It stinks to be me!

Oh, that Chef Sheldon! He decided to treat us ladies to this array of desserts...my my my! The others had already left happy hour at the pool to go upstairs or home for dinner. Only three of us were left, ready to leave, when Chef came out with this. Betty, Kathy, and I made quick work of the treats, sharing one petit four with little Gracie, whose family was passing the table on their way to the car. I gave Tina a taste of the chocolate fondant, the bundt-shaped delight, and she loved it. Chef has us pegged as good taste-testers, that's for sure! Kathy sent one of the fondants home with me which I will savor at another time...Talk about a rich but light dessert. I recommend it! We are so spoiled, you know that?

Some good laughs

I just got back to my house from visiting downstairs neighbor, Cassidy, who is keeping house for her folks. She is a student in Boulder, CO, home on a break. First, she went to visit her sister in SC and, because she extended her stay with them, I had the privilege of watering her mom's plants in addition to switching the A/C off and back on for the recent repairs to the pumps. 

Anyway, one day I had posted a photo on Facebook and said, "The sea was angry, my friends..." and Cassidy recognized the "Seinfeld" reference. Her housemate is a mad Seinfeld fan so she is getting a good dose of this type of thing. Her suggestion was we get together when she was home to watch a few episodes. So we did!

First Cass and I went to La Napolera for an early dinner, riding in my car, leaving at 5:00 pm. Parking was a breeze at that time of day, with the staff standing around waiting for us, it seemed. In fact, we no sooner finished ordering our food and the chips were delivered, our orders arrived! It's like someone knew what we were going to order!!!

She had a beer and I had a strawberry margarita with our meals. She told me about a wonderful adventure she had this spring. Cass had to present a paper in AZ, with two of her friends joining her for the jaunt. They hiked the Grand Canyon. Not all the way to the floor of the canyon but to the plateau and back up. Something like a 8-9 hour hike---yikes! Good thing they are young!

                       

                 Cassidy in the Grand Canyon---April 2013

Years ago, not all that many, though, Cassidy, Tracy, MamMa, and I would go to  La Nap on Fridays for lunch. We were regulars! MamMa has gone to heaven now, and because this was her special outing, we simply do not go anymore. I miss our outings, but love that Cassidy suggested we go tonight. 

When we got back, we went to their unit to watch some "Seinfeld" episodes as she worked on a picture project for which she wanted some guidance. She did fine without my input but the company was appreciated. Love to be included, and to share in the laughs of "The (Kenny Roger's) Roaster" episode!! "Jerry, my rods and cones are all messed up!"

Wednesdays are free again

This a.m. I sent out the church newsletter and was delighted to get responses from a couple folks. It is nice to have that happen, compliments are always welcome. One man wrote to ask if we had choir rehearsal tonight, in addition to acknowledging his newsletter. I told Sterling we were done for the season and he thanked me for saving him an hour and half bicycle ride. My pleasure!! 

Not having choir allows me to gather with my neighbors and friends at The Club for Happy Hour. I had hoped we would be outside again like we did last week and it was, in fact, set up out there. The owner, Karrie, and I went out to the patio, thinking we were first on the scene. The waitress came out to say the gang opted to sit inside, out of the breeze. What?? Okay....

One of the gentlemen got me a chair and parked me next to Kathy. Our usual chair arranger, Maureen, was gone for a few days so we got to sit wherever we wanted to. Otherwise, she assigns the seats, making sure the men have other men to talk to. I don't know that they have problems talking with women (maybe her hubby does!) but it is sort of comical to see her bustling people around the tables. Kathy and I like to discuss the news of the day so we are good! 

My roast beef sliders and onion straws were fabulous, making for a filling dinner for me. Betty, Kathy, and her brother, Gary, had eaten before coming over to The Club (I know, early eaters!!). Betty's reason is that her husband liked to eat early so they still do. Not every week, though, as they sometimes eat at Happy Hour. Betty is so sweet, and so is Kathy.

***

This a.m. before getting dressed, I decided to remove the silver from my hair. It is the beginning of summer and I am due for a haircut, so it was time. Now I won't have to mess with it until fall as the sun and pool water do their thing with my hair in the summer. I will get an appointment closer to the time I leave for WI so I look decent for them. There is a reputation to uphold!

                           

Early in the month of June Betty S. and I are serving as hostesses for the preschool graduation program. Betty made some cute mortar board hats using a marshmallow cookie, covered in chocolate, topped with a chocolate graham cracker. She anchored them together with frosting. Then, Betty used a string of licorice and an M & M to make the tassel and button on top of the cracker. She brought me a sample one Sunday and when I opened the container, the scent of chocolate wafted to me. I managed to save it for after coming in from the pool that day. Delicious and oh so cute!! Betty is doing those treats while others and I will be bringing store bought cookies. I am also making the punch and together we will decorate the fellowship hall for the kids and their families.

I had the privilege of taking the graduation pictures of the preschool kids, so thankful to be welcomed back into the classroom again. There was one gown and cap so each one had to slip on the gown and try to balance the one-size fits all cap. Some of the kids had bigger hair so the cap floated on their heads, while other had closely cropped hair which made it hard to keep in place. The pictures turned out cute, as we Monday Bible study folks got a sneak peek at the slide show last week. Best wishes, kids, and God's blessings to you!

