I spoke with Paw Paw who was with the three girls at Dee and Mikes place in Woodstock for a dinner honoring their father. Everyone sounded good and sassy. Amy called and wished me well as did Bobby later on in the evening. He had Annsley and Gabe for a fun filled weekend and the kiddos wished me well. He later in the evening wrote a tear jerking comment accompanied by a photo of us together when he was probably 4 or 5 years old and then several folks commented. Wow I never knew I had left such an imprint on folks lives. Even Beau Fallon who I helped raise for a year or so while his dad was in Vietnam wrote a great comment on our relationship. I got my first taste of being a dad to an 11 year old boy with him and he still honors those times with such kind words.

I popped a bowl of corn the old fashion way and that was our supper after a huge plate of salad and 5 pieces of pizza for lunch. We watched a little part of the movie Overboard which is a classic with Goldie Hawn, so cute and a great message about what makes you happy in life. I hit the shower and was soon ready for some horizontal lab around 10:30, LATER

Sunday Morning..Finally a day of rest and to Thank GOD for my many Blessings

Well Saturday was another work day but it sure gives me such pleasure to see the results which really is so much fun. I had to stop several times during the day and look around and upwards giving thanks that I'm living in such a beautiful place surrounded by all things of the Creation. This is truly a beautiful part of the world and so special to me.

Well the day started with a 4:30 wake up but I stayed horizontal until 5 then I know longer could stay in that position as I did my routines that start with a handful of those great Nutrilite vitamins and supplements washed down with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and waited for dawn. I spend some quiet time with my Creator lifting up several by name and all of those seem to be doing fine. After checking Fox news on line along with the Drudge Report and FaceBook  I decided to grab an apple for my breakfast which is what I usually do in Fl. and head down to the basement putting on the dehumidifier which is drying out a bucket of water a day and then firing up the weed whacker. I decided to whack down all of the weeds in the upper garden and the circle drive bed and then I raked up all of the debris. Next I fired up the rotor tiller and it cranked on the first pull which was a blessing from last year as at times it gave me fit. Our old friend Norm on top of the mountain left it to me when he passed a couple years ago and I think of him every time I use it.

Those jobs took me up to 11 and another apple as I had a wet shirt. I raked up the roots from the weeds and leveled out the beds which took me to lunch time. My motor needed fuel by then and it was sandwich time. I sowed some dried Zinnias seeds I had from last years crop but they weren't as nice as the year before and not so many. I scattered the seeds in the lower third of the bed and now must find some flower seeds at Lowes. The upper garden turned out nice and I cleaned it up of the roots of the weeds. I find this so much easier than pulling the weeds by hand.

I had to change out a post on one of the back railing fences and then tried to repair the arbor which was a bigger task than anticipated and it doesn't look great. I'm hoping a good strong wind takes it down completely and then I will start over; but for now its standing up and once the Heavenly Blue morning glories take over it will be good for another year. I decided the old wooden fire side benches were more trouble than repairing and painting them each year so I took two of the worst ones apart. I kept one which was really a swing and I had made it into a bench and its still usable. I will use camp chairs at the fire pit from now on and I can store them easily and there is no maintenance. This job took us up to suppertime.

I grilled a couple of burgers and along with Brussel Sprouts we brought with us that needed cooking and a couple 'maters as well and they are still delicious. After the cleanup I headed out to set three volunteer tomato plants in the back yard garden and I saved one to put in the upper garden. I sowed beet, kale, lettuce and more Swiss chard seeds as well as some cucumber seeds. The beet seedlings didn't make it but the Swiss chard seedlings all but a couple seem to be doing good as did most of the basil, rosemary and thyme plants and the honeysuckles looked very good so I planted them in the ground along with two of the morning glories; one is still somewhat questionable if it will survive.

Nancy came out and we worked on weeding the backyard flower beds. I hauled off two golf cart loads of discarded weeds and grasses. We are sure glad that job is completed as our body aches from bending over as well as our fingers are slaughtered from pulling the tough grasses. It's a yearly job but oh the results will be fabulous as the beds are full of our perennial flowers. It was 8:30 when we decided to call it a day and I hit the shower and then spent a few moments on the internet. It seems the "deep state" was evident in our premier agencies of the FBI and DOJ. The IG report was not harsh enough on these bureau heads and I think criminal referrals should be made and indictments to follow; especially for the pro Clinton sycophants and I think the MSM needs to rethink their role in allowing this happen without prejudice. I still believe in the rule of law which has been the underlying factor from our constitution in making us a great nation and giving US(A) a nation of freedoms and liberties; but those who resist and undermine these rules should be exposed and charged sending a message to those in the future. If this does not occur there will be a price to pay, LATER

On a business note our team leaders at Amway are making a special good only through the 18th(Monday) that every thing in the catalog is BOGO with at least a 100 buck order. Check out our store at www.amway.com/JNTriplett...get your order in while this special last..any question email me at; butchtriplett@gmail.com   HAPPY FATHERS TO ALL THE MEN IN MY FAMILY

Saturday Morning ...Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning

Well Friday was a work day that started very early for me. I awaked around 4'ish and did eventually rise around 5'ish as Nancy was sawing logs plus I had so much on my mine I couldn't wait to get started after doing my morning routines. I had my handful of vitamins and supplements then a cup of green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator in prayer and thanksgiving. It was quiet here except for the dew dripping from the upstairs dormer onto the tin roof and a lonely crow off in the distance calling their caw.

