Fantastic reunion!

I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a reunion anymore. Everything was perfect. The accommodations, the food and mostly the people could not have been better. I’ve written about my cousin’s house many times and posted pictures before, but the house is so wonderful. I got my favorite room again.

Eight cousins were there. There were thirteen of us with the spouses that came. It was one of those rare gathering where it really didn’t matter who you happen to sit beside you were happy. I enjoyed talking and visiting with everyone there.

 

The food was really amazing this time. The past few visits different cousins fixed the meals on different night, and it seemed to me they were trying to ‘out healthy’ each other and to be honest, their food tasted like crap! The owner of the house is an excellent cook, and this year took back the role, thank goodness. She assigned different couples to the kitchen as helpers and clean-up crew, and it seemed to work well.

 

One night we had London broil, twice baked potatoes, asparagus and salad. The next we had shrimp, wild rice, Caprese salad and grilled pineapple. 

The next night was her home-made lasagna with salad and garlic bread. Trust me no one went hungry. But in addition to all this, there was ‘the Wall of Sugar.’ Everyone brought some type of dessert, so much that she cleared off some shelves by the fireplace and we put them all there – cakes, pies, brownies, Danish, bags of cookies. It was truly a sugar lover’s dream.

 

In between eating we went out in the boat every afternoon, Nick rode the jet ski and I read and napped in the hammock. It just couldn’t have been a better weekend.

But in spite of all this opulence, they all said they would like to come here again next year. Several said that their children wanted to come back to see everyone. These kids are grown with kids of their own and I guess the memories stuck. The lake house is large but still limited in space so everyone couldn’t be included. At my house we’re out on the carport and anyone and everyone can come. I was flattered and I’m happy to have it here again – I really do need a reason for a complete cleaning.

I've been here a while

It’s good to be here. I’ve been busy lately. I missed my blogiversary. Last weekend marked seventeen years I’ve been her. Not so much lately, I admit, but I still like to wander by. Blogging was really a hoot in its heyday, and I’ve met so many wonderful people out here. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

 

Once I got my husband back on the ground, I left him. Not for long though. But I took my few days in the mountains for some writing time. I was able to get a real start on the last Cassie book. The next to last book is ready to be published, as soon as I can get my publisher to speak to me again. That mess is still going on. I got some of my pay (I have no idea if the money they sent was for one month, one quarter or for the whole nine months they have been ignoring me. They sent no statement with it. This is all very frustrating. But for those of you who have read my books please know that two more are coming – I have NO idea when, but they are coming!!

My time in the mountains was wonderful! I stayed at the same little Inn and it’s so pretty. It’s been sold and the flowers weren’t as specular as normal, but they were pretty and I’m sure it will take the new owners a while to get themselves up to speed. The whole little town is as pretty as can be and It’s fun walking around. Here was the view out my bedroom window and then the sights around the Inn and around town.

Next weekend we are having the cousin’s reunion. Not here this year, we’re having it at my cousin’s lake house. I’ve written about being there several time and for me it’s just a magical place. There will be thirteen of us and I can’t wait for us all to get together. 

This is the place we will all gather! It doesn't get much better than this.

Glad that's over!

He did it! He jumped! And I’m thankful to say he landed gently back on earth. Arriving at the jump site did not inspire me with tons of confidence. There was one tiny building and then several tents set up for shade – it was HOT! The people running the place, you know the ones who would have my husband’s life in their hands were a bunch of scraggy, bearded, tattooed kids. Really, I’m not opposed to scraggy, beards, tattoos, or even kids but … like I said. They did not inspire confidence.

Gratefully there was nothing to worry about. After minimal instructions they were off on a bus to head to the plane. Thirty minutes later the jumpers were making their soft landing and as Nick floated down, he seemed very happy. I took him to lunch and his birthday was officially celebrated. But I really hope he plans to stay on the Earth’s surface on his next birthday.

 

We’re back to living the peaceful life. Dog sitting as Mollie heads to the beach. Much more my speed and next week I’m heading to my spot in the mountains to try to begin on the last Cassie book. We shall see if I can get back in the groove.

