Head’em up, herd’em out!

Lots of hugs and goodbyes this morning.  It is departure day for everyone.  Several coaches are caravanning up to another rally.  Not us.

Dick and I head to Winter Garden, where we’ll be met by some special folks on Wednesday.  Some short folks.  Oh yes!

So this will actually be ‘mundane Monday’—move, set back up, do laundry.  Check.  We’ll git ‘er done.

Here’s a thought for ya:

Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly.

That’s life on the road, and it’s mighty fine.  Hugs from paradise, y’all!

Sunday stuff

My scarf students caught on quickly yesterday and got right to work:

Measure, cut…tie those knots…

Then show off the results of the Americana gals—Tam, Harriet, and yours truly…

Dick learned the hard way to make sure the screen door is properly shut.  Escape artist Missy found the door open, went outside and under our coach; ran to the next one, with Dick and me in hot pursuit.  She got scared by the noise of a golf cart on the road, and took off again!   I caught her as she was trying to climb the steps of yet another coach, hoping to go inside.  She was shaking like a leaf and mighty happy to get back in her own home.  Will she learn?  Probably not.

And the guy on the golf cart…is from Mayberry.  Go figure.  Here we are, far from home, and he spotted me outside (probably looking like a crazy lady, out chasing a cat), and so he turned around to come say howdy.  Small world!  Love it.

Try to have some fun today.  We sure will…and hopefully with no more Missy excitement.  That’s enough to last awhile…

Scarf class

Thursday’s events

Wow…what a day we had!  I got a text from Janelee saying she and Gene+ were in the ORL area and since we were heading up there, did we want to meet for lunch upon our arrival?  Of course…and so we did.  But did I remember to take any photos?  (they still look the absolute SAME, kids)  My bad!  They send their love and promise a trip to Mayberry to see all the rest of you when we get back home.  We’ll hold them to that promise!  Gene is doing a lot of supply work right now, so that have to get back to M’boro before Sunday, his work day.

There are about 17 coaches here at the rally, many of them folks we have known for awhile.  Dinner was catered in at the club house, with a wonderful guy from Trinidad on the steel drum playing and singing for our entertainment.  Lots of singing, dancing, laughing, and even a conga line, along with the electric slide.  The old folks can still ‘cut a rug.’

 

Dick even got up ONCE and danced with me.  Miracles can still happen.

 

Today, we’ll meet for breakfast, followed by a business meeting of our club, and a free day to roam around.  Tonight we’ll attend a “Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater.”  Who done it?  I suppose we’ll find out.

We’re having as much fun as a bunch of old people can have.  WYWH, y’all!

Since you asked…

And a couple of you did ask to see a close up of Jennie’s new bling, so here it is to biggify:

There’s some good stuff in there.  I may have to make something like it for myself.  JK (just kidding)…there are no duplications around here.  No sirree.  And I have another pretty item to post, but that will be later on.  Someone else has a birthday soon.  Wonder who???

So where are we heading today?  Well, we are going to a Monaco rally in the Orlando area, maybe 30 coaches all total, for four night of fun, friends and food (that seems to be a recurring theme in our life, but we like that.  And family). 

Dick and I were in charge of the rally two years ago, so we know how much time goes into the preparation stage…and look forward to only paying our money and showing up.  No duties.  Just fun.

Well, I now have one duty.

The ladies were impressed with my fiber-art scarves that I wore at last year’s rally.  One of the gals asked if I would maybe teach a class at this year’s rally, and I agreed, but never heard from her to confirm whether this was gonna happen or not.  It wasn’t listed on the schedule, so I figured she forgot.  No big deal.  Well, a couple of days ago I got a phone call asking if I would teach the class.  Rut roh.  I am in Florida; all my *stuff* is back in Georgia.  No problem.  We’ll work it out, and I’ll teach a class.  I did make a quick trip to the ‘parts’ store and purchased a few items to work with..with which to work (who talks like that?!)…I now have more STUFF.  Anyway, I’ll make the class happen, if I have ladies wanting to play.  And it will be fun.  And I’ll have a new spring scarf!

Life is too short to worry about petty things.

