A Little South of North

Love you, too Nan

I love you, too, Nan, with my whole heart. Remember when we were kids how we fought like "cats and dogs", as Mom used to say? She always said that some day we would be best friends. ( I think she had her fingers crossed when she said that). But she was right!

We are different, Nan, but also so much alike. I think you are more thoughtful and more likely to remember birthdays, etc. You are right, we do enjoy a lot of the same TV programs; programs that hardly anyone else likes!

I do vaguely remember you biting your tongue almost in 1/2 and I remember that I had something to with it. I remember being very scared. And you are right...there was A LOT of blood! Do you remember biting me on the thigh and almost taking a hunk out? Or poking me in the eyes on purpose..all because you wanted my Betsy McCall paper doll? Those were the days!!

When Mom and Dad took me on that trip I didn't have much fun. If I remember correctly it was a business trip for Dad and they didn't change any plans because I was along. I missed you and Skip.

Speaking of State Fair Blvd...remember trick or treating at that nasty old man's house? He actually made us do tricks (cartwheels or something) to get a lousy piece of candy.

I don't know if I was brave or just plain nosy when I went up to people and asked them questions. But Mike must have taken after me. because he is famous for that as a kid. No inhibitions at all! Used to embarrass the heck out of me. And we were dealing with very understanding black men!

Believe it or not, I was petrified of that darn moose. To this day I will not get out of bed at night unless I absolutely have to!

It's called Paracleteing and I LOVED it! Can't wait to do it again!!

Yes, I do love flying with Mike. Believe me, Nan, he is a very careful, cautious pilot..no worries there!

Are we really adults??? I love that when we get together, you and I or all three of us, we do giggle like little girls. I need that in my life. I need you in my life and I am so glad you are there for me, too. I love you....

Oh...and one other thing. It wasn't Jim I was pulling, and I did have a spotter. That makes it a whole lot worse because I turned around to see how Scott was doing (it was his first time on water skis) instead of letting the spotter do her job. That's what spotters are for!! I, however, did run up on the rocks. Gladly, no one was hurt. Just my pride...

SUMMER TIMES

This summer is flying by..I know, I say that every summer.  But this year, it really is!  We haven't seen Noah and Jori Beth nearly enough.  Noah is here with us for a week and then I will take him back and Jim and family and I will go to Oak Island.  I will come back on Wednesday and they will stay till the end of the week.  When I get back to the lake Deb and Kurt and family and friends will be in their rental till Sat.  So another busy week, but we are looking forward to their time here at the lake.  It's always a lot of fun.

We have been busy this summer:  My 50th high school reunion, visit from Nan and Susan and girls, my trip North to Nan's and lots of visits from Lynne and Dick.  Jim and Amy and children have been here a lot this summer, too.

When Jim and family get back from the beach Jori Beth will come up for a week.  We will be doing crafty things..she's my little craft partner...not so little anymore...she's becoming a sweet little girl.  She has her own business~~doing manicures and pedicures.  Mostly a little filing, but she concentrates on fancy painting...stripes, squiggles, dots..you name it.  She is very good at it and she loves doing it.  She was hired to paint nails at a little girls birthday party and she had a ball!

Noah is still collecting..says he is going to concentrate on small things now.  He is interested in Zippo lighters.  We will be combing the junk shops around here for Zippos this week.  I am taking him to Bass Pro Shops in Hampton Va. for his birthday.  Probably on Wednesday.  He wants a fish finder for his boat and we think it would be fun for him to see the shop and pick out his fish finder..with a little help from someone there who knows what type he needs for the kind of boating he does.

It has been a very hot summer here and just about every place else.  We are so glad we put the central air in when we did...otherwise I would still be back in Cary enjoying the A/C there.  Even the water has been just a little too warm.  Not very refreshing when it's as warm as it has been.  But the last 2 days have been in the 70's and the 60's at night so now the water is a little bit cooler, but still nice.  We are going from 70 today to 90 tomorrow.  I guess the water will warm right up again!

We are hoping that little brother, Skip, and Marge can come down this summer.  Or this Fall or whenever they can.  There is still time this summer to enjoy the lake, so Come on Down, Skip!!  We enjoyed having Nan and family here.  Nan even went in the water..floated around on a big puffy water chair.  The girls went down to the boathouse as soon as they got here and jumped off!  Once they did that the first time it was constant...they loved it!  They were so good and so cute!  But, like all my nieces and nephews, they are growing up too fast.  We need heavier bricks to put on their heads to try to keep them small a little while longer!

