Friday, February 29, 2008

Still Cold

Yesterday was still a cold day. We did manage to get out and walk around the park,then go to WalMart for groceries. Boy did we ever go to WalMart. Nancy was in a buying mood and thats not good when she does this. I spent time on the computer and listening to the scanner radio. The rescue squads really stay busy,people fighting,over dosing and car wrecks. Also fooling with my old video camera that I haven't used in a few years. I got a new battery off Ebay,the price on Ebay was $11.44. That beats the price of $49.95 in the stores here,if you can even find it. The picture on the video keeps jumping around and the sound distorted. After running a head cleaning tape through many times and pushing and pulling on different things I think I have got it to working. Time will tell.
Todays schedule is for me to get a hair cut,the rest of the day is up in the air of what to do.
Man this retirement life is rough.
Today the temp is up to 71,so if the wind doesn't blow very much it will be a nice sunny day.
Wherever you may be keep warm and safe.
Thanks for stopping by and do come back again.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Cold in Florida

Yesterday was rather a cool day and a brisk breeze blowing all day. We went to the mall to walk and look around. We had not been to the mall in a week or so,so we had to see if anything was new there,not much changed. After we got back home and ate dinner we took the garbage out to the dump and walked one time around the park. The wind was still blowing and you could tell it was going to turn cold for the night. After Nancy watched her programs and I on the computer,I watched a couple of basketball games.It was 37 degrees when we got up this morning. Is this Florida? This is the kind of morning that one likes to just lazy around for a while before doing anything. It is a 2 or 3 cups of coffee morning,know what I mean? We do have to go to(you guessed it)WalMart to get a few groceries and look around to see if there is something that we just can't do without.

My son sent me some pictures of the snowfall they had in the Smokie Mountains.
Looking at these I don't guess I should complain of our cold weather.

This is my son Joe and grandson Haven. They were enjoying the snow up in the mountains.


Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Park Parade

We had our annual park parade yesterday. The parade started at 1:00pm,the day was sunny and hot. We had a clown.
We had more clowns. These are the people from the park that have a clown ministry,the go to the nursing homes to entertain the people that are there. They are really good in what they do.

We had two fire trucks and a rescue squad truck.


The Pasco County Sherriff in the parade.

Even a Florida Highway Patrol car, there were several floats. After the parade we had an ice cream social. The weather started turning for the worse around 3:30pm with the wind blowing and the clouds coming overhead. Then the rain came hard and the weather conditions got bad,with a possible tornado. We didn't have a tornado but,had rain and wind most of the night.
This morning a drop in temperature,52 degrees this morning and getting up only to 58.
What a difference a day makes,of course it is better then being in the 20's and snow blowing.




Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Birds

Yesterday was spend walking in the John Chestnut Park. Usually walking along the boardwalks we get over run by squirrels,but this day just about the only thing on the railing was this tree growing out on to the rail. We did see a few squirrels though. This happened one time last year,don't know the reason for it.
Spotted the Blue Heron in the tree feeding two little ones that were still in the nest. I tryed to get a picture of the little ones but they were to far away to get a good focus on.

I think this is a Red Tail Hawk that swooped down on the rail. What amazed me was that it let me get to within 15 feet of it to get this picture. It did fly off to join another one that was in the trees.

As we were about to finish up on this trail this bird landed on a branch above our head. It was picking at a field mouse or some other small animal that it had caught for its meal.
We also saw a large Red Headed Woodpecker. It was a good day to be birding and walking the trails. This is the reason we like to go on the trails and walk more then we like to walk in the rv parks.
Today we are having a parade in the park so we will watch it for our intertainment. It is a lot of fun seeing the different floats and all the rest of the parade.



