Just sailing along

 Sunday was a perfect day. I mean, how could it not be! The sun was bright, the sky was blue and my son Michael and I sailed along on the blue waters of Wheeler Lake (north Alabama). 

I took the wheel at one point, sort of a bucket list thing for me.

 And there were a zillion pictures made. Daughter Shirley, back in Virginia, was constantly texting her brother... You gotta get a shot of this..or that..or something else. But, sadly, we never got one of me and Michael together.

I am not a sun lover and can't remember when if ever I got a sunburn. But, now I have both arms a nice shade of red!

Sunday certainly will go down as one of my most memorable times. So glad I got to spend it with Michael. He's a superb sailor and son.

More Travel - More Flowers

 I'm off again....

Tomorrow I will head to Michael's in Alabama for a couple week/longer visit. He has been here in Virginia for a week just waiting for Memorial day traffic to thin out and we will take off south. It should be warmer down there. I think it will fit me better since we are having some cooler temps these last few days. The older I get, the colder my body temp is. I look forward to temps that are above 60s.  

Then, I am going to come home and keep myself put for awhile. Don't you think that is a good idea? I do!

I hope all of you had a good Memorial Day weekend.  I don't have anyone in my close family that we lost in war but I do know so many families that have. 

I will leave you with some random photos of flowers. 

I have always loved this plant. It's a watermelon Pepperonia. I had one many years ago, just don't see them for purchase much any more. 

Sweet Shrub is another plant that you don't see much anymore. I remember the sweet aroma of the blossoms. The ones I have seen more recently just didn't have that smell. Too sad. 

A Cat's Ear dandelion. Just growing along the side of the road. 

There's not a lot of Grancy Greybeard Trees around either. I love how feathery they look. 

This one is a Mexican Bush Sage. One the residents here at the Commons has this one. It is so pretty when it blooms every year. 

This is a Moon Vine that I had before I moved here. 

Guess I have bored you enough. Take care. I'll be back on blogger when I return. 

A New York Adventure!

                     Wow! What a delightful trip. 

Two weeks ago (tomorrow) I left for my daughter's in New York. We celebrated her birthday, Mother's day, attended a Southern Women's Club luncheon, bought some new clothes, began a search for a wedding gown (My grandson and his sweetie are getting married next May but it's never too early to start planning), Susan hosted a get-together in their backyard for Tighe and his friends and their parents. An end of school tradition.  and so much more. 

I did far better than I thought I would. Tried to sneak in rest periods here and there and I slept very well at night. Then Susan drove me back to Virginia. We got to my apartment Monday night and I can tell you, that traveling, although so much fun, is hard on these old bones! I am sooooo tired. I ache, I feel like somebody threw my body against a brick wall.

And.... 

My son is taking me back with him next week for a visit at his home in Alabama. Talk about being a bit on the crazy side. I wonder if I will be rested enough by then to head out again. I'm going to have to see to it, that's what! 

Here are just a FEW pictures from my trip.... When you get tired of scrolling down the page just hop off here and say 'That's enough!' 

Susan and I at the Southern Women's Club at Susan's friends home. 

Susan celebrating her birthday (late) at a Turkish restaurant. 

Our Mother's Day lunch at Appawamus Country Club

flowers from the yard for the get-together for Tighe's friends

My 'welcome' bouquet

A combination bouquet from oldest daughter and granddaughter, Marie and Yvonne, for Mother's day 

A potted hydrangea for me from grandson Owen

Too soon,  it was time to leave. Tighe was in school, Owen not up yet, so Grffin and Kelsey bid Susan and I a goodbye and safe journey. 

On the road again.............

heading to Virginia with a smile on our face and food at hand. Perfect vacation.

This and That!

 Well, darn!

I have another abcessed tooth! When will it stop? I am so ready. 

I'm on antibotics ... again.... wish they'd just stay in your body to help with the next infection that comes along. It would save a lot of time and money. Guess it doesn't work that way! 

So, on to other more exciting things.

We have the Kentucky Derby Party coming up Saturday here at Centerbrooke. It was tons of fun last year so I expect to have just as much this year. Maybe my tooth will stop hurting by then! 

And, that tooth about mislaid my plans for a visit to New York. My daughter was hours from making my reservations to fly there when I called and said, 'better wait to see what the dentist says'. He said I could go. So, next Wednesday I will fly off into the wild, blue yonder.  It's just over an hour for the 800+ miles. Imagine that! But, I really don't like flying anymore. Too much weird going on in the sky these days. 

We (Susan and me) have some nifty plans for my stay with her but I won't be posting while I am there. I am one of those 'oldies' who does her tech stuff on the computer not her phone or ipad. And, of course, my computer won't be accompanying me on my trip! hehe. 

It's hard enough at this age to just get myself there! 

But, I promise I will share my trip with you when I get back.

I'm not leaving for another week so I will check in with you all before I go. 

Fill My Tummy with Great Food

 Food, of course, is always a highlight of any vacation. 

