Callie has a new game

Monday night, 11:15 American time and I am in Wilson, NC.  At this rate I should be in Bradenton tomorrow night.
The temp according to my car is 15 degrees C.  And the gas price is all over the place.   It was $5.?? something in Washington  and $3.05 in Richmond.  Coffee is consistent...  $.70 for a regular which looks large to me,, but I don't really know.

Callie doesn't seem as shy and really likes being able to move around in the car a bit..  I stopped quick once and automatically put my arm out to protect her and she did a flip right over it..  She was ok,,,  She likes sitting on the arm rest beside my seat and looks around as if she should be telling me how to drive.

Her new game....  All night last night she roamed around the room.  She's jump on the bed for her petting and then off to roaming again.  In the morning she was very friendly until I started getting ready.  Then she disappeared.  I had visions of tearing the bed apart again this year.  I'd call her,,, not a sound... and looked everywhere, then started moving furniture...  She was hiding behind the night table... As soon as I moved the table she spoke to me...   So we're innto "Hide and Seek" on this trip.


She doesn't know it yet, but there is a huge German Shepard in the room next to us...  Only a joining door separating us...Wouldn't she be surprised

"till tomorrow...  If I am in Bradenton tomorrow night I won't be able to write as my internet isn't hooked up until Thursday

Not wearing socks tomorrow...lol

Pat

Connectick

I'm sure that must be spelled incorrectly.  but it's 1:30 am Monday American time  and I have been driving since 2:30 pm Sunday, Canadian time.   Both the cat and I are doing great.  We're tired but it's a good tired and we really got alot farther than I expected to.  It's 8 degrees here.. All ready a bit warmer..  Gas at Calasis was $3.33 and somewhere else$3.55  Some time I will figure out the saving.

Callie is doing really good.  Although she didn't eat in the car..  She's making up for it now.
I'm tired going to go to bed now.

On the Road Again

Dec2,2011:  On Sunday, Dec 4,  I will be leaving for Florida again.  There have been alot of Canada geese on Rudyard field all fall,  Yesterday there weren't any.  I thought they had all gone south, but there were a few there again, so I might just beat a few of them to the warmer weather.

Home

I am home. and had a good night's sleep.  Now to get stuff put away and all my business taken care of.

The sun is shining and it looks fairly warm out there, just like Florida...

<G>

Augusta Me

No internet service last night so couldn't post.
I should be home tonight.

MayDay

I stopped early tonight and the motel I'm in , I couldn't get Internet access in my room so came to the lobby.

I got to see the Guidestones and it was well worth it.  I will post pictures another time

The only thing funny that happened today was when I stopped to eat.  The waiter asked me where I was going and I told him to Canada...  He said, "To visit?"
  I said, "No, I live there I'm going home."
He said, "You don't sound Canadian."

I got quite a laugh out of that.. The he wanted to  know if he sounded Southern.. and he sure did..

Callie has been excellent.  No trouble with her at all..  She actually seems to be enjoying the trip and everytime I stop she looks around and talks a bit.  I was tired today so took lots of stops at the rest stops and got coffee.  The Rest stops all look the same.  Callie would look around as much to say, "Are we back here again?".  She doesn't try to get out of the car.  And it is quite enjoyable having her to talk to everyomce in awhile.

The mountains are beautiful here in Virginia, but I miss the Palm trees/

That's it for tonight.  More tomorrow

Day one of Return trip

I had planned to be on the road by 9am. At 12:30 when I pulled into Bernie's and Sharon's to say good bye..  Bernie just looked at his watch.

I decided to go straight up Route 75 and go into Georgia to look for the Georgia Guidestones.  I will get back to that in a moment, but I did see some interesting things on the way.  First ofall...  I think every bug in Florda committed suicide on my windshield.  And what a job to scrap them off.  I will have to do it again before I leave tomorrow.  Lots of trucks on the road, but most of the highway I was on did not permit them in the left lane, so the drive was smooth.  Three lanes is a great way to build a road. 

