Thanksgiving (finally)

The Thursday before Thanksgiving we made these turkeys
Ellison Die hand print made it easy to cut up lots of hands...haha I painted the cups while I watched TV one night. The kids glued on the ice cream spoon (head and neck) and the eyes and "feathers" and Voila! A cute table decoration.


Turkey puppet on display
Thanksgiving day John and I flew out of Orlando...up to Huntsville AL. We left mid day...no crowds...no weather...smooth sailing (thank goodness!)When Brenna picked us up she did not give away the fact that Megan had in fact arrived earlier in the day! Megan was in the kitchen waiting when we got back to Brenna's. I had talked to her Wednesday...she and Marcus met up with Ellen and Erik and Anna and Rob and Shane in DC for dinner. None of them gave it away either! At Brenna's we ate the turkey and all the side dishes...yum! Especially enjoyed the sweet potatoes and the cheesecake Brenna made using my dad's favorite recipe. after we ate...here's what we did! haha
Friday when we ventured out to a few sales...Brenna told me I needed to wear her boots...so I would look like a local. (after she saw the shoes I intended to wear...haha) I liked those boots!
scenes in and around the house...it felt like Thanksgiving! Cold/cool...bare trees....nice.
Her neighborhood is in an older part of town...some of the streets/houses are on the Historic registry. Many built in the late 1800's early 1900's. Interesting. In certain areas...the older homes have been added on to...they look simple from the front...then you notice that they go all the way back...very nice. Lots of pretty decorated wrap around porches.
I would have to say it was not the prettiest town I've ever been to...but it was interesting...and I would have to see it again when the trees are full of leaves to get a real feel for the place.

I was determined to find some leaves still on the trees...and I did. as John and I walked
up to the local coffee shop...I gathered a variety of leaves....
John thought that was funny...




We had a nice long weekend. Now it's back to work...they gave me two days off...but scheduled me for 26 hrs now that I'm back...it's hard to get them to actually give me a day off...haha no wonder everyone is always scrambling around trying to use up their leave before the end of the year
they don't let me use it...they just work around the time I want off....which isn't completely bad...but sometimes....................................... Anyway............now I am working on getting ready for Bunco next Monday, putting up my tree...which I never put up this early...but since I'm hosting Bunco...I decided to go for it. I'm making sure I am ready for tomorrow's story time and figuring out how I am going to have time to do everything I need to get done tomorrow....so I better sign off and get ready for bed.

Good bye friend

Margaret Mary "Ra" Popham
February 4, 1948-November 7, 2011

Grieve not....
nor speak of me with tears...
but laugh and talk of me...
as though I were beside you. I loved you so...
"twas Heaven here with you.

That's the saying on Ra's mass card. That along with one of her favorite Irish blessings.
We attended her funeral mass today with her family and friends. I did fine until the bagpiper started playing...........But I know Ra was a woman of great faith and she was not afraid to die. She was at peace, just sad to be leaving sooner than she had hoped. After the mass we gathered for a lovely lunch reception at the Doubletree Inn. (Ra had many a Sunday breakfast there after mass, usually with her granddaughters and our neighbor Pilar.) I'm sure she had all the details spelled out :) The bagpiper and drummer played one last song for Ra...one of her favorites that they always played for her at her St. Patrick's Day party.....and her sisters, nieces, daughter -in-law and several friends got up and danced...it was a perfect celebration of her life. We'll miss her.

Thursday fun

Today was a great day. I worked 9-2...then enjoyed a lovely afternoon off. I took a bike ride and it was wonderful. Today was one of those days that makes you wish we could have year round. Blue skies, mild temperatures a bit of a breeze...ahhhhhhhhhhhh Now the moon is coming up and it's going to be a lovely evening. There's supposed to be a cold front moving through tonight...it may be in the 50's tomorrow morning...we'll see.
Thursday is my favorite day of the week at work...because that's the day I get to have Story Time with my "little friends". (My mom used to use that expression...I hear her voice in my head when I say it)
I have a great little group that's been coming for the last few months...a good mix of personalities. We have fun together.Today we had some stories about food and Thanksgiving. I read "The Dooorbell Rang" by Pat Hutchins. The story about some kids and their friends and lots of chocolate chip cookies. I probably talked about this one last year...because I always read it...and the kids seem to like it.It must be the cookies! Next it was "The Tasty Thanksgiving Treat" by Suzy-Jane Tanner. Little forest friends get together for Thanksgiving...the turkey brings the pumpkin pie. (It has flaps to lift...always a plus! hahah)
I read "The Wolf's Chicken Stew" and then we got up to move around a little. We did "The Beanbag Song" by Hap Palmer.
Instead of a matching game ...today I "read" (kind of told the story and turned the pages...because the book was a little too long for the group) "Stone Soup" and the kids helped me make pretend stone soup.
I passed out the fake vegetables and as I told the story about what the villagers put in the pot...the boys and girls came up and put their "vegetables" in and stirred the pot. They all participated...it was cute. (Sometimes there's one or two that don't want to get up in front of everyone..... but today everyone wanted to "stir the soup")
Next week more Thanksgiving books and a craft and we'll feed the fruits, vegetables and treats to the "Old Lady" puppet. (She'll eat the food instead of the usual farmyard animals...haha). When the kids left they were all sporting Native American head dresses.....I wasn't sure what I was going to do for a craft...but earlier in this week Dianne had some teen volunteers cut some paper for a program Saturday. Unfortunately they didn't follow her instructions...so her craft gone wrong turned out to be part of our craft of the week...funny how things work out! :) I just love to see how 15 kids with all the same pieces available...make 15 different looking projects...it's really interesting. Saturday we're going to have a visit from "Clifford the Big Red Dog". I'll be a Reference ;( -but that does mean I'll have a chance to slip over and see how things are going. I'll get a picture.

