Miss Ava was back for a visit!

 A pretty slow and lazy weekend.  On Wednesday Miss Ava arrived while Mom and Dad headed for Lake Wales, FL for more training with their horses.  

We always enjoy Miss Ava's company - and it just seems that she always brings the best weather.  That means, that the days are comfortable and the nights are on the cool side for our "walks"!   And, she always makes herself right at home!

She went back home on Sunday!  We'll Miss you Miss Ava...... Till the Next time!

St. Patty's Day at the Dock.

Saturday was St. Patrick's Day, the day that celebrates my favorite color!!  Nothing special planned for the day, but we did make a trip to Lowe's in Sebring to pick up a few items......Weed Killer, and a Filter for the Refrigerator.   Nothing exciting!

But before heading home, we decided to celebrate St. Paddy's day at Dock 633.    The last time we were here with our son, Dennis we tried to order their Dock Onion......much like Outback's Bloomin Onion, but they were out.    Today we ordered one.  HUGE........but it was delicious.  Rich had the giant burger with chips, skipping the french fries, given the size of the onion.  Same for me I ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad.........and took half of it home. 

Monday - grocery shopping.  Not bad this week... only $139!!   Menu for the week includes, Sloppy Joes w Corn on Cob,  Barbeque Turkey Meatloaf,  Tuna Noodle Casserole, Chicken w/Black Bean Salsa, and either Ravioli or Pizza on Friday.   The BBQ Turkey Meatloaf was a new recipe........first time making it, and it came out quite good! Mmmmm.

Wednesday evening Krystal Showalter and I headed  into Sebring to the Performing Arts Center at Florida Collage.   We had really good box seats to enjoy "Dance to the Movies".  Great dancers!  Dmitry Chaplin and Anna Trebunskaya from Dancing with the Starts. ( I remember watching Dimitry when he was just a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance!)    A great group of dancers including 4 others from Dancing with the Stars, Jonathan Platero and Alexia Meyer from So you think you can Dance, Antonio Martinex from America's Got Talent, and American Idol Finalists Von Smith and Vonzell Solomon.  Very Entertaining.... Excellent Show

Dinner at Showalter's, New Recipe, Spa Day!

Our monthly get together with Buddy and Diane, and Nathan and Krystal was Tuesday.  But this month, instead of our usual Hibachi, we all met at Nathan and Krystal's home.  They got hit pretty good with Hurricane Irma, but you'd never know.   Their new roof looks great, and Nathan has been very busy moving and fencing in the RV, and building on a screen porch on the back of the house.   The new porch is beautiful, all screened and ready to enjoy. 

Of course we were greeted by little Miss Ava!  And while they now have 6 horses that they tender..........only three of them, including their newest, River Song (white) came out to visit with us.

Very nice late afternoon........so we all sat out on the new porch.  We took a big bottle of wine (Riesling) with us, and it was pretty much empty by the time we left!  Ava spent most of her time on Rich's lap..............and after a while, our Chef, Nathan took every one's order for Pizza........... We had a choice of ham, pepperoni, onion, peppers,  and mushrooms.

Nathan grilled all of our "personal" pizza's on the grill............and we all went inside to enjoy!  Buddy made his Coconut Cream Pie ( best in the universe, according to Nathan), and because Krystal has to be on a gluten free diet, I brought a small gluten free chocolate cake for her.  Everything was delicious!

I love the picture board that Krystal has hanging in the dining area........Always different pictures on each visit.  Today she had added a picture of all of us from a year ago when we were there enjoying fajitas!

We will get together again in April and in May...........and maybe June before we head north. Nathan and Krystal have someone now who stays on the property full time, which allows them some time to travel.   They talked about a possible trip to NY to visit while we're there this summer.  Unfortunately, Dianne's health is getting worse, and she does not travel well anymore..........so no plans this year for trips up north for them.





On Thursday I tried a new recipe, Southern Chicken Fried Steak with milk gravy.  Fried in the cast iron pan, and then baked for an hour!  So very tender!


 It was absolutely DELICIOUS!   Rich said the same!



Rich gave me a gift certificate to The Spa at Hammock Falls for a one hour D'Vine Facial, and a one hour Massage..........and my appointment was today @ 1:30.   I had a Maaarvelous  Time being pampered.

No cooking tonight - stopped on the way home for Chinese Take-out! 

No plans for the weekend...........but next week is a trip to the Alan Jay Wildstein Performing Arts Center at South Florida Campus, and then we'll have our dog fix for a few days..... Miss Ava is coming back for a visit.