OneMotorhome I drove by had an interesting license plate.  They were pulling a small car and the plate on the car said, "Caboose". The plate on the motorhome said, "Engine".  Do you suppose they were retired railroad people?

Another interesting fact is that:  "It is unlawful for anyone under sixteen years of age to pump hazardous fuel" in Georgia.  Sounds like a good rule to me.

Callie and I have reached a new agreement..  I gave her a couple of pills this morning and that did cause some concern.  I think it made her thirsty and we had a hard time getting organized so she could drink water.  I decided to let her free in the car and she is much happier.  She is obedient when I leave the car and tell her,"No"  and she is enjoying watching the people and birds.  When I take her out of the car she is not struggling to get out of my arms.  The motel I am in, I think, put some catnip on the rug or else she was very happy to be on solid ground.

The Georgia Guidestones are the North American 20th century Stonehedge.  They were built in 1980 and support a 25000 pound capstone.  The owner has managed to remain annoymous.  They have ten suggestions of how to live successfully to perserve our earth and have a happy life.  These suggestions are written in eight languages.  I have wanted to see them for a long time and this seems to be the perfect chance.  However; I can't find them.  I typed in Eberta.  which I thought was the town they were in.  The people there have never heard of them.. So, now I'm on my way to Elberton.  Hopefully, I'll have better luck tomorrow.  If I see them, I will post a picture.

Coming Home

The time has come.  It is time to go back to Canada.  As far as I know right now, I'll be leaving early Saturday morning unless the weather looks bad.  Everything is being shut off here on the first so I will have to be on the road somewhere by then.

Yesterday I had lunch with Silvia at a Gluten Free restuarant.  We had a wonderful visit and awesome food.  Then I went to have a pedicure with my Vietanese friend I wrote about before.  It was good to see Tina again.  It's very hard leaving the friends I have made here.  It's a good thing I have friends at home and a little family.  This has been a wonderful winter.  I look forward to seeing everyone at home again.  Then next winter I can do it all over again.

The next time I post on here I will be on the road watching out for severe weather.  Don't worry I will not take any chances and will drive carefully.  Callie doesn't even suspect what's ahead for her..LOL

Manatees

This isn't a great picture of me, but I thought you would like to see that I managed to get a wetsuit on.  The first time I put it on I had it on backwards and had to peel it off again and start over. Meanwhile 12 other people were sitting on the boat waiting for me as I was late.  It was a two hour drive from Bradenton and the dive started at 10:30 am. Maybe that's why  look so tired...<G> This was the last picture on a water proof disposible camera.  That's why the extra light

So here we are.  I think this is the baby. Hard to tell when the other one isn't in the picture too.  It looks like they were eating the algae on the bottom, but the guide said they move it around to find the grass and eat that.  They have no natural enemies so had no fear of us, but did get annoyed with all the attention and swam off to another spot after awhile.  I tried to pet them, maybe that's why they swam off, not lap pets.

This is one of the canals we drove up. You can see a house at the back.  Very poor people living in a 3000 sq ft house. I feel sorry for them. They have to look at this green water all day and of course the sun shines everyday so there is no variation in the weather.  I don't know how they can stand it.

Tea Party

Here I am at a Tea party at the Feather Princesses Quilt Guild.  I didn't win any prizes, but left my mark everywhere.  The feathers fall off the boa.  We had a ball.  What a great bunch of gals.  If you want to see more pictures of the party and all the quilts go to this link  https://picasaweb.google.com/beverly.Abenante720/FpTeaParty41311?authkey=Gv1sRgCPv-5OHW6MfjkAE&feat=email

Also went to my last Jo Morton Club in Lakeland. It's hard saying good bye to everyone.
Next Monday I go swimming with the Manatees and maybe one more Beading Buddy get together and that's it.  Finish paying for this place and get it registered in my name and then I am on my way home.  It's been a great winter.  Lots of sun and sand.

