It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

Monday, November 30, 2015
Beginning Thanksgiving night, we were treated to a fairy land of lights out the back window of the house. The homes on the streets behind Jack and Janet's house all had decorated heavily with lights which we could enjoy through the trees that line their fence.  Yes, it rained from Thursday afternoon through early today (9 1/2 inches worth) and the weather turned very cold (30s and 40s) but the lights still added beauty to the nights.  It just meant going out and walking around and really enjoying them was not as inviting as it might have been otherwise.  But it sure is a sign that Christmas is around the corner.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday we chose to spend our time inside playing games with the kids, chatting, and watching a couple of Christmas movies.  Saturday we did venture out to the theater so that Jack and Anders could see the latest James Bond film, Spectre, while Janet, Dagny, Karsten, Ken and I enjoyed the film Charlie Brown.

Sunday, other than going to Janet and Jack's Sunday School class and then the worship service we pretty much hung around inside too although Jack did take Anders and Dagny roller skating and then in the evening we all went to Red Robin for supper.  The kids LOVE that place.  Anders enjoyed not one, not two but 3 glasses of a bottomless root beer float.  Dagny chose a mint shake with whipped cream and a piece of brownie on the top.

Today everyone was back to the normal routine with the kids off to school and daycare while Janet spent the day in her office here at the house and Jack was off installing a lift in someone's home.  Ken and I got all of our wash done including some we had brought with us.  Then I spent a good deal of time on the computer letting 'my fingers do the walking' finding Christmas presents for the whole family here in Texas.  We had come with some things but needed to complete the job, then wrap them all so as to leave them behind for the big day.  So we found ourselves shopping in the evening after watching Dagny at her gymnastics class and playing with Karsten in the waiting area.  Jack had taken Anders to Tae Kwon Do.  Before crawling into bed we got the gifts wrapped except for one that will be delivered here later in the week.

Tomorrow we'll set off for Florida once again.

Happy Thanksgiving from Southlake, Tx!

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Ken and I left Zephyrhills on Monday morning after he finished taking breakfast orders and collecting the money.  By 8:00 in the evening we were in Hattiesburg, MS for the evening (that was 7:00 Central Standard Time which we changed to in the western part of the Florida panhandle).  It was an exhausting day of driving for Ken - well over 500 miles -- but it put us more than halfway to our goal of Southlake, TX west of Dallas where Janet and Jack have their home.  We would be seeing the them and our grandkids, Anders, Dagny and Karsten soon!!  Tuesday we completed the drive arriving at their home around 5:00 pm.  Anders and Dagny were at FarMor and FarFar's home so it was just Karsten waiting for us when we arrived but what joy to have time with him and his mom and dad for the evening.

Wednesday, we drove out to Terrell to the meeting point at the Prime Outlets where FarMor drove the kids so we could pick them up.  They had been at their place since Saturday enjoying the woods and special time with them while Janet and Jack were working.  (they had no school this entire week) I had a chance to play with the kids after supper, reading to Karsten, playing Parchesie, Tic Tac Toe and a new game with Anders, and then enjoyed listening to Dagny (1st grader) read to me. She was reading a fairy book which is actually at the 4th grade level but barely slipping up on words.  Amazing!!!!

Thursday morning I was awake much earlier than everyone else so had time to do my PT exercises and then start working on the pumpkin and pecan pies I was making for the big meal today.  By the time everyone was up they were ready for the oven and Jack was making pancakes for the kids and Janet was busy making some fantastic gluten free pancakes that she, Ken and I could enjoy.

She has a great cookbook that offers some really neat foods.  Yesterday she made me Zoonoodles out of zuchinni, added a couple of turkey meatbals and tomato sauce for lunch.  YUMMY!!!!  I'm going to go home with lots of new ideas at this rate.

Once the pies were done and breakfast cleared away, we were off for a little "Turkey Trot" at the local elementary school put on by a few of their friends.  There were lots of kids and parents all wearing their numbers some who had already run and others running.  Janet, Dagny and Karsten joined the runners

Ken and I walked the 1/4 mile oval four times ourselves getting a little exercise before enjoying all the wonderful foods that would fill the table later in the day. 

The snack table of course was drawing many

and the playground equipment was filled with lots of the younger children.

