Easter Sunday....

It has been a glorious day!  Church was wonderful last night, and our day today has been delightful!  The weather is perfect, my dinner turned out very good (if I do say so myself), Helen and Cheryl were here to share the food and friendship, and now Joe and I are vegged out in front of the TV, enjoying not doing anything other than watching TV and surfing the internet.  Even the cats are vegged out with us.

I have tomorrow off from work (!!!).  We are looking forward to seeing "The Bible" tonight.  We will be taping "Revenge", "Once Upon A Time", and our new favorite from BBC returns tonight - "Call The Midwife".  I don't think I've mentioned yet that we have also been catching episodes of "Midsomer Murders", which is also a BBC show from the 90s.  There are over 80 episodes on Netflix.  My blogging friend, Cynthia, mentioned watching it, so we looked it up and got hooked. 

I hope you all have enjoyed your day.  Praise God for the gift of His Son, that we might be forgiven and have the chance for eternal life.  He is risen!!  Hallelujah!!

Peace, love and hugs!

Christ is Risen....

He is risen, indeed!!

I got on line late today, after spending an hour on the phone, with the tech at our internet provider, then almost three hours with the Toshiba tech.  I'm not 100% sure that it is fixed, but at least I am on line right now. 

We went to the Easter Vigil Mass tonight. It is such a beautiful celebration.  Joe and I were asked to carry the gifts to the alter, which made it even more special.  Christ is risen!!

You already know Helen & Cheryl will be here for Easter dinner tomorrow, around 12:30.  I'll have a busy morning preparing food, with pleasure.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter Sunday!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Good Friday....

A rather solemn day for Christians, as we remember the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior.  I always think today should be dark and gloomy, but instead we have beautiful sunshine and temps going into the low 70s.  It is still a day to contemplate His sacrifice and agony, all for us.  Blessed.

We got to the airport in Tampa, last night, in time to enjoy a cup of coffee and read awhile, before Helen and Cheryl arrived from Virginia.  Their plane was six minutes early!  We treated them to dinner at TGIFridays.  They boarded at 5:00 and got in at 7:30, so dinner was late, but I had salmon and broccoli, which was satisfying and within my WW points for the day.  We got them home just before 9:30.  Made for a late night for us, but we were happy we could help. 

I need to buy groceries tonight, after work.  Already warned Joe...  He is so busy with clients right now, which is a blessing.  He has a new client, referred by another client, who hasn't filed a tax return for 10 years!  The IRS is all over this person, and Joe is trying to help sort it all out.  It is great that there are people (like Joe) who really have a passion for digging in and making sense of the numbers games.  Not me!!  I like doing the accounting for the Museum.... one place, it's all mine, I know what's been done and what needs to be done.  I could never be in public accounting, sorting through someone's mess!!

Tomorrow, I will clean the house.  We will go to the Easter Vigil Mass, at 8:30.  It is a long one, usually about two hours, with much beautiful tradition, including the lighting of the Easter candle and welcoming new Catholics, who have completed classes to become Catholic.  We are "baptized again" (renewal of baptism).  It is joyful and uplifting, and we enjoy the Vigil Mass each year.

Easter Sunday, Cheryl and Helen are coming for dinner at 1:00.  I have a spiral-sliced ham, but have not planned the rest of the menu....need to think about that today, before we go to Publix tonight!

I have Monday off, and plan to sleep in and then get our laundry done for the week.  There are outside things that need attention.  Maybe I'll get to some of that.  I don't like yard work, but I like the yard to look presentable (if not nice). 

My computer is still not connecting to the network, at home, so I also need to find a new wireless connector, to see if that is what needs attention.  If that doesn't work, I'll only have my phone and Nexus7 to connect - and dislike using the digital keyboard to type more than a few words.  Time will tell.

I wish you all a blessed Easter weekend!  Rejoice!  Peace, love & hugs.

Maundy Thursday....

Today, we must reflect on the Last Supper and the agony of the cross that we know is coming.  How blessed are we to be loved that much? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday


My laptop, at home, would not stay connected to the internet last night.  I've been having issues with it.  Got a new wireless network USB connector, which worked better for awhile, but seems to be failing me again.  Joe's laptop connected fine, and his desktop was connected fine.  Our TVs and our phones are all connected through our network and only my laptop is having issues.  Sigh.  My techie friend is on vacation this week, so if my fiddling with it doesn't get it fixed, it may be next week before I/he can find the problem.  We use an amazing firewall for security (installed by our friend), so I am pretty sure it's not a virus.

Helen called last night and said Al's funeral went very well.  She was pleased.  The family all went out to eat afterwards, and she said it was nice to be all together.  I think she was expecting 8 or 10.  Al didn't have family, so these folks were all there for Helen.  We will pick them up at the airport tonight.  They get in around 7:30.  Tomorrow is Helen's 85th birthday.  I know she won't want to celebrate, but I thought I would have a cake for her, for Easter dessert.

It is cold again, here in sunny Florida!  It was only 37 degrees this morning, though the beautiful moon was huge as it was setting in the west, and the sun is shining right now.  A lovely day....if it would just warm up!  We're to have low 70s today, and it will be back in the 80s by Monday.

My blogger friend, Judy, mentioned a couple of sites that can replace Google Reader, since we know they are yanking it away from us July 1st.  I tried Bloglovin and like it so far.  I've put the icon on my page, if anyone is interested in checking it out.  Blogs don't show up there, as quickly as they do on the Reader...I've noticed that it is always a little behind, but it does catch up.  Let me know what you think, or if you found one you like better!!

I need to get busy here!!  Wishing you a good Thursday!  Peace, love & hugs.

