October 1 2009 sunset

I really love this picture. I think I am finally getting the photography thing down. I just keep snapping away and sometimes, I get results that knock me out. This is going to be printed and I want to make cards with some of my better photos.

Back Home

I have been home for a week today. It was a wonderful vacation. We started it in Sedona and from there we went to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and on to Vegas for 7 days. We took a trip to Zion National Park one day while in Vegas.

I took over 400 pictures, there is so much beautiful scenery to photograph. Most of it was from a moving vehicle though. I have been working on viewing, sorting, and editing my pictures. I want to do something fun with them for all our traveling companions. They are all uploaded to my flickr page, there is a link down on the left side of the screen.

One thing I discovered is that Florida is very very flat where I live!! Just looking at all the geology out west really makes it hit home. I just love to look at the different layers of rock and the different textures and colors that constantly change with the light and shadows of the day. It inspires me to make something beautiful like a quilt or a poster or stepping stones.

I brought home some red rocks and pine cones, I also got a great CD of Native American Flute Music. It is so relaxing, it makes you just want to take a nap or get a massage. The one I bought is called The Best Of Nakai. I just found one of the songs on UTube I will try to share it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI2H1sOSbno I guess you will have to click on it, I can't embed it for some reason.

Take a browse through my Flickr for some vacation pctures.

The real vacation begins

Time for us to finally take a real vacation. We have traveled this year, but not without bringing work with us and mostly to go spoil the grandkids. This time, we are determined to relax and try to untie some knots for a change. The flight from Ft Myers to Charlotte was great except for the tight seating on US Air, wow, I never realized how much I appreciate Jet Blue, that is why they don't have first class, all the seats are roomy and I so missed having a TV! It is a little weird to fly with a stranger's head in your lap. People watching is always fun at an airport, I saw this woman, mid-fortyish, with red and purple dreadlocks poking out from under her straw hat that had a teal boa tied around it, and she had on these black platform lace up boots. I wonder why people decorate themselves this way? Do that enjoy having people stare or try not to stare at them? Is it an ego thing? Are they trying to make a statement, if so, would it be 'screw you', 'I'm a nutcase' or are they craving attention even if it is only to force us to stare and wonder???,

It amazes me how well Bob can time his workload, he can time it so that he works exactly up to the minute we leave for vacation. I wonder what would happen if he started working at ludicris speed 2 days before he started this time, would it mean he would be done two days before we left so he could get ready at a leisurely pace, or would he find more to do??? He works 24/7, I was tempted to leave the plug for the laptop home and hide the cell phones, but as you can see, I brought mine. You just can't get away from it.............

So, picture taking opportunites are everywhere here in AZ, I get so frustrated when driving down the highway and I see all these great things that I would love to shoot, but we can't stop. So, I decided to shoot from the car anyway. And I was pleasantly surprized, they look really good. I had bob stop at the side of the road to take a shot and check out what I found Arizona trash.

What a gorgeous place this is, the view just kept getting better and better, we started in Phoenix and drove north to Sedona. With the time difference and the fact that we got up at 3 am est, and were starving, we got to the hotel, threw our luggage in the door, headed for the nearest local pub and had lunch. We hung around long enough to eat and pay, then headed back to the room to crash at 3 AZ time. I gave up trying to figure out how many hours it was from the time we got up in FL. till then. The time change and the fact that AZ does not cooperate with daylight savings time, just gives me a headache. And who cares anyway, we are on vacation, it is dark now, so I think it is safe to go to bed whatever time it is!!!

Summer is just flying by

I think this is the longest I have neglected my blog since I started. I was forced to start using facebook, or actually shamed into it. You see most of my extended family is on it and if I want to stay in the loop, I have to join too. It is kind of interesting to have little glimpses into the lives of people I usually only see a few times a year. Some of them give minute by minute updates, which can get a little tiresome, and others are more private and only put the most compelling news in there. I can't say I fall into either category, I just do it when I feel like sharing, which is inconsistent for the most part. Kind of like my blogging.

I did find a very dear old friend on facebook, she was my very first BFF from 4th grade. We spent most of our pre-teen and teen years growing up together. I was at her house 99% of the time. We were so opposite, she was outgoing, adventurous, brave, and poor and she had a house full of siblings. I was shy, timid, sheltered, and not so poor (or so it seemed) and one of 2 kids. Her and her family opened up a whole new world to me. I am sure my parents thought this was not a good thing, but they were in the midst of their own drama at the time, they got divorced when I was 11.

