Friday, February 27, 2015

• Breezy, cool, high clouds, temp: 46, high: 60.
• After men's coffee at the Hall, we determined we did not have to set up chairs today.
• Jim drove to PT.
• Shortly after his return, we drove to Harlingen airport to pickup Denise, Randy, & Nolan after which we went up to the Longhorn Cattle Company for an afternoon sandwich.
• Upon arrival home, Nolan had to go for a bike ride on this Texas bike. So Jim & I followed. Short ride. But nice.
• After checking Denise family into their trailer, they all went over to McAllen Paradise Park for Bingo.

Here we all are last night at Dirty Al's Bayou Grill, helping Dan & Candy to celebrate selling their trailer

Here are Jim & Diane in the foreground with Denise, Randy, & Nolan at the top of the escalator.

Here's a nice picture of Randy, Denise, & Nolan in front of a beautiful tree at the Longhorn Cattle Company grounds.

At Wednesday's jam, here Keith has handed off the lead to the steel guitar player. I like that instrument.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

• Clear, calm, cool morning, temp: 44, high: 72.
• Jim & Diane were up at 5:30 this morning to help the crew with blood draws for blood tests offered here a couple times a season.
• We joined about 25 guys for Men's breakfast at Taco Fiesta.
• I have been closely watching the Smartwatch market, specifically the Band from Microsoft. It's been out of stock for several months, but recently I had heard, they were available. So mid morning I drove over to the La Plaza Mall, found the Microsoft store, and purchased the Band. So far, it's an impressive watch.
• Went biking with my new Band and posted my 4 mile ride on Facebook.
• A neighbor, Jan, stopped by to ask if I could fix her TV Remote that quit working. After fiddling with no directions, I finally got it working.
• Kathy called me after lunch and I got caught up on news from her family. Her big news is her car is worn out - needs expensive repair. So guess what they're doing this weekend. Thanks for the call, Kath.
• Late afternoon, Dave called to tell me about the MRI on his back he just had done at the VA. Don't know the results yet. He also caught me up on his family news. Thanks, Dave, for the call.
• Candy & Dan treated us all for supper at Dirty Al's Bayou Grill in McAllen as they just sold their trailer (They'll be moving into Irene's as soon as she moves to the nursing home).
• The video today was shot at the beginning of the Wednesday Jam at our Hall with the semi-professional players. It does get worse when the amateurs perform. The first soloist is Keith Ross who plays a blue violin.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

• Light mist, cloudy, calm, warming, temp: 42, high: 70. By 9 o'clock, the sun was shining bright.
• Jim went off with some guys to a polka jam
• I helped several guys setup the Hall for the afternoon jam. But it's already over 50, so I should be able to get in my bike ride today.
• Diane went for lunch with the girls. Jim & I ate jam food.
• and then went to the jam til Jim had to leave for PT.
• I left when the amateurs started to perform. But our maintenance guy, Martin, found me & asked that I go up to the Office to help solve a computer problem them had.
• I did and I did.
• At 3 o'clock, temp is 63 . . . mucho better. Guess I'll go for my bike ride. Yippee.
• Beautiful afternoon for a bike ride. Temp: 64. Sunny, light breeze, nice.
• This evening's entertainment: Dave & Daphne who were very entertaining. Daphne has a beautiful, well trained soprano voice. And Dave is probably the best guitarist we've seen in the valley. Enjoyed them muchly.
• And I have some special pictures/vids for tonight. But they take about a half hour to setup/load. So I'll have to send them over several days. Then you'll have something to look forward to. :-)

Dave & Daphne

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

• Very cool morning, calm, cloudy, light mist, temp: 38, high: 53.
• Went to the last Craft Sale of the season up at the Hall. Found a very interesting gift for our last graduating grandchild. I'm confident she'll be quite surprised.
• I finished up a paper for the office to give people who come in asking about computer support. It's entitled Computer Support Sources. If anyone wants a copy, send me a note. They've also asked me about teaching a computer class next Winter.
• Mid morning, we drove up to Bertha's barber shop to get our hair cut - all except Jim who has a private family barber.
• Napped after that rigorous haircut.
• Never got above 47, so I missed another day of biking. Ugh.
• Set up chairs & tables for evening's Bingo.
• Had supper with Bingo crowd, but returned to my Texas room to watch NCIS on TV.