A Wedding

Yesterday marked a new milestone...we attended one of our friend's daughter's wedding. Several of my friends have been watching their daughter's get married this past year or two...but this was the first time John and I attended one.
Pretty sunflowers(Brittany's favorite) for table decorations(made by Zach's mother), the cake (made by a friend) and bouquets
The weather was kind of funny...a little cool, kind of cloudy and a few sprinkles near the coast earlier in the day; But when 3 pm rolled around...it was breezy but pleasant. And once the ceremony started...the sun came out almost as if it was waiting for just the perfect moment.
The groom's grandfather officiated and some friends were in charge of music...(live and taped.)

friends

Happy with the way everything turned out for Brittany and Zach. Proud Dad of the bride with John and Al
While the photographer took pictures of the families...there were appetizers, tea and lemonade outside. The wedding was at Bayside Lakes...there was a covered pavilion, outside and then the community room and porch next to the pool. It was a nice setting. Family members had prepared the appetizers and Mike provided the fish and our friend Ron made some delicious ceviche to go with the crackers. Meanwhile inside more friends were getting the dinner together, Mike had prepared roast pork and gravy and crab stuffed flounder. (for 150 people!) That along with rice and mixed vegetables and rolls made a delicious meal. It was even better knowing Mike had managed to catch and prepare all the fish for the occasion. It was delicious!
sisters of the bride and Mom and Dad
The bride and groom knew there were going to be lots of young children (most of them younger cousins) and you should have see the look on the kids faces when they spotted this candy. It happened to be right next to our table...hahaha. It was fun to watch them loading up on M & M's, pixie sticks and assorted treats!I believe it was ALL gone by the end of the party...haha


Brittany
Brittany and Zach
and happy parents
first dance
Al got up and made a toast to the couple and I think he summed up what we all thought. These days you see all the shows about lavish weddings, parties, etc and it's easy to get caught up in all that. But this was truly a celebration of family and friends...Grandpa officiated, friends provided music, family members provided food and flowers, Mike caught all the fish and prepared the food, other family members and friends also provided food. Friends loaned needed equipment to serve the food and keep it warm and many family members were included in the ceremony. It was a NICE celebration and a great way to start a new life together! And it was fun! :)
we had to suffer sit through a few line dances...haha...but we knew there would be good dancing music...it was the Roys after all! When Men Without Hats came on...we ALL danced with Mike& Denise and family to "Safety Dance" (someone told the DJ...if she didn't play it she wouldn't get paid...haha)....because......................................................
"We can dance if we want to
we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance well they're no friends of mine!" haha...not really.....but if they don't dance...they're missing out!

Weird cover/tribute bands

I am enjoying the time change and had the opportunity to catch up on some needed sleep. This afternoon John was off to play in the Over 55 Roy Hobbs World Series...so I was home alone. I was reading, felt tired and decided I should "take a little nap". I think I did doze off...then woke up when John called to report that they had won one game...and lost one game...he played well...had some good hits and so far no injuries...haha.
After I hung up I started flipping through the channels...and happened upon some Ice dancing show. (strike one!) I noticed they were skating/dancing to "Come Together" by The Beatles...then I noticed the "band"...they looked like they were trying to not just sound like the Beatles...but trying to look like the Beatles too. OK now I was just confused...what the heck was I watching?????? Looked at the guide and in case you missed it...it was on ABC...A Beatles Tribute band and ice dancing show. Why?????????????????????? I can't watch these shows because I start thinking things like...how did these poor guys not only spend so much time trying to sound like the Beatles...but all the time trying to look like them too. I just don't get it..............................And now...maybe they have realized their dream...playing Beatles tunes on the side of an ice rink...they're probably laughing all the way to the bank...meanwhile I could not change the channel fast enough! haha

Trick or Treat

It rained all last night and all morning/afternoon around here. The kids were getting nervous...but it finally did stop..and by dusk it was clear for Trick or Treating. We never get many kids on our street...and tonight was no exception...I think I got about 30-40 tops.(including parents...who dressed up too)But here was my favorite visitor from across the way.....The little emperor

He stopped to smile and I gave him a little pack of goldfish... which his mom opened and started to eat...haha
He wasn't interested in crackers or sweets....
he wanted the empty water bottles! haha
Trick or Treat!