Happy trails, y’all!

Hump day stuff

Happy birthday, Jennie!  We 6 went out to dinner last night to celebrate Bob/Lynne’s final night here, or that is what Jennie thought.  She got surprised after dinner with this:

Our singing wasn’t overly impressive, but I think the new bling made up for our lack of musical talent:

The necklace was perfect with her white shirt (black onyx, black agate, pearls, snowflake obsidian, silver).  Not too shabby.  Earrings were included

So this morning we 6 are off to John G’s for a somewhat farewell breakfast…yes, eating again!  Bob and Lynne part our company to head south to Key West with friends for a week, then they meet back up with us next week up in the Orlando area.  Got that?  More on that one later. 

Mike and Jennie leave tomorrow to go visit friends and family around Florida.  And since we are also pulling out tomorrow, today is full of life’s mundane stuff—laundry, mail, stowing, etc.  Bleh…

Lynne made a great salad the other night that I’ll post over on dyerdining.  You won’t believe it!

Are you still with me?  Are you bored yet?

So how is your Wednesday?   Make it a great one!

A little piece of Japan

Visitors are surprised to discover a century-old connection between Japan and South Florida.  It was here that a group of young Japanese farmers created a community intended to revolutionize agriculture in the Sunshine State.

Their crop experimentations were disappointing and the group fell apart, except for one man—George Sukeji Morikami.  He continued to cultivate local crops, raise a family, purchase land and fall so much  in love with this area and our country that he donated land to Palm Beach County to be used as a park to preserve the memory of the Yamato Colony.

This is not a botanical garden, where you will find trees and plants identified.  It is a place of tranquility and grace, where one can sit on a bench and enjoy a break from the noise of life.

 

And see a turtle or two…or koi searching for food

A few tourists…

 

 

 

Lots of bonsai trees…and trees that are pruned and being artfully shaped by bamboo poles…and rock gardens.  Oh yes, and a good café!

This is a very nice place to visit and learn a little about Japanese culture.  Check it out at www.morikami.org.  We’ll have to go back again some day.  It’s worth a second look.

Sayonara for now, y’all!

Be who you are…

Advice from Maxine:

Be who you are and say what you feel... because those that matter... don't mind...and those that mind...don't matter!

We had a lovely dinner Saturday night with former employees Bill and Jose, along with Jose’s wife Sarah, son Joe and his wife Dahlia, who are new grandparents.  It is always nice visiting with old friends and catching up on who is where and doing what, along with doing a little reminiscing of way back when.

Bill brought Lynne, Sarah and me each a beautiful orchid, and some luscious produce, just picked.  Big smile here.  Fresh strawberries…yum!

These people really matter to us.  We look forward to seeing them every winter.  Jose promises to come for a visit up in Mayberry so he can see all our kids that he watched grow up, and meet our grandkids.  We’d love that.  Really love that.

Dick and I enjoy meeting new folks, but we still always value our long-time friends.

That’s just the way we are.

Sunday smiles…

Not that any of US are so old that we need these reminders, but still…
Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
Share a smile or two today.  It’s windy and chilly here in paradise, but the sun is shining.
Life is good, y’all!

Saturday recap

In the prophetic words of Maxine:

My mind works like lightning, One brilliant Flash and it is gone.

So before today gets too busy and I forget, let me just say that yesterday was fabulous!  The photos are still in the camera.  The day was very overcast, so I hope I have at least a few to show y'all of the beautiful Morikami Gardens that we visited yesterday.

More importantly, after a good Japanese lunch in their cafe and since we were in two vehicles, we regrouped, boys and girls.  We girls went to a local HUGE mall on a quest.  Lynne needed a MOG dress for their son's June wedding, and she had two helpers for this mission. 

Bingo...Macy's rocked!  The first two dresses she tried on were FAB.  Really fab.  I texted photos to Meg (future d-i-l).  She loved them.  Hmm, now which one to buy?  Tough decision.  Hello--I suggested that Lynne buy them both, decide later!  Or keep both:)  You can see how helpful I am.  I wish I could show them to y'all, but the great reveal can't come till June.

