Monday Morning(last day of 2012)

Well as you who follow this post know I'm a little late in posting for Sunday as I slept in by mistake this morning so I'm writing this after pickle ball. Sunday found us cold outside so we had the heat on before we headed off to church and then again most of the day as it stayed nippy with the north wind making it feel even colder. Since there was no church at Element due to house church Sunday we decided to worship with daughter  Amy and her family at our old church in Seminole. Well we were made to feel welcome by many and it was a great home coming as well.

After church we came back to a lunch of left over soup and brats. Afterwards I settled in to the NFL and watched our hapless Bucs beat the best team in the league convincingly. I was pleased to think they had something to build on for next year after a 7-9 season. There were a couple other good game whereas the Vikings and Redskins made it into the playoffs after dismal starts. We headed out around 6 PM for neighbors Dan and Carol for supper.

Dan was grilling salmon on a cedar plank along with smashed spuds and sauteed spinach to go with a fresh salad. We played a game of Phase 10 and while it looked like I was the winner Nancy beat me by 20 points on the score sheet in the final phase. It was a cold walk back to the house around 9. I settled in once again to the last game of the regular season until it was lights out a little after 11, LATER 

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday was one of those days where we were just home bodies; at least I was. Nancy took her mom to the mall and then to Publix in the afternoon but I stayed around the house reading and watching college football. It rained all night and the ground was soaken this morning.

The morning found us sleeping in until 7 then we did our quiet times and had a breakfast of eggs, grits and toast; that held us to about 2 PM when we decided to have a salad for a late lunch. We decided to take down the Christmas Tree and store all the ornaments once again in the attic for another year. The house looks so barren after all the Santa's are gone off the T.V. cabinet, oh well!!! That took us a couple hours to take down and clean up.

 We decided this was the last year for this artificial tree as its starting to shed some needles so out in the trash it goes on Tuesday. It saddens me to think of all the fun times we had around that tree, all the presents that sat under it and then to just trash it after almost **&%$# years. I bought that tree at Dillard's right off the floor at the end of the season as they don't repackage them for the next year. Its been nearly 9 years since I retired and I probably didn't work at Dillard's as security for 5 years or more before I retired; so we more than got our money's worth.

We ate leftover rib roast as fajitas with sauteed onions and peppers for supper and yeow was that ever good. After the cleanup I gravitated to the bedroom T.V. for football while Nancy flipped channels in the living room. I do miss this activity at the cabin as we have just the one T.V. Anyhow we did get in a phone call to our "mountain mom". Her son, Rick came up from Florida for a week over Christmas and they had a grand time together. It was good to hear she is finally getting over that nasty cough she had for weeks.

Well today we are going to our old church for worship as Element on the 5th Sunday does a house church which means no gathering at the warehouse. Since our house church is on vacation we will hook up with our daughter Amy and her family at SFBC. It turned cold over night with a temp of 40 this morning, yikes!!! LATER

Saturday Morning

Friday turned out to be a day of many weather conditions. It started out with 42 degrees and a chilly ride on the way to the rec. My breath was evident as I pedalled out. The middle afternoon it was warm enough to open a window then it clouded up and a chilly breeze blew in rain clouds and by supper time it was raining steadily and rained all night long and it's still cloudy with some showers this AM.

I did almost 2 1/2 hours on the pickle ball court before heading out to the library to pick up a new read. I headed home and the sun was shining and it had warmed up to the high 50's so I did some watering and pulled a few weeds. Amy and the kids were coming for lunch then she wanted to go check out mattresses for the new bunk beds for Ava and Sam, so she and Nancy took off in the truck. Well they found a good buy at Big Lots and the girls managed to load the mattress and get it back to her house where they unloaded it. Sam and Ava stayed with me and we(they) had treats and we watched a couple movies. I sent the last of the ice cream home with them as I'm officially off sweet foods for awhile. I even froze the last of my applesauce cake for a later date.

GG called an invited us to her house for Zucchini pie for supper. That is an awesome dish and one we haven't had in awhile. Nancy brought a fresh garden salad and the meal was superb. After the cleanup we got in 2 games of Phase 10 and GG beat us in both games; convincingly. We headed out around 9 and so I hit the showers and then tuned into Duck Dynasty and some Friday Night Fights(I love boxing). Nancy was into some 2 hours of a show on 48 Hours that was about a hoax abduction, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was another busy day with a touch of winter in the air. When I say winter for Florida it means one had to wear long pants and a sweater when outside. I headed to to the rec after a cup of hot green tea and my quiet time. It was a little chilly on the bike and the wind was blowing out of the north. I did almost 2 full hours of play and it felt good despite having a brace on my knee and elbow. Afterwards I headed home and hoed the garden and then feed all the plants with some liquid nutrients. I pulled the weeds in and around my onions what a trick that is to keep from pulling them up.

We had lunch just the two of us as Amy and the kiddos were busy elsewhere but they along with Bob's family, GG and Betsy were coming for supper. Nancy wanted to give Tyler a birthday dinner despite his birthday happened while we were in the mountains. I grilled brat's and Nancy made a huge pot of vegetable beef barley soup using the prime rib bones for the base. Wow was that delicious. GG made a bowl of German potato salad and then Amy made an apple pie with vanilla ice cream and Nancy made a chocolate cake with white icing. I managed to stay away from the dessert's but it was tough. Thankfully all of the dessert left the house when the guests left. I still have 1/2 of a homemade apple sauce cake with raisins and black walnuts leftover from Christmas and since no one else is crazy about it I will take my time devouring it one slice per day; I grew up on that dessert.

The grand babies had a great time running, playing and just being pals together. They are really playing good together and starting to show so much personality and getting them together twice in one week is a real treat. I'm having to go on a"watch my food intake" 'cause I'm developing that spare tire once again. We have one more overeating day with New Years coming up in about 4 days. My resolution will be off desserts for awhile and start back on my apple cider vinegar after each meal.

