Day Trip for Wine - Hurricane Prepardness - Bear Horn

 Shalimar, FL (Hi 81  Lo 64)

Sunday was an unplanned day, but I needed wine. I have 45 bottles that I've been moving around for years and the last three bottles I've opened have turned to vinegar. This picture is a good indication that the wine will taste really bad. (Click on the photos to enlarge). 

 I told a couple of the gals I needed to get wine and two of them said we could go to Pensacola to Total Wine store. It's an hour to get there and it was a perfect day. I love these bottles of wine we found,  but way over budget just to get the design.

  I ended up with 2 cases of wine of my favorite kind. I'll have enough for the next six months and they're not going to be moved anywhere. 

I brought this plaque from the house in Auburndale. It's very special and I'm glad the new owner kept it for me. Tumbleweed is the name of the RV and also this blog. 

Monday was my quiet day. Not much goes on Monday's so I'm making that my laundry and apartment cleaning day. I sat out on the patio with the gals a few hours then it was time for the GBM zoom meeting. I did work a couple hours on getting plane tickets back to Illinois in June. I started out with the wrong time and had to change it. Luckily I caught before getting there and finding out it was 10pm at NIGHT and not 10am. 

Tuesday I slept in, nothing planned til 1:00 for meditation. I started my orders in crochet for the gals from the retreat. I didn't do much at all but sit in the sun with the gals for a couple hours. The time flies when you're talking. 

Wednesday was basically like Tuesday. I got the music for chimes and got it sorted out for next weekends concert. I sat in the sun again, but not as long. I also got my rumba vac and got it connected. I'm not impressed but my sis says it takes it a few tries for it to learn the layout and should do better. I kept having to pause it and move it so it would clean the whole room. It would go half  the length of the room then stop and turn. I'll continue to use it, it does a good job on the part that it goes over. 

Thursday the first meeting was at 10:00 for activities and what's planned for May. There's a lot of bus trips and places to go eat this month. Now that the snowbirds have gone north, we're doing more beach activities. The main thing is shopping and eating. What fun!  I sat with the gals in the sun for a bit then got lunch and went to another meeting on hurricane preparedness. It's a bit different then in Auburndale. They have mandatory evacuations. If the base closes down we leave. It's up to us to find a place to go and how to get there so they're starting now on what we want to do. As long as I have my car I'll go to Auburndale if not real bad and to my sisters or kids if it's going to be a big storm. I knew that when I moved here.  The full moon was out tonight and it was gorgeous. It's been 77 degrees with blue skies. 

We have a new dog that's moved into the village. He's a trained dog for a vet two years old named TBone. 

Friday was another busy day.  Every two weeks they do a BP check. I started a card that when you see your doctor it has the info from the hospital that is represented and the numbers. It makes it easy on everyone for the BP figures for the months. 

It was a rainy off and on day so I decided not to go grocery shopping today. I don't have to go yet, but will by Monday. I crocheted and watched some TV shows, did a few cleaning up stuff and then went to the Cinco De Mayo setup at the commons area. Our village was setting up the snacks for the happy hour of the month. We put out chips and dip and the management made the margaritas. There were 150 signed up but there were a few more that showed up.  Anne pulled the cart with the chips. 

Everything was on the table instead of waiting in line to get the snacks/dips. 

Kathy was pulling out the salsa so we could put it in little dishes. 

The sauces in pitchers

The tables weren't all full when I took this picture, but the staff also put up decorations. 

This is part of our village one that did the snacks and set the tables.  I'm the 4th on the right. 

Saturday the lounge meeting for our village had 23 people. This was my second time attending. It's ideas and problems or discussions for the counsel gals to take to the big overall community later in the month. We have no problems and all is going well. There was a small discussion on where we'll go if we're evacuated for a hurricane.  I can't believe I knew most of the names that attended. 

After this meeting, I played WII bowling. We have a couple more Saturday's then it's over for the summer. I'll be starting in the league starting in August. I had 173 average today. 

I'm getting settled in on what I want to do and things I'm not interested in doing. There's so much to choose from that it's hard to pick. Luckily not all is same day and hour. I sat outside this afternoon but mostly in the shade. I don't want burnt. I'm still loving every minute here and so glad it's working out.

We have black bears around us and they come right into the community. It's not very often but when one of the guards sees one they sound a "bear horn". If you're outside and hear the horn it's time to seek shelter. We had just talked to the guard while sitting in the gazebo and he said there was one around, he left and seconds later sounded the horn. We were ok where we were, but it's still unnerving. If someone walks their dog after dark, they have to take special attention what's around them.