Friday, December 10, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends.

Already the 10th of December and low temperatures and windy conditions have hit us all throughout the state of Florida.

I have been trying to walk and ride my bike every morning for at least 2 miles but the last few days have been a bust.  Will get back to it when the wind dies down and the temp rises.

My niece, sister and I have been quite busy in the kitchen making cookies and candies to give away as gifts and to also have for the holidays.  The freezer is quite full so needless to say we have to start getting the gift trays ready to be delivered so that we can clear a spot for our Christmas feast.

We took our Mama out to see the Christmas decorations around town and have to say that there are quite a few awesomely decorated homes.  Will try to get out again with the camera and post some pics on fb so that you can see.

Most of the Christmas shopping is done, wrapped and under the tree, so one less thing to have to rush around for.

Have been enjoying the Christmas movies and Classic Christmas cartoons every evening - they sure don't make them like they used to.

The sun is starting to shine through my window so I will say so long for now and get a move on.

Love to All and God Bless!

Delia

Friday, November 19, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends,

It is Friday and the start of another weekend.  I have been getting up each morning and riding my bike for at least 3 miles and then later in the afternoon going for a walk of at least 1 to 2 miles.  So far, so good!  Today our ride was quite blustery as the wind is blowing pretty good but the cool breeze feels good after some smoldering heat.  The sunrise was beautiful and it looks like it is going to be an awesome day!

I have been busy baking for the last two days and the plan is to finish the cookie making today, so we can start on the candy making. It has been fun baking with my sister and niece - makes it go by a lot faster when you have help.

Today's plan is grocery shopping with my Mama - by the way - she is feeling better today.  Have a few more things to pick up for our Thanksgiving meal and whatever else we need to fill the pantry and freezer.

As I have been busy with my Mama, Paul has been keeping himself busy around the campsite.  He putzes around every day and then goes on a ride around town on the scooter, goes for a swim at the pool and then reads his new book - George Bushs' (he says it is really good!).

Well, time to close for today and get ready to be picked up so we can head out on our adventure.  Who knows - something exciting might just happen when we are out and about!

Have a fantastic day and start the weekend with a smile.  Love To All and God Bless!!

Delia

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends,

Morning started with a bike ride and a most glorious sunrise, absolutely breathtaking!  It has been nice being able to do this as the mornings have been a little cooler before the harsh warmth of the sun comes out.

Went to Mama's house to check on her as she was not feeling well yesterday.  She is feeling much better, I think allergies or something in that nature has been bothering her.

Heading to the store in a few for baking supplies.  Didn't think I was going to be doing any baking while in Key West but decided to do some since family will be in town for the holidays.

Picking up my niece Anise from school today as she only has 1/2 day - lucky girl and then going to do some cookie baking for the holidays.  Hoping to be able to get most of it done within the next few days and then sit back and relax.

Forgot to mention that Paul decorated the outside of the campsite and put up our Christmas tree.  The decorations should be all on it by tonight - it is missing a few more Bud Light cans, but, I did get to put the top on the tree - my Coke can!

Well, gotta go for now.  Time to go shopping!

Love To All and God Bless!


Delia

Monday, November 7, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends.

Yesterday - we fell back with the time change so now it gets light earlier and darker earlier as well.  The morning started out on a cool and windy note but as long as you were in the sun it wasn't so bad.  I walked a mile and then went to Church.  What an awesome way to start the day!

We got the Jeep washed and finally took off the top to enjoy one of the reasons we purchased it to begin with.  It was nice cruising around with the wind in our faces.  As Paul was taking care of the Jeep, I got in touch with our friends who came down to KW for the powerboat races for the week.  We met them down by the Green Parrot bar and walked to the Truman Annex to look at the powerboats and to wait for our friend Ed Smith - who owns and drives the Cleveland Construction race boat.  I believe he is going for the title of World Champion again this year!

Ed got here just as the boat parade was going to start and was able to hit the road behind the rest of the boats and go down Duval Street - Jim jumped into the truck with the guys while Paul, Julie and I stayed at the Green Parrot sipping our libations.  Julie and I did go out and see the boats go by to and from Whitehead St.

