Favorite Pics of 2011

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from 2011.  There were many to chose from!

Santa's Man Cave

Last night Lynn, Barbara and I took a bus tour of the town to see Christmas lights.  This was our favorite, entitled "Santa's Man Cave".  The owner of the house was there to welcome us and said it took about 4 days to set it up.  He puts in the heavy stuff, then leaves town to let his wife take care of the details.  And there were gracious plenty details! 

I'm not sure what caused this picture to turn out this way, but I like the effect.  It was quite a ways off and I had to zoom, plus I didn't have a tripod and my camera was set on "night scenes" and the bus was moving just a tiny bit.  And all of that together produced this.

Then there was the lighting extravaganza at Grace Baptist Church.  The bus stopped for a while so we could go inside for hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies.  (The driver said they made 262 dozen this year.)  The lights pulse with the music and constantly change colors.  Occasionally all the lights go out for a few moments of darkness before coming on again to the music.  Overall we had a very fine time!

On Tuesday I played my best golf in quite a long time, exceeding the points I needed by 5 and won a little money.  My swing was so full and long, my short game and putting were good and in spite of my bad holes, my confidence was running very high.  So I decided to play again on Friday in the company of the guys I enjoyed so much. 

Yesterday I awoke remembering it was LaVerne's birthday and sadness came over me like a dark cloud.  I went to the golf course and tried hard to regain my concentration and my swing, failing at both.  The result was one of the worst games I've had in a long time, wondering if I should ever play again or not.  As I thought back on yesterday, I realized that I assumed my grieving was done and that the lingering sadness would not return.  I was wrong.  It did, I was, and once I acknowledge it I felt fine once again.  And I'm anxious to get on the course again and see what happens next time!

At Jubilee! all of the holiday celebrations are acknowledged, including Christmas of course.  So whatever your inclination at this time of year, I hope you're filled with peace, joy and happiness for being alive and able to celebrate all the goodness of this lifetime.  Merry Christmas!

Casy Key Tiki Bar

A couple days ago I rode in the back seat of Deb and Walt's convertible, not thinking about what it would do to my hair.  The wind quickly undid my pony tail then whipped my face unmercifully.  Lesson learned:  don't do that again!  It's one of those long hair things I had to learn the hard way.  It took me 10 painful minutes to get the tangles out just so I could run a comb through it. 

We went to the Casey Key Tiki Bar to see a huge sand sculptor of the championship speed boat, Twisted Metal.  Little did I know that the Travel Channel was filming the event for viewing in March.  I'll post the date and time when I find out.  There were 5 people doing the sand work and it was fine work, indeed! 

They depicted the boat cutting through the water and even included a tank of greenish water that gurgled.  The wake behind the boat was intricate and really gave the whole thing a sense of movement. 

"Can I get a Scotch and soda, please?"

This bar gives an entirely new meaning to the term "dog friendly", as you can see.  One of the barmaids, Skeeter, often shares a bowl of pasta with her canine clientele.  Others are just there for the drinks.

And some are there just because they're pretty and want to be seen.   I also discovered how potent the Rum Runner cocktails can be, since I was a passenger and not riding on 2 wheels for a change.  (The Burg is going in for major clutch maintenance soon and I didn't want to chance the old one disintegrating in the housing.) 

Lynn, sister Barbara and I saw the play "It's A Wonderful Life" last night and it was very good and very different.  It was about a radio play with 4 people reading all the parts and doing the sound effects.  Fascinating! 

Learned a few days ago that daughter Barbara and her family won't be coming down this year.  Sure was disappointed as we had such a good time at their last visit here.  Maybe in 2013, although that sure sounds like a long way off. 

Hope you're in the spirit of the season and enjoying every moment of it!  Thanks for stopping by!

A Christmas Parade with Floats that Float!

Yesterday was a very full one and thoroughly enjoyable, starting with a park-wide garage sale.  While shopping at a place on the main drag, I had several inquiries about the Vespa.  No sale yet, but it was heartening just to see and hear all the interest. 

