Iowa Weather

These are pictures from my sister Myrla in Rockwell City Iowa. This is her neighbors house across the street and this was taken several storms ago.

Really cool picture of the ice melting off the roof.

The weather up there is frightful!! One after another the storms keep blasting through. Even though we are not living through it, in hearing about it, seeing photos and listening to news reports it has to be the worst winter in my memory.

Iowa's Ice Storm

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Really I must get to the directory!!!

No Matter

No matter how badly last year treated you, just walk tall with your head high. This is a brand new year!

I did not plan to post but I could not let this one pass by. Now I will get started on the directory...after I go for my walk....heavy sigh!!

Directory

Working on the park directory...see ya'all later

Tidbits

Mark Brooker, Bill and Jo's youngest flew down from Houston for the weekend to visit his mom on her birthday.
Friends Julie and Dave Krauth of Massena Iowa stopped by for a visit yesterday afternoon. They are in the Trails End RV Park.
The park is close to full so it is difficult to get our two walks in without many stops for visits. It is all part of being here. wink,wink

We had to de-fur Angel and give her a bath to rid her of fleas. She misses her fur coat and is doing far more snuggling.

I am working on the park directory so if the posts are sparse that is the reason.

Haircut

Angel is having a flea problem. We knew the fleas were bad here because she had a problem last year and after we got her cleared up we vowed that we would stay ahead of it this year by making sure she was treated well ahead of her arrival. And we did! But what we have discovered is that Frontline Plus no longer works on her. And after doing a google search on the subject she is not alone. So now we are using a different treatment. Revolution. The jury is still out. We treated her a few days ago and the fleas seem weak and disoriented but they are not dead. SO...yesterday we gave her a haircut and a bath. That seems to have helped tremendously but it is not an ordeal I want to put her through again! So now she doesn't have her heavy coat on and the weather is far from toasty. We are running our heat a little higher to help her compensate

Mexico

We went to Mexico yesterday with Bill and Jo and new neighbors Dale and Joyce Gunderson. It was crowded. Either the people there did not know about the drug war battle the first part of December or like us decided to take our chances.
I would say it was a bit less busy than a year ago at this time but not by much. We purchased some vanilla. The big bottle of Valencadora is $3.70 this year. Up another dime. I also picked up some Naproxen (Aleve) 500 mg. sixty tablets for $5.50.

Pics from Bro Leo

These are snow pictures of Leo and Keri's place. We see the pavement when we are there!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Interesting Post

I subscribe to a Yahoo RV group and I found this post to be very interesting. A person can live dirt cheap if they are of a mind to. We do not care to live this spartan but for those who do this sounds pretty good. I thought some of you might find this an interesting read if nothing else.
Barb

From a man named Fred:
"I happened onto my present unadvertised (not on the Net) semi-boondocking itty-bitty RV park (40 units on 40 acres: lots of room for each RV site) in the middle of nowhere (about 60-70 miles from Quartzsite, no neighbors outside the park for several miles) via a friend while shopping around for a winter parking area. Advantages of where I'm at right now: a permanent site (can develop it anyway we want: I have two sheds, an outdoor model RR layout, ham radio antennas, minor landscaping with transplanted cactus) which I can
leave in place year round (I travel during the summer, much less so in winter since everyplace else north of the SW has that white stuff) as long as I pay my rent ($400/yr). Nearest RV neighbor over 200' away. QUIET. Co-op type community with clubhouse, park showerhouse and laundry; security is not a problem although many of us are quite security conscious. Disadvantages (depending upon one's perception): we provide out own electricity via solar, wind, or generators; water available for only two hours per day; black water pumpout twice per week by sign-up; marginal cellphone reception; season is 1 Oct to 1 May and most of clear out by mid-April due to the high temps; and a really unpleasant park manager (I'm being kind here). My 3+-yr old kitten can run free to chase lizards, rattlesnakes, woodrats and other rodents.

