Hello Life

Life just keeps traveling along and most of the time at least in my life in tiny little circles.

The circle of dance came together last week as I stayed backstage with Vanessa at her dance recital. Thirty years ago I was also back stage with Jennifer at her first recital. Jennifer was so excited to be dancing with a little white umbrella. And Nessa also was dancing with a little white umbrella. . Oh what a fuss had I forgotten either umbrella but both umbrellas’s made it successfully onto the stage and both girls did a wonderful job of dancing.

Hey I have not written here for awhile

Spring has finally arrived and I am warm...
This has been a very busy spring as we are getting ready for a huge Garage Sale. We are trying to sell the house and want to thin out as much as we can before we have to move.
Just have to remember we will need some stuff in the new house wherever that might be.
I have done the clean up work in the garden now just need to put in some pretty flowers to make it look like a place someone would want to live... My daffodils were so pretty this Spring I hate to leave them, and all my other perennials are coming along so well , I did thin out some lily plants and gave some to Jennifer so I can get starts from those later.
Hopefully I will leave the rabbits that nibble in my garden.

Otila has been very busy making little girl dresses she is going to have a booth at the Farmers Market in Plainfield at Chateau Thomas Winery ever Thursday evening for the 26 weeks of summer. That is if she stops making cute dresses that she just can’t give up and keeps for Nessa. She has a whole wardrobe full of dresses and skirts. But then I guess the Spokes model for Otila Rae Originals has to have a complete summer line of samples.

I am no longer working for the inventory people they kept cutting my hours until I had none. Guess they did not want me after all. Oh well maybe they will get a new supervisor and call me back.

Have really enjoyed taking Vanessa to the zoo seeing it through her eyes is fun. She sees things I haven’t seen for years and never seems to look at the things I show her. There was one exhibit that had peafowl and otters. I was trying to get her to look at the pretty birds in the tress and she says Nina that little otter lost its mommy. And I looked down and there was one little otter away form the rest and he was trying to get around a rock and was not getting anywhere. He really did look like a very young one looking for his mommy. We stayed there and watched until he got back to the others. Then she looked at the birds and was also impressed with their beauty.
Her favorite thing is the Walrus she just loves to watch them; Of course the train is a big draw. She never forgets to thank the conductor for taking her on their train to see the Giraffes. Wonder if she thinks that is the only way to get to the giraffes, It is with grandmother, as I am ready to sit down awhile at that time.

My Christmas List.

Over the years I have made out a Christmas wish list that has been quite fun for everyone, since I am only a few years older than my nieces and nephews I at first exchanged list with them so we would know what to ask Santa for... Then I made out my list with my own children , My granddaughter will soon be old enough to exchange lists with but this year I have no one to send it to so will publish my list on line.
My list has changed over the years but always starts out with those few things I am still watching every Christmas morning to appear under my tree.

1. Neil Diamond (at one time it was Paul Newman but he passed away)
2. A Diamond Ring Pink please.
3. Mink Coat (that’s the reason those little animals are raised.)
4. Corvette red or pink please.
5. Jeep pink with leopard seat covers.
6. New set of cookware, The red set of Paula Dean's.
7. Very nice leather boots (black)
8. Yoga toes.
9. Black, brown, navy and red leather gloves.
10. Maid service for a month.
11. Rumba the remote vacuum sweeper
12. Sony Television HD please
13. 10 day cruise or maybe to Alaska.
14. DVD’s of old movies like “White Christmas” and other Bing Crosby movies, the set of Shirley Temple movies and other musicals.
15. Heated Throw.

And of course we could all use a cup of Christmas Cheer and World Peace.

Loved that Cruise

Oh how I love a good cruise”
Alas we have returned from our cruise. I wandered if a seven day cruise would be too long… No Way! I think I need to try a 10 day next. I was just getting my sea legs when this one came sadly to an end. We flew to Fort Lauderdale on Fri night.. After a long delay at the airport we had a good flight I was not the one to get sick while in the air it was poor little Nessa this time I really think it is the person who sits beside Jennifer that has the trouble. Jennifer says we all have to stay away from McDonalds at the airport. We found out the long delay was because of the Space Shuttle launch thankfully we were in the new airport and it was not too bad. I would not recommend AirTram as a comfortable airline to fly but they had the non stop flight and no problems other than cramped seating. We stayed in Fort Lauderdale that night and left for the boat via limo the next morning... Don’t expect limo’s to have a lot of luggage space, they don’t. Other than no space for luggage the trip to Miami Port was great. We arrived at the dock and the Porters were right there to assist us with luggage and off to the processing center we went... Wearing yellow shirts saying I’m on Vacation, we met several of our friends we had made on the Cruise Critic. The process was very quick and smooth. We were on board very quickly. By 1:30 our suitcases were in the room and we were ready for Sail.

Life Boat drill was a little rocky for us. Otila could not stand that long and we had to get her help and she finished life boat drill sitting in the dining room.