I lifted up my usual folks by name and all it well. I need to call Paw Paw as its Fathers Day this Sunday but all others are doing fine. Just as dawn broke I headed out and down under the back porch to begin filling the seedlings into separate containers. The heat in the back of the truck took its toll on the young beet and kale seedlings. I'm not sure if they will make it but everything else is doing rather well by the end of the day. I found several large tomato plant volunteers in the compost pile so I transplanted them into large containers to await planting them in the garden which needed weeding.

Nancy awakened sometime around 8 so I fired up the grill and fried bacon outside on the deck as well as some dippy eggs in the grease. oh my did that ever bring back memories for both of us. We seldom eat breakfast like that in Florida as its usually and apple for me as I head out to the rec; but this day I knew I would need some fuel as it would be non stop work and I did just that. Did I mention it was freezing in the cabin after being so hot when we first got there. I cut the fans and had to put on a shirt and I was still just barely comfortable at 55 degrees but it soon warmed up to the low 80's by the late afternoon. The sun was very hot but in the shade it was almost like the a/c when the breeze found you.

I weeded the two back yard beds by hand which took a couple hours then fired up the weed whacker and worked over the whole place which took me to noon. I had to reduce some of the high grasses that hadn't had any mowing from neighbor Gerald with the whacker. I had several dead limbs down within the tall grasses so that took some time finding and removing them before using the riding mower. We took a short lunch break around noon for a sandwich. Nancy was out in the front yard on her knees pulling weeds from the front flower beds and she was complaining of sore muscles in her rear from bending, kneeling and just walking up and down the yard(there is nothing flat here except in the house). She wanted the porch furniture from the storage shed so I used the golf cart and transported the rocking chairs to the upper yard where she bathed them while I used the old carpet shampooer and bathed the porches of the yellow pine pollen. That machine worked great cleaning the porches.

The grass had finally dried enough to mow so for the next 3-4 hours I was mowing and many time going over the same swath of grass because of its height despite sharpening the blades. It was that high but the outcome was beautiful to say the least. It was after 5 when we stopped for a break and had a frozen pizza we had brought with us. I worked outside until 6:30 when she decided we needed to take the golf cart and visit with neighbors; Karyl was up at Gerald's, the Brownings were thrilled to see us as we were them, Billy was out working on his new building foundation and Ben across the way showed us his new deck which is larger than the cabin as well as showed us his mini-split ductless a/c he had installed last summer; both his wife Laura and Billy's wife Paula were under the weather so we didn't see them. It was close to dark by the time we said our hello's on top of the mountain and headed down.

The Brownings reported a couple of weeks three of their bird feeders were torn from their posts indicating the possibility a bear was in the area but no one had seen one; it could be a raccoon as they are quite powerful. Anyhow Nancy was on the lookout for one on the way down the mountain. I closed up the storage shed and put away tools and decided to take a break for the evening and hit the shower. Oh my what a relaxing shower as the water is so soft and it wasn't long after checking the internet that I was ready for the sandman. I never heard from Nancy after my head hit the pillow until 5 ish again this morning when she was cutting wood with her chainsaw. I decided that 5'ish is now my new arise time. We have a lot in store for us today as the upper garden needs weeding and rotor-tilled as well as the circle drive bed and the two backyard beds. I want to sow some new beet and kale seeds as the seedlings don't look as if they will survive, LATER

Friday Morning...At the Cabin in the Mountains

Well first I want to say Thanks to all who had us prayed up for safe travels and basically an uneventful trip except for the stop and go traffic from Charlotte to somewhere close to Elkin. I made a decision against my better judgement to come our old way instead of a new route that took us up close to Florence, S.C. and then across the state of N.C. into Winston-Salem area. We still made good time getting here in 12 hours after a breakfast and lunch stops as well as every hour and half or close to it to walk and then a stop at Sam's Club for some goodies as well as gas and a walk. It's a little over 700 miles the way we came(out old way) and around 750 miles the new route.

Our dear neighbor Gerald was up at his place and he not only mowed a swath around the cabin so we didn't have to walk in the over grown grass and weeds but invited us down at 7 for steaks on the grill. Wow what a great feed as well as we caught up on the news of the area and life itself. His wife Karyl and her grand kiddos are coming this weekend for a visit which worked out great with our coming up for the summer. We will visit for a few minutes as its been a couple years since we last saw them; but we will be busy working to get this place in shape.

Everything was in good shape and just a few dead flies in some of the upstairs windows. It looked just like we left it in November. We called the phone company and once we turned the breaker on for our electricity they set up our T.V., Internet and phone. We now are not able to call out on our old number but can receive unlimited calls in; that saves a few bucks a month as Nancy has the Smart Phone. We have eliminated our land line in Florida as well. I still have the old Tracfone number and use it when we are apart as it so much cheaper than paying for two phones, plus I'm retired and do not want to be reached after being on call for so many years. I do not wear a watch either.

