Breezy fun

As my sweet friend, Betty, reminded us over and over at the pool this afternoon, there was no rain today. What we did have was a dry wind, dry as in 'less humid'. My doors were open all day long as the breeze moved through. The sun played peek-a-boo in the clouds, so it did feel chilly to me when the clouds won. I did get into the water a couple of times and the sun kept me warm enough. Last night's storm took the temperature of the water down a bit overnight.

My lunch was enjoyed poolside, being visited for a bit by Karrie, as she stopped long enough from her working to have a hot dog. Business was booming in the cabana with lots of families and guests from the hotel coming to eat. This year the kids' menu even includes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which I think is a great idea. Kids can be so easy! And grown-ups as well. 

Got some reading done between visitors at my table before Jacquie and Mark arrived. Mark had gone on an adventure in the morning which delayed their arrival and brought back amusing stories to share. There is never a lapse in fun with these two around! Did not see Maureen this week at all, but hope to see her on Sunday before I leave. 

Betty and Kathy came out so we got in the water once more. Kathy's brother, Gary, stopped by and went for a dip too. The two ladies planned to come out again later for social time and did, with me having being out there the entire day. Hugh and Maureen (a different one than above) came out, and later Miss Chardonnay joined us. 

Having spent the day outside, my desk did not get cleaned off. I want to accomplish this before leaving for WI, having my affairs somewhat in order, so must make good use of my indoor time. 

                

Tonight I stripped the beds in the guest rooms to have the sheets ready for Justin to make the beds up again. My sister is considering coming back with me from WI so we must have a bed ready for her upon arrival. Then, on the 4th of July, my four teenagers arrive! What a great Independence Day celebration that will be for us and them!

What a crazy storm that was!

Oh my goodness! This evening, right in the middle of The Five, or just as it began, so did a HUGE thunderstorm. When the thunder was rolling without end before the storm, I sent Justin a text message to make sure he was some place safe, like at home. He let me know he was actually with his boss, as they were going to dinner together later on. So glad he wasn't on the bridge when it broke loose. I had to apologize to Linda for being distracted while our TV show was on, as I did my play-by-play of the stuff flying past my windows and the deafening claps of thunder. My oh my! I half expected to see an old lady on a bicycle with a dog in the basket go past my windows...

                  

             Taken in San Marco during the storm

Thanks be to God for sparing me from water intrusion this time. Not even sure if my neighbors were home to keep up with the wet vac but somehow, nothing. The wind was wild--I saw on The Weather Channel that we could expect up to 60 mile an hour gusts. Unsure if they were right or not, but stuff from the trees went sailing by. The thunder never stopped to catch its breath and the lightning was terrifying. I understand something at the base was struck by lightning as my friend reported being stranded there due to a power outage. I was so glad when it ended!

                    

      View of the Dames' Point Bridge as the storm rolled in

The good news was no loss of electricity and only a few blinks of the cable. Of course, the storm wiped out my hopes of getting dinner and meeting my neighbors at the cabana. The skies did clear but when the storm came up, the cabana staff closed up and ran for cover. I had come in the from the pool mid-afternoon when it began to sprinkle, just missing Betty and Kathy as they went out. That rain was short lived and they had the place to themselves. Kathy sent me a text message but I missed it, and missed the fun as well. None of us missed this tonight, though, no mistaking it!

Fun night at the movies

Judy and I had a private screening of the movie "Parental Guidance" tonight at Frank's office. When I called to let him know I was coming and bringing a friend with me, he said he messed up. The announcement about the movie viewing did not include RSVP information. Oops! Only Judy and I were there to watch the movie with Frank on his projection screen, and didn't mind one little bit!

                        

They started out with a tiny sliver of cake and went nuts after having the dreaded sugar

Frank has a popcorn machine which made the place smell so good and it tasted like movie popcorn---almost. We had sodas and some round chocolates that I should know the name of (I think my sister, Lynn, likes them). Since it was dark in the room, I could not read the label. 

The movie was much what I expected, only more. There actually was a story to it---tightly wound parents with strict rules for their kids (no using the word "no" to them, suggest alternative thinking (???), other sorts of mumbojumbo for rearing their kids.) They are a functional family, with a few glitches: little boy is a runner, takes off running when he doesn't get his way, who also has an imaginary friend, Carl the Kangaroo. The next boy has a serious stutter so gets picked on at school. The oldest, a daughter, is committed to her violin, trying to make into a highly regarded music school. I won't give it all away but it has a great ending for all of them.

We got home again just after 8:00, with the sun still out. Got to watch most of O'Reilly anyway, having missed the first half last night because of Happy Hour. Good thing it comes on again at 11:00 pm to catch up. Hope I can stay awake that long as I am sleepy from my time in the sun at the pool and my movie watching.

