And now the costumes......

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater aka Ms. Di
Puss in Boots minus the boots & the Golden Goose (?)
Anne the Unicorn even though I've never been very fond of unicorns....this was kid friendly for Storytime
Cindy (the boss) and Heather at the Front counter
Little Red Riding Hood aka Mona and Alice in Wonderland aka Nancy. Mona is actually wearing a cape that was part of Brenna's costume back in 1986? I wish the company was still in business...it was a little company of women up in the northeast who handmade the costumes....great quality... and so cute!
The Mad Hatter aka Irma the Reference Librarian & Alice
Nancy & Heather with our own "Fractured Fairy Tales"fairy aka Denise
two of Bo Peeps missing sheep...Baa Baa Book Sheep and Kathy Bo Peep was off...she'll be in on Saturday>
Here's what Librarians do on Halloween....
We had a lot of fun and the patrons seemed to enjoy it. I was a big hit with the little girls! Nancy finally had to ditch her costume at about 4:00 pm...the wig was itching, sleeves were tight, shoes hurt...the usual sacrifices we make hahaha. Irma's Mad Hatters hat was made out of a brown paper bag....painted and decorated and placed on top of a smaller hat so it would fit on her head! The kids who ventured in yesterday got to make a hat of their own and go on a scavenger hunt throughout the library looking for each characters "lost" , etc. And of course we had treats available at the various desks for those patrons who said the magic words...."Trick or Treat". Lots of fun...only one cranky person who said we were all making too much noise and all of the staff should be shushing people...like the librarians he always grew up with. Sorry mister....our library does get noisy....but I've had more people tell me they LIKE our library because it is a little more relaxed than others they've been in...versus the kind where you feel like everyone is giving you dirty looks for making the least bit of noise. I agree that sometimes the kids AND the parents ,mostly the Moms get talking sometimes and the noise level goes up...but we are a small town library and it's a community meeting place and it's never going to be like the old days. I don't want to have to chase people around all day telling them to be quiet...I do if they get out of hand...but I usually just hope common sense and courtesy will prevail.
All in all...it was a fun afternoon at the library.

Halloween Fun at the Melbourne Beach Library

"Baa Baa Book Sheep - our entry in the "Pimp Your Bookcart Contest"

The library is decorated for the holiday fun. Dianne always gets out her assortment of cute holiday decorations...and this year we have decorated one of our bookcarts. It is being entered into a contest "Pimp Your Bookcart"...(like the TV show). Winning library gets a new bookcart....some of the entries are pretty impressive!
Our "theme" for this year, is "Fractured Fairy Tales"...so we are going to have a variety of characters and games throughout the library along that theme. The bookcart is one of Bo- Peep's missing sheep. We had a contest for the patrons to name the sheep...and the winner was "Baa Baa Book Sheep". Here's some of the decorations....I'll take photos of the staff later today.

Kids On The Move....and Breaking News!

