Yesterday we found a deal on an over-the-range microwave and fan. Our old fan hood was super ugly. About six to eight inches deep, an almond colored hood with a bare bulb exposed and didn’t do anything but make a horrid noise. The kitchen is what you see immediately when you come in our condo. It glared and said, “Old, tacky, and as bad as a fan can be.”

Of course the installation didn’t go as planned, and John’s still working on it.

By late afternoon yesterday, I knew he’d spent as much energy as he could. He was winded and feeling exhausted. So I made him quit and we went to Rockin’ Rendezvous, our regular weekly gathering at the clubhouse. It was a typical Thursday night. Lots of fun, lots of friends.

Today he’s back trying to finish the installation of the microwave.

With the weather being really cold, it’s good to have an in-the-house project. And since our friends, the Conklins, are coming over tomorrow and Sunday, we have lots to do to get ready – the microwave had to get in so the kitchen would be presentable.

Tomorrow a.m. I’ll be hustling. I keep all of my clothes in the guest room. That means I need to move enough of my stuff to the master bedrooms so I can get by for the two days they’re here. And since John does his music practicing in the guest room, all the instruments need to be moved out. We’ll probably put them in the living room area where we’ll play music with the Conklins.

This afternoon at 4:00 residents who want to take advantage of the Annual Kings Point Garage Sale which is held in the main clubhouse will be lined up. Last year we purchased a scrawny artificial plant (which needs to be replace with something nicer), and a few other decorative items. Previous years, we’ve purchased wine glasses, our dinnerware, pictures, frames, waffle iron, some extra sheets and towels, throw pillows, and lots of other little things at bargain prices. We’ll be there today see if we can uncover some treasures which will enhance our place.

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We didn’t buy anything major at the KP Garage Sale today. We were fortunate to find a few cheap items: six paperback novels ($2), a colorful cloth tote bag ($1), a food chopper ($.25), a food grater ($1), a new cotton zipper-front summer weight robe ($2), a bright fuschia basket style handbag ($1) and a padded bike seat cushion ($2).

John successfully installed the microwave although the electric outlet box for it will be put in when John can buy one and until then, we’re using a heavy-duty extension cord, but only when we use the unit, so most of the time it doesn’t show.

We’re amazed how the addition of this one appliance has made the kitchen look renovated. The old hood was so bad that, when you walked in the room, it shouted “Replaced Me.” The new one matches the black, smooth-top range and black oven front. It’s current styling makes the whole kitchen look more “today.” It was a small purchase, but it did wonders.

We will be having a decorator come Monday and advise us on the master bathroom and some of our other potential renovations.

We headed to Busch Gardens this morning and arrived before it was open (at 10 am). It was pleasantly warm (about 70) and sunny when we left home.

We enjoyed Chubby Checker’s show but it wasn’t as entertaining as John Davidson’s had been last week. He barely said anything. One tune after another, but no “getting to know him.”

We feel the chatter is a huge part of seeing these “older” performers. They need to get the audience to accept them as friends. In the case of Chubby, he sang well, and did a pretty good twist, but it was like he was there to perform and not to get to know us, or let us know him. It didn’t work for us.

After the show we went on a “ride” called Rhino Rally. We rode in a jeep-styled truck through animal areas. We even went through streams and ended up being swept down a “river”. It was fun.

On our way back, we stopped and listened to the a lecture on the care and feeding of alligators by one of the animal experts. As the talk was ending the rain started. We took the tram to our car (even though we were parked as close as guests are allowed) because it was really coming down.

By the time we got back to Kings Point it was pouring. The temperature had also dropped a good 10-15 degrees.

We had only a couple hours before we had to be ready to go to the Michigan Club potluck dinner. It was a nice event.

A crammed day, but we loved it.

I’m the life of the party…… even if it lasts until 8 p.m.
I’m very good at opening childproof caps… with a hammer.
I’m usually interested in going home before I get to where I am going.
I’m awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.
I’m smiling all the time because I can’t hear a thing you’re saying.
I’m very good at telling stories; over and over and over and over…
I’m aware that other people’s grandchildren are not nearly as cute as mine.
I’m so cared for — long term care, eye care, private care, dental care.

I’m not really grouchy,
I just don’t like traffic, waiting, crowds, lawyers, loud music, unruly kids, Jenny Craig and Toyota commercials, barking dogs, politicians and a few other things I can’t seem to remember right now.

