There goes my baby....

Amanda arrived safely in the Azores, thank you God! I was up all night waiting for her phone call. Her plane was delayed in Boston for over two hours. I spoke with her at 12:45am and she was really tired, ready to sleep and they still didn't know when they were leaving. But soon after we spoke they started boarding. I never really slept last night, all I did was toss and turn and watch the clock. She called about 9:15 am to tell me she was there and Ivan (her boyfriend) was there with her. I said a big "Thank You to God" and was very relieved. So today to keep my mind off things I cleaned the entire house, and have done laundry for about 12 hours. Yes, 12 hours, do you think you have enough clothes for that? It's amazing how many clothes we can dirty up.

Jim, Amanda and I getting ready to go in the airport. I was snapping pictures and a really nice young lady came by and offered to take our picture. Nice isn't it?

There goes my baby leaving...it's a wonder thing one came out clear, I was crying...just a Mom thing I guess. Amanda is going to hate this shot of her backside! :) Love you Amanda!!

Baby Bird is leaving the nest...

My baby, Amanda, is getting ready to leave on a trip to the Azores to visit her Air Force boyfriend. She is leaving on Friday and I am frantically trying to get her ready and tell her everything she needs to know about traveling. She is so very excited. She will return in about three weeks or so, get married and move there until December. I am excited and sad about the whole event. What a great opportunity for her to visit another country and live there. How often do we "middle class" worker bees get to go and live in another country. I am sad to lose my baby and not see her on a daily basis. I understand that she is growing up and this is a new chapter in her life. I knew when I had my daughters that they were only on loan to me for about 18 years, (boy did that go by fast!) after that they are off creating their own lives. I did this to my parents, married and moved away. But I did stay in the United States! I will miss her terribly and I will pray for their safe return. She and my new son-in-law will return in December, hopefully they will be close. Take care Amanda I love you!!!

Basketweaving

Saturday I attended a basket weaving class. These classes are always tons of fun. We had one teacher, five assistants and about 30 students. We were all weaving the same project but mine was not coming out quite right. My glued base came off the glass bottom of the vase and every time I turned to weave the other side, it slipped and when I was done, the whole darn thing was very, very lopsided. I looked at it and was really not pleased at all with it. So I left, went to lunch with my friend Laura and then came home and preceded to cut the weaving off the base. Sometimes it's just easier to start over! That's my thought for this post, just "start over". There are times in our life that we have to "start over" and we should cherish these moments to "start over". Make the best of each and every day, because it's a "start over" to a new day.

Magazines, Magazines, everywhere....part 2

OK a few posts back I told you about my magazine habit...I have way too many magazines. Well today I got the mail and guess what two more magazines and I could not figure out what happened and why I had two new ones. Well I thought and thought about it and then remembered I supported my nephews and purchased them as fund raisers. Now I am adding two more to my monthly habit. OK so I had made a promise to read a magazine a night and do away with my piles, I didn't quite keep my promise, but I didn't break it totally. In the past week I have gotten rid of 3 magazines and taken two to work. I am working on another one that is strategically placed in the bathroom, for quick readings! :) I am getting myself back on the wagon and reading my magazines and cleaning up my house! Let me go I need to read!!!

Last Saturday Night...Memorial

Last Saturday was Valentine's and we had a great evening. We went to the annual neighborhood party. This year was a bit different, there was still the food, the oysters and the neighbors, but this year our neighbor, "The Mayor" Mr. Fred was not there. Mr. Fred passed away at the age of 92 in Nov. 08. His birthday is Valentines Day and each year we would celebrate with a party and this year was no different. Mr. Fred was nicknamed "The Mayor" because he knew everyone and every one's business! When we moved into our home 12 years ago, he was the first one we met. Everyday you could hear his loud voice all over at the end of my street. Up until this year he went hunting, he put up Christmas decorations on his roof, was up in trees and anything else he could get into. He was a real inspiration to us all. Mr. Fred built his house in the early 1950's and raised 3 boys. I remember one time when my oldest daughter was waiting at the bus stop, he came and told me that if anyone messed with her, she should run to his door and he would take care of them! He would always be around with a shovel to kill a snake at the drop of a hat! This past summer he made me a compost box, just because I asked! He was like that and would do anything for anyone. What an Angel God received! Good bye Mr. Fred, we will miss you!! But you will not be forgotten!

