May 5, 2007

Sebastian and I are in Thomasville, GA tonight. What a lovely road trip we had up Rt. 19 from Crystal River, FL today. Hardly any traffic and very few lights. Four lanes divided and nice rolling hills. Hot and dry though. Had a sprinkle or two but didn't last. It is very dry here in GA. They may have more fires. Coach ran great but I can't get my jacks system to work. They were working fine until the Lazy Days guy worked on the brake lights yesterday. He told me he had to unhook the jacks to get to the brake lights. I think he forgot to hook them back up. It may be something I can fix myself if they talk me through it.

Tomorrow I will get pretty close to Atlanta, campout and go through on I 75 Monday. I wish I could have made it on a Sunday but that is not going to happen. I will go through at the least busy time and pray it will be ok. I guess I'm stuck with I 75 after that until I get near Maryville, TN where I want to spend a couple of days visiting a dear friend I haven't seen in a couple of years. From there on to Blacksburg, VA to visit my grandson.

Will keep you all posted. Hopefully, I will have WiFi most of the way. So far, so good.

May 4, 2007

Hi Blog readers from Crystal River, FL. Got in yesterday, dropped my kayak off at an acquaintance's home for storage 'til I return. I am sad but had no way to carry it without the roof of the car. Then discovered my brake lights were not working. I called Lazy Days Mobile road service. The repairman came tonight and after about 4 hrs., found the source of the problem. The four-ways were shorting everything else out. It was hard to find since it was buried deep in the mass of wires under the dash. Now all is working and I am ready to leave tomorrow a.m. northward. I still haven't decided on I 75 or a secondary road. I won't know until tomorrow when I pull out of here. Must pray on that decison tonight. It is a weekend so I 75 may not be too bad.

It is beautiful here. Some rolling hills and lovely rivers. Quiet and cooler too. Not far from Lady Lake, Gloria. I am listening to the crickets right now as I finish this post and head for my lovely nest. Please keep Bash and I in your thoughts and prayers for safety. I will post whenever I am able to find WiFi.

With blessings from
Donna and for Sebastian who hasn't learned to write yet.

April 27, 2007

Here is the current home of the Bearfoot Journey. I closed on the deal today. It is older, has character, is cozy and in in great shape. It is a millenium coach so this particular paint job was ony available in 2000. It is white, grey, dark blue and mauve, very feminine looking. I plan on leaving Brandon on the 3rd of May. I will let all you Virginian readers know when I will be in your area as I roll up through the mountains. I have always returned via the coastal route but this time I plan to explore the mountain route. It hard for me to believe I will be home in VA before Mother's Day. Bash and I did something different tonight. I rode the bike and he trotted alongside on the leash. It was good exercise for him and fine for me because my legs and arms are very tired from the lifting and moving. This was the easiest and less hurried closing and moving that I have ever done since they let me do it at my leisure, one car load at a time. But no matter, it is still a stressful experience.

April 25, 2007

Still here, yes siree! Thanks be to God. I am feeling good, well into self-healing and feeling peaceful. Bashey and I have been living with my Lazy Days Angels in the Brandon, FL area since the first of April. I have purchased a motor home for us to continue our journey wherever it takes us. Purchase and delivery have gone along smoothly and it looks like we will be hitting the road about May 4th. I am sooooo eager to be with my family and friends in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, New York, Vermont and Massachusetts. I will be there eventually!!

April 17, 2007

The day after a tragic event at VT. My family and I am very grateful that my grandson who is a freshman cadet at VT is ok. There were a few hours of concern since we didn't hear from him. We had a prayer hot line going for him for a couple of hours and then for those parents and families who were going to get a call that their loved one was injured or deceased. I don't know why our youngest, our brightest and best are being murdered throughout the world. It would be easy to pin it on the war-like energy of the current administration but these events were occuring before this president took office. It is interesting to note that in the rest of the world the young people are killed by adults when the incidents occur in schools. In this country, we have young people killing young people. I am very sad in my heart and in my soul to be living in this time where I witness the tragic loss of these young people with so promise and so much to live for. I do believe that all things happen for a reason. In these cases as well as when I hear the daily death toll from Irag, I cannot grasp the reason why. This event will bring about changes in our campus security. The war death don't seem to be bringing any changes in our foreign policy.

