Thursday

Well the morning started out with a light rain but much cooler temps. Actually it was 59 degrees and I had to wear a flannel shirt as I pedalled to the rec. at about 7:15. After my quiet time and a breakfast of oatmeal, banana and blueberries I headed out. There were 4 of us for pickle ball and we played fast and furious for about an hour before the others began to arrive. We wound up with a total of 10 players today. I played an extra 1/2 hour and finally gave it up for the day after 3 hours of play, but it sure felt good and I think I can feel the ounces melting away.

After PB and Nancy's workout on the treadmill we wanted to checkout the new Walmart grocery store in Largo. Their can products are significantly cheaper than Publix. We stopped by the vegetable stand and picked up 'maters, turnips, cukes, peppers and a dill plant. Amy and Ava were waiting for us when we got home so we had lunch together. After eating I headed out to the gardens. I finished turning over the one garden and planted some sugar peas and some more beans. I transplanted about a dozen lettuce and kale seedlings along with some marigold seeds.

Nancy fixed steak fajitas for supper along with re-fried beans. Yumm!! Well not much else is happening around here except one of our long time dear friends was just diagnosed with the possibility of cancer in her back. She has to see an oncologist next Tuesday. Please keep Daisy and her family in your thoughts and prayers. LATER.

Wednesday ..Veterans Day

First let me say how proud I was to serve our country during the Vietnam War. I never once thought about cutting and running away as a draft dodger to another country, of course I was only 20 when I volunteered and signed up for the USAF. I was fortunate to be on a large jet aircraft that delivered material, men and munitions into the war zone. I also brought back medievac's(wounded) and the silver coffins of the dead out of the area as well. I always will and still do think that America is the greatest nation in the world to live and raise a family, even with all of our failures. I personally knew several men who gave their life during that war and my name would have been on that Memorial Wall as well had it not been for the grace of GOD. So today and every day take just a moment and thank all who served and are serving because without them America would not be the same. We need good debate on both sides of the issues because that is what makes Americans unique and different from the rest of the world despite what the professors, politicians and the biased media report.

Well since the rec. was closed today to honor our veterans we slept in or tried to but I'm still having some issues with all the noise in the hood; sirens, loud cars and motorcycles, a/c running, ceiling fans and of course thick pillows and a large hard mattress. Yikes am I hard to please or what?? Hopefully by the weeks end I will have become acclimated to Florida living as it took me a week or so to get use to the cabin living; the quietness, smaller mattress, thin pillows. Oh well!!

I headed out to work in the garden after my quiet time and a lite breakfast of oatmeal and a banana. I took a shovel and turned over about a 1/3 of the garden and not once did I encounter a rock or a stone. Our second name for the cabin in N.C. could have been rocky ridge. I then edged the garden and cut oak roots that each year invade the growing area. Some of these roots were so big I used an ax to cut them back. I then planted some yellow squash, marigolds and another row of beans. This took me up to lunch time. Amy dropped Ava off while she headed out to the doctor for her pregnancy checkup. Wow is she getting a belly and Samuel isn't due until the first of March. (I will enclose a pic).

Nancy fixed a nice chef's salad for lunch and then the girls made some chocolate chip cookies. Ava is such a cutie but a little messy when it come to eating chocolate. Her vocabulary and constant chatter just amazes me for a 2 year old. After the girls left, Nancy and I tried to get in a neighborhood walk. Wow what a difference from walking the mountains as I constantly had to wait for Nancy to catch up; but here on the flat land I run to stay with her as those long legs leave me behind. We got in nearly an hour before a rain shower cut us short.

Nancy fixed a meatloaf, green beans and buttered macaroni, comfort food as she calls it but I call it down right good eatin' especially with a little fresh ground horseradish on the meatloaf. We are cutting our portions as well this fall, as we both need to shed an inch off the waist line, but it was fun putting it there this summer. We ate out at friends houses at least one a week and usually entertained that much or more at the cabin and always with a dessert while playing sequence, dominoes or cards.

This weekend finds us watching Annsley Friday night and then Element Church on Sunday.LATER.

Tuesday

Well it was an early start for me today as I met with 4 other pickle ball players at 7:30 AM so we could get in some fast and furious play before some of the less aggressive players arrived which is usually around 8:30. After a lite breakfast and my quiet time I headed to the rec. on my bike. It seems the tire patch worked on the rear tube, so far.The 5 of us had a great workout which lasted until 10. I was really starting to feel tired around 9:15 but stuck it out. We had about 10 players today total. A couple have some health issues so their play was sporadic at best.

After the workout I stopped by the library and picked up a couple books. It was good to be made to feel "welcome back" from several of the library staff. I pedaled on home and got a chance to thank neighbors Jim and Laurie for his care of our yard and her keeping a lookout on our house while we were gone this summer. It's a great feeling to have super neighbors. Thanks again, guys!!!

