Of This and That

Resignation of being Ruler of the Universe

2011-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is my official resignation. From now on I am going to act as if I had already passed on to the great beyond--and let my family and friends carry on their lives without my help.

From now on--ME--is the important word. I am trouble enough to take care of--

I only hope that the choices made by my loved ones are good ones.

75th Birthday Party in Orlando

2010-09-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Friend, Pati and I attended the 75th birthday of our friend Paul, whom we have known since we all were in elementary school.
Pati commented that the cocktail party was much like a cruise--all old people--and besides Paul's 100 year old aunt, who was jigging around on her cane and standing up more than sitting, we were all about the same age.
I don't think that makes us old. I try to youthen instead of age, and I also try to avoid mirrors especially when I don't have any clothes on.
I did notice the outfits of some of the ladies. It was like a fashion show. Amazing how money can change a person. I want to shop where these gals shop. Their bodies aren't in much better shape than mine, but they do know how to dress it to advantage.
My feet were itching and very few people were dancing. So when the pianist announced it would be the last dance, I grabbed Paul and we took a few steps around the floor.
Amazing how all inhibitions can drop when one reaches a certain age.

I hope you all enjoy life as much as I do.

Labor Day

2010-09-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Isn't it Ironic? Sounds like a song title, doesn't it?
Isn't it ironic that on Labor Day the only people who work are the common laborers--the carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, firemen, policemen--everyone else seems to make it another holiday.
Perhaps it should be that on Labor Day everyone grabs a shovel or other implement and goes to work--laboring.

I have never known any of the workers I mentioned be given a holiday from work.

Wednesday's Child

2010-08-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

I was born on a Wednesday--many years ago--or should it be many moons ago?

The idea comes from an old verse that gives a trait for a child born on each day of the week.

Wednesday's Child is full of Woe.

Whoa! What is that? I do not feel that I am full of Woe.

Hope, ambition, tenacity, but not Woe.

another rainy day

2010-08-24T08:10:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful day in Paradise--that is if your paradise is the Rain Forest. Not bad, really--just different. The woods are 64 different colors of green and these colors show up brilliantly against the grey skies.

Off to vote--today.

Reading

2010-08-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

I have been reading several books at a time due to having the Kindle. I have read about 3/4 of the way through STAR, THE LIFE AND WILD TIMES OF WARREN BEATTY.Then I started SAILING ALONE AROUND THE WORLD by Joshua Slocum and have been devoting all my reading time to it. He wrote it in 1896 when he sailed his homemade sloop Spray . It fascinates me. The idea of doing something so daring and his success through all sorts of misshaps along the way are intriguing.

I have about 200 books on the Kindle waiting to be read.

I also work my crossword puzzle at night and watch a movie on Netflix.com before I go to bed. The result is I am up past midnight and then I sleep until mid-day--and that doesn't please me.

I am much more of a morning person--yet by the time I get up and around it is late morning and early afternoon. Then I haven't the gumption to get my household chores done.

the Blahs

2010-08-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

Everytime I come back from a long trip, I suffer for a week or so from the blahs.
I sleep long hours and am always tired. I put off everything until "tomorrow" and have found that I spend too much time at computer--often not accomplishing anything--
I do love to travel and seem to be all right while I am on the road. This time on the last night of the trip--I went to bed before dinner--leaving Richard to prepare the meal--which he did very well.
The trip had caught up with me. Tomorrow will be a week since I got home and I am still blah-blahing around.
It doesn't stop me from wanting to plan another trip.

