Sun, rain, and bargains

Everyone loves a bargain, and everyone needs things. Thus arose the outlet mall. In Orlando there is a boulevard call International Drive. It runs from Universal Studios on the north to Sea World on the south.  But there is a spur going east from the north terminus, and that, my friends, is where you’ll find the largest outlet mall in the Southeast.

Sandy and I each needed some shoes. More correctly, she needed shoes and I needed flip flops (plus, of course, an article or two of clothing). The 6 o’clock alarm is silenced at 5:45 and we don’t get an early start. It’s 10:30 when we arrive. Big mistake. We got the last wheelchair accessible space, and it was in a lot at the far end from the shoes.

By 11:30 we had “bought 6 and got 3 free,” but not shoes, and we were at the food court. Breakfast had been skimpy, and there were seats. We opted for Panera. Sandy had salad. I had half a sandwich, a small salad, and a gallon of the ginger, hibiscus, whatever iced tea. Shoes? Well, there’s this shirt in a window and a clattery cart going by. “Go in there,” I called to Sandy over the noise.  Somehow  I managed to emerge with just the shirt. On to shoes.

“Does the buy on, get 60% off the second apply if we buy 4?” A bit later we emerged with the large green bag filled with plastic shoes and flip flops. Then it was on to real shoes for Sandy. One style she liked fit well, the other didn’t. Calling the trip a success, we began the trek back toward the car in the 94 degree (34 Celsius) summer sun.

Behold, Nautica. “Can I look in there? We can cool down.” So cooled down and 6 more articles of clothing in the bag, we plunged into the rising heat. Why are outlet malls so hot or so cold? Halfway to the car we encountered Starbucks and a grande, iced green tea.

As we are clearing the heaviest of the metro traffic, there is lightning up ahead. By Lake County, we met the rain. Wow! A good thing happened, though. The rain removed the bugs the $13 car wash had fail to cut.

Before I put any of it away, several things are going to leave my closet. We spent the better part of today in there. At least it was air conditioned and dry.

Thank you for stopping by and joining us in the sun and rain. I love to read your comments.

Pictures: Main picture: George is in his wheelchair looking into a shopping bag. He is holding that bag, 2 large black, plastic bags, and a large green bag. His blond hair is messed. He is wearing glasses, a blue shirt with white stripes, white shorts, and flip flops. Smaller photo: Light green background with large, red print reading, “Outlet mall. Got 2 things I needed and 5 things I didn’t. Think of the money I saved.

 

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Roaming around Animal Kingdom

It is hard to imagine that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is 20 years old. Today Sandy and I went to what is becoming our favorite amongst the Florida theme parks. A few months ago I wrote about our visit to Beautiful Pandora. (Click or tap the link to read that entry.)

This time we visited Asia and Africa. Let’s digress… Animal Kingdom is huge. Most Disney parks take more than 1 day to truly experience. Today was the most people we have seen since Christmas Day a few years ago, so we chose quality over quantity and made no effort to explore the whole park.

Lunch is not for the person with a thin wallet. My $15 Kobe burger with fries was actually quite good with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and an authentic asian pickle. Sandy’s $11 honey chicken was excellent with tender white meat, nicely seasoned. No one ever said a good lunch in a theme park is cheap. We got a nice, outdoor table nestled between some lovely plants and the “market” that touts brass pots. We took our time and enjoyed watching people.

After a bit of shopping came a difficult decision. Left past the soft serve ice cream truck toward Expedition Everest or right past the Dole Whip stand at the edge of Harambe in Africa. We have good soft serve near home, so Africa it was. After a stop for more hydration, we decided to work our way toward the exit. I’d pushed myself much of the time, and there is only so much energy for my MS and me to share.

The vegetation was beautiful, of course, but the spring greens were at peak today. Orchids, as well. Next time we might be well rested and go in the evening. And where will be eat dinner? Starbucks for a turkey sandwich? Maybe. You never know.

Thank you for stopping by. I am so thankful when you do. It was a fun day, and I’m glad Sandy and I got to share it with you. By the way, the temperature reached 88 degrees (31 degrees Celsius). It was definitely warm.

