And Here It Is, Christmas Again!

            

                Wow, will I  be glad to see this year end.  I know, stand in line!

And now, it's Christmas time again.  Well, I'm good.  I got the gift I wait for every year--the Purdum calendar!!!  12 pictures of my beautiful and big grand babies.  It's the best gift I ever get. 

Like last year, it will be a quiet holiday for us.  Just Tony, Dixie and me.  We are go to Charlotte for a day trip.  It will be fun to see the kids again.  Personally, I wonder if Tony is going just to see the golf trophy!!

I am still knee deep working on the paper and Covid 19 book.  It's fun, but as I have said before, I end up sitting in front of the computer all day packing on tonage!   I am working on the National section of the Covid 19  book now and meeting several new people.  

I am also working on the Cape Fear voices website.  Check it out at:  www.capefearvoices.allforyou.biz/wp.com.  If that doesn't work, type in:  www.capefearvoices.com and look for the entry that says Cape Fear Voices Board of Directors.  That's the sloppy way of doing it.  You will go to our Board of Directors page and you can click back to the home page from there.  It will be going live on January 1, 2021.  

I am going into my third year of retirement and I finally feel like I am doing something with myself.  It's a good feeling.  

Tony and I hope that everyone has a  nice, safe Christmas.  Raise a glass to 2021!!

Here are most of our beautiful family.  I have to work on getting a Jenna and Jon photo!

Zach and Sam, black belts

Brenda, Alex and David on their 2020 Xmas card  

(Oh, baby Swegle, due in March is in the photo too!!)

The Charlotte Swegle's!  In the back, Marie and Tony,

in front, from left Anthony, Owen and Coleton!

Our first grandbaby--Ben with sister, Ellie.

  Ben is growing like a weed!!

   

Winding Down and Gearing Up

 

There's lots of little things going on with us as we come to the end of the year and start 2021.  Tony Jr., and David will be in next week to play golf with Tony.  That's always a fun time to see them banter back and forth and joke around with each other.  Hopefully, the trophy will stay with us again this time. 

I'm afraid I won't get to spend much time with them, however, as our efforts getting the Covid 19 book published are in high gear.  Cape Fear Voices received two grants this week, one for $3,000 and one for $3,100 from educational outlets.  We hope to publish in January, but some of the authors are having trouble with their sections.  I have been invited to participate in a Zoom call today regarding assisting with the National section.  As you may recall, I was the researcher on the International section.  

I'm also helping to roll out the website, Capefearvoices.com, in January and I'm the Quality Control person for both the website and the paper.   I'm getting a little concerned that my writing is getting pushed back because of all of the other things I'm doing for the paper.  But, so far,  I am enjoying my various roles and love assisting and learning.  

Our newest grandbaby from David and Brenda will be born in late March or early April.  I've been shopping and having a good time finding cute clothes.  Ellie will be 10 in December. I still have the calendar that Jenna makes every year, showing Ellie's arrival in the family.  She was small, round and had the cutest hair and eyes.  Her eyes were big and questioning, like she was trying to decide how we fit into her world.  We are getting her a balance beam so she can continue with her gymnastics.

Donna and Bob will be down in January for 2 months again.  Can't wait to massage the economy with Donna.  We are definitely ladies who "do" lunch!!!    Dixie will be 8 in January.  No big party, just a new toy for her to bring to us to throw.  Tony will be 74 in February and he's still going strong.  He still works at the golf course one day a week and joined the Veteran's Club.  Last week, he replaced all of my white and blue twinkle lights on the lanai and it looks great.  

We try to spend a few hours a day on the lanai, just to talk.  I love it out there.  We have learned a great deal about each other, and we have listened to our music (although, being 5 years older than I, his music is sometimes different from mine!)  We share appetizers, wine and sometimes even dinner out there. 

We are hoping to get to the driving range on Friday.  I really want to get back to golfing and Compass Pointe has a short course that I can probably do.  I just need to take it one step at a time.  

My health is stable.  I am still short of breath, my skin is still a mess and I am still on medication, but I can deal with all of this and more doctor's appointments are not an option.  I can't go and have tests and find out nothing again. 

