The FP did it again

I had my Kona FP yesterday morning and presto my tennis team went out and won all three courts.  How about that.  Courts 2 and 3 had pretty easy wins but Karl and me on court 1 had to go to 7-5 to win the second set after going down 1-3.  We had won the first set 6-3. It was fun BUT Friday we play the second place team, 1 point behind, and I have 3 of my top 8 players not able to play.  One of the missing players would have played court 1 and one would have played court 2 so it will be interesting and of course fun.  Regardless of what happens this Friday our very next match, March 13th will be against the same team so there it is, more fun!
No, I have normal FP this morning and now with a last sip I am ready to head to the courts for a 7:30 match.

A fun surprise

A chair saver Mom made and gave to her niece Ruth Gergerson

We received a package in the mail yesterday, yes Sunday!  It was something Mom made and gave to her niece Ruth who was her flower girl in Mom and Dad's wedding.  Ruth is in her upper 90's and her daughter Erlene recently moved her to a nursing home after her mom had lived with her for many years.  Erlene said she is going through her mom's things and this was something her mom dearly loved but she could not bring an easy chair to the home so Erlene thought I may like it.  Ruth loved Mom and often had wonderful things to say about her.  I am so thankful, it is a neat reminder of Mom.  The bill is just to show how large it is.
We play an away tennis match today against the team that is at the bottom of the standings so I am hoping for a sweep of the 3 matches.  One of my best players is not available but next Friday is even worse as several of my top players will not be able to play against the #2 team.   I mentioned that to our pro and he said it will show what kind of coach I am, not so sure about that.  Anyway it is what it is and we will see when the week is finished.  I think the purpose of tennis is to have fun?  After Friday we have a bye next Monday and then there will only be 2 matches left.
Terry and I went out to eat last night with some friends who have a summer home in Baraboo WI.  We intended to enjoy a hog roast only to find that it was in the afternoon and was over at 5:00 and we arrived at 6:15!  Maybe another time.  We did stay and eat.  Terry shared our dilemma with the host and she agreed to give us the "early bird special menu" which is from 4:30-6:00 and a bit less than the evening one.  The food is always good at this restaurant.  I think it was only the third time we have eaten out in the last many months.
No, I should be finished.  I did have my Kona FP this morning as I do that on match days.  I really think it is the difference in winning and losing!!!

What is one to do?

A kerosene lantern like the one we used to carry out to milk the cows in the winter

On January 23rd we were to play our first winter league tennis match.  About 20 minutes before the start, when our opponent was almost here,  the rains came and our match was washed out.  I have been trying to schedule a make up for over a month.  Our first make up was again rained out last Wednesday.   Finally, after an almost threat, I was able to get them to agree to a Friday, March 3rd match.  Now what do I find out?  Three of my seven top tier players will not be available and the top of the lower tier players is not available also!!!  This match is for the league lead BUT we do play them again March 13th so we will see what happens.  We play the cellar dwellers Monday and I decided to put out my best line up and IF our Friday opponent could be so kind as to lose on Monday things may not be so dire but of course we have to win our matches on Monday and for sure anything can happen.
Most of the time on weekends I do not play tennis and for that reason I often have time to reflect on life, past/present and future.  The lantern brought back memories.  Taking it off the hook in our entry way, lighting the wick and walking through the snow to the barn.  Opening the door, the aroma of alfalfa hay and cows would greet me.  As I walked past the hay barn door and along the row of stanchions where the cows were I would see maybe one cat or none.  I would hang the light on a nail behind the cows, get the milking stool and put the kickers on the first cow.  I would not have to be concerned about cleaning the udder or teats because they were cleaned the night before and the cows had enjoyed a somewhat warm cozy night in the barn.  Sometimes I would end up sitting in front of one of the broken panes of glass in a window so there would be a cold winter breeze mixed with the barn aroma.  As the first squirts of milk hit the bottom of the milk pail MANY beady cat eyes would appear in the shadows.  For the first few minutes there would be one squirt in the pail and one squirt to an open mouth.  After that it was all pail.  We milked short horn cows so the milk production was not great.  When the last cow was milked and the pail was full, or perhaps 2 pails, I would head out but not before pouring the cat dish full.  As I opened the barn door to leave the aroma, the warmth, the atmosphere seemed to follow me like a good friend, not wanting me to leave but understanding it was time.
But here I sit in a warm home in wonderful weather.  The cream I put in my coffee came off the shelf of the grocery store, not from the cream separator in the entry way of our little farm house.  The FP coffee that I enjoy is so different than the Folgers that Mom boiled and Dad seemed to enjoy.  The trek in the snow has been replaced by a bike ride to the tennis courts and the farm life with siblings and Mom and Dad is now a distant memory as I have a life filled with family of my own and friends that I so enjoy.
For some reason I have been sitting around too much this winter and this dicey back issue, which has been fairly good, keeps me from walking much so what happens?  I have gained some weight.  In the past I would say to myself enough is enough and in a few days I could easily shed pounds.  NOW I say the same thing and the scale shows the same thing!  So last Monday, as I looked at myself in the mirror before going to my match, the picture was less than pleasing.  So I decided I HAD to to something and presto I have lost almost 5 pounds in the last 5 days.  No need to go into detail as to how I did it but it does need to continue for another 10-15 pounds.  I have a goal I want to meet when Lent starts next Wednesday so we will see.  Self discipline has NEVER been a strong point but now that I am north of 70 perhaps I need to change my ways.  A good friend, who I play tennis with and who is from MN, went into the hospital Wednesday AM with bleeding in the head.  He is currently in ICU but I think he will fully recover.  Is it due to age, weight, exercise or something else?  What ever I would like to avoid that IF possible.  Another friend had a very severe stroke last summer and his recovery is iffy at best so I will try to take care of myself and avoid health issues to the best of my ability.
Enough reminiscing for now.  My FP is finished and I am on to some Saturday projects.  My guess is that 24 ounces of FP each morning will keep me in good health well into old age!

