Almost New Year's Eve + Welcome to 2021!

Wednesday, 12/30/20. We drove to Bernie's to patronize our past favorite wine shop owner. He told us he sold the shop six months ago and works part-time. He recommended many "value priced" red wines, so we look forward to tasting them all!

We couldn't decide where to get take-out lunch as a treat, so ended up at Ford's favorite deli - Pinegrove. Unfortunately, his burger did not taste at all like ones in the past, it was cold too. Our salads were fresh, but nothing special. We will go back for take-out at our other favorites next time we are in the Ortega/Riverside area (Biscotti's, Moon River Pizza, Mossfire Grill, or Hawkers.

Thursday, New Years Eve! Ford made homemade pizza. AA had a golf lesson at 2 p.m. then played with Bryan for another hour. We sat on patio with pomegranate juice and champagne. Poor Ginger, she is so afraid of fireworks, the booming noises all around our neighborhood (they are legal in Florida on three days per year). Ginger is calm outwardly but you cannot get her outside to do her business. We waited for a stop in the fireworks, then hurriedly took her out until she finally did her nightly "pee".

Coach Bryan took this photo of us at Eagle Harbor after AA's lesson, trying to get a decent family photo.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Post Chirstmas!

Saturday and Sunday were a blur, we slept in, had lazy mornings, picked up Christmas decorations (leaving the tree up for another week). AA had golf lessons, golfed with Stephanie and her Hubby Adam on Sunday afternoon after a lesson with Bryan. We washed dishes, did laundry and watched TV!

AA trying on her new clothes (the ones from Leaa, we will exchange): Jaguar shirt from Aunti-M.

LL Bean polo shirt from Nicole:

Tampa Bay Brady Shirt from Mel!!

Scarf from AA, mask from Mel:

PJ's from my Mom (Nana Ann):

I tried a new appetizer with crescent rolls, brie cheese and fig jam then drizzled with honey: Unfortunately the cooking process was a flop. The brie cheese boils during the baking, so would suggest trying to bake the crescent dough first then adding the brie cheese at the end of the time.

We watched movies, more than we have the entire pandemic (well, almost)! Fisherman's Friends (funny, worth watching), the Grand Seduction (okay, average movie, good until the rushed ending), Over the Moon (a 2020 American-Chinese computer-animated musical family fantasy film) and Soul (Pixar's Soul is the story of a jazz musician who falls down a manhole and winds up learning a lot about the afterlife, the not-quite afterlife and what it means to be human, voiced by Jamie Foxx and with Daveed Diggs).

Grand Seduction:

Monday, I used the frozen salmon in our freezer and made Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes recipe. It was good after Ford suggested adding two eggs to help bind it together. I think I would add two slices of fresh bread also. Ginger in her new collar and harness:

Sitting on our patio/screen porch, enjoying the mild weather!

Tuesday - Off to work and AA played a practice round of golf at the Beaches in preparation of this weekend's NFJG Tournament with Danielle Dailey and Fiona. It was 64 degrees outside but felt like 44!

I dropped off a few things for Carolyn after work, let Bella out for a potty break:

Tuesday evening, while eating bruschetta, we watched the Grand Seduction, about trying to keep a doctor in the village harbor town. It was good until the ending, which raced through the feel good ending. Still a good movie, rating about a 6 - 7. The leading townsman (fisherman) is the actor Mad-Eye Moody (Professor) from Harry Potter.

Christmas Week is Here!

AA had school on Monday and Tuesday. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday. She is done for the semester but it doesn't end until January 20th. I cannot wait for her to enter 9th grade in August 2021! 

Monday, AA had a golf lesson after school. Ford and I ran errands during the day, Ginger had a mini groomer appointment, then Ford had a dentist appointment in the afternoon.

Ford delivered Leaa/Jesse family gifts and made a trip to Cathy and Werner on Wednesday while AA was shopping with Carolyn. Funny story when Ford arrived at Cathy and Werner's, he asked to use the restroom and as he went to it, Werner asked if he wanted a "smoothie". Ford hesitated but said yes, thinking maybe Werner meant a sip of scotch (it was after lunchtime!). While in the bathroom, Ford heard the blender start and realized Werner really meant a breakfast fruit smoothie! When Ford told them what his mistake was, they quickly changed plans and sipped some scotch during their visit.

