Happy Thanksgiving

We had a beautiful day here.  It had to be at least 80 degrees.  The humidity was higher, but it was still beautiful.  Dave wanted to go for a walk at Sawgrass so we got there about 10:30.  We were able to see a couple of alligators, a green heron, a little blue heron, a tri-colored heron, turtles, and a tortoise, plus lots of interesting foliage.  It was a good walk!

This afternoon we joined about 70 of our friends at dinner in the clubhouse.  Wonderful food!!  It was a good day!

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Wednesday

Woohoo, we're done with being coffee hosts until next November!!  It's not that it's hard...it's just that we have to be up earlier than I like to get up.  At least I get Thursday to sleep in! 

After coffee, Dave and I ran some errands and then we did laundry and a walk.  Oh, we also cooked a turkey for our big meal tomorrow.  Took it up to the clubhouse before 2:00 so the guys could cut the meat up and pick meat off the bones. 

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Tuesday

I had a good day at bowling today!  The first two games I was so close to having a great game, I was starting to get frustrated!  But in the 3rd game, I only missed 3 pins (or had 3 open frames).  I was able to string 3 strikes and I ended up with a 193.  I had no idea I had that good of a game until I was finished.  In the 10th frame, I had a strike and then 9 pins...and I missed the 7 pin on my last ball.  Then I looked at the scoreboard.  What a shock!  Too bad I can't do that every week!

After bowling we went to Finley's for lunch.  Good food and a nice place.  Then this afternoon, Dave and I were able to put the hutch back together finally.  I put the stuff in the hutch and Dave put the hinges back on the doors, etc.  Together we got the doors back on.  Looks really good!

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Monday

Fun day!  I started out by playing shuffleboard.  I only played one game, then I kept score the second game so Bob could shuffle.  After shuffleboard, Dave and I ate a quick lunch and then went to the beach to see the sand sculptures from Sanding Ovations 2019.  They were fascinating this year!  This was the peoples choice.

As you can see, part of the arms have already fallen off.  The event ended yesterday but we waited until today to go...much less traffic and easier parking!

I loved the guitars!

Tonight was bingo - I actually got to yell bingo 3 times!!

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Sunday

Today's sermon was our yearly sermon about money...ugh!  Pastor Richard did a good job, though.  He told us we should be generous first and then take care of our finances.  That works for some people, but I doubt the majority could do that feasibly.  It's hard to give to the church and not be able to pay for food, for instance.  You'd have to really trust that somehow God would provide.  I know that's what Marjorie Bucher from our church in Libertyville did...she gave and gave and the Lord did provide...nothing fancy, but she had clothes on her back and food on her table. 

After church, we went to the flea market to get some produce.  We got tomatoes, corn, asparagus, plums, and grapes.  Yum, yum!  Dave put up an antenna for one of the ladies in the park this afternoon.  She was so excited to be able to get a bunch of channels on her tv!  I worked around here a bit, washing some doors and the cabinets in the kitchen. 

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saturday

I had a rough night.  I woke up at 4:45 and didn't go back to sleep until 6:30...that was only because I read until I went to sleep.  Dave and I decorated outside and got our tree put up.  I know it's before Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving is a week later than usual, so we won't get to enjoy the Christmas lights as long if we don't get them up now.  I've still got a couple of things to do yet, but it shouldn't take long now.

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Friday

Another almost perfect day today!!  The weather was gorgeous!!  We went to Bealls to get Dave some long pants...he's lost enough weight this past year that his clothes hang on him.  While we were there, I got a couple of jackets - a gray one and a white one.  Then we went to John's Pass to Gators to eat and watch the water.  We saw several dolphins and just enjoyed being on the water.  Once we were done. we went to Largo Nature Park to get in our walk.  We went the outside route today, which gave us a longer walk.  When we got done out there, we ended up on the regular boardwalk so we got to see both alligators.  We also watched a limpkin break open a shell and eat whatever was in it.  Didn't have my good camera with me, so these are from my phone.

Even won at cards tonight!  Pretty much another perfect day.  Thank you, God!

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Thursday

Today was pretty much a perfect day!  The temperature was perfect...I got to sleep in and be a slug until Dave got home from lawn care.  As soon as he got home, he said if I wanted to, he'd go for a walk with me.  I jumped at that opportunity...it's so much more fun to walk together than me doing my walking alone. Kathy & Denny, who've been renting, bought a home in the park.  Since they were at the new place, we stopped for a tour. 