Well its cold here again with temps down into the 40's but the garden is doing O.K. except the sweet basil which is just about dead. I'm trying to revive them but it doesn't look good, LATER

Thursday Morning

Wednesday was rather boring after all the excitement from the past couple days. After my quiet time I headed out on my bike for the rec where I played pickle ball for nearly 2 hours. Once I got home Nancy wanted to do a Sam's Club run so we picked up GG and headed out. I filled up at 2.99 a gallon for gas but I think the prices are going back up as the station next door was already up to 3.25.

Well it rained very hard after we made a couple more stops before getting back to the house. GG, Amy, Ava and Sam came for lunch and we ate left over soups and salads. I headed in to start a new read after lunch as it was too wet to do anything outside. Nancy and I ate salad with some rotisserie chicken on it for supper then just chilled the rest of the evening, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Christmas Day was one filled with culinary delights. I must say I have put back on all the weight I loss while sick and then a few pounds, yikes its so much more fun putting them on than trying to take them off. The morning started out with a sleep-in until nearly 7 before rolling out. I literally mean rolling out because of the late night eating and so we were never hungry until the gang came once again around 10 AM for breakfast. We had the same gang to eat minus Braden who would come later in the evening with Betsy for supper along with Bob and his family.

After our quiet times I headed out to water the garden. The temps had warmed up to the high 60's and eventually reached the middle 70's for the day. We had the windows open once again on Christmas Day whereas all my family in Virginia had 3-4 inches of snow and thus a ''White Christmas" even our N.C. friends had no snow but cool temps in the 40's, which was mild compared to a few days ago with single digit's. I think they are fore casted for some white stuff later in the week. Oh well!!! After the big breakfast and clean-up we just chilled until everyone came back for supper and once again eating lots of rich foods. It was a merry time had by all and it all started once again around 4:30. We had the Ross Family(Amy, Tyler, Ava and Sam), the Triplett Family from Riverview(Bob, Jill, Annsley and Gabriel), GG(Nancy's mom), Betsy and Braden(Nancy's sister and nephew) and of course us which made for a houseful. The kids were wired as they spotted all the packages under the Christmas Tree. They play much better together especially the girls as they are like one another shadow.

Well we had 2 standing rib roasts in the oven since 1:30 and where they ever smelling good. There was the usual smashed spuds and gravy, spinach casserole, a fresh garden salad, crusty bread and homemade apple sauce cake from Virginia as well a chocolate moose tarts for dessert. A little fruit of the vine was sampled before the eating began as well as some left overs from last nights chips and dip. We took the roasts out at 120 degree's inside and let them set for a 1/2 hour which brought the meat up to a delicious medium rare flavor. This was by far the best roast we have ever done on Christmas.

We all rolled away from the table and of course the kids were raring to open gifts. It was a fiasco as paper flew, ribbons and bows were littering the floor and I was so full I could barely bend over to clear away the mess. It was a fun time had by all and it was going on 10 before they all started leaving for home. We put the house back together and then got ready for bed, finally. I was so full that I made a promise to go some kind of a 1/2 rations for a week or so, LATER 

Tuesday Morning( Christmas)

Monday turned out to be a little cool; the heat actually came on to take the chill off of the house but after that it warmed up enough we could open a couple windows for fresh air. We had a very busy day with some great company and then some awesome eatin' as well.

After the early morning wake up from the rooster we managed to roll over and sleep in until after 7. We stuck with oatmeal and blueberries for breakfast after our quiet times. I headed out back to the garden and transplanted my Swiss chard and kale as well as hoed around the lettuces. Nancy needed fresh green onions so I pulled and cleaned several for the egg casserole for breakfast today. I got a call from my former nephew, Bruce Jr. who is visiting his dad, Bruce Sr. in Tampa about coming by for a visit before they head back to Louisiana today.

While waiting for them to arrive we put together the casserole; I beat about 20 eggs, chopped up the green onions, broke up the bread for the toppings and sauteed the chopped ham then mixed it all together while she got the glass casserole dish ready. With the two of us it didn't take long and I did the clean up as well. We are expecting about 10-12 for breakfast on Christmas morning around 10 AM.

Well its been 13 years since we last saw Jr. and his family. Seems his first wife died who is the mother of his son Ian(who came along for the visit). Ian was 13 when he was last here. Jr. has remarried to really nice gal, Penny who has 2 grown children. Sr. came along with Norma his wife who is from the Philippines. The last we saw Sr. was at Amy's wedding about 6 years ago. They visited and we reminisced, laughed and shared lots of personal history. It was great to catch up after such a long while. Sr. and I were married to sisters many moons ago and while both of the sisters have moved on marrying a couple times since we were last in the picture. Sr. and I use to fly together in the USAF and have remained in contact over the years. He had a son, Jr. and a daughter Sandy with the sister while I had no kids with my sister. Sandy has 3 children and lives just south of our cabin in Hickory N.C. I was always their favorite Uncle Butch and I'm still called that by them despite making them eat vegetables on their plates when I babysat. I had Jr. come and live with me for a couple years when Sr. was stationed overseas as the sister wanted nothing to do with him; so I became his legal guardian during that time period, plus I had fun teaching him many things about growing up.

They visited for a couple hours and it was one of the high lites of the day. Nancy headed over to pick up her mom(GG) who was going to attend a candle lite service at our old church in Seminole where daughter Amy and Tyler attend. The place was packed and the service was awesome. We saw so many old friends and familiar faces and got lots of hugs and well wishes as well. Afterwards we headed back to our house for snacks and eats. GG had made a pot of vegetable soup, Amy brought a pot of Zuppa, Nancy had spinach dip and cookies, Dan and Carol brought Carol's mother, Jesse and a dish of salsas as well as a concasio dip that Tyler made. We ate until nearly 8:30 as we all had skipped supper. It was a fun time as we did this tradition for years when the kids were still at home and the only ones missing were the Carlson's who were there yearly and of course Nancy's dad who has passed on. Braden came and ate with us as well and then took GG home when he left.