No internet!

My computer will not stay on line tonite.  Can not do much with my phone. More tomorrow. Good night!  Peace, love & hugs.

A Thoughtful, Thankful Tuesday....

My friend, Linda, posted 10 things on her blog today, that she was thankful for and enjoyed the memories of.  I told her it was a challenge, and that I would try to do the same, so here goes:

1.  I enjoy the blessing of family.

2.  I enjoy the blessing of so many good friends.

3.  I enjoy the memory of meeting Joe for the first time, August 1, 1983.

4.  I am thankful for and enjoy the memory of our wedding, in St. Michael's Catholic Church, on May 11, 1985.

5.  I am thankful that, with that marriage, I also gained two wonderful sons who I love and respect, resulting in two amazing grandchildren who bring us great joy!

6.  I am proud and thankful that I was able to go back to college to finish by BA, and graduate with honors, at age 50!

7.  I enjoy the memory of our move to Florida, in July 1989, and that many people thought we were nuts.

8.  I am happy to have had the experience of owning my own company for awhile; a little bakery, here in Lakeland, doing cakes for all occasions (mostly weddings).

9.  I am grateful and happy to have been hired at our wonderful art museum - 16 years ago!

10.  I am thankful that we got to take 'our trip of a life-time' to Italy, in 2007.

and an extra, or two....

11.  I am SO thankful to be a cancer survivor!

12.  I am grateful and thankful for Christ in my life, and the peace that my faith brings to me.


I am blessed, and do not take it for granted.  I really could go on and on and on.

Thanks, Linda, for the great idea!! 


The Board meeting went well today.  My financial report was a good one, and I think I did okay delivering it.  Once a year, we take the Board meeting on the road, so it was over in Winter Haven today.  Including travel time, it took up a good chunk of the day today.

I did get my hair cut tonight.  It is SHORT now!!  Hooray!  I love it, and don't know why I wanted to let it grow again.  I suppose in a couple of years, I'll forget and decide to grow it out again.  Stop me, please!!  LOL

I hope you had a good day, today.  To those who requested prayer, know that prayers continue!  Wishing you a good Wednesday!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Start the week....

Whew, busy day at work.  I got a deposit done, did payroll, and we had an interview this afternoon.  We have two open positions, now.  Both are critical (with a small staff, all positions are critical, I guess).  It is always exciting to welcome new people to the staff, and we always have high hopes.  Fingers crossed!!

Helen called again tonight, from Virginia.  She said she went to the funeral home today, and they got all the arrangements made for a Wednesday burial.  She sounded good, actually, and I think it is great that she is with family.  I know she has been worried about handling everything, and I could hear less stress in her voice.

Tomorrow is Board meeting day.  The treasurer won't be at the meeting, and I've been asked to give the financial report.  I'm happy to do it, but I am happier being the quiet little mouse in the corner!  Sigh.

I am getting my hair cut tomorrow evening.  I go for a trim about every five weeks, but I am telling her it is past time to go shorter.  We have been letting it grow, for some reason.  I know short works better with these curls, so short it will be!!

Joe is busy with his tax clients.  He loves it, though. 

As you can tell, I don't really have anything new or interesting to write about tonight.  I have Dancing With The Stars on.  The youngsters always do well.  We watched "The Bible" earlier, having taped it from yesterday.  We are enjoying it, very much.

I do have one exciting thing to report!  I had an email from our granddaughter, Lauren, tonight, to tell us that she posted her pictures from two exciting trips she has taken recently.  She went to the UK with friends, and I was especially interested in her pictures from Scotland.  Over her spring break, she went with friends to Vegas.  I know she appreciates the blessing of being able to travel and take advantage of opportunities like these.  I was in my 50s before I even had a passport, and I've never been west of the Mississippi (except to New Orleans).  I look forward to hearing her tell some stories to go along with the photos!

Wishing you a good Tuesday!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Palm Sunday....

Last night, after we dropped Helen off at home, we went to IHOP for some dinner (she didn't want dinner), then to Publix for some groceries.  It was nice having Helen with us, as mentioned in yesterday's post.  She gave us her house key, and keys to Al's truck and her car.  She will only be gone five days, and her friend, Marlene, is getting the mail and newspapers for her, so not sure why she wanted us to have all the keys, but if it makes her feel better, that's fine.

We picked her and Cheryl up at 10:30 this morning, and had a smooth ride into Tampa, to the airport.  We dropped them off, just before 11:30, and made sure there was a wheelchair for Helen and someone to help them to their gate.  I had downloaded their boarding passes for them, so they were good to go, with only a carry-on each.  Hopefully they made it through security okay.  I did get an email that the flight had been delayed 20 minutes.  She said she would call tonight, but so far we've not heard from her.

After the airport, and since we were half-way there, we drove on over to Tarpon Springs.  Joe loves Easter bread, and the Greek version is very much like the Italian version.  They even put the hard-boiled egg in for Easter!  We really enjoy Hella's Restaurant and Bakery.  We had a delicious lunch - Joe had a Gyro and I had a Greek salad, but we both enjoyed an appetizer of pita bread and Greek spreads.  Yum.  We then went to the bakery and brought home three loaves of the Easter bread (two are in the freezer).  Fortunately for me, I don't care for it (too dry, and too sweet for butter), so it won't be tempting me at all!

(Helen just called.  They arrived safely, but there was an hour delay because of the weather.  That makes for a long day, but I'm glad they made it okay.)

