Visitors from New Mexico

My scuba diving buddies, Jerry and Kathy Millspaugh, stopped to see us and our little Florida abode.   Jerry, Kathy and I have been in the Undersea Adventurers Scuba Club together since about 1980 and we have kept in touch, lo these many years.  

They came to visit us in Virginia in 2008.   (Friends from Albuquerque)

We also camped with them for a week in Silver City, New Mexico in 2009 while on our trip out West.  One of the highlights for me there was seeing the bighorn sheep during our trip to the Catwalk Scenic Trail.       

(Jogging Instead of Blogging... ,  Silver City So Far , Cave Dwellers near Silver City, NM , Catwalk near Silver City, NM , Silver City Slickers)
  

Jerry and Kathy arrived on Wednesday, as planned, and stayed in their fifth wheel (they call it their Roadhouse) at the RV Park nearby.  They came for dinner that evening.  Thursday, they brought their cameras in hopes of seeing some sandhill cranes and other birds during our tour of Savanna Club.  

It was windy and the birds seemed to be hiding so we went over to the Savannas Preserve State Park.  Again, no birds.  As we were coming back into our community, there were two sandhill cranes along the road.   Both Jerry and Kathy took pictures, which I hope to see!

While at the State Park, I saw a painting of Sandhill Cranes by Harry McVay that I really liked called,  "Bugle and Boogie in the Savanna Wetlands".

Both of the Millspaughs are accomplished photographers.  Every year they make a calendar, which can be viewed on the right side of their blog.  Here are just a couple of their great shots:   

Word Stork by Jerry Millspaugh 2009

Great Blue Heron by Jerry Millspaugh

 

 

 Kathy is also a quilter.  I forget the details but this quilt won at a national convention (I think)

They have a blog that I recommend called Jerry and Kathy's Photoblog. 

It's always a pleasure to catch up with good friends!

Trip to Bok Tower

Ed and I went for a day bus trip to Bok Tower Gardens.  It was a 2 hour drive from Port St. Lucie to Lake Wales.

Our friends, Bobbie and Ron, also went.  In fact, it was Bobbie's idea to go. 

Bok Tower Gardens, a national historic landmark, was founded by Edward Bok in the 1920’s. 

Where did he get his money? 
Edward Bok founded Ladies Home Journal magazine.  

Why did he build in Lake Wales?
Bok chose the location because it’s the highest point in Florida and he enjoyed the views.    

He dedicated 50 acres of gardens with the bell tower as the focal point of the gardens. 

It was a shock for us when the alarm went off at 5:15 a.m.  (We get spoiled living this great life of retirement where you get up when you wake up.)  In the rush to get ready on time, Ed forgot his hat so this gave me an excuse to buy him a new one.

Paul Cahill (a new friend from Savanna Club), Ed and Ron.

Bobbie and I thought it was neat that the greens for the salads we had at the cafe were all grown on the property.

After lunch we had a tour by one of the botonists on staff.  She spent a lot of time in the garden of endangered plants.  That gal must have degrees of all kinds.....she comfortably discussed the DNA of various plants and lots of other details.

Here's a paw paw plant, which will become a tree.  I remembered the song about "...way down yonder in the paw paw patch."

The 205 foot tower was completed in 1929 and is known for its Mediterranean architecture.  


The tile mosaics are lovely and colorful.

 
I was amazed to learn that the animal carvings were sculpted in place.  

How would you like to carve a marble eagle at 205 feet?

 

This beautiful brass door depicts the story of creation.

The Singing Tower houses a carillon, which is played several times daily.  (I had to look up what a “carillon” is.  It is a stationary set of chromatically tuned bells in a tower, usually played from a keyboard.)

There is a moat around the base of the tower where two swans kept us highly entertained.

 
I thought the photos below were pretty, if I say so myself!

And so ends another adventure with the Angelils!

Marvelous Mardi Gras Party

The Women's Club here at Savanna Club, our 55+ community, had a Mardi Gras party with about 200 ladies in attendance.  As with every event here, this was well planned with flair in every detail.

I wanted to know exactly what "Mardi Gras" meant.  I found that it refers  the Carnival celebrations, beginning after Epiphany and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday.  Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent that leads up to Easter. 

What is Mardi Gras?  "Eating a calf."
"Mardi Gras" literally means "Fat Tuesday" and comes from the tradition of eating a slaughtered calf on the final day of Carnival.  These days, though, that has expanded to feasting on most any rich fatty food.