Most everyone was gone by 10 so after the clean up I headed for the shower and was out cold when Nancy came to bed around midnight. Today will be another round of eating as the same gang is coming for breakfast around 10 which is another tradition only this year Bob and his family will come for supper instead of breakfast. We alternate as Jill's family lives near them so they will have breakfast with Brian and Susan and supper with us. We have 2 prime ribs to roasts which is about 25 pounds of median rare eatin' around 6 PM, LATER

In the picture(s) on the left is Penny who is Bruce Jr. wife, then Ian who is Jr. son by his deceased wife, Norma them Bruce Sr., me and then Bruce Jr.

 This bottom picture is shown missing Bruce Jr with Nancy in his place.

Monday Morning(Christmas Eve Day)

Well it was down right nippy here in sunny Seminole with frost on all the roof tops except mine and the neighbor behind me this morning. The large oak trees kept the white stuff away so the garden didn't seemed to be damaged. The temp according to the computer indicated it was 40 degrees so I was concerned that ice could form at that temp above 32, Oh well.

We started the morning out with getting ready for worship at Element in Tampa. It was cool as we picked up our neighbors Dan and Carol for the ride over. Nancy filled up a large platter of the Christmas cookies to go along with the coffee for the worshipers. Bobby had a wonderful message on love and fulfillment and afterwards we had one of our former house church members speak. He went off to seminary and now he, his wife and daughter are heading to India for 3 years to do missionary work. They stayed with Amy and Tyler overnight and then this morning he spoke about their trip to our group at Element.

After church we stopped by Chili's for some lunch then headed home. It really warmed up with the bright sunshine and by late afternoon I had opened the front door for some fresh warm air. After lunch I helped Dan install a new mailbox for his mother-in-law who is getting up there in years and the mail carrier now will deliver her mail to the second floor of her condo if she had a mailbox outside her door; so I helped with my good deed of the day. I spent the rest of the day glued to NFL football and saw some good games. Our hapless Bucs once again embarrassed the home town team with another loss at least it was blacked out so we didn't have to watch the game on TV. The Steeler vs Bengals was a good game with lots of excitement despite the Steeler loss.

Well that's about it for Sunday as I watched the Seahawks take apart the 49 niners in the late game until I fell asleep in the 3rd quarter. Our heat actually came on a couple times during the night. We added a third blanket which made for some cozy warm sleeping so much so it was nearly 8 before I decided to slip out of the sack this morning, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well it sure looks as if all the roofs in the hood are covered with frost except the house behind me which is partially covered by trees. I checked my garden and there doesn't seem to be any white frost on the plants but the grass in the yard next door shows some white. I never would have thought it would cool down enough to produce frost. Saturday was a cool day all day with the wind still blowing but not nearly as strong as it did on Friday. There was plenty of sunshine and the temps stayed in the high 50's all day.

Saturday morning was a sleep-in morning despite the roosters next door. We managed to stay under the warm covers until nearly 8 before starting the day.I noticed my right knee for some reason felt swollen and it seemed as if I may have hyper-extended it some how. I played PB on Friday and it didn't bother me but maybe the 3 hours walking around the zoo in the cold temps may have caused it to ache; anyhow it feels swollen and irritated. Oh well just another facet of growing old I guess. Anyhow after a breakfast of egg burritos I headed out to water the garden. The strong winds really dried out the soil and caused some minor damage to the lettuce. I didn't stay out long as the air was still chilly.

Nancy had to take her mother to the store and got caught up in a heavy traffic jam due to a very bad accident just down the road at a major intersection. I decided to take a bike ride to the library as I had some books come in that I ordered. The knee felt pretty good while pedalling so at this point other than overuse I think it will be fine. I will have until next Wednesday after Christmas before I'm scheduled to play PB again.

We had our friends and neighbors Dan and Carol for supper last night. Dan did a rack of pork ribs and Nancy made an awesome salad and scalloped potato's with a white cheese sauce, Yeow was that ever tasty with some crusty bread and a glass of vino to wake up the taste buds. After eating we cleaned up the kitchen and played a game of hotly contested Phase 10. The score was close until the very last play when Carol won as we all were on the last phase. We sat around and chilled until 9:30 talking after the game. They headed out and we headed for the showers. Today is drive to Tampa to worship with our son, Bobby and his family at Element Church where he is the pastor, LATER 

Saturday Morning

Well its 48 degrees here in Seminole this morning but the wind has stopped blowing and the sun is shining brightly; despite the cold temp's it's looking like it will be a nice day. Friday was blustery and chilly with winds at times very strong which made it feel even colder than it actually was. I think it was in the middle 50's yesterday to start the day.

I headed out to the rec after my quiet time and a bowl of oatmeal. I was bundled up and fighting the head wind most of the way there. That was a work out in itself. I managed to get in nearly 2 hours of pickle ball play and that was my fifth day in a row to play. I could feel the legs as they were a little sore last night after walking around the zoo for nearly 3 hours. There wasn't much to do in the garden when I got back from the rec, except give it a little drink as the wind was so strong it was breaking off my lettuces. So I just read until Amy brought Ava and Sam for lunch. We had a good time with them until they headed out. We were all getting together after supper and meeting up with Bob and his family plus Jill's mom and dad at the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa.

That was my first adventure there and while many of the animal exhibits were closed as this was a special Christmas Light Exhibit we did see live reindeer, penguins, hippos, elephants, camels, zebras, giraffes, manatees, stingrays and of course all the fishes, snakes, turtles. The kids rode the merry- go- round and I rode the roller coaster with Ava, wow was that ever a good ride. The kids also jumped in the bump house and while we only saw a small portion of the zoo we were whipped by 9:30. It was cold down into the high 40's when we left; but at least the wind had quieted down considerably.

The kids were starting to get tired until Nancy purchased them all cupcakes then the sugar level once more invigorated them. That was a nice adventure and the zoo was very clean and well maintained. We got both Bobby and Amy family passes a couple years ago for Christmas and they each used them a bunch. We got back to Seminole a little after 10 PM so we had a busy evening as the drive takes about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Ava and Sam crashed on the way home as they were exhausted and so was I, LATER

Friday Morning

Thursday was the last day of baking that had delicious smells flowing out the windows as I worked in the yard and garden. Nancy, GG and Amy(with Sam's help) made 9 different cookies the past 3 days so Sam and I distributed them to neighbors after lunch plus we sampled a few as well.

