Hey, All!

First of all, my apologies for not posting a birthday wish for Nurse J on the 10th.  I remembered her birthday, called, texted, etc.  but somehow, didn't get to the blog post.  We love you!  She's had a busy year so far!

I hope all is well with everyone.  Golfer and I are doing okay.  He's had some medical tests recently and is starting a new medication which  hopefully will help with the swelling and pain in his hands.  Getting older is not for wimps, as I have often said.  I see my pain management doctor next week and have several things to discuss with him.  But overall, life goes on and life is good!

We had some repair work done on the house trim earlier in the week.  We'll meet with Jeff, our painter guy, this afternoon to get an estimate on the painting of the house trim.   As you all know, when you own a home there is always something to be done if you are trying to keep it nice and in good repair.

Yesterday was HOT !!!(around 100)  and extremely humid.  Golfer did the yard work early in the day and the yard was looking pretty good.  I had errands and grocery shopping to do. Then did a few things around the house.  About 5:30 it got really dark and the wind started.  BIG WIND!  Then it rained some.  Now we have yard full of bits and pieces to pick up, but no real damage.  I noticed this morning that on the next street one of our neighbors lost at least half a large tree that hit the corner of their house and did some minor damage.  Power was out for some.  Nurse J said theirs came back on about 3:00 a.m.  Fortunately, that wind and storm cooled things down a lot and today is only to be in the 70's.

Here's what the sky looked like as it was starting last evening.  Golfer took the picture.  The clouds were moving fast and very low.

We have heard from our friends in Colorado and so far they are okay.  One couple is actually in Texas right now and someone else is looking after their house.  We are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.  I've been watching for an update on the Royal Gorge fire.  That was a favorite spot when we lived out there.  The girls didn't care for the huge bridge, but it was beautiful country.  I hope the area survives the fires.  Last year's fires took out the Flying W Ranch, another of our favorites.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers!  Stay safe!

Updates

Hey, All!

I hope all is well with everyone.

Golfer and I are okay here.  No storm damage from Andrea.  We got a good breeze and a good amount of rain.  Williamsburg got hit with almost nine inches of rain and they had some flooding, as did the usual areas that flood with a heavy rain around here.  But we're good, but things are still damp and muggy.  I think it is supposed to rain a little more later this evening.

As you can tell by the previous posting, we got to babysit today!  We all had fun, even when Cutie Girl was not real happy and exercising her lungs rather loudly.  Nurse J and Cable Guy took BeyB to see "Star Trek Into Darkness". They all had a good time and Golfer and I got baby cuddles!

If the weather cooperates we are having some repair on the house trim done this week and then there will be painting.  Fortunately we have some good guys to do all this!

Stay safe!

Dreaming of Boldly Going Where No Baby Has Gone Before

Back from Vacation and Other Assorted News

Hey, all!

I hope you are all well and happy.  Golfer and I are doing well.  We've recently been on vacation and have been catching up on things since returning home.

Golfer and some of his friends play in the Military Retirees Golf Classic every year in Myrtle Beach.  This is a nice tournament and gives veterans a chance to see each other and play some golf.  It's always Memorial Day week.  The weather was almost perfect this year.  Bikini and her family take their vacation during this week and we get to spend time with them.  Although she told us that for the next two years they won't be able to go because of the kids' shifting school schedules.  We'll miss them.  Nurse J sometimes goes for just the weekend, but can't stay because school for BeyB isn't out until mid-June here in Virginia.

The one major drawback and awful issue with all of this is that Memorial Day weekend coincides with the annual Bike Fest in Myrtle Beach.  We have always known this and always dealt with it.  They have as much right to be there as the golf tournament people.  But this year was the worst ever. 

Here's a little background on Bike Fest:  The Harley Riders have their gathering earlier in May and are there for two weeks.  They ride their bikes into town and gather.  Sure, they like to party and visit, and there's  more traffic on the roads, but for the most part they try to behave.  And they do do some great charitable work.  Bike Fest, on the other hand, consists of people who haul their bikes to town.  It's mostly for show.  They then take up all the parking spots at the  hotel with the vehicles, trailers, and bikes.  This year they also took up parking spaces for their grills, which is against the hotel rules.  There was more noise, more bad language, more smoking, more drug use and more just plain bad behavior this year.  And for all intents and purposes, the hotel management appeared to just give up and do nothing to help the other guests.  I spoke with several people who were there for the first time and said they would never return.  I personally think the hotel should warn people about the Bike Fest conditions when they're making reservations.

Add to that the fact that housekeeping was poor to non-existent, at least three times the elevator lurched and dropped half a floor with us in it, and the front desk staff barely spoke English some days and were less than helpful.  Ownership changed a few years ago and things are not what they were.

So this year was the turning point.  We've decided to find another place to stay a bit away from the rowdy action. Golfer and I had time before we came home to look at a couple places.  They seemed very nice.  We're thinking of staying in one of them to try it out before the next tournament.

After the so-called bikers left town things got a bit better and we enjoyed the rest of the week.  Beach time, pool time, dinners out, etc.  And I got to go on the Sky Wheel!  I've wanted to go since they built it, but just never made it.  Bikini, Brief, the kids and I went one afternoon.  It was great!

