I haven't been here since Sunday Afternoon.
It seems I need to designate a block of time to sit here at the computer and I haven't designated that time properly!
Recapping a little -
Sunday Afternoon/Evening, Jim and I watched the Green Bay / Philadelphia Eagles Football Game. We were kind of pullling for Green Bay - me, because I just love the Packers allegiance to their team. Jim surprised me by saying he has never been much of a Philadelphia, nor New York Jets Fan.
It was a great game and, of course, the Packers won.
We did walk up to the clubhouse at halftime of the ballgame to check out the activity there. There were a few people out by the pool listening to the band which, by the way, sounded pretty good to me. Maybe, at our age, we need something a little more mellow for late afternoon early evening music. This band was playing frantically and bellowing out their tunes.
We did get to visit with John and Sandy. John and Sandy are a relatively young couple that, some couple of years ago, gave up their 'real' lives and do nothing but travel now. It seems that Lazy Lakes captured them last year and they returned in October and are not leaving until April. Of course, with the weather we are having else where in our great Country, Florida, and particularly the keys, is a pretty good place to be to spend your winters.
We also talked with Chuck for a short while. Big talk around camp is the Thursday Night covered dish, with Chuck on board to sponsor this weeks dinner. The Chili Bean Cookoff was the topic of our conversation with Chuck.
Monday Morning we headed back down to Hillary and Walts house to do a little something else to help in their move.
Jim was able to rewire the ceiling fan in Lily's room (this was a ceiling fan he did not replace.) So, now, Lily can turn on her light from the switch at the doorway. It's simply those little things that make a difference isn't it?
We left the Lees around Noon so we didn't get to visit with the little girls. Jim was hoping to get back here for a game of horseshoes. The game is fun for Jim and he really wanted to get back in the mix of things here.
Carolyn, who I mentioned was the 'social director' last year is not on the payroll, yet, to organize things. Although, she is still pretty much the go-to girl as would be the habit of most of us.
The signup sheet for horseshoes was in the office this year (Carolyn not walking around with her pad and pencil) so Jim got his name in and at 1:00 the games began.
I watched Jim's first game. Floyd was his partner and they both planned pretty well. I came back to get myself a little lunch and putted around here for a while and when I got back to the clubhouse, Jim and Floyd were playing against Carolyn and Dale for the 'ultimate winner' game. Dale got lots of 'ringers' and Carolyn and Dale were designated the 'ultimate winners' in horseshoes for Monday, January 10.
After the games everyone says "are you going to the KOA for happy hour?"
Again, I guess because our faces are more familiar, we are kind of, and I mean kind of, being included.
We came back to the camper, Jim showered to get the horseshoe dust off, and we took off at 5:00 for the KOA.
This is a fun time with several tables all pulled together with Lazy Lakes folks sitting all around. We were greeted warmly when we got there (I keep mentioning this type of greeting because it is a far cry from last year.) (if you remember last year, I mentioned to Carolyn that it was kind of difficult to break through the barrier the campers have here and she said 'well, we really don't know you too well, if you are wife abusers.....' - I guess the regular camping crew have discovered we are not felons!)
This happy hour time was a great opportunity to find out what's happening around camp. Walt and Lorraine, from New York, I think, are regulars and they are expected into Lazy Lakes this weekend. Walt and Fiona, Fiona being the great singer/entertainer that we met last year are not coming to the camp. Although, they are in Key West, housesitting and dog sitting, and Fiona will be performing at Finnegan's Wake in Key West the third weekend of January.
There are some empty spots in the campground and we were told that
the camp is full and booked up the month of February.
We have not seen the new friends we made last year from Greenville NC and haven't found out if they are coming in later.
After KOA, the group goes to Boondocks, which is a bar/restaurant about 5 to 6 miles north of Lazy Lakes. The group was trying lots of different ways for Jim and I to ride with some of them, which was much appreciated. As we had not planned to go to Boondocks for dinner, we bowed out and asked for a sure raincheck for next Monday.
Yesterday morning, Tuesday, the 11th, we went back to the Lee's and worked some in the yard, pulling weeds, cleaning out the very pretty green palm/fern area that is to the left in their yard. The front yard is white gravel. Hillary has spent time using roundup in the rock trying to get rid of the weeds that had grown there. There are two 'bushes' in the center of each side of the yard (yard is split down the middle by a walkway to the front door.) Hillary was certain she simply wanted to 'get rid' of one of the bushes and thinking, maybe, the second bush could be tamed and cut back a lot. Jim did get the one bush out of the yard and Hillary was right. That side does look better with that shrub gone. Lots of yard work to do, yet, although, we can see small little improvements each day.
