A landmark

Today is the last day of November 2012.  In late October Terry encouraged me to write each day in November and I DID!!!!  I finished writing #30 this morning.  It has felt good to decide to do something and follow through with it.  I do enjoy writing and have found it not only fun to write but to share that with siblings and get their feed back.  I have written about my childhood up to about the age of 14 or so.  One has to be careful with those memories as it would be easy to get into "what if" or "I wish" or "maybe I should have done that" but overall it was a great exercise.  I hope to compile the writings into one place after I have gone through each one and revised---much needs to be done with them for sure.
Another great day here in Naples.  As I walked out to get the paper the sun was up and the temp was 66.  I will hit the tennis courts at 10:30 for a round robin which is a group of old men playing each other, I guess I should be honest as it is just a bunch of "wanna bes" who enjoy having tennis fun!  Actually I have an hour tennis lesson scheduled for next Monday as I do want to add some things to my game and eliminate MANY things from my game!!
Terry and I continue to kind of make plans for some travel in 2013.  If things fall into place it will be exciting.  In the next weeks we will have to make some decisions as to what, when and how.  We can't do too many things as that wood shop on Niles Ave needs to create a bit more dust next summer. 
Oh my gosh, no more FP.

Towards December

As I turned the computer on this morning I was reminded that we are now headed towards the last month of the year.  Friday marks the end of November but really I should have known that because in the last weeks you could not go into a Target or Wal-Mart or any large store without hearing Christmas music.  I shut all of that out until after Thanksgiving but it has been there. 
We had a nice Thanksgiving Day.  Terry created a wonderful dinner which we shared with friends.  It has even been almost better the last few days as we feast on turkey sandwiches and the left over side dishes.  Of course on special holidays we think about all the kids and grand kids and wish we were closer.  As we shared our dinner on Thursday we thought about kids in GA, MN, TX, WI and IN.
We will not do a lot of Christmas shopping this year.  We will send presents to the grand kids but those are purchased, wrapped and waiting to be sent. This week we will put up our Nativity Scene and some other decorations to make things look like Jesus' birthday is near.  As for Christmas we are undecided yet.  Last year we spent in St. Paul as we waited for little Ben to be born on Christmas Eve Day.
Actually much bigger than Thanksgiving last week was sister Joan's and Ron's early Christmas present.  Grandson Charlie and his wife Kelly presented them with four new great grand children.  Addison, McKayla, Andrew and Mason are doing fine, great grandma and great grandpa are doing fine too and mom and dad, well I am sure they are thrilled.  Joan and Ron have one other great grand child so this makes five now.  The only negative is Joan is ssllooww on the draw with pictures, none yet.  Her excuse is she does not know how to down load them onto her computer but really I suspect Kelly and Charlie can not get them out of great grandma's arms!!!  We are thrilled for them but really it makes me tired to think of FOUR.
We have been enjoying wonderful weather here.  It was 56 when I walked out to get the paper this morning and by mid afternoon it will be 75.  Maybe a perfect day to take the boat shuttle to the beach and go for a walk.  I have also been able to get some tennis in and my game, at any given time, can look like the good--the bad or the ugly.
One last note.  I have been able to keep up with my writing.  So far in November I have written every day so today will be #25. I have the topics for the rest of the week and then I will decide where to go with it.
I just sipped the last of my FP coffee!

A year later



November of 2011



under water coral




some fish are so pretty

 Last year at this time we were experiencing Cozumel Mexico as Kim and Dave were getting ready to do an Ironman race.  This year we are thawing out the turkey in the fridge so on Thursday we can have several friends over and give thanks for all we have. 
This past week has been filled with activities.  I played tennis a few times and I think my game has started to come around a bit.  Yesterday there was a tournament/social event.   There is this guy, John, who hangs around the courts all the time and he puts this on monthly.  They try to pair up a good player with someone who is less than good :)(:  What ever that means.  Well they missed the boat with me and my partner.  We did have fun but in each of our matches we came in second!  Well when two teams play someone has to win and someone has to come in second.  I then paired up with another guy and we played a third set and we won that one.  I say it was kind of a tournament because in center court they had several bags of chips and several pitchers of beer.  I think the teams that advanced tried to leave the beer to the end but am not sure about that. 
I have read five books since we arrived in Naples.  It is fun to be able to sit back and read what ever when ever.
Actually the most fun I have had is writing this month.  Terry encouraged me to write during the month of November so writing I am.  Each day I have spent between an hour and two hours at the computer writing about growing up in rural ND.  So far I have 17 chapters as I write a chapter a day.  It is a lot of fun but it does tend to send a person back in time and become a bit melancholy which I guess is not bad.  Anyway it is a fun thing to do and I hope to continue doing it for some time.
Terry and I are starting to plan some more travel.  We had dinner last night with some friends who have traveled a lot.  He spent much of his professional career over seas.  We wanted to pick his brain as from time to time deals come up on Groupon and one never knows if they are a good deal or a scam.  Anyway something may come along that looks good so will see what happens.
We are waiting to hear from sister Joan about those 4 new great grand babies that should come along any day now.  How exciting is that but even from far far away I almost get tired when I think of anyone having two girls and two boys all at the same time!!!!
No, my FP is down to the last muddy drop, I have had a piece of toast with Joan's jam and I am ready to write for the day.

