Things I Like

We all have things that make us smile, help make simple daily tasks more enjoyable, or remind us of a fun time we had with family or friends.   I thought I might every so often do a blog on "Things I Like".   They might be totally frivolous......and probably are but that is just ok.

I think I will start with something I don't have but would like.   This is the Lilly Pulitzer Agenda/Calendar.   Yes it is pricey but I love the design and the functionality of the agenda.    Maybe next month I will order it after payday.  

 

 

The OPI Polish is my favorite and I am anxious to use this pink.   Should be a good end of the summer color.

 

 

If you live in Florida, you better have sunglasses.   And if you are anything like me, you leave them in the car, by the pool, on the counter, and who knows where else.   So 2 or 3 pairs will help your sanity when in a hurry.  (Yes, I know, so will organization but ah......that just isn't going to happen.)
I usually keep a couple of my Bath Works Lotions in the my "look what I found on the beach' pail. 



Speaking of the beach, your shells should be displayed in several areas.   Ours our by the front door and on the patio.  It is a sign of honor to have certain shells found - right Kathy?  My friend calls my Dad the shell master but I have seen her collections and I think she might of won rights to that title.

 

These beautiful, silver dragon flies are magnets on my fridge - a gift from my friend Nicole.   I loved them so much that Mom and I gave a set to Kathy Cox for a thank you for having us stay in their beautiful condo over night.

 

My crab beaded magnet makes me smile.   Crabs seem to have such a funny personality and their sideways walk is amusing.

 

We have had a Keurig on the counter for 1/2 year now and everyone uses it.   I like flavored and regular coffee so I can get just what I am in the mood for instead of making a pot of coffee.

 

This is something new in our house.   Out went the table and plastic  carts for my craft supplies and in came this wonderful glass shelf with 21 cubby holes for storage all on an oak base.  It is practical, pretty, and functional - all in one.   I sound like a sales lady now.  You can see my cricut in the bottom left corner.  I have more craft paper than I thought.   Time to start using it up.

I love to display beach items and these dried star fish are perfect!  I have heard down towards the end of the island they are finding sand dollars that have washed in because of the storms that we have had lately.  Hm......  maybe Dad and I will need to make a trip down there and take a look.

Just a few thoughts before I go.  

• My friend Kris had hip surgery today and I hope she is doing fine.  She will need to miss several weeks of school but at least it is during beautiful weather and she can open windows and hear Lake Michigan waves rolling onto shore.
• Good luck and have fun to Nicole.   Nicole has started a new job as a teacher's aide and they are so lucky to get her.     
•  Sunny, warm weather looks like it is here to stay for awhile (I hope) as this has been the summer of rain.  Enjoy your week all - Labor Day Week-end is right around the corner.

 

Thankful Thursday

 

Thankful for my funny Dad.

 

 

I am thankful that we all can enjoy new things.

 

 

That I have my cute Kacey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our new home.

 

 

For my Mom - my friend.

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RON!   I HOPE HE IS HAVING A GREAT DAY.  HE IS HAVING A BIRTHDAY DINNER WITH OUR FRIEND MIKE TONIGHT.  I AM THANKFUL FOR BOTH MY BROTHERS.

   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, RON!

Just a bit of a gripe

Bear with me here......I am venting now.      It was time to get my eyes checked and I did.  I was getting new frames and lenses and I have pretty good insurance.  So after trying on many pairs of glasses, I came up with these.  

 The pictures really don't do them justice.    They are bronze frames with a small Diamond looking stone on each side.   I think they are classy  and very comfy.  But enough of that.   That is not the purpose of this story.  After the exam I sit down with the lady deciding what the glasses will have included.   It is easier to buy a car, let me tell you.   What kind of lens, what kind of coating, at my age of course we discuss the bi-focals, and any tints or should they be scratch resistance.  We were also discussing having the same lens put in a cheaper frame that I liked for prescription sunglasses.   (There was even a special - buy one pair and the second is 40% off.)    Well, I kept asking the price of this and that and she said, "Oh it will all come up on the computer when we are finished."   And boy, did it!   Over $300.  I said, now that is for both glasses with the insurance, right.    No, these were only for one pair.  WHAT!?  One pair with our eye insurance?  She looked at me with as if I was clueless.   And I was and still am.   How, I ask HOW can anything so important for a reasonable life be so much money even with my insurance!  Well, forget those sunglasses.  Too many people can't afford this and parents with 3 children would need to take out a loan to get glasses each year for their children.

I wonder what the mark-up is on glasses.  Somebody is making a great deal of money on these.

 

Here is just another subject that  can get me angry.    Glasses, along with hearing aides, the price of gas, insurance for car, house, and health.   I will just end this with this statement.   You can buy a computer for less than a pair of glasses.  Really!? 

 

Southern Ladies

I absolutely love living in the south and  am finding more  to  fall in love with every day.   I wish I could claim to be a "southern girl" since I was born in Pensacola but we left awfully early in my childhood for Indiana.  Maybe there is some of that "proud southern girl" in me anyway.
The true southern accents catch my attention and I even envy their choice of words that come so easy to the tongue and that southern drawl that we all recognize.

People who live in these southern states seem to have a calmer pace to life and a greater appreciation of those around.  I am not criticizing the north.   I love my corn, snow belt, Indy 500, basketball lovin' Hoosier state but  the general temperament is different in Indiana and there are many good reasons for that. 

