WHY ARE THEY GREEN?

As everyone knows - in many states - Steve and I hang out at the Pine Cone in Johnson Creek.  It has gotten to the point where they know what time we get get there and leave a table dirty until we arrive so there is a spot for us.  Sometimes they even announce over the PA systems, "The boys are here, the boys are here".  It's really quite pathetic when you think about it rationally. 

After Steve eating hundreds of eggs up there and me chowing down thousands of dumplings, we have gotten to know most of the servers, and like all of them but the two above are very special to us.  Anna on the left and Sharon on the right came down to The Villages to spend a few days with us and boy did we have fun.  Drinking, dancing, drinking, eating, drinking, shopping, drinking, sleeping.  Drinking!  Anna and Sharon are two of the most agreeable guests we have hosted over our 19 years living in Florida during the winter. 

One might ask, why the people in the picture above have a hint of green to their faces? Well, it's because we went to Sumter Landing on St. Patricks Day and they drank green beer but most of all, with all the green stuff around the landing it was difficult to take a picture that was not green.  Or course we at some more and had a lot of laughs. 

During their stay with us we learned much more about The Cone and some of the people who Steve and I know a little but we know them better now. We also learned that it's difficult for a server to serve a server.  The reviews of the countless servers we had during the many lunches and dinners was fun to listen to.  I guess it was Anna's and Sharon's way of getting back at the people at the Cone who have done them wrong.   They were not rude but it was fun to listen to the comparisons between the Cone and Olive Garden.  That didn't sound right did it.....?  

We also learned about Socks, let's just say that Socks is a very special person in Anna's life and it's a hoot teasing her about Socks. 

Then there was poor Sharon.  The day after they arrived we had to pick up their golf cart so I told Sharon to hop in our cart and we were off to the plaza to pick up the cart.  We arrived, I signed and then I shoved Sharon into the golf cart that had it's rain and wind enclosures down.  She looked like a tiny Pope in the Popemobile.  I'm not sure Sharon had ever driven a golf cart before but like pushing a kid into the water to learn to swim, she had to learn. I told her to follow me which she did. Wht a good sport.  

The best part of their trip was to see how Anna takes care of Sharon.  She helps Grand Ma Ma text, take pictures, make calls and guides Grand Ma Ma around to make sure she doesn't get into trouble and from what we've heard and the pictures we've seen, Grand Ma Ma can be a handful but we love her and their warming up her bed in the home as I write this.  We love you Anna and Grand Ma Ma.   Anna, don't change your SOCKS!

  

Happy 60th Birthday Freddie

When I think of old, I immediately think of our dear friend Freddie shown at left.  As you can clearly see, he is attempting to make gorgeous me even better, which even Freddie can't do. 

During our stay in Florida this winter Steve and I were pretty busy including hosting Freddie's 60th birthday party.  Steve and I chose TooJays in The Villages to cater it as we eat there quite often plus they did a great job on Jimm's party that we hosted a year ago. 

TooJays treated this like it was a wedding, inviting Steve and I the opportunity to come in and taste the food and make our choices.  The way I see it, as long as I don't have to cook it, it's safe to eat.

I must say that the best part of the party again was the opportunity Steve and I were given to meet up again with Freddie's and JImmie's vast circle of friends, some normal, some not so normal but nice folks nonetheless. 

Steve's job was to make a disc of "group appropriate" music which I knew would be a nightmare for me.  We can agree on most anything but not music.  I just thank God I was busy enough to not have to listen to it. 

After the party there was a short thunder storm so Steve and I went home then met up with the guys again and ate again.  The server was hitting on me and a little handsy.  It just goes to show, even young people can have dubious taste at best but it was flattering to know someone was stupid enough to think I was of interest. 