 

Thank you to all who held a good thoughts for Nick.

Nick's Birthday Plans

Nick and I had a great week last week and I pray it continues into this week. We had our annual family picnic in the mountains last Tuesday. There were twenty of us ranging from nine months to mid-70’s. We always go up and fix breakfast, the kids play in the creek and we all sit around visiting.

 

When we left there, we headed up the Parkway to a wonderful inn in the Pisgah National Forest. It has the best views, the most amazing breezes and the best food ever! We’ve stayed there before and when the friends we often travel with said there were two rooms available for the fourth, we all grabbed them. Here’s the view from our balcony and from the dinning room.

We came home and Friday Nick went golfing – shot a 70! So, he was happy. Now let’s just hope his luck is as good this coming Wednesday. Two years ago, Nick had my heart racing when he decided to go hang gliding.

This year, in order to give my heart another good work out he’s decided to go skydiving. Yes, Ronnie guessed right – but then, she’s known us the longest. That is the plan for Wednesday – weather permitting. I’m going along, not sure why. I’m not exactly moral support since I’m against it, but support or not I’ll be there. This isn’t Nick’s first time, he jumped several times back in his college days and now jumps are all tandem jumps so I’m not too worried, but I still feel the only reason to jump out of a plane in flight is that it’s about to crash or it’s on fire.

 

I hope you all will cross your fingers, squeeze your rabbits foot or better yet say a prayer that Nick lands safely and the my heart can take watching.

 

 

The trip continued

You can click back here to read the first of our vacation. I thought I was safe enough letting Nick pick an activity for the morning, but I really need to remember to put some restrictions on that. There are thousands of things to do in this area – so many I have no idea where they get all the people to staff these places. There was a Hollywood wax museum, many scenic rides up the mountain, tons of small amusement parks, an ‘upside down’ house, loads of shopping places and so much more.

On other vacations, you might remember, Nick has tried to kill me. Once on a mo-ped, a couple of time on hikes in the mountains. There have been others, but I think I’ve blocked them from my mind. But this time the magnanimous man is giving me a choice. Mudding in an ATV or horseback riding. Is he kidding? I don’t like ATV, I’m not even wild about golf carts. I like vehicles with doors, windows, seat belts and airbags. Not to mention the fact that it’s been raining in this area for four straight days (before we came, we had great weather) but where you didn’t have pavement you had MUD! And horseback? I probably haven’t been on a horse more than once or twice in the past forty-some years. Where does he come up with these ideas?

 

I had only brought vacation clothes with me, nothing I really wanted to get muddy. But only protesting slightly we headed out to the Jaylee Ranch. I had picked horseback riding because I trust a horse way more that Nick’s driving of an ATV through four inches of mud. It was a little cool and breezy that morning, so I had on my only sweater, a white one. And I’d also only brought two pair of shoes, my sandals and my canvas/mesh tennis shoes. This was the area around the horses.

 

But to give the stables credit they had us up on a platform and we could just step onto our horse and avoid the muck. I have to admit that despite the mud our ride was pleasant, and it turned out to be a lovely day. So maybe this wasn’t another murder attempt, but I’m always on the lookout these days. And despite all the mud even my white sweater came through unscathed.

That afternoon we went back out to The Island and went in a Crime Museum – I’m big on watching true crime shows and I found this very interesting. Since we were planning on a big diner Nick decided he’d get an ice cream cone for lunch. I didn’t want one, I was still full from breakfast and I wanted to eat dinner. I told him to get his favorite, butter pecan, but he got black cherry (my favorite) and I had a little.

 

I love the food at Dolly’s Stampede! The soup was fantastic, then they give you a whole little chicken, a slice of pork tenderloin, half a roast potato, an ear of corn a biscuit and an apple turnover for dessert! And I sat there feeling like I’d had a huge lunch as well as several cones of ice cream. Honestly, I sipped at the soup and had about four bites of chicken and I couldn’t eat another thing. But thankfully they give you handfuls of take-out bags so eventually, like a day after we got home, I got to finish that delicious chicken. No one is going to accuse me of overeating these days.