We didn't realize that today (March 24) is Greek Independence Day.  There were people everywhere, lining up to watch the parade, waving the Greek flag.  Streets were closed, so we kept turning onto side streets, trying to find our way back to the main road.  We finally just gave up and put the car in park, to watch the parade go by.  We didn't have a good vantage point, but it was fun watching the floats and the people go by.  We weren't in a hurry to get back, so just sat there and enjoyed it.  I snapped a few photos, which I cropped in a bit.  The quality isn't so good - we were back six or seven cars from the intersection. 

You can see them better if you click on them, to enlarge them. 

That's our day!  I hope you have had a good one, and I wish you all a blessed Holy Week, as we Christians prepare to remember the death, and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  The promise of eternal life is ours!!

Peace, love & hugs.

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday....

Well, dear friends, I am signed up with Weight Watchers - again.  Here I go.  I got there a little later than I wanted to, but I didn't have to wait in line too long.  The 8:30 meeting was just letting out when I arrived, so now I know I need to be about 15-20 minutes earlier than I was today.  They have a new "360 Plan" but are still using Points Plus, so I don't have to learn anything new when it comes to the food.  Fruits and most vegetables are 0 points.  I am allowed 42 points a day, but I will cut that down to 38.  Last time, I always took four points off whatever they told me I could have.  It really is an easy plan to follow.  Sticking to it is the hard part.

I put Easter cards in the mail this morning, to my grandma and to an old friend from years and years ago.  A woman named Ruby Magill worked at the D.C. Chapter of the American Red Cross, delivering mail to the departments and offices, back when I worked there (1983-1989).  I spoke to her in the halls and when she stopped at my office with mail.  She was a sweet woman, with snow white hair.  When she retired, she expressed an interest in staying in touch, so we exchanged addresses (no email back then!).  We did the Christmas card thing, and (because of our shared Irish ancestry) St. Patrick's Day cards.  I am ashamed to admit that the St. Patty's Day cards are just off my radar, and I never remember until I get one from her, which I did again this year.  I purchased and Easter card for her, and sent it off with my apologies for once again forgetting to greet her on St. Patrick's Day.  I don't know why she became so attached to me, but I am blessed that our lives touched and that we are still in touch.  She is in an assisted living home, in Maryland, now.  She has children and grandchildren close by, taking good care of her.  I just wanted to write about Ruby today.  I am guessing that she is in her late 80s or early 90s by now!

We are going to the Palm Sunday Vigil Mass, shortly.  Helen called earlier to ask if she could go with us tonight.  I am surprised by that, but of course we told her we would pick her up and will enjoy her company.  We will be taking her and Cheryl to the airport in the morning.  I did some spot cleaning today, and am doing laundry a day early, so we can enjoy our day tomorrow.  We will pop into Sam's tonight, and Publix, for fruit and veggies.  I need to stock up on healthy things for next week!

I hope this finds you all enjoying your Saturday!  Wishing you a blessed Sunday!  Peace, love & hugs.

Friday, Friday, Friday....

I'm happy Friday has arrived, but we have a busy weekend too.

I enjoyed a longer lunch with Shirley and Cindee today.  We went to Panera Bread.  I tried their tortellini dish.  It was just okay.  Don't think I'll get it again, but I couldn't have meat today, so it was a good alternative.  We caught up on news, and surprisingly, our conversation included guns and shooting ranges.  I subscribed to the magazine Gardens & Guns!!  What a hoot!  I love the title of that magazine and couldn't resist!  It's a very southern thing.  It was a lively conversation!

Shirley brought her latest counted cross-stitch project with her, to show us.  She has been working on it, off and on, since last August.  I don't have the patience for cross stitch, but Shirley keeps working at it and the result is just beautiful.  You really can't see the detail in this photo, but it really looked like a painting, with the reflections in the water and the individual leaves and blades of grass.  She was taking it to see about getting it framed, when we left lunch.  I have to add that the back looks almost as good as the front.  She cuts the threads and weaves them in.  Makes me crazy just thinking about it, but she does beautiful work.

Cindee has a rare form of Parkinson's Disease.  It was a tough diagnosis a couple of years ago.  Took forever for them to finally figure out what was wrong, and then get the proper medication prescribed for her.  She is doing great, but signs of movement are starting to show now.  She has trouble sitting still, and is losing weight because of it.  Her size twos are getting big on her.  She has no business losing weight.  I'm glad that her pain is controlled, though, and she is functioning well.  She is only mid-50s, so it's a long road ahead to keep fighting it.

Tomorrow morning will find me at Weight Watchers.  I will go between meetings and get signed up.  I don't do the meetings.  I don't need that kind of encouragement....all the clapping and back patting can go to others.  I did better NOT going to meetings, than I did the time I did try to make all the meetings.  It's easier to slip in at 9:00 a.m., after the 8:30 meeting starts, and before the 10:00 meeting begins.  That way, there won't be much of a line, waiting to get weighed.  The one I go to is a store-front at Lakeside Village.  They run meetings six days a week, including a couple of evenings.  There are four weighing stations, so it is convenient to get in and get out.  I will wear the same outfit each Saturday, so when I lose, I will know it's not just a lighter-weight shirt or slacks.  That's what I did last time, and it was also fun as the outfit got baggier and baggier.  Progress that I expect to realize again!

I quit going last time, because Joe lost his job and we couldn't really afford it anymore.  Things are better now, and I told him that we need to think about it as just not going out to eat twice a month ($43 a month).  We'll be eating at home more anyway.  I really need that weekly sticker in my progress book.  It's too easy to make excuses if I don't have that looming ahead of me each week.  Working on determination.  Exercise is difficult when your knees hurt, but I lost 54 pounds last time, not exercising, so I should be able to do that again.  I also don't have a thyroid gland anymore (thyroid cancer), which doesn't help.  Metabolism is non-existent, and I can't increase the Synthroid because of atrial fibrillation.  Lots of excuses - but I managed last time, and will again!

