Written Christmas morning, 2003
Yesterday we went for our morning walk then played 18 holes of golf at the ShortShot Course-walking. I shot a 70, 8 strokes better than last time. :-) Then we walked over to the flea market and checked out every booth. I didn’t have my pedometer on but I should have! I had to get up in the night and take Tylenol Arthritis Formula because my legs were aching so badly.
When I got up I heard the fireworks and/or gunfire. It has become a tradition to shoot guns and fireworks at midnight on holidays. I am not sure if it is all holidays but it is a custom they can stop. A few years ago Tony, the cook, had a bullet come through his roof. So when I heard all the noise I wasn’t comfortable. Next we have New Years to get through without getting shot! I do not really feel I am in that much danger and I am probably in danger of being called an old fogy but I do feel that it is inconsiderate of your neighbors to be noisy late at night.
We went to a gathering in the park last night. Clam Chowder and finger food, a good time with new friends.
The influx will begin tomorrow and continue through January. The spaces around us will begin to fill up with Iowans, Missourians and other Midwesterners and more than a few Canadians. A news item gave me pause for thought. Canadians can be in the U S.
6 months but Mexicans cannot. The unfairness of this law was being pointed out on the local news. I was unaware of the discrepancy. I understand the reasons behind it but the fact remains it is not evenhanded treatment of our neighbors.
Written Wednesday A. M.
We had carolers last night. A tractor pulling a hayrack came through the park streets with 20-30 singers on board. They were all wearing jackets but you could not see their breaths. ;-)

Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Every Tuesday morning they have coffee in the hall at 9:30 A M. It is where you learn what is going on in the park, a little town meeting, so to speak. I thought we were going this week but Butch wants to square dance to Jerry Story (an Iowa boy and a very good caller) so as yet I cannot say what the plans are for today. Yesterday I spent the day cleaning and attempting to plug up holes in the screen room so Angel could not escape. It became a game with her and she is darn good at it! The problem area is around the steps.
I have tried to create a barrier with 12 packs of pop and cardboard. I need more pop! :-/

Written Sunday, December 21,2003
The awning bows are installed and the difference is amazing. We are due to have substantial winds tomorrow, Butch’s golf day Hee, hee, so we will have a test.

Many people from our home state ask what our plans are for Christmas. I think they feel sorry for us being so far away from all that we are used to doing around the holiday. We signed up for the Christmas dinner in the RV Park. Tony Spagnuolo (age 86) is preparing roast beef and ham. The rest of us sign up to bring side dishes. They also had a sign up sheet for entertainment and there are several names on that list too. The rest of our day will be spent remembering Christmas past and all of our friends and family. :-)

Written on Saturday, December 20, 2003
I woke up this morning empty-headed and trust me that does not happen often. When I started to fill up again I did think of some things I could tell you about but if it seems a little duller than normal blame it on my empty-headedness. :-)

On Thursday night a Christmas parade was held in the park. If we would check the bulletin board now and then we would have known about it. We found out about it when we started on our evening walk. We noticed an unusual amount of people out and about many with lawn chairs but we thought all the commotion was about a mobile home being moved. We were asked if we were in the parade but we thought they were joking and then we sighted a float! The parade was about ten items or floats long and folks had decorated bicycles, motorcycles, and golf carts. Much thought had been put into their decorations. Maybe next year we will be more attentive and get in on the fun of it.

There are a huge flock of parrots that fly over several times a day. There is no way you can miss them; they are the noisiest birds I have ever heard. They have no problem flying and squawking at the same time. They move so quick with their stubby little wings that it is impossible to get a picture of them and so far they have not roosted close enough.