Shirley and I went to Hurricane Moe's one night and pigged out on seafood. Her go-to is always shrimp. Mine is scallops. We were not disappointed and in fact, I hurt so bad waddling out of that place but I did it with no regrets! 

We gals had Saturday brunch as our meal to mix for all those women. It was a huge success. Only meal made that entire week where scrapbookers were up from their tables, snapping pictures and oooohing and aaaahing. We DONE good! 

I'm making croissants filled with egg, cheese and ham. 

One of our trays. fruit, boiled eggs, cheese straws, plain croisaants and jam.

A more savory tray with sausages, the egg/cheese/ham croissants and avocado. 

And, Mimosas for everyone. Yum. Maybe it was the mimosas that made everyone so happy! 

A Week At the Beach

 Oh my gosh....

What a week. It was certainly different than our family get-aways, and because I don't scrapbook anymore it was different in that respect, as well. But, I enjoyed myself. I mean, how can you not enjoy someone else cooking your meals for you for 6 brunches and dinners! I didn't have to do laundry, go shopping, clean toilets or mop floors. 

Instead, I read one and a half books, I painted 3 watercolor paintings, I did numerous crossword puzzles, streamed a bunch of my tv shows and wrote every day in my journal. Good week, I'd say. 

There were about 2 dozen women in this huge beach house. And, all the furniture was moved out of the Main room on the top floor (except our tables where we ate our meals) and scrapbookers brought in their own 6' tables and all their scrapbooking supples and there was hardly any walking room in there at all. 

Because of a dune, we couldn't see the water's edge so missed out on watching the waves crashing or seeing the birds running around the beach line. 

Some days were very cool, windy. 

    Some days were warmer, sunny. 

Once when Shirley and I were having some key lime pie on the balcony, a bird (not sure which kind) came in hopes we'd feed him. Shirley said I'd better not, I'd get tons of birds flying in, but I did anyway. A few crumbs of the crust. He was happy and so was I.

And, no extra visitors wanting their share.

You should have seen me trying to get out of this tall Adirondack chair!

Got into it fine. But, could not get out! 

Shirley to the rescue!

Our comfy bed! 

More in the next post. 

Paris Part 2 and 3 continued

If you are following the story of my daughter Susan's modeling career part 2 is found at this link  https://accidentallyaging.blogspot.com/2025/02/a-love-affair-with-paris.html  so go there and then continue with this post (it's part 3)

It was time to leave this 'weird and scary' hotel! So, the two of us set out in search of anything nicer and we found La Louisanne Hotel on Rue de Seine and knew we had hit the jackpot. We had our own bathroom with nice, fluffy towels, a view out a window that we could open and just soak in the Paris vibe.

It was perfect.... and it was near Notre Dame cathedral. 

Susan had met a Parisian back in New York so she called him up and he showed us some of the sights. He drove us out to a Hugmonous flea market where he treated us to lunch and we wandered and drooled over everything we wished we could bring home. 

It was nearly nightfall when we parked near the Eifel Tower and watched the twinkling lights of the city. On another day Susan and I rode the lift up to the first deck of the tower and the view was breathtaking. 

We went to Versallies Palace. All I can say is WOW. We toured Notre Dame, ate in quaint little sidewalk cafes. 

At Versaille Palace

And, then the week was over. It was time to leave my 20 year old in Paris to begin her work, ALONE. 

Susan took me to the train station for the trip back to Brussells, Belgium. My plane would lift off early the next morning so I knew I  had an overnight stay in the airport. 

Once there, I settled in, the place was empty except for a lone traveler (me) sitting in a seat,  my purse wedged behind my back, my suitcase in the adjoining seat so I could lean over and sleep. SLAP, SLAP, SLAP... footsteps are approaching. I open my eyes to see a uniformed guard with heavy boots carrying a sub-machine gun doing his patrol. Should I be scared? Or should I feel safer? What the heck! I went back to sleep. 

The plane covered in snow

By morning snow was coming down heavy, flights were cancelled and so I spend the day in the airport waiting and waiting. Finally we take off for Newark Airport. Remember. No cell phones so no one knows I've been delayed. 

By the time we get to Newark my connecting flight had been gone hours ago... no more flights out so I settle down to spend another night in this airport. Sometime during the night I look out the huge glass windows and snow is coming down! Guess what. Flights are cancelled and I spent another day not knowing when I can fly out.  Finally after dark, I board a plane that has been deiced and I head for Alabama. 

My poor baby, my daughter I left behind has been worried sick. I was to call her as soon as I got home and here it is two nights and two days and I am still not home. When I did call,  she said she thought she had put me on the wrong train and had sent me to Siberia or some other cold, dangerous place. 

My husband met me at the airport. I hugged him and then said, 'Home, please. I need a hot bath.'

More pictures from our trip:

One of my favorite photos ever! Taken out the car as we sat waiting for the light to change.

Susan and me at the street market outisde our hotel

Susan with her Parisian friend

Susan beside the Seine River