A visit from a friend

Wow, these past few days sort of flew by, and I guess I had better get used to it. Things change when it is summer! I can at least claim to have summer-like weather while my family and friends in the north are not being treated to decent weather. In fact, my friend, Mark, who travels for business, reported having temps in the 70's and pleasant as well as rain and ice while in north central Wisconsin a couple weeks ago. Yes, that is about right! He had to go into the hotel for cups of hot water to clear his windshield in order to drive his car. No ice scraper came with the rental car. No ice scrapers needed here, unless one climbs into the pool. Not quite warm enough for this girl!

***

Friday I got myself up and dressed for the day earlier than usual. Not because anyone was calling to have breakfast, but because my friend, Randy, from San Diego, was coming to town. I got busy with my duster brush, this time NOT knocking over any of my pretties in the process. Randy was bringing me replacement flowers for those I broke in a previous dusting frenzy. Me and this dust here---I tell you!!!!

The dark green and brighter orange flowers were survivors from the original arrangement. The rest are new!

He called from the airport and got here around the time he had expected to arrive. He sat and chatted for a bit (later telling me that dust is invisible to men...oh great!) after he gave me my bouquet. He told the lady he wanted one of each so I have a lovely array of colors and types of flowers. These heavy glass flowers were hand-carried from San Diego, to Houston, to Norfolk, to Jax, arriving intact!

Randy took his motorcycle battery which had been delivered here in advance of his visit. He needed to have the bike operative to drive it up the ramp into the truck. The day was expected to be more a relaxed one for him but did not prove that way. The battery was minus what it needed to charge it (I don't understand it all) but he was able to take the original battery to NAPA where they charged it for him at no cost. He was so pleased with this good customer service!

Our tentative plans were to go to dinner around 6:00 pm, at Carrabba's. Later, he called me and asked if we could go at 7:00 instead, which is better for me anyway. He was tired so I thought he would want to get to bed early. Anyway, I asked Justin if he'd like to go too so we made arrangements to meet at Carrabba's at 7:00. Justin and I are very fond of being prompt....I will leave it at that! Our meals were great, dining alfresco, and I had leftovers to bring home with me. 

I dropped Randy at his hotel after dinner with no plans to see him in the morning. However, he called me bright 'n early, asking me to meet him at the rental car lot and drive him to Home Depot to pick up the rental truck. Of course I did it, but wouldn't that have been a good thing to figure out the night before?? I just had to laugh...It was a good thing I had no plans for Saturday morning and could get him straightened away with his truck. He also hired some 'inebriates', as he referred to them, through craigslist.com to load the truck for him. Randy was using the long weekend to make the cross country drive with his earthly belongings in the truck. As of this a.m. the report is he made it safely and he thanked me for my prayers for him, as 'they were necessary....' What a guy!

It's pool time!

With my trademark soda can in the foreground and The Club in the background---once again holding court at the pool. Having to break in a new cook and server this season, so far so good on Miss Kim's likes and dislikes. "You can keep the green stuff..."

This picture was snitched from my former upstairs neighbor, Jessica's, page on Facebook. Her two boys are lovingly embracing on the bow of a friend's boat as they watch the moon rise over the river. She said they are almost always like this, which is a blessing but oh so rare to have happen. The whole family came to the pool on Saturday and Travis told me that Justin's company will be doing their yard from now on! Best wishes on that, Greenway Lawn Service!

Sweet Memories

My neighbor, Ellen, usually asleep in the daytime, grabbed her camera to photograph this recent morning sky. Today's wonderful breezes are most welcome!

This morning I am listening to a radio host who is notorious for saying things like "I have never seen anything like this before in my life", or asking "have you ever seen this before in your life?" of his co-hosts. Of course, they have to agree with him, in order to assist him in making the point, but he is likely overstating it. This time perhaps not overstating since he was speaking of the butchering done on the street in London, in broad daylight, with folks failing to intervene. Can you say 'gun free zone'?

***

Anyway, you think of things that have happened in your own life, thinking you will never, ever forget those things as long as you live. And you are determined not to forget---yet, somehow, the memory of the specifics fade. The names and faces escape. That which was so prominent in our minds and hearts has moved back further into the seldom-summoned memory storage. 

In cleaning out a dresser drawer the other day in search of something else, I came upon a packet of cards, etc., in a zip-sealed plastic bag in which a prescription had come. Date? 2005!  In this packet were old credit cards, punch cards for shops and restaurants (many which no longer exist), frequent shopper cards from the area bookstores, and calling cards. What a trip down memory lane this became!! Not so much a special attachment to the credit cards (no reason to keep them either!), but the calling cards-the business cards-had a special place in my memory. My 'old' painters, wall paper guys, tile installers, other tradesmen with whom we'd done business at one time.

I had not thought of these fellows in ages and ages, and yet they were at one time very important in my business and personal life. Many of these guys watched my boys grow up. Or stood in line for over an hour to greet us at the funeral home, walked up our sidewalk with hams or a plant for us, took the afternoon off to attend a funeral service in a crowded church for our little guy. At the time, I thought I would never forget them. Their kindess remains fresh to me, but their names and faces have faded from my memory. 

                                      

I don't think the fading is intentional or an accident---this is from God. He stores those things away from us so we move forward and do not dwell in sorrowful places. Those heavy thoughts are replaced in the front of our memories with more pleasant, more pleasing ones, and for that I am most grateful. It is also no accident to find things like this little packet of momentos which allow us to recognize just how far we've come. Thank you for that, dear Lord!

