Packing day!

Yes, it's time to get out the suitcase and start throwing stuff into it! Jacquie, has a hubby who travels for business and is quite particular about how his bag is packed. He uses a carry-on sized bag while mine is as large as can be purchased, a bit of a difference there. As I told Jacquie this a.m., I pack from across the room, basically throwing things into my bag. Shameful, I know, especially for an ordinarily particular person. About packing I am not particular!

Before I got too involved in the packing process, I did enjoy a nice breakfast with Nancy W. at Grumpy's this a.m. She swung by to pick me up and away we went. It was great to spend the time, swift though it was, before I leave for WI. And enjoy a delicious breakfast in the process!

I did have myself in a state, though, today because I could not lay my hands on the bag I use for carrying my laptop. Looking in the closets in my room and the guest room, the front hall, checking door knobs, and my bed posts but not finding it. I keep similar bags as this in my closet holding somewhat important papers, more or less portable, if need be. Oh, so frustrating to not find it! 

Since I had my laptop here, I knew I had to have the bag with me when I came back last March after my trip to WI. But, I called Mom just in case to see if I'd left it there for some reason. She looked around but could not find it either. Her words of wisdom to me were that I would find it in the most unlikely place. Hmmm....

When Justin came home from work, I told him of my dilemma and expressed my frustration to him. Being the good boy that he is, he brought me a travel bag made for laptops with pockets and flaps and all sorts of things on it. This bag would do the trick, but it was not as pretty as my other one. Where is that stupid bag???  

I made bbq'd ribs with baked potatoes and creamed corn for our last dinner together for awhile. While at the table, I once more lamented the fact that I could not locate that perfect bag for hauling my laptop. It had a black tapestry pattern on the exterior and nice leather handles for putting on my shoulder. Justin asked me, "Did you look in the car?"  Did I look in the car? Why would it be in the car? Excitedly I said, "NO! I did not check the car..." and he offered to run down to check. Sure enough, there it was, just as I had explained to him as having important papers in it. Not the papers I was thinking but then I remembered using it for the worship committee meeting in June. It got put in the back of the car when the CO kids were here, and now, the mystery is solved!!!!  I feel so much better, and am thankful to my boy for thinking of it, and fetching the bag for me!

Being lost in nostalgia about my cruises, I neglected mentioning the wonderful time I spent with my friend, Jacquie, at the pool on Friday. We enjoyed the time together, bobbing about in the water and chatting around the table. It was good unwinding after a long week for her, and our last time together until I return from WI. So glad the weather held for us!

"To all the Kims out there, but especially to my Diet-Coke loving friend, 

Kim Lahaie Day!"  

This was posted by my young friend, Erica, who found the soda bottle with my name on it! She knows me so well....

One of those days

Forty years ago today I got married. Only a bit longer than a month out of high school and down the aisle I went. Mom made my dress for me, plus those of the two girls from my class who were my bridesmaids. Yes, I had a whole bunch of sisters to pick from and, at the time, I was trying to not cost my parents too much money so asked my friends instead. My mistake and a long-time regret on my part. How could I decide, though, on which of the five to ask--or, all of them? My intent was to keep it small and understated, originally wanting a garden wedding at my parent's home, but that got vetoed. It all turned out okay, wedding-wise, and one man told me it was the most fun he'd had a wedding in a long time. This would be the reception he was referring to, not the wedding ceremony itself. And, he had a pile of kids himself, several of whom were already married!! That is quite a compliment!

Here are all lined up...How could I pick???

So, then, 30 years later, Justin and I were enjoying a wonderful cruise together on this date. It was probably not the way I'd expected to be celebrating it, but it was most certainly memorable for us. We met many nice people, had marvelous experiences, and really whet my appetite to go again, and again. Justin and I went two years later on the same ship, same itinerary and ports of call, for his graduation.  One of the waiters from the Galaxy remembered us. He came up and greeted us with, "You wear your hair the same!"  Wow! After two years and thousands upon thousands of people through their doors, he remembered Justin and me, and my hair!

On one of our trips over I bought a blown glass pendant light fixture from a shop in Santorini. Justin and I chatted at some length with the woman running the shop, Jeannie, who was originally from CA, and had lived there 7 years. When I went back there another time without Justin, she remembered me, asking immediately if my son was with me. She was actually working in the bar which just across the path (I knew she worked both places) and again she asked about my son. What a memory!

