12 Oakdale

After 4 years of participation, I resigned from the Tree Board. I have worked really hard, and I think I was helpful. Besides nagging continually that we should be planting native trees (please, no more crepe Myrtles that are so ubiquitous in Central Florida that the county agent thought they were native; I disabused her of that misinformation.), I worked really hard this year passing out the centennial tree plaques and creating a map of their locations. By last Thursday, I’d managed to get 64 of the 100 trees mapped, 60 of those photographed with the homeowners. There are about 6 remaining on private property, the other 30 are Town of Windermere trees, in parks or on right of ways. I know that doesn’t add up to the 100 Trees for 100 Years but that was never my problem/area of responsibility. I also created an album of the photos. Now Tree Board and Public Works can use them for inspiration and institutional memory. (The trees were to be visible from the street. Since we planted our lo...

I have lost 20# since my peak, following our Christmas Markets cruise and then Costa Rican birding trip. I can fit into all of my slacks with room to spare, including the several pairs of khakis I bought who knows why, a gazillion years ago. They will be my winter wardrobe. We are on that eat less, exercise more regimen. More vegetarian meals, less animal protein. I’ve also quit drinking alcohol, except for a delicious charred pineapple Paloma on our anniversary. Seems to be working.  Grant has lost 15#, enough from his waist so that his shorts, being held up with suspenders, looked like the old clown in a barrel routine. I refused to be seen with him until he bought new clothes.  His first order was for 42” waist shorts, which looked like ruffle tops when he tried them on with a belt. Nope, back they went. Second try was 40” waist. Much better, even a little loose. I am hoping these will be too big in a few months. In addition to looking and feeling better, he is snoring at ...

Obsessing, rather than tackling the projects and decisions I must make has not helped with my tiredness. I decided to ignore the yard for a couple of days and work with my mind. First up was the plaques I must give out for the Town of Windermere Centennial Trees. Saturday morning, I downloaded the spreadsheet Vicki sent listing all the recipients. I added the others our Public Works director sent. I spent the next hour or so texting/emailing the 30 families, letting them know when I was available next week to present their plaque and take their picture. By the end of the day, I’d scheduled 9 families on Sunday, 2 more on Wednesday, heard from 2 people who had not received their trees (one lady thought a tree was being delivered!), learned 1 woman who moved and was selling her house, and arranged for several others who are now traveling to contact me when they get back.  Getting that process started is 1 thing off my mind. It will just keep rolling, although I am skeptical we will h...

We were 23 miles from dropping Peg at her cruise ship in Port Canaveral, when the truck’s “low fuel” indicator came on. We had 20 miles of gas left, on 528, in the middle of nowhere. Grant had forgotten to fill up when he went grocery shopping, and I didn’t think to check the gauge before we left.  Usually I cherish this last unbuilt area of Central Florida. Now, not so much. Fortunately, with Google Map’s help, Peg found a set of gas stations just one exit south of the 528 and I95 intersection. We rolled into the BP with 3 miles to spare. Who needs cardio exercises when we can just scare our hearts into racing? All good. We’d given ourselves plenty of time to have lunch at Grills before she left on her bluegrass cruise to the Bahamas. Grant and my trip back to Windermere was less eventful, and I certainly will be sure the truck is fueled up before we pick her up on Friday. Saturday I volunteered at our ToW Tree Board’s annual tree giveaway, stationed where we actually load the tre...

And just like that, the pandemic is over. Yesterday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control announced that fully vaccinated Americans could do anything they want, close in and unmasked, indoors and out. Except at places that still require them, like airports, planes, and hospitals. Of course, since only about 40% of American adults are vaccinated, and those that refuse to be are the most adamant about not wearing masks, I wonder how this will all play out. The mutants are among us. I am in San Diego for a few days to get a quick visit before the summer. No gardening or lifting grandchildren to give my shoulder a rest. Even with physical therapy, ice, and ibuprofen, it still hurts like the bejeezus. I continue with the exercises, graduating from 1# to 2# weights soon. Would that the CDC could declare my aches over too.  Bella and Doug In the mean time, I sit and watch hummingbirds bathe in Mary’s fountain and lesser goldfinch eat niger from the bag she hung right outside her fr...