Month: November 2014

We thank God for beauty he gives us! In Florida the sun shines and we stand outside in shirt sleeves gazing at a half moon and stars.  Cousins Laura and Dennis have moved from brrrrr Stfford Springs, Connecticut, and we look at the weather channel that shows mounds of northern snow with the windows open and a quiet breeze blowing in.  Laura and Dennis have 2 dogs and  cat and when I came out this morning after another good nights sleep, there was Chuck with the cat at his head, her tail wrapped around his forehead, and 2 dogs in his lap.  This is hard as the "big" dog is the size of a Key deer!  The Chuck got into trouble as he got a fresh cup of coffee and the dogs jumped up on him…  and then Chuck and the chair were covered with coffee, the dogs were escorted outside, and Chuck was shooed into the shower.  I should say here, "All is well" as normal as normal can get.  Last night we drove on the Tamiami Trail which goes all the way from my neighborhood to Tampa.  We ate great food in Venice Florida and congratulated Laura and Dennis on moving south.

Chuck and I will go home to Miami on Monday and try to organize a little as we moved a lot of stuff up from the Keys.  We decided to move back to Miami as I couldn’t find some files and I sighed really deeply and Chuck made the mistake of asking "what’s wrong?" and I recited the litany that I’ve really been reciting for 2 years…. "I can’t find my stuff, I don’t like living in 2 houses, etc etc… " So he, thinking, I’m sure, of how much he loves Miami and the pontoon boat in the water… "We could move back"…  I was finding bins and packing stuff 5 minutes later.    When we get home on Monday… we will try to pack for a 7 day Caribbean cruise that begins next Saturday.  I’ll try to correspond over the holiday when we will really be travelling a lot!  God bless you dears and remember…  God and his angels are near… Thank God.  Love Sue

For a mysterious reason that only the Holy Spirit really understands, Chuck and I moved our "to the Keys" date from yesterday to this coming Thursday. Tomorrow. Oh… I was making noises about staying in Miami because I needed to do yard work, and needed to begin Christmas and wedding prep with wrapping presents etc etc, but really? I didn’t get any yard work done as it rains intermittently with Mother Nature’s version of a south Florida autumn. So,whose decision was it that when the phone rang this morning and a friend needed help? Who shifted our schedule to put us in Miami to help friend Karen who fell while exercising and put a sizable large bump on the back of her head. Thinking, "Nah… it’s nothing", but seeing stars and feeling sick, Karen remembered Chuck who ignored a head bump, and almost died. So Karen did the right thing and went to the ER. Oh how foolish we think we are, taking our "little bumps and pains" to the ER. Brain scan revealed no real damage, but doctor was very cautious that she sustained a concussion and must not drive, or watch TV, or read, but only rest. So we left immediately for Miramar to pick up Karen, drove by her work to pick up her car (they have an exercise place at work), and then we placed her on the sofa at home and watched her… You know me…. watching, watching. So my dears. Remember to thank the Holy Spirit when things change and you think, "Oh darn, things changed" you might be needed! Meanwhile, how about this (quote found on a plaque at a Bealles Outlet): "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"
God bless you! Sue

To my chilly friends who live north of Flagler street… I bid a warm good morning! Hey! What happened to autumn? Hallowe’en was beautiful and brisk. The trees were all swaying and the ghosties hanging in them moved back and forth and the witch’s rags were swinging on her narrow waist. The witch cackled on her own schedule and little kids came for candy! It was pure bliss! We went to a friend’s (Perry who sold us this lovely lake house) 50th birthday party last night and it was outside… I had on 2 jackets. Then this morning. It’s here. 52 degrees. brrrrr. Winter. Of course the TV is reporting snow or heavy rain and mud in most of the nation. Even Big Pine Key Tie Dye Mickey reports 56 degrees. OH boy. Chuck and I have to go to north Georgia for my nephew’s Christmas wedding and I think I’ll need boots and a snow suit. Aside from the weather, Ads on TV shout of the evils of both guys running for governor so Florida is once again embroiled in the ugliness of an election, and today I heard the first ad on medical marijuana. "Pill mills will be selling pot without a prescription" the ad says. Well maybe Florida drivers could stand a little calming down. In the last few days of driving in Miami I’ve been out to save my life. I know I drive slow due to being a 25 mile per hour Big Pine Key resident, but I was doing the speed limit (40 mph) and cars were "on my butt" and racing around me…. where do I go? Yikes. The Turnpike is worse. Let me out of here and back to our island…. it’s true I chafe at going 25 mph when I need to get to church on time, but I also have to be careful of our Key deer and the turtles on the road. No! real turtles! My sister Sarah is showing her art in a gallery in Neptune Beach and she is inspiring me from a distance. Her work in amazing and her fire to create tells me "we all can do this!" I "found" 2 canvases at Goodwill and I’m working on preparing the first one… The canvas is 34 inches by 22 inches and I’m not even worrying about "how can I fill this thing with something meaningful?" My sister would advise… "Just pick up a brush, get in the zone, and let her rip!" A final note. I indicated to some friends that I have been sleeping in lately as sleep doesn’t come easy to me lately (another friend advised, that’s the plague of "old age"…) Oh boy so my eyes and knees have gone and now I can’t sleep. What am I 104 years old? Any way, I debated going to church at 8am for All Saints Day… well, I intended to sleep in, but my Guardian Angel had other ideas. "Get up!" she said at 7:15am on Saturday morning. And so I rolled out of bed and went to church. You know what? We need to listen to those little promptings. Our angels know what we need to be doing. So plaster a smile on your face and move on with chin up and well, a positive attitude. That attitude says "I’ll try." I might not be able to do this on my own, but I got this angel pushing me from behind. So, get creative, and smile. Love and kisses this chilly autumn morning. God bless you!