Archives for January 2023

Hey Sweetie,
Despite going to be early, I overslept this morning, just one indication of just how tired the last few days have made me! It was 9:00 before I got out of bed. Got my chores done, and though I was hoping to get a ride in today, I was just too tired. Opted to do a couple of loads of laundry and a little housework, otherwise made it a quiet afternoon, though I didn’t get a nap in. Brother Glenn and wife made it to the house okay, hope they find it satisfactory, and brother Jeff called to say out trip tomorrow is postponed, so now I probably go riding tomorrow. Had a quiet evening, but I’m definitely ready for an early shower and bed. Good night, hon! Love you!

Hiya Babe!
Had another busy half day at Glenn’s, doing a bunch of weed-whacking, pool cleaning and sweeping before getting back to camp before noon. I had hoped that the weekend campers would come later, but they were mostly there when I arrived, so I spent some time getting everyone checked before heading by to my trailer, where I sat in my chair and promptly started napping. Guess all this physical activity has taken it’s toll, feeling really tired! Made my final rounds at dinner time, then settled down for the evening, watched a movie, now I’m heading to shower and bed. Hoping to get a ride in tomorrow, seems like a long time since I’ve been out on the trail! Sunday is going to be busy as well, brother Jeff needs me to take a run down to Pompano, so I’m hoping to just ride and rest tomorrow! Heading to shower and bed now, though! Love you, darlin’! Good night!

Hi Darlin’!
Got up bright and early, and no sooner did I get my chores and breakfast done, I was heading over to my brother’s hoouse with a long list of chores. Mowed the lawn, cleaned and vacuumed the pool, weed-whacked the yard until the battery died, was there until after 5:00. Exhausted by the end of that, but then when I got back to camp, I had a whole bunch of campers that had arrived, and it was dusk by the time I got all of them checked in. One woman had moved my horses and taken over my paddock, so that was the first thing I had to straighten out, the rest was just typical check-in. Grilled a burger and settled down for the evening, very tired after such a busy day. Still didn’t get everything done, so I’ll have to figure out when to go back for a couple of hours, not sure when that will be, maybe tomorrow in the morning before another batch of campers come in. Heading to shower and bed, sure to sleep like a log tonight! Good night, sweetie! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie!
Well after nearly a year of planning, painting and installing, I thrilled to report that today, it’s finally DONE! I painted the last stripe of paint on posts in situ, installed the last posts I made, added a couple of crosspieces on those final posts, and at long last, I can say that the trail system is officially DONE! That isn’t to say I won’t add a couple of navigation confidence posts here and there, but for all intents and purposes, no one should get lost out there again, at least not for more than a few minutes! Whew! That’s a relief! Took most of the day, got back after 3:00, checked in a camper, chatted for a bit, then finally settled down to a well-deserved steak dinner and an evening of relaxation. I have a busy day tomorrow as well, so I’m off to shower and bed forthwith! Good night, Babe! Love you!

Hey Babe,
Accomplished a lot of little jobs today. Went to brother Glenn’s to service his pool and to grind a sharper edge on the mower blades, plus I did a bunch of yard clean up, a lot of palm fronds had come down with the strong winds we had over the weekend. Picked up a package with some free covid tests (better late than never), got some screws I need to fix one of my bar stools at the hardware store, and did a little shopping for a few essential groceries. Was going to go out and do some more field work, but the day got away from me, so I just did all my prep for tomorrow, which will hopefully start early and finish with me actually, finally, completing my list of everything that will finish the trail markings, once and for all. Except, of course, if I decide later to add some more! But it should certainly be enough for everyone to avoid getting lost, at least for any long period of time. I’ll be very glad to see this job finished! Finally settled down in the evening, and the time for shower and bed is upon me! Love you my darlin’! Good night!

