It's Hump Night!

I wish! Actually I'm alone in my hotel room blogging, waiting for our exciting meetings to start tomorrow. So the only thing I'll be doing tonite is sleeping..
This morning I had a nice surprise when I let the dog out for his morning run. A few years ago I planted a clementis vine beside our pool deck, next to our patio. This morning it bloomed!!! It looks like it will bloom a few more days as it has several buds on it also.

 

A few coworkers are with me on this trip and we went to one of the guys houses to pick him up. Once we got there, we didn't want to leave!!! Henry lives on the bay and this is his view from his living room deck. He can watch the Blue Angels fly from several rooms in his house.

 

This morning there was a sailing regatta going on, can you see the sails?? In the background are the builings out on Pensacola Beach. We seriously didn't want to leave. I think all of us could have just spent the afternoon with an adult concoction in hand, watching the boats sail by.

 

Here's another picture from his house. His original house was totally destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. His new one sits on stilts. I volunteered to house sit anytime he needs a housesitter! I told him I wouldn't even have wild parties. I'd just sit on the deck and while the day away. Couldn't you??

It's not been a week!!

Almost, but not quite. I'm sorry. I'm just not a good daily blogger. Of course you know I lead a boring daily life.
The weekend was dreary, but that didn't stop Sharon, Ann and I from making a quick trek over to Alabama to Gigi's. The trip was worth it, She had in the new Graphic 45papers Fashionisa, Transatlantique and the child's paper. Had to have them!
Sunday was more of the dreariness, but I did get the guys shirts for the wedding, which is only two weeks away!!! They are wearing the linen cuban shirts and khaki pants. The ones I found were white with a Khaki stripe down each side. Rick's shirt is a little different, since he's not in the wedding party technically.
I also got my dress, it's off white with big poppies on it. I also found a little cream colored
crocheted jacket to match. Just in case it's breezy that evening on the beach.
Work had been just that. Tedious, getting ready for the end of the year reporting. I leave tomorrow for 3 days of meetings in Tallahassee again. How fun! Hopefully we'll be gack early on Friday!!!
Speaking of the saltmines...it's time to go!

Bad Blogging

Truly, I lead a boring life. So not much to say, but I will.
The last couple of days I've had the spring allergy sinus headache. I've been eating antihistimines and tylenol. That dulls it for awhile but it roars back with a vengence after awhile. Today, I had an appointment for facial and I almost didn't go. But the girl who does my facials is phenomenal and soon she'll have enough facials done that she won't be able to do any more (she's at our vo tech school). But I went anyway and I'm sooooo glad I did!
Truan did wonders and cleared my sinus headache all away! I didn't tell her about my sinus pressure, I really think she felt it. She really concentrated on my sinus area, by the time she was done, I had quit hurting. So AWESOME! I quick booked another facial for in a few weeks. I have to take advantage of a good facialist when we get one! I told her she had a true gift and tipped her tremendously!
Still trying to talk the Big P into adding Massage Therapy into our curriculum so I can take advantage of that too!
The super came by to visit our school too. He came to congratulate our high school's first ever National Merit Scholar finalist! HOw awesome is that? Our high school has only been around 7 years.
About 5 minutes after the super made the big announcement, I heard the girl in the main office (next to me) just a hollaring and carrying on like she was panicked. Nothing rattles her, so I had to go see what was wrong. Apparently a piece of "paper" was sticking out from under a cabinet in her office. She used her shoe to pull it out from under the table. It wasn't a piece of paper but one of those glue mouse pads that the county had put down to catch some mice. It had done it's job because there was a live mouse stuck to it! Ann couldn't get her shoe off the pad or off her foot. She was freaking! She finally got her shoe off and then we got her shoe off the pad. Finally the custodian came and took the mouse pad away.
It was our laugh of the week.
So maybe life isn't so boring...sometimes it just feels that way.

The Weekend was Just Ducky!

I took off Thursday afternoon for a visit in Orange Park with one of my oldest and dearest friends. I love visiting Karen, her house is so relaxing and peaceful. No one to take care of but us. It leaves us to our merry whim, whatever we want to do that day we do.
I'm an early riser, so every morning I could be found on her back porch with my morning coffee, watching the wildlife that habitate the canal she lives on.
The first morning Mama duck brought her three babies to meet me. She came right up to the screen door, just a squaking away! I found out that she expects bread every morning. So I gave her some. She kept a watchful eye out while her babies ate, then she had some too.

