Saturday, January 31, 2009

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!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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, January 28, 2009

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!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

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!

Monday, January 26, 2009

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!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

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!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

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, January 23, 2009

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, January 22, 2009

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!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

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.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

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!!!

Monday, January 19, 2009

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!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

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!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

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!

Friday, January 16, 2009

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!


Thursday, January 15, 2009

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!!!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

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...