Happy Veteran's Dad

Not much news today.  Here are some flowers around the place we live. 
I have been successful in my writing so far in November.  Today is the 12th and I have written twelve stories so far.  I do not go back and edit them much but may do that later.  Today I talked about my stuttering.  When I was in the middle grades I was a severe stutterer.  It was an awful time in my life but in God's ways he delivered me from that for which I am very thankful.
Terry and I spent some time on the tennis court today and then later I played with three other guys.  I actually got very tired which was a bit discouraging but I will get in better tennis shape.
We took care of an insurance problem today.  We had our car insurance taken out in an auto pay as we were on our trip down here and they put it towards our house insurance, figure that one out.  Sometimes one has to question this computer bill pay stuff!

All is well that ends well

I was going through some pictures yesterday and came across this one of Jude that I thought was so cute. 
A scary time yesterday.  Terry and I made a stop at Costco, at Books-a-Million and then window shopped in several stores.  We stopped at the library but the only place we purchased anything was first at Costco and our last purchase was at Books-a-Million to pick up a 2013 engagement calendar for me.  For the last few years I have picked up one sponsored by Kare 11 which has MN weather in it but much to my dismay they are not printing one for 2013.  Anyway as I walked into the house I felt in my pocket and no wallet.  I called Books-a-Million and they said no one had turned in a wallet.  As anyone knows losing a purse or wallet is NOT good.  I have 3 credit cards, driver license well you know what is in a wallet.  We drove back to the shopping center where we were.  We knew we did not have to go to Costco as I had used it after that.  Terry went into the book store and I went into a store we had sat near.  No wallet any place.  We had gone into a cooking store but had not purchased anything but what the heck you may as well try.  Nothing.  Terry then suggested we try one more store we had been in but again had not purchased anything.  Bingo---they had it.  I asked the gal behind the counter if a wallet had been turned in and she not only said yes but took it out of the drawer and handed it to me without asking if it was mine!!!   Nothing had been taken out of it.  I have NO idea how it jumped out of my pocket in the store but for sure all is well that ends well.
I got back on the tennis courts yesterday morning.  There were about 13 guys on 2 courts which is a crowd so it was "sit" sometimes.  I don't like to do that but sometimes I guess it is OK.  I had a conversation with a guy who is about 6' 8" and played HS basketball in Portland ND and then went on to play in the ABA.  He said in his senior year they beat Sargent Central in the regional in Fargo.  I will have to get on the court with him and see if I can get some pay back!!
I started reading a new book Friday.  I am almost half finished but am on page 350.  I am not sure why these people write such long books and I am not sure why I pick them up to read.
FP is down to the last drop.

Just a quickie

I wanted everyone to know what is the best.  Take a good whole wheat slice of bread, put an even coat of chucky peanut butter on it and then cover it with sister Joan's homemade jam.  In itself it is wonderful but pair it with a dark FP cup of coffee and the rest of the day can only be pale compaired to the experience.  The only problem is I wanted two or three or .........  Now I am sure why God created sisters!

