Full Day

This was a totally full day after a so-so week. Arne and I began the day by driving over 20 miles to a Leesburg Presbyterian Church where Stop Hunger Now had set up a food packing station. We were given bags of rice and spices plus soy for protein which we had to weigh to make sure they were 377-382 grams. Depending on their weight, we either took out rice or added it. We only worked 2 hours out of 5 but during our time, 60,000 meals were packaged. I think Arne and I packed several hundred of those. We were keeping the runners busy. I should add that our church gave its Christmas Eve offering to this project. Over $26,000 was collected. Many generous people!

From there, Arne went to his Saturday art group. I went to pickleball for an hour+ and then practiced bocce as our new season starts Monday. I then went to practice chipping and putting as Wednesday is the BMS (Bridgeport at Miona Shores) Championship Challenge with the women against the men. I think we're going to lose but who knows what the rules will be. I invited Arne to come to the "banquet." Tonight, we're watching NFL football.

Last night, we had neighbors, Brad and Roseann, for dinner. We enjoy their company and we seem to stay together four hours, a good sign that each other's company is appreciated.

We had another cold week and covered out plants three nights although only two might have been necessary.

I taught my ESL class Tuesday and Thursday and Thursday night attended the first session of my Spanish class. When the instructor handed out the review of last semseter's learning, I told the teacher I thought I should retake the previous semester's class. He said he didn't think so but would abide by my decision. By the end of the class, I decided I'd stay with this class, which is supposed to have more conversational Spanish and if I felt the desire to repeat anything, I'd repeat this class.

Granddaughter Kadin turned 10 yesterday. I sent her a book of her first 10 years, from the Swensen perspective. For now, that means little as the most important birthday present...getting her ears pierced! This is something she's wanted for years and Erik decided she was finally old enough. In the Spanish culture, they pierce ears at a young age. Of course, Gracie doesn't think this is fair.









Our beautiful grandson...


Gracie, Nick, Kadin and Taylor shopping for Christmas presents in Santa Fe.

Keeping My Resolution

My resolution was to play more pickleball. I played 4 times last week and played this afternoon so the resolution is lookin' good. Of course, we're only into the second week of the new year. :-)

Tuesday night, Arne and I were treated to an "Up Close and Personal" show at Katie Belle's with The Crystals. Our friends, Roger and Nancy, invited us to join them. The Crystals were popular in the early 60's for songs such as "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me" and "He's a Rebel." Only the gal in the middle is one of the originals. She started singing at age 15. The Crystals were preceded by 45 minutes of Rocky and the Rollers, a VERY popular group in The Villages. About 400 Villagers, including 24 from our Village, are joining Rocky on a Caribbean cruise the first week in February. It sounded like fun but it's on Oasis of the Seas, over 6000 passengers, which sounded bigger than we'd like. We'll see how it goes and maybe join them next year.

Thursday night, I led our book club discussion of "The Help." It's an excellent book. As someone who grew up in the Midwest, the novel gave me insights into southern life where many white women had black help who raised their children.

Yesterday, Arne and I attended a breakfast honoring Dr. Martin Luther King. Our neighbors, Dr. Lew and Barbara Jones, were the hosts as Dr. Jones is president of the MLK Commemorative Committee. Three young people were awarded scholarships, including a 16-year-old girl who just completed her first semester at University of Florida with straight A's. She graduated from The Villages Charter High School with a 4.7. The guest speaker was Val Demings, the first woman, also black, to be Chief of Police of Orlando. Her husband is Sheriff of Orange county. Quite a couple!

Basketball started up again after a month off for holidays. Talk is on the National Senior Games to be played in June in Houston. We're looking at fielding a team. Will see.

Happy New Year!!

Our weather finally warmed up and we were able to put the frost cloth away for awhile. Arne and I had a very nice New Year's Eve. We went to the 5 PM showing of "The Tourist" which was entertaining. After dinner, with too much food, we came home for an hour before going out again at 9:30. Neighbors gathered at a home down by the lake where we watched the "ball drop" at 10 PM and again at 11. We gathered on the street, drinking champagne, visiting and dancing to music provided by our friend, Roger. Here I am talking to Roger in his New Year's tuxedo.

This afternoon I played pickleball for a couple hours. My resolution is to play several times a week in 2011. Won't be easy to do with all my other activities.