Segway Tour

Hi Guys, It's been awhile.  This first picture is the opportunity quilt  or part of it for the Manatee Patchwork Quilt Guild.  They say opportunity.  We say raffle.  I believe it is from the same designer that Jackie is working on a quilt from.  It is paper piecing with applique.  Although the design is out of this world, it's the fabric that makes this quilt.  You can't see it well in the picture,  but it's many shades of light green in the background and it looks RICH.

And this is me on my Segway tour of St Petersbourgh. I am in front of the new Salvador Dali muisem.

The segway experience was awesome. You lean forward to go forward and lean back to go back.  You steer right and left by pulling the approtiate handle.  It can turn on a dime.  The fastest it will go is 12 mph and the battery will last 25 miles.

All the old people in the park are driving tricycles, I want one of these.

We drove by a bunch of people and a coloured man said, "Go Mama, go."  then we drove around a bit and went by the same guy, This time he said, "Go  Grandma, go."

All the world is a comedian.

Drum fest

This is at Siesta Beach.  Seista Beach is rated as the #2 beach in the world. The sand is made from granite that moved during an ice age from Canada.  It doesn't get hot.

The young fellow with the tiedyed shirt and baseball cap is David.

The fifty or so drummers draw a circle in the sand.  They sit or stand just outside the circle and dancers and children with hula hoops dance in the circle.

This guy apparently is the leader, but anyone with a drum can join in each Sunday night . I didn't get a picture of his wife. She dressed as a belly dancer and looked like a hippy from years gone by, but I heard she is a medical doctor.

This is David's mother, Norma, She and her husband live full time in the park I am in. She is Peurto Rician.( I know that's not spelled right).  Her husband is white.  The MD bellydancer passed around the hybiscus she has in her hair.  I'm trying to freeze dry mine

We stayed for three hours and then left before the crowd. Police officers on horses patrolled the area.  The whole evening was very magical, but the beat is still in my head.

Cousins

Three grown women in their sixties playing at the beach.  It was a beautiful day and the water was warm.  The waves were quite high and there was no undertow. So these fools played like children with a blow up chair that tipped over with every wave. Strangers walking by said, "You girls are having too much fun."

We ended the day with a barbecue at Linda and Lloyd's and even more laughs and fun.  If I had known that being old was this much fun, I would have done it first.

Rose

My firend, Rose, died tonight.
I am sad.

Basking in the Sunshine

This was a beautiful day at the beach.  The sand is soooo white and feels like cornstarch.  The water was a little cool, about like July at Parlee.

Blue Jays vs Pirates

Blue Jays won 5/3.  It was a great day with Linda and Lloyd.  Seats only cost $5 each.  The sun was shining and there was a little breeze everyonce in awhile.  We cheered loudly for the BJ's

St Pat's Day Parade.

At least part of it.  IT wasn't a big parade around the park, but fun was had by all.  The guy with the big hat is from Nova Scotia and spent the rest of the afternoon singing songs. Some were even Irish.

A Quilty Week

This week I feel I am on overload with all the quilt events and things I have seen.  I am going to put a few web addresses in here so you can see some of the great things that I have seen.

The first is Fraser Smith.  http://www.gofraser.com/  This fine  looking man started carving clothing out of wood.  He carves items that people would want to remember.  After awhile he graduated into quilts.  His wooden quilts weigh about 70 lbs and have to be hung on a special hanger to support the weight.  He has sold over 50 of them and they are hanging in private homes of wealthy people and businesses and even in the conference room in Paducah.  They are spectaular.  He spent over an hour at the Patchwork Quilt Guild showing us slides of his work and explaining how he does it.  Ladies, quilts are here to stay  and they ARE appeciated.

The second was Lisa Bongean  http://primitivegatherings.us/shop/  .  Lisa gave a lecture at the Feather Princesses Quilt Guild.  I can't say I have been a fan or wool work or primitve work before.  I was enthralled. I bought a kit to do a minature (of course) and can't wait to get at it.  Her work is also above and beyond.

