Past time for an update, not a lot to report

We've been here for over a month already, wow, and we are just now settling in to a routine.  Unfortunately, I have become a medical challenge, and especially with all that happened last winter, arrival in Florida really works me up.  I just yesterday met with the last doctor and have been given clear sailing for another year.  Great news.  All told, I had 7 appointments in the last couple of weeks, enough to put stress on anyone:-)

We also have, by the time we get to Florida, an enormous jones for fresh fish and seafood.  We sure love the west, but there isn't a lot of grouper, scallops, shrimp, etc around.  So when we get here we do a mad dash to go out and get our fix, and when that can be combined with seeing and visiting with friends we haven't seen all summer, it's a double win.

Jan and I had a very quiet Christmas, talked to the kids, and had a delicious prime rib.  We cooked it a different way this year, and not that it was ever bad, they were all delicious, but this year it was fabulous!  Jan's sister, Karen had told us about a new cook book she had found, and we looked it over while in Taos.  It is called "The Food Lab" by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, subtitled "Better Home Cooking Through Science".  It is well worth getting, no I am not advertising it, but if you enjoy cooking this book puts an interesting and delicious spin on old favorites and new favorites.  You could always order it through my Amazon link at the top of the page:-)  Anyway our prime rib done as described was stellar!  He has done incredible amounts of research, trial and error, using science to take a new look at cooking.

Ha, you knew I couldn't post without at least one picture of food:-)
Pretty Awesome, huh?

We also enjoyed a quiet New Year's Eve, and we were sure to bring in the new year with a traditional dinner, pork, greens, cornbread; and with black eyed peas provided by Tom.  All was delicious, and I'm sure we'll enjoy good luck and financial prosperity in the new year.

We took a bit of time to try to clear some more stuff out of our storage unit, and were able to sell a couple larger items.  Progress.

Things seem pretty off kilter here this year.  A lot of folks have not returned, Jack and Betty not being here has thrown everyone for a loop.  Numerous others haven't returned, and several more announced that this would be their last year.  That is compounded by others not here right now because of the holidays, but in another week or so most everyone will be back, and a semblance of comfort will return.  

Now that we are stationary for a few months it's time for Jan to bring out the puzzles, and this time I even helped a bit.  I mentioned this year that we had visited the Liberty Puzzle factory in Boulder, CO, and bought a puzzle.  These are top shelf, wooden, intricate, amazing puzzles, and very challenging.  And our friend Ray's family passes them around between themselves, and he is always willing to loan one or two to Jan to do.  So we did ours and then 2 of Ray's.  If you like puzzles these are amazing.

The one we bought

Now we haven't launched into any projects yet with all the stuff going on, but had to try to fix my driver's seat because all of a sudden we can't move it.  We found a loose wire amongst the millions of wires, why would there be so many?  But it didn't help when I repaired it, so is it the switch, the control box, the what?

The controls for my seat

Is it this switch?

Why oh why are there so many wires?

Luckily it is adjusted to where I drive, but since we can't move it we can't turn it around, so still working on this.

So not much here, but wanted you all to know we were still here and kicking.  Posts definitely slow down when we aren't moving.

Bert is definitely not impressed

But we have been enjoying our fire on the few cool evenings we've had

HAPPY NEW YEAR !