Debby - Dave- and Bear

It has been a pretty busy few days.  But as I sat down to write tonight's blog I got a text from my friend Nicole - The Bear Is Out!  We have black bears that live by us and they have been out in our neighborhood between 7-8:00 in the evening.  She saw one again today and I really want to see one of the bears - so out of the house I ran.   But no bear.   I did have my brother Dave following me - shoeless - down the sidewalk.  He might of scared the bear.
Dave got in Monday morning after driving all the way from Indiana by himself over night.   We felt  so much better once he was here.  He wil be here for over a month before returning to Monticello to resume teaching.

Kacey is happy to have Dave here.  Another lap to sit on.

Tropical storm Debby came throught the Gulf of Mexico - very slowly.  We received some rain last week-end and some wind but no damage.  The waves at Pensacola Beach were assume to look at.   It was a double red flag day which means if you go into the water, you are fined.

The bad weather means a visit by all the news stations - including Jim Cantorre from the Weather Channel.  I just missed seeing him by minutes.

We were supposed to leave Thursday for Clearwater to visit Kathy and Terry but Kathy's flight was cancelled to get home from Hobart, IN.   So she will not be home in time for us to visit.   That is ok - we will get to go another time.

Dave and I went for a walk on the beach tonight and enjoyed somebody's art work left from earlier this afternoon.  It is going to be very hot the next few days so I don't think I will want to go to the beach mid-afternoon.  I know, I know.  I moved to Florida.  I knew it was going to get hot in the summer but this is like open-the-oven-door hot.  So maybe it will be a good shopping day.   Well, really every day is a good shopping day!  Take care all!

Father's Day

Hey!  Tomorrow is Father's Day so let's talk about my favorite father - my Dad.  Just a brief history on Dad.   He went to Hobart High School and met Mom but did not date her until he was in the Navy.  Once married, they set up house keeping in Pensacola, Florida and then I came along.   After being stationed in Cuba for 9 months, Mom and Dad decided to come back to Indiana.  Dad worked for Indiana Bell Telephone and retired at the age of 55.  He and Mom bought a resort in Monticello on Schafer Lake.  They built Anchor Bay Resort up from a pit to a place that was a great place to visit.   After 7 years they sold the resort and moved to a house on Schafer Lake.   We enjoyed 19 wonderful years with my parents living in the house.  And now we are in Pensacola.   Who knows what wonderful adventures are ahead of us?
So that is a quick synopsis of my Dad's life.  So why is Dad a great Dad?   Well, let me list a few reasons.
1.  He took us fishing and we even caught fish.
2.  We went camping during the summers.
3.   He has a great sense of humor.
4.  He loves to talk.   Lots.   Yes, he talks a great deal.
5.  He is interested in and supports all three of his kids.
6.   He loves my doggy, Kacey.
7.  He can fix anything.
8.  He washes my car.
9.  He went to all my concerts.
10. He will go shopping with me.
11. He is supportive of my problems.
12. He is a great shell finder.
13. He is funny.
14. He is the smartest man I know.
15. He loves me, my brothers, and my Mom - and Dad, we love you too.

  

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Love - Peggy

Gardening - Success or Failure

We are experimenting with gardening and flowers this early summer and we are enjoying some success and some droopy plants. Maybe part of that is one of our gardeners.   (Pictured below)

Just kidding.  Dad works hard on the flowers and garden.   He is just dangerous on the tractor.

Our flowers are doing great.   All blooming with beautiful colors to enjoy.

These annuals are beautiful and just bloom and bloom in the heat.
Ok, now on to the problem areas.   Our tomatoes and bad - I understand the saying rotten tomatoes - it could be used describe our garden.  They have not produced much but bugs, caterpillars, and yellow leaves.   But look at the cucumbers we are getting.  Big Huh??  This one was eaten yesterday.

And the peppers and producing but the plants themselves are small so I don't know how long they will last.  I don't think much longer. 

