Look Out, Mickey!

We had a whirlwind 10 days unpacking, laundry and repacking before taking off again to Florida.  We did our regular daily routine stuff punctuated by three card games!  Both Ted and I won at the country club and he won at Mardi Gras evening. The third game was ladies only and I, again, was in the middle!

We left home Tuesday morning and drove to Pensacola. The next day enroute we were informed Kara and Bill, who are at Grand Floridian, had free tickets to Animal Kingdom Moonlight Magic free evening for DVC owners. So we had to arrive by 3:30!  Our GPS gave us a 2:15 arrival so we said OK.

We met K&B at a Hilton where they turned in their rental car and then drove them to AK to meet their friends we know, also DVC owners. 

We used our free snack tickets to get chicken pot stickers, fries, Mickey pretzel and Mickey ice cream bar. 

Up

Not a great dinner but free is free! 

We took the safari tour, a great opportunity to sit down!  Here are a few photos taken on the fly because there were no lengthy stops to take photos.  

The others had an opportunity to continue the free evening at Magic Kingdom so at we took K&B back to the Grand Floridian to catch the monorail that took them to Magic Kingdom and would take them back there at the end of their evening.  

We arrived at Kristin’s afterwards.  Longgggg day!  We rested up on Thursday after our two days of driving. 

On Friday I had agreed to help Kristin and her friend with a second grade Valentine’s Day party.  It went pretty well. This was a Title One school and only two children had ever had a Happy Meal!  Then they were supposed to take a pack of Valentines and address them to the other children. Didn’t work too well. But the decorating paper bags to receive Valentines was a big, messy hit!  We had gift bags for each child plus a decorated cupcake and a heart shaped cookie at the end of the day!  Whew!  Kristin’s FitBit told her to take it easy the next day. I was pooped. I tried keeping the decorations for the bag decorating centralized and picked up trash!  My attempt at decorating ideas!

Ted and Larry went to lunch and had a nice time. Ted cooked filets for our Valentine’s dinner and Larry’s sister joined us. I went to bed early!

A Lost Week and a Vacation Week

Both of my “card parties” went well.  My refreshments were well received by the participants.  There  were some leftovers but not too much. 

We  had a quiet rest of the week until the unlikely happened ..  Snow!   We got a few inches and the whole area shut down.

 We had decided to get a pizza for dinner and Jet’s was closed. So was Chik Fila, Whataburger, Dominio’s and two others!  Finally Subway was open!  It stayed that way for about 3 days. Ted said nothing was open but H-E-B and the roads were empty. By the third day our snow was gone. 

We are on our way home now from the Rio Grande Valley so whatever happened before we left on 1/26 is not making it into the book!

We drove down Sunday a week ago with no problems and made our way to McAllen, meeting Tom and Eileen at Cheddars, then moving on to BJ because of the crowd.  Then we went together to the condo we rented together.  It was not the Ritz but roomy, clean and comfortable!  We both had our own bed and bath plus kitchen, dining room and living room.  Then began the learning curve.  Front gate needed a card that was in a lock box.  It didn’t work so we tried the code provided and it did so we put the card back in the box.  The condo lock was a number plus my phone number, we’re in!

We gave the king bed suite to them and took the queen room with the hall bath right next door.  There was a LR with couch and loveseat and big TV.  It was necessary to stream our own subscriptions which is very common anymore.  Of course it was a learning curve.  We have Prime, BritBox, Netflix, Masterpiece Theater and Xfinity Streaming but signed up for a trial week of Paramount so they could watch football.  I canceled it Saturday night.  I am not sure just what we did but eventually found what we were looking for!  But I can’t explain step by step, more like trial and error! 

We went over to Mexico three days, had lunch with a Retama neighbor one day, shopped a bit, walked a lot in the flea market only to buy some tomatoes and vanilla, visited the gift shop at Our Lady of the San Juan Valley Basilica.  We went to a mariachi Mass there on Saturday night.  This is the only photo I took all week, the outside tower of the basilica.  

We ate lunch out and had breakfast in and snacks in the evening,  Only glasses, cups and silverware made it into the dishwasher.  We just didn’t use any dishes!

We went to three shows while there and we certainly picked really good ones.  They are moving away from just country western vocalists and bands.  We saw an illusionist (magician) who was very entertaining!  Next was a ventriloquist, also very good with lots of laughs.  I learned a new curse word toro poo poo.  

Last night was a Las Vegas lounge singer who worked the crowd really well.  He had a moving salute to veterans and our country. We were one of 5 couples invited to dance to honor 59+ years of marriage. I even won a $5 Chili gift card!  A great end to a memorable week.  

