Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday started out beautiful with bright sunshine and clear blue skies and just a touch of spring in the air after the nearly half day of rain on Tuesday; however by the afternoon the skies clouded up and once again we got some rain for a couple hours.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and fresh ginger while I posted this ramble then did some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. All seem well except for Eddie who is back in the hospital in N.C. he is the paraplegic who suffered an accident and who was standing in the bucket of his tractor while hanging a sign and fell to the ground, breaking his neck in several places. This happened going on three years ago. Everyone else seems to be doing good at this point.

I headed out to the rec. around 9 and got in nearly two hours of pickle ball play with some good players before heading home on my bike to do some "honey-do's" for Nancy. She was entertaining a group of ladies mostly from our church called Soul Sisters who share real life with each others. Most are somewhat younger than we are or me and they get together once a month to share. I piddled around in the garden until the rain came so it was read for a couple hours during the afternoon. She wanted supper out of the way before the 6:30 meeting so I grilled pork chops bone -in around 5ish and then we had our first mess of half runner green beans from the garden and my oh my were they ever delicious with just a little butter. Speaking of the garden I pulled three more rather large 'maters that were starting to turn. It looks as if the bugs haven't noticed this plant or for some reason they are staying away. It's usually one 'mater for every 4 not infested with their larvae. I haven't sprayed them either but so far so good. I may use a little Sevin dust to further inhibit their destruction.

After the cleanup I headed up to neighbor Dan's as Carol was attending the meeting and we watched the news then the Tampa Bay Lightning playing in New York. The meeting broke up at 8:30 so I was called home and finished up the game after a hot shower and they won again in overtime. They set a team record with wins and hopefully will win the Cup in April. They are playing awesome with the best record in all of hockey, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday started out with overcast skies and by noon the rain started and it fell all day long and into the evening. It was a cold rain and much needed as well. We had to go out later in the evening for a class at the rec. but other than my workout on the pickle ball court in the morning I stayed in and read most of the afternoon.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish roll out to a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble and then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting several up by name. Most all seem well as can be expected due to their ages and illnesses. I got in a good workout but left after an hour and a half due to the back muscle tightening, so I didn't want to further injure it. I'm still using an analgesic in the area.

There wasn't much to discuss for the rest of the day as I finished one Dennis Lehane book and started another. He is a good writer and luckily he has several more novels waiting at the library for me to read in my spare time which I now love except for gardening. I'm starting to get some large tomato's and the cukes are starting as well. The first one we sat and ate it right off the vine. My oh My what flavor. The lettuces need harvesting again as well as the radishes and they are the size of a 50 cent piece.

Well I watched some of the Fox Cable News of the Hanoi summit with our POTUS Trump meeting with the North Korea dictator which is historical but all the other news media is about a convicted liar who is supposedly going to give the dem's some fodder to impeach our POTUS. The dem's never give up because of their loss to Trump and they suffer the TDS along with a few rino's in the republican party. They are all so afraid of their exposure to corruption while being in the gov't and supposedly working for the American people who elected them, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday started out on the brisk side of the weather with a cool north wind which really lasted all day long. There was no humidity with lots of sunshine and a stiff breeze which after Sunday's rather hot and humid day felt wonderful. I got in a good work out at the rec. on the pickle ball court then worked outside in the yards and gardens for most of the afternoon except for giving the floors a scrubbing as Nancy is entertaining her women's group here on Wednesday evening.

I did my usual morning routines that always start with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and fresh ginger while I post this ramble and then some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving for another day and all of my many blessings while I lift up several by name. We got word one of our associates we met one time for a birthday dinner in Tampa had passed away from cancer throughout her body. She went the holistic method with out any chemo or radiation treatments but the cancer had spread from her breasts throughout her body in just a short time. She really thought all of her diets and methods would save her and we will never know how much she suffered at the end but she wrote about her treatments almost daily and kept up a smile. We hope she believed in the LORD as much as she did in the holistic treatments which had her eating all kinds of veggies and fruits. RIP Jacki.

Well I had a good hour plus workout on the courts losing only a time or two with various partners and by 9:30 I thought I should give the back muscles a rest after straining one last week. I can still feel a slight twitch there but with the analgesic which helps and no heavy lifting I think I can get back to where I was a couple weeks ago. It actually felt good to run and play as well as mow the yards and hoe the garden. I picked a nice mess of collards and Nancy cooked them for our supper along with fried fish fillets, yeow what a feed. After supper we settled into the Fox Cable News and see where our Potus is in Viet Nam to meet with the Korean dictator. Hopefully some good will come from this second summit. The news showed where the hollywood crowd once again made disturbing comments about this Potus as always and who really cares what these lib's think and say but they get lots of press from the MSM. When they can not find racism they fabricate it such as the idiot in Chicago did and who is part of that left wing crowd, oh well.


After a hot shower I watched the Lightning once again play a tough game and they overcame being down a goal to win in a shoot out. I sure hope this is a good sign for our Lightning in the playoffs. The Rays are back on the field in spring training baseball so I'm looking forward to watching them as well this new season, LATER

Monday Morning

Well since I last posted on Friday it was a total busy weekend with awesome winter weather for Florida; actually it was more like summertime with temps in the upper 80's with bright sunshine and clear skies except for Sunday morning when we got some sea fog before lunch which kept the temps quite pleasant.

I did my morning routines each day despite having company on Thursday, Friday and Saturday but no postings of this ramble. We picked up our mountain friends Thursday morning from the port of Tampa then headed to the beach for a couple hours in the afternoon. We grilled delicious pork chops for supper and then had some game time in the evening. On Friday morning Nancy and I headed to Keswick School for grandparents day which was a fun morning as we attended Sam's third grade class and their musical in the auditorium and then we visited Eliza's pre-school for her first grand parents day celebration and she was so cute blowing us kisses from the stage. We then visited her class as well and she was so excited about her school and class. Several in her class attend BridgePoint and one little girl sits and shares her table.

We got back just before noon and had some lunch then headed off to Oldsmar to watch the horses run. It was cheap entertainment for a couple hours and our guests played the horses. I bet one race then Nancy took over and I watched from the grandstand. It was a rather warm sunny day and the shade felt good. Kathryn, Meg and Jim came as well but Patrick was under the weather with shingles, yikes. Kathryn left a winner as she won a couple of races but we bought horse feed which is what we usually do once a year. They all came back to our place plus the Botbyl's and I grilled burgers and dogs then we played a game before they all took off for their hour drive home.

