Approaching Christmas is different when away from family and friends.

                     Sun's up again 

Here we go again, another Christmas away. Even though being home for Christmas I remember time's that it was all done in a moment, then dinner then sleep and done. Another Christmas over. Often seemed alot of hub-bub for one day of celebration. This year we will celebrate together Polly & I here at the Crooked Hook RV resort, will have a nice dinner with friends here, and all going well I'll have a swim in the pool in the afternoon. 

Today is cool out, the Canadian winter has pushed down in USA for a day or so, then back to the warm weather we are now used to. Shower's are forecast for Christmas day, been awhile since I've swam in the rain. Be nice I'm sure. 

Coffee ☕ is good this Sunday morning, I still hear the highway traffic, but trucks seem to be less, and noise much lighter on Sundays. Yesterday we went to Fort Lauderdale, a busy place, with many expensive car's, beautiful beaches and fast moving traffic. We spent the afternoon with friends, friends Polly has known most all her life. Was a really fun time, listening to them yak it up about all the fun they had years ago. 

Was nice to travel again, we have been staying put alot, as Rambo is not doing well, starting is such a chore for him right now, really hard on the starter turning over with extra fuel in the cylinders from leaky injectors. Hopefully be fixed up soon. Part's be here maybe today. 

Christmas when you're away from what was the norm before is different, but still just a day where ever you are, well give phone calls, talk to whoever is available in our family, and close friends. Have a cheers at dinner, and the day will be done. 

The anticipation though, that's what I remember from the past. Always hurry hurry, then poof done. I'm glad we had all those times, and happy to have a more relaxing time here now. 

Sun is coming up now, 7:30, days getting longer from now on, we're our way to spring 🌱 now 😁 

Will have a few more cool days I'm sure, but still in shorts 🩳 I am, a jacket once in awhile in the morning, but mostly warm. That I really like. I remember the rain and cold and snow fondly, I'm happy to not be in it now. 

Retired and south, that was the plan, seems to be working out. 😎

Travel also, that's part of the plan, once Rambo gets fixed up we'll be looking around this state as there's lots we haven't seen here. 

I think I'll go for a walk about before everyone gets moving here. Polly just getting up now, be another great day 🤗❤️

Love our Life ❤️ 

4:19 No starlink signal since last night?

Our first outage that I couldn't figure out. Was easy, I asked support about it, a bot came on and listed all I could do in order, last was unplug the electrical cable and plug back in! Viola, done, like most everything computer, turn it off and start again, and all's well. 

We had an electrical storm south of here last night, I watched it as I was on my way to play pool last night, I'm thinking it did something to the satellite's. Who knows, we are back online now. A very simple system, a cord that leeds to the flat dish, and point it in the right direction, and away we go. Once we have connected, and are set-up, going on and off is easier. 

I couldn't go back to sleep thinking what happened, as it quit working when we went to bed last night, went to sign on in the bedroom TV, and no signal. After a bit of searching around, we accepted that no signal from our starlink, so off goes TV, and to sleep we go. But, when I woke, my brain goes to thinking mode, I had to get up and figure it out. 

I had to change some information on my credit card yesterday, so I could use an app here that would let me pay someone for a valve cover for my pickup, so I thought maybe the change I made yesterday to our service from 50gb a month to unlimited service had been rejected or something, because of my change in address on our credit card. But no that didn't affect it, just a blip in the system. 

I got up, made coffee ☕, and sat down to figure it out, and time is 4:19😊 I smiled, Chris was in my thoughts again. I do like the suttle reminders that come, nice to have the good memories. 🤗

Polly got up now too, she's playing her card game, drinking her coffee ☕ now, 5:11, way to early for her. 

I went to the pool yesterday, while Polly had friends over to play cribbage, she lost 4 games, was a tough day on Polly, not used to loosing in cards. They had fun anyway.

At the pool was a young girl and her Mom, Brindly is her name, she's full of energy, and wanting to get better at whatever she takes on. She's trying to learn how to do a really good backflip into the pool, I helped her by just getting her to try different placement of her feet, and in how she pushed off, but mostly she just kept trying it again and again. I said to her Mom, I wished I had that energy, she agreed.

Geckos here everywhere here, this one was really checking me out at the pool

Well all is good again, our really good internet is working again, coffee ☕ is really good, off to an early start today that's all. I'm sure I'll go back to bed sometime. 

Retired is good.