The Bad Dog


The Good Dog


Lover Boy


Friends



It's been crazy around here. Brenna flew home last night and is already on her way back to Virginia...only this time she's in the rental truck with John, Haze and all her things that have been gathering dust out in the garage for the last year.
Up until now, she has been living with her Uncle Rob and cousin Shane while she was working at a bakery in Leesburg and looking for a "real" for lack of a better word job. Well she got a job with a Government contractor about three months ago (?) I think, and it was a long drive to the city from Lansdowne. She had a temporary place to stay...and now...she will have her own place in Arling ton. Haze has been staying with us during the job/apt search...so he is heading back with his "mama". Brenna will be glad to have him with her again. He's goofy sometimes...but he's a lover boy. He always greets you at the door with his wagging tail if he's not trying to sneak out! and he will get right up in your lap for a belly rub...or in your face to give you a great big "dog kiss" (picture Charlie Brown's friend Lucy..."I've been kissed by a dog!)Anyway there are some things I will miss....and others I must confess I will not...like having to keep everything out of reach on the tables and counters,,,since he can poke around up there and snatch things if you aren't looking. John will no longer have to worry about Haze stealing his dirty socks...a habit he only recently picked up...."Ah that lovely tempting aroma!" I can now keep my floors clean...no more big paws tracking in the fine silt. There will probably less hair gathering in the corners...Kiena sheds...but Haze has that long, red wispy hair that seems to ALWAYS be around. The pool will be cleaner...but I'll miss watching him drop the bone in and watching it drift down to where he can retrieve it. Kiena is definitely going to miss him...even if it means she will now be able to play fetch and actually make it to the ball without Haze snatching it up first. And the neighbors are going to miss "Mr. Happy" wagging his tail at the fence. I think John is relieved that he can now mend the screens (they're not too bad) and touch up that paint around the doors where Houdini...I mean Haze, worked to get them open. My house is missing a few pieces of furniture...they're packed up and heading to VA. I'll get a new couch out of this deal...so that's good. John has plans to make one of the bedrooms into an exercise room....which is making Brenna a little nervous...we assured her she can come home anytime...we'll have a place for her to sleep. There were also some things for Megan packed into the truck, since she also found an apt. She has been staying with some friends in their basement apt....it was a perfect opportunity...but the drawback was it took her 1 1/2 hours to get to school. And as Brenna found out...not too many of their peers live out in the areas like Lansdowne and Purcelville...so it was a long haul into town to get together with friends. not to mention dodging the deer on the way home They have been wonderful to her...kind, generous and supportive...I am so thankful that she has had them helping her out. She bought a bed and bookcase from them "Shop at the Borgelt's...the prices are right!" and they even helped her move everything. Again I am so Thankful to them and Rob for helping my kids out!
And now...the hard part of letting them go. You work hard to help your kids grow and be independent...and when they do...they move on in life. It's hard to let go......even if
I know they'll be back. I am very proud of them both. I would never take off...on my own...to find a job/go to school...whatever. This must be the "John" in them! It's exciting...but I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry a little. The nice thing is...they are both in DC. Brenna in Arlington, Megan in Fairfax....so we will be able to see both if we go up. Plus Rob and Shane are in Lansdowne and Elizabeth and the kids aren't TOO far away in Virginia Beach. I wish I was heading up there right now...to see the leaves changing...but my new schedule didn't allow me to do that. I will have to be content with READING about the changing leaves...which I have been doing, at Storytime
After John, Haze and Brenna headed out....I got started organizing everything here. I moved some things around a bit....John is going to wonder HOW I did it.. I only got caught on one corner He decided we were going to unload the old furniture on Brenna and Megan ...so my house feels a little empty. Among the missing items was a fold-out sleeper chair I got from LL Bean. John never liked the thing...but I did. He told me it was the most uncomfortable chair he'd ever sat in.hahaha Haze liked it! I sat it in /dozed off in it more than once.....we only used it as a bed once or twice...and the feedback was...that it was adequate. Megan's friend Aaron was the first to test it out. When I enthusiastically asked how comfortable it was...he politely said it was okay...but not really what he would call comfortable. hahahaha....reminds me of a couch we had a my Mom and Dad's...it was getting a little worse for the wear...one of David's buddies spent the night at our house...the next morning he thanked my Mom for letting him stay and handed her some $...he told her it was his contribution to the new couch fund! hahaaha

AND NOW...the Breaking News..........my brother David called a bit ago to tell me he was awarded "BEST IN SHOW" in the Winter Springs Art Festival today. He said he thought he might get something...when 1st and 2nd were announced he was a little disappointed...until he heard his name being announced as Best in Show! Nice $2000.00 prize to go with the ribbon! Not bad!
In other breaking news just in case you missed it...haha The Gators eeked out another Win! Too bad Tennessee couldn't pull off the upset in Alabama!

correction

We lit a fire in the chimnea (small clay firplace) not the chimera (grotesque monster)
Hahaha I wrote that post pretty late at night...thought I'd better read it over again...and check my spelling. When I was typing I wasn't sure how to spell...chimnea....so I did a spell check...the options were listed and I picked chimera.....that will teach me! As my sister (Ellen that is)would say to me ...look it up!

Mike's birthday bash

Mike and his sisters



they look innocent enough......


Let's get this fire started!