I heard a news story about a tree falling on an apartment building in Maccleny in a recent storm and had to look it up on the map for location. Christine's gentleman friend has his business there and I was not clear on where this area is. I should have known it was in Baker County because of something Christine said at lunch Tuesday. 

Because we were in a local small restaurant, I knew many of the folks dining there and they knew me back. Besides the man being there from whom I bought my condo, a friend from the pool was dining at a near-by table. The staff there recognizes me, too, and were attentive to us. 

After Christine was seated, my friend from church and her husband came in. Jackie came to our table to greet me and I introduced her to Christine. Later, Jackie came back to our table to ask me some questions about church mailings. Jokingly Christine made the remark about next time we must go somewhere where no one knows me, perhaps in Baker County, saying she didn't want to have to share me. Oh my! I know Greg works there!!! And Martie's son lives near there...

                                   

This afternoon when I was at the pool, my upstairs neighbor left me a phone message. He had made up a batch of meatloaf, and wanted to give me one! Nice! We'd talked about meat loaf at Happy Hour the other night and Debbie told me how Dick makes such wonderful meat loaf. He described his ingredient list and methods, and now, I have a pan of yet-to-be-baked meat loaf making my fridge smell wonderful! Thinking I will serve that for my dinner Saturday when I have my Dinner and Movie Night. Thanks, Dick!

Great neighbors

Tonight I had a very nice evening around two different tables at The Club. Our group at Happy Hour grew and grew and grew requiring a second table to be added. As it turned out, folks made little circles with their chairs and had separate conversations all about the room. Maureen prefers all around one table but that just was not possible this time. 

I had invited my upstairs neighbors to join me as my guests to thank them for keeping up with the water collection during the most recent TS. Dick and I walked over together, with his wife joining us later. At the bar, I reached for the ticket to sign my name but Dick took it away from me and signed his name. They had joined The Club the day before, using me as their reference, and tonight was his treat!! So much for my idea of treating them! BUT, his using me as his reference got us each a $100 credit on our accounts! Yay!

We had such an enjoyable time around the table, my neighbors getting better acquainted with folks and meeting new ones. One lady Debbie and I talked with, Micky, is Swiss, and quite interesting. She said something about speaking French and Debbie asked her how many languages she spoke. Micky sort of laughed and said, "Not that many...." but confessed to speaking English, Swiss, German, French, and some Italian...." Not very many??? As Debbie said, "I have enough trouble with English!" I think Micky was a war bride and so darn cute for a little older lady. Such fun to talk with her.

                    

This morning was my first time at water exercises this season. Even though I paced myself, I can sure feel it in my arms and legs. As soon as I got back up here I had a bottle of water to replenish my liquids as it was hot today---almost 90! Now that's more like it!

I should wear a hair net!

Years ago, actually over two decades ago, when I worked at Shady Lane Home, my uniform included a hair net. The last thing anyone wanted was our hair showing up in the food we were serving to the residents. That would be so gross! On more than one occasion, I forgot my hair net or it tore, so I had to borrow one. The good news is that my grandma lived there and yes, a white hair net on my head was stunning!

She was one cool dude in her Foster Grants! Here is Lily, well into her 90's, sitting out in the fresh air

Today, I cleaned my keyboard yet one more time, because I cannot stand the feeling of the sticky keys under my fingers. Much of the gunk has accumulated due to the humidity in the air (and on the keys!) and even though I have new cans of air, it didn't help. Air won't remove stickiness. 

Justin had picked up three cans of a name-brand compressed air for me at Sam's Club. He is such a dear boy---knows what his mama likes! The air blows the crumbs out, somewhat, but the rest has to be wiped. I used baby wipes on the end of a small screw driver to wedge the wiper between the keys. Then, switched to a stiff piece of cardstock (the real estate mailing I got came in quite handy!) and used it to push the wiper between the keys. Not trying to gross anyone out but by the looks of it, but I should not have a hair left in my scalp!!! Ew!!!!

***

Today I had a very nice lunch with my friend, Christine, with whom I have not dined in ages! She is quite busy with her real estate, and in fact, had to hurry through lunch to get to a closing. It had been postponed from yesterday, but she didn't want to cancel our lunch date. We need more time but made amazing progress in getting caught up in the flesh. Usually a sentence or two on Facebook is about what we can muster. Once I get back from WI, I will make it happen. We can sure talk fast when we have to!

Here is Christine sitting on the floor in my bedroom at the lake house. This must be her color because she was wearing it again today, too!