Monday, February 23, 2015

• Dramatic weather change: light sprinkle, breezy, high clouds, quite cool, temp: 51, high: 53. Most of the day the temps were in the mid 50s. Never reached 50 again.
• Had 7 at breakfast with our Canadian friends.
• Upon returning, I called BobbieT and then went over to spend a couple hours on her computer problems. Narrowed the problem to either an old router or a very old computer or both. Probably haven't heard the last from this neighbor.
• Both Jim and Diane went for Jim's 2 PM PT appointment.
• And at 2 o'clock, it's still only 45 degrees and light rain. May not make my bike ride today.
• Spent a couple hours this afternoon at the Hall working on my Smartphones 2015 presentation that I'll be giving at RidgePointe in 6 classes later this year.
• Tonight I'm going to The New Shanghai Circus at the McAllen Civic Center auditorium. Show was very good. About 20 young Chinese people did a wide variety of balance and strength acts. Most enjoyable.
• No pictures from me tonight but lots on the 2 links in the above paragraph.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

• Cloudy, calm, warm, temp: 68, high: 84.
• With the doors on the Hall locked in preparation for the Sunday service, I biked over to the Burger King for morning coffee. Later I biked over to the Tierra Del Sol golf course relaxing on the driving range.
• Late morning, I went on my daily bike ride. Today I went into The Plantation for just over 3 1/2 miles.
• While Jim went to a car show with Bill & Gloria, the rest of us went to the El Dorado restaurant in Alamo for dinner.
• The movie this evening is The Grande Budapest Hotel which I have seen, so only Jim & Diane attended.
• Sorry, no pictures this evening. Maybe tomorrow.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

• Still windy, clear, warm, temp: 67, high: 86.
• First off, we went to the pancake breakfast at the Hall. And we never got home from it until mid afternoon as we had to start the setup for the Minnesota Get-together.
• The MN Get-together seemed to be a rousing success. We received many compliments. We had about 105 attendees. A pot luck meal was served. Candy was the MC. To start the show, she asked me to read, "You might live in Minnesota if . . ." (below)
• The gathering lasted till about 1:30 and then we had to cleanup the mess. 
• Afterward I returned for a much needed nap.
• Late afternoon, D&C, J&D, and Irene drove up to Pharr South for an evening supper and Bingo. I relaxed at home.
• With the high heat (87 degrees) & high winds, I waited till 6 o'clock to do my 2 miles bike ride around the park. Didn't feel too bad after my  last 10 miles ride.
• Below are pictures of the gathering as well as the "You might live in Minnesota if . . ."

Jeff Foxworthy on Minnesota OR You might live in Minnesota if, you might live in Minnesota.

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 28 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Minnesota.

If you're proud that your state makes the national news 96 nights each year because International Falls is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Minnesota.

If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too spendy", you might live in Minnesota.

If you’re local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Minnesota.

If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Minnesota.

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Minnesota.

If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Minnesota.

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in Minnesota.

If you know how to say...Wayzata. ..Mahtomedi. .Cloquet . Edina ..and Shakopee, you might live in Minnesota.

If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy, you might live in Minnesota.

If vacation means going "up north" for the weekend, you might live in Minnesota.

If you measure distance in hours, you might live in Minnesota.

If you know several people, who have hit deer more than once, you might live in Minnesota.

If you often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you might live in Minnesota.

If you can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you might live in Minnesota.

If you see people wearing hunting clothes at social events, you might live in Minnesota.

If you install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked, you might live in Minnesota.

If you think of the major food groups as beer, fish, and Venison, you might live in Minnesota.

