Friday, October 7, 2016

Good morning. At the moment, 5:30 AM, it is calm between the rain bands. 

 

Since we still have power, I am watching Ancient Aliens along with the doggies! Mark is sleeping soundly. 

Mark was up by 8:30 ... I already had taken the dogs out. We have a lot of small tree debris in our front yard from the sycamore tree. The huge sweet gum tree needs another trim ... so maybe we'll get both topped this winter. 

Diane and Kris had to rush back to their Georgia Boys Fishcamp as water was rising fast on the St. John's river. 

 

The posts on the right is the dock by the launch ramp ... and on the left, the roof for the huge boathouse! As of 5 o'clock, the storm's eye is off St. Augustine, Florida. 

Flagler Beach, a favorite of ours has damage to A1A, the oceanfront road. 

 

A1A Flagler Beach 🌊 

 

There's plenty of work to be done in Florida before snowbird season! 

Sue and Wayne went to dinner tonight with Bill and Kelly,  Wayne's business partner. I guess things are pretty much back to normal in Broward County now. That's great. By tomorrow, we should be relatively back to normal in Lake County. Unfortunately, the coastal areas will be longer getting repaired. 

Randy and Dawn came through the hurricane unscathed. I am certain they have some tree branches to clean up and leaves about like Mark and I do. But that is nothing compared to the devastation along Florida coastline. Nonetheless, Mark and I will both sleep well tonight. (Well, let's be honest, Mark slept just fine last night.) LOL. I guess you need just one watcher during the night! ME!

After happy hour, Mark and I put the bar and barstools in the back patio and picked up tree branches on the front lawn. Tomorrow, we will be back to normal and ready for life to carry-on as before. 

Thank you for all your concern and well wishes. They are much appreciated. Tata till tomorrow. 

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Good morning! We began our day with doggie snuggles on the bed while we checked the Weather Channel's coverage of "Matthew." (The dogs were funny this morning when I let them outside as the bar was "gone!")

 

Look at those two kooks! 🙄They're so funny 😂!

This particular hurricane is vast ... so we know we'll get tropical storm winds in Central Florida. This means we likely will lose power. Mark is cooking meals we can eat cold ... or heat on our gas stove. Sue and Wayne are coastal in Pompano Beach so I'm worried about storm surge for them!

Well, as we wait for wind and rain I'll get on with mundane but funny stuff. 😊

Have you been following the stories about scary clowns? It's rather ridiculous ... 

 

Hahaha ... Trump can effectively deal with that too! 

 

Mike Pence has a bad case of 👖 on 🔥 ... hell, his whole suit was on fire during that VP Debate. 😡

Our sacred Dodge and Da Mounty are undercover at our private "extra" property. Our Kia will block the garage from the NE winds we're expecting!

Drat! Ya Ya's is postponed til next Thursday! Our parents always had a hurricane party 🎉🌪💦🍾 but our friends just want to hunker down! (I remember during David in the '80s ... all the friends and family in Canada panicking because no one answered the home phone! Hey, it was party time and no one could hear it ringing!) Yes folks, a true tale. 

 

Meanwhile, it was happy hour on the porch while we watched the rain. More tomorrow!

Wed. October 5, 2016

Good morning. It's a beautiful start to our day with sunshine and 72°F. Mark left for archery hunting in the forest at 6 o'clock. I wasn't able to go back to sleep, thinking about Panthers and cougars and such. LOL. He did send me a text that he made it to his deer hunting stand OK. As he said, before leaving, the big cats are likely more afraid of me than I am of them.

We have a large hurricane nearing the Bahama Islands today. Tomorrow, it could begin affecting Florida's coast line. We are mostly prepared in our central Florida neighborhood. Twice a year, we have our trees trimmed so there are no dead branches or overgrown ones that could hit the power line. Other than fueling up the vehicles, which is already done, I think we just need to buy some fuel for our generator, just in case. We have been through three major hurricanes in our central Florida house, and it really wasn't much in this area. We are 60 miles from either coast and that gives us quite a buffer zone from the ocean on the east and the Gulf of Mexico on the west. We are more concerned about Sue and Wayne who will be staying in their home in Pompano Beach. Also, Wayne has many boats moved up the New River for safety.

Did you watch the vice presidential debate last night? After watching, I wondered if Senator Mike Pence knew who his running mate was? LOL. His diversion tactics looked weak. Answer the questions already and move on. Tim Kaine tried his best to get in every shot at his opposition's candidate. Bazinga! Right on target! But, Mike Pence denied, time and again, that Trump ever said that. I guess, it was about what I expected.

Here at home, it was bath day for Robbie the Bruce. He had been itchy for a day or two and no amount of flea combing nor itch spray would help. Sometimes, just a warm bath in the kitchen sink is all a guy needs. LOL.

 

He looks so small sitting here. Who could believe he is 26 pounds! 

Just home from fueling up and getting hurricane necessities ... wine boxes and DSO . Winn Dixie was out of bottled water and ice so I came home and filtered 3 days worth for the Scotties.

Mark came home from fueling Da Mounty and filling jerry cans for our generator; just in case the power goes out. Our backup plan to our first backup plan is to move into the RV where everything can run on propane. 

Randy and Dawn stopped in for a glass of wine before attending a celebration of life for a friend of theirs. We had a huge laugh when watching the weather channel and we saw Folly Beach evacuating from South Carolina's Lowcountry.

Well we had such a laugh as Randy & Dawn have plans to marry on Folly Island next month. We hope all goes well and Hurricane Matthew blows past without much trouble; but you never know! 

Well, that was our day. Stay safe. More tomorrow !

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Good morning 🌞 

There's plenty of weather to discuss ... but nothing to affect us in Central Florida at this time.