One thing I know, there will be a brighter day. God promises us that in every rainbow we see. Here is a photo of a new day in FL.
God be with you.

April 15, 2007

I hope everyone has their taxes done. I know it is necessary pay-up time but I have never liked this time of year. Mine are done. I did them myself with Turbo Tax. But I am always a little nervous about doing them correctly. Of course, having someeone else do them is the same worry, it just seems separate somehow. I suppose it is more of a lack of confidence in my skills in the math department but Turbo Tax does it all, just put in the numbers.

I wanted to post some shots of the wild peacocks that roam the streets here. I suspect they are mating now since the males are "dressed" in their full regalia and there is a great deal of noise. If you zoom in on the photo you can really see the male. The one I shot was standing right in front of the door to a lovely home. They sit on the lawns and the roofs of the homes here. I also watched a huge flock of hundreds of giant white egrets land in the trees here by the pond. They spent the night and then moved on. We have a chorus of frogs that sing an acoustic beat in the evening hours. This morning amidst the tornado warnings, we had a strong wind driven thunderstorm with heavy rain. The air has cooled somewhat which actually feels good. We will prepare the Allegro elder coach (1983) for a trip over to Rally Park at Lazy Days for the pet rally coming up this week. I am going to man the camper and the dogs to demonstrate the invisible dog fence.

Here are the pics - Enjoy!

April 14, 2007

Here we are in the Tampa Bay area. We are near Brandon actually. I am having fun finding my way around the area. My friends here have loaned me a car which enables me to explore and also to help grocery shop etc. They both work long hours. It is misty and cooler today. It sounds like we will have some more rain which is still much needed. This is the rainy season in Florida too. The pool temp is 82 but I still haven't been in. I would rather ride my bike. I had fun yesterday exploring the Fishhawk Ranch area. Lovely facilities and community.

We had started clipping Sebastian and did get his back looking acceptable but yesterday I stopped at a pet salon yesterday and made an appt. for monday for a real bath and clip. We are going to participate in a Pet Rally at Lazy Days later this month. I want him to look clean and well cared for. He is such a good boy. He fits in here with two larger dogs but his poor eyes are right at tail wagging level. I watch him close his eyes tight when he is near their back ends.

I am grateful to hear from many friends who left Florida earlier this month and are now safely back home. God speed! My prayers are with all who are on the move.

There is a huge flea market north of here. I have been thinking of making a trip up there but don't think the weekend is the time to go. I have a feeling it will be very crowded. I miss attending the many concerts and musical festivities in Naples as well as the dear friends who shared those activities. There is definitely a let down after being involved with numerous activities that involve friends. I hear of it in all the emails I am receiving. We share these feelings of transition. I have found the best thing to do is to honor what you are feeling and how you express it. Gradually moving into your "home" activities and family. Resting when you need it and mild exercise.

I thought I would leave you with a smile. The photo of the beer chickens was taken about a week ago. They were delicious!

March 26, 2007

I have been busily packing preparing to leave on Friday this week. The weather here is absolutely grand. Warm but breezy. The breezy part makes it challenging to ride a bike any great distance. Tomorrow the bike club is riding to Lover's Key which is a 20 mile ride. I know we will have to buck the wind one direction or the other. We are each bringing a bag lunch. It will be our final long ride of the year. Lot's of people have already left or are leaving this week so I don't know how large a bike group we will have. Last week we had an amazing number of riders. We present quite a picture with our bright neon yellow shirts.

Two of my dear friends were involved in a frightening auto crash on I 75 near Miami this weekend. Thanks be to God and the Angels, they walked away with cuts and bruises as did the other folks involved. There car is a total wreck but they will be coming back today with some friends. As many of you know, I don't like driving on these interstate highways. I prefer the quieter, slower secondary roads. I don't have to be anywhere in a hurry anymore. I am grateful for that.