We hit the showers then got ready for some horizontal lab as the sun had us worn out. We took our guests to the airport around 9'ish on Saturday morning then got ready to head to Brandon for Gabe's first game of the year and they won in the last at bat. The sun was bright and very warm with temps in the upper 80's. The traffic to and from the area was unbelievable heavy but this is the time of the year when the roads are filled with snowbirds here for spring training and the beaches. It was no doubt perfect weather for anything out side in the sun. We were scheduled for supper at nephew Austin house on Snell Island which is in east St.Pete and the hood is gorgeous. They are renting for now a beautiful place and it was charming to say the least. Meghan his wife is a beautiful person both to look at and on the inside and she had a gourmet meal prepared for us along with great finger foods and drinks. We took Amy, Sam and Eliza with us as Ava and Tyler attended her basketball awards ceremony at the same time. They eventually arrived just as dinner was over and we played a couple rounds of domino's and then some trivia pursuit before leaving around 10'ish. Bobby and family was there so the grands entertained themselves along with their two boys Tyler and Westley. It was a fun day but a busy one and it wasn't long after the 30 minute drive home I was in the shower and then in the sack. 5:30 in the morning came early for me as I got ready to head out to the college for the 6 AM load for BridgePoint Church.

I helped with parking in the first service then set in on the message and in the second service we sat in on the Rooted class" which took up most of the time during the service. It was 12;30 before we left for home and some lunch. I set the sprinklers on the garden during the afternoon. I did harvest my first cucumber which was awesome and three more on the vine starting to get large. It's been years since I've been able to grow cukes. I did pick two more tomato's starting to turn and they are huge. I mean almost soft ball size huge. I did harvest a nice mess of collards and jalapeno peppers for our new campus pastor who is helping out in Seminole as well as leading our Blessed Life class on Tuesdays.

Nancy heading out shopping so I read the afternoon and evening away since its been days since I last has a chance to read. I skipped any supper after the leftover burger and dog for lunch with the cucumber dipped in ranch dressing, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was a busy fun day with some good friends, great eatin', beach time and card games before bedtime and the Tampa Bay Lightning won again in a shoot out. They are the best team in all of the NHL and hopefully will win the Stanley Cup this year.

I did my usual morning routines that always takes time to honor my Creator and lift up several by name and give thanks for another day, our country and of course our Potus and those who love GOD and our freedom's and liberties. We are so blessed in this nation as our guests just got back from Cuba where there is abject poverty for most of the folks except those in power in this socialist nation. They said it was a filthy place with the building in disrepair and then everywhere they went on a tour it was utter slum like with no infrastructure. They were amazed a cruise ship would dock there and show the world how poor they are for a third world country and we have those in the democrat party who want to bring this type of culture to our nation with this type of economy.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out despite not having to get up early as I was once again staying away from pickle ball due to guests and the muscle pull in the lower back. I was able to function without severe pain but I can still feel the knot in the muscle, hopefully that will eventually work its way out. I was able swim, fish, walk a couple miles in the surf and do most everything but did limit myself from any heavy lifting. We got the call to pick up Mechelle and Allan some time around 9:30 at the port so we headed to Tampa and what a traffic jam near the area as another ship was loading to head out and of course this ship had unloaded 2500 folks.

We got back to the house around 11:30 and had a bite of lunch before loading up beach chairs, umbrellas, fishing poles, towels and a cooler with some drinks. We spent the next 2-3 hours enjoying the beach as Allan and I fished in the surf(no bites) while the girls sat under the umbrella. I got in a good swim which felt great to the back muscles and then Allan and I walked a couple miles up and back the beach before we called it a day around 4'ish. It was a perfect beach day with just enough of a breeze where the kites were flying over head and enough to keep the heat down to where it was bearable in the 80's without frying from the sun's reflection off of the white sand. There were lots of beach goers and I mentioned we may come a couple times a year while others spent thousands of bucks to do what we did.

We got back and I washed things off and then hand watered the gardens while they piddled around getting supper ready. I picked my first tomato and while it was just starting to turn I did not want a squirrel or the bugs to get it. It is huge and then I pulled a couple carrots as well and while they are about the size of quarter they were only 4-5 inches or so in length but oh so delicious in flavor. I pulled several jalapeno peppers as well as fresh parsley for taters for supper and rosemary for the beautiful bone in pork chops. Oh my what a feed we had with a fresh garden salad.

After the cleanup we settled into  couple games of Kings on the corner card game and then we taught them how to play Euchre and the guys whupped the gals after a close game. They really seemed to enjoy the game after learning about the jack's and their importance. It was going on 10 when I hit the shower then watched the last period of the hockey game and t went into overtime still tied at 1 each. Well the Lightning scored twice in the shoot out and beat the Sabers from Buffalo in a hard fought game with lots of hitting and fistacuffs, yeow everyone wants to defeat our team but they are so talented with a great goalie and should be the team to go all the way this year.

Well today Friday is grand parents day then we are off to the Tampa Bay Downs to watch the ponies(horses) run for a couple hours then having three other couples here for supper. Should be a fun day with lots of good eatin' on this beautiful winter day, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday was spent babying my lower back as I pulled a muscle on the right side which kept me from pickle ball or any physical activity. I did some piddly stuff that didn't require any heavy lifting. I'm hoping after some massages and analgesic it will loosen up, oh well such is the side effects of growing older.

I started the day much the usual except for lying in bed close to 7. I felt a little better in the lower back muscles but still had that knot which would only loosen up some time later in the day but still painful. I did my morning routines that start with the cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. All is well except some up in the Virginia area are once again facing another winter snow storm with freezing temps. What a winter for them this year as well as the Carolinas which also saw snow and cold temps.

I read for awhile after hand watering the gardens and then just took it easy until it was time to make a Sam's Club run for a few items after a light lunch. Mechelle and Allan are do back today(Thur.) from their cruise so we will pick them up at the port sometime this morning and then we are supposed to do some beach time and we guys will fish from the shore. You never know what you will catch as there is always whiting which you see in the surf. We noticed the dolphins were along the beach the other day feeding on them.

I read for most of the day giving the back a chance to rest and heal and Nancy rubbed me down a few times with the cream. I left my hand held ultra sound machine in the mountains by mistake or either I misplaced it as it would be great on healing the knot in my lower muscles. I hadn't used it in years and now I'm thinking I lent it to someone and forgot who, oh well. We had salad, brussel sprouts and a brat for supper. We picked up fresh pork chops at Sam's for our dinner with our guests tonight then another house full on Friday as the Tracy's, the Botbyl's and Patrick's sister and husband are coming for supper as well. We will have 10 adults here for burgers and dogs and the trimming after spending the afternoon at the horse races in Oldsmar. We will take our guests to the airport on Saturday then we will head down to our nephew Austin place for supper with the Ross's. It will be another weekend of gastronomic delights, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was another warm day with high humidity and what initially looked like rain clouds but by noon or so the clouds were gone and the bright sunshine was back. I headed out to the rec. for some pickle ball but some how never loosen up the back muscles and left after about an hour of play with some stiff muscle in the lower back. It was a pain in the back the rest of the day and evening. I even got a massage from Nancy which felt awesome but I think I'll rest the back for a few days from pickle ball, weeding and heavy lifting.

The morning started with my usual routines that include a hot cup of green tea laced with turmeric and fresh ginger while I posted this ramble then lifted up several by name to my Creator for healing. Seems I need to do that for myself for a change. All seem as well as can be expected. I headed out on my bike for some pickle ball but as I mentioned before either I did not stretch long enough or something caused me to strain a back muscle so I left early. I made a stop at the library then headed home to ice the ache before heading out to hand water the gardens. Nancy was shopping and when she got home she gave me a rub down with some analgesic.