Monday, February 25, 2008

Andy

Yesterday we spent the rest of the evening resting a little then we walked for a bit. Stopped in and visited a couple of people here on the park. By the time we got back it was time to settle in for the night. I on my computer and Nancy watched the Oscar Awards,I don't care for the show anymore because I don't know any of the people that get the Oscars. They have to many winners that are just in one movie and then you never hear of them again. It was better when movie stars were special people that had talent and acted like they were stars.
My great grandson (Andy) says he likes reading my blog. He likes it when I have the animal pictures on,he says to put on more alligator pictures. Andy is 5 years old so I guess he would like the different animal pictures.
It is a nice sunny morning here today to start the day,the temp will be in the middle 70's.
Nothing as of now is planned for the day. Lots of people are taking their morning walk before it gets to hot.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

The Week End

Yes it did rain yesterday and I watched college basketball on the tube,no I forgot we have an lcd tv. Is that a tube or not? Thats the way it was all day. Man O' Man am I getting lazy or what?
Today after hearing a real good sermon from the preacher we went out to Christo's with our friends,had a nice dinner and a nicer time chatting with them. We are so glad to have met our new friends in church,we enjoy being around them.
Right now Nancy is reading and I'm catching up on my computering.
I got a nice email from the grandson Jeremy and the two little ones,also got a couple from our son Joe who is happy to be on his new laptop computer.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Dunedin Bay

Yesterday we went down to Dunedin

We walked the sidewalk along the bay. Here is a panoramic shot of the bay. We wanted to walk here because the temp was a little above 80 and we knew there would be a breeze coming off of the water. We were right,it was a nice breezy walk.
This speed boat looks like it is going fast,but it was not going as fast as it looks in the picture.

After the walk on the sidewalk we went back to the car for a drink of cool water then strolled over to look at the boats in the Dunedin Marina. There were some nice yachts were moored,one even had a grill attached to the back of it where they could grill their steaks. I don't know how you can grill out on the water,I sometimes dropped things off the grill and mine is on solid ground.

There were pelicans around the marina waiting for the charter boats to come in so they could get a handout. It was a nice day walking in the sun and the breeze of the day.
It is raining today and going to have showers on and off all day. Of course this is saturday and I will spend most of the day watching my basketball games.












Friday, February 22, 2008

No Pizza Today

Yesterday,was just a day nothing special happened. We walked a bit around the park,stopped to watch the baby sandhill cranes for a while. Then we went to the laundromat,this usually means a pizza but we didn't have one. We are trying to loose some wheight,so we are holding back on our eating as much as possible. This is one thing that is hard for me to do because I really love food.

Of course we have nothing planned for the day. No doctors appointments until April,and then its just follow ups and get our perscriptions before we take off for the summer.
The weather here is nice,the temp going up to 80 today. Up north where the family live they are having cool and cold temps. Thats winter time in the north. I can remember those cold nasty winters getting out in the car and sliding all over the road. No thank you,I'm thankful to be able to spend the winter in Florida. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed many a winter with the family getting together for the holidays. Those times will be remembered forever.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

New Park

Yesterday we went down in Hillsborough County to a new to us park. Its the Upper Tampa Bay Park This park is only about 25 miles from our place so it didn't take very much time. That is if there wasn't so much traffic.
The first trail was the Eagle Trail,around 1 mile total length. This wasn't a challeng for us so we took another trail where the trail was wide and the grass was mowed so it made a good walking place. Its a good thing,as we were walking we came upon a snake lying out in front of us,by the time I got my camera turned on ready to take a photo it slithered away.

We then got in the car,drove down aways to another trail and walked it. Where we had parked the car was a Butterfly Garden with a few flowers growing.

On the way back we stopped in and did some more walking at John Chesnut park because we only had 4 1/2 miles and we needed more walking. We saw this Anghingh bird drying its wings. We noticed how straight the lines were with the white on black feathers. It looked as though it was painted on,beautiful.


Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Propane

Yesterday morning started or may didn't start with the 20lb propane tank running empty. It was rather cool in the motorhome with no heat. Of course I could have hooked up the onboard large tank but I didn't. After breakfast I took the tank down and got it filled so we could have it nice and warm when we took our showers.
We then took the garbage to the dump and walked around the park. Then to WalMart to get some groceries,come home, fire up the grill and put the dogs on. I finaly got my hot dogs after wanting them for a month now. Nancy doesn't like hot dogs so I don't fix them as much as I would like to. The rest of the evening was pretty much of what we always do,me watching my basketball games and Nancy reading.
As I was waiting for Nancy to get up this morning I was listening to the landing of the shuttle on my scanner radio. Listened to ground control and the astronauts in the shuttle talking.
Today will no doubt be another same ol' typical day.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Deer