We didn't find any shoes, so Lynne and I are gonna go to some of our fave places and poke around on this rainy day.  Bob and Dick?  Who knows.  They'll entertain themselves, as they do so well.  And Mike/Jennie headed south to visit friends for the day.  Everybody is doing their own thing.

That's the recap.  Tomorrow is a day of rest.  Ya think we'll need it?

Life is good in paradise, y'all!



Ohio go zi e mas

That is good morning in Japanese, not spelled correctly, of course. WYWH!

This sub’s for you!

Hey, Dan, in honor of your birthday yesterday, we all went to Russo’s for lunch to try their subs…at your suggestion.  They don’t have spicy mustard.  Bummer.  They were good, but I don’t think they will put Subway out of business.

Dick needed yet one more bag of Sakrette, so he dropped me off at Publix while he went to the big box store…and then we each got a few chores done.  No time for beading yesterday.  What’s wrong with that picture?!

The nawthern Bells arrived late afternoon and will be here for a week.  Yayyy!  Mike and Jennie joined us for dinner.  We all enjoyed the Greek chicken and couscous that I fixed in the crock pot.  Easy peasy.  Joy, this recipe was in the cookbook you gave me!  I am planning on using my crock pot as much as possible, so it is fun trying out new recipes.  Look for it at www.dyerdining.blogspot.com.  Soon.

Today we will kick back and be a bit lazy, then the six of us will join Dick’s high school group for dinner tonight.

Friends and food just go together.  Love it!

Beads and cord equals fun

This is a bit of my latest bead order.  I’ve spent time sorting, labeling, filing…

 

And then doing a little playing, such as this one…

 

 

 

 

And this one…

And a few more items are in the works, along with yet another order of supplies.  Shhh…keep that last one just between us.  Dick will wonder where I’ll have room to store more *stuff*—but I’ll find a place!

The really, really good news is that Dick found a washer/dryer replacement just up the road in Cocoa Beach.  The guy will hold it until we can get up there in a couple of weeks, saving us from a special trip up there and back.  Woohoo!!!  Score! 

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!
Life is too short and friends are too few! 

I just wanted to say that I REALLY appreciate each of you, especially everyone who leaves me a comment.  You know who you are!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Tuesday smiles

Husband and wife had a tiff.

Wife called up her mom and said, "He fought with me again,  I am coming to live with you."

Mom said, "No darling, he must pay for his mistake.  I am coming to live with you.”

~~Watch out, Logan and Jason.  Love y’all!

Monday again!

Three guesses on where we'll be eating breakfast this morning!

We are meeting long time friends Lynn and Terry.  We've got lots of catching up to do!

What a great way to begin a brand new week.  I sure hope yours is a great one.  Ours will be.

Life is good in paradise, y'all!

Just hanging around…

Words of wisdom from Maxine:

As you slide down the banister of life, may
The splinters never point the wrong way...  

So we are back to square one on the washer.  The one near Mayberry apparently got gone, because now the ad is down.  And there was no phone listing with the ad, which is rather annoying.  Oh well…a small splinter in life.

Dick is enjoying TV on the patio; I am going to play with beads.  Missy is napping.  Mike and Jennie are coming over later to help us finish off the Cuban pork for dinner.

The weather is fabulous here in paradise.  WYWH!

Splendide is not so splendid!

This puppy is officially dead.  Kaput.  Good for parts only.  And of course, it had to die on a load of towels.  Dick was able to manually get the machine to spin and get rid of the water, and get the door unlocked and opened to remove the contents.  This was last night’s news.  Sigh. 

As much as I hate using public machines, I now have two loads going in the park’s facilities.   Dick has found a possible replacement online in a town near Mayberry.   Woohoo!!!

The fun just keeps on going.

Hopefully this will be our only major malfunction this year.

So this morning we four (Mike and Jennie) went to Costco and looked around.  Jennie is making lamb chops tonight for us, and I’ll fix some veggies.  We have had fun combining our talents and stuff.  And it is warm enough now to eat outside without the patio heater on.  At least there is no snow anywhere in this state and the warmer temps are coming back, unlike Mayberry where there is snow/ice on the ground and schools are still closed.

