do nothing day

Saturdays are turning into slow, lazy days.  As reported, our weather is cooler today with the sun peeking out of the clouds every now and then. 

When I got up this morning, shortly before 0700, the outside temperature was in the low 40's.  Time for the furnace!  I also made some scones to help warm the insides...ours and the house.  Always good to pull freshly baked goods out of the oven.

The high is supposed to be around 62 and as I type this at 1330 it's already 61.  We're watching a John Wayne movie with Katherine Hepburn...not sure what the title is.

Once Sonsearae got home from work she came over and before we knew it, we were on our way to Corky Bells in Palatka!  We had discussed it yesterday but we didn't know for sure if we'd go today or next weekend.

Jim drove and while it's a long drive it's worth it for the food.  When we in Welaka last year this was our favorite restaurant....it's always about the food!

There were five of us for dinner.  Chris' best friend Jeff joined us.  Good time and good eats!

Tomorrow, tomorrow!

We leave tomorrow!  We're both ready to hit the road....

While trying to install a slide topper yesterday, Jim managed to injure his left hand.  Whacked the thumb right on the knuckle and sliced a chunk from his middle finger.  He was not to happy about it!  But after cold water and a couple of bandages he went right back to work.  He left the topper for today and help from a friend...thanks Randy!

Jim stowed, washed the truck and stowed more...The bike tires have been aired up and they're ready to put on the rack. Black tank has been emptied.  In the morning we have the normal preparations for hitting the road...

We paid our last visit to Corky Bells for an early dinner and it was wonderful.  We sat outside with a temperature about 75 and overlooking the river...pure bliss.

We're now just biding our time!  We'll probably leave after lunch tomorrow as the drive is such a short one across state to the Chassahowitzka River Campground

On the road again...we can't wait to get on the road again!

Beautiful day here

What time did you get up this morning?  I slept until 0740

Jim's last day of work is over....to bad he had to spend it inside all day!

Meanwhile at home I was doing little chores to get us packed up and on the road Wednesday.  Outside the birds were pitching a fit!  All of them were chatting up a storm....I guess they wanted to be fed!

Jim thinks he can get everything finished up on Monday.  He also wants to head to Corky Bells one more time on Tuesday and wash the truck.  So much to do, so little time...

Do you use cloth or paper napkins?  I've always used cloth napkins.  It isn't difficult to keep them washed since I have my own wash machine.  Mine are looking a wee bit shabby so I'm on the lookout for some that are on sale.

I baked a batch of blueberry muffins this afternoon that should last a few days. It will be a tasty treat to have with our afternoon coffee...maybe breakfast too!

Since this day is almost over we only have two days before we leave!!

Glorious Weather

After that last front went through we've been enjoying wonderful weather! Low to mid 80's during the days and gradually warming at night.  Except for the fact that our neighbors think this is campfire weather we could have sat out every day.


Saturday we had dinner plans, meeting up with Sonsearae and Chris at Corky Bells.  She had to work that morning and when she got off she piled into her car and drove to Lake City...then she and Chris drove to East Palatka....can you tell we are loved?

We left around 1700 and arrived before they did which gave us time to show Kathy and John the river and decide if we should eat inside or out.  Outside it was!  After the sun went down it was a little cool but some of us had jackets.  This was our Christmas dinner and we exchanged our gifts of food.  Sonsearae always makes up food that can be gifted in containers and this year we got red beans and rice and some vegan powdered 'chicken' broth.  She also made some yummy fudge (that I shouldn't be eating!)

We had a lovely dinner and Jim and I brought home not only our leftovers but Sonsearae's also! Kathy and John managed to take some home too.  Why is it restaurants have such large servings?  Only one dessert was ordered, a slice of key lime pie that some of us shared.  Perfect!  one or two bites and no one is stuffed...

Sunday was a disappointing day...The New Orleans Saints lost to the Panthers...We enjoyed our leftovers and we could have sat outside except for the smoky fire pit next door.

