Day 4

Chilly here in North Port--the high today should reach 61! Larry and I both headed to Wally World to buy some warmer clothes for the golf outing.   At least the sun is shining bright.  We are heading to the Myakka Golf Course to play 18 holes with the 'gators.  Maybe I'll be lucky and play well; that definitely would be a miracle in itself.  It does feel wonderful not to be traveling in the car for a while.

The golf went well, cool,but sunny.  Jan won with a score of 98, Larry had 105, Lee 105, and poor me---114 !  "Gators were out, too,making it a great day.

Day 2-3

Day 2:  Left Troy, Alabama, in the rain…just misting.  Eventually drove all day in the drizzle.  At least it wasn’t snow!  We crossed the Florida State Line at 9:22 and landed in Cedar Key at 3:00 p.m.  What a quaint little town, full of old fishing docks and seaside hotels; lots of shops as well.  Our seaside room was huge with two sides with full-windows looking onto the Gulf.   Sipping cocktails while watching the seagulls and the waves—how nice is that?!  The high for today only reached 58 and tonight is will drop to the 30s…..ugh!  We can only hope that tomorrow will be much warmer by the time we get to North Port.

Day 3:  Left Cedar Key early--without coffee!  Had to travel 30 miles before we could find a cup of java!  Traveled 19 South down into Crystal River then headed onto 75 South.  Eventually we made it to North Port around 2:30--after we found Tervis Tumbler Company for new glasses for the neighborhood.
We are now enounced in Jan and Lee's home for the duration of the week.Tomnorrow...GOLF.

Off...and Runnin'

The adventure begins...  We awoke at 6:00 a.m. and were on the road by 7:05!  We left home with just a dusting of snow, with very little falling.  By the time we hit Interstate 64, the dusting turned into one or two inches and one lane travel-able road.  Our average speed was an amazing 52 mph !  I drove the first leg, and believe me, it was awful..even the truckers were slowed down in the slush.  Eventually, on the other side of Rend Lake the highway cleared up and I increased the speed to a whopping 65!  The further south we traveled, the better the weather.  We ended up in Troy, Alabama, for the evening...parked at 5:00.   Turns out we got the same exact room at the Best Western as we did in 2009 !  What a coincidence.!  More snow is predicted for southern Alabama for tomorrow morning.  Hopefully we'll be on the road early and will miss the shit!

Illinois Winter

UGH!   More Snow!

Need I say more ?

Changing Seasons!

Ah, February...the changing of seasons.   For most people, their yearly seasons consist of spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Not here at the Schurman Household ,for our seasons are different...  We celebrate The Traveling Season, The Boating Season,  The Football Season, and the Holiday Season.
February brings us The Traveling Season, that time when Larry and I begin planning, anticipating, and packing for our traveling adventures.  On the 14th of this month we leave for sunny Florida; our pit stops include North Port to visit my sister Jan, a side trip to Orlando to spend time with brother Dan, and then last, but not least, the month of March in the Florida Keys.  This is followed by Los Cabos in April, Tennessee in May, and Alabama in June (not to forget Carolina, too!)  Oh, there`s joy in Muddville tonight!  Hubby ( as well as most of my family!) know how I love to travel the open road.  I believe I was born a wanderer. Or...maybe I have the traveling gene of past generations.  
The Boating Season, of course, begins in June with the arrival of hot weather, warm lake water, and boats galore.  Family members and friends descend upon us, eager to begin the summer boating experience:  riding the pontoons, tubing the waves, skiing the boat wakes, and zipping along in the fast run-abouts.  Barbeques, beers, and brats are the rigors of our summer days!
The Football Season speaks for itself:  Sunday football, football, and football!  The "Football Pool" makes everyone a player, and for me, a loser for most of the weekends.  This year hubby and I did manage $40 wins.  
The Holiday Season, of course, runs Thanksgiving through New Year's Day which is the norm for all. I must say that the Holiday Season joy is directly proportional to one's advancing age.  The older I get, the less joy I feel.  I wonder why that is...
These seasons are my "Circle of Life".  As Thoreau once wrote:
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.

Here's a toast to your Seasons of Life!

New Year, New Me !

2010 and counting the days...dieting days, that is!    Eighteen days/ four-hundred  thirty-two hours/twenty-five thousand nine hundred twenty minutes of dieting!  Ugh!  What to show for it?  A loss of three pounds.  Three lousy pounds!  What the hey?  By now I expected a svelte, curvy figure peeking out from under the layers of winter clothes.  Instead, I'm still round.  I'm in shape, right?  Round is a shape.  What I really need to do is fatten-up everyone around me; that way I look thinner! Fat Chicks, come hither!  Generally in the A.M. I trudge myself over to the nearby gym and do an hour sweating to the blare of the "Golden Oldies"on the treadmill.  I use the other weight machines as well.  Someone suggested checking out the free weights.  I did.  I took 'em home.  I've even been using computer software to fine-tune my diet menu and food intake as well.  Man, I have even FORSAKEN MY MARTINIS and I drink low-calorie beer (which, by the way, tastes like water!)!  GIVE ME A BREAK!   As I get older, it is harder to lose weight; after all, my body and my fat are really good friends!  Mentally I flash a memo to my brain cells:  It took 62 years of living to pack it on, so why  expect it to melt away in 18 days?!  By my next blog, so help me, I'd better be five pounds lighter or I'll just decide to get rich quick by selling my shade!

2009 Remembered

Happy New Year to One and All!


Where did the year go?  In a blink of an eye, the days flew by and 2010 has arrived with its promise of hope and happiness.  Before the new year settles in I'd like to remember 2009.....the year we
........celebrated our 40th anniversary.
........dragged a huge palm tree back from the Keys with Larry saying it wouldn't fit!
........made a family trip to Pensacola and had so much fun we're making it an annual family to-do!
........explored the historic towns of Charleston and Savannah (another item to cross off our Bucket List)
........experienced a cancer-free year!
........finally got new flooring in the house.
........took the grandkids 30 miles out in the Gulf, fishing for red snapper and coming back in with their limit!
........gave up smoking cigarettes and cigars!  (now if I could only lose ten pounds!)


And the list could go on and on... but for now let's all look forward to what 2010 will bring.  May it be good health, much happiness, and lots of lovin' !