Loving our life at the Crooked Hook ❤️

4:21 when I look at the phone, always a reminder in the day! 😉

Not much happening today, a couple walks around the RV park, talked with a neighbor, and a few others. Stop in at the mail room looking for something I ordered. We called our friends in the island, had a good yak with them, always fun talking with them. Learned about a new show, Landman, with Billy Bob Thornton, had to watch it, we watched 2 episodes, saw it had the same guy running it as Yellowstone, so expect the same kinda rough talk with rednecks and wild behavior. I wasn't disappointed.

I also finished a book today called "To Have and have not." The show reminds me of that, spoiled kids & adults that think the world owes them, with people that have to work, have to do whatever it takes to make ends meet. I've seen that up close, still hard to believe, is going to continue to happen, as long as,... well forever I guess.

I the book a group of men die, the main character along with them. 

In the show a group of men die, but the main characters stay alive. 

I'm thinking a bit too much lately, not enough to do yet, I'm keeping busy in the evenings, but loads of time on my hands during the day now. Unthawed the freezer today, one small job done, I got a few more I wanna get done, just not real ambitious lately. 

Ordered parts for the truck, injectors I'm told is the issue, hope this resolves the problem. 

Still I have reminders every day, 4:21, that's a Christopher reminder, I smile 😊, mostly I smile now remembering him. But sometimes I feel sad about loosing him, he was just to young to go I think. I think about his son, and his fiancee, and his step-son to be. He had accomplished much in his life ❤️, with much yet to accomplish. 

Well that's the way it goes, ya just hike up yer pants, and carry on. At least that's what we're doing. 

Tonight here at the RV park it's bingo, I'm not loving it, but it is something different to do. Polly is having fun with it, I'm enduring lol. 

Poker Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday playing pool with a group that fun too. 

Sometimes it's hard to keep my head in the game. We learned another game here, cards, the game is called uker, it's fun, no money 💰, but fun, and meet all sorts of new people. We haven't gone to a dance here yet, but I'm sure New years 🎉🥳🎉 will be fun. 

Well still having fun here, all good in Florida, had a day of rain, but mostly warm and sunny 😎 days. Christmas coming soon, no big celebration, but will have a nice dinner here with everyone. 

I did stop on my way home the other day, after securing a mechanic that will change the injectors, I stopped at the outlet from the lake, I think the water going to the field's here for irrigation. There were so many people there, Saturday, day off and that what was the treat for the day. I could go anytime, Jet no desire. 

Love our life even when still ❤️

How small I feel looking at this!

The dyke built here has a paved surface 12' wide, (4 of my steps) that seems to go on forever, traffic goes by steady, even a solemn pedal biker 🚲 drives by, I'm just in awe as I walk and look at the size of this place. 

Looking at a map it's small compared to the size of the state,and tiny compared to the Great Lakes, yet if you try to look acros the lake, you can't see the otherside. 

The wind has started now, a calm breeze, but I'm sure it'll build as the day goes on. I'm in my shorts, tee shirt and a light jacket. This isn't exactly how I saw my winter, but still very nice. 

Beautiful start to my day here, something new for me, to look at the otherside of the highway, at the lake with it's birds & fish surfacing.

A crop-dusting plane ✈️ just started as I'm about to head down from the dyke, putting on a good performance. Wind will be light today then I'm sure, they only spray when light or no wind. The dyke block's the wind on our side of the dyke, so be ok anyway. 

After I watch the cropdusters performance awhile, I walk down off the dyke, slowly, (my left knees getting worse) then across the highway, and back to the park, crop duster still putting on a show for awhile. 

I tried to position the new starlink dish where it won't have an obstruction, but I think the tree is just too tall to get away from. I don't believe it'll matter, got a great signal anyway. 

Thinking of the amount of satellites up in orbit already, and thousands more will go up to complete the planned coverage, makes me feel small too. I'm shaking my head again at just how insignificant I am to the going's on in this world 🌎 

Well I'm important to me, so on I go, regardless the world's size. One step forward at a time. 

Today is bingo night, never thought I'd be old and looking forward to this for a little fun, but here I am 😁. Polly likes it too, even she was kinda surprised playing bingo, lol she called her sister, told her she's definitely a senior now, yes Lyn said you are. No Polly said, I played Bingo on Monday, so I'm saying I feel I've reached being a senior now. We all laughed 😂🤣

Well today be a pool day for me for sure, and another walk around the resort. Nothing earth shattering here today, still having the new dish gives us exceptional Internet now, that's nice to have. Be able to watch hockey and football, Polly able to watch what she wants too. I'll work on finishing the book I started, To have and have not, by Ernest Hemingway. 

Love this retired life here at the Crooked Hook ❤️