Countdown to the New Year

Well, this week has gone by so quickly.  Seems like only yesterday we were waking up to Christmas morning.  The only thing spoiling the holiday spirit is this weather.  High 80's on Christmas and most of the week.  Best that I don't complain, given the recent disasters from rain and tornadoes across the country, and be thankful that we are safe and could enjoy the holiday.

On Wednesday we were expecting company/family visit, so on Tuesday night Rich made up a batch of his homemade Potato Candy.   A recipe that he got from his mother, and one of his favorites.  All you need is a small piece of boiled potato, powdered sugar, and peanut butter......

I've been spending a little more time on face book recently, and over the past couple of months have become reacquainted with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends we have not seen in years.  Christine Benjamin, my niece, and daughter of my older brother Don............called to say she was coming to visit on Wednesday.  Only through face book, did I learn that she was living only a couple of hours away.

She arrived mid morning on Wednesday and the day just flew by.  Just catching up on family, laughing and reminiscing all the things we did over the years was so much fun.  She is the same age as my younger brother, just three years younger than me, so we spent a lot of time together when we were kids, and even into our early 20's before Rich and I left New York State.

I had put on a crock pot of pasta sauce, early that morning.  So just needed to boil the macaroni for some homemade goulash, a Cesar salad and a little Italian bread.   She even got to spend some time with Uncle Rich reading financial charts.  It was early evening  when she left for home.  We look forward to getting together again.

Today - Rich took a break late morning/early afternoon and we made a trip into Sebring. First stop was for breakfast at the Sebring Diner - our usual bacon and eggs!  And as always it was delicious.  From there it was a quick stop at Lowes,  for a few small items that Rich needed, and then to Walmart, where I had hoped to pick up a pair of sandals (OP's) - but except for a pair of bright pink - that had absolutely NONE in my size!  Next stop was at Spray and Pray Reload, where Rich bought his new pistol, a Ruger 9mm, LC9.  He completed his Concealed Carry course about a week ago.  Then we went next door and checked out the Highlands Indoor Gun Range.  

Tomorrow afternoon we, and another couple are headed for Myakka City to visit and have dinner with friends.  Still had a lot of fudge, no bake cookies and potato
candy in the freezer so decided to take some to share tomorrow.

But......I remembered that Diane can not eat peanut butter ( which is in all three of the above!!) so I made up a batch of chocolate/oatmeal cookies so she could enjoy some goodies too!

Had originally planned Shrimp Scampi for New Year's Eve dinner......But the fridge was full of left over Roast Beef, Ham and Goulash.  So we opted for the Roast beef with potatoes and carrots for dinner tonight!  It will be a quiet evening.  Someone across the canal had the fireworks out before 8:00 PM, but then we had a couple of rain showers.  Watched a movie and a had a Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and Eggnog......... No champagne tonight - We'll both be having sweet dreams by mid-night.

To all our family and friends we send our best wishes for a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2016.  May it be your best year ever!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to our family and friends.   Today will be a quiet one here at the Donald residence.  Just the two of us this year.   But we still did all the baking and cooking as if we were expecting a crowd.

Was out on face book yesterday and last night and seeing all my nieces and nephews and cousins celebrating with family brought back so many memories.

I miss so much Christmas Eve with all my brothers and sisters and huge gatherings around the table on Christmas Day.


But Santa did come and fill our stockings!   Nothing big under the tree this year.
That present, for both of us, was the new kitchen.
But there were a few things that just did not fit in the stocking.  Rich's Wall Street Sign for his office wall, and my "annual" bottle of Chivas Regal - my absolute favorite Scotch!

Besides the usual stocking gifts of creams and lotions and lots of candy, Rich got a new coffee mug, and I got a new mouse for my computer.

And many thanks to family and friends for their generous gifts.

About mid-morning we got the Christmas Phone Call from Dennis and the family and each of us exchanged greetings with him and Crystal and Dalton and Chauna....... One of these years we are going to make a point of all being together in the same place.



It was well before noon when Rich had his breakfast.........like every Christmas morning he has his homemade pumpkin pie.  A piece of pie for Rich is about 1/3 of the whole pie.
And later in the afternoon, before dinner we each had our favorite Christmas drink; Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey with Eggnog.

And Christmas dinner was delicious.  The Ham was perfect as were the scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole and buttery biscuits.