The temperature is supposed to get into the 80's today but later this evening thunderstorms are predicted.  Another front is about to come our way...

Are you ready for Christmas?  I have two packages coming for Jim, they should be here tomorrow.

82 days

• 7,119,239 seconds
• 118,653 minutes (rounded down)
• 1977 hours (rounded down)
• 82 days (rounded down)
• 11 weeks (rounded down)

Just catching up

Sunday turned out to be an overcast, rainy day.  Couldn't think of anything better to do while Jim was at work so I defrosted the freezer.  Not the most exciting thing to do but necessary.  Jim was cleaning today so he was home for lunch and then a nap.

About this time the clouds were clearing and it was a sultry 83 degrees by 1400.

Of course we watched the New Orleans Saints squeeze in a win, 23-20 over the 49er's...that was a nail biter!

Monday Jim worked and I did laundry...and what's up with me and Facebook?  I can't get my laptop or iPad to load the page.  Jim can't either and another two folks here can't either.  It has to be their problem as we can get other websites to open and display properly.

I finished my crochet scarf...I really like the colors on this.  The pattern is a simple shell stitch

There are details on the Crochet page if you're interested in the size and price.

Tuesday started out cool but it wasn't to cold to sit out at Corky Bell's and enjoy a seafood lunch with ice cold beer!   Jim had fried shrimp with cheese grits and a baked potato while I had grilled flounder and shrimp with green beans and slaw.  If you recall, they serve two for one beer and we did...On the way home we stopped at Dollar General and Family Dollar and bought something in each store.  Once we got home Jim needed a nap and I actually snoozed for a bit on the recliner.

TV wise, Tuesday is NCIS night so that's how we ended the day.

Wednesday Jim emptied the black tank and I did laundry.  I think I stripped the bed.....so hard to remember all this exciting stuff!  Mid morning it started to rain and continued for the rest of the day.  We started watching the Count of Monte Cristo with Gerard Depardieu on Netflix.  It's a mini series and it was in French...We watched two episodes and then we watched Inspector Morse.

Just before we went to bed we discovered the upstairs air conditioner doesn't work.  Geeze, another repair to take care of.  It's the same problem we had last September and we're pretty sure we're going to have to replace the compressor

Thursday it rained all day....just a steady, gentle rain mixed with misty rain.  We've been having trouble with our kitchen faucet, it won't stop the water flow without a lot of hassle.  So after lunch we headed to Home Depot because I had a $5 off $50 coupon.  Found a faucet we both liked and bought it along with an Amaryllis bulb and a couple clamps. Didn't use the coupon but did get a 10 percent Military discount.

We finished watching the Count of Monte Cristo and we both agreed it was excellent!  We then had dinner and showered in time to watch the Saints!  Another Squeaker!!!!  17-13 was the final score.  We stayed up past our bedtime just to make sure they won against the Atlanta Falcons.  This is a division rivalry and always makes for an intense game.

Jim is working this rainy Friday.  We got some news we've been expecting.  Kathy and John should be here in two weeks.  John is Jim's younger brother.  This will be their first 'snowbird' season.  Hopefully they'll enjoy  visiting with us and perhaps we can teach them something about our way of life.  First lesson!  Live by the number 2....stop driving by 2 pm or 200 hundred miles whichever comes first!   Remember, it's the journey not the destination...

113 days

• 9,779,565 seconds
• 162,992 minutes (rounded down)
• 2716 hours (rounded down)
• 113 days (rounded down)
• 16 weeks (rounded down)

running around

Jim's days off have been a blur of activity.  He's been working on the honey do list, washing the truck and in between napping and enjoying the birds outside.

Yesterday we did some running around in Palatka.  I needed some potting soil so off we go!  First stop was lunch at Corky Bell's.  We both chose shrimp, his was fried and mine was boiled ( I only ate three and brought the rest home for Jim to enjoy), a baked potato and slaw were our sides.  Of course hushpuppies came with the meal and we washed it down with nice, cold mug of Shock Top

Next stop was Lowe's for the potting soil.  I looked at the plants but nothing jumped in the basket to come home with me.

