May 2007

Today is a special day because it is the anniversary of my younger Daughter's birth.  She is 50 years old today.  I am sorry we could not be together to celebrate this milestone.  Becky lives in Seattle. 

She is a Pilates Instructor.  Owns her own Studio.   

I know you all will understand my thoughts are with Becky today. 

Tomorrow I have a story for you about the Mountain Climber and Annie Oakley who appeared in our back yard today.

Love and prayers from here to there.

What a happy day this has been.  I did not tell you about yesterday because when we got home from the White Squirrel Festival down town I was exhausted.  I took a Tylenol and went to bed.

Today was different. 

Our friends Susan and Ron came over from South Carolina.  Veronica, her friend Rachel, and James are here.  Joann prepared a delicious Italian dinner.  We had home made Angel Food cake for dessert.

Bill bought Joann a Hammock and he and James put it up this afternoon.  They both tried it out but Joann has been in the kitchen since early this morning cooking.  Hopefully she will get to try it out tomorrow. 

James and Veronica bought Bill a grill for Father's Day so now we will cook out and Bill can do the cooking.  I wonder how the deer and the bear will take to our cooking out?

If anyone reading this knows how to play Canasta, please let me know.  Susan and Ron, Joann and Bill want to learn to play the game.  I played it when I worked at the Mill but that was like 55 years ago.

Till tomorrow.

Love and prayers from here to there.

This has to be the friendliest state in the Union.  The neighbors are few and far between up this way but they most all walk and when they pass our house, they stop and say hey - that's southern for hello. 

As we drive down the road, we wave at each house and there is always someone in the sun room or on the deck to wave back. 

Most of the truck drivers we pass on the road wave.  However, the one day that a State Patrolman waved, I wonder if he was trying to tell Joann to "slow down, where do you think you are, in Florida?"

These neighbors are not only friendly, they aim to please.  

For example, on the way up the road this afternoon, Joann saw a neighbor painting his house and she stopped and told him she really liked the new color.  His response "sure glad because I would hate to have to change the color."

That is a strange title isn't it?   My reason for using it is two fold. 

Reason #1, I feel I have reached my destination living here in a forest on the side of a mountain in North Carolina.  If someone had told me I would be here a year ago, I would have laughed at them. 

I never dreamed I would ever leave Florida but here I am and I'm happy to be here.  I do miss all my friends but we  keep in touch.

Reason #2, my younger Daughter Becky aka Rebecca, who lives in Seattle and calls me often when she is on her way to work.  When she arrives, she tells me "I have reached at my destination."  Becky will be celebrating her 50th birthday on the 31 of May. 

I wish we could be together for the celebration but she is over there and I am over here.  So I would like to say Happy Birthday dear Becky.  Thanks for the many laugh sessions we have shared where we both laughed so hard we hurt.  Thanks for the many things you have done to make my life easier. 

Thanks for the love you give me. 

I know what it is going to take to get the Devil Rays out of the cellar.  I think all of their fans know and I am sure they know also. 

But let me get off of this subject and tell you about a perfectly beautiful Sunday.

The only not-so-good thing we did today was we did not go to Church this morning.  You see, I am taking an antibiotic through next Tuesday and I have to take two a day 12 hours apart.  I have been taking two a day since last Wednesday at 12 noon and 12 midnight.  We don't get out of Church until 12:15 and by the time we get home it is 12:30.  Why I didn't take it with me and take it before leaving the Church is because I have to take it with food and we weren't having Communion so it would have looked rather strange with me eating when no one else was. 

But the rest of the day has been quiet and peaceful.  I use that word a lot don't I? 

Joann and Bill have been planning for the rest of the week because they are expecting a lot of company for the White Squirrel Festival which is on Saturday and Sunday.  This is quite a big deal up here. 

I will be there with my red, white, and blue in all it's glory.

Signing off for now -- time to take a pill and head for bed. 

Happy dreams to all.

 

 

I told you my Grandson James had come to be with his Mom on Mother's Day.  The visit also gave him a chance to relax and forget  his daily grind. 

Every afternoon after lunch, he and his Mom and Dad and I would sit out on the patio and we had the best time just visiting.  One day, there was a lull in the conversation and James said "it is so peaceful here."  This, from a 26 year old young man. 

Well, he has returned to the city and his hectic life but we are still here enjoying the peaceful life.  We miss him but I got word yesterday that two more of my Church family will be visiting us early in June which gives me something to look forward to. 

So now you know why the sign on the patio reads "Welcome to a Peaceful Place."

Our day is over for another year.  Now Dad's turn is coming up in June. 

I hope your Mother's Day was as pleasant as mine.  We went to Church (we being Joann, James and I).  We were a little late getting to Church, the service had already started, so finding three seats together was not easy.  The Usher found three seats right up front on the far side which meant J, J, and I walked single file clear around the Sanctuary.  

There were 200 plus in attendance and I felt 400 plus eyes on me every step of the way.  To accentuate my insecurities I was the only woman with a hat on.  After the service going through the line to speak to the Minister I was not the least bit surprised when he said "Good Morning Betty".  

After the service we came home and watched the Rays win their game.  Then James cooked dinner for Joann and I.  He cooked round steak and macaroni and cheese at my request. 

The only thing that could have made the day more perfect would be  having my daughter Becky and granddaughter Veronica here also.  

Love and prayers from here to there.

 

 

See what's free at AOL.com.

Whammy #1:  On the way down the mountain to get my hair cut we saw four of the deer that roam this area.  You know, the sighting is so fast you don't have time to even think. 

Well, Joann gets the camera set and takes pictures but the deer by now have gone in among the trees and growth that is so abundant.  But she did get some good pictures.

It is always so exciting to see these beautiful animals.

Whammy #2 :  We were back home from getting my hair cut and I was trying to find the game on the TV when Joann called to me to say that we have a delivery. 

The delivery was a surprise visit from my Grandson James. 

I was overcome with joy. 

He brought me a plant that will look great in our back yard and he also brought two more items for my Devil Rays collection;  a collector's item statue of Fred McGriff and a Rays beach towel. 

Oh yes, and he is going to cook dinner for Joann and I tomorrow. 

Now how's that for a Happy Mother's Day.

I hope all you Mom's out there have as Happy a Mother's Day as we will have here.

Love and prayers from here to there.

Ever since moving here in October, I have developed a distinct state of confusion.  To explain:  when I talk of my friends back in Florida I might say they live up from here instead of down from here.

When I say to Joann or Bill "when you come up," they look at me and wait for me to realize I am down and they are up. 

I hope you understand what I am trying to say because I would not want anyone to be as confused as I am.  If you know of a cure for this condition, please let me know what it is.

This I am sure of--

Love and prayers from here to there.

It's Wednesday evening and I am waiting for the ball game to start.  I have about 10 minutes and I think that will be just about enough time to tell you all about the drive down the mountain trail this afternoon. 

I have told you before there is just one lane and if you meet up with a car coming the other way there sometimes is a space for you to pull over and let them by.  If there is no space, one or the other backs up to where there is a space. 

Well, today we just get to that part that has no where to pull over and we come head to head with another vehicle.  Of course, Joann is on the phone and she starts to back up and the person coming the other way backs up.  So forward we go and we go nose to nose down the road until there is one of those pull over spots and both cars stop. 

The phone conversation is still going on but I have to interrupt and ask "what's going on, who are you talking to?"  Her answer "I am talking to Bill". 

It turns out Bill was in the other vehicle on his way home so, gentleman that he is, he pulls over and Joann says "thanks, see you" and we head for town and the grocery store. 

"Ya gotta eat".

So this is Tuesday.  The "Good News Day".  Hey they are all good news days if you really think about it. 

I just opened the doors to the back patio a while ago and watched the breeze blowing through the pretty new green leaves on the trees.  It's hard to imagine the trees were just tall sticks out there a week ago. 

Remember my telling you about the bright Red Humming Bird Feeder hanging from a limb out back well I can't even see it now for the leaves that have appeared like over night.  The leaves popping out must be the noise I hear at night and I thought it was my ears.

I just thought of some really good news -- the Humming Bird is a lot smaller than I am so he can see the feeder through the leaves and the trees much easier than I can therefor won't have any trouble getting his three squares.

May the news always be good from my house to your house and back again.

I have enjoyed our visit.  Until next time --

Love and prayers from here to there

If you see a flyer with my picture on it tacked to a tree or a pole please take it down.  I am no longer missing.  The FedEx man has been looking for me since Friday to deliver a package.  He called twice and got directions from Bill and Joann and still could not find me.  You see we live in a remote part of the Forest on the side of a Mountain. 

 Well, Joann has burned my name into a piece of wood and I have painted in the letters.  Hopefully I won't be among the missing again because that sign is going at the bottom of our street and another sign will be on the house. 

That's my story and I am sticking to it.  Gotta go the game is coming on.