 Many of the older elementary boys were playing soccer.

What a fun way for the group to get together on Thanksgiving Day and work off some energy.

Back at the house, Jack made some queso and tamales for snacking till dinner.  Janet started working on the dressing and I enjoyed some outdoor play time with Karsten.   The Lions game came on and became the focal point for Ken, Janet and Karsten.

The older kids were enjoying a favorite movie in their play area.

Jack tackled the job of putting a doorknob, which arrived yesterday, on their brand new front door

By the time Ulf, Wenche, and John arrived it was pouring rain, the Lions had won their game and the turkey was near to being done.  Janet was busy mashing potatoes, making gravy while I finished the prep for apple crisp.  Wenche brought sweet potatoes that were to be served in the skin of a clementine and regular dressing for those who didn't want the gluten free dressing.

We had to take the requisite family photo with turkey and all the food and then settled down to dinner after each serving ourselves for yet another photo.  

Janet had us all go around the table to share something we were thankful for before we were got deep into enjoying all of the wonderful food and lots of conversation with each other.

Our meal had to wait for half time in the Panthers vs Dallas football game as we all rooted on the Panthers who ultimately won that game.  

After dinner we all pitched in and had the kitchen cleaned up in jig time so we could just enjoy more time together before Ulf, Wenche and John had to leave for their place.  John will return to Austin in the morning - to his new home there.  It wan't till then that we knew Dagny had made the centerpiece below with items she found at FarMor and FarFar's house while visiting there.

Jack and hid brother got into quite a discussion about who was taller so time was taken to measure them.  John won out by possibly a 1/4 inch. Here Ulf is using a board that quickly had a level added to it to figure out the "winner". 

What a wonderful day!!!!!!

Our Weekend

Saturday/Sunday, November 21/22, 2015
One thing about being retired, weekends aren't a whole lot different than weekdays!!!  Each day offers different possibilities though.  Saturday we enjoyed celebrating several birthdays of people in the park along with many other residents.  Lynn Morrison and Alison Wray invited many of their friends to come, bring a chair and just enjoy some time with them.  They had sheet cakes for each of their birthdays - Lynn was 75 and Alison 70.  A close by neighbor got in on the action too as Alison made him a cake for his 68th birthday.

 Several of the musicians in the park arrived with their instruments and provided some entertainment as we all spent time just chatting and enjoying this special day.

We left the party a little early so we could go to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in town for a Thanksgiving concert put on by the Zephyrhills Florida Hospital Choir which is made up primarily of people who work at the hospital.  They are very very talented and put on a terrific program including one piece written by one of the choir members.

Sunday morning Ken did the scripture reading and congregational prayer as part of our community church service.  We both sing in the little choir that presently is trying to provide music for the services without a piano player - in otherwords singing acappela.  We actually did quite well this morning.

Ken enjoyed going to the movies while I stayed home, rode my bike did my assigned PT exercises, and visited with several of our neighbors especially concentrating on trying to round up workers for the upcoming mission yard sale.  

In the evening after dinner, we went over to the clubhouse for the ice cream social and enjoyed meeting a new couple to the park, David and Marie, who live near Bob and Harriett who brought them.  Seabreeze provided the musical entertainment.  They are very popular in this park and draw a huge crowd who enjoy their music and jokes.  Ken and I even enjoy dancing a couple of times.  

We then got out the suitcases and began the process of packing so we can be off for Texas in the morning after Ken finishes taking orders and collecting money at the weekly breakfast offered at the clubhouse.

Sad Farewell

Friday, November 20, 2015
This morning Ken was up very early so as to get to the Ford Service Center at 7:30 am. By mid morning he was back with our newly shod (brand new tires around) 2006 Escape that has over 240,000 miles on it (140, 000 driven and 100,000 towing).  The oil change and lube helped as well to get it into condition for our travels to Texas next week to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter Janet and her family.

Shortly after he returned I took off in the car for my physical therapy evaluation order by Dr. Raderman following xrays to see why my knees are giving me so much trouble - not pain but lack of flexibility.  Arthritis is to blame and I want to try this to see if I can avoid knee replacement.  The therapist put me through several different exercises and sent me home with stuff to do regularly along with riding my bike as often as possible.