Hey, Darlin’,
A busy and tiring day today! Did a bunch of organizing and preparation this morning, then finally headed out about 11:00, later than I wanted but the best I could do. I managed to get almost everything done that I had planned on, though I had to cut the last few posts short, partly because I used a couple of posts I hadn’t planned on, and partly because it was getting late and I didn’t want to be out after dark! Got almost all of the final painting done on the posts in situ, really just another day or two and it will FINALLY be completed. Unless, of course, I decided I need more posts somewhere. Evidently, old James has been doing some moving, all of the trails I was on today had been mowed. Even so, there were still a couple of sections that were a bit wetter than I thought they would be, and there’s still one water crossing I don’t dare try with my tractor, and it’s a long way back and forth. Anyway, got back to camp just before 5:00, played with Lola for a few minutes, then dinner and crash! Started falling asleep, so I’m heading to bed early. Good night, my sweet! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie,
As usual, camp mostly emptied out today, though there still one group here staying for the extra day of the long weekend. Spent the day doing the final painting on the posts, now that James dropped off the paint I needed. That had to be done in stages, paint, dry, paint some more, but it seems to be all done. Now all I have to do to finally complete this job is to install these posts and do the final painting on a few posts that are already out there, then JOB DONE! Ten months of planning and installation will hopefully be complete! After a chilly weekend, the weather is turning gorgeous this week, hoping we can start some mowing, though I’m hoping to make a deal with the mower contractor to assist in a way that will provide me with a little income. We’ll see! Put the blankets on the horses again, hopefully this will be the last night it will be necessary, and was delighted to see another rocket launch, amazingly easy to see on this clear night right at dusk, beautiful! Settled down to a movie but I keep falling asleep, I may give up and wait until tomorrow to finish it. Won’t be long away from shower and bed tonight, feeling tired even though I didn’t do all that much today. So I guess I’ll just say good night now, baby! Love you!

Hey Babe,
A good night sleep, followed by a fairly relaxing day. Did my rounds a few times, but mostly just read a book today, until the evening when I watched the old movie The Sting, a classic in my mind, though having seen it so many times before, all the usual “surprises” didn’t apply. Enjoyed the score, though, even though Marvin Hamlish got way more credit that he should have, considering all he did was adapt Scott Joplin music. Just my opinion. Supposed to get a lot cooler tonight, into the 30’s, so gave the horses some extra hay just before bedtime. Heading to shower and bed, after a bit of a mundane day. Good night, darlin’! Love you!

Hey Darlin’,
Not a great night sleep, Lola was super restless. I had closed the door because it was a little coole last night, but she kept fussing to I ended up putting her on the cable and leaving the door open. By morning, she dragged the carpet all over, and the solar panel was folded and practically dragged all the way into the screen room. Not real happy with her this morning. Got the chores done, then a pretty busy day at camp today, checking in some new folks from a Broward County group. Handed out a bunch of maps, spoke to a lot of people, including Brigitte, the woman who got lost in the Spring and was the catalyst for the whole trail marking system! Spent most of the day doing laundry and a bit of cleaning. Now that I’ve been able to store away most of the stuff that was laying around the dining area, it’s so much cleaner in here, so keeping it clean is a lot easier as well so a little housework was in order. A cold front came through, brought a little rain but it didn’t last long, so it’s a bit cooler for the next few days. Put the blankets on the horses though I I’m not sure they really need them, but pretty sure they will tomorrow when the temps get into the 30’s! James dropped off paint an more maps late in the day, so that’s my priority before the weekend is out, though I’m thinking about riding tomorrow. Watched a cute movie, Dog Gone, based on a true story, and loved the ending credits when they had pictures of all the folks behind the scenes and their pets, very cute! Feel good movie, gotta love those! Anyway, ready for my shower and bed, fresh towels and sheets after all the laundry, hoping for a good night sleep, hoping Lola is quieter, though I didn’t give her as much exercise as I should have, so not counting on it. Fingers crossed! Love you, sweetie! Good night!

Hi Sweetie,
Had full day today, first with moving and/or installing eight more posts, two on the teal and six on the white trail, which entailed going all the way south, so it was a long drive in my slow tractor, but was glad to get it almost all done! I used one post in a place that I hadn’t originally planned on, but it was necessary, so now I’m one white post short that I’ll need to make up. It’s near the north end of the white trail, though, so it won’t take me too long to run out there and put the final post in. All I have left now is four posts on the yellow trail and a bunch of painting, so I’ll have to wait for James to get me the paint before I can continue. Got back to camp just before 4:00 and spent the next hour checking in new campers that had arrived while I was gone, mostly women who’ve been coming for years, as part of a group, all very friendly, so we ended up chatting longer than usual, so it was after 5:00 when I got back to the trailer and put the grill on. After dinner I was watching a movie, and was falling asleep in my chair by 7:30! Guess I’ve been sitting around too long! Anyway, I finally made it through the movie, which was kind of fun because one of the characters was actually based on my great, great, great grandfather, the first superintendent of West Point Military Academy, but now I’m more than ready for shower and bed! Good night, babe! Love you!