I Won! I Won!

I can't believe it! I actually won the beautiful hand-painted Scarecrow Scoop offered by The Antique Pallet.

Thank you so much, Chris! I look forward to getting him. I know EXACTLY where that little guy is going!

Turning 54

Tomorrow is my 54th birthday. Until a few months ago I didn't think I looked 54...then I got contact lenses and discovered I did have wrinkles in my face! Seriously though, I don't feel 54..my brain keeps telling me I'm still 24 and should be able to do whatever I feel like doing.
As I think back over the years,
10 years ago I was busy enjoying life as a new Floridian.
20 years ago I was busy raising two active boys.
30 years ago I was anxiously awaiting the birth of my first child
40 years ago I was deep in the throes of my first real crush
50 years ago I was a wide-eyed toddler, exploring the world around me.

Over the past 54 years there's been a lot of changes to the world around us. 3 wars...VietNam, Desert Storm and the current war with Iraq and Al Quada. The price of milk has gone from 92 cents to $3.00. An average car cost $1600 back then, now you can't even find a clunker for that amount of money. My parents paid $11,000 for their first home in 1955. Now people's house payments for a year are that much...or more. Computers were something you saw in Buck Rogers then, now they're in every home and we carry them in our purses and briefcases. Man's been to the moon and back, walked in space...all the things that were pure science fiction in 1955 are reality now.
Do I feel old? Some days, yes...very old. Do I think the world has changed for the better? No, not always. I miss the easier going days, the days when children thought great fun was riding their bicycles or sitting under the apple tree in the backyard playing with Barbie dolls. I don't understand why kids today would trade fresh air and sunshine for a dark bedroom with their face plastered to a television set playing X-Box and I certainly don't understanding hauling yourself out of bed at 3AM to stand in line to be first to purchase the latest video game.
So would you call me an old fuddy-duddy? Probably, at times. But I'd like to think that somewhere there's a place where people still enjoy sitting around in the evening talking quietly while the kids chase fireflies and play Statue Maker or Freeze Tag in the waning light of the evening, where an evening of fun includes a bonfire, some whittled sticks and hot dogs or marshmallows. I miss the innocence of youth, when your first kiss was something you treasured and sex wasn't the main topic of conversation at every get-together. I miss family get-togethers where you got to eat Great-Grandma's famous cake or Great Aunt Martha's chicken and dumplings.
I'm done feeling maudlin, time to break out the streamers, party hats and noise makers. Happy Birthday to me!

Dressed for fall

Although it's still hot and humid here in Florida my calendar says September and for this northern transplant my mind says it's time for fall! Fall is my favorite time of year, there's nothing like the warm days and crisp, cool nights or the ever changing colors of the leaves. Fall has its own unique smells as well, ones I now have to try to recreate using candles as Florida doesn't have the same seasons. Here we have two seasons...summer and not summer. Our leaves don't change colors, they just fall off the tree and die, those that actually lose their leaves anyway.
This year we're taking a trip north, and this year I'm hoping that the leaves are turning colors (I've been told they've already begun changing), that the sky is the unique blue only found in fall, and that the nights are "need a sweater" crisp.
As for me, I've put away all my summer decorations and have brought out the oranges, yellows, browns and blacks of fall. My home feels warm and cozy, as if we're beginning to wind down the seasons and prepare for winter.
Did you know it's only 109 days until Christmas? Have you started your shopping yet?

Fall Give-away

You too can win this gorgeous handpainted scoop from THE ANTIQUE PALLET. I know he would look perfect in my kitchen this fall.

I don't know about you, but I'm anxious for summer to be over, the heat has been so bad this year, and I'm ready to put away my Americana and fill my home with the colors and scents of fall. This guy would fit in perfectly!

Here's the rules: "leave me a comment that you want to win on this post for an entry!
2nd, become a follower of my blog for an entry! If you were already a follower you will get two entries! 3rd, post a picture of this give a way on your blog with a link back to my blog and you will get TWO entries! Be sure to drop me an email or a comment to let me know that you did this so I don't miss you."

Hop on over and enter!

She's going home

Monday is here and in a couple of hours I'll be watching Josie take off into the wild, blue, yonder. The past ten days have passed so quickly, it's almost been a whirlwind, but we've had a wonderful, wonderful, time together. Oh, we've had our moments...she's a very sensitive child...and there's been a few tears and a little homesickness, and although she's ready to go home I think, all in all, the whole trip has been a success.

Yesterday we had a beach day, watching the excitement and delight in Josie's eyes as she saw the ocean for the first time was worth the hours we spent driving and the million times we answered the "are we there yet" and "how much farther" questions. Our first stop was Daytona Beach where she got to play in the ocean and pick up a few seashells. Then back into the truck for the trek to Cocoa Beach and a mandatory shopping trip to Ron Jon's Surf Shop. We showed her the vehicle assembly building at Cape Canaveral and the cruise ships in port at Port Canaveral, but visits to those places will have to wait for another trip. She got a cute Ron Jon's hoodie for her souvenir. She'll be able to wear it all winter and remember her vacation fun.

This morning we're sitting in the Holiday Inn in Orlando, sadly waiting for the time when we have to take her to the airport. I'm not looking forward to the long lines, the waiting, the crowds, or the noise, but the thing I dread the most is my last look at her as she rounds that corner to get on the plane. It's a long way from Florida to Chicago and these once a year visits don't come often enough for grandma and grandpa. We've stored up a year's worth of memories, and are already planning for next year, what exciting and fun things we can do together.

Summertime Fun!

We have been very blessed these past few days to have our granddaughter, Josie, with us for a visit. We've stayed very busy, trying to do fun things so she enjoys being here. Florida is quite hot and humid, especially to a northern gal like Josie. But, she's been a trooper and has really been enjoying herself. The ten-day visit is passing all too quickly and before we know it, Monday will be here and I'll be standing in the airport, waving good-bye as she boards the plane home.
We took her to a local gun club one day. The owner there has quite a collection of animals he's killed. One we thought she'd really enjoy was a black bear. She thought they were all fascinating and had many questions. The first one was, "can you teach me to shoot a gun?" This is a picture of Josie with the black bear.
I can proudly say...she's her grandma's girl!!

Getting Squished

I can't think of anything much more painful than getting a mammogram. All that mushing and squishing , not to mention how COLD those rooms are!! However, they're very important, especially when you have a history of cancer in your family. My grandmother died of breast cancer, my cousin died of breast cancer, my sister is a 10-year breast cancer survivor, and we have another cousin who has breast cancer. I had uterine cancer surgery in March, we have a cousin with brain cancer and an uncle who died of brain cancer. Think we just might have the cancer gene in our family??

Anyway, today is my day to get squished. I've put it off since 2006 and my doctor told me "no more procrastination." I wonder, do you suppose if I'm a good girl my husband might take me out to dinner?