Home again, home again

It's always good to get home. As you can see from the picture I have been on the phone catching up with everything here since we have been away. We had a wonderful time in Key Largo but there's something about being in your own bed and on your own schedule. We had to get up at 3 AM to leave for the airport at 4 and this was after being up till about midnight after the Super Bowl party getting everything packed.

It's about an hour drive to the airport and the first half hour is along a narrow road that doesn't have a light in sight except for a few fishing shacks and the toll booth which snags a dollar from you every time you go anywhere.

It was pitch black out being so early and I kept wondering why our driver was flashing his lights constantly when there wasn't another vehicle within miles. Suddenly the lights went completely out and there we were going along at a good clip in total darkness! They came back on but then went out again and I asked the guy in a rather high pitched voice what was wrong with the lights!!!!???!!! Well, he said he didn't know. Great.

Several of us women thought we should stop and call for a different van but we got out voted by the men that thought we could manage to get to the airport with the flashers on. They didn't want to miss their flights but I said I'd rather miss mine then be dead but it didn't change their minds so we kept going sometimes with lights and sometimes without. We made it.

Our flights home were uneventful which is just the way I like them, no turbulance, fog or crying babies. I slept most of the way which made the trip home seem quite fast. When we stepped off the plane at our airport the crisp winter air just felt so nice on our faces. We love where we live, no doubt about it.

One of the things we enjoyed while in Florida were the beautiful flowers that grow in abundance.

I wish I knew all the names of them but I think this last one is periwinkle and the first one may be hybiscus. They are just breathtaking!

This is the view from our room. We could watch the boats coming and going with fellow conventioners enjoying the ride.

This was one of the many luxury boats that are kept at the resort. We were told that some of the owners only use them about three or four times a year. Go figure!

Guess that's it for tonight. Once again spellcheck isn't working. sigh... American Idol is starting, hope it's a good one! More convention highlights continued later.

Saturday Night Ramblings

When I first started blogging over a year ago it was primarily to keep a journal for my grandchildren to read when they get older. Hopefully they will be interested in what their dear old grandmother had to say about things in the 'olden days' because you see when they can read well enough to read all of this foolishness I will be old. I have been thinking lately that I really should change my bloggy name from Midlife Mom to Old Age Mom, Ancient Mom, Old Geezer Mom or something of that sort.

I didn't feel that way until I read in a blog written by a youngster in her 30's that she is now middle aged. I guess at 56 I am a little more then middle aged as I don't think I will live to be 112. What are the chances? I guess other then a few aches and pains I don't feel my age, well except when I go flailing off my horse at a canter and end up with a plethora of bumps, bruises, scrapes, concussion, blood clots, and broken finger nails.

So I ask you, what do you think? Any name suggestions?

I saw this cartoon the other day and thought it would make me a nice new career. I like to decorate and I like cats so this would be perfect! It would be the one job that might bring me out of retirement! :o)

It's now Sunday afternoon. After church we went to the Rudder for lunch with a delightful couple that have been married 46 years. I asked how they met and they each had their own version with his being the funniest. How nice to see a couple still in love after all these years. :O)

I must start thinking about packing for our trip. We leave for Key Largo on Thursday morning for a convention that we go to every year. I have been shopping for some new clothes and thankfully they have some spring clothes out plus I ordered some online from Talbot's one of my favorite stores. We have a Talbot's here in town but they don't have as much of a selection as the catalog. I still need a few more things, one being sandals but those aren't out anywhere so I guess I'll have to wait and get some in Miami.

This was the infamous trip we went on last year and brought home Noodles and Munchkin. For those of you who weren't reading my blog at the time here's a quick recap. We adopted Noodles and Munchie from a cat shelter in Key Largo. They came home with us on the plane and Noodles yowled all the way from Florida to Maine and also had an accident in his carrier so I had to give him a bath in the restroom on the plane. Now you know how small those rest rooms are and we were having turbulence at the time which made matters even worse. The sinks are the size of tea cups and he was not happy having his inflight bath! We got the job done though and things smelled much better. :O)

They have been a wonderful addition to our family. They, well Noodles, loves the grandkids and plays with them every time they are here. They have adapted to our cold temps and love to go out in the snow if only for a few minutes and then come back in where it's warm. Munchie is much more timid and hides if there are people in the house that she doesn't know but the minute they are gone she is back out sitting in my lap or wrestling with Noodles. They are brother and sister and play well together racing and tearing through the house. Am I glad we did it, yes! Would I bring more home on the plane, NO!

Good night kitties!

Wednesday Sunshine

The rocky coast of Maine.

The sun is out today warming up the sunroom nicely even without the fire going. I have been waiting for the generator people to get here but just got an e-mail and they are behind so won't be here till tomorrow. SIGH......... I know it's not their fault but I had everything ready and tomorrow I have three appointments that I can't cancel so right at this point I don't know what I am going to do. Maybe I will eat a bowl of ice cream with a banana cut up in it. That would help.