Little Lanai In The Villages

Little Lanai in The Villages

As many of out regular readers might recall, when we purchased our villa in The Villages we bought it with a dreamcicle colored kitchen  a Pepto pink bathroom, and odd yellow in the guest room and a padded headboard in the master bedroom.  The kitchen cabinets were a nice oak when the house was built and they wee quickly shabby sheiked which made them dull, dry and they had black blobs on them.  They will be replaced next winter.

The lovely lady who sold us the villa under spectacular terms had a bout of claustrophobia so she tore out the screen enclosure between the lanai and the birdcage which houses our pool.  Feeling that nature and the great outdoors is over rated, we really didn't care too much but as we lived here longer and longer we just needed more usable space so we decided to actually enclose the lanai with more than just the screens that were originally there and make a year round room out of it. 

I checked around for a contractor and found a good one.  Having been burned during the building process of our house in Jefferson I was very uptight about mechanics liens and stuff like that.  Finally the owner told me to relax, it would be fine.  After five or six revisions of the plan we finally got it.  Being a Judy Judy fan, Steve and I read every single word of the contract.  I noticed that the windows were not tinted so we had to change that.  Finally we were ready to go. 

We got down here with hopes they'd get going on it soon but NO.  They finally came to measure and told us that if the windows came in on Thursday they'd start Friday.  Well, that was three weeks ago and they just started this week.  Within five minutes the old frames and screens were torn out.  The new lanai has been framed in with all new aluminum and the gorgeous tinted windows are here with a door that could hold back a prisoner.  

We were so excited that we went out and bought a pressure washer so we could clean the screens and siding and a spot on the pool deck that gets moldy a lot.  I even helped out.  

They came on Thursday and got it all framed in and told us the inspector had to come and sign off before the windows could go in.  Well, that didn't happen so no work was done today either.  We're hoping for tomorrow.   After it's done we will make it a small den-family room.  Steve put in a new fan with a light and we're eager to get to the Beyond (Bed, Bath & Beyond) to spend some money.  We just love it there. 

Watch as the room continues to take shape.  

ROOM FOR MORE

 As Steve and I prepare for a month of very weocomed visitors our room is finally done.  As wonderful as the new room is, they used some sealers on the windows that really smells and actually can give a person a head ache.  Unfortunately, we have a little water leak which was expected by the builder and by us.   Nothing major but we will have them stop by and fix it. 

The crazy lady who owned the house prior to us would just hate what we've done.  The wall with the door and windows on it was originally screened in but she had it all torn out because she didn't like to be enclosed.  It just made for a waste of room so needing more room in the house without a major addition, this was the best way to handle it, gain more room and it looks pretty nice.

Steve got to use his new toy as well.  About a year ago we spent a good chunck of money having the

house pressure washed so we went and bought our own washer.  Well it's one of those things, once you start the completed part looks so good that there is no place to end.   He started on the north wall and had to come all the way down the entire side of the house.  Then he started on the white fence and that was all moldy so that had to be cleaned as well.  After that he started washing the mold off the metal braces of the bird cage.  Again, once you start there's no place to stop.  I finally got involved and did some if ot.  Having a pool back there plus the normal humid climate of Florida there is always mold and things to clean up.  The pool deck is not spotless and ready for our guests to come down . 

 

As usual I tried to talk Steve into tackling a job he's never done before.  I thought that because the room looked so good I'd like to have ceramic tiles put out there.  He's never done that sand believe it or not, I could not talk him into tryingit.  I guess we'll just keep what we have. 

 

All that being done we have durtains ordered from The Beyond.  We had to buy a bunch of panels and each one will have to be shortened.  Steve is so patient with that.   I think it would be easier to raise the ceiling.  We don't want to block any of the sun as the room faces west but it just needs som softness so we'll do that next.   We think it turned out pretty well if we do say so ourself.   Now if we could just sell the place we really want a house with three bedrooms so we can entertain all the people who are coming to visit us.   Maybe next year.  The real estate market is HOT here but all the people who own here already are competing with the 10,000 new houses being built in Brownwood.   We shall see. 