There was more to our summer than I've put down here and still a lot more to come......

Decisions #2

Well...the decisions have been made.  At least I hope they have.  I guess until the carpet is down and the walls are painted we won't know if our decisions are the right ones.  Here's hoping they are.  In the end we decided on colors that are not in the bedspread.  I went out and got a new one that I'm still not sure about.  When the room is complete and put back together we'll see how it looks.

We didn't get much snow that time I wrote about last time.  Just an inch or two and less under the trees.  We have had a dusting since then and we are expecting "a major snow event on Tuesday night in to Wednesday, or not".  That is a direct quote from our weatherman.  Of course, he went on to explain about iso bars and all that other stuff they throw at you to confuse you so you can't blame them when their predictions don't happen.  But I thought that sentence was so funny.  He is covered no matter what  happens!

Chins up everyone...  SPRING IS JUST 21 DAYS AWAY!!!  THAT IS ONLY 3 WEEKS!!!

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

O.K.  We have decided to go ahead with the new bedroom/sitting room.  I guess I had forgotten how many decisions have to be made when you make big changes like that.  Where do you want the arch to start and end?  Where do you want your extra outlets?  Will there be more than one paint color?  Because the "painter doesn't like to raise his paintbrush out of the can, let alone change colors.  If you do more that one color, it'll be an extra $100 per color".  Guess what?  It's going to be $200 extra.  That's right...2 extra colors!!  What kind of carpet do we want?  Sliders or twin openers on the closet door?  How about pocket doors?  Molding around the arch, or smooth.  Rounded edges on the arch or sharp corners?  My goodness!!!  And that's only a few of the questions.  For the last few days I have been emptying the 2 bedrooms of everything I can carry.  Also the walk-in closet.  Do you have any idea how much "stuff" you accumulate in 36 years?  A boat load..that's how much.  And, Susan, I know you know how much stuff...you've been through it and worse.  I really think it will be nice when it's done..but getting there is a b....!  It's needed because it will so much easier for Jon to get around the bedroom with his walker if the room doesn't have all the dressers in it.  I guess in the next couple of years we'll do the bathroom, too.  Oh Lord!!

Snow is expected this evening and all through the night.  2-4-6 inches.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Snuck up on me..I couldn't figure out why there were so many people in the grocery store this afternoon.  I just needed 3 things and I had to stand in line forever.  We have enough food here that we could eat for a year if we had to.  As much as I HATE the gas stove (I know..I'm in the minority) I'm glad we have it when the power goes off because I can still use the stove part.  I can still get my coffee in the a.m.

Chamois is very confused.  She can't figure out why Jori Beth's bed is in the living room in many pieces and everything but the bed is out of our room.  She'll have a lot more room once the whole thing is completed.

Jim just remotely helped me put some digital pictures on the digital key chain we got Deborah for her birthday.  Have any of you ever done that???  It was almost impossible!  And it took hours!  I went over to the rescue facility yesterday and took a lot of kitty pictures and put them on the keychain tonight.  It really is cute, though.  If it wasn't such a booger to do I might do one for myself.  But forget it!!

The snow is coming down really hard!!  Wish I had purchased that sled I saw 3 days ago!  I might not be able to get over to Jims' tomorrow to give the kids their Valentine gifts.  If not, there is a chance I might eat some of the candy...I did get the kinds I like.  We are also supposed to go to Lynne and Dicks' for dinner..maybe not.  So much for sunny and 70..That's what was advertised for North Carolina when we came down..of course it didn't matter..the paycheck was on a desk in Raleigh.

Oh, and another decision to be made is colors.  We know we want the two adjoining rooms to have the same wall color..but the archway in between we would like to be a different color.  We are looking at greens and browns.  Not together..but different shades of one or the other.  Also. and I know this sounds terrible, but I'm also looking at some maroons, pinks and mauves.  I really like our bedspread a lot and I don't want to change it so that's why the maroons, etc.  Oh well, guess I'll just have to sleep on it for a while.  The other problem is carpeting.  I have found the one I want but it's $48.00 a sq. yd.!!  I mean I like it a lot but come on..that much for a bedroom!!  So I'm going to do a lot more looking!  Too bad..

I guess I've rambled enough...Have a good rest of the winter..and remember-SPRING IS ON THE WAY!!!

 

64 DAYS TILL SPRING!!

Hang in there everyone--Spring is coming!!

Where Did 2009 Go??

Holy Cow!!  In 2 days it will be 2010!!  How did that happen?  It doesn't seem like a whole year ago that I was saying " Holy Cow!!  In 2 days it will be 2009!!  2009 has been a busy, eventful year!  Jon had spine surgery..somewhat succesful.  PT is helping there.  I finally got Elizabeth and family down to the lake..so much fun.  Ainsley is a beautiful, friendly, happy baby.  We enjoyed them all so much.  We hope it will happen again soon.  Maybe this summer Susan and family can come down.  Hopefully, if they do come, they will bring Nan with them...or maybe Nan and Mike could come..we'll see.  I know Skip came down to meet Julie (nice surprise for her)  but now maybe Skip and Marge could come.  Also, Julie says maybe she and Jean can stop in on their way to Ga.  I hope so.  We had Pat and Jimmy come for an afternoon.  That was so nice..Maybe that can happen again this coming summer.  Also, Deb and Kurt.

I hope everyone got all the things they wanted for Christmas.  There are some babies in our clan now and I'm sure they were adorable this year.  Ai and Ainsley are the youngest.  They are both at such sweet ages.  And next Christmas there will be another small one.  Can't wait for that to happen.  You will be very busy Elizabeth and Michael.  Do you think Quinn is up to being a big sister again?  I bet she will be just as sweet with this one as she is with Ainsley..it's just in her nature.

Soon~~March~~I will have to go up to the lake and start planting ground cover.  Then in LATE April the garden goes in.  Busy times in the Spring.  Also, here in Cary, we are hoping to get a sprinkler system put in this winter so we'll be all set for  Summer.  Also trying to get estimates on converting 2 bedrooms into one.  I'd like to get that going real soon.  I want that to be over with~~what a mess it will be!!  And we haven't even started work on it yet...except to get a few estimates!!  Chamois, Bailey and Gracie will go bananas when that little project gets going!!

As I mentioned before..Jon had spine surgery in Dec...just a few weeks ago..and now is having PT.  He seems to be walking a little faster and he is finally able to sleep in the bed.  Instead of the recliner.  We actually went out to dinner tonight for the first time since Nov. 14th.  THAT's a milestone!

Noah and Jori Beth have had a good year, as have Jim and Amy and Mike and Deborah.  I haven't been flying with Mike much this past year..he's busy and I'm busy so it's been hard to get our schedules together.  Hopefully that will correct itself soon.  Amy is busy with Nursing School~~and getting top grades..we are all very proud of her.  Deborah's Cat rescue facility is in high gear..they have another building, one to house all the yard sale stuff.  Getting it out of the facility was important to both  Mike and Deborah.  Jim and Mike are very busy at IBM.  They seem to be letting work interfere with their play time!!

Have a wonderful 2010, everyone!  Maybe I'll get to this a little more often in 2010.  MAYBE..that is not a promise!!

SO LONG SUMMER......

Labor Day is today..That is supposed to mean summer is officially over...I hope not; not the good parts of summer, anyway.  I can do without the heat and humidity.  Good riddence to the HIGH heavy and nasty humudity...but I want the water to stay warm at least till Nan and family leave.  I know you are used to swimming in glacier water, guys, but I'm not.  And this last weekend the water was chilly.  Jori Beth didn't think so, but I did. Could it be the difference in our ages??  She said the water was refreshing...that means it was cold!  Oh..not blue lips cold, but cold just the same.

Jim and Amy went diving in an old QUARRY(!) this past Sunday.. Amy had her ear bitten by a large fish.  Not fun.  I now know why I'm not interested in diving.  However, I am interested in swimming with the Manatees.  I'm hoping I get to do that with Jim and family this winter.  Doesn't that sound like fun?

The tomatoes are almost done producing..Another sign of the end of summer.  Now we have to get used to plasticy tomatoes again.  Makes them so much more special when they come in next year.  I'm already licking my chops!  We MIGHT have a few when Nan and family get here.  There are 2 or 3 pink ones on the plants.  I'm hoping the squirrels don't get them first.