Yesterday I had an appointment in Argyle with one of the financial guys, Frank. We need to meet every six months as required by the SEC or somebody, and I don't mind seeing him one bit. He is a hoot! While I don't always follow what he is telling me about the investments, I do know and understand the real estate market and construction. He recently bought the office he is in, having moved from Blanding Blvd. a few months ago. Nice digs here!

He has a huge screen in his conference room and is going to be showing movies there as a service to his clients. Judy C. and I are hoping to take in the movie this week, Parental Guidance, loaded with slap-stick mixed with "America's Funniest Home Movies" antics. Grandparents in charge of the grandkids, breaking every rule the parents set down for the kids. From the trailers on TV, it has all the stuff little kids, and some old ones, too, enjoy such as groin kicks and other 'funny' things. The parents left all sort of instructions, and the grandparents blew it off.

When Justin was a baby and I would go out of town, I used to tell my family/babysitters regarding Justin: "Don't dress him like a Pollack!" That would be frowned on now! One time I came home and they had deliberately mismatched all his clothes, just to mess with me. With Timmy, I was far less stringent!

Speaking of movies, I had a pre-order in place for a new documentary called "Honor Flight". The documentarians accompany WWII veterans flown to Washington, DC to visit the war memorials. Each vet has a host which travels with them, flying out in the morning, and returning at night. A man from church, Bill B., had the privilege of being able to go a couple years ago.

I was talking about the movie (documentary) at the pool on the weekend with Kathy and her hubby, Tom. Tom works at the airport in Tally with the TSA. When he heard I was getting the movie he said, "Have some Kleenex ready..." Tom went on to tell about a recent flight which went out of Tally with the vets, bound for DC. He said the concourse and walkway to the plane was lined with well-wishers, waving flags and applauding as the veterans, most of them men, went through and onto the plane.                        

Actual shot of departing veterans 'guarded' by the Patriot Guard

The Patriot Guard motorcycle group was there to see them off as well, and even MORE folks were there to greet them when they arrived back in the airport after 11:00 pm. Tom said it is never busy at that hour of the night otherwise, and he said, "Believe me, there was not a dry eye in the house..." Everyone was in tears, no matter their walk in life, seeing these old guys going and coming from their Honor Flight. 

My copy arrives on the 14th and I only hope I have a chance to air it for some friends before I leave for Manty. Linda was pre-ordering as well, so we might get to watch her copy when up there. I hope that someone does this for the Viet Nam vets, like Tom, too, some day, before it's too late. 

(Warning!!) No despair here...

...at least not over this. Sorrow and loss, yes, but no despair here. 

Our worship yesterday was so evocative for me, and for my boy. The pre-sermon hymn was "Be Still, My Soul" which formerly was #1 on my funeral hymn list. It was bumped down to third place by "Jerusalem the Golden" and "In Christ Alone". When Kathy R. was our organist, she would often play the hymn for pre- or post-service music, and give me a wink. She knew how to pluck my heart strings.

(A couple weeks ago, before we sang a hymn, I leaned over and whispered to Mike S. how much I loved this hymn. Twila and Jean, seated behind us, heard this and chuckled, knowing my list of favorites is extensive!)

The Gospel reading was from Luke, the story of Jesus' giving life back to the widow's son. "His heart ached for her..." Oh yes, it does! He knows every emotion we feel, having experienced that same grief Himself when He became fully human. "When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”" Luke 7:13  Pastor used a Greek word---splanchnizomai---which meant Jesus 'hurt deeply for her'. And brought her deceased son back to life for his mother.

Pastor's sermon was based on this lesson and hit very close to home. He talked about the grief of having someone near to us die 'an untimely death'...an operation gone bad, sudden illness, or a tragic accident. It is not our time, but His timing. 

Pastor mentioned the public grieving the parents showed after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, and of those who lost children in the collapsed school in Moore, OK recently. Seeing these parents suffering might trigger our own memories of personal losses experienced in 'untimely deaths'. Whoooo, tough one!

He also mentioned the comfort of hugs, gestures of kindness, the sympathetic   (my phrasing here) tears from others in our loss, and the comfort we have knowing Christ understands our sorrow so well. 

Then, Pastor mentioned the preschool graduation of last week, and the conversation he had with one of the dads. The dad shared the plans for the coming summer, how his two children were going to visit their grandparents and spend time with extended family, and just enjoy themselves all summer long. Pastor wanted us to imagine all the precious memories they will be making. 

Then, we should imagine (consider it done!) what their lives would be like if one or both of the kids suffered an untimely death---the missed birthdays, the empty place at the table (that's my addition to the list), or a holiday celebrated minus that child. At this point Justin leaned over and asked me, "Is he doing this on purpose?" Justin's heart was aching, too. His own loss of his brother and the grim reminders to his mother. I just love that guy!