I managed to catch upon a few chores plus plant a few more seeds in the garden. It looked like rain all day and finally around 5 PM it started to rain. Wow is it ever dry here. Nancy took off to the mall with Amy and Ava to do some shopping. They got back a little after lunch. I read a little with Ava before the girls decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Nancy sure makes it tough to lose a little of this spare tire, oh well. The girls headed home around 3 PM so I picked up a book and read until it was time for supper around 6 PM, by then it was not only getting dark but was pouring a well.

Nancy did fried chicken in the oven with some oven 'taters, fresh broccoli and a small salad. Good eatin' as usual and I was hungry since I hadn't eaten since about 11 AM after getting home from the library.The rec. is closed tomorrow in honor of Veteran's Day so we will probably walk the neighborhood. LATER

Sunday and Monday on Monday

Well as most of you know we are back in the Sunshine State for the winter and now with daughter, Amy expecting her second child which just so happens to be our first grandson it looks as if it will be towards the end of May or first of June before we get to return to the mountains. When I say we love the mountain folks and the ambiance there believe me, we do. Anyhow we had a great trip down on Sunday and we want to thank all who prayed traveling mercies for us. I couldn't sleep Saturday so I just closed my eyes and rested for about 5 hours before getting up at 3:30 so we could leave by 5:00 AM. The temp at the bottom of the mountain was 34 and it was 84 when we reached home. Not to terribly hot but hot enough the a/c is still on.

We were able to pickup the BUCS on the radio and learned they won their first game of the season by beating the PACKERS. Look out my PANTHER buddies!!!

Sunday evening after unloading all the coolers, clothes and whatnot's we headed over to GG's and Pap's house for a birthday celebration dinner for Betsy(Nancy's older sister). Pap had a beautiful sirloin roast cooked to perfection(pink in the middle) along with smashed spuds, spinach casserole, mac & cheese, salad with Greek dressing and coconut cake for dessert(Betsy choice). YUMMM!!! Both grand girls were there and course with their parents along with Aunt Betsy and her oldest son, Braden.
Sunday night found me unable to get to sleep; the pillow was to fat(next year I'm taking these pillows to the mtns.)the a/c ran all night(not use to the noise), fan on over the bed(only on very hot nights in the mtns) I couldn't find Nancy in this King size bed( its a queen in the mtns.) plus I had lots of little chores so I completed most while trying to sleep, anyhow I was staring at the clock at 6 AM. It's been many moons since I've been awake at that hour.

I headed out with a PB buddy who came by to give me a ride to the Rec. as my bike had a flat tire from when we were in Fl. in Oct. Nancy came around 9:45 to do 30 minutes on the tread mill. We headed out to Sam's club around 10:45 to stock up and of course Nancy found some stuffed horses that make all kinds of noises for the grand girls for Christmas. So after getting back from Winn-Dixie, Sam's and Publix we finally were able to have a bite of lunch. At least I'm on the way to lose a couple of pounds from all that good eatin' in the mountain.

After lunch I headed out to fix my flat tire so I can now pedal my rear to the Rec. and then I worked in the garden and yard. I brought back from the mountains some kale plants, parsley, oregano, mustard greens and course some volunteer 'mater plants. I spaded up the garden an planted 3 rows of 1/2 runner beans, marigolds and the other plants I brought back. The whole time I was working in the back yard a little black dog barked non stop. Yikes I miss the distances between our properties. Oh well at least it was overcast today and not blazing HOT.

Well I've rambled on enough. First let me say I love my Florida Family, church and friends but there is just something about the mountains that blesses us and draws us. Maybe it the lack of people and I love people but seriously what we see everyday is GOD made in the mountains and what we see here is people made. We were at an intersection today with 6 lanes each way and I know there were more people in the cars at that intersection than all of Alleghany County, N.C. We are not the only snow birds back. The roads look like the ending of a football game. Packed!!!

Well I must say everything thing here is flat, no hills, no stairs and the super market and stores are 5 minutes away, so its cheaper in that respect. But nobody waves, everybody is in a hurry and most are just downright rude.

Well I can't forget to say how great it was to get back into the PB swing of things. Everyone made me feel welcome to be back for the next few months. There was 12 players today and we had some slug fests . Tomorrow we are starting at 7:30 so we can get in a little fast and furious play before some of the lesser aggressive players arrive. Jersey Jim is noted for the marks he leaves on your body from his powerful overheads.
LATER!!

Saturday

Wow was it ever cold this morning with ice and frost everywhere, down in the 20's. Yikes!!! The day turned out to be a beautiful day though with bright sunshine and blue skies. After a great breakfast of buckwheat cakes and ham I ventured out to take my seedling's out of the basement and into a sunny spot in the yard. I think they will make it back to Florida.

