Okay, Back to Jamaica: Day Three

Amanda's comment has me realizing that I must have been busier than I realized. I have some catching up to do ... again!

Monday in Jamaica

We woke up early, of course, so we could check out the red flag and see if we would be diving. NOPE, it just wasn't happening. The water was still too choppy to get the boat through the channels and the water was just way too messed up. Guess we'll go shopping!

Not "We" exactly, Frank went to eat breakfast and I hurried to the room to get dressed to go into to town, that's Ocho Rios. Ocho Rios is the closest city and and a popular stop for cruise ships so it is filled with shops just waiting to make you offers on the latest souvenirs. We boarded the bus at 9 am and were in Ocho by 9:40. They were all waiting for us. The bus driver takes us to a souvenir shop where nothing is priced .... ugh! You have to ask and then the deal making starts. I did get some good deals though, 4 t-shirts for $20; some hats for the boys and beach towels for the girls. The next stop was a shopping center called, "Taj Mahal." The buildings are painted with India themes and it is pretty appropriate name as most of the store owners are from India or Pakistan or somewhere over there. I'm not really sure their ethnicity except they were definitely NOT Jamaicans. The workers were, but the owners were not. I guess all are accepted as long as you employ the Jamaicans and add to the tax base.

Jamaican Craft Fair

The next shopping center was across the street from the Craft Fair. Otherwise known as the "Hi, My Lady, Will you come look at my shop," stop! This area is about 4 blocks and I managed to walk through it spending only $14 and that includes $2 for a bottle of water because it was so hot and humid. The ladies would try to convince you to buy something by fanning you. It almost worked! I was so hot and their little "stores" were just barely big enough for me to turn sideways in and they were open air - on one end - and dark and hot at the back. I did manage to get a picture of an adorable little boy eating crackers. His grandmother told me I should tip her for letting me take his picture. I gave her sixty cents ... literally all I had other than a twenty ... and then I asked her his name. I'm not sure if she was just protecting him or if she was telling the truth, but she told me she had too many grandchildren to remember his name. Oh my, I thought, that is just awful, did she even know the child. Then I thought maybe she just didn't want to tell me. Who knows? Anyway, he was a cutey and definitely knew that the camera lens was made to be smiled at.
All the shops had pretty much the same things as the stores, trinkets, bracelets, key chains, jewelry and paintings. There were a few actual "Crafters" there. I caught one photo of a painter who had some really neat canvasses; a lady beading jewelry; and a woodworker carving masks.

Making New Friends

While on the bus ride back to the resort, I met a really nice couple, Dolores and Mike Frith, of Concord, California. They were really cool and Mike is a diver. He told me about diving off the coast of California in the colder rough waters of Monteray Bay. Sounds a lot like Jocassee, only he seemed to enjoy it (?)! The lived in San Fransisco, too, so they gave me all kinds of great tips for visiting after I told them it was the number one place in the US I wanted to visit. The recommended coming in October during Fleet Week because you can see huge boats in the Bay and said it was actually one of the warmest times of the year. Now I can't wait to start planning that trip, though I don't know if I can swing California and Jamaica in one year ... may need a second job, both of us!

Sushi Bar

Monday night we had dinner at Munasan, the newest addition at the resort. The restaurant is open air, but covered, and features two dining choices, hibachi grill or sushi. We chose the sushi bar, of course. Our Chef was Edwin from the Philippines and he was great. We also met George, from Georgia, easy enough to remember. Turns out George was also there to dive.

How funny is it that normally we only meet divers on the boat and this time even though we hadn't been on the boat yet, we had still managed to meet two divers!

George is the General Manager at a Cracker Barrel in Brunswick, Georgia. He had been trying to get in his last cert dive off the coast of Northern Florida for the past few weeks but bad weather hadn't made it possible so he, like the rest of us, chose Jamaica and Breezes because the diving was included and the waters were so clear and warm and CALM! Poor Guy, the yucky waters followed him here. Oh well, we still have days left, so maybe the waters will get better. Anyway, we all talked for a while and enjoyed huge boats of all kinds of sushi and sashimi. So much so, that we were stuffed and decided to turn in for the evening after we were done.

Crossing our fingers and saying our prayers, we fell asleep with visions of underwater fishes and beautiful corals dancing in our heads ...

Day One Back to Work; Day Two Jamaica

Well, my return to work wasn't too bad. Lots of emails and phone calls to respond to, but all in all a fairly easy day.

Sunday in Jamaica

Noel skipped Jamaica but his passing left the waves crashing hard against the shore and stirring up sand and silt in the normally clear Caribbean. Sunday should have been our first day to dive and we were deeply saddened to get up early just to find the red flag waving high on the shore, the tanks and regs still neatly tucked in the dive shop, and EB standing there just shaking his head. It was a sad morning for 16 divers ready to hop on the boat and check out the Cayman Wall! Oh well, maybe Monday.

So, what to do next? We were in the dark completely. You see, we're always diving from 8:30 to 11:30, so we had no idea what the non divers do on mornings at Breezes. One look at the activity board and we were surprised ~ it seems there IS more to do than just dive! Imagine that! Frank says it was all just "passing time" until the water calmed, but when you get a chance to see all the pictures, you'll find that boy can really get into volleyball, too. I think maybe it's because the ball looks a lot like a soccer ball. Who knows? Anyway, he had a great time and I really enjoyed getting to use the camera even if it was above water. The picture below shows how turbulent the water was ~ truly the worst we ever seen in our four trips to Runaway Bay.


The rest of the day passed pretty quickly. We checked out the new infinity pool and the swim up bar. The sun came out and went back behind the clouds but it never did rain, well it did, for like two minutes at the most. Amazing! It's like a spritz from heaven just to cool you down for a few minutes. Very nice. I took two magazines and two books along with my journal. I've yet to open either of the magazines but I did somehow manage to read one chapter in one book. Guess lying around the pool with a good book is just not my idea of a good vacation. For some reason, Frank and I both think you "have to be doin' something!" So we walked. We explored! Then we napped, got ready and headed to the buffet.

