Florida finally feels like Florida.........

 I'm sorry  all you Northerners but it really is nice down here these days.    In fact, it's a bit too warm for the morning walks and I'm doing some serious brow wiping.    But as the day winds down, sitting out  on the lanai is  delightful and relaxing.

 Lately, we have seen very large flocks of white pelicans.    This is the first year I have noticed them here at all.    Normally, they are over on the coasts, both the brown ones and the white ones.    But this year there are many many flocks.    Watching them come in for a landing, with their substantial wing span, it's hard not to imagine them as airplanes as they hover over the surface right before they settle gently into the water.   This picture does not capture the number of them on the pond.    And straight behind and across the golf course is our house....the one in the middle covered over by palm trees.   I wanted to get closer but couldn't walk on the course so just used the trusty phone from the side walk.  ( You definitely want to keep your golf ball  on this fairway as there is a lot of trouble if you don't ! )

 Today, I met my BFF at the big Mall in Orlando.    This is Susan from Montrose.....just a few doors down from us.    She sent me the snow pics and is my happy hour friend.     She's visiting her kids and I was thrilled that we could meet for lunch and catch up.    I'm getting excited to be heading back there later in April or early May.  ( Yes, I noticed the sign above our heads and it is not an indication of anything !!!!  )

Speaking of food.......this was dinner tonight.   I forgot to rotate the picture so just turn your head.  We  always have a large green salad with everything  imaginable on it .... well, not cucumbers,......Then I cut up these veggies, splashed them with some balsamic and ground pepper and roasted them in a hot oven.    The cauliflower and the brussel sprouts and the onion get very sweet.   There are sweet potato  and purple potatoes and sometimes I add chunks of red, yellow and orange peppers.   I  forgot to  take a picture after they were done.   I'm not a fan of roasted broccoli...prefer it steamed.   My Silpat mat doesn't quite fit the baking sheet.   

And because I can't quit my proselytizing , here's another view of plant based eating. 

We're enjoying the new season of House of Cards.   I want her hair..... 

WFPB

Whole Food Plant Based now describes ME !   A few years ago I thought I was but I was wrong.    I am not a Vegan or a Vegetarian.    I eat whole foods, not processed look- alike foods, but greens, nuts, seeds, beans, fruit, veggies, grains all put together in delicious combinations that result in allowing my body ( in these, my golden years .... ??... why golden? ) to be the best it can be.  
The only downside is that I wish I was smarter many years ago.   I have been wary of meat for a long time but I can't say that the rest of my diet was so healthy.    And the proof has been the growing out of clothes, the achy joints and the need for BP meds and statins ( I can't take them but should).  
We all assume that this is a natural part of growing older and there is always a drug that will manage the next condition.   I see changes in our family as they add on the years and friends who have debilitating chronic conditions and I want to get on the soapbox and share some tools and ideas that might just turn things around.    But I won't................Instead I'll just say that I feel great.    I am walking farther and faster every day.      I have no achy joints.   I sleep soundly.    I have more energy.   I'm happy.    And, in less than 6 weeks, I am down 11 pounds.    We eat very well.....we fill up fast on roasted veggies, delicious chili, huge salads filled with assorted veggies, seeds and nuts and green ( kale, chard, spinach ) smoothies sweetened with a banana, blueberries and an apple.     We use soy or cashew or almond milk.   We eat whole wheat breads and pastas.    We have hummus with flour free crackers or carrots.     One of us has an occasional bite of baked fish.     We are in the infancy stage of learning but it is energizing to see what our bodies will do at this age.    And, we drink wine.     What's not to like about all of this.  
I certainly don't expect my readers to jump on the bandwagon.   Depending on how and what you eat, it is a big change and a commitment but after a week or two, you'll look at food in an entirely different way.    And, by doing your own research, you will see the role of politics, drug companies,  the meat industry and the corn industry in manipulating what we eat.  
Yes, there is nothing worse than a convert..... sorry about that but maybe I've piqued your interest.  

Enjoying the view from afar........

This might be one reason why we spend our days in the land of palm trees and golf and pickle ball....!

