A Good Day!

Some days are so much fun, especially when shared with friends. Today, Liz, Candy, and I went to St. Armands Circle on Longboat Key! We truly understand what the expression shop til you drop means. We walked around at least three times and found some unique shops. We had dinner at the Columbia Restaurant which was wonderful. Following dinner, it was time to take a nice long walk on Lido Key. It was peaceful and there were many types of birds. The sun was setting and it was time to go. We slept fairly well and were up early for the conference "A Day with the Perinatolgist", it was very good as usual. we went the Troyers Dutch Heritage Restaruant to fill up again. The ride home was full of chatter and laughter! It was good to get away!!

Days Like These....

As usual the days, weeks, and months go by all to quickly. Easter came and went, the kids were all home and I had to work...my weekend always falls on Easter...but not next year!!! Today was nice, even though I was really tired, Liz and I went out to Matlache to Kayak. It was so peaceful. The wind would come and go as did the clouds.
We saw an Osprey with two babies, a heron guarding her nest, many pelicans, and mullet that would jump and splash! It was leisurely and calm...tranquil...definitely need more days like these!

History in the making....

I have been trying to get things accomplished...finishing the unfinished projects and trying to get my life back in order. Two years of school really put a crimp in my hobbies and after almost a year of floundering, I am almost back on track!

Today was the historic pass of of the Health Care bill over 2,736 pages that make absolutely no sense and has no provisions regarding how healthcare providers will be reimbursed. Small businesses will be hit hard with not only increase in social security (which is doubled on the payroll tax) also they will now have to provide health insurance for employees even if they are part time. While the Democrates have felt that this is "wonderful" for all of us, the Speaker of the house stated...to vote on it first to see what is inside and the the President himself hasn't read the bill. As a matter of fact the vast majority of those voting didn't read it and they failed to listen to the American people who in polls were over 70% against the bill. There have been back door meetings, bribary, and promises made, scandelous! These people were elected to represent we...the people!!! Shame on them. After much time spent on arm twisting the vote passed 219 to 212. The CBO brought the price down to $940 Billion (this does not include many essential things), infact it'll cost well over $2.4 Trillion and with any government run project, it'll be full over runs and loose money. Ultimately we all lose. It just again shows the divide that our country has. I believe my ancestors that worked on the Declaration of Independence that stated the we have the inaliable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and justice meant that handouts should be given for those who choose not to take care of themselves. What a shame!!!

need more time....

There just aren't enough hours in the day sometimes. Today, I had the best laid plans, but somehow....I lost them. I woke up with an ear-ache, it was raining and what could I do but watch a movie I taped on the DVR! Then I got up, made coffee and the phone rang....gabbed for a while to Lisa...we've been playing phone tag for ages. Then I cleaned up the kitchen and mixed up a loaf of bread...while it was rising, Liz called and we chatted and the I got ready to meet her at the gym. I came home and the bread dough was over the pan and on the stove....I put it in the oven to bake and wanted to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies....yeah, well, I used to be able to bake! I had to go to the store and get some eggs and then preceded to burn the whole batch one way or another....so what to do, what to do...the phone rang it was my brother...talked with him, made a quick dinner and flipped through some quilting magazines and went to read email and facebook....got IM'd by an old friend, nice to get caught up! Here it is time to get ready for bed to go to work tomorrow...well, I don't want to go to work....this is so typical when I've had my six glorious days off...I need more days off ;) The daffodils look so Springy!!!

March....it Roars....

When I was growing up I used to hear that the month of March would come in roaring like a lion and leave as a lamb or something to that effect. All I know is that with all the hype about global warming, it has been a very cold winter. It hasn't help that the A.C. is broken....soon to be fixed. Chile had an 8.8 earthquake, how horrid, this just over a month after Haiti had it's devastating earthquake. The Vancouver Olympics are over (U.S.A. hockey got the silver medal...in an awesome match that went into overtime with team Canada).

