The move to Tennessee went smoothly. It was quite a shock walking into my house after 20 years. Throughout that time, I had done a home inspection every year and thought the house was well cared for. Although structurally it was, I was shocked at how dumpy it looked. The interior was dark and dated, but outside was even worse, with the siding a mismatch of fiber cement and hardie board, painted two different shades of yellow. The bushes were overgrown and the whole place just looked ill kept. I could tell I had my work cut out for me. The first thing I wanted to do was enclosed my screened in porch. When I bought the house 20 years ago, it was with the intent of turning it into a giant sunroom full of plants and aquariums. I have pictured it in my head for years. I will say the finished project far exceeded my vision and I couldn’t have been happier. I initially wanted to put in a new kitchen, redo both bathrooms (one with a walk-in shower) replace all the doors in the house as...

  June 2020 - My first stop was Skidway Island State Park, near Savannah Georgia.  It’s a beautiful park, with plenty of trees and very large shady campsites.  I stayed a week, mostly hanging out in the park.  I hung a bird feeder and attracted a wide variety of birds to my site.  It was quite enjoyable just hanging out watching them.  There were plenty of trails and the park was only about half full.  I did venture to nearby Wormsloe Historic site.  It features the ruins of a colonial estate, and a few trails, but mainly its known for the beautiful tree lined drive.  The entrance road goes under a canopy of live oak trees with Spanish moss draped all over the overhead branches. It was almost like a living tunnel. I also ventured into Savannah, which is known for its beautiful parks all over the city.  I mostly just walked around, starting near the waterfront area, with its busy bars and restaurants.  When I noticed most people on t...

  Well, here it is, two years since my last post.    I'm thinking about how life has changed so dramatically and what I plan to do for the future.  First, I'll catch you up to date.   If you remember, I was in Spain when I accepted the time had come to have my knee replaced. My mother and brother live in Florida, so I decided to stay with my mom while I recuperated. She lives in Cocoa while my brother Larry lives on nearby Merritt Island. I actually grew up near West Palm Beach and I always said I would never want to live in the state permanently for multiple reasons. It's miserably hot in the summer, the overall landscaping is completely flat, with an over-abundance of scrubby pines and palm trees. I much prefer lush green terrain with mountains and lakes. Florida does have plenty of lakes, but you have to contend with the ever-present alligators and brain-eating amoebas. What I will say, however, it is a great place to be in the winter for two reasons: the wea...