After the walk, Dave got busy painting and cleaning up stuff.  We're not putting doors on yet because we want the paint to harden properly!  Darn - I can hardly wait to see it put back together.  Once he got done with all of that, he took a nap and then he said he wanted to go to Largo Nature Park.  We had a great day there - 2 alligators, 2 ibis, a limpkin, a tricolored heron, a little blue heron, and numerous turtles. 

To make the day even more special, Dave took me to Yellow Banks for an orange twist ice cream cone and on the way back home, we stopped at this little trailer where they've got a BIG smoker.  We go by it every Sunday and always say we'd like to stop...so we did today.  When I asked if he had brisket, he told me he chopped his beef and then gave us a sample.  Yum, yum!  We bought a pound to bring home.  I also fixed sweet corn cut from the cob and asparagus - great dinner!!

Pretty much perfect day!!  Thank you, God!

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Wednesday

We hosted coffee again this morning.  We had 26 people there...more each week!  We even had 10 people playing cards tonight!  After coffee, I took my walk while Dave started putting the next coat of paint on. 

At 1:00 nine of us ladies went to Cafe Alfresco in Dunedin for lunch.  Wonderful restaurant - fun time, especially since we had on our red hats and purple clothes!!  These roses were on our tables - they were beautiful!!

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Tuesday

Bowling wasn't too bad today.  At least I was over 100 all 3 games.  Nothing spectacular, but I was sort of satisfied.  I was throwing the ball really well; pins just didn't fall like they should have.  After bowling, the group went to Applebee's.  Dave was going to come home to paint, so I came home too.  I called Sunshine Nails and was able to get right in to do a pedicure, a manicure, and my eyebrows.  It was a great way to spend a couple of hours!!

Tonight I played cards while Dave recuperated from painting!!

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Monday

What a gorgeous day it was today.  We played shuffleboard this morning.  I won one and lost one.  It was fun.  Dave started prepping the hutch to paint.  He's got the first coat on a lot of it.  It's really going to look nice painted white. 

I went for a walk by myself since he was painting.  It was just a perfect day for walking!!  Then I had to run an errand to get some primer for a couple of boards for Dave.  The only thing I hate about all of this is my house is a mess. 

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Sunday

Whoo!  It was a chilly day here.  After church we went to the flea market - luckily we both had jackets in the car.  So we had on our church clothes (jeans for me!!) and the jackets we wore the church, PLUS the jackets in the car.  Felt good!  We did turn on the furnace this afternoon. 

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Saturday

Good news!!  Actually wonderful news!!  Oaklyn ate 3 go-gurts, some ice cream, and drank a bunch of apple juice and water from her sippy cup without gagging!!  This is awesome...she has never eaten anything before.  We got videos of her eating - this is the best news.  She's always had a feeding tube.  God bless her!!

Tonight was our annual wine and cheese party.  Fun times...good party.  Not many in attendance, but so be it.  Everyone who attended enjoyed themselves!

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Friday

Dave and I ran errands today.  I finally got my flu shot today and now my arm hurts really bad...I hate flu shots!!! 

Tonight I played cards. 

Not very  exciting around here today...sorry!

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Thursday

Today was lawn care work and blood work for Dave.  He's got macular edema again, but this doctor is running lots of tests before giving him shots.  Says the shots sometimes cause more problems.

As for me, my day consisted of getting up at 6:00 (grrr), staying up (grrr), walking and shopping with Dave.  Pretty boring, huh?

Yesterday, Barb Heckart passed away and today, one of my "boys" passed away.  RIP Barb and Cheese! 

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Wednesday

We've got coffee duty the whole month of November.  Sure glad that Bob & Ann help!  After coffee today, we had our monthly HOA membership meeting.  I think it went well.  I'm VP, but I'm acting as President because our President stepped back last spring.  Elections are in January, so we could have 3 new members on the board.  I've got 1 more year of my term.

After lunch we went for our walk and then Dave had an eye doctor apptmt (with a Retina specialistt).  He thought he'd be having shots in his eyes, but instead he got drops...and another appointment in 2 weeks. 

I decided that I didn't want to play cards tonight and since we had one extra, I left.  I enjoyed my evening just hanging out.

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Tuesday

We bowled again this morning.  My high game was a 153 and my low game was a 102.  Poor Dave had an awful day bowling.  He just couldn't get the pins to fall down. 

Since we bowled and exercised that way, we rode our bikes this afternoon instead of walking.  I got my December newsletter done and sent off - yay!! 