Then Lynn and I scooted down to St. Armand's Key, which was crammed full of nice, expensive sports cars.  We didn't stop, as we had to meet sister Barbara for a movie.

We saw the movie "The Descendants" and it is excellent!  A very good story, very well written and well acted.  George Clooney moved up a step or two with his performance.  It's a tear jerker, so be prepared. 

We dodged a rain shower on the way home, did a quick change of clothes, then headed to the bay for the Christmas lights boat parade.  Wow!  It was very cool!  We didn't stay until the end so I don't know how many there were.  Also, it took me a while to figure out how to take decent pics of the event.  Next year I'll know better. 

The bay side park was crowded with cheering people, making the atmosphere very festive.  It was an enjoyable event and one I hope to repeat.

Finally, I'm enjoying a novel more than I have any in a while.  It is titled "No Safe Place" by Richard North Patterson and published in 1998.  It is about the presidential campaign of a man whose older brother was assassinated while campaigning for president.  It is well written and the speeches on the issues are thoughtful and thought provoking.  It is one of those books that is so good, I'm pacing myself to make it last longer.  And the timing is good, with the current politicking that's going on. 

It's off to the Sierra's for dinner this afternoon and we sure are looking forward to it.  It'll be Lynn's first dining experience there and chef Luis' fine reputation precedes him, as always.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Back in the Sunshine State

The trip from NC to Florida was a doozy this year, with heavy rain following us nearly all the way.  The new Eagle pulls like a dream, though, and that made the drive more tolerable (not that Howhee didn't pull well, too.)  We arrived at Ho-Hum RV park in Carrabelle around 8, raced to Eddie Teaches for some oysters and didn't get there in time.  The kitchen closed 10 minutes before we arrived.  Darn!  Drive for 12 hours while imagining that first oyster only to miss it by that much. 

We made up for it the next day, getting a half-sack of fresh ones from the seafood place, eating some raw while others steamed on the grill.  It was worth the wait and then some.  They are so fresh, juicy and delicious! 

On December 1 we awoke to a very cold trailer, as the propane had run out during the night and it was 35 degrees!  Brrr!  By the time we got hooked up and on the road, my hands were numb.  The drive to Sarasota was uneventful and pleasant, with clear skies and country vistas much of the way.  When we arrived at Sun n Fun, Lynn's sister, Debbie and her husband, Walt, met us at the gate in their golf court and escorted us to our site.  What a nice welcome!  The next day we ate more oysters, our last for a while. 

The next day we went over to sister Barbara's to pick up the Vespa so I could clean it up and put it back on the market.  Luis and I had charged the battery the day before and it ran like a top.Brother-in-law Luis kept it for me over the summer and I appreciate that very much.  Thanks Luis!

While at the Sun n Fun pool bar I met some golfers and was invited to join their Tuesday league, which I did.  Good guys, a very nice course and winning a little money my first time out convinced me to come back next week. 

It was 80 degrees the day I played and I even sweated a little bit!  After the 35 degree weather the week before, the warmth was very welcome. 

Ever since I started riding scooters, I've been trying to find a way to take my golf clubs on it.  Yesterday I finally figured it out.  I put the bag on my back using the shoulder straps, then sat on the Burg.  That didn't work.  The bag rested on the seat, making it very unstable.  So I got off, rested the bag on the seat sideways and saw that the straps would go over the cargo carrier like it was made for it.  Voila!   Eureka!  Finally!  Took it for a test drive and it works like a charm!

Now I just have to remember not to go between those posts or across that skinny little bridge when I'm carrying the golf bag. 

It is good to be back in Florida and getting ready for Christmas.  Yesterday we ordered a very nice, small artificial tree that looks like a real Frazier Fir, just like in Boone.  I'm glad to be near the Sierra's again and look forward to dinner with chef Luis and family on Sunday.  There are lots of stories to tell and catching up to do. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I continue to be amazed when someone tells me they read this, as it is often a person that never crossed my mind as a reader.  So thanks for letting me know!