It was a quiet, beautiful Christmas day.  I did send a message to Dennis suggesting that he have Chauna get her selfie stick, and send us a picture of the four of then in front of  the tree!  By the time I asked, both of the kids had left to visit with boyfriend/girlfriend families.....The day's not over yet!!

Another great thing about today is that I found that my niece Christine Benjamin lives just a couple of hours from us, up in Zephryhills.  She's making plans to visit with Rich and I one day next week.  We had some pretty good times when we were younger, but it's been years since we've seen her.  Looking forward to her visit.

Christmas Eve

Christmas always seems to sneak up on us........and then there's always that last minute trip for a final gift, a stocking stuffer or one more thing you need for your festive dinner...........

It's always a time, when we miss our family the most; they live so far away.  And always a time to reflect on all the good times and laughter we've shared with good  friends.

Today  was a busy day, with morning chores while Rich was working.  Thankfully the stock market closed at one.  Neighbors Phil and Doreen stopped by to wish us Merry Xmas and drop off a gift and card.  Then we spent most of the afternoon finishing up the baking.  Rich made his pumpkin pies, and I had made chocolate chip cookies, no bake cookies and peanut butter fudge, then did up a batch of biscuits.
 

Chores done, baking finished it was time to relax with a good beverage.  Rich opted for his daily Budweiser, and I enjoyed a delicious Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and Eggnog!  

Christmas Eve dinner was nothing fancy; just some good old fashioned "comfort food".  It was homemade macaroni and cheese and biscuits, with pumpkin pie for dessert!. I had recorded two or three movies - which we didn't watch, because all three we had seen before.   But we did get in about half of a Christmas movie before we called it a night.  

Santa will only make a quick stop here tonight.  Just long enough to fill our stockings.  

A few busy days......and our December dining with friends.

It was a really fun week having Miss Ava with us.  And I think she had a pretty good time too.

I do know that she was definitely pampered all week.

 Nathan and Krystal arrived early Sunday afternoon to take her home. So Rich spent a little one on one time with her before they arrived.

Monday was a catch up day; cleaning, laundry etc.  Made a potato salad, and some sloppy joes for dinner and we both enjoyed a Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and Eggnog!   Got a call from The Decor Store that they would be doing the kitchen cabinets on Tuesday!!!

Mike Belan, from the Decor Store here in Lake Placid arrived about 9:00 am Tuesday morning, with his helper ( his wife). They did break for lunch for about an hour and a half, but had the job completed before 2:00 pm.   We had contacted a few different places for prices on just some refacing of the kitchen cabinets, and became a little bit discouraged at the cost.  Almost as much as getting new ones and both options costing way more than we were willing to invest.  Our neighbors had The Decor Store reface their kitchen cabinets last year, along with some other bathroom work and told us that the price was very reasonable and that the workmanship was excellent.   And they were right.  The picture in the upper left is what the kitchen looked like before we restarted the remodel. The appliances and counter tops were completed a couple of weeks ago...............

 They replaced ONLY the cabinet doors, and fronts of each drawer.  They were able to match the white  on the doors to the white on the rest of the cabinets.  They look amazing!  And they did this for a "fraction" of what others wanted.  We would highly recommend them!   The cost  left us far enough under budget that we may have shades installed on the sun room sliders!   What a great Christmas Gift to both of us!

And then tonight we met up with Buddy and Diane.  Where? Where else but the Hibachi Buffet in Sebring.  We have made a pact to meet at least once a month. And we've been doing that pretty regularly.  But this month, we missed Nathan and Krystal.  Just returning from their "anniversary" cruise - they were not quite ready to venture away from home yet!  We missed them tonight, but, as usual we solved the problems of the world, tried, with no luck, to figure out WHY people are supporting Hillary Clinton, and we enjoyed a great meal.  

And so Krystal and Nathan - we will let you know the menu for New Year's Day. And let us know what we can contribute.  And hold the 2nd Saturday in January for dinner and show for the six of us.  It's a Buffet with an Elvis Impersonator, and another who does Johnny Cash........... Be prepared to eat , sing along and have fun!

Just a little bragging! So Proud of Grandkids

Thought it was time to share a few recent pictures of what the kids are up to out there in Iowa.  Wish so much we lived closer!