Yesterday,we started out the morning with our shorts on,then it started cooling down so we put on our long jeans to walk around the park. By the time we got all the way round it was warm again so we changed back to the shorts. We drove out to J B Starkey Park (one of favorite places to walk) to do some more walking.
As we were walking this deer came across the walking trail. It paused long enough to look at us for a while then slowly walk into the brush. The deer seem to not be in a hurry. As we were walking the black clouds once again like the other day started moving in. Nancy says "you think we ought to start back" I said no,we'll finish I think it will hold off. It did,that is until we were about 1/2 mile from the car. It just sprinkled but we got a little wet and it was rather cool.
When we got home I grilled the beef tips with peppers and onions that I was going to do saturday,before I decided I wanted something else. The evening ended up by the usual stuff, watching tv,on the computer and listening to the radio scanner.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Back to doctor today

Yesterday after resting up for a while we headed out to Starkey Park to walk thinking the park closed at 6:30pm,wrong. The park closes at 6:00 so that wouldn't have given us enough time to walk,so we came back to the rv park to walk. so around and around we went to get our miles in.
Nancy has another appointment with the orthepedic doctor to check on her shoulder. The cortizone shot he gave her helped but she still has a lot of pain.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Yesterday was a usual saturday again. We walked around the Park,then stopped to talk with Hattie and Harry. I started to grill some steak tips with onions and peppers but then decided I would like to have hot dogs instead. So we went to the store to get some hot dog buns and chips. As we were pulling into the store lot Nancy saw where McDonald's was having a Super Saturday Special 49 cent hamburgers so I says I think I'll just get some burgers. After getting back home and docotring up the burgers with onion,tomato and lettuce that what we had. I guess its a good thing I didn't see anything else to eat or we would still be changing the menu for the day. As we walked the park we saw that the Sandhill Cranes had hatched their eggs and the 2 little ones were running around. These things grow fast.
We went to church and the pastor had a great sermon,we saw and talked to our good friends. After church we had dinner back down to Christo's. I guess this is becoming our favorite restaurant.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Squirrel Eating.

Click on the video to watch the squirrel that I feed yesterday.

Walking The Trails

We went down to John R Chestnut Park to do our walking yesterday.
Upon entering the park we saw that the Azalea bushes were out and they were very beautiful.
They were just right to photo in their full color.

As I walked across one of the bridges I feed some of the fish. You can really see a bunch of fish when you throw them food in the water

As the fish were splashing around eating this 4 ft gator came over to investage what was going on. There are a lot of alligators in Florida,the news this morning said it was reported by alligator hunters that they have killed 6000 last year.
On the way back home we stopped in Target to look around,but we didn't buy anything. By the time we finished up it was getting late so we looked for some place to eat. We saw this Christo's place and decided we would try it out,we had not been there before. It is a nice place and it was crowded. Even though it had a crowd we were waited on quickly and the food was seerved in large portions and very good. I can see why this place had a large crowd.
We had another one of those great days.



Friday, February 15, 2008

Well did you help to eat the candy that you bought for the special someone yesterday?
It was sunny but a little cool with the wind blowing yesterday. We didn't go anywhere so we did double walking around the park. Nancy was in her shorts and I in my pants. I get colder than she does I guess its the blood thinner that I'm on. Nancy took Harry and Hattie a small box of candy,these are two nice people on our park that have ages of 100 and 90.
The way the sun is shining this morning and the temp going up to 75 we will no doubt get out and walk somewhere. When you set for a while in one spot its hard to find different places to walk so its the same walk over and over. I guess you still have to walk,thats what its all about for us. We try weather we feel like it or not.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine Day


That day again,I hope you have given that special someone something special this day.
Yesterday we went out to J B Starkey Park to walk,after about 1/2 mile we looked behind us to see the big black clouds rolling in. We turned around and headed back for the car,we made it before the rain got to us. From there we went to WalMart to get a few things. Before we bought anything though we walked around and around to get our mileage. It rained all evening with the wind blowing and it sure got cool. Like this morning it was 38* when we woke up.
The evening was spent doing the things we always do.It looks as though today will be a cool but nice day so I will let out the awning and set everything back up.
Nothing planned for the day except to stay warm here in sunny Florida.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Stormy Weather