Chyrlls over At Chyrlls Corner is having a super giveaway this week! She is not just giving one prize but four! Hop on over and throw your hat in the ring for a chance to win!! One prize is a cook book that I have my eye on so don't any of you choose that! Just kidding. Maybe. Yes, alright I am kidding but seeing as I have never won a give away I don't think you have anything to worry about!

My Dad sent me this picture this morning of a cactus that is growing out in front of their home in Florida. They planted it about 18 years ago and it was only about a foot or so tall when they set it out. As you can see it has grown a little! I hope the darned thing doesn't fall over on Mom, she'd be an instant pincushion!!! Yikes! Mom go in the house where it's safe! NOW!

Today is Bloggers Share National Pie Day. I had never heard of it before but read about it over at BJ's at Sweet Nothings. I don't need much of an excuse to make a pie, made pumpkin pie on Monday, so guess I'll have to throw together an apple pie today in celebration. BJ has a really nice blog with lots of decorating ideas that I love. Go on over and give her a howdy!

National Pie Day - January 23rd
Created by the American Pie Council, National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie. As part of our American heritage, this day is a perfect opportunity to pass on the love and enjoyment of pie eating and pie making to future generations.
Each year the American Pie Council sponsors the National Pie Championships where some of the best pie makers in the United States and Canada enter their pies to compete for the "American Pie Council's Best Pie in America" award.
To celebrate National Pie Day share the warmth of the ultimate "comfort food" by giving the gift of pie to a friend or neighbor. Your generosity will be long remembered.
If pie making is not in your schedule, stop by your favorite pie shop or grocery store and bring home a gift of love and enjoyment for the whole family. The coldest of January days will be warmed by a special pie dessert.

If you aren't a good pie crust maker go over to my nieces blog musingsofahousewife and read her tutorial on crust making. It is a no fail recipe passed down to her from her mother and grandmother. Just click on The Perfect Homemade Pie Crust on her sidebar. It is soooooooo good!

Now I will give you my tutorial on making pie crust.

1. Get in your car.

2. Drive to the grocery store.

3. Go to the refrigerated section.

4. Pick up a box of rolled up pie crust.

5. Bring it home.

6. Open box, roll out pie crust.

7. Slap it in the pie dish.

8. Add your filling.

9. Slap the top crust on.

10. Cook

Works every time for me but don't tell anyone, they think I make it from scratch!

Is this the cutest thing or what???? Do you suppose Mama Kitty is wondering why her babies have a funny smell?? It looks like she is saying "I washed them twice already this morning, I just don't know what they got into."

Now I've heard the old saying 'when pigs fly' but never 'when pigs swim'......

Tuesday Talk

We're still in the deep freeze here on the coast of Maine. The only reason I left the house today was to meet Hubby for lunch at The Muddy Rudder in a nearby town. There are a few things that will get me out no matter what the weather is and eating is one of them, especially at The Rudder. They have a wonderful selection of steaks, seafood, pasta, salads, sandwiches etc all with a little more flair then your ordinary restaurant. Now you can't tell me that you're not drooling on your keyboard looking at that lobster and corn on the cob! Slurp!


Today several blogs that I read had to do with children and the love we as parents and grandparents have for them. Sunday T was sitting in my lap before it was time to go down to Children's Church. (D was already downstairs in nursery) She had snuggled into my neck and I could smell the sweetness of her freshly shampooed hair and the feel softness of her cheek. I was trying to glue a remembrance of that into my mind when all of a sudden she blew the biggest bubble with her gum and it went POP! I almost laughed out loud but really didn't want a frown from one of the ushers so I didn't but it kind of broke the spell of the moment. heehee! Was it Art Linkletter that said "kids are funny" no I guess it was more like Kids Say The Funniest Things. Or do the funniest things!

A few years back Hubby was a couple hours north checking on some logging companies and got some great moose pictures. (Now Moose Buyer hang onto your seat cause these are good!) The first one he saw was a bull moose. He was fairly close as Hubby wasn't zooming in on him.

After watching him awhile the big guy swam across the pond. The moose not Hubby.

A bit later they saw a cow with her baby and got a pretty good shot of the two of them. There are some better shots somewhere that we had made up into big pictures for our camp but these are still pretty exciting. I just love the wildlife that we have here in Maine it never ceases to thrill me.


Speaking of wildlife, my parents are in Florida soaking up the sun while we are here chipping ice. I found these pictures of them on Buddy taken a couple summers ago. Just before these pictures were taken they were doing trick riding, jumping from the ground up on Buddy's back and then my mother would get up on my father's shoulders as they galloped around the pasture........ I figure if I am going to tell a whopper it might as well be a good one........ahem....