MaryMay Angelil with her two new best buds, 
Bonnie McDonnell and Bobbie Steinberg

Masks and more masks - all so pretty, colorful and creative.

 

Francoise and her hubby.  Francoise gave the welcome in French.

Many different countries were represented by various ladies.  They were presented to the audience and escorted down the middle of the room in the spotlight.  

 

Many of the gals' outfits started with something from a thrift shop.  Then, Suzanne, our talented costume designer, created a way to make each outfit unique and elegant in the front and back.

After all the countries were presented, the queen and her court sat for the entertainment.  

The queen designed and made her own costume.

I just love the Tappettes, who are all residents of Savanna Club.  They may be old in years but not in their step!

The Tappettes presented a lively dance from Brazil.

The Tappettes' costumes for the dance from Tunesia were really pretty.

The President, Sylvia, goes over final details.

Even the dessert cakes were done up in Mardi Gras colors.

I'd say the women of Savanna Club know how to have fun, wouldn't you?

Japanese Culture

Line for kerosene

 

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan last Friday are just beyond belief.  The damage and loss of life is incomprehensible.  Now the threat of the nuclear power meltdowns is horrifying.

I admire the self-control and politeness of the Japanese people.  Even though they wait in line for hours and hours for food, water and other necessities, they're all calm, respectful of each other and no one is fussing or yelling.  

It's totally astounding that there is no looting!!

Can you imagine this happening here?

What a contrast to the cultures/people in other countries where disasters have hit --- especially some areas here in the USA.

Oh, that we could learn from observing this amazing manner of behavior!

p.s.  One thing we can do is pray for the people of Japan as they recover.

Wheelies and Shopping

Tuesday was my first attempt at shopping.  I had a reward points coupon that was going to expire at Beall's Outlet and I simply couldn't let it go to waste!  Ed dropped me off with my traveling wheelchair -- it's the kind without the big wheels on the side for moving oneself.  

I was fine using my right leg to navigate at home but that poor leg was tired and sore before I even made it to the back of the store!  In the housewares department, the shelves are heavy so I could pull along with my hands but besides that, it was my poor leg that did the work.

I planned to call the Men's Club guy, Dick, as soon as I got home to see if I might get another chair.  Would you believe.....a golf cart was in front of us as we entered our community and as it pulled over to let us pass by, I realized that it was Dick!!!  What are the chances that would happen?  It was surely a Serendipity or a Divine Intervention, huh?   

He went right over to the storage area with us.  I was convinced that the chair with side wheels wouldn't go through the small doors in our house.  Luckily, I was wrong!  

Now, I can do some serious shopping and pop some wheelies, too!

On the Bright Side of a Broken Ankle

1.  Looking on the bright side -  the broken ankle gives pain in one area.  The Lymes disease I had last fall produced that same amount of pain in every limb and in every fiber of my being all at the same time.

2.  Another bright note is that an ankle isn't as difficult to deal with as if it were my hand or arm....then I'd need help to cut my food, brush my teeth, etc.

3.  One of the service projects of the Men's Club here at Savanna Club (our 55+ community) is loaning medical equipment.  They've loaned me a walker and a wheelchair.  They even had us come over to see the choices. 

4.  A walker is a lot more stable than crutches (I was Queen Clutz with crutches) and the wheelchair will allow me to go shopping or to the movies.  

5.  The cast is below my knee, unlike the splint that came well above the knee, which makes getting into a car and using the bathroom a whole lot easier.

 6.  The pain will let up in a day or so (I hope). 

Pain Appeared

Guess I spoke too soon....

I was so sure that the splint had shifted and was pushing on my leg and I couldn't wait till it came off.  I expected immediate relief.....that didn't happen!  The pain is exactly where the break shows up along that tall thin ankle bone.

Dr. Davidson, the orthopedist, didn't know why my ankle/leg didn't hurt the first few days.

After viewing the X-rays I had brought from the ER, the doc first started talking about putting in a pin, screw, etc.  He decided to take more X-rays right then.  Luckily, a cast will do the job.  Whew!

Yes, that's the doc's hand pushing the ankle to determine if pins and screws were needed. Ouch!

 

A closer view of the break, from the front of the foot.

So, he took me to the "casting room", but I didn't get picked to be in a movie :(.  I laid on my stomach and held my foot up for the cast application, which meant I didn't get to see the process.

Ed was supposed to be taking pics but when he and the doc discovered they're both from Montreal, he got distracted.  They sounded like two women chattering!

The casting process was fast but not painless. 

Just think, only 4-6 weeks to go!