First thing we did was hunt down a waitress to send Janice a message. The first year we went she told Frank shoes were required, she could rent him some, but she only had a size 12 and a size 7. She was kidding, of course. But to let her know we were back, Frank told the waitress to go tell Janice that there was a man at the door who need to rent a pair of shoes for dinner, one shoe size 12 and one size 7. It didn't take her long to coming running, "Frank and Paula!" And then hugs, hugs, hugs! She looked great. When we last saw her she was a week away from delivering her second child so needless to say she was a bit smaller this time. Hard to believe the baby born one week after Ivan hit Jamaica is now 3 years old and getting ready for school.

Janice and Frank are really funny together. She is pointing at him because last time when she was pregnant she pointed at him as I snapped the photo and it looked like she was trying to tell me something about that baby! Running joke is Frank and I are the baby's step-parents! Haha! Anyway, we will be getting together a little "child support" box to send to both her children, Ofelia who is 9 and Odelia who is 3. They both need crayons, paints, pens, painting aprons, school paper, and back packs for school. They have to pay for everything there including uniforms. The oldest, Ofelia, is really into crossword puzzles, so I am sure Amanda can help me pick out some of those to send to her. She said, "No, don't send those, when she is doing crosswords, she isn't doing anything else." I told her to look at it as educational. I know it helped me tremendously with my vocabulary and it should help her, too. Amanda loves them, too. Sometimes I think she buys the TV Guide and People just for the puzzle. BTW, Amanda, remind me to give you the Air Jamaica Magazine, it has two crosswords!

Well, I am getting sleepy and that pretty much recaps our Sunday. One last thing we did ~ walked on the beach and took a mini-swing in our hut covered hammock. The moon was huge!

We're Back!

Well, nine days went by fast and we are back at home now and already missing those we call friends and the beautiful country of Jamaica. We had a great time! Noel's winds caused the water to be a bit wavy for the first 3 days (delaying our dives) but we had no rain (except for 1 minute showers about twice a day) and beautiful sunny days the whole time!

I figure the best way to blog about the trip is to take it one vacation day per one blog day! So today I will tell you about Saturday - Arrival day! We made it through airport security with no problems. Frank had a great idea for getting through the "shoes off" part without feeling like we were taking everyone's foot germs with us on vacation ~ we wore two pairs of socks and ditch the outside pair after going through security and before putting our shoes back on! Made sense because you know they never wash those floors!

The Atlanta airport is great because of the tram that takes you all the way out to your concourse and when you are flying internationally that is the last concourse - 5000 feet from ticketing. That would be a long walk (even with your fancy dancy new four wheeled luggage!) Anyway, I like this airport a lot. The picture is of our reflection in the window we were looking out of to view them getting our plane ready.
















Cool shot - Frank's idea!

Okay, on to Jamaica, arrived 10:45 their time (which ironically, is our time now, too, since the time changed the day we got back!) Our driver picked us up along with 6 others and we headed out for the 2 hour ride to Breezes, but guess what? It was only 1 1/2 hours! The new road is completely finished from Jamaica all the way to Runaway Bay. No more Falmouth, no more bumpy bumpy roads through closer than you dare city traffic. They even have lines on the roads (definitely something new!) The driver tried to explain to us how the lines worked, calling what we call "passing zones," "overtaking zones." We just played along, acting like it was such a cool concept, never letting on like it was something we were totally familiar with. He seemed so proud!

POOL SIDE!
We got to the hotel and at first, they gave us a second floor room, but we talked with Julian and Stacy and they worked to get us a first floor room. We like being able to walk out the sliding door instead of the front. We were three rooms from the end and directly beside the great new dive shop and a hop, skip, and jump from the beautiful new infinity pool.


Of course, the first thing we did after dropping our things at the room was to go see EB, the Scuba Instructor. So glad he is still there as all the other divemasters are new. We met his new boss, George, and other instructors, Mr. Brown and Kevin. They were all very nice, too!

Next stop, food, and the hope of seeing Janice or at least making sure she was still there. We didn't see her but asked our waitress who told us she would be at dinner on Sunday. Yeah! Our two favorites were still there. So we had a nice salad lunch with some fruit and a little pasta and it was back to the room to get unpacked. I think this is the only trip I take where I actually use the dressers provided, most of the time I prefer to live out of the suitcase, but I guess this is more like home away from home.

The rooms have been renovated with a new bed, dresser, desk, and a flat screen television. In the bathroom area, they had taken out the tub and replaced with a marble shower with 6 shower heads! Wow! It felt really nice! Didn't think to take a picture, but you can imagine how good it felt after a long day in the saltwater and the sun!

That evening we had oxtail (Frank's favorite) and curried goat along with lots of other salads and sides and the normal choice of ice cream and petite fours for dessert. According to our scales we both gained weight, but happily only about 2 pounds each! Guess all the diving and walking on the beach cancels out some of the desserts and jerk chicken!

Tomorrow I have to go back to work but Frank is off until Wednesday. Hopefully I will have time to post a few more pics on Tuesday and tell you a bit more about our trip. We missed you all and have souvenirs for you, too! Will catch up soon!

TTFN

Tata for now, as Tigger would say! We're taking laptop so if what we hear is true, there is free wireless internet in the lobby of the hotel so maybe I will get to post a few pics! Cya in November!