We walked Duval St. for awhile and ended up at Sloppy Joe's for dinner.  The entertainment was good as we listened to 4 guys playing their guitars and telling the audience about the songs and the reasons behind them.  the evening ended for us the Tree Top Bar which is in front of Durty Harry's and Rick's.

This week is going to be a long one as more friends from St. Clair, Michigan will be heading into town on Thursday for the weekend of racing and partying that I know is going to be happening!

Time to get going.  Walking and then taking Mama to the Drs.  Have a wonderful day and remember to find the good in everyone.

For now - Love To All and God Bless!

Delia

November 3, 2010

Good Afternoon Family and Friends.

Woke up this morning and went for a walk with my camera so I could capture the sun.  Was not able to yesterday as it was real cloudy and by the time I finished my walk it was starting to rain.  Made a few laps around the campground walking to the beat of my Ipod music in the warmth but breezy air.

Saw a beautiful heron and it stayed still long enough for me to get a picture - first one of the year for me.  Wasn't counting on seeing too much around the camp as they are digging around us to make the sites available for 50amp service.

Went into town on a few errands and got back in time for lunch.  The traffic was quite busy to say the least - good thing for short cuts.

 Paul and I went to the pool for a little while and the water was refreshing.  Got back to our site just in time as it started to rain and it is still pouring.  As I sit here at the computer, I know that Paul is outside with a cold one watching tv and all the speculations of the what ifs and what's to come after the Election results last night.

As they said back in 2008 - the people have spoken - well - they have spoken again!  I hope and pray that all the elected officials going to Washington to represent us do what needs to be done to get our Country turned around for the good of us All!


Time to get off the computer and get back to working on some more video.  Just might be able to accomplish what I want while I am here for the next 4 months - to free up some of my hard drives.

Have a great evening.  Love To All and God Bless!




Delia

November 1, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends.

early morning swimmers

Sunrise in Sugarloaf Key

Got up early this morning to see the sunrise before we started our little drive down the keys. We are happy to be getting to our destination so we can setup our site and kick off our shoes for a few months.  The weather has been beautiful - warm and a little muggy(Paul loves it).

Boyd's Campground is pretty empty and quiet for the time being so it is nice to not be so cramped up right now.  Our campsite is nice - we aren't able to put out the awning because of a Palm Tree so we purchased a 10x10 tailgate tent so we can have shade and a place to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

My Mama looks great and we are glad to be here for awhile.  She has been making me some of my favorite dishes and I have been happy to eat and enjoy the meals.

Made it home by 8pm so I could watch DWTS 200 episode and it was wonderful.  It was great seeing some of the winners from previous Season.

 Time to get going.

Love To All and God Bless!


Delia

October 30th and 31st

Family and Friends -

We left Lakeland and headed south to Sugarloaf Key KOA for two nights before we can settle into Boyd's Campground for the next 4 months.

Fantasy Fest is tonight but we decided to walk around Duval St. in the afternoon and check out the atmosphere and boy was there that!  Lots of people wearing body paint and costumes - all having a fabulously good time.  I haven't been to one since I think 1980 so a lot has changed since the first few.

The KOA is nice but being in Key West makes it a whole lot easier to get to town and back without spending time on the road especially if you forget something.

The sunrises were really pretty and there were two little girls both mornings having a blast in the water - the day we were leaving - they got into the mud and were covered from head to toe walking around.  I am sure the were going to need a chisel to pick away at the hardened mud on them.

We did have a downpour for most of the afternoon on Halloween and luckily it was only here in Sugarloaf.  Key West didn't even get a drop which was great for the ghosts and goblins so that they could enjoy begging. 

Paul and I went with my sister and her family down to our friends house to take her youngest daughter Anise trick or treating around their neighborhood.  We had a fantastic time seeing all the little and not so little beggars in their costumes.  In Michigan, most Halloweens are cold so the kids are bundled up in jackets and they don't get to display their outfits.  It was fun, sitting outside in lawn chairs having something cold to drink - something that we haven't had the pleasure in doing for a long time.

The evening ended at the bar at the campground for one last cold one.

Until the next time, Love To All and God Bless.


Delia

Wednesday, Octdober 27, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends,

Slept in for a change which is strange for me but it felt good!  Took off on the bike and went through the trails - didn't see much but the grounds are pretty.  The trails are paved and there is a lot of trees so you are in the shade but the warmth of the sun cascades through along with the humidity.  Temperatures have been in the high 70's - low 80's - the hotter the better for Paul.

