Three years of adventure

On Thursday Terry and I celebrated 3 years of adventure.  After visiting China, 35 national parks, 65 Minnesota State Parks, countless family and friends over these 3 years we decided to celebrate with a quiet day.  We started the day with Terry's Dr. appt and my PT appt (hey, after all we are 67!) and then spent most of the day at home just being together.  We capped the day with a home cooked meal of beef tenderloin, baked sweet potatoes and sauteed baby mushrooms and spinach.  That with a nice bottle of red wine and the day was complete.  Perhaps we did not spend enough time being thankful for life.  My heart still aches for Glorine as I think of Roxanne's death.  We do count our blessing for having children, grandchildren and so many friends.  We look forward to the years ahead.  We are putting plans in place to visit 4 national parks this spring, 12 this summer and 4 next fall.  That will leave 2 left to visit.  Of course many things can happen but for now that is the plan.  We also will visit the remaining 7 MN state parks that we have not seen.
In addition to traveling in the car and camper we travel to countless other places through books.  It is a fun adventure.
The FP coffee is down to the very last drop.

You gotta crawl before you walk and walk before you run and then race??

practice makes perfect even if it is in the pool!

more practice makes more perfect!!

Terry gave me a bike stand (thanks Aaron) and I finally used it

We got our kayak inflated and in the water last Sunday.  Neighbor John said he would go with us the first time so we ventured out into the back waters and then out to the gulf coast Sunday.  John was in his one person kayak and we in our two person inflatable---well he would paddle along and then WAIT while we caught up with him!  It was  lot of fun.  We did not see any wildlife but as we do it in the future I am sure we will see dolphins etc. 
I had my first PT session yesterday.  It was very good and extremely helpful.  The guy said I should come back Thursday, then twice next week and maybe by the 8th, when I see my Dr again he will give me the go ahead to do whatever I would like.  I was amazed to find out yesterday that for me now the scaring is more of an issue than the bone healing.  With the plate in the bone will heal but the healing of the skin is what needs to be addressed so that scare tissue does not build up and impair the movement of the wrist.  I told him I was amazed when the cast came off after 8 days and he said that in today's world the big thing is movement asap so that the muscles and tissue do not freeze up and cause joints to not work right.
No more FP so I am done.

Time Marches on!

Not a lot of news from Naples in the last few days.  For me the biggest news is my wrist continues to heal.  It feels good and I plan to start some PT next week.  I would say that it is a non issue except I can not play tennis yet and it often aches a bit at night.  Very seldom do I now wear the brace.
Terry and I have put some work in around the house.  We put some new plantings in and moved some others.  We may take out the inflatable kayak today and see how it blows up.  We have not been able to use my Christmas gift from Terry yet as we thought it would be a bit cool much of January and then the wrist thing.  Our neighbor, John, would like to go out with us the first time we use it. 
We are looking forward to April when family will be down for a bit.  Leo wants to eat "dead sea creators" so will will have to plan that.  It will be fun as Leo turns 7 during the time they will be here.
My FP is totally gone.  Marches

fun and excitment

Larry and Jeri sitting by flowers by our club house

Barefoot beach at sunset

the sun is close to setting

Larry with his new toy taking pictures

A great visit here

No matter where Larry goes, he attracts a crowd!!--at Naples pier

The real Larry with his wonderful wife Jeri

We had a fun time with Larry and Jeri.  Many sights and too much food.
Dr. appt this morning and I was so so so thankful and excited to come home without a cast. Another appt in a month but in the mean time I can start to do small things and the brace that I will wear can come off when ever I desire.  THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
I think we will see a decrease in dr appt which I am thankful for.
Enough good news for now.

flowers by the pool

Yes, spring is in the air!!  These flowers are around our pool in the back.
We all lost an hour of sleep last night so of course we will be tired for the next few months.
I am finding out what it is like without pain meds.  I have this constant dull ache which is not all that great but my stomach feels good so there is a trade off in everything.
Went shopping for food yesterday and wanted to be sure to spend $50 as then we could buy a $50 gas card for $40--good idea right?  Well we could have purchased MORE than one gas card!
One last sip of FP.

still one handed but faster than last week

Not a lot that is new.  Terry and I spent half a day yesterday in Punta Gorda which is an hour north of us.It is a quaint historical town along the gulf coast.
Of course the big thing was wrist surgery Tuesday.  It went well and I was home about 2 hours after I went in.  I will see the Dr Tuesday see what he has to say.  I have good motion in my fingers so I am guessing I will be good to go.  Perhaps a new cast for a bit but I am hoping not too long. They gave me a nerve block in the arm that lasted about 7 hours.  Strange to see your arm but really it acts like it is not attached.  The good part was of course there was no pain during that time BUT after---well I had a difficult night but am now pretty much off the pain meds and feeling OK.  The pain meds tend to make me feel sick.
Larry and Jeri B will arrive tomorrow and stay for a short visit which we are excited about.  Terry has done most of the prep as I am useless to kind of helpful with this arm.
We are in the middle of making travel plans for the summer but things are not yet final.  It looks like we may be on the road for a couple of months or more.
It looks like temps in St. Paul are finally thinking about spring.  I am sure Travis is happy. 
Enough for now

short post as this one handed, left handed stuff is for the birds

Terry making cheese bread like old times when brother Cabot visited

playing "name that tune" with brother Cabot--I was just a by stander!!

Cabot purchased this when he arrived in FL--of course I needed to go to the store

right hand swollen and useless-surgery Monday after 10 days in the broken state

I am almost at the end of the waiting period for this darn wrist.  Tomorrow I am scheduled to have surgery at 11:00 AM.  Should be home by 2 or so!  I am hoping for better days ahead.  A friend asked me if I could use some books to read so he brought over two.  I am in the middle of D-DAY by Antony Beever.  I enjoy reading about WWII but it is difficult too.  The thousands of people who lost their lives and often by friendly fire or because of some one's personality--disturbing to say the least.  If anyone is interested in DETAILS about the war this is the book but really not sure it is necessary to hear them.  I find myself thinking back on Uncle Bob who was disabled in WWII.  I think my Dad and many kind of made fun of Bob and it hurts now to think what he probably went through. 
We are excited to have company coming.  Next weekend Larry and Jeri will be here, in April Aaron's family and John's family will spent some time so that will be fun.
I find it difficult to get Roxanne and her death out of my mind.  It would have been nice to fly to SD but really the connections from Naples to Rapid City are weak at best.  Sisters Joan and Helen went and John Mouw also so that was good.  I did not hear if Glorine's brother Darrel was able to go.  At times like this God's grace and peace are so needed but it is also so important to have family close.  For the last several years I thought of sending Roxanne a baseball from Ronald's American Legion playing days way back in the early 50's---a lesson that one should not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. 
Enough of this pick pick stuff--I find it is difficult to pick and drink FP with the left hand at the same time!
And by the way happy March to all--I see that even St. Paul will NOT have lows in the minus's starting Monday night--maybe that is the end of negative temps for this winter.