Montrose was buried in beautiful snow last night.    The mountains of Colorado and Utah have been lacking in snow and with the depth's measuring in feet, I'm sure everyone is rejoicing.      That house with the high overhang is our house, the tables are at our dear neighbors, Susan and Gary Gray.   I often walked across the golf course with my wine glass for a happy hour.    Susan will be in the area visiting with her children in a week and I sure hope we can chat awhile.  

Weather has finally warmed up and yesterday I got a bit of a glow on the golf course....and it wasn't from playing well.   Hopefully, the cold days are gone for the year and we invite you all down to savor the warmth and thaw out.  

We are very fortunate to be living healthy, active lives but we are frequently faced with friends dealing with declining health, deaths and debilitation.    Intellectually, I knew this would happen some day but  when the reality of it has a name and a face and a history with us, it becomes much too real and difficult.     I remember when Paul was down and out and how vital the calls and notes and encouragement were to me and I try and offer what I can.  

Speaking of health.....I won't preach (even tho I really really want to ) but do watch "Forks Over Knives"....  Netflix or youtube.      I wasn't going to mention this AGAIN, but then decided that it's my blog and I can do what I want.  

Happy Valentine's Day

 We did the southern drive in our usual 2 days.    We couldn't wait to see the temperatures go over 30 degrees and watch the snow slowly fade.       We could tell we had reached Florida when we

saw this sign at a rest stop...... !

 Besides listening to an Audible.com book , we also kept our eyes on WAZE the FREE app that tells you about traffic and hazards and police and slow traffic.    All those little pink blobs are Wazers who can quickly enter traffic info and we are alerted by an icon and a voice alert.   We can then acknowledge it or delete if it's no longer there.    You get points for each time you comment and then get upgraded to a better looking icon or something.    It was even featured on the news the other night.   It was very helpful going thru the NY traffic.   It also acts as a GPS.

It's great to be back home and in the sun but it is coolish and breezy so the sweaters and jeans still feel good.  

This is what I'll be accessorizing with on Valentine's Day, compliments of my DIL Jennifer who said it was a very early BD gift.....It's not something I would splurge on for  myself but aren't those the best gifts.    I'm loving the color and it goes perfectly with my grey hair !!      Thank you Jen !!  

I was going to put a funny ecard at the end of this but the ones I thought were hilarious weren't G rated or even PG ..... I'll have to send them to my favorite Valentine !      Have a fun day with someone you care about !  

Grandparenting is a special privilege.............

It certainly is white and cold and snowy up here.     We got in on Wed night after easy driving.   The next day it was 2 degrees with a wind chill below zero.   We bundled up in thick sox and extra layers and turned up the heat.    Furry throws wrapped around our legs and electric blankets at night have kept us toasty and comfortable.     We are wimps......!

 The COACH never rests !!    Lessons in the basement commenced with drills and a few chairs became a net.

 After dire warnings of the pending THIRD storm, we waited for the white stuff knowing school would be cancelled and the Mall would be crowded.     Freezing rain came during the night and then the fluffy snow finally began falling this morning.     It is so pretty.  And irresistible  to active boys who took advantage of the deep snow and the long hill out back.   So far, P says there is about 4 new inches on top of the previous accumulations.    They came in,  had  hot chocolate and left their wet clothes all over the entry...........some things never change.

Tomorrow we'll pack up and head quickly south............

......providing the parents decide to come home.

Deja vu all over again...................(yes, it's fuzzy but it's as if the scene is right out of the 70's..)

Meandering thoughts.............

Just look at that cute face.......actually cute faces !     Meet Alex's new friend, Aspen, a portuguese water dog, 10 weeks old alongside Roxie, the Princess of the house and 9 years old.     

The Colorado house has always been happy and alive with kids and cats and dogs and birds and fish, and even a bearded dragon and a turtle at one time.    Aspen comes from outstanding stock and may get a chance to show off  all her talent and breeding  as she grows.     It's a fun hobby and I'm sure Alex is up to the task.   I went that route with one of our dog many years ago.   It was fun but also very political once you get into the serious shows.   But they will have the support of the breeders to show them the way.     It sounds like a lot of fun and what a cute ball of fluff (until she grows).   

