It’s a Sad Time of the Year

Most people greet you now with ‘when are you heading back north’, not are you going to the dinner or the next outing or activity at the clubhouse. Many are heading out to a special luncheon to celebrate a friendship from this winter season.

Spring is springing here – the Forsythia and Azalea bushes  are ablaze  with beautiful colour and our very own Wisteria bush is starting to bloom. It’s time for us to leave too, I had to cut the grass today! Just kidding, we’re not going anywhere. When we had a seasonal site back home, Barb used to cut the grass – what happened here?

Jim and Lydia are coming in today but the campground is full. We checked with the office for them and they will be subjected to the dry camp area for at least 2 nights. There are sites available in the village and one is right behind us. We’ll see what’s what when they get here. Listen to that buzzing, what in the world. Is it a bird, a plane, NO, it’s an ultra lite. A camper came in  with their ultra lites and were able to take off for a tour over the Plantation Sunday. The weather was perfect for them so they put on a little air show for us. See, anything can happen and usually does here at the Escapee Rainbow Plantation.

I am almost finished with my rocking chair and it is looking great. The caning is 90% done and the arms are getting there. It was difficult getting into the curvy areas but they are ready for stain. But it is ice cream social time again! Off to the club house, we gather up Jim & Lydia and head over to the social. What a crowd, the park is still full and everyone is going full speed ahead. Sunday usually marks a new week but being so busy, the days just meld together and it’s just another sunrise.

 

Monday was the last ladies luncheon and they had a terrific turnout – over 70 ladies attended. Bab’s, the organizer, doesn’t give them any info about where they are going for lunch and you know that creates some discussions. Anyway, they all met at the clubhouse, load up the cars and trucks and head off, following details set out by Bab’s. They arrived at Rock Creek Country Club, a private golf facility. All the stories indicate they had a great time and meal. The guys were left to their own undoing and of course no stories from them.

Tuesday was our crafters wine and cheese party – yes, another party.  Everyone was asked to show all or part of their projects that they have been working on this winter. Here is mine and Barb’s display as well as a couple other displays. Wow, everyone has had a busy winter. I think all the snowbirds here go back north for a well deserved rest!

 

Wednesday was the bi-monthly cooking class put on by Barbara Phillips, chef extraordinaire. It’s always good fun, good food, good company and a lunch. Barb put me in charge of the fix’n of the Bloody Caesars and Bloody Mary’s! Now that’s letting a kid loose on the candy store. Anyway, this class was on breakfast and brunch. Barb discusses everything about the recipes and what changes are necessary to improve the recipe as well as table setting and layout of a buffet. It’s always a fun time.  Wednesday is also our landscape the site day. We are putting a garden path in between the shed and the deck. We are using some of the pavers that we dug up from our site and then fill with gravel and lay some unique pavers for the foot path. We should be done this little project soon.

Barb is the team leader for their raffle quilt next year so they (Barb and 3 others – Ann, Barb, Marcia) – you probably have already noted that we have many, many Barb’s here at the plantation - are using all their spare time crafting, sewing, planning and shopping to finish the quilt this year so it can be at the quilt shop for the summer and completed for next winters raffle. She is also zipping around with her Row Robin quilters where they each sew a portion of each others quilt throughout the summer and mail it on to the next person for their add on. We’re also still hosting the digital camera group each Friday afternoon and this Friday Barb is demoing some of the simpler tasks of GIMP to improve and crop a digital photo. I go along as the comic relief.

Of course, the meals here at the Plantation never stop and with the campground being so busy, they are crowded. Tuesday was the annual weenie roast, complete with beans and slaw. Cook your own or pick ones that have already been cooked for you. Again, almost standing room only with 110+ participating. After, the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate was on hand for your favorite campfire dessert – I say hold the crackers and the marshmallows and just give me the chocolate! Some of us stayed back for much needed kick back around the fire to joke and laugh about stuff and of course you know we fixed all the world’s problems – that’s what we Canadians do.

We kinda have a small group of eight of us that are hang’in and hav’n a good time. Jim & Lydia fit right in with our shenanigans along with Barry & Lorrie and Bill & Ann. After Barb & Ann return from fabric shopping today, we all went down to Orange Beach to wander through the annual craft show and sale. After that, we might find a road house for a bite and a wobbly pop to end the day.

Wishing all is well where you are….