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Sunday

We had a wonderful Sunday.  The weather was beautiful!!  After church, we went to Ft DeSoto.  Dave packed us a bit of a lunch so we ate there.  It was just a perfect day!!

We saw lots of birds and even saw dolphins!!

Another good thing...Oaklyn is doing well.  They're hoping she may get to come home this week.

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Saturday

Right after breakfast, Dave and I took our walk.  I actually had to wear a jacket for the first part of my walk today..  By the time we got almost done, though, I'd shed the jacket.

Ann  and I went to the Francis Wilson Playhouse to see South Pacific.  It was very good.  There were some beautiful voices in that company!  Right now I'm watching Oklahoma roll roughshod over my Cyclones.  I  think I'll go to bed, though.  I can only handle so much of "Boomer Sooner"!

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Friday

We did our walk this morning after breakfast.  Dave then started moving everything out  of the lanai so he could wash the ceiling and the walls.  Tomorrow he will wash the windows out there. 

This afternoon I played Jokers with 3 other ladies, then tonight was 7s from Hell.  Good day!

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Thursday

Dave and I took our walk early this morning and then we ran errands.  Afternoon found me at the Clinic for another mammogram and an ultrasound.  I'm hoping that all is clear.  Neither of the technicians could find anything, but the ultrasound was just precautionary. 

This evening, we went with Ann, Bob, Ron, and Marcia to Spinners - a revolving restaurant in St Petersburg.  Delicious food - a splurge definitely, but we were celebrating Ann's 75th birthday.  The sunset was beautiful tonight.

Lovely day!

Oaklyn didn't have a good day, but hopefully they've got her on the mend tonight.  Keep praying for her.

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Wednesday

We are hosting coffee this month.  That means early Wednesdays!  There were 27 people there this morning.  It's a far cry from what we used to have, but it's better than last week by 10 people!

I didn't walk today - I just wanted to be a slug!  We did, however, ride our bikes this afternoon and I did play cards this evening.  We also got to facetime with Bryan and the kids.

Oaklyn is progressing in a timely manner.  She's off the ventilator and doing well.  Cassie even got to hold her for a bit today.  God bless her!  One good thing about her being so young, she probably won't remember the pain involved or the procedures.

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Tuesday

Oaklyn had her surgery today and she came thru it well!  The doctor told Kyle & Cassie that it was actually easier than  they thought it would be.  She is sedated now for at least 24 hours, maybe more.  If all goes well, she'll get her tubes out in a day or two.  God bless that little girl!!  She is truly a miracle.  Five open heart surgeries in 22 months!  Hopefully this will be her last surgery for a little while.  Prayers of praise tonight!

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Monday

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood!!  We were able to walk outside without cooking! 

This afternoon, we both had massages.  Then tonight we had bingo.  Yes, I know it's not Tuesday and we always have bingo on Tuesday.  Not this year....half of the B&B is now on Monday and half on Tuesday because tomorrow we bowl.

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Sunday

Great day here.  No humidity and cooler!!  We went to church - great sermon from Pastor Jack.  He told the best story, but I can only remember 2 of the 3 points that he made, so I can't tell it.  Darn!  I loved it. 

After church we met Sudi & Howard for lunch at Caddy's.  We had bloody Mary's and then breakfast and sat out by the water.  When we left there we went to Sam's.   I think over half of Pinellas County was there this afternoon.  We just missed Bob & Ann by about 15 minutes!!  Wouldn't that have been funny!

We took our walk and then sat outside talking to Bob & Ann.  Good day!

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Saturday

Fun day today.  First thing, though, I had to attend a meeting as a board member.  That lasted about 45 minutes.  Then home to await Bob & Ann's arrival.  They got in about 12:45.  Dave fixed burgers on the grill.  I played jokers with Kathy, Denny & Denise.  While Ann was at church, the 3 of us rode our bikes. 

Please pray for Oaklyn!

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Friday

Gorgeous day here.  Dave and I took a walk without melting!!  I met with my radiology oncologist this morning and she confirmed that I had a palpable nodule in my left breast.  She ordered an ultrasound.  Largo Diagnostic, however, won't do an ultrasound without a mammogram on that breast.  So now I'm waiting to hear from them as to when they want me to come have that done.  Both doctors who examined me feel that it's just a fibroid, but Dr Griffin wants to make sure. 

Bob & Ann are in Florida tonight and should be in tomorrow.  Also, Oaklyn's surgery is moved up to Nov. 5th so she'll get it done a whole week earlier!!  Please pray for her and her surgical team!

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