Scorpion

Yuck!  We had an unwanted visitor yesterday.  He was very small but moved fast - a scorpion.    He (or maybe a she)  was by the front door on the tile.  Now, I always knew that there are scorpions here - my friend had several a couple of years ago.  Next door, Karol has had them also.  But we have not had any probably because we have someone spray the yard for insects and Dad sprays throughout the house on a regular basis.
So I went on Wikipedia......the truth shall be known.
     

  The chances of getting stung by one here in Florida that could kill you are so, so slim.  The sting from almost all of the scorpions found in Florida would hurt like a wasp sting - maybe more -  and would get swollen and red.   You might have to go to the doctor but again, you will live.

The one in our house was small and Dad killed it.   Now the next question.   How did it get in?  

Did it follow someone in the front door?

Did it ride on some one's clothing into the house?

Was it living in the banana trees outside of our front door?

Was it on beach towels that hang outside?

OR does it have a secret entrance that we don't know about!!!!  EEEEEEEKKKK!!!!!!!!!!

Scorpions are

Afterwards, Dad said to me "Please don't let this bother you."   

Ah......yea....sure....ah ha..... sure thing.......I won't be bothered by the stinging scorpion in my living room where I walk barefoot.   But I just smiled at him.........

  

               

Now onto other topic.   This trailer is sitting out front of our house with St. Augustine sod for us to lay tomorrow.   Good news for me, though!   Our wonderful neighbor Bill is going to help Dad do it.   

We have an area in front next to the neighboring house that does not do well will grass.   Most of our grass is centipede grass and that is not a great grass.   It only lasts so long and then begins to die off.   So we are slowly switching to St. Augustine.

Later than I thought - 11:30 so I had better get ready for bed.

Take care and enjoy!

MORE Oldies but Goodies

Today, a Sunday, was a quiet day for us.  Dad worked outside until lunch and then watched some golf.  We ran over to I-HOP for lunch and it wasn't good at all today.   Yes, they were crowded but over an hour wait for pancakes is extreme.  We then ran to Joe Patti's to pick up a gift for a friend.  

Some good news!  IT RAINED FOR 15 MINUTES!!!!!   Oh, how we needed that rain.  As I sit here and type I can hear the frogs singing away outside.    They are happy also.

Just a few more pictures I will call Oldies but Goodies........

Dave's school takes interested 6th graders every spring to St. Louis on an overnight trip.   (Brave teachers.)  There trip is amazing and filled with fun, educational activities so Dave told Mom, Dad, and I that we might enjoy a family trip to St. Louis.  We read a lot about Route 66 history and what is still presently there to visit.

One of our first stops was actually on Route 66.  A luncheon restaurant invented what we call corn dogs.  But they call them Cozy Dogs (the name of the restaurant) and if you ask for a corn dog, they act as if they have no idea what you are talking about.   

Dave with his Cozy Dog.  Yes, they were yummy!

The famous Arch in St. Louis has a museum under ground that was wonderful.  And yes, we got into one of those pods and went up to the tip top of the arch.  Fun and yet very claustrophobic.

Back at the lake, Kacey had to be leashed in the boat otherwise she thought it would be fun to jump off the front of the boat.  Heart attack time for me!

Doesn't this look like a lovely cabinet that you could purchase for your bathroom?  Dad make this for me.  When we moved, we took it down before the house went up for sale so it ended up here in Florida with us.

He is very talented, don't you think?

What a mess of rain we had at the start of school one year.  It rained so much that school was canceled.  Lake George was pouring over bridges.

More of the flood.   This time showing the gazebo. 

Cypress tree roots.  Just another interesting show of what Mother Nature can do.

Mom and Dad's house in Monticello - the green one on the left.   We are out on the boat looking back at the house.   See those hedges.  Would you like to cut hedges that are that high off the ground and at least 4 feet wide.   No fun.  Dad and my brothers always did this together and would get very grouchy. I just don't understand why!

That is it for now.   I talked to my cousin Sandy for quite awhile tonight.   She just retired!  HAPPY RETIREMENT SANDY!!!!!!  

