Florida trip
Good morning, friends.
So my trip to Florida was fine, the drive down was quick with beautiful weather all the way and when we arrived Saturday afternoon, true to their decision, the first place we went when we arrived was the Russel Stover chocolate outlet store where we purchased chocolate for Mom (and the girls bought about 5 pounds for themselves). They also went to KMart to get their hair cut, but other than that it was a pretty quiet day and we went to bed early. Sunday we went to the Marketplace Flea Market, a HUGE indoor/outdoor marketplace with tons of newer items and some old used items (I bought a funky bracelet and some sunglasses), it took about 4 hours to walk the entire flea market and so that was pretty much our entire day (early to bed for Mom and the girls after coming back home and drinking wine). Monday we went to three different antique malls (that sounds like a lot but they were fairly small in size) and we went to the largest gun and jewelry pawnshop in the area (it was a building the size of my old home in E. Homer, not much jewelry but there were guns everywhere, we only went because Mom had been there before looking at the jewelry). Then we went to the grocery store to buy some food for a special dinner for Mom on Tuesday. Tuesday we went to the Cowboy Junction Flea Market (Kathy stayed back, she was not feeling well), a mid-sized outdoor marketplace that was my Dad's favorite because it was ALL junk, funky with only outdoor port-a-johns (which Karen hates), and I don't think after 3 hours that we bought anything there. Then we went home and made meatballs and spaghetti and sauce for Mom, along with a chocolate cake. Afterwards we also played shuffleboard on the outdoor court (and I discovered that I'm quite good at that). On Wednesday we went to Stowe's Flea Market, a large outdoor/indoor market and it was my favorite, I bought a painting there (small) and a very small silver ring, it was both new stuff and junk but the junk was very cool. Wednesday was also BINGO at the community center, the girls and I went with wine in plastic bottles (the girls drank theirs plus mine) and in the end Karen, Mom and I won little pots (about 1.50 each) but Kathy did not win anything. On Thursday we went to Homassassa Springs Nature Center to see the manatees and alligators and birds and a hippo, it was a LOT of walking but it was fun and afterwards we went to Charlie's Fish Restaurant for lunch and I had fried okra and cheese grits for the first time (I liked the okra a lot, the cheese grits were ok), I also tried one small bite of oyster but did not like that at all. Then it was back to Russell Stover for a final chocolate run (I bought a huge three pound box for work), and then home to rest and pack for our drive back. The girls wanted to leave Thursday evening but I kept looking at the forecase and really was not feeling comfortable because of all the storms that were happening up and down the east coast so I finally convinced them to wait until Friday morning, which was the best plan because by the time we left at 10:00 AM on Friday, the storms were at their peak and so when we went through each state, they had finish and the roads were clear and driving was easy (no rain or snow). We arrived back home Saturday morning around 8:00 AM (it took longer than the drive down because we ran into traffic and because we stopped along the way for a late lunch/dinner at Shoney's). When I got back to Ithaca I did a little grocery shopping and then slept most of the day, Sunday was also sleep and Monday was cleaning the apartment and laundry before I went back to work on Tuesday. So, that's my trip, lots of flea markets, lots of early mornings and early evenings, but it was great spending time with Mom. And I'm glad to be back home.
Other family news, not much, Kathy's having a few brain issues again and her doctor is putting her on new medicine. Joe K. is heading back to work in April, cleared by his doctor after his hip surgery last November, Amy's birthday is today (Sunday) and we're supposed to be getting together for a birthday dinner but that depends on the weather (snow storm is predicted so we'll have to wait and see), and Mom is coming back to NY in June for the summer (hurrah). We're also working on her birthday gift, she'll be 70 in March so we're pooling our funds to buy her a beautiful new diamond ring, can't wait.
Work is work, although they did try to do a lot while I was away, there was still a pile of email to go through upon my return and it took me four days to sort through it all, but I'm back on task now, next week is a busy one, since one of my process has finished its project, my director has asked me to sit in on two others so more meetings and my regular interviews and recruitment will be happening next week, plus I may be getting a new assignment as well (more on that if it happens).
Well, that's about it, I'm finishing my brocculi cassarole for Amy's dinner (hopefully the weather will cooperate), then off to Mass, then laundry. I'm also hoping to talk to Bill today, we need to speak about my impending trip to MD in April (I hope he's not changed his mind). In the meantime, I wish you each joy and love, happiness and health and peace. Be well and safe, take care.
