Famous

I know that nobody realized it but I have become famous.  They have now named the county that Bonita Springs is in after me.  Bonita Springs is on the north border of Naples.  I am not sure why unless the locals feel that my Bentley bike is something that may attract many visitors here. 
It is a day for projects and catch up things as we have gotten much rain today.  It came about a half hour before the tennis clinic so that was rained out.  At 6:00 AM it was 69 degrees and now at 2:00 PM it is still the same temp.  I know if you are in MN you have no sympathy for me but it is a bit chilly!!!
Here we are near the end of the first week in march.
Terry and I are signed up for a 30 mile bike ride this Sunday.  It is a ride that cost $20 and the money goes towards a blood bank.  It should be a fun time.  The rides are 10, 30 or 60 miles but we felt that we have not ridden enough to go the 60 mile one.  It will be interesting to see how many people are on the ride.

Am thinking of making some changes on the blog soon but will share that in the next few days.
We are coming up on a couple of important birthdays in the family.  Amy and Mary will be celebrating in a few days and for those who live close to either of them you know that each gets better with age so bring on those birthdays.
Back to projects.

It may get boring

As I have said so many times I get mesmerized by sunsets on the gulf coast.  Here I caught the sun with my 300 lens and it looks like the sun is on a small stand.  Later a boat went past.
Not a lot of news.  Did the tennis ball machine yesterday with Terry and that was fun.  Spent time at the beach tonight which is always relaxing and fun.  Tonight the waves were maybe bigger than I have seen them and that was fun. 
My calf muscle is getting better ever so slowly but every little bit helps so will be thankful for the progress.  Can not ever remember having a muscle be so sore for so long but it is not the worst thing in the world. 
Terry has 7 windows in her home and the screens were in terrible shape so I repaired all of them last Saturday and that was good.  I have those old old wooden screens and storms in St. Paul and these new kind of screens are so easy to repair.  Makes me wonder about my old house!!!!!!  
The weather continues to be "hard to beat" here.  Today it was sunny and mid 70's so can not be unhappy with that.  Sounds like weather in St. Paul is too cold/snowy yet.
Time continues to fly by and here we are into the first full week in March.  Before I know it the Lee family reunion in the Black Hills will be on us.  I think I have some work to do on that so need to get some e-mails out about it.
Will sign off for now.

A long time

Here are some pictures that will show a bit of Naples FL.  The sunset and people who come to watch it.  As I have said in the past I have fallen in love with sunsets on the gulf coast.  Terry and I go to take the sunsets in about 3 or 4 evenings a week and it never is boring or the same. 
The flowers happened to just be near the road as we were driving alone.  Actually the first time we saw them we were on a bike ride and we just had to go back with my camera.
We have seen a couple of movies that have been great.  We saw "The King's speech" and it was great.  Having been a stutterer in my childhood I could really relate to many things in the movie.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes movies as it is very very good.  Also saw "The fighter" today and really enjoyed that too.
I continue to play tennis and continue to have some difficulties with my right calf.  It is getting better but still gets sore when I use it a lot.  On Thursday went on an hour walk/run, then played a tennis clinic and then Terry and I used the tennis ball machine for an hour and by evening it was hurting a bit.  I know, I used it too much in one day but it was a fun time.
I continue to enjoy the warm weather here and all of the new activities.  Never in my life have I done these things and it has been a wonderful time.  I may be becoming a friend of warm winter weather and a foe of cold and snow!!!!!
Here it is well into March and the time seems to have flown by so fast.  My tan is a sign that things are going well.  Each time I blog I promise to do it more often but oh my the time goes so fast.

The sun is going down

 

Here is a sequence of pictures I took of the sunset a few days ago.  The sunsets on the gulf are really beautiful and inspiring when one can see the sun disappearing into the water.

I did a tennis clinic today and my calf muscle held up fairly well.  It is about 80% and I say that because it makes me sound as if I know what I am talking about.  Just like the big boys who are pro!!!!

Terry and I had a fun evening.  We met friends of Terry's for dinner.  They are from Connecticut and I would say they are close to 80 or maybe even older.  They are down here for about 3 months each year.  They stay very active and are fun to be with.  

I actually did some work today.  I fixed some holes in walls that needed repair and then spent a couple of hours cleaning out the back rain gutters.  I needed to invent something that I could reach about 15 feet so taped two long pieces of wood together and then taped a small garden tool on the end to clean out the junk.  I got all the debris out and they should be good to go for some time.

