tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-192221062012-02-11T05:09:01.883-06:00Life on the emerald coast of Florida-noreply@blogger.comBlogger4901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48308162876173032702011-12-02T13:50:00.000-06:002011-12-02T13:51:45.285-06:00

The Author of this post is Velma BairdWhen I was a kid, my dad and I would watch old movies together on Saturday mornings. He passed away four years ago, and some of my best memories are of him and me watching old westerns or mysteries together on Saturdays. Movie stars like John Wayne and Kirk Douglass would fill the screen, and as a little boy I wanted to be just like those guys. I remember

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-90255507647341470092011-12-02T13:44:00.003-06:002011-12-02T13:50:22.898-06:00

Someone out there please tell me I'm hallucinating and it's not December 2 already. I am so far behind with holiday plans it's not funny. And it's not only Christmas and New Years coming up. Our 25th wedding anniversary is on the 27th and my husband wants to do something special.Now I remember why I enjoyed not working! I used to have time to plan and enjoy things like this. Instead I was just

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This guest post from Doris DillonWhen we got the SECURITY CHOICE for the house my wife said she still didn’t feel safe enough when I was gone for work so I let her get the dog she’s been begging me for for years. We named him Otis and darnit if he isn’t just the cutest thing that ever existed! He’s really solidified our little family and my wife says she sleeps with him in the bed when I’m gone.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-30343887765877492642011-09-30T16:19:00.002-05:002011-09-30T16:24:35.384-05:00

Been enjoying the weather all day. A cool front is moving in and the day has been beautiful. It may even drop down into the low 40's tomorrow night!I know I'll be complaining about the cold in a few months and wishing for sunshine but at the moment it's a welcome change.All the motorcycles are in town for Thunder Beach. I've been hearing them going down 30A today. I hope they brought some warm

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-36724243528912902322011-07-15T18:57:00.000-05:002011-07-15T18:58:11.349-05:00

I appreciate the guest post, Ignacio PhillipsI’m pretty embarrassed to say it, but I love all of the shows featuring members of the Kardashian family. I just think they’re so entertaining and they really do seem to love each other so much…it inspires me to be a better sibling to my brother and sisters! Ever since I got www.EXPERTSATELLITE.com satellite I’ve been watching a lot of the regular

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-84308501417589546212011-05-10T11:50:00.002-05:002011-05-10T14:35:30.965-05:00

Thanks for the guest post by Jo LevyI absolutely love watching movies on my satellite tv, that I got after seeing these specials on www.directstartv.com, and I can normally be found watching a new one almost every single night. It's just something that I love doing and something that I will probably always do for as long as I live. I guess it's because it's just relaxing and it's a hobby of mine.

-noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48065200154006904242011-05-10T11:46:00.003-05:002011-05-10T11:50:13.180-05:00

Our month of relaxation in Mexico Beach is over. It's back to the daily grind. We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the laid back, old Florida lifestyle there. Steve spent his days fishing, he often went 3 times a day - mornings fishing in Port St Joe under the bridge, days fishing on the beach and evenings catching flounder. I enjoyed all of the fresh fish but I think it's time to cook

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-64251906039877830762010-04-27T16:07:00.002-05:002010-04-27T16:11:50.907-05:00

We spent the afternoon at our favorite place Sunday. It's called the Love Shack and it has a great outdoor bar with a pool. Needless to say, I don't do the pool part, but it's fun to sit at the bar and sip drinks and people watch. Some of the young women there could make you want to visit http://www.wrinkletreatment.org but I don't let it bother me. I am what I am, wrinkles and all.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-52516547418420092022010-04-27T16:04:00.002-05:002010-04-27T16:07:40.442-05:00

Bella and JJ have been with us for a while now. They are such fun additions to the family. They have even sparked a streak of playfulness in the two older guys. It's fun to watch giant Lola playing with them. They run circles around her legs and she loves to tease them with toys. Zack plays the tolerant father and lets them climb all over him and chew on his ears. He gives up any toy he has to

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-27501390730858868412010-04-27T15:23:00.002-05:002010-04-27T15:28:28.537-05:00

Because I earn my living writing for websites, people have the idea that I know a lot about everything on the web. I'm almost to the point where I don't want to tell people that I work online. We met a couple the other day and as soon as I said what I do he started grilling me about website affiliate programs. I don't run a website and I don't know anything about affiliate programs. Unfortunately

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-10604646188739543872010-04-27T15:17:00.002-05:002010-04-27T15:21:23.322-05:00

Can anybody point me in the direction of the best diet pills? I've got plans to spend a good part of the summer in Mexico Beach, my college room mate is coming for a visit and I'm feeling fat! I usually avoid wearing a bathing suit but it may be very difficult to avoid it this year. I think I am just going to start telling people that they outlawed bathing suits for women over 55. It's bad for

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-72559052516680666082010-04-27T15:13:00.002-05:002010-04-27T15:16:44.380-05:00

