Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Today’s the Summer Solstice in our Northern Hemisphere! 🌞

There’s been several extended family events lately! 

Congratulations to cousin Flo and husband Peter on the birth of their baby! Hector has arrived earthside. He’s a fine looking lad. 🥰

Best wishes to cousin Elliot and Chase on their Wednesday wedding! 

The Buchanan Tartan was well matched by Chase! ❤️

The Tawns family, minus Flo and Peter in the U.K. were there to celebrate with Elliot & Chase. 

Tomorrow, Bonnie arrives with 18 lb. Wyatt. We’re ready to welcome this cutie into our family. Robbie and BeeZee know … there’s a crate set up in our Sunroom for him. We have some fun planned for the weekend! 

More pics in the next few days!

Yesterday we had a fun friends night out at El Mezcal in Mt. Dora. Great food and lively conversation! 

Whatta crazy group! 

The K’s are safely in Canada for the summer and having dinner with Tony & Aurelia this evening. Have fun!

Mark’s niece Olivia is with her brothers Jackson and Marshall plus her dad, Danny in North Carolina. We’ll see them all at nephew Jeremy’s wedding in October! 

Ebay sales have been brisk benefitting animal rescue. Diane donated more items last Sunday! Thanks! 

Enjoy the upcoming weekend … and if I’m not separating Scotties next week 😂 I’ll post pics.  

Ta ta til then. 

Monday, June 3rd, 2024

Good afternoon! It’s been a minute since Blogging hasn’t it! 

We’re doing well …. bowling, boating and swimming with summer well underway in our region. 

RanDawn have been hosting family gatherings with Jan, Dawn’s mom, in town for a month. We were lucky to see them at Lake Eustis Waterfront Grill last Tuesday evening. It was a nice night! 

EBay sales have been brisk thanks to the recent “turning out” (as mom called it) by Sue, Diane and me.  Diane has really been busy! Who knew “Patio Dresses” were a hot summertime seller? In the “olden days” they were house dresses. 

Our friends Bonnie & Roger in Oklahoma were hit with a huge tornado about 10 days ago. Bonnie’s car is totalled, their fencing and dozens of trees are down. But … their house survived whereas 3 neighboring homes were demolished. Fortunately all their animals survived too! 

We’ve BIG news! This wee boy, Wyatt, is coming with Bonnie from Tulsa on June 21st!

Wyatt is retiring from showbiz / breeding and becoming a pampered pooch at our house. Mayhem will reign for several weeks as Robbie (13 1/2) and Belize/BeeZee (11) sort out his position in the squad. 😂 As Mark says “All hell’s going to break loose!” 🤣 Wish us luck. 🍀 

Wyatt is 2 years, 3 months old … a perfect age for us. And, Robbie and Bee will be crucial in his house-breaking. They’re both easygoing and trustworthy doggies. 

Next blog will be family wedding news from Australia. 

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Good afternoon! A WILD thunderstorm just whipped through our area! Two hours ago we were boating with Nancy’s family aboard Mrs. R. B.

We went to the Crazy Gator for our Harbor Shores boat-in lunch. It was a great time … sat with new neighbors Kip and Shelly and their son Jason and his wife Erin. Originally they’re from Pembroke Pines, south Florida. 

YESTERDAY was the Scottish Terrier Rotating Specialty Show in Ocala, just 90 minutes from us.  

Robbie sat quietly in his stroller and intently watched the youngsters 9-12 months in the ring. (Robs was the oldest Scottie at 13 1/2 … and still in good shape!) Lots of attention was focused on our sweet guy.  

We got caught in the rain as we arrived in the parking lot. The World Equestrian Center is massive with many indoor arenas so it took a minute to find the Scottie show. 

Wee beastie BeeZee was bat-shit crazy at the show. 😂 I’m wondering did SHE THINK she was going to be in the ring? We did discover Bee doesn’t like white dogs! 🤷‍♀️ 

The youngsters were first! (We were too late to see the parade of rescue Scotties!)

Adorable mascot of the agility events. 

Much more went on but we left at 1:30 … it was enough excitement for we 4. 🙂

In other news … RanDawn have Dawn’s mom, Jan, visiting from Michigan. They’ve been celebrating birthdays and enjoying get-togethers! (Our friends Lynn & Steve bought a house on Tammy Drive and will become neighbors of theirs in July!)

Sue & Wayne are in south Florida for a few days checking on the RV building. 



It’s going to be a beautiful addition to their motorhome site! 

Last Wednesday was our Friends Night Out … at the Brick & Barrel in downtown Eustis. The service was top notch and everyone loved their meal. 

That’s it for now! Hope you’re enjoying life and good springtime weather! 