The weather was rotten yesterday afternoon. We started our walk and stopped in to visit some of our friends as we were leaving it started to rain and by the time we got home we were soaked. The weather people said we were in a tornado watch for our area all evening and up until this morning. We were lucky we just had a little wind. They did have a tornado on the east coast that did some damage.
I watched a lousy basketball game last night between Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Kentucky only managed to score 11 points in the first half of the game. That was worse than West Virginia did the other night. Oh well I will watch Duke play tonight and I know they will score a lot of points. What has happened to Villianova?
I guess we will get out and do something today if the weather is not to bad.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Another Full Day

Yesterdy was Nancy's appointment. After she had finished we came home,had a small snack and then off to the laundromat. After doing the laundry on the way home I stopped at the Little Caesar's Pizza for our wash day pizza fix. We got home ate some pizza,bagged up the garbage for the dumpster off off we went again. After putting the garbage in the dumpster we continued our walking around the park. By the time we had walked and stopped to talk to several people it was getting dark when we got back home. We did our usual things for the evening and then it was time for bed. Another short but full day.Yesterday was a nice sunny day that was in the mid 70's. Today will be different with rain in the forecast,thunderstorms with lightning and possible severe at times. I will be listening to my scanner radio tuned to the "skywarn" channel,

Monday, February 11, 2008

Cool in Florida

Yep,thats what it is this morning. Here in New Port Richey it was 41* this morning. Can't complain though,its going to get up to 74 with plenty of sunshine.
Well yesterday was about the same as saturday,except I didn't have ballgames to watch. All the other stuff,I guess I could call my hobbies-computer,webcam,radio scanner,at least it keeps me busy. I guess sometimes when people have hobbies other people say how can they waste their time on that. Well folks everybody has to be doing something. Walking through the park you can see some wood carving,playing different musical instruments,planting flowers or just sitting around talking. Anyway that you enjoy to pass the time of day.
Today back to the lab for Nancy,for another test,then we'll go from there.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Yesterday was just spent messing around. First we walked 3 miles,after we got home in the afternoon I watched basketball games,spent some time on the computer trying to set up a webcam to go online and also had time to listen to the radio scanner. Some games were good some not so good.
We didn't go to church today,Nancy is a little under the weather. I know we missed a blessing not hearing the message that Pastor Guy had this morning. We also missed not seeing our friends.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Nancy got her haircut yesterday,then after she got home and trimmed her hair more to her liking. We walked around the park. Between stopping to visit and talking to several people it was getting late. We went to WalMart to pick up our perscriptions and buy a few groceries,it was dark once again when we got back home.
Still with all we had to do we managed to walk 5 miles.
It sure is hard to try to figure out insurance companies. My insurance company request generics when available,that is good but not always. On one of my medicines "Zyrtec" The name brand is cheaper than the generic,but they still insist on paying for the generic.
Another week has gone by and today is my basketball game day once again.
Time seems to be going by awful fast these days.

Friday, February 08, 2008

Another Day Gone By

I was going to watch the shuttle launch yesterday but,it was so cloudy I couldn't see it. The last launch I saw from here was the night launch and it was fantastic.
We kind of just loafed around yesterday. Nancy bought a few things,I couldn't find anything that I was wanting to by. We got started late so it was close to being dark by the time we got back home. I was looking for some rechargeable batteries but didn't see any with the type of mha I was wanting. I have new ones for my scanner,but they discharge fast,so this is why I was going to get the new ones. Oh no big deal,its no like I need the batteries in a hurry.
I don't know once again what we will be doing but I know the day will pass fast as it usually does.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Heritage Village Visit

WOW,not a google ad was clicked yesterday,this is the first time that has happened. I never get many,but never had zero for a day. Oh well on to yesterday.

Yesterday,we had our visit planned,the weather looked as though it would rain. It was cloudy but we took off anyway. It did sprinkle a few drops of rain.

On the way I saw this Jack Rabbit gas station,its the first one that I have seen.
After around an hour we arrived to the Heritage Village entrance to the parking area. The parking lot had more than enough room for us to park. Going through the main building to the park was the visitor center. They have guided tours,but we walked around without the guide. I like to look myself and take as long or as quick as I want to.
First was an old 1800's type log cabin. All the buildings here are actual buildings that were torn down and reassembled here on the land.

A nice large open fire place where you can keep warm and do your cooking. I enjoyed this building very much with the volunteer person telling us all about the person who build the cabin and lived in it.

Here is inside of an old railway depot station.

The old grocery store with a barber shop and the car repair station in the back.

Inside the Mercantile store with the cabinet of bills where the store keeper had the records of the people that had charge accounts. Boy,I remember these.

