NEW YEAR’S EVE

Happy New Year y’all ... a new year ... a leap year and a new decade! 

Randy & Marky-Mark at Lew’s bar! 

Playing Family Feud with a few of the partiers. 

Monday, December 30, 2019

Mark and Marky-Mark are going to Orlando to pick up a bass boat that he and Lani inherited from her late dad. It’ll be a project ... install new tires on the boat trailer and grease the bearings. Pictures later. 😜

Yesterday, we set up our new blink security camera system ...

Hahaha ... our pals Wayne & LaDonna will help with the proper placement. 

Here’s da boot Marky-Mark picked up ...

It’s in need of a good cleaning ... but ‘what a take!’ 😜

Tonight, we had happy hour on the front porch with the doggies ... then teriyaki chicken and rice for dinner. Tomorrow, Mark is going hunting and then tomorrow evening it is New Year’s Eve, 2020 is near. 

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Why oh why is it so much more fun to put up Christmas decorations than it is to pack them away?

We started out with rain ... lots of rain! It’s still coming up from the south ... fueling a massive winter storm in the Midwest USA.  

Our day significantly improved at 1 o’clock ...

Sunny and gorgeous now! 

We installed our new Blink system today! Awesome ... easy to install ... clear pictures. 

Tonight, we talked to aunt Jane and wished her a happy new year. She had friends over for Christmas dinner and had a nice time. 

Mark phoned Randy to check on him and scared the wits out of both Dawn and Randy! You see, they we’re watching a scary movie 🎥 when the phone rang ... Dawn screamed. 😂 Randy was at doc in the box today and got antibiotics. We hope he will get over the cough very quickly ... thanks to Dawn insisting he go to the doctor. 👍🏻

We watched 3 episodes of Wentworth tonight ... a good series on Netflix. 

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Good morning. It’s a funny, drizzly type of morning here in Central Florida. The craziest part of all of this is that the weather is coming up from the south! Generally, in December, we have weather systems from the north. 🤷‍♀️ But, other than being a little dreary, it’s a nice warm day.

Sue and Wayne hooked up and we’re on the road by 10 o’clock. They wanted to get through Orlando before 11 when folks have to be out of hotel rooms. They hope to miss the majority of the traffic. 

So, I have the dishwasher running, the washer and the dryer. This will be a day of catching up on laundry and putting away a few of our new Christmas presents. What a month December has been, I loved every minute of it. 

This afternoon, Mark got his work barge going and began trimming the “wilderness area” back of our boat house! It’s the neighbors responsibility across the way, but he’s a slouch, so Mark is doing it. 🤷‍♀️

After dinner we sat on the front porch while Mark enjoyed a cigar and wine. I had a split of champagne (gift from Sue & Wayne)!  Marky-Mark joined us for an hour. It was a good evening. 

Friday, December 27, 2019

Good evening. It’s been a busy enough day around here. We started with Mark’s homemade breakfast of garlic potato cakes and eggs. Sue and Wayne went to CVS and for groceries before Sue and I met Diane for lunch. 

Ramshackle’s lunch, the Tawns girls. 

Mark began the slow wrapup of Christmas lights and tidied the bar area outside. At 6:30 we went to dinner in downtown Eustis with Sue and Wayne. Randy was home, feeling a bit low with a cold, and Dawn was at work. Sue and Wayne head south tomorrow morning. It’s been a great week with them here, despite plenty of rain.

We finished up our visit with vino night caps at their rig! 🥰

Thursday December 26, 3019

Good morning sunshine! It’s going to be warm and windy today ... too windy for boating! So, Sue, Wayne and I went flea market shopping. (They found a few bargains!) Chiki and Mimi we’re monkeys and were sitting at K’s door (inside) when they arrived back to the rig! They sure are athletic!   

Mark headed to the woods for some R & R ...

That’s his happy place. 😜

Today’s lunch was turkey on Sourdough bread and anniversary cake. Yummy. After a restorative afternoon nap, Sue came for front porch happy hour! Wayne had done laundry and had a late nap. Isn’t it grand to be on holiday. 😊

Tonight we’re having a repeat dinner ... 

Cheffy Marky. 

Rick M wondered if I survived Christmas night ...

Cheers! More awesome please! 🍷 

Buffet line 🥰

We played Mexican Dominoes tonight ... Wayne was the winner; close game! 