So I happily joined in with her family and we set out for some great adventures like putting dead mice in the pockets of peoples laundry hanging on the clotheslines in the neighborhood one April Fools day. We also liked to explore places were shouldn't go in like abandoned amusement parks and neighbors pools at night. When I think of doing these things today, I shudder at what could of happened.

I learned how to survive on kraft macaroni and cheese and taryton cigarettes. We watched Johnny Carson and Joe Namath on TV, these were her favorites. We adventured to NYC one day and somehow got tickets to see the taping of Johnny, I'll bet we were all of 14 or so at the time. Sometimes we would just hang out at her house and listen to her brother play the guitar and his friend on the bongos, they would play "My Girl" and sing too. Not me though, they were singers, they tried to get me to sing, but I couldn't do it. I was happy to listen.

I have a lot of good memories from this time of my life, thanks to Cindy and her family.

Aprons, Family, Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2009







It was a great day, I spent most of it home ALONE (!!!!) sewing all day. I made this apron. I have had this fabric for a year and I finally cut it.




I didn't even get dressed, brush my hair, or maybe even my teeth. Look what I made:

The hubby went fishing with his friends. Gramma went to the dollar store and shopping from 11-2:30!!!! I had my house to myself for a change.


I also delimed my coffee maker, who is better than me!!!!

There are no parades here to go to for Memorial Day. We used to live on the parade route in CT, it was a great annual event. It marked the beginning of the summer for our town. Everyone came out of hibernation and said hello. Then the Fire Dept would serve hot dogs and hamburgers to anyone who came by. The Fire House was across the street from our house. We would all go over and hang around and talk with everyone. It was a great time. I kind of miss that, but it would never be the same even if we were still living there. The Fire Dept. moved up the road, people move on and change too.


So, back to the holiday. I did do something patriotic for the holiday. I ordered 100 flags and had them put on the lawns in my neighborhood. It is somewhat of a Realtor tradition, so I thought, why not. I had the boy next door put them out for me. He said several people personally thanked him and I even got a phone call from one guy who was very touched by it when he drove home and saw all the flags on the street.

Life is good here, different sometimes, but good..............

SARASOTA FLORIDA

29th Anniversary celebration was held in Sarasota Florida this year..........



We were thinking about a cruise, but we thought we might get a case of the swine/bird flu, so we stayed close to home.



I always wanted to spend some time exploring this wonderful city. It is such a treat to be able to go on vacation and be an hour or so from home.





We did all the touristy things, and poor Bob, he had to do all the girl stuff with me. He shopped, he ate salads, went to museums, toured rose gardens and botanical gardens. We went for walks on the beach at Longboat Key. The whole time, I had my face in my camera. I took over 350 pictures there.


I never realized what a great place this is. It is really a well kept secret. We were so impressed with the Ringling Museums and mansion. I had no idea what John Ringling and his family were about. It is such an interesting and sad story.



This is a view from the water of his Mansion. I have many more pictures on my flickr page if you want to see more of the trip.



I haven't been very good about blogging lately, someone made me sign up on facebook. I like it, but there is only so much time in the day for the computer, we have to eat too! I have been on a diet!!!! Went to the gym today with Terri.

If that doesn't make me realize how old and out of shape I am! I did 30 mins on the bike and boy do I need a nap. It just started pouring here, so this is the perfect time to nap...zzzzzzzzzz

PEEPS IN PARADISE

Ok, so today I am all stressed out. I have to preview 6 condos, bake two desserts for tomorrow, go to the grocery store and what am I doing? I am taking pictures of peeps in paradise. It is terri's fault. She had time to read the paper today! She calls and tells me there is a contest and we just have to enter it. I thought to myself, ok, but this is going to be low on the priority list. The deadline is Tuesday, so put it in the back of your mind.

Well.....the brain starts thinking and obsessing and the next thing I know, I am ripping the cabinets apart looking for props, I know I have some of those little drink umbrellas somewhere!

I try to put it out of my mind while I go do other stuff,. I picked up Terri and Ruth, then they start with the ideas, next thing I know, we are at Walgreens buying peeps and little boats, then we go to Ruth's and start making strawberry daquiries, (props you know). Her husband was home and just shook his head and disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.

