Birthday Wishes and Safe Travels!

Jon & Donna, and many, many others

have left in the past few days for points west, north and east.

Trying to escape the heat and to reconnect with family and friends.

Of course this morning there is a distinct chill in the air

and the humidity is gone!

Not to worry.

It'll be back soon.

Last night Dr. Bob & Catherine came over for a

 clean-out-the-fridge dinner, and to celebrate his birthday

(it's today!)

Safe travels to everyone, and a big birthday smooch to Bob!

Brain Drain...

Hey Peeps!

As you travel north...

or west...

or east...

Send me your travel stories,

your vacation photos,

your observations on life, liberty,

yadda, yadda, yadda!

My brain is just about drained.

I need fodder.... 

Anything you deem blog worthy!

Gracias!

Update on the "One Armed Bandit" and othe peeps!

Barry is home from the hospital and recovering...

Joy is ready to dance the macarena after knee surgery...

Jim has x-ray vision, as does Roy...

and now to "the bandit"....

John is on a pain pump and feeling no...well, pain.

His surgery went well and because of the pump has not much discomfort, but, according to Sue, "There's nobody home."

Tomorrow will be better yet.  Home by Friday is the plan.

A wow moment...his roommate's name is John. 

 John's wife is Sue. 

She's a nurse, and he's in for shoulder surgery.

How freaky is that????

Food Porn

I've been either very busy or very lazy lately

and haven't done much blogging.

First there was Jim's cataract surgery and I had to play nurse

and be all supportive and stuff. 

Gag.

I'm a terrible nurse.

 I'm all..."Just get better already and quite bothering me!"

Then, after his first eye was done I celebrated by running off to the Alsace region of France with our daughter...had a fabulous time and didn't feel guilty at all. 

Friends and neighbors took pity and fed Jim

and kept him entertained.

When I got back he had his second eye done

and I got to play nurse all over again.

Yay!

There have been lots of soon-to-be-goner events, water volleyball, gardening, shopping, doctor visits, etc., to keep me hopping.

We had an annual liver fest feast over at Joey & Barry's...delish!

Guido and Barry cooked the liver and onions...I forgot to find out...was that liver from the famed Saddletramp Ranch?

It was succulent.

The rest of us gourmets brought yummy treats.

I've been inspired by my recent French cooking experience...brought some French treats.

  Chicken liver pate and onion tart.

This is a picture of one of the duck liver pates I ordered in France.  My chicken liver pate wasn't quite this fabulous,

but it was pretty tasty.

And my tart wasn't quite as good, but almost!

I've been consumed with food lately...and consuming it as well.

Next I'm going to try to create creme brulee.  Look out, Jim has a butane blow torch for caramelizing the sugar top.

  I have the fire department on speed dial.

But reality has reared it's very ugly head.....

I have developed a hernia around near, under? my new stomach. 

 THAT'S the bulge..I AM NOT PREGNANT!

Could it be from eating too much?

So more surgery for me next month.

Boo-Hoo!

Book Club News

The Book Club members have an email list so this info has been sent to all in the club...but....the Book Club selections are so interesting, entertaining, educational, that you may want to check out some of these books even if you aren't "clubby".

***

From our esteemed leader and chief book worm...

here's Louise!

*****

Dear Friends, Three items--no, four:

 (1) Thanks to all of you for making our last book club meeting a great time, and thanks to Cher for bringing a new member,

Peggy (of Peggy and John),

(2) The Help has been made into a movie and will be released in August of this year. We have got to plan a group attendance at that show, even if we are all in different cities!

 (3) I've been asked to provide a second copy of next season's books and here it is:

November, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving,

December, The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III,

January, Alias Grace by Margaret Attwood,

February, South of Broad by Pat Conroy,

March, I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg,

April, The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger.

 (4) Some of you have also asked for the list of all the books that were on our list and here it is:

besides those chosen there were also,

 Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis,

Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese,

American Jezebel by Eve La Plante,

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosney,

The Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue,

 Saving Cee Cee Hunnicutt by Beth Hoffman,

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner,

A Time to Keep Silence by Patrick Fermor.

Enjoy and have a great summer. Hugs, Louise

Yikes! Cyclops Man Clone!

Lovely message from Cyclops Man North.

***************

Bonjour from Québec,

the little France in Canada...

Glad to read you enjoyed your trip to

France and came back safe, after drinking

and eating of the sort.

 

I'm glad Jim got his other eye fixed.

 

I'm sending a picture of myself when I

fell down in the shower some 9 years

ago at SPR.

 

Do you find any similitude?.....

 

Miss you all so much already.

 

Francine sends her regards also.

Raymond C

Cyclops Man

Since I got back from my

 calorie laden,

stupor inducing,

wine & food extravaganza in France,

I've been busy catering to

 "Cyclops Man".

He had left eye cataract surgery done before I left,

 right eye was done this week.

 Jim has to wear a night shield over both eyes to sleep...and he is a sight to behold, I'll tell you!

***

Our Peeps are having lots of bionic replacements done to keep us spry in the years to come.

Shoulders, knees, hips, backs...

"6 million dollar" men & women...or, with inflation,

let's make it 10 million!

***

The season is winding down. 

Weather is warming up

(tho it's been downright cool the last few mornings).

Onion harvest is in full swing...ummm, the aroma!

***

Toodles for now...SueZ

Back From France.

Bonjour, I am home!

Wonderful journey thru the wine region of Alsace,

 near the German border in France.

Daughter Melinda and I

wined on Riesling and Pinot Noir

and ate pate, cheese, duck sausage, escargot,

 walked thru cobbled streets,

explored castles,

and did I mention...drank many petite carafes of vin?

for a week.

Burp.

I think I may be fromaged out!

Gorgeous country!

But it is VERY GOOD TO BE HOME!

Bonjour!
Want to follow my adventures in Alsace? Go to daughter Melinda's travel blog for outstanding pictures and amusing commentary on our French experience. Right this minute I am eating pate de foie gras and baguette, and of course drinking a glass of wine...read more at Melinda's blog....www.realwomantravel.com

Au revoire por maintenant!

Security Measures

Message from the powers that be:

As you are all aware we had a little incident

 a few weeks ago involving several teenagers breaking

into Sandpipers with resulting police activity.

In the interest of resort security it has been decided that

we need to wear ID name tags with lot number also visible.

*

Those residents owning premium lots have the option

of gold embossing around the edge of their ID card.

The tags of ordinary people with ordinary lots will be outlined in colors to match the Sandpiper palm tree/sun logo.

*

Tom will be available to take pictures

and lanyards will be supplied by the office.

 Check soon to have the best pick of colors.

*

The ID picture cards will be encased in plastic with an opening for folding money which will come in handy...buying food from Flip Flopz for example, or tickets to our many fun events.

It is requested that you wear your ID name tags

 inside and outside the park, for several reasons.

*

 First, it is a great way to advertise our wonderful resort (tho in keeping with local sensibilities we will leave the word "nudist" out and just have Sandpipers Resort prominently displayed.)

*

 Second, and perhaps even more importantly,

our residents are not getting any younger

 and a reminder of where you live may come in handy, not to mention if you forget your name.

*

I know most of you will welcome this increased security measure and your support is appreciated.

*

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