I unloaded the truck which was packed totally in the rear, back seats, under the seats and where ever we good stuff articles especially after stopping at Sam's. We filled up the cheapest in S.C. at 2.45 a gallon as we tried to eat at a Chickfilet in Columbia but that place looked like they were giving food away so we did find a Mickey D's across the street and they too were busy but nothing like the Chik Place, Yeow what a franchise. Anyhow we came on up I-77 through Charlotte but just as we left the city the back up's began and lasted for nearly and hour and a half. It will be nice when its finished with 6 lanes or more but a nightmare now. It was 96 degrees in Charlotte and down off the mountain but as we we climbed upwards it reached the low of 80, ahhh. The cabin was cool as its been closed up for 7 months but the sun was bright and shining in the west windows and it too quickly warmed up to the ambient air after opening it up. Nancy had the fans going and with been busy she quickly be heated. Thankfully Gerald had a window a/c unit going and it was nice to sit in the cool of his cabin for an hour or so dining on a delicious meal.

We will call the a/c folks here in the mountains and have them come out to give us an estimate on the mini-split ductless system for the cabin. The cabin cooled down after the sun set and we worked until 9'ish then I hit the wonderful soft water shower and was soon ready for some horizontal lab around 10'ish. Nancy is a night owl and I don't know what time she came to bed. The cabin is quite chilly this Friday morning with the dew dripping off the tin roof, LATER

(I awakened at 4 this morning as my mind was going thinking about all I wanted to do today and in what order; my first order is to get my seedlings in pots as the gardens are so over grown with weeds and grass. I did sleep as I've been mainly awake the past two nights thinking about this move. I'm just so filled with adrenalin whenever I make this move or even when I go fishing. There is still the boy in me when its different and exciting; so I'm up at 5'ish after laying there listening to Nancy's chainsaw. I think its time for a  Zyhpa(sic), don't you just love their commercials on the radio, oh well). 

Wednesday Morning..1 day to departure ( last post until we reach the cabin)

Well Tuesday was another hot and humid day with an afternoon shower which cooled the temps down to the middle 80's from the low 90's. I noticed where it was in the 50's to start the day at the cabin. I'm looking forward to those temps. Ava had her surgery and it went well and I got in another couple hours of outside pickle ball and sweated off a couple pounds.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then lifted up several by name to my Creator for healing and comfort as well as gave thanks for my many blessings. All is well and our "mountain mom" was complaining of how cold it was in the mountains which was a big surprise for this time of the year. They have been getting some rain, fog and much cooler temps which will make hopefully Nancy happy. She just can not take the heat anymore as for me I tolerate it but I too like it cooler except in the winter, oh well.

I headed out a little before 8 AM and set up the outside net for a good two hours of play and then I wrung my shirt from the sweat. The first hour was pleasant but the cloud cover burned off and it quickly reached the upper 80's. We had 5 players which gave you a little rest after every 4 games. Today will be my last morning for some time as we leave early tomorrow and it will be pickle ball only in the late evenings outside usually once a week. Since I had so much to do today(wed) I decided to go ahead and mow the yards and clean up the gardens pulling out several dying plants and then mulching with leaves I had stored. I'm just about done outside except for digging up my seedlings and wrapping them in wet newspaper for the trip to the cabin. The kale seedlings are a little small but the rest I think are large enough to make the hot trip in the back of the truck.

Nancy kept Sam and Eliza and took them to VBS while Amy and Tyler took Ava to All Children's Hospital for her day surgery. She did well and was home resting on the couch when we took Sam and Eliza home around 3:30. We watched the Ray's win again after a supper of salmon, broccoli and beets. That was our last meal at this house until September when we come back for grand kiddos birthdays. Amy will fix us supper tonight so we don't have to worry about that but just pack the truck when we get back later in the evening. I've already started not sleeping in anticipation of leaving the past two nights but did get in a nap during the afternoon. I know I will toss and turn until 3AM when I get up for the 4AM departure tomorrow. I'm like a kid the night before going fishing.

Well thats about it for our last post until we hopefully get to the N.C. cabin. I have a lot to do there as well but mainly get the outside in order and the gardens planted. Hopefully I can make a post on Friday morning while looking out the dining room widow at the mountain ambiance. Our life styles are so much different between the two places. There will be little time for napping in the afternoon and for reading and of course nothing there is flat; so its up and down the stairs and the yards which should help to keep me in shape, however the food and water taste so much better there that I usually add to the spare tire. We are looking forward to seeing our mountain friends as well as our church family at Cornerstone, LATER

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for traveling mercies along the way.

Tuesday Morning..2 days to departure

Well Monday was another hot and muggy day with temps into the low 90's but the humidity was thick to say the least. I headed out for two hours of pickle ball outside at 8:30 and lost at least a couple pounds of sweat with 6 other players. We decided to play outside early in the mornings instead of inside during the mid morning which just ruins your day and what you have planned.