I’m sure everything I can’t find is in a safe secure place, somewhere.
I’m wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that’s just my left leg.
I’m having trouble remembering simple words like…….
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I’m sure they are making adults much younger these days, and when did they let kids become policemen?
I’m wondering, if you’re only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?
And, how can my kids be older than I feel sometimes?

I’m a walking storeroom of facts….. I’ve just lost the key to the storeroom door.

Yes, I’m a SENIOR CITIZEN and I think I am having the time of my life!

Today and yesterday I spent the afternoon at the pool. (But I watched to make sure I didn’t get too much sun.) Tomorrow, maybe there’ll be some mid-day time when it’ll be comfortable, but by evening and for the foreseeable future it’ll plummet into the mid-low 50’s.

This week promises to be crowded with activities so we have lots to do.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the every-other-week karaoke which is always fun, Wednesday is a Michigan Club gathering and potluck (for which we bought tickets — they’re buying the meat), Thursday we have our 9:00 a.m. Nantucket V Condo Association breakfast at Bob Evans and then Rockin’ Rendezvous at 4:00.  And Friday is the Annual Kings Point Garage Sale starting at 4:00 in the main club house.  It is open to the public on Saturday.   We want to be there in line Friday because there are bargains galore to be had. 

But either Wednesday or Friday we also plan to see Chubby Checker’s show at Busch Gardens. Looks like we’ll aim for the show which is presented at11:00 Wednesday so we can be ready for the bargains on Friday.  (But that means tomorrow we’ll need to prepare a dish to pass for Wednesday night.)

We may have house guests this weekend. Our Michigan friends, Wayne and Linda Conklin, may spend the weekend with us.  But also we’re anticipating Gwyn Besner, who is a fun Traverse City music friend. I think she’ll come Monday and Tuesday, but we’re not certain.

When we look ahead into March, this cold spell appears to be stuck with us.

But today there was a sign that nature will bring us back to what is normal. A tiny gecko scurried ahead of me as I walked down the sidewalk. That’s the first one I’ve seen since our first cold spell in early January. I love those little critters and I’ve missed their presence. Hopefully they won’t be frozen out again this season.

The temperatures might nudge up to 70 today. Tomorrow it’ll maybe even move a degree or two higher. Sorta windy, but at least a little warmer than it has been.

I plan to slip into a swim suit about noon and go find a warm, sunny spot at the pool where I can read a book and feel like we’re in Florida. Sadly March doesn’t look much better than it has been, even 15 days out it’ll only be in the 60’s for day-time highs.

Our friends the Conklins would like to come over for a day or two, probably next Saturday and Sunday (the 27th and 28th). Gwyn Besner said she’ll stop by in about Monday and Tuesday (?) the 1st and 2nd of March. John’s sister, Suzie, may come for a week in late March.

Next week we have a calendar full of opportunities for fun: Tuesday karaoke, Wednesday a Michigan Club potluck, Thursday breakfast with our neighbors and Rockin Rendezvous in the evening, Friday we will go to Busch Gardens to see Chubby Checker.

Even if the weather doesn’t provide Florida warmth for us, the number of activities we have scheduled will keep us busy enough so we’ll be on the move and that’ll generate “heat.”

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It actually got quite nice (mid 70’s). We spent more than four hours at the pool. Ahhhhh! Sunshine!

Today we’ll enjoy a lunch at the Moose Lodge on Anna Maria Island with four other Michigan couples.

We had planned to get together with our good friends, Wayne and Linda Conklin, and today was selected with plans to meet at the Moose on the Island. Then we heard that the Bakers (Cindy and Mike) are renting a place on Anna Maria, so they were invited to join us. Coincidentally Peg and Bruce Earl are staying with Bruce’s cousin (the Howards) in Sun City Center (about three miles from us). They arrived yesterday and will be staying a week. So the Earls and the Howards, were included.

John’s the only “Moose member” so we’ll arrive early and sign everyone in.

The Lodge is right the Gulf but if it’s in the sun, it might even be warm enough to eat outside. (It’s only going to be 67 but with a feels like temperature of 70.)

In Michigan, we see these folks mainly at dulcimer festivals, but it’ll be fun to get together 1,300 miles from home.