I have trying to deal with a resistant flea problem with Sebastian. Apparently, after all the years of use, the fleas are now immune to Frontline. There are new products on the market now but we had not experienced this problem before this year. Looks like a trip to the vet for Bash. Poor guy is itchy and not sleeping well.

I did finish my income taxes. Yeah! It always feels good to get that out of the way. I wish the gov't hadn't selected the April 15th date. I would rather not deal with taxes in the Spring when it is a happy time of rebirth and rejuvenation. I think fall would have been a better time.

Last night as I walked Bash, I had such dega vu. I heard the Chuck's Will's Widow's calling in the fields to the East of us. That sound took me right back to a happy time in my life. I was sitting on my screen porch at night high above the marshes overlooking Broad Creek in North Carolina. I would lie in the hammock, close my eyes and just fly with that sound. If you have never heard them, you are missing out. They are in the Whiporwill family but very different. Night birds hunting and feeding at night. I had one sitting in a Red Tip bush right near my porch one night. I grabbed a flash light and shone it in the general direction and there staring back at me with those red eyes and long whiskers was the Chuck's W.W. Wow! What a treat! In fact, my first exposure to this bird was before my NC house was built. I had borrowed a class b camper from a friend and gone out on the vacant lot to camp. The windows were open. The area was totally dark and isolated when suddenly as I lay down in the bunk, I heard that sound that seemed to come from everywhere. I crept outside to investigate. I had never heard any night bird like it. It wasn't until I made inquiries the next day that I discovered the source. Now hearing them last night here in FL was like a reunion with old friends.

Remember "Love is the Absence Of Fear"

March 22, 2007

Finally, a cloudy day in Naples. Went biking this a.m. without my sunglasses on. But I did get to wear my new eyeglasses. I broke down a few days ago - had my eyes checked and purchased two pairs of glasses. That set me back a bunch. But I do need to begin wearing some distance correction after all the years of not needing it. The young man who waited on me turned out to be a kindred spirit and we spent much of our time together speaking in low tones about our beliefs. It is always nice to run into "strangers" like that. His name was perfect too, David.

We had our dinner treat today at the community center. Our park caters a year-end dinner for the residents at this time of year. I have never stayed for it before. It was a very nice ham dinner with a most delicious chocolate cupcake with thick pink icing. Yum!

I gave Bashey a bath yesterday. Doused him with Mane and Tail conditioner for horses afterward. He is so soft and white. His hair was easy to comb out too. All the flea protection I put on him doesn't seem to be working this year here in FL. I think the fleas have developed an immunity to it. When i return to VA, I will see what we can do about changeing our flea and tick protection program with his vet.

My personal prayer list grows with new cancer patients. There is a deep need on this planet for serious prayer for those who suffer whether it be a physical dis-ease, emotional or a spiritual crisis. Imagine the power we possess, the power to change the course of events if we all prayed together at the same time - time zone after time zone - like a continuous bolt of lightning streaking around the world. I treasure that vision.

I have posted a picture of our bikers group on St. Patricks Day picnicing at Cocohatchee Park nearby. Many of the spouses and some volunteers prepared a fabulous lunch and decorated the picnic tables in green and shamrocks. Lot's of fun.

March 18, 2007

We had a cool night last night. Had to start the furnace this a.m. Colder temps really set me back here in south Florida. The temps stay warm and pretty predictable for a long while then suddenly there is a dip and the wind from the north kicks up. It becomes snuggle in time and yet, compared to the northern states, it is not really cold. We are whimps. I walked to church this morning here in the park. I enjoy going to this service occasionally since they sing many of the old hymns that I grew up hearing my mom sing. Many I have sang with her when we used to sing duets and trios at funerals and weddings.

After church, I went down to Sak's Fifth Avenue. Did that get your attention?? Those that know me well, will wonder why would she do that? There was a wonderful small exhibit of wildlife and floral prints from the Oppenheimer collection. I met a woman there who was friends with Joel Oppenheimer and has a dozen or so of those huge watercolours. They are worth a fortune. She tries to protect them from the possibility of hurricane and tornado when she leaves by placing them on her bed covered wtih plastic. Sounds a bit iffy to me but I guess that is all she can do if she wants to enjoy them here in Florida.

