25!

Yesterday was our 25th wedding anniversary--the real one.  Not the one we're having on Friday, or the anniversary on the 21st, like Tony jokes, this was 9,125 completed days of marriage. The big one!

 

We had a nice day, most of which was spent on finalizing vow renewal plans.  Everything is set....the seating for the reception, the flowers, picking up David--we're even getting Dixie a shampoo so she doesn't offend our hosts!

 

After a busy day, we went to a new restaurant called Havana's.  It was cute and had really good seafood.  We sat and talked about the years gone by and enjoyed being together.  After that, we came home and opened a special bottle of wine that Tony has been saving.  It was 9 years old and very smooth.  Worth the wait.  Of course, we had our special time with Dixie on the screened in porch with music and  the Christmas lights that Tony hung for me.

 

What a great evening!  Here are the highlights and some other events!

 

Tony checks out the bottle

and the lable

A man and his dog!

Me with the man's dog...and my psoriasis spots....

Worth it!

Sniffing the cork....

Decanting....

Mother's Day Flowers

A beautiful evening

Dixie napping in her toy box

Our Fitness Center is almost done!

 

The Sounds of Spring

When I am not working, Tony and I have been sitting on the patio after Dr. Phil (long story) and enjoying the sounds and sights of spring.  It's a wonderful time to relax and reflect.

Today, we had serene music piped out to the patio....you know, the kind of music you hear when you are getting a massage, and happily watched the day come to an end while we were drinking our wine and before Tony grilled the steaks.

The sounds were amazing.  The breeze was blowing and you could hear the sound of the leaves and palms swaying back and forth and bumping against each other.  The small fountain we have was running, so we had the sound of rhythmic water falling over stones.  We had the overhead fan on and the hum it made was underlying just enough to make you sleepy.  We didn't have the blue and white Christmas lights on because it was daylight, but in the evening when they are on, it makes the patio even more pretty.  

The doves were out, doing their "coo, coo, coo" messages and somewhere out there was a tree frog, talking to us.  I think it was afraid of Dixie.    It sounded like a pepper grinder.  Dixie was all curled up under the table on her cushions, just listening,  and life was good. 

I have said often that "I can't image wanting to retire...." but I do.  To have the opportunity to just enjoy the weather, the sights and the sounds is so inviting. 

We continue to prepare for our vow renewal and sadly, Jenna, Jon and the kids won't be joining us.  They will leave a big hole of sadness in the day, but she has to do what is best for her family. 

So, here is the view from the patio....a lovely view and so calming.

Ocean Isle Beach

From time to time, I register people at the hospital who live in Ocean Isle Beach.  It always sounded nice to me....a place where there was water and a beach and lots of places to eat. 

Tony and I went there today because of an article in "Our State" magazine on "The Winds Resort" located in Ocean Isle.  The Winds was a dream of a New York artist and his wife.  They wanted an escape from the hectic life of New York to enjoy a place where they could be in the warm weather and just exist in the area.  As they say, no titles, no name dropping, no comparing credit scores...just relaxing and enjoying what the area had to offer.  Their dream started in 1959 and continues on today. 

 

The Winds today is a multi building resort, right on the beach with various amenities and a great view of the ocean. 

 

We started our journey at the Tiki Bar, right on the beach.  A bacon/chicken wrap and a Pinot  Gris's later, we were on the beach looking at the waves and the birds.

 

It was a wonderful afternoon, capped off by corn hole.  I gave up my crown temporarily...being beaten 21 to 2 in the first game and 21 to 18 in the second.  I will fight again and regain my standing.... but today was a wonderful day.  The weather was perfect, the food and drinks were good and the "photo ops" were amazing.

 

Enjoy our day....

 

 

The View From the Tiki Bar

 

The Swegles Drinking Pinot Gris

 

Tony Made Me A Heart On the Beach

 

JMS and TS..it's us!

 

Birds!

 

More Birds!

 

The Sea and Me!

 

At The Winds...

 

...To The Beach...

 

Tony Among the Foliage

 

Drinks at the Giggling Mackerel!!

 

He's Not Giggling....

 

Now, The Head On the Stick is  Giggling!!

 

First Fire

Tony and I have always had a fondness for the elements, as evidenced by the hot tub in Strongsville and the Chiminea and fire pits.  Well, we left the hot tub in Strongsville, but brought the "fire stuff" with us.