The only other similar RV park in AZ of which I am aware is in Ajo which is too far away from the nearest VA facility. I'd boondock on nearby BLM land but security and permanence would then become major issues. Until I find a better situation, I'm not about to move into what would amount to a full boondocking area for six months (I don't think there is such a thing as a "prefect" RV situation). Again, to each his/her own; cost is less of a factor for me than a place to settle for winter months where I can be left alone."

His next post:

If you know about Snowbird West RV Park, then you know it's the best kept open secret in the southwest RV world. This is my sixth season here and I have no intent to move elsewhere for future winters nor anyplace else which has even a chance of seeing that white stuff from the sky.

SBW is definitely underutilized because the owner would rather use it as a tax write-off than as a profitable endeavor (she declined to shell out the $100/year for a website domain). Besides the 40 or so permanent sites, we have some 50 additional transient sites for overnighters, weekly, or monthly RVer folk who might want to check it out or just stay for a little while. The park has never been in an "overcrowded" condition with wall-to-wall RVs 10' apart nor have we ever had to take a number in a line to take a shower.

When I first came here in Oct 2004, I stayed in the transient section for a couple weeks because I didn't believe this place was too good to be true and didn't have some sort of hidden major problem, agenda, nor hang-up. I quickly learned that SBW was an ideal location and became a permanent resident. We've got folk who have been here for over 20 years. We permanents tamed the nasty park manager (in his 80s) and all is now quite pleasant with each resident making his/own determination about how active s/he wants to be in the park's community and social life. There's Bingo every Wed and Sat evenings in the clubhouse and card and dominoes most every day, none of which in which I participate, Thanksgiving, Xmas, and New Year's dinners (a FEAST for us single males tired of our own cooking; the ladies here love to cook and bake!), occasional pancake breakfasts, and coming up on 14 Feb is a "Sweetheart Breakfast". I'm a loner, don't participate all that much in social activities but if I want to get out, I have that option.

Also as stated earlier, I have the room for my site set up for my model RR, ham radio antennas, and two storage sheds plus a sun/rain tarp with frame to keep me comfortable and busy during winter months. I don't have to move anything except my RV travel trailer when I leave in mid-April when the temps hit the 100s.

There are disadvantages, as mentioned before: our post office (Salome, AZ 85348) is 25 miles away one way (we take turns picking up the park mail); choice of receiving mail via the park PO Box or renting one on your own (I have my own, check it once or twice per week); the nearest Walmart/Safeway is 50 miles one way; my VA in Prescott is 105 miles one way. Salome has propane, gas, a small mini-mart, and RV repairs albeit for higher prices.

Exit 69 (Ave 75E) off Arizona I-10, 1.5 miles north (can't go south on the Exit) on right side of the dirt road. Five bucks per night for transients, $400 for the 1 Oct to 1 May season.

Fred
Snowbird West RV Park

I was naughty

I got a talkin' to by good friend Peggy G. Told me I hadn't posted since Tuesday and I was shocked to find she was correct. I have had a most busy week part of which I can put on this blog but not the other.
On Monday our new neighbors told us they weren't staying in the tiny little trailer they had rented for the winter. They said it was too small and there were other issues I will not go into here but we hated to see them go as they were a nice addition to the park. They are younger retirees and I am sure they will be a good fit once they are happier with their accommodations. We had gotten to know them a little as we had went out to eat with them on Sunday. So when they decided to leave I told them to hang in there for a bit and I would see if we could find them a place. So long story short I made a few calls and they landed in a 2 bedroom,2 bath mobile home that is very nice for not much more than they had been paying. They ended up much happier and very grateful for the part I played. Their former landlord is not happy.