A lazy day--perfect rain--no tennis match

Here is our combine but ours did not have the reel and cutter, just a header and auger to pull the grain i=up

Well we have not had any measurable rain for several weeks but here it is today, the day of our make up tennis match!  No complaints.  I drove the car out in the rain, let it get soaked and then washed it with soap.  Now all the soap is washed off but will leave it out until it stops raining.  Then I will back it in and dry it.  An easy way to wash the car.
Not any plans for the day.  We seldom get all day rains so I think it should be enjoyed.
I have looked at the web site for our league tennis today as I know we are now in first place!  BUT they do not post the scores until Thursday so I will have to wait for the glory!!!  Not of course but I do want to see how the other teams did on Monday.
Enough for now.  My FP is long gone BUT I may have to have another pot to keep warm.
OH, I almost forgot to mention that sister Helen is coming to visit in late March.  Looking forward to it.  She wants sea food so will have to research some good places.  In Naples, that should not be difficult.

All is quiet

An unusual time for me to blog but it is so quiet here and I am tired.  Terry did not sleep well last night so she is resting and I am recovering from my tennis match.  The team played well and came away with wins on all 3 courts.  One court needed a match tie breaker but they pulled it out.  We are scheduled to play Wednesday against the team in first place going into the week so it should be interesting.  We have played 12 matches so far and have won 11 so at this point all is good.  One of my best players did pull a muscle today and barely got through the match so I will see how he is tomorrow.  I am guessing he will be out for a while.  Karl and I played court 2 and played against a guy who is just a peach of a guy and he had not lost yet this winter.  He is 86!!!  If I can play like that at 86 I will be very happy.  As we started Karl came over to me and said "so now I don't want to go home and say an 86 year old guy beat us"!  Of course he could go home smiling.  It was hot on the court.
I am not playing tomorrow as I thought playing league Monday and Wednesday I needed Tuesday off but now the weather says we probably will get rained out Wednesday, we will see.  The weather forecast in Naples is often lacking big time.
Enough as I think I may soak in epsom salt for a while and then maybe do some stretching.