Living under a rock

When we used to play trivia at Johnny Angels Diner on Tuesday nights, my friend, Rita, would tease me for not knowing the music from the 1980's and forward answers. Sometimes the group names would ring a bell for me but I had little trivia to add to the mix. They could not depend upon me to agree or disagree on an answer for this category. Inevitably Rita would ask me, "Where were you? Under a rock?" Sometimes that would happen with TV programs as well but mostly with music. I had my categories where I scored higher, so I carried my own weight in the game, believe me!

On my Internet radio show today, the guys were going through a list of the top-rated TV programs for the year. The one fellow would read the name of a show from the list, and the 3 guys would say "yes" or "no"  if they'd seen it, or liked it. One guy does not watch network TV (regular TV, he calls it) so he had a terrible disadvantage. The ones he could say yes to involved pro football. Same here! Another of the guys, the one who gets picked on the most, knew many of the titles and could say 'yes' or 'no' to whether they were any good. He got mocked for having so much time on his hands for such lame TV viewing habits. 

The list had about 150 of the network prime time programs listed (who would think there were that many?) and I could only say, to myself, that I watched a couple of them. Several of the 'yeses' were for NFL games on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Hey, that's nearly everyday! I only watch Packer and Jaguar games so it's not as bad as it seems. 

                     

This must be Friday night as they are eating Chinese food. Sheldon keeps them on a firm schedule. This is also then vintage game night...Before I ever watched this program, Justin would say to me, "You are sooooo Sheldon!" Perhaps, in some ways, I am!

I could also say 'yes' to one other show, but I do only watch it on reruns, which might not count on this list. One day I was asking Justin about a TV show and he said, "You'll see it in about 10 years..." Ha ha! Yes, I live in the past! Now, I do see some of these programs when I am visiting in WI, as my mom likes them. In particular is "NCIS", which was high on the list, but then again, those are mainly reruns as well. My friend, Linda, also enjoys the NCIS series. 

The cable channel programs are not included on this list or I would have been able to say "yes" more often. "The O'Reilly Factor" is the highest rated prime time news show, but not on this list because of being a cable program. This one program beats the entire prime time line-up ratings for CNN each night. 

I also 'can't miss' Fox News Sunday, and, of course, The Five, these two not being prime time programs. I also like Law & Order: Criminal Intent, as well as the original L & O, but they do not appear on the list. It seems no new episodes of those two have been made in a couple years---only the SVU series. Who knew? Everyone except me, I suppose!

Justinisms

The other morning my friend, Barb, in MN, wrote on Facebook, "As my grandson would say, "Don't talk to me, I'm crabby". She wrote this because they had gone so many days without sunshine and it was taking its toll on her good nature. I wrote back to her about how Justin told Mom and me that he was out-of-sorts one morning because "I got up on the toy-box side of the bed...." Oh, I see. If you know Justin, that was a significant change for him. He took the expression of 'getting up on the wrong side of the bed' to the nth degree, and got up on the 'toy box side'! We steered clear of him the rest of the day!

He would take expressions quite literally. One night, during the holidays, he kept getting up from bed to come out and look at us in the family room. At last I asked him why he kept getting up and he said, "I wanted to see you in your nightcaps..." My former spouse and I had mentioned having a nightcap (slush) before bed, and he thought we wore hats!

One of Mom's favorite Justinisms was when we were driving down a very busy Blanding Blvd. during rush hour. Justin made the announcement that he had to go to the bathroom. We were a long way from home, with no prospect of a toilet on our side of the road for quite a stretch. He sighed and said, "I'll just hold my legs together and pray...." which sent Mom and I into convulsions. I found a place to do a U-turn and went back to the Hardee's so he could go potty. After all that laughing, Mom and I had to go, too!

Again with the angry skies

This is the look of the angry sky yesterday, which deposited rain and showed some lightning. This one taken with my big camera.

...and then it gets angier still!!! After what happened in OK, we need to pay special attention to these type of clouds! This photo taken with my cell phone and submitted to the local radio station's Facebook page. 

Foggy headed today

Justin was here overnight last night, making great strides in reclaiming the two bedrooms. He had a giant box, a moving box, filled almost to the top with cardboard from boxes he'd broken down. I called Connie at home to see where he should put it and her instructions were for him to park it in front of the big dumpster enclosure, as that would be emptied in the a.m. Perfect! She called me earlier to have me thank Justin for being so orderly about his placement of the box. That's my boy!

Because he stayed overnight, sleeping in the room across the hall from his, I feared he would oversleep and be late for work. When I asked him what time he had to leave for work, he said, "...at the butt crack of dawn..." Show me those numbers on the clock, please. At 6:05 a.m. I scurried down the hall to announce the time to him, and he said he had a couple minutes yet before he needed to be up. I still got it!!

                                     

You will love this story---the reason he stayed in the other bedroom was so he could use the bathroom. The rushing water toilet (due for repairs Wednesday a.m.) did not bother him. BUTT (no typo), he removed the toilet seat and we put it in the dishwasher to get it clean. All together now---EWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! When he suggested this to me, I said, "That sounds like something Kim would do!" I emptied the clean dishes from the machine and we manipulated the seat, which he was soaking in the kitchen sink (again---EWWWWWWW!) into the rack for a more thorough cleaning. I had sprayed it that morning to get the cleaning process started so it wasn't too gross. But, bad enough to require dishwasher cleansing! Boys are so gross!

