Back from Florida Nightmare/Vacation!!

Oh Boy, Where Do I Start?????

Well, we were initially delayed in Detroit on Valentine’s Day prior to take off for our nightmare vacation. I called my dad from the plane to let him know we were delayed and perhaps he would like to leave to pick us up an hour or so later than he planned. I found him home, sick, very sick. He had already sent my mom and her friend to pick us up from the airport. That should have been my first clue to get off the plane!

We arrived in Florida, drove to mom and dad’s place to find my dad sick, very sick. Both ends sick, um, yeah. Mom doesn’t drive, much. But she tells me how to drive. Always. So I had to drive her to Wal-Mart to get some things for my dad. Like Vernors and Pepto-Bismol. Sunday Dad still wasn’t feeling too well to do anything.

Sunday night it just kept getting better. . . I woke to hear someone sick in the bathroom. Thinking it was my dad; I got up and asked if he was alright. It was my mom. She wasn’t alright. . . now I’ll speed this up. She got sick and sicker, we had to drag her (unwillingly) to the hospital on Monday morning, NO ONE at the Emergency Room desk to greet us. Can you believe this? I called her Doctor. Took her to her office. Doctor admitted her to a different hospital. Thank God!! Mom was in the hospital for 4 days. They gave her the wrong IV. They gave her an IV for a Diabetic. My mom is not a diabetic. Her blood sugar is 93 and it was up to 178!!!

Wednesday, our youngest daughter who accompanied me on this nightmare vacation got sick. Wednesday night, I went to take a shower, got sick and passed out; hit my head and who knows what else. Um yeah. Dad panicked called 911. I, in no way, was going to any hospital in Florida!!! No way, no how. The ambulance, fire truck and various technicians showed up. No thanks. I sent them on their way to find another victim. Of course, this gave the senior community some entertainment and we had approximately 500 in the streets wondering what was going on. Dad and I were up all night caring for my youngest. I did laundry all . . . night. . . . long. . . on and off. . . um yeah!! I cleaned up after dad, mom, our youngest and myself. Um yeah!!

Friday, after mom was released, we headed home. Praise the Lord!!!

I’m kidding folks. I do Praise the Lord! I’m very thankful He willed this to happen as it did. I was certainly needed in Florida to help my parents. My mom needed me to help with dad and dad needed me to help with mom. My mom is stubborn and it really did take two of us to get her to go to the hospital. She was dehydrating FAST and the elderly can die quickly from the flu if not treated. My youngest and I got our turn too so we won’t, hopefully, pass this on to my hubby and our oldest daughter back in Michigan. I also had a wonderful opportunity to talk individually, and then together, with my parents about the necessity of them learning how to do things independently. Like my mom can drive and she needs to do it a little more often. My dad needs to learn how to operate the washing machine. . . so if something happens to my mom he can have um like. . . clean underwear! You know that kind of talk, those kinds of things. They were receptive. They understood the necessity. The child becoming the parent. . . the parent becoming the child.

. . . and as bad of shape that Michigan may be in right now I LOVE IT AND AM SO GLAD TO BE HOME. It gets cold here. Cold to kill the germs and viruses. Not like Florida where it’s warm and humid and they just multiply and multiply. It’s cold and sunny and beautiful here today and I thank God He’s placed me right where I am. Thank you Jesus for taking care of all the tiny details last week for us and thank you for bringing us home safe, healthy and happy.

Sorry, I have no wonderful vacation pictures to share. I didn’t take a one. I also instructed our youngest daughter in the 9th grade, that if in English class she has to write a paper on what she did on her Winter Vacation. . . to make something up. I don’t think anyone would believe her LOL.

Blessings. . . until next time,

Another "Thing" to Love!

I just may NEVER get out of the shower again!

Look what my hubby installed in our master bathroom!! Our other shower head was starting to leak. . . ever. . . so. . . slightly. This baby ROCKS! It can be adjusted to have the water flow out of one head or both. Both heads are adjustable and can be positioned up or down wherever you want on the shower bar. Then, they also tilt. One of the heads is a hand held removable jobby which comes in handy when I clean the shower. Having the water flow out of both heads at the same time suits me perfectly! There is also a mirror attached so hubs can shave while showering!

I'm in HEAVEN!!