Dixie's spa day was yesterday.  Here she is with her Christmas bandana and Daddy.  Tony's sister said they looked like twins...hmmm, must be the goatee!  

The Ghost Pooper

 

As expected, we had a very quiet Thanksgiving.  I say very quiet because the Saturday after we went to Charlotte to see Tony Jr., Marie and the boys.  Talk about direct opposite!  The house is busy, active, happy and loud.  There were  boys everywhere!!

Coleton and Anthony go to school two days a week and learn online the rest of the week.  Owen goes to daycare.  Owen is talking so much better than the last time we were there.  He doesn't say, "I" or "me," he says "Owen,"  as in, "Owen want more."   He plays outside with the boys and goes down the sliding board all by himself.  Yesterday, he was kicking the soccer ball into a net and swinging at baseballs.   They are so cute.  

Coleton is getting straight A's and Anthony is reading at the first grade level.  They are a blast to be around.   But, I know why old people don't have babies.  I don't know how Tony and Marie handle it all.  They are both working from home, helping the kids with school work, taking care of the house, taking the kids to various sports activities and not sleeping much. 

I had a fun conversation with Anthony yesterday.  It was all about the "Ghost Pooper!"  I heard a small "toot" when Anthony was drawing.  He asked me if I smelled anything because he smelled "poop."  

We started talking about who might have pooped when he told me it was the "Ghost Pooper," who drops in from time to time.   You never see him, you just smell him!  Leave it to Anthony to come up with a great story.  

We watched a really sloppy Browns Game and then came home.  Dixie was glad--there's only so much tail grabbing she can take.  

David and Tony Jr., will be visiting in three weeks to have another Swegle Golf Tournament.  Tony Sr., shot a 94 last week, so the boys better bring their "A" game.  That trophy isn't going anywhere. 

So, Christmas is coming up.   Marie asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I told her a granddaughter.   From the look she gave me, I'm guessing that's not on the Christmas list.  

That's OK, we have the boys!

This is from last year, so they are all one year cuter!

The Covid Book

 

I feel like I have been underground for the past few months.   Cape Fear Voices is publishing a book about 2020, specifically, how Covid affected the world.  I have been glued to the computer researching the international impact,  Very recently, I meet with one of the owners/editors to put picture collages together and gather additional information about the year in general.  I found a lot of material in the way of political cartoons that I think will add a great deal to the content. 

Today, the press release about the book came out:

PRESS RELEASE

 The Great Lockdown of 2020: “How I Survived” - published by Cape Fear Voices

Someone on Facebook recently stated that they didn’t want to set their clock back one hour this Fall, as we do every year, because they didn’t want to give 2020 another hour. Another wanted to know if that offer from Momma to knock me into next year was still on the table. It’s been that kind of year for everyone.

From local earthquakes (that’s right, we had one of those in the Cape Fear region in 2020), to a record number of hurricanes, to uncontrollable forest fires out West, locust swarms in Africa, a massive bomb blast in Beirut, political discord and division on a grand scale, to the type of pandemic we haven’t seen in over 100 years – it’s been a year for the record books. Whew! And there’s more to come.  No one today wants to remember 2020. But one day, your grandchildren will want to know, “What did you do during the Great Lockdown of 2020?” (To steal a famous, rhetorical, question from the movie, “Patton.”) Well, you won’t be able to tell them you went out to eat or to a movie. You won’t have a story to tell about that great vacation you took. Maybe you could tell them how clean the house, garage, and yard look these days.

Gerald Decker and Eric Mens, co-owners of  Teen Scene Inc, which publishes a free monthly publication in the Cape Fear region called Cape Fear Voices, have collected individual stories from around the world, across the nation, and possibly even your neighborhood.  They have also garnered the support of local writers such as Bev Haedrich and Lon Anderson. Several North Carolina writers have joined the effort, including Artie Kamiya, Don Lucas, and Bruce Manicelli. Additionally, the National VFW and nationally known writer, Andrew Carroll (“War Letters” and “Behind the Lines”) have granted permission to include some of their articles about life during the pandemic. Helping with research, writing, and editing are Ken Formalarie and Jan Morgan-Swegle. 

