GORD & ELLIE ARE BECOMING WINTER TEXANS

Yes, this is the second year that Ellie and Gord Gowie have meandered down south to spend part of the Winter season with us in Paradise. 

They have just arrived and we are now busy making plans for Dances and tours around the area.  

It's always great fun to share something you love with Friends and Family.  



THE FIRST DANCE IS WEDNESDAY NIGHT

 

TRIMMING OUR ORANGE TREE

Our Orange tree has become very overgrown.  

We don't really eat any of the oranges off of this tree, as they are very sour.  So they always go to seed and apparently that is not good for the tree.  I just found out that us Winter Texans, should use the fruit as needed, then make sure that we pick it all before we leave in the spring and we have not been doing that. 

So this year we have stripped the tree of all of the criss-crossed branches and all of the fruit and dropped them off at the dump. 

I also found out that if you use the hose and blow off the blossoms in the spring you will have less fruit.  Each blossom represents future fruit.  So, this year we are also going to blow off as many blossoms before we leave.  It's worth a try. 

Meanwhile our Grapefruit Tree is doing just what we look forward to.  Lush abundant Ruby Red Grapefruits.  And since I have just found out that "Crestor",  the "Statin" drug that I am taking, is the only statin that you can still eat grapefruit with.   So I'am going to continue to have one every morning just like I did last year.  So we will not strip this tree until just before we leave.  

MMMMMM, GRAPEFRUIT

AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TEXAS 

 

OUR HANDRAIL IS INSTALLED

The final phase of our 2015 trailer project is coming together.  

We are in the process of building and installing our safety handrail.  
 

It's been measured, cut, sanded, painted and installed

And I am very pleased with the results.  

THAT'S A MAJOR PROJECT COMPLETED 

MORE POOL TIME

Now that the weather has improved, we are putting more pool time into our schedule. 

I don't really enjoy the pool during the day, as it is usually very busy then and I'm not exactly a sun worshipper.  My Anglo-Saxon freckled skin does not do well in the hot sun. 

So, after a hot sunny day out and about or just sitting around on the patio, I like to go over to the pool after dinner.  

We usually have the pool to ourselves then, or almost, and the Hot Tub is so inviting at that time of the evening.  
 

A quick dip in the pool and a soak in the hot tub, then back into the pool to cool back down and I am refreshed and ready for bed.  After I have indulged in this routine, I usually sleep like a log.  



THAT'S MY TEXAS ROUTINE

NOW THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

The beautiful Texas weather, that we come all the way down here for, is finally back.  It has been a lousy winter down here this year.  From mid December until now, we have had very few warm days.  Most days it has barely gotten to the low 60F/16C. We would get one , maybe two 70F/21C days, then back to the cool.  

Thank goodness I have started to play Bridge again. 
I don’t take part in the outdoor sports, like Golf, Shuffle and Pickle Ball that a lot of people come down here for.  But, I do like to be outdoors on the patio, at the pool and hot tub, which I haven’t been able to enjoy much with this weather.  So Bridge has given me another indoor entertainment to enjoy. 

AHH, but now we are back to our mid 70F/24C temperatures.  By Wednesday and Thursday it's supposed to be mid 80F/30C, great outdoor weather.  I always say, "If you are staying indoors, with the doors and windows closed and the heat on, you might as well be in Manitoba."  But now we are back to sitting out weather, with open windows and screen doors.  

AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TEXAS 

TH|E NEW STAIRS ARE FINISHED

Our new stair are finally finished.  Today we installed the new carpeting.  

It took us quite a while to find a close match to the existing carpets.  It's not quite the same, but the difference is not too glaring. 

The final chore will be to put in a really sturdy hand rail.  These changes don't seem like much, but as we age they are very important. 

That's one more improvement to the livability of our winter home away from home.  


JUST NEED TO ADD A HANDRAIL

SEA-ENNA AND THE MIRROR

I don't know why, but Sea-Enna has taken to looking at herself in the mirror.  It's not as if we don't have the same kind of mirrors in the condo at home, but this behaviour just started this year here in Texas and we can't quite figure it out.  

It seems to occur only when one of us is alone with her.  I first started to notice it when Dan was over at the hall on Hamburger night.  

So I started taking pictures of her doing it.  Then one day when I was out and Dan was alone with her, he found her up in the bedroom doing the same thing.  

She sits very still and just stares at herself.  She NEVER does this behaviour when we are both here.  

We are wondering if she is looking for the missing one of us, in the mirror.  Or maybe because we are always telling her she is a pretty girl, she is just checking.  

 SHE SURE KEEPS US ENTERTAINED