Today I was on 280, so

I took the picture of the mountain behind our old house. Not much color yet as you can see, and even more interesting was the fact that Longview Shell, or Exxon has it was most recently, was CLOSED! I had no idea. Not only was it closed, it was empty and as you can see from the pics below, there were "No Trespassing" signs all over it. So sad - another piece of our past is gone. I will never forget standing in the store when it was cold outside before we caught the bus. Angie and Mom ~ remember how dark it was in there? I think whomever put the "Thank You" with the heart message in reverse must have been one of the many who took shelter there for so many of their high school bus days! Oh well, maybe someone will come along and re-open it soon. Meanwhile, don't let all the color leave before we get back from Jamaica or at least snap a few photos to share with me if you see them starting to fade or blow away! (2 days and counting!)

I love these trees ...

at Kimberly Clark. I pass them every day on my way to work and have for four years now. They are always so pretty and usually they show the first signs of change. I just wanted to share them with you all.

The other favorite spot I have to look at all the colors is the mountain behind the house we lived in off Highway 280. It was always covered in every color of the fall season. Maybe I will ride over that way today and see if the leaves on that side of town have started to change. Of course that will be AFTER I do all my chores ... maybe ... did I tell you I got a new camera? Yes, something like a new camera has a tendency to distract me from my chores. Oh well, the chores will wait, but you can never tell how long the pretty fall colors will be around! (I am the queen of rationalizing!)

7 Days to Go ...

I never know exactly how to count the days left until something big happens ... do you count the day you're on? Do you count the day the event happens? All I know is that one week from today we will be on our way to Atlanta and one week from tomorrow we will be on the plane to Jamaica. Did I tell you I can't wait? I am so excited and I think if Frank were any more excited about it, he could flap his way there! He cannot stop talking about it.

Yesterday was Frank's birthday and we met Amy at Asiana for lunch. It was pretty tasty. Amy got him a gift certificate at Fresh Market so now he can buy lots of tasty food to put in the pretty new Calphalon stock pot that Art and Helen got him. I gave him a gift certificate for an "Introductory Flight Lesson." I was really hoping he would be able to do it yesterday, but weather conditions did not allow.

Did you know it has only rained 2 days this year? Really, as far as I can remember it rained on Amy's graduation and on Frank's birthday ... two days when being outside was such a really big part of the plans! Okay, I know it has rained more than two days, but not too many more.

Just a parting note, if anyone is bored this weekend, I've got plenty of packing, list completing, housecleaning chores to do before we can leave next Friday ... be happy to have company. Haha!

I love you more every year! Thank you for sharing your special day with me and making it a very special day for me, too!

This crowd loves parties & seafood!

From Art's Birthday Party at Tiffany & Shawn's house on the last weekend in September. Frank did a seafood boil and everyone really enjoyed watching Art try to guess his presents.

Yummy, Vegetable Soup!

Okay, so when I was a little girl this was not exactly my favorite meal. Now that I am grown up, however, I can really taste the homey goodness of vegetable beef soup. Especially when Mama has done all the hard work and used just the right amount of vegetables. Yesterday I decided to put my pretty new crock pot and some of the Christmas gifts from Mama & Daddy to use. I got out one jar of the tomato based vegetable soup base, some barley and the directions on how to use the automatic settings and the probe on the new pot. It seemed pretty easy ... I just browned the ground beef in steak dust seasoning and added it, along with about a cup and a half of barley, and one jar of soup, set the timer to automatic - stew - and dropped the probe in. About an hour into, I looked and the barley had soaked up all the liquid, so I added Jar #2 of Mama's base. It wasn't long until I realized that I was going to need even more liquid (that barley was sure thirsty.) I added a can of beef stock, waited, then added one more jar of Mama's soup mix. All of a sudden I realized my 6 quart crock pot was slap full of vegetable soup and there was only me and Frank to eat it! Oh well, it was quite delicious so I had two bowls yesterday, one for lunch today, and just finished my fourth bowl (only a cup each.) Hard to count the points but I am hoping they weren't too much. Frank took about 2 cups with him to work today and agreed with me that it was pretty good stuff. He said I definitely had to share the credit with Mama - I thought it generous I got to share - I probably would say she got ALL the credit! Afterall, even if it wasn't my favorite soup (that's chicken noodle) I was always paying attention to how she made it and what it SHOULD taste like. Well, anyway, thanks Mama, it was delicious ... oh, and I saved the jars in case you want to refill them again this Christmas :)

It's What I Do ...

On Saturday when Frank and I were in Greenville, I was just strolling around NOT taking pictures and Frank asked why I wasn't taking pictures, especially since I got a new camera. I just "ho-hummed" and he said, "I don't understand why you are not taking pictures. If were on vacation or in Jamaica you would be taking pictures of everything, what's different?" Point taken. I guess somehow I just wasn't thinking that the folks of Greenville feeding their faces and walking around the street fair would be that interesting. I am happy to say ... I was wrong ... Frank was right. I think I captured a few good shots to share with you. What you see is how I saw the event, what you can't feel is all the pushing and shoving and feelings of being lost in a huge sea of people. It was nicer during the early part of the day, but as the night went on, it just kept getting more and more crowded. Hope you enjoy the slide show.

Me & Frank at Fall for Greenville

Today was a great day! Started out with breakfast at Golden Corral with Art, Helen, Zack, Nick & Corey to celebrate Frank's birthday. Not a big crowd but as long as Dad and kids are there, Frank is good. Missed Joanna. Frank got some cute red socks and a great Calpholon stock pot from Art & Helen. Can't wait to see what he makes first with it! Breakfast at the Corral was Yummy! I had some of the french toast and thought it was really good, it had cinnamon on it.

After we finished breakfast we headed to Greenville for Fall for Greenville street fair. It was pretty neat - lots and lots of people and lots and lots of food. Frank tried the Blue Ridge Brewing Company's Smoked Duck Quesadilla and I had a steak sandwich from Larkin's. The proportions were a bit smaller than appetizers and so when we got home we finished off the pizza Frank made last night. Out of 43 food vendors there today, not one of them had anything nearly as tasty as Frank's leftovers! Oh well, I am really sleepy now. Will post some more pics on Sunday.