Sadly, shortly after I returned home I learned that my Aunt Margie died.  What a loss!!!!!!! She was the last of my mother's siblings still here and just a real bright spot in all of our lives.  During my earliest years she lived next door with my grandparents in a duplex - my family on one side and them on the other.  A family room was added across the entire back of the house with just a folding door marking a separation between us so it was easy to visit back and forth.

Margie was the one to make ballet costumes, provide lessons, teach us how to draw with charcoal, take us on special outings, etc etc.  It seemed a little cloud traveled over her head as so many sad things happened in her life and yet she was full of bright sunshine eager to embrace all.  She raised four children - the two girls were in my wedding party and later adopted another girl.  They in turn have had their own families.

She was just always there it seems.  She took care of our four children when Ken and I went on a trip, helped me decide furniture layouts in my house, knitted many sweaters, and helped with my parents when they were needing assistance in their home in Florida and I was working full time.  We made several trips to Florida together sharing motel rooms and meals and lots of family history stories. How I wish I had her memory so I could remember all she told me.  This is the extended family that attended my mother's memorial service back in 2004.  She is in the front with her MacRae tartan jacket on.  Several of us have on sashes from the MacRae hunting tartan while my younger brother is wearing the Stewart tartan that my Dad claimed as his family tartan.

In the last couple of years I've had the privilege of spending time with her oldest daughter Laurie, and two sons Matt and Tom as well as Tom's family.  Laurie has fixed up their family home that sits on a bluff overlooking Lake Erie and it is now rental property but each spring when she drives to Ohio from her home in California the local extended family gets together for a few days.  The same happens in late fall when she returns to get it ready for winter.

This past summer Ken and I visited with Laurie and Margie when we were out in California. We enjoyed lunch out and visits to some of the special spots where Laurie and Margie liked to walk along the Pacific Ocean shoreline.

Ins and Outs of a Regular Day

Thursday, November 19, 2015
This morning we had our first choir practice.  Ten members are now in the park along with our choir director, Shirley.  Unfortunately, Mary Gray our talented piano player is quite ill (kidney cancer) and unable to be with us for the forseeable future, so this was an acappella experience.  And we did amazingly well thanks to some excellent singers within the group.

Following that practice, I visited the local hair salon, Hair Hut, and got my hair cut and set.  Oh did that feel good as it had gotten way too long waiting for us to finally settle so there was time and chance to get this done.

Ken and I went for a short bike ride - my first since I fell - and that felt good.  I just love riding around the park stopping at times to chat with neighbors or simply shouting "hi".  The weather continues to be beautiful though pretty humid so the breeze created as we move along quickly feels good.

Nothing real major happened, we just enjoyed the day doing things on the computer, reading, talking with friends who stopped by, and getting a little wash done.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birthdays and Disney

Tuesday/Wednesday, November 17/18, 2015

Rachel, one of our granddaughters celebrated her 15th birthday Tuesday.  We had a chance to chat with her on the phone for a short time and hear about her day but especially enjoyed this photo she posted of herself as a 15 year old.  Isn't she a beauty?  Her mom had made her a Mickey Mouse waffle for breakfast - something she really enjoys.  Later in the day her dad took out for dinner at the local restaurant, Rachel's Roadhouse (a most appropriate name isn't it?)

Wednesday was our oldest daughter's birthday - she turned 50!!!  I found myself all day wondering how we could have a daughter that old when I feel like I just was that age myself.  Alas, that was almost 25 years ago.  Her staff at work presented her with a beautifully decorated sheet cake on her special day.

 This is her staff at Henry Ford Hospital - she  is 2nd from the left in the first row.

Wednesday was also Mickey Mouse's birthday although that wasn't an announced thing.  We just know since from past experience that Beth has shared this birthday with him.  Anyway, we chose to go over to Disney World and spend the day at the Hollywood Park.  Christmas trims are up and it has been quite awhile since we've been able to go for a visit.  In fact, Wednesday was the last day our yearly pass was good so if we wanted to renew it we had to go - and we did. :-)  This tree was at the entrance and drawing throngs of visitors eager to get pictures by it.

One of the wonderful things about being in Florida is that we can get a Florida pass for less than the cost of 3 days of visiting the park.  That is quite a deal but also means we don't have to feel like we have to arrive when it opens and stay till the close pushing constantly to do everything possible to fully use the day's ticket.  It is so nice to just go over and enjoy the trims, people watch, go to a few of the shows or rides and just soak up the atmosphere.