Both Dalton and Chauna are members of the Davenport West Marching Band.  Below are pictures of Dalton with the rest of the Trumpet Players, and Chauna with the Flag Team.

Below, Chauna receives a ribbon for her recent 5 Strikes in a row with her league, and  recently bowled a 191 and a 202 game.   According to her Dad, she's been working very hard, wanting to make the varsity team this year.

Also - both Dalton and Chanua excel academically.....as you can see!  Dalton, as a Senior, carries almost a 3.9 grade average and is ranked 6th in his class.  Chauna ,as a Junior has a 4.0 grade average and is number 1 in her class.

AND..............when they visit us at the Lake in the summer - they are excellent fisherman/fisherwoman!

As for their academic abilities - that's from their Pa Pa's side.  As for the music and dancing skills - SOMEHOW - they got that from Grandma Do!

Pet Sitting and Holiday Cheer!

Can not believe it's been more than 2 weeks since updating this blog.  Still hoping that Home Decor will call next week to finish the kitchen - but if not, hopefully before the New Year.  

Following our visits to the doctor for our annual check-ups and blood work, Rich had is appointment with the Dermatologist. Results of the three biopsy's that were taken on three different spots on his face...........all came back benign!  Good news.

So.......I've done a little decorating for the holidays.  Tree is up, Ribbons and mini trees on the front porch, and a few mantle and table decorations.  The present under the tree is from Nathan and Krystal..............and yes - Rich saw the chocolate and has pretty much finished that........and thank you both for the lovely candles.

  Except for filling our stockings - Santa won't be leaving us presents under the tree this year.  But, as you know - the kitchen was our early Xmas!

And most of you know that I like my wine.... and my Margaritas....but for the holidays - I like my Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and Eggnog. ( Nick and Tonyia got me started on that one!)  I might have to have ONE this weekend.

Another reason that I have not updated this blog in a couple of weeks.....MY CAMERA DIED!  Trip to Walmart to buy a new one,  Didn't come with a mini- USB cord to download the pictures.  Back to Sebring to buy the USB cable....didn't work.  Rich took care of that today when he went to Sebring for his Concealed Carry Permit/Training Class.   (And then he went shopping - wonder what he got me for my stocking!!!!!!)

Tuesday, this past week, was our monthly community meeting, and our annual Xmas Dinner.  This community is really nice.  $25/year are the dues - and that includes a free Xmas Dinner!!!    Again - this all happened during the camera problems - so the pictures of Rich and I  at the dinner were lost!  We shared a table with our friends and neighbors,John and Diane ( picture taken at our house).  And that's fellow neighbors Jim (Feathers) and Jan - that managed to be called in the food line before us!  Dinner ( except the chicken) was very good.  Chicken, Ham, Mashed potato and gravy, green beans, coleslaw, rolls and cake. Rich opted for Iced tea - John, a vodka and coke! and Diane and I a glass of Riesling!  Very lovely night.

And since last Saturday we have had a visitor!   Our good friends Nathan and Krystal have been enjoying their 25th Anniversary Cruise with their 3 daughters and family - and we have been taking care of Miss Ava.  Everyone knows how much we love dogs - so having her here for a week has been a real pleasure.  Here she is.....on the family room couch, where she stays while we eat dinner, and watch TV, in the living room chair, when I'm on the computer, and enjoying the back yard,  down near the water/dock and, where she met Zolfo and Augie ,(John and Diane's dogs).  And she goes to the fence every time we let her out - to see if they are there.   She's having a good time............and so are we.   And we will miss her when Mom and Dad come to get her on Sunday.

All the Christmas presents to NY ( my brother and Rich's brother) have been mailed, as have all the gifts to Dennis and the family in Iowa.  One of these years I would love nothing more than to be able to spend Christmas with the family.  We miss them so much!

As for New Years - we are once again considering our New Years Day get together with friends..........  Until then.........Merry Xmas to all!

More work in the kitchen..........

We were very surprised on Tuesday afternoon to get a phone call that they were ready with the granite counter tops.  They arrived just after 9:00 am.  Three young men, who worked very hard and did a very nice job.  They finished just after noon, tearing out the old and putting in the new.

We are very pleased so far.  We got the granite at ATand L Granite and Marble in Sebring and picked it out there  a week or so ago.  The service was excellent. Only 5 business days from selection to installation.  And we are very please with the color, exactly what we both wanted.

