Highlights of Our February Trip

 We could not have picked a better - or worse - time to be away from home for two weeks! We left in the midst of a winter storm on February 4, and spent a week on the beaches of Anna Maria Island, coming home by way of South Carolina. It was so great for us to be warm and carefree, yet we did feel bad knowing that Wyatt, Tyler and Travis were taking care of everything for us at home in the worst weather of the year!
For us, it was a wonderful time. Our rental on AMI (Anna Maria Island) was lovely and just a few steps from the beach. And two blocks from the free trolley stop too! Although most everything we did was within walking distance, we did take the trolley to the Anna Maria Pier a couple times.
After our week on AMI, we headed north to meet up with Bob and Brenda Hoffstatter on Edisto Island. Although it was their anniversary trip, they graciously provided a great meal when we arrived, comfortable beds for everyone, great breakfast, guided sightseeing, and just a great time. We saw a bit of Charleston, and enjoyed Valentine's Day dinner at the Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse. It was a new experience for us, and the food was delicious. I especially enjoyed the roasted pineapple! Who would have thought? Of course, the meats were good too, and they just keep bringing more until you can't swallow another bite! After dinner, we returned to their place and enjoyed the show their church put on for Valentine's Day.... comedian Johnny W. He was really a great comedian with no vulgarity. Thanks to the Church in Branson for streaming it!
We didn't see any alligators, but we saw dolphins in both AMI and Edisto Beach. Of course, by the time a dolphin breaches, and you get the camera out...he's gone! So - no pictures of the dolphins. I should explain the red lights in the night photo. We were all soundly sleeping when the fire alarms in our unit went off. LOUD! We were sure there was no fire, but the alarm told us C02 Evacuate immediately. So, we called the emergency number and the fire department came to test our air. Turns out, the alarm batteries needed replaced.
We did see a lot of snow and ice as we traveled back to Iowa. We caught the ice of what the weather channel was calling Winter Storm Uri, and then we got mixed up in the next one, Viola. We saw a number of cars in the ditches, were stopped at one point for two hours for emergency crews to clear up a bad wreck and another 45 minutes the next day. We were blessed with safe travel and arrived home Tuesday night to find all was well on the home place!
And, this morning begins a warming trend for our area!
No matter where you go, it's always great to get home! I feel like Dorothy....there's no place like home!

Welcome to Florida

Shuffleboard!

Our kitchen area

Late afternoon at the beach

We had six bicycles to use all week!

Pool time.

Bocce ball at the beach.

Manatee County Fire and Rescue and AMI Police 

After dinner at the Ugly Grouper. Scrap metal work of art.

Anna Maria Pier

Watching dolphins at Edisto Beach SC

Missed the dolphins, but got the bird!

Celebrating Bob and Brenda at a Brazilian Steakhouse.

Fine dining at Galpao Gaucho

 

Special Visitor Today!

 This morning we had a Barred Owl on our deck looking in the window!  After posing for a picture, he moved to the cedar tree nearest the porch and stayed all day long.  He finally left at 5:27 this evening.  I don't remember ever having an owl visit before today.  What a special blessing!

Zero Degrees and Snow Cover!

 Well, the mild weather is gone today!  We have several inches of snow on the ground and this morning the outdoor temperature reading was just below zero!  The birds have been at the feeders in flocks.  Then all of a sudden, there wasn't a bird in sight...so we knew there was a hawk nearby.  It's sad to see one of our songbirds taken by a hawk, but the hawk must also eat.  The pictures aren't the best quality since they're taken with my shaky hands through a dirty glass window!  I guess I should be washing windows instead of watching the birds, but that's not going to happen when it's so cold!

We've had bluebirds all winter, so have been putting out dried meal worms for them.  They're here every day, usually just before light. The early bird gets the worm, you know.  They come often throughout the day too, but then they have to share with the chickadees and our Carolina wren. I've not yet been able to get a picture of the wren.  This is the first year we've had a wren stay through the winter. I take that as a sign that the winter will be mild and spring will arrive early.  

We're thankful for the good health and healing we've enjoyed so far.  Dennis had surgery on Wednesday, January 13.  The nerve in his left elbow was being pinched, causing his fingers to be numb.  The surgeon clipped the tethers and added new ones go allow the nerve more space.  It went well, and recovery was without complications.  We went to get the stitches out last Tuesday. 

Lots of bruising but healing well.