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The beach was lovely, but the Moose Lodge wasn’t grand. It was a very simple, rather crowded structure with a small parking lot. Nevertheless we had a nice afternoon and the food was good.

The other night, a comedian speaking to a Kings Point audience, referred to 9:30 as Sun City Center’s midnight. He was correct. Activities for this senior only community start early and end early. By 10:00 p.m. the streets are empty.

Tonight we’re going to Rockin’ Rendezvous. It starts at 4:00, but you better be there by 3:45 or you probably won’t get a seat. Before 7:00, it’ll be over. We’ll be safely home before that.

Even our big dances generally start at 7:00 and end at 9:00, although occasionally 9:30.

Dinners start at 5:00 or 5:30.

The golf cart gate into the community is locked at sundown for good reason because Florida law doesn’t allow you to drive a golf cart on city streets after dark, so anyone with a golf cart should get inside our gated community which is exempt from those laws and where driving after dark with headlights is allowed.

So our schedule is very different when we’re here in Florida. We go out early. We get home early.

When it’s nice out, I love getting up early and going to the pool in the morning. Hasn’t been nice enough to do that since we’ve been down here this time.

In our community here we’re like the chickens.

Today we went to Busch Gardens to take in the performance of John Davidson.

John Davidson was a TV personality you may remember from the John Davidson Show in 1976 and specials of the show after that, Hollywood Squares in 1986-1989, the $100,000 Pyramid TV show in 1991, and lots of other TV appearances.

We didn’t know what to expect. John can sing, but it felt like they over-amplified him today, nevertheless we loved his performance!

He was funny, personable, and a true entertainer.

We were in the third row from the floor which put us right at stage level and arm’s length from him. We felt like he played to “us”. It was great!

He really was sharp and on his game. He kibitzed with audience members, wooed the ladies, sang with the guys, and left the audience wanting more. What a showman!

It was great fun!

We left John Davidson’s 11:00 show and were inspired to renew our Busch Membership for two additional years. We can attend as often as we want. We generally go at least a half dozen times a year. It’s a bargain with an annual membership.

About 1:00 we had a good lunch at the Desert Grill. We stayed for the 2:30 show of “Let’s Dance” featuring Burn the Floor.

Dancers from around the world presented contemporary ballroom dance with the Foxtrot, Tango, Jive, Swing, Mambo and more. It was an excellent fast-paced dance show. The costumes were fantastic. It’s hard to imagine how they keep up that level of excitement with multiple shows a day.

Next week we’ll be back at Busch Gardens because Chubby Checker will take the stage there and the following week it’ll be the Osmond Brothers. As long as it’s not pool weather, it’s good to have this to look forward to.

Thank heavens it’s only about 25 miles from our condo.

It was rather cool today. We made the mistake of taking the aerial tram and about froze. It took the rest of the afternoon to warm up. At one point we stopped in the rest room and found that they had heaters going. It felt really good. It was hard to leave.

I always love the foliage at Busch Gardens – it’s a large point of our enjoyment. Sadly there was a lot of frost damage to the flowers and plantings and a lot of the flower beds were covered to protect from the past several nights’ frost. Hopefully they’ll have recovered before we go back to Michigan in April.

We met some folks who sat in front of us in the John Davidson show. Nice people from Canada. John Davidson sang one amorous song to her (close-up) and it was really fun. She was a super good sport.

Tonight John and I will go to the Kings Point Ballroom Dance Club Annual Dinner Dance.

It’s a formal affair. The ladies will wear ball gowns, many of the guys will wear tuxes or white dinner jackets. We’ll be under-dressed. John will wear a black suit. I’ll wear an ankle length black dress with flowing sleeves embellished with a few sequins. But it’s certainly not a ball gown.

By next year, we’ll be better prepared. I’m going to shop for a lovely dress and find a tux for John (getting him to wear it may be a little harder). But tonight we’ll be appropriate enough so we won’t “stand out.”

I probably should have made an appointment to have my hair creatively styled, but I’m most comfortable with my one style so that’s what folks will see.

This afternoon I’ll take the appropriate amount of time getting ready. I’ll do my hair carefully and try to make sure my make-up is it’s best.

Furs are also very appropriate here for this type of affair and since it will be cool tonight, I will wear mine. It was my mother’s but it an attractive mink jacket/cape and it’ll be warm.

