Warm temps, books,and cleanliness

I've been told to get on with it and post something. Okay Lisa! Time just got away from me - it's been wildly disorienting to be back in Naples. Nice as it is, couldn't be more dissimilar to Star Mt. This is the land of clean, sparkling cars - with regular spotting of ridiculously expensive foreign ones.  Our filthy car promptly went through a car wash - just in case there's a committee to deposit you outside the city limits. Where are the cowboys? The hay trucks?A clean car in Gunnison is very hard to find, and certainly not a Maserati or Bentley to be seen. Hmmm, there are different ways to live for sure...

my friend the ibis

Mark has come and gone - back to Detroit, back Friday. At least I got to see him for a few days.And it's cold, brrr, in Detroit right now. Supposed to be 79 here today - not bad. Snowing back in CB - the ski mountain will be happy about that.

Banyan tree

I've been remiss in listing books read. These are from way before Christmas until now. And in the middle I'm reading Atlas Shrugged - that crazy 1100 page classic by Ayn Rand. Never read it, tired of hearing about it, and since it apparently has influenced many movers and shakers in our country, going to find out what's the deal. Gave it to Chris too at Christmas. He was way ahead of me at the end of the year. Contest going on!
A New Kind of Country - Dorothy Gilman
The Bookshop - Penelope Fitzgerald
Dark Vineyard - Martin Walker
A Pelican in the Wilderness Hermits, Solitairies, and Recluses - Isabel Colegate
Time to Depart - Lindsey Davis
The Scottish Prisoner - Diana Galbadon
 The Men and the Girls - Joanna Trollope

I am happy to report that the condo is close to being back to the cute place it was. Have to replace a couple pieces of furniture that were damaged beyond  repair, but the place is back to sparkling clean, new paint and carpet, so basically all traces of the terrible tenants are gone. What to say - just shake your head over human bad behavior. Pictures will follow, we'll be renting it out again (6 months minimum) if anyone knows someone in need.

Stir Crazy

We made it to another couple of favorite restaurants. Fernandez the Bull (Cuban,) found through a Star Mt. neighbor (actually Bunny, Walter's wife - their house is across the road from Star Mt.). Her mother lives down here, so she visits frequently. And Stir Crazy, the pick your food out and they cook it in giant woks. Yum.