Faith, Family, Food and Dogs

I must confess that I am OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). No matter how tired I am, I have to keep working until everything, and I mean everything, is put in its place. This is my master bedroom. This was taken 10 days after the first load of stuff was brought over. One night after work, before the professional movers brought the big stuff on the 24th. I sat on the floor with a drink and put the entire king-size bed frame together. I love the way the late afternoon sun comes through the trees behind my apartment. By 3 days after the professionals brought the TV, the TV cabinet, my 7-foot leather sofa and my large arm chair, I had the living room the way I wanted it. I still have to get the curtain rod and curtains up for the sliding door. The dining room is almost done. Only a few minor things to get squared away. The kitchen looks far from unloved and lonely. Interesting fact, there are only two (2) outlets in the entire kitchen that you can get to without having to move...

We are still back in time. It is now September 17th and it is moving day. While I wait for my family and friends who will be helping me unload the U-Haul I took a few pictures of the empty apartment. From the dining room looking down into the sunken living room with a real, wood burning fireplace and my lanai. The dining room. That is my new dining room rug in the corner. The kitchen. It looks lonely and unloved. I shall fix that shortly. The guest bath off the hallway. The wall tiles are an unusual shade of green. In the guest bedroom, the sliding door leads to a large covered area just outside the front door, and of course the closets. The hall past the guest bath down to the master bedroom. I have the girls locked in there until we unload all the stuff for the guest room and then I'll move them. This is going to be great when I am all settled in. By the end of the day, my friends and family have gone home to shower and wash off the sweat from the move. I look a...

Once again, let us step back in time. It is now mid September and I am getting ready to move AGAIN. This will be my second move in 10 months. I must admit that I am really, really excited about this move. I will be a whole lot closer to my daughter and her family. I will be a whole lot closer to work. I will be in a much better community and I will have a much better place to live in. This is 2 days before we start loading the U-Haul. I have purged a ton of stuff but still seem to have a lot. This time I took a day to load the U-Haul. The next day we unloaded it at the new place, then came back for a second load. With four people both loads went really fast. Maybe I should have rented a larger truck. I only reserved a 10-foot truck but we will make it work. Stay tuned.

My neighbors from Stokesdale came to Florida for a week's vacation and we made it a point to get together in St. Augustine. I had not seen them since November of 2015 and was really looking forward to spending time together. We agreed to meet at the Castillo de San Marcos National Park. As I walked up towards the fort I saw several boats moored out. The rush of emotions was incredible. I clearly remembered the several days that I spent anchored here on Hale Kai, back before the mooring balls were put in. Having been raised near and on the water, there is a very strong pull on me. If I won the lottery I would buy another boat and head back out in a heartbeat. I wonder how many people just look at the boats and think it is a pretty picture but never really grasp that a boat can take you to so many magical places, and nothing, and I mean nothing, beats being gently rocked to sleep on a boat. The St. Augustine inlet was relatively calm on this day. It has a reputation for getti...

I recently had a birthday. No big deal, every living person celebrates a birthday. But this was the best birthday I have had in years, and I do mean years. My friend Terri and I made plans for a Girls' Weekend at her condo in Welaka. Her and I and our 3 female dogs. Since we are coming from two different parts of town, Terri came by the office and gave me a key to her condo. Actually this is the second time. I didn't know I was supposed to keep the key the first time. Hence the "Key to a Great Birthday Weekend". Once parked and unloaded I put up the sun screen for Nohia's dash. I would not be driving her for 48-hours. In the morning before I hit the road I had made a batch of fudge with macadamia nuts in it for us to snack on over the weekend. It was really good. I love the view out her sliding glass doors. The huge Live Oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss, the river in the background, the inviting pool. Ahhh,,,, Kele loved laying and looking out the s...