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We’re home. It wasn’t that fancy. John’s suit matched a most of the men’s attire (a few tuxes and dinner jackets were seen but certainly not a majority) and my black dress with flowing 3/4 sleeves, a few sequins, and a draped neck was perfect. I couldn’t have picked a dress which would have been better. Yes, some were glitzier. Some even wore strapless evening wear, but my longer than ankle length black dress was dressier than most and fit right in. I shouldn’t have been worried.

The fur was a nice touch. About one out of four of the ladies wore furs and John mentioned mine was definitely the prettiest one we saw.

It was a nice evening.

If you’ve followed this blog, you know I love to write.

I always had the idea that someday I’d write a novel. I even did an outline – or two. It never happened.

I have several “chapters” ready, but I haven’t finished my story. In the case of that tale (which I never named), I don’t know how it ends. It flows easily to a certain point but then I get stuck (writers’ block?)

But this blog is easy. It flows along and gives me a chance to just “talk” about topics that pass through my mind.

I’ve talked about love-bugs, geckos, Florida weather, the different attitude down here in FL, caring for my mother through Alzheimers, Busch Gardens, hula hoop contests, my ancestors, what it’s like to have a husband who has been diagnosed with (what is considered to be a terminal) illness, changes to our house, fun with our friends.

If you’ve followed this blog from the beginning, you were with us when we drove out west pulling our 5th wheel in 2006. We took six weeks and it was the beginning of “sharons-blog.com.” You can still read those postings under the heading “2006-04 and 05 – West Coast-Trip” which is to the right under the heading “Categories.” The blog idea had worked well while we traveled. After we got home, I stopped blogging for a month or so until folks complained so loudly that I started up again. I didn’t know what to write about so I just put down my thoughts, whatever they were.

I’ve often wondered what things interest you, my audience.

Do you like personal stuff? Do you feel that I get too involved with my life down here in Florida? Do you want to hear about music stuff or thoughts of the past? I wonder which of my posts was the most popular?

This blog: Sharons-blog.com, gets over a quarter million hits a year!!!!!

I’d love to hear from you and there is a “comments link” to the right under the “menu” heading, where you can post what you’d like to tell me. You don’t need to sign your comments (although you can if you wish). It takes a couple clicks to get you into the comments area, but that’s only so that internet spam robots can’t leave porn links as they do whenever you allow freely open posting with merely one click.

The sunshine state is still pretty “brown.” The frosts in January killed a lot of the grass. Some has started to green-up, but other areas are definitely dead. The lawns remind me of late August in Michigan after a hot summer if a lawn hasn’t been watered. Our bushes and other vegetation haven’t recovered. The dry sticks stick up from the hybiscus and the bougainvillea. They haven’t started to leaf-out yet but we hope they’ll come back. Half of my poinsettia has died.

And apparently there are a lot of dead fish in the ponds. The buzzards are plentiful as they “clean” them up.

We don’t see any geckos. There are few bugs. They all croaked when the temperatures were below freezing.

Michigan has a lot heartier insects, shrubs, flowers and grass.

I’ve already written about my great grandmother. Her story is entitled, “Grandma”. She’s my life inspiration.

But I guess it’s time for the tale of Grandpa Brophey, her husband.

He wasn’t inspirational, but definitely interesting. My great grandfather was Patrick Robert Brophey. Pat Brophey was as Irish as the name sounds. He was a heavy drinking rascal, an alcoholic. Drinking messed up his life, but his stories still need to be passed on.

I remember the tale of how he’d had the first car in Midland County. Our family album has a picture of that vehicle.

I never knew if I should believe the claims of having the “first” motor car, but John and I have a good friend, Jerry McCullen, a 92-year-old member of our music club. I happened to mention that my grandfather claimed to have the first car in Midland County. Jerry asked if my grandfather was Patrick Brophey. He said his mother always told him about Pat Brophey coming to Coleman, MI, and taking all the ladies for a ride in the first car in the county. She was impressed.

I thought the car was DeSoto. (I could be wrong about the make because DeSotos weren’t distributed until about 1929 and I thought the car was purchased and Grandpa drove it into town about 1923.)

But the legend that he had the first car has been confirmed. Jerry McCullen’s memory has proven that it was true.