Later in the day, Dill and I went to the Caw Caw Interpretive Center not really knowing what we were going to get into.  We thought we were going to be seeing animals - what we got were groomed grass trails that takes you through different areas of the Center.  The gentlemen that gave us the map and directions asked us if we had bug spray and when we said No, he kindly directed us to a different path so the mosquitoes wouldn't carry us away!

Needless to say, it was mid-afternoon and we saw very little in the way of birds and any type of wildlife.  However - in the midst of walking - Dill spotted a snake - that scared both of us!  Then we did see a baby alligator in the water along with a bigger one.  Paul and I were told that during the months of October thru April - the alligators do not feed!  I was telling Dill about our trip last year and how we saw the gators along the paths and how when you look at the matted down grasses it generally means that a gator had come through there.  Well - that didn't sit well with Dill but we kept walking slowly and quietly making sure we had our eyes peeled for creatures - when all of a sudden my cell phone rings and we both jumped - it was my sister Dalia telling me the packages had arrived.  Whew!  Dill and I started to laugh at how foolish we were acting.

We did make it through most of the trails - even the mosquitoe laden one and decided we had done enough for the day.  Downtown Charleston would have to wait until the next day.

Later, we went to Carrabas to eat and it seemed like it took us forever to get there.  Paul thought we were actually going to Italy(haha).  We crossed a bridge that kind of reminded me of the Skyway Bridge in Tampa.  Dill says she is going to either walk or run it eventually(it is 6 miles long).

We capped off the night with a campfire, enjoying our daughters' company.  She has been in Charleston for about 2 months and seems to have adjusted well to her new surroundings.  Paul and I can see why she loves it here and the weather being nice most of the time doesn't hurt either.

For now, I will say goodnight and pleasant dreams.  Tomorrow is a new day and another adventure.

Love To All and God Bless.

Delia

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Good Morning Family and Friends.  We hit the road again at the crack of stupid(6am) so we could try to beat the rush.  Again, the sunrise was spectacular.  The foliage was quite nice but I think we missed the peak of the colors.

We made a pit stop to see a sight but needless to say when we got there - large vehicles weren't allowed on the access road - so we got back in the motorhome and hit the road.

Along the way to our destination, we went through two tunnels and of course - it doesn't take much to entertain us so we had to yell to see if we could hear the echo - going through is pretty neat!

As we are traveling along Virginia - we hit some fog and man it reminded me of Michigan - when it is so thick you can barely see in front of you.  Watching it come down and through the trees is something to see.

As you probably know - sometimes when you travel you see things that seem different to you.  We had to get a picture of the following as we thought it was something we had never seen before nor would we had thought of doing it.  Definitely one way of taking all of your toys with you!

We made it to Charleston, South Carolina around 4pm and are camped at James Island County Park.  This park is amazing.  They put on a spectcular light display with over 2 million lights and it just so happens that they are going to turn them on Thursday.  Definitely, will be taking some pics of the displays which are all over the Park.

I took a bike ride while Paul setup the site - they have a dog beach, catch and release pond, trails to hike and/or bike, pool - you get my point.  We were told to watch out for deer as they like to jump out - just like back home!

Time to relax.  Have a wonderful evening and as always - Love To All and God Bless!!

Delia

Monday, October 25, 2010

Up and at it early this morning.  We headed out from Big Rapids around 6am and started driving towards our next destination which is going South for the winter.  Needless to say we were a little bit out of our way but, we love our son and it was important to us to see him before we headed down to Key West.

The sun rise was spectacular and the countryside is just as beautiful - it sure beats traveling I-75!  We aren't just living in God's Country but we are getting to see quite a bit of it as well.  Again, I tried to get some pictures of the Fall colors when I could - it is hard to to get decent pics through the window and of course when it rains but I did manage to get a few.

We stopped a few times to stretch our legs and refuel the motorhome.  Paul also checked to make sure the jeep and the scooter were still in tack - we sure wouldn't want to see them passing us on the road!

In Milton, West Virginia  we decided to call it a day and found a KOA campground and settled in for the night.  It was easy off the highway and was going to be just as easy to get on and get going in the am.   I was able to enjoy DWTS and Castle while Paul was getting in his forty winks.

