The morning after the party...

Missy and I both sat this morning and enjoyed the view outside, bleak, but with signs of improving. I actually took this photo of her perched in the window yesterday, and had good intentions (you know what those are) to take lots of photos last night of food and kids. Right.

What actually happened was that I was too busy playing BettydamnCrocker to even touch the camera, except to take a photo of the birthday gal and family with HER camera. She will send me all the photos from last night if she knows what's good for her, but click right here and see "Birthday fun" over on Haley's blog, already posted. Watch out for the dog pile at the end. No one was actually injured or hurt, other than maybe a little pride.

The green beans were a big hit, but 'Mr. Publix' needs to have his recipes tweaked just a bit...so I'll fix my copies.

I started putting all my recipes on my computer years ago, all in categories, easy to find from my kitchen computer, and always available wherever I am traveling. This way, I can get rid of those hundreds of saved paper recipes that I have tried/mean to try. And I don't have to remember all those pesky measurements either. It makes cooking simple.

Do you have a special time-saver tip? Please share.

Hallelujah, the sun is peeking out its little head............and I'm seeing some blue skies for the first time since getting home! Yes, those really are buds on the tips of a few trees...............and the willow tree is showing some sweet green. I think Spring is arriving! I'm lovin' it, including the fox I saw sneaking through the woods this morning.

Life is good!

Happy Birthday, dear Haley...

Join Dick and me in wishing our first-born daughter a Happy Birthday! She turns 'plenty eight' today, and is holding up well for such an advanced age!

And enjoy a slice of cake...

...but there won't be any cake tonight. Nope, this gal is a Key Lime Pie lover, so that is what she'll get.

All the kids and grandkids will be here to celebrate. We'll start off with wine (for the tall folks) and appetizers of Brie/crackers, and spinach-artichoke dip. The main entree is pork tenderloin, served with salad, Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans with Mushrooms and Cheese, and of course, French bread. I know that's a lot of cheese. So fire the cook. We'll be heart healthy tomorrow!

Bon appetit, y'all! Lift a glass of cheer for our sweet gal...

Home, sweet home!

This being Palm Sunday, I'm posting posting palm trees, which are much prettier to look at than the view outside at the moment here in Mayberry. It is totally gray, overcast, and very little evidence of spring on our trees. Dang. We left spring in Florida.

Yesterday was a looong day. There were three different stop-and-go traffic spots on I-75, so we got off on surface roads all three times so that at least we could stay on the move, rather than just sit. We certainly saw lots of rural Georgia, but it was a nice change from the interstate views we normally see. And I got a whole book read...Sue Grafton's "Q" is for Quarry, in case you are curious.

Now we get to unpack, put away, do laundry, replace a satellite receiver (ours died in the moho), and all those chores necessary for getting settled back home. I don't even want to begin on the snail mail. Sigh. I need a clone. Any volunteers? Come on over!

Enjoy your Sunday. Life is good!

On the road again...

Doesn't Dick look like a cute pothead?! This photo will look good in the family album, honey...
I needed him to peddle home to get this pot for us the other night so Lynne and I could fix the lobster bisque, and this was the easiest way for him to get it back to us on his bike. Bless his heart.

Today, he is Dick-the-long-distance hauler. We are driving straight home......well, with a rest stop here and there...........so it will be a VERY long day. He doesn't mind all that driving, plus the reward is Home, Sweet Home!

That also means kids and grandkids. We do have our priorities right!

Picture me sitting in the co-pilot chair, reading a book, scratching Missy, checking email on my raspberry, and fetching tea and peanuts for the pilot. I tell Dick he's got himself a good woman! What a team we make!

Enjoy your Saturday. Life is good, y'all!!!

We found Santa!

And Mrs. Claus! Really. But they didn't arrive in their sleigh. No snow here, so it had to be left at home. Would I lie to you? Of course not!
Ray and Lois are just home from a Santa convention in Gatlinburg, TN, where about 400 Santas gathered. They enjoyed it, despite the full-time rain. We were happy they joined our Grumpy Grouper group last night for a farewell dinner. Even Dick's and Bob's old swimming coach attended! How cool is that?

So today is last-minute shopping for Haley's birthday dinner (Monday...and she shares her birthday with Santa). Lynne is going with me, while our boys go check out the 'nice stuff' that will be auctioned off tomorrow next door at the FP&L site.

Dick has the awnings retracted ahead of the rain, which sure makes a temperature difference inside, so we had to turn on the A/C today. The bikes and outside chairs are stowed already, so we have made great progress toward getting everything ready for tomorrow's departure back to Mayberry.

We'll have a busy day. Enjoy your Friday, y'all!

A tower of food...

Nephew Tim feasted on these clams and coleslaw, but had to stop just shy of the fruit, which went home with him. Dick had the fish and fruit, and I had 'catch, no bun,' which is the catch of the day sandwich without the bun. Very ample in quantity...and the quality is always DELISH!

I went home and played with beads, which I will do again today, then put everything away. We have to get in the stow and go mode! Saturday is rapidly approaching.

Life is blessed!
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Wednesday in paradise!

Lake Worth beach. Hardly a parking space to be found. Lunch was excellent, at John G's of course. Life is good!

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Say NO to snow!

Nature did it again. It snowed in Mayberry yesterday, and guess what? It might happen again in the next few weeks, even though the calendar clearly states that it is spring.

And spring is what we'll be leaving on Saturday. Yes, it has finally arrived in West Palm Beach, just in time for us to kiss it goodbye and head to Mayberry. Where is the fairness in that?

Haley said not to tell her if we were taking Bob and Lynne to John G's for breakfast, so Haley, stop reading NOW. We went yesterday. Then Lynne and I went to Michael's and to a yarn shop. She found beautiful baby pink yarn to knit a dress for her first granddaughter expected in July, lucky baby, and has already started on it.

I bought some lovely beads and stones. Really lovely. And they're not just for me either. Our table is still filled with my projects, so our shared dinner was held over at Lynne's coach. She doesn't mind a bit. I certainly don't want to put away my craft crap (as Dick calls it) till I have to put them away...like on Friday when we have to begin to close up! Yikes...I've got lots to do between now and then.

So today we'll meet Neal and Judie for a final bowl of fisherman's stew up at Schooners, and to say goodbye for now to them. Where has the time gone?

Seize the day, y'all!

Family tradition...

At Alex's church daycare center Friday, he poured his teachers a beer in the play kitchen. NICE!!! Amy and Jason will get the parents of the year award, no doubt.

And to make matters worse, his teetotaling grandmother picked him up that day! I am sure she was mortified. Thank goodness this was not her church.

This grandmother sez he was just carrying on a family tradition. Anyone singing a bit of Hank Williams right now?

Cheers, y'all!

Welcome spring!

Nothing says spring like daffodils. Aren't these lovely? They are from my BSP secret sister as part of Relay for Life fundraising. Haley is enjoying them...since we are not in Mayberry...and she was sweet enough to send me a photo to see what I am missing. They are gorgeous. Thanks, secret sister, whoever you are!

Sandee said she does not know what a Cuban Sandwich is (poor thang lives in CA), and I apologize for the poor quality of that raspberry photo yesterday. It is hard to find good light in the car, especially when I'm wanting to get that lunch into my mouth more than I'm concerned about photo quality!

The sandwiches have a submarine-style layering of ham, roast pork, cheese, and pickle between a sliced length of Cuban bread. The key to a great, versus a good, Cuban Sandwich lies in the grilling. A great Cuban sandwich is grilled in a sandwich press (called a plancha) until the ham, pork, and pickles have warmed in their own steam. Cuban restaurants use a sandwich press, but you can substitute a waffle iron. These sandwiches use no mayonnaise, lettuce, onions, bell peppers, or tomatoes; however, butter and mustard are optional. Cuban sandwiches are sold hot (pressed) or cold (room temperature).

We both like the hot variety. And note that it has to be on Cuban bread. Next time we'll order it with spicey mustard. Hmmm good!

So yesterday Dick worked on another patch of patio and is now down to only one more section to finish. His back and knees are about finished along with the project! Since we had to go out for more bags of Sacrete is why we took a detour to Publix for the sammie. And they had a BOGO on wine. Can you believe that? Oops, Ivana...that means buy one, get one...for free.

And I did some cleaning and rearranging inside the moho yesterday to make life easier when we are on the road this summer. We have a big trip planned. Stay tuned for details.

Today begins countdown to Mayberry...one week. We'll say goodbye to WPB and head home to get back to work and get our RV park ready for opening up. Reality.

Enjoy your Saturday, y'all! Life is short...make fun of it!!!

Hmmm, good

Publix Cuban sandwich with extra pickles, warmth and sunshine. Life is good!
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Fun in the sun…and other matters of the heart

Long-time friends Bill and Vickie met us for breakfast at our fave place—John G’s—before they headed back to chilly New Jersey.  It wasn’t exactly warm here on Monday…and still isn’t, but we are thankful for the sun after several days of rain and clouds.

Dick is taking a forced break from his concrete job to go have a root canal done this morning.  Where is that fun I mentioned in the title?  I think that happens NEXT week!

I’ve been playing a little genealogy.  Hi, new cuzn  Jim in Seattle!  John in GA included me on an email to him, so we have all been corresponding and comparing family tree nuts, um, notes…and finding some funny stuff, some discrepancies (aren’t there always!), and some missing links.  Working with this stuff is like putting together a humongous puzzle, only we don’t have that photo on the box to guide us.  Ivana, ‘humongous’ just means REALLY BIG.  Sorry about my ‘southern’ expressions.  I did remember to put “New Jersey” for you, instead of just NJ. 

So today I want to make the pink bead earrings that I didn’t make yesterday.  I know that knowledge will send a trill down a few spines.

Sending big hugs to friend Judy, who had to have her appendix out yesterday.  Ouch!

Whatever you do today, make it a super day, y’all!

Nil Se'n La

That is Irish for "seize the day." And I hope you do...and are wearin' your green!

May luck walk beside you,

may hope fill your heart,

and may happiness always meet you

along the way.

Everyone gets to be Irish today. Dick's family is Irish/English. Mine is English, with rumors of Scot/Irish thrown in, but I haven't documented that yet.

Do you have any real Irish blood in your veins?

All dressed up...

My boys get dressed up, and then Brian sez, "Hey Dad, turn for a mug shot." Boys will still be boys, no matter how old they are!

Straighten up and smile for the camera...

My two sisters, Delle and Nan...I didn't realize how much taller I am than they are...

We all clean up pretty good when we have to do it. I just wish we had gotten all gussied up for a fun occasion, but death is part of the cycle of life, and we celebrate that to give our loved ones a final farewell. And so we did.

Now it is time to try to get back to normal...paperwork, concrete, laundry, dinner...all those mundane chores that mark everyday life. And get an annual eye exam (yesterday), where I learned I have the beginnings of cataracts, but not to worry, sez the doc. It may take 10 years before they bother me. Great. Something else to look forward to as we age. But I am happy to be aging. Aren't you?

And I am blessed with family and friends and good health. I like that.

Enjoy your day, y'all. It's all you are promised.

Sunday in Georgia...

It is sad saying goodbye, but great seeing long-time family and friends at these occasions. I got to meet cute little Aidan last night for the first time. He is a six-year old bundle of engery...all boy. Mickey loved him, as do I. And I love his dad Rick, who was my very first nephew...just a few years ago.

The gals loved their new jewelry, but Aidan asked where his necklace was! How cute is that? I asked what color he would like, and he promptly replied RED, so I'll have to figure out a boy necklace to make for this special guy. You bet I will!

So today is sunny and nice...and we'll celebrate and say goodbye.

And be grateful for family and friends. Life is good!

Georgia bound...