We are less than an hour from home and have less than two weeks before leaving again.  

Happy Groundhog Day!

,

Settling Back In

CeCe sitting in a hand painted rocking chair I won at our current “church bazaar” our first year in TX. I gave it to Sam who was a toddler at the time. 

We went to church New Year’s Day having arrived too late for New Year’s Eve.   I didn’t do laundry at Kara’s and left some here resulting in four loads!  And my new washing machine is huge.  Took awhile to wash, dry, fold and put away.

We had no weekend plans so went to church Saturday night as usual and ate at Saltgrass Steak afterwards.  I had to endure LOTS of football ALL weekend!  Sorry about the Bengals but Texans and Lions did OK!  We play Shanghai at the country club Tuesday night and Ted has a doctor appointment on Thursday.  

Managed to get a little tax paperwork done on Monday and finally looked at mail finding two Christmas cards.  One took 3 weeks to arrive from Ohio!  The other contained a letter so I was glad to have noticed both of them in our mail.  I unfortunately did not get around to sending many, the first year in a very long time.  I need to be mindful of “Christmas card worthy” photos throughout this year.  We have RGV, FL, Aruba, Geneva on the Lake family reunion and just maybe Glacier National park and area.  All in a planning stage depending on others’ plans, availability and how we are holding up.  Have to consider stuff we never thought about in our youth!  The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be!  

Next week is busy with Shanghai group here on Saturday and Hand & Foot here on Monday followed by 3-13 at Another Broken Egg on Tuesday.  Physically and mentally we can both play cards!  He wins more than I do, though I have won a few times recently.   

Maintenance continues with a repair to our hot water heater vent that will be followed by the roofer sealing the pipe on the outside.  It sticks up really high and they said probably Beryl Hurricane winds probably whipped it around.  Always something!  

I came in second at Shanghai on Tuesday and also had a Shanghai!  For lack of a 2, 3 or 8 I would have won!  

Our plumber came to fix the hot water vent and fixed it all so we don’t need the roofer!  Our house was built in 2003 so I guess maintenance is expected to increase.  Actually, I have spent more money on the postage stamp yard than anything!  That includes two decks over those 22 years!  

I went to the grocery with Ted and was speechless over prices of everything!  I was party planning for Saturday night and Monday afternoon.  I don’t know how families are feeding their kids!  

I will continue to send Ted to HEB and keep my head in the sand about prices! 

Saturday night went well, everyone had a good time, especially the four winners.  I had cheese and crackers plus summer sausage, L’il Smokies, grapes, apples with Carmel sauce, shrimp, Carmel corn and brownies.

I am attempting to make a charcuterie board with leftovers and some new things for Monday. I received a gift basket and will use those items too!  Wish me luck.  

We went to church Sunday morning at 11:00 and it is the first time (besides Christmas and Easter) that there was standing room only.  Maybe the cool, rainy morning caused many to stay in bed a little longer.

This is Ted’s brother who lived here but moved to Alabama.  All their family gathered for her 80th birthday dinner at a rental house in Miramar Beach, FL.  I’m up next in October but will celebrate our 60th anniversary in April so turning 80 may not involve a big celebration.

The weather turned cool and we are getting freezing temps and possibly that S word!  We’ve stayed close to home.  

And the Week After

Things got a little messed up with a couple people falling ill and then there was the weather! It started raining!  They all chose Thursday as a down day while we enjoyed Beautiful Noise. Kelly and crew were battling “stuff” so we had leftovers Friday in their absence.  That evening Kristin came over and Bill, Kristin, Ted and Kara made the Saran Wrap ball for Saturday’s game night.  It was Italian dinner night.

Bidkar’s birthday celebration and unwrap the Saran Wrap ball plus blow the cotton off the cup competitions took place.  Bidkar was the champion of blowing off the cotton balls.  Many gift cards, lottery tickets, candies, small gifts were wrapped in the Saran ball. 

Bills’ two cousins came for brunch and a visit on Saturday morning. They left mid afternoon so Ted and I went to church at 4 o’clock.  Sunday I came down with “something”’so Kara insisted I go to Urgent Care.

Haley’s aunt has been hospitalized with RSV and Pat was diagnosed with walking pneumonia and if I didn’t get attended to I would be waiting 3 days at home over the holiday.  So no RSV, no covid, no flu A or B, no pneumonia.  Bottom line… I have a cold that settled in my lungs.  So Monday and Tuesday were down days.  We talked about Frankenmuth and  Meadowbrook but it was raining.                                      

Pat took us to the airport Tuesday and choosing New Year’s Eve was a great choice.  No lines anywhere.  We had a good flight, I had upgraded us to Comfort Plus to avoid the families in the back.  Only one First Class seat was available so we didn’t take that.  