I started the day with my usual before 6 roll out to a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and some quiet time with my Creator. All is well with those I lift up daily by name and now I need some of you to lift up my oldest grand daughter Ava as she has some minor surgery this morning. She isn't really looking forward to it and is quite nervous but the doctors assured us she would be fine. They will have to put her under to remove the fatty tumor.

I piddled around outside in the garden after getting home then headed out to have my ears lowered once again. All of the Ross kiddos are in VBS at SFBC and they all were sporting orange shirts when they arrived for lunch. I had eaten earlier the left overs from Willie Jewels barbecue house on Sunday. I caught up on a few things as we continue to get the house ready for our departure for the next 5 months. I did get in some down time after running errands after Amy left for the day.

We settled into the Ray's game who won big with some young rookie batters and new pitchers. They played well against the Jay's from Toronto. We flipped back and forth watching the historic meeting between our duly elected POTUS and the dictator from N.Korea. Hopefully Trump can get Kim to lay down his arsenal of nuclear weapons and make the region safe. The libs and dem's are besides themselves and are no longer patriotic Americans as they want this POTUS to fail which means they hate the nation. It's so despicable and disgusting that I will never vote for another democrat ever despite all of my family were Roosevelt democrats. This bunch now with the Hollywood crowd are vile and evil and unAmerican, LATER

Monday Morning..3 days to departure

Well Sunday started out early for me as I helped with my last load in at 6 AM for BridgePoint Church at SPC until November. It was a day of mixed emotions as we said good-bye to many with lots of hugs and a few tears and "when are you coming back". It's the same when we leave the mountains and come back to the flatland as we both shed a few tears whether coming or going. We have made some many friends this year at BridgePoint as we helped with the start up of the Seminole campus.

It was another hot muggy day until the late afternoon when we finally got some reprieve from the heat. After church we met up with the Botbyl's at Willie Jewels which is fast becoming our barbecue place. Wow the food is fast and hot and so plentiful that I brought half of mine home. Their collard greens are delicious as is their beans, french fries, mac and cheese and green beans. The seasoning is down home countrified. We saw several old friends there from SGBC as well as a few from BridgePoint. Good eatin' to say the least.

I stayed around the house while Nancy headed to the mall. She will be limited to once a week starting next week so I think she is trying to get her fill of shopping. I watched the Ray's lose another close game and then I finished a good true story about a family who lived on a desolate island called Whale Island east of Nova Scotia. It is really a memoir or almost daily recording by each family member much like the blog I write daily. Interesting. We decided on a bowl of popcorn for our supper after the large late lunch. I have enough leftovers for lunch today(Mon.). I hand watered the seedlings and so far they are looking decent despite the heat and the lack of rain. It seems we went in a spell of too much rain and now not enough. I had to water the Crepe Myrtle tree as I noticed some of the leaves were sagging but did notice the buds had become to bloom which appear to be a deep pink or purple. There are 4 or 5 clusters on the tree and it seems it has grown a feet in height since planting.

We watched our Legends and Lies on Fox Cable which is about the Civil War. It is a great history lesson told from both sides of the issue of slavery that eventually led to the killing of Lincoln and the root cause of the war. I know it was about states rights but the real issue was set forth in Lincoln's Gettysburg address that all men were created equal despite their origins of birth. Well afterwards I watched a little of the pre meeting between our duly elected POTUS and the dictator of North Korea which is historical in just the fact they will meet tomorrow. The pundits are all critical of Trump but he has done more for our nation that the past 5 potus's and especially the last treasonous Obama who sold the nation out to a country who leaders chant "death to America". He was an absolute dismal failure in securing America while giving away our nations treasure which I'm sure ended up in his off shore bank accounts as well as those in his party and administration.

That was about it for the day as I hand watered the garden again just before dark and making plans on all I have to do in the next couple of days before leaving. Nancy saw some ants on the porch and is hysterical to say the least and she puts out traps, ant powders and sprays constantly, LATER
 

Sunday Morning..4 days to departure

Well it was my last load in for BridgePoint Church this morning at 6 Am with a great bunch of volunteers until next November unless we find a permanent building to house our church. I will surely miss this weekly act to help folks get closer to GOD.

Saturday was a fun day as I headed out on my bike a little before 8 to the rec. for two hours of pickle ball. We finally had the gym for the morning and there were three courts in action with a couple new players who were quite good. Afterwards I headed home and loaded up our beach equipment; chairs, umbrella, lotions and towels along with a new book. We got to the beach for the first time this year around 10:30 as we are only 15 minutes or so from the house. Amy and her family came around 11'ish as well and joined us. I got in a good swim and it felt like we were tourists for a change. The beach was loaded with all sizes and shapes of bikini clad bodies and some of the gals were hanging out with little or no modesty, yeow. We stayed until nearly 1'ish before packing up and heading home to a light lunch.

Nancy hit the showers and then headed out with Carol and Kathryn to the Seminole Center to brows the shops while I read until it was time to meet up with the gang at the Botbyl's house for pizza and wings to watch the third leg of the triple crown. We  have a new winner in Justify as he ran away from the field for the third win in a row. What a remarkable horse he is with a very humble jockey who is the oldest to ever to win the crown. We headed home shortly there after as no one wanted to play games.