It's October and that means Basketball is just around the corner

Matthew has tryouts for the West team on the 29th and the Bulls started preseason tonight. Goodbye new shows, hello NBA Ticket (thank goodness for DVRs!)

Frank's Birthday

Publish Post

Frank has decided he would like to celebrate his birthday on Saturday morning, October 14, at the Golden Corral. We will be there at 9:30 am for breakfast and anyone who wants to attend is welcome. Please let me know if you are coming, so I can reserve a spot for all of us.

Happy Anniversary, Angie & Gene

Sorry I didn't get this up until late in the day, but the wishes are the same - Happy Anniversary - WOW 18 Years! You guys are getting up there! Won't be long 'til you all will be celebrating with one of those milestone anniversary parties like we've thrown for our folks!

Hope it was happy!

I Got John Edwards

This morning, I am up a bit early for a Saturday, but I had to shuttle Frank off so I thought I would take a little quiet time and surf. I went to a Jamaican website and the first thing on it was a link to a quiz to help you determine which presidential candidate shares most of your views. I think it is somewhat appropriate that North Carolina born John Edwards agreed with me on 41% of the issues. Granted it's not a very high percentage, but I am guessing it is the best I am going to get. In my heart, I feel like the country is going to agree that it's time for a Democrat (not my view necessarily) but I think just the same way that Heath beat Charles in this area, Southern Republicans with lack of a better party choice may return to their Southern Democrat roots and vote for Edwards. He does seem more sincere, I believe, but then again it could just be southern charm ... and I am a sucker for that sweet accent of his!

Try this link SELECT A CANDIDATE QUIZ. Then click on comments below and tell me who you got. I know it's a bit different to hear me talk about politics, but I am just curious to know if all the southerners I know think the same way ... or at least closely.

P.S. Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, also scored 41. However, I couldn't possibly vote for a man who is the Governor of the state that gave my Dad a speeding ticket when we were "just keeping up to keep from getting run over." It was the only "bad" thing I think that happened on our two week road trip out west the summer before my Senior year.

P.S.S. The highest scoring Republican was Rudy Giuliani with 30.

Priceless

I love those mastercard priceless commercials. I always think they are so cute and that "this one" or "that one" is my favorite. Guess it's okay to keep changing them up once in a while, my current favorite is called "Robot Dance." It reminds me so much of Luke.

Here's a link where you can see them all:

PRICELESS COMMERCIALS

Harmony's 4th Birthday Party

Happy Birthday TODAY Art

A letter from Iraq

This email is from a guy I graduated with. He is in the war over in Iraq and we have been writing to each other for a few days. I suggested I would like to send him a care package and asked what he wanted. Below is his response. I plan to collect some of these things over the next few days and thought if any of you had any DVDs you didn't want anymore maybe you could get them to me and we could include them. As you read, you will see he mentions some scary ones for the Halloween season, of course, I do not have any of these, so if you do, let me know! I know we are all into thrift store shopping and thought just how much the "one man's junk is another man's treasure" saying applies in this instance. How much "junk" do we take for granted that might really make a difference in this soldier's life.

I have also sent an email to Nathan asking what he might be missing already and what he would like. I really think we should all plan to pitch in and send him something at least once a month. Maybe we could rotate who's turn it is to pack and mail it each month or if no one else wants the responsibility, I will take it to make sure it gets done.

Below is Erick's email - he is from Hendersonville and has a wife and three children who live in Augusta, Ga.

In a message dated 9/29/2007 3:16:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, erick.kramer@iraq.centcom.mil writes:

Paula,

Sounds like you see a lot of the old gang. Sounds like everyone is doing well.

As for the Care package: send me some Halloween junk. Looking for a some scary masks and costumes for people to have a party. DVDs of new/old/scary...We watch almost anything over here if we get the chance. Nice break to sit and watch a movie every now and then. I can't believe how many people I remember from the list. Wow-brings back a lot of memories. I can't wait to get back next year to see the gang. We will have to get together and have a picnic at a park and celebrate. Sounds like it could be fun. I am not sure where I will be next year, however the thought is good for now. Hard to plan some things with the war going on. We had a couple of rockets the other day and almost took out a lot of people. Too close for comfort. You guessed right-Hard to explain this place unless you have been here. There is nothing to compare it to, except video games, and when your time runs out-Game Over. We have a pretty tight group of Nurses and Doctors in the hospital. We all kid around and joke and play games during the down time. People say there is a time to get serious and in between lets have a little fun. ER gives guitar lessons and we play the occasion poker and drink "Neer Beer". I think a lot of us need to join (NAA) Non-Alcoholics Anonymous (Ha-Ha). We have been ordering some stuff from "Michaels" Spooky Town collection to build a village. Bad thing ordering online it takes a while to get here. If you want to send some movies or anything, I am sure we would all appreciate it. That is for sure, mail is the highlite of the day. You either walk away excited or depressed you didn't get anything. If we see someone not getting mail-we will usually mail them something from a care package and resend it to him/her. Makes them feel good. You would be surprised how people go crazy over getting some things. It's kind of like X-Mas. Great Moral Booster........Again, no place to shop except on-line over here. No restaurants or places to go. Surrounded by T-Walls, Wire, and of Course off limits. A lot of check points, and guards everywhere. At least it is cooling off at night a little. Well, I am sure I have put you to sleep now, so I will let you go. Talk to you soon.

Thanks for the Support.

MSG Erick Kramer
Chief WardMaster
31st Combat Support Hospital

Happy Birthday, Art

Taken tonight at Art's birthday party - we had tons of seafood and lots of laughs. Hope his real birthday on Sunday is just as special! We love you!

