Many years ago, my parents sent me to a Summer Camp that focused on our Episcopal Church. The place was called Briarwood.

Briarwood had once been an enormous estate that was donated to the Episcopal Church. The Church put it to good use as a summer camp for teens.

So there I was at the age of 13, feeling a bit lost and very nervous. I met two girls during that time and we became friends. One girl was the type that would be voted most likely to succeed at anything. Worst of all, she knew it.

The other girl, the one that has been with me ever since, was, like me, just trying to find our way.

52055445729_04505130e3_oGail and I are in the middle of the second row. Back then, Gail was a brunette, and I was a badly bleached blond.

After camp, Gail and I began to write to each other. Long letters full of teen angst and news of our latest boyfriends. Back then phone calls were expensive so it was pretty much out of the question. Occasionally, my grandmother would have extra minutes on her old landline and she would allow me to use the phone for exactly three minutes. Her motto was, “If you can’t say it in three minutes, then write a letter!”

All these years, through thick and thin Gail and I have remained as close as sisters.

26826577730_3a9cfa1394_oYou can see that as we grew up, she became the blond and I became the brunette!

Today is Gail’s Birthday! And I wanted to take this moment to wish her the happiest birthday ever!

 

Happy Birthday, Gail!

Many years ago, my parents sent me to a Summer Camp called Briarwood, which focused on our Episcopal Church.

Briarwood was once an enormous estate that was donated to the Episcopal Church. The Church used it as a summer camp for teens.

So there I was, at the age of 13, feeling a bit lost and very nervous. I met two girls during that time, and we became friends. One girl was the type who would be voted most likely to succeed at anything. Worst of all, she knew it.

The other girl, the one that has been with me ever since, was, like me, just trying to find our way.

52055445729_04505130e3_oGail and I are in the middle of the second row. Back then, Gail was a brunette, and I was a badly bleached blond.

After camp, Gail and I began to write to each other—long letters full of teen angst and news of our latest boyfriends. Back then, phone calls were expensive, so they were pretty much out of the question. Occasionally, my grandmother would have extra minutes on her old landline, and she would allow me to use the phone for exactly three minutes. Her motto was, “If you can’t say it in three minutes, write a letter!”

Through thick and thin, Gail and I have remained as close as sisters all these years.

26826577730_3a9cfa1394_oYou can see that as we grew up, she became the blond and I became the brunette!

Today is Gail’s Birthday! And I wanted to take this moment to wish her the happiest birthday ever!

 

Time To Pack

A few days ago, my computer blew up again with a virus. I backed up things quickly, but it seemed it kept eating my machine. I had previously backed up things, so things are well.

Okay, so follow me here. It’s Christmas. There are a lot of sales, so I got a cute little machine.

It was due to arrive yesterday, and Heidi and I waited. I was here, and I thought I heard a vehicle. I felt like frickin’ Santa Claus as “I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter” (is a line from the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as Twas the Night Before Christmas)

I was just in time to see the FedEx guy driving away and a note on my garage door accusing me of not being home. Well, FedEx if your Driver weren’t so lazy and walked up the steps I would not be sitting here at 6:20 AM computerless nine days before departure.

I need to program, clean, and pack! Ugh!

Also, my phone will not hold a charge, and thankfully, I had insurance so that a new one would arrive, and the Verizon guy would help me switch phones!

Lord, help me. By the end of the week, I will need this vacation!

2024-12-12-06-30-22-569The new me.

A Little Does Hurt

You might recall that a year ago, when I got back from my first cruise, Heidi came down with crystals, which required extensive surgery. At that time, my veterinarian suggested Heidi was way past fluffy and was now FAT!

20230315_174755I felt they were harsh, but I followed their feeding guidelines.

On my way in a woman was leading an older dog out. This dog should have weighed about 65 pounds, but here was this poor dog, at least 50 pounds above her ideal weight, barely held up by her spindley legs. My heart broke for her.

Then I brought in Heidi and the girls brought her to the scale. Now almost a year later I had to take Heidi in for an eye exam (perfect vision, and does not need glasses) But since she was there, they weighed her. Suddenly there was clapping and yipping!

Heidi has lost five pounds!

20241031_123824As you can see she has her girlish figure back and once again looks like a healthy long dackel!

It was actually easy. I put two measuring cups in the food bin. She gets 1/4 of a cup of her chow in the morning and 1/3 of a cup in the evening. She also gets a small pill pocket with dinner. And that is it!

Food is not love!

So, I am proud of her and proud of me and now I have a happy healthy pooch!

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The Friday Five ~ November 22nd

The Friday Five
Here we are a week before Black Friday. Is anyone going out shopping before the sun rises? Not me. It’s good to be elderly without needing to fight the crowds. So, here we go with this week’s Friday Five.