Wednesday we did manage to get to several of the shows including 

Just as the show began the storm clouds let go of tons of water - luckily we were far enough up in the stands to be under the roof so we just felt a bit of the mist.  But it made the show a bit more interesting watching the stunt drivers do their thing on very wet pavement.  Besides, during the show the rain quit and this beautiful rainbow appeared

At 6:00 when it was fully dark, the Osborne Lights were turned on along the city streets giving just a delightful show flashing to the sounds of the Christmas songs being played.  Huge numbers of people were there to see them (this is the last year they will be displayed) so we could only move as the crowd moved but just hearing all of them delighting in the display made it another great experience.  We've seen them several times but they always do amaze us.

We then went to the evening show in stands that seat about 25,000 people.  The laser pictures in the water spray from the many shooting fountains

are absolutely amazing to see.  They don't photograph to well but I attempted to get a shot

The show features the music from many of the Disney movies first of the heroes and then of the villans then ends with a large paddle wheel sailing by with all of the well known characters followed by fireworks.

During the day we had a chance to chat with Beth on the phone and wish her a happy birthday but we also got a sad call from my cousin Sarah.  She was helping out Laurie by notifying each of us that my Aunt Margie, my mother's sister and the last of the siblings alive, had been taken to the hospital with a perforated intestine.  The doctors had given her medications to make her comfortable and sent her back home with the assistance of hospice saying she probably wouldn't last more than 24-48 hours. But it did mean that nearby family members would have a chance to spend a little time with her saying their goodbyes.  How glad I am that I was able to visit her when we were in California this past summer.

Oops, There Goes the Bike!

Monday, November 16, 2015
We awoke to yet another gorgeous day.  Not a lot of humidity, lots of blue sky, light breezes and temperatures in the low 80s.  What I would call a perfect day for being outside and enjoying God's creation.

This morning was the first breakfast of the season at the hall so Ken was up and over there by 7:30 since he takes the orders and collects the money for them.  I chose to just enjoy a leisurely breakfast at home while enjoying my book that I'm reading about Norwegians moving to North Dakota in the late 1800s.  Interesting and a great people/relationships book -- the kind I enjoy.  This one happens to be Christian historical fiction so even better as far as I'm concerned.

After Ken returned, told him I was going to go out on my bike and get a bit of exercise.  I've been enjoying biking around the park a couple of times a day often stopping to chat with people who are out and about themselves.  And I did see several.  Then near the end of the first time around I saw Berte pulling away from a house on her bike so we set off together going slowly and chatting. Unfortunately someone called to her off to her right and when she turned her head she started to veer toward me (I was on her left) and she bumped right into my wheel causing me to go flying to the side.  Before I knew it Lenny and Rick were by my side trying to get me untangled from the bike and up off the pavement.  Immediately a golf cart appeared and Lenny whisked me home.  Rick followed with my bike.  Ken was outside and between them I was quickly into a chair on our patio.  We washed the knee and leg, put on some antibiotic cream  that Berte brought me and ice on my ankle and that is where I basically remained for the day.

Berte felt so bad yet I was more worried about her since she hit with the heel of her hand causing the area at the base of her thumb to swell.  She had jeans on and there was some blood on them too since she hurt her knee though not as badly.  So we ended up checking up on each other through the day.  Ice did take down my swelling and also helped her hand so hopefully neither of us will be any worse for the wear in a couple of days.

Ken pulled out my walking sticks from the back of the car and that became my "crutches" for moving around a bit so that I didn't get too stiff.  By evening I was able to stand by our little inductions plate and tiny micro wave underneath and put together some dinner for us.  Ken had handled lunch for us earlier in the day.

So it was that we simply relaxed in our chairs on the patio and watched people go by, chatted with those who stopped, and read.

Got our mail packet from our mailbox in Crestview and found a gift from Debbie Macomber (an author I enjoy).  She had sent an autographed book of hers and a little Blessed heart shaped rock from Africa.  This apparently was a gift from her because we supported a mission that she is deeply involved in - the creation of a school for girls in Kenya.  I've always been especially partial to Kenya since I had an adult student from there who I got to know quite well.  Regina Hendryckx and I along with another teacher, Jeanne Daigle always get together for lunch when we are in Michigan.  She had had some schooling there provided by Irish nuns.  What a delightful friend!