February Celebrations are over..... things are slowing down

Well  all the family celebrations of February have ended.  It sure was a busy, busy, but fun month.  We are so very blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Earlier in February I went for my first CT- Scan.  Lasted about 15 minutes, and painless.........  That was a while ago - so I'm assuming that all looked good.  They told me they would let me know if the doctor wanted/needed to see me before my next scheduled appointment later in March.  Have not heard from them - so assuming that's good news.

But just as we thought the frequent doctor visits had slowed down, Rich acquired a huge boil on the middle of his back.  Went to our Primary Care physician and was put on a high dosage (875 mg) of Antibiotics, and a daily dose of Pro-Biotic.  Looking better, but needs to be surgically removed - so  off  to the Dermatologist  later this week!    Hard to see with his black shirt on.... but they lanced the abscess to make it drain, and so he came home with a huge pressure bandage on his back,  Not very easy to sit..... or sleep that night!   Follow up visit was good - and he has set up an appointment to have the core removed on this one and a previous one that's healed.....that will be the first part of June.

On Saturday our friends from South Carolina, Cliff and Carlene Freeman (Carlene and Cliff went to high school together) visited us for the day. They brought Buster with them, so we also got our "dog fix"!! Arrived about 1:00 o'clock.

Carlene and I both enjoy experimenting with new drinks........so this time I found a recipe for a Pineapple Orange Cream-sickle Mimosa. (Moscato, Pineapple Juice, and Orange Sherbet).  Excellent - we made, and finished, a pitcher full and enjoyed some sausage and cheese a crackers.

Dinner was linguine with meatballs, Cesar salad and garlic bread, and they brought with them 2 Carvel Ice Cream Cakes for dessert!  We only see them once a year, so we had a lot to catch up on...........and just talked forever.  It was after 7:00 pm when they headed back to Wauchula.   We're heading through S. Carolina in June ---- never know, we may surprise them with a visit!



A short bout of cooler weather is back this week, with daily  highs back in the 70's! Love it when we can have the doors and windows open!  And we even got the bicycles out again to do a little riding around the neighborhood. 

 And along with the cooler weather, came a big pot of home made potato soup to take off the chill!
And we finished the last of it on Saturday.

Finally got out and bought some new picture frames for the grand-kids pictures.  We brought the bigger ones back with us this past summer when we visited the family in Iowa.  So proud of these two.

And today shot a few pictures of our Blue Heron down on the dock.

Time change today..........time to Spring Ahead.......... 

Birthdays, Anniversary, and Family Gatherings

On Friday, February 23rd, Rich and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary. We've been together now, for 48 years.  This was my message and card to Rich.

Rich replied with a special comment to me out on Facebook today: "I'm the one that feels blessed being with Donna for 48 years and married for 44!  Love you more every year and looking forward to our 50th, with my very best friend"

And I love that he always gives me a homemade hand cut card!!

For dinner we went to Red Lobster.  It's Lobsterfest, so we both opted for Lobster, one way or the other.   Rich - Dueling Lobster Tails - One steamed in parchment with lemon and spices, and the other grilled and topped with shrimp and bay scallops..........with a side of mashed potatoes.


I had the Seaport Lobster and Shrimp -Wood Frilled Maine Lobster, Shrimp

Scampi and garlic grilled shrimp skewer, with a side of broccoli and rice.

Add our salads and cheddar biscuits -  and it was a delicious meal.


On Saturday we headed out to my Nephew, John Benjamin's house in Zephyrhills for a small family gathering. My cousin Carol (Benjamin) Pelrah and husband Jack are here in Fl for about a month, so the Benjamin families here in Fl decided to get together.

On Friday I made no-bake cookies, oatmeal cookies, and peanut butter fudge to take with us.  And on Sunday morning I put together some ham and cream cheese roll-ups, and a pineapple cabbage salad.  We packed it all in the cooler along with some beer and wine - and we were on our way.  We had a wonderful time.  Carol Pelrah is my cousin, John, Linda and Bonnie are brothers/sisters and my nieces, and nephew. (Brother Mick's children)

Pictured below: Top: Jack and Carol Pelray, Linda Rathbun and husband Tom,  Linda and her brother John Benjamin 3rd.  Bottom: John, Bonnie, Jack and Carol in the back, Me and Linda,   Rich and John,  and John, Bonnie, Me, Jack and Linda.

Looking forward to seeing all of them again in NY in August at our Benjamin Family Reunion!

And Sunday was Dennis's birthday. He turned 49!  Happy Birthday Dennis Donald.  We love you so much!!

Next week is a visit with northern friends, Cliff and Carlene who will be staying in Wauchula.............and then a few days later dinner at Nathan and Krystal's, with Buddy and Dianne.  Talked with friends Bob and Lavern (the clowns) and Bob is recuperating and feeling better.  We look forward to seeing them before they head back north.