 

Daddy Duck wasn't far behind. He stayed further out in the yard, keeping his eyes open for the resident hawk of the canal. It took both of them to keep their babies safe from the hawk

 

This bird, an egret I think, would never come up in the yard to eat. I think he preferred fish and frogs which I wasn't serving.

 

The geese stayed on the other side also. They sure honked and honked tho. I thought they wanted food, because when they came by there was no more. But I put bread pieces all the way out to the waters edge trying to lure them closer, but they'd have none of that.

 

We also had a sand hill crane encounter on our way to the IKEA Store in Orlando. Right in the middle of Interstate 4, across 4 lanes of traffic, like they owned the world, trotted a pair of sand hill cranes. We came within inches of hitting them and they didn't even seemed fazed. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of that. I was too busy putting myself back togehter after that near encounter. It was unbelievable to me that they just walked across I-4 right in the middle of rush hour downtown traffic.
It's back to work this morning for me. Do I have to?

MY Spring Break starts!

It's been a tradition that my longest BFF and I spend spring break together. We've been to the Keys, had slumber parties with her sister from Michigan, and many shopping adventures. Not once has anyone had to use bail money for us. But there was a trip where the virgin Mary sighed as we danced in the garden below her.
This year's break will be just as memorable. I'm off this afternoon for 4 days of shopping and fun. Flea markets in Daytona, IKEA in Orlando and perhaps a shop or two in Micanopy or High Springs. Get the bail money ready! You never know with us!

Spring Break Starts!

For my good friend, Kip, spring break is over. I'm sorry Kip. I know you had a great break, tending your farm, breaking eggs and such. My break is beginning.
But I'll be joining you tomorrow at work. I'm working my spring break. Since I work twelve months instead of the typical school year, I have the option of working most breaks. Except Christmas break, I have to take that one off. But since I do that, I can take off most anytime I want. I like that. I'd rather work all summer, when it's hot & muggy and take off when the days are cooler and nice. It looks like we'll get to work 4 day work weeks this summer. I'm looking forward to that!
I spent most of the weekend here at the house. I cleaned most of the day yesterday. I took a few hours off to go to a Tastefully Simple party. Have you ever tried their stuff? Most of it is pretty good! They had a chocolate cheeseball that was, in a word, DEVINE! I ordered the mix for that. They also had a spicy black bean dip, all you did was add water, and it was so yummy. I ordered 2 of those. It was great to see Ann, Natalie and Sharon. I haven't seen them in awhile.
I've been making some mini books for a friend. She has a party every year in honor of her friend, who died of cancer. She calls it her Girlfriends Party. So I'm making a few books for her. Here's one I've finished. The pages inside are decorated also.

 

That's my weekend in a moment. I'm hoping the week flies by, Thursday I'm heading out to Jax to visit my BFF. Get the bail money ready!

Suffering from Frigid Cold

You would think living where I do in April, I would be warm. I am, most days, most of the time. But it's the time of year that I suffer from frigid cold.

Every morning I wake up expecting to open my closet and pick a beautiful, bright colored spring outfit to wear to work. Then it hits me, I have to prepare for the frigid cold. So I look at the brown, the black, the dreary, heavy, wintery clothes I've grown tired of wearing.

I don't adhere to the strict unwritten fashion law about not wearing short sleeves, or white before Easter. I live in the south after all. I'm almost 50, and don't care what others think about my outfits. I wear dark, dreary, heavy winter clothes so I can survive the day in our building.

It's not just me, it's all my hallway mates. While the rest of the building is comfortable in the recently turned on air conditioning, our side of the building is in the frozen tundra. We run heaters, dress in long johns and drink more coffee so that we can pick up the cup to warm our hands.

Our air system is ancient, they say the problem is just that, a problem and it can't be fixed. We've tried closing the ducts to our offices, it doesn't seem to help. We've tried taping the ducts shut, the artic blast just blows the tape off.

So we freeze, wear dreary winter clothes, wipe our runny noses and suffer from sinus problems. I think I may move north. It is probably warmer now.

We Had You Going!

April Fool's!

Mixed Emotions

Hubby just came home with news of a job opportunity. It would put us further north, closer to his parents. Not sure what to think.........

Hump Day Again!