Since I was awake before 5:00 today, when it was close to noon, I was so very ready for a nap. My eyes were burning and needed to close. However, the housekeepers were due to arrive 'after lunch' so I wanted to be vigilant when they came to the door. Badly I wanted to put my head on my desk for a few minutes but did not. Since the single housekeeper did not arrive until 2:30, I could have had a very nice snooze and been raring to go!

My GroupOn purchase was for a two-hour cleaning and I assumed that two ladies would come, as is customary. As I write, one young lady is here and thinks it will take her all of the alotted two hours to do the floors I asked her to clean. That was the primary need I wanted addressed, vacuum the floors and wash the hard floors, so that is what she is doing. I hope she has time to tackle Justin's bathroom, but my hopes are dimming....

The plumber is coming Wed. morning and in the meanwhile, the water detector is in place and three doors are between that bathroom and me. My downstairs neighbors are in Italy and would not be available to rush back in case of an emergency. The works inside this toilet, installed by the same plumber just over a year ago, might simply need an adjustment, and I pray it is an easy fix.

Tattered nerves

I am incredibly thankful to have the water detectors Justin gave me for Mother's Day, and have, in fact, pressed one into service in his former bathroom. It seems that periodically I hear water running in his toilet, though nothing in the bowl nor in the tank appears to be moving. Oh, now what??? The works were replaced just over a year ago around the same time we had the leaks from the broken water softener pipes on the 5th floor (the first time it happened!) so it's not worn out yet. I wouldn't think they wear so quickly, right? I wonder how long this has been going on....

                                              

Thankfully Justin will be here tonight, right after work, to finish cleaning out his rooms so I won't be too hesitant to attend my church meeting. My tummy is in a knot from this, as is expected under circumstances such as this for me. Besides that, now my dryer is making a strange noise as it attempts to dry my clothes. Perhaps a coin or something is caught in the drum thing but I cannot see it nor make it stop. 

We have a building committee meeting tonight and it wouldn't be life or death if I did not go, but since I take the notes for it, should be sure to go. Also, I might be a distraction to Justin who needs to be entirely focused on his project of emptying the room. Oh my! When I expressed to him that I would not be here to "help him", Justin said, "That's okay...." I am sure it is! By the way, the dryer has now stopped making the racket so whatever it was scraping has worked itself free! (Just dug everything out of the dryer and found a quarter...mine!)

The same weekend as the big storm, I noticed a problem with my light switch in the kitchen. One is next to the fridge and one by the door, a three-way switch. I sometimes have to wiggle the switch to get the light to turn on. Oh, great! In order for an electrician to access the electrical box, he has to move the fridge out. Problem? There is a water hose connected to the ice maker, which I do not use for fear of a problem. Yikes! As I told Mike Kelley yesterday at church, "I don't really need a light in the kitchen....." We shall see what I do about that.

Closer to the pole is the alligator, and further out by the sandbar are the manatees

On Facebook the other day I noted that our resident alligator has become a regular visitor to the basin, keeping company, or not, with the manatees. They sort of keep themselves apart, which is probably a good idea. I looked out a bit ago and saw the gator had moved to the area usually occupied by the manatees and they have moved off to the center of the basin. By agreement, I am sure.

In other water news, I don't think I ever mentioned the damage experienced on this property during the huge storms the early part of May. My place and those above me were not the only problem areas, as others in the building experienced intrusion. The force of the wind-driven rain caused the problems to become evident in several other units in my building. This does not please me but does bring to light future problems we might have during the official hurricane season.

In the building next door, the condo garage and storage cubbies were flooded. There is a four inch curb the water had to breech to the storage area, and it did so that Saturday night. Over at the hotel, guests on the first floor had to evacuate as a waterfall of rain water gushed down the driveway to the hotel, over the edge of the flower bed and into the rooms. Karrie reported as much as 10" inches of water in the rooms at one time. 

The guests were NOT happy to have this happen, but hey, what can be done? Karrie was lamenting to me a couple Fridays ago about the tangling with the insurance company. The night security man told me that some people were VERY upset about having to move out, being relocated to an area hotel (above water level!). Harry told me that one lady was terribly upset, calling him "everything but white!", an expression I never heard before, but made me laugh. I feel badly for everyone involved, in particular those who have to try to put things back to right again. 

Karrie has to find invoices for the purchase of the carpet, bedding, and other items used to furnish the rooms. No wonder her staff is pulling out their hair, trying to scare up the receipts. I think the insurance company is a bit nit-picky as they will likely only reimburse the pro-rated amount anyway. I would like to ask her how it's going but hate to open that can of worms. What a storm system that was!!

Angry skies today

We had some very angry skies here for a while today. They did not produce rain on this side of the river, as far as I know, but the thunder was sufficient to rattle the lanterns which over my head. It moved down the river, chased by blue skies..

                  

Summer has arrived

Actually it is still spring but the temperatures have at last broken the barrier and warmed us up. I am in the minority when it comes to liking the hotter air but I don't mind that one little bit. 

Last evening and again tonight several of us enjoyed time around the pool. The poor cabana attendant tonight was wanting to go home just when some were coming out to sit. I think he didn't mind terribly, especially when they put tips in his jar. First, on the way out and then back in again, I had to stop at my downstairs neighbor's house to turn the A/C off and then back on again. Someone was having problems with their unit which required the water to be shut off to the A/C pump. Good thing I have keys for the place!

