When we decided to build a new home – we made our selections – but there were things we wanted that had to come after the build – they – the builders did not offer them!
We had a list of things – small – and we had to either hire them done – or do them ourselves / some had to do with landscaping!
Those we hired to be done – involving planting trees – taking out pine straw – replacing with stones and rocks.
And putting in yards of mulch.
Having already removed everything from the outdoor patio – I put down two coats of outdoor concrete paint!
This we had wanted to do from the start – along with doing the same to the enclosed covered lanai.
Here – Sherry and I placed all the furniture from inside outside so I could prep and paint!
When you get old – crawling around on concrete does a number on your knees and feet!
So – I folded up old towels – four of them and would spread them out – so I could move along and paint the trim areas.
But – being old – I still needed to stand up after reaching the end of the four towels – just to stretch those muscles!
The enclosed lanai – working my way from that end to the door that opened up on the patio.
The final stretch – the open door!
It took me two days but I did it! Cross this off the list – and now to put it all back together again.
The end product – inside the lanai!
Inside looking outside to the outdoor patio.
At last, we are done with this project – cross it off the list!
Being old does not mean you can not accomplish a planned project – I know my limitations –
The feeling when done – is worth all those aches and pains!
Thank you for reading Papa’s World.
MY SITE: livinglifedoingiymyway.blog
MY EMAIL: fitztdf@fitztdf
PAPA’S WORLD – crossing off home improvements one at a time!
They called – a zoom call – the night before they left – we are going to surprise you tomorrow!
We had asked them to come down after they had stopped overnight back in August when they were passing through
for Marcus’s family vacation.
It was his mother and father and brother and sister and families.
We visited them at their beach house in Surfside – South Myrtle Beach.
So – this made us very happy to have four days with them this time!
Sherry and Tammy – she is the youngest daughter
I took Marcus and Bode golfing – while the girls went shopping with MorMor ( Swede for mothers mother)
This would be me with no birdies!
Although his birthday would be after they returned home – we celebrated while they were here!
Taylor – MorMor ( what they call her) and Cassidy singing happy birthday to Bode!
Taylor and Bode – they both are going to be really tall – taking after Sherry who is 5’9″.
It was a special four days – playing golf – shopping -walking two beaches – showing them Clarks in Little River –
Calabash shopping – and having cake and presents for Bode’s coming birthday.
Four days is not enough – and plans for Spring break are in the making.
Christmas – for 10 or more days – we will travel back to NVA and spend time with them and our other daughter and her husband and the older granddaughters.
Looking forward to our next gathering as a family.
Thanks for reading Papa’s World – MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blogblog MY EMAIL: fitztdf@aol.com
MORMOR and BODE – PAPA’S WORLD
WHERE FAMILY MEETS OUR FRIENDS – FRIENDS MEET OUR FAMILY
Welcome to CAMERON WOODS COMMUNITY of OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. 28469!
The GATED ENTRANCE
We are situated off Old Georgetown Road – across from Ocean Ridge Plantation – this also – parts of it – is Ocean Ridge.
Across that street is home to the BIG CATS golf courses of Ocean Ridge.
A large flock of turkeys just behind the new community center!
YES – there is wildlife here – I have seen Turkey and Deer – among the trees and houses here.
I have seen Gators in the ponds and some have seen snakes( I saw a large Blacksnake) while others have seen Copperheads.
I suppose raccoons and possums – I have seen Eagles and large hawks – a really big red-headed woodpecker.
While we are country – we are about two miles to three different grocery stores –
multiple bars and grills and many other shops.
AND – we are on the mainland side of the ICW and minutes away from Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset beach.
In other words – I think we have it all right here!
The ongoing build of our community center – pool and pickleball courts.
We all are hoping for a SPRING finish date – a place to gather – exercise and relax by the pool.
Until that is finished – we have had a few get together’s at outside sources –
The latest outside was at Rivers Edge Golf Course in Shallotte N.C.
And then we had a DRIVEWAY COCKTAIL PARTY at Diane and Steve’s house at the bottom of Waterway and Lindley.
The invites were neighborhood-wide through the Cameron Woods Community Facebook site.
