Busy Summer!

Things have been a bit hectic this summer! I have been working for The Oncology Group and traveling a good bit. I'm ready for retirement again! At least for a while.

So it's been weeks since we've chatted. Where to start? Probably the most exciting thing is Miss Libby is pregnant!! Keep Led and Lib in your prayers as they begin the exciting trip through parenthood! I was a bit worried though that she asked me what she would do with a baby after it gets here! Everyone just tells her to call Led's mom or me...hope I remember everything.

I finally entered this century and we bought a 52 inch LCD flat screen TV from Best Buy. Woody and I talked to everyone we knew about our purchase as we are both technologically challenged when it comes to electronics. Everyone said LCD over Plasma so that much we knew. We had been looking at TV's at Sam's because they seemed so cheap. Thank heavens we went to Best Buy...we didn't know about all those other things that you should consider over price. Something like HP, speed, digital compression....I don't know. Talking to our little sales guy was a real education and we're glad we didn't jump the gun...We have a Sony Bravia that is fabulous...watching football is a dream!

Saw Bette Midler on one of my work trips to Las Vegas...and yes, we did work! This was only one night. She is at Caesar's and well worth the time if you are a Bette fan like I am. She has lost a bit of her voice and a step or two but she is still hilarious!! After all at 63, she's in better shape than I am at 60!!! I didn't know what to expect since we usually go to the shows as opposed to the entertainers...she did stand-up comedy that was priceless! Including one fall down comedy bit where she forgot one of her jokes...we thought it was part of the show until Marsha talked to her sister! She had been off for a while. Now on to Cher!

Headed to Jackson last weekend to have lunch with my sister Dana (aka Miss Martha or now Miss Paula) and her hubby! Fantastic lunch...and then off to see my beautiful niece play soccer...she's the beauty pageant queen that's a tomboy! go figure. One of her mean coaches made her practice until she had holes in her knees...well, at least til the skin was scraped off. She got in to play for a bit even though she probably should have rested that torn skin! Miss O is in nursing school at Freed-Hardeman following in her cousin and aunt's footsteps! Wilkes is hanging out playing his music...he is an incredible musician! So the Jackson connection is doing well.

September is looking busy with a trip to East TN for Woody's family reunion, a couple of Titan's football games, and our 25th anniversary cruise to Canada!!! Just a few more months until Florida! I'm ready for beach.

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer...now back to Facebook which is occupying all my time!!

Work! and Play!

I don't even know where to begin! With facebook, I've just drifted away from my blog! I must return....there are so many people and so little time. Where to begin. Since my last entry, I went to Las Vegas for work and to Ohio for work. July and August are really dedicated to The Oncology Group and all our summer work! In between work, we've celebrated Donna's 60th birthday and Holly's whatever day on the Blue Heron, a lovely charter out of Ashland City. A wonderful time was had by all! Holly and Roy went all out on catering this lovely event...I can't believe how much they brought to the boat! But after all, Holly did used to cook on a charter boat! The food was beautiful and tasty...she should cater all the time.

A few friends from Mickey D's headed out to The Catfish House in Springfield for an early bird special...I ate until I was sick! The food was superb...in case you're seeing a trend here...I do love to eat. Throw in a few movies with popcorn and chocolate and life is good.

We did just book a cruise to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island for September! Can't wait. We also finally got into the 21st century with a 52" flat screen tv! Can't wait for Notre Dame and Mississippi State games. Can you tell I work for play and fun stuff? Most old retired people don't have the luxury of picking up this kind of supplemental income. Thank you Lord! and my mom for telling me I had to stay at Union in Jackson for college! I figured out a way to get out of Jackson by going to nursing school! Great choice....really wanted to be an archaeologist or astronaut or marine biologist, but girls didn't have those options in the "old days"!

Thanks so much for being patient with me...you can also check out our facebook at Pat Hudson Edens! See you there!

Woody's New Toy!

Well, I've finally lost my mind. After years of listening to Woody wanting a motorcycle, I gave in. Even rock is worn away by a constant drip of water....that's not to say my husband is a drip...well, maybe a little. All I heard is Harley, Harley, Harley...so I give in and he buys a Honda! His excuse? It had flames! This is just what an almost 65 year old man needs. At least he is taking a motorcycle course this weekend and hopefully it will help keep him safe!

I, on the other hand, have had a delightful week with my BFF Janet. We shopped and ate out and just had all around fun. This is the first time I've done back to back business trips (last week and leaving again Tuesday) but Marsha promises it's just an accident! At least the upcoming trip is Vegas! And you all know how I do love to gamble...unfortunately we're staying at a hotel without a casino! Such trauma! But trust me, I'll find one! We're almost finished with Ohio and Las Vegas will run through September or early October at the latest! Then maybe off for a few months? Hopeful? We'll see!

As you know, we're all on facebook now! Come look for me at Pat Hudson Edens! I have a great farm.

Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

Please excuse us...our FaceBook page is taking precedence over the Ready for Retirement! Just a quick update...we've just been enjoying the pool, visiting with friends, and of course, I've been working some. I finally caved in and let Woody start the process toward getting a motorcycle. I have mixed feelings...it was a pre-nup that he wouldn't get a motorcycle (or donor cycle as I call them) and I would keep my hair red til I die...so the question I have...if he broke the pre-nup does that mean all bets are off? He's such a bad driver and so easily distracted that I'm scared for him! Oh well...retirement is not turning out quite how I pictured it! Woody on a motorcycle and me working!

We did have a ball at Cindy and Lou's on the 3rd of July and watched the Bellevue fireworks. Ate entirely too much. Saturday was yard work which was sorely needed, and Sunday was tennis and golf...watching not playing! Our friends Elroy and Ginny took us out to Shane's Rib Shack for dinner for watching their house...they certainly didn't need to considering all the wonderful things they do for us!

Gotta go work on my farm! See you down the road!

Fun in NC!

Just back from a quick Mimi and Grandad babysitting adventure with the grandkids! Will is in town for the summer and Jen needed a little help. We had a blast. Riley is doing well with her riding lessons too...Marbles, her horse, is the pudgiest thing I've ever seen. I asked the stable staff if she was pregnant! I'll post pics later. Grandad took Molly, Sebastian and Riley to see UP and also to play at Monkey Joe's while I worked a bit. I babysat the dog, drove Will to camp at the club and worked! I think I got the better end of the deal...you should have seen how pooped Grandad was at the end of the day!

We came home through Lake Lure, NC and had a delightful lunch and walk about. The shops there are precious, but there weren't many tourists. We drove Dragon's Tail again, 19 or so miles of twisting, steep and hilly road! The wild rhododendrons were in bloom finally...this is our third visit to NC in the last month and a half...I thought I was never going to see them. Our drive home was uneventful...I love meandering.

Loving the pool...we're using it a lot with the temps so high! We've found the late afternoon is the best...less sun for my white white self. I just exercise and paddle around and feel so rested. As we say...why did we wait so long!

Stay cool!

Hot Fun in the Summertime!

We've been remiss! I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've updated you on the exciting life we lead...tee hee! Part of the issue is that I've discovered FaceBook!!! It's so much fun and all the kids, family and old friends are on! It's a great way to communicate since no one ever calls anymore! Check us out...our page is under Pat Hudson Edens. Hudson of course is my maiden name so all my old boyfriends from high school can find me...don't tell Woody of course.

Memorial Day weekend was great. We headed to Harrah's Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, NC http://www.harrahscherokee.com/casinos/harrahs-cherokee/hotel-casino/property-home.shtml for a Miranda Lambert concert and a little gambling...too bad the losing was big! We had a great time and did a little urban hiking as we like to call shopping. That way we hike but don't get muddy. Certainly not Yellowstone, but we love the area. Once again though we just missed the rhododendrons.

We're finally through with the yard other than continuing to weed the flower beds...one pesky neighbor has bermuda grass in his yard and it's infiltrating everyone's yards and beds. Everything is hanging in from our transplanting the roses, although our biggest bush looks a bit yucky. Hope it makes the cut. Last night we harvested one large green tomato and fried that sucker, and two cherry tomatoes for our salad from my porch pot! We've had 90 degree weather lately and I realllllly don't like it! We've spent two years chasing 72 so being back at home in the summer is a shock! And of course, our air conditioner died....but at least this time the repair people figured out we had a freon leak and fixed it...previously they just would fill us up and it would trickle out over the summer! Hopefully, now we'll survive August! If not, we'll gas up the beast and head north.

We still love the pool and are trying to be religious at doing our water aerobics. I'm dieting and Woody is pretending to diet! I am realizing that I'll never be tall, thin and blonde, but I would like to not be mistaken for a beach ball in the pool!

I'm going to be working a bit this summer for The Oncology Group http://www.theoncologygroup.net/ one of the very best consulting groups out there. Woody and I are planning a Panama Canal cruise that won't be cheap so this will take care of the fare! In my case, it's "will work for play"!

Now, I do have one question...just how the heck do I get the DVDs we rent to show full screen without those black bars at the top and bottom? We so rarely rent because we go to first runs we want to see, but we're still catching up from Montana when we could only get one new family movie a week without driving to Bozeman!

This weekend we're embracing our love of country music by going to Fan Fair www.cmt.com or whatever the new name is for the concert series at the stadium with all the crazed country music fans from all over the world. Our friends Lou and Cindy got us tickets in a luxury box so we'll be hanging out in air conditioned comfort and watching Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert...are you beginning to see that Woody has a thing for Miranda? Will let you all know how that goes!

Hope you're having a wonderful summer.

Grandkids! Graduation! Concert! Family!

We've had a busy two weeks! Off to visit the grandkids in NC and to attend the Princess's Dance Recital. Miss Thang promptly told her Mimi that she wanted to get through with this dance "stuff" and get on with horseback riding lessons on Marbles! She is definitely her Mimi's and Mother's child....and not the least bit girly girl. So enjoy the tutu picture...now it's boots and horses! We do have a new granddog...Bella came to live at the Edens' house. She's 6 months old and a delight! Of course, she's a half grown Great Dane, so who knows how big she'll eventually be! Jennifer and Chris were the hosts with the mostest. Molly and her clan came over and the kids played for hours in the yard. Tristan is the typical sullen teenager...or at least he will be on July 4th. He was such a delightful baby when he lived with us...I'm hoping that the Tristan I know and love comes back soon! Sebastian is a doll and a delight to be around. Molly and Leo have done a wonderful job with him...I just hope they survive Tristan! Molly...just remember...payback!

We came back Hwy 64 through Cashiers and Highlands, NC. It was a long drive but beautiful. So many of the rhododendrons were blooming. Once back, we attacked the yard with everything we had. We hacked and pruned and cut and rearranged, but still have miles to go before the yard is back to where we left it two years ago. This traveling constantly has really been fun, but we're paying for two years of neglect. The pool is gorgeous though...we actually got in one day when it was in the 80's and we'd been working in the yard. Today is cold...hopefully it will warm up soon so I can start my water aerobics!

Estelle and David came for Jessica's graduation this weekend. We had a great time even though the boys beat us in canasta! I thought we had won, but then Estelle redid her math...drat! I liked it better when she was off by a 1,000! Our beautiful niece graduated from Belmont on Saturday with high honors. We're so proud as are her parents. We had a great family dinner at The Acorn in Nashville. http://www.theacornrestaurant.com ..and I thought I knew all the good restaurants. It was fabulous...best Halibut I've ever had. We also had lunch after the graduation at Bosco's....great food and great company. http://www.boscosbeer.com/

After a short rest, it was off to the Billy Joel/Elton John concert! Oh my goodness...I've been listening to too much country music. I went crazy singing and dancing and screaming like I was in my 20's...unfortunately for me, I woke up today in my 60 year old body hoarse and screaming from pain and exhaustion!! The concert was incredible and worth the pain! We ate at Blackstone Brewery before the concert and had a blast. http://www.blackstonebrewery.com/ Our friends Mike and Donna and Lou and Cindy were just as crazy as we were...of course all of us stood up to help our knees more than the standing ovation Billy and Elton thought we were giving them! It was decidedly an older crowd trying to be rowdy like in our youth...there were going to be some major hangovers this morning....and no lighters, just the flash of digital cameras and phones. Not like the old days.

Today is a day of rest...we're in our comfortable clothes and really kicking back! Tomorrow it's Angels and Demons and more rest! We're too old to have this much fun! Big hugs from us to all of you! Still enjoying retirement, but may have to go back to work to rest up! Glad that The Oncology Group is still willing to keep me working a bit!

Rain, Rain and More Rain!

We're just back from Knoxville and Gatlinburg! Met Robert and Laurie, our friends from our Florida winter "home", for dinner at Carinos and then a walking tour of Gatlinburg! Haven't been there for a while to just saunter down the road! Fudge and mango tango ice cream! Yum. We went to Knoxville for the National Association of Hot Rods Show...we saw a few cars and then the rain drove us home early. Woody was soaked! I stayed in the car! He was bummed!

The pool is finally in! Yeah! We've been putting all the chemicals in...you know, Woody makes a great pool boy! It is the perfect size for us. Now it has to get warm, and we have to put in our screen door so we can get in from the porch. When it clears up, I'll post a picture.

I'm on Facebook now...you can teach an old dog new tricks! I still don't quite know how to use it, but we're all working on staying in touch. If you know how to use it, I'm on as Pat Hudson Edens.

Our May is crazy! NC to see the grandkids, Jessica's graduation, David and Estelle coming to visit for the graduation, Elton John and Billy Joel, Harrah's Cherokee Casino to see Miranda Lambert and a little work thrown in for good measure! Thank heaven for wonderful pet sitters! The boys may forget Mommy and Daddy! Tried to rent a car for all our road trips and the big ones were all booked...so I went to my friends at CarSmart here in Hendersonville and bought a Volvo S60! That'll show em...can't rent? just buy! We are going to do lots of shorter trips without the RV this summer, so of course we "needed" the car. and yes...we still have the Mustang, the truck and the RV!! We'll probably head out in the RV in August if it gets too hot here, or maybe not. Maybe just hit the pool.

Quiet night in H'ville in the rain...we're watching the NASCAR race from Richmond. Hope you all have a great week.