I laid around reading until it was time to go to Ava's track meet where she hit the next to last hurdle and bit the track with her knees. She required a bandage later but did get up and finish third. She also did the long jump and threw the discus. She is an athlete to say the least and never complained of her injury. We left there around 5:30 and stopped off at the PDQ eatery for chicken bowls which we brought home for our supper. Afterwards we got ready for our 7 o'clock class which The Blessed Life book is the basis of the class which is very intriguing. Scott and Lori who will be the new campus pastors for the Clearwater launch which will start in March are our leaders. He is a retired fireman and she is still a flight attendant with Southwest Airlines, both are very down to earth, personable folks.

It was going on 9 when we got home and I hit the hot shower to try and loosen up the back muscle which did help and then Nancy gave me another massage. I watched the Fox Cable News until 10 then it was lights out for me, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was a holiday so the rec and library were closed. I tried to get a game at one of the local outside courts  but found no takers as many were busy and resting their aching bodies, oh well. I tried to sleep in and did until nearly 7 before giving up since I had been awake since before 6. Nancy was snoring away which makes it difficult to sleep so I started the day. It was overcast and muggy with temps in the 70's that early in the morning, yuck.

We finished up some pastry she bought for company which they never touched so instead of seeing it going to waste despite the high carbs and sugars we finished it up along with some fruit they never ate which is now starting to go south as well. After my usual morning routine that start with my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble then spent some time with my Creator in thanksgiving for another day and then lifted up several by name. Paw Paw seems as well as can be expected as I spoke with him later in the evening and then we called to wish our "mountain mom" Helen happy 91st birthday. She was all alone as Joe her older brother was off to Tennessee and her younger sister abandoned her for another invite. I wish I had been there to take her out to supper or at least give her some attention. She mentioned all of the batteries in her golf cart needed water so they could be recharged. Thankfully a neighbor came by an assisted her in that endeavor and she will soon be up and in the cart for her rides to her mailbox. She is amazing for her age and so independent.

Well I piddled around in the garden tying up tomatoes,  loosening the soil and pulling a few weeds. The dang squirrels are now digging up my radishes and chewing on them. I found some green tomato's the size of a soft ball and one plant has at least 25 or so green ones. I'm still waiting on them to start to turn before the dang squirrels start to chew on them. I think they are too big for them to get their mouth around. I picked another quart of sugar peas and gave them to next door neighbor as well as a handful of jalapeno peppers. The lettuces are now ready for harvesting and I have my first cuke in years which is about 4-5 inches in length. The two hills are just loaded with blooms and if they all make I can feed the hood.

Nancy was off shopping and it was really hot and muggy so I rested reading for a couple hours and even took a power nap. It's been awhile since I've been able to do that and I love this author Dennis Lehane my son Bobby turned me on to. What a story teller he is and the action is awesome. Finally around 4'ish a nice breeze blew the humidity out so I headed outside to hand water and pull some weeds from the front yard. The grass is starting to fill in where we had the big oak taken out and the petunias look good and add so much color to the front of the house. The grass I sprigged in the side yard is starting to send out runners as well so just maybe that bare ground will be covered by the time we head north in June.

I heard from former mountain friends Joe and Jetta who are now settled somewhat in the Cleveland area after selling out this winter. We will miss them greatly but are so thrilled they will be near family. He left me a few tools in the neighbors shed he did not want or could use as well as the use of his black raspberry patch. He did not think the new owners would mess with them but we will see when we meet them this summer. They really produced for Jetta last year and she made ton of jelly. I'm anxious about the fence we put around our patch to see if it kept the deer from eating the vines.

We had leftover chicken breast so I grilled onions and peppers for fajitas for our supper which were delicious with some chopped jalapeno and fresh cilantro and parsley. Yeow!!! After the cleanup I settled into the Fox Cable News and folks we have some serious problems with the dem's and the last administration. They attempted a coup against this duly elected Potus and our constitution and the  republic is under seize by the DOJ and FBI and even the NSA as they were complicit in this attempt to destroy this man who is going to expose their corruption. Once again hollywood has created a fake hate crime to further their agenda of supposedly racism which was promulgated by the last potus himself to destroy the very fabric of our society and culture. GOD help US(A), LATER

Monday Morning

Well since I'm always away from this keyboard on Sunday morning due to an early load in for BridgePoint Church at the college I'll catch up on Sat. and Sun. info. We of course still had our overnight house guests who arrived Friday and we had a grand time at the beach, then some fine eatin' and finally some card games. Saturday we actually slept in until 7'ish then since I was taking them to Port Tampa to meet their cruise ship we didn't do any sight seeing except on the way there. They saw more cars on the road in an hour than they see all year in Sparta.

We had a eat what you want for breakfast which mainly was fruit and those delicious oatmeal cookies Nancy made the day before. Yikes, even I could not stop. I did some gardening while they packed and got ready to head to Tampa. We left around 11'ish and made it to the ship in about an hour or so. I let them off with their bags and then we were out of there. This ship was huge and was supposed to be carrying 2500 passengers or so. Many in our life group have finally convinced Nancy to take a cruise next year, so a group of us will go. There is even pickle ball on board which is exciting for me.

After dropping them off it was get ready for a family dinner with Amy and family as well as her brother Eric and his son Austin and family. Meghan was sick so we sent a plate home for her. Aunt Betsy was civil so she came as well and stayed late. We had a grand visit and the food was delicious as usual with grilled marinated chicken breast slathered with fresh rosemary along with parsley(out of the garden) white taters and I introduced to many the addition of fresh jalapeno's on the taters and ALL loved the flavor, broccoli, garden salad and crusty bread. Amy had made brownies for dessert with ice cream. We men had a glass of vino to get the gastric juices flowing. The fare was ever so good and enough leftover for a supper for Nancy and I on Tuesday when we travel to a track meet and then our class the Blessed Life at the rec. at 7. Whew what a busy life we lead but we or I love it.

I was up earlier than usual on Sunday morning and along with 30 or so volunteers who weekly meet to unload this huge box truck with everything we need to turn the college auditorium as well as the commons into a church like setting. We give away free 12 dozen Dunkin Donuts as well as coffee, tea and bottled water each an every Sunday. Our attendance is awesome as our messages are so enlightening with beautiful praise and worship music. We do not drag anything out as we run two services that start at 9:30 and 11. We are changing that come March when we will meet a half hour earlier at 9 and 10:30.

We are still hoping and praying for our own facility but for now the college is perfect but does require a lot of work each Sunday. Nancy and I both love volunteering both services one of which we set in to hear the message but the meeting of so many different folks is awesome and this week we had many first timers. We love the stories that each person has to tell and the transformation in their lives from knowing Jesus. It's all about love as he commanded us to love others as our self and to love GOD first and foremost. We seldom stay for the load out as its usually 12:30 before we can get away to a local eatery. We headed to Willie Jewels for some barbecue which to us is very tasty and reasonable.