About 24 neighbors gathered – on a cool night – the fires were welcome for warmth.
OH YEAH! manny naughty desserts and snack foods were present!
It was a chilly high ’50’s evening.
There were trays of JELLO-SHOTS – here are two of the four going around!
After an hour – all that was left of the JELLO-SHOTS!
We are a mixture of retirees – work from home – second homes – still working – to full-timers!
Cameron Woods is almost done with Phase Two – and an even larger Phase Three will begin under the new company LENNAR! There is guess’s that will not end there as some of the new roads in the next phase ends at the tree lines! No Cul-De-Sac – just like it will continue on!
PHASE ONE COMPLETE – PHASE TWO ALMOST DONE – ??!
Thanks for reading Papa’s World – CAMERON WOODS COMMUNITY – OLD GEORGETOWN ROAD – 28469 – N.C.
WESTERN SKY AT NIGHT LOOKING TO END OF STREET WHERE PHASE THREE IS SOON TO BEGIN
WHEN NEIGHBORS GET TOGETHER – PEDICURES ARE DISCUSSED! LOL
CAMERON WOODS COMMUNITY – looking forward to more neighbors’ meet and greets!
PAPA’S WORLD – MY BLOG: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
Bobby and I go back to grade school in the mid-’50s and then onto graduation.
Jimmy and I go back to the very early ’70s and the start of playing softball for ten years or more.
Both have been in my majority of life although separately – never meeting one another.
That all changed when they both came to visit and now today they are also friends.
Bobby hitting first across the water to the green – Jimmy watching and will hit next – we played a scramble.
Bob’s wife Pam and my wife Sherry – went away for an extended weekend to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tenn.
To Gatlinburg and a health conference with 12 other ladies!
We decided to do this and play some golf.
We went across the street from Cameron Woods – Ocean Isle Beach where we live and play one of the BIG CAT COURSES!
There are four of them over there and this one is called Panther’s Run.
Jimmy putting it on the green with the second shot
They hit it off right away – Jimmy is about eight years younger than us – Bob knew his family but was long gone from Eldred when Jim and I started playing softball together.
Bobby laughed at something Jimmy said.
Jimmy after making the approach shot to the green.
Time to contact the wife!
Another approach shot on the green.
Nothing but the truth here! LOL
And of course, we headed to a Tiki Bar at Jinks Creek to have a drink and dinner!
Thank you for reading Papa’d World – WHERE FRIENDS MEET OUR FAMILY – FAMILY MEETS OUR FRIENDS!
My two oldest friends – Bobby and Jimmy – never met and now are friends! This is how it goes in PAPA’S WORLD!
One is the oldest granddaughter while the second is the youngest granddaughter with her twin sister.
One is in her third year at University of Lynchburg – Enviromental Engineering major.
One is in the fifth grade – so caring she calls or zooms her grandmother almost every day.
One starts at the attack front position for the ranked lady soccer hornets soccer team.
And had played in 13 games as a freshmen – started her Sophomore year and again as a junior.
One moved to sit beside her older cousin at the soccer game.
Both are dear to our hearts!
Cassidy with MARLEY – the newest addition to her family!
Always smiling – always caring – always protective of her brother – just who she is. Cassidy
Maddy – a junior at the University of Lynchburg – Environmental Engineering – playing soccer and carrying above a 3.80 GPA! Next to Papa in the picture.
Number 13 – left front attacker – crossing a dribble with her left foot to get around a defender. On a top 25 team in the Division III national polls.
Granddaughters – oldest to youngest – youngest admires the oldest – both exceptional to us –
Thanks for reading Papa’s World – WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY – FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS!
MY SITE: PAPAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog MY EMAIL: fitztdf@aol.com
I worked 47 1/2 years for the same company – prior to that – I started working when I was going into my Junior year of H.S.
I decided when I retired – almost 50 years of working – was enough !
Me – Sherry – Steve- Elaine – Cindy & Buck
It was important to maintain our friendships – stay in touch – here are four of our closest friends.
Buck and I – NWPA – golfing vacation
It was important for me to stay active and play golf.
