A View from Inside Out!

Here's the spectacular, elevated view of the 17th from inside the windows of our Great Room. Click for a better view!

Surveying the 17th Fairway

David enjoyed the expansive view of the 17th fairway from the patio of our new home last weekend. Our roof is almost complete, the air conditioning venting is done and our windows will be installed this week. We take up the second load of boxes in a rental van this weekend. And we will attend the graduation of our daughter Lisa from college in Gainesville this Friday. A very busy week ahead, but full of joy and appreciation! Click for a closer view.

The Gang's All Here!

Dinner at the Country Club, one last time! Counterclockwise from bottom left: Duke, Dodie, Luz Stella, Bob, Nikki, David. I hope "the gang" gets to enjoy a dinner together again soon. Click for a closer view.

Friends to the End...

The hardest thing sbout our move is leaving close friends behind. This evening we had our last dinner at the club, with close friends Duke and Dodie, Bob and Luz Stella. Life moves on, but I hope that our friendships will continue to stay strong. I'm gonna miss you lots, Dodie!!

A Fond Fish Farewell

With the help of our friends from Aquatic Life in Stuart, we elected to adopt out our water babies. The decision to take a break from the five year hobby was twofold: the delay in our house closing to the end of March and the difficulty in moving three tanks. We know that in Aquatic Life's hands, our fish will be well taken care of. And the tanks and equipment will be donated to the local schools. We'll be visiting Aquatic Life for a final goodbye before we leave on December 21.

A Great Time Was Had by All!

We attended a very special celebration for Steve Montanino's birthday, hosted by Marga and family. Some old friends were there, and several new ones as well. The food was delicious and the company even better. Happy happy birthday, Steve!

Our House At Thanksgiving...

Thanks as always to Les Ridge, Ace Photographer & neighbor (both old and new!), for this recent photo. Click for a closer view.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We couldn't have imagined a more joyful Thanksgiving, than having our two daughters with us at Harbor Hills. We showed off the progress of our new home, and had a delicious dinner at the clubhouse. Lisa, Sunni, Kevin and Little Danny all spent the holiday with us this year. Pictured above is Lisa on the left, and Sunni, against the beautiful backdrop of our new Tenth Fairway. Click for a closer view.

Bye, Bye Tommy!

It is with a heavy heart that we sold our beloved Lexington Tommy Bahama dining room set! An ad on the Lexington web site, brought a Winter Park Florida buyer down to take a look yesterday. Of course, it was "love at first sight". We negotiated a price and the set will be picked up tomorrow. Our new dining room is small and shaped like an octagon, precluding the use of a large rectangular table. But alas, all is not lost! We purchased a round table from the same collection, with the same chairs upholstered in our custom fabric! Well, hel-lo, Tommy!!! Click for a larger view.

Leaving is Hard To Do...

Goodbye, Torrey Pines! Our furniture will be moved to the rental on Wednesday, December 21. Our closing date on our "old home" is Thursday, December 29. Anticipated move-in date on our new home is late February. As the time gets closer, we think about leaving good friends and familiar places in Port St. Lucie. Fortunately, many of our friends will be "traveling through" our new hometown in Lady Lake. We expect to see more than a few PGA Villagers on our Harbor Hills doorstep in the coming year!

In The Bleachers Again...

Just like old times! David and I were in the bleachers as we were for so many years through football, cheerleading, soccer, softball, baseball and basketball! Only this time, it was our grandson Danny playing for the Gainesville, Florida team. Unbelieveably, Danny, Number 23, made the only touchdown that won the bowl game for his team! It was great fun- and reminded us how quickly time passes...Double click on the picture for a closer view!

Time to Slap A "Sold" Sign on!

Happily, we have accepted an offer on our PGA Village home. Closing is scheduled for December 29. Many thanks to Elaine Baese and her team at Villager Realty for a superb job.

We rented a home in the Lady Lake area. What lies ahead? Packing and more packing! We plan to have the movers do their thing on Wednesday, December 21st. That will leave us enough time to have the house professionally cleaned and give us some breathing room before closing. The roof on our new home is on (see photo above) and we hope to be in by the end of February. Double click on the picture for a closer view.

Last Year's Evacuees

Last year's evacuees...Click on the picture for a closer view.

Bracing for Wilma

Thinking of the old cartoon, the "Flintstones", the only Wilma I knew was married to Fred. WRONG!! We're batting down the hatches once again although we are well beyond the height of hurricane season. Can moving to the centre of the state be a good thing? We think the hurricane threat will be much less than living so close to the coast.

Here's a picture of our backyard during Frances' wrath last year. Click for a closer view.

We've Got A Roof...sort of??

Moving along quickly in spite of the inclement weather and hurricane warnings!
Click on the picture for a closer view.

Twenty-two years ago (and she still plays soccer!)

The Walls Are Rising!!

Our block is now complete. After an inspection, the next step will be our roof. David and I will be visiting Harbor Hills on Saturday, October 29th and hope to see more progress. We'll also be able to watch our grandson Danny from Gainesville play in his first football "bowl" game, scheduled for the same day in the Villages! Looking forward to a great weekend...Click on the picture above for a closer view.

The Birds of Harbor Hills

Birds gather beside the lake near the picturesque sixteenth green at Harbor Hills. It's the toughest Par Three on the course. There is a lake in front of the narrow green, with traps in front and to the right. The winds from nearby Lake Griffin can make this one a real challenge. Click on the picture for a closer view.

We've Got Blocks!!

Concrete blocks were delivered to our lot today, along with bags of mortar. We've very excited to see our lovely new home take shape. Builders say end of December for completion. We're expecting the middle to end of January.