 What got me going on this subject is a simple visit to the eye doctor last week.  It was a hot, humid day and the office might of been a tad warm.  The wonderful receptionist said with that unmistakable southern drawl " My goodness, I am so warm."  As she wiped her brow, she said  " Ladies do not sweat, they perspire."  I laughed and said I  loved her choice of words and her southern accent.  It was as southern as drinking a glass of sweet peach ice tea under a magnolia tree.
(A word of advice, when you order that tea, if you prefer unsweet you must speak up otherwise you are getting glass of sweet tea.)    

Another sweet sign of respect here is when most students and young adults call me Miss Peggy, Mom is Miss Elaine, and Dad is Mr. Ron.  And that is everyone down to the nurses in the doctor's offices.   You might be called "darlin'" by an older woman waiting on you in a store.   And if you give them the exact change they may respond "You're a peach!"

I have read that a lady does not criticize others or show anger.     If an elderly gentleman is driving slow down the road and holding up traffic, instead of anger directed towards him a lady would say "Bless his heart."   I have even noticed my aunt says this instead of anger.  Hmm..... I should try this.

My friend Nicole and I are always sending plates of desserts, snacks, and such back and forth when we find a new recipe.    When Nicole returns a bowl or plate, it is almost always with some goodies  like homemade scones and a pastel colored bow to make it even more special. 

There is so much more that I love about the south but it is getting late.   I am sending good thoughts to all my teacher friends that have or will be starting school this week.  I always slept poorly the last night before the beginning of the school year.   It is amazing what your imagination can think up when you should be sleeping.   So for now, I will leave you with this until my next blog
:

RAIN

This day is one of those non-stop soaking, rainy days that you are tempted to curl up on the couch with an IPAD and tv remote.  And the thing is this is nothing new in July and August but we already have 5 inches by 1:00 p.m. and it is not stopping soon.  I did not want to vegetate there all day so I suggested a drive to Pensacola Beach.

Everything is green, wet, and beautiful.

One unhappy doggie letting us know her feelings about us leaving the house without her.  



We took off for Subway on the beach.   This is a special Subway.   It is the only chain restaurant allowed on the beach and it is only allowed because it fits in so well with beach life.

The road down to Fort Pickens is closed.  There are spots that the gulf has washed over the road.  They removed all campers by 7:00 last night for safety reasons.

I stopped at one of the favorite kayak spots but it was empty of anyone wishing to kayak in the rain.

There is always someone happy with rain.

Bike routes are empty also.

Never empty - rain or shine is Peg Legs.  People flock to this wonderful restaurant/bar.   My favorite is the smoked tuna dip and they have the best flounder on the island.

So let's find something special to do on this rainy day.   I pull into the Margaritaville parking garage.   Uh.... no....no beach right now.

Mom found the elevators.   Parking in a dry area right by the elevator and a short ride up to the lobby.

If you want the beach....you can't get lost.

So we take a seat by this pretty mermaid for coffee and dessert.

We are enjoying watching all the people.

I went out on the sea for adventure.....

Haul the sheet in  as we ride  on the wind that our

Forefathers harnessed  before us.

Hear the bells ring the tide rigging sings,

It's a son of a gun of a chorus.

I had to take this picture through the glass.  When I opened the door, the wind pushed the rain onto me and the camera.  The surprise is that the waves were not big.  All that haze out there is rain.

No one is fishing on the fishing pier.

Just isn't a great beach day.

Mom and Dad waiting for their coffee.

Kids behind us having painting lessons on this rainy day.

I love these ceiling fans.  I have even seen them at Lowes but you do need a high ceiling so as not to decapitate anyone.

Along with our coffee is Florida's famous Keylime Pie.   Perfect!

From there we headed home and there is a black and white western on one tv - Mom, and golf on another - Dad.  Neither thrill me so I will find something else to do with my time.  I love it here and all that there is to do - even in the rain!

 

 

Happy Unbirthday to you.........

It is just too quiet.   Way too quiet.   Ron and Dave are both gone and it was a wonderful five weeks with one or the other here.  We were busy working on the landscaping in the back and enjoying our Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, and Navarre Beach.

 Before Ron left for Indiana, we celebrated his unbirthday on Friday because his "real birthday" is in a couple of weeks.  This included gifts, dinner out, and birthday cake.  Sage was SO excited - is this gift possibly tennis balls?   NOPE....sorry Sage.   Just a water bottle with Pensacola Beach Logo.

Sage keeps her attention right on those gifts just in case something is for her.

Kacey, well she could obviously care less.  I think she is thinking "Didn't he just have a birthday last year?"  How boring! 

A Frisbee was given to Ron so that he and Sage could play but Sage bit through that Frisbee in less than a minute.   Oh well.

A Hawaiian shirt - great for here and Indiana.  He also got two other shirts and money to go towards a new radio for his car.  And a  reciprocating saw.   I'd say Ron did pretty good for an unbirthday.

Dog picture time.
        Every time we get together I like to attempt to get the dogs to sit by each other and get a picture.  The problem is keeping Sage  in one spot for more than a couple seconds and convincing Kacey that it is ok to be close to Sage.  Kacey is such a doggie diva. 
                                          Look at Kacey's body language.   Not too friendly.

So I moved Kacey to the other side of the chair.  Again, body language speaks for itself.

It does not even bother Sage that Kacey is sitting on her.

Finally, this is better but Kacey still does not look  happy.  Such an attitude!

Finally!!  Except that Kacey has a big pout pug scowl look on her mug.  If a pug wants to look upset, they can really bring on that sad, pug look.   Silly dog. 
Ron left at 2:00 am and yes, we all got up to say goodbye.  After all, we will probably not see him until Christmas.  He safely got home at 4:00 - 14 hours later.   That is a long drive to do all by yourself but lots cheaper than the expense of flying.  And that is another topic you just don't want to get me going on........Take care all!