And the Beat Goes On

Let's see, where to begin?

When going back to read this post before hitting publish, I deleted an entire paragraph! Ugh! Anyway, as I recall, David is getting better, Nancy did not fare so well with her booster and this morning's visit with Maureen was very good. She was alert, bright-eyed, and more importantly, the head nurse came over to tell me that he calls her his "encyclopedia" because she knows something about everything. As her whole family can tell you, that is indeed the case, especially when she is doing as well as she is at this moment. I need not tell you that this gladdened my heart.

Although I took this photo of a Blue-winged Teal a few weeks ago, it never made an appearance in this space, so why not now?

Not what you were expecting, right? And now you know why it has the name it does!

May I present the Wolf Moon of 2022?

Here is a question for all you puzzlers out there....how long do you keep your finished puzzle together? I had to call for help on this one because I struggle with shapes, relying on color and patterns, and although I'd managed to get the solid black together, the blue was giving me fits.

Ta da! The finished puzzle! And by the way, I am becoming a slipper person in my old age.

My feet were showing the wear and tear from my court time, so rather than my typical indoor bare feet, I bought some slippers for the hardwood floors. Hard, being the operative word. As to how long I keep a completed puzzle on the table, about three days. If it is really hard, I might admire it for even longer. 

When last we met, we had made a trip to Green Springs Park in Volusia County.  Because the post was going on for so long I never got to tell you about our next stop in nearby Geneva. As it has been a mostly slow news week, let's visit it now.

Seeing it on the map, while it isn't at all our style, it could be fun to wander a bit on a beautiful day. I was right. Plus, reading that they had animals lured me in. Bruce was willing so now I'll show you a little of what we saw. I thought this was kind of clever.

Drat! Is it too small for you to figure out what exactly I thought was clever? "The Chick-Inn." 

Plus there were loads of goats.

I must not forget the four donkeys.

As to inanimate objects, there was plenty to see on that front as well. 

Roaming around a place like this, I am reminded that people will buy just about anything. 

Even used paint brushes.

While I knew that Scrabble tiles, and the board for that matter, can be different depending on where you purchase the game, I never knew that letters came in cubes. Did you? I remember when I first saw Angela's British version and the board had blue and green!

On a shelf above the cabinets I have about four pairs of what I consider clever or interesting salt and pepper shakers. Should we have more space I can see myself collecting more of them, however, I'm not sure if the lack of space kept me from buying this unusual set. Or is it because they are just silly?

They are pretty life-like though aren't they? Maybe I should have pulled the trigger after all. 

Should you find yourself in the area, it is not a bad place to spend a few hours. My sweet friend Sue, who up and moved to Montana two years ago, would have been in rust heaven!

So, when was the last time you actually looked at a pigeon? For my part, I'd have to say almost never UNTIL last week when I was walking around Lake Davis and took the time to observe their behavior. This puffed up guy was wooing a lady friend. Their colors are far prettier than I'd given them credit for.

Pretty neat, huh? 

Nancy just called and is finally feeling better after spending the weekend in bed. Reactions to the vaccine are so strange. One shot you sail through and then the next you are bed-bound. Very unpredictable isn't it? Kind of like sports which this past weekend provided some exciting proof of that fact. Wow! Generally I am not an NFL watcher, however, this weekend might have changed that for me.

Speaking of the weekend, we've had such outstanding weather of late that the gloomy skies and cold temperatures took us a bit by surprise. Skipping pickleball ,I spent the morning on housework, followed by a fun lunch to celebrate our friend Susan's speed limit birthday. (front right)

Meanwhile Mr. Peck did not skip pickleball and his afternoon included the installation of one of the little libraries.

Earlier in the week he'd devised a clever way to paint the door closures.

Sunday morning he got a message that there was a funeral at 2:00 and could he please prepare the columbarium site? Naturally he said yes.

Instead of driving home and back, we had lunch on Park Avenue, then read our books until the service was over when he could put it all back together again. How I got so lucky to have married such a good man, I can't tell you, but I sure am thrilled that we got together all those years ago. 

Speaking of putting things together, our pickleball group is thrilled that the regulation net that we pooled resources for has arrived and as I type, some of the guys are putting it together. Woo hoo!

When Matt and Tom called via Facetime on Saturday I told them that we've been having beautiful weather, the kind that makes more and more folks move to Florida. Wonder what they will think when May comes around? 

This week's blast from the past is from January 23, 2012. Our lives could not be any more different these days, that's for sure! 

your friend,

Gail