The morning was much the usual with the 6 AM wake up by the roosters next door then my quiet time before pedalling out to the rec for about and hour and 45 minutes of hard play on the pickle ball court. I'm increasing a few minutes extra each day until I built back up to the 2 1/2 hours as well as 5 days a week. This will be the first 5 days in a row since before Thanksgiving. I'm feeling stronger each day and the cough has finally completely gone.

After pickle ball I stopped off at the library and picked up a couple new reads and John Grisham has new one titled CALICO JOE. Its a good read and I'm just about finished it as well as I had to finish one titled MIDNIGHT IN PEKING; which is a true story about a murder that happened in the 30's to a young woman.

Well we took off shopping after the kids left and picked up so goodies especially a spaghetti squash to go along with our salmon for supper. That is an awesome vegetable, LATER

Thursday Morning

Wednesday was an awesome day with really chilly early morning temps. I had to wear a flannel shirt as I rode my bike to the rec for some hour and half of pickle ball. It finally warmed up by the time I left the rec around 9:30 and stayed mild most of the day. Sam and I played out in the back yard for awhile when he came around 10 AM with Amy to continue with the Christmas baking. He eventually grew tired and wanted in the house to help the girls decorate the cookies.

The morning was much the usual with a 6 AM serenade from the rooster next door. After my quiet time and a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries I headed out. After the rec I stopped off at the library then pedalled home to work in the garden. Things are really taking off now that I'm watering by hand twice a day as well as feeding the plants with some Miracle Grow. My collards are really for picking as well as the romaine lettuce. I pulled a few radishes the other day and the beans are blooming as well as I have green tomato's set.

We took GG home after the cookie baking and then we headed on to Sam's Club for some goodies. We picked her back up around 6 as we headed to Amy's for supper. She made Greek stuffed peppers and were they ever great. What awesome flavor along with crusty bread and a garden salad the eatin' was mighty fine. We stayed and played with the kids until it was their bath time before heading out. The temps were dropping enough you could feel the chill in the air; even though we were all in shorts, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Tuesday was much the usual except for the delicious smells of Christmas cookies baking. Nancy, Amy and GG with Sam's help made 4 or 5 different kinds of them and the smell of ginger snaps still are evident in the kitchen area, wow what a wonderful smell.

 After my quiet time and a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries I headed out on my bike for an hour and half of pickle ball at the rec. We had about 8 players for the first hour then a few more dribbled in but the play was fast and there were lots of wet shirts. We will probably be short of players until after Christmas as many are going out of town for the holidays.

After the rec I stopped off at the library before heading home to a houseful of bakers and Sam. He came outside with me while I watered the gardens then he wanted me to read a couple books as he heard a fire engine with its siren. I have one of those books that make noises for all kinds of vehicles and the fire truck is one. We read books until he got interested in sitting at the table watching the girls make cookies and of course he had to have a couple.

After lunch I vegetated with a book and Sam played in the toy room between watching Toy Story and helping with the cookies. By 2 PM the girls had wrapped up the baking for the day and had cleaned up their mess and Amy was going to drop GG at her house on her way to pick Ava up at school. They had a busy day. Nancy took off after they left for her treadmill workout at the rec. The cool front front that came through allowed us to cut off the a/c and open the windows once again as the breeze really felt nice. We are supposed to get some really cold temps this weekend with some 40's and even 30's north of the Bay area, yikes!!! LATER

Tuesday Morning

Monday was another awesome day weather wise with clear skies and bright sunshine. The temps reached the low 80's by afternoon but a nice breeze kept it comfortable. The morning was much the usual with the 6 Am or earlier serenade by the rooster next door. I did my usual of blueberries and oatmeal after my quiet moments before heading out to the rec for an hour and a half of pickle ball. I'm slowly building back up my strength. I stopped off at the library for a couple new read which is what I did after working in the garden until lunch.

Nancy took off for her dental appointment which lasted a couple hours. Once again he rebuilt a tooth and drained my bank account plus she had a cleaning on top of that; close to 500 bucks for one tooth and a cleaning YEOW!!!! Anyhow after she got home she took off to the rec for her workout on the treadmill and I read a fantastic story about one of our Navy pilots who escape from a POW camp in Laos after being shot down near the border. What a story and the determination to escape some awful brutal guards. I finished the story just before bedtime and while he did make it back to America the ending took a lot of courage as well as he suffered from Lou Gehrig disease.

I grilled some deer burgers to go along with sauteed yellow squash, onion and fresh garlic in olive oil, then put that over rice with a little soy sauce. We had a fresh garden salad on the side, Yumm! Well that was about it for the day nothing to exciting, LATER  

Monday Morning

Sunday was another awesome day both for weather and worship. The windows were cold as we awakened to start the day which meant it was chilly outside but there was bright sunshine and blue skies as we got ready to head out to Element Church in Tampa for worship. Nancy and I were lighting the Advent candle and saying a few words about joy and the proclamation of the birth of JESUS. Wow were we ever nervous as its been awhile since we have spoken in front of a large crowd.

After the service we headed back to Seminole as we rode with Dan and Carole. We stopped at a eatery called Buffalo Wings which is much like a sports pub. There were T.V.'s everywhere with different sports playing. We tried the wings which were O.K. After eating we headed on to the house where I tried to get into the Bucs vs Saints game which turned out to be their worst game of the year with a 41-0 loss to the Saints. Actually I watched another game which was close and ended up with it going into overtime. At least the Bucs won 6 games this year which was 4 games better than last year.

