Thursday is a nice day in my world, I have a nice canasta game and lunch at the club with some fun gals.  Then the evening is lovely and relaxing with good tv shows and then I can sleep in a bit the next morning.  You know there is something about just every day that I love.

Today is also the last day of February and I love that.  March is much nicer than February.  Although it is getting colder here this weekend I know warmer weather is right around the corner.

I won big at MahJong yesterday, the most I ever won I think.  About six dollars, what a score!  Am I on a roll or what?

Some of the boxes I sent out last week have reached their destination and made some people happy.  That made me smile!

I seem to have lost my good sun glasses so I got a cheap pair on Amazon, ten bucks with free shipping so how good could they be but believe it or not they fit good and I actually like them.  Plus if I lose them it'll be okay.  

So that's all I know today.  Make your Thursday a great one, I will too!

Congratulations old Chuckie Duck!

This photo is not good but I am sharing it anyway.  It is the duck getting his FOUR YEAR medalion!!!  He ok'd the photo, it's anonymous so no one else is showing in it.  I could not be prouder and I just know Sarge is smiling down on him.  He worked very hard to get this far and has done a fabulous job of it.  And I shall take him on a cruise soon to celebrate.

Today I have MahJong and hopefully swimming as well.  Steve and Jane come today too so my condo shall be shiny and clean.  Well it's not dirty but you know, shiny and dust free, clean windows, clean sheets, the whole potato.

Yesterday I won forty cents at canasta and broke exactly even at poker.  Hey, a win is a win, right?

Guess that's about it for today.  I have some recipes running around in my head so stay tuned for that.  And have a great Prince Spaghetti day!  I will too.

Tuesday in paradise...

Wait until you hear this one!  Remember yesterday I was subbing for a gal in a canasta game.  Well this one gal that didn't play last time was back this time and I have played with her last year but stopped because I am allergic to her (massive amount of) perfume.  

Well she was there and doused in the again and before long I had a headache, next I got asthma which I nearly never do but I did.  She had the nerve to call me when I got home and tell me it wasn't her perfume that made me sick, it must have been something else as that has never happened to her before.  

I told her yes, it did, it happened to me last year also.  I would have been much kinder and let her off the hook by saying maybe if she was a nice person but she isn't.  Buggers to old bags in heavy (nasty) perfume.  I simply cannot stand the stuff.  Okay, I'm done now, sorry.

I did my swimming in the morning yesterday and that's good because when I got home I was in no shape to exercise.  That's my plan for today too.  I don't think the heater is working right but it's not too cold and when you are jogging back and forth the bit cooler water is really better than really warm.  It's just harder to get in!

It's supposed to get cooler this weekend so I'd better swim while the getting is good, right?

Today is a busy day, hope all goes well, and for you too!

Monday - a whole new week!

This little baby violet is three years old and still going strong.  Kaye gives it water and a bit of food every now and then and that's about it but it gets strong natural indirect light and that is the secret to violets, that and not bothering too much with them.

I did my hour in the pool again yesterday and it felt so good.  I was all alone again, another gal got there just as I was getting out so the timing was great.  I hear it's going to get cool here again soon and I don't like that as you know but soon it'll be spring and the cold will be gone for yet another year.  

I have canasta again today, I am subbing in that same game I did last Monday.  It was a very nice game but I don't want another permanent day in the card room.

In looking back at my weight loss progress I am the same weight as I was three months ago.  Now during that time I did have the holidays and two cruises so I guess it's not too bad but I am still at 80 pounds.  I hope it starts dropping soon because I am still doing what I am supposed to be doing.  It does take less calories to lose as you get smaller I know because you are lighter but I am still on 1200 a day.  Some days I go a bit over if I exercise a lot but not enough to make my net over 1200.  The duck says I should bump it up to 1400 and I would lose but that doesn't make sense to me.  I have to think on that a spell.

So that's about it from paradise for today.  Hope your Monday is fabulous, mine sure will be!

