On the Sixth Day of Christmas

We rested.  Mike has been fighting a head cold for a few days probably because it is so damp here.  The water has receded but the ground is still mushy and water still squishes up through our patio rugs when you step on them.  Yuch!  Hopefully, the ground will dry up this coming week.

This is where we had dinner this evening.  It was a real trip!  We took our friends, Albert and Thelma, to a hotel near the airport this evening since they're flying back to Canada tomorrow for a while then we found this place to eat.  Everyone in there knew everyone else.  It was the craziest thing ever.  We even got a hug on the way out.  I thought maybe we had walked into Cheers Bar.  You now "Where everybody knows your name".  It's a barbecue place and we hadn't had any barbecue for a really long time.  The food was great and we will definitely go back when we're in Port Charlotte, which is just across the bridge from here, not that far away.

We met a few more of our neighbors here at Sun and Shade today.  These neighbors just pulled in this weekend but they're here for the rest of the winter.  Some had a hard time getting in their lots due to the wetness of the ground.  Plus, I think some of them, if not all, are in temporary slots because the ground is too wet in the slots they're supposed to be in for the winter.  So they will have to wait a while then pull up stakes and move again when everything dries out.  Bummer!  We've seen a lot of that in the past few weeks. 

Hope you all had a great Sunday. 

On The Fifth Day of Christmas

We spent the day with our new friends from Canada (the tall white haired dude) and his girlfriend.  This is a picture of the band he's in--Ugly Dog Band.  Albert and Thelma are wonderful people and becoming great friends.  We went to a huge flea market today and then looked through some motorhomes before coming back to the park.  They're staying directly across from us for a while, then they will be moving on over to Okeechobee.  We have a great time with Albert and Thelma. 

Last night I told you we were going to Nino's Bakery for dinner and to hear a blues band. 

 

This is the band we heard.  There was nothing they couldn't play.  This kid is awesome on a guitar.  He is only 19 years old.  There were three in the band, Mike, a guy on bass guitar and a guy on drums.  We were there for his first song and the last--from 6:00 until 10:00.  The food was great.  Mike and I had a pizza.  There were six of us who went together.  The couple (Gene and Janie) next door and (Albert and Thelma) across the street.  We all had a great time.  We would go listen to this kid again and again. 

 

So, yeah, music is a big part of Christmas.  Mike and I love music, especially Blues.  (Like I said, earlier, we do things a little differently.) 

 

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

We have flooding again!  This first picture was taken out the back door and the second out the front door.  The street out front is also under water.  We're surrounded on both sides with water.  If we step out onto our patio rug, water oozes up through it.  I feel bad for the people down below us where the water gets deep and totally surrounds their campers and takes forever to dry out.  They have just this week been allowing campers to pull in at the lower part of the park.  Now it rains on them.  We had rain starting yesterday afternoon and it never stopped all night.  The owners of this park seriously need to look at their drainage system.  IT'S NOT WORKING!    We're okay.  We just have to stay in.  They have pumps on some parts of the park where they're pumping water into the ditches/canals surrounding the park.  But they only pump one part of the park and it's not the lowest part. 

Did I tell you we weren't coming back here next year?  We have decided to stay in Zephyr Hills.  We do love it here in this area and the weather is AWESOME!  But we also love the Zephyr Hills area and the cost will be cheaper to stay there.  We've been watching the weather in Zephyr Hills and it's been staying right with Punta Gorda weather.  Plus, Zephyr Hills has our favorite walking park. 

Tonight, we're going to go a bakery and listen to Blues.  Sounds really weird, doesn't it.  So yesterday, we decided to go to the bakery for lunch and check it out.  The food was great and we reserved a table for tonight.  Nino's Bakery is the name of the place.  It's on a side street in Punta Gorda in an out of the way place.  We are always looking for someplace new.  We found it.  We also brought back bakery goods for breakfast today.  We're eating it as I type.  All it needs is a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.  Yeah, that's right.  I said it and if I had some ice cream, I would put some on here--even if it is breakfast! We have an apple pastry and a cherry pastry and we split them each.  It's like eating pie.  See what I mean? 

So on the fourth day of Christmas, we have pie for breakfast and Blues for dinner.

On the Third Day of Christmas

The frog came.  We call him "Chillin".    That's what he was doing when we got up this morning to start our walk.  Isn't he cute?  I've never seen one this color.   Also . . . .

We found this at Goodwill.  It's just a wooden sign.  Makes absolutely no sense.  So, of course, we had to have it.  We haven't decided where to hang it yet but we will. 

Right now, it's raining.  We're inside for the rest of the afternoon and night. 

Peace out, Man.

On the first day of Christmas

It's hard to believe Christmas is in a few weeks.  It's in the 80's here and it doesn't feel like Christmas so I'm going to think of Christmas every day to get the feel of it.

Let me just say right off the bat that Jesus is the only reason for Christmas.  It really should be all about Him.

On the Second Day of Christmas

Christmas is a time for decorating the house.  We actually bought a couple decorations yesterday.  They were both wall hangings.  One was a Christmas tree and the other was a big Christmas ornament.  We will most likely hang one or maybe both outside our camper.  I'm not sure if we'll string any lights outside or not.  Maybe. 

When you decorate, don't forget to add a small nativity scene somewhere in your décor.  That will keep your mind on the fact that it should be all about Jesus.  (Okay, we'll get a nativity scene too)

What a Life !

We are enjoying our retirement so much.  We meet the nicest people.  Every day we walk, we meet new people.  We don't see very many people out walking though.  We don't know why that is.  There are a lot of people here and by January, this park will probably be overflowing.  But we don't see very many who get out to walk.  There are a few who get out and walk their dogs but we don't see people walking for exercise.  We meet people who are working on their homes or riding around in golf carts or just sitting on their patios or at the pool.  Tonight, we actually went to the club house for dinner.  They had a "Bear Claw and Barbecue" night.  The bear claws are hamburger patties and salmon patties (I think).  Anyway, Mike and I both had hotdogs and it came with a bag of chips and cole slaw.  You had to bring your own drink.  But the dinner was less than $5.00.  You can't beat that.  We sat at a table with two other couples and had a ball joking, laughing and even at times, serious conversation. 

We've been out on the Harley a couple times this week but let me tell you, it isn't that much fun riding a motorcycle down here.  Too many seniors who sit around drinking alcohol all day and then get in their car and get out on the road.  We've had a couple pull out in front of us and then swerve all over the road while driving.  IT'S CRAZY!  There are also too many red lights and stop signs.  You can't go very far before you have to stop. 

Wait, Mike and I are seniors!  We are careful drivers though.  (At least, now we are.)  Who knows what we'll turn into! 

This could be me in a couple more years. Wait, I have a hard time remembering what I'm supposed to be doing now. 

Yeah, what a life!  We do love our life.  We get up whenever, we walk for however long, we take off to where ever and we do whatever, we eat where ever then we return whenever and ride our bicycle for however long. 

Yep!