Saturday 31 July 2010

2010-07-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last time I wrote I spoke of time flying past, and of the warm weather finally arriving. Both topics are still viable. Time continues to pass quickly, packed with so much activity and the summer heat is upon us and I am thinking of cooler days--
Since I last wrote, I have travelled 5,000 miles in my RV. A very special friend and I drove up the east coast of the U.S. by way of I-95. This was his choice of routes. He wanted to "get there" quickly. To make time. As we really had no definite destination except Nova Scotia, the getting there should have been half the fun--or more. And Time is not something I wish to "make".
The I-95 route was boring, tiring, and costly. I think we spent nearly $40 in tolls. These tolls were on an interstate where one had no choice of other roads without going a hundred miles west--. We went through Richmond, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and finally Bangor, Maine. The temperatures were record breaking all that first trip. The "north" proved no relief from the heat. Long waits for either accidents or road repairs added to the misery.
The highlight of that leg of the trip was Acadia National Park. We spent one day taking the Loop drive around the park. It being right on the Atlantic Ocean made it cooler than the highway.
We entered Canada aat Calais, New Brunswick on Friday 9th July.
The two weeks in Canada, New Hamsphire and Vermont were cooler--and we rarely needed the AC in the RV at night.
But
when we arrived back home on Sunday 25th July--we were overwhelmed with heat and humidity. Thank goodness the AC worked--and quickly brought the house from 92 degrees to 82--
BUT
and this is a biggie
At 10:30 that night the AC gave up the ghost. The air handler was still working but no cool air. The temp outside was 83 and inside it was 85 stifling degrees. Unbearable. I used the Attic Fan with window open right by the bed, and two oscillating fans. That helped. By midnight I was still hot--so I stripped and stood in my swimming pool for 15 minutes to cool off.
Monday morning I called the AC repairman--he was here by noon. the problem was outside where ants had taken up housekeeping in the electrical parts of the compressor unit and not only fried themselves but also melted all wires and burned other components.
At least the repair was done quickly and AC was functioning properly. I have spent the week trying to acclimate myself to the temps. My habits have been to only run AC late afternoon and then open upstairs windows for the night-after having had a late night swim to cool off.

Sunday 2 May 2010

2010-05-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

The time goes by and the Sundays seem to roll around at a faster clip than in years past. I have been keeping busy. Three Lakes Management area from Wednesday until Friday and home late Friday. On Saturday Joan Fleming and I drove to St. Petersburg for luncheon with the Women of the Class of 1953 SPHS at the Columbia Restaurant at the Pier. Lots of traffic and tourists down there. Home by 5:30.

Reading book by Lea Lane entitled TRAVELING SOLO. She writes well and covers all aspects of traveling alone. It gives me impetus to take off again on my own. I have already done over 150,000 solo miles in my camper van. This is enough to give me material for writing about my adventures as a lone female approaching middle age ( 74 1/2) who takes off on adventures--around the world and around the United States.

Warmer weather is finally here--70's at night and 90's during the day I spent 45 minutes exercising in the 80 degree water of the pool.

April 25th 2010

2010-04-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Lots of ideas are floating around in my head. Writing my way across the USA. I intended to do that in 1999--I did photograph and record the entire 6,000 mile trip that took 6 weeks, but on return home we found that Bob had incurable lung cancer and my transcription of the trip was halted. I am thinking of following the same trip, in the same travel van, 11 years later. This time I hope to complete the book--or to send daily accounts to newspapers--
The other would be to keep a web page with daily accounts of the trip.
Right now I am at home. At least until the end of May. May 1st I am attending a luncheon at the Colombia at the Pier in St. Pete, where we, the class of 1953 Women, will discuss a "slumber" party at my house in May. Mid-May I have a bone density test. So, it seems that the first of June would be a good time to take off on my trip.
I go alone. It is best that way. Each day I will replay the 1999 trip for that day and try to duplicate the route.
I might take longer than the 6 weeks to do this trip--time is something I don't have to make--and I have no definite destination--at the end.