Ellie To Pearl

Two years ago Steve and I wanted a "cheap" car in Florida so we found a Honda Element, the ugliest car since the Aztez.  The main problem with it was that the back seat was set so far back that our old friends down here (FRED) had a rough time getting into the back seat and in order for the back seat passenger to get out, the front door had to be opened before the back doors could open.  It wasn't so bad for Steve and I because we don't have kids but for a parent trying to drop kids off at school it would be a horrible choice. 

We got to Florida to a mountain of mail and one of the items was an offer to trade Ellie in for a new car so we thought we'd go in and check it out.  We looked at an SUV but they were small and more than what we wanted to spend.  Steve told me to look at the Accord so we did.  We really liked it.  Nigel, the man we purchased Ellie from was there and worked with us.  Ellie had 3600 miles on her and they were not giving us much of a deal on her so I walked away telling them that it was them who approached us about this and the trade in offer was horrible.  A day later I received a note from Nigel asking me what payment I wanted.  I told him is was not the payment but we were not getting a deal on Ellie NOR were we getting anything off on the Accord.  He wrote back again telling me there were now incentives on the Accord but did not tell me what they were.  I told him point blank, I am not going to negotiate against myself and I wanted to know what the incentives were.  He then told me he'd give us $500 more for Ellie and $1000 off the Accord.  That afternoon we went in to do the paper work and now we have Pearl.  She even has a door unlock switch on my side and lights that go on by themselves, which Ellie didn't.   We really moved up in the world.  We plan to drive Pearl back to Wisconsin this spring and drive back for the summer and fly home for school to start again.   Sounds like a plan to me.  Although flying is much quicker, it is not as easy with Mr. Moe as we had hopped and Steve's doctor saw no reason we could not drive as long as he got out regularly to walk around.  With the dog and two weak bladders, we have to do that anyway.  

Kicked Out and Fired

About a week ago Steve and I were hungry for a little "pre-bed" snack so our friend Freddy, Steve and I went to McDonald's at Colony Plaza.  We got there about 10:40 PM 20 minutes before closing. The manager made it clear to us that she was not going to be there until 12:00 or later waiting for us to leave and the doors lock at 11:00.  As we were placing our order several other people came in and wanted to eat so there were about eight of us in there.  The manager yelled to the back, "we're slammed out here".  Someone ordered chicken that was to deep fried and she told them the fryer was shut off they'd have to have it grilled.  

All of us were eating as quickly as we could and not enjoying this lady running around making it clear that she was closing at 11:00.  We thought she was just going to lock the door at 11:00 and allow us to eat.  WRONG!  At 11:05 she went to the front door, opened it up and basically threw us out.  It mad me very angry because if they say we're open until 11:00 than means if I come in a two minutes to 11:00 they should serve me and allow me to eat at a easy pace.  She could have just said to take our time while they shut things down and cleaned up and allowed us to eat but no, she threw us out at 11:05.  Well, Brian being Brian, I was not going to take that so my first instinct was to call Ronald McDonald and complain but I figured with Face Time, Twitter and Face Book he would not call me back so I sent an email explaining my dreadful experience.   Within a day I received an email asking for the exact address of the store and they were going to investigate the closing procedures.  I sent that email back and haven't heard back.  I know Ronald will be stopping by.

So, we get thrown out of McDonald's so I go to my second favorite spot, Subway in Sumter Landing.  We got there about 9:15 PM and they closed at 10:00 PM.  We entered the store to blaring country music which was enough to make me vomit before we ate.  The lady was cleaning the tables and doing some odd jobs while Steve and I stood in line as she wiped off three tables completely ignoring us.  I finally said to her "are you open" and said yes and came strolling over to us.  As she passed me I asked her to "turn the music down".  She turned it down just a tad, nothing to brag about.  She made our sandwiches with a nasty look on her face.  She got to the point where she asked me if I wanted mine toasted.  I told her, and I quote, "don't put yourself out".  She looked at me and said "you're not putting me out, I asked a simple question if you wanted it toasted".  I told her I did not appreciate the way we were being treated and blah, blah.  She then proceeded to tell us that she'd been a waitress in Ohio for years and had carpal tunnel and didn't know how much longer she was going to be able to make sandwiches.  She continued to tell us that she also has a bad back and can't sleep with her husband in bed and has to sleep on the couch so the back of the couch supports her back.  I really didn't care to hear this and frankly, "I didn't like her" and wanted to stick her head in the oven. 