We still need to finish the installation of the dishwasher and the faucet.  Hoping the plumber can make it tomorrow or the next day!!  Read up on how to use the new appliances and cooked on the new stove last night.  But now that we have no faucet in the kitchen..........it was Chinese Take-out tonight.

Mike, from The Decor Store here in Lake Placid was back today and finished all the measurements for the new cabinets doors.  Staying with the white, with a little bigger/decorative door and hidden hardware.  He said there is a pretty good chance we can get it done before XMAS!

Our first Christmas Present

Santa came a little early.............Today the re-do of the kitchen began.  The truck with the new appliances arrived about 9:30 this morning, and two of the nicest young men began the job of moving all of the old stuff to the garage and installing all the new.  It was after 1:00 when they finished.  Unfortunately the new dishwasher needs to be hard wired, which means we still have to install an outlet.  But we are very pleased with our choice. Went back and forth on whether to get the french door or the side by side refrigerator.  We were already losing a little interior space with the cabinet depth model, so we opted for the side by side.



                                                               The old......

Putt these on sale on Craig's List and the young man came to pick them up late this afternoon.

The New..........

Tired out!  Went to town to pick up a sandwich at Subway for dinner.

Then across the road to Al and Barbs to get all our frozen food that we had stored in their freezer.

It will probably be another week or so before the cabinets are done. ( Just doing some refacing; staying with the white) and the new counter tops are in.

Homemade Pizza after a busy week........

WOW, Last week went by so fast.  I guess that's normal this time of year. Can't believe it's December already and Christmas is just a few weeks away.  Guess I better buckle down and get those cards in the mail and my shopping finished.

 I had a small growth removed near my eyebrow (Benign) and then on Tuesday we took a trip to the Dermatologist for Rich.  Family doctor suggested that he have a spot on his back looked at.  NO problem there, but they did do biopsy on three spots on his face.

Then we started shopping for our Christmas present.  This year we are doing some remodeling in the kitchen.  We ordered new appliances (frig, range, dishwasher and microwave) and they should arrive tomorrow morning.  Instead of paying to have the old ones removed, we put them out on Craig's List and sold them within an hour!   Then we stopped at AC&L Granite and Marble in Sebring to check out the new counter tops.  They came to the house to measure on Wednesday and installation of that and the new 60/40 under counter sink should be in 7-10 business day.  Got an estimate to have the cabinets refaced - so that too should be done in a couple of weeks. Made another trip to Home Depot the high neck sink.  AND.......while the guys from the Decor Store was here for the cabinets, he measured the sliders in the sun room for new shades.  I still have a little left in the budget for maybe 2 new ceiling fans for the sun room, and a new chandelier for the dining room......................

On Sunday we really just bummed out all day........and Rich made dinner.  This  is his version of pizza, made with tomato soup, ground beef and ground sausage, Italian spices and Italian Cheeses.  He's modified it a bit over the past 30-40 years.  It was delicious.

Now I just need to get the Xmas decorations out of the attic!!!! Time to get in the holiday spirit!

Thanksgiving With Friends...

Thankful for holiday traditions, telling favorite stories, and the simple joys of being together.......

Thankful for homemade stuffing, wishbone wishes, and second helpings of pumpkin pie.....



And a glass or two of wine.....

Thankful for family...


and friends like John and Diane who celebrated Thanksgiving Day with us.

Turkey, sausage stuffing, green bean casserole, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and hot, fresh rolls, with pumpkin and pecan pie for dessert.  Everything was delicious!

Just a Relaxing Perfect Weather Weekend

This past weekend was absolutely beautiful.  For those of you up north, well you'll find this hard to understand.  But it was mostly cloudy/overcast and comfortably cool.  This has been the first weekend in a very long time that you could actually enjoy being outside.  No intense sun and very low humidity.

So we enjoyed our coffee on the lanai, worked in the yard ( mostly pulling weeds) and enjoying the beautiful birds that graced the yard.  A couple of our favorites; the Blue Heron and the White Ibis.  And we could kick ourselves for not making time to go out fishing.  It would have been a great weekend to be on the water.

With the high temperatures in the upper 70's / low 80's I had a request to make Chili........... So it was Chili and cornbread for dinner on Sunday. It was delicious.