I figure that March is the new beginning of 2010. I spent a month and a half on a trial for a double murder and today was the sentencing....4 consecutive life terms plus 30 years. The defendant has served around 260 days and he owes some court costs of several hundred dollars. He appeared in court today in a burnt orange jump suit, showed no emotion, and for the first time; I heard his voice. I'm not sure if I expected it to be deeper, but he didn't have an accent (as was portrayed during the trial), although his words were limited. He will appeal. Of course!!

There is a full moon. I went out last night to get pictures...and the moon was behind clouds, but they came out pretty good. It was worth dragging out the tripod!!!

I have done some Spring cleaning. It is actually making me feel better. Since finishing school, I've been lost, I guess. I just couldn't seem to get back into my routine. Today, I made jam. I'm listening to the "ping" of the jar lids sealing, however, I'm not sure about the jam itself. But at least I have tried. Tomorrow...I hope to sew. :-) Hopefully, I'll be more at peace.

Now to update the blog page .....

Meeting New People....

For some people, making friends is easy. I have never found this to be true. It has always been work for me. I think way back when, my confidence was shattered and my trust was forever scarred so it takes me a while to warm up to others. There are times when I surprise myself..... this weekend we met up with Caitlin at the Cheesecake Factory in Brandon, like last year. Adam also was there and this year so where his parents. It has been a couple of years that Adam and Caitlin have been going together....but the parents have never met! It was funny to talk to my daughter and express my nervousness and apprehension, only to find that Adam's mother though excited to meet us was feeling the same way....well, what can one say....then they must be okay! It was a pleasure to meet them and lunch was enjoyable. Adam's parents are delightful.

We did do a little shopping and then went to leave...it took 3 yes THREE hours to get out of the parking lot. Caitlin and Adam went back in to the mall, but the stubborn husband felt it necessary to wait it out!!!! Not a choice I approved of or would do again! We did make it home safe and sound.

Today is Valentine's day and one of the highlights was to see Father Stan dressed up as Cupid. I can't remember the fund raiser he was promoting, but it sure made for an exciting end to the service!!! Manuel and I had brunch at First Watch and had the Banana, Pecan French toast with cinnamon sugar syrup, very yummy. He found a blue hydrangea for me at BJ's!!!

ENDEAVOUR

Somethings in life are spectacular and then become ordinary and eventually passe and then pretty much ignored. I have always enjoyed flight into space. If I didn't get so motion sick...I think being an astronaut would be a phenomenal occupation. The space shuttle program is getting, like all of us, old. But just because it is old doesn't mean that it doesn't have a purpose...it's just being retired. It is suppose to be replaced with more technologically advanced and sleeker models...hmmmmm sounds like people! However, with the current administration....especially one who tauts education most notably for engineers and science...the space program is taking a backseat spot amid all the bailout gaffes!

The space shuttle was something that I don't think the majority of us realized would be a possibility...after all, my mom believed the moon was made of green cheese or something like that! Men landed on the moon! From rockets with space capsules to shuttles that looked like airplanes but used booster rockets to propel them into space. Then a space station was built, and telescopes launched that send back spectacular pictures of the world beyond planet Earth!

There have been disasters....Challenger and Columbia one on the way up, one on the way down...devastatingly sad! But today, I got to see the Endeavour rise from the swamp land and become a shining star in the sky. It will most likely be the last night-time shuttle launches and there are a total of four more launches until....there won't be anymore...sad! It took a journey of 48 hours the first attempt was scrubbed in the last minutes because of a low ceiling of cloud cover a trip home and then deciding if we would undertake the risk again...we did...a total of 16 hours and two round trips, chilly 41 degree temperatures, for only seconds of a spectacular sight of seeing Endeavour take off from launch pad 39A with the $400 million piece of the space station named....tranquility! It will give the space station a window view of the Galaxy!

This launch was much different from the return to space with Discovery and hotter than heck day but a fantastically awesome daytime launch. Callie has gone will me on these journeys...what memories she will have even if she rather blows them off at this youthful time in her life....she fails to realize that she was a first had witness to history in the making! One of many in her young life. Now...it's the memories and the pictures!!!! God Speed Endeavour's Crew!