PS  The bike is fine except for a bent basket.  I'll be back on it again soon.

Worship and Time With Friends

Sunday, November 15, 2015
One of the best parts of settling down for the winter is that we can attend the same church week after week rather than a different one every week - one where we don't know the people.  While we are here at Hillcrest we attend the non denominational service that is held in our clubhouse with Pastor Mike preaching once he arrives from the previous park where he preaches (he actually does this at 3 different parks in a row)  Prior to his arrival we do all of the rest of the litergy including hymns, scripture readings, prayer, and offering.  Unfortunately today we were missing our choir director who has not arrived yet and piano/organ player who is very ill but we still managed to raise our voices in praise.  How wonderful it was to be back with our congregation - caring friends.

After worship we called our friends, Frank and Bette, and arranged to have dinner with them at Ruby Tuesday.  But before we left, Leo arrived with a television set for us to use!! He got it set up and then left us to fuss with the setting up.  Unfortunately we discovered that the antenna won't turn to receive the necessary signal for getting anything of value.  But how kind of him to think of us and make the attempt.

After dinner we stopped at WalMart to get a couple of items we needed.  On my way to Bette's following our return, I stopped to get veggies at a local stand and then spent a couple of fun hours with her playing Tri-ominos.  She won a game and I won one.

I quickly made a stir fry for supper and then we went over to the clubhouse for the ice cream social and enjoyed chatting with some of our friends including our choir director, Shirley who had arrived just a couple of hours ago.  Larry Edwards provided an evening of the golden oldies from our teens and early twenties giving us a chance to dance a bit and just enjoy "our" music.

We then went for a mile plus walk around the park before calling it a night.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood :-)

Getting Settled

Saturday, November 14, 2015
Leo came over today and scrubbed and power washed the awning on the trailer.  He wants to return when it is fully dry to put some good tape over the holes that are sprinkled all over it.  This is a very old and tired trailer that he just bought for $250.  He is trying to rehab it a bit so he can take it to Newfoundland and park it on his brother's land so he'll have a place to stay when visiting his family including his mother who still is living there.  So there are lights that don't work and a few other problems but it certainly is providing us with a roof over our heads and some comforts of home.  He was also finally able to get the water heater working so now we'll have hot water for washing dishes. Because the park is under a boil water notice due to work that has been done on the water system we weren't using the water much anyway.

In fact, I drove over to Bette's this morning with our dirty dishes and asked if I could wash them there.  Since they were just finishing breakfast I helped with doing their dishes as well as getting ours done.  Friends are truly a joy!!!

Ken and I are working hard at getting back into an exercise routine so walked this morning and again in evening and I got out on my bike a couple of times to keep working on my leg strength. Meanwhile we simply enjoyed a gorgeous sun shiny day with a beautiful little breeze.  It was perfect for sitting outside, reading and chatting with neighbors.

So Many Wonderful, Caring Friends!

Thursday, November 12, 2015

We awoke this morning ready to tackle the job of settling in.   We enjoyed a very simple breakfast and then started the job of unpacking suitcases and getting things out of the car.  There were some items in our shed that we could also pull out for use.  So by the end of the day we had the awning out, grill in place, pots of flowers flanking the shed, lights planted along the edge of the cement patio, and the few things that would fit put away into cupboards,  There is a tiny bathtub in the bathroom with lots of tape so probably not real useful for washing in so it has become the place for storing needed items for which we could not find a home including all the dirty clothes that will need to go to the laundramat.

All of this was accomplished along with a trip to the produce market, JRs, and the grocery store for some simple to fix foods, while fielding the visits of many of our park friends who stopped by to welcome us back and of course hear the story behind why we were in this trailer as well as what we did this summer.  We felt so well cared for and so welcomed that despite the situation we are truly blessed!!

We had a wonderful visit with Emma Jean who is just bouncing back from another of her awful Lyme disease collapses (the morning she cleaned was her first to even be out of bed).  Her glow and joy for life added lots more sunshine to our lives.  Pat was out for a walk so we had a chance to chat with her too.

