Grandchildren

Many of Grandma Saunder's family were able to make the trip to Fargo ND last weekend to help her celebrate her 90th birthday.  It was a fun weekend.  Here is the picture of her grandchildren.  Four of them were not able to come and two of them have passed away.  It is quite the group.  It looks like the men are greatly outnumbered by the gals but the four who could not come are men so the number is almost equal.
It was a fun time as it is always great to see family and spend time together.  In my family John/Mary were not able to travel what would have been a round trip of 1500 miles but everyone else came.  I enjoyed Aaron/Amy and kids here Friday afternoon and again on Sunday evening.  Sunday evening Cynthia/Mike and family along with Travis came over to cheer the Packers on to Super Bowl victory.
We are experiencing very very winter weather with a -9 temp this morning and about the same expected tomorrow morning.  I guess winter really is not ready to say good-bye.
Not much new on my end.  I am having a bit of remorse with this cold weather as I did enjoy the warm Naples FL weather.  I am a bit envious as I see they are having 70's and 80's there which if my math is correct is about 60-70 degrees higher than we had yesterday and today!!!
Enough of that as it is almost depressing.
Will get some paper work finished before I get to sleep.

Home

I spent the weekend with John/Mary and family.  Monday morning at 4:15 I got on the road with the idea that I could get to Madison early and in the process I could drive through Chicago before the AM rush hour traffic hit.  All went well and I arrived at Aaron/Amy place about 8:30 AM.  After unloading my things in their basement I called Aaron to tell him I was there.  He asked me if I had looked at the weather and I said no.  Well after looking at the forcast of perhaps 20 inches of snow in Madison Monday-Wednesday I loaded my things in the car and headed home by 9:00 AM.  Roads were OK but not great and I finally arrived in St. Paul about 2:15 tired of holding on to the steering wheel tightly and maybe also tired after driving 5000 miles in the last 4 weeks.  I knew I was coming back to winter but the snow kind of surprised me.  The 4-6 foot banks at each corner seemed to stare and and smile at me at each intersection.  My car was fine but it did complain a bit when I started it in -2 temps this morning.  AND the wonderful pillow I purchased for my back while I drive failed to tell me that if I left it in the car in cold weather it would turn to being stone hard!!!!   So much for it's usefulness.
Here I am with blood a bit thinned out, pants without legs, short sleeve shirts once again hung in the closet and hands that let me know you can not answer your smart phone with gloves on.  Well I guess it is what it is and life is all about changes and adjustments.
I am now doing some work for grandma's 90th birthday bash this weekend.  It will be fun to have much of family together but we will miss John/Mary and family.
No, I need to get something warm on my feet.

Progress

Here is one reason it is fun to be in Naples.  Each Wednesday night this one place has lobster special. ($15.95) This is the first steamed whole lobster I have ever eaten.  It was delicious and as you can see eaten to the last morsel.  The dark cold beer sitting on the side certainly helped the entire evening.
I am now over half way to St. Paul.  Am sitting in room 314 at the Hampton Inn in Horse Cave KY.  I think it will be kind of an early to bed, get up for their breakfast and arrive in South Bend tomorrow maybe by 3 or so.  Today I traveled through some places I had not been in the past.  Drove through Nashville TN and happened to do it during rust hour so was not a lot of fun but not too bad either.
It is noticeably cooler here then 2 days ago in Naples.  I forgot to bring a jacket in so will be cold in the morning before I get to the car.  I am sure as I arrive in South Bend the temp will again be down from where it is here.  I tend to forget it is still winter!!
Not much more to say.  Driving, thinking, stretching, driving, thinking etc etc get a bit old!