I thought you might enjoy this photo of the Black Pearl anchored out in the Imperial River where I went kayaking. I couldn't find Johnny Depp though.
We had a royal visitor here at Lake San Marino a few days ago. My sister took his picture and I am posting it here for you to enjoy. He stayed with us for quite a long while and allowed many people to photograph him. He is a symbol of Godliness, power, beauty and new beginnings. Since it is Spring and since we are all in transition preparing to leave this our winter home, it seems appropriate that he stopped by to grace our community with his presence.

March 9, 2007

It is with mixed feelings that we bid our winter friends farewell until next year or in one couple's case, for two years. It hardly seems possible that it is the month of leavings rather than comings. The winter has sped by in a whirlwind of sunshine, biking, golfing, dancing and social gathering.

We beached it this afternoon and had a picnic supper just before sundown on the beach. We have Ralph's youngest son with us for two days. I attach a pic of the sunset.

Tomorrow we will drive this son to Fort Lauderdale to visit with more of his family. The traffic has let up a bit around here so I expect it will be a pleasant drive.

I spent the other afternoon making beach flotsam grapevine wreaths. It was lots of fun. I hung mine outside by the door where I had hung my Christmas wreath and gave the other one to my lovely friend and her husband who are leaving for their ranch in Missouri on Saturday. They won't be back here until 2009. Next year they plan to go to the Texas Gulf coast.

I realize how quickly I have adapted to this way of life since I began in '03. It is difficult for me to think of my former staionary way of living in a house. My gypsey heart beats deep and strong within me. I know when it is time to quit and settle down, I will know. What a vast group of friends I have made along the way. How many people I have been touched by - their stories, their pain, their faith, and their love.

Naples is a lovely place to live. I only wish I could stay beyond the 30th of March. Maybe next year. This place is familiar and feels like home. Enjoy the pics. There is one of the Gopher Turtle at Bearfoot Beach as she digs a nest and lays her eggs. Then there is the much promised photo of Joe Marino at Fushion for all those who grew up with Jerry Lee Lewis music.

March 4, 2007

Here are some pics from our boat trip on the Imperial river in the fog. Also there is one of Joe Marone, an entertainer extraordinare who plays all 50's songs. A large group of us went to the Club Fusion to dance and eat, of course. It is remarkable how wise we have become in our senior years. Wherein we used to go out on the town at 10 p.m. when we were young, now we go out on the town at 4 p.m. and are home preparing for bed by 9:00 p.m. A great time was had by all I can assure you.

March 3, 2007

Just spent a couple of days north in Tampa visiting with a couple of dear friends. Bash went along since they enjoy dogs. They have two and he fits in very nicely. It is warming up here in S. Florida now. I don't mind, I like the heat. What I do mind though is waving goodbye to many friends as they meander northward. It is difficult to comprehend the winter season is ending. Time here has gone by much too quickly. Soon we will join the migration. The humidity seems to both Sebastian more than it ever has. He stays quiet and prefers the AC. He always liked being in our house when we lived in Goochland, VA and the heat settled in.

I received sad news yesterday. An old friend had to be admitted to a nursing facility for Alzheimer's disease by his wife in PA. I can't imagine having to make that decision. It takes courage and grace. Also faith in God's love and forgiveness. Also, my prayer list continues to grow with CA patients. Since reconnecting with my old friend, Penny, of the Penny Bear Company, my friend and I have sent out several magic hugging bears to friends who are in need of hugs and prayers. Just check out www.pennybear.org to find out more info and ways you can assist. There is even a pattern on the site for knitting "bear" sweaters. Everything Penny does is non-profit. The bears are dressed by volunteers; the gift bags and gift cards are hand colored by middle school children. Penny has been doing this for 12 years and has sent out thousands of bears. I hope to be working with her more extensively this summer. More details to follow.