I'm also leaving. . . on a jet. . . plane. . . don't know when I'll be ****Oh, never mind. I'm leaving Saturday morning for Florida with our youngest daughter. I won't. . . be back again***until the following Saturday. . . SO I'M TAKING A BLOGGING BREAK. Mom and Dad don't have Internet connection (I know, I know, how do they survive?) But on top of that. . . they don't even have a computer (gasp). Our youngest will be going through some computer withdrawal symptoms, that's a given. I told her to bring books. Lots and lots of books. You should have seen the look I got from her.

Until we meet again. . . .

Blessings. . . until next time,

We had the most wonderful time at the 2008 Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio!! My mom and I left Michigan on Friday morning around 9:30 AM and arrived in Columbus by 1:30. It rained on and off most of the day ~ but we didn't care. . . at. . . all!! We had our umbrellas and we had on our boots and on we went!!

We came back on Saturday morning and stayed until the Fair closed at 5:00 PM. Saturday was beautiful. It rained hard in the morning, but cleared up by 10:00 AM when the Fair opened.

What a surprise it was to enter the Country Living Store and find the Editor-In-Chief, Nancy Soriano greeting visitors and personally autographing Country Living books. So, of course, I had to buy a few!!

Nancy is such a sweet lady. It was a pleasure to meet her!!

We attended several seminars. The above seminar was on "Sweat Equity" ~ putting the most into our homes to get the most out of our homes.

My favorite demonstration was on fall decorating for the home. Wonderful, informational and simple things anyone could do.

This was just a gathering of simple nature items found in the woods, forest, yard and placed in this lovely arrangement.

Gourds were simply sanded and then waxed with Butcher's Wax for a wonderful shine. We were told that gourds can last for years. Some displayed were over 8 years old. Of course, I purchased 3 Gourd to give it a try for myself :)

Another shot down a street ~ felt like I was living in the magazine for a few days.


We drove home yesterday and were caught in the rain and winds of IKE. We left our hotel around noon, stopped for brunch and came home. Wow, it poured hard and made driving very difficult. But thankfully, we arrived home safely.

Hope you enjoyed the little tour with me. Hopefully, we can all go next year :) ~

Blessings. . . until next time,

COUNTRY LIVING 2008 FAIR!!!

This time next week, I'm planning on attending the Country Living 2008 Fair in Columbus, Ohio
This is a picture from the Country Living web site. I guess it's the line waiting to get into the Fair. Don't you think they would post a picture more exciting than this? I'm guessing the photo was really about capturing the banner. What do you think? Don't the people look bored? I think I would have posted some lovely Fall pictures, some wonderful vendors maybe, a work shop or two. I love the ad in their magazine. That looks exciting and made me want to attend. It states:

Bigger and Better Than Last Year

And In A New Ohio Location

Join us in Columbus at the Historic Ohio Village, September 12-14,

for the 3rd annual Country Living Fair. Shop the more than 100

exhibitor booths for antiques, vintage furnishings, gifts, crafts, and

collectibles. Enjoy cooking demonstrations in the Country

Living kitchen designed by the Workshops of David t. Smith.

Attend free decorating and crafting seminars, including pumpkin

carving and floral arranging. And join Editor-in-Chief Nancy Soriano

for three days of shopping and fun family activities!

Anyways, I have my tickets to attend all three days, got my hotel reservations for two nights and I have my directions ~ from Michigan to Ohio. My mom wants to attend with me so she and Dad will drive down on Thursday, spend the night with us and Mom and I will take off in the AM.

Oh, I think it will be. . . so. . . much. . . fun!! If not, I'll be heading home early. Especially, if I'm standing in a line like that most of the day :)

Are any of you planning on attending? This will be the first time I've attended this Fair.

I have some projects I want to share with you all. Yes, I've been working hard around here. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to post these projects for you within the next few days.

Hope to see you at the Fair!

Blessings. . . until next time,

Myrtle Beach Vacation - Condo Tour

Oh What A Wonderful Vacation We Had!!!!

Come on into our condo with me! We rented a condo in North Myrtle Beach. It was part of the Hilton Hotel's Kingston Plantation, called The Royal Palms. It was wonderful!!

This is at the entrance to our condo. Closet to the right and left for hanging items. Second door on the left was one of the bathrooms (the one our girls used).

Here's our girls' room. They had a room with two queen sized beds. My hubby and I were at the opposite end of the condo. . . so that was nice because we couldn't hear them in their room late at night talking, laughing and watching TV.

This is a shot of the girls bathroom. It's soooo hard to photograph bathrooms!! They are so small it's hard to fit them in the photo.