Otherwise, the days are rolling along and we are gearing up for heading North.....probably between snowfalls.    

FITBIT sent me a new badge for walking the length of Italy !!    I guess if I'd been more diligent when I first got the thing, ( april last year ) I might have  walked  thru Europe by now.    But I'll take the accolades.      The other day I managed to do 6 miles without too much discomfort.    And then today, I struggled getting 3 miles in.    

I received a subpoena a few weeks to go for a deposition yesterday.     Annoying at best.    Drove 45 min to the designated office. Had an appt for 10 am along with about 8 others who all had the same time.    By 11 we were still waiting !.    Finally, I got called in first and answered questions from the Prosecutor and Defense attorney re: an attempted break-in at a neighbor's house.   I happened to see the suspect on the golf course and gave a statement to the police ( I wrote about it last March).  
No one else in the group had seen anything.    The accused is also wanted on other robberies.    I'm really hoping this doesn't go to trial as I suspect I would be called as a witness for the Prosecution.....even tho I can't really identify him, I saw identifying features.

I finished listening to The Martian on my walks.    It's to be movie coming out late in the year with Matt Damon as the astronaut.   It was good.    I'm reading a couple more books.    If you like to explore new books and authors, Amazon has a blog called Omnivoracious which leads me to some interesting choices.
  I'm also delving deeper and deeper into  plant based eating.....again.    When I did it a couple years ago, I felt great.    I'm not sure why I slipped back into old habits but probably just lazy and the lure of Mexican food (altho leave out the meat/cheese and it's a great vegan food )        The weight is coming off , I'm more energetic and sleeping better.    And, I'm noticing that it is going more mainstream with articles on plant based eating in major publications and more and more athletes embracing the lifestyle.    And yes, I get plenty of protein and calcium from what I eat.   One of the best books is "The Forks over Knives Plan".    The movie Forks over Knives on Netflix is impressive.   So, enough of my proselytizing.

Today we are going to play golf !    We've had tee times a couple of times previously and cancelled them for lack of enthusiasm.    I'm giving it one more shot and if I'm not really really good , I'm going to find a new use for my clubs.    

PS:     We played golf, nice day, sun shining, coolish.....didn't play great, didn't play awful.   Will keep clubs for another day.     Had an observer .........

Snow is why old people live in Florida............

 I'm holding my breath and hoping that Jim Cantore doesn't show up in SW Connecticut.    And if he does here's hoping he brings free generators for everyone !!    

This is from the snowfall a couple of days ago.    And then the "guys"  (along with Scout troop 270 of Sandy Hook ) went on a sleep over on the carrier Intrepid in NYC and saw the space shuttle Enterprise up close and personal.    What a wonderful adventure for those kids.

Nothing new down here in the land of sun and fun.    The pickle ball paddles and my fitbit are getting good workouts.    He's moved up to the Intermediate level and I'm gradually getting more and more steps in each day.     I was out feeling proud of my increasing distance (almost 5 miles that morning) when I was passed by this woman of age with her ear buds in and  no sign of sweat or pain on her face.   I struck up a brief conversation and asked how far she walks........ " 6 miles most days but today I'm doing 8 ".....I was crushed.   I rationalized all the way home..... a bit younger, no grey hair, a tiny bit thinner, must have better shoes,  and probably is getting paid for the mileage by some advertiser.    Then I felt better and decided that we all need a challenge.

We're looking forward to heading North once again......back to Connecticut in Feb.    The grandparents will be in charge for a few days...... providing the forecast is for sun and 60 degrees and they've shoveled a path to the door.      Meanwhile back at the ranch, the golf course is OPEN at Cobble Creek and the sun is shining on the mountains.   Ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. !!!

Potpourri

Seriously, I really need to be more aware of my responsibilities as a blogger and occasionally post something...... something catchy and witty and substantial and mysterious and meaningful and ...... oh, forget it.   This is as good as it gets in my brain.  

