Wanna see my Frangipani?

Still life: Frangipani with fly.

Since getting some positive reaction to pictures of the "compound" I posted a few more to the same web album. Much of my foliage is "rescue" from curbsides. I enjoy taking them home and seeing if I can get them to thrive. Most do well with a little water, fertilizer and bug spray. As Jason says, "Florida is conducive to life."   Friend Janet inquired as to mosquitoes and I am happy to report that while they do exist and we all use heartworm preventative for our mutts, they are practically non-existent as a nuisance.

Niece Alicia posted on her Facebook feed "Please pray for my brother who is undergoing brain surgery at this moment."  Brother Rich had a lesson in the power of social networking because calls and texts started arriving instantaneously.while he was in the hospital waiting room.

Sunday Rich described his emotional roller coaster:
Call from the hospital.: horror and panic
During the operation: grief and praying
Post-operation: relief and cautious optimism
Upon learning that the injury was a result of Justin skate boarding down Garden Creek Road without a helmet: White hot rage.

The boy is receiving good care-2 days in ICU, now attended in a room with 24/7  nursing, prospect of some rehab being necessary, but after they removed the hematoma, the brain seemed healthy enough. He is ambulatory to the bathroom but the road rash and bruises are still painful. So the cautious optimism continues... If his dad doesn't strangle him.

Stephenson's brought me a home grown green pepper stuffed with jambalaya for my dinner Tuesday. Baked a potato in the nuker and was living high-really excellent.

Week in Review- March 9

NOTE: I think I fixed the broken link in the last post-if you want to see the pictures.

Puttering-or as I like to call it-"fiddle-f___ting around:" The weather was windy or rainy or windy and rainy which I like to think was a sort of spring-cleansing. But it kept us indoors more. We did not miss a walk but we called it pretty close a couple of times and just got damp.  Honey has her breed characteristics although she is getting downright mushy with Jason and is socializing much better.

People down here put their yard waste on the parking in front of their houses. The dogs like to explore and "water" the piles. One pile attracted Honey's attention and she stuck her nose in and pulled out a big rat. She was so proud of herself I let her take it home with its tail flopped over her ear and put her in the side gate and left her to it.
After a couple of episodes of late night barking I took pavers and blocked up the access to under the shed. The dogs figured it out but the possum who was at the heart of the disturbances didn't. Honey had learned about "playing possum" from her last possum encounter so she killed this one three times. It stayed dead. They are completely creepy.

Jason and Lori gave me a birdbath which I installed and it took about 5 minutes before it was employed. Oh, they enjoy it. It makes me laugh.  I refurbed the feeder and put it out, too.

I cooked and cooked this week- made tater tot casserole for my kids and the Stephenson's across the street. Three teen aged boys in that household. We trade stuff-little gestures-plate of cookies, the occasional dinner. I made  oatmeal craisin cookies to share around the neighborhood. I think I interruptussed something next door when I delivered-I thought 1:20 on Sunday afternoon would be safe.

Made probably 10 pounds of Ziti yesterday: some to share, some to eat, some to freeze. I am getting better at that dish. My kids like it.

Lori and some of her girlfriends went to the Coconut Creek Casino to try to get on "The Price is Right" which is being taped a few miles from here. I'll hear more about that tomorrow.

My most recent cleaning lady, Luila, a native of Brazil, passed her Citizenship test with flying colors. She is a sweet and conscientious girl. Has a good eye to making things look orderly. The kids kind of insist on me having a cleaning lady- I think I am keeping things clean and in good order. In fact I clean before the ladies come and they complain there is nothing to do. Not that I don't enjoy having them. They do see things I miss (or don't care about). And it always looks and smells nice.

Thank God for Amazon.com. My little Audrey had her birthday at home this year-last year it was here. She keeps her own counsel with Matt apparently but tells Grampie what she wants. Christmas it was Moxie Dolls and stuff.  Birthday was Furreals- fuzzy toys that "do things." I would have been a complete loss trying to find them in a retail store.

03022012 FL Where we Stay in FL

It has been a year in this great house and it is now as I like it-comfy with nice things to see.
Click on the picture to see more. (I think I fixed the problem and the picture click should work now.) 

I've not been blogging a lot. Lots to tell but the "tablet" by Samsung is now my most used computer. It is wonderful for receiving, not so hot for sending. I resolve to try to do better.

Grammys

Snacks and the Grammy Awards tonight. Didn't feel like cooking so I ran up the street to Winn-Dixie and bought dog food for the babies, snacks for me, and enjoyed the show. My girl won. I had heard Adele and mentioned it to Lori so I have had the CD since Christmas to say nothing of its being played almost constantly on the radio down here. The more I see of her the more I like her. I enjoyed the show. The production values were very good though I have to confess, I am coasting into fuddy-duddy land. There were many artists who were unknown to me. I am still able to enjoy it all-even the novelties of the edgier stuff. I hear myself echoing Grandma's words "Well, forever more!"