I was able to go to the co-op to pick up Lily. What wonders! Lily was playing in the playground area and when she saw me she ranT to the fence and we touched hands. Too sweet.
It worked out that I stayed at the co-op while Lily played with her friends while Hillary went to Gabby's school to pick her up.
I sat in one of the swings near Lily, a little girl was between us, and Lily, who, let me remind us all again, is four years old, said "Amme, let me introduce you to my friend, Georgia." Again, too sweet.
I visited with the mothers of the co-op children.
One of the mom's is due to have a baby on January 22 - and, Hillary said "On Tiffany's Birthday!" This mom is mother to little girls, the girl I met in the swing, Georgia, and also, Charlie. She is expected another little girl who will be named Vivian, and called Vivi. So, she will have Georgia, Charlie and Vivi. What a great group of names.
This expectant mom mentioned that her husband was a chef. I told her that in our little town of Norwood, I had never had the opportunity to meet a Chef. She was pretty amazed at that. He is the Chef at the Key West Yacht Club. She mentioned he prepares lunch and dinners are prepared the last half of the weeks. And, yes, she replied, when I said it must be wonderful to have a husband as a Chef, "it certainly is very nice."
When Hillary and Gabby returned to the Co-op I got another big grin and hug from Gabby. I can't tell you how much their little smiling faces mean to me.
Getting back to the Lee house, Jim had continued to work, this time on the channel side of the house. He had raked and pulled more eratic weeds.I
There is one tree that has lots of seedlings that look very much like a Mimosa Tree to me.
I remember, once, my Mother asking my Dad to pull over to the side of the road for her to get a Mimosa Tree. In Aquadale, and in Stanly County, a Mimosa Tree is a fast growing tree that has very pretty pink clusters of flowers. As soon as my Mother brought that tree home, and Rachel, the neighbor saw it, she said 'setting that tree out would be a mistake.' And, it was. Although the primary tree grew, and grew fast and had beautiful green foliage and pretty, pretty pink blooms, the seed pods that followed the blooms fell, the seeds inside the long pods would sprout and we had Mimosa Trees everywhere. Mother spent a lot of her time trying to control the subsequent seedlings that quickly grew into trees.
The prevalent spread in the Lee Yard looks exactly to me like those Mimosa Sprouts. Whether this is a Mimosa or not, in their yard, it is a nasty spread and everywhere. In order to get it under control is to try and pull up the seedlings and get 'to the root of the matter' of the larger seedlings that have been allowed to grow for several years. This will be a major undertaking and one I will enjoy tackling!
A treat for Gabby, everyday, is to fish and she got to fish on Tuesday Afternoon. She got her rod, her piece of bread and she is ready to go. Gabby even allowed me to help with the 'bread balls' - "you take it like this Amme, ball it up, put it in your mouth to dampen, then put it on the hook" And, further, "My Dad makes the balls too big for me, they just disintergrate on the hook, so, be sure and make the balls small and that way the bread lasts longer too"
After Gabby had caught five fish, Hillary came out and asked if she wanted to jump in the channel with her snorkel. Well, yeah, that's a great thing to do. I reminded Gabby and asked if she knew what my job was and she said "yes, amme, to worry."
Gabby quickly got into her bathing suit and grabbed her snorkel. The rest of the adventure took a little longer, she was positioned at the rim of the concrete wall, her toes curled over the edge for many, many countdowns, first to three, then to ten, then back to three again. Frankly, I would not have been disappointed if she had not jumped in at all.
Finally, the last and final countdown, according to Hillary, and there she went. Lily, Jim and Gabby looking on and me with camera in hand.
Gabby pretty much hit the water and got out. The water is cold and shaded and well, just not conducive to much swimming or snorkeling, I don't think. I must remind myself, I am 64 and Gabby is 6. So, big difference is the concept of this adventure, don't you think?
The girls kept talking about a sleepover. Jim is pretty much white-eyed with fatigue by now, so, we getting ready to come back to Lazy Lakes.
One quick peek at Gabby's Latchhool project which is coming along nicely. Gabby and I decided that once the project is finished, we will buy some fabric and stuffing and make a pillow.
As we leave, Lily is laying on the sofa 'reading' her Barbie Book. Gabby and Hillary walk us out to the car, Gabby is sneaking in the backside, shuts the door, and immediately says "oh, no, open the door, quick, I have shut the door on my finger." And, sure enough she had. It was her right thumb, and the door had closed on it, although, gently and not a 'slam' so, the drama was more on mine and Hillary's part that Gabby's. She handled it very well.