Friday 23rd April 2010

2010-04-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

I now have a red-headed granddaughter. Same granddaughter, different hair. She has gone to visit her sister and new neice in Dallas, Texas. This was a surprise to her parents who have recently moved there. Really, it was a shock to her mother who didn't expect her to be there. Nice shock, though.
Another grandson is off to New Orleans in his recently purchased automobile. Two other grandsons are worrying over their college courses. Both of them have needless worry as they are excellent students. Maybe the worry is what makes this so.
I have done catch up since I got home from Three Lakes. Catch up on sleeping and on some few household chores. More on sleeping than on chores--but that's the way it goes.
I am reading TWELVE MILE LIMIT by Randy Wayne White. I think his writing has been hyped too much, but I am still drawn to the book. I read it on my Kindle.
I have nothing but praise for the Kindle. I carry about 150 books in one hand. If I order another book I have it on my Kindle in less than a minute. Paid for and delivered! Can't beat that one. No matter where I am, I can go to the Kindle store on the gadget and order a book, magazine or newspaper and in that proverbial wink of an eye--have it in my hands.
So many of the books are free. Last week I read a fascinating account of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders in Cuba at the turn of the 20th Century. It was biographical, and Roosevelt had a way with words that should be the envy of us all.
Another good book is the Biography of Benjamin Franklin. There were so many things I did not know about this very interesting man.
I have enjoyed being back home and yesterday I spent 45 minutes exercising in my swimming pool. What I do is put on a CD of my favorite music and exercise until the CD is done. The time flies by. The only negative was that the water was only 78 degrees. Ten more degrees would be more to my liking.

Catching Up

2010-04-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am always behind in my Blogging. I probably am the only one who reads the posts--but I shall keep it up. I need to start a Blog that will bring in more readers.
Since I have been back from Texas, I have been south to Three Lakes Management area between St. Cloud and YeeHaw Junction. Wind and days of rain hampered the Turkey hunt. We had a Quota Permit for Turkey in the Prairie Lakes section of the Management area. During our scouting around we only saw hens--and not many of them--until--the evening after the hunt closed and then we saw nine hens in less than an hour. Still no males, though. And that same evening we saw 4 deer just lollygagging around as if they were thumbing their noses at us. Somehow the animals seem to know when it is time for them to be shot at and when it is safe.

Monday 12th April 2010

2010-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have been to Texas and back since I last wrote. I drove over 2600 miles in the three weeks I was away from home.
Springtime is a good time to travel. The leaves on the trees were budding .The forsythia and redbud trees were prolific and beautiful. I chose to drive the back roads--US 19 to Thomasville and US 84 to Collins and then north on US 49 to Pearl, Mississippi. From there it was boring I-20 all the way to Dallas.
Give me the backroads any day. They had very little traffic and quaint Victorian towns--lots of things to look at and admire.
The main attraction in Dallas was new great granddaughter Angelica Marie Freeman. Three months old. I call her Jelly Bean.

Catching up

2010-03-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

I doubt anyone reads my Blog. I am writing it for myself.

Today is sunny. Five inches of rain fell in the past two days. With the rain came warmer weather, but the sunshine and the wind have kept temperatures in the upper 60's today. That is too cool for me. I vote for mid-August in Florida. Then I can get in my swimming pool.

I have a busy schedule planned for the next few months. To Hunting area, to Mississippi and Texas, to Highland Hammocks State Park with Leisure Travel Van group "The Flamingles", and then possibly a cruise the end of June with the Freeman family and my new great-granddaughter, Angelica. But, I might forgo that and take off across the United States.

I have so many things to accomplish before I grow too old.

Friday 12th February 2010

2010-02-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

This was the perfect day for sleeping late. I have no trouble with doing that. I woke to grey skies, rain and cold temperatures. I was snuggled down under my quilt and on my electric mattress pad with no desire to get out of bed. When I finally got up the gumption to get out of bed, get dressed and go downstairs. I only managed to accomplish doing the laundry.
I had intended to go down to wood pile and bring up several loads of wood for my woodburning stoves. I was going to dump the sewage from my travel van and fill up the fresh water tank, and I was going to walk the 200 feet up hill to my mail box. None of those things got accomplished. Instead of fires in the stoves, I used the electric heat.
I spent the afternoon working on Memoirs. I also did some research on my Salem Witchcraft Ancestor, Mary Easty, who was hung as a witch.
I am intending now to go back upstairs, turn on the electric mattress pad and snuggle down with a movie on the laptop from Netflix, or read a book on my marvelous Kindle, or even a paperback that I am enjoying (Cider House Rules)--or work last Sunday's NYTimes puzzle.
There are many things I could have done today--I have some sewing to do--shortening some overalls for a friend, warping two weaving looms and weaving off what I have on two other looms. I could be practicing some spinning--I haven't done much spinning since a hospital injury caused me to have a numb left hand seven years ago.
Boredom is not in my vocabulary--but I lack in get up and go.