Christmas Week

Last year we saw Andre Rieu in person in Detroit.  It was a bucket list item for me.  Thankfully Ted was as interested as I was and we had a delightful time.  Our daughter, with connections, had secured 6th row, aisle seats.  When his Christmas video was shown two nights in the US in December at theaters, we couldn’t pass up seeing it.  We were not disappointed!

On Sunday we had no problems getting to the airport.  We parked off site and let the aggravating slow traffic to the bus driver. I can’t wait for the construction to be finished.  What a mess it has been. 

We had to use the kiosk to check our luggage because there was no skycap check in outside. It gave me a bag tag and Ted a boarding pass!  No matter what I did it would not give him a bag tag.  So we got into the assist line but got called up from behind a huge group heading overseas. That Gold Medallion Plus designation on our reservation sure helped.  Since I had a boarding pass on my phone and my bag tagged, I was good to go and after they printed a bagtag for Ted he was too.

Every seat was full and we sat as we always do, me in front of him on the aisle.  That way no one leans back into him trapping him spread eagle with no way to get his tray down.  And then to top it off, a lady came to sit next to me with a DOG!  She was holding it but was told at take off he had to go in his crate under the seat.  I watched a movie and it wasn’t too long a flight.

It took 45 minutes for our luggage to finally arrive and Kara and Bill were waiting outside.  We all met Pat and Kelly for dinner before heading home.  Whew!  Holiday travel is tiresome.

Monday, after playing games with Pops, we took CeCe to Bass Pro Shop for a photo with Santa.  

She was more interested in the 4 x 4’s and climbed on every one until choosing the camouflage one.  

She tried out all the camping chairs and beds in the tents, visited their aquarium and played with the legos and Lincoln logs set up on two tables for the kids to play with.  She had a great time. 

I had 18 gifts to wrap that evening and some were big, bulky and heavy!  My back was killing me by the time I finished!  Kara had invited everyone over for a soup and appetizer type dinner and we all enjoyed a nice visit. 

Christmas Eve we started with a big breakfast and tackled preparations for Christmas Day dinner.  Bill and Kara went to his family’s party while we went to dinner at Kelly’s and then the 9 of us there went to church at 6:00.

It was a lovely Mass and we were more than ready to head for home after all the running.  I put all the checks I had written in their envelopes and put them on the mantle. I was ready!  

Christmas morning was busy because Kara makes so much food!  Our company came at 1:00 pm and we started opening presents.  There were 15 in attendance and gift opening took quite some time!

The girls bought us tickets to see “Beautiful Noise” at Detroit’s Fisher Theater for 12/26!  I have been watching for the tour company and us to end up in the same city for quite sometime!  

We drove to downtown Detroit to the Fisher Theater the day after Christmas. It is a short drive compared to the trip driving into Houston from home.  Parking is free with your theater ticket and we maneuvered the garage, the scanning of the QR code to validate our parking, stood in line to enter the theater and finally a security scan.  Success!  

Beautiful Noise was fabulous. Neil Diamond wrote the songs he recorded and they all told the story of his flight with depression. “Clouds” he called them. His song Shiloh is about his imaginary friend, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore was the breakup of his 25 year marriage.  Forever in Blue Jeans was his wife’s response to her need for his company not what his money would buy. The context is his talking to a psychiatrist once he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and can no longer perform. The music was fantastic and even Ted did the Sweet Caroline wave!  

Today we were to celebrate Bidkar’s birthday but Ally is under the weather so it has been postponed. So today I can stay “Forever in Blue Jeans” with no make up! 

Nm

Here Comes Santa Claus ! 🎼🎼🎼

December is turning into Doctor and maintenance around the house month!  We have had the water heater drained and flushed and a mortar and brick crack on the side of the house repaired.  Our neighbor alerted us to it because that is their zero lot line.  It was minor and all was good in less than two hours.  Then there is weekly yard work which at this time of the year we refer to as “blow and go.”  But the heavy pine needle cover and leaves make it necessary.  We also have cleaners every other week.  It was like Grand Central Station on Friday when all three companies were here at once.  

Ted has been going to PT twice a week for the past 8 weeks and is ready to wrap it up.  He has a doctor appointment as follow up.  I have been to M D Anderson for bone density, blood, mammogram and a visit with my oncologist.  All was good except they are concerned about my bone density so I have another visit but not until May 1!  How bad can it be if I can wait that long!  My PCP had made an appt for me with a kidney dr based on my blood results at my last visit.  But MDA saw no reason for concern based on their blood results.  I guess I will go for the tie breaker!  