On the way back to Lazy Lakes, Jim stops along the road at a boatramp for us to take a picture of a Cuban Boat.
There was an article in last weeks paper, that Vickie shared with me, about this boat.
I am disappointed, in myself, that I did not keep this article. The story read that the Cubans did get 'dry feet' - I'm sure you all know about wet feet/dry feet. If a boat with cubans is still in the water, the cubans still have wet feet, and are sent back to Cuba. If the Cubans get get to the land and disembark from the boat, they have dry feet and are allowed to stay.
Again, the article said how many cubans were on this boat. I have forgotten those particulars.
In any event, this group of cubans did get 'dry feet' and the boat was abandoned.
Immediately upon getting back to camp, Jim spied a marbles game going on at the clubhouse. He got a shower quickly, grabbed a beer and went up to the clubhouse to check it out. Fortunately, the game was just ending and they were about to start another game. He was invited right in and got to play some marbles for the first time on this trip.
Again, the marbles, or jokers game, referred to as both marbles and jokers, is played on wooden boards, forming a circle. The marbles travel around this board and try to get back 'home' - your opponents bump you back to the beginning, very much like the game sorry. The marble games here are played with partners. And often times, the game board is large enough that it covers the perimeter of a round card table. In Jim's game yesterday there were eight players, four to a team.
While Jim played marbles I did some laundry, walking back and forth from the laundry room to the clubhouse to watch the game.
We had some chicken wings in the fridge that Jim marinated and grilled for us along with a salad for our dinner. We sat here in our little camper, at our little table, having our little dinner together for the first time since we have been here at Lazy Lakes.
A little t.v. for us, a little reading for me, and a quiet night.
This morning, Wednesday, we were in limbo about what we were going to do. It is very cool here this morning. An overcast day and a lot of wind making it a sweatshirt day. Unlike the past two days that were tanktop / t-shirt days. I think I heard the temps would be in the 60's. So, cool here, and mighty warm by Norwood Standards.
Jim went up to the camper store, which is conveniently located right up Highway 1 in the midst of all of these hundreds of campers and campsites that line Hwy 1, to get some sealer for that leak he found on Sunday. He and I could not help but grin. Seems everytime we need a caulking gun for home in Norwood, or at the beach, we realize it has been left at one house or the other. This morning, he had to buy another caulking gun. Maybe we can remember to leave this one on the camper and not add it to the collection that is getting rather large, back home! If anyone back in Norwood, or at the beach, needs to borrow a caulking gun, let it be known that we have plenty.
Jim is going back on top of the camper to do a little caulking right now, as I type.
I was pleased to get a telephone call from Tiffany. She and her family were excited to tell us they have their airplane tickets for June, to visit with Hillary and Walt.
I realize this has been a long and winded, winding saga. Just had to get caught up.
Happy Wednesday to You All -
Gabby, with Hillary looking on and starting to count, for the big splash.
The onlookers, waiting for Gabby's big splash. Lily is saying "be careful Gabby"
Yet, another countdown. Gabby is more in position this time. As an Amme, I notice the little toes curled and the little fists as she get up her nerve and determination.
She did it! A pretty much jump in and right back out. Where Jim and Lily were standing in a previous picture, there are stairs leading down to the water and a platform at the edge. Jim was able to pull Gabby out of the water from there. There is the remains of a ladder, that Jim says he will work on. There is one rung to the ladder, at the top, the remaining ladder tiers have pretty much gone away with age. So, for fun swimming, this summer, the ladder needs to be repaired. Hopefully, Dad'n Dad'n will be able to work on that for the Lee Family.
The abandoned Cuban Boat at Shark Key Landing. The boat was crudely built. Although, built well enough to travel the 90 miles or so to get to U.S. Ground.
The inside of the Cuban Boat. All metal exterior, the metal being about 1/2 to 3/4" thick with jagged finish edging around the rim. Simple wooden slants and Jim said the white wax looking sealer looks like homemade fiberglassing. The long tubes inside the boat were most probably fenders according to Jim. As you can see, there was a lot of debri left inside the boat. Some clothes, shoes and remains of food.
Looks like this old Cuban Boat really went through some trials.
Pretty amazing to me, that individuals would set out to sea in this boat. I am only reminded of how important it is to some people to get to this great Country of ours.
This 'notice' has been taped to the side of the boat. You can note the footage of the boat is 30'
The notice is from the United States Government stating that the boat was found abandoned and if not reclaimed, it will become the property of the Government. Becoming the property of the government must mean they (the government) will simply smash it up? I can't think the government could use this relic for anything?
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