We invited our server to visit us at BridgePoint and she was very receptive. Nancy had the smoked brisket with fries and very well seasoned green beans and I had the pulled pork sandwich which is topped with creamy Cole slaw with Brunswick stew for my side and all that came to less than 20 bucks with a 5 buck off coupon from the local paper. Nancy never eats all of hers so I order less but really what I had is a meal and that held us or me all day until about 7'ish when I had a bowl of vanilla ice cream for a change. I usually skip dessert as I did the night before and I'm staying right around 185 which really is my goal. 180 is too hard to maintain but 184 to 186 is easy if I stay away from the desserts, oh well.

We got back to the house around 2'ish so I set the garden sprinkler for the next couple hours. The humidity is back with a stiff breeze and I didn't want to fiddle with hand watering. I finished up a book while watching the Daytona 500 and wow what a finish. The main portion of the race was boring (so I read, glancing up for the lead status)but the final miles were anything with some major crashes and lead changes. WOW what unbelievable wrecks and no one was hurt. I like Joe Gibbs and his team won over my Fords which were in position with the fastest cars but the Toyotas got the win. Anyhow he was chocked up as the car was dedicated to his son who died this year and he all but said it was a GOD thing. Such sadness in the losing of his son, but I'm happy for him as he is a good guy and a strong Christian, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a fun day all day long which started with my usual morning routines around 6'ish and I was up close to 11'ish when I finally crawled in between the sheets. We piddled around the house doing last minute getting ready for guests from Sparta N.C. who spent the day with us and will again later next week.

We headed out a little before 10 to the St.Pete/Clearwater airport to pick up Mechelle and Allan who are heading to Key West, Cuba and then Mexico on a cruise ship embarking out of the Port of Tampa this morning (Sat.) We will drop them off some time around 11'ish then come back and get ready for another 13 people for a family dinner as Nancy's brother is in town.

We brought them here to change clothes and have a bite of lunch before heading over to the beach on Redington Shores for a great couple miles of walking in the surf, shell finding and just enjoying catching up since we last saw them in November. We walked down to what is left of the Redington Pier as the hurricane destroyed most of the structure that extends out into the Gulf. We then headed back and stopped off at the Seabird Sanctuary where we saw owls, pelicans, vultures, cormorants and various other birds who have been saved from being hit by cars, tied up with fishing lines and such. The beaches were just beautiful with warm sunshine in the upper 70's and a gentle surf. The water actually was cold at first but soon it warmed up once the initial shock was over. It was great not only for them but us as well and we made plans to visit again next week and do some fishing while the girls do what ever girls do at the beach.

We drove up the beach cities to 688 and stopped at the citrus packing shed where they make this delicious"dream sickle' ice cream from fresh squeezed orange juice. We each had a cone before heading back to the abode. They both took a nap as they were up early to the airport in Concord for the hour plus flight to here. I piddled around changing out a new tube for Nancy's bike, tying up some tomato plants and then hand watering the gardens and front yards. It was after 5 before they awakened and Allan and I had a glass of the fruit of the vine before we started on making supper. I grilled salmon fillets and Nancy had fresh green beans and yellow rice along with a garden salad.

Nancy had made a head of time oatmeal raisin cookies and they were perfect for dessert later in the evening. We played several games and Mechelle was the big winner on the board games and Nancy won the card game. We men were sleeping with winners. It was a fun evening and after a hot shower I was ready for some horizontal lab, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was a busy day that started off with a chilly morning but by 11 it had warmed up to tee shirt weather with bright sunshine and blue skies; another typical Florida winter day. I'm hoping the temps stay in this range and the humidity stays away.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet moments with my Creator in humble thanksgiving for another day and my blessings in life. Most all of those I lift up daily seem to be doing as well as can be expected. We spoke with our "mountain mom" Helen briefly and she is sick of the cold winter and is ready for some Springtime as is most of our mountain friends. I suppose the Brownings have left for Cleveland after selling their place and we will miss them on our daily hikes next summer.

I headed out on my bike to the rec around 9 as we had the gym until noon for some pickle ball. Most of the B players had left for the day by the time I got warmed up and then a few more of the A players arrived. I had a great two hours or so of play before heading home piddle around in the garden after hanging a load of laundry Nancy had put in before heading out to stock up for our visitors and the family dinner on Saturday evening. The garden is doing better than expected as the new lettuces are really maturing. I harvested lots of kale and Swiss chard for her to add to the salad bowl. I had a bite of lunch then headed out to the VA at Bay Pines for my yearly eye checkup and the doctor was amazed at how well my vision is doing since a couple years ago he diagnosed me with some macular degeneration as well as some glaucoma. Neither of which has progressed and my vision seems to have improved once I started taking Preservison Vitamins by Bausch and Lomb. I take them twice a day(all at one time in the morning) and they really have helped to improve for what was beginning to occur with my vision. The doctor said he didn't think they would actually heal my issues but would keep them from getting worse but I sort of disagree as my vision is stronger and the circle of lights I once saw at night has completely diminished. I continue to eat my kale and Swiss chard and other leafy green veggies which is also a plus for everything.

I had another appointment for a rash on my hand which started sometime last summer and would just not go away despite all of the creams I tried. The dermatologist thought is was a fungal issue and prescribed me a cream which he think will help my immune system defeat the rash. All in all it was a good visit to the VA and I'm good for another year as the doctor said to keep doing what I'm doing especially for my age. When I got back and did a couple small honey do's as Nancy wants everything to be just right for when we have guests and company. I got the whole house vacuumed again and she put the guest bathroom off limits to me. We aren't sure who is accompanying our mountain friend Mechelle from Sparta but we will find out around 10:30 this AM. She will be here over night then we take them to Tampa to board the cruise ship and then pick them up next week on Thursday for another couple nights stay.

Nancy picked up a couple steaks and along with a garden salad we dined "high on the hog" for our Valentine's supper. They were alright but nothing as good as deer steaks in my opinion. We tuned in to get the real scoop on the news with the Fox Cable news and then I flipped over to watch the Lightening destroy a Dallas team. It was 6-0 when I turned off the TV around 10'ish, LATER

Thursday Morning..Happy Valentines Day

Well Wednesday was quite a change from last week when we were hot and hugging the a/c but yesterday we were close to hugging the heater. It stayed in the low 50's with very little sunshine if at all except for brief periods. I wore a sweat shirt on the way to and from the rec. and then again outside while I did some yard and garden work as well as put back together my neighbors gate which had fallen apart.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet time with my Creator lifting several up by name for healing and comfort. All seem well to those I mention daily. We all must pray for our nation and our potus as the radicals in the congress are trying their best to destroy all of the good in the nation with their idiotic agendas ; plus we have those with roots to the muslim terrorist who caused 9-11 and are doing their best to destroy Israel.