 

 

Photos: Top photo is a green sign reading Disney’s Animal Kingdom with a large number 20 to the left. Second photo is the side of a building with a sign reading Brass Pots, an old light fixture, and 3 well worn brass pots. Third photo is the required selfie with George and Sandy. George is wearing a large, straw hat, sunglasses, and green V-neck tee. Sandy has her long hair down and is wearing sunglasses and a striped top. Fourth picture is an area of greenery featuring orchids with yellow flowers.

 

Replanting and writing again

I’ve been planting again, and hopefully writing will happen, too. In the post Winter solstice and the patio  I showed some crotons and dusty millers that we put out before Christmas to replace those that died in Hurricane Irma. All except the dusty miller froze out during the record cold that followed.

With the arrival of spring, we are not so pressed for time and have planted the beginnings of a hedge of rosemary. This friendly herb will grow tall, likes the sun, and be tolerant when I don’t get it watered. I hope.

In the front, Sandy and I have been trimming up a potted bush whose name I haven’t a clue. It is green with red blooms and flourishes in Central Florida. In front of it I replaced two red pentas that also died in the freeze.

Writing again… I have a “new” writing table. Finding one hasn’t been quick, though I’ve wanted one for some time. My legs just barely fit under it, but how much clearance do I need? They fit. And the table fits the style of our home. It even fit the budget.

So things are happening slowly and, to be inaccurate, surely. Thank you for stopping by. I am always grateful that you did and love for you to make comments.

Here’s a little smile for those who managed to read this far. It’s a bloom on our magnolia tree, which is just off the patio in the back.

Top photo: Raised, brick patio with planters along the edge and a Greek style, white statue in the background. Planters contain new crotons, a tall grass, and some dusty millers. Second photo shows the same planters in close up with new, hand high rosemary plants, an ornamental grass, and a dusty miller that survived the freeze. Third photo is a large plant with long green leaves and red, trumpet-like blooms hanging down with 2 small pentas at the bottom. Fourth photo is a writing table, well worn off-white color, turned wooden legs, and 3 drawers. On the table are a writing lamp with green glass shade, writing tablet with Sharpie, reading glasses, laptop computer, large Donald Duck mug, antique style magnifying glass, and a tray for mail. 

An afternoon conversation

Please join me in a bit of conversation. What is on your mind? I’d like to hear from you. In the meantime, I’ll ramble.

Things have been chaotic and energy consuming. The elephant in my room is my wheelchair, to which you will notice I am not confined. Trust me, it’s just out of the picture frame. But it is fatigue that bothers me most, and I’m finally at the end of an MS exacerbation. Thank goodness.

I am getting a new writing desk! Since we moved two years ago, I have captained the small desk in the kitchen that should belong to Sandy. (The desk, not the kitchen. We’ll talk about the kitchen in an upcoming post.) It will be better for both of us, and I will have more opportunity to plan and write.

Have you had your eyes checked lately? This is an eye doc talking, and I’m reminding you to get it done. I had a very thorough, dilated exam last week. Glaucoma is something that needs to be watched for, as for most people it can be stopped or slowed. It is important to check the retinas and the optic nerves. Of course, there is the chart and “which is better, 3 or 4?.” By the way, it is not a test with correct answers, and they might look alike. I had a slight change in my glasses Rx. The doctor and I talked about my light sensitivity and how to manage it. She had some helpful ideas. So go – just do it, please.

It has been a rock and roll afternoon with the severe weather alerts going off every few minutes. We had planned to go to Epcot today, but the forecast called for severe storms, which we are getting as we speak. It feels like a hurricane with intense lightning and thunder. The flower and patio show is going on. We have a few days open, so maybe I can share a few pictures.

This has reached the end. There is only so much you want to hear. Thank you for stopping by. Step or roll out onto the lanai and join me on the outdoor sofa. There is a fridge in the garage stocked with whatever you’d like – and dark chocolate.