The book will attempt to capture, for posterity, the year in glimpses from individuals. It is not our story to tell. It is the story of the nearly 100 people from around the world who submitted personal stories for this publication. Eric Mens commented that the book is “our attempt to document history for the next generation.” He also stated that while the book is still in production, we have already started getting book pre-orders from our writers and loyal readers of Cape Fear Voices.  

We are a nonprofit 501 (c) (3).  All operating funds come from donations or ad sales. Book sale proceeds will cover the cost to continue publishing Cape Fear Voices and our teen publication, The Teen Scene. If you would like to order a copy of “The Great Lockdown,” please email editorcfv@gmail.com or editorteenscene@gmail.com. 

I was very surprised and pleased to see my name in the release.  I certainly did not expect that.  

This has been such a good experience for me.  I have worked with very talented people and I have learned a great deal.  I continue to write for the paper (I missed the November issue due to the research work) and I hope that one of my articles, "The Distance Between Us," will be published in the book.  The story is about Tony and I going to Cleveland to see Jenna's children and how we had to keep our distance and not hug or have any type of contact.  That's the visit where I cried so hard I didn't think I had any tears left in me.  

I am also working the the Advisory Board on ways to generate revenue for the paper.  The Plain Dealer used to publish personal events under the heading of "Celebrations."  I pitched the idea to the Board and they thought it was a good idea so I will be working with the web designer to get it up and running.  

In other news, we are on our way to Charlotte the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  We missed Anthony's birthday in October, so we are taking his gift and having a very small party.  It will be good to see everyone and get out of the house.  

It has been an odd and difficult year.  The high's and low's were incredible.  I so hope that 2021 is better for  us all. 

From our home to  yours, Happy Thanksgiving.   🦃

Stuff In General

I was silly enough to think that once the election was over, we wouldn't be hearing so much Trump stuff.  Boy was I wrong.  We, as a country, seem just as divided as before and now it feels like we have two Presidents--the good guy and the other guy. 

It will be interesting to see how this whole thing turns out.  

I have been busy with the Cape Fear Voices Covid 19 book that the team wants to publish.  It will be a book about the virus and how it played out around the world, around the country and in Wilmington.  My research efforts were geared toward the International section and I learned a lot about how countries around the world responded to the virus.  It was interesting work.   The book should be out by January and I am excited to see how it turns out. 

I'm working on pictures now for the book--showing how Covid affected everyday life.  I'm also doing layout and design work for the Cape Fear Voices paper.  It keeps me busy, but it also keeps me tied to the computer.  

It's been pretty quiet around here.  David, Brenda and Alex won't be coming up for Thanksgiving this year.  Brenda is still not feeling well and travel would be difficult for her.  She is due in March and we can't wait to have a new baby to spoil.   

Speaking of spoiled--Dixie is still having a hard time with changing the clocks back.  She wants her 7:00 p.m. chew stick at 6:00 and gets annoyed when Tony makes her wait.   A few days ago, I was in bed watching TV and she was in her bed on the floor near the wall.  I guess the light bothered her so she sat in front of it and barked until I turned it off.  Once I did, she went right back to her bed and went to sleep.  It's really no secret who is in charge here!

Tony has been doing a lot of cleaning in and outside.  Last week, he was power washing the patio and sent me a message:

Isn't he creative!!

Here she is....the person in charge!

Sharing a glass of wine

Chilly at the beach!

So we will have Thanksgiving alone and that's OK.  It will be fun no matter what we do.  Next up, Christmas........ug.

 

Possessed Computer

If anyone is trying to read the post called, "Rembrandt," please click on the words, "read more," in the left hand corner of the blank post.  For whatever reason, my computer decided not to print the text.  Who knows why.....only the computer!
  

Rembrandt

 

Beautiful Beaufort

We spent a few days in Beaufort, South Carolina thanks to a gift from Tony and Marie.  They gave us a visit to Rhett House, a B&B that is celebrating its 200th birthday this year.  We had to delay our visit due to hurricanes and the virus, but we finally went and had a wonderful time. 

We really had no agenda and I think that was why we had such a good time.  We went where the days took us.   We took a horse drawn carriage ride through the area with Kate the driver and Angus the horse.  I love looking at the mansions.