Has a week already passed? So it's true time flies when you are having fun! Sorry I didn't blog while in South Florida. When you are going to bed at 2 a.m. and hitting the ground running, there's just not time!
We had such a fantastic time. That much fun should not be legal. Okay, maybe it isn't in a few states. Gerri Ann, Sonia and Barb really know how to put on a great crop. They truly outdid themselves with food, fun and decorations. The room was truly transformed into a 50's diner atmosphere complete with giant soda glass with real Bubblys.
Gerri Ann's son, Robert kept all the women charmed. We had tickets and when our number was drawn, Robert popped the balloon to reveal our prize. He was a great balloom popper and prize giver! Robert thanks!
As always our drive to and fro was a tad long, but broken up by a few fantastic shopping opportunities. Scrappy Papers in Lake City is a must stop for anyone traveling I-75 just south of I-10. She is about a quarter mile east of the interstate on the right hand side. I am amazed that she always remembers us and is so delightful to chat with. She always wants to know where we are going to scrap and we always want to take her with us! She has such a wide variety of things, from papers to stamps, ribbons & trinkets, paints & glitters and everything in between! She's one of my all time favorite stores. Not only for her product, but her personality.
I'm off to work. Have a great day!

Over the Hump and Hitting the Road

It's Wednesday evening. It's been an uphill climb. But really life is good for me despite coming home with a raging headache on Tuesday. Weather fronts and rain, pollen, sinus...it all adds up. Headache. It was there again today, but it was a dull ache. Everyone was complaining.
Really I have no complaints. I have two friends with husbands battling cancer. A son with a boss who's dad is battling cancer, but it has Kevin upset too. A former colleague with a brain tumor...so really, my little headache is nothing.
I managed to get through a presentation I had to give at the faculty meeting. It was on the new race/ethnicity questions we have to ask students when they enroll. Please don't get me started. Let's just say I have job security for a few more months with over 700 forms to key in and file.
We had no students today, so that was nice. I got alot done. Big P wasn't there either. He had sinus surgery. So we took up a collection and got him all his favorite junk food and a singing, rapping bunny to cheer him up.
I came home tonite and packed for the crop this weekend. I am so ready to get there! I've never been this packed this early before. I leave tomorrow after work, usually I have to come home and pack the car, but hubby did that tonite! I so love him! WOO HOO!
Now if I could just snap my fingers and get that nine hour drive over. Maybe it won't seem so long if we make good potty breaks. If you know any good potty stops that I don't already know between here and Bonita Springs, let me know please. Good bathrooms are hard to find. There's one at Scrappy Papers in Lake City, Griffin's in Ocala is pretty clean, and then I forsee one somewhere between Ocala and Bonita, just don't know where. Coming back we are leaving Sunday night and spending the night somewhere along the way. So if you know any good sleep stops near scrap stores, that info would be good too. Scrappers just can't stay anywhere you know! I can't wait to see all the girls!
Okay, so tomorrow is an early get up day, get off day, I LOVE THOSE! off to bed!
See you soon!

Monday Blows By

I began the day by oversleeping about 20 minutes. Not a big deal usually, but it usually takes me a bit longer to get ready Monday morning. I hurried my way through, grabbed a quick lunch (like I get to eat lunch) and sped off to work. I got there just in time.
The day moved along rather quickly, before I knew it, it was 2:30. I was off work and onto bigger and better things. I fixed leftover burrito pie for dinner, (better the second day), chatted with my friend, Linda, while they picked up leaves. Then it was off to Beall's, Hobby Lobby and my friend, Sharon's, to pick up my Stampin' Up order that came in. Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Missions all accomplished!
With time to spare we watched DWTS, and I finished the invites for Felicia's bridal shower. Here they are. The wedding colors are red & ivory. Her flowers will be red & ivory roses. When I saw this embossing die, I knew that it would make beautiful shower invites!

 

Now it's off to bed. I'm wishing the week away so I can meet all the girls in Bonita Springs for the KnK Sock Hop Crop! Hurry Friday!

My Car Got Washed!

I've been begging my son for weeks to wash my car. I know, I know, I could run it through the car wash. Usually I do that, but it's been a time thing. I don't have time going to work, and until last week, it was dark coming home.
Saturday morning my car got washed. It seems that when Hubby went out to get the paper, someone had egged both of our cars. I blamed it on his senior football players, they do things like that ya know. He blamed it on Patrick's wild ATO buddies. Frat kids do things like that you know. But does it really matter? My car got washed!