And lastly was of course Jo Morton Club.. I have learned so much from this group and I enjoy the girls so much.  This years club seems to be based on half square triangles, but our next project is Courthouse Steps done with one inch strips.  Here is the website.  But the pictures at these websites do not do the work the justice they deserve  http://www.jomortonquilts.com/index.php

Everyone stay high and dry this week and as far away from the Pacific as possible.  Take care

New Home

Here are some pictures of my new place.

John Smith

"Yes," he said, "My name really is John Smith.  Actually it's junior as my father was a John Smith too.  And my son is John Smith the Third."

A man about early or mid forties has a roadside second hand store.  I don't know what else to call it.  There is a building, but everything is stacked outside and at night he covers it with a tarp.  I stopped there one day looking for a fridge.  He showed me one. It was dented and quite dirty, not mildew just stuff from trees.  I think it had been outdoors for awhile.  After looking around a bit and going to other places, I decided I could clean it and get it in ok shape.  So I went back to John and asked about delivery.  John has a bad back, but thought he could manage with the young fellow he had there with him and his hand truck.  So I bought a huge TV, a step ladder and he threw in a pail.  He delievered them that evening. Teased me about my lack of furniture and brought in my stuff.

I have been back a few times looking for other things I think I need and one day there was a huge new tractor trailor in the yard.  It was opened and full of boxes and other stuffed jammed to the  limits. 

I said, "John. Where do you get all this stuff?"

He looked at me and as quick as a flash replied,  "You haven't been home for awhile have you?"

Do I have a sign written on my forehead saying I have a lot of junk and am a lousy housekeeper.

This wasn't what I was going to write about today, but    it's raining out and I have to go out and take pictures to write my next story.  So this is a subsitution.  Enjoy.

Callie went outside today

I picked Callie up and she thought she was going to get her royal petting.  Then I started towards the door and I could read her mind, "No, No, I won't go"  She thought she was going in the car again so she struggled to get away.  When I stepped outside under the tree at my front door, she started smelling the air and looking around.   Then I let her down.  She smelled and walked her way all around the trailor until she came  back to the front door.  She meowed as if to say, "That's it."

I told her she could stay out for abit and I went inside leaving the door open.  She disappeared.  Later I went out and called for her.  She Meowed at me..  "I'm under the trailor, leave me alone for a bit will you."

So I went back inside.  Every so often I went out and raked a bit of lawn and called her, but she never responded again.  About the tenth time I went out and called she came out and looked at me disgusted.  I picked her up and brought her inside. So much for her first outing.

She did not see the other cats in the neighbourhood.  I have spotted about four so far.  I think she thinks she is home free and the cat of the walk here.  At the other place she had a gentleman caller and when we left we didn't give him the forwarding address.  Callie really didn't like him at all. She is not going to be pleased when she sees all these other cats in her territory, but they will keep her from travelling too far.

Another beautiful day and I am lazy.  I need to wash the kitchen cupboards and can't seem to work up the energy.

Cleaning

I have never cleaned so much in my whole life and I have barely touched the need.  The people before me smoked and I don't think they cleaned either.  Most of the stuff is from the 50's, a nice deep tub. Plumbing has been replaced, but  not the electrical.  Most of the windows are the old ones that came with the unit.

Don't worry folks when I get home I'll take a break from cleaning.  I'll send pictures another time wne it's a little more presentable.

If something seems to good to be true, then it probably is

The title says it all.  I have been duped and must reassess my latest journey through life.

The lady that has rented me this cute little place has been scamming me and I have to move quickly.
During the month of February
1) I have received a ltter from the park manager saying Dec rent was not paid
2) The hydro man showed up to turn off the Hydro.  I had to give him my play money for the week.
3) She sent the certificate to transfer the ownership, but whited out her name and put my name in.
4)A letter arrived for the previous owner marked "Urgent" from the Tax collector.
5) A check she sent me bounced and the bank said that account has been closed.
I have been tearing my eyebrow hair out and my digestive system has been a little liquid.

So,, Pat the the rescue and I took charge
1) I went to the bank representative and explained my situation
2) I went to the Tax collector and explained my situation
Both said, "Get out of Dodge. The Sherriff will be there to put a padlock on the door very soon."