 

We had a great little get away. But I was still glad to get home to do my relaxing. All has been peaceful here until Nick told me what he wanted to do for his birthday this month – heaven help me! More later.

 

 

Traveling

We took a trip. It was a short one but it was fun. If you read here much you know I’m a home body. I was before the pandemic and that only sealed it. Nick likes to travel more than I do so I decided it was time to put on my big girl panties and make plans. Unfortunately, I took that way too literally.

 

We went to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in TN, and there were tons of people. I don’t like crowds. But that’s life when you go to a tourist attraction. 

We stopped first at the big aquarium. We saw many beautiful fish, sting rays, sharks, penguins and much more. But as we walked through all the displays, I noticed something else happening. Those big girl panties I’d put on decided to put on began to slide off. 

 

I just hadn’t noticed it that much at home, but the thirty-pound weight loss is real. The panties were sliding fast and the jeans I had on weren’t far behind. It was, take two steps and hike up my jeans, take two more and give them another tug. Forget the panties – they kept creeping down and I couldn’t very well reach in and give them a tug. Do they make suspenders for undies? It was on the funny side I guess, but it wasn’t the most comfortable tour I’ve ever taken.

 

Once we left there we went to a place called ‘The Island’ and it was fun. We ate a late lunch at Paula Deen’s – fried chicken, ribs, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, salad and dessert! 

Problem is I can’t eat much these days but what I did eat was delicious. There was a large fountain in the center of this place with dozens of rocking chair around it. The perfect place to rest and recover after a meal. There were tons of little shops and rides also. I don’t ride rides any more, but the shops were interesting. Here is my one souvenir.

 

The hotel was amazing! Our room had a sofa in addition to the two queen beds, a very large TV and even a fireplace. The balcony had a view to impress for sure!

After breakfast the next morning I jumped in the shower telling Nick to pick something for us to do that morning. Please remind me to never do that again. I’ll tell you about his choice soon.

Still here

I'm alive and well but I just haven't been on the computer lately. I'm having eighteen of Nick's family over for lunch tomorrow. You all know how much I love cooking and cleaning and getting ready for company. In addition we're babysitting for Mollie's dogs this weekend too. 

But if you're interested I have a new post up at PK Corey's Reading room today, a snippet from Cassie on the Move if you're willing to go over for a quick read.

Nothing has change with my publisher. They still aren't paying me or answering any of my emails. So I have no idea when  a new book will be out. But it's ready to go when I can get it all figured out.

Special Day

 

Today is a special day. As of today, Nick and I have been married forty years. And I have to say that sounds utterly ridiculous! How could a couple as young as we are possible have been married for forty years. Twenty maybe, but forty? When we did get married all those years ago, we had several people say something to me that struck me as odd. These people said, “You guy will make a great little old couple.” I wasn’t really thinking about that at the time, and I wasn’t sure what they meant. I guess it was there way of saying they knew we were in for the long haul and wouldn’t be divorcing. Apparently, they were right. According to many of Mollie’s friends we’re ‘precious.’ I guess that officially makes us a ‘great little old couple.’

We're not really doing gifts for our anniversary but there is something I’d like. I won’t get it, but I can’t help wishing. I think it would be nice for Nick to propose, you know, ask me to marry him. He never has. Now it’s become a running joke so I don’t suppose he ever will. But it would be a nice surprise. 

Nick and I are neither one big party people. Instead, we’re going out to our favorite restaurant with the three couples whom we credit/blame (whatever) for getting us together all those years ago. I guess I won’t be bragging too much about out forty years with these guys since all of them have already passed their fiftieth anniversary. But they were instrumental for us dating. 

 

One couple kept trying to set me up with dates. They set me up with a drug dealer, a young man from India who spoke no English and a man recently released from prison after he’d murdered his wife. No, they didn’t hate me, but this particular lady, Theresa, only sees the good in people and thought they were all fine men. Of course she also knew Nick, but never mentioned him.

