Tuesday Morning

Monday started out with temps we usually see in Feb. and March. The 60's is just great to start the day with and no humidity and I see where Texas and the mid-west had some really cold weather as well, oh well so much for the theory of global warming.

The day started with the feathered fowls next door around 5:30 with their dueling crow off. I rolled out a little after 6 to start my day while Nancy slumbered until nearly 7 before rising. I started with the usual, cup of green tea with a little cinnamon in it as I read where that spice is helpful with regulating blood sugar and the storage of fat cells. I'll try anything that will help me get rid of this spare tire. After my quiet time and a bowl of cereal I got ready to ride out to the rec on my bike for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball and workout. We had a large crowd today with 3 courts going and others waiting to get on to play.

After PB I stopped by the weight room where Nancy was doing her routine and decided to do an extra 15 minutes on the elliptical and some heavy weights. I need to work the upper body as I will be doing lots of lifting, hoeing, shoveling and carrying around a weed whacker in about a month or less; here in Florida I can turn my whole garden over in a couple hours with a shovel as there is nary a rock or stone where at the cabin it's just the opposite. I think those rocks and stones actually grow during the winter months while we are gone and some of them even grow legs as I wonder how some many have moved back into my garden while it lays dormant during the winter, Oh well!

After the work out I stopped off for a couple new reads and wow they are hard to put down. An investigation about the murder of 4 youths in Texas that went unanswered for over 3 years before the culprits were brought to justice is just a great read. WE WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN is about the Houston police department's investigation along with the father of one of the victims who was persistent in their efforts to capture the couple who did this massacre. It's a well written story and easy to follow about what it took to finally get a good lead and arrest the bad folks. The irony of it all is 2 of the victims helped the bad girl when she was in times of need in high school and then she turned around and murdered the 2 girls, yeow!

Well Amy and Sam picked up GG and came for lunch. I made a guacamole dip and along with fresh lunch meat from the deli we had us a delicious lunch. Afterwards the girls all took off for the mall for a couple hours while Sam and I played outside. It was just beautiful in the back yard but after an hour or so he wanted a snack and then to watch a movie. He loves the movie Bolt so he watched it twice until the gals got back. I read.

I cut a mess of Swiss Chard for supper to go along with hamburger patties, mac and cheese that Amy had left over from a college function at her house on Sunday night. After the clean up we took off on a couple mile hike through the hood before coming back and settling into another loss for the Ray's after leading 7-0. Wow do they ever need some help on the mound, LATER

Monday Morning

Sunday was just an awesome day at Element Church in Tampa. We were there twice as the evening saw us commissioning 4 men as elders in an epic ceremony; but more on that later. The day started with chilly temps for us as it was near 60 degrees, yikes what is going on with this weather this time of the year. It didn't much get into the high 70's for the day as a stiff northern breeze kept it quite comfortable with no humidity. We sat outside after lunch under the big oak and Nancy has a sweat shirt on as she was chilled and we even moved at times into the sun to warm up. Never would I have thought we would turn the a/c off and open the windows in May; but we did and its still off as I write this post.

The roosters did their usual crowing at 5:30 or so but I managed to tune them out until nearly 7 when we started the day with our quiet times then a lite breakfast before getting ready for church. We were riding with Dan and Carol so they picked us up a little before 9. The girls had the front desk at Element for children check-in as it was the first Sunday of the month and that is their responsibility. We had a nice crowd and lots of children and learned one of the new elders and his wife are expecting their second child. Speaking of elders we had an epic service later in the evening for them being brought on board for the church. Bobby planned a unique service for them and their families and even knighted them much like a leader would knight them into service for the kingdom. The touching of them with a real sword was awesome and very dramatic. There was hardly a dry eye in the place.

We spent the afternoon reading and enjoying this cool temperature outside in the back yard after a lite lunch. It was just one of those days we seldom get here in sunny Florida. We are counting down to when we can really enjoy some cooler weather on the mountain. We are under a month for when we leave for the cabin and time is all of a sudden moving fast. Mothers Day is next Sunday so we will have a large family get together then off to Miami the next week-end for Arianne's wedding and before we know we will be packing for the trip to the cabin, yeah. I'm looking forward to getting my garden planted up there and then a trip to my old stomping grounds in Virginia and a visit with my kin folks, LATER

Sunday Morning

Saturday morning was once again very unusual temperature wise with 60's for the month of May. I can't remember when it was this cool for this time of the year but we love it. Reminds us of the summer morning temps at the cabin. Speaking of the cabin we hopefully will be there in about a month. The roosters started the day off once again around 5:30 with their dueling crows. We managed to tune them out until nearly 7 before rolling out. After our quiet times we fried up a couple leftover baked potatoes with the skins on, a couple pieces of leftover ham lunch meat then had a couple cackle berries(eggs) to start the day.