So then on Wednesday we went to Mexico. The first time since the drug cartel shooting in early December. Our new friends, Dale and Joyce along with Bill and Jo Brooker went with us and we did the usual touristy stuff. It looked normal to me down there. The crowds are perhaps a little lighter but not much. Enjoyed the Panchos at Garcia's as much as ever.
And then the cold weather set in but it seems we are always super busy. We have had a bit of park stuff to take care of. We do have to earn our keep!
Today we did the omelets in a bag for Saturday morning breakfast in Allen Hall. Leslie C. and I put together 50 omelets! It wore me out so after a nap I started cleaning house and finished most of it in between people rap, rap, rapping at my door.
Oh and I did do a bit of preliminary work on getting the directory put together. It has seemed like a most busy week but I am sure there are busier ones ahead.
Thanks for the nudge, Peg!

Nina Grace-13 months

Weather News

Whether the weather is cold,
Whether the weather is hot,
Whatever the weather,
We'll weather the weather,
Whether we like it or not!
I first shared that little ditty with my friends at Senior Haven and lo and behold I still remember it.
We are in for some wicked arctic temps the end of this week. Don't laugh!! We are getting into the 20's and that is a big deal down here. But we will weather the weather!!

Yikes

Quite a lot has happened since the last post. Nothing earth shattering. We have been to the El Dorado...our favorite place to eat. The park is nearly full as most everyone who is coming arrived this week. There will be a few more arrivals trickle in but from now on out it will be a trickle.
This morning the other Brooker's and Toomire's and us went to Denny's for breakfast. And then it was garage sale day so we checked that out.
We are still experiencing cool temps. We usually have temperatures in the 70's and 80's for daytime highs but this year it is hard put to get even close to that. I still have hopes it will get better soon.
The guys are golfing this afternoon.
Till next time...

DirectTV

So we called DirectTV. They seem to be used to getting the calls because they start coming with offers. So the bottom line is our bill has been reduced by $15 for a one year period. They made sure we understood it was only for one year. I made sure they understood we would reassess our thoughts on it in one year also. So for now we still have it including a National feed for PBS. I will make another call next year.
I hope I get to talk to Marsha again...

Another cold and rainy day

With the weather being cold and drizzly we went to a movie yesterday with Bill and Jo and saw The Blindside. It is a great movie but more than a bit of a tear jerker. Take at least 3 kleenex, maybe 4.
H.E.B. had pork roast on sale for 97 cents a while back and I bought one and cooked it in the crockpot. It was about a 7 pound roast so I had to freeze some for use another time or we were going to get very tired of pork. So when I ran across this recipe it sounded ideal for using up some pork and indeed it was! I poured it over tortilla chips (white ones)and then sprinkled on grated Mexican blend cheese. It was yummy and a make again recipe for me.


Slow Cooker Mexican Pork
1 lb boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa (from 24-oz jar)
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz), if desired

1. In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix pork, salsa and chiles.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
3. Stir in beans. Cover; cook on Low heat setting about 5 minutes or until beans are hot. Sprinkle with cheese.

Substitution
Vary the taste by using pinto beans instead of black beans and Cheddar cheese instead of Monterey Jack cheese.
Special Touch:
Serve over hot cooked rice or tortilla chips. Top with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream.
Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 90); Total Fat 10g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 70mg;
Sodium 1550mg; Total Carbohydrate 39g (Dietary Fiber 10g, Sugars 6g); Protein 33g Percent Daily
Value*: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 8%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0
Vegetable; 4 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

No More Free TV

Yesterday we received an email from DirectTV informing us our bill would be going up in February. Our bill is already $85 a month. We pay an extra $10 a month for high definition another $10 a month for local feeds of both coasts and we do not get public television, which when we are in Iowa is our most watched station. Part of our expense is because we are in the RV and move from location to location. So we are weighing in on what we are going to do about this. Our first instinct and most likely solution is to give it up entirely. We will get TV off the antenna and settle for whatever shows up. Well according to the news this morning in two different locations, nothing much is going to show up.
We first discovered we were in a fix when they went from analog to digital. The minute the big switch was made our number of TV stations we could watch off the antenna dropped to practically nothing and in some locations it was nothing!! In order to get TV at all we were forced to subscribe to cable or satellite. Now who and how did that happen?!!? I have a few ( Big Business) guesses (Big Business). They snuck that one past us pretty easy!!
The two articles below are both about TV and rates of such. I am about ready to tell them to stick it up their old wazoo and we will go to reading books, taking more walks and getting more Netflix movies.