So my trip to Florida was fine, the drive down was quick with beautiful weather all the way and when we arrived Saturday afternoon, true to their decision, the first place we went when we arrived was the Russel Stover chocolate outlet store where we purchased chocolate for Mom (and the girls bought about 5 pounds for themselves). They also went to KMart to get their hair cut, but other than that it was a pretty quiet day and we went to bed early. Sunday we went to the Marketplace Flea Market, a HUGE indoor/outdoor marketplace with tons of newer items and some old used items (I bought a funky bracelet and some sunglasses), it took about 4 hours to walk the entire flea market and so that was pretty much our entire day (early to bed for Mom and the girls after coming back home and drinking wine). Monday we went to three different antique malls (that sounds like a lot but they were fairly small in size) and we went to the largest gun and jewelry pawnshop in the area (it was a building the size of my old home in E. Homer, not much jewelry but there were guns everywhere, we only went because Mom had been there before looking at the jewelry). Then we went to the grocery store to buy some food for a special dinner for Mom on Tuesday. Tuesday we went to the Cowboy Junction Flea Market (Kathy stayed back, she was not feeling well), a mid-sized outdoor marketplace that was my Dad's favorite because it was ALL junk, funky with only outdoor port-a-johns (which Karen hates), and I don't think after 3 hours that we bought anything there. Then we went home and made meatballs and spaghetti and sauce for Mom, along with a chocolate cake. Afterwards we also played shuffleboard on the outdoor court (and I discovered that I'm quite good at that). On Wednesday we went to Stowe's Flea Market, a large outdoor/indoor market and it was my favorite, I bought a painting there (small) and a very small silver ring, it was both new stuff and junk but the junk was very cool. Wednesday was also BINGO at the community center, the girls and I went with wine in plastic bottles (the girls drank theirs plus mine) and in the end Karen, Mom and I won little pots (about 1.50 each) but Kathy did not win anything. On Thursday we went to Homassassa Springs Nature Center to see the manatees and alligators and birds and a hippo, it was a LOT of walking but it was fun and afterwards we went to Charlie's Fish Restaurant for lunch and I had fried okra and cheese grits for the first time (I liked the okra a lot, the cheese grits were ok), I also tried one small bite of oyster but did not like that at all. Then it was back to Russell Stover for a final chocolate run (I bought a huge three pound box for work), and then home to rest and pack for our drive back. The girls wanted to leave Thursday evening but I kept looking at the forecase and really was not feeling comfortable because of all the storms that were happening up and down the east coast so I finally convinced them to wait until Friday morning, which was the best plan because by the time we left at 10:00 AM on Friday, the storms were at their peak and so when we went through each state, they had finish and the roads were clear and driving was easy (no rain or snow). We arrived back home Saturday morning around 8:00 AM (it took longer than the drive down because we ran into traffic and because we stopped along the way for a late lunch/dinner at Shoney's). When I got back to Ithaca I did a little grocery shopping and then slept most of the day, Sunday was also sleep and Monday was cleaning the apartment and laundry before I went back to work on Tuesday. So, that's my trip, lots of flea markets, lots of early mornings and early evenings, but it was great spending time with Mom. And I'm glad to be back home.
Other family news, not much, Kathy's having a few brain issues again and her doctor is putting her on new medicine. Joe K. is heading back to work in April, cleared by his doctor after his hip surgery last November, Amy's birthday is today (Sunday) and we're supposed to be getting together for a birthday dinner but that depends on the weather (snow storm is predicted so we'll have to wait and see), and Mom is coming back to NY in June for the summer (hurrah). We're also working on her birthday gift, she'll be 70 in March so we're pooling our funds to buy her a beautiful new diamond ring, can't wait.
Work is work, although they did try to do a lot while I was away, there was still a pile of email to go through upon my return and it took me four days to sort through it all, but I'm back on task now, next week is a busy one, since one of my process has finished its project, my director has asked me to sit in on two others so more meetings and my regular interviews and recruitment will be happening next week, plus I may be getting a new assignment as well (more on that if it happens).
Well, that's about it, I'm finishing my brocculi cassarole for Amy's dinner (hopefully the weather will cooperate), then off to Mass, then laundry. I'm also hoping to talk to Bill today, we need to speak about my impending trip to MD in April (I hope he's not changed his mind). In the meantime, I wish you each joy and love, happiness and health and peace. Be well and safe, take care.