We decided to make a Sam's Club run for fresh salmon and a few other goodies as well as gas up at $3.25 a gallon. That's the lowest I've seen in quite awhile, hopefully it will hold at that price as we head to the mountains. It takes me about 35-40 gallons to make that haul up to the mountains; of course the truck is loaded down with all kinds of clothes Nancy never wears but we must have it just in case. I never understood why women have to pack so much stuff, oh well! We stopped off at GG's on the way home then took her to Publix before we headed on back to the house.

We ate a lite lunch then I headed out to work in the garden. I pulled up my tomato plants that I planted last Nov. and the roots were free of nematodes, which tells me the marigolds I planted next to them actually worked. I'm thrilled and now next year I must plants marigolds in my row of beans as their roots looked like an arthritic limb, yeow where they ever knobby and bumpy. Amy and the family came over for a short visit as Tyler needed some stakes for his garden. Sam and Ava played with the chickens feeding them some old lettuce I had pulled up.

Well it was Kentucky Derby Day and Nancy spent the afternoon glued to all the pre-race hoopla on the T.V. We were having Dan and Carole for a supper of grilled salmon, broccoli fixed with mushrooms and Carol brought a spinach salad. We skipped dessert as all of us need to drop a few pounds. After eating we sat around and picked who we thought would finish in the top 4 slots and I picked 2 of the 4 horses while others only managed to get 1 horse and one of us picked none. We then played around of golf and Carol was the winner of that card game despite not picking any horses in the derby.

Well after they left we watched the Rays get blown out again after being ahead of the Rockies. I have a feeling it's going to be a long year despite Sports Illustrated picking the Ray's to win it all, Oh well! Today(Sunday) is worship day in Tampa at Element Church where son Bobby is the pastor, LATER

Saturday Morning

Friday turned out to be a really nice day with temps lower than normal due to the front that passed through on Thursday night. We had a couple inches of rain in the past day or so and that has keep the temps comfortable. We had enough sunshine that I was able to hang a load of laundry when I got home from the rec and this morning it's down into the 60's which is almost unheard of for the month of May in Florida.

The morning started much the usual with our boys next door crowing around 5:30 then it was time for a cup of green tea, my quiet time and then a piece of cheesecake with strawberries for breakfast before pedaling out to the rec on my bike. We had a small crowd of about 8 players which kept 2 courts going for most of the 2 plus hour workout. Afterwards I stopped off at the library on the way home. Nancy was at the rec when I left doing her nearly hour workout on the bike, treadmill and now the elliptical. We are trying to get ready for those trail hikes to the top of the mountain especially the one up through our back woods which must be at least a 15-18 degree climb. It feels like it's straight up at times.

Nancy picked up GG from her hair appointment then Amy and Sam came for lunch. We finished up the leftover layered taco dip and put that on floured tortillas along with fresh tomatoes and herbs. There was some leftover black beans and rice as well so it tasted like we were dining at a Mexican restaurant. After lunch I headed in to the reading room while the girls took Sam out to play in the back yard with the chickens. I was bushed for some reason from the morning workout so I just lounged around reading the rest of the afternoon until it was time for supper.

We has salmon cakes and sautéed yellow squash with onions and a salad for supper, tasted great and not to fattening. After the clean up it was Fox News until the Ray's game came on at 8. It wasn't long until the sandman came calling around 11, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday was another typical Florida weather day. It rained once again during the night which we are so thankful for and the daylight hours were much governed by clouds and the threat of rain most of the day with brief periods of sunshine. The temps stayed up in the 80's. The morning started much the usual with the 5:30 crow off between the dueling roosters next door. After my usual cup of green tea, a few moments to reflect, give thanks and offer up thoughts for those who need some special considerations, I then a lite breakfast before pedaling out to the rec for some 2 plus hours of pickle ball. We had a nice crowd with 3 courts going at one time so the wet shirts were in abundance.

I stopped off at the library for a new read before heading home. The overnight rain had the garden looking moist so I never hand watered but did put in a load of laundry and then hung it out on the clothesline. It was a chance to take with the clouds and threat of rain but the clothes dried nicely during the brief periods of sunshine. Amy and Sam came for lunch and that boy is crazy about fresh kale. He loves to eat it right out of our salad bowls and its so good for him as well. After lunch I took off on my bike to have my ears lowered at the local barber. Patty(barber) cuts its the best of anyone around and she does it in about 10 minutes.

I helped with getting the house ready for our Thursday night house church after Amy and Sam left to pickup Ava from school. I vacuumed while Nancy did her bathrooms and other touch ups. After that chore was done I settled in to finish up a book by John Hart before we got ready for supper. Supper was leftover spaghetti and meatballs sauce that Amy brought so Nancy just boiled up some pasta and that was an easy tasty meal with little cleanup. We knew that Kathryn and Patrick were bringing a taco dip and chips plus we had a cheesecake and sliced strawberries for the group as well. We had 3 couples and neighbor Dianne who attended. We had a lively discussion about grace, what that meant and used the example where King David made a grandson of King Saul welcomed in his kingdom. You would have to read the story in 2 Samuel to understand the significance of that offer of grace by David to Mephibosheth(Jonathan's son).

