Birthdays and baby showers

There have been plenty of reasons to celebrate lately....birthdays and baby showers
and a proud grandmother making sure everyone is recognized
Olivia (3) and Michaela (5) have birthdays just a couple of weeks apart...so every year the family celebrates both together. Plenty of fun and CAKE! for everyone. The forecast was "iffy"...but the rain stayed away and it was nice...not too hot. Not that the kids would have minded...they were having a good time on the inflatable slide/pool.( The adults were sitting on the side planning a midnight raid....we wanted a turn!)

One cake situated at each end of the table...one vanilla
the other chocolate with a chocolate mousse filling...yum!

Before long...there will be another cousin in on the action...baby ????? (no name yet...or at least they're not telling)is due sometime around October 20th.
But we at least know it's going to be a boy....and he will have plenty of things to get him off to a good start!

Meanwhile the ladies enjoyed an afternoon of great food and delicious treats
The cute cake made out of 60+ diapers...was really impressive. I'd hate to take it apart!
Surprised Mom-To-Be was delighted with everything and thrilled with all the different gifts. (which made up for the fact that she left her house with no make-up on...because she thought they were just dropping something off at a friend's house)

Lots of LongDoggers

We had a busy week at LongDoggers this past week. On Thursday...they hosted a fundraiser for the Melbourne Beach Library. We passed out coupons to the patrons...which they were to present upon ordering...and the library would get a % of total proceeds from the night. People went all day...some for lunch, afternoon...and then dinner. If the rain hadn't moved in at around 8:30...we would have done really well...but we still had a great night! John and I got there at about 4:45pm...and I was a little nervous since there didn't seem to be many people there. Of course the group John frequently meets up with for their nightly "Board Meeting" was there and they did their share for us! haha Shortly after John and I got to our (big) table...(room for all our friends...haha) my boss showed up. Now she had already gone for lunch...so I didn't expect to see her again for dinner...that's dedication. Well...in addition to Cindy...the Library Services Director, Cathy Schweinsberg, also joined us. So did the director from the Eau Gallie/Cape Canaveral Libraries and another librarian from Melbourne (I think). John was a good sport...he sat with me and the librarians...instead of joining the "board" members! Well...my neighbors who had promised to make an apperance...did so...right after the LS Director arrived...making me look very good....since they had a whole tableful of people...Ra, Matt, Xao Yan, back door neighbor Jeanne, her next door neighbor Jack and another friend Joe. By this time the place was filling up and had people waiting for tables...all holding their Library coupons....so things were going well. Our friends, the Woodwards came and when John went over to say Hello and thank them for coming...Dr. Woodward handed John a donation check for the amount of $500.00!!!! which made me look great! was wonderful....so it was a successful night all around!The Friends group all came out and looked like they were enjoying themselves...so that's good. Sometimes I suspect that my boss probably thinks I have kind of a bad attitude...because if I disagree with an idea/policy...I speak my mind...but I think this fundraiser, which by the way I set up with Al & Tony....will let her know that I may disagree with some things...but I like my job and I do have the best intentions for the library. The money earned will go towards the media budget...that has been cut to zero!Then....on Saturday...it was time for the 2nd Annual LongDoggers 5K Walk/Run. Our neighbor Angela...who also works at LD...ran and came in 2nd in her age group. Not bad...considering that baby S. is only 6 months old!
John and I walked...we finished in about 45 minutes 9 seconds or something like that. (better than my last year's time of 48 something) There had been a 50% chance of rain...but it did NOT rain...it was just cloudy...which cooled things off nicely. After the race it was time to head back across A1A for the party.
They had a band, prizes, and lots of fun for everyone. Kids had a blast running around...we had fun watching the end of the Arkansas - Alabama game. I must point out that when we returned...the score was 20-7.Arkansas...but as soon as I got back with my Alabama shirt...hahah the "Tide" changed! There are not many Alabama fans...mostly Gators or Seminoles, around here...but it was great fun to watch them win...and there was another group cheering for AL at the next table over. John and I ended up staying hours longer then we had thought we would ...and we had a lot of fun. We did have to ride our bikes home in the dark (no lights)...but it's mostly back roads/bike path. Our one friend joked that if he heard news that we were "missing"...today...he would start the search in the bushes next to the bike path! haha We made it home without incident...It was a fun night!

David in Grand Rapids

Check out Artprize.org to see my brother David in the top 75! (out of over 1200! artists).... in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is the big weekend...so maybe he'll be moving up......in the meantime, he's having a great time, enjoying some amazing art work and meeting lots of interesting, fun people so what else is new...we're talking about David..haha

Hey!!!!What happened to your hair?