There were a ton of restaurants in the area, but one was very special.  It was called, "Hemingway's."  It was under another structure and smelled of mold and old stuff.  The bar took up most of the area and so did a huge fish tank.   There were funny signs hanging on the back walls and the whole place had a "like it or leave it" attitude.  On our first visit, the bartender was talking to a friend of hers who was sitting at the bar.  Tony and I were the only other people there.  The friend was also a bartender at another place and she was sharing a story about the local "ho" who came into her bar with no pants on, just a thong.   Well, it didn't take long for Tony and I to be in that conversation!!  The bartenders, who seemed rather rough, turned out to be fun young ladies.  It's amazing how first impressions can be so off the mark. 

We also enjoyed interacting with Taylor, the young lady at the front desk at Rhett House.  Everyone there was so accommodating, but Taylor was the best.   The day we left, we gave her a small gift, a sea glass bracelet;  she was so surprised she cried.  She is someone who puts all of her efforts into doing a good job.   

The weather and the water were beautiful.  We walked (well, I sort of hobbled) to the visitor's center and museum.  South Carolina is full of history and beautiful mansions but it was the trees that captured our attention.  They were at least 300 years old and really big.  There were a few trees that were planted in one yard, but the branches grew across driveways and paths into someone else's yard.   Some of the branches were so big that they dipped onto the ground and started to grow upward again.  They were majestic. 

The Rhett House had gardens in the back with tables and umbrellas so we shared some wine there and listened to a tour guide talk about the area.  In the morning, we had breakfast on the veranda.  

We had a really great time, but it was good to get back home.  Dixie stayed with her Godparents and discovered ducks on one of her evening walks.  We got a message telling us that she was enamored with them and wanted one as a pet.  She'll have to settle for a stuffed toy duck!   As usual, she had the run of their house and ate very well.  

We will go back to Beaufort, maybe even the Rhett House, it's a really beautiful and peaceful place. 

The backyard garden

Our bathroom at the Rhett House

The living area/bedroom at Rhett House

Angus and Katie chatting about Beaufort!

Rhett House, going into the garden

A mansion on the tour with beautiful trees

The tree branches laying on the grass

Wine, in our Beaufort glasses

The tour guide 

The visitor's center and museum

Goofy signs at Hemingway's

In honor of 2020, "Blink if  you want me!"

Dixie got a  new, fluffy bed-she likes to tip in 

and then lay upside down in it.  Goofy dog. 

Getting Busy

We are doing a quick trip back to Cleveland this weekend for Emma's first communion.  So it's in Friday night, communion and party on Saturday and out on Sunday.  After that, we go to South Carolina to stay in a B&B.  Just what retired people need--a vacation!! 

The weather is absolutely beautiful now.  This is when I love North Carolina most.  The mornings and evenings are cool and during the day, there is a soft breeze.  Flowers are still blooming and it's nice to be outside.  It will be cold in Cleveland, but that's OK--it's Cleveland!

I am still writing for Cape Fear Voices, but I am now doing some research work as well.  We are putting out a glossy magazine in January, 2021 about the effects of Covid so I am researching the international aspect for another writer who has been nationally published.  It is interesting work.  International will be the smallest section of the magazine so it is a good way for me to learn how to research and how to work with another writer.   

There are several of us on this project and we have our meetings via "Zoom," an online application that allows you to have virtual meetings.  You can see everyone on the call, but you are in your own home.  Thank goodness Brenda had a legal meeting when she and David were here visiting so she downloaded Zoom to our computer.  I felt positively computer savvy!

We are going into what I call "birthday" mode.  Starting in September, we have several family birthday's that take us right through December.  For the grandchildren;  Alex turned 3 on September 26, Anthony will be 6 on October 5, Sam will be 12 on October 15 and Zach will be 9 on October 18.  

Tony and I watched the first presidential debate and thought that T-rump did a great job--of making Biden look good!   I can't wait until T-rump is out of office and prosecuted for all of the laws he has broken as president.  

The fact that he paid $750 in federal income tax for two years just really put me over the edge.  It reminded me of 1976.  I was widowed that year and found out that I had paid more in federal taxes that Richard Nixon because he "donated" so much to his library.   There is something fundamentally wrong with this country when stuff like that can happen.   