Verizon was next to see if we could get a screen saver for Jim's new phone.  He ordered and received his Droid Maxx a few days ago and spent the entire afternoon setting it up and playing with the new features.  Alas, no screen saver, apparently it's a new phone design and all the extras aren't in the market yet

Then it was off to explore.  Since we got the State Park Pass we thought we'd check out the local park, Ravine Gardens State Park.  http://www.floridastateparks.org/ravinegardens/ We only drove through, stopping to get out once.  It's very....green...this time of year...I'm sure when spring comes it's quite lovely.  There were only a few people there and I'm sure the locals use it for biking, walking and running.  There are places to picnic and overlooks to view the ravine.  We both agree we need to go back.  Maybe take the trikes and enjoy a short ride.

Back home Jim napped for a bit.  Boo and I just left him be.  Dinner was yellow rice, black beans and sliced green onions.  The rice and beans were leftovers, they go well together.

Watched some TV then Inspector Lewis on Netflix. 

We're both enjoying the cooler weather.  I'm guessing it gets into the upper 80's during the day, but dropping into the upper 60's at night.  The AC isn't running all the time.  Of course this means outside critters are coming in and we're disposing of them as fast as we can.  One of the hazards of sitting still for long periods, the locals want to drop by and stay!

Daily Grind

We don't really have a daily grind...we can pick and choose what to do on a daily basis.  Of course there are daily chores that need to be done to make life livable.  But everyone has chores!

Wednesday
I needed to go into Palatka and stop by the VA to pick up a form for travel expenses.  My eye appointment is the 6th and I have half a dozen papers to fill out!  So, since we had to go to the 'big city' we planned on several stops.

After waiting 10 minutes or so at the VA we headed to my least favorite store, Walmart. Jim needed car cleaning supplies and we picked up a few groceries (after all they are cheaper there).

Then we crossed the parking lot and had lunch at Chili's.  We had some money on a card and it was burning a hole in my wallet!  LOL We had a great lunch!  Jim had chicken quesadilla and I had shrimp tacos.  He enjoyed a margarita while I tried the Watermelon cooler (pretty tasty).

One more stop before heading home was Publix.  It's the only local store where I can get Earth Balance spread, our 'butter'.  We also tapped the ATM for some cash.

Once home I think Jim napped (he usually does this daily).  Since it rained I made some bean soup for dinner served with the yummy bread we just bought.

Thursday
Jim bought the shocks for the truck a couple weeks ago and today was the day to have them installed.  He had a 'date' for 0930 and was only gone a short time. And it only cost $40 for 1 1/2 hours labor to install them!  You gotta love small towns! He was home in time for lunch which for him was leftover seafood from Corky Bells

We planned to cook out for dinner but a thunderstorm with pouring rain cancelled that!  It seems to happen a lot...so we had soup again for dinner.  For me it was tasty but I'm sure Jim was looking forward to his steak.

Because of the storm we had trouble with Netflix.  Direct TV was fine and we watched a bit of the nightly news and Jeopardy...can't remember the last time we did that. And I also can't remember if this was Wednesday or Thursday night!  The memory is the first thing to go.....

Today is our 39th anniversary....most didn't think we'd stay together!  But here we are, an old married couple just enjoying our lives. 

Jim is working today and I should be....still have my morning chores to do and I need to get dressed.  So if you'll excuse me I'll stop typing and get busy....or would that be, busier?

far off thunder

Despite all the rumbling of thunder we had Sunday afternoon it never did rain.  It got dark too, but I guess it just passed us by.  Darn!  I was looking forward to more rain!!!  :-)

Our dinner of Italian Pasta Salad was good but I did forget to mention the artichokes it had and I didn't use the avocado.  I'll post the recipe Wednesday.

We watched Rosemary and Thyme (British TV show) and Endeavour on PBS.  In bed by 2230 and I slept very well!  I've been having trouble sleeping because of back pains. I keep adjusting the number on my mattress and I think I have it set right now.  Time will tell.  I know I'm tired of waking with a back ache in the middle of the night.  It's hard to go back to sleep....