Jeanne in 2007

Today after church our group went to Chili's as usual. I had been collecting first aid type items to take along to the Worship Conference. At the Conference I will find my FB friend, Pat's, pastor, who will take the items back to Pat for her to use on her mission trip to Cambodia. Several of our members donated such items but one lady didn't have hers along. Her husband asked me how we could connect but we had trouble coming up with a plan. While we were dining, Justin looked up and there came Mike with the bag of stuff from Cindy. He knew where to find us! How fun is that!? I am sure these items will be put to good use by the nurse missionaries on their trip.

Upon getting home from church, I immediately changed clothes and got out to the pool. I got to spend some time with my friends and even get an ice cream treat with Burnie, who said he only came over to get his "Kim fix" before I left. It wasn't a long stay poolside today though when the sky darkened for our afternoon storm. Good-bye pool and friends!

More about that trip

I learned some more lessons on that first trip Justin and I took in 2004 besides getting the money changed prior to sailing.  Another lesson was that a person should let their bank know they are traveling out of country or even in country. Justin and I were shopping in Santorini, walking on the stepped streets and visiting the shops, etc. He liked to tease me about being a magpie, attracted to shiny things as we window shopped along these ancient streets. Every third store sold jewelry and at one place I noticed they had displayed necklaces like one I'd had my sister fashion for me from a belt I had gotten at Chico. No one else had such a lovely piece, at least not until I saw some displayed in this shop window. The store clerk came out and complimented me on my beautiful smile and invited us into the shop. We went in!

This is the necklace fashioned by Lori from a belt I'd found. I was simply ahead of my time!

I got Justin a nice ring with the Greek key featured on it and, for myself---a lovely necklace and bracelet which I wear everyday. However, when it was time to pay for it, my card wouldn't go through. What in the world??? The credit card security had intervened and determined it was not me making these purchases even though the trip had been paid for using this same card. Hmmm...No problem! The merchant, who had locked the door to the shop when we came in, interestingly enough, accepted a personal check from me. How about that? I could have stopped payment on that check and they'd have been out the value of the jewelry if I was a bad guy. Now who is the trusting one, Justin?

Fortunately, the ship offered Internet service and had computers sent up in one area, which was a blessing. When we got back to the ship, I was able to contact my friend, Joanne, to whom I had given power of attorney in case a real estate offer came in for my house in The Preserve. She was able to contact the bank for me and get things straightened out, freeing me up to continue my trip without concern. Note to self (and others)---always let the credit card people know when you are traveling! 

Thinking back a few years ago,...

....on this date in 2004, Justin and I were on our first Mediterranean cruise, by ourselves. "By ourselves" I mean just the two of us, planned and executed by me. We had a marvelous time, made many good memories, and experienced much. Justin also enjoyed our trip, which was pretty cool for a young man his age, 16 at the time, to be walking the ruins of Pompeii like he did. We did manage to locate an address in those ruins mentioned in one of the books he had read in Latin class, which was the goal in the first place. 

One thing I learned was I should have pre-arranged our first shore excursion because those planned were full and we could not get on the first one to Pompeii. I was absolutely determined to get that boy to those ruins, so I ventured out to the parking area where the taxis were all parked, waiting to take others from the ship on outings. One man swore on his son that he would get us to Pompeii and back again (his son was not even there!). Justin was extremely reluctant to do this, saying it was okay to not go, etc. but I insisted we were going to do this. "Mom, you trust everybody!" and I did trust this man. 

He even took me to an ATM and showed me how it worked because I had also failed to get currency to use for paying for taxis! Yes, he could have robbed me blind, but he did not. In fact, he got us to Pompeii and back again, waiting for us the entire time we were walking the ruins and touring the sites. I did not pay him until we were back to the ship so it wouldn't have benefited him to ditch us! I gave him a tip besides because I was quite appreciative of his coming through for me where I had dropped the ball. Believe me, for that time on, I made sure we were pre-booked on our excursions.

It was on this cruise, also, where Justin and I were introduced to Sarah Brightman and her singing of "Con Te Partiro", or "A Time to Say Good-Bye" which played as we sailed from the ancient port of Dubrovnik. Normally we sailed at dinner time so we would miss this, that at every sail away this song was played. It was afternoon as I was standing on the deck and watching the city go by while this lovely song played. 

I was entirely mesmerized by the sights and sounds, and wished that Justin had not gone down to the cabin to watch '24' on his computer. I wanted him to hear this and see what I was seeing. Just then the automatic doors opened and there came Justin with a look on his face. "Mom, do you hear the music that's playing?" I did, I did! We asked in the gift shop if they knew who sang the song and if they sold it there. The clerk said many people ask about it but no, they didn't know the singer or carry the CD. 