Glen and Lana invited us over to just sit and relax at their place and enjoy some conversation. Ken's cousin, John, stopped by there and joined us.  He told us his wife Donna had been in the hospital overnight for observation because of a breathing problem.  John and Nelly both stopped by to visit too.  I got out my bike and Ken blew up the tires and I was off for a trip around the park getting my biking legs back in shape.  While doing that many others shouted greetings.

We  are "home" for the winter thanks to so many who have all made it possible.  We are truly blessed!!

I did have to take time in the afternoon to see Dr. Raderman, an orthopedic doctor about my knees. Well actually I saw the admitting person, x-ray technician, and physician's assistant.  I've been having less and less flexion in my knees and finding it is affecting my ability to walk.  It also makes standing in one place very long difficult as I no longer an standing with straight legs since they don't totally straighten.  They can be stiff especially when I get up to move after sitting for a period of time.  Well I found out I have very severe arthritis in both of them.  The build up behind my knee cap restricts the movement of the ball joint and spurs complicate the movement as well.  Guess I'm lucky they don't hurt!!!!  But the upshot is she did say we could try some physical therapy but what I really need is two new knees.  YUCK!!

Getting Settled - Sorta

Wednesday, November 12, 2015
We repacked our suitcases this morning, enjoyed breakfast in the beautiful breakfast room at the Quality Inn, and checked out before heading over to the Camper's Holiday RV Park where the Mid-Florida Winnies were finishing their breakfast and preparing for the monthly meeting.   I took the minutes for the meeting and a couple of pictures to use in the monthly newsletter.  Once it was done we spent some time chatting with friends in the group including Donna Rumrill who made the arrangements for our planned cruise and land trip of Alaska in May where we will join them.

Once that was done, we set off for Zephyrhills to see the home that had been arranged for us by friends in the park.  Leo Smith had moved his little trailer on our lot and Emma Jean Cook and Pat Bower had been cleaning it while we were at the Mid-Florida monthly meeting.  We had no idea what it was like but we sure were thrilled to be taken care of and provided a roof over our heads till our motorhome is repaired.

After stopping in the office to sign our annual lease and chat with Christy about all the changes that have taken place since she took over this summer, we drove to our site.  This is what we were greeted with when we arrived

The spread on the bed is one that Emma Jean made which certainly makes it extra special.  You can see parts of our computer in the bottom left corner because by the time I took the pictures we had moved in with our suitcases that had been packed for the cruise along with the computer that we had taken along on our travels.

Several of our neighbors came out to greet us including Bev who had brought something to help take away the musty smell, Orrie who had washed the few dishes that were in a cabinet (we have no hot water at the moment), and Glen and Lana who had supplied pails of hot water to Emma Jean and Pat when they were cleaning as well as a hose so our water supply was available.

Once we had a chance to check out the trailer and see what kind of space it had, Ken called Lazydays and spoke with our service provider who asked us to come down to see him as quickly as possible.We got down there and discovered that while they had done a few of the little things we wanted done inside the RV they had NOT started any work on the outside!!!!!!! In fact, they wanted to go over all of the insurance estimates with us line by line before starting.  YIKES!!!  We told him yet again (already done this several times) that we would pay for anything not covered by the insurance, it just needed to be fixed and we had trusted they would do that while we were gone.  So now we are just praying that it will be done by the end of this month though wondering if that is even possible since they hadn't started yet.

While we were there we went over to the motorhome and took out some items we thought we'd have to have to survive for the next few weeks including a couple of pots and pans, some silverware, our induction plate to cook on, chairs for outside, and some hangers for our clothes.  We decided we'd just continue to live with the clothes we'd been carrying around in the suitcases as there is very limited space inside to store them.

I had texted our friends Frank and Bette Foulke to tell them we were back and arrange to meet them at Sergio's for some pizza before returning to our "new" home and beginning the process of unpacking suitcases and putting the things we brought with us in place.  It was great to see them and to enjoy what we consider one of the best pizzas ever.

By the time we returned we were both so exhausted that we just unpacked the minimum so we could sleep and left the rest to deal with in the morning.