Our beautiful kitchen area. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to cook and clean for a week in this kitchen. It has totally nixed my thoughts of granite counter tops for our home in the future. No thank you. I will be happy to stick with my Corian Solid Surface. This black granite showed everything. It was so hard to clean too. I couldn't believe it. Every water drop showed, every streak was magnified!

Off of the kitchen was a laundry room. Yes, I LOVE having a washer and dryer on vacation. That way before we return home I can wash my family's clothing so I don't have to do it when I get home. Everyone can just put their clothing right back in their closets and dressers!

This is the balcony off of our rooms. We could enter the balcony from the living room or from the master bedroom. Oh yes, we had the end unit on the 24th floor. And what. . .a. . . view. . . we. . . had!! This is the master bedroom with a bathroom off of it. To the left (can't see it in this picture) is another doorwall leading to the same balcony as above. We had a wonderful walk-in-closet that was the size of some bedrooms I've seen.

This is the master bathroom. Behind the door is the Jacuzzi tub. I'm strange. I only get in my nice, clean Jucuzzi tub I have at home in my bathroom. I've read about all the germs in the tub and on the remote controls. No thank you!!

This is the view from our bedroom walking into the Living Room/Dining area. Yes, hubby is on the phone WORKING. . . on vacation. I'm not sure what was supposed to be over the buffet in the dining area. It looks like it may have been a photo or a mirror that wasn't there any longer. You can still see the hanging hardware attached to the wall, however.

This is a shot from the dining room, into the kitchen. To the right, you go down a hall and back out to the exit door.

This is the view from our room. I didn't visit the pool. I spent my days laying on the beach under an umbrella. . . reading a book and just totally enjoying myself. Our girls and my husband enjoyed boogie boarding and renting jet skis. I enjoyed looonnnngg walks on the beach in the morning and late evening. *Sigh* What a great time, family time we had.

We ended our vacation by visiting Charleston. What a great city! We visited the Middleton Plantation, The Marketplace, the beautiful old homes, Justine's Home Cooking Restaurant and the wonderful downtown area with all the delightful stores and antique shops. Our hotel was not as impressive as our condo though. Due to the history of Charleston - - space, of course, is at a premium. We stayed at a beautiful Embassy Suites which was a former military academy. We opened our door to our "suite" and our girls asked us where it was. I would have taken a picture for you all, but it was too small to even bother. But, we all enjoyed ourselves in spite of the small, close space.

Blessings. . . until next time,

ON VACATION!!!

It's F I N A L L Y here!!!!!!

Well folks, it's finally here. I'm off for a week long vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. My family is leaving very early this morning and will be gone for just over a week. I. can't. wait!!! I'm sooo looking forward to spending time with our entire family; my hubby, our oldest and youngest daughters. Yes, it will be wonderful.

While we're gone we are having painters paint the outside trim on our house and the service doors. So, when we get home it will be all. done.

See you after the 16th ;)

*Edited to add* I have no idea who that kid is in the picture. I just founded it on my photo editing software and thought it looked like how I'll feel on vacation. Whoo - Hoooo!!!!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

What a FISH Story!!

My Hubby's Alaska Fishing Trip Story (true story)

Ever try to SAVE a buck, only to COST you MORE? Well, that's what happened to my husband this past week.

Every year my husband takes a fishing trip into Alaska with his buddies. He loves fishing, always has and always will. I do not share his passion for fishing. . . at. . .all! He finds it extremely relaxing and since he has a very, very highly stressful job -- I encourage him to go with his buds annually into Alaska for Salmon and Halibut fishing. They river fish for Salmon and then charter a boat out into the ocean (like 5 hours out into the ocean) and fish, fish and fish for Halibut!! It's exhausting and wonderful he says. . . all. . .at. . . the. . .same. . . time. Apparently, Halibut live 250 feet down in the ocean so you have to fish deep. It's a workout pulling those buggers up.

All those fish you see hanging in the top photo are from their charter trip. If anyone is interested the name of the charter is "Puffin." Each year they have tried a different charter, but from now on will be sticking with "Puffin." My husband raved about the captain and how he went above and beyond what the other boat charters do.