 

About forty-two years ago one of the other couples threw a birthday party for Theresa’s birthday.  Nick and I were both invited. We talked a lot that night getting to know one another, and Nick’s best friend was there too and later encouraged Nick to call and ask me out. We’re going out with Theresa and her husband, the couple who threw the party and Nick’s best friend (best man at our wedding) and his wife. It seems we’ve all known each other for a lifetime now.

Secrets to a long marriage: 

·       Plan from the beginning for it to last forever. You’ll be making a promise to the person you love. If you’re not ready to promise, then don’t get married.

·      Marry someone who has lived on their own for at least two years. I’d lived alone for six years and Nick for thirteen years. We could take care of ourselves, we wanted to be together.

·      Make sure you like the person you’re marrying. Blazing love may not last for long. A deep like is much better.

·      Remember to be polite to one another. Keep saying please and thank-you throughout the years.

And most important,

·      Keep talking, tell each other what you want. Don’t demand it, but let the other person know. No one reads minds well no matter how much we wish that they could.

 

Wonder drug?

I guess wonder drugs are not always wonderful. I’ve been on Ozempic for seven months now. And while parts of the treatment are truly amazing, I’m not thrilled with all that it does. First the good parts. My blood sugar is doing great. I am still taking some metformin, but I’m down to one a day, rather than four. Anything that can get me off some meds is good in my book.

Now to speak to why I think most people are interested, the weight loss. I’ve been so shocked and pleased by all this. I’ve lost just shy of thirty pounds and that’s the part shocks and thrills me. But it’s still very strange. I can’t wear some of my favorite pants because I’m afraid that they’ll fall off in public. Looking in the mirror the other day I saw I had a thigh gap! My thighs have been rubbing together in a most annoying way for the past thirty-five year. I was stunned. I’m not quite used to all this change and I’m not sure what to do about my clothes. I still want things loose and comfortable, yet I’d like to show off the weight loss a little. I’m working on it.

 

I think being on Ozempic has taught me better eating habits, especially in portion control. You can’t overeat on Ozempic. You’ll be sick, I promise! When you’re full – STOP! I don’t care how good that last bite looks, if you feel full you better just leave it.

 

Now the not so good parts. It doesn’t work the same for everyone. A good friend began about a month ago and really hasn’t see much weight loss at all. Mine began almost at once.  I guess it reacts differently for different people. My biggest problem came when I went up to 2 mg. That’s when I began feeling nauseous most of the time. To be honest it was mild, but it didn’t matter. I either felt sick or felt like I was about to be sick if I did anything or even thought about eating. 

This went on for about two to three weeks and I decided I’d had enough. It was during this time I had that awful bout of vertigo (nothing to do with the Ozempic) so I’d felt pretty crappy for nearly a month when I told my doctor I was cutting the Ozempic down to 1 mg. Since then, I’ve felt human again, so much better. The best part is that my blood sugar is still down, and I haven’t gained any weight back. Now that I feel like exercising again, I feel like I’ll continue to lose.

 

Here are some thoughts for those of you thinking of trying it. Eat slowly and mindfully when you start. Don’t let your doctor rush you into increasing the dose. If it’s working where you are you don’t have to increase it right away. Now my friend is afraid to go up from .25 to .5 because she’s listened to my tales of woe. I suggested she try it. She’s not diabetic so she is only taking it for weight loss. If she isn’t losing on .25 and not willing to go up at all, then what’s the point of being on it in the first place. My most important piece of advice, pay attention to how you feel and while you should listen to your doctor and discuss things with him or her – the final decision is yours. Remember that.

A sentimental Mother's Day thought

I hope everyone had a good Mother’s Day. I got to spend the afternoon with Mollie, which is always nice. I got a text from LJ earlier in the day that just shows what a sweet, sentimental boy he really is. He found this tweet and sent it on to me and there are comments on it from from Collin and Mollie.

 

My mom is a prosecutor and every year she brings up the fact that Mother’s Day is the day with the lowest crime. I think that says a lot about how many moms commit crimes throughout the year but can’t today because they’re too busy being celebrated.

 

LJ: Something to think about

Collin: I’ve always assumed as much.

Mollie: It seems like something to look into.

 

Really, what sweet children.

It didn't go as planned

We planned our trip to Florida months ago. We were taking a bus tour with some friends. All was paid for, bags packed, arrangement made for the cats. It was all go. But it didn’t go as planned.

 

We were to leave early Thursday morning. On Wednesday I was finishing up the last of the packing, last minute things. I haven’t been feeling great, but there was nothing really wrong either – I just felt tired and a little off. Around noon I stretched on the bed, it felt wonderful. There was a nice breeze from the window and I thought a short nap would be just the thing. Problem was I was barely out of that bed for the next twenty-four hours. About the time I was planning on getting up I was hit with the worst vertigo I’ve ever had (I’ve only had it twice before.)

 

If I so much as thought of lifting my head from the pillow, I began vomiting. The dizziness was as intense as anything I’ve ever experienced. Thank God for Nick. When I had to go to the bathroom – which is only steps from my bed I quickly realized it was impossible alone. It felt like I’d been on this for a solid hour or more.

                                           

Nick would guide me as I held my little container and vomited the whole way there and back. Although I took what the doctor had prescribed for me before nothing helped that day. I certainly couldn’t finish the little packing left to be done, couldn’t take a shower and I knew that there was no way I could ride on a bus for six or more hours the next day. So long trip.

 

By late was feeling so much better. Still a little dizzy and unsteady, but a tremendous improvement. Part of me feels guilty because of causing us to miss the trip, being out the money and letting down the friends we were to travel with. But it truth I know there was nothing I did to cause this and nothing I could have done to prevent it. Sometimes things just happen. Maybe I should just be happy it didn’t happen while I was on the bus or while we were there. Getting back would have been a hassle.

 

Not many bright spots I can see in this saga so far, except that I have lost several more pounds.  If you’ve ever taken advice from me, let me stress, do NOT try this method for weight loss – it’s not worth it!

Busy Weekend

My house seemed very, very full this weekend. We had Nick and me, and our two I cats – what I would usually call a full house. The we had Mollie’s dogs, those two beautiful Goldens! With what they left all over my house I feared we would send her home with two bald dogs, but no, they had enough hair to completely cover our floors and furniture AND still had more for her car and her house. Amazing!

 

Then, of course, we had my two boys, LJ and Collin. We loved getting to see them and we had some wonderful long talks. The dogs loved them, in fact the youngest wanted to be in LJ’s face every minute. LJ is more one to love seeing a dog lying close by rather that one constantly trying to get in his lap. Especially when said dog weighs about eighty pounds. But for the most part we all got along well.

 

We stopped by old elementary school where LJ and I both went, even Mollie began there. It was taken over by the town and has many little shops, and meeting rooms. There is a small bar and a large theater as well as a small museum. We were in one of the shops when Collin ask a lady working there if she was… and called her by name. She said yes and he told her he had gone to the elementary school where she taught and that he remembered her smile.  She seemed delighted. As we talked the other woman working there. she mentioned that she was a writer. I mentioned the problems I was having with my publisher – she had had similar problems and was able to recommend the lawyer she had used. I’d already called a few lawyers and they all said they didn’t do that kind of case. I feel like I finally have a place to begin.

I enjoyed going to the play and the retirement party with the boys. When their teacher saw them, she began to cry. She had really liked both of them and to think they had come so far to acknowledge her retirement really got to her. I mentioned to her that they hadn’t come for Christmas, but they did manage to get here for her. I told her that didn’t bother me a bit, I’d take them anytime I could get them.

Mollie’s trip to see Taylor Swift went smoothly and they all had a great time. But I was very happy when they all returned home safely. I took the boys to the airport on Monday. I’m not wild about the drive to the airport a good part of it is on an eight-lane highway with tons of traffic so it’s just not a drive I like to make – but I did it!

 

Now I can just relax at home, for a while. But next week Nick and I are heading to Florida for a few days. I’ll tell you all about it another time.