It's rainy and gloomy here today.  Hardly any boats on the water.  Just a few fishermen..I think they are like golfers..It never rains on the lake!  They are out in all kinds of weather.  Not thunder storms, but wet rainy weather for sure.  Maybe the fish bite better during the rain.

White hots, chips and raw veggies for dinner.  My kind of meal..easy.  I even remembered to thaw the dogs early.

I'm so looking forward to our time with the Fayettes and the Crawfords!  Even if it rains, which I hope it doesn't, it will be fun watching Ainsley run (?) around. And there is always cards and board games.  And eating because I plan to have several kinds of snacks on hand.  I just never remember to get them out...so a little help there guys.  I'll put together a little gin fog next weekend, Nan.  But then you have to drink it.

We have a couple more jobs for David The Builder.  Just a new garage door with an opener and a hole in the living room wall so the cold air return can suck the air from the new bedroom to the actual cold air vent.  We don't want him here doing that while Nan and all are here so we'll call him next week.

Well, goodbye summer, and goodbye you-all......

"School days, school days........"

Our Grand"babies started school today--as did a lot of other Grand"babies".  Ours are in fourth and fifth grades this year.  I remember walking with them to their first day of kindergarten.  Was it really that long ago?!  They don't look THAT much older to me...bigger, yes, but older..no.  They do act older, but when they were about 2-3 I told them that they would never be too old (I didn't say too big) to sit on my lap or at least on my knee or in the same chair for  what they call "cuddle time."  You know what?  They still do sit with me every night that they are with us.  For at least 1/2 hour before bed. 

I also have ALWAYS told them that they are my favorite Grandson and Granddaughter.  And they are and always will be.  It's a little bit sad to see school start.  It means Summer is just about over.  Jon and I were saying last night that we wish we had had each child up here for a week by themselves.  One at a time.  That's hard to do because they are so close- they rely on one another so much.  Right now  they are best friends, and that's nice.  We all know that as the school year goes along that will change.  Even now they both have good friends of their own..and that is how it should be.

Jim and Amy (mostly Amy) kept a small scrapbook of each child's first year and to this day the kids like to look at it.  I think they are surprised at how much babies change in a short period of time.  Next year I am going to bring them up here to the lake so that they can check them out when they are here.  They asked me about them during the time they were here while their parents were in Belize.

Chamois is trying to get me to take her ball.  She actually "hands" (paws) her ball to me.  It's a game she started a long time ago and now she becomes a pest about it when the mood strikes her.  You'll see when you get here.  It really is cute.

My neighbor went for an evening swim tonight..the water is almost too warm so it's a good time to do it.  Not me, though.  I have to be able to see the water and everything in it.   I used to go swimming in the evening and Jim, Amy and kids do.  So I guess you have to be younger to be brave enough to do it....I guess I really am old!  ANOTHER sign!!

Noah loved his Jon boat!!  I think he is going to name it Noahs' Ark.  We'll see.  He hoped to take everyone for a ride on his birthday but it rained almost all day so that didn't happen.  But he did get to ride in it all day Sunday.  He has to have an adult with him for now until we are sure he can handle it well.  But I must say he has it down pretty well.

This is a very rambling post.....Hopefully the next one will make more sense..but probaby not.  Till next time.....

  

Better Late Than Never

I guess title says it all..I have been negligent about keeping this blog going and I know it.  No excuses..just lazy and leading a very uninteresting life.  But it's going to get a lot more interesting in about a month.  It will be so much fun to have little feet running (and I do mean running) around here.  It's been a long time since that's happened.  Too Long!

A lot going on here lately....House stuff.  New floors in the living room-Dura-Ceramic-new refridg.,new floors in the loft starting on Monday, new microwave being built in on Wednesday.  Really just maintinance.

Noah and Jori Beth were here for 9 days while Jim and Amy were in Belize.  We had a wonderful time..they really are good kids.  Noahs' birthday is this month and all he can talk about is a Jon boat.  We have told him it's impossible but guess what?!  The grandparents and an Uncle (Mike) went in together and got him one.  I cannot wait to see his face when he sees it!!

Now...about my tomatoes...they are about as big as a golf ball.  They have not been good this year.  Not just mine..a lot of people are disappointed in thier gardens this year.  But, come-on, golf ball size?  Hardly a bite. But that bite is sweet.  Our builder, David, brought us a bunch of them..HUGE.  And they were good!  But even his are petering out early.

