NOTHING MUCH NEW

Here we are with the temperatures back up in the 80s.  I cannot believe the swings we are having.  I know we go through this every year, around Christmas and New Years.  From Hot to Cold, then back to Hot again, but for some reason the switch back and forth seems to me, to be very quick and extreme this year.  One night, like last night, the low was down in the high 30s or low 40s F or 4-5 C, today, if you're out in the sun it's 87F  that's 30 C.  Yesterday the high for the day was only 54 F or 12 C.  Oh, well, it sure beats shovelling.   With this heat today though, I think we will go for a swim tonight, before bed.  

We haven't been up to much with the cold weather.  Just sticking close to home and watching a lot of TV.  Puttering with a few repairs and all around just keeping busy.     We really must start putting some things on our calendar and venturing beyond the park gates, for something other than groceries.  

I'M GETTING BORED

 

I THINK I'LL CALL HIM GORDON

Today I was about to do some repairs to an artificial plant I have on my patio.  I have a couple of them, as I thought that they might be a solution to buying plants for the patio every year, just to have to dispose of them when I leave.  But that has not been the case.  Even at $100.00 each they fade and the leaves and fronds fall off.  They just don't last.    So I am slowly going back to real ones.  

 

So, as I was re-gluing the leaves and getting ready to re-spray paint the faded areas, look what I discovered.   look closely dead center in the picture.  It's a little Gecko.  

On an artificial plant no less.  The work on the silly plant stopped immediately as I ran for my camera.  

I know there are Geckos here in the valley as my friend Sharon has taken many pictures of Geckos in her yard, but I have never seen one here.  I was so excited.  They are so cute.  

OF COURSE, I'LL CALL HIM GORDON

NOW IT'S ON TO CHRISTMAS

Now that December is here I will pull out my Christmas decorations. I don't have much in the way of Christmas decorations, I got rid of everything when we downsized to the little condo, and started to travel each winter.  But now that we have settled in here in Paradise Park I have accumulated a few things to make it look a little festive.  

The second year here, I bought a wreath and  a Garland for the front of the trailer.  

Then I bought a ceramic Tree for inside, just like my mother used to have.  

Then finally a couple of years ago I bought these collapsible trees that are easy to put away and store.  So, that's my decorating for Christmas.  

THIS WILL ALL BE PUT AWAY AND STORED HERE IN TEXAS IN JANUARY

THE END OF NOVEMBER

It's hard to believe we have been here less than a month, as we seem to have been busy, busy, busy.  I can't quite figure out what we have been busy at, but the days just seem to fly by.  I printed my December newspaper yesterday so that is off my plate until after Christmas. 

The weather has been great this past week, not too hot, and not too cold.  Nice and warm during the days and cool enough to sleep at night.  Today we finally had to give in and put the A/C on.  It's 97 out there and no telling how hot it will get in here once I start making dinner.  

It's the hottest day we have had since arriving and wouldn't you know, The Pool is closed.  Apparently the heaters on the fritz.  I would think we could do without the heater working in this heat, but they have closed it down anyways.  GGRRRR!

There is nothing I like more after a HOT day than an evening swim, to cool down before bed.  

NEXT CHORE WILL BE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

AMERICAN THANKSGIVING IN PARADISE

 Yesterday was our communities annual American Thanksgiving Dinner in our Park hall.  This is very much a community effort.  You buy your tickets and that pays for your Turkey, Stuffing and Gravy, then you decide which table of friends you can fit in with or who you want to sit with.  Then the volunteers take over.  Under the direction of a coordinator, a team of volunteers buys the turkeys and stores them to be thawed.  Then another team of volunteers preps the turkeys and bags them for roasting, puts them in the ovens and times them and takes them out to cool when they are done.  Then another team of volunteer carvers descend on the kitchen like vultures and strips those carcasses into pans for serving and covers them with turkey drippings and foil.  

Meanwhile there are other teams of volunteers rearranging and setting up tables, putting tables cloths on them , while another team of volunteers moves in and makes stuffing and gravy. 

At the same time, that table of friends, you chose to sit with get together among themselves and create a sort of Pot Luck team of volunteers to bring all the other mainstays, side dishes, desserts,  and even table decor etc.  etc., etc..

Every year since we have been coming down here to Texas it has all come off without a hitch.  Due to the wonderful teamwork of all the volunteers.  And we do this same thing for Christmas Dinner as well.  

 So after that wonderful dinner and being full of Tryptophan

from the Turkey, I came home, took off my shoes, poured my favourite "Texas Patio Drink" of equal parts vodka and orange juice over ice and filled with Sprite zero.   

AND SO ENDS ANOTHER WONDERFUL DAY IN PARADISE. 

THE CHANGABLE WEATHER

Boy of Boy, when the upper mid west got their first snow fall it is amazing how much it affected our weather down here in Texas.  

On Friday it was SO hot and humid here, I was feeling like a limp rag.  So much so that in the evening we went for a nice refreshing swim before bed.  

Not realizing that, the snow they were getting up north was going to give us cold north winds over night and Saturday morning, that chilled us to the bone.  Sunday Morning was even colder, but by late Sunday afternoon we were right back up to the 80s again.  




IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT CAN CHANGE THAT MUCH THAT FAST



  

IT'S BEEN RAINY AND DULL IN TEXAS

It has been rainy all week.  And even when it's not raining it has been overcast.  Being a Prairie girl I am never very happy without the sunshine.  It has been nice and warm, but dull.  It gives me the blahs.  I tried to capture the SUPER moon, but with the clouds and no tripod I was not very successful.  
 

Today the sun finally came out.  That brought on a better mood.  Our Marina friends Charon and Casey of "Loafhaven" popped by for a visit.  And of course with each of us being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, this US election had to come up.  But we are very good friends so this could never damage that.  Both the sunshine and the visit certainly helped my mood.  

The Monarch Butterflies are making their way back to Mexico and South America, and some of them linger here as we have all the plants that they love.  

My HummingBird feeder has been up for a while now, so I am getting my regular visitors again.  

SO THAT'S IT FROM TEXAS