Well yesterday was much better than the day before.  And I did an hour in the pool!  My neighbor Daniel has a houseguest named Tom and I was talking with him (he's a personal trainer) and he was telling me some things to do and the time just flew by.  We talked a bit about my diet and I told him I did not eat much fat at all and know I should eat some.  He made a wonderful suggestion.  He said to use fresh avocado as my fat, on sandwiches, in salads, just on the plate with dinner, whatever but several slices a day would be good for me.  I love it so I will do this.

Do you realize that this Friday is March 1st!  I sure will be glad to say good bye to February, my least favorite month.  This year wasn't too bad, just a cold snap but not too long.  I sure feel sorry for y'all that are having such a hard winter and hope spring sprouts for you soon.

Have a lovely Sunday.  I will too!

A kinder gentler day....

Whew, I was exhausted when I got home yesterday.  Let me fill you in.  I started at the pool at 10:00, no one was there, I had it all to myself.  It was warm but windy so the water had a "current" which I like, it makes for a slightly better workout.  I did 45 minutes and then sat there until I dried off enough to come back inside and shower to go to do my errands.  

This is where things started to take a downturn.  Sort of.  I had four rather heavy boxes to take to the post office and I managed to get them almost to my car when the maintenance man saw me and came to my rescue.  Thanked him profusely and started on my way.

I decided to go to the post office in downtown West Palm Beach as it is the closest one to me.  There was no nearby parking (buggers) so I parked far away and started to get the boxes out of the car.  All of them.  By myself.

Two different men walked by me with no offer to help (the boxes were stacked on top of each other and taller than my head - and heavy) so I made it to the door by myself.  Good for me.  

There is no one to open the door so I stand there until someone comes out and try to get in without the door hitting me in the a$$, which I almost managed to do.  Only one box fell to the floor in this maneuver.

Next up, get in line.  There is a place to put the boxes and slide them along as the line moves.  Good.  I inch my way further.  There are two tellers there, one closest to me and one at the far end.  The one at the far end calls me.  The woman behind me in line has put her large box on the thing and left to look at stuff on the shelves so I cannot slide them any longer and must take them to the far end.  As I struggle to manage this fete a man says to me "why don't you make more than one trip lady?"  Thank you very much.  So gallant.

Chivalry is dead people, I tell you it is so.  With this in mind I decide to do something nice for someone before I get home.  I will not be deterred by others lack of manners and good citizenship.  No, I will not!

I get to the fruit stand and it is busy, no parking spaces.  I wait my turn and start to pull in a space when an old man comes from the other way and guns it and takes the spot.  (Here I might have said a bad word.  Or maybe two.) Finally I get a spot and go in, I find lots of stuff I like and fill my cart, yay me!

Next up is a quick stop at the bank to cash a check.  Since it's now lunchtime and Friday the inside is full so I get in the line at the drive thru.  I have to go to the closest line because I need three rolls of quarters and the guy in front of me has to 1) get a pen from the teller, 2) find his checkbook (in his trunk!), 3) bend over and write said check, 4) get back in his car, 5) finally send the check in to the teller.  After about four or so minutes the teller sends the check back out to him, he must go inside to cash it, I don't know why.

My turn!  I say to the teller that I need three rolls of quarters and he leaves before I finish my sentence.  (I also need 20 ones and one hundred).  He comes back after a very long time and shoots me an envelope, wrong.  I explain that he didn't let me finish and tell him what I wanted.  He does it again finally right this time.

I decide to make one more stop for milk, I get cut off in the parking lot and (might) say one more bad word and leave and come home sans milk.

I still had not done something nice for someone (other than the four boxes I mailed) but that doesn't count as I already had them ready to go.  I get the produce all washed and put away (I wash it first because I am a germ freak, remember?) and finally sit down and put my feet up for a bit.

What can I still do nice?  Nothing so far.

