Life Updates

It's been a while since I caught everyone up on life in general down here.   Since we got Dixie, she has been our focus.  She's doing well.  We had her "fixed" last week and she has settled down a bit.  She weighs 6 pounds and should top out around 10 pounds.  She is losing her baby teeth and hopefully her "grown up" teeth won't be as sharp.  Tony and I look like the walking wounded with all of the Dixie bites on our hands. 

 

Tony and I have met some new people who recently moved in and are very nice.  David and Chris are originally from England and then moved to South Africa.  David does computer work and will be working from home here in Compass Pointe.  I'm not sure what Chris does, but they are fun to be around.  This evening we are going over to Stu and Jan Friedman's for dinner and are spending July 4, with Rhoda and Jim Chinni.  We are getting to be quite the social butterflies!  That's something we didn't have a chance to be or do when we were in Cleveland.  By the time we both used to get home from work we were too tired to be social to anyone but each other. 

 

Our development continues to grow.  Tony and I have hosted a table for potential buyers a few times last month at the Hilton.  People are coming down from New York and New Jersey and buying and there are building sites all over.   The house that is being built next door dwarfs ours and effectively blocks out our view of the circle near us.  Right now, there is no siding so it looks like this giant black mass waiting for skin. 

 

Tony has been painting and doing some wonderful work.  He finished a growth chart for Coleton recently and is working on something for me now.          I can't wait to hang another original "Swegle" in our home.  He rides his bike on a regular basis and continues to work in the yard.   He is tan and of course, the cutest guy in the development!

 

Unfortunately, it's "same old, same old," for me.  Over a year and a half of not working.  I had an interview last week for an Operations position with a promotional firm.  The "offer" was that I would have to work from June to December with no pay...and I would only get paid if the event was successful.  No pay, no benefits, just a lot of work for perhaps nothing.  I was solicited by an energy company to be one of their "entrepreneurs" who sells energy solutions to various businesses.  Again, no bi-weekly pay, no benefits--just lots of risk. 

 

I worked 3 days at the hospital the past 2 weeks--covering for vacations.  I have also applied for a position in the department where I volunteer.  I enjoy the people and the work--I feel like I am doing something valuable  by helping the patients.  I borrowed some one's pedometer at the hospital and found out that I walked 3.3 miles while I was there.   I am still going to Weight Watchers and tracking my points.  I lose ounces and gain pounds.  I think I have lost the same 5 pounds at least four times since I started.  I have started exercising in the morning--I tried to do Yoga, but it's been so long since I did it or Pilate's, that my legs weren't very strong.  So, I am working to build up my ability and flexibility.  Speaking of my legs--my psoriasis is still an issue.  I have a dermatologist appoint mid-August.  I just wish it would go away.  

 

It's been raining almost everyday here lately.  Someone told me that Wilmington got 9 inches of rain in June and so far, it's continuing into July.   I can't remember the last time we played corn hole and Dixie is a wet mess when she comes in from outside. 

 

We miss the grandchildren and all the noise of love that used to be in the house from time to time.  But, we are enjoying our days together.  For every day I spend with Tony I want 10 more.  We have fun and do things with and for each other (and Tony being Tony, he does more for me...no surprise there!)   I feel like I am "semi" retired but hope I will be in the workforce soon. 

 

So, that's our update.   We love our life and all of our children and grandchildren, too.

 

Dixie guarding the house....nothing gets past her!

 

Dixie guarding the newspaper--even the one in her mouth...

 

Dixie guarding her toys!

 

The view of next door...

 

The giant.....

 

New construction across the street.

 

Building, building, building...

 

Our view from the front....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                   

 

 

 

 

He Used to Call It His Chair....

I remember growing up in the late 50's, when working men coveted a reclining chair.   They worked hard all day and part of the reward was to come home, have dinner and then settle in a comfortable chair where the man of the house could put his feet up and watch TV.  The "kids" could sit in the chair during the day, but when dad came home, it was his chair. Just his.

 

Tony used to have one of those chairs.   He called it "his" chair.  

 

 

 

 

 

Now he calls it "our chair!"

 

 

Father's Day

 

For Father's Day, David came up from Tampa and Tony, Marie and Cole came from Charlotte.  We all had a nice time.  The "kids" went to the beach and while Cole was napping, they went to the pool here. 