The Day After



up close and personal




Terry likes state capitals--New Mexico




Utah state capital




depending on your bent you may feel like this today or like the picture below!!!





a delightful 1965 Airstream




as we left a campsite we spotted a camper much like ours

 After I picked up the paper today and read a few things I needed to get my FP and sit in the patio for a while.  As I opened the doors a cool refreshing breeze swept across my face.  Then I sat down to enjoy the view of the small lake and preserve beyond our pool.  I thought about the election yesterday and how it will effect everyone for years to come.  I thought about growing up and remembered how my dad had brought lunch to me in the field one day in November and he was so excited about someone who had won a senate seat in ND.  That guy went on to serve for about a hundred years or so and during his last term he needed people to travel with him at all times to aid him.  I thought about the amendments that failed or passed and how they might not change my life but for sure they will affect the lives of my children and grand children.  Then my mind wandered to what I have been writing and I said for sure my grand children will not experience what I did growing up but even more than that they will not even be able to imagine my life back then.  Wait a minute, that may even be true in some part for my children.  Are we better off now than in the fifties and sixties?  I will not judge that but I do know each generation tends to think the younger generation is going to hell in a hand basket!  Well of course it has not happened but........
Oh my gosh, I just swirled my coffee cup and realized my FP is almost FM (french mud!).

Happy election 2012

All of us are hoping and looking forward to all of the campaign stuff coming to an end today.  Of course everyone thinks they voted for the best person so we will see who was right as time passes.  Terry and I did early voting more than a week ago.  As we got in the line for early voting we had an hour and a half wait and when we were finished the line was longer.  We will probably sit down in front of the TV sometime after dinner but will not stay glued to the screen as being in eastern time it may be late and it may be days or weeks so I have resolved to not hold my breath.
We had a nice rain today so we hurried and got the car outside then put some soap and water to it and now it looks great again.  It was parked outside at the airport for about 5 days and came back looking like it needed some serious cleaning. 
We walked over to the tennis courts this morning and got a lesson in their new system for reserving a court. In December, January, February and March one needs to be on the ball or play in the afternoon when it is often hot.  This new system is supposed to be more fair, we will see. As of yet we have not taken our rackets out of the bag, in fact I have not put my hand on a racket for almost 8 months.  Perhaps I have forgotten how to play.
We organized a social here where we live and that will take place next Friday.  We printed the fliers and handed them out today.  It always surprised me how much people enjoy those events and how reluctant people are to organize them.  Not much work but fun to have.
I have stuck to my writing for the last 6 days.  We will see if I can do it everyday this month.  I have not gone back to read each of them so if or when I do that I may decide to stop!! I have the one for tomorrow labeled already.  It is called "The Secret Dessert".  I enjoy putting thoughts down on paper but have decided that I need to call them historical fiction or historical half truths or something like that.  In other words they will be based on life experiences but a little added here or some added there makes it more interesting.
No FP at 4:45 PM so I am finished.

A short note

I failed to mention that our neighbor to the east, Mark, died this past Tuesday.  Mark was 79, and had resided in the Veterans home for the last 2 years or so.  His wife, Judy, was so loving and faithful in visiting him daily.  We had the honor of stopping by Judy's this morning and our timing was perfect.  We got to visit Judy, her daughter Margaret, Margaret's husband Mike and also Judy's son Joe who is almost a twin of our son John, red hair and all.  In Mark's professional career he served as a lawyer for the city of Minneapolis. I know that Mark lived a life that his family can be proud of.
This means that in the last 6 weeks neighbors on both sides of 2094 Niles have lost a loved one.  It only reinforces that life is short, it is full of difficulties but in spite of all that happens in life the world does not stop, life does not slow down and once again the only constant is change.

Happy birthday Cynthia

A day late but happy birthday.  We were lucky enough to have dinner with Cynthia and family last night.  It was and of course it always is fun to spend time with family.  Faustina, Jude and Ben are so cute and fun. 
We are spending a few days in St. Paul.  Wanted to come up for some things so we we hopped on a plane last Tuesday, Travis picked us up at the airport and we will be here until noon tomorrow.  This certainly is the jet age.  What does one do for food if you are going to be in town for only a few days and for sure you do not want any leftovers to sit for the next several months?  Well what we did was get out the coupon book and get some Papa Murphy's pizzas!  No fuss, no mess and almost no dishes.  I think we may not have much pizza for a while after we arrive in Naples again.
Terry, the wonderful encourager, read something in the paper about November being writers month.  There is a web site to encourage anyone to write a 50,000 novel in a month!!!  Well I am not going to do that but I am going to try and write a childhood story each day during the month.  So far it is November 2nd and I have written "The Creek" and "The Great Fisherman".  We will see if I can write 30 by the end of the month.  For the first two days I have spent about an hour and a half each day.  Will the thoughts come each day that easy, I do not know but I do know that I enjoy writing.
Can't say anything about FP today as it is past 10:00 AM and the FP is on it's way out so to speak!!!