In my never ending quest to eat healthy, I've perfected the best 'Big Pot" of substantial fixings.     This is what I call chili but it's more than that.     I start with diced tomatoes, add canned corn, beans (lots of beans ), kale, spinach, lots of onion, and taco seasoning.     Then, depending on what I have, I throw in my zucchini or squash or sweet potato noodles, and then quinoa penne pasta....made with just quinoa and corn meal.     It doesn't stay together as it sits for a couple days but it adds a nice hearty substance to the liquid.    You can also use just the quinoa grains or small pasta or brown rice.    I used to make it with ground turkey breast but now that I'm meat-free again, I don't need it and it isn't missed.

Under the Christmas tree this year were these unique bowl/plate combos from Jeff and Jennifer.   They are perfect for just about anything that goes in a bowl.    The plate twists off and the handle on the bowl is very handy.    We use them a lot and especially for the 'chili'....

Speaking of eating and the resulting need to work it off, no matter how healthy the food..... I won this prestigious award after competing in the Workweek Hustle with my blog friend Robbie and a friend of hers.    All courtesy of FiTBIT.     I love that little device and it continues to motivate me to get out  and move.

.   

I also joined The Villages FITBIT group and out of 20 members (pretty pathetic participation considering there are over 100,000 people here) I am in 9th place after only a couple of days.    The leader averages over 20,000 steps a day !   Sounds a bit like an overachiever or else she's a rambunctious 2 year old.

While I'm out there doing my steps, I am listening to this book.    It has gotten rave reviews on Amazon and Jon and MB liked it.    They said it was pretty scientific, which is an understatement, but I can easily ignore the equation to make water from various elements that the stranded astronaut on Mars has to contend with..... It's also funny.     I enjoy audible books but they are expensive.    I'm on a trial subscription with audible.com and get 2 freebies this month and then they will charge me $14.95 / month for ONE book.    That's not going to happen as long as I remember to cancel after I get my 2nd book.

Cobble Creek came to The Villages this month.    Friends, Sue and Matt ( last seen on the  hiking trails in Capitol Reef NP ) are renting a lovely house down here for 3 months.     We caught up with them at the Square one evening enjoying the high-energy band.    Coach P is also working with all of us to improve our pickle ball game so we can go back to Colorado with enough skills to play without embarrassing ourselves.      Speaking of the Coach, he is in a league and his team is in FIRST place.
AND, absolutely, that is coffee in that Starbucks cup !!!!!

PS:    Thank you for not mentioning the words............ 18, orange, Super Bowl.  

Back where the sun shines.............

What is a blog without content ?    I suspect it is a strong reflection on the author and her procrastination, laziness, lack of creativity and a life that is not blog worthy.   Despite all of this , I do miss chatting with you and reading your comments (few and far between I might add) but I know your'e out there by the stats that I have access to.   I could get more info on you but I prefer not knowing and just presume that I have a following of thousands.   Enough said......

We actually enjoyed driving to Connecticut and back.    We could take stuff and didn't have to work around Jon and MB's schedule for getting to and from the airport.    We could have wandered a bit more but we got anxious to get where we were going and did it in two easy days both ways.    Weather was perfect, traffic was impressive ( especially all those cars heading North out of Florida after New Years .... they were crawling for miles and miles.) and the accidents were limited to fender benders.  (Theirs, not ours ).   So, here's a brief look........

 Saw this painting in a furniture store while MB was trying out sofas....I may have to order it !

.!!/product/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p79_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=034149SKMT0JMBY2P7RY&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1970559082&pf_rd_i=desktop      Here's a fun kitchen gadget.    Makes various sized noodles out of squash, zucchini, carrots, ......   Jon tried a potato and baked it in the oven.....like curly fries.    Put spaghetti sauce on the "zoodles"  and you won't be able to tell it isn't spaghetti !!       I admit to an addiction of bread....not just any bread, but the homemade, crusty warm loaves from Stew Leonards, smothered in butter and SaraBeth's Jam (Oprahs favorite and mine too ).....    I ate a lifetime of carbs and loved every bite.    Now, my chubby little self is paying for it and today the walking shoes and my FITBIT got a good workout.  

On a cold, blustery day, we went to an indoor mini Monster golf place......all in blacklight and loud music....and a big green drooling thing in the corner.    I played golf about as well as I do on the real courses.