Not as bad as I thought

I had my eyes examined yesterday and according to the doctor, I have astigmatism and farsightedness yet somehow I still manage to have 20/15 vision. He says I probably put a lot of strain on my eyes to accomplish it but nonetheless it is still very good vision. He recommended reading glasses or progressive lenses so when I need them to read and then I look up I don't have to take them off. Sounded like a great idea ... until they priced them at $302 (and that was with FREE frames!) Holy cow! My insurance policy allows for a $10 copay in three catergories: exam, lenses, and frames. The exam is fully covered for the $10; I pay $10 for any frames up to $130 and then get 20% Off any amount that goes over; and $10 for basic lenses. Well I picked a really pretty pair of Saks 5th Avenue lenses and they were going to be free so I am thinking, "Cool, they seem a lot sturdier than the last ones I had." Then it came to the lenses: add in transitions (so they would turn when I went outside); anti-microdial glare or something like that; etching (?); and the Physio progressive lens. All of a sudden they were spitting out numbers like $596 less what the insurance would cover, blah, blah, blah, and I thought, "Nope, don't need them that bad, after all didn't he just say I was 20/15?" I am just not going to pay more than $20 for reading glasses. They took of this and that and finally got down to a plastic no frills progressive lens and it was still going to be $93. I said, "Thank you, but this is not that high on my list of priorities right now, especially not since I already have a prescription pair at home just for reading." Then I promptly left, taking with me those sexy flimsy black 3D looking things they call glasses because my eyes had been pumped with so much dilation drops I could hardly see the car. Sure glad it was overcast!

Matthew's 'Crazy Kid' video

Matthew took this video at West today of this kid dancing his heart out. It's pretty funny and brave! Matthew said the teacher came out to make him stop and he started yelling about his rights and they made him go inside. I really don't understand why they would be that way... it was after school in the car rider line so what was the harm? Sometimes it seems like our kids are in prison instead of school. Why stifle his creativity if it's not hurting anyone?

Some people ....

Are just never satisfied. Excuse me while I vent. I just hate it when someone is so picky about what they want and when they get it they still find some way to find something wrong with it. Especially if it works just not exactly like you think it should, but it does work. Oh well, you have no idea what I am talking about, but I just had to let it out. Thank you and we now return to our regularly scheduled blogging ...

Tonight we are finally watching last season's final episode of Grey's Anatomy. I can't believe we went all summer without anyone ruining it for us, though I did hear certain rumors and when you read what's happening this year (Burke not returning) it kind of gives part of it away. One thing I had heard was what a jerk McDreamy was and I think I just saw that part. The funny thing is I had it recorded upstairs on the kids DVR for the longest time and never watched, decided to watch it tonight thinking that would be better than recording and watching it later, and now I have to leave in about 15 minutes to go pick up Matthew. So looks like I will still be watching the recorded version!

Are any of you out there fans of Grey's Anatomy? We've loved it since it first came on so we are really looking forward to next Thursday night when it starts again. How about you, are there any TV shows you just can't miss? Are there any new shows you've read about and can't wait to see?

Last night we watched the new show, Back to You, with Kelsey Graham and Patricia Heaton (from Cheers and Everybody Loves Raymond.) It was just okay. Maybe it'll be better next week.

Well, Matter just text me, he's done, gotta run. Nighty night.

Do you know what this is?

Eye Glasses! Yes, today, while I was out sick with strep throat I took the opportunity to find an eye doctor who accepts my really good insurance. Turns out Drs. Cannon and Kilgo next to Eckerds (now RITEAID) just started accepting it. So I made an appointment for Friday morning, which I hope means that I will be able to see what I am typing here by the end of next week when they have finished my new glasses. I am assuming they will tell me I need new glasses as my eyesight is getting really lousy!

Well, feeling a bit better and heading off to sleeply land. Night night.

BTW, this is two nights I have blogged and actually called my mother on her cell phone and talked for at least 30 minutes last night. Nothing like parents responding to your blog to put the guilts into you! Haha, not really, enjoyed talking to you, mom - :)

Nothing Much Today ... But hope you enjoy the video

Nothing much happened today, but some people (ART) insist that I write something each day. So today I decided I would share with you one the emails he sent us yesterday about what "love" is. The email was full of quotes by very young children and this one was my favorite:

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

The quote reminds me of one of the songs Frank sings to me, "It's Your Love," by Tim McGraw.



This just has to be one of my favorite songs. Hope you enjoy.

A Visit from Smokey the Bear

Today has been just full of highlights starting with 5 loads of laundry in my attempt to start packing for Jamaica and culminating with delicious smoked barbecue ribs homemade by Chef Frank.

In between, there was the visit by the fire department - 3 huge engines, as well as Frank's volunteer firefighter supervisor - because some neighbors and a couple driving by from New York decided our house must certainly be on fire. Why else would there be so much smoke? Well, when Frank smokes ribs - he really smokes ribs!

You know what the funniest thing is? For all the times when I am just trying to steam something in my kitchen and the fire alarm goes off, this time the yard and the house were filled with smoke (and firemen) and the alarm was quiet as a mouse! Go figure!

Happy Birthday Harmony

It was 4 years ago today, the day after we got back from Jamaica that our little Harmony was born. She has been the light of our lives ever since. Hope you enjoy this little video celebrating the day she was born. (The video was part of a cd I made for Art for Christmas a couple of years ago.)

So what I wanted to say yesterday was

All of the talk on TV and articles in the newspaper about the anniversary of Katrina hitting New Orleans has had me thinking a lot about 2005. It was a big year full of highs and lows - Katrina being one of the biggest lows for the country; my shoulder being crushed and having to be replaced being one of the biggest for me personally.

I know it's been two years, but since '05 was such a blur to me for a few months, I feel sure I never got around to thanking everyone who took care of me after my shoulder replacement surgery and how much I still appreciate it. First off, Mom and Angie, thank you so much for being at the hospital so much, you know when I'm sick, no one takes better care of me than my Mama! Next, I want to say thank you to Tamara and Helen for fixing my gowns and dresses with Velcro and snaps on the shoulders so that I could easily get into and out of them; to my kids for bringing me food and pain pills and keeping the house clean for me (then and always) during that time; and to Frank, of course, for putting up with me snoring, tossing, turning, whining, sleeping, sweating, oh, my gosh, just everything from feeding me to bathing me. I don't think I ever felt so helpless.

Though they will probably never read it, I say thank you to all the folks at Hendersonville Sports Medicine for working with me and pushing me to "work it!" I never thought I would ever be able to tie a bow in the back of my dress or fasten a necklace again - but, I was wrong - thank goodness! One of my trainers was a former neighbor, Jeremy "Wister" Wist. He pushed me the hardest and made the most fun of me at the same time which, of course, helped pass the time while I was in such agony doing all those strenuous exercises.

I guess I should also thank my doctor, who by his own accord, swears it's a miracle that I can lift my arm over my head and who, also by his own accord, says he is responsible for that because of his expert surgery (I personally give the glory to God for guiding Dr. Brooks hands and for leading me to such a skilled doctor.) Turns out, because everyone was on vacation that week, Dr. Brooks was pretty much my ONLY choice. Who knew he was considered one of the best? His bedside manner needs work, but I feel pretty confident that his talents have allowed me to be able to move my left arm again. He replaced the shoulder, repaired the rotator cuff, and pretty much re-built the humerus bone, making it strong enough to support my shiny new titanium shoulder. Apparently, shoulder replacement surgery is not very common so to find someone as good as Dr. Brooks had to be divine intervention.

As for work (or lack of) during the couple of months after my surgery, I have to thank Lynelle and Clint for taking care of EVERYTHING there just as though I had never left (makes me wonder why I was the one in charge in the first place!)

Speaking of Lynelle (nice segue, heh?) 2005 was the first year of our friendship. She came to me in January for an interview - one I tried to put off because I HATE interviewing people. She said, "I can appreciate that you are busy, but I have rearranged my schedule to be there so I am on my way," and I thought, "Well if she can push her way into an interview with me, she is going to be great at sales!" I was right about that, but I would have never guessed anyone that pushy would turn out to be one of my closest friends. She started for me the following Monday and preceded to sell about 90% of the ads in our second Wedding Guide! We broke all goals because of her! I was so proud of her ... and so blessed because of her. When I broke my shoulder, she was there all the time, either on the phone telling me what was happening in the office or coming by to check on me at the house. I will be forever grateful for Lynelle.

Now on to my personal Katrina memory ~ Lynelle is from New Orleans, her mother, father, sister, brother, and many other family members were victims of that horrible hurricane. Lynelle did not have cable TV or the weather channel during the storm so I got to be her medium. We stayed up on the phone all night long tracking the storm. Our cell phones died two or three times before we finally just plugged them in and realized we had home phones ~ duh! She was able to keep up with her mom and sister because they hauled it out of there up to a campground in northern Louisiana. Her dad didn't want to leave so he went over to try and protect his childhood home from looters and shortly after the levees broke she lost contact with him. For days we used the internet and kept watch on CNN for names of victims and those who were posting their names as being safe or who were looking for someone. We sent text messages to his phone, dialed it too many times to count even though we knew his cell battery had probably died days ago. Every day she came to work and I would look at her and she back at me and if she didn't say anything I knew she hadn't heard anything yet and we both burst into tears. I wish I could remember just how many days we did this, if she ever gets around to reading this maybe she can leave us a comment because I am sure she knows EXACTLY how many days it was. Anyway, when the day came that she had heard from him, the story was unbelievable. He had stayed in the home until the water go so high that he had to get onto his roof and wait to be rescued. He was finally rescued and was on a bus headed for Texas when he asked to be let out on the condition he not go back into town. He walked (and he's not a young man) for days to get to safety and food and water, heading toward Baton Rouge or Shreveport, I can't remember which but definitely headed north. Lynelle continued to worry about him of course for weeks and worry about what he and her mother and sister would find when they returned to New Orleans. Her mother's house was pretty much destroyed as she lived very close to Lake Pontchartrain; her sister's house suffered cosmetic damage but not flood damage and their dad moved in there for a while. Her brother lost a lot, too, in his business and his home. Everything about what Katrina did to this family is heart wrenching and yet, there was a small silver lining ...

Lynelle's sister, Shelly, moved to Hendersonville. Here she was able to give her two young girls a much better way of life in a town moving much slower and allowing little girls to be little girls and give us all the opportunity to add one more "really good friend" to our lives!

So, as you see for all the ups and downs of 2005, it all ended well. God is good indeed!

1.0 lb! Still have 50.2 to go!

Watched all my points and exercised a few times and lost 1 pound! Yeah!

Even better news? My passport came yesterday! This year we have to have them to go to Jamaica - my picture is absolutely horrible but from what I hear, if it was a good photo they would swear it was fake! No chance of that! Getting it somehow made going to Jamaica again seem more real. Now I am getting antsy!

We will be very busy from now until New Year's Eve it appears - this Saturday we are having a send-off party for Nate who has been deployed by the Army; on the 15th we will celebrate Harmony's 4th birthday (where has the time gone? I can't believe she is 4!); on the 29th we will celebrate Art's birthday; getting into October, we celebrate Frank & Helen's birthday and we leave for Jamaica on the 26th; we'll be back into town just in time for Mom's birthday on the 12th of November; Justin, Me, the Pilgrims and the Indians celebrate birthdays and Thanksgiving two weeks after that; and then we're into December and who knows what parties and gatherings that will bring! Anyway, just thought I would share all that with you sense I am feeling a little overwhelmed with my early deadlines for Labor Day. Sometimes I think I would rather work that day than do double duty the week before and after just trying to catch up from one short holiday. Does anyone else feel that way? BTW, if you have something I need to include on our calendar - please leave me a comment and I'll make sure we added to the mix.