Nancy and I headed to the top of the mountain for a mid morning hike. We ran into Fred as he was using his new toy; a shredder for mulching up brush and small trees. We then saw Mike and Nancy for the first time after learning they had put their beautiful log cabin up for sale. It was good to see them again. We had a great hike and worked up an appetite in the cool mountain air. After lunch I headed back to the dirt pile.

I hauled bout 10 loads of dirt for all the flower beds before we got ready to head to the Daltons for supper and games. The food was out of sight, especially Andy's ribs. Well I must say the gals talked trash all through supper and after they won the first game they were really being macho. Well all that changed when we won the next 6 games. Yikes they wanted to play all night to catchup but even after winning another game they were through as we won the final game and a total of 7 games to 3 for the night. Guys have bragging rights for the winter. We have a new couple(Don and Stacy) to play with us and with the Daltons this winter. Go Guys!!!

Well its about that time to head to warmer temps. On the way home around 10 PM it was 29 degrees. Yikes thats to cold for me. LATER

Thursday

I must say this has been an interesting day. The morning wasn't as cold as yesterday but with the wind blowing it felt colder.When I wakened this morning I noticed a little discomfort on the left side of my upper molars. It seems the past couple of days a molar was very sensitive to hot and cold. I naturally associated that with working outside in cold air and of course having my hot cup of green tea in the morning. I didn't give it much attention as the sensitivity would come and go but this afternoon 2 teeth from what I assumed was the sensitive tooth began to be very pressure sensitive with just the tip of my tongue. Well wouldn't you know it the dentist we use up here is closed on Friday's; plus we are planning on leaving here on Sunday morning for Florida. So far Tylenol and Ibuprofen have made it bearable. I just hope its not the start of something more serious. Luckily Nancy had some Amoxicylin from and abscessed tooth she had extracted just before we came to the mountains in May.

After our quiet times I had leftover buckwheat cakes for breakfast before heading to put my seedling out in the sunlight. While waiting for the outside temps to warm up I called all of our creditors and did the address change back to Seminole. The reality of having to leave here became all that more evident. I've been keeping my new seedling's in the cellar at nights because of the frost and cold nights and then setting them out in the sunlight as the mornings temps warm. These seedlings will go in my garden when we get back to a warm Florida. I also plan on digging up my parsley plant and transplant it as well. I still need to finish digging up my beets tomorrow.

Well we headed up the mountain around 11 as the temps finally reached the middle 40's. It was a windy chilly hike but the sun shining made for a pleasant hike. Walking in the crackling leaves is a sound we associate with cold weather and one we seldom get to hear. Sure reminded us along with the bare trees that winter was upon us and once again it was time to leave the mountain for the warm climate of Florida.

After a lite lunch of leftover chili we got ready to head over to our friends Eddie and Kimberly farm. Eddie is recuperating from shoulder surgery and Kimberly is still having a difficult time mending from her broken ankle last summer. I scooped up 12 -5 gallon buckets of horse manure for the fishin' worms in my compost bin. Next spring I will use this compost for potting all of my plants.

Well its time to call it a day as darkness closed us in at 6 PM. Yuck!! This time change has our internal clocks messed up. LATER

Wednesday

Brrr it was 28 this AM, frost and ice was everywhere. Well it eventually warmed up to 58 degrees by the early afternoon. After our quiet times and a hearty breakfast of buckwheat cakes and eggs I ventured out into the yard. Of course I was wearing an under shirt,long sleeve shirt and a thermal shirt.Wow was it ever old. This morning was the coldest we have seen in Florida for as long as I can remember.

I worked outside until it was time to take our mid-morning hike. I raked leaves and then ran the lawnmower over them to break them up so they would compost more quickly. I covered the lower garden with leaves. I then burned a pile of trash, moved lots of deck and porch furniture as well as the smoker and grill into the basement. I'm slowly getting the cabin and yard ready for another winter.

We took a rather long hike this morning to the top of the mountain. It was still cold as we headed out and Nancy looked like she was wintering in Alaska. By the time we reached the mountain top she was shedding the hooded coat. WOW is all I can say after viewing the surrounding area with all of the leaves gone from the hardwoods. We saw cabins and houses we least expected in areas of the ridges that surround our mountain. This is the same hike we took last week when friends Jerry and Becky visited from Tampa. The temp had warmed up close to 60 by the time we headed back to our cabin. After a lite lunch I continued to dump several trash cans of leaves onto the lower garden.

Well I met with friend and new pickle ball lover, John at the Roaring Gap Club.We played about 6 sets in the 50 degree weather and worked up quite a sweat. Man is that a great sport for a cardio workout plus its just downright fun. Looking forward to next week's 5 days of playing this sport with all of my PB friends in Seminole, Florida. LATER.