THE DOLPHINS!

We walked along the beach in Naples, enjoying the day. Sun blazing, breeze blowing, and the fabulous ocean smell. Suddenly, Sharon said 'look, out there' and sure enough there were dolphins!!

They were CLOSE! Really close! Like I thought too close, I didn't want them to be 'beached'. They were so cute! Playing and poking their heads out of the water.

I didn't have my camera, and running back just wasn't an option, so you'll have to visualize. I've been to the beach a zillion times in my life, but NEVER had dolphins that close.

However, the downside of this is I've had the Flipper song playing over and over and over in my head ever since.....

'they call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightening....'

remember????

I'M REMISS....

I know you've all wondered if I'd fallen in the ocean, been eaten by a great white, or just am too lazy to post.

None of the above.

My husband and I left my father in law's and went down to our friend's condo for a few days and she doesn't have internet. Yep, in today's world- what can I say? But we are back at my father in laws, and with modern technology!

She and I have been friends since we were little bitty girls; in fact her dad and my mom have been friends since they were little. Anyway, she and I talk periodically on the phone, and always pick back up where we left off. We call it 'catching up'!

She is a decorator, lives in a gorgeous condo ON THE BEACH. Pretty much paradise. We ate too much, sunned too much, drank too much, and laughed A LOT. I realize how much she means to me when I see her. Old friends are so precious. So, enjoy some views of paradise.

and, my Sharona..... and me!!!







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I'M TOTALLY LOSING IT.....

So last Thursday night, I thought my house smelled a little old house (ish) so I lit a candle on the stove. And promptly forgot about it. Forgot about it until the NEXT morning, when I got up and noticed it. If you are new around here, I live in an old, old house. One made of old dry wood, which would burn like crazy given the chance. Fortunately it was not given the chance and it didn't burn. Thank you Jesus.

On to my next dippy thing...

So, today, I went to the beach. I am in Florida visiting my father in law and later in the week an old friend. My husband and I settled in at the beach with all our snacks, drinks, sunscreen, books, towels, chairs and of course my camera. I took some great photos to post here.... some of the beach, my husband swimming, some seagulls, boats, you get the idea. It will remain just an idea because I didn't have the CF card in my camera.

I'm losing it, I tell you.....

TRICK OR TREAT...

Okay, I can't say it was something that came to me in a vision. Well it was VISUAL...I saw it in a magazine. But,not an original idea....anyway.... how fun are my topiary pumpkins?

I love Halloween, and decided I needed to adorn my urns. I have another, full of pumpkins, casually stacked at my garden gate on the side too. I LOVE FALL!!! Don't you??

YES, IT'S OVER....

The boat is in it's winter storage spot. Well, sort of. We sailed it up today. The SUN was out and it was fairly tolerable, overall, however, the wind was kinda sluggish. It took MUCH longer than it should have. But, it was nice to hang out all day with just my husband on the boat.

I'm kind of glum, I really enjoyed sailing and the lovely city of Chicago... not that I can't go into Chicago anytime I want, but probably won't do so every weekend. I've grown accustom to the hustle and bustle of the city and the beautiful views and seeing my daughter often. I really hate to see it be over... for the year. And I really hate to see what I know is coming.... winter....

Here's some excerpts from today.....just my husband, our boat and me- good stuff I tell you, good stuff!





of course, we needed to visit our vacation property!



so long Chicago....


coming into the harbor for storage....

TOMORROW'S THE DAY......

Tomorrow we sail the boat up to it's winter storage spot. I'm so not ready for the season to be over. And even more, I'm not ready for the cold. We went in today with the thought that we might make the trip. But, since it was raining way out on the lake that just didn't seem like the best idea, so we just sailed around a little. It was gusty and rough, but the sun poked it's head in and out and when it was out, it was pretty nice.

Anyway, I so get off track, don't I? Tomorrow's the day- wish us luck and throw in a little warmth could ya?

gonna brag a little here......

My kids are all talented in their own ways, today, I am featuring my middle daughter. Check out her website. Click on iamscarlett.com and check out her work

Isn't she talented? And, while we are bragging things up, her website was designed by her boyfriend, and you can check out his stuff at talliandesigns.com

Now, in case you didn't put two and two together, I'll spell it out for you... if you are in need of some art work, talk to my daughter, if you are in need of a website, or some graphic work, talk to her beau.

LAST FAMILY 'HURRAH'

We braved the elements yesterday and took out the boat for our planned family sail. My husband, oldest daughter and her beau, middle daughter and our son and I ventured out for a 'three hour' tour.... a three hour tour....
We missed our middle daughter's beau, as he had an obligation with his family, that I'm sure was much warmer!! However, we had FUN. But, we always have fun, we are a fun group.

I purchased some runners winter wear (like I'm going to run) and layered up with my favorite big wool sweater covering it all giving me a rather rotund look. We really had a nice day, the sun was shining, and as we were dressed for the cold, and were warmed from within... it wasn't so bad.

Next week, she comes out for good. So would it be too much to ask that EVERYONE and I mean everyone channel good vibes our way for a small heat wave?