Monday Jim worked a few hours and while he was gone I stripped the bed and did laundry.  He got home around 1300, had lunch and then a nap.  He had to rest up for a visit from Sonsearae and Chris.

I've been watching the Showtime series, The Tudors on Netflix.  Have any of you seen this?  I'm on episode 9, I think, and find it very entertaining. Jim didn't care to watch it so I've been viewing it while he's at work.

Chris had a training session in Lake City on Monday so Sonsearae decided to join him overnight.  She worked Monday morning and left Tallahassee after her shift at the Post Office.  Chris left about an hour later and joined her at the hotel.  Then they both drove down to East Palatka so they could have dinner with us at Corky Bell's.  What a delicious meal we had!  Jim and I split a seafood platter for two with grilled fish, broiled scallops, oysters, shrimp and fried clam strips and stuffed crab, along with 4 sides of 2 slaws, green beans and cheese grits...Oh can't forget the hush puppies, they come with all the meals!  Sonsearae had fried shrimp and catfish with slaw and baked potato and Chris had fried catfish with cheese grits.

We chatted and had a good time!  All leftovers came home with us and there were quite a few!  We'll enjoy them over the next two days.

We parted in the parking lot and they headed west, northwest while we headed east, southeast.  The sky was pretty with the setting sun and clouds.  We made it home before dark and quickly showered and settled in for the evening.  Sonsearae let us know they arrived around 2200.  

Tuesday morning Sonsearae drove back to Tallahassee so she could work that afternoon....ah, to be young again and put all those miles behind us.

Tuesday I was up just before 0700.  Quiet time with my coffee and some reading.  I woke Jim at 0800 and we both spent time on Facebook and reading email.  After breakfast Jim headed outside to dust off the truck and tidy the patio.  I did laundry and dishes. He also took the propane tank and had it filled.  How much does it cost in your area?  We paid $30 to fill a big tank.

After lunch we both inspected our eyelids for leaks.  Me on the lounger and Jim on the bed.

Around 1600 it started getting dark and don't you know, we had a thunder storm!  Rained pretty good for awhile and just before sunset the sun tried to come out

Dinner tonight was indeed some luscious leftovers.  I reheated the fried catfish and  hush puppies under the broiler. The green beans I popped in the microwave and heated up some baked beans and we also ate the rest of the slaw....took all of 10-15 minutes to fix dinner!

It must be the rainy season

We've been getting rain almost daily, sometimes it's just a brief shower, sometimes it rains gently for awhile and sometimes we have thunderstorms.  Everything is green and pretty!  Does make using our new grill a problem because neither one of us wants to stand out in the rain to cook!




Jim has been off this week and he's been working on the wheel well.  Back when we had a blowout it got messed up so he has been working each morning with fiberglass and smelly stuff to fix it.  I don't think he wants to do it again....

We got the new shocks for the truck, now he needs to find a garage that will install them ...

Woke up during the night, couple of nights ago and noticed our big air conditioner was not coming on...it would try then cut out.  So I turned it off and when we tried it after breakfast it still wasn't working right.  Called out a repairman and he came same day...he couldn't find what was wrong, but he fixed it!  Could have done without the expense.

This guy hangs around all the time

We had lunch at Corky Bell's yesterday...sure love the food there.  Of course we talked about a lot of things but the most important thing was Jim telling me we're leaving here March 15th!

Sonsearae and Chris Visit!

Last Thursday was chore day and it included defrosting the freezer...it was way over due and I don't know why I always put it off.  We spent the week prior trying to eat the excess food!  For such a small space I can manage to cram a lot of goodies in there.

Speaking of food did you know there's a website to help you find free food?  That's right I said FREE, www.fallingfruit.org.  See if there is something in your neighborhood

I've been reading Omnivore's Dilemma, A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan.  Quite interesting...so far I've learned about corn, from the field to our plate and all points in between.  It's amazing how we've became so dependent on corn in all it's incarnations.  What are you reading?