If you carry jumper cables in your car, and your girlfriend knows how to use them, you might live in Minnesota.

If there are 7 empty cars running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time , you might live in Minnesota.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you might live in Minnesota.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you might live in Minnesota.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and of course, road construction, you might live in Minnesota.

If you can identify a southern or eastern accent, you might live in Minnesota.

If your idea of creative landscaping is a plastic deer next to your blue spruce, you might live in Minnesota.

If "Down South" to you means Iowa, you might live in Minnesota.

If you know "a brat" is something you eat, you might live in Minnesota.

If you find -10 degrees "a little chilly", you might live in Minnesota.

If you actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Minnesota friends, you might live in Minnesota.

Friday, February 20, 2015

• Breezy, clear & warm, temp: 61, high: 80. 
• Today was not a very good day. Everything that could go wrong, did.
• Jim had committed me to chauffeur a neighbor, Norma, someplace tonight. Knocked on her door at 9 AM, no answer. Knocked again at 1 PM, no answer. Finally at 3:30 after I talked to her sister, Mary, Norma came by to tell me that the event is next Friday. Ugh.
• Jim drove to PT at 9:30.
• Candy had asked me to sharpen 50 pencils for the Minnesota Picnic tomorrow and that there was a pencil sharpener in the library.
• At about 9, I went to the library, located the sharpener, but it was an El Cheapo that would have taken hours to sharpen 50 wooden pencils. So I went to the office to borrow their electric sharpener. It burnt out after sharpening about 6. 
• During all of this, I should have been helping to set up chairs for this evening's auction. Instead I was wasting time on poor pencil sharpeners.
• After Jim got home from PT, I drove up to Staples to purchase an electric pencil sharpener.
• Around noon, Jim & Diane drove down to Riverside Club for lunch & the associated polka jam. I declined their kind invitation.
• After unpacking my new sharpener, I sharpened the 50 pencils in about 20 minutes.
• The wind is blowing in excess of 30 MPH today, so I walked to Burger King for lunch.
• After lunch I took the new sharpener to the office to replace the one I had wrecked.
• About 3, Dave called to brief me on his appointment at the VA for his back. He was fairly upset as they did some very painful procedures. Thanks Dave, for keeping me up to speed on your health.
• This evening I'm attending the spaghetti dinner & auction at the Hall. Jim's on the dish washing crew. See picture below.
• The spaghetti was great. The auction is still progressing and will probably continue for at least a couple more hours.
• Jim & Diane left afterward to go to Bingo at Paradise Park in McAllen.
• Finally, the wind was just to high (over 40 mph) all day to ride bike. Ugh.
• The pictures below were taken at the Spaghetti Dinner & Auction at the Hall (& kitchen) this evening.

Everyone eating spaghetti in The Hall

Look who's doing dishes in the kitchen 

 Several up front examining the contributions to be auctioned later.

More contributions to be auctioned later

He looks like he's experienced at this job

Thursday, February 19, 2015

• Cool, calm, clear, temp: 48, high 73. Should be a nice day.
• Very busy day with lots of pictures. Yippee!
• First off, Thursday, we always join about 25 other guys from Paradise Park and drive to Taco Fiesta for breakfast.
• Late morning Jim & I loaded our bikes on Phil's bike rack and drove to Mission Nature Trail head, South of Mission near the Rio Grande.
• Biked on a trail through Retama Village with some very interesting Mexican style homes, complete with shelters for 40 foot motor-homes.
• From there, we bike about 5 miles to the World Birding Center Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley state park.
• After water, a snack, & local sightseeing, we headed back toward our destination, but rode on a waterway levee most of the way back.
• So all-in-all, we biked about 10 miles. 
• After reloading our bikes on Phil's bike rack, we drove along a stretch of the Rio Grande river levee near Chimney park, ending up at the Riverside Club.
• The club served food and had 2 large halls for old time dancing. In one of the halls, Phil saw a friend from Iowa, Barefoot Becky who played the accordion and was the band master of ceremonies.
• Had a short nap after driving home.
• Went over to Phil's last evening to watch the movie, Jersey Boys. I had seen it before, but it's still a fun movie to watch.
• And sorry I'm so late in getting this published, but I was pooped after that big day.

