A visit from the Grandchildren

Our Grandchildren, Quinn (12) and Paris (10) fly down from Walden, New York for a 10 day visit.  We have a lot planned for them.  Since they arrived 4 days ago, the have feed the cows, geese, horses, donkeys, sheep and goats.  They still have to feed the pigs.  We have already gone to Weeki Wachee to see the mermaids underwater show and spent time in Buccaneer Bay swimming and riding several water slides.  Today we visited Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  This was 10 hours of rides, food and a lot of sweating.  We've  had a great time so far. Four days down and 6 to go!
                                                            

Quinn feeds and pets a donkey, while Paris feeds another

Quinn feeds a cow

Paris feeds and pets Kelly, a retired race horse

Quinn pets the beautiful Percheron, McKenzie

Quinn trys to tell the goats and sheep that he has run out of food

Paris coming out of the waterslide at Buccaneer Bay

Quinn fakes drinking Grampy's beer

A mermaid performs at Weeki Wachee

Paris and her new friend Olivia go for a four wheeler ride on the ranch

Quinn has really enjoyed the pool at the ranch

Paris does a back flip into the pool

Hogworth Castle with the Harry Potter ride inside

Which one is Quinn on this ride?

Quinn and Paris on the small coaster

Lunch at the Hard Rock

Paris rode this flume ride, got wet, and she bought new clothes!

Quinn rides Indiana Jones' motorcycle

Paris, Grammy, and Quinn read the menus at the Monkey Bar on the Homosassa River

                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                          

The Butler family visit the ranch

Our Nephew Brian Butler, his wife Terasia, and daughter Neveah, came to visit us at the ranch.  We had time to reminisce and take Neveah for a tour of the ranch.  She got to feed the geese, cows, donkeys, pigs, goats, sheep and horses, and pet the dogs.  Neveah was so excited, as she got to pet the newest addition to the ranch, a 6 day old baby lamb. We also went next door to see Uncle Ernie and Aunt Kim.  Neveah's cousin Zakkary was there visiting his grandparents.  We also spotted an alligator in the back pond, he'll meet with his demise later today.
                                                                         

Nevaeh feeding Hannah

Neveah with Aunt Debbie feeding a goat

                                                                                     

Neveah poses with Ober, one of the Whippet show dogs

Debbie and Neveah see Aunt Kim hold the new baby lamb

                                                                                 

Debbie, Jessie returning from a workout, Brian, Neveah and Teraisa

Neveah gives Zakkary a push to get his motorcycle jump started

                                                                                

Nevaeh explains something to Aunt Debbie, her Mom & Dad and to Uncle Ernie

Debbie and Terasia at the ranch's trademark sign (Ernie has a wife and 3 daughters, hence the ranch's name)

Two days at the pool

Saturday, June 1st-Day # 1 at the pool.
Here on the ranch, the new property that was purchased came with the 5 bedroom house that we live in, with a pool on this 20 acres. Debbie's brother Ernie (aka Sonny) and his wife Kim, who live across the pasture on the original ranch, along with their youngest daughter Jessie, came over for a swim.  We were later joined by their oldest daughter, Tiffany and our great nephew Zakkary and their dog Guinness.  The pool is up to 85 degrees and we had a great time.  The 13 geese and the roaming cat saw us, so they came for a visit.
                                                                   

Zakkary with his Aunt Jessie

Tiffany, Guinness, Kim and Sonny

It's time for Zakkary to head home to Orlando

The geese and their goslings get a drink

The ranch cat

Sunday, June 2nd, day # 2 at the pool
I got Debbie down the steps and she was able to sit on a pillow at the pool.  She can't get her incision wet, so she only got her legs and feet in the water.  It was near 90 degrees today and the pool felt good.

                                                                         

Debbie's 2nd Hip operation

We're still in Webster on the ranch and took a trip up to Homosassa Riverside Resort   We had some great seafood at the Monkey Bar, while sitting on the upper deck, overlooking the water.  There is also Monkey Island, a couple hundred square feet, just behind the restaurant and is full of monkeys fed and cared for by the restauranteurs.  That was our last special day out before Debbie went in on May 20th for her 2nd hip surgery.  We are home now and Debbie is suffering a lot more this time than with the first operation.  Only time and plenty of home physical therapy will get her back to her old self.   The highlight of Debbie's day is feeding the 13 geese that visit us daily.                                               

Debbie across from Monkey Island

Still using the walker!

13 Geese ( 2 Moms, 1 Dad and 10 goslings)

                                                                      

Lots of new additions on the Ranch

Debbie is recuperating well and we are out working on the ranch.  We have been replacing old fence posts, running barbed wire, rustling cattle, keeping up with the pool and helping out wherever we can. 
We have several new additions in the past 3 weeks, 3 baby sheep, 2 calves, and 14 goslings.   Debbie is really enjoying mothering all of the new little ones. 
                                                                      

Debbie with mother Ellie May and baby Elsie (only a few hours old)

Debbie with a baby goose on an early, foggy morning

One of the three new lambs

                                                                              
                                                                        

The Casola Family visit the ranch

Debbie is recovering well, three weeks after surgery.  We have been doing the 20 exercises twice a day, which poops her out for a while.  We are now off the walker and walking with a cane.  Yesterday we walked from the house, out to the front gate and back, about 1/4 mile.  Slowly Debbie is getting there.  This weekend, the Casola Family came to visit us.  Sergio and Angelina had a great time feeding and petting the animals here on the ranch.  We also taught Sergio how to open and close the gates, which was less work for me.  The kids fed carrots to the sheep, donkeys, goats and horses, fed two weeks of our garbage(that we saved in the fridge) to the pigs and piglets, got to pet the dogs and just had a great time.  We had lunch and celebrated my birthday with some chocolate cake.

Angelina helping Aunt Debbie cook the burgers

Sergio opening the first of many gates

Angelina and Sergio get to ride on the toolbox while the adults ride inside

Angelina feeds Hannah and Delilah

Sergio got to feed the sheep

Angelina fed Kelly and Mackenzie

They got to feed a goat

They dump the garbage to the waiting pigs

Even Mama Marlo got into the act

                                                                                   
                                                                               
                                                                    

We're off the road for Hip Surgery

We are staying in Webster, Florida, about 40 minutes from South Lake Hospital in Clermont, which just west of Orlando.  Debbie had her first of two hip surgery's on February 13th.  Here is a photo update.

The day of surgery-she feels as bad as she looks

Day 2- she's able to crack a smile, but everything hurts

Day 3-she's eating and still sucking up all the oxygen

Day 7-She made it home, but she sure is pooped!

Day 9-She's up, walking, smiling, and giving orders.