    1. My plans were not set in stone before, but I can now share that I am going on a Princess Cruise over Christmas and New Year’s. I have a family moving in to care for Heidi and my home.
    2. My Itinerary is:
      Ft. Lauderdale
      At Sea
      At Sea
      St. Maarten
      St. Kitts
      Martinique
      Barbados
      Grenada
      Trinidad And Tobago
      At Sea
      Curacao
      Aruba
      At Sea
      At Sea
      Ft. Lauderdale.
    3. I have a couple of books, and my plans are to listen to music, read, swim, and hopefully relax—something I have not been able to do for a while.
    4. I must drag out my swimsuit to see how bad I look. I have lost 20 pounds since the summer, so I hope I look better.
    5. So, I am off to the recycling center. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Sixty~Six

Yes, it’s true. Today is my birthday, and I am officially sixty-six years old. How in the world did that happen?

I was born and raised on Cape Cod in the 1950s-1960s. Back then, I could ride my bike all over town and pick up things for my mother at the local convenience store.

I recall going to the beach, lying on the sand, and thinking that this part of my life was far away. Yet, here I am.

img684I was a little raggamuffin, often without shoes and in junkie clothes. I rode my bike, climbed trees, and walked along the shore.

I married twice, had my babies, and started my travels worldwide.

img032Mandy, Katie, and me.

I fell in love with wire-haired dackels and traveled to Germany to get Greta.

Greta oct 13What a significant part of my life Greta was.

Jan 17 003Anneliese, Arnie and Greta.

She gave me Arnie and Anneliese. I thought it could not get any better.

Then came Heidi and I thank the good Lord who knew I needed a best friend because she sure is!

20240630_143803Heidi

I’m so lucky to have my daughter and grandchildren, Savannah and Quinn.

20241116_110431Savannah

20241116_101621
Quinn
2024-11-16-13-07-43-173Amanda and me.

I have also picked up two sons and a daughter. Stepchildren, but I think of them as my own.

At sixty-six, I think of them all with great love, and seriously, I wonder how I got here so darn fast.

Ah yes. The age of decrepitude!

2024-11-17_07-59-55So here’s to these years. May old age be kind, and may they be full of fun and laughs.

The Friday Five ~ November 15th

Friday Five

Another week has passed. Soon, November will be over, and we will be counting down the days until 2025, the New Year. Crazy. So, here is this week’s Friday Five.

  1. I had to go to an appointment with my glaucoma doctor. Although my pressures were high, my vision was correctable to 20/20, and my eyes showed no damage. So, it’s back to using my drops diligently.
  2. I went to Walmart today and ordered some sunglasses. The light is bothering me as the sun’s angle changes.
  3. As I approach my sixty-sixth birthday, I have considered expiration dates. Many of our most loved singers, actors, and writers are in their 80s. I suppose this makes me think about this because of Jack’s passing at 85, but I look around and wonder who will be next.
    2024-05-26-19-14-20-311
  4. In the past year, my health has declined. I became diabetic, had problems with my heart (minor, really), and, due to issues with my balance, have started to use a cane. I am handling it all, but it makes me wonder about my own expiration date.
  5. Well, sixty-six isn’t so bad. I wonder what the next few years have in store for Heidi, my faithful dackel, and me.

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Happy Heavenly Birthday, Katie

Many years ago, there lived a little girl who brought joy and laughter to all she knew. She was a kind child with a wicked sense of humor and an infectious laugh. She loved Barbie dolls, yogurt, and dancing with the Solid Gold dancers on the TV.

Today would have been her 46th birthday. I wonder what she would have been like and where her life would have taken her.

So, Happy Heavenly Birthday, Katie.

kate1a

The Friday Five ~ November 1st

Friday Five 1Happy Friday, and Happy November first! Where has this year gone? Oh well. Here are this week’s Friday Five.

  1. The Carpenters worked all week to transform the flooring in my kitchen and family room.

    20241030_161429It is not only beautiful but also brighter!

  2. Now, I am looking to paint this space. I want to keep it light and bright.
  3. Meanwhile, my dishwasher decided that this was an excellent time to die. I drove down to Lowes, and my new machine will be here on Monday!
  4. I found a new home for all my Pfalzgraff. Not only do I have an essential service, but Jack was addicted to eBay and bought so much. I am one person. I do not need all of this.
  5. I was getting Heidi up from her crate the other day, and I noticed that her dackel butt was pressing against the crate door. This girl is a long……dog. I had another crate that was a lot bigger, and she loved it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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The Friday Five Oct. 25th

Friday Five 1This week has slipped by quickly. Velcro dog (Heidi) and I have gone on many rides and spent endless hours together. So here goes!

    1. My friend and I went out to the Lemongrass Restaurant. It was wonderful! I had a Shrimp Bento Box.
    2. On Heidi’s birthday, Heidi was full of puppy delight as she raced all over the family room and enjoyed trying to rip up the foamy steps.
    3. I went to Amazon and found a set of solid plastic steps that matched the ones for my seat.Steps

      I laid the foamy steps to rest.

    4. On Thursday, I went to the Pharmacy for my annual Flu shot. I have no sore arm, and there have been no side effects so far.
    5. Next week, I get my Covid booster. Then, I am done for a while.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

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