Last Saturday night the place to be was at Mike's birthday party. Every year around the 2nd weekend in October he celebrates his birthday with a big (fun) party....rain or shine! and even on occasion...a hurricane or tropical storm
Everyone who has attended in the past...knows it's going to be a great time.Everyone brings a side dish and he cooks up smoked turkey, beef and pork and his special fish gumbo...chock full of shrimp, fish, crab? you name it. This is the real deal...something in every bite...(sort of like my favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream! haha) His family and his parents and sisters and nieces and nephews always come.(that's him with his sisters Denise, Christina and Marie and one of his nieces in the photos) Old friends and friends of friends.(Steve & Heather) (Steve, John M. Rick B and Courtney in photos)..it's just a great time.
This year I had a blast...for whatever reason I was just in a good mood and I had more fun than I've had in months! Probably after just having spent time enjoying visits with my own brothers and sister Martha...it was like more of the same. Lots of laughs, a great football game and good music. I did have my bottle of champagne....but I didn't really over do it. We (John M., Steve M and someone else
(?)only caused a little trouble when as the night went on and the crowd thinned out,,,we noticed that many of the people were over in the side yard near where the fire was burning. (it was finally COLD! outside) Well...we were standing next to a little
chimnea and a stack of wood...so why not light one in it? (made perfect sense)
Well...of course it made no sense because Denise didn't want a fire in it during the party in case a child got curious, or someone accidentally tipped it over, etc.....not thinking along those lines due to champagne-me, beer-John and actually just water for Steve...no excuses there haha...John, Steve, and I and the other guy all thought we had a great plan. The guy (wish I could remember his name) decides to make it really easy...and goes over to the other fire and brings back a burning log.....sticks it in and "Voila!" a fire.(he's getting it ready in the next to last photo) In the meantime...I went inside to get something. When I returned just moments later the wind had stoked up the fire and SMOKE was pouring out of the "fireplace" gassing everyone in the area out....John, Steve and I looked at each other and said something along the lines of "Oh Crap!""This may be why they didn't light a fire in this thing!" After we all stopped laughing...Denise came out and saw the smoke and said "Hey...who lit a fire in here?" The guys were already working on putting it out...by way of lifting the whole "fireplace" up and hauling it off around the corner...to where Shane (who just happens to be a firefighter) was more than happy to hose the whole thing down and then some. Luckily, even Denise was laughing at this point.Meanwhile John, Steve and I and the other guy were looking a little sheepish...as we apologized for smoking everyone out...haha The only other event was when my acrylic glass that I was telling everyone was perfect because it was unbreakable...fell/got knocked out of my hand and bounced off the pavers...breaking the bottom piece off.....so I was left with the glass and a stem....John M suggested
that if I needed to set it down I just needed to find a soft patch of dirt or grass and poke it in! hahahaha (last photo). Really...I wasn't out of control...we were just having fun! (my) John had left around 9:00pm and promised to come back to drive me home after he took a "nap".All night people were laughing when I told them that...but lo and behold who came dancing out onto the patio around 11:00pm...JOHN! Mike's sisters couldn't believe it...Marie looked up and said "Hey! He's back!" (If you know John you know he's either going strong...or he's going to eat have a beer or two and get tired. He has been known to slip out of many a party...to go home and sleep....but this time...he came back and stayed until 1:30am!) I figured when I went to bed that I might be moving a little slowly in the morning...but I woke up feeling great! Walked up to Chris and Heather's house to get my car...and drove it home. I think I am ready for the next party!

Go Gators!

We went to a FUN party this Saturday. Our friend Mike has the best party in town every October and this year was no exception. Every year they consider NOT having it....but then figure people would probably show up at their house on the 2nd Saturday in October even if they decided not to have it...so might as well go for it. They always have GREAT food, lots of people...all ages.....and great music that gets people dancing before the end of the night. Of course...the football games are always on the TV and the Gator fans were watching..the ones who could take the nerve wracking tension. I'll give more of a report on the party on another post....but here's a few photos of those last 2 or so minutes when the Gators were driving down the field hoping for a Field Goal if nothing else. I snapped the photo right as they were kicking the ball.....and then I was too busy cheering to take one after we pulled off the win! We made it through another week...and I don't care what anyone says...to me winning a close one like Saturday's game shows more determination to win than a total blowout....because the only reason we won...was because Tebow and the team found a way to pull it out...they did NOT want to lose. After that the other games came on...but I went ouside to listen to the music and enjoy some cool air that FINALLY made it down to Florida. It was great!

and then it was time to go......

