A Fun Day--Up Close



I wonder if their 45,000,000 dollar upgrade will improve the sign!!



Terry and Jeanne at spring training



Mark Rosen from channel 4 taking notes





Alex Burnett, he gave Leo a ball last year



Old timers come to help, Rod Carew



Tony Oliva



Gardy wants you



Here is what a 20+ million dollar man is-Mauer

 Terry and I met Dick and Jeanne Larkin Wednesday for a fun time at Twins spring training, a nice lunch and dessert at their place.  I am not a huge fan of things like games or events where million dollar boys play but this was a fun time.  I wanted to be like Leo and get a ball so I went way off my  myself and waiting until a ball from batting practice came a short way from me on the ground.  I then slipped through an exit that was for emergencies only and snatched the ball up before hurrying away!!  When I rejoined everyone I had it in my back pocket just like Mauer did on the field!!!!
We continue to experience perfect weather, sunny and in the low 80's.  Perfect for tennis and Terry played four times each of the last two weeks and has three times scheduled for next week.  I need to get into the swing of things again.  For most of last week and this week I have been only a cheerleader for Terry.
We are looking forward to Terry's sister and husband coming tomorrow and staying for two nights. They are in the market for a warm place for the winter.  They live just outside of Chicago.
Time is winding down for the winter.  It seems like a short time ago that we arrived in Naples and here we only have about 35 days before we head out. 
Our plans are to head out about March 29 and take in a couple of places on our way to Washington D C.  Then April 6 we will fly out of Washington for a 10 day trip to China.  When we arrive back in D C we will head to New York City for lunch at Katz Deli and a couple of days in New York.  Then maybe we will spend some time in the New England States before heading to St. Paul.  We are trying to plan how to work in woodworking, a trip out West and two weddings this summer.  Like I say, this retirement is difficult, never a day off!
No more FP coffee left and work to do before company tomorrow.

Another Week Gone By

Perhaps I have said this a thousand times but I will say it again, "Oh my how times flies!"
I really do not know what happened this last week as it seems like I blogged yesterday but the blog says February 10, 2013.
So often people will ask me what I do now that I am retired and have few obligations.  I am not sure what I say most of the time but I know that time goes fast and I seem to keep busy.
Some of the things that happened this last week:

• We had two couples over last Sunday PM for a nice turkey dinner.  It was a fun time.  One of the guys was one of five superintendents of schools in New York City when he retired and it was fun to talk education.  Most of the people down here are from the world of business as I think that is more conductive to retiring in FL!!   Anyway it was really fun talking education for a change.  As always Terry did a super job of setting up the dinner. 
• I had two sessions with physical therapy.  This place I go really is great.  We had a couple over Wednesday afternoon for snacks and a drink.  We made up a gag gift for them and then we wanted to show them our camper as the lady had asked Terry some time ago if we lived in our camper during the summer??   Anyway, Steve said he dealt with tennis elbow some time ago and was unable to do anything for 10 months.  Terry once dealt with it for two years.  My point is I have dealt with it for about a month and was on the court yesterday for a doubles match. Now my tennis yesterday was one of those days where you want to throw the racket and stomp on it for a minute (I did not do that) but my game reflected my lack of skill after a long lay off and did not reflect any hurt in the elbow!  Another day and maybe another level, perhaps!!!  
• We downloaded our first book on our mini-i pad so now we can read off of that.  A new thing for us.  We will see how we like it. 
• Terry played tennis four times last week and has tennis scheduled four times this week as well.  I think I will have to have her show me how to play again.
• Terry had several appt this past week and now is scheduled for a few PT sessions on her neck and back.  We are hopeful that helps.
• We have several appt this coming week too.  I also will try to get on someones tennis radar again.  Once a person is off it can be difficult to get on as people tend to play and then ask the same people if they are open to play next time. 
• We actually had two days of really nice rain.  I think we received about 2-3 inches on Thursday and Friday. 
• We enjoyed a nice Valentine dinner on Thursday.  We have gone to the same place and actually sat in the same booth for the last three years.
• I finished my writing class on Thursday.  A fun time and very helpful.  Now it is time to get serious about editing the writing I have done.  I think I will have to put a time aside each day or it will be put in the often time used time slot of "some day".
• We almost have our taxes ready to go in. 

I finished my FP coffee hours ago so can not say I am at the bottom of the cup but regardless I am finished.

Ice-Tens machine-Again and Again and NO tennis

Here we go again.  Last year it was the muscle (yes men my age still have some!) on the underside of my right arm, this year it is on top.  I am hoping PT twice a week, ice and Tens on the arm 2 or 3 times a day will get me back on the court by Saturday, February 16!
More books this week and more sunny weather, what else can I say. 
Actually the highlight of the week was a 3 hour boat ride with a great lunch at the turn around point.  We took some pictures for a couple down the street and in turn they treated us to a boat ride on Friday.  We got out into the gulf and it felt like Paul B, from up north in MN, was pounding on the underside of the boat so we turned around and spent the next couple of hours on the back waters.  We saw several dolphins which was fun but the most fun was just seeing the landscape around the backwaters. 
I guess another highlight was our purchase of a mini-i pad but have not used it much yet.  We decided on the mini and will see what we like.  Would be nice to take books on it when we travel so one can carry this tiny little thing with a dozen or so books in stead of carrying all the real books with us. 
We will be having dinner guests tonight so will fire up the grill this afternoon and put a turkey on. 
Not much else.  The weather has been perfect with temps in the low 80's and it has gotten to the point that it is difficult to imagine the wintry weather in the NE.
FP, it is all gone.

Two Days late

Two days late but happy 3rd birthday Ruby!!  You are the only family member with a February birthday but you make the entire month special.
Not a lot of Naples news.  We spent half a day on Thursday with a friend from Highland Park School.  She lives in Wisconsin but has family here.  We drove to Fort Meyers where a long long ago fellow worker is the principal at an elementary school.  Visited for a short time but it was fun.
I have been dealing with a bit of tennis elbow so have not played for almost two weeks.  I went to Urgent Care last Tuesday to get a referral for physical therapy and ended up with a cortisone shot.  I know that does not cure the elbow but it reduces the inflammation and takes the pain away so now I can take it easy and get back on the court again.
We are on our way to a Super Bowl party.  Not really our cup of tea but then at times it is nice to be social.
We both continue to read books in between walks.  There is work to be done but it is difficult to find the time to get to it!!!!!
No, time to go.