 I found another cute little place just down the road about three steps, Different park.  And the kind manager has helped me get set up with very little discomfort and money.
I am in the process of moving and all should be done by Tuesday.  That's when cable and Internet will be hooked up.  The important stuff.

All is well here, My back is a little sore and hopefully I'll lose some weight over this, but life goes on in sunny Florida and it's about 85 degrees in the day time...<G>

Onward and forward to the next chapter in my life.

Amish Snowbirds

In Sarasota there is an Amish village.  I noticed the signs,  Yoder this and Yoder that,  and I have seen a few riding their bicycles in their garb.  I haven't seen any of their little horse drawn wagons, and I have seen them here in Bradenton at the flea market, so I suppect they are driving cars.

When I googled them, I found out that some winter here from Pennsylvania.  There is a Dutch restuarant nearby that I will try when my cousin gets here.  Although it is not reputed to be totally Amish they do provide Amish food.  Sounds good to me.

GPS

Some one stole my Gps the other night.  What's a girl in a foreign country to do without a GPS.  That night when I went to bed I looked at the car and saw the windows were up so I assumed I had locked it too,,, But I hadn't.  Someone has been watching and waiting for me to make a mistake and leave my doors unlocked and they were rewarded.

They only took the GPS and the window mount.  They left the power cord.  Hope they have one, because that sucker is old and won't hold it's charge for very long.  I thought about putting a sign on my car window saying, "Hey! you forgot the cord.", but I restrained myself.

So yesterday I went shopping for a new GPS and the one I found will show where all the quilt stores are.  I don't yet know how good it is in giving street directions, but at least the quilt stores will be listed...<G>

Finances: Being a Canadain in the US

There is a lot to learn about switching money from Canada to US.  If you're not in the know the services charges can add up pretty quick.  I went to an ATM at Bank America to get  money from my Omista Credit Union checking account.  I got $100. Bank America charged me $3 for the transaction and Omista charged me $7..  I have since learned that RaceTrack... Not a race track, but the gas station called Race Track....  Do not charge for withdrawals.  Omista still charged $7 but at least I save $3.

The Royal Bank of Canada has a branch down here.  They have set up a service for Canadians wintering in Florida.  So I opened a US checking account here. When I get home I will open a Canadian account in the Royal Bank and apparently you can transfer money with no charge.  This is real good to know.

To open the account here was not a big deal, and they said for security reasons they would send my checks, bank card and pin number in separate letters.  They all arrived the same day.  The checks were in a blue plastic bag with no label saying Royak Bank.. But on the envelope it says, "Do not discard,  Your order is Enclosed"  I had no idea what it was.  The package looked like one of those things you get that say ,"You may have won a Million Dollars"

You do have to watch was is going on around here.
That's it for today.

Florida This week

Today is a cloudy day.  Last night it rained and I could hear the raindrops on the roof of the trailor, very pretty sound,  very relaxing , put me right to sleep.

 I think all my quilt related activities are all in this week.  Went to a Dear Jane class yesterday.  It is so nice to meet people who like to hand sew the blocks the way I do,  Nice bunch of ladies and they are inspiring me to finsih this quilt I started in 2003.

Today is a rest day,  Tomorrow I teach a class at Monday crafts and go to a Guild meeting in the evening. Tuesday is a rest day. Wednesday is Feather Princesses guild meeting.  That's a "WOW" day... So many people and so much talent.  It's almost overload.  Thursday is Jo Morton class with Jolene and Friday I am taking a Hawaiin quilt class.

In the mist of all this quilting activing I am trying to change the deed or regristraion or whatever it is for this place to my name.  The owner is signing it over to me and I will have to make the lot payments from now on.  The comments from my friends both at home and here are worth repeating...for the laugh.

Ron, by buddy from home,  " Another place for you to fill up"
Diane Janes,  "Is that a Canadian dollar or an American one?
Leslie from here.  "If you sell it for $2 you'll make 100% profit"
Susan D,  "Nothing better than 100% profit"

The world is filled with commedians, ain't we lucky.