I headed out around 8 for a good workout on the pickle ball court then headed home. We made a trip to Home Depot, Wal-Mart and finally Publix before getting back to the house around noon. Amy and Eliza Faye were coming for lunch but not until 1'ish so I went ahead and ate then headed outside. We had one severe storm over night with lots of rain so I didn't need to water but I wanted to put some pavers in front of the new shed and then straighten up the cinder blocks holding the dirt from the garden along side the shed. I found my first tomato turning and the bottom was rotting out with bugs within. I hate to use any pesticides but may have to use some Sevin dust to control them. Last year as I remember I waited too long to dust the plants and lost nearly 3 for every one I saved due to these nasty fruit flies. I buried the rotten tomato in hopes to keep them from multiplying from this one.

I picked a quart or so of sugar peas and have that many more that will mature in a day or so. The carrots will be ready for some harvesting in a few days as I noticed some the size of your finger and I had green beans(half runners) ready for picking as well. The garden is loving this weather except the severe wind did blow some of the tomato plants around quite a bit. I didn't lose any but they were a foot or more lower in height after the storm.

Well we are anticipating Mechelle from Sparta to arrive on Friday along with a friend or family member; not sure which. We will take them on Saturday to meet their cruise ship in port Tampa. We will then entertain Nancy's brother  Eric and his son Austin's and family on Saturday evening along with Amy's family. Should be a good time of eatin' and game playing. Well after a supper of shrimp stir fried with lots of sugar peas which were awesome we settled in to watch the Fox Cable News to get the real scoop on whats happening outside of the local area. I soon headed for the shower around 9'ish and by 10,  I was ready for some horizontal lab, LATER 

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was another almost summer day except for the late afternoon when a fog and haze came in and cooled things down and during the night we had a gully washer of a storm with lightning, thunder and heavy rain.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and fresh ginger while I posted this ramble and lifted up several by name for healing and comfort. All seem as well as can be expected at this point in time. I headed out around 9'ish for the rec. for some two hours of pickle ball. The gym initially was full of B players so another A player and myself took a net and headed outside to play. It was just the two of us for nearly an hour and we played 3 sets of singles which is a real feat in and of itself in the heat, sun and wind. It was a tremendous workout and our shirts were wringing when we next headed into the gym. I played a couple sets of doubles in the a/c then headed out around 11:30 for home.

Nancy's brother Eric was at the house as he was down to settle their mother's estate. He stayed for lunch then he and Nancy took off to one bank while I checked in with our advisor on how to handle Nancy's portion of the inheritance. We learned a lot about savings taxes with a roll over and other financial decisions. Hopefully when all of the paper work is finally filed and completed this will be over and all of the debts paid.

We headed out around 3:30 for Keswick school to watch Ava perform in the track meet. There were 17 different school competing and we did get to see Ava win her heat in the low hurdles before we had to go. She was also in 2 other events but we had a 7o'clock class to attend so we didn't get to see her. Our class went well and we are learning a lot about the tithe and the influence of money and mammon into our personal lives. The book titled A BLESSED LIFE is a must read and talks about the real aspects of honoring GOD through our tithes and offerings.

We got back around 8:30 then I settled into the Lightning game and they were winning big and I did watch some of the FOX CABLE NEWS channel which reports the real issues and news of the day without the biased commentary of the pundits on the fake news channels which is so biased and anti Trump it's sad. We need a free press which should give fair and balanced reporting. I do think there will be many who will be surprised when criminal complaints are filed on Hillary and even Obama; but the biased fake news networks will never report the truth.

Well that was about it for the day as we have more guests coming in on Friday and a family supper on Saturday, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was another gorgeous winter day with cool temps in the morning until about 1'ish when it got so hot the a/c went back on. Since the big oak tree in the front yard is gone we get no reprieve from the direct sunshine; now the back yard is quite different as the tall oak does gives us some shade and allows you to work in the area, plus it does give the garden some shade which will soon be gone if the afternoons stay this hot.

I started the day with a before 6 roll out due to some strong noise coming from Nancy's side of the bed. I finally gave up and just got up. I did my usual morning routines that start with the cup of green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I did my quiet time after posting this ramble. All seem well as can be expected as I've heard nothing different. I headed out a little before 8 on my bike to the rec. for a good two hours of pickle ball play. I played inside for the half hour or so then the beginners filled up the gym so 4 of us better players grab a setup net and frame and headed outside. The morning was beautiful and not too hot but the sun was shining brightly with just a small breeze. We played 3 sets with regular scoring and it was great play. It's a totally different game than inside the gym.

I made a stop at the library to drop off a read then headed home to water the gardens. I needed to run to Home Depot for a new valve for the guest toilet as if was taking forever to fill up after flushed and for some fertilizer for the front yard. The new grass is sending out runners and I want a good stand before we head out in June. I harvested the last of the black seeded Thompson lettuce and then replanted it with another batch of seedlings. The squirrels seem to have been unable to get over the new chicken wire fence so the tops are filling out once again on the tomato plants. I purchased some liquid fence which is supposed to keep rabbits and deer away due to the smell which I was going to spray around my garden but Nancy vetoed that idea so I'm taking it back, oh well.

I love my new shed and its working perfectly and looks so good as well. I even have extra floor space after reloading it with all of my tools, etc. I harvested a nice mess of collards after giving neighbor Bobby a huge mess and then again Amy another mess on Sunday as well as lettuces and then a nice mess for us. The plants are doing great and the one plant the squirrels chewed on is finally coming back since I put chicken wire around it. I have some really big tomato's as well and two nice egg plants showing color. I have several jalapeno's and I noticed two small cucumbers on one vine. If they make it will be a first in many years since I've had any luck with them.

Well I took the afternoon and read for a couple hours as I'm sure missed reading but with all of the projects it been a couple of weeks or so to do that, plus it was really hot in the early afternoon. After supper it was light enough outside to work in the yards and garden until nearly 7'ish. We watched the cable Fox channel until I nearly fell asleep then I hit the shower and cat napped until our POTUS gave a great speech in Texas. When are the sycophants of Hillary and Obama going to wake up and see the corruption that was within their administrations and they were the core of it. It's so disturbing to see folks in the congress who would rather see our country fail than to see this POTUS win for the nation, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Saturday was another beautiful winter day for central Florida with mild temps. We had the doors and windows open but shut them later in the evening as we were expecting between 25-30 folks for the salad portion of our Life Group's progressive dinner. Even though the a/c was on it didn't run all that much and by late evening it had cooled down to where you needed something on your arms.

I did several chores around the house then helped neighbor Carol cut down a small tree and trimmed her hedges. She was in need of some strong arms so I helped her out. We sat and chilled until it was time to head over to the appetizer house at 5. There must have been 20 different foods but the best was the deer bites which were so tasty. Everyone raved about them after they got over the idea of eating wild meat. Andy prepared them like brats then cut them into small chunks which were so good.

They all came back to our place and filled it up to the brim. We have the smallest house of the group but they just loved the fresh garden salad, Caesar's and a fruit salad. Many of the men wanted to know all about raising a garden in Florida so I share my tips and "how to's". They were most impressed with the plants. They were here about an hour before we headed over to the really big house which could easily fit 75 folks in the main common area. We had noodles with beef gravy as the main course and then afterwards we headed back to our street at the Botbyl's where Nancy had made a chocolate cake, Carol a strawberry chiffon cake and a key Lime pie. We were close in the their house but the common area is so much bigger than our abode. We took prayer requests them prayed for each as well as for our church and the news we are starting a 4th campus next fall in Clearwater.