So now we are home.  The laundry is done, things put away, house is cleaned, the yard work has been done, things are caught up.  Right now we're just hanging out in the house because of the storm warnings.  "Andrea" is moving in and it's pouring down rain.

Stay safe!

"Best to Stay Prayed Up"

I was at the "Y" this afternoon doing "my thing" on the semi-recumbent elliptical machine.  That's first and then into the pool.  Anyway, there was a lady on the next machine that I had not seen before.  Usually there is little or no talking while work is going on in the machine room.  But she started up a conversation.  The TV screens in front of both of us were showing reports from the Weather Channel on the Oklahoma tornadoes.  We were in agreement that it was a terrible disaster and it was a blessing that there were so few people hurt or killed.  Still too many, but it could have been worse.  Then the conversation turned to how lucky we were and how blessed and she said something that has stayed on my mind.  Something very true.  She said you can be here one minute and gone the next.  I know this very well.  And then she said "and that's why you should always stay prayed up".

Amen to that, sister!  Stay safe!

Hey, All!

I hope all the ladies had a nice Mothers Day!

Golfer and I got to do our first babysitting with CutieGirl yesterday.  She was so good and so cute!  This was the first introduction to our furry kids and they didn't quite know what to think of her.  But everyone was well behaved and got along.  I expected no less.  This is Angus and Cinder checking her out and wondering what she is!  You can see the furry kids are definitely bigger than her right now.

Golfer returned from his golf trip and has been catching up on things.  He had a good time and the weather cooperated.

We've been having what seems like a lot of rain here.  Everything is green and growing.  Some of our azaleas are done blooming and others haven't even started.  The hydrangeas have buds!  It was hot for a couple days and then cooled off and the heat is turned on again!  And on the news this morning they were suggesting if you had young plants in your garden to cover them up the next two nights.  Geez!  it's May already!

So life is good.  Stay safe!

The Truth in Fiction

I like to read.  I also like to watch movies.  I have to admit that among some of my female friends, it is considered odd that I do not care for the traditional "chick" movies or books.  I like a good shoot 'em up, and science fiction.  Do not ask me to read or sit and watch a sob story or some touchy feely thing.  The last "chick" movie I truly enjoyed was "Steel Magnolias".  And it was full of strong willed women doing good.

Golfer and I have been Star Trek and Star Wars fans since the beginning.  I can't wait for the new Star Trek movie to come out to see what is next in the alternate Trek universe.  (FYI -this morning I heard that Chris Pine - aka the new Capt. Kirk - is also going to be the new Jack Ryan!)  In Star Trek stories, beings of all races, nationalities, colors, and origins work together for the common good.  Isn't this better than hearing about idiots just driving by and shooting each other on a whim?

But, back to my main thought here... there is truth in fiction.  Because I read and watch what I do, I get a glimpse of possible futures.  And since I choose to try to be a happy, content person, I often avoid watching the news.  Let's be honest, isn't it just darn depressing a lot of the time?  I'm sitting around with my head in the sand.  I read the paper and do listen to the news, but I don't want to dwell on it constantly.   My heart goes out to those affected by the bombings and shootings and other disasters and if there was something I could personally do, I would surely try. 

I have often thought that the public is often just clueless about their surroundings and what is going on.    But then I was raised by a  mother who was a people watcher.  Some of that rubbed off, or was hereditary or something.   Please people, let's all be more observant.  The new U.S. motto is "see something, say something".  The difficult part might be finding someone to say it to, but make the effort.  A former pastor always said, "it is better to be told something more than once than not at all".

In the aftermath and investigation of the Boston bombings, the authorities pieced together pictures from  cell phones and private cameras.  They also used the security cameras from streets and businesses.  You know, the ones that some folks still say are just fake boxes.  And others rant against for invasion of privacy.   Golfer and I watch "Person of Interest".  I think it is a great show.  If you are not familiar, the main characters are given information on someone who is either going to be the cause or the victim.  The computer spews out information and causes the cameras to track the person.  The main characters then stop or rescue.   This show is presumably fiction.  But is it?  When you consider Boston, I think there is more truth there.

Is this an infringement of privacy?  Maybe.  But if you are trying to live a good life and doing what is right, what do you have to hide? 

I am a fan of J.D. Robb's  (Nora Roberts' pen name) "In Death" mystery series.  I have read all of the books and am waiting for the next to be published later this year.  The main character is a detective in the New York City of the future.  Cars fly, guns with bullets are illegal, but the police all have stunners.  And wrist communicators!  Besides the wonderful characters and the fun glimpses of a possible future society, there are frequent mentions of future gadgets.  In one of the latest books, clues to the murder were found on memory cubes.  Guess what I saw an email ad for!  A memory cube!  Leave yourself or someone else a recorded message or reminder.  The thing looks like a thick pad of post-it notes, but it's a mini recorder.  Did someone read the book and develop one, or did Nora Roberts know someone and get advance info? 

This is probably enough of my rambling.  In short, I think there are infinite possibilities in our world.

Keep your eyes open and stay safe!