Dixie is doing well, but we can see more and more gray hair coming in around her face and on her ears.  She will be 8 in January, but is still very much a puppy.  She will be vacationing with her Godparents while we are in Cleveland.   That means home cooked chicken meals,  sleeping on whatever bed she wants and having the run of the fenced in backyard.   Look out, bunnies, she won't be leashed!

And so, that's about it in Leland.  We continue to hope that a Covid remedy is found quickly and that no more people have to die because of it.  

One of my favorite pictures of Alex.  Happy Birthday, 3!

RBG

I wrote on Facebook the impact that Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death had on me.  I said that I don't cry for politicians or judges, but I cried when I found out that RBG had died.   

Tony and I saw the movie about her life, "On the Basis of Sex," and the documentary, RBG.  Like her, both were powerful and thought provoking.   I have often said, that the only basic difference between men and women is the manner in which we pee.  People would laugh when I said that, but think about it.   Think about that for a minute.  Do men have an extra pair of hands?  Legs built of steel?  X-ray vision?  No.  Do they have an extra brain?  No.  So why would anyone think that women are intellectually inferior?  Why would law professors criticize women for being accepted into a law program because they "took up a space a man could have."  Did women take different tests to get into the program?  Was there a pink test that had easy questions on it?  No.  At every turn in her youth, she was questioned.  Not for her ability, but for her gender.  

RBG was my hero because as my career progressed, I faced some of the same scrutiny, and it made me angry.   Years ago when I worked for Chemical Bank, our division moved into a new facility, the management team took a tour.    When we got to my office, a male peer (Vice President, exact same title) of mine turned to our SVP and asked, "How come she gets such a big office?"  Keep in mind, our offices were the same size.  Our SVP, responded, "To reflect her responsibilities, just like yours."   Why would my male peer even think he had the right to question the size of my office?

There was also a time when family members were discussing work.  My husband, who has always been proud of my work ethic, said, "Jan is at her desk every day by 7:00, even though the work day doesn't start until 8:30."  At that point, a male family member looked at me and said, "why, do you have to make the coffee?"  Tony jumped back into the conversation, and said, "she has people who make coffee for her."  I wouldn't ask people to make me coffee, but I got his point.  The male family member didn't.  He wasn't criticizing me, to him the only reason why a female would be at her desk an hour and a half early was to get the coffee ready for the men. 

These are the attitudes that Ruth faced so many years ago.  I'm guessing our daughters are still facing those same attitudes.  Why?    Women are as good as men and every woman should know that, remember that and live by that. 

And so, my hero has died.  Here are some of her words that made her my hero :

"A gender line helps to keep women, not on a pedestal, but in a cage."

"Woman belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception."

"I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability."

                                            And my personal favorite.....

When asked when will there be enough women on the Supreme Court, she replied:

"When there are nine."  (The audience she was addressing, laughed at her comment.)  She explained, "There have been nine men on the Supreme Court and no one ever raised a question about that."

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was not "anti-man," she was pro, "be the best you can be."

Now, that's a hero.

 

Baby Yoga

The highs and lows of depression are still with me, but since David, Brenda and Alex have been visiting, I find myself laughing.  Really laughing. 

Alex is quite the entertainer.  She does Baby Yoga, sings songs, dances, counts and colors; while telling me what color she is using in English and then in Spanish. 

I am usually the last one up in the morning and when I make my way to the lanai where everyone is enjoying coffee, Alex sees me and runs to me with her arms open, ready to jump up and give me a big hug.

She puts her head on my shoulder and I whisper, "Did you have a good sleep?"  And she answers quietly, "yes....did you have a good sleep Momo?"   I could be happy waking up every day that way.   

We went downtown for dinner last night and she was so well behaved.  She had chicken and fruit and then we came home and had a small birthday party with cupcakes and ice cream.  She sang "Happy Birthday," with us and seemed to enjoy her presents.  We got her a pretty dress with a wide brimmed hat that she wears with the attitude of a super fashion model. 

She is back in school now and named off all of her classmates and teachers.  She is such a happy little thing.  She gets joy out of our twinkle lights and butterflies.  I put the lava lamp on the first night she was here and she lightly touched it.  I told her it was not hot, so now whenever she sees it, she states, "Momo, not hot."  