Sunday I was up at 5'ish to head out to the college for the load in for BridgePoint along with 30 or volunteers who each Sunday set the college up for church. That takes about an hour and half so I was back by 7:30 or so and then we got ready to head out. We both worked the front door as greeters, door holders giving out our hugs, hand shakes and warm greetings. We had nearly a full house for the 9:30 service and then we sat in on a class given for members called "rooted" as we learn of our foundations. It was nearly a 45 minute class so we headed out afterwards for home just at noon. One of the campus pastors was leading the message for this morning.

We just chilled the rest of the day as I set the sprinkler on the gardens. I read for a couple ours and took a 15 minute power nap after cleaning up the small burgers from Friday night. We just picked for supper and then I watched the Lightning win again in Miami in a hard fought game. I was ready for some horizontal lab by 10 as the day started early for me. We are expecting Mechelle and a friend to come this week for an over nighter before boarding a cruise ship out of Tampa. I have a couple VA appointments and a couple small jobs to do before they get here. The weather is gorgeous and they will be pleased as its snowing in the mountains. We spoke with Dee and Mike for an hour or so and they seem to be doing well after Mike lost his dad a couple weeks ago. They have a lot on their plates with settling the estate and taking care of his mom, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a mixture of play and work with the temps in the low 80's with bright sunshine. I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to start the day and to my usual morning routines that always start with a cup of hot green tea laced and ginger while I posted this ramble and then spent some quiet time with my Creator. All seems well with those I lift up daily as I've heard nothing to the contrary.

I headed out on my bike for the rec. a little before 8 and I rode with just a t-shirt as the morning air was quite nice. I got in nearly two hours of play and headed home after a stop for a new read at the library. I now can get back to my afternoon reading sessions as I've just about finished most of the jobs I'm doing this year around the house except for some maintenance and honey-do's. The garden is doing fabulous even with the tomato plants the squirrels have chewed off. They have put on such new growth the past couple of days since I put chicken wire over the entire plants plus I've been in the back yard nearly all afternoon until dark which is when they off on the power lines to their nests in the neighbors trees.

I mowed the yards as well as watered, raked and cleaned off the back patio stones with some muriatic acid which I found in the old shed. It is really a cleaner for these stones and it fizzed away algae and mold which has been ingrained in them for a long time. One of the gems you forgot about but find when cleaning out the old shed. Speaking of the shed's I finally figured out why the new doors were not closing properly since following what the confused directions where on those issued with this model. I interchanged the two clips that eventually will hold a lock in place between the handles and DUH that was the reason. I had to take both assemblies apart exchange the bolts and clips a WOW that worked. I now can use the dead bolt on the left door while just opening the right side door and they match up completely. That was such a gut reaction to what I thought was maybe a structural issue but now its cleared up.

I found Nancy's bike with a flat on the rear and even went out for some tube repair to fix it but I think the tube is rotten as the fixit patch didn't hold; that is a job lining up the tire in the center of the frame and holding the gear interchange into place and tightening the nuts, oh well. I need a new tube and then go through that fiasco again, oh well such is life. We had the Ross grands here for supper and then an overnighter as Amy and Tyler had a late dinner and movie date to celebrate 14 years of togetherness. I grilled sliders(small burgers) and Nathan's(hot dogs) and they love tater tots. Nancy had brownies for dessert for them and then popped them corn later after their baths and showers. They were up at 6:30 this morning which I'm surprised since they get up early daily for school. Ava did go back to bed as is in the sack as I write.

We are having between 25-30 folks here from our life group for about an hour this evening(Sat) as  part of the progressive dinner. We are hosting the salad portion much of which is coming from my garden. Everyone wants to see the garden and how to start one. I helped out one family with a generous supply of my earthworms last year but the heat of the summer will kill them it you don't keep the ground moist and give them plenty of vegetation to run through their digestive system. They all died in their garden, oh well. I'm finally getting them back into my garden but despite covering them with plenty of ground up oak leaves and yard clippings over the summer many died and dried up.

Well thats about it as the grand kiddos are looking for some breakfast and we have to put the last minute touches on getting ready for the dinner party. Thankfully the entree portion is with friends who have a very large house which accommodates 40 to  50 folks easily. Our whole house would fit in their master bedroom and we usually have our group get togethers there, LATER

Friday morning

Well Thursday was a work day in the back yard putting on the roof to the new shed and then building shelves and putting everything back until nearly 5 PM. Many thanks to neighbor Bobby as he helped me put the roof on until noon then I did the rest which was rather easy but time consuming. It was a rather warm day but the nice breeze kept it tolerable.

I started the day much the usual with a 6 'ish roll out to my cup of hot green tea while I posted this ramble then spent so quiet time with my Creator lifting up several by name and praying that I would be able to complete this job because the instructions are some what less than desirable and causing me some sleepless nights, oh well its just a storage shed. All seem well with those folks. I did get in some watering the gardens and front yards later in the day and the new petunias are blooming beautifully along the front of the house. The garden is loving these cool nights and bright sunshine days with temps in the 80's. Nancy has the a/c on but the humidity isn't terrible as of yet but it will soon be here and that tells me to start thinking about our mountain trek and the cabin.

There isn't much to tell except we had salmon for supper and a fresh garden salad. I gave neighbor Bobby a nice mess of lettuces and he cooks for his fire crew so I'm giving him a nice mess of collards on Saturday as they are ready for harvesting. Since I've worked in the back yard since Tuesday the squirrels have been at bay for most of the day and the tomato plants are recovering. I had to string extra chicken wire around the one row of plants as suddenly their taste for tomato's has expanded into chewing off the tops.

I stayed up and watched the SOTU address and our POTUS knocked it out of the park with a great speech and I noticed some of the liberal news papers are giving him so positive feedback. It's about time as he has done more good for the nation than the last potus did in 8 years but the dem's are pushing their radical agenda of socialism and I do think they will suffer in the next election. Let's hope anyway, they the dem's never get control of both houses and the white house or we will become like Venezuela.

I watched the Fox Cable News until the lightning game came on then I retired to the bedroom to watch it until a little after 10'ish then it was lights out for me. There was no score after two periods so I'll read about who won, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday was another beautiful day which was a bit on the hot side but cooled down some by late afternoon. I spent the biggest part of the day once again putting together this shed. I must say the instructions are the hardest to decipher and the items are not marked properly which make it so difficult to understand and its in three languages; Hispanic and French.

There really isn't much to write about as most of the day was spent working on the shed. I spent two hours taking apart the doors and rebuilding them because of the failed instruction and then when we started on the roof it became too much for Nancy so she quit and I spent some time on the phone with the company about the failure of some holes not lining up and they said for 175 bucks they would send someone and then connected me with some one in New York. Well I ended that call and decided I would seek the help of a neighbor and he agreed  to come over this morning to help me put the roof on as it takes at least two people and maybe even a third.