C H R I S T M A S 2019

Merry Christmas dear friends and family! We have a beautiful sunny day for festivities. Mark cooked cheesy eggs, grits and salami while I set up the Sunroom table and opened champagne! Sue and Wayne came in at 9:30 and the 1st party of the day began! 🤪

Sue was thinking when she suggested pictures in front of the tree before we messed up the living room. 

Awe, how sweet we are!

But look at Sue & Wayne ...

Hahaha... I was giving instructions ... suck it in, neck out and says Grits. What the H happened? 🤣

After kitchen duties Mark and I took Robbie and BeeZee for a ride on The Caddy. 

About 4 o’clock, Marky/Mark, Randy and Dawn arrived for happy hour. About that time I got a text from Diane that she and Kris were not able to make it. What? I hope it’s nothing major, but she did not want to talk about it at this time. 😢 We sure missed them tonight.  

Mark and Robbie 💕🐾

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Good morning. It’s 1030 and the turkey is in the roaster already. Mark likes to cook it the day before and get the majority of the pots and pans out of the way. Smart guy! 🥰

Big turkey! Heeheehee ... 

Note the stick holding the lid down. 😂

Sue and Wayne are off to Beall’s shopping (again) and taking all the doggos with them! Wayne will be sitting in the car too! 😂

While Mark finished up the Christmas dinner grocery shopping, I vacuumed and scrubbed the potatoes. It’s smelling like turkey in here now!

Chores done, Sue and Wayne came in for happy hour. Afterward, we met Randy & Dawn, Diane and Kris at the Olive Garden, in Leesburg.

Dinner was excellent, and we had a good evening. Thank you to Wayne and Sue for our dinner treat tonight. It was a great time. As always, we had lots of laughs. 🎄

When we got home, we finished our evening with a cocktail with Sue and Wayne in their rig. We sure hope to be able to do a trip in May with them.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Good morning sunshine 🌞 ... nice to see ya! It’s going to be a relaxing kind of day while prepping the house for Christmas Day dinner. 

My favorite (modernish) Christmas song is Happy Christmas ... 

🎶 

Randy popped in for coffee this morning just after Sue and Wayne left for pet supermarket, with all four doggies in tow. We had some coffee and a few laughs, and then he was on his way.  After lunch, Sue and Wayne went to Bealls for the bargains.! We had a super day hanging with Sue and Wayne! Instead of going out tonight, they picked up a couple of pizzas which we cooked on the Pizzazz! We love that gadget 😜. 

We sat around in the sunroom sipping wine, telling stories and having lots of laughs. An anniversary gift was put to good use opening a bottle of Sterling merlot. It’s a nice Houdini opener ... but it failed to remove the cork! Twice! We resorted to our old faithful corkscrew. Mark tried to figure it out ... then Sue broke it. Hahaha ... we got along without for years, we’ll manage now. 

Note the hammer and punch! 

It was another night of fun! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve ... and cooking! 

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Good evening! It’s a rainy night, not torrential, just rain. It was a day of tidying the house after our Christmas/anniversary party. 

Sue and Wayne decided to relax at the RV while Mark and I went to RanDawn’s (early) Christmas eve family dinner party. 

When we arrived at 3:30 the excitement was palpable ... the kids were in high spirits!

Apparently THIS redhead prefers no clothing. Haha. Brandon was happy playing with a bucket of dinosaurs. Charlotte was putting shoes on her new doll called Flower. 🤷‍♀️

Brandon opened gifts.

We got Charlotte a remote controlled pink Jeep ... the right size for her Barbie doll. (She thanked us and quietly put it away for later!)

Charlotte loved playing with Brandon’s drawing pad! (Brandon got it back, eventually.) 

Sonja, 3, opened a talking book from us. 

Sonja is so cute! 

Brittany loved a Cheshire cat blanket.  


Aha! Brandon now has his present back from Char.

Dawn talking to Makenna ... Rob with newborn Roman. 

Makenna was nearly eclipsed by Char. 😂 Allan’s in the background. 

While all this was going on, Randy and Dawn were prepping dinner of Chicken Marsala, potatoes, mac ‘n cheese, corn and green beans! I said “What a take!” Little Brandon repeated it perfectly! We had to laugh. 