All good things come to an end and the huge tree dropped most of it's needles as it was mashed thru the door on it's way to the woods....

Yes, that's Granddad bowling....he hasn't walked the same since.....really !

 
 If you have nothing else to spend your money on, and you like music.....one of us had a birthday to begin the New Year.    We enjoy music of all types and a Sonos system seemed like a good idea.   It's tied into your WIFI and you control it from your phone, iPad or computer.     Right now I am listening to a combo of Queen, ELO and Bach !!    He prefers Adele, Sara Bareilles, a mellower mix.....   The sound quality is excellent.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy New Year.........

Family time......

The weather cooperated for our arrival and then gifted   us with a lovely holiday scene.   

 The house is warm and inviting and filled with excited boys and grandmothers galore and granddad at the ready to help with the boy-toys.

Fat cats and yarn don't often mix too well.............
 

 Santa's cookies were made with care..............

  Wishing you all a bright beginning to another year, filled with  hope and love.  

Over the rivers and through the woods...

Bright and early we headed north and after we call it a night at a HI Express, we will have covered over 700 miles towards Ct.     Traffic has been heavy but even worse going south.  

Weather is dry and cool and not too scenic this time of year.   

We'll chat again once we're not moving so fast and we've reached the Andy/Mason house.    ( first time I've done this on the iPhone).    And, cheapest gas we've seen is here in Va @ &2.17....

'Tis the season .....

....to be jolly !!     The annual neighborhood Christmas gathering was last night and a record number of Inner Circle friends gathered for a catered dinner with all the trimmings.    There were a lot of red sweaters plus Bob in his tropical Santa shirt.     From the left, Bob and Nina,  Freida and John.  

 This morning, the sunrise was worthy of an iPhone shot, thru the screen, because I'm too lazy to walk out onto the dew covered grass.   The old adage of "Red sky at morning ....   doesn't seem to apply here as the forecast is for sunny skies.

Only 2 weeks until we'll be celebrating the holidays with two excited boys.    Until then, there are  a few things needing attention  (the grout project is on hiatus) including some outdoor decor and some traditional baking.     Christmas cards may be New Year cards.  

But, I'd really rather spend my time on this.    I took a class on Fair Isle knitting and this  project has enough color to keep me interested in the finished  hat.

One of our free amenities down here........

 On the 2nd day of launch efforts, we had this view of the huge rockets propelling the capsule skyward.    We are about an hour from the east coast but 90 min or so from Cape Canaveral.   There was heavy cloud cover and fog earlier but we got a bit of a break and we were able to see the brilliant plume as it rose fairly quickly.

 As it broke thru the 2nd layer, it was headed sharply east and we never saw it go higher.    Each rocket trajectory is different.    Smaller ones with satellites seem to go straight up...... The manned flights took a climb to the left and we could see the glow for quite a bit.     Apparently the crowds at the Cape only saw it briefly as it climbed into the clouds and it was totally obscured in the Orlando area so I guess we were in the right place......on our lanai !.....  in our PJ's !!

 Our local TV coverage is extensive and broadcasts are live for a few hours.    They keep the ubiquitous  scroll going for people's comments across the bottom.    One hapless person wrote and the station printed it...."God bless the astronauts on board......"  

The Season is fast approaching and I'm beginning the process.   It takes me awhile to get going and this is about all of the decorating that gets done around this house..... plus the Boy Scout wreath that will be coming via Andy's troop and will hang on the door.

Making memories.......

Hello again......!    Here's hoping you had a great Thanksgiving and time with family and friends.    We certainly did.     ( Bear with me, Blogger.com is not putting pictures where I want them)....

Early last Wed morning...very early,  we headed West and landed 3 hours later (according to my watch but not my body clock which said it was 6 hours later),in  San Francisco on a beautiful California day.     We picked up a car and headed south.      A slight diversion in my narrative......we are very connected and yes, even addicted to our devices..... especially now that I have my new phone....anyhow, we just  assumed that today's modern aircraft would have a source of power to plug into......but no, we were on an aging 757 that still had the drop down screens.   So, we practiced frugality and hoped for a connection in a rental car......not !    We checked several on the "Emerald Isle" and found none so we had to conserve even more.....plus, there were no GPS units on the cars (which we knew before hand ) but now we had to use our phone GPS and we were running on low batteries.     We made it to a Panera Bread down the road, had lunch and got charged up.   How pathetic we are.  

