Welcome Baby Savannah!

Where to begin? What an exciting week with the arrival of baby Savannah Elizabeth on Monday, April 12th at 4:43 PM. She weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and was 20 inches long! What a tiny little thing. She has a full head of black hair and dark blue eyes at the moment. As we all know, eyes and hair color at birth are not necessarily what goes forward. Granddad and Mimi stayed at the hospital during the day and then came home and stayed with her til Friday afternoon. We send Dad out to work to pay for future shopping...she will definitely be a fashionista. All said she is absolutely beautiful and I'm not the least bit prejudiced!

Since the past week has been monopolized by Savannah, there isn't much more to chat about unless I go on and on about every smile (gas of course), diaper change, feeding...well, you get the idea. My world was all wrapped up in her last week. There are tons of pictures on facebook! I'll write more later.

What a Wonderful Easter!

We had a wonderful weekend with family to celebrate Easter. At a time when strife is rampant across the world, isn't it wonderful that you can still get together, play putt-putt and silly games and feel such a sense of peace and calm and love? Libby is very due, Riley is very smart, Jennifer is wonderful to put up with my son, and Led is very wonderful to put up with my daughter! Oh...and Woody isn't so bad either! We did over indulge...way too much food! I actually cooked two nights in a row which may be a record since the kids left home!

The Easter bunny hopped right through our home and it was such fun...holidays are always more fun with little ones. I can't wait til Savannah gets here on or before (if you think Libby's right) April 17th! She will be the first grandchild to live close enough to see often. Marilyn and I will have to share time with baby sitting! Her first grandchild and my first close one!

Just watched Andy Roddick win at the Sony in Miami. Made me miss tennis but I don't think the knees would hold out longer than a few games. It's rough getting old. Speaking of old...it may be nap time as we had to get up early to see if the Easter bunny came! More later dudes and dudettes!

Happy Spring!

I am so badddd...I thought I'd pop a little note on my blog and I can't believe I have not written since February! I guess facebook is taking lots more time than I thought. So...where to begin?

Libby is very pregnant and due April 17th. I love being home so we can see her grow. We went with her to have a 3D ultrasound which was incredible. You can see all of Miss Savannah's features so when she arrives, we'll already feel like we know what she looks like. Libby has had so many baby showers and received so many wonderful gifts. The thing I find most interesting is that so many of her clients have given her parties and gifts! She must be a really good sales rep like her dad...she certainly didn't get it from me. Our fence is gorgeous that Led put in for us while we were in Florida. It's black, looks like wrought iron and has spindles? pickets? that are close enough together that Harley can play out back to his hearts' content. Andy likes it too...now if I can just get him to go behind the pool to poop rather than right by the sidewalk!

I celebrated my birthday at Lib's couples' shower...fabulous cake. Woody got me two river birch trees which are wonderful. Just one more year for Social Security!!

Work has been slow this first quarter and I find myself liking it that way! I am writing for pay (really low pay but I enjoy writing more than editing) but haven't even been editing much...I find myself quoting articles pretty high so they find someone cheaper. Does this mean I've finally embraced retirement? I will continue to work for Marsha if she needs me, but after talking to our accountant and doing our taxes, I may not be able to afford to work as much as last year!

We have just about got the yard ready for the summer. Our jonquils and hyacinths are absolutely gorgeous. We are enlarging one flower bed in front, but took out all the flower beds in the back that were around the old fence. We're trying to go more maintenance free so riding and edging is about the extent of yard work once we get the front beds planted each spring with petunias and impatiens. I have two tomato plants, the little tommy toes ones, on the screened porch which was all we really ate last year. I like fried green tomatos but Ed said he'd give me some so I don't have to plant any big ones.

This month I finally took what Carol did on the Haynes/Hurt family genealogy and the Boyd family from the North Henderson/South Carroll County The Watcher's website and found out that I am eligible for the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the Confederacy, am English through and through on my mother's side and Irish by way of Scotland on the Boyd side! It just validated what I knew on the Irish side, but our clan did come from Scotland originally...I was able to track back to 1730 on the Boyd side in the U.S. and by clan name way back, and Carol had it back to the 1500's or so on our mothers' side! I think I'll stop now before I find out something I'd rather not know...so far all the family has been on the up and up!

As we approach Easter, please know that I keep all of you in my prayers so please return the favor! and enjoy my Irish prayer from Saint Patrick:

May the strength of God pilot us.

May the power of God preserve us.

May the wisdom of God instruct us.

May the hand of God protect us.

May the way of God direct us.

May the shield of God defend us.

Happy Spring!

Heading Home to Tennessee!

I can't believe that our winter stay in Destin is ending! We just got here. One of the problems with getting older is that everything moves so much faster. Saturday night we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse to hear Michael who is one of the best horn men on the planet and to have lots of fun!

At least the weather has been fabulous and has provided much time to walk on the beach. Saturday was so beautiful that we just sat on the beach after our walk and talked to each other and to everyone that meandered by...we have some great friends here.

I'm now writing for Demand Studios who provide content for a variety of web sites. Whenever I have an hour or two, I can go online and claim a topic, write it, submit it and then they put money in my PayPal account! Since I still can't write dialog, at least I'm getting paid for writing original content! I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm also watching entirely too much Olympics and NASCAR!! Gotta go watch!

Daytona 500!

Just a few pictures of our wonderful weekend at Daytona! The Saturday Nationwide Race was great...Tony Stewart won and Danica and Junior did ok until someone wrecked each of them. The 88 car is Junior's and the 14 is Tony! We had fan zone passes that got us right on the track before both of the races...Saturday, and of course, the Daytona 500 on Sunday. The Sunday race was a pain because of track problems. Hours of delay! You would think that if you were having the "Super Bowl" of racing, you'd check the track DAILY...obviously, they didn't, leading to a pot hole that had to be fixed mid race.

We've had fun too in Saint Augustine. Drank tons of water from the Fountain of Youth and bought 10 bottles to bring home! Ate dinner at Harry's which is the best meal we've had in a while. Also checked out the Oasis and Conch House restaurants. All the meals were great! We're at the KOA in Saint Augustine Beach and it's been superb. Highly recommend it. Great location. We spent all day in Old Town Saint Augustine which was wonderful. Bought some fun things...and Cindy's birthday present! We'll head back to Destin in the morning. And then, try to figure out when we can head back to Nashville so we don't get caught in snow.

Miss you all!

I'm discombobulated!

I just love this word...discombobulated...it means a state of confusion or a feeling of being unsettled. I have now officially been at this retirement thing for a little over three years and this is the first time that I've felt a sense of unease. I'm not sure what I want anymore. While I've enjoyed the RV and the experience of working at Buffalo Trading Company in West Yellowstone and traveling out west for 6 months, the four winters in Destin, the trip up the eastern seaboard, and meeting great people in Ocala, I'm beginning to think this isn't me. The opportunity to work for The Oncology Group, LLC took some of the pressure of lack of intellectual stimulation off, and it also showed me that I missed work but not enough to take a full time job. Hence the word discombobulated! So.....what to do?

Usually in the spring I buy something as it feels like a re-awakening. This year I had my wonderful son-in-law put in a wrought iron fence around the backyard of the house I'd love to sell to buy a loft downtown!! I also put a for sale sign on the RV and started looking at rental condos in Destin..but wait, if I'm renting I can go anywhere!! I love my Volvo so that's safe. I may paint some of the inside of my house, although it's really perfect. See..I am definitely discombobulated!

Sooooo...what to do? Wonder what the next chapter will be? I don't have a clue! I've tried meditating on the beach and asking for divine guidance, but I haven't heard yet what I need to consider. I guess I'll just keep on keepin' on and see what evolves. If you have any ideas...let me know!

Bye Bye RV!

It's been a great ride but I think we're going to sell the RV and buy a boat! The cost of the slip for next year is going up and I can rent a condo for what they are charging...all that being said, who knows if in this economy it will sell! The weather has also been yucky this year, so I may talk to my friends Denny and Randi and see where they stay in Ft. Meyers (way further south). I would really buy down here if it weren't for hurricanes. Going through Hurricane Andrew makes one storm shy, if you know what I mean! We'll still winter in Florida...just who knows where! So if you want a 2005 Itasca Sunrise 35D built by Winnebago, let me know!!! We can get two boats...one for winter wherever we land and one for Hendersonville! But Woody thinks I'm crazy!

The picture of us is from Acme Oyster House in Sandestin where we ate with Estelle and David, my favorite place for grilled oysters...shuck the oysters and then put garlic butter and romano cheese on them and throw them on the grill till the cheese sort of melts and crusts! May try that myself if the rain ever quits! The other is from my morning walk...one of the first days in 2010 it has been warm enough to get out!

Next week we're going to Ruth's Chris with the trailer park gang for dinner for our Christmas Party! Private dinner in the wine cellar....wonder if they serve boxed wine? Otherwise it's Jack for me! You'd never know we're so upscale in the trailer park! The difference is some of these rigs cost more than a house in Sandestin resorts! Hmmmm.

Had an interesting week trying to reconnect with an old high school acquaintance. We're right next door to her development and just can't get together....I'm retired, and I was the problem! Busy, busy. Got contacts yesterday but with my dry eyes, not sure if they are going to work. It's a trial pair but I've already picked out some new glasses in case they don't work. Any tips appreciated as they are soft lens..already had one trauma...couldn't get them out! Finally just popped them out like my gas perms which you shouldn't be able to do! I'll put them in later today and see how it goes. Just not willing to be uncomfortable for vanity...since I'm no longer tall, thin and blonde! Well I was never tall and thin, but I was blonde once! and brown! and red! and frosted!

Just got a book offer to write a reference book on healthcare and healthcare careers for high school and college kids from a publisher I've been writing for the last few years. Unfortunately, it didn't pay enough to write an entire book! I need to write mushy books and get a million dollar advance! Except I can't write dialogue. I know I've done well in retirement...so far I've turned down a chance to compete for a Washington Post (yes, that newspaper!) blog based on my editorial comments over the past few years and now the book offer! Thank you stock options!

Well...I'm rambling so you can tell I'm bored! Think I'll go make muffins. We bought a portable convection oven which is fabulous. An upgrade from the toaster oven! If we were going to keep the motor home, we'd replace our microwave with a dual micro/convection oven. I have an oven but it runs on propane which is a hassle. When you run out you have to unhook and go buy more!

Football tonight!!!

Happy New Year! a bit tardy however!

Well we've had an eventful holiday season if you like going to doctors and living on Nyquil, etc! Just before Christmas, I got sick and then as soon as I was semi-human, Woody got sick...and we all know how Woody is when he gets sick. Yes, I am officially going crazy.

David and Estelle came just after New Year's so we have had fun running and dining with them. Of course, before they leave I will have gained a ton of weight. We have had incredible meals...Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe is our new favorite restaurant! Coconut encrusted snapper or Savannah Shrimp. The canasta tournament is getting brutal. It's now 7-5 in favor of the boys! With the cold weather, we're just eating, shopping and playing canasta! Next week is supposed to be better weather wise.

In lieu of writing...please allow me to post some pics...gotta go eat and get ready for the big game tonight! Rough weather, 2 beautiful sunsets and Woody, David and Estelle at the motorhome.