Excitement is in the air!!

 There is so much going on in my life right now.  Here at Centerbrooke we have some great events in the near and not so near future. So, we've been planning those. The biggest event of the year is the Kentucky Derby Party in May. I'll keep you updated on how that is going. 

But, the big thing taking up most of our time and effort is the May 9th wedding for my grandson and his bride. If you don't think there's texting back and forth going on, pictures of potential outfits to wear during that weekend, making plane reservations and hotel stays going on.... oh my. It's overwhelming. We all are so excited.

The bride and groom are in New York 

as is the groom's family. Her family is in Texas. Grandma (that's me) as well as several others of the family are in Virginia and Alabama. And, guess where the wedding will be!!

                          Sea Island, Georgia!

So, yes there's a lot of planning going on. It's the main topic of conversation any day of the week. I'm about on wedding overload! and it's 5 weeks away. 

Oh to another strain of thought....

I want to share with you a picture of a platter that I once owned, a gift from a friend. She was out walking in the woods one day and saw the edge of it sticking up out of the ground. I was flabbergasted that she would part with it and I would be the new owner. 

The antique apprasier that I took it to said it was most likely hidden from northern troops during the civil war and never retrieved. It came from the Maddock Company in Shaffordshire in the 1860s. Such a gem and I treasured it but then passed it on to my daughter. 

Doing Crossword Puzzles

 I used to often wonder when my time to sit in a rocking chair doing nothing would happen! Well, when it finally did I wasn't so sure it was what I wanted. I don't make much mess around here to clean up. I'm not fixing huge meals or doing laundry for upteen people. It's just me. 

And, so I sit in my chair (it does rock but it is a recliner as well) and that's nice. I don't mind it so much but I do get bored as all get out! 

I'm not into puzzles or Suduko or word search. But, I do enjoy crossword puzzles so I got online and ordered me a whole set of them. That ought to keep me occupied for a bit. 

What do like to do in your space time?

                                                                                                                        Latane

St. Patty's Day

 We certainly celebrated St. Patrick's Day here at Centerbrooke. Not many of us could claim more than a drop or two of Irish blood but we all said we were Irish, if only for a day. I mean, who wouldn't, just so they could join in.

We had games and food and fun and we even got to meet a new couple who has just moved into the complex. Shirley outdid herself with the cupcakes. Just the cutest idea ever and they were so tasty. Everyone bragged on them being so yummy. There was even gold at the end of the rainbow on every single one of them. 

The spread of food was furnished by the staff and it was perfect. We had sub sandwiches, 

                               a fruit platter

                             deviled eggs 

and an excellent pasta salad. Shirley made a trail mix that was sooo good. Of course, we all were stuffed when we finished eating. 

We even had a leprechaun show up

Her name is Genie but she didn't come out of a bottle, however she did pass around chocolates that looked like gold coins. 

It was a grand time.

I just got a new phone and am loving the camera on there. So, you'll probably see more pictures from me in the future. 

Hope your St. Patty's Day was extra special!

                                                                                           Latane

My Oh My. it's PI Day

 Today is PI day... you know, the mathematical thingofamajig. 

But, we here at Centerbrooke celebrated yesterday. Oh my, did we celebrate. I about got a sugar overload! 

I didn't count how many pies that were brought in by the residents but it was a bunch and of all kinds. There was everything from chocolate to cherry cheesecake (hey, it's supposed to be a pie but we didn't care). Daughter Shirley brought one, too, even though she's not a resident. Everybody here wishes she was!! 

Hers had the PI emblem on top. Wasn't that cute? 

She started off the event with trying to get us gals to figure out the circumference of our pie using PI. But, we all just had a blank stare on our faces. It was Greek to us. I mean, how long has it been since we took algebra and have we ever used it since!! 

And then we dived right in to sampling as many of those pies as we could. 

We had a such a great time, so many stories shared, laughter heard, friendships reenforced. Nothing like pie to make a person happy! 

On another note

I have been anxiously awaiting the new season of Virgin River on Netflix. It came out Thursday and I have finished watching the entire season already. I couldn't NOT watch. Now, what will I do until the next season comes out which will take FOREVER. 

A Kick In The Butt

 In my last post I was saying that I had been down in the dumps. It appears that all I needed was a 'boost of spirit' and suggestions from my son to turn all that mess around. 

He's a man of few words (except when he is talking about sailing. ha) and what he says has thought behind it, sometimes long, long moments of thought, or days even. But, I can trust him, I depend on him for guidance and support and he never lets me down. 

So, I'm telling him about my dumps and ask if he has any suggestions on how to remedy that. He says, 'pull out that manuscript you stowed away and finish that book!'  Well, that was direct. I know the children want me to finish it so I'll give it another try.

'And' he added, 'you need to study up on perspective. I notice that some of your paintings looks 2 dimensional and your lines are off.'  So, I laughingly asked him when he became an artist critic? He does beautiful pen and ink drawings so he knows what he's talking about.

I think this is the painting that threw him over the edge. Yep, perspective way off there!

Well, my dumps were gone. I have purpose. No more lying around like a slug. 

I watched a video on YouTube about perspective. I need some real practice in that department but I'll improve, I promise.

The manuscript still hasn't been dragged out but it will be. I had some loose ends to tie up for I tackled that.

In the meantime, I started learning sailing jargon so I can better understand my son when he drones on and on about his boat. It will be good to know what he's talking about! He took me for a sail back last year and that was a very special time. 

Sometimes we just need a 'kick in the butt' to jerk us back into focus. 

Good News But Not Always.

 I'm just 'down in the dumps' this morning. Don't know why. The weather is gorgeous outside, warm and sunny. I got up feeling good. What happened? 

 I had a wee altercation with a fellow resident yesterday and I never ever do that. I think that is bothering me. He's a pain and he always dominates our female conversation at our 'chat and chew' gathering. And, that would be ok but he talks about the weirdest things and picks them apart and won't let go. 

Yesterday he was on a tangent about things changing. I told him things do change, that's progress and I'd be bored to death if things stayed the same all the time. Then it was about a building he couldn't figure out what it was and I said, 'it doesn't affect me so I don't know' and he says 'but everything affects us' and I said, 'no, a building down on the other side of town isn't part of my life so I don't care to know what it is and he said he'd prove it to me that everything affects us. To say the least, I was ticked off. Leave me alone! 

Anyway, that's off my chest. Thanks for listening. 

On a happier note...

I am preparing for a wedding! Nope not mine. haha. Never, ever!! My grandson that lives in New York is marrying the sweetest girl. It's about time they tied the knot! 

She wanted a destination wedding so we will be going to Sea Island, Georgia for the event. It's going to be wonderful and exciting and I've been busy trying to find clothes to take. The wedding is May 9th. Here is a photo of the dress I will wear. 

I hate taking selfies. I never am good at it. 

Guess I will get up from this computer and go get busy. Maybe that will cheer me up. Like doing chores always cheers me up. ha ha. 

Have a great weekend. Don't forget to spring those clocks forward Sunday!!