Visit for Easter - Big Tree - Going Away Party

Auburndale, FL (Hi 82  Lo 66)

Sunday was Easter. We got a call from a dear friend that babysat our kids. We met Andrea and Rich for lunch in Brandon. We haven't seen them in years and it was so good to meet up. I love it when people have vacations in Florida. We've stayed friends for all these years and she's like a sister to me. Thank you for getting in contact with us.  (Click on the pictures to enlarge).
Andrea and Rich

We went to our favorite restaurant. Fords Garage, we have one in Lakeland

Tuesday we heard a loud noise, but couldn't figure it out what it was till I went to shuffleboard. The big tree across from the clubhouse was being taken down and the noise was the tree shredder. We watched how they took down the tree. A guy was hanging from a crane and ball going back and forth between truck and tree cutting down branches then putting the ball/chain around the branch. He's in a yellow vest.







Thursday I went to the hospice where I volunteer for a going away party for the volunteer coordinator. She's moving to Colorado. We had 33 people there and it was a great time. I met several more volunteers. We don't see each other because we have different days and hours of working.


George and Cody are from our community.

Brenda, Diane, Mary Ann (coordinator) and Dee   The gals and I are  from Lake Juliana Landings.

A carry in luncheon. The dessert table.

The food table. We had a mighty good lunch.

It was a total surprise.

Some other activity.  My latest crocheted items are angels and cowboy boots and hat. 










Our turtles are sunning themselves and the alligator is to the left of them. They don't bother each other and they all head for the culvert when they see people. Lots of alligators along the side of the lake. It's mating season.

Sports - Cathedral Fire - Movie

Auburndale, Fl (Hi 82  Lo 63)

March madness continues with us. We're both loving hockey and basketball and Jim is following baseball. It was a great week with the championships games going on. Tampa Bay lightning (hockey) lost the first four games so that's over. We'll continue watching St. Louis for hockey. In basketball we're watching the Orlando Magic.  We also watched the championship golf game that Tiger Woods won. It's his fifth green jacket and a great comeback to golf.

The big news was the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire in France. I wanted to mention it for history and look back to see the date. I'm sure it will come up on the future. A fire started in the back area from renovations and electrical short. There were 400 firemen on the scene. Our son was there a few years ago and took this picture.



It's so sad for an 800 year old building to be destroyed in a few hours. We hope it will be rebuilt. The artifacts were mostly saved.

We had a normal week of activities. I'm staying busy and loving it. We had a free day on Thursday so we went to the theater for the movie Penguins. It's an Earth day movie from Disney. 
 It's a very good movie and for the whole family. We love the funny things they say. Stay thru the credits, they show how they got the shots, well worth it.

This week's crochet projects.
Kangaroo with baby. The baby can be removed and played with.

Elephant baby slippers, fits up to six months.

Night of Destruction - Last Night for Neighbors - Launch

Auburndale, FL ( Hi 90 Lo 69)

Saturday night was Night of Destruction at the Auburndale Speedway. We went in November and loved it. This time it wasn't as exciting. The last time they would race cars and destroy them then leave the debris for the next race which made it more interesting with all the stuff they'd hit. I guess OSHA got on them and they had to clean up after every race. It made it a long night because of the delays. The place was packed.  (Click on the pictures to enlarge).

They played soccer with a great big steel ball and two teams went from one end to the other. That was fun to watch.



Picture of the ball of steel.

I love this guys t-shirt.

School buses racing in figure 8. That was a hoot watching them miss or hit each other.





There's a car in the middle with tires on top. The field of cars had to go around that car then back on racetrack.

This was the rest of the field.

There was a clown that did lots of crazy things around the track. This one was a doll on a skid.

We had a good time but probably won't go back.  Twice is enough.

Tuesday we went to Olive Garden to take John and Shirley out to dinner before they left for England on Wednesday. It was a big surprise and we pulled it off without either of them knowing what we were up to, it was so neat. It was sad to say goodbye, but we know they will love it and can travel and be with family.

Shirly and John (Waitress behind John)





Thursday was the SpaceX heavy launch. It was taking a satellite up in space. We got to see it from our place.

This next week Game of Thrones will be on and  it's the last season. Here's cookies to celebrate.














I haven't posted my critters in awhile.
Unicorns



IT's quieting down around here, so many people leaving and going north. Now the heat comes in and we're getting ready for summer.  See you next week.

Northerners Going North - Others are Moving - Last Sister Visit

Auburndale, FL (Hi  89 Lo 65)

Overall it's been a very quiet week. The northerners are leaving. A lot of packing cars and cleaning around the area. They're taking anything outside and putting inside. We get some monster storms around here sometimes with high winds, plus one never knows about hurricanes all through the summer.  There's a lot of people  moving north to be with family and won't be back. It seems to be a lot more this year then the last two. We have been here three years and it's been a life changing event. We went from working full time to an RV for six and half years, then straight to a 55+ community. The lifestyles we've had is really different then here, a learning experience for sure.

Sunday we had a going away party for a resident that's moving overseas. She has family there and feels more comfortable if her health becomes a problem.

Good bye John and Shirley

My sister is leaving for MO so I made a last visit in Sebring. There's a great place to eat downtown and it didn't let us down. I remembered to take a picture of the crab quiche. It was delicious.
.













Our clubhouse got new chairs and furniture. It makes it look classy.

Linda is checking out the furniture.

It's a quiet week this week. Tonight we're going to destructive racing, more on that next week.