Sunday 7-21 Boating

Boat Day

Sometimes we wonder why we still own a boat. Thirty years ago we moved to Texas and one of the first things we did was buy a boat. At the time we worked nights so we would go to the lake in mornings. Years went on and we bought a lot on a private ski lake (Aquaplex) just south of Austin in Creedmore, we then owned two boats, one for where we lived on Lake Travis and a tournament ski boat for Aquaplex. We would ski after work almost every day when the weather permitted. On the weekends we would ski twice in one day, in the morning we would ski on Lake Travis and in the afternoon we would ski on Aquaplex. After moving to Belton six years ago we have slowed down on going to the lake. The first year we went to the lake a lot but each year it seems to be less, this year we have only been to the lake six times, four in June and twice in July. It seems that I can always come up with an excuse not to go. I look at the wind and I see the trees moving so I say it's too windy, sometimes I am going to mow and I say I will be tired, other times it's because we're going square dancing. There have also been summers where we could not get into the lake until late due to the ramps being under water because we had too much rain. We also leave in August for our fall trip, before we started taking fall trips we would ski all the way into October. This is why we question why we have a boat. We always come back to we have a boat because we love water skiing, air chairing, wake boarding, wake surfing and swimming. We don't have to pay for storage because we built the house with a garage bay just for the boat. Back in the late 90's we hit a high of 94 days on the lake.

This morning the wind was down so we went to the lake. While there we both did a set of wake surfing and air chairing. This year the lake flooded and when the water was lowered the dock at Rogers Park was damaged. The other day when the Corp of Engineers put a chain and pad lock on the dock along with a sign saying not to use it. Without a dock Larry has to climb over the front of the boat to get on and off. The boat ramp was getting busy when we were leaving. After the boat on the trailer Larry pulled the boat outside the park so we could wipe it down. We had a super day on the lake. 

For the last two days the Bell County Expo Center had a mule and donkey show. We decided to go after lunch but when we got there the event was over and people were loading up and leaving, it was suppose to end at 5. On the way home we stopped by the Heart of Texas Goodwill Store. We walked around the store and found a couple of dvds (Hugo and Rango).

In the evening we watched Chocolate, we have watched this movie many times. It's a cute romantic movie. Afterwards we finished watching Cadfael. Then I watched a few episodes of Murdock Mysteries. We had a grand day. 

Saturday 7-20 Just Another Day

Smile and be happy

We didn't do too much to day. I didn't feel like doing anything. We hung around the house. I worked on my annual book and read. Larry read.

In the afternoon we watched some music videos off of YouTube.  While watching the television we saw a couple of hummingbirds come to the feeder, one at a time. We had to be fast in order to see them because they only stayed around a few seconds. The first one tried to get to the nectar through the main container and not the flowers. It flew away. A little while later another one came. It landed on the chain and worked itself down to the flowers and got a drink. It was fun watching the birds.

Relaxing in front of the television

    

In the evening we watched the movies Thor, and The Incredible Hulk. We have watched both movies before but we still enjoy them. While watching the movie I did my steps, which were 17,000. I also did a Jazz routine I know so I could get a little exercise today. We had a very relaxing day.  

Friday 7-19 Killeen Kickers Dance

Hanging around

Today I worked on my annual book and read. Larry finished reading a book.

Relax under the air conditioner with a good book

About a week ago we hung a hummingbird feeder off our back porch. Three days ago we saw a hummingbird drink a little nectar but it didn't stay too long. Yesterday, a hummingbird returned to the feeder so Larry decided to put a camera on the table so we could watch the hummingbird. It worked excellent. While I was working on my book yesterday I watched the hummingbird come multiple times but each time the bird didn't stay long, it drank from all the flowers. It was cool to watch. This morning we moved the feeder to another spot so we could watch the hummingbirds better. We also lowered it bit. I was a little disappointed today because I didn't see any hummingbirds. But I haven't given up, I'll continue watching for them. 

The feeder waiting for hummingbirds to come

After lunch I did my weekly housekeeping and a couple of loads of laundry.

Doing housework

In the evening we went to Killeen to dance with the Killeen Kickers. We had four squares of dancers. Christina Wiggins cued line dancing in between the square dancing tips. Dan Clairmont called the dance. He called seven tips. The club had a lot of delicious food to snack on. We had an outstanding evening of dancing with friends and to Dan. 

Dan Clairmont calling the Killeen Kickers dance

Sandra and Jose having fun dancing with friends

Rick, DeAnn and Bob enjoying the dance

Maureen and Ken promenading home

Lynn and Becky enjoying dancing with friends

Line dancing with Christina

    

Thursday 7-18 Thursday Dancing

Windy day

We had another windy day so we stayed around the house. I worked on my annual book, did some Sudoku puzzles and started another Brother Cadfael novel called The Heretic's Apprentice. I also study the C1 moves on Taminations.

In the evening Larry and I met with the Sundancers Thursday tape group. On the way to the dance we stopped by the UPS Store to pick up a package. It was Larry's Wish order. It surprised Larry because three orders were in the same package. Wish orders normally come from China.

An hour before the A dancing we danced C1, we had four couples. We struggled a bit because some of the tapes were complex. For the A dance we had exactly two squares for an hour. The dancing was very challenging. Dan had to do both dance and run the computer so it made it a bit more challenging. One couple left so the last half hour we had one square with three couples sitting out.We sat out a couple of tips. One tip Howard ran the computer and the other one Larry ran it. After the dance a square of dancers stayed and did a tip with Bob calling it. We had a very fun time dancing with friends.

Friends having a great time dancing

Howard running the computer

Friends dancing and having fun

Larry running the computer

On the way home we stopped by HEB. When we got home I finished doing my steps. Then I finished watching the 10th season of Murdock Mysteries. 