Top photo shows George sitting on an outdoor sofa. Blond hair, brown aviator sunglasses, white sweater with blue stripes, blue pants, blue Converse shoes, and a small cross around the neck. Legs crossed, hands folded on the knee. The bottom photo is 2 Hershey’s Kisses with purple wrappers indicating the dark chocolate.

Orange hat and sunglasses

It has been awhile, and I apologize. Things have not gone exactly smoothly. After reacting to a new medicine in October, one side effect led to another as I felt like I was on a downward spiral. My multiple sclerosis reared its ugly head, as well. A few weeks ago my doctor and I agreed that it was time to stop all new things and let my body clear itself. It has been slow, but I think we see progress.

I had hoped to be back in the gym and on my bike, but stretching and light exercise are as far as I’ve gotten so far. With spring suddenly here (remember I’m in Florida) I feel better, and the pool will soon be ready. Next week I’m going to get some sun, fresh air, and relaxation. I’ll have new books on my Kindle and audiobooks on my phone. I’m not going to stress over anything. This is it. Do it, George.

Sometimes things go badly. The point is to try and keep our heads clear and our spirits up. Sandy has been my guiding angel. Several of you have done much to help, too. Things are looking better, thank you.

By the way, I realize that clothing combination is not exactly “correct.” Sometimes it is good to simply have fun and disregard what someone else might think. There is a fun person inside all of us just wanting to be given the chance.

And thanks for stopping by. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share with you. I appreciate your comments, too.

Picture shows George in front of lush foliage with a waterfall. He is wearing an orange hat, brown sunglasses, bright green shirt, jeans shorts, and flip flops. He is sideways in his wheelchair with one foot forward and on the ground.

Better times

It is an old photo that I’d found, taken in the 1950’s in London. This reminds me of a quieter time, people feeling safe. It also reminds me of a time in my life when I felt vulnerable, criticized. There is no utopia, neither now nor in the past. It is a reminder to accept our blessings and know that we have a future as individuals and together.

To those of you in the cold and snow, please continue to be vigilant and safe. I understand and care.

Thank you for reading as I ramble through life on wheels. As you can see, it’s not all about wheels, but more about life.

Picture is an old black and white street scene taken on a bridge in London. There are only a few people, walking on a snow packed sidewalk. There is a black car piled high with snow and a double decker bus in the background.

Captain, camera, and coloring

If you were to ask me my favorite villain I’d tell you it’s a toss up between Auric Goldfinger and the delightful Captain Hook. (Delightful, George? Okay, maybe not all that delightful.) I enjoy his antics and his frustrations.

I’m creative by nature, and that has been expressed with photography and writing. This summer I saw some adult coloring. “Can I do that?” I watched a 10 minute video on YouTube and was hooked, pun intended. Off to the crafts store! I started with 12 colors and soon added over 100 more.

I learned that in adult coloring there are no rules. Color what you like in any colors you like. Let your imagination guide you. With that in mind I chose my first project, a camera. But not just any camera, a Flower Power camera!With my strongest reading glasses and my pencils I enter a zone of concentration free of outside stresses. Time passes unnoticed. One day I almost forgot to eat lunch.

Since nobody’s perfect and there aren’t any rules, there is no penalty for the mistake I made in the Captain Hook picture. If you look between his legs, you’ll notice a small area of ocean I forgot to color. Oops. I noticed it after getting this ready to share. It has now been corrected, by the way.

I like to see how others share their lives and experiences. I love to read and listen to audiobooks, see your pictures on Instagram, and read your blogs. Thank you for stopping by and indulging me whilst I ramble about villains and psychedelic cameras. However you express yourself, enjoy your time and know that others enjoy your work.

Media: Both pictures feature adult coloring. The top is of Disney’s Captain Hook with a bit of liberty taken with the colors. He has flowing blond hair, a red and purple hat, a red coat with purple and green trim. He is on board a ship with sword drawn and pointing downwards. The second picture is a 35mm camera in shades of purple, blue, orange, peach, and yellow. It has lavender eyes and an inverted heart shaped nose in orange. It has flowers and fringe of orange, yellow, and teal.