It has also been a busy social time.  We had a birthday Christmas cake at Shanghai with our country club group.  And … I got a Shanghai!  Also on the calendar was a Sustainer group outing to downtown Houston to see decorations, some shopping and lunch at The Houstonian hotel which the older Bushes called home during his presidency.  

Saturday we met Gerre and Barry for dinner and to see Christmas with the Celts.  Once they made the drummer back off some, it was enjoyable!  

We delivered three children’s coats from Macy’s to our parish Christmas giving on Sunday since we didn’t go on Saturday evening like we usually do.  It gave us an opportunity to join coffee and donuts with other parishioners.  It has been a long time since we have done that.

On Sunday we took our elderly (like we are spring chickens, right?) to dinner and the Baptist church concert.  They are 92 and 82 so getting out together alone is difficult.  The concert was wonderful!  Tails and tuxedos, black shiny dresses and lovely Christmas music.  

Then there were four days of Donna On the Go!  Rachel, Anna and I all rode to Teresa’s to play Hand and Foot Monday afternoon.  Tuesday was 3-13 at Another Broken Egg.  I came in second!  

Wednesday was our neighborhood luncheon and dessert party.  After a terrific lunch at Adriatic Cafe we went to Anna’s for dessert and sharing of small table gifts.  I made a Carmel Apple pie for the occasion. I received lots of compliments and Ted gave me a 10 on the piece I brought home for him.  He had gone over to sit with our 92 year old neighbor and took a couple of Whataburgers for lunch.  They were supposed to go to Honor Cafe but Dick had PT and was too tired to go out.  

My table gift for everyone was a mini loaf of brown bread, a German recipe my family has made for generations, peanut butter and butter cookies plus several pieces of Linzt chocolates all in a Christmas box.  I received tea, hot chocolate, cookies, candy, hand lotion and a poinsettia!  

Friday was a clear my desk and start setting clothes out to pack!  Hope this brings y’all up to date.  I will try to check in more frequently.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I think I lost about 6 weeks.

After I returned from the cruise we went to Alamo TX to meet up with Cindy and Tim. We had rented a house with a pool for a week of relaxation.  We celebrated Tim’s 62nd birthday, attended Day of the Dead celebration (music and dancing) at a flea market which was fun to watch and attended Mass at the Basilica complete with mariachi band.  It was a relaxing time for us all. 

I played Shanghai, 3-13 and Hand and Foot, we both had some doctor appts and our lady’s lunch at Black Walnut was a big hit. 

Kristin was in town and spent one night with us.  I was hoping she could stay for Thanksgiving but I was a week off .  It was not 2 days away, but 9!  

I hosted our two South African neighborhood families for Thanksgiving.  They brought a lamb roast because they weren’t totally sold on the turkey thing!  All went well and there was only enough turkey left over for one pot pie later in the week.  

And so now it is Christmas!  

I put my pumpkins away, decorated our front porch, the front door and gate and I am done with that. I doubt I will do anything inside. We are not expecting anyone. 

We are going to Michigan for Christmas. There is lots going on over the next 3 weeks before we leave. Maybe I will have more to write about next time!  

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well I started this saying we were busy back in October. It was the day before I flew to FLL to meet my other 4 shipmates!  I was thrown a loop at the airport.  I was at C9, not a bad walk, and right by Wendy’s.  While eating my burger, my phone dinged and said my gate was changed to C43!  I couldn’t even see a sign pointing me in the right direction!  So I stopped one of the attendants pushing a chair and asked him where to go.  He asked if I wanted a ride because it was 3 corridors away! Sure!  He stayed with me until he put me on the plane and ordered one for me in FLL!  I had no idea how far I would need to walk so I took the second ride.

I was taken to Carousel 1 at FLL and Kelly said they were at carousel 2, but they weren’t. Turns out I was at Terminal 1 and they were at Terminal 2!  Kelly had Cassie and CeCe with her and a bunch of luggage so I said stay put and I hoofed it quite a distance to the next Terminal!  

The poor shuttle driver from Embassy Suite was confused when no one was at Terminal 1 but we were all able to get on at Terminal 2. In the meantime Kristin, who had checked into the hotel, got on the next shuttle to sort it out so we arrived while she was gone!   Great start!

We finally got all our luggage in the suite room and left for dinner at a nearby strip mall.  In the morning Kristin drove me and Cassie to the Port and we stayed with the luggage while she returned to the hotel and got Kelly and CeCe.  They parked the car so Kelly could use it to drive the 3 of them to Disney after the cruise,  Kristin and I would take a taxi to the airport and fly back to Houston.