It's almost over

As I sit here with my french press coffee I can not help but think that tomorrow, after a 10:30 tennis lesson, I will settle in the car and head back to the frozen tundra.  Of course on the way there will be John, Mary, Henry, Liam, Audrey, Aaron, Amy, Leo and Ruby Gail but then next Tuesday will come and reality will set in--cold--cold--snow and what else??  I am certainly looking forward to seeing family again and can hardly wait to see Travis, Cynthia, Mike, Faustina and Jude in St. Paul too but as one looks at the picture the cold north seems too extreme!!
As I sat in the sun by the pool yesterday I had to think that this month of January has maybe been the first time I have felt relaxed in many years.  I then went to Wal mart to check my blood pressure and wow it was better than it had been in a long time.  I guess the wear, tear, stress and everything else in life does affect health too.  I sat in the sun for almost an hour and felt God was giving me a massage even though I have never had a real one!!!  Well things will change soon.
Need to see if I can  find some Naples keepsakes for the kids today before heading out tomorrow.  Not sure I am looking forward to 1900 miles behind the wheel but actually coming down it was not too bad.  It may even be good practice to do all of those mind games that one can do to pass the time.
I have some work to do for grandma's bd party so will be busy with some of that when I arrive home. 
My heart is heavy today for the Tigan family.  David's services are today and tomorrow.  As I read his obit in the paper I was surprised that he was only 62.  I have many memories of him and his family.  I know God's love and grace will abound with Barb and family but oh my it is so terribly difficult, lonely and it leaves a person with a very heavy heart.
Brother Dave is having surgery tomorrow and we are expecting God to heal him quickly.  Lord come with your healing angels and pour your spirit into his every cell to make him well quickly.
Time for a bite.

Burrrrrrrr!!! I know it is wimpy!

Woke up to a temp this morning of 45 and it feels like it is really cold!  I also stuggled to get out of bed at first as this middle age body wanted to tell me that my first ever tennis match yesterday was hard on some of those muscles that never get used.  Well OK I admit the muscle word may be a bit strong in describing my body but it is what it is.  I think the last time I picked up a tennis racket was maybe in the 70's when Dave/Marlys came to visit and Dave played a bit of tennis.  Well here I am about 40 years later and it seems that this body knows the score better than my mind.  However my mind is getting the idea fairly quickly.  Yesterday was fun.  Got a call in the morning and I think the guy thought he was calling a lady as when I arrived the foursome included 3 men and a gal but that is fine and the match was fun.  All three of the others were at a skill level higher than mine but I did ( a few times) hold my own and I managed to not make my partner too upset.  Actually they were very gracious and put up with me the entire time.  BUT I am kind of paying for it this morning.  Not sure I could get my leg over the seat of my bike but then who wants to ride in 45 degree temps??
I am beginning to plan my trip back.  Will leave this warm (?) sunny place next Thursday and arrive in South Bend Saturday, get into Madison Monday and then arrive home on Tuesday.  I will get to see Ruby Gail for a short time on her 1st birthday before I head towards the west on that Tuesday. 
I do have some things to do at home before I and the kids head up to Fargo for Grandma Saunder's 90 birthday bash on February 5 & 6.  Of course I am keeping up with how Jeanette K is doing and if the Lord decides to take her home in the next week I will change my plans.  She has been amazing these last 3 weeks and I know her family is so so greatful for this special time with her.
I am going to have to be sure and get some more sun before I leave as I do not want to arrive home and have people ask me why no sun tan.  I have not seen the sun here in a couple of days but maybe today.
Need to get some things done.

A certain change from Minnesota!!

The pictures are from today.  Drove to the beach to watch the sun set.  It was wonderful.  The beach picture are people who come to the beach, bring drink and eat and just sit to watch the sun go down.  As it disappeared in the horizon people clapped!  The houses are right on the beach and I can not imagine what a person would need to buy something like that.  For the family and friends in or around MN I thought you may get some winter relief by looking at the pictures.  I guess one can enjoy them or get upset with them!!!!
Not a lot to say.  I am certainly enjoying warm weather activities, enjoying the sun, enjoying the warmth, feeling great when I dig my toes into the warm sand on the beach and the list could go on and on.  Woke up to a temp of 70 this morning and by mid afternoon it was only 75 but a bit humid.  I saw among the fancy cars down here a deep blue Bentley converible and wished I had one but instead decided to name my fancy bike that Aaron built Bentley and will settle for that.  So tomorrow when I finish my tennis lesson and get on the bike in the afternoon I will say to myself "OK Bentley lets go for a nice warm ride!"
I almost shiver when I look at the MN weather but then I say to myself it will not be long and I will be in it again.
Enough for tonight.

Exercise, sun, beaches and more

I continue to enjoy warm weather, sun shine, beaches, and much more.  Not a lot to say other than to say that I have never experienced this kind of weather in January except when Gail and I spent much of Janurary in Hawaii.  I have experienced mostly sunny skies with day time temps in the low to mid 70's.  I have enjoyed walks, tennis, biking and much more.  The other night I almost inhaled some lobster tacos and then for lunch yesterday had a crab spread on crachers that was almost to die for.  Well it may not have been that good but it sure was something one could not get in MN and it tasted really good.
Will close for today but will leave with the thought that warm weather in January is pretty nice!!