We enjoyed our visit with Martha and Tony. It was great to see them in Amelia Island for a couple of days and then again when they made it down to Indialantic. Mark was excited...cooked us all his "famous" prime rib dinner and had a fishing trip planned for Tony and John. They headed out on Thursday morning....John was a little reluctant....but Tony told him they weren't taking "No" for an answer and he needed to "RALLY". Ha...well rally he did and they left at 6:15am. A little rough getting out...but they said the seas settled down and it was a beautiful day on the water and coming in was a breeze. They caught a small black fin tuna and a variety of snapper. Not too much....but enough for dinner for David, Mark, Lynn, Paul, Martha , Tony, John and I! And it was delicious! Fresh sushi from the tuna...followed with the snapper grilled and some fried mahi (from our freezer). We had a nice dinner with all of us sitting around the table at the house.Ideas fro Martha And Tony's costumes for the "Hollywood Then & Now" party got tossed around again. David suggested Nick Nolte for Tony...hahahaha.(get the hair teased up and look a little disheveled, etc) Then we laughed and talked for awhile outside before we said our goodbyes. Martha and Tony were heading out Friday morning at about 10:00am. Back to Orlando and an early flight back to Honolulu in the morning on Sat.The good news is Martha has a meeting in Orlando again in December.....so we might have to have an early birthday(s) dinner together. She has another meeting next spring in Naples Florida...so I am going to plan on heading over there. I have heard it's a beautiful place ...but have never been there....I think Martha's meeting would be a fine time to check it out!

The visit continues

Martha and Tony are winding down their trip to the mainland.After our visit in Amelia Island....they headed to Gainesville with Andy & Cathy for a couple of days. From there they went to Orlando for a couple of days of meetings for Martha...visits with old friends for Tony.Yesterday they were in Indialantic. I had to work until 5:30pm...so Martha relaxed while Tony, John and Mark played a round of golf. Mark had planned to make dinner for all of us back at the house. While he was finishing up the final preparations for his prime rib, potato pie and Caesar salad....Martha and I headed up for the Wednesday night jazz at the Crowne Plaza. We knew David would be there...but also because the Dan Wilborn (SP?) trio was playing...and they are pretty good. It was a nice evening...it finally cooled off a bit and there was a nice breeze from the ocean. We sat and enjoyed a cool drink and the music.As the sun set in the western sky...the clouds over the ocean lit up...had to snap a picture of the one unique cloud. David and Paul arrived...so we enjoyed visiting with them and getting our picture taken. We promised Mark we would be back in time for the dinner he was preparing....and we got there in good time. Mark was insistent on cooking this dinner for Martha and Tony...so it was nice to go enjoy it with Mark, Lynn, Tony, John, Paul and Martha. David joined us after dinner. We had some laughs and it felt
nice to be sitting around the old dinner table with almost everyone.
Paul looked at Mark at one point and said..."Well Mark...you finally got some people over to sit around the table." Everything was very tasty too. :)
Today the guys went off-shore fishing. I took the day off, so Martha and I ventured up to Cocoa Village for lunch at Cafe Margaux and poked around in a few shops up there. There are a lot of antique shops and consignment shops...so we decided to see if there were any potential costume items for the two parties Martha and Tony have to attend. They are going to be pirates at one (have those costumes) and have to dress a a famous Hollywood couple for the other. They aren't sure who they will be yet...Liz Taylor & Michael Jackson (can't you just imagine Tony as Michael?hahha) Sonny & Cher?, or Paul suggested Cybil Sheppard (since people comment that Martha looks like her) & Bruce Willis. We saw some awful stuff...haha...some actually for sale and not as cheap as you might expect....certainly didn't look like anything recently seen in stores...at least not where I shop....Now we are just waiting to see if we're
having fresh fish for dinner...........

Pumpkins

Just a few little things I have around the house. I love October!