Thursday I baked an apple pie and a pumpkin pie, made ahead the mashed potatoes, the make ahead breakfast French toast casserole. Dinner was the lobster pie sent by Bill and Joan with a wilted spinach salad.  Carolyn arrived with Bella (who managed to be friendly 95% of the time) and the Christmas holiday began. We listened to Christmas songs, drank champagne with pomegranate juice. It was warm but rainy from a stormy front that blew through. Freezing cold weather arrived for Christmas Day, Saturday and Sunday. AA finished her Advent calendar which was more Bible readings than in the past. She made a chain from the sheets of papers.

Christmas day began with baking the breakfast French toast/ blueberries casserole, then dinner was ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn casserole, two pies. We opened our stockings and then onto the presents! So many! Another wonderful, "feel the love" day!

I didn't take too many pictures during present opening. 

Honey from Mia:

Here's Ford with his new apron from Melissa:

More gifts!

Coins from my Dad's collection to AA:

Advent daily Bible verses paper chain:

Gift from Leaa to her Dad:

I received so many gifts from my Mom (a bracelet from crushed Maine shells is a favorite, plus a LL Bean zippered pouch), Melissa sent earrings that are very nice, Leaa gave me some Beauty Counter serums, Nicole gave us a candle, AA gave me a lovely scarf and Ford gave me golf "sandals" and sea glass earrings. So many gifts! AA got clothes from Leaa, money from Cathy and Werner, many shirts and gifts from Melissa (TB Brady shirt, Jaguar shirt, masks..).

Couch potatoes:

Bella trying to get some of the attention from Ginger!

Bella up close:

Christmas Dinner:

Carolyn left after our ham dinner as we were all drifting off! Later, we drove around the Debarry area and Eagle Harbor looking at Christmas lights:

Merry Christmas! 2020 is almost over!!

NFJG Elite Girls Fall Champion!

From Jack's Newsletter: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 NFJGTOUR "FALL TOURNAMENT SERIES WINNERS"

Over the past three months 234 junior tour members have competed in ten NFJG TOUR events in an effort to bring home the "FALL TOURNAMENT SERIES" Winner Award, plus earn valuable points towards the PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD, TOP HONOR AWARD and now the newly added OVERALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD which combines all members together regardless of age or gender. From left to right in the photo above our Fall Award Winners are: Elite Tour Boys - Tommy Piper, Elite Tour Girls - Alyzabeth Morgan, Rising Tour Boys - Dylan Frein, Boys 10-12 - Maxwell Morgan and Foundation - Reid Joiner.

In the PLAYER OF THE YEAR race St. Augustine's Nolan Harper has now taken a 700 point lead over St. Johns Tommy Piper in the Elite Tour Boys and and a four point lead in the OVERALL Points race. Fleming Islands Alyzabeth Morgan jumped ahead of St. Augustine's Helena Rios by a little over 400 points in the Elite Tour Girls Division and Palm Coast's Trevor Challice had a commanding lead in the Boys 10-12, but he will carry his points to the Rising Tour where he will once again have a commanding lead, leaving Jacksonville Beaches Mawell Morgan at the top spot, 900 points ahead of St. Johns Brady Dougan in the Boys 10-12 Division. The Rising Tour Girls found St. Augustine's Sofia Rivera in the lead, but with her recent promotion to the Elite Tour it leaves a tight race between Ciara Aitken and Lizzie Thompson. In the Foundation Division Ponte Vedra's Read Joiner enjoys a 500 point lead over Carter Stoltz.

Saturday - Sunday 12/19 and 12/20 + Corn Muffin Recipe

Saturday morning, while Ford and AA were at the NFJG Par 3 Tournament at Palm Valley, I did odd chores including Publix shopping, fed and walked dog, tidied up the recycle paper bin, cleaned out old food from the refrigerator (weekly task!), vacuumed the house, washed dishes, cooked sausage ahead for a breakfast casserole. A box from Mom arrived before 9:00 a.m., so that was opened and sorted under the tree. I am going to make two kinds of icing for the cookies: Regular powdered sugar icing (I made) and a royal icing (I did not make yet).

I did try a new chocolate crinkle cookie recipe and it was/is delicious! Very chocolatey, tastes like a brownie.

For dinner, I made a new recipe for corn muffins to go with our bean soup, titled Corniest Corn Muffins. We had a nice happy hour with Hugh, Maureen and Penny.

Sunday, I ran some errands, wrapped some gifts and kept busy while they were at the tournament. It was a great weekend, always cheerful when AA wins, always happy that she played her best. After dinner (new recipe Broccoli Cheesy casserole which I added elbow macaroni to it, plus store bought fried chicken), we drove to Penny's to drop off some homemade goodies: Cookies, biscotti and peanut brittle plus one of AA's citronella candles. We drove a few streets looking at the Christmas displays.

Recipe: