FISHING IS NO.1 PRIORITY FOR SOME

Recently ProLine Boats sponsored a fishing tournament in this area. A group from TT Chesapeake Bay participated and brought home a lot of fish. Billy, is an avid fisherman; fishes all the time, but he did not participate in the tournament. The fishermen gave some of the fish to him for a big fish fry coming up in November. We caught up with Billy at the fish cleaning station, filleting the Blues with the precision of a TV surgeon. You may remember Billy as providing the expertise when we were painting the lines for the additional Pickleball Courts (Article 9/7/2008). I keep telling him he needs to reset his priorities so he can spend more time on the Pickleball Courts, but he thinks he has it right -- fishing is still his Number 1!!

DINNER AT EL RANCHITO

Playing Pickleball is not the only thing we do!! We all got together one evening for a wonderful dinner at El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant in Gloucester, VA. No two-for-one Margaritas this time, but I think we would all agree that the meal was delicious and plentiful!! And a good time was had by all

We clean up pretty good, don’t we?

[Front Row: Faye, Diane, Linda, Vickie, Krystal, Austin, Mickey
Back: Cal, Roger, Dennis, Bob, ??, Barb and Ray]

PICKLEBALL CONTINUES AT TT CHESAPEAKE BAY

We can’t quite believe it, but it's true!! We still have a really good group of Pickleball players at the preserve. We play every morning and some play in the evenings as well.

[Front Row: Jerry, Katelyn, Mike, Barb, Vickie, Austin, Jeff and Roger

Back: Rita, Gilbert, Ron, MikeE, and Dennis]










The next generation of Pickleball Players.

[Katelyn, Jeff and Austin]

GIRL POWER!! On some days, the girls rule!!

Diane after an especially rewarding shot.













Barb and Faye after winning over Dennis!!! YEAH!!!

ANOTHER PICKLE PINNING CEREMONY

What a great group of new (and almost new) players at TT Chesapeake Bay. We decided we needed to have another Pickle Pinning Ceremony for those who had not received their Pickles to show their love of the game. Eleven new inductees.

[Front Row: Austin, Monica, Jerry and Linda
Back: Bob, Ron, Vickie, Rita, Jason, Ron and Ray]

ANNUAL SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND DRAGON RUN DAYS

A BIG EVENT AT TT CHESAPEAKE BAY

A view of the Piankatank River from shore. To the right the River flows to the Chesapeake Bay about 12 miles to the East. To the left is the Dragon Run that winds for miles and miles inland.

We really enjoy this annual Festival. It’s a very popular event at the preserve, with all kinds of seafood prepared by the staff, crafts by the members and friends, and ecological displays about the Dragon Run, a tributary to the Piankatank River. We had the soft shelled crab sandwiches for lunch.

And later, cracked Blue Crabs with beer for dinner!!

UUUUMMMMMMMMMM

UPDATE ON KEN’S CONDITION

He’s OK – feeling fine – doing great – up and at ‘em – bursting at the seams – ready to go!! Can’t keep him down!!! No after effects at all following the ordeal on Thursday. Actually, the worst thing by far, was the after effects of all the medication given to him at the hospital. They popped his hip back in place and now his hip feels fine – no pain, no weakness at all. He has an appointment with his Orthopedic Surgeon (the one who replaced his hip in 2000 and was scheduled for his knee replacement) on Tuesday AM to see what’s next. We are hoping he will be able to reschedule the knee replacement soon enough so all the pre-admission stuff will still be applicable.

I told my son, Barry, it was a lot like a shuttle launch. All the preparation and count down to the last minute, and then have to abort!! Let’s hope we can start in the middle of the countdown this time and do not have to start all over.

Will keep you advised.

KEN'S KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY -- IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!

Ken’s knee replacement surgery scheduled for Friday, 10/17, has been canceled. The reason?? Ken had a mishap early this morning while packing up to move from TT Chesapeake Bay to the Richmond Elk’s Lodge. He twisted the wrong way when reaching under the steering wheel. The ball of his left hip replacement (circa 2000) popped out of position!! He could not move!!

We called 911 and they switched us to the Gloucester Ambulance Service. By 9:30 AM we were in the emergency room of Walter Reed Hospital.

This has happened two times before –in Cottonwood, AZ and in Indio, CA. Both times he was taken to emergency, sedated, hip popped back in position, and we were gone.

