Elvis and Other Topics

 

our Saturday lunch locale

This is one of those days that exonerates the decision to leave a colder climate to endure steaming, oven-hot summers. (uh, but don't ask me to repeat that in July!!)

Today I'm taking my writing prompts from two blogs I don't normally follow but did visit this week from the Hodgepodge: My Joyful Life and Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa. (click on the titles to access them)

Loving? 

Well, this guy, of course! Not only is he handsome, kind, smart, energetic, organized, and accomplished, but he serves as excellent 'blog fodder', putting up with candid photography by the paparazzi. 

Resolving? I choose to not be specific, but there are things I don't understand in spite of much research. I am wiser for the investigations but still have questions.

Planning? We live in a place where the potential for a variety of day-trips are abundant and we take advantage of them when our calendars allow. At this time of year, the manatees congregate in the warm springs of Florida (which maintain a year-round temperature of 72 degrees). We may venture over to one of the state parks to gaze at them one day soon.

Eating/drinking?

Lunch

As implied in an earlier snapshot, today we had lunch on our back patio with a menu of hot dogs and French fries. 

The outside temperature is in the upper 70s and there is only a slight breeze. We dined in the shade of several palms overhead with sunshine filtering through the many tall pine trees. 

Rosy pink Camellias and reddish-orange Hibiscus bushes are also in easy view of our chairs. Our fellow Floridians agree this kind of weather in JANUARY is why we live here.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

But returning to the subject of food, yesterday I baked a casserole recipe printed on the box of Stove Top Chicken Flavored Stuffing: Bruschetta Chicken Bake. Mavis Butterfield has the recipe on her blog at this link. (click) The only change I made from what's printed on the box is I used some leftover Swanson Chicken Broth for the 1/2 cup of water and I used the biggest can of shredded chicken on the store shelf instead of raw chicken. 

It was very easy to prepare and so tasty that my mouth waters now just thinking about the small amount that is left over in our refrigerator! Were I not trying to have a slim figure, I might have given myself a larger serving yesterday!

Watching/reading? 

Lost at Sea

Earlier this week I finished reading Lost at Sea by John Wukovits, which is a biography of World War I hero, Eddie Rickenbacker and the detailed story of being lost at sea on  life rafts with seven other men. 

Gary had checked this book out from the library. We often sit out here on the lanai in the afternoons, reading our books and talking about what we've read. I became convinced to read this book for myself and in spite of its close to 400 pages, I could hardly put it down!

approaching the Cultural Center from the parking lot

Then to address the rest of this prompt, what am I watching? ELVIS! (January 9th was his 91st birthday)

Cote Deonath as Elvis Presley

Yes, and also Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks. 

If you don't already know, retirement communities tend to invite a lot of "tribute" artists and bands to give monthly concerts. One of Gary's Christmas gifts to us was the purchase of tickets for 4 of these concerts, this being the first of the season. 

Michael Cullipher as Johnny Cash

Samantha Chambliss as Dolly Parton

Alex Mitchell as Garth Brooks

These concerts are a lot of fun. Old folks of all shapes, sizes, and physical abilities/disabilities flock to these things to be reminded of our younger days and to sort of "cut loose" (some concerts more than others). This one was titled, "Elvis and The Legends of Country." 

All of the performers were skilled in their talent, but Elvis was our favorite. This fellow really put on a good show.

where we sit

We like to get there early to secure the parking location we like. We choose our seats when the tickets are purchased ahead of time, on line, preferring seats on the aisle and toward the back. .... and we DON'T wear our hearing aids for these concerts. Like all concerts, the music was LOUD.

us

To amuse ourselves as we waited for the show to start, we took the SMOS (social media obligatory selfie). Then I left Gary at our seats so I could inspect the raffle items on long tables in the lobby.

the entire event was sponsored by Habitat for Humanity

Lots of Elvis memorabilia was displayed for the raffle event. About the only thing Gary and I gamble on is each other (which has turned out to be a WIN WIN! for both of us), so no money was spent beyond our concert tickets. (I will say that we have both purchased and donated items to our local Habitat for Humanity store located here in town.)

It was a good concert; we are glad we went. The show began at 6:30pm, so we were home 🥱 in time to get to bed 😴 easily before 10pm -- a good consideration for concerts in a retirement community! 💤

Sister and Bob

I want to give a shout out to Sister and her husband on this, their 50th wedding anniversary!! Although they look like just kids in their wedding picture, they were married in their last semesters at the University of Illinois where she graduated with her Bachelors Degree and he completed his Masters Degree. They went on from there to settle in farm country where his career in agriculture (cows, crops, and a corporate sales representative) helped to support their family of triplet daughters(!!!) and a son. Now, these 50 years later, their 4 happily married children have given them a total of 11 grandchildren. Congratulations!

https://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com

My last item of interest on this post is to direct you to a blog where I have been invited (along with many other writers) to contribute occasional posts of a devotional-type nature, The Christian Lounge. Today my first contribution to the site is featured: 

https://thechristianlounge4u.blogspot.com/2026/01/black-eyed-peas.html

If you would like to write for this blog, check out the links I've provided for further information.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by here. 

Grace and peace,

Barbara