Are you paying attention to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? I certainly am. In my opinion it could turn into a disaster along the lines of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska. If they can't get the leak stopped with their remote controlled subs the next try is to drill a new well. That will take months. Months of crude oil washing up on our shores. And killing animals. And destroying the economy.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-81704686190216175232010-04-12T21:11:00.002-05:002010-04-12T21:20:13.701-05:00

Even though I complain about the crowds, I have to admit that the spring break crowds are good for the local economy. Locals are reporting that it was a good season. This is a tourist town and tourists mean jobs. There is really no other industry here to generate them. Construction was the only other game in town and everyone knows what happened to that. Now that I've admitted that they have

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-74665184986791570802010-04-05T15:20:00.002-05:002010-04-05T15:23:17.874-05:00

Our summer is booking up. My husband spoke to his grandson yesterday and they were making plans for Greg to come for a visit this summer. He's eleven now so I expect him to keep Steve very busy. Between that and our plans in the motorhome at Mexico Beach we should be very busy. We've also discussed a trip out to Texas to visit my parents so there aren't many more free weeks left in our schedule.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-37734788347139006932010-04-05T15:17:00.002-05:002010-04-05T15:20:10.178-05:00

Spring break is almost over for another year. We are moving into my favorite time here, I call it the sweet spot. It's when the snowbirds have gone home, spring breakers have left and the summer crowd has not shown up yet. For a few sweet weeks we will have the place to ourselves. We will be able to go anywhere, eat and any restaurant and drive on the streets without crowds.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48185458321237963842010-04-01T13:02:00.002-05:002010-04-01T13:05:47.441-05:00

It looks like we are going to share a spot in Mexico Beach with my husband's daughter and her family again this summer. We split the cost and take turns going over there. I like it because I can feel like I'm getting away while still working. I take the hp laptops and set up a little office while I'm there. It's great to be able to work from anywhere, I think I'd hate it if I had to go into an

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-26518748857876139652010-04-01T12:42:00.002-05:002010-04-01T12:46:53.240-05:00

Are you an April Fools person? It seems like everyone around me is into pranks but Ihave never really appreciated them. You can not read the tweets on twitter today without coming across a prank one. It's difficult to write serious tweets about how to get an insurance quote for my work when everything else is silly. It kind of sticks out like a sore thumb.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-11532050658326487622010-04-01T12:39:00.002-05:002010-04-01T12:42:38.182-05:00

Easter is this Sunday. That means that spring break will start winding down. We will only have to deal with the crowds for a few more weeks. The way it is now we have to strategically plan our trips into Destin or Panama City. We needed something from Lowe's on Sunday and I drove up to Defuniak Springs rather than into town where the crowds are. The traffic can come to an absolute stop at times.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-19992780458105113542010-03-30T09:11:00.002-05:002010-03-30T09:15:47.454-05:00

We are finally having a pretty week of weather here. Spring is my favorite season and I am enjoying spending time outside. We like to sit on the deck in the late afternoon, enjoy a drink and watch the dogs play. As soon as the kitchen is finished we will pull out the umbrellas, outdoor rugs and other outdoor goodies that were put away for the winter and get comfortable. I will be cooking in my

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-25567113420771841562010-03-26T19:31:00.002-05:002010-03-26T19:36:06.579-05:00

The puppies were outside playing this morning, that is not unusual. They have tons of energy in the morning and like to run around the yard. But they were gone for an extended period of time so I went looking for them. When I got outside I found that I had two black puppies instead of two white ones. They had dug a HUGE hole. There was so much dirt on each of them that I could barely see their

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-58794256604649725852010-03-26T19:27:00.002-05:002010-03-26T19:30:24.669-05:00

I guess I am strange. I am not interested in genealogy at all. A show just came on that is devoted to stars searching for their roots. I find it kind of amazing that there's a whole prime time show devoted to it. When we cleaned out my parents house we found a book that had been done tracing my father's family back to the 16th century. My husband was interested but I wasn't. I passed it along to

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-72997019818807409742010-03-26T19:22:00.002-05:002010-03-26T19:26:52.313-05:00

We are getting close to completing the kitchen renovation. The cabinets arrived today. Now I have a room full of huge boxes. My husband is going to install them with his friend who is a carpenter. His friend wants to work over the weekend so I guess I will see them all unwrapped tomorrow. It's been a big job but everything has gone pretty smoothly. When we started I wondered if I should take out

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-29156665026178148932010-03-24T16:37:00.002-05:002010-03-24T16:42:59.409-05:00

As a social media manager I am asked to write tweets for a wide variety of clients. If they want to use our service, we will take them. The problem is making some of these companies sound interesting. I mean, how exciting can you make a hot tub cover sound? They are a great product and very useful. But they're pretty hard to tweet about and it's almost impossible to get a conversation going

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-7780934905031139652010-03-24T16:09:00.002-05:002010-03-24T16:37:20.921-05:00

Red Lobster biscuits are a trending topic on twitter right now. I have no idea why it is trending, but it is making me hungry. Every time I look at the page it jumps out at me. I'm wondering if it is some sort of social media promo by them. Or maybe something is horrible wrong with them!! Oh not, not the biscuits!! It's got to be a promotional things, right? Or people are just hungry. I'm going

