Saturday--off to Silver Springs!

Our group is heading to Silver Springs for the day (Collin Raye and Restless Heart are performing in concerts in the afternoon). The high is supposed to be 59, so a few folks decided to skip the fun and stay indoors.

While we are away, check out a close up of the cute tags that Haley made for the WHOLE group (isn't she a good daughter?!). Since it is January, she stamped a large snowflake in the background (that'll remind some of these folks of what the weather is like back at their 'real' homes), MT for the initials of our club, and the 20 represents its 20th anniversary. The dates of the rally are stamped at the bottom. The picture doesn't do its 'cuteness' enough. The bags were purchased from Target...

Sam, Joe and Dick sat watching the morning weather on the big screen while they were waiting for breakfast this morning...

Susan, Nancy, and Sue were a few of the gals who enjoyed the 'girlie' luncheon today. The food was quite good, and we all enjoyed many laughs during the eating process. We do that well!

I hope your Saturday is great. Life is good in the Sunshine State!

Friday at the rally...

See the 30 goody bags all lined up, ready to be given out to the happy campers!
This is the front of the three-page program (note that this means
SIX pages of printed stuff!) that was placed in each bag, along with lots of neat goodies and info...

Les, General Manager at Turning Wheel RV, gives the 'whistle' to be quiet and listen up (I sure wish I could do that!)...

These nice Turning Wheel RV folks welcomed us yesterday with a wine and cheese party...here are Lisa, Jackie and Les with Dick...

Susan and Ann at the cg decorated the clubhouse for us...AND they even bought a big screen TV so we can watch the Super Bowl on it tomorrow!!! Yaaayyyy....(yikes, that should read SUNDAY)!

Lots of tasty submarines for an easy dinner...

Bonnie and Joe, our fab co-hosts...

And now it is Friday and we begin shortly with our catered breakfast and then the business meeting. Us gals have a 'girlie' tea to go to while the guys have hot dogs and tech talk with the Turning Wheel folks. Dinner will be catered at the clubhouse. Oh yes, we ran out of cookies last night. I'll have to remember that this is a cookie crowd in the future!!! That was our only major snafu, so that isn't too bad in my book for us first time rally masters!

So you can see we'll have a fun day. I hope y'all do too...and a great weekend. What are you doing for fun??? Life is short...go play!

Not me!

Who me? No, I didn't pull down the sunscreen on the windshield. Uh ah. Not me. Aren't I cute?

See how innocent I look!

Oops, busted! And no Parker boy to blame it on...drat!

Missy loves this spot on the dashboard where she can watch the world (and squirrels) go by. She'd love to get out and kick their bootie, but we don't let her out.

Enjoy your Thursday...we sure will (that is, when the program is DONE, the goody bags are stuffed and the shopping is finished!). By 5p today, it'll be time to relax a little and say 'it is what it is' and if there are any errors, oh well........life's too short to get bent outta shape over STUFF!

Wednesday pre-rally...

Let the fun begin! I sent out an email to the rally group that whoever arrived (early) on Wednesday was invited to our coach for Happy Hour today. Wow...quite a few showed up! Hmm, not everyone is in the picture. Some are new folks; others we've known for awhile. It's a great group of folks.

The official beginning is tomorrow (Thursday) at 5p. The local RV dealer (Turning Wheel) is providing a wine and cheese welcome party, plus a few extras. I still have a few finishing touches to put on the program, then the goody bags will get stuffed and handed out, ready or not. I'll take pictures to post. Let the good times roll! Life is good!

Tootin' Tuesday...

While I am doing my copying of the rally schedule, and closing up the moho to hit the road, I'm leaving y'all with a chuckle for the day. Here is your very own trip to enjoy...on the bus!

You are on the bus when you suddenly realize ... you need to fart. The music is really loud, so you time your farts with the beat. After a couple of songs, you start to feel better as you approach your stop. As you are leaving the bus, people are really staring you down, and that's when you realize, you have been listening to your ipod!

Be careful out there, people! Enjoy your day...ours will be exciting!

Monaco rally explained...

Loving Annie wants to know what a Monaco rally is. Well, let me 'splain it. First, here are three Monaco coaches all in a row at the fall '07 rally in Dillard, GA. The close one is our moho...
And here we are again this past October in Franklin, NC...where we had snow!

So that is what a few Monacos look like, now what is a Monaco rally? Well, it is when a 'club' of Monaco owners get together to meet new folks, eat, see old friends, eat, have a bit of entertainment, eat, have a business meeting, eat, laugh, and make plans for the next rally or two! There are literally dozens of various Monaco clubs all over the country. We actually belong to two of them, this one and a caravan group (that's a whole nuther story!), as well as belonging to another camping group that allows any brand of moho to join. It is a great way to make new friends from all over the country as any of these gatherings.

This is our first time to be rally masters of this particular club, Monaco Travelers. It has definitely been OJT (on the job training). We have a total of 30 coaches registered, with 59 folks attending. We officially begin on Thursday, but we and our co-rally masters will gather at the cg on Wednesday to put on the final touches and hit Sam's for some last-minute needed items.

My big project today is to finish up the rally schedule of events, then print, copy, collate (I miss my copier from home) 30 packets of info, and check my to-do list VERY carefully! Anyone wanna come help me??? I have to put together 30 goody bags.

Life is good. Have a great Monday, y'all!

Celebrating 95 years...

Why wait till #100 rolls around? Last night we celebrated 95 years since St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was founded in Lake Worth, FL. The evening began with Evensong, followed by a buffet of ethnic foods. Here we are with long-time friends Chris, Dick and Pat...

Cheers, Deacon Pat! Frazell Hall was quite festive...

Dick and I served as wine stewards. Loved the wine tub...but felt it would be wrong to steal from the church and bring it to the moho with me!

The food served was outstanding, and all proceeds raised went to two worthwhile local charities...and of course there was cake. Margot baked this beauty with a replica of the original church structure on top (that one was demolished in the '28 hurricane).

Dick is outside doing a bit of cleaning on the moho; I am stuck inside on this perfectly beautiful day working on our upcoming Monaco rally. We sure didn't know how much work was involved when we agreed to be rally masters. Fortunately, we have good co-rally masters in Joe and Bonnie. Next time will be a cinch, right? Wait? Did I say NEXT TIME? What am I thinking???

So how is YOUR weekend going? We are meeting Jose and family tonight for dinner. Jose was an employee of ours when we had a business here in Lake Worth a very long time ago. We look forward to visiting and catching up with them. And I get out of cooking one more time!

Sailfish Saturday...

Good food, right on the waterway...can't go wrong with that combination! This is where four Bells had breakfast this morning...

Mural on the wall in the ladies room...

Bob, Lynne (the nawthern Bells)...Dick and me...

Dick said he was probably gonna wear out some flip flops this winter...oops, his Birkies have a major problem! Save the beer for later...you've gotta water the new trees first!

Havin' fun in the FL sun. Happy Saturday, y'all! Check out a funny today on Haley's blog...especially humerous because she is a school teacher and I can so see this happening!

Friday in FL...

We are running out of time to get to John G's, but we want to do that before Bob and Lynne take off on Monday. Gosh, we've got lots to do between now and then! Dinner with Wade and Ginger tonight, breakfast at Sailfish Restaurant tomorrow, and a big 'do' at church tomorrow night. We are quite the social butterflies!

Let me clear up something...Dick does NOT have heart trouble, only a cold. It is Sherman (brother-in-law) who is still waiting on surgery news. Prayers are appreciated, of course.

The weather is warming up a bit, which I know will please our kids freezing back in Mayberry! Just kidding...

I know Bee and Sarge are leaving Sunday on the very same ship (Carnival Valor) that we were just on (Bee, I left instructions for cake to be on the menu just for you!). So what are YOU doing this weekend? Go out and have fun, OK?

Thursday stuff...

Poor Dick. He has a bad head cold. Hear Dick cough. See Dick blow his nose. You remember I said that Sherman got a cold? Well, Pat did too.

But...Sherman is in the hospital because of that cold, and that is a good thing, cuz the doctors discovered he had a slight heart attack! He is awaiting a look-see by the pulmonologist this afternoon to determine when they can do a triple by-pass on him. The good news is that there is no pneumonia. Dick's cold is certainly minor by comparison to Sherman's ordeal.

Lynne and I never made it to Publix yesterday, so that is my mission today, since I need a few things. We were successful in finding 'stuff' to go in the rally goody bags, and we had lots of fun just being together. The four of us went to Dan and Joan's for dinner (yummmm) and a couple of games of marbles. No, not the kiddie kind (I never did play with them, did you?) This is a board game, and there is quite a bit of strategy to it, better played with 6 folks than 4. We played guys against girls. Girls rocked!!! Twice:-)

I remember playing Monopoly a lot as a kid and loving it. And rummy. Reminisce a bit and think about what your favorite game was when you were young. What was it?

Life is good...it is warming up here in WPB!

Gone shoppin'...

Lynne and I are going shoppin' to some of our fave places--Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Publix, Dollar Tree. We probably won't do too much damage to the checkbook.

Amy, that was Wayne who took you on the unicycle...I'm not sure about the ages of the Marc kids...at least 10 years older than each of you. I'll have to ask Joan tonight:-)

Brrr, it is chilly down here in WPB...38 this morning, but 11 back home, so who's complaining?! Not me! Life is good. Y'all have a good day.

Standing tall...

Help to the rescue yesterday from someone we've known since he was a wee boy...thank goodness he still has big toys. Dick gets the chain hooked up to the rope around the tree clump...

...then Ray Allen lifts it up, so effortlessly.....

Dick removes the chain, so it is all unhooked now and in place, in what, five minutes of effort? Any job is made easier with the right equipment!

Wow...Ray Ray looks like his dad more and more...what a fine young man he is! He definitely comes from good stock...thanks bunches!

Thanks also to neighbor Al for holding the rope...nice looking tree, right? We'll certainly enjoy the shade it will provide after we let it settle and then remove the confining ropes. It is all nicely watered in and staked up to keep it standing tall.

On a current note, the inauguration is now complete, and we begin a new chapter in our country's history. May God bless President Obama, and may he stand tall on his campaign promises.

Life is good...we have our freedom, thanks to all the vets, past and present!!!

Grab it and Do it!!!

Grab it & Do it!

RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept in an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitchhiked

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse (lunar)

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten cavier

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chicken pox

89. Saved someone's life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

...thanks to Echoes of Grace for this idea! Enjoy your Monday, y'all, and do something for fun today, OK?

Oh yes, and a big Happy Birthday to Dan C! On this day in history, 1977 to be exact, it snowed right here in West Palm Beach. Trust me on this one...I was big as a barrel before Amy popped out on February 4. I remember it well!

Carnival Valor - Day 8 - Miami and home to the moho!

Here is a shot of the Port of Miami...

And one of the moho...welcome home!

Carnival Valor - Day 7 - final fun day at sea!

Today is our final 'fun day at sea.' Tomorrow we'll dock in Miami and then head home to the moho and Missy. I hope she's been a good girl while we've been away and not thrown any wild parties!

Here is a picture of one of the public areas onboard, copied from the Carnival site...

I think they should hire Miss Bee to take their pictures...she does good work:

I hope you've enjoyed the cruise with us. See y'all down the road...or in the air...or on the high seas........Life is good!

Carnival Valor - Day 6 - Second fun day at sea...

Y'all know that all these pictures were posted ahead of time, right? This is supposed to be what our stateroom looks like...and it does!

This is an actual photo of the water slide...thanks to Miss Bee, along with the next interior shots...
Isn't this gorgeous? I can see why this is Bee's fave Carnival ship. It honors our heroes, which is something we all need to remember to do. Just sayin'. Thank you, vets!

We tried going to the piano bar last night to hear Ron, but it was packed AND filled with smokers, so we couldn't stay:-( These ships need to be smoke free, people! There is a cigar bar...go use that!

We've found the food to be good, entertainment is hit and miss in our estimation, but that's OK. We do like one couple...Two's Company...she sings and he plays the keyboard. She does Whitney and Celine to a 'T' and is awesome! Had bitter and blac last night...divine! And had chocolate melting cake the other night...delish! Just for you, Bee!

Having fun on the High Seas...hope your day is super!

Carnival Valor - Day 5 - St. Maarten, NA

So this was us in '07 when we visited here with friends Jim and Janet and stayed in a condo. We are at the famed Sunset Beach Bar, with the airport seen in the background. Topless women drink for free here! I paid for my own beer, thank you very much!!!

And these are street vendors in Marigot...
...although we didn't venture over there. We had never walked around the dock area where the ships dock, so that is all we did and then went back to the ship for a relaxing afternoon. I did find Miss M's request, and I think she'll like what I got for her:-)

So what are y'all doing on this sunny (for us) Thursday? Snow is expected back in Mayberry, poor babies! I'm not sorry to miss that. Friday and Saturday are sea days, so we'll be doing more ship exploring. We'll go say HI to Ron at the piano bar for Big Ed of the Evil Crew (Bloggers' Cruise). Life is good!!!

Carnival Valor - Day 4 - St. Thomas, USVI

This is a beautiful island. We haven't been here in years, so I know we'll get off the ship today and look around...