Whole Family Is Here .......part 2

First I will start with today's activities before I go on with last week's family get together.   After doing some paper work this morning, we took off for the beach.  It was hot, hot, hot!  But we used the tent that Betty and Kirk bought us and it helped a great deal.   The water had lots of the seaweed in it so you had to walk around through that if you wanted to enjoy the waves.  Tonight we ran out to a barbecue restaurant and then stopped at Belks to pick up some pink flip flops that I wanted.  Yes, another pair.   I like the silver ones so well that I picked up a pair of hot pink.
So on to last week......

We were entertained by the Greyhound Dog Races one evening.   There are 13 races to bet on and we all have our own system of choosing which dog to bet on.   Mike's system was just choose number 7 in each race.   It worked as well as anything.

Ron looks happy  doesn't he?   We were at Flounders.   The week was so busy we never made it down to Fort Pickens with Mike.   Actually, the reason for that is that Thursday and Friday the beach was crowded because of the Blue Angels practices.  

The beach is just minutes from our house and this time of year the beach umbrellas decorate it like ornaments on a Christmas tree.  

Kacey spent the week trying to get away from Sage - Ron's black lab.    Sage just wanted to play but Kacey does not like a big lab walking over her so she was not always so happy.  I think she is saying here "tell this pup to quit playing with my toys, drinking my water, and following me around!"

Tomorrows blog will be about the Blue Angels show.  We had ring side seats!  

The Whole Family Is Here (part one)

We just had a wonderful week with Dave, Ron, Mom, Dad, myself, and our friend Mike.   All were here all week and busy isn't the word for our days.  So this blog will cover some of what we did and tomorrow I will continue with more of the week.  Ron and Mike drove all night to get here and arrived before lunch so we all ran over to the beach for lunch.   (Dave had been here for over a week already.)  They brought along with them Sage - Ron's black lab.   She is so cute and very energetic and need I say that Kacey was not thrilled with Sage running here and there.   They also brought with them a gift from Betty and Kirk.

This is the greatest beach tent to keep you out of the hot sun.  Dave set it up in the yard so we knew what we were doing when we take it to the beach.   THANKS BETTY AND KIRK!!!!

On Monday Dad, Mike, and Dave spent the day at the Navy Aviation Museum, the lighthouse (Yes, they climbed to the top) and visited the fort on the Navy Base.   Ron and I headed down to Destin and ate lunch at Bubba Shrimps.  Great fish sandwich and strawberry slushies.  Oh, and the glasses light up.

 That night we had one of our famous shrimp boils - shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn on the cob all cooked in the same pot.   Here Dave is pouring off the water and we are ready to feed our faces - which we did. 

Hey!  Where is the music?   The picture above is of some of us waiting for the  Bands at the Beach concert to begin.  What you don't see is the other side of us is the Gulf of Mexico.  What a view!!

Tuesday the guys spent time at the beach and Mom and I ran out to the mall.   (I had a coupon for Belks. We each got a new purse and I got new flip-flops.)   After a dinner of homemade chicken enchiladas we took off for the Bands at the Beach concert at Pensacola Beach.     Afterwards, Dave, Ron, Mike, and I stopped at Peg Leg Petes for a drink - a favorite spot for everyone on Pensacola Beach.

Here is a picture of Mike, Ron, and Dave at Flounders.  Yes, I was there but never in the pictures because I am taking the pictures.  They look like a happy crew, don't they?

Ron, Mike, and I ran down to Destin to the kite shop on the boardwalk.   Mike already owns some pretty fancy kites and bought another to add to his collection.  This is not the usual one stringed kite, this takes a bit more work to fly with two strings attached for flying.  

Wednesday was again beach day, some shopping, and then off to the Greyhound Races.   We had a blast!!!   Everyone has their own system of picking their dog in each race and sometimes we won but more often not.   It did not cost too much more than going to the movies and it was great fun for everyone.
Our family is very close and love doing things together so the week went too, too fast.   Mike fits right in - he is as crazy and silly as my brothers.  Sage and Kacey spent the week with Sage wanting to play with Kacey and Kacey saying "Hey pup, get away from me!"   I just talked to Ron and slept a bit this afternoon after driving all night.  Even though driving all night is not fun, it is quicker and you drive right through Nashville and Birmingham - the two cities that tend to back up during the day time.   
We love sharing our new home with friends and family.  So much to do and never have enough time to do it all.  More pictures and stories to tell.........
    Continued tomorrow.......

Beach and My Sore Back

My brother Dave is here for the next month and we got beach busy right away.   So Friday was a beautiful day and the waves were not too rough so off we went.   Let's see....what to take.

My favorite beach bag, of course.   I bought that five or six years ago on one of our Pensacola Beach trips.  Beach towels, chair, shell nets, shell bucket, sun tan lotion, cell phone, sandals, and my boogie board.

No, I don't actually boogie board.  I am not crazy but I do use it in the water to help balance me against the waves that seem insistant on knocking me down.  Dave carried most of these items down to the beach because I woke up with a sore back.   But after walking on the sand, I had a very sore back by evening and I have been walking bent over since.   That is not the worse part though.   I have had some muscle spasms with this and let me tell you, it isn't fun!  Oh well, back to the beach.

Here is a picture of Mom baking in the sun and Dave is drying off after spending time in with the waves and shells.  We got a few shells but it just has not been good shelling for the past two months.   Tropical Storm Debbie sent shells up but they were crushed and in pieces.

Here is another picture of Dad out shelling.   I know I have posted lots of pictures of Dad doing this but....he does this a lot.   He is the king of shelling!

I am always the one taking the pictures so I seldom show up in a picture.   So I took a picture of myself while on the beach.  I love my new sunglasses that I can wear with my new contacts.

Well, the last two days I am trying to straighten my back out.   Very, very slow and painful - let me tell you.   Ron and Mike come in Saturday for a week and I want to be in good shape by then, I hope.  My friend Nicole has offered the use of her paddle boards while they are here and her family is on vacation.   I know the guys will enjoy the boards so much.

  Some final information about Gulf Breeze:
   Temperature high today - 92
   Water temperature  - 86
    Humidity - high.   Too high.    Way too high.
    Tourist - Lots of people here for their summer vacations.  Gee, just like we used to do.
    4th of July - July 3rd we are going to a picnic down the street.  So fun!   We will picnic in our  own yard on the 4th.
   Tonight's TV Programing -  The Olympic Trials of course.

Take care all and enjoy the fireworks!



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!