Whew - that leaves me a bit out of breath so I will go for now - check back later for a new post as I have something I really want to share here on this anniversary of Katrina heating New Orleans.

Video from last trip to Jamaica-Frank took the video of EB with our camera as we chased Rusty the turtle ~ Enjoy! (Let me know if you can watch the video - it is a new blogger feature I wanted to try out.)

Want to see a great feel good movie?

I watched this today and though I am a golf fan, I think I would have enjoyed it even if I weren't. It was so wholesome and clean and uplifting ... and true! It's the story of Harry Vardon and Frances Ouimet, two of golf's early stars. If you get the chance to rent it or watch it on tv, do so. The little boy, Eddie, will make you laugh and the fact that there are no curse words and it is so inspiring will make you wish there were more like this one to rent. I loved it. If you watch it, let me know if you agree!

Ready, Set, Go!

This is my new "Before" picture even though it is really an after picture since it's one year (and 50 pounds less) after I started Weight Watchers. I love the picture even though it is a bit blurry. Frank took it after dark at Patriot's Point last Saturday when we went to Charleston. So, today I put my mind back into weight loss mode. I am halfway there and I am not going to give up even if it does take another year ... or another year. Julia told us today that the years are going to come and go whether we do anything or not, so we shouldn't let the time it takes to accomplish something be what hinders us from starting that something. So today is my LAUNCH DAY again - see why I chose this pic? Not only do I like the picture, but being on a torpedo is kind of an appropriate way to LAUNCH my next 12 months of Weight Watchers.

Last year when I started I added up the pounds lost - got up to 55 pounds before I took a little hiatus to let my body, brain, and closet catch up. I've put back on 7.8 of those pounds by not paying close enough attention and by skipping meetings (due to work mostly) so when I went today my total weight loss was at 48.2!

So this is the deal, when I get back to the 50 pound loss I am going to start counting down the second 50. So each week instead of telling you how much I've lost I am going to tell you how much I have left to goal. I think this will be a different approach as it will keep me striving to see that number dwindling (like me) instead of increasing. Make sense? So keep your fingers crossed and your tempting foods outta my way because I'm on a mission!

Guess Where My New Car Got to Visit Yesterday!

It was just begging for a road trip - so Frank gave in and we took a ride to Charleston. I do so miss that city! We left Hendersonville around noon on Saturday and traveled to Charleston via I26. Our first stop was in Irmo at Mathias' Sandwich Shop where we enjoyed a double cheeseburger and a chicken salad sandwich, both were pretty good. The sandwich shop seemed to be a favorite in the town ~ it was filled with Gamecock memorabilia and pictures from when it was started in 1946.

We got back on the road and made our way to I526 - the shortcut out to James Island and Folly Beach. I thought I wanted to get my feet wet, but by the time I sent Frank in the wrong direction by about 20 miles and we finally made it to the beach, I realized that the beach is NOT the reason I come to Charleston ... Charleston is the reason!

Of course, Frank knows this, and when he pointed out the fact that going on the beach would lead to sand in my new car, well, that just confirmed that we needed to head north to the city. On the way there, we picked up the City Paper and decided to try dinner at Meritage. It has been around on East Bay Street for a while but always seemed closed or too fancy when we were there before. The ad in the paper said it had recenty been reopened as a Tapas Restaurant. We love Tapas! They are little plates of foods that are meant to be shared. Last night we started off with steak tartare with onions, mustard, capers and toast points; then we shared 3 broiled scallops with boursin cheese mashed potatoes; then pad thai noodles with chicken satays; and finally tenderloin over wilted spinach topped with crab confit! Yummy! It sounds like a lot but the dishes are like appetizers with very small portions - two to three bites each - just enough to give you a nice taste without filling you up on just one.

After we ate we looked for a hotel and none were to be found less than $80, so we drove home. Got back in around 5:15 am and went to bed. All in all it was a long and delicious day. I got the travel bug out of my system for another couple of weeks at least and my car got to meet my favorite city! It did quite well, too, averaging about 36 mpg on the trip. By the time I make my way to John Johnson's on Tuesday it should be right at 3000 miles (just in time for it's first check-up and oil change!)

BTW, sorry I haven't written in so long. Hope to get back into it this week. As of Wednesday, it will be one year since I started Weight Watchers. I kind of took the summer off a little, letting my body adjust to the 55 pounds I had lost. I have put back on a few of those and am sitting right now on a 50 pound loss. On Wednesday, I will be starting again at full force on those next 50 pounds I need to lose. I am very proud of what I have been able to do so far and the fact that I have maintained within about 2 to 5 pounds during my hiatus of heavy duty working at the diet. As of Wednesday, expect my weekly updates to start once again and the race to lose that 100 pounds starts all over again!

Happy Birthday, Luke

Happy Birthday, Luke! Here's a layout I did a while back of Luke with his friend, Phillip.

I wonder why ...

This song keeps playing in my head? "The Love Boat soon will be making its way, The Love Boat promises something for everyone ..." I'll bet one person I know can tell us. She's so excited and who can blame her?

Happy Birthday, Zack

Happy Birthday, Zack! 17? No Way!

Happy Birthday, Daddy

Family Celebration

A Fabulous Discovery ...

Those of you who have never truly been overweight may not be able to fully appreciate the wonderful discovery I made today. While taking pictures of cars at Fisher Mazda, I happened to rest the camera on my tummy while waiting between photos, and what did I see? MY FEET! WOW! It was sooooo coooool! I didn't have to bend over or suck anything in - they were just there, staring straight up at me through the camera screen. I had to snap the picture - I'm sure you understand, right? That was at 9:30 this morning and I just knew the rest of the day was going to be a good day!

Memories ...

Where does your mom work? She sells Tupperware! That's what my mama did for years. I'll bet we had every piece they made ... and a beautiful station wagon to haul it all in! I bet Mama can name every piece in this picture I found while looking through some old advertising books the other day. I see the cereal bowls and the servalier set, the tumblers and the mini salt and pepper shakers, and who could live without the huge mixing bowl or the really cool "cake taker!" What is really amazing is that I still use a lot of these same pieces today. I remember riding with Mama to her tupperware parties, especially the ones in Toxaway and Quebec - because she was there late at night and she needed someone to go with her. Guess having a 10 year old with you is considered "protection" in those parts! LOL! Learning about which tupperware piece you could fill with water, seal and turn upside down without spilling (the one gallon pitcher); how to cut lettuce without turning it brown ("use this green thingy and NOT a metal knife"); and how to "burp" your tupperware to keep the food fresh ~ all these things I learned from my mama, the tupperware lady. Even if I am not the best cook in the world, I do know how to stock a kitchen (just ask Frank, he loves MY kitchen!) Thanks Mama!

My Favorite

Today was Cary Grant today in our home! Amy and I played "lazy" and watched two 1937 movies starring Cary Grant: Topper & The Awful Truth! Both were wonderful! I love his humor ... and he's pretty, too! I think I am in love! LOL! He is definitely my favorite actor of all time. I'm glad he made so many movies because I think I might be upset if I thought I had watched the last one. I like his movies so much I have a timer set up on our new DVR that searches and records all Cary Grant movies ... automatically. Our next one up is Once Upon A Time about a caterpillar that dances. It's pretty good so far.

So, not that many of you answer my questions when I pose them on this blog that everyone insists they read, but for those that do (Amanda) - who is your favorite actor and if you could have a whole day devoted to their movies, would you?

Parkway Tour Pictures

Linville Falls Ride

This time a week ago, Frank and I had just finished a two mile hike to view the Linville Falls just off the Parkway. It was near the end of a beautiful ride we started around 2 that day when we got onto the Parkway at Hwy 74 near River Ridge in Asheville. We took the north route following our motorcycle guide book refers to as the "Grandfather Loop." It was the coolest ride ... literally, it was probably 10 degrees cooler up there. I actually had cold arms for most of the trip. There was very little traffic, the roads were lined with rhodedendrons, and it was just a very peaceful ride. When we finished the ride and got off the Parkway at Hwy 321 Blowing Rock & Boone, we decided it was about 8:45 and maybe we should find a hotel because it was going to be way too cold for the 2 hour ride home. What we didn't know was that the cheapest thing in Boone was about $130! Whew, I don't think so! So, after a quick look at the map and a call to 1-800-DAYSINN, we decided on spending the night in Lenoir. By the time we got there and checked in to the hotel, we realized we were quite hungry ... and quite dirty! We hopped in and out of the shower and tried to find a place that wasn't fast food that was open at 11:30 at night (in a town a bit smaller than Hooterville.) We found a Ruby Tuesday's, devoured what was left of their salad bar, had a very tasty turkey avocado burger and headed back for snoozeville! It's amazing how tiring riding can be. We got up the next morning and decided to take 64 West back through Morganton and Lake Lure. It was really nice. More photos in the next post.

Do You Suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobia?

I know, I know - it's been a week since I have written! I have been so covered up at work that I have been here late every night and when I get home I haven't even felt like opening the computer up (no, I don't have a fever!) I don't think I ever thought I would get to the stage where I didn't want to get on the computer but lately I have hardly had the strength to move the mouse another step. Last night I was sound asleep on the couch by 8:15, Frank got up to go to bed at 11:15 and I beat him to the bed and was asleep again by the time he got there! I think I will sleep all weekend. I have no desire to go anywhere or do anything except CHILL!

Okay, so I am tired, but I don't have Paraskevidekatriaphobia! Do you? You do if you have a fear of Friday the 13th! Luckily, that is the least of my problems this week! Got to go for now - will tell you about the ride Frank and I took last week next time I have a chance. It was beautiful!

My Camera Makes Me Happy

My friend, Angela took this picture of me while I was coaxing her daughter into posing for me. I really like the photo, probably because it shows me doing something I am confident in - something that is fun and that I am pretty decent at doing. The photos below are some of the ones I took of Emma for her 4th birthday.

The Sea Is Calling ...

Frank's last words before he left this morning were, "I know you'll have something cool planned for this weekend, right?" Of course, I do! NOT! I have been so busy all I want to do is crash, but if I do have to get out of the house I would love to go to Charleston. It's been over a year, I think, and I am missing it. Wish me luck with priceline.com today. I don't have a lot of money, but I would love to introduce my new car to my favorite old town.

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

Every good day should start with a good breakfast. Maybe it was in honor of Independence Day and the sound of fireworks that have populated the air lately or maybe I was just hungry for a bit of nostalgia. Not really sure what prompted me to buy the Rice Krispies, but one krispy bite into them, I remembered why they used to be my favorite cereal! I bought the box last week and finished them off this morning! I love the taste and found it refreshingly "grown-up" that I enjoyed them just as much without the heaping spoonfuls of sugar I used to bathe them in! Isn't it funny how people enjoy their cereal differently? I love my krispies and my honey nut cheerios with cold skim milk and eating them while they are still crunchy. Frank, on the other hand, won't eat any cereal unless it's soggy from sitting in whole milk. What's your favorite cereal and how do you like to eat it?

Does Anyone Know?

What kind of flower this is? We saw it at the Arboretum, but it wasn't labeled. I have never seen anything like it before. (You can click on it to make it bigger.)

Pages I did Yesterday

Frank with the plane he wanted so bad spending the day fixing it and watching it scoot along the ground - it finally made it into the air ... for about 5 secs! It crashed once and he put it back together only to have it go up, up, up and come straight back down. He is now saving for a helicopter!

A couple of weeks ago, Angela and I took Emma to the Arboretum to check out the flowers and do a little photo shoot for her 4th birthday. This layout has two of my favorites. The flowers were just gorgeous.