Phil & Jim on a levee near a bridge

The waterway for irrigation

We didn't have enough time to visit this center - perhaps next time

Phil & Jim near the park entrance - notice that you see Jim's teeth smiling - a first

Barefoot Becky's band on stage

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

• Clear, calm, very cool, temp: 42, high: 68.
• Jim left early to attend one of the last polka jams for the season.
• I filled the van with gas and went by the bank for some cash.
• Upon returning, I went over to BobbieT's and got her router and tablet working. Remember, I fixed the printer yesterday.
• Jim and I biked over to check out a couple more items on that used Hyundai that Amy & Tim may buy for one of their kids.
• Lunched at the jam on a fish sandwich (in recognition of Ash Wednesday, today) and listened to the first hour of the jam. After the amateurs started, I left.
• Jim left for his 2 PM physical therapy appointment, so I napped.
• Biked over to The Plantation again for a 3+ miles bike ride on a beautiful sunny warm afternoon, unlike yesterday. Temp at 3 o'clock was 68 degrees.
• This evening D&C and J&D drove up to the Long John Silver/Taco Bell restaurant for supper. Was quite good.
• Evening entertainment was to have been Jackson Haney, but he couldn't make it. So J. C. Bullock, an old time country singer filled in. We didn't attend.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

• Very different weather today from yesterday: high clouds, calm, cool, almost cold, temp: 44, high: 59.
• I know I've asked this question before, but why does 44 feel so cold down here and so warm up North? Ugh.
• This morning I went over to fix Bobbie Timm's printer problem. Problem was a corroded USB port on her computer. She also wanted her new tablet connected, but it's battery was dead. Maybe tomorrow.
• This afternoon Jim & I explored a used car for one of our grandkids. Sent pictures (see below) to Amy.
• Later I called my daughter, Kathy, to find out some info about my cell phone. Thanks Kath for the info.
• Too cold to ride bike, although late afternoon, sun came out and it was at least pleasant.
• Late afternoon I called my son, Dave to find out if he still needed a car for his daughter, Hannah. They do not. And thanks Dave for taking my call.
• After a Subway supper, J&D are up at the Hall playing Bingo.
• Below are pictures of the car Jim found for one of our grandkids. Seems to be in good shape & is reasonably priced. The worst problem appears to be a cracked windshield.

Monday, February 16, 2015

• Breezy, cloudy, warm, temp:68, high: 82.
• This morning, Amy, Tim, Mavis, Beth, & Brad have to return to Minnesota. They were up at 4 as Tim had to drive his Mom over to the McAllen airport for her 6 AM flight. Then he returned to pick up the others to take all of them to the Harlingen airport for their 8 AM flight. 
• Had breakfast with our Canadian friends at Taco Fiesta this morning. Had 8 in our group.
• Mid morning, I biked nearly 5 miles through The Plantation. Nice day for it.
• It is a very warm day today with the high nearing 90. Tomorrow's high only 63. Weird weather.
• Late morning nap.
• Today for the first time, Jim drove himself to PT. I think he's happy to be able to do that. Doctor says he's making very good progress. (But he cannot lift seed corn bags this Spring!)
• As mentioned above, early afternoon was very warm. However, a front come through and by 5 o'clock, the temp has fallen to 65. Feels cold.
• After supper, Phil stopped by saying he thought he had a virus on his laptop. So I went over, and indeed he did; in fact, he had 2 viruses. We removed them and now he's doing a full scan which may take several hours.
• Diane & Jim are playing Bingo & Cards, respectively.
• Sorry to tell you that I have no pictures tonight. But I'll take some tomorrow.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

