Survived winter.... come on Spring

 Cullman, AL

We've had a tough winter.   Once things thawed, we felt hopeful for an early Spring according to Phil the Groundhog, but things changed a bit.

I felt a bit tired.  Sneezing, slight headache.  Then for 3 days my entire body ached.  Leonard then insisted we go to the ER.  By that time I was too tired to argue.   So many people in our church had been sick with the crud... Covid.   Wow!  We bypassed it.  Not so fast.  After a positive test, I started the Paxlovid cure.

Then two days later, Len was really sick.  Another ER visit.  Another stop at CVS for Paxlovid.  I still have good days and others when I am exhausted.    Yesterday Len was really sick.  And that is after feeling great the day before.   Back to ER.   They did x-rays to be sure he didn't have pneumonia.  He doesn't.  So he is on antibiotics.   Feeling a bit better today.

We've been assured that neither of us are contagious. We can expect some discomfort.  So we continue on.

On the upside, the weather in improving.  Daffodils are budding.  

We continue our Boondockers Welcome hosting.  After a slow January we are starting to get busy again.  We have 16 reservations on the books.

Last Friday we felt well enough to go to our Friday night out.  But not well enough to do much dancing. But our friends did:

We had noticed a lot of digging going on all over our property.  What was strange was something dug all around where to septic tank is. 

Just as we suspected:

Mr. Armadillo.   I read that they are actually good for the ground.   They turn it over and their poo is beneficial.   Their presence doesn't bother me.

It is almost 5 years since Biscuit showed up at our door.  We has so enriched our lives.  When he showed up Leonard made it clear.  No dogs in his truck.  No dogs in the house.  No dogs on any furniture.   Biscuit loves riding in the truck.   He is in and out of the house all day, spending every night inside.  As far as on furniture:

Biscuit on the right, Leonard on the left.

Two years ago we installed a tankless hot water heater.  After having a walk-in tub installed we found the 50-gallon tank did not fill the tub with hot water.   The unused tank has been sitting in our basement since.   We decided to divest of it.   I put in on Cullman yard sale sites offering it for free.  I immediately got swamped with responses.   The first person I told could have it asked how old it was.  When I told her it was in the house when we bought it 6 years ago, she said she wanted a new one .... free.  Alrighty then.  

Folks were asking where we were located.  I gave a general area.   One woman said she lived in the area and would really like it.  I checked her profile and saw my friend Stephanic listed as a friend of hers.   So we made arrangements for her husband and his friend to come right over.   

Len disconnected it and the three of them worked hard getting it up the steps from the basement to outside.

I feel really good that the right people got this tank.  They were so appreciative.  We wish them well.

Well, time to go pick of a grocery order so I will close this down right now.

Until next time.

On to the New Year

Cullman   AL

In the new year we continue to enjoy both the Senior Center and 55 East where we get most of our exercise.     Friends cutting a rug at 55 East.

  

I thought when we moved south the cold, cold days would be behind.   That has not been the case this past week.    Each of the last 7 days has gotten colder and colder.   Today we have a high of 22.  Last night it was down to 8.   

This is what we woke up to on Monday.  Looks like snow?  No, mostly ice.

Alabama is not prepared for this.   Most roads were impassable from Monday into Thursday.  We never left the house.  Most businesses were closed.   When finally stores opened they found crowds of shoppers.   Posted online were pictures of near empty shelves.   

We had RV guests scheduled.    I let them know they could not get down our road.  They stayed at the LaQuinta in town and had a difficult time in the parking lot.   They said it was well understaffed at the motel.   So was everyplace else in town.

Cars were flipped, in ditches, unable to go up hills.   Big trucks were lined up on highways unable to move.    The Interstate would open only to close again due to jack-knifed trucks, etc. blocking the lanes.

I keep a full freezer and pantry.  We were fine.  We never lost power but would have still been Okay because of the Generac generator we had installed two years ago.

We did have one issue.  On Thursday we saw a truck pull into our yard.  Wondering who that was.  It was neighbor down to road letting us know we had a problem.   A short time before I turned on the water.  I got very low pressure.   The reason, the water connection out at the RV sites split.  We had a geyser.

Between Len and our neighbor Gary they braved the cold and got a temporary fix.   We have an RV guest today in about an hour.  Already knows they won't have water.   That's OK.   Just looking for a spot tonight with electric for when it gets down into the teens again.

The ducks don't seem to mind walking on ice.

Biscuit still wants to be outside during day hours.   He has a spot behind the house in a corner out of the wind and where the sun shines warm on him.   Several times a day he comes into the enclosed porch and lays on the sofa where I turn on an electric heater.   I do coax him inside a few times during the day. But not for long.    