On Friday Sonsearae, Chris and Sierra met us at Corky Bell's for lunch.  Sierra is their Godchild and visiting for a month.  They were on their way to St. Augustine.

Sierra and Sonsearae

Chris

They also brought gifts!  Jim got his Father's Day card with a restaurant gift card and I got a very pretty frog pin. They also treated us to lunch, thank you very much Sonsearae and Chris!  The food was good as usual and we enjoyed our visit with them.  All to soon we parted ways as they continued on to St Augustine and we headed into Palatka for some shopping.  

First stop was Lowe's for bird seed and hardware...Then we meandered down to Walmart where Jim found some windshield wipers and I picked up some  groceries.  We needed something to cook on our new grill!

Last night I cooked up a tray full of zucchini,  yellow squash, peppers and boiled potatoes. What more do you need for dinner?  Oh, Jim also had some leftover grilled shrimp from Corky Bell's 

We only have the one reversible grid and I think another one is needed.  If you want to cook pancakes or eggs you need a flat surface.  I'll also be able to do shrimp boils!

I hope all the dads out there enjoyed their day!

flora and fauna

It's Sunday again!  Jim is working in the office today.  This weekend is the first time I've seen the campground full, not sure about all the cabins, but the place is hoppin' with all the people wandering around on foot, in golf carts and on bikes.  

Jim didn't work Monday - Friday, it was nice having him home!  We had some rain so Jim got on the roof last Tuesday to tidy it up and decided the back slide topper had to be removed. We've been nursing it along and knew it would have to go.  Now we just need to figure out how to replace it while we sit here!

And don't you know it rained that afternoon!!???!!



Wednesday we had some shopping to do. Since it was lunchtime we stopped at Corky Belle's and enjoyed some really good seafood.  Drove through some light rain showers in getting there.  Jim needed some wood to build a shooting table (?) so we stopped at Lowe's to get that and some potting soil and birdseed.  Of course I found a couple potted items to take home...Cucumbers and basil.  Our next stop was Walmart where we picked up some groceries.  We also used our card to get fuel, I think it was $3.82 for diesel. We also got fuel the other day at Sunoco using the fuel perks from Winn-Dixie and only paid $3.49 

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Thursday we had the pizza/potluck at the pool bar.  I'm thinking pretty soon it will be to hot for me.  I showered before we left and again when we came home.  

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

It's not about BBQ's or shopping, Please take time to Honor those who have died for our Freedoms.

to read more
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Sonsearae and Chris weekend visit

With much anticipation we awaited the arrival of Sonsearae and Chris on Saturday.  She had to work and then I don't know what they had to do but they finally got on the road and headed south.  The weather wasn't all that great but the rain held off and they arrived around dinner time.  We had the cabin all warm and cozy and the food was ready to cook.  I think Chris was a wee bit upset that he couldn't eat right away!  There was hummus and pita chips to tide us over

I got busy getting our dinner fixed while the guys laid a fire in the fireplace.  Did I mention it was chilly?  Soon we sat down to have Enchilada bake and a southwest chopped salad (thanks Happy Herbivore!).  All very vegan and plant based so it was healthy for us!

We ended meal with a cherry pie.....not so healthy but oh so tasty...very sweet!

Jim and I left shortly after dessert so they could settle in, relax and get a good nights sleep.  Big plans for Sunday!

Jim was very excited about our boat trip.  He was up and out the door to pick the boat up down the street and bring it to the dock here at Welaka Lodge.  Not sure, but I think we hurried our guests into getting ready for the boat trip down river to Corky Bell's.  Chris forgot his jacket!  the morning was cold and overcast and on the water it was even chillier 



this picture was taken later in the day on our way home

We stopped by the springs to show them the manatees but none could be found.  We did find this cute little house, I think I could live here.

Along the way we all looked for wildlife and we did see a lot of Osprey's nesting on the channel markers and getting agitated as we came to close

 

 

Not sure what this school house looking building is....maybe a boat house?