• Very pleasant morning, clear, calm, warm, temp: 64, high 79.
• Sunday morning the Hall was locked till the 10 o'clock service. Hence, no coffee.
• So I walked over to Burger King for my coffee & breakfast.
• Went on a 2 1/2 miles bike ride in the morning.
• For lunch, we drove up to Willie's BBQ with the whole tribe. Their specialty is a 2 1/2 lb. potato stuffed with chicken or bee or ...
• Afternoon nap sure felt good after the big lunch.
• Everyone went swimming in the afternoon as it was warm.
• After swimming, we went to the ice cream social.
• Finally last evening, we all went to the free movie, The Judge. Good flick.
• Afterward we all said our good by's as the kids & Mavis had to leave about 6 to catch their plane flights.
• The pictures below are from our Saturday evening at Pharr South. First we had a Taco dinner. Then we (they) played Bingo. (Nobody won anything. Ugh.)

Our Bingo table: bottom to top: Dan & Candy, Jim & Diane, Mavis & Amy, Brad & Tim, and me (Beth took the picture)

Here I'm helping a neighbor lady who's having printer problems

When the Bingo calling starts, I leave for "greener pastures".

Saturday, February 14, 2015 (Valentine's Day)

• Another nice morning, high, broken clouds, calm, warm starlit, temp: 62, high: 78.
• Had a nice pancake breakfast consisting of Biscuits & Gravy at the Hall with the whole tribe.
• Biked 2 1/2 miles over through The Plantation about mid morning.
• Late morning Beth cut Jim's hair in the driveway (see picture below). Later Amy wanted to be in the blog, so we took a "selfie".
• Lunch was a celebrations lunch for Dan & Candy's 28th wedding anniversary at the Crab Schack.
• Then we drove directly for there to Don-Wes flea market where we spent most of the afternoon.
• Late afternoon, we left for Pharr South for supper, followed by Bingo. 
• While playing Bingo, Jim got a call from a Paradise resident re some problem. Jim asked me to go see her in case it was an emergency. Her stove oven pilot had gone out for whatever reason. After talking to Jim on the phone, we decided he could fix it after Bingo.
• Really busy day.

Friday, February 13, 2015

• Cooler morning, light breeze, clear (see picture),  temp: 57, high: 72.
• I drove Jim to PT while Diane fed our guests: Mavis, Tim, Amy, Brad, & Beth.
• Today was the last day that Jim needs to be driven to PT. His doctor says he needs another month of PT, but beginning Monday, he can drive. I'll bet he's saying, "Yippee!"
• While Jim was having his 90 minute therapy, I drove to a nearby Starbucks for coffee.
• As soon as Jim and I returned, everybody was ready to head for Mexico. So with 8 people, we drove 2 cars over to Progresso Nuevo in Mexico. We walked about 5 blocks South into the city. Along the way, all the women purchased a variety of Mexican items.
• And of course, while we were in Mexico, we had to have lunch at Arturo's
• When I got home I realized that I was missing my credit card. I knew it had to be at either Starbucks or Arturo's. A phone call to Starbucks said they had my card.
• So after we got home, Brad, Tim & I drove back up to Starbucks and picked up my credit card.
• Finally got home just before 7 PM which was too dark to ride my bike. So I missed that again. Ugh.
• Upon return to the park, everyone was ready to go swimming. We don't do that too much in February, so it is indeed a treat.
• I didn't get any pictures today. But I promise I'll take some tomorrow.
• Oh, I almost forgot, the sunrise was so beautiful this morning that I took a picture of it. (Ignore the previous paragraph.) A cold front was moving South. Hence the sky-blue-pink bordered by a huge cloud in the North.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