The planter I had David build me (Jon calls it my sarcophagus) is a lot bigger than I thought it was.  I put 15 bags of lava rock in the bottom and then I put 20 bags of topsoil, 2 bags of Bumper Crop and 1 1/2 bags of Miracle Grow soil in and it is HALF full!!  Not even..I will need at least 30-40 more bags of topsoil and about 10 bags of Bumper Crop.  I better get great vegetables next summer!

Holy cow!!  Is it ever hot here!!  5 days at 95 or above...and HUMID!  Feels-like temps of 105.  I'm not happy with that..Even today..temp. 85 but the humidity was way up there.  You can imagine how excited I am about hauling all those bags of dirt down to the lake and then lifting it up and into the "planter-sarcophagus".  I am lobbying for a John Deere Gator.  It would be a very useful thing to have.

Chamois has lost three pounds this summer--I, unfortunately, have found them and probably someone elses'!  She is doing very well..lots of swimming and running up and down the hill.  In this heat, I'm sure if I did as much running around and swimming I would lose weight, too.  Or die!

No more "interesting" news...Maybe I'll do this again soon...Don't hold you breath!!

Happy 2009 to everyone...

2009..Another Christmas come and gone..A new year beginning.  I'm hoping that by 2010 I MIGHT understand facebook.  Probably not, but who knows.  I am not very "electronic savvy".  For example:  Jon got me a really nice new cell phone for Christmas.  I cannot work the darn thing.  It's an Omnia..has a camera and all the bells and whistles.  Trouble is even while reading the directions (which were written by someone who thinks EVERYONE understands all the teckno geek stuff) I can't get the thing to work.  I can't even figure out how to place a call.  So to make a long story short~~it's going back.  I just want a simple phone that I can make a call on and receive a call on.  No camera, no computer connections..nothing fancy!!  Just a phone.  I have a camera for taking pictures and I can't make phone calls on it and that's the way it should be.  Enough of that...

So facebook is fun but I don't get it all.  The best part of facebook is being in touch with Chris.  For that and to see everyone's pictures, I'll stay on.  Chris is sharing his brand new baby daughter with us and I'm sure I speak (or type) for everyone when I say I am so happy for them and so grateful to be included in his life, even if it's just a little bit from far away.  It's a connection.

If I could put pictures up with this I would send some of the new decks and stairs down to the water at the lake.  I love what David (builder) did with the decks.  We are going to look into central heat and air so we can go up more during the winter and enjoy it more in the summer.  Can't wait.

Chamois is doing well with her training.  She is a much more pleasant dog to be around and she is a joy to walk.  Cudos to Elaine for helping us with that!!

Our next big project is a new ceiling in the kitchen, here in Cary.  We are thinking about a pierced tin ceiling.  The handyman we have hired is looking into it as we speak.  Hope to hear from him next week.

Our neighbor, Genie, is sure we are fixing up so we can sell this house and move.  I would move in a heartbeat but Jon plans to stay here to the end.  And since he can't do much of anything anymore, I guess we'll just have to hire everything out.  I'm through cleaning off the roof, raking leaves etc.  So no new address just yet.  Bummer!!

I hope Sue and Steve (who have had way too much on their plates these past few weeks) will have a much better new year than it has started out to be.  My deepest sympathy to Steve.  I hope he will be able to see beyond what is happening now and then be able to look back on the good times he had with his Dad.  It takes time, but acceptance does come.  Hang in there, Steve, we are all thinking of you.

Our Grandchildren are so special.  Nuff said!!

I also hope that Catangels continues to do as well as they did at today's adoptathon.  4 kitties went home today and 3 are going home tomorrow, and 3 more are going home on Wednesday.  THAT was a great "Thon".

Mike and I are flying up to either Boston or New York City in the next couple of weeks, weather permitting.  Just a fun trip to give him more hours.  Or maybe Florida.  Don't know where or when, exactly, but it will be fun.

I can't wait to meet Ainsely in person.  She is such a beautiful little girl and so photogenic!  Keep the pictures coming, Elizabeth.  We all enjoy them.

Seems like I have been typing for a long time and as I read this back I don't see much content.  Just rambling on and on to fulfill my obligation to this blog.  Actually it's been kind of fun, venting.

Hopefully we won't have to wait till 2010 for my next entry.  But if nothing exciting or interesting happens it just might be 2010 before you hear from me again......