We have been enjoying a lot of  'chair' time over the past few days.  With the snow on the ground and the cold temperatures, we're both content to stay inside with our Kindles and enjoy the activities of the birds, squirrels, and whatever else can be viewed from our recliners.  On days like this, going out to get the mail seems like a big trip!  Of course, it is a quarter of a mile, and all uphill ... I've often thought about dragging a sled out to get the mail and then riding it home.  Perhaps today!

Pickleball!

We've been enjoying a lot of mild weather this winter and taking advantage of the opportunities to be outdoors playing pickleball.  Today my fitbit counted up 19,655 steps.  It was mostly sunny and up to 43 degrees.  Tomorrow is predicted to be much colder! 

We started playing with Josh and Kenny, and later Candy joined us. Gariann and Kirk came when they got off work, and played until dark.  We saw a spectacular sunset sky!  Photos courtesy of Dennis.

What A Year! Recap of 2020

 The year 2020 is now history.  Covid, corruption, and chaos!  Even so, we have enjoyed the blessings of our unchanging and ever faithful God.  His Word is true.  He's still God.  My hope is in the Lord. I trust in Him. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow!  

We enjoyed a week in Eastern Tennessee riding our motorcycles in the beautiful Smokey Mountains. 

                           

We enjoyed many 'home' projects.  

We attended 'drive in' church, and then 'online' church, and 'wear a mask to church'. But yet, we are thankful that we still had church!  

We were able to participate in a few Cowboy Shooting events, which was a lot of fun!

 

We have often played pickle ball!  In fact, we were able to play yesterday, and hope to play again tomorrow and Thursday. 

Tomorrow would have been Mom and Dad's birthdays. Mom would have been 91 and Dad 93.  I'm so thankful for having had them for parents; for their instruction, example and their love and encouragement. 

I had COVID just after Thanksgiving.  My experience was very mild, but I did have a fever for two weeks and lost my sense of smell.  I'm thankful to have had so little discomfort with it, and no complications!  

Yes, the past year was one we'll not forget, and hope not to repeat, but it was still filled with much for which to be thankful!

Never In My Life!

Today is St. Patrick's Day. It was a special holiday to my mother-in-law, Mildred Annabelle Murphy Schulte.  She's been gone from us for years now, but she's especially on my mind today.  She was so proud of her Irish heritage.   

On an entirely different line of thought, our world has been turned upside down with the corona virus COVID19.  The first we heard of it was just a little blurb about people in China coming down sick. Just a few weeks later it became a global crisis.  Today, here in the USA we have been restricted to having no gathering in excess of 10 people.  Ten people!  We also have worldwide travel bans, no dining in restaurants, no gym activities, sporting events, churches are holding worship services online, schools across the country have closed, the grocery stores and big stores like Walmart are out of hand soap, paper towels, toilet paper, tissue, and the frozen vegetables are almost all gone.  Aldi's closed their doors.  Never in my life have I witnessed such reaction.  Even the attacks to our nation on 9/11 didn't create such fear.
I completely understand the measures being taken.  It's a desperate attempt to slow, or even stop, the spread of this new virus.  From all I've read and heard, this virus is unlike the typical flu virus in that it is spreading more quickly, and also that it mutates as it goes. Experts are saying that this virus has a greater health threat because it mutates, therefore humans aren't building up antibodies as they do with other viruses.
This virus is a catastrophic and global event, no doubt. Yet, we are not to tremble in fear.  Let's pray, pray, and pray.  And let's be sensible and make wise choices.  Stay home if you're sick!  Stay home if you're susceptible or more at risk than a normal healthy person.  Wash your hands!  Get enough rest.  Drink water.  Wash your hands!  Get fresh air.  Get proper nutrition. Don't touch your face, don't pick your nose, rub your eyes, or suck your thumbs, bite your nails....Keep your hands out of your mouth. Practice good hygiene.  Wash your hands!
And trust God.  He's not caught off guard.  He's made promises, and He is faithful. He keeps His promises.  And He says He is with us always.  There are so many Scriptures that assure us of His constant, unending love and care.  Read them!  Get into His Word and let Him calm your fears, take your burdens, and restore your soul. 

We Are So Blessed!

What a day!
4:20 P.M. - We were sitting in our all season room reading, saying to each other that we'd better be thinking about getting ready to head over to Nancy and Ron's house. We were going to play games there this evening, and figured we could read for another half hour or so.
4:24 P.M. - A thunderous crash! Snap! Sparks flying. What in the world was going on?  It was our utility pole. It snapped off and was laying on the ground, along with the transformer. Wires were pulled off of the house. The cows were going berserk!
4:25 P.M. - Called Alliant emergency number. Do you have an emergency? Yes, I believe it is! She promised to send a crew.
5:00 P.M. - First Alliant truck arrives. The lineman looked over the situation and then went down the road to disconnect the power.  He then proceeded to take the downed transformer off of the broken pole.  I began lighting candles.