Http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091229/ap_en_tv/us_free_broadcasters_in_peril

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091229/SPORTS020502/912290360/Sinclair-No-deal-Mediacom-hopeful

Leo's Winter Photos

What kind of pie was that, Keri? Looks very yummy

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas Morn

When I arose this morning the sky was brilliant. One of these shots is through the front window with the screen on but it embodies Christmas here with the palm tree, the Christmas tree and the pinkest of sunrises. I stepped outdoors in my jammies for a couple of the shots. We are having a cool Christmas with highs in the 60's. Nothing like what is happening further north.

From Son Gary

I went to 4 different ski resorts in 4 days. Perfect plan for a guy who likes to explore different places and see what they have to offer! I left immediately after my half day of school Friday and drove clear to Denver and thanks to the time change was in bed by 10:30pm. I got up early enough to ski a full day at Keystone prior to finding the Leadville Hostel where I stayed. www.leadvillehostel.com

I give the hostel a thumbs up! You can bring your own food and keep it in their huge commercial fridge and fix good meals for yourself in their kitchen. The bathroom is clean and the showers blast the water. The beds are comfortable and despite 17 boy scouts there the first night it was always quiet at night. They have commercial washers and dryers available to wash up clothes and not bring a ton with you. They have two big TV's to watch Direct TV channels. Internet is available to use for a charge and a nice pool table for $0.50 a game. For a charge of $18 per night you can't beat it anywhere. They've been doing this a long time and they have their system down pat.

They are a little low on snow at Keystone and I scratched up my skis on their open runs. 2nd ski day I went to Breckenridge and it has a little more snow on the hill than Keystone. It was very crowded which I think is normal for them but they also had a big event competition going on. Despite the crowd I only waited once for a real long time in a singles line.

I met a volunteer ski patrol guy in the Hostel who has done that job for nearly 30 years at Ski Cooper. He gave me a free pass and talked me into trying his ski place. Ski Cooper was a huge surprise to me! I thought it was fairly small from Internet research and he told me they only had 2 lifts and they are slow. He was right that the lifts are slow and that was the only drawback. The runs are all over a mile long. The green runs are tough. They are steeper than Steamboat blue runs. They do not blow ANY artificial snow there but they don't have to because they get lots of natural stuff. They had the most snow of any of the 4 places I went on this trip. It was the only resort where I skied some powder on the trip. There are lots of beautiful glade runs. I will definitely go back to the Hostel and back to Ski Cooper on other Colorado trips.

My last ski day was only planned for a half day prior to running out of town to beat a snow storm in the Mountains and an ice storm in Kansas. I picked the right place for a short day. I started skiing at 9:20am and by 10:30 am I had skied every single open run at Arapahoe Basin. It was a very fun trip of exploration.
My other possible trips for the season are Feb 12 - 14 and March 11 - 14 if anybody decides to tag along.

What I miss about snow

SOUND OF NOTHING

There is no sound quite like the sound of snow falling. At such times I
love standing in a white blanketing field, wrapped warmly in a goose
down jacket and fleece-lined ear muffs, staring up at the diffusing
snowflakes as they scurry about, and -- listening to the sound that
nothing makes.

Wishin' and Hopin'

The last many times son Jason has called to chat he has found that we are too, too busy and we have to call back. He said he understood and was glad that we were having fun. Sometimes it is a fine line between fun and too busy. And many times in the past week we have been riding that line. The holiday season adds to the hustle and bustle too
So perhaps things will slow down a bit in January...yeah right!!
We had a fine parade yesterday in the park and pictures will be posted soon. I led the parade with antlers and red nose. I didn't get a picture of myself but I hope someone will send me one.