Okay, so I was a little confused Monday when a patron I was checking out at the desk said to me..."I don't know, your hair keeps getting shorter and darker" looooooooooooooooong pause "I just don't know what to think....I just can't keep up with the changes" (as she's shaking her head. I had to look to see if she was kidding...she didn't appear to be ...she looked serious).....and all I can say is she has mistaken me for someone else because if you know me...you know the hair really hasn't changed........... I did have longer hair in Jr High and HIgh School, college and for awhile after kids...but see for yourself... which is also a good excuse to put some old photos on the blog haha
1957, that's me in the middle of Ellen and David
with John's sister Lucy and her husband Mac in 2008
with my nephew Ryan at Hilton head Disney.....Ryan just started college!
with my sisters (Anne, Jenifer,my Mom, Ellen, Elizabeth & Martha)at Jenifer's wedding rehearsal dinner
John & I with the girls on our houseboat trip to Kentucky 199?
Megan's college graduation-May 2006 (BCC) ERAU was in 2008
photo of Dianne and I at the Library that made it in to the Local news or as one friend called it many years ago...the "mullet wrapper" birdcage liner, etc..haha
Paul, Elizabeth and I when she was here for her reunion
Now there were a few minor variations over the years including one when I got my hair frosted (Megan was still in Jr High)...the reaction was lukewarm at best...haha and all I could think about was when my mom got her hair frosted...I vaguely remember a peach colored polyester suit in her wardrobe at that time...I'll leave that to your imagination...haha
and there was my "Cheerleader hair" attachment I sported at John's 50th Birthday our 25th Anniversary Prom party...by the end of the night the thing had been from one side of my head to the other...finally took it off...haha
and my one night as a blond at our last anniversary "White Trash Bowling Bash"
So...I think it's safe to say she definitely thinks I am someone else she knows/knew...because if she can't keep up with MY hairstyle changes...I just don't think there's any help for her! hahaha :D

September 12th

So...we were originally planning to go to a wedding this past Sunday...but unfortunately things did not work out as planned. Because of a commitment to the US Navy and an assignment that was unexpected...the wedding was called off. BUT...instead of feeling sorry for herself...the bride to be decided to go ahead with a celebration...because friends and family members already had airline tickets and plans....so why not go ahead and have a party?????!!!!!
Her dad and a good friend (in from Pittsburgh) went fishing and caught a cooler full of mahi mahi
A freezer full of lobster and the freshly cleaned fish...lots of friends and family turned it into a great afternoon/evening.
As for the bride-to-be...she is confident that everything works out for the best in the long run and she'll wait and see what that is.


enjoying time with cousins, sisters, aunts uncles, grandparents and lots of good friends...
Out of all the ways this could have turned out...I was happy for B that she was able to appreciate the love and support of everyone there and enjoy the day...even if it wasn't exactly what she had in mind.....and eventually that day will come. Personally...I thought it was great. (of course if AK was in charge it might have meant guests would be required to wear costumes...haha....like old wedding outfits/dresses, etc.) I'm sure everyone was happy I WAS NOT in charge! hahaha

Megan's visit

Labor Day was a total washout...it rained HARD almost all day. We did manage to get a walk in....but other than that...there was not much we could do but sleep I like sleeping...just not all day and read....I did have a good book. But I'll take a sunny day anytime!Tuesday was a long day to make up for the day off and catch up after being closed. We had lots of staff on hand...so it wasn't too crazy...but I was glad when my 6 hrs were up! Went home, ate and took it easy until about 11pm ,when we headed out to Orlando to pick up Megan and Marcus.
It wouldn't be a trip home without a trip to "our" Longdoggers on Post Road. We ran into LJ...and it was fun. Then we were off to the Golf course. Marcus and John were excited...Megan and I were a little skeptical...Megan more than I...because she hasn't swung a club in YEARS...me...just because I never know...hahaha

Figuring out what clubs to carry haul around. We played on the short course at Duran. It was the shortest course I've ever played on in my limited career as a golfer but it was perfect...9 short holes...just what Megan and I could handle!
What Form!

Marcus has a lot of power in his shots... so he had to adjust to the short course. There were storm clouds to the west of us...but they never made it all the way in to where we were...and a few clouds and a good breeze kept the temperature bearable.
Then...this morning,,,I went to work while John took Megan and Marcus offshore to try and catch a "birthday" fish for Marcus. (he turns 25 today) They went about 25 miles out and got two mahimahi...as well as a shark for Marcus and a barracuda for Megan
They stopped for lunch at Captain Hiram's and then raced the storms home. John cleaned the fish...everyone took a brief nap and then we took the fresh catch to Indialantic Longdoggers where we ordered fish tacos...minus the fish. The cooks fried up our fish and Voila!...fresh fish tacos. Of course we had to listen to Al give us a hard time...but even he sampled the fish. John M. joined us...then my brother Mark arrived on the scene...so we had fun.

Happy Birthday Marcus!

Proud Parent

Yes folks...that's me one proud parent... okay this is old...but I was and am still proud
last night Jimmy Buffett was in town...in VA (or maybe MD)
and a station Megan listens to was having a contest to name the "Biggest Parrothead"..the winner would get two tickets to the concert. Well, Megan (big Parrothead that she is) already had her tickets...but she still wanted to win...so she made her call to station WMZQ and told them why she should be named the winner.
She went to her first Jimmy Buffett concert in Orlando when she was 6, bought just about every JB cassette later CD, available, bought assorted JB merchandise over the years
attended more concerts, got more shirts
even ate a CHEESEBURGER..with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes, big Kosher pickle and a cold root beer or Coke,at the Key West Margaritaville Restaurant(with the Roys)...even though at that period in time she was rarely eating red meat
knows all the words to most of his songs and recently bought a Parrot head license tag Well the tipping point was that as she put it "and a real Parrothead would already have tickets to the concert!"
got Marcus to wear the Parrothead hat for a picture (haha)
and what more can I say....
******By the way...we are proud of Megan for lots of reasons..... but as Brenna might say "I couldn't resist it"! haha