Turning 80.

 Unbelievably, I made it to age 80!

It's been a hell of a journey filled with some sorrow but also great triumphs. 

My greatest sorrow was of course the murder of my son Thor, but the birth of his son Shadrach, six weeks before his untimely death, and the love of friends and family made it easier to endure. 

Yes, the road has been somewhat rocky but now I am good.

 Thanks to my loving family, Michele, Maddy, Shadrach and Bernie, my extended faily and all my friends who helped, encouraged and assisted me along the way.

On to the next milestone.😉

Link: LOOKING BACK......... Audiobook by Joan Williams

Climate change, but Merry Christmas 🎄.

 If you want to know if climate change is real, visit Colorado. For recently they have been having more or less, the same temperatures as Florida!

I still can't believe I lugged with all my winter gear across half of the North American continent to enjoy a white Christmas with my family, only to encounter this 🫢.

Instead of snow covered lawns and trees, above is a sample of what I encountered, leafless trees and dry brown grass.

No snow.

Even when you look up at the the Rocky Mountains in the distance, you see large exposed areas without snow.

 I hear that to accommodate skiers, they have more than 100 snow making machines running full time in places like Vail and Breckenridge, but because the sun is so hot, it's melting at a rapid rate.

Yup. Two things are certain: 1) global warming is real and 2)  Santa certainly didn't travel here by sleigh last night to deliver presents 🎁🎁🎁🌲🎄!

Anyway, hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas 🎄 and 2026 will bring you lots of happiness, success and good health.♥️

https://youtu.be/eEOeaVpv3s4?si=YEG48gBfpYCC8WFg

Ps. The article below is about concerns Coloradans are having a out climate change.  

https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/denver-colorado-record-high-temperature-christmas/

Giving thanks🙏.

 On the last Thursday of November each year, Americans make a big hullabaloo about giving thanks.

 But it's something we Jamaicans were taught to do daily.

The thing I give thanks for none stop is good health.

I usually try to get some exercise  before going off to stuff myself😁.

Having a bicycle sure helps in that quest.😁

Anyway since I am unapologetic food lover, I head to Michelle's mom, Miss Norma, one of the greatest cooks on earth, on that American holiday.

Miss. Norms

But we don't do turkey as it looks too much like a creature that flies very high and nuh work pon Sunday, that we have at home.😁

That's mine😁

Michele birthday was the 22nd and her loving sister Melissa bought her a cake.

We had lots of fun as usual.

Yup, I got a stomach full and had lots of fun on America's Thanksgiving Day. 

So did DJ Shaddy, as he wrote the hilarious lyrics below and used AI to create this song about the day.

 It's on you tube at:

https://youtu.be/QMFQBtKuIVM?si=grq_PNg4db5wunBs

On Friday it was on to Sebring for more food and camaraderie with my best friend Sunshine and family 😁.

Sebring is a small, quiet city of around 11,000 people, where black bears roam at night. Yup they see them on their cameras but I have never seen one although I would love to. All I ever see are deers 😡

It's some 3 hours away in the northwest of Florida and on Friday morning before I got there it was 48 Degrees.  Luckily it warmed up before I arrived.

Houses are far apart in Sebring 

It's peaceful there.

Since I was in no hurry, I took a longer and more scenic route which I had discovered years before, while going to nearby Lake Placid to a caladium festival. :JOAN, MY VIEWS.: Caladiums galore https://share.google/d4UTWkhQucCSMI44O.

That area is a Trump red neck country and as if to remind me, there was a huge billboard with his picture on the road. Anyway that reminded me to keep within the speed limit as the last thing I need in life is to be stopped by a red neck police.

This route took me through area with campgrounds, fishing attractions and  huge ranches with thousands of cattle grazing peacefully.

It was nice to see them getting stung by the Trump economic policies they voted for as at least one third of the farms  had " for sale" signs out front.

Ribs by Cardiff.

It was a pleasant, quiet weekend with friends and although Cardiff is not a pork eater, he did ribs for me♥️.

That made the long journey even more than worthwhile.😋

Memories.

 The Bible says eat, drink, and be merry and the older we get, the more we have to remember to obey that command 😁.

 At least I do, for all I am hearing these days is that another friend or family member 'drop out.'

With that in mind, I contacted a few friends on my annual trek home, for us to get together.

It was a convenient time as Marcia and Audley who have been married forever, have birthdays two days apart. Then I heard another friend Stewie, will have his birthday in six days.

So it all worked out well.

L-r. Stewie, Marcia, Audley.

Of course we had to have dominoes

We celebrated poolside

Then those who stayed over headed to the beach early next morning.

Yup, good friends, family, music, food, dominoes and of course plenty liquor is always a great way to celebrate each new day, 😁.

Christmas 2024

 This Christmas, Shadrach, Shadean, and I drove to West Palm Beach to celebrate with his mom and grandma.

It was a wonderful day. There were great food, games, gift exchanges, and, of course, the latest music, karaoke, and dances organized and performed by the chief entertainer, Melissa.

We had a wonderful day.

MEMORIES IN PICTURES

Melissa (front) is the life of the party. DJ, dancer and karaoke organizer

Zoey was the Gring

Michelle looking elegant

Some family members in Canada and Florida enjoyed their day too and shared a few pics with us.