I tuned into a movie on HBO called Kill the Messenger about the Nicaraga rebels pushing drugs in the USA to garner funds to pay for weapons and the reporter who broke the story. It was based on  a true story and he eventually lost his job, family and his life as a result of his decision to expose this story. It wasn't long afterwards I hit the sack as it was a full day and the sun drains you, LATER

Saturday Morning....5 days to departure

Well Friday was a mixture of chores, work out and then some play with a really tasty supper with the Cool Peoples Club at the Botbyl Hacienda. It was another hot muggy day but no rain despite the dark clouds at times. Nancy was off to her final Bible study group at SFBC for this summer and I headed to the rec. around 8:30 for a work out on the treadmill. I'm hoping to get back to pickle ball for my last Saturday morning at 8 AM today (Sat.). Nancy wants to go to the beach this morning which will be our first time since coming back last Nov. from the cabin.

I started the day much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric while I post this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and intercessory prayers for many. All is well with those I mention by name that includes our POTUS. I certainly hope he continues with the course he has America on as he continues to expose the corruption within the last administration. I still think it was GOD's will that he was elected because if she had won we never would have realized just how corrupt the "deep state" had tried to take over and had succeeded with the DOJ and FBI and their give aways to Iran.


I worked out then came home to change the oil in the lawn mower and then mulch up some piles of weeds I had drying in the garden that will give my worms some food over the summer and hopefully keep them around for next years garden. Earthworms are the key to a good garden as their casing(poop) is the best ever for growing veggies. Speaking of veggies my seedlings look like they will be large enough with roots to dig up and take with me to the mountains. The kale seedlings are the smallest but I'm feeding and watering then a couple times a day and they are growing but it will be touch and go if they survive the sudden upheaval from the ground and make the trip. I'll wrap them in wet newspaper for the trip and that usually holds them but since I have a black topper on the truck instead of the white one which reflects the heat it may get to hot back there; but I'm considering bringing them in the cab with us for the trip.

We headed up to the Botbyl's (3 doors up) around 5'ish and met up with the Tracy's who were down from Dade City which is about an hour away and had a supper of pasta, salmon and salad with a little cheese and vino for starters. Afterwards we played a game of Euchre and the gals won and then a game of OH -ell which the boys(Patrick) won. We planned on a pizza supper tomorrow as we always watch the last leg of the Triple Crown Horse Race so it will be once again a get together with the gang; not sure if Tom and Elizabeth are joining us as they cancelled at the last minute due to a project Tom had to finish for school. Anyhow the Tracy's will spend the night with the Botbyl's and go to church with us for our last Sunday at BridgePoint for awhile.

We got back to the house around 9'ish and hit the showers and it wasn't long after watching the Ray's losing again that I was ready for some horizontal lab, LATER

Friday Morning--6 days to departure

Well Thursday was a rather uneventful day as I did piddling chores to get ready for the big move to cooler temps and higher ground. Amy and the grands were busy helping watch a friend of Ava's so it was just Nancy and I for lunch then she was back to Target and then we met with our financial guy and attorney to update our trusts as its been 11 years since it was initiated.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my usual routines that start with a cup of tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and spent a few quiet moments with my Creator. All is well with those I lift up daily by name as we spoke with GG, Paw Paw and our "mountain mom" Helen. She is getting excited about our return to the mountains as are we. I got ready after my routines and headed out on my bike to the rec. for a workout on the treadmill and left with a wet shirt. I piddled around in the garden feeding my new seedlings which despite the heat are growing and should be large enough to transplant in the summer garden at the cabin once I get the beds in shape.

I took down the suitcases and coolers from the attic and we will begin to pack. It's always a chore as we throw out "stuff" we have long forgot about that is stored. I called our TV and Internet provider at the cabin and had those services turned and discontinued the use of our land line there except folks can still call us unlimited but we no longer can call out except for 911 and the phone company which will save about 20 bucks a month. Interesting. I put another service on hold here in Florida but we have to keep the monthly TV and Internet here because of the two year contract. I'm still saving money from what Spectrum was charging monthly, oh well every little bit helps when your on a fixed income.

I grilled peppers and onions and marinated chicken breasts for fajitas for our supper, yikes were they ever delicious. After the cleanup we settled into the Fox Cable News, the Ray's  ball game which they lost again and eventually the Stanley Cup game before I hit the shower. I was whupped so by 10'ish  I turned every thing off and settled into some horizontal lab. I will check the scores on the internet to see if the Cap's closed out the series in Vegas, LATER

Thursday Morning..7 days to departure

Well Wednesday wasn't anything exciting to report except it was hot and muggy and we got a severe rain shower just after I finished mowing the yards. I mean it poured buckets for about an hour then typical of Florida the sun came out and you would never know it rained. The sandy soil sucked the rain right up and it was gone. It did help cool things off and by late afternoon I ventured out after supper and it was rather pleasant.