My Good Buddy

Quiet Week

This was suppose to be a quiet week for me.  I suppose it was in a way, but Florida has gone crazy.
First of all, my cousin is trying to rent a place here in this park and can't get through to the new manager.  I am going up there again today to see if I can get it settled.

Secondly, when I went to Dunedin to my Beading group it took two hours of driving to get there..I have never seen traffic like that before.  Apparently two cops went to deliver a warrant to a man accused of beating his wife.  He was hiding in the actic and the wife told the cops he had a gun.  One officer hit him with the taser and that man twisted somehow and got the officers gun and shot him twice in the face.  Back up was called and another officer was shot and killed.  The second officer was on his way home from his shift and just thought he would stop by and help.  They shot 100 cannisters of tear gas into the house and chopped holes in the roof and other places.  When it was all done the man was also dead.  They torn the house down and took everything to a secure place to go through for evidence,  They are also giving the woman some of her possessions as they find them.  In the morning there was a house in that place and now there are three dead men, one wounded officer and a bare lot.  Apparently the city will rebuild the house for the woamn.  She was clearly upset for the officers families..  The whole community is shocked and wondering what is going on.  This is not a regular happening in this area.

Thirdly there was an accident on one of the main highways and eight people ran away.  Two were armed.  It was a human traffic ring to bring in illegail Mexicans to Florida.. They caught them all with help from some people.

Fourthly We had a tornado watch. A storm blew in off the gulf and all the local TV stations were showing where the storm was headed, where the dangers were for tornados.  It was quite amazing.  The storm came by here, but there was not danger of torandos in this area.  I went for a drive up north about 2 hours away to see what damage there was and I couldn't see anything...Even those drooping things are still hanging form all the trees.  Dad would have liked to see the lightning storm.

So it has been a quiet week for me, but not for Florida.

Long Time No See

Hi Everyone.  It's been awhile since I have written in this blog, but I haven't been idle. The weather is beautiful,  We had a couple of cold days and now the day time temp is in the high 60's low 70's and it is beautiful.
In the last ten days I have:
1Joined the Manatee Patchwork Quilt Guild
2.Joined Feather Princessess Applique Guild.  Barb Yeoman went to the guild meeting with me. We were overwhelmed wth the talent and quilts we saw that day.
3.Found Jolene.This is a lady who has taught me more in quilting in one winter than I have learned in the previous ten years.  She changde fabric shops and I have found her.
4. Joined a Jo Morton Little Sisters Club.  It's quilting
5.Been beading with my beading buddies twice.  It's like old home week, catching up with everyone again.
6 Went to a Gem and Mineral show and bought some more beads.  I really need them.
7, Went to a potluck supper here at the park .
8 Joined the craft group here at the park.
9 Learned more than I wanted to know about storks. and now have one that will eat out of my hand.
Do you know that their knees are backwards to ours, so when they get down on their knees their feet are in front of them.  IT makes sense..  Easier to cut your toenails and clean between your toes.
10.  I have gotten rested. 
So that last 10 days have been fruitfull and I am happy to be here. It's hard to believe how much snow you have at home.  Roxanne sent me a picture of her house with two feet of snow on the roof.  I have wearing shorts and a sleeveless blouse.
Happy Days Folks

Callie and Babe

Sorry I've been so long writing, but I have finally got this place set up and am ready to quilt and bead to my heart's content.

My phone will be hooked up on Tuesday, so I will be trying it out then.

It's breezy here today, but still sunny. It gets cold at night, but it's warm in the bed and Callie is enjoying the cool air at night., It was 75 during the day yesterday

She seems perfectly happy .  I have not let her outdoors and I guess I probably won't.  The Florida room seems to be enough for her.  A Florida room is a carport with the sides filled in with screens.

I have two  regular visitors now..  A beautiful egret .. and THE stork. I call him Babe, but he has other names from the community.  I heard a man driving by in his thee wheel tryke saying, "You are the uglist bird I have ever seen."  He kept saying it over and over.  Apparently storks are carions and that's why they have the bald head.  The same as a vulture.  I wonder if they're related.

