MET UP WITH A SALEM FRIEND FROM YEARS BACK, in WALMART DOWN HERE !!

I was so pleased and amazed when I walked past a TOPS friend from years ago in Salem!!
I kept stopping by her doublewide home about 25 miles from us.  I wanted to be sure to get contact information so we could keep in touch.
She said that she would go back to TOPS with me when I get down here for next winter.  In the mean time she shared hobbies with me while we spent a few minutes at their home on our way to Melbourne yesterday.

Carol Vandall
She is retired from Salem
Hospital - -

She quilts, but says she will never make another like this.
The hand satin stitch took way too long and was
too tedious!!

But she also does a lot of tiny crafts to share with others!!  Including me!!

Carol, I look forward to spending more time with you next winter!!!
Enjoy walking your pet pig!!!!   (Her friends got her a pig made of galvanized metal and put a leash on it as a gag gift!!)  She wants to put casters on it so that she can take it for a walk.
They had been cutting trees down at a couple houses along her street.  So her neighbor told her that she should have hers cut down so he wouldn't have to rake leaves - - She told him to Get His Rake Out!!  Guess she likes her shade!!

Take care and enjoy your winter turning into spring!!

FINISHING WITH VISITS IN SOUTH HALF OF FLORIDA

Many activities in our FLORIDA SKP RESORT, always keeping busy!!

Last week and this, we are visiting relatives down here:

The nieces with their families near Port Charlotte - 

The kids sure love on us while there.  They are home schooled, but still participate with school children in competition -  Orchestra they got Superior rating over all!!

Three of the great, great nieces,
Amanda, Olivia and Kaeylan

I am waiting for group pictures of the families since I forgot to take my camera!!  But I will have them!!

Amanda's awesome cooking/baking area.
You wouldn't know that she does so much,
to look at her family's bean pole figures.
They look great!!!
That is all spices on the wall - - she even boasts
three kinds of flour and how much she goes through
in a week.

Awesome Christmas Cactus Blooms!!

We are went to Melbourne to visit a nephew and his wife - -

On our way out to eat.
We left soon after dinner because it was
at least 2 1/2 hours drive in the dark
to get back to the motorhome.

Connie, Tim, Gary and Audrey.
We had a great time catching up on family news.
Both of their boys are definitely out on their own now. 

Here at the park last Saturday evening, they had "How to make a smokeless campfire"  and Gary was surprised to learn more that he had not heard before.  How it is made from largest on the bottom to smallest on the top with dryer lint in between the top couple layers.

I got the picture while on my walk before the
sun was down.

Gary went for the demonstration.
He was amazed that it does burn from the top, down,
causing it to remain smokeless.
I guess this Boy Scout found he could learn more!!

We got pictures from our oldest son on Saturday that he got his new replacement car after his accident settlement.  I think that he was glad to be through with the rental.

Sunset orange!!
This has four little seats,
so he can now pick us up at the airport when needed.

Sunday, February 24th, we stayed after church to have dinner made by the youth to fund their camping fund.  It was delicious and well attended.  We sure have had more than our share of deserts in the last couple days!!!

The kids did an awesome job!!

After dinner we stopped by the pasture next to the church, where the goats were kept.  Richard, we knew you would appreciate these after what you have bought!!

When back at the SKP Park, we had an ice cream social in the afternoon  We sure didn't need the calories - - but had to socialize!!! 

Such jolly servers!!!
There is Jeane on the right, our 96 yr old resident!
She still goes north in the summer!!
The grandkids take care and check on her,
 but do not live with her.  She is so jolly!!

Rolly and Pauline next to Gary are our neighbors
in the overflow area of the park.

This is the library in the clubhouse here at the park.  It is very nice, the committee does a wonderful job with it!!  I keep thinking of the different committees here in the park and am thinking where I might best like to volunteer my time.  It is expected that all the members volunteer in some way to make it a very attractive and fun park. 

I will add the family pictures after I receive them.  

We did breakfast and the weekly park meeting this morning beginning at 7:50.  I rarely get up that early, but felt I needed to get up to date before we leave.  

Stay tuned.

MORE ACTIVITIES AT FLORIDA SKP RESORT

This tree was at the outer edge of a gas station and I just had to take pictures.  Nephew, Jeff, gave the actual name of it.  Short,  Bottle Brush!!



The afternoon of February 12th, 4 pm Coffee Hour at a members site in the FLORIDA SKP RESORT, was our first Happy Hour since we have been here in the park.  There was a nice number for a visit at one site.

Hostess visits with George.
You can see Gary at the other end of the gathering
doing his usual socializing!!
The little lady, second from the right side of picture
is the oldest member in the park, at age 96.
She is awesome and so active and with it!!

The visiting neighbors at my end of the gathering!

On February 13th , after my usual TOPS meeting in Sebring,  we stopped at my friend, Carol's to exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Her house is up the street on the left.
But only Bob at home.

She was a TOPS friend from Salem Ohio many years ago.  I ran into her one day here at Walmart. Imagine my surprise.  But we did not find her at home the next week.  I left my card with her husband, but she has not called. I will have to stop by there again this Wednesday since we leave the area for this season on Friday.

That afternoon Gary and I went on to our SKP Resort Lunch Eat Out at Cody's Roadhouse in Sebring FL.  I think that I counted fifty of our SKP members there.  The waiter's did a good job!! And we enjoyed visiting with new people.

I need to put names with as many of these that I can
for future reference.  Maybe I'll get to it later??

We were so packed in that Gary walked around taking the pictures. But I did remember the camera this time!!