Thursday 28 January 2010

2010-01-28T16:42:00.001-08:00

Today would have been my father's 100th birthday. Sadly he didn't make it past 52.
And tomorrow will be the 11th anniversary of my husband's death. He was 72 when he died. Hard to believe he would be 83 if he had lived.
My youngest child will turn 51 on February 5th.
And I am Youthening. As Merlin told the young Arthur--live backwards. I refuse to believe my age--which is 74. That is middleaged. I plan on going to 148--backwards of course.
And I still believe in Santa Claus!

I also believe in other fantastic stories and miracles.

When I grown up I am going to be ------a journalist----that is after I graduate from Cornell University---those who know me know that I have been--a highschool drop, a graduate with BA from USF, and a teacher for 25 years--1970-1985--but WHEN I GROW UP--

The Rains Came

2010-01-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

About 9 p.m. last night, 16th January 2010, it started to pour rain. I think it rained most of the night. The temperature continues in the 70's. Better than the 20's though still not warm enough for me. I am still voting for summer.

Saturday afternoon 16th January 2010

2010-01-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

At last--warm weather. It should last a day or two. Right now it is 70 degrees outside and it is 4:15 p.m. (est). The sky is overcast. Rain has been predicted for the past several days, but so far nothing has materialized.
My Australian family left Thursday morning. I miss the footsteps on the stairs, the happy voices, and the marvelous smiles. Even though they were not any trouble, I find that I have a good case of fatigue. I attribute that to being active so much of the time.
In two weeks I will be heading to the south of Florida to the Management area where I go with my hunter friend. I do scouting and tramping around in the swamps, but no shooting. Matter of fact, neither does he do much shooting. He likes to greet the sunrise and watch the birds, and other wildlife and then come back to camp for brunch to report to me what he has seen.
There was a time when he actually brought in game. Years have made him think that it might not be a good idea to shoot something and then have to drag it half mile back to the truck, then back to camp where it (whatever it is) would have to be cleaned and butchered.
We get the fun of it without the work. As for stories of the catch--the younger people have plenty of those to share, and the older ones are reminded of when they, too, were bringing in the catch.
This warm temperature has brought desires of the swimming pool. The temp in that today is only 60 degrees--brrr! It will have to get to 70 before I venture in.

2010-01-16T13:12:00.001-08:00

And it is still cold

2010-01-13T06:20:00.000-08:00

The temperature was 25 degrees again this morning. This is getting ridiculous. I live in Florida because it is warm. This is more like Minnesota.

The firewood pile is about half gone. The amount I had in the wood shed usually lasts for two winters. Now in just several weeks--I have burned two cart loads a day, and I have had the AC electric heat on at night.

I am thankful that I have the heat and the means to pay for it. Some people aren't as lucky as I am.

Monday 3rd January 2010 and damned cold

2010-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

I woke at 5 a.m. and looked at the thermometer--25 degrees--and at 3:30 p.m. it is still in the 40's. I had fire in kitchen stove and in the living room stove last night--and started them up again this afternoon.
Cold is expected to last through the weekend. What we call a Canadian Clipper--or that my student's used to call The Hawk. That is when the cold north winds blow--
I love the warm Florida weather--the warmer the better--and I hate the cold.
Cousins from Brisbane, Australia are due in here on Wednesday evening. They left a hot summer time in Brisbane and have had some of the worst of winter in U.S. and I can't promise that it will improve in the sunny south.

Tuesday 29th December 2009

2009-12-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

Another cold day in Florida. Last night the temperature was in the low 30's, freezing. Today at noon it is about 50. The wind adds chill factor. Brrrrr!
I vote for summer--for August even--when I can be out in the pool getting exercise.
My exercise now is bringing in firewood, and trying to stay warm when I go outside.
Yesterday I went to town--a trip of 30 miles round trip. I do that about once a week. Otherwise I stay close to home until it is time to take a longer trip--usually to southern Florida.
I find that my time is spent lolly gagging around instead of being productive.