I retrieved an avocado tree that my up-the -street-neighbor offered me. He planted it from seed. The one he planted three years ago is a beautiful little tree. Mine has some buggy spots so I sprayed it and am waiting to see how it does before I make a hole in the yard.

Cool mornings make for longer walks. I have taken the starch out of the hounds two mornings in a row. Get them pooped out literally and figuratively.

Got the Drizzlies

Florida has as many varieties of rain as Wyoming has of snow. Sometimes it drops in sheets, sometimes in a drizzle, sometimes it is barely discernible as it was this morning. We have been fortunate in finding breaks to get our walks in. Yesterday we were half lucky and returned pretty damp-not so much me as I have a nylon windbreaker with an umbrella in its pocket for just such occasions. Wet dogs for sure. They enjoyed a vigorous toweling off.  Their wet feet made it a good day for cleaning house. It was a good day for cooking too. Made a couple of pans of tater-tot casserole and sent one home with Jason. Comfort food day with rain on the roof.  Nice. Jason has stayed busy while Lori and Sharon are cruising on Norwegian Epic. He has some kind of business deal brewing.

I like to follow the kid's cruises by the "bridge cams" - The Epic is here
http://www.kroooz-cams.com/ncl_epic/epic.php

I had a nightmare early this morning-Nightmare in the Senior Citizen genre:  I was searching frantically for a restroom. Fortunately I woke up. Slept three more hours in contentment.

So Long, Farewell, It's Time to Say Goodbye

Drenching, quenching rain today. We needed it and a lazy day inside was enjoyable.  Gary Willis' Celebration of Life was Saturday. Jason and I went. The girls were packing for their cruise. Neighbors Mariela, Steve and Marcia engineered a wonderful reception  at Steve and Mariela's waterfront home for the celebrants of Gary's life. An enjoyable farewell in the sprit of the honoree. I made myself useful by bartending- mostly Mimosas, and Bloody Marys- not too challenginng, but the volume was pretty good.  Jason took the girls to Miami to board the Norwegian Epic.

Sunday Nicole and Andre came to me in answer to an invitation. They will be leaving John Prince Park next Sunday. So I got things "company clean," and prepared drinks and canape's. Andre hooked his computer up to my big screen T.V. and we watched some of the 2000 pictures they took during their 44 days in Europe last Fall. There were some great shots and I enjoyed the pictures very much. I took them to Hot Tomatoe (sic), my neighborhood Italian Bistro. They always remember me there and we got the royal treatment. The food is excellent.  Whether this was "bon voyage" or" farewell" only time will tell. They are leaving two months early and going to south Texas. Andre thinks Portugal might be a good place to spend next winter. So a send-off was in order. I hope I will see them again.

I had a great time and didn't mind having my Superbowl watching limited to the last 11 minutes.

Jason got word that Lori's grandmother Grange had passed away at age 93 in White Deer, Texas. Lori can't eascape her cruise even if she is inclined but she called her dad and mom. Jason is making the Pampa residence available to travelers and a big flower arrangement will appear for the service. So goodbye Mamaw-you were a great lady. Handsome and great kids, you had.

A Wiseacre to the last...

Gary A. Willis Obituary: View Gary Willis's Obituary by Sun-Sentinel: Willis, Gary A., 65 of Deerfield Beach passed away February 1, 2012. Gary wants his family and friends to know he lived a long, full, and happy life. He is survived by his loving family, wife, Vicki Willis; children Dawn Muhleman, Rachel Willis, Sean Willis; grandson, Kyle Muhleman; brother, Roger Willis; brother-in-law Mike Bowen; mother in law Judy Bowen; Nephews, Roger Willis, Michael Bowen; Niece Lisa Willis; many cousins; former wife, Cheryl Stockamp; Dear Friends, Ken Durnen, Terra Ottman; Tiger, Max, Peter, Lucy, Thomas. Celebration of life will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday, February 4, 2012 at KRAEER-BECKER FUNERAL HOME, 217 E. Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL. http://www.kraeerdeerfieldbeach.com/

Jason's neighbor Gary Willis passed away after a coma at Cleveland Clinic. He had terrible pneumonia last year and his lungs were shot (get those pneumonia shots folks!). He was a funny man-an acerbic wit. He did enjoy his life. The holiday "Train Party" was kind of subliminally "a last Hurrah." The wiseacre part is "Tiger, Max, Peter, Lucy, and Thomas" are his former pets!  Sneaking them in an obituary is just the kind of thing that would tickle him.