Left overs for another day, and the rest in the freezer!

Starting to get serious about getting the kitchen redone.  We're talking about a possible face-lift to the cupboards ( I want to keep them white), new granite counter tops, with brick or stone back splash, and all new appliances. Can't believe what a new French Door Refrigerator costs!!!  We'll see how far the budget goes........something might have to wait until next year.  Gotta keep enough set aside for the summer vacation!

Our Monthly Night Out.....

On Wednesday we joined Buddy and Diane and Nathan and Krystal at Cody's Roadhouse for our monthly get together.  It was Veteran's Day, and for Buddy's sake, we probably should have chosen a restaurant where he, as a Veteran, could enjoy a free meal.  I was quickly informed when we arrived that he enjoyed his free meal at lunchtime!  Well deserved my friend!

Cody's was our choice this month and Wednesday was our preferred day of the week because that's the day we can enjoy the Buy one, get one Free Fajitas.  And, buy one get one free happy hour - so Rich ordered the Bud Light and shared with me.  Some had chicken and some had beef, and Buddy shared his appetizer with the table!  Everything was delicious.  And the conversation and laughter was welcomed and enjoyed!

Buddy and Diane will begin the almost daily jamming and entertaining with their Country Singing group, so we have strict instructions to only schedule our night out on Tuesday or Thursday - but not the first Tuesday of the month. Whew!!!
Next stop - Ecuador!  Don't worry - those other four  in the picture know what that means!!

Not much other news. My finger is still healing - but much much better. I had a small growth removed over my right eyebrow. You could never tell! Can't see a thing and the biopsy showed it to be benign.

We stayed up until 11:30 Tuesday, watching the GOP Debate.

OH!  And we lost our resident alligator.  The gator nuisance patrol was here a couple of nights ago to take him away.  Guess the owner next door - who has his house up for sale thought that a possible alligator in his yard might scare the buyers away!  You think???    Good news is, he was not aggressive at all and they did not harm him getting him out, so, he will have a new home at one of the Gator farms.   I know you all don't understand - but I'll miss his frequent visits.

Broadway Palm - Fort Myers, FL

First - a medical update:  Friday was a busy day..... I headed out Friday morning before 8:00 AM to have the stitches removed from my finger.  It's been 10 days and they said they were ready to come out!  It's still pretty ugly, it's healing very slowly......and its' a pain trying to do anything simple!

Rich also had a doctor's appt. on Friday for his pneumonia shot.  Had his flu shot last week, and no problem.  But he's had some nasty side effects from the pneumonia shot.  Upper arm very swollen, hot to the touch and sore.  Next day, the same but has moved lower on the arm, and today still swollen, hot and sore, but has moved down to the elbow area........... May have to call the doctor if it continues much longer.

Sooooooo. We were on the road about 2:00 PM on Saturday, headed for Fort Myers.  Plans were to meet up with Nathan and Krystal for dinner and show at the Broadway Palm, spend the night and then meet up with friends in Northport on Sunday.    First stop the hotel.  We had reservations at Americas Best Value Hotel.  We found this hotel last year.  It's nothing fancy, but is very clean, newly remodeled, has nice rooms, nice free breakfast, and decent pool area, and the price is right.  Makes no sense to me to spend a fortune on a hotel.....just to stop and sleep! I'd much rather spend it on travel and entertainment,  

We headed for the Broadway Palm Dinner theater about 5:45, where we met up with Nathan and Krystal.  We had been here a couple of times previously, but this was a first for the two of them.  We were escorted to our table.  An excellent location in the second row back from the stage.

Dinner was a choice of of of three entrees from the menu, or the buffet.  We all elected the buffet, and it was excellent.  Vegetable beef soup, and a large selection of salads and fruit, including an amazing pretzel salad that Krystal and I tried.   There was Prime Rib, Sweet and Sour Pork, Panko and Almond Crusted Whitefish, Pasta Preivera, Au gratin Potatoes, mixed vegetables and an excellent pineapple casserole. Desert was pretty much anything you could think of, from sundaes, brownies, cheesecake, cookies and a large variety of pies.  Everything was delicious.  Thanks, Krystal for this picture.

The show this evening was The Million Dollar Quartet - which takes place at the Sun Records recoding studio, and is the one and only time when these four great singers were together; Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.   During the show you can not take pictures, but I did find these on the Broadway Palm face book page.   This show was absolutely awesome.