                                       

Some brave souls, yes, kids, were in the pool on that end of the area but no one dared dive into the adult's pool. Still a bit too cold. Much to my delight, my former neighbor, Jessica, was sitting poolside with her iPad, enjoying some quiet time without her two sons. Travis and she had originally planned an evening out, but then had a plumbing problem on the exterior of their house. Nothing changes but the address, it seems!! Instead they were getting some take-out food and having date night at home.

Kathy H. and I had a nice visit poolside catching up on the news of the week, which we had not discussed last night due to the mixed group we had there. She and I like to hash over the goings on in Washington and our nation, and did that this late afternoon. Loved it! Her mom came out and joined the conversation as well. It turned cool, in my opinion, so I came back upstairs.

This afternoon I made some pretzel rolls which I found at Winn Dixie in the frozen bread dept. They are simply delicious, tasted great when I added my leftover roast beef on them. Made for a good dinner. Linda had told me about how good the Rhodes brand of rolls are but I could not find them at WD. Since Publix has Diet Coke on sale, I will stop tomorrow and see if they carry the brand Linda recommended. 

I hear fireworks going off up and down the river, I wonder what the occasion is...Oh, I bet it's for graduations!  How fun is that?!

Even more news!

How do the political folks in the arena keep all the balls in the air? I watched a good deal of the hearings today where the acting head of the IRS is facing the music. Apparently all that these guys can say is "I don't know..." The rest of that sentence is "...how we got caught!" or "...how this came to light." Funny that PresBO is acting all incensed over this even though this activity has been happening and been reported for several years already. And, he demanded the acting head step down, even though Mr. Miller was leaving his role in June. Emptiness...

Hollywood is strangely quiet these days, other than reports of who is getting braces and who had a double mastectomy. One would expect the liberals would rally to the defense of their leader but all one hears right now is crickets chirping. The emperor has lost his clothes, it seems. Now that the press has been violated, those who had been in his pocket all this while, it's every man for himself. 

My younger sister has read all the released pages in regard to the Benghazi debacle, those which came out on Wednesday late afternoon. According to the pundits, some of the e-mails are telling, some just confirm what the witnesses testified, and others indicated the Press Secretary is a stranger to the truth. There are thousands more somewhere which will likely be released in dribs and drabs, as the gov't. really wants this story to go away. It won't and hopefully wishing won't make it so.

****

Thursday I had lunch with my friend, Lee, at The Club, on meatloaf day. They have a mini-buffet on Thursdays and sometimes the menu really appeals to me. The fried chicken is supposedly the best but the only time I had it there, the chicken came from Publix! There was a gas line problem in the neighborhood so The Club could not make their own chicken. 

                                               

Anyway, Jacquie could not join us for lunch as originally planned as she was house-bound with repairman, fixing things which leaked during the huge storms a couple weekends ago. The more they did, the more damage was discovered. Evidently the leak had been at work for a while, causing wood rot inside and out. She is soon done, as she is keeping me updated. Hates the mess worst of all!

Lee's son left her home last week, having been there a few months, gone to work with his cousins and uncle as a deck builder. He is Justin's age and had been in college in South Florida for a few years, studying accounting. I hope he finds something in his field eventually but for the time being, he is a deck builder! She likes having her space back, just as I do.

When Karrie, the owner, stopped at our table, she laughed when she saw my plate. She said, "You really are a meat and potatoes girl, aren't you?", as I made a face at Lee's calamari salad. Yup, meat and potatoes girl here! By the way, Lee told me she got in the pool last Friday and heard herself shriek--totally involuntary. The air might be warm but the water is not! 

                                   

This morning I had breakfast with Tina and little Gracie at The Club. Pat had let me know the night before that she was not going to make it this week but I made sure Tina would be there. This is their last time until school starts again in the fall, as she will redirect her funds to the cabana for the summer. l will see Pat for water exercises but am not sure we will still do breakfast. I will leave that up to her. We still have Happy Hour and the occasional Thursday buffet of meatloaf or fried chicken! 

Not as bad as we expected

We Palace dwellers were cautioned about the pungent aroma this water proofing material would bring, but so far, it's not that bad! This fellow had a tiny roller he used for cutting in, but I hoped they had a more substantial method of spreading the material. They did---actually pouring it out and pushing it into place with a giant squeegy. Made quick work of the open areas.

 No wonder they did so much grinding---it looks perfectly smooth now!

This is the north end of the sundeck. Under those stairs is the doorway to Hugh and Maureen's condo. Who needs a door when you have a ladder, right?

It's busy around here

A few moments ago Connie called me to see if I was watching the manatee activity in the basin. They are just having the greatest time out there, diving and snorting. It is quite entertaining to watch, as you might imagine. She also spotted two ducklings paddling along the bulkhead. I am tearing up English muffins to throw out to the wildlife.

The sun is glorious today, still not as hot here as it was in MN yesterday. What is up with that??? Hopefully it won't be so hot to cause the guys doing the sundeck to suffer. That has to be miserable work on a beastly hot day. 

Justin is likely quite pleased with the more temperate weather since he is now out there 5 days a week for pay, plus whatever he does at home to fix up the yard. Last weekend they put up a brand-new PWT pool. (His word for it--stands for poor white trash). It is inflatable and quite good sized, like the one they had at the beach house. 

                                  

In chatting with Linda this a.m. we discussed our dinner plans. I have choir rehearsal tonight so no Happy Hour for me. It's Trivia Night too but I expected to not be able to attend. They can muddle through without me. Sniffle, sniffle...

Anyway, if I make the roast, it can cook until I get home from choir. I can taste it already...She is going to make a homemade pizza for her dinner, which also sounds wonderful. It's so tempting to simply order in but why not use the slow cooker and see what happens with the roast?