Our six grand children – 5 grand daughters and then Bode .
Family is very important to me , when we moved to NVA – Sherry’s daughters followed us there . My two sons stayed in NWPA – we see them when we visit. In the 20 years – the Va.family has grown – and being there – we see them often if not daily. My family I grew up with is almost gone – I have a niece – great niece’s – brother’s daughter – great – great niece and 2 great – great nephews – everyone else including uncles -aunts are gone.
We have a little side business – actually it provides the income to stay where we are.
We live in a very expensive part of the country – in fact – this county has the highest income per household in the country. We moved here 20 years ago for work and then Sherry retired almost 7 years ago – and went full time into that business of health and nutrition. I followed one year later – and – it has been the income that has provided us the time to stay where we are.
North Shore – Oahu
We travel – we play golf – we see the country – but we also maintain a healthy lifestyle – eating right – and continue to inspire people to do the same – all the while being paid to do it !
You have to remember – retirement means Social Security – if you have a pension plan – 401 K – and whatever else you have saved. PLAN ” B ” – if you want to maintain – you have to have a plan. Ours – we planned 13 years ago and have stayed the course.
The three amigo’s for over 38 years.
Family life – friends – and maintaining health are important for us. All three – with church and God – are our mainstays of life. Giving – helping – praying and attending church – go hand in hand with our life. But – having fun – seeing friends – and watching the family grow – is to me what retirement is all about.
Cindy and Sherry
My wife is extraordinary – a natural born leader – a certified health coach – along as being a true friend to many. She is my crutch – the one I follow on health and nutrition and the reason I am still alive today.
A typical dinner meal for me
Eating healthy – sticking to the plan – and taking my nutrition supplement – and following what she says and does are my secrets to life.
The TOWER GARDEN – we grow inside and outside – year round.
We grow our own produce – April through October outside with two Tower Gardens – anything that does not grow on a tree! And then as you see above – we grow inside our garage November through March. Always fresh and no pesticides – we know what we are eating and growing.
Team Generations
Our team has grown over the years – conference time is twice a year – all over the Country – as is the team – simply sharing by word of mouth. Families – children – helping each other – maintain that healthy life style.
Sherry -Debby ( QMND – soon to be NMD )
In October we will travel to Austin Texas – where we are planning to watch our daughter Debby be promoted to National Marketing Director for the Juice Plus Company – when she will make a full time income she could not of made in the Corporate World ! With extremely generous benefits – and help for college tuition for all three of her children.
Our goal of maintaining our lifestyle in retirement with a PLAN ” B” has been met and continues – growing year by year.
We would love to share it with you – it is not easy – life isn’t easy either – but you make it what you want it to be.
It is up to you – we supply the help – the guidance – we are there.
http://www.sf.juiceplus.com is where you contact Sherry – and look at all the different video’s – both on the health and business.
I am writing this blog today – my only regret is that SOMEONE out there did not share it with us 25 years ago – I wish they had – but we found it 13 years ago and our own PLAN” B” has worked.
Thank you for reading – and remember #livinglifetotheplus is real –
Papa’s World – retirement – loving life to the plus doing it my way.
We all met in Lynchburg to watch the grandaughters play soccer – the next day we went for a hike. This park was real close to where we stayed in the Airbnb.
There were many hiking trails off of the park paved path.
I did not have the shoes to hike in so we stayed on the path.
The trail is not long but requires some climbing up and down steep inclines.
It goes through the dense woods and above the James River and looks like it has access to the river.
While this was closed for the season – a locomotive and caboose – as the rails run all through this area for transportation along with the river in it’s early years of forming Lynchburg Va. There also are FOUR colleges here –
Liberty University – Sweet Briar College – Randolph College and the University of Lynchburg.
Sarah checking out the warning sign as some of the area is fenced off near steep inclines.
The incline here is close to a couple hundred feet almost straight down.
The trail does make its way down with a narrow zig zag path.
Not for anyone who has a fear of heights like me!
Debby Papa Sarah
Sherry climbed the steps up to a beginning of a trail and said it led to a very dark dense forest!
This platform was some 25 feet above us!