Oldies but Goodies

Today was a warm one......Our thermometer in the backyard said 108 degrees (in the sun) so it was a great day to take Kacey into the pool swimming and then over to the hose and give her a doggie suds shower.  It takes forever for her to dry - hours!   We also went for a walk down the street to try to hurry the drying process, but no, hours again.

Poor Kacey.   She just wants to be in the air conditioning but I think she should go swimming and then a shower/bath.  She tolerates me though.  Oh, excuse my Dad's thumb.

I though for fun I would go back into some pictures before we moved here.   Maybe from my home or Mom and Dad's home.   Here we go........

Indiana Beach in Monticello.  We owned a resort - Anchor Bay Resort - within walking distance and did all the work ourselves.  I mean all - cleaning cabins, mowing, running a 50,000 gallon pool, and much more.   Indiana Beach was wonderful and so fun!

My home in late spring in Portage, In.   Beautiful tree but oh, the smell when the pollen was present.  Yuck!

Early spring at the house in Monticello on Kean's Bay.  Beautiful view and memories galore!!

My summer band in Hobart, In.  back when we were at the old middle school.  These were great kids and we still had fifty coming into the group when school started.

Who is driving the boat!

They would drop the level of Lake Shafer to work on the damn every so many years.  Then it was a good time to fix piers, lifts, pick up junk on the lake bottom, and retaining walls.  Dave is over on Saturday to help.  Don't step where there is water - you will loose a shoe!

Dad, Ron and I connected my house to the garage with two doors - one in the front and one in the back.  Oh, how wonderful that was when it was raining to go straight into the garage without getting wet or better yet, never have snow build up around the back door.

This is my Aunt Clarice, my Dad's sister.  I could not of loved her more.  After my uncle died, she and I would go out for dinner every Thursday night and sometimes shop on Saturdays.  Besides my parents, she was so important to my childhood.  I knew she loved me lots and I loved the way she enjoyed life.

Of course, now I life somewhere that looks like this in January.  Beautiful flowers.  Some trees loose their leaves but as many of them don't and of course, the palms look tropical all year long.

Well, that is a little of my past.  Yesterday was my brother Ron's birthday and he had a great day.   I miss being there to celebrate with him though.  Have a great Sunday tomorrow and take care!

Back Home Again In Hobart,Indiana

(Sorry for the quality of the pictures.  But you will get the idea.)

I grew up in Hobart, Indiana.  A great little town and very safe to be out playing all day.   Just be in by dark.
When I was in sixth grade, we moved into a two storey house on Lake George.  My Grandpa and Grandma Ronschke lived in the house (Mom grew up in the same house) and sold it to Mom and Dad.  So we had a house on hill that went down to the lake - a kids dream.   Many years later our friend Mike Gee bought the house and has lived there for some time.  He is presently doing major changes with the second floor.   The two bedrooms there had been built for me and my two brothers and designed by Mom and Dad.  They were small but very nice.   WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS, PEGGY?!  Ron has taken some pictures of the rooms and it takes me back to our childhood.

I know it is so blurry, sorry.   But you can see the hill with all the trees down to the lake.  In the winter we would skate down the hill and ice skate on the lake and we had assorted sleds that we would ride down the hill.  Many memories.

The walls were put up when I was in 6th grade, Dave in 3rd, and Ron not in school yet.  We were allowed to draw on them before the paneling was put up.  Here is a picture of Grandma Kaiser bowling.  (I know, only family would enjoy that.)

My room had built in furniture and shelves to make more room.   I loved it!  Green wall paper, white furniture and a grey/white rug.  It really was quite pretty.

It had a walk in closet with built in drawers and shelves - also decorated in the green wall paper.  I thought I was a princess.  

Well, it was a wonderful room for a young girl in the sixties and early seventies.  Thanks Mom, Dad, Uncle Bob, and Jerry for building this for me.   But now it is being gutted.  Boo!!!   No, really, Mike will have a beautiful master bedroom upstairs with master bath and a balcony that looks out to the lake.

Some final thoughts.....

