Sunday, February 27, 2022

A Beautiful February Week!

President's Day passed uneventful, didn't really celebrate our Presidents. Not sure what was going on in our community, so read a few articles on the Mount Vernon website (since it was originally Washington's Holiday!). AA did have a drippy nose for a few days but is over that (not sure if was cold or allergy).
Breakfast: New sausage, potatoes and veggies:
Tuesday: AA's dentist appointment. Happy Hour at the River House, I made a new chocolate fruit dip, very yummy. Dip fruit and pretzels.
Recipe: Ingredients 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/3 cup baking cocoa 1/4 cup 2% milk 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract M&M's minis, optional Animal crackers, pretzels and/or sliced apples 
Directions 1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. If desired, sprinkle with M&M's minis. Serve with dippers of your choice. 
Wednesday: Now Ford and I both have some type of virus (tired, sore throat, stuffiness) - I used a COVID test, thankfully it was negative. Dinner was a frozen chicken pot pie and store bought broccoli slaw (no home cooking for us today).
Thursday: Another Parkinson's exercise class at the Catholic church and I still have a very bad cold (sneezing/runny nose). Ford is fairing a little better. Beautiful weather, so I did get one walk with Ginger. Took a beautiful picture of a bee in the pond's grapefruit tree.
AA played golf at EH, a regular after school practice. Another store bought dinner of pork dumplings and edamame.
Friday: Ford did some grocery shopping. I worked then rested, stilling feeling CRAPPY! AA has a golf lesson at 5:00 p.m. I did make a new recipe, Taco Bake, in a cast iron skillet. Pretty good, made enough for two meals so leftovers tomorrow!
Taco Bake Recipe:
Saturday: Ford attended the Parkinson's local support group monthly meeting at the Orange Park Library. I am still trying to get rid of this cold! First photo of the class exercises:
Group meeting at OP Library (I stayed home with my cold):
Watched Dylan's dance, she always does a great performance, solo on line (perfect for us!):
I do feel better, so caught up on my work hours, washed kitchen floor, dining room floor (FM vacuumed), washed our shower out, did the dishes and then showered and ready to relax (by 4:00 p.m.)! We missed Liv's performance in Cinderella, will definitely catch the next one in April. We missed our RH happy hour due to my cold, just in case, didn't want to spread my germs. Cleaning our wood floors with "Bona":
AA golfed at 3:30 p.m. and did homework in the morning.
Planted one of Terri's garlic cloves, it's growing!
And more blooms on E-E's Clivia plant:
Sunday: I woke up feeling pretty normal even with a stuffy nose and cough. We went to Home Depot and picked up our order (our "handy-woman" ordered for us - for various tasks around the house). We decided to take a "Sunday Drive", still don't want to be around anyone with this cold. We went to the St. Augustine Outlet shops for AA to try on some new golf clothes and golf shoes (only bought one top). Then picked up Sonny's BBQ sandwiches and drove the five minutes to our favorite microbrewery Ancient City.  Stopped at Maggie's on the way home for herbs and it was a good little trip.
Maggie's: I always take a Daddy-Daughter photo (AA is not thrilled, she doesn't see the beauty in this little "dive" of a plant "farm").
Cilantro, parsley, three kinds of basil, thyme.
AA then went to the golf course for two hours, then homemade pizza for dinner by Ford, then AA's algebra virtual tutor at 7:00 p.m.
Making pizza with onions, peppers, mushrooms and pepperoni:
We listened to a Birth parent search presentation by Brian Stuy (on Zoom). It was basic information but did raise a red flag about finding ads and birth dates, we will recheck AA's information. The DNA is best hope but forgot that the International adoptions were probably less than 5% of all China adoptions so most Chinese birth parents ("first families") don't think of their baby going out of the country. The Chinese culture is such that most Chinese parent NEVER tell their child that they are adopted, so most are not searching for birth parents or siblings since they do not know they are adopted. Learned alot of the obstacles to doing a search. Our first steps in this journey have been done and we know what our next step is (which we knew and was going to do when we had our June 2020 Heritage tour booked).

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Gator Corn Hole

Saturday, a beautiful day, so had a little competition (before AA went to the golf course) playing corn hole on our back deck. Major problem with Ginger trying to catch the flying bags!
Took some Daddy-Daughter pictures:
Love these two!

Monday, February 21, 2022

Saturday-Sunday-President's Day Weekend

Saturday: I had a bad vertigo spell, so accomplished next to nothing all day. After the dizziness (and sickness) went away, I slept off the headache. Just a wasted day and so unexpected. Ginger slept with me too, she's a great comfort and bed warmer!

Ford and AA fended for themselves for dinner by getting take-out from Fleming Island's Hibernia Pub (burger and fish and chips).
Sunday: I woke up feeling much better, saw Ford and AA off for the 2nd round of the NFJG Match Play at Magnolia Point Golf Club.
I vacuumed the house, took the recyclables to the library drop-off, walked Ginger at Moccasin Creek park, did dishes and baked pumpkin bread. Thankfully we had several dinners in the freezer, so cooked rice and thawed a large tub of my red beans, quick dinner!
Monday: Breakfast, tried a new sausage with bell pepper, onions.
Ford had his Parkinson's group exercise therapy while AA did homework. Made our dinner meal plans for the week and what we could do over the weekend. I drove to Carolyn's for a quick visit (picked up chicken salad for us to have, including Tyler); dropped off egg cartons, donated cat food and white chocolate popcorn.
With Andrew and Britney in Florida, Liv's Cinderella Play, Ford's Parkinson's group meeting, Happy Hour at RH, not sure how we will get to South Florida, etc. Short post for now!