Nancy took off to the mall with her mom(GG) to do some last minute shopping while I vegetated on the couch with a book and the channel changer watching football. There is only a few weeks left in the season and while my team stinks there were some good play yesterday especially by my old team the 49' Niners as they took the the Patriots apart. We ate leftovers for supper and mainly just picked as we had a big lunch. Nancy started her baking as she made a batch of buckeye cookies. Wow its hard to past them up and eat just one, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday was a grand parent day. We headed over to Riverview to spend the afternoon and evening with Annsley and Gabriel as Bobby and Jill did a trip to Sarasota to view the Hobbit with friends. Bobby is a lover of the C.S. Lewis books especially Lord of the Rings.

The morning started out with cool temps down into the high 50's, but with lots of sunshine and blue skies. We had a breakfast of home fries and eggs to start the day after our quiet times. It was close to 9:30 before ever ate after sleeping in for a change despite the rooster crowing around 6. I headed out to hand water the gardens before we took off for the day.

We stopped off at Sam's Club in Riverview for some drinks and a large pepperoni pizzas we would later serve for supper. We played outside for a couple hours as it was just beautiful. Both Annsley and Gabe are really good ball players with good eye hand co-ordination. I was surprised how great they are starting to play together. They never fussed one time at each other and played great together despite Gabe wanting to be with her when we played hide and seek. They ran and had a good time as Nancy entertained them with her make believe conversations with the dolls.

We headed out about 8:15 for Seminole and we were thoroughly whipped by bed time. It was a fun day and good to spend some one on one time with Annsley and Gabe. It's too bad they live nearly an hour away, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well we are saddened to see and hear of the terrible deed that was committed by a 20 year old against his mother and then 20 elementary age school kids in Connecticut. It is a sign of the times now that the political correct crowd has removed any form of disciplinary actions as well as any respect for GOD and authority in our nation. This was unheard just a few years ago but now it has become almost a weekly occurrence. I feel so sad for the families who lost such innocent little ones.

Well other than the news it was a good day here in chilly Florida.When I say chilly it was down into the low 60's which is quite a change from the 80's. The morning started out on Friday much the usual with our quiet times, then a bowl of oatmeal with fruit before riding out to the rec for some 1 1/2 hours of pickle ball. I worked up a good sweat and felt strong throughout the play but decided to cut it 45 minutes short as I didn't want to overdo it. I stopped off at the library but the books I had ordered weren't in yet.

Amy brought Sam around 11:30 and I watched him while the girls in their Friday morning Bible study headed out to lunch at Olive Garden. Sam and I had a fun time in the back yard playing then a lite lunch and finally playing trucks in the toy room. Amy came back around 2 and they stayed until it was time to pick Ava up from school. Nancy got home from the luncheon and shopping afterwards so I just chilled reading while she wrapped Christmas gifts.

We had grilled salmon along with penne pasta in a garlic butter sauce with fresh mushrooms as well as fresh broccoli for supper, Yeow was that ever good, LATER

Friday Morning

The temp's once again cooled down so it was off with the a/c. Aah the feel of fresh cool air is invigorating. The day started with much the usual fare for breakfast after my quiet time and then a ride out to the rec on my bike for about an hour and a half of pickle ball. We had a crowd of advanced players and the play was fast and hotly contested. I had a wet shirt in no time and it was almost continuous play for the total time I was there. I stopped by the library for a couple new reads before heading home.

I transplanted my 5 pepper plants and I'm not sure which is which. Tyler gave me some of his plants he started from seeds and he wasn't sure which were Bell or jalapeno peppers; anyhow I will know when they begin to bear. I also transplanted my yellow squash plant in hopes it will make as well. I then fed all of my lettuces and I'm starting to get some growth out of my Bib lettuce finally. Most everything else loves the extra feedings of Miracle Grow so I will continue on a limited basis with cutting the strength in half but feeding nearly everyday. The soil here is so sandy so it takes a lot of water.

Nancy took off shopping and then to GG's where Betsy, Amy and Nancy put together a couple hundred grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat. They are O.K. but Tyler and of course Betsy family love them. Nancy brought a dozen or so home for supper and we ate them with the left over smashed spuds. They kind of remind me of stuffed cabbages with the red sauce. After supper it was the usual with FOX NEWS, O'Reilly and then I tuned into some guys catching rattlesnakes before reading until it was lights out, LATER

Thursday Morning

The morning was a little different as I tried out pickle ball for the first time since before Thanksgiving. I felt good to be back on the court and I teamed up with several good players enough so I had a wet shirt in no time. I played for about an hour or so and it was great. The timing is slightly off and the legs are not quite as quick but that will come back I feel with getting back into shape. I never got winded which is a good sign that my lungs are finally healing and I had no coughing, great. All of this took place after my quiet time and a bowl of oatmeal with a banana and blueberries and after a ride to the rec on my bike.

I came back around 9:30 after a stop at the library for a read. I picked up Carole King's autobiography. She is just a couple years older than myself and her life is quite interesting. I have always liked her music and I never realized she was such a talented song writer as well. She had her problems with husbands which goes I guess with being a celebrity. I worked in the garden for an hour or so after getting back from the library. Betsy brought the 25 pound turkey by after lunch and Nancy got that in the oven then she took off shopping.

We had a house full once again for supper with Betsy, Braden, GG, Amy, Tyler, Ava, Sam, Nancy and myself. The meal was delicious with of course; roast turkey which Betsy brought but we cooked, dry stuffing and candied yams which GG made, fresh steamed green beans and pumpkin pie that Amy made and of course smashed 'taters and gravy Nancy made. It was a scrumptious meal and we all waddled away from the table.

Well everyone stayed until it was going on 9 except for Tyler and the kids as it was a school night and Ava needed her rest. After the clean  up I settled in to the last of O'Reilly and then hit the showers, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well Tuesday turned out to be another warm humid day with lots of clouds around. I worked out in the garden after our quiet times and a lite breakfast and I was soaked with sweat. The warm humid conditions are ideal for the garden. I picked some romaine lettuce, dill, beet greens and basil for our salad for supper. That was the first of the lettuce I've picked and my oh my was it ever good.