Not so this time. Because it was the third time, the doctors were very concerned. They would not set the hip in the Emergency Room. We had to wait for an Operating Room was available. At 3:30 PM they finally released Ken to come home. What an exhausting day!!!

In the meantime, I contacted Ken’s Orthopedic Surgeon in Richmond who had done the hip replacement years ago and is scheduled to do the knee replacement surgery. The decision was that we would have to cancel the knee replacement surgery and set up an appointment (Tuesday 10/21) to review the hip problem.

[Ken’s hip is OK now.]

MY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION GOES ON AND ON AND ON!!

While we were at the Elk’s Lodge in Richmond, I decided to make a Birthday Brunswick Stew for myself. Ever hear of Mrs. Fearnow’s Brunswick Stew? It’s made in this area and distributed in the southeast. My recipe was close to Mrs. F’s.


[Right is my sister Beryle and husband, Harold.]







I invited my siblings and their families to help us eat it. And, my daughter, Stasia came up from North Carolina for the occasion. It surely did bring back some old time memories.

[Left is my brother, Nelson and puppy, Buddy.]







When we were young and growing up, we lived on a farm. Several times a year, Mom and Dad made a BIG Brunswick Stew for friends and family. Back then we had to pick and shell the butter beans, pick and shuck the corn, pick and peel the tomatoes, kill and clean the chicken, and so on. It took the whole day, adding ingredients and stirring, stirring, stirring. It was soooo good.

[Here is my sister, Jean and husband, Bob.]





Not the same for Faye’s Stew – grocery store chicken and canned ingredients according to the Fearnow’s recipe. Still it took all day adding ingredients and stirring, stirring, and stirring. It was really, really good. UUUUMMMMMM!!


[And here is my kid brother, Chip and wife, Biddie.]









[My niece, Deb (Beryle's daughter) and her husband, Jeff.]















[Here is my daughter, Stasia who drove all the way up from North Carolina for her Mother's birthday!]











[And here is the Birthday Girl, herself, and husband, Ken!!]



We all had a wonderful time!!!








MIKE AND DIANE TAKE US OUT FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!

On Wednesday, October 1, Mike and Diane took us both out to an enormous and delicious dinner at Zorba’s Greek Restaurant in Richmond to celebrate my birthday (October 2). We had a wonderful meal starting with Mussels Marinara and Burchetta. We need not have ordered the appetizers because portions for dinner were huge and we could not begin to eat it all – succulent Baked Pasta for Ken and the Birthday Girl, Eggplant Parmesan for Mike, and Beef Tenderloin with Wine Sauce for Diane!!!

Thank you Mike and Diane for a wonderful Birthday Dinner!!!

A TRIP TO THE DENTIST

When we were out West in February 2003, our Pickleball friends, Brian and Ilene, were talking about going to the dentist in Mexico. We thought it sounded like a good idea. Let’s give it a try!! They recommended their dentist, Dr. Patricia Vicente, “a sensitive & understanding dentist”, in Los Algodones, MX. So we went to Yuma for a few days; walked across the Mexican border; and met Patty Vicente. She was great. We saw her regularly whenever we were out west. In addition to routine care, X-rays, and cleaning, I needed a crown and Ken root canal. All this was done with little discomfort, maximum speed, and minimal cost.

Thing is, we’ve been in the East for more than two years and have not been able to see our dentist in Mexico. We decided to bite the bullet and set up an appointment to see our dentist in Richmond, Dr. Alan Padgett. Now, Dr. Padgett is a great dentist and very nice gentlemen whom Ken met in the Army Reserves years ago. But, this dentist is very thorough and could always find something to fix every time we saw him. And, he’s expensive!! We were expecting the worse!!

After extensive X-rays and a thorough cleaning, we both passed our exams with flying colors and high praise for our excellent dental hygiene!! Everything was perfect!!! AMAZING!!!

BUT!! Just a few days later, Ken lost a tooth. We thought it was the cap put on by Patty in Mexico. But, when we returned to the dentist, it was not the cap. It was a broken tooth. The dentist filed it down and bonded it. Now Ken’s teeth are fine!! But, Dr. Padgett is still expensive!!

So, you western travelers who have been going to Patty Vicente in Mexico – you’ve got a good one!!

PS. If you happen to run into Brian and Ilene, tell them our story. If you have their cell phone number, please share it with us. Have not been in touch with them for awhile.