• Warm, pleasant, moonlit morning with high scattered clouds, light breeze, temp: 61, high: 73. Rain coming.
• Went to Men's Breakfast at Taco Fiesta. Had just over 20.
• Just as we got home it started raining. Had about a 15 minute shower.
• Late morning, Phil brought over his golf cart to get help from Jim on installing turning signals without any directions. Four hours later, it was finally operational.
• Got so busy with the turn signal project that I didn't get in my daily bike ride. Ugh.
• Late afternoon, we drove over to McAllen airport to pick up Mavis who will be staying with us over the weekend. We stopped at Taco Fiesta for supper.
• Didn't get any pictures taken today (Oops, see picture below), but should get some tomorrow as Amy & Tim and Beth & Brad are joining us for the weekend. 
• Finally, re the 2 baby pictures from yesterday, my brother, Jim, is on the left in the baby buggy, & my brother, Tom, is on the right in the high chair. Note Jim has his eyes shut for pictures even at that young age. Don't know the year of these pictures.
• Found a picture that I sent to Phil re our turn signal project. It's "greek" to me, but someone out there might recognize it. ;-)

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

• Pleasant morning, high clouds, calm, moonlit, warm, temp: 63, high: 79.
• With weather nearing perfection, I biked around The Plantation for 3 1/2 miles this morning. 
• After lunch at the Hall, attended the first half of the afternoon jam. After they started taking volunteers, I left as the quality fell dramatically.
• Had a nice afternoon nap.
• Tonight's entertainment is a country singer, J.C.Harrison. 'Fraid I may not like his show. But I always have a "wait and see" attitude. More later. After more research, entertainer was mostly "country" & "cowboy" music. So I stayed home.
• Today I have a couple of baby pictures for you. Can you guess who's who?

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

• Moonlit morning, cool, clear, calm, thin fog, temp: 53, high: 83.
• This morning we have the Minnesota Breakfast at the nearby Tierra del Sol golf course clubhouse. Only had 19 this time.
• From the clubhouse we drove over to The Zone to play Tuesday morning Miniature Golf.
• Also this morning, Kathy sent me a link on how to spot the International Space Station (ISS). Unfortunately it's not visible here in South Texas until the 22nd. But I signed up for electronic alerts so I won't forget. Thanks, Kath.
• With another perfect afternoon, I biked again over to The Plantation streets for 2 1/2 miles. 
• Candy's Mom, Irene, isn't up to attending some season tickets to McAllen concert series. So she gave me the ticket as she knows I love classical music. Tonight the show is Susan Egan who sings a variety of Broadway show songs. Should be great as I love show songs. It was an excellent show. Very entertaining. Very professional young woman. Beautiful voice. Well trained.
• No picture(s) tonight, but I'll get on it tomorrow morning. Sorry.  ;-(
• The pictures from yesterday are:
• Left: Roger & Gary
• Right: Gary
• But I'm not sure of the year of the picture. I guessed that I was about 5 and Gary was about 3. But we could be a year older than that even. As children, we were both small for our ages.

Monday, February 9, 2015

• Absolutely clear sky, moonlit, light breeze, nice morning, temp: 59, high: 81. 
• Had our regular Monday breakfast at Taco Fiesta with our Canadian friends, but only had 5 this morning. Since Jim had a 9:30 PT appointment, he missed the breakfast.
• Such a nice morning today, temp: 71, calm, sunny, I changed my complete biking routine.
1. I went in the morning rather than the afternoon.
2. I biked all around the adjoining housing development & golf course called The Plantation & Tierra del Sol.
3. I biked a mile further than previous, over 3 miles.
4. But it was a good trip and more relaxing with the change in the variety of surroundings.
• After lunch, Jim went to a polka jam with some guys. 
• Mid afternoon, I was to set up chair for the evening's amateur talent show, but the chairman just came by and said someone else had done it. That's okay.
• Mid afternoon, temp is 83, sunny, with a light breeze. Nice!
• Tonight we had our Amateur Talent show consisting of everything from instrumentalists to vocalists to dancers to poets to cowboys to bands. The Hall was completely filled using every chair that we own and then some. I'd guess 300 or more in the audience. All had a good time.
• Late this evening I called Kath & later Dan. I got caught up on family news and had a nice conversation with each. Thanks, Kath. Thanks, Dan.
• Finally, tonight I have some more pictures for you to guess who they are. As with many of these, they were taken at our tenant house on Grandpa Coulter's farm near Delavan. These you should guess right off as they're beginning to look more like their adult features. I'm guessing these pictures were taken in about 1944. Anyway, have fun.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