An old truck in the repair garage in the back of the store. Just like WalMart you could do your shopping while your vechile was getting repaired.

Another old truck on the grounds.

And another old truck.

One of the many old houses.
The largest house on site was the House of Seven Gables.
On the way back home we stopped in Dunedin to eat at Angie's Restaurant which has been here since 1965. We had a very good meal and a better price.
As we approached Tarpon Springs we stopped because of an accident.
We stopped at a small park beside the bay to do some more walking and to walk off some of the food that we had eaten. We ended up with 7 miles for the day. We had a very tiring but a very relaxing day.













Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Heritage Village,Florida

Yesterday was one of those sitting around relaxing days. We did walk around the park in the morning and then again in the evening time. We sat,read,on computer,watching tv and I listened to my scanner,not a really exciting day. I was reading an rv paper that I had picked up a couple of days earlier down in the office and came across an article about Heritage Village. It looked like a place that I would like to go to visit so,today off it is to see what the Village is all about. It is only 35-40 mile south of here so not a great distance to travel. I will try to take a bunch of photos so I can post some here on my blog.
The news this morning is not good news with the tornados going thru the states and killing people. We are suppose to get rain but nothing that we will have to worry about.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Doctor Visit

Yesterday Nancy saw the doctor. I wasn't for sure how long it would take finding the doctor office,so we took off early. I didn't have a hard time getting there so we thought Nancy would have to wait a long time to get called in since we arrived 45 minutes early. Surprise,surprise they called her in,she saw the doctor and we were out by the time she had the appointment for.
That doesn't happen very often when you go to see a doctor.
The temp was 80* yesterday so we decided to walk down by the river.
It was cooler with a nice breeze coming off the water. This is Cotee river looking out at the bridge in the background is RT. 19. We came home sat around for a while then did some more walking in the park for a total of 5 miles for the day. That didn't catch us up,we are still a little behind in our walking for the week. We like to get at least between 30-35 a week.
Another hot day for the day. Love this kind of winter time.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Impossible?

Well the Super Bowl is over and the team that won wasn't suppose to have a chance. After watching the college football season the game did not surprise me very much. Don't ever count a team out of any game.
The above photo is how one Patriot fan felt about the out come of the game.
Today Nancy will have to go see the orthepedic doctor about her hip and leg. Our doctor says he has done all he can so she has to see someone else. This will in no doubt take up most of the day.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Discount

Although yesterday was my day to watch the college basketball games We still found time to get out,go to some stores and get our walking in. A got a 20% off coupon from Big Lots so we went down and bought a few things.
Today we went to church. After church we had dinner with our friends from church,Hazel,Lee-Jane,Dick-Nancy and myself had a nice dinner at Perkins and a better time just chatting around the table. These are four very nice people that we find are nice to be around and easy to talk to.

This is Super Bowl Sunday so I will spend the evening in front of the tv. I'll probably enjoy the commercials as much as the game itself.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Propane Filled

I got up early this motor to go to get the 20lb. propane tank filled. It ran out last night and I switched over to the large tank on the motorhome. This setup using the small tank looks to be working out ok. It is so much easier tanking the small tank to fill than taking the motorhome. This way I just have to put the tank in the car. The other way would be a lot more work, with taking down the awning and getting everything inside ready to go.




Here is a wreck we came upon yesterday as we came out of the park and down the road a bit. I don't know how it happened as both vehicles seem to have been traveling the same way. of course no one seems to want to slow down now-a-days. You can be going down the highway at the speed limit and everyone seems to pass you up. Then if you go 10-20 mph "which I don't" over the limit they still pass you up.


Today is basketball game day already,where did the week go?




Friday, February 01, 2008

Day at the Beach

Yesterday started out beautiful and warm.
The sun was shining nice and bright with a few clouds. So we decided to go down to Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs.
With the temp getting up to 80* it was so nice just to strech out in the lounge chair and soak up some sun. We are way behind getting our tan.
On the way back through Tarpon Springs you can see the old buildings with the business people that have been in them for years still selling the same things that has made them a living in the small town.
I've got to go through the main old town every so often to take in the smell and sounds coming from the restuarants. I saw this 3 wheeler parked on the street. I've seen many 3 wheelers but never one like this one. This one looked to be around 15 feet in length.