Stay warm.  Life is GOOD, y’all!

Friday Funday

Check out this bowl of goodness.  Savor the herbs, the seafood…the garlic bread…

We are off to pick up Mike and Jennie and take them out for a great lunch of Fisherman’s Stew.  Boy, do I want that secret recipe!!!  Judie and Neal are meeting us at Schooner’s.  Yum…on both the food and the company.

Tonight, being Friday, is ‘beer and wings’ night with yet another group of friends.  Life is good in paradise!  WYWH.

How are YOU spending Friday Funday?  Stay warm, y’all!

Thursday in paradise

Missy is sooo busted.  This is a big NO-NO.  Look at that—she has her OWN bed in the window, and a chair for a ladder to get there.  Sheesh.  She thought no one was looking. 

So, Dick has planted two small palm trees already; has gone to the box store for paint, and is now working on the oil cooler.  I’ve read/commented on all the blogs in my reader, dusted, cleaned up the kitchen, started laundry, and gotten Jennie checked in at the park office (Mike and Jennie arrived yesterday).  What do I have to actually SHOW for all that?  Hmmm, isn’t that the way it is…busy, and nothing to show for it, like a tree in the ground?  Or those pavers set in concrete?  Maybe clean laundry will count for something.

Oh, good news!  Mr. FedEx just now brought me a lovely package of beads, so I think I shall go play.  That’s a very good plan.

Enjoy your Thursday.  Mine just got REAL good!

Mayberry vs W Palm Beach

Mayberry today...21 degrees.  And more of this stuff falling.

Brrr...

W Palm Beach today...53 degrees...high expected of low '60s

Which would YOU prefer?

I thought so.  Me, too.  No shoveling required.

Life is good, y'all! 

Patio minus 4

A visit to the box store for 4 more pavers and 1 bag of concrete should do the trick. At least the pad will be ready for our renter, arriving Sunday.

This lot came up for sale last year, and being right next to ours, we decided to buy it. It is a good rental lot and extra space when we need it.

Today is very overcast, bit that's better than snow covered Mayberry!

Life is good!

Work in progress…

Concrete pavers placed on sand do not hold up very well when a big rig is parked on it.  Duh.  Here’s proof.

It was in this condition when we bought the lot, so Dick is now in the process of doing the job right.See Dick work.  He is putting down Sakrette, and placing the better looking pavers over there on the L.  The cracked ones can go on the R, since there will be an RV parked over them, pretty much hiding all the ugly cracked stuff.  He will ‘pretty up’ the concrete…eventually.

Just another project in paradise!

Law of Probability

Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Well, at least we didn't actually do anything stupid yesterday, but I did forget to take photos of friends Diane and Tal.  They came from central Florida to WPB to deliver a Yorkie (they raise them) and stopped by for a visit...and lunch.  We took them to the old Scotty B's, which they loved.

We spent so much time talking and catching up that I didn't even think about a photo.  Bad bimbo blogger!  Rats. 

Dick and I met these good folks back in '01 onboard the Carnival Spirit on an Alaskan cruise, and we have been friends ever since...and Diane is a Beta Sigma Phi sista!  Cool.

See, meeting new friends is just another reason to go cruising!  And so we will...February 27 on BC4!

Come join us, y'all!

5 more ways to live a better life…

Drink green tea and plenty of water.  Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

Try to make at least three people smile each day.

Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

Heck, just because it is Saturday, here is one more way:  Go on a cruise!  Have fun, Empress Bee and Sarge!  I’ll be cyber cruising with y’all this week.

Friday in paradise

See those blue skies?  Well, they did not exist here yesterday, I can tell you.  It was overcast all morning, then the rain began at noon and lasted all afternoon…not that I am complaining.  Apparently this area is down about 10” in the rain department, so the liquid sunshine was very welcome.

It was a perfect day for a big pot of bean and lentil soup, using up some ham and a ham bone that I had.  It sure was good.

Today Dick is off to a boat show (or is it a car show?) with the guys.  Missy and I will try to stay out of trouble, but I’m making no promises.  I have beads.  And a few books to read.  Oh the choices, when home alone and no vehicle!