We ate our subs as she continued to clean up.  Well, Brian was not going to stand for this so I wrote to Subway and told them this exact story.  I didn't hear anything from them until Thursday about 1:30.  Marion called me while on my golf cart route to say she was sorry and assured me it would never happen again.  I told Marion that I eat at their store almost every day and this is the first time I've experienced this.  She told me, "this lady is mean and nasty inside and believe me, this will never happen again".  Our conversation continued at the most inopportune time.  As we spoke I had to tell Marion to hold on, my order was ready at the McDonald's drive thru window.   Perhaps a lack of credibility.   I have a feeling we will not be seeing carpal tunnel lady again. 

Between this and learning that Subway got in trouble for telling people the foot long is 12 inches only to learn it was only 11 inches this is very bad.  As often as I eat at Subway I feel they owe me at least three feet. 

It all goes back to the old saying, size does matter.  



Using Your Head

As children our parents always told us to "use our heads".  I'm not sure it was a literal remark but I did what I was told. 

Steve and I always watch the home fix it shows on television and of course we never listen to what that tell you.  From what I remember, they suggest putting up a ledger board to hod up the upper cabinets until they were attached to the wall and you use the ledger board so you don't have to use your head to hold up the units. Who ever heard of such a silly way to do things.  God gave us a head and a neck so I used mine.  Unfortunately, after we got the cabinet on my head attached to the wall we read the directions only to learn that you're supposed to use clamps to hook them together then lift them onto the supposed ledger board.  Isn't that just too silly.
 

So we got the wall cabinets up and off my head then started on the lowers.  Our original plan (all taped out on the floor with blue painter's tape) called for a square corner as we thought a Lazy Susan would be too expensive.  Well, we changed our minds and bought Susan and she seems to have changed our lives not to mention our plan.  Just like a woman.  We started in the back and put the lowers under the cabinets that were on my head.   That was simple as there were two places left open for under counter refrigerators.    Then we went to the other corner and started with the sink unit.  Because the pipe was sticking out of the floor from the construction we had to cut a part of the base cabinet out to accommodate the pipes.  We went along and made the turn with Susan.  We continued on with the run forming a peninsula.  It looked pretty good if I do say so myself.   We clamped everything together then hooked the units to each other and praised ourselves for a job sell done. 

So we thought, what the hell, let's assemble the counter tops that came in two pieces.  We followed the instructions and did it upside down on cardboard.  We put the little adjuster things on the bottom then pulled it apart again and put the glue in.  We let it sit over night.  Well, when we pushed the two pieces back together the glue stuck the counter top to the cardboard which meant a bit of cleaning and a bit of laughing. 

We hoisted the top onto the base cabinets and it just didn't fit.  We were close but it was just not quite right.  As we looked, we didn't cut the hole for the floor pipes large enough and the first cabinet was off about 1/2 inch so we had to pull it all apart, cut the hole bigger and push it over the half inch.  Then Susan got ugly about it and didn't want to cooperate.  She seemed to be twisted, and I'm not going to comment on that anymore.  After the adjustment the top fit splendidly and we attached the counter top to the base units and it looks like a bar.   Now we will build a wall to set the actual drinking part and that will be finished. 

One side story.  Steve and I hate our kitchen in Florida and said that if the bar in the basement went well we'd do the Florida kitchen ourselves.  In closing, we will be hiring a carpenter.