• I loved growing up in that house and in Hobart. 
• The house had air conditioning.....not everyone had it back then.
• We used to play night tag, catch fire flies, roll down the hill, and beg to stay out longer.  
• Oh, and did we get dirty!  A we all had scratches from falling off the bikes.
• When I go into the house now to visit Mike, it seems so small compared to my memory.  (It is not a small house but your memory from childhood makes it seem so much bigger.)
• Mowing that hill was NOT FUN!  
• Wonderful memories!   When I left for college, I think Dave took over my room minutes after I left.  Not cool Dave.

Time to take Kacey out, fight the frogs, and go to bed.  There is a weather disturbance moving toward the Caribbean Islands but the weather people feel that it is not going to come into the gulf.   Good news for us!
Also in the weather is the warnings of extreme heat this week-end along with humidity.  Whew!!

That is it for now......careful in the heat!   

Keeping busy and having fun!

Again, I must say it is hot and they have weather warnings out for this week-end that it will be 99 degrees along with heavy, miserable humidity. I love air conditioning!

We have really enjoyed the last three days - Tuesday we went to the Mall and I picked up some Clinique.  It is their sale time that you buy $27. worth of makeup and get a $78. of assorted lotions, makeup items, and a makeup bag.  Great deal!
      Afterwards we  drove to the Port of Pensacola to see the big ships.  This is a must if Dad is in the car.   If a ship is staying in the port, it brings quite a bit of money to Pensacola.  At the end of the Port's park area is a restaurant called Jaco's.  You sit outside and see all the large boats and ships.   Money, money, money.  It was a beautiful day......we got some pop and a small key lime pie and shared.

Wind is blowing but feels so good in the heat.

Look at these sale boats.  I have been on one like these and they sure do move.

Dad could watch these all day long.  I should just drop him off and pick him up before dinner. (Mom and I could shop.)

Me - also windblown hair.

Mom and I.

This is a picture of half of this ship.  Too big to get the whole thing in one shot.  I believe it lays and picks up pipes for oil rigs.

Palafox Street is the main street running north and south in downtown Pensacola.  It reminds you so much of New Orleans.   There is a wonderful piano store,  I bought my piano there, and they also sell piano music.  I stopped by to peruse the music.  Lots and lots of grand pianos.  Amazing!

They have Gallery Night ever so often and close off the street, the stores are open, bands are playing on the street and up in the balconies, and you can get wine or beer and walk around and enjoy.  It is so fun.

Further down is a long park area that you can visit any and every Saturday and get fresh produce, bakery items, purchase plants, crafts, honey, and much more.  It is a great Saturday morning activity.
        Please take care and enjoy!

  

Recipe For Happiness

Mom and I liked the way our friend Nicole does her recipes so we are following suit.  By keeping the recipes in a three ring binder in vinyl sleeves, they can easily be looked at, perused, notes written, and wiped off when dirty during baking.   School supplies are super cheap right now so I bought a 1 1/2 inch three ring binder for $2.00 and off we went.  We pulled out our various recipes and started adding them - by category into the book.  We love it!  So that was our project of the day.

I have enjoyed the flowers we have this year but it is difficult to know what to do to keep them alive.  If  the hibiscus tree leaves are yellow, the instructions say it might be too much or too little water!   Really!!!!
Despite our gardening ignorance, we do have some pretty flowers.

Crape Myrtles are delicate and thick with beauty.

What beautiful colors.

Pretty white daisies can make you smile.

The flowers on this vine last and last.

Hibiscus changes every day.  At night the flowers close up and new ones open in the morning.

Summer sweet watermelon was part of our dinner this evening.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a recipe for happiness that we all could follow.  But it is not that easy, especially for someone that has a mental disorder, extreme anxiety,  depression or someone that uses drugs.  My Grandmother was bipolar and lived with her own fears - most fears were imaginary only there because of the disease.  Mom had often said to me when I was growing up imagine what it would be like to be afraid all the time of things that don't even exist. For every high there is a more devastating low to live through.
We don't know what Robin Williams had to deal with - for him to make the final choice that he did tells us that he felt that he could not continue in his pain.   It would be wonderful if we had the recipe to help those in need - those that have also reached that place in their life.
Robin Williams will be missed, honored for his humor and kindness, and loved by all of us that were so aware of his extreme talents.   Yourr passing has left me sad and confused but if your job on this earth was to raise the spirits of others,  then, Robin,  you can rest in peace.