Since she had an eye procedure or two done on Monday, Linda is under house arrest for the remainder of the week. Both Tommy and she are working from home today, her vision now good enough to do some computer work between resting her peepers. Her friend, Debbie, took her for the surgery Monday. My sister, Lynn, took Linda for the follow-up yesterday. Tommy still cannot drive after his shoulder surgery. Such a pair! Thanking God for friends to pitch in when needed!

Weather or not....

...we are talking about it! Today is a bright, bright sunshiny day, like the song goes. But it seems our area also broke a record overnight for the lowest temperature on this date. The high today will add 30 more degrees to the record low of 47 above zero from when we woke up. I only know this because I read it on the radio website, as I was snug and warm in my house.

The weatherman pronounced this as being a picture-perfect day and I have to agree. Other than the cooler than usual temperatures, the cloudless sky and soft breezes make for a very pleasant day. In fact, as I waited in my car at the restaurant for my friend, Brenda, to arrive, I got warm!

Let me back up a bit---I wrote yesterday about what happens when the TV goes off, for some reason, when I am sleeping. Well, sure enough, something happened with the cable connection at 3:17 a.m. and my room got quiet. The banner on the screen indicated I should check my connections or call a certain number...

In a few moments it came back on, and back to sleep I went. This brought on some wild dreams involving my attempts to take pictures of the kids at the preschool. My subconscious was busy, as this is exactly what I was doing today! The actual project was flawless, contrary to the episode in my dream!

While I was at church, I was going to make copies of the Alzheimer's seminar materials as several had asked to see the handouts, etc. It is like launching a missile to operate the copier these days, though, so eventually Lisa, from the preschool, who knew the launch sequence needed to operate the machine, helped me out. I like the old copier so much better, this old fashioned girl.

At 10:00 a.m. we took the kids into the adjacent classroom to pose them in front of a black sheet of paper. Lisa had ordered one cap and gown, in green, so each of them took a turn putting on the cap 'n gown. I hope the pictures turn out good enough for their purposes. Will work on that later...

Upon getting my copies made, I went to Steak 'n Shake to meet my friend, Brenda, for lunch. I was a bit early so listened to the radio in the car until I got too warm to do so. The restaurant was cold, ironically,  after I was so warm in the car where the sun was shining on my legs! There is no pleasing me, it seems.

Brenda and I sat in our booth, tearing coupons out of the flyer we use when we get together. I know as soon as it comes in the mail, Kim and Brenda are having lunch! We shared the buy one/get one milk shake coupon, which we took to-go, as they are incredibly filling. She told me how she must sneak her Diet Coke at work as one of her co-workers is a militant health food nut who harasses her about what she eats and drinks. He is, otherwise, a nice man, she claims.

                                     

Once home, an e-mail came announcing that tomorrow and the next day will be a stinky one around here. The undercoating/water-proofing of the sundeck is being applied, and apparently quite pungent. Hugh suggested we keep our doors and windows closed (that would be me!) and run the A/C to freshen the air in our homes. We shall see about that, as I am guessing I will be okay here. 

                          

Those on the 2nd floor have to either vacate the premises or be prepared to remain in the house for 18 hours. Maureen already told me they are going to use the ladder again to get in and out of their home. Those rascals!

Needing VIP treatment

A few years ago we experienced a serious electrical storm which caused some problems on this property in regard to cable TV. Due to the number of emergency calls the cable people were dealing with, our particular situation was low priority, it seems. 

I have a degree in patience but that comes to an end after the point when I am unable to get a good night's sleep. You see, I NEED to have the TV on while I sleep. If the TV shuts off for some reason, I am awake. For a day or two during the outage I tried using DVDs to lull me to sleep set on continual play from episode to episode, but those only lasted long enough for a few hours at a time. It was taking its toll on me.

My friend's husband worked for the cable company and she read my laments on Facebook. In her compassion, she made arrangements through her hubby for me to be moved to the top of the repair list, instead of my having to wait four more days like the rest were having to do. Even MamMa, my neighbors' elderly grandma who lived on the property, had to wait until the next Thursday. 

Gayle kept up with me through the day, checking to see if my service was repaired or not. Finally, my doorbell rang and the repair guys came in. Strangely I had service in the family room but not in my bedroom (I had nearly dragged a mattres to the family room in order to sleep at night!). 

When I went downstairs later that day, Connie told me that the cable guys said to her, "I don't know who this lady is---she must be some kind of VIP..." Since Gayle's hubby was in charge of this whole process, he got to say who went where and when. He is the VIP and I simply reaped the rewards of his position. So very thankful for friends in high places and for a good night's sleep. I am forever now a VIP to Connie, though, which makes us laugh.

Fast forward to the present---same family, different service. This time I had a discrepancy on my Internet bill and was driving myself wacko trying to get it resolved. I did a LIVE chat with a person named Sunny who assured me I would have a $30 credit to my bill despite having exceeded my usage limits. I figured that was a mistake because Justin was already moved out so my usage should be in normal ranges.

Well, when I viewed the bill again a week later, no changes had occurred. Hmmm...So, I went back into the account and tried to initiate another chat, but somehow that feature was not available to me. Shoot! What happened?? I was shown a phone number to call, but after being on hold for 25 minutes, I gave up. It was now time to let my friend know what was going on! This time is was Terri to the rescue...