The day started much the usual with a before 6 roll out to my routines that start with the cup of green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble then spent a few minutes with my Creator. All is well with those I lift up by name and sister Pat's husband Keith left the hospital for their home in W.VA. I decided on heading to the rec. around 8:30 and do 45 minutes on the treadmill using the incline to get the legs and heart ready for those steep mountain trails we hike daily at the cabin. The calves of both legs were having some lactic acid buildup from just the one day on the incline. I miss hitting the pickle ball and the competition but suffice to say this weight room workout is better than nothing.

I got back before 10 and started on the yards and manage to get them mowed before the skies opened. I could see the clouds building all around which helped to keep the temps down. I did manage to work in the garden after mowing for a few and dug out the last two tomato plants. The nematodes were evident to the roots as well. I pulled a nice egg plant and we had that for our lunch. Everyone likes fried egg plant especially the grand kiddos. Nancy also fried a couple of the green tomato's I pulled. I have several that were just hanging on the near dead plants and they should go with us to the cabin.

Nancy has it in her mind that its going to be a hot summer at the cabin so she wants to invest in the ductless a/c. I'm not thrilled as we bought two windows units a few years ago but I hate putting them in unless we have company as they are noisy and take away from the ambiance plus getting them installed is now a big job as I have to carry them upstairs and they are bulky and heavy. Anyhow we saw where our friends the Luffman's had one installed in their older home and the folks on top of our mountain put three inside units in their cabin from one compressor. They are not cheap but since we have no way to add ducts it's either stay with what I have which is the window units or go ductless. We all know the answer to that so I made an appointment with an installer in Sparta to come out and give me an estimate and to see if they can be installed in our cabin.

Well Amy and kiddos all came for the lunch of fried egg plant then they all took off to go shopping. I stayed at home, read and caught up on some small issues. We ate leftovers for our supper then settled into the Fox Cable News and see where the last fraudulent potus sold US(A) out to the Iranians with out approval from the congress on some banking issues. I wonder how much of that went into his offshore account. Everything about the last administration is showing up to be corrupt with all of the give aways and now he is responsible for his sycophants in the DOJ and FBI to take down our duly elected POTUS Trump.

 I'm never going to believe the msm media will ever get on board and report these findings and now the IG report is going to show just how corrupt Hillary was and the lack of the truth being showed in the investigation of the national security with her emails. The whole bunch was and is corrupt in D.C. and they are so afraid of Trump that he will expose it to the nation. At least a few folks are starting to see the light after yesterday's primary elections which everyone thought the dem's would win and take back the congress. If the dem's win in Nov. and get in control they will attempt to hide all of the corruption so it highly vital we do not let that happen no matter which party you identify with. The existence of our nation depend on the rule of law and transparency and all of those were violated by the Obama administration.

The Rays lost again in D.C big time and tonight could possibly be the last game in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup as the Cap's are up 3-1. The Cap's are the team that beat our Lightning in seven games, LATER

Wednesday Morning..The count down begins..8 days for an ETD

Well it is hot, muggy and the mosquitos are bad her in central Florida along the coast actually about 5 miles as the crow flies from the beach; speaking of which we haven't been to since coming back to Florida last November. I know folks who spend tons of money to come here and we haven't been yet this year, maybe when we come back next Fall.

Well Tuesday found me up at my usual time of before 6 to my usual routines that start with the cup of green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then a few quiet moments with my Creator in humble prayers of thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. All is well with those I normally mention but now a new addition as sister Pat's husband Keith is in the hospital with some urinary infection which they haven't been able to completely identify or found the right cure. Anyhow she and Keith have retired from the ministry and moved from up north back to W.VA. We spoke with Helen and GG but I haven't spoke with Paw Paw in the last couple of days.

I headed out on my bike around 9:30 for the rec. to do a couple miles on the treadmill before heading home as the gym was closed all week to pickle ball and no one wants to play outside in this weather. I'm thinking I'll just go early in the morning as I use to do and workout in the weight room and come back and work outside until noon. I do not like heading out in the middle of the morning to workout at the rec. I'll forgo pickle ball except on Saturday mornings when we have the gym at 8 AM.; but of course I only have a week left, oh well.

We had the Ross Family minus Tyler for lunch and supper as he flew out to D.C. for a couple of nights for his company. I did piddle around in the garden in the early morning and noticed some kale seedlings popping through the ground. Hopefully they will be big enough to transplant at the cabin. The beets and Swiss chard seedlings look great as do the morning glory plants. I'm also taking some Thai basil, a Rosemary plant I started from a cutting and some honeysuckle cuttings which have rooted  and a thyme cutting that has rooted. I'm not sure if the jalapeno pepper is to large but I may cut it back today so as to get it in the truck. The peppers are large and for making poppers which we love. It's such a beautiful plant and it will die if I leave it here, oh well. I usually take a box full of plants with me when we go north.

Well Nancy cooked a pot roast for the Ross Family and they all loved it but have their mother aversion to any fat meat observed on their portions, they are so funny. We ate the last of the home grown carrots in the pot roast and Sam likes them raw as does Ava. We are sure going to miss these kiddos as they now each have such personalities and Eliza is such an actress, oh well. They won't becoming to the cabin this year as they go to Kansas to see Tyler's folks. Bobby will be bringing his gang sometime after the 4th of July and then the parade begins with folks visiting, oh well.