• Absolutely clear sky, moonlit, light breeze, warm morning, temp: 61, high: 81.
• J&D went to the service in the Hall.
• At 12:45, we leave for Martha's Taqueria Del Sol for noon dinner. Pork dinner was good.
• Napped
• On an absolutely beautiful day, I made my daily 2 mile bike ride. Temp got up to 83.
• Movie last night was Gone Girl. An excellent & enjoyable flick. If you haven't seen it yet. Do.
• Tonight, no guessing game. Here in Texas, we have an interesting way to observe Minnesota weather, watch incoming snow, & observe the status of the new Vikings stadium. We use the live shot of the picture you see below.

• The picture yesterday showed 2 children. They are Jim, on the right, & I'm on the left. Jim looks to be about 2 in this picture and I'm probably something like 6 months. So Jim's picture was taken at the tenant house on Grandpa Coulter's farm near Delavan in about 1946. My picture was probably taken in late 1939 in Los Angeles, California in the area of Culver City.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

• Warming trend continues, morning has broken clouds, moonlit, calm, temp: 56, high: 75.
• Saturday morning is pancake breakfast morning at the Hall. Menu was pancakes. Mmm . . . good.
• With the golf cart, I delivered 160 flyers from Candy on the Minnesota Get Together all over the park. 
• After lunch, Jim & Bill played Cribbage on the veranda.
• Then mid afternoon with the temperature at 72, I did my 2 1/4 miles bike ride. Absolutely beautiful afternoon. Coulda biked 10 miles again, it's so nice.
• Late afternoon, we went to Gatti's Pizza with Dan & Candy, Irene, Candy's grandson, Kyle, & grandaughter, Kyla for an early supper.
• After pizza, everyone except Irene & I played Bingo at Pharr South.
• Finally, today I have a really difficult picture for you. Guess who these two babies are.

• The picture yesterday shows our 1947 John Deere model B tractor hooking up to our Woods Bros. single row corn picker. The picture was taken over by the chicken house (between there and the hog house) on the Frost farm. I think it is my Dad on the tractor, although it could be a hired hand as us kids were too young to help much in the late 40s. He's probably going out for the first day of picking in the Fall of the late 40s. You can tell it's the first day of corn picking since there are no husks on the ground.

Friday, February 6, 2015

• Warming trend continues, high clouds, light breeze, temp: 52, high: 65. Today is the last day for a week with a high less than 70. Yippee! And only 4 days of remaining February with the high less than 70.
• Diane & Jim left early this morning with Wendy, taking her to the Harlingen airport as she's returning to Minnesota today.
• J&D and D&C drove over to Pharr South for a craft sale. They really went for Jim to get Biscuits & Gravy which they sell during the craft sale.
• I drove Jim to PT for his 10:30 appointment. Lasted almost 2 hours.
• After lunch with them temperature over 60, I biked my 2 1/4 miles routes around the park.
• This afternoon, Jim received some papers that needed his signature and returned to sender. The scan capability on his computer had never been used/tested. So 3 hours later I got the driver installed, the documents scanned, & returned to the original sender. But what a job.
• Late afternoon, I called Dave for an update on his family. He's still having back pain, but has an appointment at the VA to work the problem. Thanks Dave, for the update.
• This evening J&D are going to another park with the Sasse's to play Bingo. I'm going to a gospel show at the Hall entitled Kieth Ross Gospel Show. It was just so, so. It included 6 performers: Keith Ross, Jay & Tammy, Lafayette & Vada.
• And now for my pictures.
• Lots of people, mostly men, should know what this is a picture of & where it was taken & about the year it was taken.

• I'll give you the answer tomorrow.