All six guys evenly divide up the "catch" and have it processed, packaged (dry ice) and shipped home. That's what they always have done. BUT, this year, the plans changed a bit. My husband found out how much shipping has increased. . . so it would have been $127 dollars to Fed Ex that fish home (with a two day delivery). So, he devised a plan. He was not coming home, but going right to a customer's location. But his plane was flying into Detroit first, then flying into his destination. He came up with the brilliant idea to check in his package, er fish I mean. I would meet him at the airport baggage pick-up, take delivery of his package, er fish, and I'd be on my merry way and so would he. EXCEPT. . . Northwest Airlines goofed and shipped the package to his final destination city. . . even though he clearly instructed them otherwise.

So, here he is now with his package, er I mean fish. He had to take a cab to the Fed Ex location, Fed Ex the fish home after all (overnight now!!). Total $152.71 and $40 for a taxi to go to and from the FedEx location and then onto the work location. Now, $192.71 in the hole!!

Next year, I hope he just ships it from Alaska to begin with~!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

Home Again and Back to Work!!

Oh, Wherever You May Roam. . . There is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!





Oh, so wonderful to be back home. It was high 70' s yesterday and high 50's today. But. . . I'm not complaining at all!! Actually, I'm loving it after last week!


My little embroidery machine workhorse is going as I type. I'm embroidering the items for the basket I'm donating for Relay for Life's Silent Auction. I'm donating this basket on behalf of our 9th grade Cheer Team. I'll share pictures when my embroidery projects are completed for the basket.


In the meantime, here are some towels that I embroidered for part of our 14 year old's birthday gift. She asked for them for her bathroom. Now, if we could just keep them hanging up and not on the floor!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

HOT, HOT, HOT!!

Just a quick post. . . and a promise!!

We visited the Natural Bridge Caverns today. Very interesting caves here near San Antonio. We all enjoyed our tour very much. Now, I'm beat and back at the hotel. My hubby and our youngest are off to Six-Flags of San Antonio. Don't know where they get their energy!!

It is sooooo hot here in San Antonio!! Over 100 degrees and humid! The temperature in the caves was about 75 degrees with 99% humidity too!! Yeah, I got back to the hotel and showered. . . again today. Oh, I'm feeling so much better now, thankyouverymuch. Too crowded at the pools and too many little ones (and you know what they do in the pool ;) I can do hot, but not along with humid, sticky, icky. Yucky!! The earlier part of the week wasn't as hot as the past two days have been thankfully!!

. . . now here's my promise. . . "This Michigan gal shall never again complain about our Michigan cold and snow. I repeat, I will never again complain about our cold and snow!!" There, enough said!!

We're heading home tomorrow night. . . late. Monday should be high 70's back home. Aaaahhhhh, can't wait.

Blessing. . . until next time,

Remember the Alamo!!

HAD to visit the Alamo!!!!

Couldn't come to San Antonio, Texas and NOT make a visit. Of course, our youngest didn't want anything to do with visiting the Alamo. . . too much like school for her. But, we (& she) went anyways and enjoyed it. I was surprised that this historic spot is right smack dab in the middle of town. Kind of different. We walked to it from our hotel, so that was sure convenient.

Here it is. Just like I've always seen it in pictures!

Tongue and cheek smile from our youngest. She would have rather gone "shopping!!" Of course, I didn't know on our first trip to the Alamo that it closed at 5:30!!!! (that's probably why she's smiling) . . . but it was all good. . . we just went back the next day : )

Different day, therefore, different clothes!!

Yup, Crockett, as in Davey Crockett who fought and died at the Alamo. This sure was one hot piece of property!! We also saw his memorial in a church on the other side of town, but were unable to take pictures inside the church.

We took a river boat ride down and around the Riverwalk. Beautiful ride. I couldn't understand a "word" our driver was saying though. Talking too fast and I don't speak Spanish! I sure wish I did though. We enjoyed it very much anyways.

Along the Riverwalk in the boat.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!! We are staying in San Antonio until Sunday night then heading back to Michigan. One thing that I know for sure. . . when I get home. . . I don't want to see that bathroom scale until I can fast for a week or two first LOL!!!! Oh, my, Gosh. Excellent Mexican food. Everywhere!!

Blessings. . . until next time,

San Antonio - Beautiful City!!!

San Antonio, Texas. . . What a Beautiful city!!

We're here in San Antonio, TX. What a beautiful, beautiful city!! My youngest and I are having so much fun!! Shopping, lounging by the pool, visiting the sites. The Riverwalk is breathtaking. That's what the above pictures are . . . the Riverwalk. We stroll it each day and always see something new!!

. . . and the food. Awesome. We LOVE Mexican food, so we're in heaven here!!

Blessings. . . until next time,