Remembering my dad.....

Today is a whole year since my dad left earth to be in the arms of the Lord. He left peacefully, I was with him reminiscing about happy memories with him. It is odd how we are here and then we are not. We don't remember our entry into the world...do we know when we are exiting? My dad was a quite man, hard working, honest. He never asked for anything. He was excellent at carpentry and he LOVED trains! I can't look at trains or anything related to the railroad without thinking of him and stopping to look, admire, and enjoy! I love hearing train whistles in the distance.... He loved cats, so that is probably why we always had a cat when I was growing up. Misty and Sylvester were his favorites. He had a lot of patience when I was learning to drive the van with the shift on the steering wheel...the stupid thing would jump and jerk and I'd say "I sorry" and he'd say "keep going"....I would have been car sick if I were in the passenger seat!! We talked sports a lot when I was in high school, drove my mother crazy ;D He liked going places....so do I. It seems like yesterday he walked me down the isle....so today, I prayed a lot for him in church, and I have thought about him all day, and did some ancestry research...it all ties in, we all have roots, we come from some one...like a branch in a tree, it reaches out further with each generation. From pilgrims, sea captains, farmers to whales, to teachers, carpenters, plumbers, homemakers, nurses, business owners to secretaries...all with a story. It is important to remember, because it is a part of who he was, who I am, and it's passed down to my children. I miss you dad!!! Rest in peace!! :)

Stormy weather....

I awoke this morning to the view of the golf course....cloudy and raining. On the news it is Tropical Storm Bonnie that is coming through. I really haven't paid much attention to the weather since yesterday was spent getting lighting and plumbing fixture ideas. It is nice to have the rain, since it hasn't really rained in a couple of days, yet the storm should intensify in the Gulf which will may cause further chaos with the oil spill clean up efforts. The whole situation was a debacle!! It is extremely infuriating.....

On the upside, I have some ideas for the bathroom reno and we go to get Callie today from camp. It's hard to believe that 4 weeks have sped by so fast. I'm sure her cat will be glad to see her, although the fat-fluff seems quite comfortable sleeping on the end of my bed! HHHMMMMmmmm okay, so I'm procrastinating...I have to empty out closets and pack things in an organized manner so I can find them later! I'm off....sigh!!! :D

Busy weather day....

Progress.....

Why is it, when I have and idea...it has no credibility? Or so it seems. I have been wanting the master bedroom bathroom redone for ages. There is always some excuse and the added statement of "just wait" from the husband!! I'm not good at waiting, I'm rather impatient, and I like things done, nice, neat, tidy, and like...yesterday!!! So, the wallpaper is down, the walls mostly primed. I've been to Lowe's and picked out the closet doors, I've measured, and found a chandelier for the bathroom with a matching sconce! I have got the paint....and today a cabinet maker! Whoooo hoooo, and now someone to do the tile, plumbing and electric...... am I giddy???? How giddy am I???? Over the top...but shhhhhh don't share this with the husband...his answer is still, "I feel like you're pushing things to fast...you really should be patient and just wait a bit".....hmmmmmmmmmm

Birthday Getaway!

Finally....a I got to get away! We ended up with a late start...I'm beginning to feel like I have cooties or something....I didn't get to go to North Carolina, because Manuel said "I'd like to spend time with you....how about going to Disney for a few days"....ohhhhh ya know, jeez guilt and selfishness raged a battle...guilt won!!! ;) I'm not one for lines, screeching kids, heat, sweat....did I mention long lines and crowds??? So....I did more of a staycation.....ughhhhh! Of course, after I agree to this...doesn't one of his employees get sick and guess what...hmmmmm???? We get to stay close to home :( :( :( SIGH!!!! We did go to St. Aramands and to the Everglades, and I got to peel the rest of the wallpaper off the master bathroom walls (this has been and ongoing project that was suppose to send a message to the husband....he TOTALLY ignored my intentions...but kept stating "I can see the woodpecker was back" (GRRRRRRRRRrrrrr). First time off on the 4th of July for years and it rained all day! I rented a car on the 5th of July to go to North Carolina...became very antsy to go somewhere, only to find that Natalie had plans....I was glad for her....sad for me. Was going to stop and see Caitlin along the way....and she is in Orlando...plans nixed, car returned.

It them became time for my birthday, now I'm not counting numbers mind you, BUT, it is a special day and I really think I should be doing something ..... fun, exciting, relaxing, interesting, anything but being home peeling wallpaper of the walls!! So, I sent a suttle text...to my AMAZEMENT he actually read it...I don't know how long it took him to do this, but needless to say he did and did what was asked, I know this because I got a phone call.....hehehhhehehee well, it was business and I had to have him call them back to give the all important zip code! So, the day arrives to go.....and I'm ready, and I wait, and wait, and WAIT....finally Manuel shows up after 1:30pm talking to his brother on the phone and ignoring the fact that I am waiting...well, I think he fast got the silent message when he saw my hands on my hips....we were soon on our way.....We made it to the B and B in time of wine.... two glasses and I just giggle...off to dinner at Brio Italiano...good food, there was some downtown event with vendors so walked a bit and back to the little bit of heaven!

The stay is always short lived.....the breakfast superb! We left our happy retreat and went for a walk on the beach....the sand was really hot!! Then we headed downtown, and off to Sebring talking back roads and going through miles of farm land. We got to Camp and took Callie out to eat. We went to Cowboys....a new restaurant there...she had to be back by five because she had plans with friends.....gosh, dissed again! :( Peaceful drive home.....memories of happy times remain...

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Everglades...

Sawgrass, alligator, mangroves and more; that is what you'll find on in the Everglades of Florida. Panther, white tailed deer, boar, turkey, 5 types of poisonus snakes along with pythons, exotic plants and an eco system. Yesterday's adventure was going down old US41 to Ochopee, Florida in the Big Cypress Preserve. Now I am always up to try an capture memories with my camera....it got a bit exciting when I saw the grasshopper....the Lubber Grasshopper, that was bright and colorful! They were everywhere and I kept getting closer to one and snapping way and thinking this is really cool...well the darn think decided I was interesting and leapt on to my camera!!! Well, not liking bugs, I was leaping around myself, screaming "get it off, get it off!!" Finally, Manuel grabbed the camera and flicked the critter off my camera. Then the storm clouds came rolling in so we couldn't go on the swamp buggy...but there was a young alligator that was reaching the shore of the boat ramp, so again I start snapping the away and the thing kept getting closer....I finally stopped when Manuel said...."you better stop, you know what happened with the grasshopper"...well, reluctantly I stopped...mainly because of the lightning.....I did get some good pictures though ;D

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Adventures

Most of the time when I want to go somewhere or do something I make plans and go...
My husband generally never wants to go far or for long, so I go myself. Generally his excuse is that he has to work! So this week when I was planning on going to North Carolina he decided that he wanted to spend time with me! So we made a few plans and lo and behold pne of his employees became ill so that limited where we could go. Yesterday we headed off to Sarasota to St. Amanda. The weather was cloudy but we enjoyed the shops and walking on the beach. We at at the Columbia restaurant which is very good! Then we took the scenic route going home. US41 sure has changed since moved here almost 24 years ago! I liked old Florida better!!! Now,what will tomorrow bring?