After the garden work out I settled in to some reading while waiting for Nancy to get back from Clearwater where she had to take GG for a chest x-ray. It was close to 1 PM before she ever got back. Amy and Sam came around noon and we ate lunch together and then Sam and I headed out to the back yard where he did his "shooter fing". He likes to aggravate the rooster next door through the chain link fence with his rifle that makes a noise that Nancy bought for him a year or so ago. He tired of that after awhile and wanted to play cars in the house so we came in while Nancy and GG had lunch.

Amy dropped GG off at her house on her way to pick up Ava from school so Nancy and I took off on a couple mile hike through the hood. We stopped off at the post office for stamps for her Christmas cards, yikes that's getting expensive on the way back to the house. I felt good trying to keep up with Nancy's long strides and never tired. I did work up a good sweat though. I think I will try pickle ball this A.M. for an hour as I work myself back into shape. The coughing has just about completely gone, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was an interesting day which finally by night fall rain had come to our area. That's the first wet weather we have had since being back from the mountains. It was overcast and very humid most all day and we eventually had to turn the a/c back on. The morning started out after our quiet times and the usual bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and a banana. I was still coughing up a little phlem first thing in the mornings so I decided to wait a few more days before chancing the crowd at pickle ball.

I headed out to spend the next 2 hours working in the garden where I really worked up a sweat. I hoed everything, pulled weeds and put my potted tomatoes in the ground. Some of the them were starting to set fruit so I planted 3 of them into the ground still in the pots. Maybe this will help with keeping the nematodes from the roots. I did plant some marigolds along side of the tomato's. I then fed all of the plants a diluted portion of liquid fertilizer. The butter crunch lettuce which looked as if I might lose them are starting to come back as result of feeding them every couple days.

We will be eating collards next week as they have really taken off. The herbs are starting to finally produce especially the sweet basil, parsley and cilantro. So far despite the week or so I was unable to give the garden any attention I think most everything will make to some degree. The icicle radishes are up and look healthy as do the Swiss chard. I'm disappointed my kale never really took off but I have 4 seedlings that are trying to make. I think my seeds are old and need to be replaced.

I got up on the roof and took the leaf blower and blew all the debris that had accumulated there over the summer. I found out that by leaving the build up of leaves in the alley of the roof that will start the eventual break down of the sub-structure especially when it holds moisture. It looked as if it was going to rain all day so I wanted to get those leaves blown off before it rained. I noticed that while we hadn't had any rain for weeks, where the leaves were laying on the roof in the alley's there was some moisture, yikes. This time of the year the leaves are really starting to fall as well as the dead limbs.

Amy, Sam and GG came for lunch. GG had a doctors appointment at 2 as she has developed a stopped up ear. Amy dropped her off and Nancy then picked her up taking her to the grocery store on the way home. It was almost dark out by 4:30 as the rain clouds were on the way. It finally rained and we had severe weather warning in the area until nearly 7:30. It was a fast moving storm which cleared out quickly, but did leave us some soft rain until it was bed time. We are supposed to get more rain later in the evening tonight as another front moves this way. It seems the northern part of the country is finally getting some winter weather with lots of snow and cold temps. We are supposed to cool down a little in the next few days but nothing dramatic, LATER

Monday Morning

Well yesterday was an awesome day of worship at Element. Bobby had a great message and the music was inspiring as well. After the service we headed back to Pinellas and finished off the hoagies Nancy made for domino night on Friday. I settled in to the Bucs game of which they lost with 2 seconds to go;unbelievable. At least the weather was awesome as I tuned in to the late game in Wisconsin and the snow falling, yikes who wants to sit out in that kind of weather. It doesn't look as if the Bucs will make the playoffs this year and really they didn't play that great in the first half so its better to not be humiliated in a playoff game, oh well!!!

We headed over to GG's after the game for a birthday supper for Betsy's youngest son, Garrett who turned 16. GG made spaghetti and meat balls, Nancy made an awesome salad with some herbs and beet greens from my garden and GG made a strawberry cake which was really tasty as I broke down and shared a piece with Nancy. We were back home after the clean up by 8:30. Well that was about it for the day, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday was a busy day but one where the weather was fantastic. It was actually pretty warm in the direct sunlight but a slight breeze made for comfortable outside. I was starting the day a little late as we were out late on Friday night so we finally rolled out some time after 7:30 AM despite the rooster serenading us around 6. After our quiet times we did our oatmeal with blueberries and a banana.

I headed out after eating to piddle around in the yard. Once again I mixed up a lite batch of Miracle Grow for my stunted lettuces and applied it with a watering can. I do see some new growth but I'm wondering if its too little too late. Tyler came by around 4 PM when they dropped Ava and Sam off and brought me lots of extra lettuce seedling as he was thinning out his patch. I got them in the ground right a way in hopes of saving some and they actually look pretty good this morning as I headed out to give them a quick drink.

We had Ava and Sam for the evening as Amy and Tyler did some Christmas shopping, out to dinner and a movie. We had a grand time playing outside, eating pizza for supper then after their baths Nancy put on the movie Brave and they had popcorn to go along with that. I snuck into the bedroom when the movie came on to watch Duck Dynasty as I fell asleep the last time they were on. What a hoot was their Christmas addition. They are just a riot to watch and a good wholesome family type show. The kids came around 10 PM to pick up Ava and Sam. They plumb wore me out but are a real blast to have around. I headed for the showers and when my head hit the pillows I was gone for the night. I'm getting a little stronger each day and hopefully by Monday I can get back on the pickle ball court for at least an hour or so.

Today we are getting ready to head to Tampa for worship with son Bobby at Element Church. If you haven't made plans already join us there or go some place and give thanks by honoring our LORD through worship. Sure makes a difference in your life, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well it was a busy day on Friday which ended around midnight after a trip to Riverview where we had our annual domino night at the Kuyatt's house. I managed to stay awake most of the way back as our neighbor the Botbyl's drove.