I found some videos on line and most are about the 10x8 and not the 8x10 shed which is a huge difference when putting on the roof. There was a time laspe video with little instruction but did show two guys installing the roof. I think with a little more man power we can get the roof up today. I will never purchase anything from this company again because the instructions are so bad. The Chinese instructions on the island and the desk were much more detailed and the items were marked than these made in the USA in the state of Utah. I'm so disappointed in that regard but the material seems to be of good solid quality.

Well I better close out this ramble as that was about it for the day, LATER 

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday was a busy day that started with nearly a 7'ish roll out for a change. I wasn't planning on going to the rec. for a pickle until 9 so I laid in bed an extra 45 minutes or so before doing my morning routines that usually start at 6. Once on my feet it was a non stop day until going on 11 before I finally hit the sack but I was so keyed up with Trump's speech and the fact I hit a road block in the construction of the new shed which I did find a video to help me solve that issue. I spent half the night building that shed in my dreams ,oh well.

I did my usual morning routines albeit an hour later than normal. I wanted to get in my quiet times while having my hot cup of tea laced with turmeric and ginger before heading out on my bike around 9. All seem well with those I lift up daily but a classmate informed me one of our classmates husband succumbed to cancer over the weekend at an early age and the former wife of my buddy growing up passed away as well. Yikes she was a couple years younger than myself.

I got in two good solid hours of pickle ball and left around 11:30 with a wet shirt and headed home on my bike. The skies had cleared off from the cool morning fog and the sun was hot and bright. A big truck pulled up around lunchtime and unloaded my two hug boxes of the Lifetime shed. They did help me get both of them into the back yard which was a blessing. We started after lunch and it took me a while to figure out the way they illustrated the next steps of putting this thing together. Thankfully I already had a concrete slab from the last shed which was in good order but since this was an 8x10 whereas the other shed was a 10x8. I will use all of the one side of the slab with some leftover on the other side, oh well. It is plastic reinforced with steel and looks great if and when I get it put together. There are screws, bolts, hardware in individual plastic bags and the directions at times are less than desired; but we managed for about three hours to get some of the tedious parts put together except for the door handle and lock which was confusing. So we stopped and I had a glass of vino to calm the nerves and then I decided to see if there was a video on line and bless your heart I found one which simplified that action. I can not wait to start again today(Wed.) and finish the construction.

We had Marie Callendar frozen chicken pot pies and a salad for supper then got ready to head to the rec. for our Tuesday Class titled the Blessed Life by Robert Morris. Our new campus pastor for the new church plant starting in March is leading the class. We had several missing this week but a good number around 15 or so attended the hour and half class.

We came back and I jumped in the shower as I wanted to watch the SOTU speech and it was an awesome hour and half talk. I'm at a lost of the pundits who says Trump is a divider as he had those stuck up dem's and lib's clapping several times for his remarks. Many sat stone face and on their hands during the speech which showed just how biased and with such vitriol they have for this man and his attempts to right the ship that so many administrations failed to do. He definitely is not a lying politician but a patriot who loves his country and he is totally excoriated by the left, dems and the MSM media. I love that he brought up critical issues in a way which put the ball in the court of the congress to fix these issues such as the security for US(A) on the souther border and the diabolic legislation of killing the innocent babies after birth by N.Y. and Va. He did not let up on his accomplishments which were many like the best economy ever, lowest unemployments for many classes, an overhaul of the criminal justice department and of course our foreign policy in destroying ISS which the last potus helped to take over Syria.

Well I could go on but he made it clear we will never embrace socialism and never get rid of ICE, Thankfully. I do not know where the radical left in the nation come up with these ideas that freedom loving Americans will give them a platform but at times I question the sanity of the left when they elected three muslims to the congress who just a few years ago were responsible for killing so many. Thankfully we have enough hopefully patriots to never let what happened in Germany ever happen here with holocaust. We need to once again embrace GOD as he mentioned it was a big part of our founding fathers reason for our base of freedoms, liberties and honoring the image we are created in. I pray for Mr. Trump daily and those who love this nation, GOD and family and hope that you do as well, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well its been foggy since Sunday and that has helped with keeping the temps mild. There has been very little sunshine except after lunch which has brought the temps up an into the upper 70's. I'm hoping the rain holds off as I have everything exposed in the back yard waiting to put together the new plastic shed. I finally got rid of the metal shed along with some old rusted unused tools to a scrape metal gatherer who came by around 9'ish.

I started the day much the usual but did manage to stay in the sack until nearly 7 as I knew I wasn't playing pickle ball with the scrape metal man coming. I did my morning routines that start with a cup of green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble and then spent some moments with my Creator in humble thanksgiving and lifting up several to Him. All seem well but I'm afraid our nation and Christianity is under seize from the left and the radicals in the congress. Please keep the conservatives in your prayers for this nation and those who love and practice Judeo-Christian mores.

I headed out in the back yard to begin carrying the pieces of the jagged metal shed to the driveway when the man came with his trailer and we loaded it up without any more cuts or abrasions to our bodies. I piddled around in the garden then Nancy took off shopping so I painted the bench seat in the kitchen and then the bench on the front porch. We are having about 25 folks or so here on Saturday as our life group is doing a progressive dinner and the salads are being eaten here. I'm hoping to get the back yard into shape after putting together a new shed which according to the reviews should be done in a day with two people building, oh well. Getting the old rusted shed down and moved out was a major chore. We headed to Sam's Club for some more shelving as I canned the old rusted metal ones to the scrape metal man, this new shelve is resin or plastic and will handle what the two other shelves would.

I put it together then saved one wooden shelf from before and made it a little more sturdy. I'll have to built a shelf inside the shed for my tools along the back wall but that shouldn't take long once I get it constructed. The squirrels had another hay day on my tomato plants chewing off the top of several while we were gone so I added more wire to the top of that row. Thankfully so far they have only decided to chew one row of plants on the other side of the garden away from the bay window. They look in the window to see when I'm coming out and then take off. I managed to clip one last evening with the BB gun but didn't cause fatal damage much to my chagrin. Hopefully he will stay away from this side of the fence.

I grilled marinated chicken breasts with fresh rosemary for our supper and after the clean up we settled into the FOX CABLE NEWS network. I only trust what they report and while there are a few during the day who should be reporting with CNN and MSNBC as they are very biased as well with their reporting. You can hear it in their comments of their hatred for this Potus. Well that was about it for the day as I started a 5 book series by Dennis Lehane until it was time to turn the lights off a little after 10. ish, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Saturday was a very busy day with bright sunshine and warm temps so after a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast I started the work day around 9'ish. I of course did my morning routines that start with my cup of green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I posted this ramble then spent some time with my Creator lifting up several by name. All seem as well as can be expected except for lady who is battling cancer through out her body but she is a fighter and almost daily puts up her holistic attempt to beat this horrible debilitating disease. Everyone else is about the same except we all grow older each day.