Babe has small black beady eyes that look over his bill.  It looks like an old man looking over the top of his glasses..  There seems to be some fluid running down the side of the bill as well.. It adds to his beauty.  He clacks his bill togother and it sounds like those wooden chimes. 

Callie has become quite interested in him.  And of course he has the patience of Job..  He will wait forever for his bits of hotdog  Callie watches him and watches him and then makes a lunge at the screen.  Babe steps back and the process starts all over again.  Great entertainment.

Two Fasinating Women

Yesterday I went to Clearwater to get the rest of my stuff in storage and do a few errands and  I met two young ladies at two different times that I am still thinking about with awe.

The first and most fasinating was a 26 y o Vietnam lady who gave me a pedicure, (Bright red polish,, yummy).  She was a tease and a jokester.  It was hard to understand her English and I often had to ask her to repeat sentences.  When she found out I was from Canada, she told me she had lived in Montreal for a time.  Found the food very expensive and that was all.  I prodded her for more.

Canada was her entry point into North America.  I'm not sure whether she was married when she came to Canada or met her husband here.  He was a computer Engineering student at McGill.  She said he had to work very hard and he found it very difficult.  Also besides doing the full University thing he worked full time installing air conditioners.  I asked her how big is he..."Not much taller than me and very small man"  These air conditioners weighed 50 kilos.  The she said he walked to University and back .  It was a total of 13 km a day.

 While I was marvelling at what she told me, she went on to tell me how you have to have a sponser to get into Canada and United States.  I asked her who was your sponser and she replies her uncle.  Then I asked her how he got into Canada. He was one of the Boat people.  Remember years ago when it was news about how these boat people were treated and what they survived.  This man was one of them. 

She only knew part of his story.  The next time I go I will ask her more.  Apparently they were at sea for 21 days.  Very little food and water. Many people died. Some of the people as they were dying told the others to eat their flesh so they could survived.  And the people did.  This uncle still mourns that he did to this day, but had to survive.  He had other experiences as well...  He worked for a pizza delivery and when he left the car running to deliver the pizza, someone stole it.  He lost that job.

This young lady with two small children was laughing and joking with me until this story and then back laughing and joking after the story, until she told me her husband wants her to go to University, but she can't.  He has no patience with the children and she must be primary caregiver.  She in a sad tone, "I paint nails."  I told her I thought she was very smart  and she made a disgusting sound as if it couldn't be,, but she is.  She is very witty and is quick with comebacks.  Quite a lady

The second young lady was a waitress at a resturant,  a white girl.  When I explained the no bread no flour she said ,"Are you Celiac?"  She is too.  She had acne scars on her face.  She has a very rare kind of Celiac and it was discovered when she was 14.  She has both the digestive problems and the skin disease, but she also goes into seizures.  This was all told matter of factly. like, "So what".  Her attitude was beyond amazing.  So everytime she came to my table I asked her questions about the area.  She told me about a Natural Food store,  I found it and it is even better than the one I was going too..  (Betty, you would die to see all the food that is available for us)  She told me that "Chick a fil"  has GF fries and there is a pizza place in Tampa that even her non glutten free friends love.  She also said that Wendy's has a GF chilli. 

I didn't get to go beading with my friends yesterday, but I met two beautiful ladies with attitudes that make you want to be alive and like them.  It was a good day.

A Stork Came to Visit

Didn't bring any grandchildren.  Just wanted food.  Are storks ever an ugly bird  Their necks look like they have barnarcles on them and they have long strong beaks.  Toes with little claws on the end ofthem.  Not a bird I would like to fight with.

I gave him (I asume it's a him) 1/2 a chicken hotdog.  He didn''t shake the bejeeses out of it the way an egret  does.  He swallowed it whole.