Sunday 27 December 2009

2009-12-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

Unusual weather this year. On Christmas Eve, Taylor and I were swimming in Palm Beach County. We spent two days at Three Lakes Management area--cold--brrr!--and then on south to much warmer weather. Back on Christmas Day to warm weather in St. Petersburg--and then on to my home and cold weather again. This morning I brought in 3 loads of firewood and have a fire in the living room stove. I think it might have been spitting some snow when I was bringing in the firewood.

Thursday 17 December 2009

2009-12-17T18:13:00.000-08:00

Today was the day for my Swine Flu vaccine. Now I have had both the regular flu vaccine and the swine flu vaccine. The only bad reacction, if it can even be called that, was a sore arm for a few hours this afternoon. A good nap cured that.
The temperature hovered in the low 70's today. Not warm enough to go swimming, nor cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace.
I have a to-do list--which includes shortening some bib overalls for my Honey, backwashing the well water pump, vaccuming and dusting the house, preparing the van for the trip south on Monday--and let's see--I think that is all for the moment.
I put out little sticky traps (how horrible) to catch the field mice that have taken up housekeeping in the garage as they do every winter. The neighbors all have cats who roam around here, but it seems field mice aren't their favorite food. I do hate to murder the little Mickey Mice--but they do damage to my things. I try opening the doors and chasing them out, but instead of outside they choose some cozy corner to cuddle in until I am gone.

Wednesday 16th December 2009

2009-12-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

Another dreary day. Much warmer than our usual December days, but not quite warm enough for me to get in the swimming pool. Yesterday the water temperature in the pool ws 75. Today, the air temperature is 72. That isn't warm enough for swimming.
I wrapped presents today.
Now I am going to use my Audacity turn table to record some of the old 33 1/3 Christmas records.

Cooking Baking Day 12/14/2009

2009-12-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Comes a day in December when it is definitely Cooking Baking Day. I gave up long ago on fancy cookies and have stayed with my old faithfuls. Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chips and Oatmeal Raisins. I baked double batches of all three of these. When I get my second wind later this evening, I will make a double batch of Hershey's Fudge. Then I will package the cookies and fudge--and put bows on the packages and start my deliveries tomorrow.
Grandson, Reese, made three lovely wooden candle holders--each of which holds three small candles. I bought the three from him and will give them to special friends along with their cookies and fudge. I hope to find small battery powered candles to go in them. I was told that I could find them at the Dollar Tree Store.
The weather in my part of Florida has set a record for temperatures--high that is--the warmest since the turn of the 20th century . And it was also rivaling the temperatures for the 1940's. I do remember lovely warm Christmas times in St. Petersburg during WWII--1941 to 1945 when we could wear beach outfits and go swimmng in the Gulf on Christmas Day. I think 1959 was a warm Christmas,too. I have pictures of my children playing in the yard with new toys at that time.

Christmas cards ala email

2009-12-11T12:09:00.000-08:00

This is an illustration from Washington Irving's Christmas

I spent two hours on the Blue Mountain site doing my Christmas cards. I used a card with The Nutcracker Suite music in the background. It is an action card. The recipient has to click on certain things. I think it is pretty. And it seems to be as personal as if I wrote each one out by hand, attached a postage stamp and mailed them.
I hope this doesn't offend my family and friends.

St. Petersburg Yacht Club--Christmas Party for class of 1953

2009-12-09T13:22:00.001-08:00

Richard and I attended a lovely Christmas Party last night with about 20 of our classmates from class of 1953 St. Petersburg High School. This was a small gathering which originally started as luncheon for a few of the women of class of 1953. We have lunch once a month. The Christmas Party is the December meeting of the group.
The Yacht Club was decorated beautifully--one Christmas tree after another down the halls--and the private room where we were had a fireplace--tree and other festive decor.
The food was delicious. Cold Strawberry soup, steak that was very tender and done to perfection,shrimp, mashed potatoes, asparagus and a lovely salad. All this topped off with a wonderful Creme de Broule for dessert.
Then we had a Chinese gift exchange--each of us had brought a gift and we could either take one from under the tree or take one away from someone who had picked something we wanted.
The weather was warm,a breeze was blowing, and the moon was near full. Thev smell of salt water and the sounds of the boats rocking at their moorings, reminded me of my childhood.