Well our get together lasted about an hour and a half and we shared some good eats, laughter, concerns and some needs. It's called sharing a little of life together and we are looking forward to our next get together in 2 weeks where we will pull a dinner together and share more of our thoughts, concerns, thanksgivings and relationships. After all left we tided up then settled into the last 5 minutes of Idol as one of the gals was going home after being voted off. I must say anyone of the gals deserves to be the next winner as they all have fantastic voices. I read until it was lights out at 11, LATER 

Thursday Morning

Wednesday turned out to be one of the wettest days we've had in a long time. It rained during the night and was cloudy with rain clouds all around but when I started the day with the roosters crowing around 5:30 but it was rain free. After a cup of green tea, my quiet time and a lite breakfast of oatmeal I pedaled out to the rec for 2 plus hours of pickle ball. The moisture was in the air but not falling and I was surprised to see 2 roofers across the street start to rip off a house roof; I felt it was going to rain sometime today but they were going at it.

We had a decent turnout with 2 courts going most of the morning and once more the wet shirts were evident of a good workout. I stopped off at the library on the way home and then noticed a lady walking a dobbie puppy in the neighborhood. The pup was adorable at 15 weeks and I stopped and was allowed to pet her with her floppy ears. She was typical Doberman with her black and tan coloring. We had 3 of them over the years and at times I do miss having a dog but not anytime soon, oh well!!

I headed out into the garden and picked some lettuce that perked up as well as some kale and beet greens for a salad. Nancy was getting ready to head out for her workout when the moisture started falling from the sky and didn't let up until sometime during the night. It rained heavy at times with torrential down pours and then just sprinkled lightly that made for a good soaking rain. My yard drank it in as well as did the gardens. It's supposed to be like this the rest of the week. Hopefully some typical rain shower everyday Florida weather; not only cooling the temps down but greening up the grass and what's left veggies in the garden

It was just Nancy and I for lunch for a change so Nancy made a cheesecake for house church on Thursday when she came back from the rec while I caught up on some computer work. After a lunch of salad I retreated to the reading room to listen to the rain and finish a book about Lindbergh, titled THE AVIATOR'S WIFE, it's an historical novel and well written as well.

We were heading to GG's for supper along with the Ross family. GG made chicken enchiladas and Nancy made a pot of black beans and rice to go along with a fresh salad and for dessert GG made some vanilla goop and Nancy brought some fresh strawberries, yeow some fine eatin'. After the clean we headed out just before 8 to catch the Idol for Nancy and the Ray's game for me. Once more the Ray's were ahead by 6 runs with good pitching when all of a sudden they were down by 3 runs. This Royal team is on fire and remind me of the year the Ray's went to the world series; never say die or give up and they are showing that on the field. LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well after Tuesday mornings start where a computer glitch left me dumb founded with what to do I finally figured out how to once more get back on line. Anyhow being IT challenged I was able to once more share some thoughts and happenings. I will have to check with son in law Tyler the next time he is around to spot check my laptop for any more glitches. The morning started out with the feathered boys next door dueling once again around 5:30. I did the usual green tea, a few quiet moments then a lite breakfast before pedaling out to the rec for 2 plus hours of pickle ball. We had 2 courts going and the play was fast which resulted in soaked tee shirts.

I made a stop at the library on the way home for a couple new reads one of which is about Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow titled THE AVIATOR'S WIFE. It's written from her perspective and while its a novel I think its based on some actual memoirs and factual occurrences. Anyhow its a good read but becomes a chick book at times.

I watered a little when I got home as we had some rain during the night. Our county received very little rain but the surrounding areas had 1-2 inches according to the weatherman. It was supposed to be a wet day but turned to be just the opposite. I once more watered after supper as I now have some new tomato seedlings breaking ground. I will hopefully take these to the summer garden in the mountains. Speaking of the mountains we will head out in about 34 days if all goes to plan. I picked some green peppers, the last of the sugar peas and a fresh onion for a stir fry that included fresh mushroom for supper to accompany a grilled bone-in pork chop. Yeow, was that ever delicious eatin'.

Amy and Sam picked up GG and brought her for a lunch of salad with fresh fried bacon and hard boiled eggs. Afterwards they headed outside in the back yard to watch Sam interact with the hens. He loves to feed them stuff from the garden and watch them while they eat. Every time the back door now opens they come running to the fence looking for a handout and the one hen now flies over the fence looking for Sam. She needs to have her wings clipped as well. The one that was clipped a couple weeks ago is no longer able to get over the fence.

Well I tuned into the Rays vs the Royals game and we led to start the game but the score quickly changed after several innings when their bats came alive and ours shut down. What made it interesting was our ace starter last year was the pitcher for the Royals whom we traded. I don't know about some practices that goes on in baseball but that was a dumb move to my way of thinking as this guy was one of the best in baseball. LATER