Our Daughter Lisa

Our eldest daughter Lisa is in the final stages of the purchase of her new home in Gainesville, Florida. Lisa will be a first-time homeowner. She's moving quickly towards establishing and directing her own Montessori school next year.

We're so proud of her accomplishments!

Go, Sox!!

Our youngest daughter Sunni, Kevin and friends just returned from a weekend in Baltimore. They cheered for their Number One team, the Boston Red Sox (of course!) A great time was had by all...and the Sox notched a much needed win!

Walk Down Memory Lane

Anyone recognize this handsome golfer? A budding Jack Nicklaus, perhaps? It's none other than David, circa 1963, a mere forty-two years ago. And yes, he still has that perfect swing!

Love At First Sight

Yes, it was love at first sight, when David and I stood on the balcony at the Harbor Hills clubhouse. The view of the tenth fairway showcases the rolling hills, and expansive Lake Griffin. Here's a recent photograph of the view, compliments of Les Ridge, one of our "soon-to-be" new neighbors in the community.

Not to be Outdone...

Not to be outdone by his baby "sister" (no blood relation), here's a portrait of Bailey Brie, our black and white pekingese. He's known far and wide for his superior watchdog skills. Bailey is the ultimate guard of all things unfamiliar as he perches on his high rise bed by the window in the front door. Luckily (?) Bailey is on guard 24/7. Woe to the burglar who darkens our door. (Or the Federal Express guy!!)

Pretty in Peke...

No blog would be complete without sharing a picture of our precious pekingese. When the kids grew up and found their way in the world, our pekes bounded into our hearts. Here's Brandee~Cherie, our youngest at six years old. She was born on Valentine's Day. We will always be grateful to our friend and breeder Anne Doll of Peke4ADoll in Williston, Florida. Her dogs are unequalled for beauty and temperament. See for yourself!

Gator Watch

This six footer was relaxing in the sun on the 9th fairway of the North Course in PGA Village when I snapped this pic with a Big Zoom lens!

We may be saying goodbye to this fellow, but hello to some of his cousins. There are gators galore in Lake Griffin, right across the street from our new home!

The Wildlife of Harbor Hills

Having lived for four years in Port St. Lucie, we'll miss the abundance of sand hill cranes, strolling across the golf courses. However, the country club and golf course at Harbor Hills boasts its' own beauty. Wild peacocks are at every turn, showing off their incredible colors of blues and golds. It's an amazing sight. Given the few cranes we've seen, and these colorful birds, I'm sure we'll feel right at home in no time!

The Colonel gives his new wife a kiss during the wedding ceremony last night. The bride looked absolutely lovely. The couple is off to Las Vegas for their honeymoon. Congratulations and good luck to the Tinsmans!

A wonderful time was had by all at the Tinsman and Serrano wedding last night at the Ft. Lauderdale Marriott.

Ready to be POURED!!!!

Our rough plumbing is complete and the sheeting is in place. The next step is to "pour" the foundation. Following the foundation, the concrete blocks will start to shape our new home.

This picture will give you a good indication of our beautiful elevated view down the 17th fairway of the http://www.harborhills.com Country Club.

Ingrid the Television Star!

Ingrid Hoffmann, our good friend Yolanda Regan's daughter, is the star of a new half-hour TV show beginning today, September 14 called "Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffmann".

It is one of the first Hispanic food, decor and lifestyle TV shows in the US. Already a famous Latin TV personality, Ingrid is best known for her innovative and fun food and décor ideas that she offers in an eight-page monthly feature in Buenhogar (the Spanish version of Good Housekeeping) and bi-weekly segments on Univision’s Despierta America, the highest-rated Spanish morning TV show in the country.

In her announcement, she credited her mom (and our friend) Yolanda, with the inspiration for many of her ideas and creations. Ingrid is keeping us posted for the launches of her DVD, National syndicated newspaper column, and her book "A Chica's Guide to Delicioso Living" due out next year. We're so proud of you, Ingrid!

The Seville Spec

The model we chose is called the Seville. We are bulding the "Country French" elevation. It's a three bedroom, two and a half bath. We will enjoy the comfortably-sized breakfast room, and the addition of a "powder room". Here's a picture of another Seville being built elsewhere in the community. Note David's favorite feature: the golf cart garage!

A Day at the "Lake"

We spent a beautiful day at the Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound with two of our favorite golfers and friends, the Norks. Bob & Irene, aka Duke & Dodie, played the course for the first time. Duke loved the greens, Dodie the peaceful scenery, and I was personally taken with the Pro Shop and lunch (just kidding!). The Norks are two of our favorite people and we will truly miss them when we move.

An Upcoming Wedding

This Saturday, September 17, our two friends, Bob & Luz Stella will be married in Ft. Lauderdale. We wish them the very best of luck in their new lives together. We're looking foward to an entertaining evening, as Columbians and Americans come together to celebrate this international event. Who can party the heartiest?? My money is on the "boys from Bogota"!!

Selling Our PGA village Home

Of course we don't get to move into our new home, without selling our current home. We've decided to list it with a hardworking local agent. This morning, we get our first serious buyer walk-through. After polishing up the wood floor in the foyer and clearing away the clutter, we're ready for visitors. Bring 'em on!

Lot Progress

Here is a photo of the rough plumbing on our lot. More lot pics to follow!! Thanks as always to our friend and fellow blogger, Adam Rich, for this recent photo.

Rough Plumbing Is In!!

As our friends know, we are building a new and beautiful home in the Harbor Hills community in Lady Lake, Florida. There is much to do, including selling our present home and preparing to move later this year.

This is our first blog entry, and we hope you will follow our construction progress along with us.