I'm starting to get those sleepless nights as I'm thinking about all that needs to be done here as well as when I get to the cabin. I know it will be grass waist high and the gardens and flower beds loaded with grasses and weeds. I want to have an old friend from my days after first leaving home in '64 visit the first couple weeks or so who lives in Gastonia, N.C. We will have a full schedule this summer and I have so many projects that need to be done plus catch up on some projects for our "mountain mom" plus at least a trip up the valley to see family and then the big trip to Michigan for the wedding and a visit with GG, Nancy's mom who is doing remarkable considering I never thought she would get out of the hospital in Miami. We are blessed in so many ways with so many friends and family, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was an all work day except for the middle of the afternoon when it was just to hot and muggy to even be outside. I skipped pickle ball in the morning for a couple reasons and the biggest is with this new time of having the gym at 10:30 which is when I'm usually home from my early session of play and the second is the lack of good players and only having on MWF half of the gym at 10:30. I may only go on TWS when we at least have the whole gyn, oh well. I started with a before 6 roll out to my usual routines and then headed outside to work until lunch time.

I did my cup of hot tea laced with turmeric while I spent some quiet moments with my Creator while I posted this ramble then lifted up several by name. I've lost two friends to death this past weekend and one was a very close friend at one time when she was just a young girl. She suffered horribly most of her adult life with diabetes which caused her passing. The other was a 1964 classmate at JWHS and a former football player with me. He also was an airman and did a tour in Vietnam and I'm wondering if Agent Orange was the culprit as is with most who suffer from that awesome chemical. I've lost several associates who was exposed to that during their duty to that country.

I clipped shrubs and repaired the gutter as well as transplanted some seedlings to take with me to the mountains for my summer garden next week. The Swiss chard, beets and now I think I saw some kale seedlings popping through the ground, as well as 3 Heavenly Blue morning glory plants. The rest of the garden is starting to be over come with heat except for the peppers, okra, egg plants and my herbs. I will pick the last of the green tomato's as the nematodes and heat have just about killed the last two plants which still have several green 'maters. I'll ripen them in the house.

Well Amy and the kiddos didn't come today since Tyler is leaving for a couple days to D.C. for his job. They will all come for supper tonight as Nancy is fixing a pot roast. I sweated off about 3 pounds yesterday as it was that hot and muggy and hopefully worked off some fat with it. I've worked hard to get down to the 180 mark but in just a week of eating out, huge dinners with friends and desserts I've put back nearly 5 pounds of weight. The breads, chips and desserts are the real killers as all of that turns to sugar and is then stored around the belly for a spare tire.

Well we watched Fox Cable News and then some of the Stanley Cup finals and it looks like the team that beat the Lightning in a 7th game is going to win the cup after a total domination of the Vegas team through two periods last night. Nancy and I did do some cleaning out closets, drawers and packed some tubs to take with us next week to the cabin. It's a slow process of deciding what to take after 7 months and its always we take too much, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday found me up early and out on my bike to the SPC for the 6 AM load in for BridgePoint Church. It was hot and muggy but we got it done despite the loss of one of our best workers as we moved him on Friday for his complete move to South Dakota. I was back at the house by 7:30 to get ready to head out at 8:15 for our morning briefing of the volunteers for the day and we had 75 plus in attendance just for that meeting. Tim our lead pastor started a new 10 week series titled "Road Trip" and its available on line at our website which is archived; what a fabulous speaker. We are reaching our community to help folks get closer to GOD and just this week we had four first time families to attend. I worked the parking lot both services and we have a special spot for first timers as they are indicated by entering the parking area with their flashers on.

It was close to one before we got back home and had a lunch of deli turkey on a wrap. We were having a huge supper of roast leg of lamb which was perfect along with smashed taters and lamb gravy which is the best ever, fresh broccoli and a salad and Amy made the most delicious cheese cake with fresh strawberries and whip cream. It's no wonder I've picked up nearly 5 pounds this last week with all of the dinners out, dinners in with friends and families almost every night this past week; but it sure was delightful as we won't see some of these folks until next November.

Bobby and family came and we won't see them until July when they come for the cabin. Both Katie and Tyler fly out to the D.C. area for their respective companies; Katie this morning and Tyler later this evening. Each will be gone at least two nights so we will entertain the Ross gang while he is gone. Now that all of the dinners are over with I can get back to readying the house as well as start to pack for the move to the cabin next week. We are late this year as first it was Eliza's dance recital and now it Ava's minor surgery on the 12th and then we are off on the 14th finally. Everyone headed out around 7:30 so we put the house back in order and watched the Legends & Lies show On Fox Cable about the killing of Lincoln for an hour then I hit the showers and was soon ready for horizontal lab. The sun and humidity took it out of me while working the parking lot this morning plus the early wake up, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well I'm up around 5'ish to get ready to ride out on my bike to the SPC for the 6 AM load in for BridgePoint Church. We had an awesome day yesterday afternoon an evening at the beautiful Mahaffey Theater in down town St.Pete for Eliza's first dance recital. There were hundreds of attendee's plus hundreds of performer. The place holds 2000 folks and it was near full and the different groups were amazing and some just so very cute and Eliza was one of those as this was her first recital. She was made up and looks dazing in her outfit as was all of the performers. We all came back to our house for leftovers from the night before.