We finally got three acceptable photos to submit. And since two of us are on diets we will probably win, the prize is $100 worth of Normal Love Chocolates. I guess this peeps thing is big, Ruth sent me this link so that we can really feel like inadequate amatures and I am sure there are more out there;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2009/04/10/GA2009041001969.html

New Home just finished in Cape Coral

Our friends finally moved in to their new home. This house took 2 years to build. It was started in 2006 at the height of the real estate boom, then the market took a nosedive, and the contrators were scarce. They had to move to other places to find work. It was worth the wait though, what a home.! This builder is still buiding homes here, but under a different name now. This tour is a tool we use for our real estate business, but I had to do a tour of this new construction just to show what a gorgeous home this is. We wish the best of times to Bob and Barbara in their new home.!!!

LAUNCHINGS

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,..................

HURRY UP COME OUTSIDE NOW!! Bob yelling to me and me running in my nightgown thinking OH NO what happened. When I realized it was the shuttle, I ran inside and got my camera, we caught the tail end of the shuttle. If you look up in the right hand corner, you can still see it a little, it looks like a star. It isn't the best shot, but it is my first shuttle picture. Maybe a picture of me running out on the front lawn in my nightgown taking the picture would have been a little more entertaining though!

LAUNCH # 2

Katie is here for Spring break and of course we want to spend as much quality time as we can with her. We took her to the Calusa Nature center, went to J.N. Ding Darling wildlife preserve on Captiva, went to her favorite restaurants, saw Wicked, had a birthday party and the week just flew by.

One particular adventure; which I did not participate, has a special meaning for Katie and Bob. It will be known as the day Bob got launched. I am sure her grandchildren will want to hear this story over and over again. It is, the kind of story that when repeated is very funny, but could have ended tragically if not for our Katie!!!

Bob and Katie went kayak fishing. I was a nice uneventfull day until the launch of Bob into the mangroves. He rented this kayak, because he wants to buy a fishing one.

Unfortunately, it has a 'point of no return', once you roll it to a certain point, it launches you face first into the water without any warning whatsoever.

He got dumped, but then he had on a self inflating life vest, which inflated a little too tightly around his neck. So poor Bob is gaging on mangrove swamp water while the life vest is choking him, all his stuff is floating away including his paddle, kayak, fishing gear, and his new crocks.

Katie came to the rescue and got Bob over to a mangrove, set him in the crotch of a tree where he held on for dear life while being cut up by oysters and barnacles.

Katie went paddling around and saved all the fishing gear and of course Bob and his new red crocks.

Gabriel saying good bye to the Yale NICU and off to see the world! Welcome Home Big Guy

Gabriel

Gabriel Saul Levy arrived 6 weeks early. Here he is at 1 day short of 2 weeks old. He is our precious new little angel. Welcome to the family Gabriel!!!!!

The Direction Home Team ~ Florida

The Direction Home Team ~ Florida

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Cape Coral Florida

Our new team photo. Terri, Debbie, Ruth

Three blonds ready to buy and sell southwest Florida at your service!

We are having fun in the sun, come on and join us!!!

So much for fun, we have been working very hard on our marketing and education with our business. I have to go up to CT for a while to be with the family and the new grandbaby! I can't wait to see them, but I also hate to leave this nice, warm sunny place I live!!

Isn't Murphy cute?

He is the best dog, probably because he lives at Terri's house and not mine. He is such a ham! He really did pose for this picture. Murphy and his people rode out to Captiva one day and had a photo shoot. He just laid there and smiled like a good boy. Murphy is going to be famous, he is now giving out coping advice! Move over Dr. Phil and Ann Landers, Murphy is taking over.

I went for a bike ride yesterday. It was the perfect weather for it. Warm sun, and a cool breeze. Just like a late spring new england day, except no hills!

Bob thinks it would be funny to have the wicked witch of the west theme song playing while I ride!

Poof!!~$#@! poor Bob, he is in CT in 8 degree weather!

HEHHHHEEEEEEEEeeeeeee!!!! Take that and your little dog too.....................

CLICK ON THIS BOAT IF YOU DARE...

If you are in a cold climate, I warn you, this could cause you to become insanely jealous and beat me with your ice scraper and throw my flip flops in the wood stove. I do have a lot of respect for your pain though. We are having a cold front this week and had to turn on the heat last night. It got down to 36 last night.

I have been working on some of my real estate business marketing strategies and while I don't pretend to have any techno savvy skills, I am trying to learn. I wanted to create something for some of my 'northern' customers, so they can get a good idea what to expect if they were to visit me or hopefully move here and enjoy this lifestyle.

This is my preliminary attempt at this, so please send me some feedback. It is suppose to take no time at all to set these up, but of course I have worked on it for about 2 days on and off. I keep tweaking it. Enjoy!!!