A new dawn

How about that---the grand kids are getting older and doing new and good things!  Faustina scored the game tieing goal in her soccer game, Henry took first place for 7th graders with his drawing and Leo connected for the game winning RBI in his little league baseball game.  All that and without any help from Grandpa!!!
The Lees in South Bend helped Terry celebrate her birthday on the Wednesday the 24th, the Lees in Madison helped celebrate her birthday on Friday the 26th and finally, on the day, the 27th, Terry and Carmen finished the celebration yesterday when we arrived in St. Paul.  Grandma Terry asked Leo to get a hit yesterday for her birthday and that is what he did!
It will be a few days of unpacking and settling in and then we need to map out the summer.  I could get into a LONG list of things that need/should be done this summer so we need to talk and be sure we put things in the right order.  We know we will visit Dave and Marlys and from there go on a camping trip that will take us to 3 presidental libraries and then the Saunders gathering in July and of course there are MANY things on the home front in St. Paul that need/have to/should get done so planning is in order big time.
We arrived in St. Paul early PM yesterday happy to get out of the car and off our behind.  It is fun to travel and to see things and people but it is also always fun to get home.  I think Terry wants to get some plants today for the garden.
It is late in the morning but I just finished my FP.  Time to get some more things unpacked.

#9

Happy birthday Faustina!  Oh my you have changed from this cute little girl to this more mature girl who is smart, talented and pretty!  Have a fun birthday today.
Love, Grandpa Lee and Grandma Terry

Another milestone!!!

I made another HUGE deposit into our book account.  We received a royalty check on Thursday in the amount of $26.93.  I figured if I can keep that up we will hit the million dollar mark by the year 11260.  As I looked at that figure I felt that was not doable so my goal is to recover our costs which will take until I am 102 at the rate things are going.  As I looked at that figure I resigned myself to the memory of a fun time writing and publishing that book and leave it at that.😎
Today is packing day.  My goal is to have 90% in the car by mid afternoon.  I would say most is already sitting in the hall ready for boarding so the day should not be too busy.  I do need to go over to the pro shop and say good-bye to Phil, the pro.  He will be in the Twin Cities in August for a tournament so will see him then.
No, I smell the bacon and my FP, from the new shiny grinder, is almost gone so will sign off and greet the day with a smile.

The end

I played my last tennis match of the season this morning.  I am thankful for the season, no injuries and a very fun time.  I was thinking of our play over the last several months.  I remember sitting on the barn roof in the 50's and wondering what the rest of the world was like.  Well as I think of our tennis players and team they came from the rest of the world.  They came from Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Texas, Delaware, Vermont, Minnesota, Maine and other places.  And guess what, they were kind of like me!  OK so I know that God had something in mind when he created me and I am not so sure he wanted anything like me but sure these guys looked, acted, played and talked very much like me so I guess the world is kind of the same all over!
I put out the last of the garbage and recycling this morning.  This afternoon I washed the containers and put them in the garage.  For the next 24+ hours everything will go into the garbage and it will be taken to the condos.
Terry and I have spent most of this week with the idea that we will leave for the north early Sunday.  Pretty much everything is in order and tomorrow will mean packing the car and making sure all is in place.  We hope to hit the road Sunday by 8 or before and arrive in Peach Tree City GA by late afternoon.  I think after about 5 miles we will hit I 75 and then the cruise will be on 75+ for most of the day.  I will forget about the MPG and instead focus on the ETA!
It seems that the summer season has begun.  We received a PM rain shower today and that is par for the course during the summer.
So it may be early to bed tonight, early to rise tomorrow and then pack, pack and pack.
I was concerned that I may not have FP the next couple of days as our coffee grinder crashed and burned this morning but there is a shiny new one on the counter so tomorrow morning will be a great day for sure!
Time for a relaxing brew.