 

I was very pleased to find a Great Bald Eagle.  I'm pretty sure we saw them flying around over the Ocala Forest.  This big fella just posed for the longest time then flew in a circle around us as we passed below him

 

Our Captain was a happy one!

We finally pulled up to Corky Bell's dock and tied up.  We had made the decision to eat inside because it was so   chilly outside and we were chilled.  But once we got inside, where it was colder we decided to sit outside.

There was a manatee munching her lunch

Everyone enjoyed lunch and Chris got some hot chocolate to fortify himself for the trip upriver and home.  We made a brief pit stop and picked up a jacket for Chris.  Another couple of hours floating through the National Forest where we saw more birds, boaters and fishermen.

 

Sunday evening Sonsearae and I made pico de gallo, guacamole and cooked up some turkey for the guys tacos.  I had some black beans that she and I used for our tacos.  Another fine meal that saw us eating more cherry pie for dessert.  After we cleaned up the dishes Jim and I headed home...

It was a long day on the water and I know we were tired!  We slept very well, thank you very much.

All to soon on Monday Sonsearae and Chris left, heading for Orlando.  Despite the gloomy, cloudy weather the rain held off during the boat ride and I think we all enjoyed it.  Jim had to work that morning and after they left I started doing laundry

Tuesday Boo got a much needed grooming and he looks ever so much better.  If he co-operates I'll get a picture of him and post it.  Usually when I get a camera out he walks towards me...

Tuesday night we had a going away party for Linda and Dan.  They hosted it next door on their patio.  It was fun getting together with the crew.  I came home in time to shower before NCIS came on.  Jim walked in just after it started.  Looks like the next few weeks will be interesting on this show.  I know it's being picked up for another season.....but I wonder what will happen with all the characters?

Today I got a much needed haircut.  I'm not sure why I put it off so long.  On the way home we stopped for a bite to eat at Corky Bell's! We both enjoy this restaurant and highly recommend it if you're in the area

There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.  ~Alfred Wainwright

Local Critters

We continue to enjoy our time here.  Jim is getting into the job.  Although he was taken on as an office worker he agreed to help clean the cabins.  He loves to clean so that's not a problem!  This past week his schedule has been weird, he worked every other day.  Since I don't drive it means he has to schlep me around for groceries on his days off  It also means if we want to do any exploring we have to plan ahead

This weekend there is Seafood Festival in St Augustine and we plan on heading there for some fun...



We had lunch at Corky Bells again, sitting outside on the deck.  It was breezy and the pelicans were all hunkered down.  There was a small alligator sunning himself which caused some folks to take pictures.  It's fun to hear there comments about 'seeing one for the first time', 'look how big' (he wasn't), 'I wonder why they let him hang around' (gee, the gator lives here!)

I had fun watching him, when we first arrived all we could see was his head.  I think he knew we were watching and decided to show himself so he could claim his territory.

For those of you with older rigs, do your floors squeak?  We have three area's that are making noises, in front of the sink in the bathroom, the entrance to the toilet and in the kitchen   Now all of these areas are used a lot and I'm wondering if it's normal for the floors to squeak.

Our new TV still needs cabinetry work.  A fellow camper (cabinet maker) has a drill bit that Jim needs but there was an emergency and we have to wait until he comes back.  

If you don't have local TV channels to let you in on the weather in your area you might want to get apps for your phone or tablet.  In the spring, especially, you need to know what the weather is like.  We also have a weather station that Jim got at Walmart.  It can be helpful for travel days, keeping you out of winds and rain, because you can always stay another day if bad weather is headed your way.

Speaking of weather, the last month has sure  been messy for a lot of folks.  We've had the cold fronts and near freezing temperature but that's nothing compared to the snow, snow and more snow that has been falling.  I wonder if that's why the price of gas and diesel keeps rising.  Driving around yesterday we saw diesel around $4.14 and as high as $4.30 (here in Welaka).

Coots on the St Johns River