Long time

It has been a very long time since we have experienced weather like we have had the past two days. In fact it quit a few minutes ago! It rained nonstop all day yesterday starting about 3:00AM until now at 7:00 AM this morning. It was not a heavy rain. Moderate would be more appropriate but there was no let up in it. I think it was the first day I did not get either of my walks done. To top it off it was a chilly 45 degrees all day. We do not get many of those either. Thank God!

Up Close

Good parrot pictures can be a bit challenging. I tweaked this one a bit but if you click on it it will be very close. I took this one outside our motorhome. I was standing less than 10 feet from our front door.
 

Wild Parrots

 

Jo and her centerpiece

Jo Brooker at Craft Class assembling her pine cone centerpiece. 18 of us made them and they will be placed on the tables for Christmas after which we can take them home.

Family is here

Bill and Jo are here. They arrived yesterday around noon. And Marlene and Bernard are in Harlingen. It was Marlene who called about her mouse! I did not recognize her voice. So we ran over with a spare mouse for her to use.
So a family gathering should be happening soon.

Always Busy

It seems every time I find a few minutes to post here it pops into my mind how busy we are. Butch is still getting numerous electrical calls and I am getting the computer ones. Yesterday a gal called and left a voicemail telling me she was having trouble with her mouse. Trouble is she didn't leave her name. Her voice was very deep. That is my only clue as I deleted her voicemail before realizing I didn't have a name. Oh well, I assume she will get it fixed or call again.
Yesterday we (Leslie Cleaveland and I) made over 30 omelets in a bag for Saturday morning breakfast. They want us to offer them once a month because they are a hit. It was mighty tasty and an easy way to handle eggs for a large group.
Bill and Jo Brooker are due to arrive today and I have a feeling Marlene and Bernard Kelley are headed for Harlingen too. We have been having cool weather so their transition won't be as severe as in years past. We will have to schedule a family get together ASAP. But not to Mexico.
There was a big drug cartel shooting in Progreso on the welcome back winter Texans celebration day (last Saturday). Several people from Magnolia were down there when it happened. Floyd and Lucy Shaeffer were on the street when the shooting started and a store owner pulled them in and then lowered their metal doors. They all got on the floor and could hear the bullets hitting the metal door.
The Mexican military killed 3 or 4 drug cartel guys. No Americans or Mexican civilians were hurt in the fight which is some kind of miracle. The Mexican military were firing AK7's. Several of them were injured and hospitalized. The bad guys were shooting back.
Right now you can throw a rock on the main street and not hit a gringo. Some are going down but it is eerily quiet down there. Toomire went for Kitties cigarettes and he said it was VERY quiet.
I need some meds but haven't worked up the nerve to go yet. I suppose I will in time.
Those poor people down there are getting even poorer.
The town of Progreso had been spared all the drug cartel fights till now.

Iowa's Big Storm

From Leo outside Jefferson Iowa. Those sundogs do not appear until it is very frigid!


We keep track of the weather up there in the lands of snow and cold and we reminisce of storms from the past...and the memories are enough for us!!

The two pictures below were gleaned from the online Des Moines Register site. When these big boys get stopped everyone is stopped!

New job

We have taken on a new job here in Magnolia Park. We have agreed to be an after hour and weekend contact persons. We would help people find a spot...if there is one. Answer questions...call emergency people if needed etc. It is a position we saw a need for and offered our services. We are being compensated in an appropriate way for what will be expected. So we are workkamping once again!

As promised

Here is my mother's day cactus in its new home.