We have had a gray day, today.  It was supposed to reach 80 degrees, but it was only 42 when I started my day, and it is 75 right now.  It looks like it wants to rain - wish it would!  We need rain. Ha - no sooner written, and the sky opened up!  Hooray!!

Wishing you all a good weekend ahead!  Thanks for stopping by.  Peace, love & hugs.

Thursday, Thursday, Thursday....

I don't why I'm writing the day three times, but since I started it, I guess I'll finish the week like that!  Who knows...

Do any of you buy shoes through Zappos?  I've made a few purchases through them.  I have to order my shoes most of the time, because I have a size 12 foot.  My grandpa used to tell me that "...you can't build a castle on a foundation only built for a chicken coop..."!  I will always remember that.  I think I wore a size 9 shoe before I turned 10 years old!  But, getting back to Zappos, they are a great company to deal with.  Customer service is amazing.  You don't pay return postage if you don't like the shoes, or they don't fit.  You just slap on the enclosed label, and send them back.  They carry lots of brands and have the best selection of bigger sizes that I've found.  One of my friends/coworkers will order six pairs of shoes to try on, and she only keeps one or two pair.  Zappos doesn't mind.

During the Leadership Forum a few weeks ago, one of the speakers was talking about the 'culture' of a company, and she highlighted Zappos as having a great culture.  She mentioned that they do a Culture Book every year for/by the employees, and that they will send you one if you request it.  I did just that, and it came today.  It has given me some great ideas for something we can do here.  They involve the employees and everyone buys into the image and the culture of the company.  It's hard for me to express it briefly, but I am enlightened and motivated, just by seeing what they have done.  Check them out, if you aren't familiar:  http://www.zappos.com/  Powered by service.  And they have more than shoes...clothing and accessories, too.  I photographed the Culture Book that they sent to me (free!) (note that they are located in Las Vegas).  It is almost an inch thick!

 Okay, enough about that.  Today has been a good day at work.  Almost caught up and looking forward to lunch with my friends, Cindee and Shirley, tomorrow.  I spoke with Helen earlier today, and she is doing better.  She is starting to think ahead a little, and is just looking forward to getting the funeral over, and getting back home from Virginia.  Our neighbors are gone through Sunday.  Their granddaughter is graduating from the Navy boot camp (do they call it that in the Navy?).  We're watching the house and taking care of their cats, Murphy and Millie.

I hope you are all having a good Thursday, Thursday, Thursday!  Wishing you a good evening!  Peace, love & hugs.

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday....

Today was another busy day at work, but the financials are done and have been emailed to Board members.  I also completed another project that was hanging out on my desk.  Tomorrow will be a good day to finish 'catching up'.

The City workers came today and pruned the palm trees in our parking lot, including the two that tend to block my view when the dead fronds start hanging down (called a 'beard').  I held up a sign that said "Thank you!!!" and the guy in the bucket who was cutting the fronds gave me a smile and a thumbs up.

My window looks at our main public library.  We (the Museum) allows the library to use our parking lot, and in return, they take care of the landscaping.  Nice deal for the City and for us.  They do a wonderful job, and I am so happy to not be looking out at dead palm fronds now!!  That palm was below my window when I started working there 16 years ago!

This weekend is Palm Sunday.  We will go to the 4:00 Vigil Mass, our usual, and will be taking Helen and Cheryl to the airport on Sunday morning.  Joe and I may continue on over to Tarpon Springs, so he can get his Greek version of the Italian Easter Bread.  My Multiply friends will remember that I tried baking some, last year, using Joe's mom's recipe.  It looked beautiful, but wasn't completely baked through, so we couldn't eat it.  I have no luck with making bread (except in the bread machine).  Happy to buy it elsewhere, as long as Joe is happy!

I hope you have had a good day, and wish you a good Thursday.  Peace, love & hugs.

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday....

Good evening!

I really don't have much to write about tonight.  I am getting caught up at work, and am only about a half day behind now.  The financial reports usually would have gone to the Board today - they will go in the morning.

Today was the day we (at work) signed up for new health insurance.  Lots of new rules.  We are changing carriers and it will cost the Museum about 10% more than the past year.  Our plan year begins April 1.  When I visited the chiropractor today, they wanted me to schedule for two weeks.  As much as I enjoy the massage and the corrections, the one thing I dislike about chiropractors is that they want you to keep coming back.  I used the new insurance as my excuse to not schedule.  Need to find out what the new carrier will cover.  True, but also a good excuse!

We went out for Chinese food tonight, and then to Publix for a few things.  Publix is right across the street from our favorite Peking House.  This Saturday, I am going back to Weight Watchers.  I was successful before, and only fell off the diet when I stopped going to WW.  I need the discipline and that Saturday morning weigh-in to keep me honest.  We had our photo taken with Sarah Palin at the Leadership Forum two weeks ago.  I received it by email on Monday, and was appalled at how I look like two of Sarah Palin.  She is so petite and beautiful, and I look like a beached whale.  Enough.  I've gained back 40 of the 54 pounds I lost last year.  Ridiculous.  No wonder my knees hurt.  Going out to eat is my biggest problem, because I eat everything they put in front of me, and the servings out there are enough for two or three meals.  WW says to ask for a box before you begin eating.  Put half the food away to take home for the next day.  Easy to say.

So, there you go.  Now I've told you all what I am going to do.  Help me stick to it.  I'll be complaining some days and bragging other days.  I'll appreciate you putting up with me!!

I wish you all a good Wednesday!  The weekend is out there!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Monday Monday Monday....

The start of another week!  All kinds of possibilities, opportunities, and challenges to be met!

I am watching Dancing With The Stars tonight.  It is the one reality show that I really, really enjoy and hate to miss!

I don't think I have ever confessed about my purse habit.... I LOVE purses and have more than one person should have.  I change purses every couple of weeks, if not more often.  I have small ones, medium ones, big ones, and huge ones.  I carry way too much junk.  I've never weighed my purse, but I'm sure it is somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds.  Seriously.  Joe indulges me, bless his heart!

My blogging friend, Jilly, is an amazing seamstress and a very crafty woman.  Her work is for sale, but she also blogs http://pinkduchessofmorton.blogspot.com/2013/03/show-and-tell_18.html.  I fell in love with some fabric, with cats, that I saw on her site.  I asked her to make a purse for me, using the cat fabric for the trim.  It came last week, and I carried the purse all weekend.  I love it.  She does excellent work!  There are pockets inside, the lining is perfect!  I can recommend her work without hesitation!

 

The outside pocket holds my smart phone, perfectly.  Isn't it cute?!

Joe collects ties.  We used to have a deal - he got a new tie, I got a new purse.  LOL   Now, he doesn't wear ties anymore and has actually purged about half of his collection.  I need to thin things out soon!

I see the chiropractor tomorrow afternoon for the last time (for awhile, anyway).  This week needs to be a catch-up week for me.  I need to hit it head-on.

Wishing you a good week!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Weekend Update....

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone!!

Yesterday was busy, right up until 8:00 p.m. or so!!  The Lake Morton Historic District Home and Garden Tour was great!  I have photos below for those who are interested.  We went to 4:00 Mass, and lighted a candle for our friend, Al.  He was there with us in spirit.  The sacrament of marriage was celebrated at Mass, and all married couples were asked to stand and renew marriage vows.  I'm happy to say that Joe and I participated, so I guess we are good to go for a few more years!

After church, we picked up Helen and took her to Panera Bread for dinner.  She likes Panera because she can just have a bowl of soup.  We ran into friends, who go to Resurrection Catholic Church (our old church) and they also knew Al & Helen.  Of course, they were sorry to hear that Al died.  It was good talking with them.  We brought Helen back to our house, so I could get on-line and help her find plane tickets to Virginia, for Al's service and burial.  We found non-stop tickets for times that will be convenient for them, and for us to take them to the airport and also pick them up.  She was grateful for the help.  She then sat down and stayed until just after 8:00!  I think she didn't want to go home, perhaps.  Her niece went to church with her this morning, and they went out to eat for lunch. She came by here earlier, to return a book I had given Al to read.  We asked her to stay for pasta and meatballs, but she said she was still full from lunch, and wanted to go home.

Joe is taking all of Al's medications to a homeless shelter, here in town, that takes left over prescriptions for the doctors to use there, for the homeless.  The narcotic drugs will go to the police station for disposal.

There were 11 homes on the tour this year.  We saw nine of them.  Two were requiring visitors to take off their shoes.  We decided we weren't going to do that, and wait in line to go in.  If they want to put restrictions on wearing shoes and how many people can be in the house at once... we don't need to go in.  The nine homes we saw were all wonderful.  Two stand out as amazing, and one had an especially beautiful garden/back yard.  The two we missed were probably very nice, too.

We started the tour with house 7, then 8, 9, 10 and 11.  They were the closest to the Museum and were walk-able (for me).  

House #7 was a standout for us.  The first one we went into was built in 1917.  A Spanish Colonial Revival home, it was renovated by the current owners.  The kitchen had granite counter tops, and the three-car garage was turned into a two-car garage, with the third bay made into a craft/sewing/den, with a bathroom.  The extra space in the garage makes a huge difference for the smaller home, adding additional needed space.  The flow of the floor plan was perfect, and the owners did a great job of keeping the flavor of the home, while making it comfortable for a family.

I forgot to get a photo of house #8, but it was built in 1947 and the current owners have only lived there one month.  They are just getting started on renovations, and they used IKEA for the kitchen, so totally not true to the historic value of the home.  It was the tiniest, at only 930 square feet.

House #9 was built in 1928 and the current owners have lived there since 1991.  They are still making changes, but built onto the home a few years ago, making a new master suite and enlarging the kitchen.  They did a great job of keeping the home historically correct, and the garden area was absolutely gorgeous.

House #10, was built in 1925, with a coquina shell brick exterior.  The current owner has cats (and I petted one!), but she (in my opinion) has gone overboard with tile.  She had tile on the walls in every room.  The flow through the house was nice, if a little tight.  We enjoyed talking with her (and all of the owners who were present in their homes).

House #11, though impressive on the outside, is really two apartments and the renters downstairs are a young couple, just getting started in life.  The furnishings were not antique or beautiful, but the home is very nice.  The upstairs apartment is empty right now, but we didn't go upstairs (my knees!).  Joe didn't care about going up himself.  It was built in 1926 and is 1,326 square feet in total.  The owners are still renovating and intend to keep it historically correct.

From there, we walked back to the Museum, to use the restrooms and to get the car.  Rather than wait for the trolley, we decided to drive to the other six homes, to cut down on how far we had to walk.  My knees were talking to me...

Houses #3 and #5 are the two requiring people to take their shoes off and wait in line to go in, limiting the number of people in the house at a time.  We skipped them.  They didn't need us, is how we looked at it.

House #1 on the tour, was built in 1923.  It was the only one, this year, that has a swimming pool.  The home has been lovingly cared for and updated, and they collect antiques, so the house is beautifully decorated in the period, too.  We weren't allowed to go upstairs, but the downstairs is beautiful and the backyard is amazing.