Unfortunately plans to meet up with Dieter and Helen in Northport did not work out, so we headed for home early Sunday. Relaxed most of the day, and enjoyed chicken and beans and baked potato for dinner and caught up on a few of our favorite TV programs.

Together in the Kitchen......

Sunday started out with no special plans for either of us.  Rich's back was bothering him a little - so that meant not a lot of bending....... Thought we might get the palm trees fertilized..............but I guess that will wait for another day.  We just need to get it done before the end of the month.  

I spent some time updating the blog and Rich balanced the checkbook, and then did whatever he usually does on Sunday to prepare for the stock market on Monday morning.

 He must have noticed that the only goodies left in the house was 3 or 4, four day old oatmeal raisin cookies, because he asked if I would boil a potato so he could make some potato candy.

While he prepared his favorite candy - I finished preparing the ham for dinner.  Ham, honey gold baby potatoes, and broccoli for dinner; potato candy for dessert.  Dishes in the dishwasher, relax and call it a day.

Pumpkin Festival with Friends

On Saturday, Rich and I met up with our good friends Nathan and Krystal at the 24th Annual Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in Bradenton.  That's about an hour and half drive for us - but less than a half hour from their home in Myakka City.  This was a FIRST time for all of us.  This festival usually runs for three consecutive weekends in October - but unfortunately last weekend was cancelled because of heavy rainstorms which flooded the grounds.

As we drove up to event we were immediately impressed with the size of the grounds, despite being only able to see the parking area!  The festival opened earlier, but their was still a steady line of cars entering at 11:30.    The roads and parking area were still a bit muddy - and I'm sure more than one car got stuck in the mud.  Our assigned parking spot was about 14 rows back from the admission gate, where Nathan and Krystal were waiting for us.

Through the gate.......and our adventure began.  It was a pretty warm day, and already we could tell that this place was HUGE, and that meant a good amount of walking.  The place was actually beautiful, with the obvious PUMPKINS, yes, but everything was decorated perfectly from animal carvings in the trees, to hay and corn mazes, to scarecrows, to horse drawn buggies, and more...........

The first thing we did was to check out the map and what was going on where. Thanks to Nathan - he led the way to the Pumpkin Cannon - this was sooooooooo cool.  Can not believe how far that pumpkin flew!  Click here for a video that Krystal posted. VIDEO .  From there it was on to the Hartzells Crossbow of Death at the Saloon Bar.! I swear that arrow missed her head by no more than 1/2 inch!  And then we headed for The American Wall of Death Motordrome.  These guys on motorcycles were very good - especially that 65 year old driver who road "NO" handed! 

And , of course, we had to take time to check out the animals... birds, lama, goats, horses, pigs and a giant turtle that I missed a picture of.

In the midst of all his fun, we did stop for food an beverage. Before anyone else, Rich found his way to the fried dough booth, which he ate in the saloon while we watched the show.  Later we all stopped for a quick lunch, and found our way to the Boogie Barn, where we sat, relaxed, out of the sun, and listened to the Country Band. And before we headed for home we walked theough the craft areaan stoped to say hello to our neighbor John - who had his tent sent up, selling his custome made trunks. 

We both would have liked to stay a bit longer; there was definitely still a lot more left to see and do.  But it was a vvery warm sunny day, I was getting a head ache, and I could tell that Rich's back was bothering him, even though he would not say so.  We enjoyed our short day trip, and our time with Nathan and Krystal.

Back home about 4:30 and just relaxed for the rest of the night.  Dinner was very light. We split a bacon and cheese omelet, Rich putting his half between two slices of toast.

Next weekend the four of us are going to Ft. Myers; a trip to the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater and a stop at the Shell factory on the way home

Emergency Room Visit!

Tuesday morning I was awake early, so headed out for my morning walk.  My plan for the day was to finish trimming up the bushes,  Only had some easy (or so I thought) trimming along one side to finish of the house and it would all be done, except for trimming some of the trees - and Rich would do that.

So, I figured the shower could wait until I finished in the yard.  Picked up the small grass shears and a plastic bag for the trimmings.  I was just finishing up the first row of bushes when I grabbed one of the branches in the back, an not paying attention to where my hand was..............I proceeded to clip my finger along with the branch!  OUCH!