Two books I highly recommend: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and Love without Conditions by Paul Ferrini. The first follows the teachings of A Course in Miracles but is easier to understand. The second is a teaching of the Christ Love of self and others.
Photos are of sunset on Naples Beach and boating near Lover's Key with a group of 36 friends on 3 pontoon boats in the fog. Great trip none-the-less.

Recent pics

February 25, 2007

Happy Sunday Morning to all my faithful readers. It has been busy here in Naples, FL. In fact, sometimes I feel slightly overwhelmed with activities and have to retreat back aways to get my bearings. My sister and I enjoyed a very short but fun visit with our brother and his daughter. I did manage to slip a bike trip to Everglade City in there for part of one day. It was a perfect day to ride. There are long straight flat, of course, stretches of road that invite sprinting for those who are inclined to go fast. It is a grand place for birding. I watched for manatees since the Gulf is cool, I thought they might be coming into the warmer estuarian waters but I didn't see any. Had an outdoor lunch with close friends at the Havana Cafe where they make the best Havana sandwich, fried Grouper and coleslaw. I will post a couple of photos for you.

Back in Naples, the next day, my family and I went on a tour boat trip out of Naples Harbor or Gordon Pass to look at how "the other half lives". Seeing those mansions from the water side is much better than from the street side. We not only saw mansions but also beautiful yachts. The dolphins showed up to entertain and as a photo op. Although catching them in a decent shot is very difficult.

I have ridden over a hundred miles this past week and am a bit stiff and sore. I should add that we have danced several times this week too. Once on the blacktop which doesn't allow for any glide and will make the thigh muscles ache the next day. I haven't mentioned all the delicious meals we have eaten. It is impossible to hope to watch your weight here. If you manage to hold your own and not gain, that is a major feat.

One evening we had a street party down by the Lake. We went early to be sure to have a place to sit. Friends had gone down earlier to place paper plates with our names on them to hold our places at the table. It is a crazy system. I am hoping someone steps in and changes the way this is done. People stood up early and began eating the appetizers so by the time the party started officially, there were no appetizers left. Then they began to devour the dinner buffet. Eating with seniors leaves me shaking my head and wondering if many don't think they might be eating their last meal. There is no thought to other people who might also like to have a share in the food. I don't think many people who brought food to share had any leftovers to take home. An image of locus passing through comes to mind. The band was great though. The following night, we attended a Western dance that was a catered affair. This is a much better system where the people are served equal portions. Food was great and the band spectacular. There was a skit performed by some of our local comedians, one being my brother-in-law. They did a hillbilly wedding. Let your imagination go wild and you will get the picture. Lots of fun!
More dancing. Last night a group of 8 of us shared a meal of fantastic shrimp on the barbie, sweet potatoes, wild rice pilaf, olive and artichoke salad plus green bean casserole. Brandy alexanders followed. Off to hear the University of Florida big band jazz group at the 1st Pres. church. What a great performance! Back in the park before we broke up for the evening, we shared homemade creme brulee with flamed sugar topping, chocolates and Six Grapes Port. Now if you are reeling, it is understandable since we were too. It is a good thing we all split up and go our separate ways in the next month or so. Otherwise, I am no sure what would happen to us. All is good fun. I don't think I have room here for photos so will post a few on a separate sheet that follows.

Welcome to faithful followers and to new readers. May you be blessed with sunshine, flowers and balmy breezes (well, soon??)

February 8, 2007

The photo is of our annual Pelican Pete Pedlars Valentine luncheon which was held today. What a great biking day it was here in Southern Florida. Ralph and I are kneeling in the front row. Emory is in the middle back and Gloria is taking the photo. Thanks Gloria!!! Ralph and I left early this morning for the First Pres church to hear Dick Ramburg, the blind clarinet player from the Barbary Coast Dixieland band, tell his life story in word and song at a breakfast concert. He is a truly inspirational man. We bought his cd of solo music and hurried back to change into bike clothes. We biked for 7 miles when we ran into part of the bike club on their way to the restaurant. We joined them and enjoyed a delicious lunch as well as awards and a bit of historical info. In the end, we had biked about 10 miles which will help me to reach my goal of 100 miles per week.