This will be Missy girl today and tomorrow, chillin' while we are away. Our neighbor will come over and feed her, and remind her that she will only be alone for a short while.

We have a long drive today, with happy/sad events ahead to celebrate the life of my brother... tonight at the visitation, and tomorrow at his farewell service. Our kids will join us, along with various cousins, two remaining siblings and a host of other relatives and friends as we say goodbye to my big brother.

Thanks in advance for holding us in your good thoughts. I sure need them...

6" and counting...

The local TV channel reported 6" of rain earlier this morning, and it has steadily fallen since then. And this will continue all day. I'm ready to shut off that heavenly faucet!

So we made the decision to drive the 'toad' up for Mickey's service, then return back to WPB. The patio is not actually finished, I discovered. Merely another section was finished, and there was also a misunderstanding about the term "done," but I won't go into marital disharmony at this particular time, nor that right brain, left brain thing, bless his heart. Come to think of it, Left Brain seems to be enjoying this rain, parked over there on the couch reading a book!

He's definitely earned a day off.

Looking for lunch...

Cranes, ibis, and egrets are regular visitors around our park. I saw this guy (gal?) yesterday morning when I was out inspecting other patios, looking to find a pretty coating to top out our ugly patio. Dick finished up his patching yesterday, just ahead of today's rain, which promises to stay for a few days. Groan.

Thanks so much to everyone for the kind words of love and sympathy in the loss of my brother. We'll head to South Georgia Saturday for the service. We're not sure if we'll keeping going nawth afterward, or come back to WPB. There's lots to consider...and some of that has to do with the rain...and things left undone...people not seen...people expected...mail...Missy! Oh, the decisions! Remember when life was simple?

I'll go get another cup of coffee and think on that.

In memoriam...

Mickey Joe Redding

March 31, 1941 - March 10, 2010

Rest in peace, sweet brother. You are now healed!

Tuesday things...

Rain is coming, so Dick absolutely, positively HAS to get the concrete finished today. Period. Time is running out, plus we may be headed north sooner than originally planned. We'll see.

At least the weather is finally warming up and it is almost feeling like winter in Florida. Dick didn't wear out any flip flops this year, that is for sure. He's very disappointed about that.

So yesterday, Bee and I had a good time (wish y'all could have been there). Here she is hard at work. Does that make her a Worker Bee? I think it does! She has a photo of my necklace on her blog, as well as the eye glass thingy that she made.

And our Thai salad at lunch in the beautiful club house was both tasty and abundant. We could have split one and been happy. Really. Thanks for everything, my friend. It was fun swapping knowledge and stuff...and sooo good getting real hugs from you and Sarge.

I am making my famous cole slaw to take to a fish fry. Wade and Ginger leave the park next week for the summer, so they need to empty out the freezer and plan to feed about a dozen folks over at their patio tonight. I hope Ginger has made her fabulous smoked fish dip. It is to die for...unlike any of that store-bought stuff.

Make today count, y'all. Life is precious.

Gone beading...

Hey, y'all! No time to write or read blogs this morning...I am heading to Bee's place shortly to play with beads, so check back to see how creative we get. Or not. And enjoy my new 'Trinkets and Treasures' background in honor of the day and play. Isn't it cute?

Dick is fixin' lights today, just in case you are interested; those white ones around our palm trees are mostly dead, so he'll replace them. It's a law here in Florida that you have to have white lights in trees. I think it is under that same law about old people having to go to Florida in the winter, but I haven't looked it up.

And lunch is included after our fun. Oboy. Girls will be girls, ya know, and we seem to play AND eat! We promise to stay outta trouble, or at least take a photo or two of anything interesting. Dang, wish y'all could join us.

Hmm, I wasn't gonna write this morning, and look what happened!

Happy Monday! Make it a fun day...

And the verdict was...

Maybe too much sage in the chicken and dumplings, but that was my fault. It is easy to ADD spices, and difficult to do that substracting thingy, once it has been dumped in. Dick said my dumplings tasted more like stuffing than dumplings, so I'll make this again and adjust accordingly. It was really GOOD and "easy peasy," just like Bee said, so I served them with a side of green peas. It was the right thing to do.