Ready to go

Like our farm truck but ours had a taller box and a hoist

The post title is about me, not the truck!
We had a low key weekend.  Terry took a long walk yesterday, I did not play tennis Saturday or Sunday and I got some much needed extra rest.
Today and Wednesday my tennis team has matches as the Wednesday is a make up and guess what--it may rain!  If we are able to get in both matches it will tell a lot about the winter season.  It would be nice to take most of the courts but I really hope we have fun, don't get hurt and YES win.
It is hard to believe we are in the last full week of February.  I have been thinking a lot about a second book and believe I may be almost ready to start.  Then again I am kind of lazy too.
I have had a difficult time getting the right sleep.  Last night I was up at 1:30 but then able to sleep again about 2:15.
For way tooooo long the den has been covered with books, papers and other things.  Finally I got up on my way behind paper things and the room is clean, nice.
I have more than met my match.  The kids gave me a Fitbit watch for my birthday and getting those kind of things up and running is not my thing.  Finally I got it to work but now I need to figure out how to make it do what you want it to do.  As of this morning it is working as a watch and I think that is it.
No it is time for that FP (tennis match today so I will make Kona!) and then make a bite to eat.
I always forget to share how lucky we were a couple of weeks ago.  Terry and I stopped at an Aldi store for the first time ever.  There you put a quarter in to get a cart and then when you return it you get a quarter back.  Well someone gave us a cart so we saved a quarter.  When we were finished we returned the cart and got a quarter and then there was a cart in the parking lot so we returned it and got another quarter, how lucky can one get?  Fifty cents in our pocket and I think the dozen eggs cost $1.19 so we paid about $.06 per egg, for sure it was our lucky day.
No time for FP, eggs and sausage.

I need a day off

I am not complaining but I need to take this weekend off from tennis.  In the last 12 days I have played 14 times which is too much for this body.  I will play today and tomorrow and then take the weekend off.
Yesterday Terry and I went out for lunch.  It was the first time we have eaten out since we came down in October.  We have several gift cards so we need to use them up.  We went to a place called Bravo and the food was wonderful.  Of course when one goes out to eat there is always a good chance of eating too much.  I DID.
I have been working on catching up on paper work for some time now but I have a lot left.  The paper work reminds me of picking rocks on the farm.  The more you do the more there is to do and it never ends.
As I sit at the computer with the shade open it is beginning to get light outside.  That means the FP is nearly gone, the blog needs to be finished and the tennis clothes need to be handy as the day begins.

Oh my

These combines are the same as the one we had on the farm except the top has a cutter and ours had just a pick up.  I spent hours looking but brother Dave came up with them.  I am guessing they were not popular as they were so difficult to find.  The hopper held 50 bushels which would fill our truck with 4 loads (I think!).  Climbing into the back end to change screens, for the different grains, was not one of my favorite jobs.  Of course it would be VERY dusty inside the back because that is where all the straw came out.  If Dad wanted straw he would take the belt off the blades in the back and the straw would just drop down in a windrow.  It looks to me like they are saving the straw in the top picture.
Yesterday was a fun tennis day.  We played a match at home but went to another club as our courts were filled with other league play.  It turned out great as that gave us 4 courts which means more guys could play.  The 4th court did not count in the standings.  Court #3 blitzed their opponent 6-0 and 6-0.   Court #2 played very well and came away winning 6-2 and 6-4.  I played court #1 with Rich who is a very good player but has not played a lot of doubles.  We fell behind 2-4 in the first set but came back to win a 7 point tie breaker 7-3.  We prevailed in the second set 6-3 so it was a sweep which are hard to come by.  The overall standings will come out on Thursday and I will see how other teams did but I am guessing the 3 points will put us near the top.  We have two matches next week as we have a make up so after next week we should be over half finished with the season and we will be able to see where we stand.  So far there have been no injuries and most of the guys have been available.  Yesterday one of my top players was out of town but in terms of depth the team is about 8 deep with skilled players.
Enough about tennis.  It is time for some FP and some breakfast before I hit the courts at 7:30.

A blast from the past

Grandpa helping his oldest grand child Esther with that darn loose tooth

Well there was NO work done yesterday.  Door hardware is sitting all over the house and I did not lift a finger to put any time into it.  Why, well I just get so wrapped up in this dang tennis.  We had our second winter match and it was at home.  Huntington came in with a 5-4 record and to me it looked like we were in for a struggle.  BUT my court 3 players came through after a first set tie breaker, my court 2 team prevailed 6-4 and 6-4 and so the last match was court 1.  Karl and I went up 3-0 in the first set but then derailed as Dennis, the opponent, caught fire and propelled his team to a first set victory 6-4.  In our league it is the best of 3 but if it comes to a 1-1 score the third set is a 10 point tie breaker which means losing the first set guaranties a tie breaker if you are going to win the match.  Karl and I regrouped and came back in the second set 6-1 so we were facing a 10 point tie breaker for the match.  Those darn tie breakers are often heart breakers but yesterday it was FUN with a 10-4 win.  So we came away with victories on all 3 courts and I had a happy team.  It was fun as 5 of the team, who did not play, came to watch and a couple of the wives.  It is always fun to hear the cheers from the sidelines.  But today is a new day and it needs to be work on the doors, go to Costco and get burgers for the pool party tomorrow BUT all that needs to happen after 7:30 tennis this morning.

