When I turned the computer on, just a few minutes ago, I was happy to see, in the upper right corner of Jim's laptop, that the temperature in Norwood is 52 degrees. That sounds great to me, and I'm sure you all are ready for a warmup.
After blogging yesterday afternoon, Jim and I loaded up to go down to the Lee's. We had promised Lily a trip to the Home Depot to get her a bird, on a stick, that you put in the yard. Gabby, last Sunday, had gone with her Dad to Home Depot, gotten us a bird for our camper yard and Gabby had one for herself. Once Lily saw that Gabby had a bird, we had a bird, and she did not, her heart was broken and ours was too.
We get to put the girls in the car, travel down to Home Depot and get a bird. Lily wanted a pink one! Perfect! And, you know I was kind of worried they may not have any more, but, we were in luck and Lily picked out just the perfect bird.
When we got back to the Lee House, Gabby wanted to get in a little fishing, she did and she caught five fish. Time to go to the Rusty Anchor for Dinner. The Rusty Anchor is a 'fishcamp' sort of restaurant on Stock Island with a reputation of good food. We have eaten there before, enjoyed it, and enjoyed the dinner as well last night.
Amazing to me, both girls gobbled up their dinner - Lily had shrimp that she dipped in ketchup and Gabby had a fries and fish basket that she enjoyed. They were even able to top of their dinner with a bowl of chocolate ice cream each. Wonderful!
I had teased Jim with conversations of maybe going to a yard sale or two this morning. When I got up I noticed that he had bought a newspaper, so, I'm grinning to myself, thinking, okay, get your coffee fixed, brush your teeth, 'cause I just know we are outta here. Wrong!!!! Finally, after about 45 minutes, I said, casually, "well, did you see any yard sales that we can go to?" His reply was "well, not really. Must of the sales started yesterday." So, I simply let that dog sleep. Got my coffee and the paper and sat in the sun for reading and relaxing.
Fortunately, after about 30 minutes, Phyllis, from a campsite down from us, stopped by with her dog Jane. They visited a minute, then Phyllis' husband, Phillip, came by on his three wheeler bike. Phillip suffers from diabetes. He gives himself treatments five times a day in the camper. Phillip took Jane to walk while he rode the bike and Phyllis joined me for coffee.
What a nice visit. Phillip and Jane got back from their walk and the three of us talked forever. Jim came out of the camper sometime later and joined in the conversation for a short while.
Just after Phyllis, Phillip and Jane left, another couple, Mike and Joan from St. Louis, stopped by on their walkabout. They travel most of the year, spending two months in the spring, and two months in the fall at home. Joan says they have a condo, so, it is pretty easy to leave it for long periods of time.
So, we had a full morning of campsite visits and I loved it.
It was 12:00 Noon before Jim and I were standing out there all by ourselves and wouldn't you know it, music had started up at the clubhouse.
Seems you never can tell what may come up next. I had just mentioned, a few days again, that there were no Sunday free hotdogs and beer. Well, don't you know - today, Saturday, was a free hotdog, beer and music day. I really started thinking about those hotdogs and needed one bad!!!
A crowd had already started gathering, the entertainer was providing great music and the hotdogs, big, juicy, snappy hotdogs were on the grill. I wasted no time in getting my plate, getting my hotdog and dressing that dog with every condiment I could find on the table.
I had just been sitting, enjoying my second dog, for a little while, and I thought I saw a Honda Van pull around by the office. I mentioned to Jim that my little girls may be here. He headed out back to the camper and before you knew it, Gabby and Lily were coming into the crowd, eyes searching. They were able to pick me out of the crowd and ran up with their big hugs.
Seems hotdogs were on their minds as well, and so hotdogs were immediately served up. Walt had kindly said he had run into Joe (the owner of the campground) and Joe had said they could have a hotdog. Well, of course.
Subsequently, Gabby saw another little girl, getting her hotdog, that goes to Poinciana (her school) but she didn't know her name. The little girl followed us around a little and I urged Gabby to play with her, but she wasn't too interested.
The big interest for Gabby and Lily is the "RV" and I can guess that it is fun for them to be in the camper. It would be a lot like a big playhouse.