This will be short as its getting close to time to ride out and help with my next to last load in until November as we leave in just under two weeks. Yea, I'm starting to get tired of the heat and humidity and long for the clean mountain air, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a mixture of work and play with a great meal for supper with 4 other couples from our life group from BridgePoint. The day stared out with me sleeping in until 6:30 wow what a change for me as I'm acclimating to the new time at the rec. I wasn't playing pickle ball today as I volunteered to help a church member to move from his apartment. It was a hot and muggy day with temps in the upper 80's but at least the sun was shining.

After my later than usual roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric I spent some time with my Creator after posting this ramble. I learned a dear friend who I had know since she was just a wee little girl had passed away from the complications of diabetes. She had a weight problem all of her adult life and I had lost contact with her and her sister who both were adopted by my old employer at the farm market where I worked as a high school senior on weekends. I also noticed where one of my classmates passed on as well and he and I both served in the USAF during Viet Nam. But other than those sad news all is well with those I lift up each and everyday.

I piddled around in the garden and sowed some kale seeds in hope they will be big enough to take to the mountains for my garden there. The beets and Swiss chard seedlings are up to a couple inches in height and should make the trip just fine and the replanting as well. I headed out a little before 10 to meet up with a couple other guys to help with this move. I worked there until 1 ish then headed home to cool off as we were in and out of this huge truck packing it for this long trip to South Dakota. Amy and the grands were at the house for lunch and then they left shortly as Nancy wanted to get ready for our evening crowd. Everyone brought something to the table and the spaghetti was delicious as usual as was the Caesar salad and other goodies.

After eating we decided to play 10 rounds of Balderdash so each person had a chance to read and be the moderator for a round. It was a hoot and some of the answers coming from this group were unbelievable. Our usual winners were not this night and 4 were tied for the lead when we stopped the game and just visited until after 10'ish. We had one group in the kitchen eating homemade Zucchini bread, brownies and some delicious apple cake and another in the living room sharing life experiences. We are going to miss these wonderful folks and the work they do at BridgePoint as all of us have come from different churches to make our new church successful in helping folks get closer to GOD. Most of us are retired or semi-retired and I'm the second oldest in the group with both of us having much younger wives.

Well it wasn't long after they left that we cleaned up the kitchen and got ready for some horizontal. I'm back to my regular 8AM pickle ball at the rec. this Sat. morning as the camp is closed on the weekends and the gym gets back to normal, LATER

Friday Morning

Well it is hot and muggy and isolated showers in the morning which has just about ruined what's left in the garden except for the growth of the weeds and weird weeds coming up in the beautiful front yard grass, oh well. We once agin had the Cool Peoples Club minus Elizabeth and Tom here during the afternoon and then back after eating out for dessert and a game of Euchre. Not much else was going on except we booked our other airbnb for two more nights in Michigan near GG, Nancy's mom.

I slept in a little due to Nancy's chainsaw running during the night until nearly 6:30 but other than that the morning routines were the usual with my cup of green tea laced with turmeric while I posted this ramble and then spent some time with my Creator. I spoke with Paw Paw and he seemed as well as can be expected and he caught me up on some relatives whose name keep popping up on facebook. Seems he is a distant relative whose either sister or aunt was my second grade school teacher. I had never knew him but he is about the same age as myself and was from the lineage of Triplett's in the Rock Eden area of W.Va. near Gore, Va. His great grand father and mine were first cousins so we are very distant but still with same last name; his first name Renwyn is very unusual.

I piddled around the house until 9:30 then took off for the rec. where I would eventually play some pickle ball for an hour or more but the good players were scarce to say the least. I walked on the treadmill for a half hour while waiting for the gym to clear of a hundred school age kids who are in summer camp at the rec. Nancy came up and did her workout on the bike and the treadmill then we left together and came home for some lunch. The Ross kiddos are out of school for the summer but Amy was watching one of Ava's classmates for the day so they stayed away for lunch.

I spent a couple hours trying to book this one airbnb and for some reason a photo ID was necessary so we tried to figure out how to send that via the smart phone. We eventually figured it out so now we are booked for 4 nights in Michigan in August at half the cost of two in the hotel we had reserved a month or so ago and the venues look great one even has a pool and the other has horses.

The Tracy's and Botbyl's all met at our house and we headed to the new barbecue eatery called Willie Jewels in the Seminole Center. Great food and the sides are nice and plentiful. The St.Louis ribs fall off the bone and the brisket is moist. Good food and reasonable. The center has so many food outlets which just amazes me and the area is booming with real estate deals as well. What a plus for Seminole. We came back and had fresh strawberry short cake and played a game of Euchre which the guys won for a change. We are having 10 folks again tonight from our Bridgepoint Church with a spaghetti supper and then games and then again on Sunday evening another lamb dinner with just family. There goes my spare tire again but oh such fine eatin', LATER