I first painted the front porch on my hands and knees which kept me busy for an hour or so then decided to finish taking apart the benches in the old shed which took me right up to the early afternoon. I skipped lunch after the big breakfast and went right into sawing apart the metal shed with a rotating saw which was a great investment. It sawed through the metal like butter and even the cross beams. I called a fellow who is in the business of turning scrape metals into money and he is coming on Monday to pick up the shed as well as few other metal shelves, old tools etc. I know he makes a little money turning it into cash and his pickup is free to me, oh well.

I worked out in the back yard until close to 5 when our neighbor Carol had her young yardman over and we struck up a conversation along with Nancy. She invited him to church on Sunday and low and behold he accepted as did Carol and he brought his girlfriend as well. We have been trying to get her to join us since she moved in next door. More on that later.

We stayed home and had a salmon supper with fresh broccoli and then it was shower time for me and some Lightning hockey. They won again against two N.Y. teams back to back and still have the best record in the NHL. I had to get up early for Sunday mornings load in at the college so it was lights out for me by 10.

Sunday morning I rode my bike to the college for the load in at 6 and then back home by 7:30 to get ready to leave by 8:30. We had a great crowd of worshippers and many new faces along with neighbor Carol and Christian (yardman)and his girl. They thanked us several times for inviting them to the service and seemed like they would be back. We worked the second service as well as helped out the first one until it was time to start. We just love being greeters, door holders etc on the First Impression Team. Nancy is going to volunteer once Sunday a month with the Kidspoint area where we have grown tremendously the last couple of months and need  new helpers. We made the announcement of starting a fourth campus in the Clearwater area in the fall and already have a campus pastor picked out who is leading our Tuesday Night class at the rec. called a Blessed Life. BridgePoint is hoping to start another campus later this next year as we make the move to help folks get closer to GOD. We certainly need a revolution in our nation for Christ's teaching as the liberals are trying their best to destroy Christianity and our mores. The latest abortion of babies at birth is horrible and just maybe the straw we christians need to stand up for the principles of what our nation was founded on.

We met up after church with neighbors and friends the Botbyl's at Willie Jewels for some barbecue which is O.K. Nancy loved her ribs and I my pulled pork. I had Brunswick stew for one of my sides and it was very tasty. It's a little pricey but much better than Sonny's which has gone down hill the last two times we ate there. We came back and I noticed the dang squirrels had chewed off another tomato plant despite having chicken wire around it. They are so persistent in their love for the taste of tomato plants and I'm so surprised as they are very pungent, anyhow I will have to rig up another way to save my tomato's.

I read until the big game came on  and while most of us were tired of the Patriots winning and their coach I had a feeling Brady and company would win. Actually after the Rams said they would not honor a visit to the White House if they won I changed my mind and pulled for the Pat's. Brady and Edelman did a great job which led to their victory once again. It was soon lights out for me after the game, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was back to being typical winter weather in Florida. It may have reached the low 80's as we were having heat on in the morning and contemplating the a/c on by late afternoon. The sun was bright and the skies were blue and the gentle breeze kept it bearable while working outside in the front yard planting annuals we had picked up from Home Depot.

I started the chilly morning my usual way and that is with a cup of hot green tea while I posted this ramble and then spent some quiet time with my Creator. All seems well with those I lift up daily and I'm forever thankful for my many blessings. We all need to keep our nation and potus in our prayers as the far left in making an attempt to destroy this country, our culture and him with it. We now have folks in the government whose religion once killed thousands of innocent Americans and are now making decisions to undermine US(A) once again as well as pontificate against our values and mores. It is just unbelievable they are in the congress and Pelosi put them in sensitive positions to know our secrets. What has happened to common sense as well as the position of supporting illegals and not the safety of Americans.

I got in two hours of pickle ball at the rec. then made a stop at the library on the way home. I piddled around in the garden and the dang squirrels have once again chewed the tops off of another tomato plant. I put up chicken wire but used a wooden stake and they managed to climb that stake and get into the plants once again. This morning as soon as daylight I removed the wooden stake and used a metal pole which should keep them from climbing inside the wire. They are so persisted and smart and so destructive. I need to get some of that spray you can spray your trash cans to keep feral animals from digging through them at night and spray the fences, maybe that will help.

We headed out to the Depot after lunch for annual flowering plants and few other goodies We worked in the front yard trimming the hedges, digging the beds and then planting a couple dozen plants. Without the big tree to help shade them I'm not sure how long they will last, anyhow this is what Nancy wanted. I also worked on scrapping the old porch paint as I get ready to give it a coat this morning. I got a notice my new shed is to be delivered Mon. or Tues. so I'll work on tearing the old one down today(Sat.) as well. It's supposed to be in the upper 70's and low 80's for the rest of the weekend and into next week as well. Good working weather.

We had deer tacos for our supper with refried beans and yeow was that ever tasty. I watched the evening news on the Fox Cable network until the Lightning came on then I hit the shower and watched the rest of the game. It went into a shoot out with no goals scored throughout the contest but we scored one goal at the end and won the game. What a game after losing big a couple nights ago. They will play again in N.Y. tonight so that will be a test for them with back to back games, LATER

Friday Morning ..February 1

Well this first month has just flown by and with it some cool temps invaded the usually warm sunny land here in central Florida. The forecast after this chilly and at times cold week is for the upper 70's to low 80's starting today Friday. That's more like it here while the rest of the nation is below freezing. One of the great reasons we still haven't left this place in the winter and why so many snow birds come here in the winter months.

Thursday found us both at the Seminole Rec. for most of the morning and until 1'ish. I was there after my usual morning routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and ginger while I did some quiet time with my Creator lifting up several and giving thanks for another day for me and my family. I headed out a little before 9 and then Nancy followed as she was representing BridgePoint Church for Fit for Fifty health care expose at the rec. She along with another member of our life group gave info on our church, gave away candy(sugarfree) and a small gift for those who came by inquiring about their spirit health as well. I stopped after pickle ball and helped as well. There were hundreds of people who came through the building where close to fifty or more booths and tables were set up giving out all kinds of free advice and trinkets of various kinds as well as a salad for lunch.

We closed up at 1 and headed home for a late lunch then I piddled around in the back yard and gardens as I got word my new garden shed is to be delivered in two separate boxes on the 4th or 5th. I wanted to get ready to tear down the old metal shed which still had lots of junk to be thrown away as well as remove the lumber I had stored in it. I'll take a saw and cut it up into pieces and have the junk man cart it away the first of the week. The new shed is made of hard plastic and reinforced with steel and nice to look at. I'll need some help with the roof which Nancy and I should be able to do since I already have a concrete slab the old shed sits on. There is even a floor in this new shed and the doors are high enough to where I won't bang my head every time I enter or exit, oh well. This has been the year of putting together an island for the kitchen, a desk and now this shed. So far the results have been good.

We finished up the leftover lasagna for our supper and then settled into the FOX CABLE News channel until 8'ish when I hit the shower and then read until 10. I noticed I have green beans about 2-4 inches in length and despite a few of the outer leaves that were burnt by the frost the vines look good. I'm so ready for home grown tomato's and the plants are just loaded. I took out a couple rows of the lettuces which were used up and turned the soil over as I get ready for the new seedlings to be put in the ground, LATER