NC Visitor - Jim's Birthday - More Upgrades

(Auburndale, FL) Hi 91 Lo 77 --  It's suppose to be the beginning of fall, but it's a long way from cooling down here in Florida.

We had a guest from North Carolina this week. Gary from our home town of Cary, NC, before going fulltime had a meeting in Tampa and we were right on the way, so he stopped in for an overnight visit with us. We caught up on everything going on in NC and he caught up with us on what we've been up to the last few months. Thanks Gary for the visit. (Click on the pictures to enlarge).



Jim's birthday was Thursday, so we planned everything around his special dinner. He usually goes to Texas Roadhouse but he found  a place called Manny's Chophouse which has several local restaurants in this area. We decided to try it and he loves it.  Now we have new places to go for our birthdays. Mine will be for lobster at Boston Lobster Feast and steak at Manny's Chophouse for Jim that's in our area.

Jim with his Ribeye steak


I had Atlantic Cod on bed of rice with sweet potato.


We told the waitress it was a birthday celebration and she brings out a brownie and ice cream dessert. Not just a small one.


and he ate the WHOLE thing!


We made another upgrade to the living room. There were drapes covering the sliding doors to the Florida room. They were in bad shape and we liked the blinds on the main windows so we called the same company and had vertical blinds installed. It's quite a change and just being able to open them a little makes a big difference. The drapes were either closed or open, no in-between.

Drapes


Blinds











We're learning the open Fla room is of no use at all during the summer. It's still over 100 even with the vinyl windows taken out, plus there's lots of little bugs that collect on the sides of the room. We're not sure what they are, but once winter gets here they say they disappear.

A couple of young Sandhill cranes took a bath in the retention pond. There's always something that's fun to watch.


I finished a beagle dog. I'm still working hard for the November 5 craft bazaar.

See you next Friday