We played kickball in the back yard and she was fascinated by the yellow plastic flower in the Zeno's yard that spins in the wind.  Sometimes being with her is like seeing something ordinary in a very special way.  

I think when they go back to Florida, I'll be doing Baby Yoga.  I won't do it as well as Alex did, but it will bring back sweet memories. 

Pictures later......

The Highs and the Lows

 

I think that the trip home to Cleveland a few weeks ago took more out of me than I thought it would.  I was so excited to see everyone and get together for birthday dinners and social lunches.  But now that I'm back, I feel empty.  My depression is at an all time high and even getting out of bed is a chore.  

Maybe it was interacting with so many different people in a short period of time.  Maybe it was negative conversations.  Who knows?  But whatever it was, I can't shake it.

I'm being published again in Cape Fear Voices--and I'll be in a special glossy edition, but even that doesn't light me up like it should.  Depression is like having someone sitting on the top of your head.  It's heavy and it follows you all around.  I'm tired of being depressed.  

And now, it's September, fall--my favorite time of year.  Alex will be 3 at the end of the month and we get to see her next week.  I have been practicing my colors in Spanish, but she is probably way past that now.    

I've been writing letters to the Cleveland grandkids in response to the Birthday letters they gave me.  Each of them are so different.  I sent Ben a check for his birthday and it was cashed the other day.  I'm not sure why, but I looked at the back of the check when it hit my account.  He printed his name so Jenna could co-sign and cash it and I realized that he doesn't write in cursive.  I guess keyboarding has eliminated the need for learning cursive.   He is in public school now and I worry that he will feel out of place since he has been home schooled.  He's really cute, so I know the young ladies will like him.  I just hope that these final school years will give him good memories. 

Of all of the letters, Ellie's was the most entertaining.  It was more like a conversation than a letter.  As odd as it sounds, I felt like she writes like I do.  She starts on a subject, interjects a related thought and then says something funny.  She included a "PS" in her letter that said it only took her less than 30 minutes to type out her letter and that she was proud of herself.  Ellie has a strong sense of self that I hope she never loses.

Sam looks so much like Bill, Jenna's father.  He is athletic and gifted.  He played the banjo for us and he was very good. 

Zach is the sweetest kid.  He's quiet, but funny.  He can twist his body around like my sister, Fritz, used to.  Jon says Zach is not double jointed, but he sure looks like he is.

I'm glad we got to see them.  And, I have included a picture which to me is typical of 2020.  Sitting in a garage due to the virus.

The Visit Home

We spent the last week in Cleveland celebrating birthdays and seeing family.   What a good time we had, but as I call 2020 the year of nothing, I have to call this trip, the visit of food.  Between meeting people for lunches and dinners, it's safe to say that we added a few pounds--oh good, just what I need. 

One of the events was "Neighborhood Lunch."  Since I've been on Facebook, I've reconnected with several of our neighbors from West 100 St.  We decided to get together, so 7 of us went to Olive Garden in Middleburg Heights.  We talked for over 2 hours and had a great time catching up.  It's amazing how young we all looked!!

I also reconnected with my best friend from 4th grade, Debbie Onody.  I haven't seen her in 40 years.  She has 5 children and 3 grandsons.  We had a fun time remembering school chums over lunch.  We had "friendship" necklaces when we were young, so I bought us both necklaces that celebrate that bond.  It was so good to see her again. 

Seeing the grandchildren was hard.  That must sound odd, but Jenna and Jon are taking Covid very seriously.  We had to wear masks, stay 6 feet away and not hug the children.  It just broke my heart to be that close to them and not be able to squeeze and love them.  

The last time we saw them, they still seemed small and as I remembered them.  But this time, they all got so big, especially Ben.  He is 5'8" or 9" now and taller than we are.  He stood next to Tony (6 feet apart) and I immediately thought of that little boy who always wanted piggy back rides from Papa.  

The children are all very talented.  Sam played the banjo, Ben played the ukulele and sang, Ellie did some gymnastics and Zach showed us some Tae Kwondo defensive moves.  They are learning how to play tennis and even jump on a pogo stick.  They were not able to be on swim team this year because of the virus.  