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-19283201157922619722010-03-21T13:51:00.002-05:002010-03-21T13:58:51.234-05:00

While I'm on the subject of skin care I wanted to say I do appreciate all of the steps that have been made towards the treatment of acne. I didn't suffer from it but my best friend did. I wish she had had access to all of the treatments and information sources that are out there today. There is a great deal of information on the web on sites like www.tretinoinreviews.com and others.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-80844350894860220102010-03-21T13:39:00.002-05:002010-03-21T13:49:19.539-05:00

I must be getting really old. It seems to me that we only had a few beauty products when I was young. There were your basic cleansers, moisturizers and night creams. Now there are products for everything. You can buy acne scar removal cream, creams for eyes, rejuvenation creams or something for just about anything else you might want to fix. It would probably take all day to apply enough

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-87085179586277096372010-03-21T13:33:00.002-05:002010-03-21T13:39:28.076-05:00

I was really enjoying the spring weather. We had the windows open for days, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Spring on the gulf coast is my favorite time of year. It all ended this morning. It started with rain last night. Now it's very windy and chilly. I'm back in my sweat pants and the house is closed up tight. Hopefully this cold blast will be short lived. At least I'm not one of the

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48450884873440271232010-03-18T15:33:00.002-05:002010-03-18T15:40:19.871-05:00

I have been reluctant to get into the whole smart phone thing. I hate the idea of the monthly bill, I hate bills. But the more I see of apps the more I want one. They do all kinds of fun things from games to apps for beauty tips. You can get an app for advice on skincare with information on everything from clearpores to anti-aging. I like all of the social media apps. I could tweet on the go!

-noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-35420618020450685482010-03-18T14:25:00.002-05:002010-03-18T14:32:28.696-05:00

Has anybody else noticed television ads. It seems to me that they are limited to Febreeze, the best acne face wash products, and cars. Oh, and Hardee's burgers. It just seems like there used to be a much wider variety of products advertised. I remember ads for perfumes, makeup and practically any other product you can think of. I guess the cost of advertising has pushed the little guys out of the

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-29479001142279127012010-03-18T14:22:00.003-05:002010-03-18T14:25:49.076-05:00

It's a good thing I freelance and work from home. I don't know how people who have to go to work and keep a set schedule do it. I seem to have to drop everything and make an emergency run to Home Depot or Lowe's every other day for the kitchen renovation. If I wasn't able to work when I want to I would have been fired by now. Instead I work at night while I listen to television. I love the

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-45700704333726429592010-03-16T15:20:00.002-05:002010-03-16T15:35:29.234-05:00

The recession has meant job losses for a lot of people. I admire the ones who have turned that around and used it to pursue a new career. With the advent of online universities such as Western Governors Online University, you can get an online degree completely by studying from home at your own pace.IT, or information technology, is still a growing industry with lots of opportunities. You can

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-52352612845990500072010-03-16T09:24:00.002-05:002010-03-16T09:32:42.112-05:00

It seems like there is always something that my husband has me searching for on the web. He hears about something or gets and idea that he wants a particular item and then asks me to do the research for him. He has had me looking for everything from Ferrari parts to hot sauces. I don't know if he really doesn't understand how to do searches or if he just doesn't want to admit that he does. It's

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-43693815269120151292010-03-16T09:19:00.003-05:002010-03-16T15:20:29.806-05:00

We're making progress with the kitchen renovation. The drywall contractor just showed up. His work should be the last of the really messy part. I will be glad to be able to take the plastic sheets off everything and clean up the grit. Everything has a fine coating of dirt even though it's been covered. I don't know how it gets underneath the covers but it does. I keep telling myself it will all

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-17027970098437707592010-03-14T20:05:00.002-05:002010-03-14T20:08:57.350-05:00

I don't know what it is about me and office furniture but I seem to go through a lot of it. My office is not on it's third incarnation in two years and I'm still not satisfied. I spend 8 hours a day in my chair and I can't seem to find one that I like. The one that I have now has a comfortable seat but the arms are not right. They hit me in the wrong spot. Of course, that's hard to tell until

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-36635011833193921442010-03-14T19:45:00.002-05:002010-03-14T19:52:53.227-05:00

I just wanted to take a minute to express how grateful I am to be working from home. A few years ago I would have never guess that I would be working full time as a writer and social media manager and doing it all from home. I can work anywhere from a Sony VAIO or any other computer. All I need is an internet connection and I am working. I love the internet and my computers!

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48360814671165922942010-03-14T19:41:00.002-05:002010-03-14T19:45:27.995-05:00

The house next door to us has been on the market for almost three years. It finally went into foreclosure about 6 months ago. It finally sold and our new neighbors moved in this week. Unfortunately, they look like the neighbors from hell. So far their front yard contains an old john boat, an old boat that looks like it wouldn't float, three cars that probably don't run and miscellaneous other

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-45634084007230728852010-03-14T16:14:00.003-05:002010-03-14T16:17:36.155-05:00

You know you are getting old when the checkout procedures at stores gets beyond you. I have never tried the self checkout line successfully. There I said it. Placing your items on the counter and using the barcode scanner looks easy but it always goes wrong for me. I am tired of being embarrassed by the attendant having to come over and help me. From now on I am sticking to the full service line.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-78102791783817586122010-03-14T16:04:00.002-05:002010-03-14T16:08:28.735-05:00

I grew up thinking that the husband in the house took care of all of the financial planning. That has not been the way it has worked out in my household. My husband refuses to do anything along those lines so it all falls to me. Fortunately, I have a good friend in the same boat so we share information. She recently sent me to a website, it's great because life insurance rates are free here. I

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-75403966842452379692010-03-14T16:01:00.002-05:002010-03-14T16:04:25.590-05:00

The dreaming about a new kitchen is over. We are in the midst of a full kitchen renovation. We are not only renovating, we are expanding it by taking in a room behind it.I know that I will love it when it is all done, but we are in the gritty construction dust phase right now. We put up plastic sheets to contain the mess but it still gets everywhere. The messy part will hopefully be over this

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-63409834600543338272010-02-02T16:41:00.002-06:002010-02-02T16:45:32.247-06:00

It is strange how you find out things about people's lives that makes you see them in a whole new light. I have a work friend that I have know for several years. She is the most positive, giving and enthusiastic person that you would ever like to meet. She is always ready for an assignment or to help someone. I just learned that she suffers terrible from rheumatoid arthritis. I would have never

-noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-68868342016533273622010-02-02T15:36:00.002-06:002010-02-02T15:41:06.713-06:00

As of Saturday we now have 2 puppies in the household! It's been wild but things are starting to settle down a little. By Monday I was considering calling around for a life insurance quote since there was a good possibility my husband might kill me. :) He would need some money to take care of all of these dogs after I was gone. I have some photos in the camera but haven't had time to download

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-31769269329291625292010-01-20T09:57:00.002-06:002010-01-20T10:03:40.976-06:00

I was amused to hear about a new offering at Walgreens. They are offering freshly prepared sandwiches and salads at 700 stores and plan to roll out the service to many more. So the next time that you are in your local Walgreens shopping for quick weight loss pills and cold remedies you can also stop by the sandwich counter and pick up lunch or dinner. I can just imagine how good the food is going

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-77160270170770010282010-01-20T09:54:00.002-06:002010-01-20T09:57:18.479-06:00

I was sad to read about the death of Robert Parker today. He passed away at his desk, which is probably a fitting end. I read many of his crime novels featuring Spencer when I was younger, he was one of the first crime novelist that I read. From there I moved on to many other authors, but I always had a soft spot in my heart for him and and his hard nosed tough guy character. RIP Robert Parker.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-50541589130176855912010-01-20T09:40:00.002-06:002010-01-20T09:47:25.447-06:00

I am watching Regis and Kelly and all I can think about is that it's time for Regis to give it up. He has gone beyond the point where it is enjoyable to watch him. All he is doing now is reinforcing the stereotype of crotchety old people who can't remember anything or adapt to new things. He needs to retire and go home and take care of his eczema and new hip. Let someone younger have the show

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-48164109852394905832010-01-20T09:04:00.003-06:002010-01-20T09:13:03.312-06:00

I have found a place that appeals to my form of humor. Maybe it comes from spending too much time in Walmart behind people with carts full of slimquick and beer. Or maybe it reminds me of when we lived in Lake City. Whatever the cause, I never fail to laugh at the photos of The People of Walmart. It's an entire site dedicated to photos of real people seen in WallyWorld. I don't think I need to

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-40096212448942365112010-01-18T14:57:00.002-06:002010-01-18T15:00:23.386-06:00

It's Martin Luther King day. I wonder how many people really give any thought to what the day is about. As a native of Memphis who grew up in the 60's I have vivid memories of the time and the man. I remember the marches, the riots, the speeches and ultimately his assassination at the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis.His legacy has affected all of us. He left us with many memorable words. Take

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-32580156780417650982010-01-18T14:44:00.002-06:002010-01-18T14:51:38.123-06:00

I am making my list for a visit to the health food store. I never thought I would use supplements and vitamins but I am a convert. I learned how important they can be after my weight loss surgery. I can tell a huge difference in how I feel when I don't have my B vitamins. I also think that the joint supplement is helping with my knee. If it keeps me from having a replacement like my father I

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-19658149826411904892010-01-16T11:31:00.002-06:002010-01-16T11:35:43.718-06:00

I don't like getting older. As a matter of fact, I hate it. It's like watching yourself fall apart. The latest things to pop up are age spots. How ugly are those?? Of course, one decide to plant itself right above my upper lip, it couldn't do it in an inconspicuous place. I'm not in the mood to pay a dermatologist lots of money to laser it off or whatever they do so I guess I will have to hit the

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-31969900776779675072010-01-16T11:27:00.003-06:002010-01-16T11:31:47.865-06:00

I haven't watched the last few seasons of Project Runway. I especially hated the one in Los Angeles, I tried to watch it but couldn't. Since they moved it back to New York this time I decided to give it another go this week. I didn't turn it off so maybe I will get hooked again. We need someone to develop into a major character to keep things lively.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-34296335237758740002010-01-15T15:28:00.002-06:002010-01-15T15:32:26.253-06:00

I actually spent time out on the deck enjoying the sunshine today. It was glorious to feel a little warmth and enjoy some fresh air for a change. I carried my laptop out and worked a little and spent some time looking at Toronto hotels. We still haven't decided where we want to go for our vacation this summer. Canada is beautiful in the summer so it is on our list of possibilities.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-47086193145664775062010-01-14T09:53:00.002-06:002010-01-14T09:58:26.111-06:00

I have not seen any signs of the real estate market turning around locally. All of the property and houses that have been for sale around me are still for sale. The house next door went into foreclosure and is now listed for $250 thousand. That is really amazing, the price is 100 thousand less than it sold for before the bubble in 2001. My friend was telling me about Corolla foreclosures and

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-72450613408221914592010-01-14T09:51:00.003-06:002010-01-14T09:53:31.168-06:00

I heard the news that Teddy Pendergrass passed away from colon cancer. For those of us who are a certain age, it is sad news. He had a wonderful, soulful voice before his tragic accident. He was at the pinnacle of his singing career when he was paralyzed in an accident. He had a tough life and was only in his 50's when he died. RIP Teddy.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-78533569788507044882010-01-14T09:05:00.002-06:002010-01-14T09:34:27.844-06:00

I am so happy that the frigid weather is leaving us. It is supposed to be close to 60 today. I am so tired of staying in the house that I may sit outside on the deck and soak up some sunshine this morning before it disappears. We are supposed to drive over to gulf shores today to pick up some things for Steve. I think that I may send him by himself so that I can enjoy the day.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-492035373562759362010-01-09T14:12:00.002-06:002010-01-09T14:18:10.631-06:00

I am slowly being dragged into the world of smart phones. I've never liked cell phones, and I don't particularly like the idea of everyone being able to track me down. But my work is starting to dictate that I move into the 21st century.I have started working as a social media manager for a company in California and they want me to be available all of the time. I am trying to let the new smart

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-69300442044390917902010-01-09T14:09:00.003-06:002010-01-09T14:12:20.289-06:00

My husband and I just got back from a trip up to Defuniak Springs to meet out newest addition to the family. We are getting another bichon puppy. We picked him out today but he won't be coming home with us for another 3 or 4 weeks.We have always liked to raise puppies together and tend to get them close together. They make great companions for each other and our experience is that they get into

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-44362408312335569912010-01-04T20:47:00.002-06:002010-01-04T20:51:09.702-06:00

I was reading about paperless mail services today. They can eliminate all of your paper mail and you can receive everything digitally over the internet. They can even accept and scan in things like wedding invitations and baby announcements. Automatic bank deposits can be handled as well. They say the service is valid for every physical address in the country. It looks like the postal service may

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-50833263229740339772010-01-04T20:38:00.002-06:002010-01-04T20:45:38.417-06:00

It has been a very long time in coming but I am happy to say that my husband has finally been able to get off of the pain pills. He started taking them last year for his back. Unfortunately, his back surgery was delayed when he had to have bypass surgery so he was on the pills for a long time.It is so nice to have a clear thinking husband again. The pills really fogged his mind. He was able to

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-14939011165409617902010-01-04T20:31:00.002-06:002010-01-04T20:37:55.718-06:00

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that we are having a seriously cold winter. It turns out that this week is the coldest we have had in 10 years. They are even saying that we might have snow flurries or ice Thursday night. This is not what I signed up for!! I said that I was never moving back down south but it is beginning to look good again...

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-16136151379134058332009-12-30T11:37:00.002-06:002009-12-30T11:41:45.188-06:00

As I continue to rearrange my office I am finding all of those "what was I thinking?" items that have been shoved aside. Why did I think I had to have a thermofax machine? Did I really think that I would use fitness equipment? I'm a 56 year old woman who has always detested exercise. If I loaded up all of the stuff that never gets used and disposed of it my job of rearranging this place would be

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-47524888076042726112009-12-30T11:13:00.002-06:002009-12-30T11:19:12.960-06:00

I am rearranging my office, yet again. I think I average doing this at least twice a year. Things seem to be arranged perfectly and then I usually decide to add something else and the whole process starts.My problem now is that I have placed my desk in the coldest part of the room. That didn't come into play when I did it in the summer. Now that it's cold outside I am sitting next to a heater and

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-1274605517130736882009-12-30T11:07:00.002-06:002009-12-30T11:13:12.697-06:00

I can't believe that Christmas is over, much less that New Year's day is in two days. If time starts moving any faster I'll be ninety before I know it! LOLI wanted to wish everyone a productive, safe, happy and healthy new year. I hope that it brings you everything that you are wishing for. My wishes are simple, good health for everyone in my family.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-61183846122340703412009-12-24T10:47:00.002-06:002009-12-24T10:57:56.204-06:00

I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Christmas. I am enjoying the holidays and taking a little time off from my writing.My step daughter has offered to come dog sit so that we can book a vacation later this year as a Christmas present. We haven't been on a real vacation in a long time with all of my husband's surgeries. No all we have to do is decide where to go, book it and buy some travel

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-34615879945048044332009-12-16T20:15:00.002-06:002009-12-16T20:31:01.776-06:00

I think one of the most thrilling results of the growth of the internet is the opportunity to study online. Instead of having to commute or move to attend a university, you can receive a quality education at an online university like Western Governors University. This means that studying for an advanced degree is available to more people than ever before.Western Governors University provides

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-45958498695885306992009-12-16T20:12:00.002-06:002009-12-16T20:15:21.312-06:00

I told you the other day that we call Bella Boo Zack's mini me. She sticks with him all of the time now. What's funny is that he looks like the typical long suffering big brother. Take a look at this picture and see what you think. I think he's saying "I can't even get a nap alone any more..."

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-68000011405329423822009-12-11T19:07:00.002-06:002009-12-11T19:13:34.936-06:00

I have always felt very secure here. We live in a small resort town and the crime rate is very low. But crime came to our neighborhood the other day. There was a break in and robbery one street over in our subdivision. My neighbor is talking about looking into home security systems. I'm not quiet ready for that yet. The people living in the house were a group of young renters with a lot of coming

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-47059657893170771982009-12-05T10:10:00.002-06:002009-12-05T10:28:57.224-06:00

I have decided that today is a perfect day for hibernation. I am warming up some steaming hot cocoa and plan to park myself in front of the television. Right now I am watching a show on HGTV that is showing a house full of modern furniture. I don't think I will ever get to redecorate like that, but I can at least live vicariously through the TV. Who is ready for a nice cup of cocoa?

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-49384976739178623662009-12-05T10:08:00.002-06:002009-12-05T10:10:27.299-06:00

Bella Boo has a new name. We call her Zack's minnie me. She looks a lot like him and they look adorable together. He is definitely taking on the role of big brother. Whenever he lays down she snuggles up to him. The only thing she doesn't like is when he barks, she runs for cover anytime he or Lola barks.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-79100574066557156202009-12-05T09:48:00.002-06:002009-12-05T09:54:25.805-06:00

I am freezing this morning. What's with the cold weather? I watched the Weather channel this morning and there was snow across Tennessee and into north AL and GA. It never snows in Memphis before Christmas.My friend's medical travel was almost postponed because of it. She is getting bariatric surgery and was beside herself at the thought of missing her scheduled time. Fortunately, everything

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-78841469454310465742009-11-24T13:58:00.002-06:002009-11-24T14:06:17.438-06:00

I want to go ahead and wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. My husband had a few things to do before we left for our shopping trip so I am tying up some loose ends online. I know once I start getting things ready and cooking I won't have time to blog. He just told me to add fuse holders to the shopping list so I think he is almost ready to go. Happy Thanksgiving to all and don't eat too much!

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-87505199021170153442009-11-24T13:56:00.002-06:002009-11-24T13:58:56.098-06:00

I just watched the video of Paula Deen getting hit in the face with a ham. All I can say is ouch! She really got creamed. What was almost as priceless was the face of the guy who threw the ham, he look like he was going to die when he realized what he had done. In typical Paula fashion she made a joke of it and said she ran head on into a ham. :)

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-14168878041487300692009-11-24T13:50:00.002-06:002009-11-24T13:54:57.002-06:00

It has been a long time coming but it looks like my husband has mended fences with his son. They have not been on good terms for year. His son called him out of the blue a couple of weeks ago and they have spoken several times. He has even made plans to meet him in Gainesville. I am hoping that we can find some people who want to sell motorhome while we are there. We would like one to put in

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-1599982318868272662009-11-24T13:36:00.003-06:002009-11-24T13:39:56.609-06:00

I am sitting here making my shopping list for my last trip out before the holiday. My husband wants to go to Walmart for some bins and air conditioner filters so I am going to tag along. I hate trying to shop on the day before a holiday and I absolutely refuse to leave the house on Black Friday. I am not the kind of shopper who enjoys crowds and fighting for a sale item.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-43166893344152395862009-11-24T13:34:00.003-06:002009-12-05T10:08:18.504-06:00

We have a new member of the pack and her name is Bella Boo. She will be 11 weeks old on Thanksgiving day. She is a Bichon Frise and an absolute doll. My husband never wanted a small dog but she has won him over. He is her biggest fan.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-84533181144588660172009-11-11T15:54:00.002-06:002009-11-11T15:58:59.015-06:00

Have you jumped into twittering yet? I never thought I would but now I am addicted to it. At first I thought it was too much commercial stuff with people offering things like teeth whitening, a life insurance lead, or website hosting. But once I got into it there are a lot of very interesting and friendly people there. If you take the time to learn your way around it's a great place to connect

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-27697015176264986902009-11-11T15:44:00.002-06:002009-11-11T15:48:39.966-06:00

My mother in law is reaching a milestone. She is approaching her 90th birthday. My husband's brother is making plans for some sort of celebration. I swore in the past that I would never go further south than Orlando after we moved from Ft. Lauderdale. But I may have to eat my words since that is where she lives. I have already checked out some miami hotel deals. Maybe I can convince Steve to go

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-54636438092489994472009-11-11T15:41:00.002-06:002009-11-11T15:44:32.324-06:00

The treat of a hurricane coming our way this past weekend was a wake up call. I think that it has been so long since we have been hit that we had become complacent. We were lucky that it was late enough in the season for the weather to work in our favor. It lost strength before hitting the coast. All we have had is a lot of rain and gusty winds for a couple of days. Lets hope the season is REALLY

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-76528319581246621162009-11-09T13:33:00.002-06:002009-11-09T13:46:03.578-06:00

I get so involved working on my computer that the day gets away from me before I realize it. I can sit down with the intention of running errands or doing chores and the next thing I know it is time to cook dinner. I think I need to set up some kind of text alert system to tell me to step away from the keyboard. I guess it is good that I get my work done but it is not good that I don't get

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-21069029821316000652009-11-09T13:25:00.002-06:002009-11-09T13:31:35.863-06:00

My brother in law lives in Orlando and his job is involved in the tourist industry. He has been telling us that they are really hurting from the lack of tourists this year. Their only hope to salvage the year is to get somewhat close to normal numbers for people planning orlando vacations for the holidays. I hear things have been pretty good here for the tourist industry, I hope it spreads down

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-9212330931194969342009-11-09T13:20:00.002-06:002009-11-09T13:25:18.835-06:00

What's up with tropical storm/hurricane/tropical storm Ida? We had such a nice, quiet, peaceful season going on and she popped up here at the end. At least the waters have cooled and conditions were not suitable for her to hold on to hurricane status. Tropical storms are not fun, but I'll take that over a hurricane. I just wish she had not decided to pay us a visit at all.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-45605201900415727772009-11-07T13:20:00.003-06:002009-11-07T13:32:53.951-06:00

I have decided that I am a computer-a-holic. I am addicted to them. I now have two desktops that I use daily, a netbook that fits in my purse for on the go and now a new notebook computer. Yes, I bought a new one while I was in Memphis. I'm not even mentioning the two computers that my husband has, they're his not mine, right? The next thing on my list is a new smart phone. The Droid from Verizon

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-58292112481425941522009-11-07T13:07:00.002-06:002009-11-07T13:11:35.715-06:00

I am checking out water softeners and it is taking me back to living in south Florida. We were on well water and we not only had a softening system for the whole house but a reverse osmosis system for the kitchen. There is a lot of iron in the water there and it stains everything if you are not vigilant. When I think back to the water there I realize how good we actually have it here in north

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-5127065856980519812009-11-07T13:04:00.002-06:002009-11-07T13:07:38.254-06:00

Today couldn't be any more beautiful. It's in the low 70's under crystal blue skies. It serves as a remind to me as to why I love living here so much. Spending 6 weeks in Memphis brought back to me how much I hated the weather there. Days upon days of gloomy and rainy weather is not for me. I need sunshine and blue skies. Thankfully they are in abundance here.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-28415088694467047572009-11-07T12:26:00.002-06:002009-11-07T12:31:42.906-06:00

We made it back home and I have to say it's good to be here. We decided to keep my father's Expedition since it is much newer than Steve's car. That meant we each had to drive a vehicle home. That's a long drive when you have to do it as the only driver.The bad thing about bringing the Expedition back was that Steve had the urge to fill it to the rim with everything he thought he might ever need.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-26948286446992645162009-11-01T14:34:00.002-06:002009-11-01T14:43:43.580-06:00

I had dinner with one of my cousins last night. She is such a sweet person but one of those who never seems to get a break. She is divorcing her second husband, another one who wouldn't get a job just like her first one. The really bad part is that she recently lost her job. She has spent the past week searching the city for IT jobs. She hasn't had any luck yet, I hope she finds a good job soon.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-52876942099379615382009-11-01T14:32:00.002-06:002009-11-01T14:34:50.314-06:00

We took the dogs to the dog park today. I have to admit that the off leash park at Shelby Farms is the best one that we have ever visited. Instead of just being a couple of acres, this one is probably at least 50. There is room for them to run as far as they want to. There are also several ponds, hills and in general, everything a dog could want.

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-65567132594490473992009-11-01T14:06:00.002-06:002009-11-01T14:09:53.943-06:00

I guess I didn't get the pack rat gene from my parents. I never really realized how much of a pair of pack rats they were until I started cleaning out their house. They seem to have a particular affinity for paper. I think they still have every one of the holiday photo cards that they have ever received. The same goes for those annoying holiday letters. And don't get me started on the bank

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-10785930301876281912009-10-30T18:06:00.003-05:002009-10-30T18:11:34.196-05:00

One good thing about being here is the chance to reconnect with my cousins. I don't get to visit with them much since I live in Florida.My cousin, Lisa, is in the midst of opening a new business. Today I was helping her search for no exam life insurance. She is being required to obtain a policy by her lender. I have my fingers crossed for her success. She is such a smart woman that I am sure it

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-86152417256360988302009-10-30T18:03:00.003-05:002009-10-30T18:05:57.387-05:00

I am back in Memphis setting up the estate sale for my parent's home. It is raining again, just like it was for the three weeks that I was here before. I have seen more rain during my time here than I have in the entire year in Florida. Now I remember exactly why I left, I can't take this much rain at once! I can't wait to get back to Florida.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-39724201490241150212009-10-30T17:08:00.003-05:002009-10-30T17:14:42.456-05:00

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but my college roommate lives in the Dallas area. Out of all the places that I have lived, I still have a soft spot for Dallas, even with all of the traffic that is there. I would consider moving there if I ever get tired of the gulf coast. The point of all this is that she just called and told me that she was in an accident and is having to have dental work

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-67194566336923954372009-10-27T20:13:00.003-05:002009-10-27T20:16:15.956-05:00

I visited the local discount club today and made a big score for the dogs. They had my dogs' favorite dog treats that are made from sweet potato and chicken. Our local store hasn't had them in a while. I guess that's the difference between living in a small town and a big city. Whether it's dog supplies or people supplies there's so many more options.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-60208947583944899422009-10-27T20:10:00.002-05:002009-10-27T20:12:49.724-05:00

I have to say that there is definitely one thing good about Memphis, the food. I have been eating barbecue, country ham and food from my favorite Mexican restaurant since I arrived. I plan to fill up on all of them so I will not be craving them again for a very long time. I think I may go to Pete & Sam's tomorrow for Italian!

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-36480367737071429092009-10-27T20:05:00.003-05:002009-11-09T14:01:26.967-06:00

I am back at my parent's home. This time I am setting up the estate sale as well as selling their cars. They took the furniture from the den, dining room, kitchen and master bedroom and there's still a houseful of furniture left. At least with all of my various forms of electronic communications I don't feel like I'm out of touch with home. Maybe I'll buy some live chat software and set up my own

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-47535750417169728052009-10-18T11:23:00.002-05:002009-10-18T11:28:19.944-05:00

Can you believe that it is time to start thinking about planning for the holidays? It is time to start making plans for Thanksgiving and ordering things like printed Christmas invitations. As far as I'm concerned this year has been way too short, it can't possibly be time for the holiday season to be right around the corner. I want my summer back!

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-79986303754470129362009-10-18T11:21:00.002-05:002009-10-18T11:23:51.881-05:00

I don't cook much since my weight loss surgery, a bad side effect in my husband's eyes. LOL But the cold weather today has me craving chili. The first good cold snap that comes through always makes me want to put on a big pot of the stuff and enjoy the smells of it simmering all day. I think I have all the ingredients on hand so I guess I will give in to the urge.Who wants chili?

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-7863746706205327582009-10-18T10:34:00.002-05:002009-10-18T10:40:54.568-05:00

I am trapped in the house by a cold windy day and to my horror Twitter is down. I feel so alone and abandoned. Twitter is where I connect with people and chat with friends throughout the day, it is how I take a break from writing. Now I am forced to read colon cleanse reviews online and watch Sunday television. Please come back up soon, Twitter! I'm getting desperate.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-536042050893975802009-10-18T09:51:00.002-05:002009-10-18T09:54:15.567-05:00

I am officially a Floridian. It is 48 degrees outside and I am freezing, I cannot stand to even open the door. I don't even want to spent much time on the computer because I get cold sitting still. If I had a treadmill I would probably use it just to keep warm. If you knew me you'd know how outrageous that is, I hate exercise! I want my warm ocean breeze back.

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-3438042729735804712009-10-16T09:47:00.000-05:002009-10-18T09:50:47.911-05:00

A lot has happened since I last posted in early September. We were supposed to spend the month relaxing in Mexico Beach. I only had 4 days there before I got a call that my father had broken his hip.I spent a little more than 3 weeks in Memphis helping out. He went from the hospital to a rehab center and back to the hospital with a blood clot. He is doing much better now and they have moved to a

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-29465450994800443882009-09-06T09:29:00.002-05:002009-09-06T09:33:49.181-05:00

I am looking at new cell phones. As much as I have always avoided carrying one and avoided talking on them, I have to admit that my work is dictating otherwise. I don't need one for talking as much as I need to be able to access my email all of the time. I guess I am going to join the ranks of people who have a blackberry permanently attached to their hand. I promise not to type while driving!!

-noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-65922488473336150792009-09-04T09:27:00.002-05:002009-09-06T09:29:43.772-05:00

Labor day weekend is here, summer's last holiday. I can't believe the summer is almost over, this one went by very quickly. Steve's daughter and her son will be here for the weekend. He loves to grill with Steve so the fires will be hot here. I hope your holiday is full of fun and good food!

-noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19222106.post-12108640878104704332009-08-25T10:29:00.002-05:002009-08-25T10:32:24.366-05:00

I made my usual trip to Goodwill. I would have never thought that I would become addicted to shopping there but I have. I love 1/2 price clothing day on Mondays and senior day on Tuesdays. I think it's fun to see what people are getting rid of. Lately there seems to be a flood of exercise equipment. I saw ellipticals, treadmills and bikes all in a row this time. I guess everyone was tired of

-noreply@blogger.com0