Okay next up was getting dental insurance problem fixed.  They are over billing me and I didn't know it until I called the dental ins. company to see why they had not paid a claim and saw that they had.  Plus he is a contract dentist so I should pay the ins. rate, not the walk in rate.  I pay $150 to have my teeth cleaned twice a year and the ins. pays $81 twice a year.  They told me I am only supposed to pay $81 when it's my time to pay.  Hmmm.  I love this dentist and the hygienist too but the billing dept.?  Not as much.  Soooo, nothing nice here. 

What can I do nice today, I keep trying don't I?   Today is another day and I shall do something nice!  Are you tired of reading yet?  Did you even get this far?  If you did, thanks, have a wonderful Saturday.  I will too.

Friday and I'm off!

I took this from facebook.  Thought it was so funny.  I don't usually take stuff like that but this time I did.  I don't know who's art work it is to give credit though, sorry.

Today will find me at the pool and then a trip to the fruit stand, I am out of fruit and most fresh veggies, I need a big order!  

I heard some of y'all are getting more snow.  I am so glad I don't still live where it snows, I never liked snow.  

I am sending out four more boxes of clothes.  It'll be a surprise as to who gets them.  If you are "it" - well - surprise!

I still haven't done those drawers though.  I really need to get on that.  Right now there are two headboards in my way.  They'll be gone this weekend and I'll be able to get there.

Hope your Friday is totally tits.  Mine certainly will be!

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about.  That's about as good as it gets in the third week of February.  You know I'm a happy girl, yes I am.

Yesterday I didn't Maj but still had a really good time.  Today is lunch and canasta.  I like the Thursday canasta game much better than the Tuesday one.  Then when I get home if it's not too late I'm going in the pool.  It'll take a day or so to warm back up after all the cold weather but soon it'll be wonderful again.

I am doing more work in my closet too.  I'll have some more things to send out soon.  It's still overcrowded and when it's not it is so nice.  I have to get this done.  I also have four drawers that have been unusable because, well, because I haven't cleaned them out and they are full of stuff - I honestly don't know what's in there.

So that's about it from sunny warm south Florida.  Hope y'all have a wonderful Thursday.  I will too!

Wednesday is MahJong!

The the condo party is happening this evening (and I am going) and they need our card room to get it ready so we are playing MahJong at the club.  Since we'll be there anyway we will have lunch first.

There is only one week left of February, that's a good thing!  March will be here before we know it.  And soon after that it will be warm all the time.    

I might have booked a cruise yesterday for the duck and me.  Well, I did.  It's a few months away though.  But well before hurricane season starts.

So yesterday I lost three dollars at canasta and won seventeen at poker so I'm even again.  Even is good.

Have a lovely Wednesday y'all.  I will to, you can bet on it!

Poker tonight!

I have not been winning much but I feel lucky tonight.  I'll wear my bee ring for good measure.

Eggs...  oh how Sarge loved his eggs!  I don't eat many of them.  Yesterday I got up a bit late and since I had to eat lunch before I left for canasta I decided to wait a bit and then have eggs and toast and call it brunch.  Good idea I thought.  

Sarge was the ultimate egg cooker.  I am not.  He'd flip them so easily but he always did it over the sink.  I thought it was because he fried them in lots of butter and it might splash so he was being neat.

I decided I'd try to flip mine.  I mean if he could do it so could I.  Lo and behold they flipped perfectly!  I was so proud of them!  I let them cook just a bit on the other side and then thought well, lets's flip them back and just slide them onto the plate like Sarge always did.  So I did.  With one exception.  Mine slid beautifully alright.  Right into the sink.  Splat.  Buggers.  Start over and get out the spatula...

The canasta game yesterday was lovely.  I had not played with any of them before and it was a really nice afternoon.  I won too!  Which never hurts!  Ha.

Have a lovely day y'all.  I will too.

Yesterday it was odd, not a cloud in the sky.  Not one to be found.  Very unusual for a Florida sky.  Cold and clear, a bit windy.  Refreshing for a minute.  Then I want my 80 degrees back!  By the end of the week it is supposed to be back.