House #2, looks tiny from the outside, but opens up when you get inside.  It was built in 1927.  It has a butler's pantry between the dining room and updated kitchen.  They built on, but kept the historic windows to use in the new construction.  From the outside, you can't tell where the new construction starts.  I was amazed at how they were able to transform the house and keep it accurate to the period.  They enlarged the kitchen and added a master suite.

House #4 was the largest, by far.  Built in 1912, called Prairie Style, and is 5,500 square feet.  It has an interesting history, including being a hospital for a brief time in the 1930s.  It was also used as a college dormitory for awhile, until is was purchased from the school in 1991 and the renovations began.  Lightening struck and caused an additional $71,000 dollars in damage, but the renovations continued.  The current owners have been in the house for a year or so.  This home was featured in the magazine "American Bungalow" #69, Spring 2011.  Link:  http://www.americanbungalow.com/table-of-contents-issue-69/ where you can see more of the interior and learn about the history.  It is worth looking at it, if you enjoy these old 'bungalows'.  

House #6 was distinctive, first because the young son who lives there (maybe 12 years old) had a name tag on that said "owner" and he was welcoming everyone.  It was built in 1920 and is 1,800 square feet.  Two bedrooms and two baths.  The front porch was lovely.  I love a front porch....grew up with one, but haven't had one since I left my parents' home.  This house was converted to a duplex at one time, but this family made it back into a single home and have lovingly refurbished it.  I didn't get a photo of the front of the house, but the porch is beautiful!

We had a great time, in spite of my nasty knees!  I'm fine today!  A little Tylenol goes a long way.

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!  Peace, love & hugs.

Finally Friday....

This is the third time I'm trying to post.  My computer is making me crazy.  Will try again!

Friday was a long time coming this week.  Work is crazy right now, and I am behind.  I'll get caught up next week, so no worries.

When I got home this evening, we went to our church for the Knights of Columbus Friday Lenten Fish Fry.  The beer-battered white fish and all the trimmings are good, and it's fun to see friends there.  After we ate, we had to go to Sam's Club to pick up a prescription that was ready.  Then, we went to the grand opening of a new art gallery here in town.  We know the owners and several of the artists who are showing there, so it was good to pop in and talk with folks.  We looked through all the rooms and signed the guest book.  They had food and drinks for the opening, but we were stuffed, so didn't stick around for munching and drinking.

Tomorrow is the Home & Garden tour.  Looking forward to that!  I'll have photos to share, though we aren't supposed to photograph inside the homes.

I spoke with Helen today.  She wasn't feeling well yesterday, but saw her doctor and got some medicine to help her stomach and to help her sleep.  She sounded much better and said she slept good last night.  We will have dinner with her tomorrow night, either here or out, and then will help her get her plane tickets for the trip to Virginia next week.  She is not computer savvy, and asked me to help her get that done.

My long-time blogging friends know that I decorate my office, at work, for all the holidays.  My St. Patrick's Day decorations include a teddy bear that Al & Helen gave to me several years ago.  It is sitting on my desk, facing the door.  Every time I walk into my office, it makes me think of our sweet friend, Al.  Good memories!!  I snapped a photo of it.

He is a Franklin Mint collectible bear.  I'll cherish it for all time!

Speaking of St. Patty's Day, we don't have any special plans for celebrating.  Joe always says "I'm Italian, and don't need to celebrate an Irish holiday".  LOL   Since I found out I am more German than Irish, I guess it's not such a big deal for me, now, either!  ;)  Of course, everyone can be Irish on St. Patrick's Day!!

I wish you all a good weekend!  Sending peace, love & hugs!!

Thankful Thursday.....

I was absolutely charmed by the following blog, brought to my attention by my friend, Cheryl.  It brought a smile to my soul, and I hope it does the same for you.  I have actually started following her, so I don't miss anymore chances to smile!!

http://frannybolsa.com/2013/03/11/the-ritual-of-grace-a-wave-for-jesus/

Please don't miss her blog.  It is precious!!

Joe took Helen to the funeral home this morning, to see Al's body, before it is sent to Virginia.  He said she was very pleased with everything.  I'm glad for that.  One day at a time.  I think I won't call her today, since she was with Joe.  I don't want to 'hover' like her friend Marlene is doing.  She knows we are here if she needs us.  I'll touch base tomorrow.

Joe and I had lunch with our friend, Steve.  I mentioned him a few blogs ago.  He is paralyzed from the waist down (since right after high school).  He is facing some major surgery on April 4th, and will be down for 6-10 weeks afterwards.  He is in good spirits, though, and it was sure good to reconnect with him.  We'll be in touch while he is recovering.  Joe is helping him with some tax issues.

Tonight is facial night.  Ahhhhhhh....

Hoping you have had a good Thursday, so far.  I am so thankful for so many things!!  Wishing you a good evening and Friday!!  Peace, love & hugs (always).

Hump Day.....

This is one of those days most people just skip blogging, because nothing is going on....but here I am, anyway!  

Helen is doing okay.  Her two good friends from her church are hovering.  I spoke with her on the phone, and she complained a little that she can't get anything done when people are there.  I understand what she is saying, but I also know too much alone time right now won't be good either.  She is still waiting to hear from the funeral home, to come see Al before they send him to Virginia.  She is a little anxious about that, too.  Understandable.

I saw a video on Facebook this morning, that I decided I wanted to share.  I get posts from Godtube.com and this testimony is so good.... http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WKDP7GNX

Work is work... bank statement reconciliation time.  Sigh.  I need to get back to it, since my lunch time is almost over.  Thought I would share a couple of cute pictures I found (on Facebook, I think).  Hope you enjoy them!