It was a fun afternoon and delish dinner. Thanks RanDawn for including us in the festivities! 🎄🥰

Back home, Sue and Wayne fed Robbie and BeeZee their dinner and came in for a drink when we came home. It was a perfect day. Ho ho ho 🎅🏼

Saturday December 21st 2019

Good morning 😃 ... it’s going to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood and a celebration for our 25th wedding anniversary! 👰 🤵 😍

Now it’s 3 o’clock ... Susan & Wayne are very close to being here. Once they arrive, Mark and I will go and pick up food and more ice. 👍🏻

It’s now 1:30 in the morning and we had a very successful party. Of course we had way too much food, and way too much booze, but that’s better than running out. Now I’m guessing there is another party in the works for later in the year. Hey, you can’t throw the booze out.  It’s now 1:30 in the morning and we had a very successful party. Of course we had way too much food, and way too much booze, but that’s better than running out. 🤪

Attendees were, Sue and Wayne, Diane and Kris, Randy and Dawn, LaDonna and Wayne, Karen & Pete, Dee and Rick, Mitzie and Richard, Maya and David, Meredith and Tim, Marky Mark, Lynn and Lew, Pat and Ken, Bob and Kim, Elaine ... no shows were Candie and Jim, Rose and Jim, Nancy, Roger, Deenna and Eddie, Rod and Shay. 

Here we are goofing about cutting our cake!

Always a fun time when we’re together! 🥰 

Friday, December 20, 2019

Good afternoon y’all. It’s a busy household today ... and I’m the cause of it. 😬 You see, last Monday I “helped” with the shopping and bought the Christmas turkey ... to put in the RV fridge to thaw. Well, it SHOULD have gone into the freezer til today! So ... it’s thawed and had to be cooked today! It’s the turkey trot around our house! Mark went shopping for another turkey to begin thawing in the RV fridge ... and to roast the thawed turkey! Oh boy! 😋 

I’m cleaning the front porch and wrapping more presents! Just 5 days til Christmas Eve! 🎅🏼

Tonight, chores done, party set up, we had happy hour on the back patio with the Christmas lights on. It was lovely.

Somebody’s loving the ceegars from buddy Wayno! 🥰 (Is dat you Hugh?) 

Happy hour with the kids 💕🐾

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Good morning! It’s chilly-willy here in Central Florida for the 2nd day in a row ... perfect. We’re in the Christmas spirit here now. 🎄 (Yesterday Alex and Jordan swam with the manatee in the Springs!) They said the water felt warm 🥶 ... those Scots are tough! 

Today, while I cleaned and set up inside for our party, Mark set up outside. Teamwork! 😘 Fingers crossed for good weather ... aka NO rain. 

Well that’s a nice surprise, we got invited to Lew and Lynne’s for dinner tonight. Yippee yi yo, no dishes.

Lynn’s Chicken Tortellini soup was good ... and nice fresh bread for soppin’. We sat around drinking wine and yakking for an hour. Nice evening. 

There was some excitement at our Winn-Dixie parking lot ... a shooting and a getaway car. The Eustis police chief was shot and taken to hospital ... the gunman escaped. Two hours later, after a manhunt, the suspect was shot and killed. (He had robbed a convenience store wearing a mask.)  Here’s the story ... 

Well, that ended well. 🤷‍♀️

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Hmm 🤨 ... I got up at 3 for a cuppa decaf to clear my throat. No problemo, right? The friggin’ Keurig died! No, I’m not going to say what’s next ... 🤷‍♀️. I refuse. 

Hahaha ... yup, this has happened! 🐾💕 Love this cartoon!

So ... Amazon delivers a new K-cup coffee maker tomorrow! No more high-tech ... CHULUX is on the way! (We have 1 in the RV and it’s great; no frills, just delicious coffee!)

Mark was off to the woods at 5:30 this morning, and he must be freezing by now as the temperature has dropped to 47°, I think the coldest we have seen this year. That was a strong front that moved through yesterday ... hope it doesn’t last too long. Yikes! 

Today is our neighborhood Christmas luncheon. There should be around 20 to 25 of us partying gals. I have never lived in a neighborhood like this. I guess it’s because we are primarily retirees and have the time to do it. Whatever, it’s fabulous. After lunch I have a little Christmas wrapping to do and then tonight it’s off to dinner with Wayne and LaDonna and a movie. It feels good to have an entire day off chores and things around the house. Tomorrow, well, that will be another story.  

Christmas luncheon at Tillie’s Tavern! Cheers!

Tonight we met pals LaDonna & Wayne at Angelo’s for Italian dinner. It was a quiet evening there ... food good! After we went to see the Mr. Rogers movie ... and we all enjoyed it! No one knew what to expect but with Tom Hanks (and all the awards) we figured it would be very good. 😍

Go see it ... 👍🏻

Back home, it’s snuggle time with Robs & Bee. 🐾💕