A Visit with Martha & Tony

It's kind of late and I'm tired...but I decided to go ahead with this post. I do have to get up and work tomorrow....our new schedule/hours are in effect and it will be interesting. The bad thing is that I will be at the circulation desk for the day...the good thing is the first hour(9-10) and last hour(2-3) I'm scheduled are
actually hours that we are closed...so that's good. for me. One hour to get organized Before we open and one after we close to finish things up after the patrons are gone. That will be nice...no rushing people out so we can leave on time.
We did get an invitation to dinner and the big LSU - UF game. Our friend Chuck is an LSU fan...but now has a son at UF...so he can't lose! I am supposed to make a dessert...my favorite activity...but I am too tired to start tonight.....so whatever I bring will still be warm when I make it after I get home from work. (The butter is already on the counter getting soft. )
Earlier today we got home from 3 nights at Amelia Island with Martha & Tony, Andy & Cathy (Tony's sister and brother-in-law)(or as we call them....our in-law-in in-laws.
*I would have to say out of all of my in-laws...Tony's family is most like ours. He comes from an Irish-Catholic family with 7 children. I always felt completely at home with his parents and brothers and sisters. We have taken many trips with different brothers and sisters and their families....as have my children. Brenna traveled to Hawaii for a visit to Martha,Tony & Ian's, with Andy & Cathy and their two boys one time...then spent time with the rest of the Smith family on Maui and Oahu. Megan went on a ski trip with the gang one year to Whistler.(My brother Mark was on that trip too.) And John and I and the girls have skied with them here and there. Rob, Jen and Shane have been with the group, so have Paul, David, Brigit and her daughter Destin. When Ian turned 21, he wanted to go to Las Vegas, so....John joined Tony, his brothers Andy & Kiran(I thinK), brother-in-laws Wim, Andy, Tom and Ian's cousin Marcus (also just 21)...it was, as they called it...the Brother -in -laws trip.*...but I digress....back to Amelia Island
I was happy to be able to get the days off...because as I mentioned a couple of months ago...my boss wasn't sure I could have the time off when I first requested it. We enjoyed a nice relaxing stay at a condo on the beach. View from the main room was the beach. We watched the sunrise each morning. Cathy has been taking photography for a while...she took photos of the sun popping out of the clouds each morning. I am more likely to catch a sunset versus the sunrise most of the time...but until the time changes back on November 1st...I AM actually up before the sun. And of course with the Smith family; Tony, Martha (and the rest of the brothers and sisters)...you don't spend a whole lot of time sitting around! Martha ran each day...so did Tony. Then the guys golfed 36 holes Wed, and Thurs. Cathy and I opted for a walk rather than a run. We walked ALL over the resort area...for at least an hour. In the afternoon we walked around the shops on Wed.Then on Thursday...Cathy took a tennis lesson...Martha and I took a golf lesson. It was a "Group" lesson...but the place was pretty slow...so Martha and I were the "Group". Got some good tips. As I told the guy...I took a class 31 years ago...haha (Martha suggested I might want to leave that tidbit of info out...(31 years ago!) and another lesson about five years ago...and I probably have played about once every three years. I am okay in a "Best Ball" tournament..because sometimes I hit the shot just right. I did pretty well all things considered.borrowed shoes, socks and clubs.... and the guy told me that if I played more than once every three years I might actually be pretty good at it. :D
Martha did pretty well too...not having the advantage of taken a class....even if it was a looooooooong time ago.When we signed up we told the guy we were "beginners" so I think he was pleasantly surprised to get to people who picked things up quickly and weren't totally uncoordinated, etc.
The first day when Martha, Cathy and I were eating lunch down at the Cafe...who should we happen to see...but John. Tony and Andy...finishing up on the hole right in front?behind? the building.(see photo above)
Thursday after our lessons...Martha, Cathy & I headed to Fernandina Beach for lunch and shopping. I liked the area...love all the oak trees and the beach reminds me of Indialantic/Melbourne Beach area...especially similar to Floridana Beach. Not too built up...mostly homes and some condos on the oceanfront...not too many strip malls etc. Nice low-key feel to the town.Many homes reminded me of Winter Park, Maitland area...and looked a little more like the "north" than Indialantic does.Downtown reminded me of downtown Melbourne with it's tree lined streets and little shops and the old historic buildings.Like Meg O"Malley's several shops had the old tin ceilings.However.... most of the shops were not too exciting...it seemed like they were all selling the same things...and we kept commenting..."How do they stay in business? in this economy." There were several groups of women (a few men) walking around and they all sort of had the same look to them...which got me wondering if we looked like them as well? (younger versions maybe). Interesting.......
One gentleman volunteered to take our picture after he saw Cathy taking a picture of Martha and I. We had lunch down by the water...and I decided to get into the whole feel of the place and ordered Shrimp and Grits with a red pepper gravy. It was tasty...not too hot for me...which I was happy about...since I got a little nervous after I ordered it! We had great weather during the trip...nice blue skies...but a tad on the WARM side. after one week of cooler temperatures had us all thinking Fall had arrived! Martha and Tony were following Andy & Cathy down to Gainesville for a couple of days...then they go to Orlando for Martha's meetings and tour of Florida Hospital (Children's Hospital). Wednesday they will make their way to the beach again and spend a couple of days visiting David & Brigit, Mark, Paul & John & I here....before they head home to Honolulu. It was a nice visit and I am looking forward to next wed/Thursday. Now...if I don't go to bed...I will be yawning all day at work!