The morning started out with the usual rooster wake up some time around 6 AM but we held off and eventually arose around 7. After our usual quiet time and our cup's of coffee and green tea we made our respective breakfast's of the usual boring oatmeal with blueberries, banana and honey. I headed out around 9 to work in the yard and garden. I mowed both yards which maybe took an hour total. It's so flat here its almost embarrassing anyhow after that job I worked in the garden feeding once again some of the potted plants with some Miracle Grow. It was after 11 by the time I finished. I sat down and read waiting on Nancy to get back from her Friday morning Bible Study at SFBC. Well at 12:30 she still hadn't arrived so I heated up some leftover; rice, broccoli and chicken and ate lunch alone. She and Amy came in around 1 PM with Sam and ate lunch as their study ran long.

The girls decided to make some Christmas cookies after Amy picked up Ava from school so the house was filled with the delicate aroma of spritz cookies baking. I ate one but it was a chore to not eat more. I sat outside with Sam after lunch watching him play. GG and Aunt Betsy came by for a late lunch as well so we had a house full. After they left to go shopping Nancy put together her sandwiches we were taking to the domino party at the Kuyatt's. It was around 6 PM when we headed out for Riverview. It's a little over 50 miles one way and on Friday the traffic is awful so we took the cross town toll road going over. We made it in a little over an hour.

Susan and Brian had quite a spread along with Nancy's hoagies; there was meat balls, wiener in a bun, layered taco dip and chips, cookies and an apple cake plus all kinds of drinks and candies. It was delicious eating. We got into a hotly contested game of 15 domino's which took us up to 11PM when we decided to call it a night. There was much bantering, cutting up and lots of laughter plus way to much to eat and munch on through the night. I wanted to stay awake so I drank a coke and ate some desserts which seemed to upset my tummy by the time we made it back home around midnight. It carried over this morning as well with lots of gas pains and trips to the john. I finally took some ginger with water and it seemed to have calmed down the spasms, oh well!!!

Today, Saturday is Paw Paw's 85 birthday. He is the oldest living Triplett and I spoke with him last evening. He and his friend Adeline went to Outback Steakhouse to celebrate. Well that's about it for Friday. I hope to get back to making these posts on the eve if I can stay awake long enough. I feel a little stronger each day and I'm trying to do more to build back up. I never would have thought this illness would leave me so drained of my strength, LATER

Friday Morning

Well I feel a little stronger this morning after a good nights rest. I did very little coughing during the night and most of that was this morning after I awakened. I actually feel close to being back to somewhat my old self as far as strength goes. Yesterday I spent more time outside in the garden and yard, playing with Sam and then reading out under the shade tree.

The morning(Thursday) started out much the usual with my quiet time and then I poached a couple eggs and put them over some home fries, yeow that was good eatin' with a little hot sauce on top and a glass of V-8 juice. Nancy and I took off to Sam's Club for some shopping and while gassing up an attendant with an auto glass company checked my windshield and discovered the small crack I received on Thanksgiving Day as we drove home from Bobby's. He fixed my windshield while I was shopping and gave me a life time guarantee. I had forgot about the rocks hitting the windshield while traveling on the bridge and noticed the small crack and chip the next day before I got so ill. Well that made for a quick and easy fix and my insurance company o.k'ed the transaction.

We headed home after a quick stop at Publix's and Lowes which were next door to each other. I needed some Miracle Grow as my lettuces were looking sick and in need of some liquid fertilizer. After a lunch of the last of the pasta fasoule soup, Sam and I headed out into the back yard where we played. He loves digging in the dirt. The girls took off to the mall so Sam and I entertained one another.

After they left to pick up Ava at school I took a small nap and then read for an hour or so. I grilled some marinated chicken breasts for supper while Nancy had a butternut squash baking in the oven. Yikes was that ever good with a little butter and nutmeg on top. A fresh salad with Greek Dressing rounded off the eatin'. I did the clean up as Nancy was taking her mom(GG) to see Ava's Christmas program at school. I opted out as I still am afraid my resistance is down and I didn't want to expose myself to a bunch of school kids that have colds. I stayed home and watched the news and read. After my shower I layed down watching Moonshiners rerun when I fell asleep and Nancy woke me up when she got home after 9, LATER
 

Thursday Morning

Once again we had another beautiful day here in sunny Florida with temps reaching into the low 80's but a nice  breeze from the East kept it pleasant. I did much better during the night with just an occasional cough but I can tell my strength is still some what suspect. Last night after my shower around 8:30 I layed down on the bed to watch Duck Dynasty and I was out cold in no time, yikes!!!

The morning started with a rooster wake up around 6 but we managed to remain in the sack until 7. After my quiet time and a lite breakfast I headed out to the back yard where the tree trimmers who are cutting out the power lines where in my back yard. They spent a couple hours in the oak tree trimming and cutting and did a wonderful job of keeping the cut branches from falling into my garden. One fellow climbed the tree with ropes and spent a couple hours in the air moving from branch to branch cutting and sawing. I even got an estimate on removing the big oak in the front yard as its starting to do some damage as well as parts of it are showing some rot. This tree is 6 foot across and while not exceptionally tall it is huge around the middle. It's going to take a couple thousand from their estimate to make it "git gone".

I spent the morning on my feet in the yard and garden as I try to build up my stamina. After a lite lunch of salad Nancy took off for her hair appointment and I did lay down and rest for an hour while reading. I'm thrilled the lungs are doing so much better but concerned its taking me this long to get my strength back. We had some chicken fried deer steak for supper with rice and broccoli and I made a milk gravy from the drippings , wow was that ever delicious. Awesome eatin' and down right good for ya. Many thanks to Andy Dalton for supplying that meat.

Well that's about it for Wednesday except I did sow some more seeds; 2 types of lettuce, sugar peas and some icicle radishes, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well I had a much better night with little or no coughing which made for a decent nights sleep. The lungs seem to be better with less of a raw effect than the past several days.

The day started out with no medicine in my body which to me seemed a plus; except for my daily regiment of vitamins and supplements. I had my usual cup of hot green tea then a bowl of boring oatmeal with a chopped up apple, honey and cinnamon to start the day. I'm thrilled that I seem to have dropped a couple pounds, while I never loss my sense of smell or taste my appetite hasn't been overly excited. Nancy has made great dishes but where I was always cleaning up the pots with seconds now I'm eating them the next day for lunch. I was over 206 pounds at the E.R, a couple weeks ago when I checked in with the pneumonia and that was about 25 pounds of fluids. I haven't weighed lately but my ankles, feet and tummy have returned to what appears normal in size.