The sermon, of which I have a copy, goes on to mention how we will all meet again, 'caught up in the skies', all seated around the table at the heavenly banquet, every seat filled (my words again), a closeness with our Father which far surpasses any earthly closeness. Eternity in heaven, we long for that!

                          

After the sermon, as I was all mopped up, Twila put her hand on my shoulder, as she knew what we felt like, me more outwardly than Justin. When the service was over and we waited to be ushered out, all three ladies behind us were hugging our shoulders and telling us how much they loved us. Just as I had my tears mopped up.... 

Once outside, exiting via the side door with Justin, Kristi sought me out. She said she just had to give me a hug, "after that hymn (she knows it's my favorite) and that sermon....." As I told Linda later, I have the best friends, and I love them, too! 

It's hard to accept or comprehend that this sermon was right for everyone, not only me (us), and that I am certainly NOT the only person who has suffered a loss, an untimely death. Perhaps it's because my little boy was so much a part of the congregation or something, that it is personal to all of them. My older friends have lost their parents, and some have lost their spouses (like the widow in the lesson), and others have had to bury children as adults. But somehow the loss of a child is that much more, for lack of another word, profound, bringing home the fact that we are all vulnerable and have our days numbered. 

When Sterling came out of church, I thanked him for playing 'my hymn' for us that day, on the piano. He is not skilled in the same way Robbie is, but does a very good job of it. Anyway, he said, "You're welcome..." sheepishly, and then told me I had a black speck on my cheek. If that's all I had there, that would be a good day! I told him it was probably mascara as I had wept in church and he said, "Oh, I try not to..." He is such a dear!! I hope when he gets orders the next time, it keeps him at NASJAX. He is a blessing to our congregation and our worship.

                                            

Friday at Happy Hour at the pool, Kathy was telling about a cobalt blue glass piece she has in her collection. She said she thinks me of every time she looks at it. The shape is a tear drop, gotten in the Middle East, and is a vessel for collecting tears. It moved me so to have her tell me this. Cobalt blue is my favorite glass color, as she knows well, and the fact that her piece would collect tears puts it over the top. It would be over the top full if it collected my tears yesterday. Whew! My glass only collects dust!

About Saturday....

It has been a great weekend, but, man, I am tired! Yes, I did have an adult beverage at the pool, which may make me feel extra tired but I think it was the fun combined with the emotion of this day which has worn me out. More about the emotion in another posting...

Yesterday morning I went to Wal*Mart and Great Hang Ups. At the store I got my scrip picked up plus a few other things I'd had on my list. At Hang Ups I viewed the last of the show from Whitey's exhibit, as they are ready now to take it down. A new custom, I am told, is having an opening and a closing of a show. Doesn't hurt one bit!

It was good to see Dee and Julia, spend some time with them again. Dee recently got a new dog and was happy to show her off to me. Princess was and is intended to keep Blair company at home, but came along to the shop with Dee that day. What a sweetheart of a dog she is! Not a peep out of her...A job I had to tackle there was to sign my piece entered in the "Visions" show. Dee took it out of the framing materials for me to sign it, and will reassemble it for me, and drop it off again. 

After the errands, I went out to the pool and had lunch, being joined by several ladies. That was so enjoyable! Some of the ladies just came to eat, going back home across the parking lot to finish cleaning their veranda. They chose cleaning over pool time---go figure! Anyway, a fellow member of the Art Guild sat with me for a bit, being able to enjoy the adult end of the pool since her son is away for a couple weeks. Good time for us to catch up!

I managed to get down into the water for a bit with some prompting from Patty. I stood rigid with my arms clasped around myself as long as I could bear it. Once I moved into the sun it was more tolerable in the water but I was so not a happy camper. The folks I was sitting with are neighbors from The Villas, regulars poolside, and get a kick out of me. Makes for a fun afternoon!

Later in the day my other neighbors came out, with Kathy's hubby being in town this weekend, for extra pool fun. (He works in Tallahassee so comes every other weekend). At a certain point, though, I had to shift gears, go into the house to change clothes, and head to a birthday party. Sue, from church, was throwing a surprise party for her daughter's 40th and nearly did pull it off. Unfortunately, Kristin came home early from work and caught them mid-set-up. It's the thought that counts!

                                

There was one tableful of GS friends there, and the rest of the guests were family friends and co-workers of both Sue and Kristin. The grandkids did the majority of the heavy-lifting, as it were, to get things set-up, so Mom and Grandma could enjoy the party. Nice kids and a great party. TONS of food leftover from Sonny's BBQ. Wish I could have eaten more (but it's too late now!) Got home around 9:00 pm and was so ready for bed. Talk about an action-packed day...perfection!