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Good afternoon. It is a bright, beautiful sunshiny afternoon with a light breeze here in central Florida. We had rain overnight, the first in quite a while. It actually woke us up, and the front yard this morning showed evidence of a strong wind. The plants are all loving it, of course. 

This past week we met Sue and Wayne for lunch at ramshackle in Leesburg. The food is always good there, and abundant. The servings are huge. We borrowed a stroller from Sue and Wayne for next weekend. The Scottish terrier specialty show is being held in Ocala. We will go to it, just one day and browse around. But, we are going to bring the dogs! So, I guess my Mother’s Day present is buying one stroller. Heck, they each have to be in one. 🐾🥰

Then yesterday, we bowled with Lynn, Steve, Paul, Ted, and Mike. These are all friends from bowling. It was quite a fun afternoon.

This morning, we did grocery shopping for our Mother’s Day fun at Nancy’s house tomorrow. We are going to play Catan and have dinner together.  Even the dogs are welcome! It would be quite funny if our friend Linda, who is also going, brought her dog Daisy. (Daisy is a sweet pitbull.) 

This picture was taken at our last Yaya’s at Cheri’s house! It was so much fun, and Cheri, of course, overdid it on all the food. Yum 😋 

Last night, the aurora borealis was visible all the way into Florida. That has never happened in all the years we’ve been here.  

Central Florida! (I know this doesn’t compare with having seen it in Winnipeg during the cold nights of winter many years ago.)

Saturday, April 27, 2024

The air is heady with fragrance of Jasmine in our area of Central Florida. Our afternoon golf cart ride was admiring flowering trees and bushes. Purple flowers on the Jacaranda trees are so full this year. We saw Nancy in her garage and pulled in to visit. Robbie and Belize were so excited to see her … barking like crazy. Of course she went back in the house and brought them out a treat. 😂

Today would have been Mom’s birthday … still missed and thought of daily. 

After lunch we took the kids for a boat ride to Ferris Park, Eustis and watched the drag boat races. It was exciting to see so many boaters out despite the strong winds.  Dozens of sailboats were on the lake too, enjoying a regatta. 

Sue and Wayne are home from a visit to South Florida.  They saw friends Carol and Jack at Bella Roma for Italian food. (It was a favorite of ours too!)

Fantastic action picture! ⭐️

The garden looks great at Sue & Wayne’s!

Gardenias and red roses are blooming! Beautiful. (Hope you’re enjoying spring weather too!)

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Good evening y’all.  It’s been a beautiful day here in Central Florida. We began with 63F and climbed to 88 … no humidity so it felt great! 

Yesterday we bowled with friends … scored well but both of us missed money shotsz 🙄 $30 for Mark and $20 for me. Ha. Otherwise, we won about nine dollars in quarters. 

Also yesterday, our friend Lynn‘s sister Jeanette, passed away after a very long battle with cancer. She has had some form or another for nine years and brain cancer for the last year. Finally, it was into her esophagus, and there was nothing more to be done. She was a bit of a celebrity in these parts, and often appeared at the comedy clubs. I remember her smile when Lynn was married last year. She was so happy to be able to be her matron of honor. Cancer sucks. 

Toni and Aurelia arrived home to Winnipeg last evening. I hope they had a good trip back, and that spring has sprung in the north.

Last Wednesday was our friends night out at Jeremiah‘s in Mount Dora. The food was good, and the service excellent. We always have such a fun time.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Yesterday, we lost a fine friend in Rick Moir. His last 10 months fighting brain cancer were courageous from diagnosis onward. Everyone who knew Rick hoped for a cure or at least a long remission. It wasn’t to be.

I met Rick in the ‘70’s at Buchanan Marina on the Red River. He was working on the Shasta, an old wooden boat that had seen better days. When Rick put his mind  to something … well, it was launched and floated. We became friends and continued weaving in and out of each other’s lives for 50 years. 

Rick married Ruth and welcomed two daughters. His career in piano tuning and sales made a good lifestyle for his family. Eventually Rick bought a larger boat, the Jade A (Jadia owned by Saul Simkin) and was a frequent contributor to the RMYC clubhouse. They were fun years. 

Eventually Rick moved the big steel boat to Lake of the Woods. Then a cottage was renovated. In 1990 we met up and partied at the White Birch Lodge near Sioux Narrows. (Lives weaving in and out.)

After I left The Peg for Florida, Rick & Ruth picked up stakes and relocated to Kelowna, B.C. There they built a gorgeous home on the mountain side. In 2013 Mark and I spent time nearby at a farm/RV park. It was a grand time! (Some friendships just are.) It was Rick who started me Blogging for the 2013 trip!

Over the years, their visits to Florida … Thanksgiving together at Diane & Kris’s … and a Christmas complete with gifts at our house; so much fun.

Now, Rick is gone, free of pain and despair. You’re missed already. Thanks for the memories dear friend.