                                             

She let me know that she put in an escalation report which did not mean a whole lot to me until someone called me from the 'president's office'. Oh yes she did! The lady, Lisa, accessed my account and told me I had a $10 credit on my bill. I told her that Sunny said it was $30 and I read her the chat, which I had saved in my computer. 

Lisa made the adjustment of the additional $20 credit, but indicated that I actually was over my usage, and that it was during the period when Justin was still here. It doesn't show that on the bill, only the billing period. Seems strange those days don't match. Anyway, Lisa took care of it and said I won't likely see it on my online bill but gave me the amount I would owe. Good! She also gave me a link to keep track of my daily usage so this won't happen again. She was extremely nice and professional with me, and I let Terri know this.

Later, another person from the same office called me to check that Lisa had taken care of me and gave me inside phone numbers to call in case I have future problems. Ahem, ahem....VIP service again!  It's not what you know, it's who you know!! So thankful to have friends looking out for me...

Remembering Moms today

I am of the opinion that everyday is mother's day but this one day a year 'we' are celebrated as a whole. Now that Justin is older and less trouble, I enjoy the celebration. But when he was little...

He was likely a normal toddler and perhaps my expectations were set a bit higher than they should be. When caring for my nephew, Jamie, who was a dream for us (my former spouse and me), I was sure my child would be just the same. What a surprise we had!

Years ago our church, GS, had the nursery located in the adjacent building and was served by having the sound piped into the room for those attending the little ones. The pastor that day focused his entire sermon on the joys of being a mother and all that, a type of service I had not experienced in church in WI. Not so much focus on the secular celebration of motherhood, you know? Anyway, Justin and I were in the nursery for a reason, as my boy was a wildman. While the sounds of the sermon were lauding my role as mother, I was pulling my hair out trying to manage this child, crying because I was seemingly falling so short.

After church that day we went to Ryan's Steak House, my favorite place to eat, and then home. I don't remember the gifts that year, but do remember feeling such great relief when Justin took a nap---a long nap. Whew! NOW, I could enjoy being a mother...

My spouse and I read the newspaper and watched the Sunday shows, just hanging out while Justin napped, and I was content. When he woke up, we joined my bro-in-law and his family at the swimming pool located in the backyard of our new model in The Village of Fireside. It was not really swimming temperature but we were new enough to FL to think it was! We had a good laugh when we saw what we thought were snakes in the pool, but upon further examination realized the boys' diapers were coming apart in the water!! I never knew what was inside a diaper to make it absorbent, but I do now!

*****

Today's celebration brought tears for another reason, as our closing hymn was "Children of the Heavenly Father". Justin extended his arm to me (how could I have ever been upset with him for being so naughty?) and we linked arms as tears rolled down the cheeks. As my friend, Carol, mentioned after church, "...today was a listening day..." Those type of hymns remind us of what our loved ones enjoy and remind us of what waits for us as He 'safely in His bosom gathers...'

The first reading today was from Proverbs 31, which I whispered to Justin was about Linda. It turned out the card he bought me used the same portion of readings on the front of it! The card is now a treasure to me for the lovely message it extends to me. Certainly not generic in any way...

Once collected after that hymn, Justin and I headed to Fleming Island for lunch at the former Koko's. As soon as I walked in the door, the waiter handed me a mimosa, compliments of the restaurant. Nice! We had a great meal, even though it was not prepared by our friend, Jimmy. He was busy at another table, lighting things on fire. 

One of the former waitresses from years ago, AJ, recognized us and came over to say hi. She has come back after 5 years (and two children!) being away. The draw of being able to work with several of her old friends was so appealing! We were glad to see her again.

                          

Justin's gifts to me, three in number, were so fantastic. He wanted me to open them in the restaurant 'because of the laughing', wishing our friends were with us to share in the laugh. He got me moisture detectors!!! Like a smoke detector, the first whiff or drip will set this thing off with a piercing shreik to the tune of S0S. I absolutely LOVE them. We tested one in the river room, as he poured water down the wall, setting off the alarm. Yup, it works! 

Another special gift he gave me was working in his bedroom, getting it into such a condition that I can see the floor! He has resorted to loading stuff into contractor bags and hauling it out that way in lieu of careful packing into plastic bins or boxes. 

            

The end is near and I might soon have the rooms back again! The drop-dead date is May 21st since I have housekeepers scheduled to come and clean. I bought the housekeeping certificate from GroupOn last year, never expecting it to take this long to get the room back again. I think he might make it.

An artsy day!

This morning was a bit of a lazy one as I stayed in bed and watched TV. Fox and Friends goes for four hours on the weekends which messes with my internal clock. All of a sudden it was 10:00 a.m. and I was yet in bed! The anchors' moms were calling in to share stories of their kids, embarrassing them, or trying to, with family secrets. Mostly it was just precious stuff about how cute and sweet they were as kids. I didn't mind it...

My plans for the day revolved around art, which was nice for a change. First I went to Great Hang Ups for a silk scarf painting event conducted by artist/friend, Sonya Cox. She sells the scarves in Hang Ups, plus makes fused glass earrings and other types of jewelry. Linda J. picked up a scarf and two pair of earrings to go with it when she was here this spring. 

Sonya was set up in the parking lot, directly in front of the shop. Inside the store was an art reception going on for young artists who contributed paintings to be used for a calendar. Busy busy place! I only watched the others paint their scarves and loved chatting with Sonya. Justin favorite art teacher from St. Johns stopped by the little tent to sit a spell before braving the crowds inside the store. Some of her students had pieces on display and she was showing them her support. Justin loves Mrs. Petska and she never fails to ask about him!