 Last week Len invited him on our bed.   Now he goes to his bed in the office when he comes in but once he knows the TV is off and we are in bed, he finds his way to lay between us.  I remember Len saying no dogs in his truck.   No dogs in the house.   No dogs on the furniture.  What happened?  Biscuit happened.

Tomorrow is Lens birthday.   We will be going to lunch with Lennie, Lois and family.  At last!   Out of this house for a bit.

Until next time.  Stay warm.  Hope for Spring.   Oh, BTW, expected to hit high 60s here in a few days.  Crazy!

  

Busy month. So Long 2023

 January 5, 2024

December was extremely busy here at The East Estate.  That's our Title in the Boondockers Welcome group.  We are far from being an Estate.    We only had one day the entire month that we did not have any guests here.   Many days both sites were occupied.    On December 20th we welcomed our 300th guest.   We had given a gift bag to our 100th and 200th.  So of course, we will follow in this tradition.   The contents of the bag.   Sorry. I couldn't get the pic to turn.  No, the items are not glued to a cabinet.

On Christmas we hosted our son Lennie, DIL Lois and Maddie and Jordan.   OOPS!  No picture was taken.  Too busy visiting to remember.   I hate when that happens.

Christmas Eve our church holds communion.  This year was special as we recently built a new church building.  Mostly complete.   After the service we went outside for the Cross lighting.

We have sections of our yard that are being dug up.  This is most interesting.   We saw something had dug around the septic tank.   Strange.   

We put out our game camera.   As we suspected.... Armadillo.    Why would they do that?

Two of our frequent RV guest couples were camped here New Years Eve.   So we celebrated.   Started at 6, done by 10.   We really know how to party!

This month will be few hostings.   Has REALLY slowed down.   Already we have had 3 cancellations.  We don't expect anyone until the 24th.   That's ok.  December exhausted us.

But we still have lots planned.   We are back to the Senior Center two days a week and meeting up with friends Friday nights.    Plus Len has four doctors' appointments and I have one in January.  And we are hoping our Grandson and Girlfriend will be visiting mid month from Florida. So .... off to a new year.

We wish each of you love, success and peace for the coming year.

Until next time.

Old People Have Fun Too

Cullman,  AL

Yes, old people have fun.    But first..... some younger folks.

We were honored to be asked to witness our great-grandson be Baptized a few weeks back.   This was a first for me.  As growing up in the Methodist tradition, this is the first time I witnessed a Baptism by immersion.    Methodists usually do it by a sprinkle on the head.    At least, the churches I attended.

Here is Jordan.   Being immersed.

 

Then last week our church had their Christmas dinner.  It was another milestone.   We are in the process of building a new church building.   This was the first event at the not yet completed facility.   We were thrilled that they had to lug out additional tables and chairs to accommodate the attendees.  

We like this picture of us with son Lennie, Daughter in law Lois and great grandson Jordan.

About old people having fun.   This week was our Cullman Senior Center party.   

What was really fun, door prizes!   Leonard won a $10.00 gift card to a local butcher shop.  The one we use!  And I won a $20.00 gift card to Lowes.  Yes, we can use that too.

Then yesterday we attended the Christmas luncheon given by the Commission of Aging here in Cullman County.   Over 800 people attended.   Fabulous lunch of turkey, ham, roll, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, cornbread filling, cranberry sauce and pie.  

What a nice facility.

This gives you some idea of the size.

This gives you some idea of the crowd.

And lots of door prizes here too.  Including a top prize of $500.00.   No, we didn't win that.  BUT I did win a $50.00 gift card to Walmart.   Guess I know where the Christmas turkey money is coming from.  

So, this week was a profitable one.   A total of $80.00.  SSSH    don't tell my Uncle Sam.   Last night we met up with friends for snacks and dancing at our favorite Friday night spot..... 55 EAST.   They hold a 50/50 every week.    The winner got $50.00   No, it wasn't us.

And the fun continues.

Until next time.

Been a while

Cullman AL and Justin TX

Yes, it's been a bit since my last blog.   My computer died.  Had to get a new one.   I was so used to Windows 10.   Now Windows 11.   YUK.  A whole new learning experience.   Both my daughter-in-law Lois and my friend Karen tried to help me with getting the printer connected.   No luck.  It worked once.  Stopped again.   I am hoping if my grandson visits over Christmas he can figure it out.

I also had an issue with loading pictures from my phone.   Last night Lois worked on it.   HOORAY.  As you will see, success.

This old dog is having a hard time learning new tricks.

Let's go back to October.   Halloween.   yup, that's me at our favorite haunt, the 55 East party.   I have no pride.    