Yup, 48!  Yuck!

I had a great time with my guest.  We get along so good and don't have to fill every minute with talking.  Sarge was like that too, comfortable silence sometimes.  It's very nice.  

Today I am subbing in a canasta game, I may have already told you that, not sure, anyway it'll be fun.  Plus I am ready to get the tax stuff together.  I think I have everything now and I know it's all in one folder because I put the stuff there as it arrived but I want to look through it and get it in some kind of order and then see where to take it.  I hate taxes.  Sarge loved doing them.  He was an enrolled agent too so he knew what he was doing.  Not me.

Have a lovely Monday.  It's a new week, let's all make it a great one!

Sunday and cold!

Cold cold cold!  Next weekend is going to be warm again though but it'll take the pool time to warm up after this cold spell.  My guest leaves today.  Our time was over way too fast, as always, but it was lovely while it lasted.

Tomorrow I have to sub in a canasta game but it's not warm enough to swim so I'm sort of glad to have something to do.  It's a game I have not played in before but I do know the gals and like them so I am happy.

I don't get much of a chance to wear my sweaters so I will be able to do that anyway.  Yesterday I put on a jacket that used to be too small for me and it was way too big.  That was good news.  Sometimes when I see myself in the mirror it doesn't look like me and it's startling.  But in a good way!

So have a lovely Sunday y'all.  I have to go see a dear friend in a sad time and give her a hug...

Saturday stuff...

I made the bee bandwagon blueberry muffins again and this time I used almond extract instead of vanilla.  Interesting.  I like them both.  For 75 calories it's not half bad.  Since it was not sweet enough for me last time with only 1/2 cup of sugar in 18 muffins this time I also added two packets of sweet and low.  That was just enough to bring the sweetness out.

I sure wish there were more restaurants with healthier choices.  If I were younger I'd open one.  Well, I probably wouldn't but would sure think about it.  It is just so easy to make things lighter and fresher and healthier.  I guess most people just want the high fat high calorie stuff.  I can do pretty good at Panera Bread but I get tired of the same thing.  And so I will cook at home instead.

So I am off having fun with my company.  Hope you are having fun too!

Okay, here's my take on it...

It must be a slow news time.  They are doing their level best to completely ruin the cruise industry with their sensationalism and mis-reporting.

The Carnival Triumph had a fire and no one was hurt.  They were not able to sail and were adrift.  The crew worked non stop to make the passengers as comfortable as possible.  Was it fun?  No, of course not.  

Had I been on that cruise I would have stepped up to the plate and helped wherever I could.  I would not have complained where not necessary.  This was not something that Carnival planned or wanted for heaven's sake.  It was something that happened and you go forward and do the best you can with what you have.

The passengers are getting a full refund, another cruise, $500.00, travel, hotels, whatever they need to get home.  Does that make it go away?  Of course not.  

I guess I am in the "glass is half full" club.  I do tend to see the best where possible, I know that.  I also think I am happy to be on that side whatever the situation.

Sarge was the same way.  He was not a "negative Nellie" nor am I.  And I cannot stand it when others behave that way.

I loved hearing the passengers talking about how well the crew did and I knew they would.  They always do. The media tried their hardest to get them to say negative things but the ones I heard did not.

Okay, I'm done.  Sorry for the rant.  Carry on.

Thursday in paradise...

Boy howdy it was pretty yesterday.  Mid 80's and sunny with a good breeze but not too windy.  I lost at Mahjong but sure had a good time in the pool afterward.  That's it for a bit though because another cold front is coming through.  We had a nice luncheon too, I love those gals.

Next up I was lucky enough to score a few of these.  They are new and they were given to me by one of the Mahjong gals to try.

  

100 calories and absolutely delicious.  I mean really really delicious.  They are small though, you don't get much for your 100 calories but it's okay, if you find them in your store try them!  There are several other flavors as well.  I asked her if the coffee ones had caffeine in them and she said they did.