We visited with friends in south Naples yesterday. I managed to get in a 13 mile bike ride up to Hickory Beach in Bonita Springs. As retired people, we are the most active group you can find. Our February calendar is already full. We were trying to plan a street party for Buoy Street and had a difficult time finding a free date. What is supposed to be easy living is hectic sometimes but said with a smile. There is just a lot to do here.

As I watch a fiery sunset out over the Gulf waters, I bid you happy trails until we meet again.

February 7, 2007

We have bright warm sunshine today!!! I know it has only been a few days of cloudy weather and I "almost" feel guilty complaining but I sure am happy to see the sun. We did receive some much needed rain. Yesterday, we awaken to no water in the coach. The auxilary tank was empty too so it was NO water. I went walking around with Sebastian to see what I could find out. We were blocked by a knee deep lake of water. It seems another motor home had broken off the water pipe yesterday. It was fixed but didn't stay fixed in the middle of the night. It took most of the day to repair. Needless to say, we now have a tank of water but you know Murphy's law, there won't be anymore water outages now. Small insurance!

I haven't been able to make my goal of 100 miles a week on my bike what with flat tires, cold, rain, wind and such. But I am back at it. In fact, I am going out in the next few minutes.

We saw a movie last night, "The Good Shepherd" with Matt Damon. It was interesting to see the beginnings and evolution of the CIA. The movie was a great source of discussion and thought but there was so much we didn't get. Some we couldn't hear and some of it was just bits and pieces. Movies that are filmed in fog, rain and darkness always leave me feeling like I need infrared binoculars, light seeking things. We saw "The Queen" last week. It was also very interesting and very well-cast. I thought it would be more historic in theme but it was about the relationship of Princess Dianna and The Queen around the time of Dianna's death.

We heard an incredible dixieland performance at the First Presbyterian Church. They came from northern Michigan. The Barbary Coast Dixieland Band, 5 men, all but one over 60 years of age. What energy and great music. The clarinet player is blind and will be telling his story at a breakfast tomorrow morning. We plan to attend. He plays the sweetest clarinet I have ever heard. He also plays the piano. All of the members play multiple instruments actually sometimes two at a time! They played during the church service sunday morning so we went to that as well. They were very happy to be here in the warm south Florida weather rather than in frigid Mich.

Time to jump on the bike and hit the road.

February 3, 2007

The big news coming up on the Oprah Show on Feb. 8th is the long awaited "Secret". My suspicion is that the Secret to life will be revealed to be the teachings of many of our prophets such as Jesus Christ, Buddha, Gandi, Yogananda, St. Augustine, and Billy Graham just to name a few. The Secret to a happy fulfilled life is very simple, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself". That is not to be confused with, "fearing your neighbor as you fear yourself". There is a big media blitz about this upcoming revelation as one would expect with Oprah involved. I like most of the Oprah shows. I don't see them all and some that I have seen have dipped into that awful sensationalism that so many of the talk show hosts of old have drowned in. There is a web site (of course) for The Secret and apparently a dvd if you are interested.

Today is farmers mkt day in Bonita Springs just north by 3 miles. I am going up for sweet corn and tomatoes. The corn is young with those sweet small kernals and the tomatoes are the best. Tonight we are going to a blue grass concert at the First Presbyterian Church nearby to hear The Barbarry Coast Jazz Band. There are 4 couples from our street going and we are sharing a pot luck supper beforehand. I will make a fresh mozarella, basil and tomato salad as well as the corn as my contribution.

We still have the large sofa in the crate outside on our patio. Now the dealer wants us to sell it. Posters are up. We are eager to be rid of it. What a deal - a brand new $1000 sofabed for a couple of hundred dollars.

I sent more Florida Sunshine up to my grandson who is at Virginia Tech yesterday. He said it was sleeting and cold there. He is working hard with a full credit load this semester plus the Army training, marching band, jazz band and regular band. While we were talking, he frequently excused himself for a moment. He told me that each time a door opened in his area, he had to stand up and salute. That's the Army!

I hope your weekend is a joyous one.