Mid-Florida Winnie Fun

Tuesday, November 10, 2015
It was grey and a bit weepy out this morning but already warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. After enjoying breakfast in the beautiful big carpeted motel breakfast room with a solarium that overlooked the pool and a huge courtyard, Ken and I drove again to the Camper's Holiday RV Park for a day with all of our Mid-Florida Winnie friends.

There are 25 motorhomes parked in a very beautiful wooded park with a nice screened in room where we could gather.

 Here I met with the ladies of the group for about an hour this morning bouncing around ideas for gift baskets that our club could create for the State Rally in February.  Many of the ladies came with baskets that they acquired that we could use along with some great ideas of things that could be made.  Several have already begun work on items for the baskets.  What fun it was just feel the excitement and energy of enthusiasm.

Susan Kiefer has asked if I would consider being in charge of seminars for the February rally so I asked for some input and ideas of seminars that might be of interest to the group.  Lots of ideas bubbled up so now the challenge will be to see if the new facilities will even make it possible to do them.  We returned to Susan's new MH for a tour and then talked with the president of the new board about the space that might be available.  He is going to visit it again on Friday so will get back with me after that.  At that point in time I can make a better decision about what I want to do.

We had leftover slices of pizza from last nights dinner that we had brought with us today and put in the refrig at the patio building.  So we just pulled them out and heated them in the little microwave next to the refrigerator and called that lunch.  Not having a motorhome or means for storing any food made it hard to come up with much more of a plan than that, but it worked.

Bob and Margie Whiddon had arrived and come to the patio area so we had a wonderful visit.  It was so good to see them again and hear about what all they are doing.  We also enjoyed a chat with Dave and Donna Rumrill about an Alaskan cruise they had just signed up for that will be in May.  We've spent a bit of time talking about maybe joining them.  We'd need to decide soon as right now there is some special pricing especially on the necessary flight to get to the starting point and then return.

Ken and I strolled over to the area where Tom Zopff and Frank Kiefer were handling the two pots of boiling oil and deep fat frying turkeys for our dinner tonight.  It is quite a process - a bit scary when you see how that oil can splash up as you insert the turkey.

Before we knew it, it was time for Happy Hour and yet more time for everyone to draw together for some socializing. and not long after that to go to dinner at the huge clubhouse a couple of "blocks" away in another section of the campground.  Tonight was a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  We sat with the Christofs, Christians and Bob Berube.

After some after dinner chatting, Ken and I drove back to the motel to read and do a few things on the computer before calling it a night.

Rain, Rain and More Rain

Monday, November 9, 2015
We listened to the sounds of drips from the rain during the night and awoke to very heavy skies and about 102% humidity - that is a heavy mist.  The temperatures had dropped down into the high 40s with a prediction of 88 degrees and rain in Brooksville, FL where we were headed. Quite a change making it hard to decide how to dress for the day :-)

After breakfast we were on the road with the hope of getting in to the Brooksville, Quality Inn by about 2:00 so we'd have a little rest time before heading to the Camper's Holiday RV Park where the Mid-Florida Winnies were gathering for the November campout.  Unfortunately we ran into rain in Georgia that was so bad we had to pull off and just wait it out for about an hour before continuing on.  It still was bad but according to the weather picture on Ken's phone we were suppose to drive out of it soon.  And we did though the skies remained heavy.  And sure enough it started to dribble again when we were in Ocala.

We checked into the motel but discovered we were about 25 minutes from the campground despite both having Brooksville addresses so we just jumped back in the car and headed over arriving just as the group was gathering for Happy Hour.

How nice it was to see everyone again.  The last time we spent time with the club, we were in Cedar Key, Florida in mid-April.  Our travels have taken us over 10,000 miles through 31 states and we aren't at Hillcrest in Zephyrhills yet.  But it is only about an hour and a half further south.  Now if only we had our motorhome so we could settle down.

We ended up joining Frank and Susan Kiefer, Richard Menge, Jerry and Irene LaFlamme and Dave and Donna Rumrill for supper at the little Italian restaurant quite near to the hotel.  They then returned to the campground and we returned to the motel first stopping at Winn Dixie to get a dessert for tomorrow and Dollar General to get paper plates and plastic silverware for the meal tomorrow as well as a notebook and pens for me to use to record minutes and info when I meet with the ladies to discuss rally baskets for the February State Rally.