There's plenty of political crap to discuss ... there's always ... Trumped up trickle-down economics.

Er, Trump did not prepare his own tax returns! Accountants did. That hardly makes him a genius. Think about it ... Trump couldn't prepare a 12,000 page return. Hell Trump doesn't have the patience to do a 1040-A form.

On a different, potentially scary thing is this paw print Mark found in the Ocala 🌳 ...

This is a large "cat" track, possibly from a panther. Note the retracted claws,  indicating it is not a bear.

We decided to take ourselves to Gators Dockside for a Cobb salad today. They are big & delicious. Then, Mark and I are going bowling. 

Cobb salads and grilled wings!

And a turkey! WOWSA. LOL. Mark got a turkey too ... but I messed up his picture. 😒

Not bad scores!

Afterward, we went home for the doggies ... and visited uncle Randy for happy hour. 

Here's how RanDawn's shower stall is coming along ... before running out of rock! 

Mz BeeZee checked it out. Haha. 

Back home, dinner done, its TV time. The vice presidential debate is on tonight. Ta Ta. 

Monday, October 3, 2016

Good morning. It's a beautiful cool morning and Mark has gone to the forest for his R&R. Although I was up very early to watch TV, I did go back to bed and slept until 8 o'clock. Not bad, for me. LOL

Between laundry loads I began taking in a dress ... a tedious task as I put it on and off half a dozen times. In the end, it still fits like a paper bag! Yuck! It's a good thing I'd ordered a backup ... which fits nicely and is perfect. 👍🏻

Mark cooked stuffed chicken breasts with turkey bacon for dinner! Creative, eh? We sat on the front porch with wine and watched the birds. It was a good evening. 

Poor Julius had another tooth removed today ... and poor Sue & Wayne with the $2,000 bill! It's darn expensive to take your pet to the vet when "speciality" is involved. (We have pet insurance for our two Scotties now!)

Minnesota Vikings are playing the New York Giants tonight in Minnesota. Pam's son Daniel got them all field passes. L-R is Mike and Nancy (cousins), Pam and son Daniel (journalist for the Giants) and friend.

It was a good night to watch a new (for us) show called Outlander. We liked it ... a bit different, but good. 

That's it for tonight.  

Sunday, October 2, 2016.

Good morning. It's a beautiful 72° this morning. Two squirrels were gathering acorns from our oak tree by dropping them on to our boathouse roof. Belize was very entertained by them. Robbie, however, was still in bed sound asleep. LOL

It looks like we have hurricane Matthew threatening Jamaica and Haiti as a Cat 4! According to the weather Channel, it will go to the east of Florida.

We met Dawn and Randy at Mary's for breakfast. Eventually, we had Brandon & Mary arrive with the wee birthday boy; then Brittany with Makenna and Charlotte. 

Brandon, Brandon Jr. & Mary 

Dawn and Randy with Makenna. 

Brandon Jr. showing off his walking skill. Charlotte and Makenna were coloring. 

What a happy birthday boy!

Breakfast was great ... a good time was had by all. 

Randy's favorite phrase of the last 20 years is "old people get goofy."  Well, in keeping with that idea we have two stories, one was RANDY!

Randy went to pick up Dawn after work but was early. Dawn noticed he was wearing a new T-shirt she bought him some time ago. She also noted that it was riding high at the front neckline. Well, when he left her office, she noticed his back tattoo was visible!  Being busy, she forgot about it. On the bike ride home, Randy noticed something itchy ... yep, the tag!!! Of course, he said nothing to Dawn. At bedtime, Dawn remembered the vision of Randy's back tattoo and burst out laughing! Randy's new shirt  had the same design front and back and he had it on backwards! LOL. He said he had fit in quite well with the other Walmart shoppers!

Lynn & Lew spent the week in Biloxi, Mississippi on business; at least Lynn was on business. Haha. When they arrived home last night after a 10 hour drive, they discovered the suitcase with all of their computers, 2 laptops and an iPad was missing! OMG

Lynn raced to her home based desktop and pinged her iPad ... and "found it" at the hotel lobby in Biloxi. Several minutes later she discovered some good person had taken the entire suitcase to the front desk for lost and found! I'm not sure how they will retrieve it, but imagine their relief! It might have been stolen or "blown up" as abandoned luggage! Yes Randy ... "old people DO get goofy!"

Well ... that's it for today! 👍🏻

October 1, 2016

Hello October! 

River maples along Lake Eustis and Sunset Bay are showing autumn colors! 

We started our day with a spinach and feta cheese omelette! Wow! My eyes were scarcely open when Mark called me for breakfast. Robs and Beez were already waiting for their fried egg. Lucky Scotties! Lucky me!

Mark headed to the grocery store for thick cut pork chops while I tidied the house for tonight's fun. Randy and Dawn are coming for dinner and Mexican Dominoes. 

Once Mark was home, I left for Target to buy a birthday pressie for little 1 year old Brandon. Tomorrow morning we're meeting the partiers at Mary's Country Kitchen for brunch! 

Yes folks, Brandon is a cute redhead! 

Dawn and Randy arrived from an outdoor, "dry" party ... in need of A/C and a drink!

Mark made a tomato mozzarella salad and we opened a 2011 ... no that's NOT a typo ... wine. It was so tasty that we opened another one! Finally, it was back to the ol' Franzia. LOL

"Someone left the cake out in the rain" was sung in many keys ... then played on the iPhone by Marilyn Manson. (?). Anyway, it was a PARTAY!

I have no idea what was going on here ... but it was fun. 

Dinner was great! We had a blast ... and never got our dominoes out. We finished the evening by singing John Denver's Country Roooads, take me hoooome. LOL