At the dinner table, we asked our tablemates, a Jewish family plus a Jewish couple, if they knew the singer or the song. They did! The dad, Yehuda, told us all about Sarah, how she was married to Andrew Lloyd Webber and starred in "The Phantom of the Opera", etc. Justin and I determined to get her CD when we returned home. At this writing, 4 of my 6 slots in the car CD player are hers! Like I said, great memories made....

An amazing tree

Last night, poor Justin came home from work, soaking wet. It had rained to some degree all day on the various sites where they were working. He was kaput! He did not feel like going over to Happy Hour with me and while I felt badly for him, I didn't want to miss the 'big event' going on over there. During the month of July, we were encouraged to invite people from the area who are not members of The Club to HH where they could partake of the tapas menu and/or have a free drink. For this all-out effort being put forth to garner new members, I felt it was important for me to be there to greet folks. 

While I was at HH, Justin sent me a text message suggesting that I have my picture taken with the sawed off section of the giant tree which was taken down that day. My neighbor, Hugh, was sitting with me and when I told him Justin's idea, he said, "Let's go, Kiddo" and away we went! He took several shots of me with the chunk and of the stump remaining to be ground down, estimating the width across as being 6 feet. The chunk I am near is 5', my height. That is just amazing, in my opinion, a substantial tree!  Oh, and did it ever stink out there---the wood was rotten in the stump, had turned to black mush, and was quite pungent. No problem, though, as Hugh and I went back inside to enjoy the rest of our evening meeting and greeting new people. 

Tonight, Justin and I went to Carmike to watch a documentary "America" by Dinesh D'Souza which was excellent, and well done. The documentary was food for thought but we supplemented that with dinner at Koko's! It would be our last time there for a while, until next month, at least!

No pool for you!

This morning it was overcast and quite gloomy, a carry-over from last night's storm. Phooey! This meant there would be no water exercise class today, much to my chagrin. It was the birthday of one our friends and I looked forward to seeing her and extending my good wishes to her. Oh well...

Our goofy weather did not deter other excitement here at our property, however. Starting early on, the trucks and equipment we'd been expecting was busily addressing the damaged tree located just behind our detached garage, on The Club property. The crane and other equipment was parked in our parking lot, entirely blocking access to the north parking areas. It seemed everyone who needed to get out did so by moving their cars before the machinery arrived.

 Here is the tree as seen on July 4th

The chipper and crane in place, already at work

 There are men everywhere, even up in the trees!

It's getting less and less tree-looking...

She is good that way

I have declined to serve on the Board for my building but sometimes find myself in the mix of things. For one thing, I am usually around during the day, and for another, I know how to use the computer. This week we are anticipating the removal of the damaged tree on the adjoining property requiring the equipment access to our parking lot. I have been asked to be the person who notifies our residents of the time frame and expectations so they can be sure to get their cars out of the garages in advance of being blocked in. Besides sending out the e-mails to everyone, I also posted a notice near the mailboxes for all to see. I hope that does the trick so no one is parked in once the machinery arrives. Certainly Connie will call folks to remind them if the cars are still there. She is good that way.

Another exciting job I do is send out notices announcing the elevator being shut down for an hour or so to allow for monthly maintenance. Connie usually checks with my next door neighbor to make sure Jack, wheelchair-bound, has no appointments at that time, and she finds out from me what my schedule is because she knows the stairs are not my friend. Especially the stairs which go up! I believe Connie also checks on the north end of the building where an older lady resides on the top floor, because she is good that way. 

One day she got herself into a mix-up at the pool. While Connie really has no beeswax about what goes on there, she does use the 'public' restroom connected to the cabana. More than once she has asked (told) the pool attendants to move the reclining chairs and swap them with the umbrella table. Connie claims our residents are in danger of tripping over the recliners and perhaps falling into the pool. I don't know that any Palace folks actually have tripped over them, but that was the reason Connie had for moving items around NOT on our property. The pool folks have the chairs and tables where THEY want them to be and are not willing to obey direct commands from our maintenance lady. Well, one day before Marlena came on duty the umbrella table and its chairs were relocated, and the reclining chairs moved. A battle of wills it was going to be. 

Marlena asked me what she should do, since she was sure it was Connie whom moved things around but didn't see anyone do it. My inclination was to run away and avoid this mess, but I did not. There is no sense going nose to nose over stuff like this. Marlena just had the staff move everything back to where it was and I didn't hear anything more about it. But tomorrow, with the work going on, I bet all the tables and chairs will be moved around to allow for the workers to have full access under the tree branches. Hopefully no one will trip over a chair and fall into the pool!