Bits and Pieces

Still trying to get warmed up after our cold spell. We participated in the garage sale yesterday and did well with the few items we had for sale. Gained a bit more space in the motorhome but it will fill up fast as it always does.
We picked up a new Verizon phone on Friday and it has a qwerty (full keyboard) so it would be easier to text if we choose and I am not at all sure how much we need to text. I have a computer and to me it seems like duplication of services. It also has a camera and we can send and receive pictures. The Iowa kids said they sent us 2 pictures but they haven't shown up yet in my phone that I can find. Something amiss there. The phone is enough like a computer that I am finding it easier to navigate than the old phone. I sold the old phone on the garage sale for $3.
Butch has been having fun on ebay. He purchased a new driver after much bidding and watching and losing. He finally won. y i p p e e.
I am in touch with several Swedish weavers I have met online. And next Wednesday a few of us are having a gathering in our park. Let's see...originally one is from Michigan, one from California and one from Missouri. The Internet can be a wonderful thing. Oddly enough someone at the garage sale had an old Good Housekeeping needlework book and I looked it over for Swedish weaving and found a few pages on it. I have the book now and we should have fun with that on Wednesday.
Caught up for now...

Bless this Kibble...

We are about to receive.

Busy Buzzin'!

Butch and I have both been busy. In the last two days I have had 3 computer repair calls and Butch has had a couple of electrical calls. Butch has been busy cracking and eating pecans we picked up on Pecan Plantation. I made homemade laundry soap. You can find the recipe and products at the following website.
http://www.soapsgonebuy.com
A friend gave me a sample because she uses it too and I love it. The clothes are so soft and that is a problem here due to hard water. It is a bit of a challenge to get it made in the motorhome because of space and container issues but I am going to try it for awhile and see what I think.
Today we plan to go to McAllen shopping. We are due for an upgrade on the phone. I spotted a fiber optic Christmas tree I would like to buy at Target. Butch wants to go to Sports Academy and we need a few groceries.
Tomorrow we have to set up for our annual garage sale. Annual for us, monthly for many in the park. The actual sale is on Saturday and it will be a success because it always is!!
Till next time...or when things slow down a bit. Whew!!!

Surprise!

Drum roll please....Our granddaughter Amanda and her husband Brad are expecting a wee one next Spring. This time we may be in the vicinity (Midwest) for the event.
All of our kids are grandparents now...Wow...who knew it would come to this way back when.

The Cactus

The cactus has a story. A few years ago, probably 3, the kids bought me a cactus for Mothers Day. It grew nicely and eventually needed to be repotted. Butch,believe it or not, found the perfect pot for it. It thrived in this pot and now needs a new home. Yesterday we went not quite to Mexico where they sell pots and purchased another perfect pot. I will move it into its new home today. An updated picture will follow.

Thanksgiving

Yesterday Butch and I had a work day. He was doing electrical work for Max who is refurbishing an old mobile home for resale. It is mostly finished. I got the grand tour yesterday for a quarter which I haven't paid as yet. It will make a very nice winter home for some as yet unknown buyer.
I cleaned house and it was long over due. I washed bedding and hung it out to dry. Later then I had to rush out to rescue it when I noticed black Texas snow. A sugar cane field was being burned off and when they do that we get drifting black ash. It stains everything it touches. The good news about it is that it smells like cotton candy you get at the fair. There is an upside to everything which brings us around to Thanksgiving. Giving thanks is a habit for me. Cannot say that has always been true but certainly for the last few years. Every day brings so much to be thankful for it cannot even be counted. So take time today to give thanks for all the great food on the table but also for the thousands of other things too. Some of which may not even cross your mind.
Thanks to all who read this. It warms my heart to know you are out there and think enough of us to care what we are doing. I care about you too and if you email me or start your own blog I promise to read it and be thankful for it.

How to Brine a Turkey: 5 steps (with video) - wikiHow

Interesting...and I may have tried this when I was younger and more adventurous but I think I will do my crockpot turkey again this season instead.
How to Brine a Turkey: 5 steps (with video) - wikiHow

Hard to believe

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is nearly here. It is my favorite holiday. I love the food. You can tell that by looking at me but that really isn't why it is my favorite holiday. I love it because of the meaning behind it. Being grateful and thankful for all that we are blessed with in our lives. Taking time to express that gratitude and all that it means. For me every day is Thanksgiving. My gratitude list is exceedingly long.

