"Where did it go?"

Tyler was almost grieving today when he realized all the greenery was gone from the front of my house. Well, except for some stray sprigs that we are trying to get rid of with "Round-Up" -- except that it can't seem to stop raining long enough for us to finish the job. So, this photo doesn't look too good yet since we need to wash down the front of the house and decide exactly what is going in place of all that green stuff!

What is really amusing is that I really hadn't had a chance to meet our neighbors across the street (and down a house ... how's that for a description). They are gone a lot and they haven't really seemed too anxious to meet anybody. I've tried to show myself friendly but usually he nods (sort of) and his wife doesn't seem to notice much of anything.

However, when David (Tim's handyman) was working at our house, our neighbor must have thought, "Well, maybe I can use him, too." Yikes! I've watched this neighbor and whoever is working at his house -- he is almost standing on top of them while they work. I alerted David to that and he told me he had already picked up on that! I did get acquainted with the neighbor -- since he wanted me to confirm that David was an 'okay' guy who could be trusted with his yard and handyman jobs!

A funeral of sorts ... I guess!

Today we had a funeral of sorts ... I know, it may sound weird but I was ready to have some sort of ceremony to say goodbye to a plant. I know ... weird!! Actually, it started as a couple plants and grew into one monstrous plant that I have trimmed and trimmed and trimmed.

Now, please understand, I do not have a green thumb and the only reason this particular plant has grown is that I really haven't wanted it to grow.

Tim and Sandi lived in Lakeland when they first moved to Florida. When they moved over to St. Pete (about 13 years ago), we inherited the plants. I really can't remember if there were two or three but whatever the case, they became ours. I was sure that they would not last any time at all -- maybe a month even if I watered them correctly. Sometimes I almost drowned them but they seemed to live -- and live -- and live!!

When we moved into the house we have been in for the past 11 years, we brought them and it seemed great to position them around the front of the house. Leave them in their big oversized flower pots and simply let them grow.

We'll they actually outgrew the flower pots and took over the whole front of the house. They climbed the tree and the side of the house. We pulled it down and tried to cut it all out. Actually, we cleaned out the whole area and covered it with plastic. That has been several years ago. Somewhere along the way, those plants went through a resurrection somewhere below the ground, I'm sure, and voila! Here they were again!

At times, they look nice and at other times, it looks like a maze. When a black snake decided to take up residence in the area, we knew it was time for all out war on the plants! So, today, we had someone come in and begin to work. But, before he started, I told Sandi that we needed to tell the plant 'goodbye' -- okay, so I'm a little crazy!! It was getting rather gloomy and the predictions of continued rain (it's rained here for days) added to the sense of impending loss!

However, it is now almost done although the poor guy doing the work was literally rained out!! It was raining at a rate of 2 inches per hour. He didn't want to come into the house 'looking like he did' so he kept working. Until he was drenched! Then he decided to call it a day! I'll post photos tomorrow of the 'new look' after he finishes ... here is how it looked before we said 'goodbye'!!!

Photos ... photos ...

I don't get to see Teri's kids as often as I do the ones who live here in St Pete, so enjoy when Teri sends me new pics ... so, here are a few I just received .. I'm not sure what Rudy was into but it seems that his face got the better end of the deal!

"We're finally home!"

One of the highlights of my trip home yesterday actually came at the end of the trip, after we had landed. I had seen a group of about 25 guys in their early to mid 20's. They were obviously having a good time and I thought, "This will not be a quiet trip." I was seated near them -- actually, they were seated all around the back half of the airplane. When we arrived and were waiting to get off the plane, I heard them commenting to each other about knocking on each other's door, etc. I asked if they were on vacation (I know -- I know no strangers!) They told me, "No", that they were coming home. Then one of the guys said, "We've been on patrol for the last two months. We are just now coming home." They are in the Coast Guard stationed here in St. Pete (pier) and had been patrolling around Cuba and surrounding areas. They would have a week off now. One guy commented to me, "We are having fun here but we take what we do very seriously."

I think the real impact came when I was following a couple of the guys up the jetway and I heard them yell, "We're home! We're finally home!!" (see photo at left)

What an awesome way to end my trip!!

You don't have to be crazy, but sometimes it helps!

Today was lunch with Dad at the nursing home. No, that wasn't the crazy part although by the time you have spent lunch with three brothers who are very close in age, you think you might get a little crazy. From Mark and his up-front humor to Joel who loves to do 'bunny' ears behind Rachel's head (photo below) during very serious photos, it can get quite amusing. Thad is in the mix there, too, although I think he is the better audience than entertainer.

Today was no exception -- since Jene' works at Glenn Oaks, she had a table ready for the 11 of us! The food is really quite good and it's a nice place to spend time together with Dad. It takes him a little while to motor himself (in his motorized wheelchair) down to the dining area but he made it in good shape and didn't damage any walls along the way! PTL! He worries that if his eyesight doesn't get much better, they will take his license -- not driver's license, his motorized wheelchair license. They do have to take 'driving' tests to be able to maneuver those chairs around the hallways.

So ... we ate, we laughed, we talked and then, of course, had to take pictures! Of course!!

The crazy part came later and really wasn't a 'crazy' setting. Spiceland Nazarene Church has a service at Glenn Oaks once a month and this was the Sunday. Allen was away at a men's retreat (camping experience with tents, sleeping bags and all) so it fell Rachel's responsibility to make sure it came off. One of the men in their church was to speak and he did a good job although he admitted it would be very short. Prior to that, we had sung some familiar hymns -- I played, Rachel led.

I took a break during Paul's talk and when I came back in, they were singing, "What a Friend". No one was singing too much so I thought, "Let's have some fun .." This is where my inborn craziness which I inherited from who knows whom came in. I asked, "How many grew up in Sunday School?" Several of the residents/family members (about 25 had joined us for the service) raised their hands. Okay, let's have some fun .. We started with "Jesus Loves Me" .. pretty simple. One lady suggested, "Climb, Climb Up Sunshine Mountain" and that took me way back to childhood days. It did with them, too. We sang it through once and I began to remember the motions. So, I added, "Everyone, put your hands up ..." Okay, so I'm crazy but they responded and most put their hands in the air and we sang, "Climb, climb up sunshine mountain, heavenly breezes blow..." Throughout the song, we did all the motions. Then it was "Deep and Wide" and "The B-I-B-L-E". Another lady requested, "This Little Light of Mine".

When it was all said and done, one of the family members (who attends the various services weekly) said, "I've never seen that kind of participation like this before!" But, it had to take a willingness to be crazy and wondering if they would respond or look at me like I was absolutely nuts!

It paid off .. the craziness worked, we had great participation and it was fun!! And my dad really enjoyed it all and for me, that made it all worth while!!