Sam is starting to look more like Jenna, although, I've always said he looked like her father, Bill, so I guess that makes sense.  Ben favors Jon and Ellie and Zach favor both of their parents.  Ellie has the most beautiful smile and Zach is sweet and funny.   

I cried so much during our visit.  I cried because they were so big, I cried because I couldn't touch them and I cried because they are so beautiful.  I will post pictures of them soon. 

In the meantime, I have posted beautiful birthday flowers from the Charlotte Swegle's and a picture of our Neighborhood Lunch. 

From left:  Lynn Viancour, Back Row: Earl Melvin, Donna (Viancour) Andrassy, Peggy (Quarando) Szabo,

 Ralph Quarando, Front:  Jan (Viancour) Morgan-Swegle, Gail (Doane) O' Dell

Missing due to health reasons:  Linda (Doane) Yamamotto, Gordon Hathaway

Flowers from the Charlotte Swegle's  for my birthday

Published!

 

Yesterday, I got two copies of the Cape Fear Voices issue that published my story about the snake in our lanai.  It was a thrill to see my thoughts in print again and I'm trying to submit another article before we leave for Cleveland.  

I love writing again, although, I feel a bit hemmed in because the articles are restricted to 700 words.  Anything over that has to be published in installments.

Cape Fear Voices is a new, small paper dedicated to featuring the diverse points of view of the people in the community.  The Leland area is one of the fastest growing in the country and is less "locals" and more east coast/midwest every day.  

I am really looking forward to our Cleveland trip and seeing our grandchildren again.  OK, it will be behind masks and there will be no hugging, but at least I can see them and talk to them.  No matter what restrictions or how long the visit, I am so excited to see them.  

I think this is the first time in a long time that we will have seen most of our grandchildren in a 2 month period (Owen didn't visit.)  The first part of August, Tony Jr., Coleton and Anthony visited and in September, David, Brenda and Alex will be here. It's hard to believe that in a little over 3 weeks, it will be September.  2020, the year of nothing, marches on.  

Dixie will be staying with her Godparents for the week we are in Cleveland.  She will miss barking at people while she's sitting on the back of Tony's reclining chair with him, but I know she will enjoy extra treats and extra love while we are gone. 

Here's my  first Cape Fear Voices entry"

Mother Nature

I'm not sure how I ended up with dots on my text, but I will figure it out  before my next post. 

• One of my favorite commercials of all times is "Mother Nature."  I think the commercial is about selling margarine but everyone thinks it's butter--including Mother Nature.  She's not happy when she finds out she has been fooled, so she raises her arms above her head and says, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature." After that you hear loud crashes of thunder and see wicked lines of lightening.  You get the message. 
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• Well, Mother Nature sure likes to fool us.  I think Tony said we have had 4 hurricanes in 5 years--the latest Isaias (which I understand is pronounced E-Sigh-A-Us) made landfall at the South Carolina/North Carolina border last night.   As it moved inland, the eye was 8 miles West of our house.   
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• That sounds pretty scary, but we only had one tree down and the same pot of flowers that went down during the last storm, went down again.  We were very lucky.  One of our favorite cities, Southport, was not so lucky.  Southport is a sea side community, with many residents living on boats--well, actually, they lived on boats, many of the boats in the harbor were damaged to the point of being totaled, as was the pier.  Huge sand slides were all over the roads and lawns of residents and cars were pushed into each other and turned over. 

Jokes about trailer parks didn't seem funny today, as a park was totally destroyed, killing a few people and leaving 2 small children still missing.  

Chunks of bridges in various places are gone, and water damage in the Outer Banks is again severe.  

For a small moment in time, we forgot about masks, our stupid president and the virus.

David, Brenda and Alex were totally missed, as was my cousin and her husband in Beaufort, South Carolina, and for that, we are most grateful.  

Dixie spent most of the time before the storm shaking and hiding under the bed.  We stumbled over something that makes her feel safe--a laundry basket.  Tony just picked her up the other day and put her in one I had on the floor.  She seemed to like having "walls" all around her and being able to see out.  I put one of her blankets in the bottom and she rested comfortably on it and stayed in the basket next to me during the thunderstorm we were having.  