TGIF!

We had a great evening last night with Dan & Felicia. We met at Macaroni Grill for dinner, and it was wonderful! Felicia and I talked about the upcoming wedding. The guys talked about cars and engines. Some things never change.
I'm going to make the invites for Felicia's bridal shower. I showed her and idea I had and she loved it! Very simple and elegant.
This morning I'm off to Adobe Photoshop training. I've got a coffee cake in the oven to share with the teachers (friends of mine). It smells so good!!! After the workshop I hope to get caught up on all the paperwork (finally) that's been clogging my desk all week. I think a good solid hour of uninterrupted work will knock it off.
It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend. I may hit the arts festival in Fairhope. Other than that, I'll find something to do!

Tomorrow is Friday!

The week is buzzing by. I've been very busy at work, catching up from last week's hiatus. I've decided I'm only working two days on spring break. So I want to be all caught up by then!
Last night I left the guys at home after dinner and ran an errand. When I came back into the neighborhood and around the curve to where I can see the house, my heart stopped! In front of my house was the big red fire truck. Panic! As I drove closer, I could see them walking around the house across the cul de sac. A bit of relief, but concern, as they have a family of 5 kids.
My worry was for naught. Rick said he thought they were burning leaves and someone called on them for leaving them unattended. We have someone in the neighborhood who does that. Which is odd because this neighbor is always outside, day and night.
Anyway, and exciting night somewhat in our quiet little neighborhood!
Can I just say I was surprised at the Idol results last night. I didnt' expect Alexis to go home this early in the competition.
Have a wondermous day!

Odds & Ends and In Betweens

I was a bad blogger I know. But hang with me, I'm getting back into the swing of it after being on another fantastic cruise with the Hilltop Girls. Many were missed, most were toasted and of course you know we talked about all of you! LOL!
We played a new game with Linda called Left, Center, Right. I came home and ordered 5 of them off the internet. It's a dice game, I can see many family gatherings spent playing this.
I was doing my lunchtime wellness walk yesterday, Monday, when my cell phone rang. It was my middle son, Kevin. He made idle chit chat, but something in his voice told me he was dying to tell me something. After answering his normal questions, I finally asked, "what's up with you?" He again tried to act normal but I was insistant that he was up to something. He kept asking me where I was. I'd answer, each time getting more specific. Finally he just said, "I know you aren't in our office because people are coming in here looking for you and leaving you messages and piling your desk with paperwork." I said, "Where are you??" and he then burst and told me, "your office".
I ran up the stairs to my office. Sure enough he was there with Erica. They were in town to see his friend John's new baby. Such a nice surprise! They wanted to take me to lunch, but I couldn't leave long enough to make it enjoyable. Next time!
Okay, not much of a blog today, but I'm sleepy. See you tomorrow!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

At our house, since we have a Patrick, St. Patrick's day is special. Patrick will decide what we'll eat for dinner. Patrick gets a present. It's Patrick's day, kind of like a birthday and Christmas. It's his day!
I've been busy getting back into the reality of life after a wonderful cruise with the Hilltop Girls. It should be against the law to have so much fun in so few days. I'll blog more about that later.
Til then, here's some St. Patrick day cards I've made the past few days. I will be a better blogger, I promise!

 

 

 

 

All My Bags Are Packed

I'm ready to go! The legs are shaved, the toes painted, the swimsuits packed, I'm outta here! See you in a week!
Yes, I'll be careful. Yes, I'll have fun! Yes, I wish you were going too! See ya! I'll toast you!

 

Winter Retreat Alabama Style Day Two

What a difference a day made! Saturday was warm and sunny. It was a perfect day to just laze around on the porch and watch the world go by. We were enthralled with the calves and the foal. I ran around the yard taking pictures of the wild daffodils growing all over the property. It was an exceptional last day of February.
Here are some daffodils on Saturday. Aren't they bright and sunny? Almost radiant!

 

What a difference a day makes! Here are some more daffodils in the same yard a day later. They say March that comes in like a lion will go out like a lamb. We awoke to blowing snow and I could hardly stand to stay outside to take a picture of the daffodils in the snow. The wind was blowing the snow sideways and it was bitter cold! Can you see the snow around the daffodils? While it blew hard, it didn't stay on the ground long.