Progress on day 1

Nothing important about the picture.  It was taken in Alaska as we rode with a bush pilot from Homer to Glacier Bay National Park.  This shows how the glaciers are melting in Alaska.
I made progress in day 1 of our last week in Naples.  I keep our receipts by running them through a device called the Neat.  It copies and puts them in place.  It seemed as if I had done this a short time ago BUT there must have been 100+ to do.  I wanted to get them done before we embark on our trip north.  Way to go Carmen!
It has been a good last few days.  Brother Dave called a last Friday and reported a good Dr. report.  The Dr. had been concerned about his liver but that appears to be fine.  Good news.  Up and on to 100 Dave!!!  I have changed the way I play tennis and I feel my game is upped a bit.  Now when my partner is being served to or is serving I stand about 3 feet in front of the net instead of 6-7 feet.   I have found it causes my opponent to often change the way he plays and it also gives me a better chance to put a return away.
Terry and I are pretty much done with everything except deciding what goes and what stays.  There are always a few things that must be done before we leave and they are all finished.
I finished my last reading of the winter.  In all 26 books were read and I would say all but a couple were good reads.  I usually do not take the time to read in MN as spare time is usually in the wood shop.  As I woke up this morning and prepared to get out of bed I needed to stretch my right foot which sometimes feels like a piece of wood in the morning.  I stretched it and then gave thanks that I have not needed to have a shot in the lower back this winter.  Yes, those are actually no fun so am excited to avoid it for now.  I don't think I have missed any tennis because of injury.  I did play court #3 once because my leg was sore but that was it.  First time with no injuries the last 6 years so that is good.
No, time to down the last of the FP, get tennis clothes on and ride to the courts.
Oh, one last thing.  As June 15th approaches I am thankful for 10 years of retirement.  I know several people who were not blessed to have that many years so THANK YOU LORD.

Not much new

panoramic view of the gulf sunset

One week from today we should be on I-75 headed to GA, then to IN, then to WI and finally to MN.  We are getting a later than planned start but life sometimes gets in the way of what you would like to do!  We are thinking we will arrive in St. Paul on Terry's birthday which is May 27th.
I went on a short bike ride yesterday and it was very evident that I do not ride much.  I pretty much ride to the tennis courts Monday-Friday but that is it.  Yesterday I put on the biking pants, the ID on my ankle and rode for a whole 7+ miles.  I know that is not very far but back in the 60's that would have almost taken me to Geneseo from the farm!  Yesterday at about mile 5 my behind started to tell me that I don't ride much if you know what I mean.  I did not get tired nor did I get sore legs so I may hop on the bike again today for a short ride.
I almost had a stomach ache yesterday day, well I guess I really did.  My phone rang about 4:00 PM and we saw it was from AZ so that meant it was meaningless but wait, they left a message.  When I listened to it my heart sank.  It was Visa and someone had found my Costco Visa that most of our charges go on. There was a number if I wanted to call the people who had called Visa.  I had gone to the car wash in the morning and used the card so I could see me leaving the card on the reader as I washed the car as I had on shorts with no pockets.  I berated myself, kicked myself and felt that perhaps I am at the end of my line!!!  Well I called the person and this lady said it was found at the car wash and they were staying at a hotel about 10 minutes from our place.  I could come and get it.  When I arrived and got the card I was a tiny bit relieved.  She said her husband had found the card on the floor of the car wash.  It then dawned on me that I HAD put the card back in the car after using it but in my haste I placed it on the front seat where the towels were that I dried the car with.  When I pulled the towel off the seat to use it the card must have been swept off the seat onto the ground.  I know, that in itself is not so smart BUT it certainly was better than leaving the card on top of the reader and driving off.  It took about an hour for my stomach to settle and feel OK.  I guess such is life after the 60's!
Brother Dave called yesterday and talked a bit about his doctor appointments this week.  I received good news which is encouraging.  I look at my siblings and we are not that old but yet we are not young either so when someone gets good news from the Dr. it is really GOOD news.  I will not speak for Joan, Dave or Helen but for myself I will say that the more MATURE I get the more I think about energy, health, activities etc.
Grandma Saunders called yesterday to thank us for a flower we sent her for Mother's Day.  Interesting as she said she really liked it and never had anything like that before.  I think it is at least the 6th time we have sent her an azalea plant for Mother's Day!!!  I hope I spelled that flower correctly as it did not come up on my spell check!
I will play tennis each morning this week but I am guessing most of the time will be spent getting ready to leave.  There are always decisions as to what to leave and what to bring.  AND there also are things that NEED to be brought and one had better not forget them.  Like phones, chargers, computers, legal papers, certain clothes and the list is too long to write down.  Several years ago I left our computer in the parking lot of a hotel but that subject is not one I want to talk about!
No, the FP is gone (had a bit of Baileys today), the e-mails have been read, I have looked at the St. Paul paper on line and it is time to get a bit of exercise in on the bike.