There is a phone number on the side (1-877-847-6181) and I called them to ask where I can get them and she said they should be in the stores by now and she is sending me coupons.  She also said you can call once a month and they will mail you coupons.  Score!

So today I'll be at the club having lunch with the ladies and canasta afterward and then my special guest will be here late.  All is good in my world.  Hope it is in yours too!

Wednesday stuff and other stuff...

This is the sunrise from my bedroom terrace.  I call is "ocean glimpse" instead of ocean view but water is water.  Actually I would not live on the ocean because of the sound.  I know it's lovely and relaxing.  At first.  But all the time it would make me so nervous, I need calm and quiet and it never stops moving.  A vacation is fine but if you ever consider living on the ocean consider this.  Also the salt air is terrible on buildings.  There are many that are having complete balcony redos and that is major expensive.  

One of the gals I sent pants to emailed me that I left money in one of the pockets.  She said it had been washed but it was poker money.  Too funny.  And thanks for being so honest!  Makes me so glad I took the time to send them to her.

Today is Mahjong.  It is supposed to be in the mid 80's for today only and I want to get in the pool.  I am hoping we stop by 3:30 (we usually do) and I can get in then.  That's the plan anyway.  Steve and Jane come today so after I swim I could come upstairs and get a shower and get in my clean bed and just sleep!  Nice.

That's all I have today folks.  Oh, wait, I lost at canasta and poker yesterday, I almost forgot to tell you.  But not much.  Six at canasta and ten at poker.  Have a lovely day.  I will too.

Tuesday stuff...

I just love how this looks at night.  It is welcoming and soft and feminine and exactly what I hoped it would be.  It's also comfortable to sit on now.  Before it had so many too-soft cushions you would sink into it and now it is firmer and easier to get up and nicer all around.  I also like that I reused the old sofas instead of sending them to the dump.  Well giving them away I suppose but still I like that I reused them.  There is still a rug to come for under the coffee table.  I believe it will have a border and be pink and green.  I think.

Today is warm and sunny and I will be in the card room instead of the pool.  I would rather be in the pool but I am in a group and I must not let them down.  I did go in yesterday though but it was chilly.  That's okay, I worked and it still felt good.  Once I got all in and working it felt pretty good.

My guest is coming later in the week.  That's a good thing.  I'll make the blueberry muffins soon.

I have to go through my shoes.  There are many pairs in there too big now.  Many many pairs.  Many many many pairs.  Oh gosh.  After my guest looks through them I'll ship some out and put some up for grabs.  Mostly all ballet flats.  Many have never touched the floor.  Sigh.  Stay tuned.

So that's all I know today y'all.  Hope your Tuesday is totally tits.  I sure know mine will be!

A new week, a new opportunity!

Let's look at this today, shall we?

It's the beach at the dock in Grand Turk.

So it's the start of a brand spanking new week again.  We are so lucky that we get a new week four times a month!  We can make of it whatever we wish.  Let's all do something really nice for someone else, what do you say?  And anonymously is even better.  It can be something small, no need to spend money if you can't.  Just something nice.  

Yesterday was so windy it could carry you off!  It was warm (mid 70's) but way too windy to even walk outside.  I walked in the Walmart and groused about all the people in my way, then I figured out if you just kept your cart going they'd move out of your way at the last moment!  Eureka!  The discovery of a lifetime!  

No good fruit there either.  I just got some bananas and blueberries.  I want to make those bee bandwagon 75 calorie blueberry muffins again.  They are good to have in the freezer for when you want one with your coffee.  And when you get a visitor that loves them too.  Which I am.  Yay me.

Have a wonderful Monday y'all.  I will too!

So many of you asked about the towel, it came from Land's End.  They will put three letters on it for six dollars too.  It has yellow on the sides but in this photo you can't see that.

So I was all our of fruit and I went to the fruit stand.  Well they only had a few things that interested me, I was mighty disappointed too.  Oh well, I'll have to improvise and keep looking.  