That is all for now.  Take Care.

 Love To All and God Bless!

 

 

Delia

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Paul and I have started our travel for the winter and the first stop on our trip was to see our son Russell, who is attending FSU for a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.

We left Marysville, MI at around 10am and arrived in  Big Rapids, MI around 2pm.  The drive was very nice and we were able to see some Fall colors on the trees as we headed out on I 69.   Of course, you also know that it wouldn't be Michigan if we didn't have to watch out for the orange barrels due to construction.

Russell came and picked us up for lunch and then we went back to his place so I could take his picture for the annual Christmas card( I think they all thought because we are not all together that it wasn't going to happen this year - Wrong!).  Good thing I took his pic when I did because about an hour later, it started pouring.

Later that evening, we took Russell and his girlfriend Angela out for dinner before they headed back to their house to hit the books(they are both busy with mid-terms coming up).

We ended up hitting the sack early so we could head out on our next stop in our travels to Charleston, South Carolina to visit our daughter Delia Jane. The sound of rain throughout the night did not hinder us from getting up at the crack of stupid so we could get on the road.  Good thing we had filled up as soon as we got to Big Rapids!

Until the next time,

Peace Out - Delia

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Hello everyone!

Was up and at it early this morning - working on a customers order and then uploading football pics from last nights game.  It was exciting to be back on the sidelines with camera in hand!  St. Clair won the game by the way.

Headed out late this morning to do soccer pics but the weather intervened - will just have to check my calendar for the next game.

Next Tuesday starts the SC Junior Football League games and I will be there capturing some great shots I hope of the 4th -7th grade football players.  I will be posting them onto my website - www.photographybyday.com for sale if you have a child and are interested or just want to see what I caught during the game.  I have been in contact with Dave Linarski and also flyers were handed out to everyone when equipment was passed out.

Paul brought the motorhome back home so we can get reorganized for his trip to Iowa at the end of the month to get a few things fixed before we head South for the Winter.  This Summer has been absolutely gorgeous but I think it has come to an end with the cool weather we have been having lately.

September so far has not been a good month for a lot of us as we have had to say goodbye to three of our friends - Chris Holt, Cindy Pegg and now Papa Mike Malane.  We know that you are in a better place but you will be missed!

On a lighter note - Michigan Wolverines won their football game today and tonight the Spartans take on the Irish of Notre Dame - should be a great game - you know what I will be doing - Go Irish - we do not speak of the Spartans in our household - Cause we love our Wolverine (Paul)!

Taking the rest of the day off to enjoy my recliner and tv.  Tomorrow I will be back at it - working on a good size collage for a friend and possibly the end of the year dvd I like to put together for the gang at the Marina so we can have at least one more bash to remember the great Summer we had before the snow starts to fly!

So, until I get back on to post again - I will say have a great evening.  Know that you are Loved and God Bless!

Delia

September 13, 2010

Good Evening Everyone!  Decided to get the blog going again before we head out for the winter.

It has been almost 10 months since I have written - things have been pretty good for me.  I feel that I am at 100% and very thankful for all the well wishes and prayers that are still coming my way.

I have been able to do my photography again which I truly enjoy.  It has been nice to be able to get on the sidelines at the sporting events and click away to my hearts' content and also be able to do Senior photography as well.  It is fun to be able to capture a moment in time either on the field or in my studio.

Paul and I (actually he is) getting ready to bring the motorhome back to the house and get it all set for his trip to Iowa.  This Summer has gone by so quickly.  It has been a beautiful 3 months of warmth and sunshine that we have all enjoyed!

The month of September didn't stop off too good as we had to say goodbye to a dear friend - Chris Holt and now we must say goodbye to another friend Cindy Pegg.  Two wonderful people in the prime of their lives taken from us too soon.  We will always remember the good times we shared and know that we will meet again in Heaven.  Until then - Rest In Peace!

Birthday celebrations are happening in my family this month as we say Happy Birthday to my brother in law Jim, my great nephew Alexis, my nieces Noelle and Anise and my nephews Joshua and Michael - Wishing you many wonderful birthdays full of happiness and great memories(I don't think I forgot anyone).

Time to blog out for the night.  May you have pleasant dreams and peaceful sleep.  And as always know that you are loved.  God Bless!!