5:40 P.M. - Second truck arrives. This one brought a new utility pole. Right behind him came a third truck. They pulled up what remained in the ground and prepared to set a new pole.
6:00 P.M. - New pole on the ground, being 'fitted' for the new transformer.  Sounds like drilling and pounding.
6:05 P.M. - Uh-oh! Need to go to the bathroom! But, no water, no flush, and no washy washy! I believe I'll wait a while.
6:10 P.M. - New pole is in the ground! They're backfilling. Rusty is watching the process, nervously. This is very good progress! I might be able to use the bathroom soon!
6:13 P.M. - They moved the third truck, blocked my view and now I can't see what's going on!
6:15 P.M. - Man in bucket going to the top of the pole. Looks like they're about to hoist up a new transformer.
6:20 P.M. - Really dark out now, but the crew has great work lights!
6:25 P.M. - So thankful that this happened today! Its a fairly warm day, a day that we are home, not in Florida or the Bahamas, not freezing for stock tank waterers, not cold in the house, and not while I was out feeding the cows! The way the cows ran through the gate, if I'd been out there among them I might have been trampled in the stampede! Or electrocuted! Also thankful for this crew of Alliant guys! They're doing a great job.
6:30 P.M. - New transformer going up.
6:45 P.M. - Transformer secured to the new pole. Looks like the big truck that brought the new pole is packing up. I've been playing my guitar, since it's my only non-electrical entertainment system. But, now I'm pretty sure I have blisters on my finger tips!
6:55 P.M. - Not sure what they're doing now. They have the pole set and braced with a new anchor wire. I'm hearing tapping....maybe putting in a new ground rod?
6:57 P.M. - Man in bucket going up again. Looks like they're getting ready to reconnect the wires to the transformer.
7:01 P.M. - Decided to use the outdoor toilet. Now, I'm thirsty! People with electrically dependent water supply systems should always keep a pitcher of water ready for such a time as this!  Sure thankful for all these candles. Heat and light!
7:10 P.M. - The wire going to the shop is about to be reconnected.
7:15 P.M. - They're reattaching the wire that was pulled off the house. What a crew!
7:25 P.M. - The third truck left, apparently to go down the road and restore power. The guys here are connecting the house wire to the transformer. They had to trim off a couple tree branches too. Looks like we're going to have power soon!
7:45 P.M. - Lights are on!




 

Bahama Cruise

 We left Iowa just ahead of a big winter storm! Boarded the Majesty of the Seas in New Orleans and sailed to the Bahamas.  Our first stop was Key West, FL.  We walked around seeing some of the sights and visiting a few shops. While on board the ship, we learned to play pickleball, saw many excellent theater productions, enjoyed the Majesty of the Seas orchestra, were spectators at the belly flop competition and the sexiest guy contest. Of the six or seven men competing for the sexiest man title, not a single one of them would have got my vote!
Our second stop was Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean's private island.  I'd been there once several years ago, and it hardly looked like the same place. The beaches, and there were several, were lovely. They have really built it up. It now includes a huge water park, fresh water swimming pool, volleyball courts, bean bag games, lawn bowling, ping pong tables outdoors, basketball courts, and several other outdoor games, along with a trolley ride all around the island.  Of course, there was an over abundance of food available as well, and soft serve ice cream all day long. I was pleasantly surprised to find it such a wonderful place. We enjoyed a 'Perfect Day at Coco Cay'.
As we were leaving Coco Cay, there was a major life threatening storm toward Nassau. Our captain chose to skip Nassau for the safety of everyone on board, so we went back to Key West for another day.  While we were there, one couple got married at the justice of peace in Key West.  Later that night, while at sea, there was a Love and Marriage game in the theater. The couple that were married that day participated as the 'newest' married couple.  The had two other couples, one married for 60 years, and the other about 30.  It was pretty entertaining.
We also enjoyed two entertainers from Las Vegas.  Ralph Harris, a comedian, and Tony Tillman, a comedian/singer/dancer were great. Because of the storm they were not able to leave the ship as planned in Nassau, so Tony Tillman did a second show.
We had dinner every evening in the Starlight - a 'formal' dining room.  Lunch and breakfast we opted for the Windjammer most of the time.
It was a great trip. We returned to New Orleans Saturday morning and were among the first to disembark. We were on the road to home by 8 A.M.
No matter where you go, it's always good to get home!