A view of the train trestle across the James river.
It was a nice way to spend a few hours in the afternoon.
Later we picked up Ella so she could spend the night with us –
Maddy had practice and a lot of school work to do.
Thank you for reading Papa’s World – MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog
It all started many years ago – youth travel teams – Maddy two years older –
They played together until Maddy left the travel team in Winchester –
to compete in the Ludoun soccer program 65 miles away!
She made this choice on her own as soon as she could drive.
It was soccer hot bed right outside Washington DC.
Ella remained as she was too young to travel that far.
She also suffered a broken bone in each foot different years that had her not playing.
Maddy secured a spot in the try outs and maintained a above 4.0 GPA all through HS.
Maddy selected University of Lynchburg to continue her soccer playing.
Today they are ranked nationally in the top 25 in Division III and at this date – 11 – 1.
Ella number 10 – was recruited by two colleges and selected Randolph College
She now plays for the Wildcats which are situated across town in Lynchburg Va.
Ten minutes from Maddy and the campus of the University of Lynchburg.
As a Freshman – she has started every game and played all the minutes except two per game!
Maddy number 13 – played 13 games as a Freshman and has started as a Sophomore and a Junior.
Here – Ella is about to get the ball and Maddy number 13 is guarding her.
In all these years this game is the first time they have ever competed against one another.
Here they are in the middle at the top – it was a very good game – tough – no one scored in the first half.
Each half is 45 minutes – and ended up 0 to 0 at the half.
Ella – number 10 – tallest in the starting line up – the difference was the bench – Lynchburg kept throwing fresh players into the game.
Because of the Pandemic and covid –
the coach could not travel to recruit – Ella was recruited before the pandemic!
She plays midfield defense – the coach wants her to shoot – five times a game instead of always passing.
She is young and it will come – she plays so effortlessly.
As soon as he can he puts her back in after she rests for two minutes.
So proud of Maddy number 13 who drove herslf 65 miles each way to practice – so she would get noticed – and now plays on a team that is ranked in the top 25 in the nation at Division III.
She is fast – quick and plays attacker both left and right and midfielder in the front.
You can just tell she has the skills – the coach tells the team –
with Maddy do the 1 – 2 – do not worry – she is fast enough she can break for the goal – just get her the ball – this is where she passes back to the middle and breaks for the front!
SISTERS – Ella – number 10 Maddy – number 13
Proud parents – Mike and Debby
Ella made the shirts representing both schools and their mascots and colors – she is such a artist!
Ella and Maddy – Randolph and Lynchburg – sisters going head to head.
Lynchburg gutted out a 2 to 0 win –
scoring both goals late in the second half –
they just had a stronger bench.
Sarah – sister – freshmen in H.S.
Sarah – will turn 15 later this month – she could of played soccer – but had no interest and will run track.
She already is just above six and one half minute miler.
She played soccer when younger and also was fast and good.
Her dream of going to college – playing soccer – physical education – and being a teacher.
Her H.S. team is loaded – here four of them sign – I believe two others had signed early.
As I write this – they have played six games – outscoring the opponents 32 to 4.
They are undefeated and heading for states.
They have all been together since seventh grade – but Ella lost two years –
She had the misfortune of braking a bone in each foot.
One – someone stepped on it with cleats and the other was a stress fracture.
The doctor said she is growing too fast – she now stands almost 5′ 9″!
She was recruited by two colleges making the choice was really hard for her.
She is such a kind loving person – she did not want feelings hurt or letting down the other school.
But – once she made her choice – she embraced it all the way.
She will be going to Randolph College in Lynchburg Va.
Just across town from her sister who plays for the University of Lynchburg –
same conference – and they will play each other!
Ella and her H.S. coaches
Having missed two whole years of playing soccer – she managed to still get the attention of coaches.
She runs like her sister – both breaking the six minute mile without training.
She has grown and I think they – the coaches see the potential – the speed and the skills.
They have lived next door to each other all their lives – best friends – Ella and Olivia.Ella and her younger sister Sarah – who at 14 is going to be as tall or taller – sisters – all the time laughing!
I 