While we were traveling we ran into another blip -- the electric company came out and turned off our electricity today.  Christy called us from Hillcrest to tell us there had been a mixup which resulted in them stopping our electricity and we would need to call them.  After several calls first to the Buchanans to see if they could check to be sure it really did happen (that took three trys because the phone kept shutting down in dead spots as we traveled) and then to Duke Energy.  But at least it all got solved and the electricity its back on.

What a day!

Family Time Then Back to Being on the Road

Sunday, November 8, 2015
We all slept in a bit this morning after the very full day yesterday then headed off for church.  After a special congregational meeting following the service we returned home to enjoy some of the leftover spaghetti, salad and rolls along with cupcakes while rooting on the Panthers who were playing Green Bay.  They pulled off another win to now have a record of 8 wins and no losses.  But we needed to be back on the road before the game was done so as to reach our motel in Orangeburg, SC before it was totally dark.

It was rainy and cold so we chose to simply relax for a bit.  I work on yesterday's blog and Ken enjoyed some football on TV.

Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Our Grandson Jackson

Saturday, November 7, 2015
What proud grandparents we are - our oldest grandson received his Eagle Scout pin tonight and we were able to be there to enjoy every moment of the Eagle Scout Court of Honor and the dinner reception that followed.

This morning Sue and I spent a good deal of time loading their car with all the food, centerpieces, paper goods, and other stuff needed to decorate and provide a dinner at their church

where Jackson has been participating in the Boy Scout troop 49.  Here he has served as a Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and Den Chief.  Under the direction of the leaders in this troop he took on a huge construction project of a picnic shelter with two picnic tables under it for the elementary school he attended and his mother still teaches at - Reedy Creek Elementary.  It will make it possible for teachers to use it with their students for some outdoor instruction or serve as a gathering spot for a variety of other activities.

He had to work under strict guidelines required by the Mechlenburg school system from using an architect to pulling permits, to dealing with step by step approvals by city inspectors.  It was a very involved process but he did it!!! And tonight he would receive all the special accolades that come during the Scout Court of Honor.

We set up the tables and chairs, got table cloths on each, put together the centerpieces,

set up the cake table,(note the flag theme)

put up the pictures,

(even my dad who earned his eagle in the early years of boy scouting showed up among the pictures in this frame filled with some of his boy scout pins)

made the salad, prepared the lemonade, and got everything else in place so that three of Sue's friends

could step in and complete the meal while we were participating in the program.

Sue created this program available for everyone when they came in to the sanctuary where the ceremony was held.

The program started with Jackson's brother calling for the procession of Troop 49 scouts and then leading the pledge of allegiance

The candle lighting ceremony was quite impressive with a listing of all the character traits of scout (as seen on the front of the program and noted on each of the centerpieces)

The history of scouting was presented via a slide show and proved to be very interesting to me as I discovered it started in the U.S. in 1910 just a couple of years before my dad was born so he was really involved in the early years of the program.

Then one of Sue's teacher friends presented the story behind Jackson's project and its uses by the school.  That too was accompanied by a slide show showing many of the steps involved.

Jackson was then "roasted" by some of the scout leaders who had worked with him telling some funny stories about things that had happened over his years as a scout.  He was presented with several funny awards in the process including a "tool kit" pointing out some of the difficulties that had to be overcome in the process of completing the project.

and the presentation of a "last minute" clock a symbol of how close he was to being 18 when he completed the project that had to be done before that date.

All of this was followed by the formal ceremony of presenting all of the awards and pins that come with this achievement

including having his mom pin his eagle pin on his uniform and receive a hug from Jackson

and recognition of the part his parents played in the his becoming an eagle scout with pins presented to each of his folks.

Then Jackson was able to present special pins to two people who were very special mentors in his life.  It was especially moving to see him choose his father as one of them and also the leader who guided him through the whole building process.

He was then able to move his name board to the Eagle scout Troop 49 Eagle scout board - an impressive listing of those in his troop who have preceeded him.

and finally to this board.

It ended with remarks from Jackson as a new Eagle scout including all of the thanks he wished to express.  Then the candles were snuffed with a charge of continuing a life of practicing all the characteristics of a scout.

We were then able to take a couple of pictures of Jackson with his brother Reilly and parents before heading to the reception

What a memorable day!!!