For SMR People...

And those who live in Colorado.

Snow Mountain Ranch Volunteers: You're from Colorado if...

Sweet!!

Ethan's First Birthday!


He loves birthday cake!!!

Humdrum

No AC this morning! It is a nippy 45. But it is supposed to warm up to the high 70's today. Tuesdays are a busy day for us. We have coffee hour at 9:30 and being an officer of the park association my attendance is required. Golf starts at 11:00 and it is a few miles away so Butch wants to head out at 10:30. We are usually through golfing about 1:30. That includes some social time at the clubhouse. It can be even later when we have more golfers participating. That puts us back in the park by mid afternoon but also puts me in the mood to put my feet up and forget it...bear in mind a morning and afternoon walk in addition to the walking on the golf course. We always try to make the two walks mandatory regardless of how much other walking has taken place. When it comes to walking more is better!
Today Butch plans to get some electrical work done for a couple of folks. I plan to get a haircut. I will have Yolanda do it this time. Kate is my favorite but she is in Atlantic IA. Butch does an okay job in a pinch.
I also have a couple of computer assistance calls to make. One will not take long. The other could be lengthy since she has a new computer.
So now you know what we are up to...not much!!

AC

We have had the air conditioner running the past two days but it looks like we can shut it off today with highs in 70's. The weather has been superb since we arrived. The only negative is the bugs. They thrive in this warm, moist environment and the chiggers are the worst! I spray OFF! on my feet and legs every morning before I head out the door.
The only thing that will take care of them is bug spray or a cold spell. We usually get at least one cold spell during the "season" and it usually happens in December or January sometimes but rarely in February. After the cold spell we have Spring!

Picked it up

We picked up Butch's computer this morning and I spent a fair amount of time getting it set up for him. So he is back to having his own to play games and check his email. He does check it more often when it is on his own computer. That doesn't mean he will answer anything just so you know.
It is a cute little thing and hasn't given us any challenges yet. Seems to be zippy enough and Windows 7 doesn't appear to be that much different. I found my way around without a hitch. It doesn't have a ton of hard drive so I do not plan to use it as back up for this one. I have an external hard drive for that tucked safely away. Oops...it does need to be updated. How easy it is to forget that!!
I do not have any idea what I did to this one to make it straighten up and behave itself but it is working fine. I have no plans to make a change until I am forced to. Setting one up for Butch is a whole different ball of wax than setting one up for me.

Butch has a new one

I finally purchased a new computer for Butch. He will have a Samsung Netbook once we go pick it up from Best Buy. He would get enmeshed in Freecell and Spider Solitaire and I would have to scoot him off to get my stuff done. He also missed his settings on his computer-the ones to get him to his financial sites and jigzone and his gmail which he probably hasn't looked at for a month or more.
So after I get it set up for him he will be back in business. Should be most interesting...it has Windows 7!

Reseeded

They reseeded the greens at the golf course Butch likes to play best so he hasn't been able to golf much.
Also there aren't that many people here yet. Much lighter in numbers than in years past at this time. Not sure that will hold true all season.
I know of an RV for rent if someone wants to come down. Email me and we can see about details.

Fun in the sun

We tend to get in somewhat of a rut while here...Tuesdays is golf...Fridays is computer class etc. But what that means really is that life is rolling along smoothly. We both feel well and are doing what we enjoy doing. What more could anyone ask for.

Butch has been doing some electrical work. I have had a few computer calls. We get our two plus miles of walking in every day. Life is good!!

Misting

We are getting a mist of rain today. So we are listening to an audio book. Angels and Demons. More Butch's cup of tea than mine.
This was taken this morning on Cherry street.

Sugar, Sugar

This is a sugar cane field. Not ready for burning just yet.

This truck was on the expressway loaded with cane. I assume it is headed for the factory where it is extracted.