We did come back to the camper, played some games outside, Lily requested a 'peanut butter and jam' sandwich, Gabby saw an egg that Jim had boiled and ate that, then we took a short walk to the lake.
Walt still had some work to do, in addition to getting some tool to open the shed at their house that he locked, not knowing that Lily had left their house keys inside of, they can not get into the house until he breaks the lock, and, by the way, needs to go buy a new lock (at one of his showings, he said Gabby got out of the car and immediately stepped into a pile of dog pooh) so, Walt's day with the girls continued on its wayward path......although, I should say, all taken in stride as Walt is certainly the Dad of the Year.
Jim is awol while we are playing outside and taking a partial lake walk.
After the girls and Walt left, for yet another adventure I am sure, I took the trash up to the dumpster. Taking the trash is a frequent thing for me to do. It gets me out of the camper, 'amongst 'em', all the while having a purpose in life. I walked back through the clubhouse area and the party was continuing.
Jim is asleep on the sofa, I wash a few dishes, then go back up to the clubhouse to mingle a while. A couple from New Jersey, Walt and Lorraine had pulled into camp earlier in the afternoon. Walt and Lorraine are regulars here, having been at Lazy Lakes in the winter months for years. All the regulars know them and were excited to see them. As we met them last year, I was able to say hello as well. A kind of a good feeling, knowing someone that was pulling into camp.
I come back to the camper asking Jim if he felt alright. He seemed a little off keel today. He assured me he was fine, just a little pookey. A word we use sometimes to describe that nothing is wrong, just a little off kilter.
About this time, Chuck knocks on our door and says "marbles at 4:00, do you want to play" Astonishingly, Jim perks up right away.
I walked back up to the party for a while after a shower. I needed to get my wet head out in the breeze to dry! :) Some of the revelers had payed the entertainer to play for another 30 minutes. This time, with no where to go, I stood and enjoyed the music, talking at length to Larry, another camper I met last year from Pennsylvania. The thing I remembered most about Larry is that the summer of 09 he had taken his grandchildren, at the time, about 11 and 9 years old, out west on a two week camping trip. He did this by himself, just he and the grandchildren, and I just think that is a tremendous thing to do. I introduced Larry and Jim and Larry tries to convince Jim that taking grandchildren on a camping trip is a great experience. Interesting conversation.......
It just just about dusk here. Jim is playing marbles and I'm going to go up and check out the game.
When they were setting up the table, Floyd asked if I was going to play, and I said no, and he said "well, why are you lurking around the table?" This brought lots of laughs and I gave Floyd a big hug, telling Floyd I was going back to the camper to 'lurk around the campsite'
Tomorrow, if all goes well, I drive up to Fiesta Key to visit with Bill then take Vickie and Cierra to the airport in Key West for their flight home to North Wilkesboro. I'm looking forward to seeing Bill and getting the chance to talk with the Wilkes Crowd.
Again, how blessed we all are.....
I took this photo of our campsite on Friday Night when we returned from Stock Island, the Rusty Anchor. The lights from our Christmas Tree are snaking up the camp tree and Jim has placed the Palm Tree at the base. This is his current arrangement - subject to change at any given time. (poor picture, maybe I'll try again with the flash off?)
Enjoying hotdogs all around the table!
Little girl from Gabby's school, Gabby and Lily - bless Lily, she is not much for the camera, not enjoying having her picture taken very often - and, here she is posing and smiling so sweetly in her Scooby Doo P.J.'s. - her attire of choice.
Gabby when we made our partial walk around the lake. Lily had asked earlier if we could take this walk, describing it as "can we take our happy walk?"
As Walt still had work to do, he had requested the girls to go no further than the white sign you see in the background. Well, Lily still wanted to go on the happy walk and just kept going. You can see, barely, Walt carrying Lily to get her corraled with Gabby in attendance to the right.
A little beer late in the afternoon tends to give, otherwise quiet girls, happy feet!
The infamous 'marbles game' aka 'jokers wild' - I took this picture as they were getting set up. It may be dangerous for me to take a picture of the game in play. The game can be quite serious for some of these players. You can see Jim already sitting down next to Marty. The wooden boards interlock, you put your five marbles at home, the protuding part of the board, try to get them out with the right cards,, then try to get them back home.....several decks of cards are involved.....
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