The kids went snowboarding in New Mexico over Christmas. Here's a picture of Erik, Nick, Taylor, Kadin and Gracie. The girls like it better than skiing. Kadin called Erik today to tell him their mother took them snowboarding and Kadin got off the lift by herself. :-)

Lil E's Helmet

I mentioned in a previous post that Lil E would be sportin' a Bear's helmet and here it is. I think Erik has plans to decorate it more. And how about those Bears!

Merry Christmas

I put away the Christmas decorations today and before I know it, it'll be time to get them down from the attic again. We had a nice, quiet Christmas. Christmas Eve we planned to go to the non-denominational 6:00 candlelight service at Church on the Square. We left our house at 4:30 thinking we'd left plenty early. Wrong! There was a line of people halfway around the church and it's a big church. We quickly made a decision to go to the 5:00 service at the Presbyterian church we've been attending regularly. This was a contemporary candlelight service. There were four guitars, drummer, violinist and small chorus. The drummer was too loud for the singer. At one point, I saw the man in front of me remove both his hearing aids until the music stopped.

Since chili has been a Christmas Eve tradition, we stopped at Wendy's and bought chili to take home. (I think their chili tastes as good as mine.) After eating, we visited with Lisa, Erik, Nick, Taylor, Kadin, Gracie, Aaron2 and his friend Ashley through Skype. Erik was acting goofy, looking down over the top of the computer screen, like he was hanging from the ceiling. Speaking of hanging from the ceiling, Gracie told me they didn't have a stand for the Christmas tree so Erik put nails in the ceiling, which happens to be wood, and hung the tree. Always an engineer, that Erik! Some of them had bowls and when asked what they were eating, they of course answered...chili! Erik has had a houseful all week. They've gone sledding and snowboarding while Lisa stayed at Erik's cooking and acting like a "housewife." No wonder she invited me to join them and I was smart enough to decline. :-)

Here are some photos Arne took of the screen as we talked through Skype. Arne had put on his Santa hat so the girls put their hats on also, as well as the red noses. Pretty soon, they were all sporting red noses. You can see me in the lower right corner on the last photo. Sorry we didn't get one of Erik hangin'...





Christmas Day, we went to Nick and Polly's, neighbors directly behind us. She had turkey, ham and all the trimmings. I was feeling very uncomfortable by the time we left. I should have used some restraint and not tried to taste everything! We got home around 8 and there was a message from Aaron1. We called him back and had a nice visit. I asked what he had cooked for Christmas dinner. What else but..chili! He and his roommate, Jeremy, who plays saxophone, sang "Holly Jolly Christmas" to both sets of parents as Jeremy had called his parents also. The song sounded quite good coming through speaker phone. Jeremy's parents live in Pensacola, Florida, our first home as newlyweds.

I've been doing lots of reading in the evenings, as well as on the elliptical at the fitness center. Recently, I read Michael Connley's "The Reversal," David Baldachi's "Simple Truth" and Kathryn Stockett's "The Help" which is for book club. I will be leading the discussion at our next meeting.

It is soooo COLD here that I've stayed inside all day. It's not supposed to warm up until Thursday. No golf this week and probably no pickleball. Now, I know I'll never get my sister to leave Arizona and spend winter here. :-(

Since taking a core conditioning class two months ago, I've been sitting on my ball instead of a chair. It's supposed to be better for my "core." Arne decided to take a picture yesterday and as I look at it, I think it's spreading my core. :-)

Lil E is doing good

Lil E, AKA Jeffrey Erik, is back in New Mexico after successful surgery to open his skull. The surgeon said it was a textbook operation. To protect and reshape his head, he has to wear a helmet for many months. Erik said Lil E will be in a Chicago Bears helmet this Christmas. A heartfelt thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

Arne Made the Daily Sun

Our local paper had pictures from the holiday party held last Monday during Arne's favorite art class. I didn't look through all of the paper today, which is rare for me, and didn't know about it until a friend brought a copy to MahJongg, thinking I might want to send to family. In case you can't tell from my grainy copies, Arne's in the Santa hat. The man in front of second picture is Frank, the teacher and Arne's mentor. The class meets every Monday from 12-3 and Arne doesn't like to miss it. He practices for hours at home and I must say, his watercolor exercises are paying off. Even Frank says Arne is improving. :-)