Tried to get Callie to come and see but not interested yet.  So, I decided to vaccuum the Florida room.  Callie took off.  The stork took two steps back and then came forward when I was done.  This time he brought a friend.  So I went to get the other half of the hotdog.  And this is why a presume the first one was a male.  When I threw the hotdog on the ground  #1 glombed at it.  I had to chuck another one quick so the second one could have a piece too...  Doesn't that sound like a male to you....<G>

Joined the Manatee Quilt Guild

There are at least three quilt Guilds in this area and they have get togethers all the time.  No boredom here. 

Callie didn't want to go, so I went alone  again. The Quilt Guild is much like ours, Lots of women, a few laughs.  Callie enjoys sitting in the Florida room smelling the air and watching the people with long white hair glide by in their golf carts and big tricycles..  I caused a bit of a gridlock tonight when I went to the Guild meeting.

I ran over a curb and took part of it with me.  It got jammed under the car and here come a herd of people with the white hair in the big tricycles.  Lots of advice of how to get it out from under my car,  Finally a man lifted my car up and I wiggled the curb out.  Then I couldn't lift it and he put it back in place.  I was looking around to see if Talina or Nikki were around to say,  "Mommy went over the curb."

No damage to the car, so I went on my way.

Tomorrow's a new day.  Going to go looking for more quilting stores..

Hancocks

OMG   Hancocks Fabrics is just around the corner.  Within walking distance.  I'm in trouble now.  After doing the laundry I went exploring for a grocery store, and what to my wandering eyes but appear, but a fabric store, a good one.  Closer than the grocery store.  Callie wasn't impressed but I was.

Another hot day in paradise.. sorry folks
'till tomorrow

New year A bunch of 1's

Some New Year partier I turned out to be..  I was in bed by 7:30.  Woke up at midnight when everyone in the park set off their fireworks and then went right back to sleep.

Thanks to everyone who sent me messages about my blog.  I really appreciate hearing from you and glad you got a chuckle.

Communications are not quite up to par here yet, but we're getting there.

I can't leave my cell phone on as I am charged "Roaming" charges for being out of the Moncton area.  I have over $200 worth of time on that account, but can't get into it to see how much has been used.

The lady who owns this place forgot to give me the password for her internet so I am piggy backing on someone else's account and it's weak.  There is no home phone here, so that phone number I put on my Snowbird card is for her cell phone and is probably turned off.  It always takes awhile to get organize, but it will all come together.

The place is cute.  Not much room for all my junk...LOL... I might as well laugh because I know all of you are laughing.  It will work out as well.

Travelling down was OK...  I do get tired and it will take me a couple of days to recover, but I'm so glad I am able to do it.  I didn't  have any near misses or see anything bad accidents.   I am always amazed at how well everyone travels.  In Bangor I saw three vechiles off the side of the road in a snow bank, but I think it was from the day before during the storm.. Tow trucks were pulling them out and no one seemed very upset.  Lot's of laughing and carrying on.  Another time I saw a trooper inspecting the front of a car that looked like it had rear ended the car in front of it, but it was certainly not a bad accident.

 Going over a bridge a Winnibago with a trailor and a car started leaving sparks.  I think he blew a tire on the trailor,  he just kept driving to get off the bridge before he pulled over and I dropped back to give him plenty of room.  And that was it.  No crazy drivers, no near misses,  just a long drive listening to my audio novels.  Of which I heard three complete novels.  Still have three more to listen to so that will take me to Toronto in May.

The long finger of winter reached down into North Carolina.  Then it was dark and I didn't see any more snow.  Going over a bridge in Jacksville I could see another bridge beside it and it was outlined in blue lights, very pretty.  Some day I am going to go back and explore Jacksonville and St Augustine.  Both of these cities have great history and I just whizzed through them.

Callie is laying on the sofa and seems relaxed.  Yesterday she spent the day under the bed, but is more content now.

The neighbours seems nice.  I see my first egret looking in one of the nighbours yards.  She probably feeds him  I will get some chicken hotdogs when I go get groceries today.  I am going to go steal an orange from the tree next door first though.  Then I have to do laundry.

I hope you all have a great New Years and again thanks for all your comments.  I will keep you posted to Callie's actions.

By for now
Pat