Another story was told by several relatives. It seems when my grandfather was young and successful, before alcohol had taken over, he was recognized in the community of Midland (MI) as a prosperous business man. One day he was approached by the town eccentric. The fellow wanted to know if Grandpa would like to go into business with him for $1,000 for a 50/50 ownership of a company he envisioned. My grandfather said no. The fellow countered with another offer, “$500, Mr. Brophey and we’ll be 50/50 partners.” My grandfather still declined and said, “No, Mr. Dow, I’m not interested.”

The eccentric fellow, Mr. Herbert Dow, went on to build the Dow Chemical Company – without my grandfather’s financial help.

Darn!!!

The other stories Grandpa told were of the “old country.” He told of Irish “wakes” which were traditional when someone died. Those occasions became heavy drinking times where the deceased was often taken from the coffin and propped up at the table to be “part of the party.”

Yes, my Grandpa Brophey was an alcoholic who was responsible for lots of unpleasant family situations. He was the opposite of Grandma who was a saint. But at one point Grandpa had earned respect as a Midland, MI, businessman and he was loved by Grandma, even if she didn’t approve of his drinking. When I asked her once why she didn’t “leave him” she just replied, “He’s my husband.”

When they talk about SNOW falling in Florida, you know the weather is strange. But we’re not alone. Our central Michigan area usually only has a few inches of the white stuff but they’ve had to dig out from 12 inches a couple of times so far this season and more is coming.

The average high temperature in Sun City Center for this time of the year is about 72 degrees. We have only seen 70 degree weather three or four times since we got down here in December!! Looking ahead, the next 10 days will continue to be in the 50’s and 60’s.

It isn’t fair. John’s health has been so bad but now he’s feeling pretty good but we don’t know for how long. He deserves sunny skies and warmth. We need to be able to get outside and enjoy our time down here in Florida.

Right now it’s raining hard and it’s only about 50. This is definitely not what they mean when they say the “sunshine state.”

My nearly 48-year-old daughter, Kelly, is currently facing a rough spell. I know she’ll cope and bounce back, but her life is currently filled with challenges. Kelly lives in California, in the Monterey area (a town called Seaside). She left Michigan about 25 years ago. We’re in Florida and Michigan. She’s across the country.

About four or five months ago Dave, her husband was “laid off.” He’s a highly skilled construction foreman and has never had a problem getting a job but it was a scare to have him “out of work.” Actually it didn’t last long. The Monterey aquarium heard he was available and hired him to work independently for them. (The construction company he worked for had some jobs at the aquarium so they were already familiar with Dave’s skills and work-ethic.) It’s a temporary job, but he’s hoping that the economy will turn around and he’ll continue to be employed.

A week or two ago Kelly was notified that her long-time at the YMCA would end as a result of total reorganization. She’s been working there for over a dozen years and has been responsible for several sites and school-age programs. She has about a month of employment left.

As if that’s not tough enough, she’s been quite ill for a couple of weeks with a bronchitis. Her cough hasn’t gone but she’s feeling somewhat better.

In an attempt to be helpful, we volunteered to get her a laptop computer. She hasn’t had one for some time and has just used her work computer for all work of that nature.

I found a HP laptop which looked perfect and bought it on line from Office Depot, but I didn’t realize that it didn’t have a DVD or CD drive. So I dealt with the local store and got an external one for her.

But now she needs to get Microsoft Office installed. There’s a 60-day trial on line, but it requires the use of high speed internet which she doesn’t have.

She was ready to get hooked up to AT&T high speed, but it required the purchase of about $100 worth of equipment. Costs just seemed to add up and she needs to watch her expenses.

I have the ability to set up a computer but Kelly’s not a techie. Her son (my grandson) Jeremy has inherited my love of computers. He’ll be home on leave for the next three days before he “ships out” with the Marines to Japan. Kelly is hoping he can make sure everything is purring on her computer while he’s home.

I’m anxious for her to get hooked up because then we’ll be able to use Snype (which is a free video phone system).

Today she’s going through the interview process for a different job and she’s concerned about that. I want to support her in every way. It’s tough try to fix things when I’m so far away.

We enjoy our condo but we’re realizing that there are some changes we’d like to make.

I think it would be lots easier to make these changes than to move again. But maybe it’s not cost-effective to upgrade our place. We know we need to weigh the pros and cons.