The last picture today is about my little, baby lemon tree.   It is tiny and has not grown much at all but look......do I see something........yes, I think it is........yes, a baby LEMON!

One lemon.   It better be a good one.

These last few days have been the usual.  Today I got the oil changed in my car and was informed that it is time for new tires.   UGH!!!!!!  More money!   Really, I new this was coming.  I also got the next set of lenses for my new contacts.   My right eye will see  far - my left reads.   So my brain needs to learn to work with my eyes each having separate vision duties.   Today it was pretty bizarre but it will get better and better.  If I look a bit blurry, you now know why. 

I will end today's post with a sad note......
News came to me last night that every teacher fears.  One of my past students passed away at the age of 20.   Sam was in band for 3 years and a wonderful young man.  How unexpected - he was found on the bike path and had a heart attack.   I have thought about him and his family often today and the grief that they are feeling.   My prayers and thoughts are with the Sam Moore family.

June - And Boy, Is It Summer!!!!

I just got a text from my friend Kathy saying, "Get those blogs going!!" so ok, here I am.  Yes, lots have happened.  Let's just start with today.

RAIN, RAIN, AND MORE RAIN

It has been raining, pouring, all day long with lots of thunder and I LOVE IT! We don't get many days like this so I enjoy a day of rain. The storms out in the gulf are severe so we went to Subway for lunch on the beach and got out to look at the waves. Big, big, big waves. I was surprised that no one was surfing. They pulled over two dozen people out of the water yesterday. People don't understand the dangers of the surf in this weather.

This is a picture I took over at Pensacola Beach this morning in between the pouring rain. 

I just stepped out the back and took a picture of the rain pouring off our roof. 

GARDEN

I have planted tomatoes, green peppers, banana peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers.  All is doing great but the tomatoes.  The green caterpillars get to them and something else does but we can't figure it out.  I have heard it is difficult to plant tomatoes here and I think it is.   We have been putting the tomato powder to keep insects off of them but.......the bugs are smarter than I.  But I have already picked several peppers and some tomatoes.  I also see some cucumber starting to grow.

CONTACTS

I am in the process of getting new contacts and since I haven't worn them for 15 years, I am excited about how much better they are now.   My right eye is going to be seeing far away and my left eye will take over reading.   It takes some brain relearning but I am up to it.  I now get to buy those stylish sunglasses that everyone else wears! 

GENERATOR AND TERMITES

What do these have in common?   Money!   Termite control has been set up for the year (over $800.00).  The Florida termites are aggressive and do major damage to homes so it is necessary to set up termite inspection and protection with a termite company.  Also, we are picking up a generator at LOWES today or tomorrow so that we can have lights, fridge, and fans in case of hurricanes.  Ah, where does the money go????

FUN TIMES

The picture above is a beautiful white peacock we saw at the zoo last night.  Just perfection.   The zoo had baby monkeys, gorillas, goats, kangaroos, rabbits, and more.   They leave the zoo open until  8:00 on Fridays so you can go and enjoy the cooler evening time and the animals and the animals more around more in the evening.  We have been to the beach but no shells.   WHERE ARE THE SHELLS?   Maybe after these storms we will have some shells pushed up to shore.

My friend Nicole and her family had us over for dinner last week and what a dinner it was!   A wonderful bean and salsa dip, grilled chicken and steak, we brought salad and orange-kiss-me-cake and she had these wonderful strawberries dipped in chocolate also for desert.  Nicole knows how to entertain.

PLANS

At the end of June, we are going to visit my friends Kathy and Terry in Clearwater.   They have a condo right on the beach and I know Mom is looking forward to getting on their balcony.

Dave is coming a few days before so that he can stay with Kacey and he will be here for a month.  Ron and our friend Mike are planing on coming for a week after the Fourth of July.

Terry and Kathy are spending the night in late August and I might pop up home in early August to visit.   Not sure yet.

Well, it has been busy but I have not been too busy to think of my friends coming to the end of the school year up at home.  They are excited to be off for the summer - I told them that retiring is like being on a long summer break.  Take care all!