Our destination was my sister's lovely home .    In celebration of their 50th Anniversary this month, Sandy and Tom were hosting a gathering at a waterfront hotel in Monterey......It was perfect in every way.

 We gathered in a private room.    The buffet was over the top.....It was fun to watch Nathan and Justin pick and choose .....  Nathan ate a lot of shrimp and enjoyed many  chocolate covered strawberries.

While we waited for our reservation, we enjoyed the terrace overlooking Monterey Bay.   What a 

picture perfect day.   

Of course the seagulls had to get in the picture ..... that's a yellow kayak protruding from his chest.   

 

 From the left, my brother Tom, my sister Maureen (she always carries a great handbag) , her friend Tom and my favorite relative standing in the middle.

 Unfortunately, all good times must be over too soon....we left the next morning, via Las Vegas and pulled into the driveway about 2 am.  (The shiny new SW plane had mood lighting and on board outlets.)      
We are back to our daily routines ..... the house has needed a few updates and Mr Fix-it has repaired the dishwasher, replaced the disposal, trimmed the palms ( we have a lawn service but they aren't allowed to climb ladders so only trim what they can reach ? )   and I am trying to enjoy my new hobby involving grout cleaning.  

Enjoy the last picture of cloud feathers  over Monterey Bay...........

I love a new toy....

This is a test.   I'm using the Blogger app on my new phone.    It's a bit of a challenge.

Getting the pics in the order I want seems to be an exercise in futility.I've had the big iPhone 6 Plus for about 3 days and having fun figuring out the new features.  It is big.  But seems to be similar to the larger Samsungs.

I appreciate that this was a totally extravagant purchase.   Someone suggested that I could get this or some sparklies for our pending 51st.   It wasn't a hard choice.  

We're heading out tomorrow to say thanks for a great family.  

 I'm not taking a computer or camera  but I'm thinking that this pretty (as in pleasing to the touch and eyes) amazing device can do it all.   I think it's up to the challenge

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday with those you love.  

If appliances had eyes.............

Life is good.....  but it's not really blog worthy of late.    No beautiful mountains or golden aspens to show.    Yes, there are some pretty flowers but I'd have to change the lens to get a decent macro shot and I'm still busy fighting the gecko war....one thing at a time.     

Jon captured  a frosty sunrise in Connecticut.

 The man of the house  is down and out with a head cold.    I made a trip to our NY deli to pick up some  hearty Jewish mother's  chicken soup for him.    He is feeling better so it must have been worth the trip.    
We've always read how world class athletes often train at higher altitude in order to increase  their red blood cells to carry more oxygen.    I think it has worked for us as well.     I am walking farther and farther with less effort and climbing the hills on the golf courses is much easier than I remember.    He said that he noticed he had more stamina at pickleball.    I'm not sure how long the effect lasts but we are appreciating those extra RBC's.

I have walked most everyday since we got back and I use Runkeeper on my phone to keep track of the distance and pace.    It also has  a little map of my route....so I can find my way home I think.    Today, I did 4.86 mi in 100% humidity .    Very uncomfortable and then the front met the cold air of tomorrow and we had some serious storms and warnings.    Today it was 83 and tomorrow it is to be in the 30's in the morning.      

 I am still using my FITBIT which is a great motivator.     It gives me awards and smiley faces and calls me champ when I accomplish more than usual.   I have worn it daily since I got it about 8 months ago.    I'm not sure how it measures going up stairs.....we just have small hills here and no stairs so I discount that item.
My goal is 10,000 steps per day and I have reached 15,000 on occasion.    It makes me happy.  I read a blog of a younger (40ish) woman with kids who walks 15,000 a day but then, she IS a bit younger so I feel OK about my stats.          My mother walked .... and gardened.    I only walk and the plants have to fend for themselves.

I was searching thru the archives and found this GoPro video that Jon made awhile back......  Oops....it appears that the video won't open on my phone or iPad.....but works on the computer.