We need to decide if this is our “permanent” Florida home, or do we want to buy something else. If we spend money on our current condo, it’s doubtful that we’ll ever get any financial return on our expenditure. Improvements should be an investment in our own enjoyment. All the condos which are styled the same are worth about the same when it comes time to sell. If a unit has extensive renovation, it’ll still sell for the same price as the unit where nothing has been done. Maybe improvements would give us a slight sales advantage over other similar units if we ever want to sell, but it’s not wise to do it with the thought that we’d “make money” if we sell the condo. It doesn’t work that way down here.

Maybe we should look for a different unit and sell this one without spending more on it. But this unit has several pros that make it more desirable to us: (1) the view is fantastic and we haven’t seen many better; (2) any unit would have some shortcomings we may end up with a new “needed improvements” list; (3) this unit is very conveniently located; (4) our current unit has a very large, open living area which is unrivaled; (5) it’s unlikely that we could sell this condo now without taking a hit price-wise; (6) there is nothing available that we really like better; (7) our lot gives us not just a “view” but also space around our condo – others almost bump into each other; (8) we would hate going through another move and it does cost to move.

If we decide to stay put, what we put into the unit should have nothing to do with what we could get out of it. We would be doing it for us, not for a monetary pay-back.

“Florida is a state of mind,” was the heading of an article in the Tampa Bay Tribune today by writer Steve Otto. The story complained about California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comment that “Florida is for old people.” Mr. Otto wrote to debunk the myth that only old folks inhabit Florida by pointing out that it’s a big draw for families and has many wonderful features.

He is right, but I do see Florida as a place where a lot of the people are older. My view is skewed. I am in a 55+ community, yet I agree with him completely, “Florida IS a state of mind.”

It’s a “feel-good” place. It’s a place where citizens are quick to make lasting friendships. It’s a place where folks from all U.S. regions blend into a wonderful cohesive community.

Sun City Center, our community, is a place where folks sing out to “Sweet Caroline” and do the arm gestures to “Y-M-C-A” at our weekly Rockin Rendezvous gathering without feeling self-conscious. It’s a place where 90 year olds get out and shake their booty with abandon. It’s a place where we all show up on a hot day at the pool in bathing suits despite our body type. It’s a place where this Friday I witnessed lots of “old folks” on stage dancing “show-girl style” in “the Follies” and we paid $12 each to witness their performances which we felt was a bargain price!

Florida is a place where those who are advanced in age feel years younger than “up north.”

I feel the years fall away when I’m here. Florida is definitely a state of mind.

This is the third year John and I have attended “the Follies,” a stage production featuring local talent from the Sun City Center, FL, area.

The show was filled with excellent vocalists, and lots of dancers (tap, clogging, and show dancing). Since this is a “senior citizen” community, most of the performers are well over 55. In fact, I’m guessing that many of those in the chorus lines are in their 80’s.

We were impressed with their energy. And, some of those ladies had dern good looking legs. You can see what I mean in the photo.

The funds raised from ticket sales to these shows provide college scholarships for kids studying “the arts.”

Many of the vocalists have had professional training in their “earlier” life. Surprising, none have that “old” quality to their voices. They are all vibrant and enjoyable.

The chorus lines wouldn’t compete with Las Vegas showgirls, but they can still move beautifully and their legs are still impressive.

They did a great job!

I realize that down here in Florida, we’re always anticipating a good time and fun with friends. We are “anticipation” junkies.

We always have stuff on the horizon. It’s never more than a day or two from an event we’re anticipating.

True, the weather has been cold and lousy, but we always know that, in a few days, we’ll do something noteworthy.

Tomorrow we have a condo owners center-of-the-court meeting. Thursday we have Rockin Rendezvous and Friday the Follies. Sunday we’re invited to a Super Bowl party at Brenda’s and John’s. Monday we have a Pelican Players election and meeting.

Next week some of our northern friends are coming down and will arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday and leave Thursday.

I wish we lived at this tempo year round. But I know that, if we were here in June, July and August, we’d complain that “everyone’s up North.”

So we’ll do it the way we’ve been doing it – about six months in Michigan and six months here. We divide it up fairly equally. Starting with the winter months we stay four months here in FL. We arrive in mid-December just before Christmas. and stay until mid-April, then five summer months in MI (mid-April until mid-September), two fall months in FL (mid-September until mid-November), one fall-winter month in MI (mid-November until mid-December.) That’s our year = 12 months.

Life is never dull. We love the excitement of up-coming events on our calendar. Life’s great!