And so it is Tuesday...

I have lost so many loved ones.  I know life goes on for those of us left behind.  It's just the way it is.  We miss our family and friends who have passed before us, but life goes on.  We have to keep going.


Joe took Helen to the funeral home this morning.  All the arrangements are made to get our dear friend sent off to Virginia, where he will be buried.  Helen decided to not have a service here.  All the family that is left, are 'up north'.  She and her niece will fly up and stay with a nephew.  The service will be at graveside.

We took Helen out to dinner tonight.  She took enough food home with her to last at least another day.  She seems to be doing okay, but is still worried about paperwork.  Joe will help with that, and getting the tax return done. Her Pastor has been in touch (but hasn't visited!).

Work is keeping me busy, and this week is full of meetings, which means my work isn't getting done while I sit in meetings.  There is always next week!  Life goes on!

This Saturday is the Lake Morton Historic District Home and Garden Tour.  We have gone the last two years, and really enjoy it.  Ten homes are on this year's tour, and it starts at the Museum.  Looking forward to it.  These are mostly 1920s bungalows that have been renovated, some of them true to the period, and others modernized.  It's fun to see what has been done to them.

I saw the chiropractor again this afternoon, and enjoyed a massage before the bone cracking!  One more visit next week, and we agreed that would do it for now.

Hoping you have had a good Tuesday.  Peace, love & hugs.

A Very Sad Start To Our Day....

The phone rang at 6:00 a.m.  Never good news that early in the morning.

Our friend, Helen, called to tell us that Al died during the night.  She didn't know what to do, or who to call.  I told her to hang up and call 911, and we would be there.

We arrived just after the EMTs.  Helen told us that when she woke up, he was not breathing and was cold to touch.  How awful for her.  We were with her through the EMTs, the police, and when the undertaker came.  In between, our Priest came for 'last rights' (not called that anymore) and we  prayed together.  

I have to say that the Officer from Lakeland Police was so very nice.  He stayed with us until after the funeral home came.  He offered advice to Helen about safety, now that she will be alone.  He also talked about the scammers that will be calling, etc.

She wanted to be alone, and wanted to make phone calls herself, so Joe and I both left her, with instructions to call us for anything.  Of course, we will be helping her through everything.  Joe is going to the funeral home with her tomorrow.  They never had children.  We also offered our guest room to her, if she wanted to stay somewhere else for a night or two.  We asked her to not worry about getting things done.  We will be here to help.  We've been friends for 24 years.

A very sad start to my day.  He seemed fine when we picked him up Saturday, for Mass.  We really just never know when we will be called Home.  

Peace, love & hugs.

Yawnnnnn......

I'm happy that we went to church last night, and didn't have to get up an hour earlier than our bodies think they should be getting up....  I'm happy that it happens on a weekend, and that I don't work on the weekends.  Doing my best to put a happy spin on losing an hour that will take a week or so to catch.  Yawn!

Our Cookie kitty got a bath this morning.  I posted about it on Facebook, too, so sorry to repeat for those who already saw this!  Cookie is our tubby girl, with the bad back leg.  Her knee goes out.  It is more common in dogs, but does happen in cats.  We had surgery done when she was younger.  It worked for about three months after she was out of her cast.  The Vet said she could go in again, but that it most likely would not be any more successful.  We opted to let nature take its course.  Cookie deals with it very well, actually.  When it pops out, she wiggles her rump around and gets it back in place.  She can walk fine, when it is in place, but she can't run, jump or climb.  Because of no exercise, she is overweight, and has trouble with personal hygiene.  Her joy is eating and sleeping, so we let her just do her thing.  She is almost 11 years old, and is a happy girl.

Of course, I did mention on Facebook, that she is very much like me....I have trouble with my knees, hobble around, and enjoy eating and sleeping.... I can still manage personal hygiene, however!  LOL

Cookie in her cast, after the surgery.  We signed the other cats' names on it for her.

 Cookie getting her cast off.

Cookie more recently.

Our Onyx (boy cat) was a hit on Facebook last night, when I posted this photo of him sleeping on the sofa.  I captioned it....You can tell this is our male cat!

We really do have a beautiful day today.  The doors and windows are open.  I have the laundry started, some chili in the crockpot (had pancakes for breakfast), and we are going to tidy up some out around the pool.  The pollen comes in through the screening, and it is hard to keep after.  Right now it looks like we have a ring around the pool, from all the pollen accumulating.  Ick.  This too will soon pass.

I need to get moving.  The dryer has stopped.  Hope you are having a good Sunday!  Still sending peace, love & hugs.

Sleepy Saturday....

We woke up, this morning, to the sound of the computer's back-up battery beeping.  The power went off, and stayed off for about 90 minutes.  Something caused most of our area to go down.  No reason to get out of bed....no hot water for a shower, no electric to make coffee or breakfast.  Nice to have an excuse to stay in bed!  LOL

We did get up, when the power came back on.  Made breakfast, caught up on Facebook and Blogger, etc., etc.  It was good to be a little lazy.  We got ready for church (4:00 Vigil Mass), then went out to dinner at Olive Garden.

The homily tonight was about forgiving.  We had a visiting Priest, Fr. Leo, and he had a good message for us.

Sitting here now, watching some TV and dreading the next week or so, trying to get used to the time change.  I hate losing an hour.  I just with we could leave it alone - one way or the other.  But - complaining makes me an energy vampire!!  