I was outside in the warm morning air piddling around in the garden and yard. Amy brought Sam by for to me watch for an hour or so while she ran to the mall. We had a great time together as he loves for me to play cars and trucks and to read books. He is such a sweet boy and is all boy. After he left I headed down to the barber shop for an ear lowering. The bike ride did me good as I'm trying to build up my stamina once again. Nancy was at the dentist have a tooth saved and eventually filled with porcelain. Yikes is that ever expensive but at least no mercury for a change.Oh well she is confident this dentist knows what he is doing and will be able to save her teeth.

Nancy took off to her moms after the dentist to help Amy with putting up her Christmas Tree. Sam was there to help as well. I chilled, took a nap and read the rest of the afternoon waiting for Nancy to return. It was just a gorgeous day with a gentle breeze that kept the humidity away despite it reaching the low 80's.

Well that's about it as I feel a little stronger each day and I'm thrilled there is just an occasional cough. My muscles in the chest and tummy area have finally returned to normal as the pain was intense while coughing. Hopefully I'm on the way to a full recovery and maybe next week I can get back on the pickle ball court, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well I had one of the best nights in quite awhile with very little coughing and almost a full night of rest. It seems the antibiotic is out of my system at least its been 24 plus hours since I took my last dose when I headed to bed last night and I actually feel better this morning. I sure hope my body is reacting in a positive way to the lack of the meds in my body which it's certainly not use to. I feel a little more energetic and I'm looking forward to doing more today and my outlook is better as well. Hopefully I can get back on the pickle ball court towards the end of the week. I so need to workout a little as this laying around is making me rusty.

Yesterday I did a few more things such as some lite gardening, took a bike ride to the library and Sam and I played in the back yard for an hour or so. He dug in the dirt while I sat and watched him. He has helped with my attitude as well as he is so darn cure and his imagination is awesome. Amy, Sam and GG came for lunch and it was good to have some company for a change. Nancy spent the morning at a new dentist where they spent over 2 hours checking, measuring and telling her what work needed to be done on her teeth. She was very pleased with this dentist as he took all this time to explain to her where she needed work. Our old neighbor Laurie works for him as a hygienist so we even got a discount as a new patient. Nancy was thoroughly pleased with him and his staff.

Well not much else is going on except the weather is great with beautiful sunshine and the temps are in the high 70's with a nice breeze. We still haven't had to have the a/c on since coming back from the cabin. LATER

Monday Morning

Well I made it through another day and night. I just want to feel like I did a couple weeks ago prior to all this illness. Yikes that's so hard and new for me to explain as I'm usually not one to be under the weather. The coughing has been sporadic so I have to use the inhaler for the deep wheezing occasionally but the light headedness and lack of energy has me second guessing myself. Some folks say I should get out and start to build my strength back and others say to rest and take it easy. I did take a short walk around the small block approx. 1/2 mile yesterday afternoon during the 80 degree weather and it felt great to be outside.

I spent the morning after our quiet times reading while Nancy rode with neighbors Dan and Carol to church in Tampa at Element. I missed seeing the grand babies, Annsley and Gabe and of course their dad our son Bobby and Jill. It was another beautiful day here in Seminole. I did set and move the sprinklers on the front yard as its really dry while they were at church. I don't think we have had any rain since we got back on the 7th of Nov. and there is none in the forecast. It's boring around here as Amy has kept Ava and Sam away due to me having this illness. We certainly don't want them to catch anything I might have.

 I took the last of the mega antibiotics last night so I will see if it makes any difference once my body regroups without this stuff in my system. I'm not a great believer in all this prescribed medicine especially it its not working and I must admit I have felt better. I read where viruses act much the way I have felt the past couple weeks; one minute cold chills, fever and ache and the next minute you feel decent. There isn't much you can do with viruses except let them run their course and that's what I intend to do for the next couple days, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well not a lot to report except this getting back to the original self is slow and annoying. The coughing has been reduced somewhat after staying on a 4 hour regiment of Robitussin. That is some bad tasting stuff but it sure helped with the coughing as I was finding a little color in my phlegm yesterday but this morning that is gone. I still have that lightheaded feeling that's associated with a head cold and I'm ready for that to be gone as well. I have one more day of the powerful anti-biotic and then I'm through(hopefully) with that regiment. I would like know when, where and how, I contracted such a nasty bug.

Nancy and I put the Christmas Tree up yesterday. I wasn't much help but did get all the boxes and tub's from the attic and then she decorated the tree. I guess this is the last year for the artificial tree as she was unhappy with the lights, needle falling etc. We've had this beautiful tree for years and its been there since our kids were still at home, oh well!!!! The weather is still great here with low 80's and high 50's at night. Still no rain as we are dry; of course that's Florida in the winter. Can't believe the humidity has stayed away. The forecast is for high 70's and 50's at night for the next week or so. I certainly hope I can get back outside to enjoy this time.

We've been in touch with our mountain families and it cold up in the Shenandoah Valley as well as the mountains around the cabin; but the days have warmed up to where its bearable to be outside. No real measurable snow fall yet, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well the night was a little better yet with occasionally coughing. My lungs still feel a bit charred or stressed but somewhat better. I've been informed to stay away from any outside influences like crowds, public places etc as I'm still susceptible to germs, bacteria etc. It looks as if I will have to miss another Sunday at church and seeing my grand babies another week.

Friday was just another beautiful day and I did head out side for awhile to bask in the warm sunlight. I set the sprinklers on the gardens which are still doing o.k. despite no real attention. Nancy picked me up a couple books at the library so in between naps I read. It's strange but I never lost my appetite or sense of smell during this whole ordeal. Well there is not much to report except I feel a little better each day, I think; but at least the coughing has quieted down a bunch so that adds to that feeling of getting better, LATER