And this is what I made for my sister-in-law, recycling some pearls from a broken necklace that belonged to my Mother. My brother isn't doing well, and since I can't be there to help out, I figured I would make Barbara something special to brighten her up.

And I wish Judy and Jerry a very happy anniversary today. They are mighty good folks.

Count your blessings, y'all! Life is good...especially when you have good health, so take good care of that body. Such as it is, it's the only one we've got! Happy Sunday!!!

Daddy's helper and other stuff...

Scooter loves to ride in the Bobcat with Jason. What could be sweeter than a sleeping boy, worn out from helping his daddy.

Start'em young................and wipe that nose, Dada! And give that boy a kiss from Grammie.

So today is almost a great weather day here......sunny, not too much wind, and with the promise of temps climbing over the next few days. Alrighty...I like the sound of that!

I have all the ingredients to make Bee's posted easy peasy chicken 'n dumplings that (their) dtr #1 made recently and Bee posted. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

And I made another necklace and ear ring set today. I seem to be on a black and white kick lately, but that'll change soon. Definitely. I have some chunky purple agate that is begging to be turned into a pretty necklace...for moi.

Time to tackle that chicken now and turn it into dinner. Enjoy your Saturday!

Bunch of beaded baubles…

This is how I spent yesterday afternoon. Not too bad, huh? I had someone in mind for each piece, so I am hoping the recipients like what I made for them. It was a good way to spend a windy afternoon. Missy was a big help…NOT. She did find a purple bead that she liked a lot and batted around. Purple is her color, I do believe.

The ear rings were a little tricky, but they’ll get easier as I keep trying. These were my first attempts, and I know I still have plenty to learn. Funny, but when I got in bed last night and was thinking about those ear rings, I thought of a better way to do it, so I’ll try that technique today. Why didn’t that thought arrive when I needed it???

So today I really should do a little house cleaning. Bleh…that’s so NOT rewarding for very long……………but it’s gotta get done and that job is mine. Dick does the ‘blue’ jobs…all that heavy duty, manly stuff. Like concrete. But he’ll take a turn at the vacuum if I ask him. He’s a sweetie.

At least today is sunny but chilly……..and not so windy. I hope that lasts awhile.

Enjoy your Friday, whatever you do. Just make sure you do something nice for someone today, OK?

Windy Thursday

Does anyone have a spare windmill? I am no expert, but if this park had a windmill, I know it would generate enough power to run this park and the whole neighborhood across the street! Sheesh. We are getting blown away, and there is no such thing as leaving our awning out. It is automatic, so when the wind gets too high (all day!), it retracts. We at least got smart and have a table umbrella that is anchored well, and it has those vent thingies up top so that the wind goes through it and it stays in place. Not that we've wanted to sit out on the patio much. Even so, our weather here is still better than it is in Mayberry, where we'll be by the end of the month. Time is flying, just like this wind!

Work got in the way of beading yesterday, so that is today's project. I hope I have everything I need...but if I don't, I'll just regroup and do something different. That's the fun of it!

Enjoy your day, y'all, especially Roger, who is 80-something today (Joy's dad). Love ya both...

Sweet dreams...

Where has the day gone?

I got several things accomplished that were not in the plans...Haley helped from afar with one of them. Thanks, honey.

And the things I had planned didn't get done.

But I had a nice unexpected tonight when I got to hear the preview of a talk Macey (8) has to give soon at school on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. She did her research (with a wee bit of help from Mom), and read her project so confidently to me over the phone.

Yes, I'm a proud Grammie...who is VERY blessed.

Sleep well, my darlings. Tomorrow will be here soon.

Florida in March explained

 

Brian just sent the above photo of our deck up in Mayberry, taken this morning.

See Dick on our patio, and it is raining.

Which location would you chose for winter?

Y’all stay warm up there!