Christmas Day 2009

Well, Chelsea's (our granddaughter) Great Uncle Tim drove all night to get here for Christmas with her brother Jacob. Jacob lives in Missouri with his Dad and Chelsea lives here with her Mom. And we had a great dinner. And tomorrow Chelsea will get to go back with them to Missouri for a week of Christmas break and see her Dad and all her cousins up there. I got three great books for Christmas. A new camera lens from my son Paul. I gave my husband a new solataire game. And a battery operated Helicopter. I got a nightgown, clock, earrings and much more. I was warm today but tomorrow should be chilly.
I cooked a Ham and garlic cheese grits cassarole, macaroni cassorole, sweet potato. etc. etc.

Christmas Shopping Ugh

Still have to take Chelsie, my granddaughter to Hot Topics clothing store in the Oaks Mall in Gainesville. I think these
are Goth clothes, all black. That's her thing. Jeans, long wild socks, t-shirts, unlaced sneaks. She said when she went to homecoming everyone was shocked to see her in a dress. So, today waiting in line at post office to mail last two gifts
to last two kids. Have not even shopped for groceries for Christmas yet. Maybe I will make garlic cheese grits cassorole. And homemade Mac and Cheese. That is Chelsie's favorite. Listening to Rosie Radio while I update this. And loving that Rosie is having the same pain with a teen girl as I had with my adopted daughter. I knew nothing about girls. I had three boys. The first time she stomped up to her room and slammed her bedroom door, I called my girlfriend (also my daughters best friends Mom And I said, "Liz, what the hell is she doing? ? And Liz says, "Oh thats normal, a regular occurrence with teen girls, slamming doors" " And wait til you get the little notes shoved under your bedroom door. " Noooooooooooo. I guess I was never
a typical teen. I never had any rebellious words with my Mom. My Dad was absent and not emotionally available so I was
my Mom's best friend. I never ran to my bedroom and slammed my door. So I completely could not relate to this

I got my hair cut today. It is too short but because I had radiation for seven weeks and the hair that grew back in along the
back is very curly and dark auburn, she had to feather it short in the back. But it will grow back. And the sun will lighten the new hair. Ok, later.

Tennessee Trip

Well, I am sitting here in Sevierville Tenn. And wishing I had taken that helicopter ride yesterday over Pigeon Forge because this
morning it is all foggy. We have been traveling through the
Smoky mountains in tennessee.
Visited my godparents in maryville tenn. now heading for hendersonville n.c. the fall color is just about gone but we saw some of it the first few days. later

Tomato Tomato Good

I have quite a few large tomatoes on my plants. One of the few great things about gardening in Florida. You can have fresh tomatoes for Christmas. Today was grocery shopping and although my husband keeps saying, "you go by yourself". When it comes time for me to leave, he says, "Is is ok if I tag along?" I think he worries something might happen to me. I am not used to this much togetherness. I used to do the shopping alone. And I liked that time to myself. Now I rush and forget things. I just did something that wiped off half of my post. I think it saved to draft. I have tried to post from the drafts but without any success. I planted my brussel sprouts, lettuce and peas.

My husband took this awesome photograph of a red spotted purple admiral. It is beautiful. I had never seen one in my yard. The book says they like birch tree's. I will have to check my river birch for cocoons. I can't remember what else I said. Oh yes, my new favorite show is Drop Dead Diva on the Lifetime channel. And my other favorite is Fringe which is very strange and gory. Ok, this is all. I don't want to lose this again. Later.

Fall veggie garden

I just got all the weeds out of my Fall garden. I have so far two tomato plants and one has four tomatoes on it. Here in Florida it is easier to have a Fall garden than a spring garden. There is no summer garden here. By July everything is fired by the heat. Today I am going to Ace hardware and get pansies for my dogs grave and black kow manure for my garden and then I will plant my brussel sprouts, lettuce, zuchini, and peas. We are supposed to be in the fifties in the morning by Thursday so our first cool weather. I miss the beach. I need to live on the ocean. I would really like to sell the motorhome and this house and my mothers house and get something across from the ocean. I have even researched in Flagler Beach and The Hammocks, both small beach towns. Well the Hammocks is between Crescent Beach and Beverly Beach. It is not really right on the ocean but the real estate is cheaper. I am just tired of driving an hour to get to the ocean. But...... and a big but. I would have to talk my husband into this idea. First we have to get our big trip out of the way. The one in which we go all along the west coast of the United States and come back through Wyoming, Montana, hit Minnesota, Idaho, and any other state we have never been to. He is already tired of things breaking down in the motor home. I should have let him get the Sun Seeker with the slide outs and the slide out battery tray. That is the one he really wanted. It was the same length just had more extra's. I was afraid of those slide outs because we camped next to a guy whose slide outs got stuck "open". Well, he could not go anywhere until that got fixed. But I think now they have a manual backup. Later. Going to garden now.

Felicity Grandbaby this week

Traveling Home

So, we have been in Pensacola for a week and a half babysitting Felicity, our grandbaby while the parents party in Hawaii. Oh, it was pure bliss. Although I am exhausted. Children should have grandbabies before 30 so their parents can enjoy it. At 63 I am too old to chase an 11 month old and she knows it!!! But she is a total joy. Today we are heading home and stopping at every beach on the Gulf coast. Last night it was Destin. Tonight it is Carabelle. I love that name. They call these beaches sugar beach because of the sugerie white sand. Now I must have some peach cobbler. I hope these trips are a sign of the big trip. Getting more space between doctor visits so we can go to Montana and Wyoming and Oregon. Ok. Just a peek at the week.