Moving along to the house and property.....    One of our back porch steps was decaying.    It took us a few days but determination prevailed.

 

  
Is has been extremely dry here in Alabama.   No real rain since August.  They predict some tomorrow.  We are hoping that is the case.   The pond is down about 4 to 5 feet.  The fish are starting to grow legs.

The biggest event was the marriage of our granddaughter Lindsey to Bailey.   It was held near Dallas on Thanksgiving Friday.

On my gosh.... the traffic over there.

The venue was at a ranch in the town of Justin.   What a lovely set up.   

This was the room of the parents of the Bride, our daughter D'Juana and husband Joe.   They had to take another family with them.   Momma and 5 baby Aussies.   They were born just a few days before the big event.

Grandson Jeremiah was the ring bearer.   Keeping with Western theme, he is all decked out.

Here is the bride Lindsey and the mother of the bride, D'Juana.

And the father and daughter dance.

And the grandfather (Leonard) and bride dance.

And important the Bride and Groom first dance:  Lindsey and Bailey.

Following two days of celebrating, the ring bearer need a rest.  So up on Grandpops lap.   Made Grandpop very happy.

Until next time.

Lots of good times

Cullman,  AL  Eva AL,  Sulphur LA

This month has been a busy one.   Lots of socializing.   Lots of fun.

One of our favorite places to go on Friday night is 55East in Eva, AL.   Dancing, talking, eating.   What could be better.  

A few weeks ago my daughter Terri from Pennsylvania visited for a few days.   She has semi-annual business meetings up in Nashville.   When there she extends for a few days and drives the 150 miles south.

The days she was here we also were hosting dear friends Rick and Karen.   They stop by every so often in their beautiful motorhome.     Terri was also visiting us last time they were here.   How great is that! All three of them were here on a Friday night.   SO..... 55East.

They got to meet our group of friends.   I don't post names.   Just believe these are good people all. 

Oh, tonight is Friday.  Meatballs in the crock pot.  Another hour and it's time to get ready.

Last weekend was Leonard's 55th High School class reunion.    So off to Louisiana.   See him on the right at the end of the float?   It was Homecoming weekend.   A big thing down there.

The parade was Friday night.   On Saturday the group met for lunch at a classmate's beautiful house.  This is their "entertaining" room behind the house next to the pool.  They call it The Lodge.  Thinking being a State Farm agent does one good.

While in Louisiana Lens siblings and spouses got together for dinner.   We so appreciate that they do this when we are in town.   He is the only sibling that does not live in the area.

OKAY.... Time of get ready to go DANCE.

Until next time.

Making plans. And etc.

 Cullman,  AL

I love this time of year.   There are days when neither Air Conditioning nor Heat are needed.   There just isn't enough of them.    As the days grow shorter it brings to mind that our days are growing short too.

But first:     The Senior Center has special dress days on Thursdays.   Yesterday was crazy hat and tie.  I wore my winter hat that looks like Elmer Fudd, Len wore his Christmas cowboy hat.   I wore a compression sock as a tie, he wore his flannel bathrobes belt.   No picture was taken.

Last week it was mixed prints day.    I wore a flowered top and a pair of his PJ printed bottoms.  He wore a printed shirt, printed welders cap.   He absolutely refused to be seen in public with anything but jeans.  Daughter in law Lois to the rescue.   She volunteered to take an old pair of his jeans and paint something on them.

This is what Biscuit thought of it.

After a slow few month's hosting RV guests through Boondockers Welcome, we have 10 reservations on the books.   Our 266th guest arrives later today.

This summer it was rainy here in north Alabama.   I was forever mowing grass.  Now we are terribly dry to the extent there is a burn ban.   We had wanted to burn some shrubs and a pile of trees and branches we had removed but this is not the time.   Seems strange not having to mow every day.

As I stated at the start of this blog, along with shorter days is the fact that our own days are shorter.  I have a need to be prepared.    One way to that end is to update wills.   That was completed this week.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to make ones wishes known to be less of a burden on family when the time comes.

Along with our wills we have:

         Power of Attorney designations. 

        Durable Power of Attorney for health care. 

        A list of items we want to pass down to certain people outside of the wills,

         A list of things to know such as bank and investment accounts, where to find passwords, keys to             safes, how bills are paid and to whom, info on life insurance, etc.   

        And a list of whom to notify and their phone numbers (one person is provided with this list).

I state all of the above because I have seen so many instances where the surviving spouse or children are at a loss of where to begin.   Four of our children will receive copies of the above.

Well, that's my preaching for today!

ENJOY FALL SEASON.  Until next time.