Buddy looks like he is thinking 'wake me up when it's over.'

Also found this picture of Son when he was just a wee one. He and Hubby had been putting together an Incredible Hulk puzzle and I guess Son just got all worn out as he was sound asleep! Notice the orange wallpaper........aaaccckkkk! I also had the orange counter tops and the orange Tup*perware canister set. Those were the 70's!

Speaking of wallpaper look at it in the old homestead living room in 1957! Yikes, can we say BUSY....... This is me and my two older sisters, we must have been ready for church with our dresses and petticoats on. Do any of you remember the petticoats that you would starch with the liquid starch so that they would be puffy and swing when you walked? The only puffiness I have now is under my eyes. :O(

This picture is just one I picked up off the Internet. Bet that ole' dog keeps his behind out of the pasture from now on!!!

Well Amer*ican Id*ol is on so guess I'll check that out.

Sunday Evening

This is a drawing by artist Paul Cameron Smith. I learned about him from Jen over at Copenhagen Kisses. I just love his work and plan to order some prints after I finish this post. This one is called Sugar Kisses. The other one I am ordering is Daddy's Ranch Hands:

If anyone is interested you can see his work at paulcameronsmith.citymax.com No, I don't get a commission, I just like his work! :O)

Jen and her Hubby just went on a trail ride with 300 other riders! I just can't even imagine going with that many people. I think the most I have ever gone with is maybe 10!

It's Sunday night and bitterly cold here in rural Maine. I just got a call from the stable and my young Thoroughbred/Welsh pony seems to be cold. The stable owner threw one of her blankets on him but it is a bit big so I went down in my barn and got his own winter blanket. I had just written in my last post how we like our horses to go without blankets in the wintertime if at all possible and usually they grow a nice thick coat and don't need them.

There's always the exception and our Nick is one. He came from Maryland originally and then moved to Massachusetts when his owner bought a stable there. He had never seen a really snowy winter until he came here when we bought him. Last winter he just didn't seem to be growing much hair so I put a blanket on him as the vet said it might take him a couple winters to acclimate. Guess he was right as this is the second winter and he still doesn't have the nice heavy coat that he needs.

Horses are funny though. They get varying amounts of hair, some of them like Buddy get coats that are like a woolly mammoth and some of the other ones don't have nearly as much but they are plenty warm. Bucky, my friend Ann's horse doesn't get a long coat but it's thick and stands right out straight. Kipper our little Welsh pony looks like he was put through the dryer without a dryer sheet as he has soooooo much hair and it sticks out all over! Skipper our other little Welsh has a thick coat but it lays flat and he get lots of hair around his feet like the big Budweiser Clydesdale's.

Anyway that's my Horse Hair Class 101.

One of my horse buddies Rising Rainbow has given me an award this week called You Make My Day Award. Thank you so much, it's such a delight to receive an award from a fellow blogger and know that you've made someone smile! Now if you want to smile go to her site and see and read about her GORGEOUS Arabian horses! The stories, which are true, will keep you on the edge of your seat! This gal has more horse knowledge in her little finger then I have in my whole body and I learn something from her posts every time! Thanks again!!!

I just turned on the back flood lights and my deer herd has grown again. I counted 8 this time and they were chowing down like little pigs! This has not been an easy winter for them with all of the snow so a free hand out is like manna from heaven. I can see my grain bill is going to be substantial this winter.......

Today is my son's 32 birthday. We are celebrating tomorrow night when he and his family come over for dinner. I wished him Happy Birthday today in church and we all went out to lunch together but tomorrow is going to be the main event with his favorite meal and pumpkin pie for dessert. How do you think a candle will stand up in pumpkin pie???

This picture was taken when he was only 3 and half months old in 1976.

He was an easy baby. He weighed 10 and a half pounds at birth and started sleeping through the night at two weeks. We was a compliant child, a very mellow disposition and could entertain himself for hours. This picture was taken when he was about two months old.

He has grown into an adult that I am really proud of. He has a good work ethic and provides for his family. He married a lovely gal that we are blessed to have as the mother of our grandchildren. They are teaching the children the ways of the Lord and for that I will be eternally thankful.

When he got into junior high he decided he wanted to lift weights. My husband being a former weight lifter himself was a wonderful coach and together they made a good team. By high school we were traveling all over the US with him competing in Drug Free sanctioned meets. It was a wonderful family time which I felt brought us even closer together. I think this meet was in Oklahoma City and these were some of the trophies that he won.

We have been very blessed. Our son works in the business with his father, grandfather and one of his uncles and he lives just a 3 minute walk through the woods from us. I could go on and on and you all would be asleep at your computers so I will stop and just say Happy Birthday Son!