Sunday, February 20, 2022

NFJG PRESIDENT'S DAY TEAM MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

The "President's Day TEAM Match Play Championship" was originally to be three days: held at Magnolia Point Golf and Country Club on February 19-21 with Championship rounds at TPC Sawgrass. Due to a change at the Magnolia Golf Course, there was a conflict for Monday's match so changed to a two day event.
Welcome to the Two-Person Team Championship.  This event will be a great deal of fun and a chance to break the grind of the individual stroke play events. We hope you enjoy.
This event will be a 36-hole championship North Florida Junior Players Tour event with formats of scramble and shamble best ball. 
Round one holes 1-9 will be scramble, holes 10-18 will be Shamble best ball. 
Round two – holes 1-9 will be best ball shamble and holes 10-18 will be scramble.
There are two divisions for this event.  The “Russell Knox Division” and the "Magnolia Division". The top two teams in each division will be awarded trophies.
The top four teams in the Russell Knox Division will advance to the Match Play Championship finals along with the top two teams of the Magnolia Division. This match play competition will be played at TPC Sawgrass and at the Plantation at Ponte Vedra on dates to be determined.  Good Luck to all!
Flight Winners will also receive FJT exemptions and final selections will be made to the “FLORIDA COAST RYDER CUP TEAM" upon completion of this event.
All players will receive Player of the Year points with the Player of the Year point system listed in the "Players Handbook".
Alyzabeth Morgan, 2025, Fleming Island, FL
Kalia Polete, 2024, Fleming Island, FL
Round 1 - Sat Feb 19 starting time is 11:06 AM on #1.
A. Morgan, K. Polete, D. Dailey, A. Hardy
It was a bit slow going, the group in front of them had a variety of issues. So the round as a match play should have been a little faster, but lasted SIX HOURS! {Finished a little after 5 pm}!!
Jack's photo of the trophies:
Round 2 -Tee time with same girls as round 1; 11:24 a.m. Cool morning but warmed up to 68 degrees today. And they WON!
Hole 16 (after they both hit the water on Hole 15) - Saved Par. At this point was one stroke ahead.
Winners!
Very happy!
Scores: After Round 2 first nine holes, ahead by 4 strokes (ahead two overall for match):
Then the double bogey on Hole 15, dropped them two strokes. AA birdied Hole 18 and they won by two strokes. Kalia's Dad said it was the best golf match he has seen! Next tournament is in Palatka, March 5th and 6th.
Jack's Recap: 
Emailed Newsletter: POLETE AND MORGAN TAKE MAGNOLIA DIVISION
The team of Kalia Polete and Alyzabeth Morgan fired back-to-back rounds of 71-71 to nip the round one leaders Danielle Dailey and Alyssa Hardy (144) by two strokes.
Round One: In the Magnolia Flight the team of Danielle Dailey and Alysa Hardy would take a two stroke lead over team Alyzabeth Morgan and Kalia Polete (71) by posting a very nice score of three under par 69. The lead team would have five birdies and two bogeys.

Round two getting that late start of 11 am with foursomes walking the course would require some strategic and at times forceful management by the staff to get all the kids in by dark. 
The girls of Magnolia lead the field in round two and would have no issues completing their round.  They all also get “Kudos” for setting the pace of play keeping up the public in carts just ahead. Had there been any space between our lead group and open play in front getting in before dark would not have been an issue.
Alyzabeth Morgan and Kalia Polete held their own in round two fending off the challenges of those trailing. The leaders would add to their lead during the first nine posting a one under score of 35 in the shamble format, but they would stumble with a double bogey at the par-5 15th hole in the scramble format on their closing nine to open the door for any late charges. None was had and with a birdie at the last, team Morgan and Polete would be this year’s TEAM CHAMPIONS posting scores of 71-71 to nip the runner-up team of Dailey and Hardy (144) by two strokes.

NOW, LET THE MATCH PLAY BEGIN!
That’s right, since the Match Play Championship had to be reformed into the Team Championship the Tournament Committee decided to reward the top four teams in the “Russell Knox” division and top two teams in the “Magnolia division” with a shortened version of the match play championship finals.
Headed to TPC or Plantation Ponte Vedra will be team:
Shaw/McCranie
French/Hughes
Cush/Rocha
Reed/Singh
Morgan/Polete
Dailey/Hardy
Winner take all! Overall winners will receive a fully paid entry into the JAGA Match Play Championship or a fully paid entry into the 2022 Tour Championship.

Saturday, February 19, 2022

NFJG - Additional Photos From Jack

President's Day Weekend - Magnolia Point, GCS.
Downloaded from Jack's Facebook post. Alyzabeth and Kalia.
Awards: