Don' forget to vote!
Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't.
~Mark Twain
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Thankful for Daughters!
Your daughter will hold your hand for a little while, but will hold your heart for a lifetime. It's national "daughters' week". Today I am thankful for my daughters, two by birth and one by choice. They enrich my life in so many ways, here are but a few:
Erika, my eldest is an activist. She is an organizer; political/labor is her specialty. She leads with her heart. I love her passion, dedication. She is sensitive, smart, and sassy. Erika s heart breaks if she thinks she has let anyone down. Everyone loves her! Her beauty radiates from deep inside her and everyone she meets think she is interesting. Travel is her favorite thing to do and she does it as often as she can. She has seen a lot of the world and wants to see 7 continents in 7 years. My money is on her to do it!
My Briana is the baby. She is living here in the Villages with her grandmother, Mu. Mu has Alzheimer’s disease and Bri has put her life on hold to care for her. She is strong and driven, focused and smart. She is studying to become a nurse, and will be a great one. Her heart is as big as the great outdoors. Briana’s emotions run deep. She is generous to a fault and would give away her last dime. She is tenacious and I believe that she can do anything that she puts her mind to.
Stephanie is here in Florida living with Bri and Mu. She is a welder, and looking for work right now. She is an artist, but does not like that label. Steph is filled with wonder; she absorbs things in her environment like a child. I love to see the way she appreciates new experiences. She works hard and plays hard too. Stephanie has the patience to achieve perfection and is going to be very successful, everyone knows this but her. She lights up our lives. Stephanie is on loan to me. Thanks Loraine, you & Ron gave the world (and me) a precious gift!
Erika, my eldest is an activist. She is an organizer; political/labor is her specialty. She leads with her heart. I love her passion, dedication. She is sensitive, smart, and sassy. Erika s heart breaks if she thinks she has let anyone down. Everyone loves her! Her beauty radiates from deep inside her and everyone she meets think she is interesting. Travel is her favorite thing to do and she does it as often as she can. She has seen a lot of the world and wants to see 7 continents in 7 years. My money is on her to do it!
My Briana is the baby. She is living here in the Villages with her grandmother, Mu. Mu has Alzheimer’s disease and Bri has put her life on hold to care for her. She is strong and driven, focused and smart. She is studying to become a nurse, and will be a great one. Her heart is as big as the great outdoors. Briana’s emotions run deep. She is generous to a fault and would give away her last dime. She is tenacious and I believe that she can do anything that she puts her mind to.
Stephanie is here in Florida living with Bri and Mu. She is a welder, and looking for work right now. She is an artist, but does not like that label. Steph is filled with wonder; she absorbs things in her environment like a child. I love to see the way she appreciates new experiences. She works hard and plays hard too. Stephanie has the patience to achieve perfection and is going to be very successful, everyone knows this but her. She lights up our lives. Stephanie is on loan to me. Thanks Loraine, you & Ron gave the world (and me) a precious gift!
Friday, October 22, 2010
A Heavy Heart reminds us to be Grateful
I am writing today with a heavy heart. I started this entry yesterday, in an entirely different state of mind. Our good friends Harry and Fran came to The Villages for a Lifestyle tour last week. They had a great time and it thrilled us to find out that they bought a lot and picked out a model home that they planned on building when their home in South Carolina sold. All of that changed last night when Harry passed away after suffering a stroke. Our hearts are breaking for Fran and their kids and grand kids. He will be missed.
I take this moment of grief to be thankful for every day that I am given to enjoy everyone that I am lucky enough to have in my life. You all know who you are. Carpe’ Diem. This one’s for you Harry!
I take this moment of grief to be thankful for every day that I am given to enjoy everyone that I am lucky enough to have in my life. You all know who you are. Carpe’ Diem. This one’s for you Harry!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Happy Birthday Opry Land!
Our trip back North reminded me why I moved to Florida in the first place. We arrived on a Monday and it was gray, cold and rainy…Tuesday, the same, Wednesday…the same. By Thursday I was ready to poke my eyes out with sticks. Our cottage is on a beautiful little lake, with a wood stove as its only heat source. I bought two electric heaters, a hooded sweatshirt, a pair of jeans, a trunk full of wood, socks, a lap blanket and enough comfort food to support a hibernating bear.
My fragile traveling companion, RC caught a cold, and we couldn’t wait until our business up North was done. We ate our way through our favorite WNY foods and I have to admit that we did see the sun for a day before we packed up and headed south. The leaves were just short of peak and the trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains was special.
We decided to take a side trip to Nashville and got a real treat when we arrived. Nashville has been recovering from severe flooding that closed down their famous Country Music landmark, Opryland. Its cornerstone attraction, the famous Grand Old Opry, had just reopened and was celebrating 85 years of Music. The sign outside announced Taylor Swift and Dolly Pardon as featured guests the night we arrived. We rolled in to the Hotel at 6:30, and by 7:30 we decided to take a ride over to The Opry on a whim, although it was sold out.
I shamelessly used my handicap sticker to con my way to parking right up front and although the show had started, I headed to the ticket office. I am famous for my good timing and just by chance two tickets became available on the floor and just like that we were sitting within shouting range to some of the most famous acts in Country music. I am not the biggest country fan (RC is), but this was amazing. The venue is wonderful, and the performers were great. It was a night I’ll never forget. RC even took a few pictures that didn’t cut off Dolly’s head if you get my drift.
We ended the night downtown Nashville on a Saturday Night. The streets were alive, and the music blasted out of every door. We decided to take the voyeurs route and found a table on the deck of Crabby Joe’s, and watched the street madness from above. There was a time that I would have been right in the thick of the crowd, but that night after a 11 hour drive, and the Concert I was ready to watch the mêlée’ while enjoying a quiet cocktail and some fresh seafood.
The next morning we decided to try a breakfast joint that had been featured on the Food Network, Loveland’s. That wound up not being the best idea. The place looked intriguing, with a cluster of small shops and a Motel straight out of the 50’s. The wait for breakfast, however, was two hours, so we opted for fast food breakfast in a bag and pointed the car toward the Bubble; Villages here we come.
My fragile traveling companion, RC caught a cold, and we couldn’t wait until our business up North was done. We ate our way through our favorite WNY foods and I have to admit that we did see the sun for a day before we packed up and headed south. The leaves were just short of peak and the trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains was special.
We decided to take a side trip to Nashville and got a real treat when we arrived. Nashville has been recovering from severe flooding that closed down their famous Country Music landmark, Opryland. Its cornerstone attraction, the famous Grand Old Opry, had just reopened and was celebrating 85 years of Music. The sign outside announced Taylor Swift and Dolly Pardon as featured guests the night we arrived. We rolled in to the Hotel at 6:30, and by 7:30 we decided to take a ride over to The Opry on a whim, although it was sold out.
I shamelessly used my handicap sticker to con my way to parking right up front and although the show had started, I headed to the ticket office. I am famous for my good timing and just by chance two tickets became available on the floor and just like that we were sitting within shouting range to some of the most famous acts in Country music. I am not the biggest country fan (RC is), but this was amazing. The venue is wonderful, and the performers were great. It was a night I’ll never forget. RC even took a few pictures that didn’t cut off Dolly’s head if you get my drift.
We ended the night downtown Nashville on a Saturday Night. The streets were alive, and the music blasted out of every door. We decided to take the voyeurs route and found a table on the deck of Crabby Joe’s, and watched the street madness from above. There was a time that I would have been right in the thick of the crowd, but that night after a 11 hour drive, and the Concert I was ready to watch the mêlée’ while enjoying a quiet cocktail and some fresh seafood.
The next morning we decided to try a breakfast joint that had been featured on the Food Network, Loveland’s. That wound up not being the best idea. The place looked intriguing, with a cluster of small shops and a Motel straight out of the 50’s. The wait for breakfast, however, was two hours, so we opted for fast food breakfast in a bag and pointed the car toward the Bubble; Villages here we come.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Fall, my favorite time of year!
Wow! I can not believe its October! The summer was a blur. Dad insisted on going back to NY, and as I predicted, fell and broke his hip. He is in a nursing home, on a slow and shaky recovery. At 90 his chances of a full recovery are not good, but we sent sister #1 up to ask him where he wanted to be buried and his hunger strike was over. He is now starting to co-operate with his physical therapists and put 14 lbs of the 40 he lost back on. The news that his insurance company feels his progress is too slow and he now will be paying $260 per day out of his pocket for his “resort” stay has brought his motivation back!
We feared he wouldn’t make it and took mom up for a visit. Luckily we took a picture of the two of them together in the hospital, as she has no other memory of the visit. Her Alzheimer’s gets her stuck in her “bad dreams” and she flips between thinking that Dad died or that he is divorcing her. I wish the good thoughts could dominate her dreams, but she is sad that he is not with her. I hope he recovers to the point that he can come back here for her sake. When she gets down in the dumps about him, I tell her; when he’s here he makes you mad; when he’s gone he makes you sad. Go figure.
The summer here was record HOT! We had days on end of 98, 99, and 100+ degrees. I love the heat but this year the unending inferno had me missing the smell and snap of apples, the colorful leaves, and crisp cooler weather of fall in the North Country. We took a car trip to support my Erika and my Union, and to protest the lack of good paying jobs in DC on October 2nd. We took that opportunity to get back to WNY. Half way home, we got off the highway to get gas in Pennsylvania, and found Gettysburg by accident. What an interesting place. The history runs deep and monuments and historical sights are everywhere throughout the surrounding area. We followed signs along the road (fresh eggs from happy chickens!) and found a quirky roadside stand run by a hippy couple. The fruit was fresh, the cider delicious and the pottery beautiful. They were out of fresh eggs, but the stop was well worth the detour. I’d like to deliberately visit this area in the future.
We feared he wouldn’t make it and took mom up for a visit. Luckily we took a picture of the two of them together in the hospital, as she has no other memory of the visit. Her Alzheimer’s gets her stuck in her “bad dreams” and she flips between thinking that Dad died or that he is divorcing her. I wish the good thoughts could dominate her dreams, but she is sad that he is not with her. I hope he recovers to the point that he can come back here for her sake. When she gets down in the dumps about him, I tell her; when he’s here he makes you mad; when he’s gone he makes you sad. Go figure.
The summer here was record HOT! We had days on end of 98, 99, and 100+ degrees. I love the heat but this year the unending inferno had me missing the smell and snap of apples, the colorful leaves, and crisp cooler weather of fall in the North Country. We took a car trip to support my Erika and my Union, and to protest the lack of good paying jobs in DC on October 2nd. We took that opportunity to get back to WNY. Half way home, we got off the highway to get gas in Pennsylvania, and found Gettysburg by accident. What an interesting place. The history runs deep and monuments and historical sights are everywhere throughout the surrounding area. We followed signs along the road (fresh eggs from happy chickens!) and found a quirky roadside stand run by a hippy couple. The fruit was fresh, the cider delicious and the pottery beautiful. They were out of fresh eggs, but the stop was well worth the detour. I’d like to deliberately visit this area in the future.
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