After the Hurricane (Debby 2024)

 

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Truth be told, we probably live in the very best place in Florida when a hurricane is in the forecast. I say that because we are some 60 miles (as the crow flies) from either coast on this huge peninsula. Storm surge from ocean water is impossible and in our particular neighborhood, local river/stream/lake flooding is unlikely. Tornadoes are a concern with hurricane winds, so we do keep that in mind. Our lights flickered a couple of times so very briefly that, if we blinked, we missed it. 

I say all this to let my readers know we got through Hurricane Debby with no problems. Sister blogger, Linda, lives some miles from us. Her area lost power and had wind damage, so that's why my first sentence states we "probably live in the very best place ..." Nowhere is perfect in avoiding all meteorological calamities. 

Then there was this:

gator

Apparently as the storm raged and the water level rose in a nearby swamp, this gator ended up in the yard of one of my nieces. He was about 3 feet long, a baby, they said. He hissed at them. They left him alone and he made his way out of their property, hopefully back to the swamp. As they say here in Florida, any body of water the size of a bathtub or larger could very well have a gator.

Monet

The extent of excitement at our house was limited to somewhere between 6 and 8 inches of rain (depending on which TV station we believe). I conclude this weather report with simple gratitude. 

It is of the LORD's mercies 

that we are not consumed.

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning:

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Lamenations 3:22-23 (KJV)

What else has been going on here this week? The stores are chock-full of school supplies as classes begin this next week (already???). That does not affect us retirees much since those of our grandchildren who are school age live hours away, but it does serve to remind us to plan our trips in town to avoid driving through school zones, as much as possible. 

Walmart purchase

But also with the school supplies, the autumn wardrobe options are stocking the aisles. I came across this sweatshirt today and bought it for a family member who lives in a cooler climate. (As much as I like it, most years I could not wear something this warm this until Christmas.)

us

Our daily high temperatures much of this summer have been oppressively HOT and HUMID, but this is Florida. We were invited to a free outdoor concert in our +55 community. Since it was late in the day (and we were able to find a shady place for our patio chairs after this selfie was snapped), the event was very enjoyable.

our jazz band

The guys played jazz, oldies, and were loud enough that I could have easily left my hearing aids at home. The drummer, who invited us, is a personal friend from church.

We each took a bottle of water since alcohol is not in our house. Yes, we've had some in the past, but after realizing my daily glass of red wine for a full year was NOT lowering my cholesterol scores, I went back to hot tea, which treats me well and is less expensive. As for beer, Gary has lost his taste for it. I cooked with the cans that were past-due in his refrigerator, creating a couple of richly-flavored stews. But after those cans were gone, I've gone back to cooking with broths and am just as happy with that.

3pm hot tea

While we're in the kitchen, I want to share a link to Mari's Baked Parmesan Tomatoes: http://marislittlecorner.blogspot.com/2024/07/cooking-thursday_01558288097.html

my attempt at Mari's 
Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

I was reading her blog late one afternoon when she posted this dish. With lunch being our largest meal of the day, I look for quick things to have for supper. Mari's tomatoes were perfect, paired with half of a ham sandwich. A lot of good recipes come from My Little Corner of the World.

GIANT marshmallows

Another gastronomical delight we've enjoyed lately are these GIANT marshmallows. Intended for S'mores, which would be wonderful, Gary floats 3 of them in a mug of hot chocolate, tucking in a spoon. I push the white pillows deep into the hot chocolate a few times and then between sips, I scoop each slippery marshmallow into my mouth. Heaven-in-a-mug! Give it a try!

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Before I conclude today's post, I want to direct your attention to a new feature that's been added to my blog called Book Reports.

I've created a page (a link) with a list of books I've read with my comments on each one, sort of a book report. You can access this page from my home page by moving your cursor to "Book Reports" or by using this link: https://myjournalmemories.blogspot.com/p/books.html

the page from Book Reports

Material will not be added daily, but I wanted to share a list of books that may interest my readers. Books, like people, can strongly influence who we are, what we value, and the decisions we make. Note: the "Comments" feature is not turned on for the Book Reports page.

surgical waiting room

The above is a snapshot I forgot to include with last week's post. Our hospital is run by Christians who place scripture on the walls, which encouraged me so much.

For those of you who have asked about Gary's health and prayed for him, I'm thankful to share that he is doing very well. He's walking with me and has done some very light yard work. We expect the problems are a thing of the past and look forward to some plans we've made for when the weather turns cooler (which is what most retired Floridians do!). 

Until next time, grace and peace.