May 6th and a time to remember

Helen getting the mail out of the Lawrence H. Lee mailbox!  Hope nobody tried to carry water in that pail.

The reason I like this picture is because it was taken when Bert and Eleanor still lived by the lake.  How do I know?  After they were forced to sell their farm the mail man did not come from the north but came from the south and at that time Dad moved the mailbox from the road to just in our driveway.  That way Fritz could turn in, deliver our mail, back up and head south again.  I have always felt that OUR farm had to have the mailbox on the road.  It also may have had a dent or two from a golf ball driven to far!  Oh, I like the picture also because baby sister Helen is in it!
I never thought of this until I was well into adulthood but if you think about it most families, if they have a sign it would say "The Lees" or it would have said "Lawrence and Ruby Lee" or at the lake it may even have the names of kids on it but not ours.   As I think about it, the sign tells a lot!  I guess if I want to be honest I hardly ever got mail anyway and often if I did it would be addressed to Ms. Carmen Lee.  Funny, it never bothered me, rather I thought it was funny.  I don't ever remember thinking about my name and being upset about having it mostly a female name.  Maybe that is the reason God planned my life so that I was always big for my age(until late HS) and friends/guys dared not say anything to me that would upset me.  BUT maybe I need to investigate and see if I really was born in 1947.  Lately I feel as if I may have been born in 1940!  Joan or Dave may know.

I am exhausted.  I have found over the years that often emotion takes a greater toll on me than physical work.  Now I am retired and one would think that there is no reason for exhaustion but I feel like I could sleep for a day.  I am not one to lie in bed after I wake up but this morning I thought about staying in bed but--no I had to get up, get that FP going and the bacon/eggs and hash browns needed to be made.  Now I am full, happy and maybe open to an afternoon nap!
Each Saturday there is a section in the Naples paper called "Cars".  Is has many different kinds of articles about cars and often reads very interesting.  Today as I read some of it I had to think about Dad.  I am guessing it was in the mid to late 50's.  Our farming neighbor and my cousin-in-law Loren Freeman bought a new Ford car.  Now Dad should have been happy because he knew that the ONLY car worth getting was a Ford but he was making fun of Loren because he bought a new car with a 6 cylinder motor.  What made me reflect back on that today is in the car section there is a story about Hyundai coming out with a new model car that has a 4 cylinder turbocharged 265 hp motor.  I am guessing that our old 53 Ford with the V-8 had 150?  I don't know for sure if it was a 53 or about the 150 hp but I think I am close!  Not sure Dad would believe things today.  I am sure he would enjoy the digital camera as he could take as many pictures as he wanted and yes he could forget about the flash bulbs too!  I am trying to think WHY I so dislike pictures when people are putting fingers behind someones head to making a goofy face and I think I came up with why.  We would NEVER have been able to do that with Dad as each picture cost money and that wasted money could be used for more film, more ammo for hunting or whatever he felt he needed.
Enough for this morning.  I actually may try to get some work done this morning as my belly is full and my FP is gone.

Another day and another birthday

The April showers did not do the trick so Agatha is helping things along!
Happy birthday Agatha.  We love you and miss you but will see you this month!
Love, Grandpa Lee and Grandma Terry

We continue to hear and see much about fires in SW Florida.  Yesterday as I opened the garage door if I had shut my eyes I would have guessed there was a fire very close BUT no that was not the case.  I am guessing there would never be a fire around here as there is little woods or dry land.  However we are in a very severe drought and need rain.
I continue to play tennis Monday-Friday and I continue to have a hard time convincing my mind that my body is a bit mature!  Those aches and pains seem to be everywhere but then can I complain?  Of course not as I could shut down the playing anytime.  I have a bit of a strain in my right ham and when I sit in the car it tells me it is there.  Maybe a few days before we leave I need to just rest as I do not look forward to having an ache hamstring for 2000 miles.  We have done very little packing or planning for the trip north.  Maybe we will leave things until the last minute and then work like crazy!
No more FP left so that is all for today.