On the  14th we attended the annual SKP Co-op Town Hall Meeting in our park.  It was quite a learning process for us.  Next is the annual Board meeting that is for members only, which was shorter than they expected. We hopefully will be actual members with a site of our own by fall, thus we will be able to attend and participate also. This one was only a half day with lunch provided

We were back to craft activities the next day.  Mine was a mosaic with paint chips.

Gary works on his wood carving on Fridays and then teaches his colored pencil on Mondays. I need to get a picture of his wood carving project!!

Showed you this in an earlier stage of
completion. I believe it is finished since
this picture.  

A new drawing begins.

Another Friday project. I thought that I had signed up to do the whirligigs, but I did not get on the correct sheet. Thus I was doing the hospital favors!!

Carol was one of my workmates on this
project while her husband was
instructing the whirligig project.
(but I sure made good mental notes).

Beautiful sunset again, not unusual
around here!!

I am hoping that I can do the whirligigs on my own??
We'll see!!


Now the SKPettes have their own lunch over in Sebring at Cowpoke's Watering Hole.  It was good and we had 29 there and very good food.  Much to take home though.

On the left is the 96 year old park member next to Lillian a friend
from the park who  attends the New Hope Baptist Church
just up the road with her husband George.
And Marcia in the center of the picture is our
craft coach. 

The gal on the left who sat next to me,
 was a good one to visit with, but I don;t
remember her name.  I am using the bulletin board
pictures to remind myself of names and work on two
to four at a time. Wow, just imagine my memory
getting worse!!

That day ended with BINGO at the park which I attended without Gary.  It is not his favorite thing, but it is one of mine even though I seldom win.
I always tell my kids that when I need a nursing home, don't hesitate to put me there as long as they have Bingo and lots of singing!!

On the 16th of February was Salem, Ohio day in N Fort Myers.  This I shared with you in my previous Blog.

More to share about this park and area, but will do it in another Blog.  So stay tuned!!

I am beginning to roast behind the drapes in the front window where the computer desk is.  Sun is bright and computer is on high.  But it will be like this for about another three hours when darkness sets in.  I still have my mile walk to do.   ????  I have done pretty well at being faithful to this daily.  Just need more weight loss!!! I am doing a little better.

A WEEK IN OUR LIVES near WAUCHULA, FLORIDA

Amazing how we can have a day full of plans and still get our television shows in!!  The SKP Resort that we are in has activities almost every day and we also find other places to run.
Since Saturday, February 2nd's trip to CCC Museum, we finished that day with this SKP Resort's 30th birthday celebration. 

There are still several of the founding members residing in the park and we got to listen to their interesting stories of their long haul getting all approved and past the local zoning and highway committees to build the Co-op.  They told of the dirt and dust within the park, gradually changing to green sod lawns, with palm tree lined streets and plants and flowers.  They had many laughs over the women riding on the bed springs being drug around the park to level everything off.  Then the highway had to go from two lanes to three to accommodate the long units waiting to turn in off the highway.  It is a much traveled highway with 18 wheelers also.  Especially with the semis loaded with oranges!! But it is lovely and a very nice size for us to enjoy.  And everyone is so friendly.  That makes it so easy for us to make our mile walks around each day!!

Joe and Lee have been so helpful explaining
everything as we progress into the application process.

Waiting for our chicken dinner
while sharing stories with new friends.
The couple who filled the places on this end
are now our neighbors in the boondocking area in the park.
We are still in the overflow area!!

Then Sunday, February 3rd, after the church service at New Hope Baptist, all us seniors were surprised by the young adults who treated us to a lasagna dinner and fun.  Some of the seniors also live in the same park where we are.

George and Lillian from the park.

Sue, the cookie lady, who likes to treat
newcomers to the park. She had to come back
a second time to find us at home!

Audrey and Lillian

Gary continues teaching his colored pencil class on Mondays and I go to the clubhouse at that time to scrapbook also.  It gives me a much larger space to work in.  I am trying to get started on our step-granddaughters wedding album.
Then on Tuesday, February 3rd we drove to Punta Gorda to visit with Salem, Ohio friends, Bill and Esther, where we went out to ELKS for lunch.  It's always good to catch up on news.
On Wednesday, Gary went to a presentation at the clubhouse about snakes of this area.

We like to know what we might be up against in the area, and also to know the types of plants and flowers we can enjoy. I checked out the flowers at the Walmart in Sebring when I went over there for TOPS.

I like to think that I am getting prepared to decorate our lot when we get it. That is if it is not already decorated.  There are a few lots in the park that are just beautiful. But then there are others that are quite plain.

A drawing of Gary's nearing completion..

After talking with Bill on Tuesday, Gary was anxious to follow-up on an Art Gallery in Punta Gorda. So we drove over there again on Thursday. He was encouraged to find that they would carry his art work if he gets to doing Florida type subject matter.  He does so much western motif, so now he will need to branch out.
We've been to Fisherman's Village before, but I found it fun to look around again.

The marina at Fisherman's Village

Creations Gallery of the Village
on the left. in this picture

View between the buildings!

Friday was workshops; wood carving for Gary and crafts for me. I also did laundry while there in the clubhouse.
Saturday, February 9th was the Annual Craft and Bakers Bazaar in the park.  Gary had promised the lady in charge of crafts that he would put up a table for art.  I had a feeling that this year's participation was not as plentiful as before.

Gary's table.

Awsome wood items!

There were several tables of sewing items to enjoy.  I felt bad that I could not buy, but no sense in buying more than we would use.

The food tables cleared out very quickly, so I am thinking that is what I might do to participate if we are here next winter.???

Our week began and ended with events at church.  The service this weekend was a family who shared the Word through music.  The bass singer was the nineteen year old on the right, and very enjoyable.

Guess I had best cut it off for this time.  You all take care and hope that you enjoyed a small amount of our busy week!!