Finally, our second team match today on our fourth week of league play

This was the suggestion our pro had for me when I took a lesson to improve my serve!
Now that I am retired I look at this week and it looks busy!  We have a home tennis match today.  I am trying to get at least 2 court wins so I made pairings which I think should give us wins on court 2 and court 3.  I am on court 1 and that is always a crap shot as teams often load up that court.  Also my leg is a bit dicey today but I think it will be OK.
I have tennis each morning this week, a team practice Thursday afternoon and Terry has 2 appointments on Thursday.  Actually the big thing is Wednesday.  We have our 2nd annual brat/burger pool party.  I will wheel our grill over to the pool and do the grilling for perhaps 35 people.  That starts at 5:00 and I have tennis from 3:30 to 5:00 so that should be interesting!
We are putting new hardware on doors in the house and that has become a task but in the end I will prevail.  Also would like to put in 2 new windows and french doors in the bedroom and that has become a nightmare.  We received a quote from HD and then the quote, with labor, came later and it tripled the price, how about that.  Still have not solved it.
Terry and I attended a Super Bowl party last night and watched Atlanta melt down in the 4th quarter.  Not sure if one should credit New England for the win or Atlanta for the win!  BUT the food and drink was outstanding at the party.
I started out the morning with KONA FP as I think that will give me added zip for the match😋.  The FP is gone but now I feel like I should get up and go.  Hopefully that will stay through the 1:30 match!

An interesting day

Beth and John showing how Beth would help her dad get his riding boots off!

I cancelled our team practice yesterday as one of the team had a pontoon rented for the day.  Six of us went on a 3 hour boat ride on the back waters of the gulf and then into a gulf a bit.  There was a lot of good conversation and it was a beautiful day but as we went through channels, around bends in the backwaters and by multi-million dollar home alone the shore I thought back.

To the late 50's.  I remembered siting on the barn roof, on the west side.  Our barn was low and long so the roof was at an angle where a person could easily walk and sit on it.  Often I would shimmy up the electrical pole by the front door and then I would walk over the top to the other side and there I would lie down.  I could see the dust from the road a mile to the west and I could look up at the western sky.  I often would think about my future.  I would see an airplane and I would imagine where it came from and where it was going.  I would think about our humble tumbled down farm and wonder what and where I would be when I grew up.  I would pretend in my mind that I was rich and famous and lived in a fancy place and then I would question if I would ever be beyond my present living.  Now I do not live in a fancy million dollar house nor am I rich and famous but yesterday as we boated past so many beautiful homes and met so very nice boats I thought "Carmen you did good".  Here you are 70 and you enjoy tennis, you have almost too much food to eat, you have bikes to ride (different than the little bike and big bike), you can buy a banana any time you want (growing up I told myself when I got to be an adult I would buy a banana everyday!) and the list went on and on and on.  So this morning I am more thankful than ever before that I am who I am and I do what I do.
By the way, in tennis if the ball is 99% out and 1% in it is in!  Our clay courts are not red but rather they are a dull grey.
I am finding that being team captain is at times fun, at times challenging, at times consuming and at times just frustrating. This week is has been frustrating!  I am trying to reschedule a match and the other team is not cooperating very well.  They have 17 guys listed on their team yet the captain is claiming he is having a difficult time rounding up 6 players for a match.  I suspect he has some that he WANTS to play and they often can not.
Our neighbor John and his daughter and son in law are down here for a bit.  We had them over for a turkey dinner Thursday and had a wonderful time.  Beth and her husband leave tomorrow and John will stay for another week.  He will come back in March and stay for the month.  Beth shared this great store of her childhood.  When she started riding horse she wanted leather riding boots instead of the old shoes she had.  She had to wait until she was 16 and she finally got them.  She was in heaven and loved them.  Today she has that pair of leather boots and her dad's leather boots sitting by her fireplace.  Great memories.
It is almost 9:00 AM and I am still in the middle of my FP but will sign off and get some things done.  Maybe the remainder of the PF will help me get some work done.

Our one and only February birthday--RUBY is 7 today

RUBY

Happy birthday Ruby.   Oh my goodness you are 7 and getting older each day.  Today you are so big and so smart.  Keep up the great work you are doing, keep being the special girl that you are AND promise you will teach Grandpa Lee and Grandma Terry some Spanish!
Love, Grandpa Lee and Grandma Terry