 

We had great food, thanks to Tony and did a lot of hanging around, playing cornhole and keeping the dogs apart.   Dixie may have been the smallest dog here, but she was definitely the most aggressive!  She nipped at Bernie just like she did to Tyson when he was here.  Bernie took the bait and chased Dixie and barked and growled at her.  Tyson, ever the gentleman, decided to protect Dixie, so he chased Bernie.   Dixie would exit the chase and sit on the sidelines watching them growl and bark each other.  Sometimes, while all of this was going on, she would eat Bernie's food.  So, like I said, she may be the youngest, she may be the smallest, but she really knows how to use her feminine wiles!    I was taking antihistamines all weekend, but it was worth it.

 

Coleton continued to be an absolute charmer.  No matter where we went, strangers smiled at him, waved and even did "peek a boo" for him.  In return, he gifted them all with toothy smiles and shrill giggles.  He was a doll.

 

Here are some highlights of our visit.

 

 

 

Godfather David plays with Cole's toys

 

Daddy and Cole

 

The Swegle Men and Their Babies

 

In order to get this picture, David and Tony had to hold treats in front of Tyson and Bernie to get them to stay.  Check out Dixie.....she is saying, "stay, my ass, I get the treat for just being as cute as I am."

 

More Swegle Men

 

Here's Cole ready to rip off Tony's glasses.....

 

 

And there they go....down on to the porch...

 

Papa says, "I love you anyway....."

 

Mr. Clean playing with the water...

 

How much he reminds me of Ben's first bath at our house.

 

 

Mr. Personality

Every once in a while Tony and Marie's travel schedule has them out of town at the same time.  When that happens, we get to babysit for Cole.

We spent Wednesday with him and had a blast.  He's doing the army crawl, but is close to using his knees.  He likes to pull himself up so he is standing, and as always, he was full of smiles, except when his teeth were bothering him.  When he woke up, he reminded me of that picture, "The Scream," as he was holding his head and crying.  A little Motrin fixed him right up and he was back to being Mr. Personality.

Tyson and Dixie got along pretty well.  We could see Tyson telling Dixie that this was his turf and not to pull any of the tricks she did when he was at our house. 

We will see Cole again in a few days when Tony, Marie and David come in for Father's Day.

Here are the many faces of Cole:

Downward--Facing the Dog

I've been having some new occurrences of Psoriasis lately and someone mentioned that stress is a trigger and that I should try to "de-stress."  Well, let's see, I've been unemployed for  a year and a half, I'm getting older and I have yucky skin.  De-stress?  Right.

 

But, I decided to try Yoga and Meditation again.   I used to do these years ago and always felt better after I had,  so, I decided to try again.

 

OH BOY....how many years has it been since I did Yoga?   My warrior pose was weak, just like my legs,  my tree pose was bent and  my Downward Facing Dog put me right in Dixie's path.  She had been sleeping for over an hour when I started, but as soon as I put the mat down, there she was--sitting on it.  Every time I did Downward Facing Dog, she was in my face, licking  my ears and my chin.  Needless to say, Yoga didn't go so well. 

 

I moved on to Meditation.  As I sat in the traditional cross-legged position, Dixie crawled right up in my lap.  As I tried to breathe deeply and exhale fully, Dixie was biting my fingers and barking in my ear.  I tried laying flat with my arms at my sides.  She liked this pose because she crawled up my legs and layed down.   She seemed very relaxed.  I, on the other hand, was not.

 

I gave up my relaxation ideas and started to put the tapes away....Dixie just layed on the mat, happy as a clam. 

 

I will try again....this time, during her nap--that way we will both relax.

 

Here she is:

 

 

 

Laying on the mat

 

Getting ready for my Downward Facing Dog

 

In my lap for Meditation

 

Laying across my legs as I am trying to do Child pose

 

Wondering how I can relax when I'm yelling at her....

Driving Miss Dixie

We took Dixie to Kure beach today.    It will probably be her last trip--she wasn't happy with the waves coming at her and it was hot, even under the umbrella.  She got car sick going to the beach and coming back.  We had to give her a quick bath when we got home and she's been sleeping ever since. 

 

Despite all of that, it was a beautiful day.  This was our first Kure beach outing and it's a really nice place.  We saw lots of dogs and little kids and birds.  I love just sitting there watching the water and listening to the waves.  We both got a little sun and managed to get back across the bridge before rush hour. 

 

 

"Mommy, come and get me...."

 

The water is getting closer....

 

...and she bails....

 

She sat down and dug in so Tony couldn't pull her in!

 

Here's Tony washing sand off of her face...

 

...and she promptly gets more on her face...

 

 

Birds going fishing!