Enjoy the photos, we do look kinda funky..... and I am NOT as fat as I look... really.

cold, cold, cold......

Hello.... it's October, not January here.

We still have our boat in the water. In Lake Michigan, which I am sincerely hoping isn't frozen solid, with one lone sailboat stuck there....

A while ago, I suggested we have one last family hurrah aboard panache.... As my middle daughter and her beau work retail, they needed a month to secure the day off. So we selected tomorrow, thinking October, Illinois, could be beautiful. Well, it's not- at least that's the prediction. It's supposed to freeze tonight. So it's highly unlikely it'll warm up to comfortable 'on the water' temps. But, MAYBE there'll be sun. Maybe.

But, we are salty ole sailors (not me, or the girls), and we are going anyway. Instead of grilling on the boat, however, we are going to partake in a bar my husband has had a hankering to visit. It's a sailor's bar. Hopefully we won't run into Brutus, while Popeye and the fam are drinking hot totties. What is a hot tottie?



Stay tuned for the frozen photos from tomorrow's event and send warm thoughts my way..... anyone know where I can buy cute long underwear?

I TOLD YOU IT WAS CUTE....

It's FREEBIE FRIDAY!
Today's Freebie is Oliver! YEE HAW - isn't he cute? Oliver is free for you today and you will have him emailed to you today or tomorrow once you have gone into the store and ordered him. He can be sent to you in jpeg or pdf file format. Please let us know which you prefer in the comments section when you order. Remember, Oliver is only FREE today, October 9th. After that he will be available in the store for purchase.

headache.....

Once years ago, and I mean years, I had a conversation with someone about her 'tenant' in a crummy apartment building. This person went to introduce herself as the new owner of the building, knocking on door after door meeting people. She came to this lady's door, introduced herself and said, as we are all wont to do..... 'hi,I'm blah, blah, I'm your new landlord, how are you?' To which this lady answered,' well, I'm sick'..... the friend said, 'oh my, well I do hope you feel better soon' to which her new tenant replied, ' well, I've been sick since the 60's'. This was the 80's, she looked fine, just unkempt and lazy. We laughed. I've become that woman with this damn headache.

I've had a headache since the 80's, I'm sure. Hum, I got married and had kids in the 80's- maybe there's a correlation here???? Seriously, it's a malady that I suffer from regularly. I don't want to complain- but c'mon, enough is enough. I've done everything you can think of with a headache.... and I'm sick of it. So I'm off, in a drug haze- to deal with 300 loud little mouths.

So, with that little rant over, and no, I don't feel better, I've got to go to work today, early, for a meeting, before school, with a headache. Maybe I should go back to the 60's and think about that kind of haze.... that might just knock the headache....

....then again, it might make it worse. Look what it did for Janis Joplin - I'll be she had headaches too.

A YUMMY GIVEAWAY!!

Sweet B's Sweet Giveaway

Click to join the fun. I love a good giveaway- found this on one of my favorite blogs, and joined in- you should too!!!

DIVIDE AND CONQUER....or THE PLANT part two

We went to Home Depot, bought some dirt and a couple big pots and tackled the beast. My husband, somehow managed to extract the thing (on it's side) from the pot and we began hacking at the dirt surrounding the root ball. Much to my delight, it was several still large plants that made up the ginormous one. We were able to fairly easily divide it into 2 really BIG plants, one fairly big plant, and two nice size plants.

Now I still have 2 big plants to find homes for, but at least Mr. Universe doesn't have to come over to move them in. As a matter of fact, we already rolled one in, and it's sitting in the living room, and I'm wondering what to do with it.... anyone in need of a roommate? As that's really what the big ones are the size of.

THE PLANT

Ok, bear with me on this tale.

Last spring, my husband was gone, and I was bored, playing online, and eventually morphed over to looking on Craigslist (no not at the sexual services). Some how, I'm still not sure how, I ran across an ad for a giant jade plant. I had one YEARS ago, that I was very fond of. Actually had it for probably 8 years, with no issues.

We (my husband and I) were gone and my kids hosted a party, as kids will do when you are gone, and lo and behold, it got broken. NO ONE knew what happened, or HOW this could have happened, innocent faces and all. But it did. I was sad.

So when I saw this ad, my plant came to mind. I promptly emailed the lady and said I wanted it. She warned me that it was really big. Sure I thought. She wasn't lying. I sent my son and a friend went to get it, I should have known when he called me and said, 'Mom, it is a huge monster- I mean ridiculously huge, I don't know what you are going to do with it huge'. Oh, my God, was he right. It is a MONSTER.

My son, a big strong kid, one of his buddies an even bigger dude and some random acquaintance driving by and coerced into helping struggled and I mean struggled to get it on my front porch. It is easily as tall as me, and probably 5 feet or so around. It won't fit in my house, with out a chain saw enlargement of the door, and that isn't happening, nor is the proposed sun room that it could live in if only we'd build it happening. So, what am I going to do with it?

It's 24 years old. I can't let it die. But what am I going to do with it???? The pressure's on... it's getting cold. I think we are going to try to divide it, if we can get the chain saw started.... stay tuned, for part two of "Little Shop of Horrors"- Trumpystyle.