Happy Valentine's Day

Good morning all...well today is another Valentine's Day. I awoke this morning to beautiful red roses. The hubby never forgets, even when he was out to sea, he would find a way to send them to me. We have been together for 28 Valentines now and he has not forgotten a one. I am very thankful for that man. He can pluck a nerve, just like any man, but he is all mine! I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines and make it a special day for you and your love one!

Bunko update...

Tonight was such fun! LG had a great spread of goodies for us. We laughed more that ever, and I say that every time I go. My friend is a Kindergarten Assistant and she is always good for a bunch of stories. The children are just being children and they say what ever strikes them, which makes it so cute. Thank you Bunko Babes for such a great night...Love you all!

It's Friday the 13th......

It's Friday the 13th, are you scared? Not me, not worried about the day. Tonight I will be playing Bunko with my Bunko Babes! Since it's the 13th I am hoping for a BIG, HUGE win tonight. Bunko is all about friends. We have so much fun. It's always a great night to catch up with each other, talk about our children, our husbands, our jobs and anything else that comes up. What great friends they all have become. I know if I need something I can count of them to come running! And isn't that a big part of friendship..you can always count on them? Did I mention that we eat? We love to eat! And we eat well! Tonight is at LG's house and she will have a good spread of food and I know we will all love it! Tonight while you are hanging around your house think about me and the Bunko Babes throwing dice!!!

LIfe and Death..

On Sunday I raked leaves, it was wonderful to be outside in the sun, it was a beautiful day! After raking 18 bags of leaves I had a ton of things to get accomplished...but...a friend got in the way. My neighbor has lung cancer and she is dying. She and her husband have been here since we moved in and they are wonderful people. She was sitting on her porch with her husband enjoying the gorgeous day we were having and I walked over. I ended up sitting there for 3 hours just talking and rocking and just sitting quietly together. I must say it was one of the best days I have had and of course one of the saddest. We really did not talk too much of her illness, we talked about everything else, when she wanted. I have to say that God or a higher being had a hand in the beautiful day on Sunday, we all know she will not be here too much longer and I don't really know when we will ever be able to sit together and be with each other. I will miss her and I did tell her that. It is difficult to see her, she is showing the signs of losing her fight. So say a little prayer tonight for my friend and her family, I know I will.

Magazines, Magazines, everywhere....

I have been thinking this week about organization; I really need to organize a few of my rooms and ALL my closets. I think we all have those kinds of things to do, but we just cannot seem to make ourselves sit down and go thru it all. Keep, Sell, Trash...isn't that the three piles they always have on the organization shows? I really want to get my basket room and my office/Mark Kay/all things room in order. And one more thing...those magazines! How many do you have? I must have 100 magazines to go thru and read and trash and whatever. Why am I keeping them? What makes me buy them? Why are they all over the house? I vow right here in front of God and everyone to get these magazines out of my house in this year! Ok I am going to put it on my calendar at the end of each month as a reminder and maybe, just maybe I will get thru these darn things. Our local library has a wonderful bin filled with magazines, you just drop off your old ones and pick out a new one if you please. No No No I cannot pick a new one. Some one must post the Magazine Police right next to the bin and when I come by, arrest me if I take any out. At one time I was taking them to work. We have a nice window sill in our Ladies bathroom. We all just sit and read and well you get the picture. :) But I have gotten away from doing that. Now it's just that they sit and they sit and they sit.
OK, off to bed, but I promise before I go to sleep I am going to go thru one, just one, magazine! I'll keep you posted on the magazine purge.....

Super Bowl Party

Each year our wonderful friends host the annual Super Bowl party. J and S are such great people. They live about 45 minutes from us. S and hubby are remote control air plane buddies. J is really a neat person. She is very crafty and always into making something. She is one of those people that make all her Christmas gifts. Yes, can you imagine that? She scrapbooks, quilts, crochets, knits, makes jewelry, cross stitches and I am sure there is something I am missing. So what a great time we had watching the game and eating. Did I forget to mention that J is a great cook. She always has something new and exciting to eat. This year she made a pinwheel type of appetizer with meat and cheese. They were delicious! Friends and food...isn't that the way it happens...we usually end up in the kitchen. Well what a great night we had, friends, food and a great game. Congrats to the Pittsburgh Steelers on their win!

Snow, Snow, Snow..not....

Well again today we were supposed to have a little snow. The prediction was flurries to 2 inches...flurry it was! I think I saw 1 or 2 flakes, again my hopes were crushed. I woke up this morning and immediately looked outside...nothing. And all day nothing. Guess I am going to have to move North to see some snow. But the good thing is, the Ground Hog saw his shadow! Six more weeks of winter, maybe there is snow in my future!