Angelil Ankle Adventures

...or "Bathing with a Bag Lady" 

...or "Contemptible Crutches Take Concentration"

It’s amazing how much a shower can brighten one’s spirits.  I was able to sit on the corner seat in the shower and prop my bagged cast leg on the other corner seat.  It also helped that our shower head is on a long hose that can be hand-held.  

Much to my surprise, there was minimal fussing from my shower assistant, who was also an important feature in this production.  

I should have thought to take a pain pill beforehand..... I plan to do that before I get my cast on Tuesday!  I also hope the pain portion of this ordeal will be over pretty soon.  If I keep the leg still and elevated, it’s not too bad.....moving it and having it down is not so good.

There is a bright side to this....I can’t do dishes, clean or do laundry.  On the other hand, there’s “stuff” on the counters and all around that bothers me.  

When I try to straighten or ask Ed to put something away I’m told that I need to focus on what I’m doing.  (Walking with these contemptible crutches does take concentration.)  

However, later something will come up that I need or had been wanting done and I hear,  “Well, why didn’t you ask for this?” 

EEeerrgh!  MEN!

Jumping for Joy - NOT!

We went to Ft. Lauderdale for a few days and stayed with Ed’s sister, Lorraine Barkett and her hubby, Ray.  Had a nice visit and shopped a little. The shopping was not exciting like when we visited from Virginia because we have any store you can think of right here in Port St. Lucie.  

 

Yesterday I visited Martha and Hib Casselberry, my dear friends.  (We used to live in the same condo.)  Then I had lunch with Marilyn Keating, my special friend for over 30 years.  As we were leaving to visit my friends, I fell as I was taking the one step down into Lorraine’s garage.  My ankle swelled but I went to see my friends anyway.  

 

We had already planned to come home last night because I wanted to go to lunch with my Red Hatters today.  We decided to stop at the ER to get an X-ray, just to be sure......

 

Well, my ankle is broken.  I now have a big splint on it from the foot to above my knee.  I had no idea how difficult using crutches would be!  No ladies’ luncheon for me today!  

 

They put a splint at first to accommodate the swelling.  If they put a cast  on immediately, when the swelling goes down, the cast is too big.  So, I’ll be seeing an Orthopedist in the near future to get a cast. 

 

Chalk it up as just one of those freak accident/weird happenings.  Needless to say, I won't be jumping for joy any time soon!

 

P.S.  We were pleasantly surprised and amazed at the ER care at St. Lucie Medical Center.  I was registered, examined, had an  X-ray and got the results within about 20 minutes!

After a 43 Year Wait....The Lettermen!

I missed them at JMU when I was a college coed but I got to enjoy the Lettermen's great show tonight......only 43 years later.

 

The one original member of the group is Tony Butala, the short guy I'm hugging!

At Last, The Lettermen

I am excited today!  

When I was a senior at JMU, back in the dark ages, I had to make a choice.  Should I go to see my favorite group, The Lettermen, or should I go to Big Meadows on Skyline Drive (where I'd worked that summer) to waitress for the weekend? 

They needed help so badly that they sent a driver 40 miles to pick me up at my dorm on Fridays and bring me back on Sundays.  

Well, my practical side won and, sure enough, I made some good money that weekend.  However, I've suffered all these many years at missing out on that concert.

Well, tonight's the night!  The Lettermen are playing at the theater here at Savanna Club (our retirement community) and we are going!

 

YIPPEEEE!  WOOT, WOOT!  

It was actually a wise choice.....that summer, I made enough to pay my last year of college AND go to Europe the following summer.  

I also learned that I surely wanted to finish college so I wouldn't ever have to be a waitress again.  I had no clue what hard, stressful work it was and I am now a very good tipper.

Happy Hearts for 50 Years

Last night was the Valentine's Party for all the couples who live in Savanna Club who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year.  Each couple was allowed to have several guests and we were honored to be invited by Bobbie and Ron Steinberg.

(Click on each photo for a larger version.)

Each of the eight couples was introduced to the group.

 

 I noticed that there was an EXIT sign right behind the entry arch - but it seems a bit late for that, huh?

Bobbie, doing her thing -- as usual!

Ron put his best "SHINY" foot forward!

A toast to 50 good years and 50 more!

Ed and I are celebrating over 8 years of wedded bliss.

George and Sheila Soto were at our table.

Also, Aggie and Joe Hill.

The first dance.....

A "wedding" cake for the eight honored couples.

Happy 50th Anniversary, Bobbie and Ron!