Grocery shopping

Wednesday 7-17 Bell County Museum

Fun Time

We started the day out by doing yardwork. I mowed the front and backyard. I started around 9:00 because I wanted to mow before it got hot. I mowed the north part of the frontyard and then went to the back. By the time I went to the back it was already getting hot and I was starting to sweat. It took me about an hour. While I was doing this Larry weedeated around the edges, around the trees and our new neighbors fence in the far back of the backyard. Then he blew out the garage and cleaned the window sills in the garage. When I finished mowing I blew off the front porch and driveway. Larry filled the lawn mower with gas.

Afterwards I finished reading Cadfael, The Rose Rent.

Larry has be wanting to go to the Bell County Museum so in the afternoon off to the museum we went. We have not visited the museum in years. Part of The museum is housed in the old Carnegie Library, it was the Belton Library from 1905 until they built a new one in 1975. The entrance has a great statue about the Chisholm Trail. The museum has two floors with displays on the history of Bell County and a display that is continually changed. The current changing exhibit is on the early years of The Rolling Stone magazine. It was interesting reading about some of the artists the magazine covered. The local group from Temple, Little Joe y la Famila has a large display, it told the history of his career, present and past. The second floor had photography from local photographers. There was also an area set up for children to draw. There were beautiful miniatures of buildings from the surrounding area. As we were leaving we noticed an area near the old entrance with a display of mustache tea cups. Two different families donated over 200 cups, some of them are left handed cups. The gift shop sells books about the history of many Bell County towns, who would have thought someone would publish books on a town as small as Jarrell. We had fun walking through the museum. 

Bell County Museum

A book on the history of Jarrell

Little Joe display in the Rolling Stone Magazine area

One of the displays on the history of Bell County

A miniature of the Bell County Courthouse 

Some of the mustache tea cups

On the way home we stopped by the Scott & White Hospice Thrift Store. We were looking for a lamp to replace one that broke. As we walked through the store we saw lamps all over the store. We were lucky and found one we liked. We also found a movie on dvd about president Lincoln for $3.00.

New lamp

When we got home Larry converted the dvd to allow us to steam it to the TV. We thought the dvd was the Lincoln movie that was made in 2012 but it was a mini series that was made in 1988. It starred Mary Tyler Moore and Sam Waterston. It was about Abraham Lincoln's life after he was elected in 1861 until his death. It was very good.

After watching Lincoln I watched a few episodes of Murdock Mysteries. 

Tuesday 7-16 Prime Stuff

Chilling Out

Every year Amazon has Prime Day, it is a day where they offer special discounts on lots of different products. Yesterday was the day. Larry had a list of things he was wanting, some of them didn't come on sale but he did find a few things. Amazon is amazing, ordered the items on Monday (along with millions of other folks) and they arrived the very next day. You might be surprised by a few of the items. We like Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal for breakfast. We found packages of 48 for as little as $6.70. We bought Maple & Brown Sugar and a 4 Flavor Variety Pack. Usually we buy a pack of 10 for $2.50. We have a four color pen made buy Bic that we have had for many years and love. Amazon had a pack of three for $4.05. Awhile back Amazon came out with a clock that works with Alexa. You ask your Alexa device to set a timer and the clock will count it down. It is so cool. It looks like a clock and has dashes around the face to track the timer or timers. I set a timer for nineteen minutes and it lit up nineteen dashes, when it had one minute left the whole clock lights up and counts down. When the timer is finished it flashes.

Oatmeal

Bic multi color pens

  

The Amazon Clock timer set for nineteen minutes

What the clock looks like when the timer is finished

I spent the day reading and finishing up laundry. I also did the Event Solitaire Challenge, which was called The Hard Road. I solved 16 different hard level Solitaire games.

In the evening we watched a couple of episodes of Cadfael. I watched a few episodes of Murdock Mysteries.

Monday 7-15 Last Plus Class

We started the day by going to Walmart to get a piece of foam board, as we were headed to the cash register they were putting out rotisserie chickens. We love their rotisserie chicken and we had not bought one in a long time so we picked one up.

Years ago Larry built a box from foam board that covers our whole house water filter but when he installed the new Stream Labs Control Leak Detector the box wasn't long enough. He wanted to modify it by building an extension. He cut out the pieces he needed and glued them together using hot glue. Before gluing the new extension on he cut a hole in the front that allows him to see the front of the Stream Labs Control Leak Detector. Once the glue dried on the extension he glued the extension box to the old box. Then he put the cover back on the water filter.

The water filter system without the box

New extension for the box

The finished project, it looks great

 While Larry worked on his project I did some Sudoku puzzles. For lunch I cut up the chicken we bought.

After lunch I worked on my annual book and read a couple of chapters of Cadfael. I also did a couple of loads of clothes. Years ago we quit using dryer sheets, instead we switched to dryer balls. We have been happy with the dryer balls but lately is seems our clothes have not been coming out quite as soft so we picked up some dryer sheets. I used them today and the clothes did seem a little softer, we will see.

In the evening we went to Sun City to dance with the Sundancers. Today was the last Plus class. We had four squares. Brad reviewed all the moves and introduced us to the last move which was Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears. We're still going to continue to meet at 5:00 to review and practice all the moves. Class members have learned all the moves but need floor time. After class the weekly dance began. Some friends from Killeen showed up, we hadn't danced with them in a long time. The dance started out with seven squares but by 8:15 we had two squares so Brad decided to change the dance up. He had the dancers move from one square to the other square and back. It was a lot of fun. When this tip was done most of the dancers had left except for six couples. Jeanne and James decided to clean up the hall. The other five couples were Advanced dancers so Brad called a couple of Advanced tips. One of the couples is currently taking A lessons so he called at their level. We had a super time of dancing with friends and to Brad calling.