SO....Rich and I headed for the Emergency Room. ( God, I wish I had taken a shower!) NO ONE waiting ( It was just after 8:30 AM) so they took me right in.  We were there for almost two hours, had six stitches, a tetanus shot, and three antibiotic pills and left with my finger wrapped in about 6 ft of bandages and prescription for more antibiotics.

I have to admit - the staff and doctor were very pleasant.  Dr. Nasary, was really pretty funny.  I wanted Rich - who was sitting there for the whole thing, to know that my "household skills" would be seriously jeopardised.  When I said " no cleaning, cooking or dish washing for a couple of weeks" he  looked at Rich and said  "two months... at least two months".  Then when I told him it had probably been more than 40 years since my last tetanus shot he got wise again.  Rich said  "don't they recommend you getting one every 10 years?"  To which the doctor replies " yes - so she will need to have four today!  One for each 10 years she missed."

Bandage came off this morning.  Was told to wash and dry. Use neosporan and cover with a band aid.  OH.......It is so ugly!!!!!  Supposed to heal in about 10 days, and then have the stitches pulled.  More fun!

Meeting up with more friends.

I usually write about weekend trips, or day long visits that include fishing and mexican train....but lately friends Nick and Tonyia  are so busy that they seldom find time to stop and just have fun!!!  They did  however, invite us to join them at Beef O Brady's tonight for dinner.

Beef's is not one of those places that we go to alot, but the food is really quite good and it's a great place to meet up with friends when you want something
besides a buffet or fine dining!

And  except for the bacon that was not done - everyone enjoyed their food choice tonight.   Rich had the Steak Burrito, Tonyia the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Nick ordered the fried pickles as an appetizer, followed by a giant burger and fries, and I had the chicken quesadilla,   which was on the starter/appetizer menu, but still proved to be more than I could eat! But Rich  was able to finish it!.

We always enjoy spending time with these two, and tonight was no different.

Making Time For Friends

Rich and I really enjoy spending time with family and friends, whether it's here at home, visiting, or just meeting out for a casual get together for dinner or entertainment.  Since being back from NY - we've really tried to make an extra effort to meet up with our close friends at least once a month.  And so far it's been successful.

This past weekend we got John to take a break and he and Diane joined us on Sunday for dinner.  John is busy every day in his garage making trunks and with shows coming up, and orders coming in faster than he can make them.......he's been a very busy guy.  But we knew that Lasagna would do the trick! And so on Sunday he and Diane joined us for dinner.  The food was good and the company was great and it was nice to just relax and enjoy the day.

This week was more work in the yard, getting the boat cover off and cleaned and getting the boat ready to get out on the lake,and then doctor appointments for both of us.  Nothing serious - just regular visit with eye doctor for me, and annual check-ups for both of us.

Thursday night was dinner night with friends.  This time with Nathan and

Krystal and Buddy and Dianne.   Since the Hibachi Grill is the favorite choice for all of us - this will probably be our primary  'meet up' place.  We really got into some great conversations, everything from drones and flying cars, to politics, (fortunately we all share the same conservative views!)  and even life in  South American countries!!!   That one's a LONG Story for another time.   And we all laughed a lot.  I think we must have sat there for close to two hours before we called it a night.  And then we said that maybe next time we'd meet up on a Wednesday night at Cody's Roadside for 2 for 1 fajita night!  Sounds like a plan.

Family Update......

Well - not too much going on these past couple of weeks. Been working in the yard - and met up with friends Nick and Tonyia for dinner at Bob Evans one night.

  Fall is starting to settle in; if you consider mid 80's to be Fall!  But it is supposed to get down in the 60's tonight.  Maybe we can keep the windows open pretty soon?

In the meantime Dennis and the grand kids have been busy and they've shared some really nice pictures.   Dennis, who still works for the military, has a job that affords him the pleasure of  pretty much word-wide travel.  His last work venture, just a few weeks ago took him to Hawaii.  We have told him that the next trip to Hawaii should be an extended stay and include the family, ( wife, kids, Dad and Me!).   Some nice pics......and we always enjoy those "selfies".

Back home to Davenport, IA...........and in time for the kids High School Homecoming. 

So hard to believe that Dalton is a Senior this year. One smart guy - that we are so very proud of.  Here he is with friends and his girlfriend Sara.  In addition to playing in the marching band, he also was an escort for the Home Coming Court. 