Interesting tidbit I read recently:  When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

Hmm…I also have a bag of peanut M&Ms.  All to myself.

Life is good, y’all!  Happy Friday…

Thursday things…

Now that Christmas is over, I can post a few of the beading items that I made and gave away.

This is an amethyst necklace and earrings set…chunks and round beads.

 

And blue cat’s eye and seed pearls for a special ‘blue’ gal. 

Picture this in onyx, rather than blue.  I forgot to take a photo of that one before it got wrapped.  Duh.  That particular recipient loves zebras, so she got a black and white necklace.

And this is a pink cat’s eye necklace for our ‘pink’ gal.   With her being the oldest, I wanted this necklace to be just a bit different and a little more mature than the other two.  I think all the girls were pleased.

I have some ideas churning around in my head for my next few projects.  I just placed an online order for some items I need, so I’ll be busy…or as busy as I want to be.

So yesterday we did indeed have breakfast at John G’s on the beach.  That ocean was so calm, there weren’t even any wavelets out there.  Flat, flat.  No surfers anywhere, and not many folks on the beach either.  And even better:  no line to get in the restaurant!  Woohoo…that rocks!

Thought for the day:  Don't take yourself so seriously.  No one else does.

Make it a great day, y’all!

Let there be light…and French toast…

And so there is!  Check out that open door.  All the windows are open as well.  We are loving this weather—just perfect!

We are thinking about a drive to the beach this morning.  It’s there—we need to go see it.

John G’s is calling our name…come, eat…enjoy some cinnamon-nut French toast. 

Twist my arm!

Busy guy…

Time to replace the dead lights.  It’s a law that when you live in Florida, you have to have lights in the palm trees.  And they have to actually work.  These needed replacing, and that is a ‘blue’ job—manly work.  Dick wondered if I was out there to record the FALL.  Whew…glad that didn’t happen.

Isn’t that sky just lovely?  I see that it is about 27 back in Mayberry.  See those shorts and bare feet.  Yep…now you know why we are in Florida in January.

We had pizza with the Tieches last night.  We’ve known them FOREVER.  Love, love seeing old friends, which is another reason to stay here for the winter, just in case y’all were wondering.  Lots of history in this place for the two of us, more so for Dick, since he grew up here.  Our roots are very important to us.

So there is still some more settling in to do.  Dick has trimmed some of the shrubs; I’ve got to sort through files and get them in place here in the moho.  Everything in place, all in good time as we feel like working…or not.  We are pacing ourselves.

Remember--No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

Life is good, y’all!

One man’s trash…

…is another man’s treasure, especially if his name is Sanford, um, Dick (remember Sanford and Son on TV?)   Amy and I often refer to our guys as Sanford and Son-in-law!

Dick saw this little number stacked up in a neighbor’s trash pile when we were bike riding the other day, so he went back in the car and brought it home.  It is a Rubbermaid storage unit that only had a slight dent in the top where a tree limb creased it.  A couple of blocks straightened that puppy right out; he has hosed it out real well; now it is draining and drying.  Good as new.

Former neighbor Al and his new lady stopped by for a visit this morning.  The sun is shining; the palms are gently swaying.

Hello Monday.  It’s just another day in paradise, y’all!

Sunday in paradise…

I sent this photo from my iPhone to my blog before church this morning.  It never showed up.  I sent it a second time.  It didn’t arrive.  Sheesh.  

It was 75 and sunny, and the day just got better and better.  Beautiful…balmy.  Wow. 

Dick needed a hose from Home Depot for our Weber grill.  That was his major accomplishment today, other than grilling the steaks.

I did piddly stuff, plus laundry.  And we watched a little football.

We love this change of pace.

Life is good!

Where did my photo go?

I sent this earlier in the day but it did not post. Strange! It was sunny and 75; now the sun has set and we are about to grill some steaks on the patio. WYWH!

Happy New Year, y’all!

THE SENILITY PRAYER:
Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference...

May you each have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. 

Blessings from our hearts to yours…the Traveling Bells