Thursday, September 29, 2022

Good afternoon. All’s well at our home following Hurricane Ian’s path across Florida. Areas of southwest Florida have been hit badly. Reports and pictures show major devastation. Build back will be smarter and stronger as storms become more intense. 

Meanwhile, Florida memes 🌪

The wind and rain left by 3:30 and we put our yard art and plants back in place. Tonight it’ll be cigars on the porch … wearing jackets! 

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Good evening. This is going to be a rather quick blog, as we are both worn out tonight.

Mark‘s ectropion surgery on his left eye went very very well today. He did not need a skin graft as initially thought. He will have a 10 day recovery time with an eyepatch. 

It was a rainy drive home with feeder bands from the hurricane Ian. There is no follow up appointment until next week, so we can just hunker down and relax for the next two days.

Monday, September 26, 2022

Good evening. Mark and I are just on our way home from Applebee’s where we enjoyed burger night. We were at our local one, Sue and Wayne and Diane and Kris are having dinner at their Applebee’s in the villages. 

Tomorrow is Mark’s surgery! His left eye, a 2 1/2 hour surgery, begins at 1:30. Our friend Nancy will be coming in for the dogs a few times during the day. She sure does love them! (We know she really misses her Kachina.) 

All our weather stations are on hurricane Ian The spaghetti models have it going all over, so it is too early to get overly concerned about it. In any event, we live in the middle of the state, on fairly high ground. You just can’t get safer than that in Florida. Anyway, we have our bottled water and extra food supplies plus a generator and fuel for it if needed. This is not our first rodeo, and hopefully not our last. Ha ha. if it comes a Shore where they expect, we could get 5 to 8 inches of rain. Even if it was 12 inches of rain, in our immediate area, that’s not a big deal. We will put an extra line on the boat and remove the sun cover from the truck. Then, I have to bring in my potted plants. They won’t come in the house, but just be on the floor in the front porch.

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Good afternoon. It’s actually a cloudy day here, so we got up and decided to go bowling, just the 2 of us. There was a big tournament going on, but we were given lane six and played three games before ordering lunch. It was a lot of fun, but my average is not improving. Ha ha. I think the goal of this is to improve … so I am working on one thing at a time. This time was to be consistent with my starting point. Mark felt that the lane six has a crest in the middle of it. It’s very possible as the balls tended to roll toward the side. 

When we got home, we had an invitation from Nancy that she had put the pool heater on and we could go swimming. Mark prefers working in the yard so I will take the dogs and go over for a couple of hours. 

We had fun! The Scotties got dipped and paddled a few feet … then ran around the pool deck playing! Nancy, Mary and I swam and yakked. It was 88 degrees and 82 in her pool. Perfect afternoon. 

It was nonstop football when the kids and I got home. 

Ha! Robbie and Mark ‘watching’ a game. Zzz

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Good morning. It is a bright beautiful breezy start to our Saturday. Mark and Bob are off archery hunting in the Ocala forest. They are going to enjoy it as the weather is cooler. 

So, Mark and I had planned to pull the RV out and stay in Ocala near the surgery center for Tuesday’s operation. Well … 

It’s looking like we’ll have a bit of a blow on Wednesday/Thursday according to the storm track. Five years ago we had Irma passed right over our house! It could well be that Ian passes over us too! Time will tell, but I have canceled our RV reservations and we will leave it safely tucked into its port for the duration. Hopefully, Mark‘s eye surgery will not be postponed. The next available date was January 19! 🥺

Sue and Wayne have arrived back home safely! Yay! 

Tonight Nancy is coming over for wine and to watch Skinwalker with us. 

Friday, September 23, 2022

Good afternoon. Yesterday, the day just flew past. Mark and I went to a homeowners association meeting at 2 o’clock. It was good, a lot of talk about the upcoming adjacent neighborhood. Tonight, we are going to a meeting with the developer along with folks from five adjoining neighborhoods. I bet it gets a little rowdy. 

Today, Mark‘s hunting partner Bob went to the woods to set up a stand. He’s a bit late, but it has been busy at his place lately. (Archery season starts tomorrow.) Anyway, he called Mark within the hour that his truck was stuck, and stuck badly.

Mark and Da Mounty worked an hour with Bob before a couple in a Jeep pulled up. Their fun is helping out in the forest. 

The rescuers! It was a big job! Bob’s truck was sitting on the frame with the front wheels sucked into the clay. (I told Bob he’s not allowed to go to the woods by himself again.) 😂

It’s been a sad week for all who knew Chessy and devastating for Aurelia and Tony. 💔 The wee guy was failing quickly. They tried everything with their vet to ease his suffering, but in the end, the decision was made. 🐾 Run free Chessy at the Rainbow 🌈 Bridge. 

2011 Oklahoma City … the K’s delivering Chessy (Sue’s holding him) to Tony & Aurelia in Winnipeg. It’s a poignant picture as the only dog still with us in this picture is Robbie (now nearly 12) on my lap. 💔 

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

It’s evening already and we’re just home from LaPalma in Leesburg for friends night out. Tonight, 4 are missing … Pat and Ken have company, and Elaine and Roger stayed home with her recovering from Covid.

The group started off with three for one margaritas! There are different flavors, and you can mix and match with your order. 

Nancy had passion fruit, mango, and lime margaritas. There was a mix of flavors available. At the end of a very good dinner, Mary ordered flan which we shared around the table. It was delicious.

Sue and Wayne are in Nashville tonight and had their dinner at Outback. They will take a break and stay there another night before heading home.

Chiki Wee Monkey was Wayne’s co-pilot today 🐾🥰

Nice campground! 

Well, the dogs are looking at me and telling me it’s bedtime. So often I go to tuck everyone in. Ta ta.