Good Morning Monday 7th December

2009-12-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am one of those old enough to remember PEARL HARBOR. Today is the 68th anniversary of the day that the Japanese attacked the U.S. ships based in Pearl Harbor.
I was 6 years old, in first grade of school, and spending the month of December at Morgan's Cottages at John's Pass, Pinellas County, Florida. The emotions that were rampant that day have left a mark on me. I suppose it left a mark on all of us alive at that time.
I remember my father saying that the planes flew so low along the beach that day that he could see the tears in the pilot's eyes. This was no doubt a figure of speech, an exaggeration, but I believed it.
Unlike today which is overcast and gray, that day in Pinellas County was bright sunshine and warm. Almost too much of a Paradise to imagine that such a horror could happen.
I was very much impressed by the War, and when I was 8 years old, I wrote a letter to Adolf Hitler telling him that we children didn't want to fight, and that I knew the German children didn't want to fight either, because children were the same world-wide.
Perhaps that letter went the way of all the Santa Claus letters that I wrote in those early years.
I waited to hear from Adolf Hitler, knowing he would agree with me and stop the war, but I had no response.

Tis Me Again

2009-12-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well, who else did you think you would find here? Lots of things going on--I am just fishing around for things to write about--If some of you who read my Blog would respond perhaps I would be motivated with new topics.

I have done much around the place. Brought in several loads of firewood. Went to Kokopelli's for dinner with Marge and Dave Griffin--for the birthday dinner I promised them back in August. As this is my birthday month, Koko's sent me a buy one get one free card--and I used that to take them out to eat. That was Friday night--in a pouring rainstorm.

We had about 6 inches of rain here over the weekend. Today is overcast and temperature in the 50's--so I have had a fire going most of the day.

The Kindle2 that I bought from eBay was defective. It had a bad modem--because I paid for it with PayPal, I will get my money back. A new one from Amazon.com only costs about $25 more.

I did have fun with the machine as far as it worked. I could download books from my computer to the Kindle. those were free books--and then I could either read the book--or have it read to me. The screen is very easy on my eyes in any light.

I have ordered a new Kindle2 from Amazon.com. My problem is I have no patience and when I decide I want something, I want it yesterday. I watch UPS tracking every few hours to see where it is. At the moment it is in transit--having left Kentucky at 4:30 a.m. today.

Thursday evening

2009-12-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Did some shopping in Lakeland. Then home about 3 p.m. The van is a puzzlement. The sewage was leaking a few weeks ago and this place put a new valve on the dumping line. Today they replaced that valve with a new one. I hope it will cure the problem.

I put red bows on the mailbox post and the gate posts. I also put one on the brass bell out front and on the front door.

That might be the extent of my decorations for Christmas, though I do have a small tree for the buffet.

Tomorrow will be cookie and fudge making day.

The weather cleared up and has become cooler.

In Lakeland

2009-12-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

I was up earlier than usual and left home at 6:45. My van needs some checking over and I had an 8 a.m. appointment at RV World in Lakeland.
The rains came last night. The three inch mark showed on rain gauge this morning. And it is still heavily overcast and drizzly.
This would be a good time to start writing and researching. I have the lap top computer with me and I am hooked to WEB by way of the AT&T air card.

Later Tuesday evening

2009-12-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

I watched an excellent movie on Netflix--view instantly program.
IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. One of those make you feel good movies.
Now it is off to bed--to write my journal, work my NYTimes crossword and then read a few more chapters in Bill Bryson's THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE THUNDERBOLT KID. An autobiography about his growing up in the 50's.

Tuesday Evening

2009-12-01T17:35:00.000-08:00

I vacuumed my van and then washed it. Then I brought up two cartloads of wood to the front porch. Right now I am watching President Obama at West Point.