Sarah Palin made the front page of our paper this morning.  The liberal media painted an unflattering picture of her talk.  They made fun of her "lipstick red" suit and her shoes.... good grief!!  Glad I was there to see her and hear her.  The art of true journalism has been lost.  There is no more neutral reporting...the more dirt, the better.  More complaining!!  Oops.

That's all I have for tonight.  Wishing you a good Sunday!!  Peace, love & hugs.

Leadership Forum, Day Two...

The second day of the Leadership Forum did not disappoint!  We had five more amazing speakers!!  What a blessing to be able to participate in this wonderful event.  I sure hope I can go next year!

No photos today, but Joe and I had our picture taken, at the after-party, with Sarah Palin.  She is so pretty in person, and, though I was expecting to be put off by her, instead I was struck by how genuine she is.  She is faithful and passionate about God and about this country.  Her 'prepared' speech was a bit disorganized, but at the end she had a 'conversation' with one of the professors from the school - who just happened to have been Miss Alaska in the 2005 Miss America Pageant - her answers to questions were sincere.  They were more focused on family, faith, and women.  I like her much more than I did.  A new respect for her!!  I will get the photo by email, hopefully in a few days, and you know I will share it!!

All of the speakers had 55 minutes.  I would have enjoyed most of them for longer than their allotted time!!

The first speaker today was Amyk (said Amy Kay) Hutchens.  She was DYNAMITE!!  Her topic began with Leadership Happens One Conversation At a Time....and you are responsible for the direction of the conversation.  Check her out here:  http://www.amyk.com/AmyK/  She was also the speaker at lunch today, which was for the VIP ticket-holders.  We got another speech about how to get "The Next Big Idea".  Brilliant speaker and motivator.

The second speaker was Jon Gordon, who told us that the key to success is to be a life-long learner.  I made note of something else he said, because I liked the visual it gives... A complainer is an energy vampire!  I loved that!!  Check him out here:  http://www.jongordon.com/

The third speaker today was Dr. Dave Martin.  He had us repeat "The rest of your life can be the best of your life!"  And then proceeded to tell us that little victories lead to success.  He also said (among other things) we have to laugh.  Check him out here:  http://davemartin.org/

The forth speaker today was Phil Cooke.  His talk was about Influence and how to tell your story more effectively.  Here is his site:  http://philcooke.com/

And, of course, Sarah was our last speaker.  She reminded us that is is a blessing to be able to have Christ-centered educational opportunities, like Southeastern University.  She ended her talk reminding us to appreciate and preserve the blessing of liberty.  Here is a link for some information about Sarah:  http://www.biography.com/people/sarah-palin-360398

I am ready for the weekend!!  Wishing you a good one!  Peace, love & hugs.

Leadership Forum Day One...

It was a great day, today!  The speakers were all fantastic and motivating.  Joe and I both enjoyed it, and are looking forward to tomorrow!  The best part may be that they had golf carts to take us from the parking lot to the Chapel.  It was a long walk, and the cart sure saved my knees!!  We caught a ride back, at the end of the day, too.  Whew!

Our day started with breakfast, by Chick-fil-A, along with juice and coffee.  We needed the coffee, since breakfast was served outside - it was COLD this morning.  The Forum was/is held in the campus Bush Chapel.  Southeastern University's campus is just breath-takingly beautiful.  The day was gorgeous, with a clear blue sky and warm sunshine later in the day.

We were given ample break times, and they had snacks and beverages for us during breaks.  Lunch was in the school's cafeteria, called the Tuscana Ristorante, and was delicious.  There were many choices, from fried chicken, potatoes and veggies, to a huge salad bar, a pizza bar and a grill with burgers and fries.  Desserts were decadent.  We were treated quite well.

The first speaker was Mark Sanborn (http://www.marksanborn.com/#&panel1-1) and in my opinion, he was the best of the five we had today, but not by much.  They were all great.  His topic today was "Nobody can prevent you from choosing to be extraordinary."  I took two pages of notes while he talked, then order two of his books. 

All the speakers' books were available at the Forum today, but I ordered them from Amazon for about half price.  Of course, I won't get their autograph, but that's okay.

The second speaker was Nancy Ortberg.  (http://www.giftedforleadership.com/2007/01/nancy_ortberg.html) and was motivating.  Her topic was Non-Linear Leadership and she talked about over-coming fear.  She mentioned that in the Bible, we are told from Genesis to Revelations that we are to fear not.

The third speaker was Pat Williams.  He is the part owner and co-founder of the Orlando Magic basketball team (among other things).  He and his wife have 19 children - four natural children and 15 adopted from four different countries.  I really enjoyed hearing him talk about the 12 qualities of winners.  http://patwilliams.com/

The fourth speaker was John Ortberg (husband of Nancy, above).  He is a Presbyterian Minister and motivational speaker.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ortberg  His talk was more of a sermon, about Jesus as the greatest leader.  I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him talk about Jesus and history.  A friend of mine sat in the row in front of us, who is also Catholic.  She and I agreed we need Priests who can preach like this man!

The final speaker of the day was, in my opinion, the second best speaker.  John Maxwell (http://www.johnmaxwell.com/) is a super motivational speaker and has written quite a few books.  His talk today was about the Five Levels of Leadership.  I also ordered his book of the same title.  I took two pages of notes while he talked, too.

Below are some photos I took on the campus, so you can see how beautiful it is and the pretty day we had.  I've driven by the University many times, but today is the first time I've been on campus.  They have just under 3,000 students now.  http://www.seu.edu/

We weren't allowed to take photos inside while the speakers were talking.  As mentioned above, we are looking forward to tomorrow!  Peace, love & hugs!!

 This is inside the restaurant/cafeteria.  Just beautiful.