Last night a dear friend of 40 years had their daughter in an episode on tv.  She is very beautiful.  Here's the thing.  Her and the duck were tiny little kids together.  In this series she played the mother of a teenager.  She was very good but I was looking for her to be the daughter, not the mother.  Kind of shocked me.  Sometimes these things happen and you get shocked into the reality of your own age.

Here is her website.  I told you she's beautiful didn't I?  

She is also about to get married.  In Mexico.  I am invited to the wedding.  In Mexico.  Um. No, I don't think so.  I'd fly anywhere in the country to see it but to go to (and stay in) Mexico is not something I want to do.  I would visit it like on a cruise but probably not get off the ship.  I feel really bad about not going too.  I'll send a really nice wedding present though.

It never got warm enough yesterday to get in the pool.  Too bad, I really wanted to go. Today doesn't look promising either.  Hopefully the weather guy is wrong.

Have a lovely Sunday y'all.  I will too.

My spiffy new towel!  Pretty huh?  It felt wonderful in the pool again finally after all that cold weather.  I am so sorry y'all aren't here in this wonderful weather too.  I did a bit over a half hour of water jogging, back and forth, back and forth.  There was no one else around.  The perfect day.

My new Keurig arrived and now I have to send back a part from the old one per their request.  I'll get that out tomorrow.  Such great customer service, way above and beyond.  After their service I would never buy another brand.  Too bad more companies don't have such service.  I even started ordering my coffee from them instead of the Walmart.  They deserve my business.

I had my appointment with Dr. Wacks yesterday.  He's losing weight now too.  Nice.  He is the best doctor I have ever had in my life.  I have complete trust in him.  I don't think I could ever say that before.  I have had doctors I liked but not that complete trust in my health.

Guess I'm not too newsy today.  Have a lovely Saturday.  I will too.

Friday, my day off!

Don't look for me.  I'll be the one in the pool as long as I can stay there.  And I plan on taking my kindle and reading after that.  Finally!  It's been way too long since it's been nice enough.

Have a lovely Friday.  I will too!

Congratulations old Chuckie duck!

Four years clean and sober.  Amazing.  Remarkable.  Thrilling.  Astounding.  Fabulous.  Terrific. Wonderful.  And any other words that escape me right now.  I am so proud of him, what an accomplishment.  Congratulations my son...  You rock!

Now to update you on the goings on in my world, yesterday after MahJong I started to go in the pool but the air was only in the mid 70's and I just couldn't get in.  It just needs to be eighty or more for me.  It's supposed to go there though!

Then the cocktail party where I went with my phone (camera) to get you some photos "you know who" didn't show up.  I don't know why.  Sorry.

Today is lunch with my canasta gals and then a game afterward.  And then I have four days off and it's supposed to be warm and sunny and I am most excited about all of it.

Have a wonderful Thursday y'all.  I know I will!

Kudos Keurig!

Keurig is an amazing company!  My coffeemaker is over two years old and the small cup feature (teacup size) stopped working.  I called them and they said it was out of warranty but they would honor the warranty anyway and are sending me a new one today.  Oh, and to register the new one for the new warranty.  

I know they bought Green Mountain coffee and they make their money selling coffee but still, that is amazing to me.  Kudos Keurig!  This is NOT a paid post, just a true tale!  All is well at my house again...

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

I'll be playing MahJong but afterward I plan on being in this since it's finally warm enough again.  I sure have missed it I tell you.  I always feel so much better after I exercise and I sleep better and I don't seem to get as hungry as a side benefit.  Walking is great and I do it but water jogging just makes me a happy girl.

So yesterday I won twenty cents at canasta and lost forty bucks at poker so I'm even or nearly even, right?  That's what I thought.

I am almost back to my pre cruise weight.  Gosh two cruises in two months plays havoc on those scales but I'm back on track so it's all good.

Tonight is a party in our social room.   I'm taking my phone with me (camera!)... stay tuned, I'll do my best.

And have a lovely day y'all.  I sure will too.