Monday, August 20, 2018

Settling In, Part Whatever

Our anniversary was on Saturday and I must say, we spent it in an unconventional way. Now that we've been here for more than two weeks, it was time for me to get serious about unpacking more boxes from our original move last summer. I didn't begin Saturday thinking I would tackle that project, but after having breakfast out at a nearby diner, Bruce began some chores to continue the porch prettying, while I did laundry and opened boxes. Before I launch into that part of our story, I wanted to show you a few nature photos taken on property. This Little Blue Heron sat on the dock watching the water as I watched it! That tongue!!!
Two weeks later and the bloom on the Bird of Paradise out back is still just as vibrant. I wonder how long they last?
Before leaving Vancouver, Dale promised that he would write and write he did; his letter arrived in Friday's post. BTW--there is no mail delivery in Canada on Saturday, something I found interesting. Anyway, I'd told Dale that once home I would have some prints made of our walk through Stanley Park, something I'd planned to do at Costco. Not so fast Gail. Costco no longer has an in-store photo lab which bummed me out. Walgreens to the rescue, and because they had a deal on multiple prints, I went ahead and had others made. Returning home with them, Bruce remarked that it had been quite a while since we'd seen printed photos, and both of us thought how great they are.
Probably it was sitting at my table that finally forced my hand. Turns out one huge box under said table was filled with a second box, both empty. And then there was two boxes of fabric. I threw away more than I kept. And I found a few things I'd been wondering about too.
After having lived a year without our things, it is far easier to give stuff away than it was when we originally moved. Not that we didn't give a bunch away before, but I found more things on this day. So, under my table is but one clear box of fabric, some of which I brought home with me from Vancouver.
Plus, I moved the computer to its rightful location. Because the table wasn't ready, I'd had it on the kitchen table, and while convenient, it was a little big. Plus, I found the quilt I'd made for our bed and changed that out too. The bedroom was looking too dull for my liking with an off white coverlet that added no pizazz whatsoever.
Actually, I used the back side because for the cheerful color, however, Bruce was not as impressed, saying, "you know how I like the patchwork look best". Thus, I turned it back over the next day.
We need some kind of new artwork for over the bed as that small print is just not working. So many things to think of, and it is just so darn hot that thinking does not come easily.

While I was indoors, Bruce was out in the extreme heat, changing the porch light,
after having painted both the metal door, beautifully I might add, and the shelving unit which he did out back.
The metalwork screen door is not necessarily our style, but it fits the condo and looks tremendously better after painting. Now our little shelving unit looks cute.
Sadly, no birds have found the feeders yet, but they will! I think I mentioned Bill had given us an Amazon gift card for Christmas, and we finally put it to very good use. Now the porch looks very inviting, or at least we think so.
Around 4 in the afternoon, exactly the time we married 45 years ago, we went down to the pool to cool off.
Judy asked recently how we liked sharing a pool and our answer is, great. After being a pool owner for so many years, having someone else maintain it is a real treat.

We did not go out to eat, instead we had hamburgers at home. While eating, it occurred to me that we should begin a new tradition of having hamburgers on every anniversary, after all, we ate at McDonalds on our wedding night, and it didn't hurt us a bit. St. Augustine, in those days, was a pretty sleepy town with all of the restaurants closed up by 9PM, thus McDonalds was our only option. Sounds pretty funny now doesn't it?

After church we used yet another Christmas gift, this time from David and Michelle. Sitting in our comfy little booth at Hillstone, I noticed the neon sign reading Houston's which reminded me of how they changed their name. And do you know why they did that? Do you care? I'm chuckling because I'm going to tell you whether you care or not. In order to not have to post the calorie count of their food, something chains have to do if they have a certain number of restaurants, they up and changed the name of about half of the restaurants. Most folks still call it Houston's nonetheless.
Nary a soul was out on the lawn or dock, and who could blame them as it was brutally hot?
Turns out that after nearly a week of little to no rain, the above clouds turned into rain clouds which in turn became a massive storm that hit while we were at the Hills.
A new guest was there last evening, a woman who just moved to Orlando two weeks ago. She remained calm throughout, however, that was quite the introduction to our massive, thunder, and lightening summer storms! It went on for so long that most of us ran to our cars, or homes, in the driving rain. At least it was cooler, I'll say that much.

I'm not sure how to read this morning's sunrise, whether the storms will return again this afternoon or not. Sort of a "red sky in the morning" thing.
Let's hope not as they are continuing to re-pave all of the roads in our little village and today it is happening in front of our place. We shall see.

The settling in continues....

your friend,

Gail


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