Other than that the only news is the weather is warm, sunny and fun.  I think I am beginning to get a real sun tan.  It is not great but enough to make people in St. Paul jealous!!

A fun visit

The picture is from grandma's birthday party.  From left to right are Dale, Deb, Deb, Allen, Carmen, Mary and Mark.  Allen is the oldest, Deb is next and Mark is the youngest.
We had a fun time today.  Amy's parents, Jeanne and Dick, are in Florida for this month.  They are just a very short distance from Terry's place so we invited them to come for a visit today.  We took the shuttle to the beach and walked for an hour.  When we arrived back we  had lunch at the club.  It was a fun time.  The weather was perfect and the food at the club was great.  One can not complain about temps in the high 70's and sunny skies in February. 
I am excited for this afternoon.  I will pick up my new tennis racket at 4 and then of course I will for sure have a great tennis game.  My inexperience and my age have nothing to do with my skill level, it is all in the racket.  I am planning to take another tennis clinic Thursday as my calf muscle is healing nicely and I should be good to go in two days. 
The bike remains in netural but with my calf getting better maybe the bike is next to get a work out.  I HAVE to get more exercise as my weight is up a few pounds and that just can not be so more exercise, less food are in order. 
Enough for now.  I do hope that friends and family in MN, ND etc are enjoying the winter wonder land.
Sister Joan sent a picture of someone sitting in a frozen outhouse.  I wonder if that came from our growing up on the farm!!!!!!!!!

Better late than never

Here is Grandma Saunders with most of her great grand children.  This was taken on her birthday weekend, February 5/6. 
There were some missing but many are in the picture.
I have been lazy in writing on the blog.  I did return to Naples FL last Monday.  I arrived to weather that is certainly much much different than St. Paul.  Today it was pleasant sitting by the pool in the sun as the temp was right around 80.  I guess one can not want better weather than that in February.
I have spent my time playing tennis, walking the beach and in general enjoying things.  I am staying with a friend, Terry, who was a high school classmate.  We have reconnected after many many years.  She has a home in Naples.  At this time my timetable is open as to when I might return to MN.  The longer one stays in this nice weather the harder it is to think about returning to winter in MN.  I have found that it is easy to relax, enjoy and just be here.  Now that I have decided to step out of Servant Camp things seem less hurried, less stressful and more relaxed.  For sure I will miss the excitement of camp, of the staff and most of all the campers but the other side of life outside of camp is also exciting and alluring. 
I did slightly injure myself as I was warming up to play tennis last Friday.  I hurt a calf muscle, didn't even know I had a muscle there!!  It acted like a bad cramp but it just did not go away so I have been limping around a bit the last couple of days.  I am hopeful that I can be on the court and on the bike in short order but will see.  I guess the bottom line is this body really is not what it used to be!!!!
No maybe it is time to catch some sun again.

The old and the new

Here are pictures of grandma's family in 1999 and then again last weekend.  Of course in our celebration last weekend there were some missing but you can see that time marches on.  Many many more little kids now and of course there are some not with us now that were here in 99.
We are beginning to come out of the deep freeze in in St. Paul.  After several days of way below normal temps we are now at or above normal and they say we will remain this way through the coming week. 
I need to get up on a ladder (I will be careful) and get some ice off of my north roof.  The ice dam is large, I have yet to get any water in the house but I do not want that to happen.  I will either chop or melt a valley in the ice dam so that any water that tends to dam up behind the ice can run off the roof.  With the temps mild for the next days maybe some of that ice will disappear.
I have enjoyed these last few days as there has not been much happening so it has been a time to relax, do some paper work and just kind of be. 
I made a huge decision last week and it is good but with mixed feelings.  After 33 years of doing Servant Camp I decided it was time to step down and see what God has for me in a different way.  So for the first time since 1979 I will have a spring and summer without the concerns of staff, campers, budget and all that goes with it.  I am really excited but of course one does not do something for that long and then forget it so I suppose I will miss it but I know it is in God's plan for me and because of that I am excited.
I am expecting and hoping that this time can be a time of new life, new direction and more exciting things in my life.  Even though I have tended to do things for a long time all my life I also feel that I have done well in putting things behind me and moving on so here I am waiting to see what happens.
I will end today with much saddness as little sister Helen is experiencing so much cold and snow I just feel so sorry.  Helen, maybe you and Mike need to move north!!!!!