We had a day at sea then arrived in San Juan at 4pm we were off the boat by 5 and met Steve Spears at the dock he showed us the high lights of Old San Juan and told us much of the history of the places we were seeing. Then took us to the most amazing place to eat... It was called the Parrott Club. It looked like a little bar but with out a doubt the best Steak I have ever eaten and everyone in our party enjoyed the food and drink they ordered. Too bad we had to be back to the ship so soon as I would have liked to explore Old San Juan.

The next day we landed in St Thomas where we took a tour bus and saw all the sights shopping and went swimming before heading back to the boat for dinner.
St Marten was our port for the next day. Another tour and beach time… This time a nude beach was right next to where we were sitting and the whole area was tops optional. This tour operator had rum punch on the bus so did not care if the other people had clothes on or not. Just glad I kept mine on.

The rest of the trip was on board Ship several glorious days at sea Water was a little rough one day and everyone ran into each other often but it was great. We ate every evening but one in the dinning room. Had a very bad waiter the first two nights so got that changed and had wonderful service the rest of the trip. They fixed me a special Gluten Free Meal each night, complete with desert. That was a treat as I don’t normally get to enjoy desert.

We all enjoyed the Spa on board, Otila had Acupuncture treatments and got relief from her back pain... I had a facial and massage and the others enjoyed various treatments. I spent time in the steam room and sauna, wish I had them here to enjoy daily. The Hot Tubs were popular places but we found the pools a little cool.

The only disappointment was Miami the hotel would not let us check in early not fun sitting in a lobby and secondly they would not let us use the pool or walk on their private beach. Then the weather was cold and windy. So Miami Beach will not be a highlight of this trip.
Early the next morning we took a limo to the Fort Lauderdale airport and returned to reality... Cold weather and no People… Nessa had People that looked after her and brought her room service and cleaned her room and left her candy on her pillow. Sure wish I had some of those people here.

The Grand Tour

Sunday we took a tour of the New Airport in Indianapolis. It’s large and impressive. The baggage area already had lost luggage aimlessly going round and around the carousel. Some of the new security measures looked and sounded good. And it looks like it will be user friendly.
Nessa was impressed with the BIG Trucks that were being shown off on the Tarmac. Reminded me of the snow plows in “Airport” the movie with all the trucks lined up and their snow blades ready to clean the runways. Thought I heard some one say runway one niner it’s a go.
Too bad the concessions were not open, from the signs some of them sound interesting. A few of the vendors had tables set in the hall one popcorn place sounded really good and of course the South Bend Chocolate Factory is always a winner. They were giving out chocolate covered raisins. Just one, now who can eat just one raisin and not want more. See if they had been open there would have been a sale.
The airport itself looks easy to get to you will come in off I-70 and right into the complex the parking garage looked to be twice the size of the old and not nearly as confusing. You can again go into the building and see planes land and take off and will be at a good place to greet passengers. Lots of seating and people movers for the long hallways.
We will be flying out just 4 days after they open hope they have all the bugs out before we get there. That was why we went on the tour so we would know what to expect the day we leave, and what to expect when we return.
This is our year for grand tours we took a tour of Lucas Oil Stadium and now the airport and when we get to San Juan we will tour Old San Juan. Oh what fun, I’ll let you all know about San Juan later.

Changes

Year of Changes
This year although not over yet has brought many changes. Some events affected only me personally but others to everyone around town.
With my 63 birthday I became one of the people drawing Social Security. That was something I thought I would never see. .I was not going to get that old... What I thought I was going to do I do not know but getting old was not one of the options.
In April I lost my mother she was 96 years old I really never believed I would outlive her. She was always so strong and determined.
The whole family is dealing with the hole she has left in our lives.
Today they deflated the Hoosier Dome... RCA Dome to some but to me it will always be the Hoosier Dome… My playground in Adult life there I had many friends, and a good part time job. Working Security for events that I would have never been able to see otherwise. All the Colts football games I saw from the field. I was on hand for the Rolling Stones Final tour. Farm Aid, Black Expo, High School and College Basketball Games, Band Contest and many more things that were held in the Dome, I met my third husband working there so everything was not good about that job. The Skyline will change and people will have new memories of a new Stadium and I wish them well.
I have a new part time job doing inventories in small retail stores making new friends and learning new things. The landscapes change and we move on.

My Back Yard

The bunnies are at it again. So far my garden has produced one tomato. There was another almost ready but as dawn shown upon the garden this morning that was gone. It had teeth marks on it and lay half eaten upon the ground. The limb of the tomato plant is also broken as this little tomato was near the top. Must have been a short bunny.
I have a red clematis that the bunnies really love every time it gets about 3 inches tall they cut it off. It all summer has not made it to the first run of the trellis I envisioned it growing on. In fact I was afraid the pretty trellis would be covered up by the vine. I had the prettiest little petunias in one pot that were hanging down almost to the ground. No more it’s been trimmed. The thing about these little bunnies is there is a big bunny with them. It looks like she would have more control over her little ones. But no she just lets them run wild and eat anything they want.