We had no trouble getting on the ship since our group had already boarded so we went right to the front of the line and were on our way to Rapunzel’s Dining  Castle.  I  just don’t want to fight with 3000 people at the buffet and  then cannot find a seat!  

We eventually were able to go to our cabins and Kristin decorated our doors.

Our attendant used towels, an afghan and some of our things in the room to make us an animal each night.

We had an evening and the next day at sea.  We had photos taken with CeCe and characters, watched a movie, saw a live show every night, ate a lot and slept really good.

Our next day was at Cozumel and we went to swim with the dolphins.  

We had another day at sea and spent the day at the swimming pool and Splash Pad.   

I don’t have all the photos but we had pirate night and we all dressed up in pirate outfits. 

 We dressed nice each night for dinner .

CeCe just petered out one night at dinner. Even the bird our waiter made couldn’t keep her awake. 

Our second stop was at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island.  Kristin and I went on ahead and rode the floating trike for a bit of  exercise.  

Then the rest of them went to swim with the sting rays. I did that in Grand Cayman Stingray City saw no need to do it again. 

Our last night CeCe and I had a piece of birthday cake served to us.  It was a fun week!

We ate breakfast in the last group because we had plenty of time. I stayed with the luggage while Kristin and Kelly got the car.  We put CeCe in her car seat with Cassie in the front seat and Kelly driving. They would stay two nights at Kristin’s and attend Disney Springs and the Hoopty Doo Review at Disney World.  

The napkin dance!

Playing the washboard!

On Saturday they parked Kristin’s car at MCO airport and flew home to Michigan. When Kristin returned to Orlando she reclaimed her car.  

Our flight was delayed several hours and it was late when we got picked up at Houston. 

And Two More Birthdays

All of a sudden it was 10/1 and time to play Shanghai at the country club. Not only did Irene provide a Birthday cake for me to share, I came in second.  Won some dimes to put in my little card purse.

Thursday was Continental Breakfast and I saw so many friends I have not seen in awhile.  Jan is in a new house and that is always fun to see and admire.  

On Friday afternoon Fidelia stopped by with a gift and mini Bundt cake for me to share after I told her the 3 cakes we had for Ted was really all the cake we needed for awhile.  It was just the right size to cut in half for each of us to have a piece. 

Friday was also CeCe’s birthday and Kelly FaceTimed us from Ally’s house so we could see CeCe open her gifts from us.  She was having a party in the park the next day and I wanted her to connect the gifts to us instead of getting lost in the shuffle.  Fancy socks to wear with her fancy dress in the fancy restaurant on the ship.  That was a directive to Kelly, “tell Lolly I need fancy socks.”  A baby doll because when I checked her daycare photos she was always carrying a black baby doll by the arm.  I found one in white, brown, black so her being half Hispanic, I opted for brown!  Kelly said she immediately put it on her tricycle and rode her around.  Next was a Mickey sweatsuit that she put away in her drawer.  Last was a Christmas ornament carousel that plays It’s A Small World, her very favorite.  She has a Gift to Minors account at Morgan Stanley that we contribute to that she knows nothing about.

She wanted curls like her daddy’s for the party.  I think she had a very good 5th birthday party.  

Saturday after church and taking communion to Jeanette and Dick, we went to Del Frisco’s for dinner.  It was homecoming week and we were seated next to a Sweet 16 birthday party so lots of people and noise.  But the food was excellent, the waiter attentive and it was interesting watching the young folks.  There was a 1 and a 6 balloon at the party table so Ted told the young lady she looked great for 61!  At least she laughed!  

We have been doing our best to help maintain the yard next to us.  We have service every week but he finally agreed to once a month.  With fall, the normal debris increases dramatically!  And the driveway and walkway were absolutely black.  Fidelia sent Josh over to clean it.  The guy putting up our common fence asked me if the house was abandoned!  So I may get in trouble but it isn’t doing my house value any favors though it makes my yard look fantastic.  They are due back 11/7 so he will be glad or mad!  

Sunday was our annual Neighbor’s Night Out when you are supposed to have a street party and meet your neighbors.  But ours was in the afternoon.  The police come and the fire trucks come.  Kids love it but we only have one kid in the neighborhood!  Our neighborhood is more “ between the big house with pool to the Senior Independent Living” so many of us will end up at.  I learned one of our original birthday club ladies and her husband are moving to The Landings as they both are experiencing various problems.

And Life marches on!