Tuesday 8 a.m.

2009-12-01T05:08:00.000-08:00

Time to have teeth cleaned. That is why I am up early. Why is it that when one sets an alarm, he doesn't trust it? I know I looked at the clock every half hour all night long.
This morning is overcast, but not cold. I wasn't expecting cold weather until after the predicted storms on Wednesday.
Haven't given thought to holidays. They always creep up on me anyway.

Monday 30th November 2009

2009-11-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Up at by 10 a.m. Read email, especially one from Paul who is writing his memoir of his early days in Gulfport, Florida. It brought back memories for me.
Then I walked the east and north fence line and trimmed back shrubs encroaching upon the path.
The weather has warmed up--not warm enough but it is on its way. The downside is that the SPTimes predicts storms on Wednesday and a cold front for the next few days after that. Brrrr!

Sunday 29th November 2009

2009-11-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day in Paradise. Clear skies, temperature in upper 60's, and calm. I was up early--well for me 8:30 is early. I spent time sweeping the pool deck and the brick area in from of the BBQ. The house didn't get above 65 degrees (F) so I lit a fire in the living room fireplace this afternoon and have kept it going.
Starting to make plans to go "south" at Christmas time. The KOA at Lion Country Safari in Palm Beach County sounds like a winner. Grandson, Taylor, and I thought we might "run away from home" at Christmas time. Just the two of us--on an adventure.

Saturday 28th November 2009

2009-11-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

When I awoke this morning, the temperature in my bedroom was 61 degrees (F). That might be toasty to some of you all, but to me it was down right cold. I was snug in bed with heated mattress pad, and a thermal blanket and a quilt.
Ok--enough of winter--let's get back to my favorite time of year--summer! That is when I can get in the swimming pool and do exercise.

Speaking of exercise, I need to get back to riding my bike 5 or more miles on the Rails to Trails, and to kayaking. I have let those two favorite activities fall by the wayside.

I also let the writing slip by. Even though I am not going to do the National Novel Writing Month contest, I could be writing the 1500 words a day on something else.

Friday, 27th November 2009

2009-11-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving dinner was great. All the comfort foods that have been traditions in our family with a few new ones added. We had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet-sour redcabbage (Hungarian), corn pudding, sweet potato casserole with marshmellows, Caesar Salad, cranberry sauce--and for dessert apple-raisin pie and pecan pie with ice cream.

Ummmm! Ummmmm! Good!

Today I took grandson Taylor Knapp out for lunch for his 19th birthday which is tomorrow. We went to Lucky Dills Deli--that was good, too. Then we went out to the pier and walked around all the tourist trap shops.

I dropped him off at his house about 3:30 and got home about 5 p.m. Really cold up in these woods. Going into the low 30's tonight. I have a fire in the living room fireplace, and have put the electric mattress pad on my bed. Should be cozy.

Thanksgiving writing

2009-11-25T21:10:00.000-08:00

I drove down to St.Petersburg this afternoon. My daughter, Diana, and her family are making plans and preparations for the big turkey dinner here tomorrow afternoon. We will have a full house--12 people--Diana's 7, Bev and Joey, and Pati and Carl and me.
I made 2 pies--apple/raisin and then I bought 2 pecan pies. That should hold us.

Happy Thanksgiving to my family and friends--

Writer's Block

2009-11-25T17:42:00.000-08:00

Learning to do this--

2009-11-25T17:28:00.000-08:00

I have lots to learn about how to use a blg
Bear with me--if there are any bears out there--and I will get it--

Writing every day

2009-11-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

Since November 1st, I have written at least 1500 words a day. I don't think I will post my mystery on line. I will begin writing it--but instead I am posting each day--a "novel" entitled ONCE UPON A TIME--which is about two characters in search of a novel where they can live comfortably.
Yesterday they came to the conclusion that they better help the writer with that perfect novel which will be their home. In the process they are tossing things around randomly--stream of conscious style--the writer is going as fast as she can to get all their ideas on the screen page.
One thing leads to another and then back tracks to a long ago event--and right in the middle of it--they change subjects.
They are an interesting pair.