From Hang Ups I went to Publix for a few things (more than a few!) and then went home. The weather was so lovely it made the outdoor ventures that much more enjoyable. No threats of snow or hail for us today! My poor loved ones in WI are having miserable weather again as winter just won't quit, and we are in the high 80's!

Speaking of their weather up north, one of my sisters called to ask me what is my mom's favorite meal. They had to change their original plans from a cook-out for dinner to an eating-in-the-house meal. I told her liver 'n onions, mashed potatoes, and gravy were Mom's favorites, especially the potato portion, and that lemon meringue pie her favorite dessert. Glad I could help!

Back to balmy FL---once I got my stuff carried upstairs and put away, I went to my room to rest for a bit (not that I really needed a rest!). I was heading out again  shortly to another Art Guild event, this time to Whitey's Fish Camp. Artists had been painting en plein air (in plain air) various scenes captured along Swimming Pen Creek and Doctors Lake. Their finished pieces were displayed in the outdoor bar area called the Tiki Bar. It was under roof and there were fans operating to cool things off for those who needed it. 

It was great to see so many of my friends there, not all of them being artists, but rather, aficionados of art. Randy, the sole man in our aqua exercise class, was there with Carol, his wife. He was bandaged up almost like a mummy, since he took a tumble in the kitchen. Carol was coming back from Indiana when she got the call that he had fallen and a neighbor took him to the doctor a day or so AFTER the fall. 

He has a dislocated shoulder, a broken hand on the other arm, bruised up legs, and knocked out three teeth in the front of his mouth. Oh my! He tripped over a stool and tried to catch himself on the way down...I am so glad the neighbor insisted on taking him to the ER instead of waiting for Carol to come home to find him in untold pain!

Anyway, I was thrilled to see everyone and admire the beautiful creations. Many artists painted the exterior of the fish camp and those paintings and their prints were selling like hot cakes. Love that for Beth, the artist who really captured the flavor of Whitey's. Speaking of flavor, this event took place late afternoon before all the colorful folks came out to enjoy the atmosphere on this bar deck. Julia and I went inside to have a bite to eat, and I so enjoyed our quiet, unbusy time together. 

When I left to come home, it was raining. A gentle rain, which was why we never noticed it when we were eating, not like last weekend! I carefully made my way home, thankful it was still light out. 

Just as I got to my door, my upstairs neighbors came down to ask me to join them for dinner at La Napolera. Shoot! I was so thankful for them asking me, but since I had just eaten (early for me!), I declined their kind offer. I assured them that next time, I am there! My neighbors are the best!

A better Friday than last week

This morning I had the distinct pleasure of meeting my friend, Pat, for breakfast at The Club. As I waited for her to arrive, I was greeted warmly by the staff, who made a fuss over me. How flattering! One lady, sort of a housekeeper, said she was worried I was sick and told Marlena to call me. I assured Sondra that she had called me and I told her I was fine, just waiting for Pat's foot to heal. 

Before Pat arrived, the owner of The Club, Karrie, came to sit with me as she ate her quick breakfast. She is always frantic and today was no exception. During the rain storms last weekend, all the lower rooms of the adjacent hotel were flooded, and she is at war with the insurance company at present. Many details and proof of value are required, and I am sure her staff is hustling, as well.

It was marvelous to catch up with Pat, the time flying by. We talked about the value of a Christian funeral (oh, yes, no one escapes my funeral chatter!) as she told about the recent service for her favorite uncle. I think she said there were seven priests officiating at the cathedral in Orlando, many of them family members of the deceased. They are Episcopal, and she, like me, appreciates the 'high church' flavor of such worship. 

As the ladies worked around us, tearing down the breakfast buffet and setting up for a memorial luncheon (more funeral chatter!), Sonda came by the table with a foam box of leftover bacon for me to take home. I'm bbaacckk!!!

As Pat and I parted company, I walked back through the pool area. There I saw Marlena busily working in the cabana, getting things ready for the soft opening which would happen this evening. Serving beverages only until after Memorial Day weekends official opening of the pool. Marlena was quite banged up, bruises and cuts on her arms and one leg. It seems her dogs, rather, her son's dogs which she is keeping for him, got into a fight, and she lost. I would not stand for that! 

She told me it cost $1300 to save their lives, and I hope she realizes I am not the most sympathic person when it comes to animals. She assured me her son paid the bill (Oh, he better have!!!) but I am unsure if she got her owies checked over by a professional. She looked terrible, but was more concerned for the animals. 

Kathy and her mom, Betty

Several of us were talking Wednesday night about going back out on Friday, weather permitting, so I went out. At first I was alone, but eventually Betty and Kathy came out. Marlena, with a little help from me, figured out how to work the popcorn machine so we dined on that instead of burgers and hot dogs. Can't wait for the full-start up of the service!

When I got back in, I watched the complete White House briefing which I had missed earlier in the day, finding it on-line. What a fast dancer that Jay Carney is! Wondering how all this will play out---or will it fade away into obscurity? 

I also e-mailed to Kathy the information I'd received earlier in the week from the man who presented the Alzheimer seminar. I hope she finds it helpful...Two weeks ago at Victory's Bible study, one of the ladies asked me to meet with her and a couple others who missed the seminar. They want me to go over it all with them, since they missed it. I love the opportunity and appreciate their asking me to do this. Must make it so!