Bits and Pieces

Wow - so much has happened in the nine days since my last post. I couldn't believe it had only been nine days because so much has happened it seemed like forever since I posted. I'll try to take things chronologically. WARNING: This may get lengthy! Sorry in advance!

1. Dakota competed on the Foresty Team with the Middle School Chapter FFA on the 13th in Ocala. Her team placed 2nd in the competition. They were very proud of themselves, especially since the high school teams did not place very well at all!!! We were proud of them, too. Citrus Team starts Thursday. And since Anna and Nate own a Citrus nursery and her daddy also works there she and Nathan both plan on being on this team. And there's no reason for them not to do well - all the practice they want/need is at their back doors!!!

2. Monday, the 17th, was the drawing for the hog exhibitors for the Sumter County Fair. There were somewhere around 150 applications turned in! I think it's great that there is so much interest in showing. They added 10 exhibitor slots this year taking the total number of exhibitors to 80. Unfortunately, Dakota was drawn as 41st alternate - which means her chances of showing at the Sumter County Fair this year are quite slim. She was pretty bummed at first (as were we) but she has decided to take this opportunity to show at the Florida State Fair this year instead. We're excited that she made this decision as the State Fair focuses a lot more on the educational aspect of the project rather than just the showing and the $$$$. The bottom line is: the girl just wants to show!!! So, she'll get to do that at the State Fair in February.

3. Tuesday, the 18th, was the Middle School's first football game of the season. It was a home game against Wildwood. This was Dakota's first opportunity to play in the marching band. The Raiders started the game off with a touchdown return on the first play of the game and the band played them on. This was the first of many touchdowns for the evening. Final score: Raiders: 48. Wildcats: 6 (and those 6 points were scored in the last 50 seconds of the game). GO RAIDERS! I was able to get a small clip of video of Dakota playing 2 times, I think, before it started to rain and the band left the stands. And shortly after they left the stands, the bottom dropped out and the rest of us got completely drenched! So, no pictures to post yet - but maybe the rain will hold off tomorrow night long enough for me to snap a couple of pix to share.

4. My Papa and Nana made it to the game Tuesday night and we got them situated in the stands just in time for the rain to drench us all. They ended up leaving during that deluge, but they were glad they had been able to come, even for a brief time. Unfortunately, later that night just before going to bed my Nana fell and broke her shoulder. She is in some pain and will not be having surgery. She is just not a good candidate at this time for this type of surgery. She is in a sling and goes back to the doctor in 3 weeks to check the healing of the bones and possibly start some minor physical therapy at that point. This, of course, makes their daily life much more of a struggle. I don't know how they do it - but they certainly take care of each other. They are both so limited in their abilities these days; my Papa is 87 and my Nana is 76 - but they insist on staying at their home and doing most everything themselves. My Papa usually still goes out on his tractor every day somewhere on "the place" tinkering with something. Just last week he was building some fence or something to make a holding area for some cows. Amazing! He doesn't sit still for long, even at 87. However, now that Nana has fallen again - he will stay right there at the house with her day in and day out until she is recovered. Even if we go over to sit with her, we will have to practically push him out the door to go do something for himself for a while. He will not leave her side. There's something to be said for a marriage like that; one that's lasted 59 years!

5. We had 4-H awards night on the 22nd. Dakota got a swine pin and her first year pin along with a certificate. Dakota also got a nice trophy for her Secretary book from our club. And Mr. Drake got a certificate, his goat pin and his first year pin, too. I have never seen someone so happy to have a pin before in my life. I think he would wear it every day if I would let him.

Dakota and I had been at the state fairgrounds all day with Anna and Nathan and William at a seminar for state fair exhibitors. We came home, changed our clothes and left to go to the awards night and I left my camera right at the house! So, no pix to post of this event, either! I'm such a slacker. Some of the other parents had their cameras so maybe I'll get pix from them that I can share.

I think this pretty much covers the high and low points of it all. It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks but we survived. Now we're waiting for my cousin Cindy to have her baby. It's due any time now. I can't wait to meet him or her!