 

I took this picture out of the kitchen window. Poor horse! All alone in the field in the snow, blowing cold. All of the other horses were huddled with the cows in the field across the street. This horse just kept eating away, as if nothing was bothering him. My brother in law said he was probably the second boy horse of the herd and that they would keep him away from the baby and it's father, as daddy may not like the other boy horse getting close. I know there was one horse that momma kept chasing away from her baby!

 

This tree was away from the house and more out in the open than some of the other trees, so it held onto some snow.

 

I know, I know, it's not much snow. But we enjoyed it while we watched "Mama Mia" again (Susie's first time, Rick's second, my third time) and also Appaloosa. Appaloosa was alright, but I won't go out and buy it! We loved Mama Mia tho! The cold and snow put a damper on our activities for the day, and the lack of heat in the house did too. So after the movies were over, we packed up and headed back home. It was 58 degrees when we arrived home and I had peeled of numerous jackets and long sleeves at various points in the drive.
As always, a great time at Grandma Jessie's old house. We love that place!

Winter Retreat Alabama Style Day One

While I still like to tent camp and would if the opportunity presented itself on a pretty weekend, our idea of camping is now visiting my sister and her husband at the house he grew up in. It's one of those old clapboard houses with a huge porch that sits out in the middle of no where on a country road. It's peaceful and relaxing and when my blood pressure gets up, it's a good place to go to get it back down.
Actually day one was Friday night when we arrived well past 8 p.m.. There wasn't much to do but unpack the car, get reaquainted with the place and watch a little tv. So that we did, until it was time to go to bed and get rested for the next day's adventure.
When I crawled out of bed, Susie was already in the kitchen, cooking sausage for her famous sausage gravy and biscuits. It is so yummy, I don't know why she doesn't cook more often, she's a good cook. We love using the old cast iron pots and pans that are up at the old homeplace.

 

Our adventures after breakfast included a trip to town to get something to cook for supper. We went to town with full intention of buying either steaks or pork chops, baked taters and other dinner things. While we were in Piggly Wiggly, I found my favorite red beans, Blue Runner Creamed Creole Red Beans. I bought out the store and volunteered to make red beans and rice for dinner. Susie, never one to turn down someone else cooking, agreed that it was a great idea!
During a drive through the town we discovered a little antique store that looked like it was just begging to be explored. So we did. We spent about an hour looking through the shelves and at the furniture. This shop was a true treasure as his prices seemed reasonable and he had some beautiful pieces. I wanted to take home a few of the dressers he had, but it wasn't in the budget this trip. He also had a great little piece of Roseville pottery that I loved, but I left it there and told myself if it was there next trip, it was mine! I did find a few dresser scarves, an old candy dish missing it's lid that would be good for pens and pencils in the scraproom, and a Dutch cook book I couldn't live without. I love all the detail work in the dresser scarves.

 

All that antiquing tired us out so it was home to sit on the front porch and enjoy the beautiful day. It was close to 70 degrees and a light breeze was blowing on the corner of the porch that always catches a great breeze, even in the summer. We watched the cows and calves make their way around the field eating as they went.
We also watched the baby foal on it's second day of life, prance around the field with momma close behind. The foal stuck pretty close to mama, except when he did get a rebellious whim and take off on a short gallop. Mama was quick to rein him in and keep him safe from the other horses and people(me) trying to get to close to her baby.

 

After a few hours of watching the animals, and a scrumptious meal of red beans, sausage and rice, on of the brothers in law arrived with his son and grandson to hunt some wild hogs. Wild hogs are quite troublesome in the farming community, tearing through and eating crops and gardens. His grandson was so excited about his first hog hunt. They settled in the shooting house in the field behind the house. We could watch from the porch down over the field so we did. The hogs came in just after dark and not long after we watched the shots ring out. We knew they had gotten at least one, and waited for some one to come up with the okay to go down and help. The grandson finally came up with the news that he'd gotten his first hog with his first shot! We all went down to see and also to help track on that got away. We looked for him til our spotlights went out but never did find him. All in all they got three pigs. Here's the grandson with his first one! The son got the second one and grandson got the third. Actually he got the first and second, all with one shot.
The days adventures had tired me out, and a cold windy night moved in. We settled in under the comforters for a winters nap in a house with no heat anxious for the next day's adventures!