So, that's life in North Carolina.  Critters, snakes, storms and who knows what else.  

But we are well and have once again, dodged Mother Nature.  I will continue to eat butter and not margarine!

Again, sorry for the dots. 

The same plant that went down in 2019

The same tree that went down last  year

Another Outdoor Adventure

As I said in my last blog, when the heat index is 107 degrees, you feel like you are living in the Congo.  To that end, I don't like to be outside in weather like this.  I don't like to sweat, I don't like to have frizzy hair and I don't like to take 3 showers a day.  I'm not an outdoors person.  I don't like to garden, I don't care how much our trees have grown since last year and I don't go hiking. 

So what did Tony, Dixie and I do earlier this week?  We went to Waccamaw National Park.  

Yeah, it was another 90+ degree day and we were out there walking around.  I think the sun has affected my brain.  Dixie was pretty smart about the whole thing.  She found shade made by the wooden bridges we were on and took every opportunity to stay in the shade and lay down and rest her paws.

Like the Covid virus, I am tired of the little box that this kind of heat puts us in.  I want to walk among the roses in the backyard with a cool breeze fanning my face. Ah, winter where are you?

Here are some pictures from the park:

A view from the covered bridge.....

Dixie taking a rest

Tony

Dixie laying under the air conditioning vent; glad to be home

Heat Index

When I was growing up, summers in Cleveland with no air conditioning was ugly.  My parents had large fans strategically placed around the living and dining rooms but all they did was blow hot air around.  

Sitting on the front porch in the evening just invited mosquitoes to abuse your skin and buzz your ears.  Personally, I preferred fall.  Yes, it was back to school time in the fall, but to me, summer was really overrated.  Who needs temperatures in the '80's and high humidity.

And so, here I am in sunny North Carolina.  We moved to get away from the snow, but I think I forgot about summer time. 

Oh Lord, is it hot down here.  I'm talking extended periods of time when the average temperature is in the mid '90's and there isn't a hint of breeze anywhere.  The humidity is high and you get heat advisories on your phone and computer, telling you to stay inside.  

But, it's the heat index that makes me shake my head.  Today, the weather advisory said that we could expect temperatures in the mid to high '90's with a heat index of 107.

107?    Did we  move to the Congo?  This is the kind of heat that makes it hard to breathe when you go out.  I find myself looking forward to fall once again.

In other news, we've been seeing a family of wild turkeys in our yard on a regular basis now.  The babies are getting bigger and they seem pretty comfortable just walking around the backyard.  As always, Dixie barks and wants to get out into the backyard to investigate them.  She's graduated from bunnies to turkeys.  The problem is, I think if one of them got a hold of her, she would regret it!

Dixie has been walking on grass lately instead of the sidewalk.  Tony says the pads on her feet can take the heat, but I don't think so.  She's having her spa day today so hopefully, getting a shorter hair cut will help her cope with the temperatures.

We went to the beach the other day and that helped.  It was a bit cooler and there was a nice breeze but the sun was unforgiving.

We saw lots of tourists on the beach with really white skin, I'm betting they were hurting after spending hours out there.

We will go back, hopefully soon.  I love the beach.  

A beautiful day...

Unforgiving sun

  

Our turkey family--I call them the Trumps!

Dixie's blunt cut!

Side view--she really got a haircut!

Writing

I think it's funny how things happen sometimes.  How something you do, or some place you go is the same for 1,000 times and then on that 1,001 time, something is different and that difference affects you.

That happened to me last week.  Tony and I went to Bridgewater,  the wine store we go to and buy the majority of our wine.    I was wandering around and I saw a small, newspaper on the counter.  It was called Cape Fear Voices and appeared to be a new publication.   I picked one up and stuffed it in my purse.

I found that Cape Fear Voices is associated with Teen Scene Magazine, which encourages young people to write articles for publication. Cape Fear Voices was full of diverse stories from people in the community sharing their life experiences and points of view.  On the last page was a "Help Wanted" ad soliciting for new writers.  

I sent in an article I wrote about the snake in our lanai and sent it to the Editor.  I got an email from  him today saying that they were going to publish it.  

That pleases so me so much!  I am writing again and this time, people will be reading what I write.