February 1, 2007

Lots of new units moving in today. This is the favored month. It is nice to see old friends again. Lots of wind today. ralph and I prepared to ride this morning with the bike club but I had a flat tire. We ended up taking the tire and tube to the bike shop, eating breakfast out and doing a bit of shopping at Target. I did finally go biking into the wind. It was a tough ride but good exercise and there is always the reward of turning around and letting it blow you back.

We are taking a lot of ribbing for the large coffin shaped box sitting on our patio taking up most of our space. It is our former sofa awaiting a pick up. I hope it leaves soon.

I went to Santibel Island the other morning with the Pelican Pete Pedlars. It was 39 degrees when we left Lake San Marino but warmed up nicely by the time we took the bikes off the vehicles. We peddled all around the excellent bike trails and out to the Ding Darling Reserve and museum. We saw a huge flock of white pelicans and lots of Ibis but no gators due to the cold temps. We ate lunch in a nice warm restaurant but most of the group ate outside in a picnic setting. I liked my warm clam chowder.
20 miles of peddling later we loaded the bikes on and set out for home. Long day but fun. I will try to post a group shot in the future. In the meantime, here are some others. Enjoy!

January 24, 2007

I typing this on my Word program since my internet service has expired so they tell me even though I paid for 2 mos. I am currently trying to unscramble this current snafu. You know living with a cell phone only and then having to call providers to solve problems becomes an issue real quick. I only have free minutes after 9 p.m. and on weekends and holidays. You can’t call these businesses then. You get put on hold and soon the minutes add up. I went over last month. Not because I used the phone for fun calls to my loved ones during the week but because I sat on hold several times trying to straighten out a problem.

I started on the Nutra System diet three weeks ago. I haven’t lost much weight so far. I returned the food to them this morning. It is awful! If you like MRE’s (meals ready to eat), you might enjoy their food. The worst thing was the “flame grilled burger”. When you open the package, it is a dried out looking thing that reminded me of something a child would have in their play kitchen. You are instructed to soak it in boiling water for a few minutes. I soaked and soaked and it never got any better than a drowned dried out cardboard patty. This dieting is not for this old crone. One thing it did accomplish though, is I have lost my appetite for large amounts of food. That is a good thing! I also don’t crave sugar any longer. So I guess all was not lost.

We played golf last week on a small par 3 course. I hadn’t played since last August. I surprised myself with some decent shots. Then I remembered why I was hitting better. Last August my thumb was very painful as was my shoulder. I had the thumb injected in November and my shoulder has healed itself. Now I am hitting the ball more like I used to 20 years ago. I shot a 41 - I am happy. We are going to play again this Wednesday too.

Looks like rain on Thursday. Our bike club was to go to Santibel Island. You never know here. The weather just may pass over and we will have our usual sunshine and cool breeze. Speaking of breezes. We moved Bearfoot IV over to the other side of the street so she is facing west now. We have shade and cool breezes on our patio now. My plants are not burning up nor are we. It is so pleasant outside that we actually entertained 4 of our neighbors for supper the other night. There is nothing like dining al fresco under lamp light. This is the Florida I love. We have had spectacular weather since Dec. 1st.

I have made a personal vow to ride 100 miles each week on my bike. I will have to make it up this week since I didn’t ride today due to the high winds out of the south. I just don’t do well riding in the wind. Tomorrow I ride with the club. Hopefully we will ride 18 or so. I feel so much better when I am physically fit even with this extra poundage I am carrying around. Tonight is dancing lessons and the first part is line dancing for the bikers. We bikers never get to take line dancing lessons because we bike as a group on the same days. We went last week but didn’t stay long.

I repotted my dad’s plants that I have had for several years. Sebastian forced me to do it since he wrapped his rope around the pot and broke it. I have 3 planters full of Snake plants now. They are short but now that they have room perhaps they will grow tall like the ones I used to have that I put in one of my paintings.

I will post a couple of photos from my bike ride on Sunday up to Bonita Beach and northward. Note how deserted the beach is for a Sunday afternoon. We won’t see that in Feb. Stay well, warm and in joy-