And Chauna - she's a Junior this year.  Also a very  beautiful and talented young lady, who, when not bowling or playing baseball, sings and dances with the show choir, and here she is demonstrating her skills as part of the flag team and with her boyfriend and homecoming partner, Ryan.

Having company for dinner today and I've been busy putting together Lasagna. Ready to put in the oven in about 5 minutes!  Always stuff to do around the house - but gotta get out and enjoy once in a while.  Dinner plans for Thursday in Sebring and just finished making plans to join friends at the  Broadway Palm Dinner Theater in Ft. Myers, later this month.  

A new restaurant in town.........

Wednesday evening we met up with our good friends Nick and Tonyia for dinner.

We generally get together a little more frequently, but with our extended NY stay, and they being so busy, that just has not happened.   These two really need an extended "break".   This is a very  busy time of year for them, with their trucking business and yet they still manage to accomplish so much. So before dinner - let me share their most recent project.    While we were in NY they actually transformed their yard into a tropical paradise, including the sandy beach area behind the Tiki Bar.  Can't wait to see the completed Tiki Bar!

Anyway - we met up with them Wednesday at the Happy Chef.  This is one of the newest restaurants here in Lake Placid, and pretty much the only one that stays open past 2:00 pm in the afternoon.   The owner/chef was previously  master chef at some very high end restaurants so expectations were high.   Choice of soup or salad with dinner and three of us ordered the French Onion, and Tonyia the other, which was a Mexican type soup.   It was only a little after 5:00, with only one other table in the restaurant, and there was only enough French Onion for two!!  

 Rich, Nick and Tonyia all ordered pasta.  Rich - spaghetti and meatballs which he said was very good. Nick and Tonyia both had the special: Lasagna made with penne pasta.  Tonyia was not impressed, but Nick thought it was pretty good.  I guess I should not have ordered a Mexican dish in an Italian Restaurant, but I ordered their other special, the  Chicken Enchiladas.  They were dreadful; and COLD!  Clearly taken from the freezer and heated.  Came with black beans straight from the can and WHITE rice!!  Terrible!   Not real impressed with food or service.  Probably will not return.  

BUT - we really did enjoy the company of our good friends.

Back home - and we stayed up until after 11:00 pm, watching the CNN Republican Presidential debate! 

   

Fun-Filled Day with Nathan and Krystal

Two of our very favorite people to spend time with...........and yet it is so seldom that we find, or take, the time to visit.  They've been to our home a couple of times, and we've met up in Sebring for lunch or dinner,  but this was our very first time to make the trip to Myakka City!

It was about a year and a half ago that these two started a "new" chapter in life. They purchased a new home and lots of acreage, to foster a "few"  of the rescue horses from a nearby sanctuary, where Krystal often volunteered.  Today they have SEVEN horses. Chevy, Savannah, Gypsy, Hanovi and the three ponies: Mia, Sophie and Bella.  Krystal is absolutely amazing with those horses....and they love her!

Our first view of the homestead:

We knew we were in the right place.  Recognized that 5th wheel parked in the yard...AND that Gypsy Trails sign on the fence.  As Rich opened the gate we could see the two of them on the porch, the horses grazing, and later we got a great view of the back pasture.

Krystal is also a very clever and creative lady. Their cottage style home is so bright, cheerful and inviting.  My favorite  was the kitchen area with the pastel table and chairs and her craft room.  And of course Miss Ava!  Miss that little girl.  But she'll be coming for a week or so in December to stay with us while Mom and Dad go on their 25th Anniversary Cruise!

Some of our favorite photos of the horses.

And we spent a couple of hours outside with Nathan and Krystal and some hands on time with Hanovi, who danced and weaved his way between the barrels, playfully flipped them, jumped the logs and ran gracefully alongside Krystal.  And he didn't hesitate to take his treat (carrots) very carefully from my hand.

And after playing outside, Nathan served a great dinner!  He prepared a homemade pizza, cooked to perfection on the grill.  Followed by key lime or fudge brownie cheesecake.  Delicious.   Here it is from Prep........to Plate.

The day went by so quickly.  Before we knew it, it was nearly 7:00 pm and time to head back to Lake Placid.  Thanks Nathan and Krystal for a fun-filled day.