 

Every spring season we look forward to our first fire.  We sit outside, drink wine and watch the activity of the fire.  Dixie was pretty curious and got really close to the fire.  She loves to sleep in front of our fireplace in the house, so I think she was figuring out that this was a nice warm place to be--that is, until the fire cracked at her and spewed hot embers.  After that, she was in my lap, or laying on her bed under our chairs. 

 

The weather is getting pretty consistent and we are going downtown this evening to walk around and visit the City Club. 

 

I continue my work on The Pointe magazine for our development and enjoy seeing my articles in print. 

 

We have most of the wedding stuff done and look forward to getting up to Cleveland and visiting everyone.

Here is our first fire....

 

The Master Fire Builder

 

The Roaring Blaze

 

Dixie Peeks At The Fire...

 

...And Retreats When It Spits!

 

Daddy and His Little Girl

 

Tony Tastes a Spicy Red

 

The Feature Article for The Pointe Magazine....See Tony's Picture on The Right?

 

My Wine Column....The Call of the Vine

 

A Happy Dog Means a Happy Daddy!

 

A Weekend With Coleton



 

Contributed  By Tony

 

 

 

I was asked to help Tony paint a bedroom in their house and also babysit Coleton while Marie & Tony had a long overdue "date night" this past weekend.  Unfortunately Jan had to work the weekend so Dixie & I made the trek to Charlotte.  Dixie handled the ride very well in her very own car seat.

On Saturday Tony took Coleton for a haircut at Pigtails & Crewcuts.  He sat on Daddy's lap and looked through a book while he was getting his "trim".  He was very good for the lady cutting his hair (think she could use a cut herself).

Afterwards he "stopped and smelled the roses", actually Pansies.

Mommy and Daddy all set for their "date night".

Coleton loves his toy trucks and other vehicles.

"Cowboy Coleton" riding his trusty steed that Aunt Rose & Uncle Joe got him for Christmas.

Tony & Coleton finally enjoying the hammock that Tony got several years ago but didn't have a yard to set it up in.  Hopefully he'll make time to enjoy the relaxation that comes from "hammocking" (I think I just coined a new phrase!).

When not riding horses and playing with trucks, our young man is riding his temporary "wheels".  Notice the bandages on both knees from a recent eventful walk to Cady Lake.

Moving on to "bigger wheels", Papa taking him for a spin on their cul de sac.

Living in Charlotte, you can't start too early for NASCAR training so here is "Crash Coleton" doing his imitation of "Billy Bob Bubba"!

 

 



Catching Up on Stuff

I feel like we have been busy since we got back from Greensboro.  We spent some of yesterday doing vow renewal stuff like buying envelopes for the invitations, going to the mall so I could buy the shoes that I will be wearing and we figured out what we want for our table decorations .  I'll be printing out the invitations tomorrow.   

 

It was good being off of work for the day.  The ER has been so busy and the more seasoned employees tell me that once summer is here it only gets worse.  But, I am off again tomorrow while Tony is on a golf outing. 

 

Last night, after all of that running around, we had a fun dinner.  Donna and Bob got us a fondue set and we used it again last night with bread and cheese.  We had shrimp cocktail too and a nice wine.  Fondue is fun! 

 

The yard is shaping up very well and Dixie is still a pistol.  Her "hair" appointment is coming up soon and once again, she will lose at least a pound after her trim.  She is so happy to go on walks with Tony that he can't even put his tennis shoes on to check the mail without Dixie being all over him. 

 

Jenna and Jon will be moving this weekend and I wish we could be there to help--or at least take the kids so they aren't underfoot.  I can't wait to see how the new house turns out. 

 

I did three articles for The Pointe Magazine (for our development) for the April issue and am waiting to get the March issue, where the feature I wrote on gardening will appear.  I enjoy meeting with the Communication Committee and figuring out what is going to be in the next issue.

 

So, busy days make life go quickly by and we are busy!

 

 

Tony works on the cheese....and the wine!

 

Our vow table decoration is next to the wine....colored stones, sea shells and greenery....the price tags will be off when we use them for the reception!

 

Dixie, taking it easy after chewing on my water bottle.

 

My black pot with pretty flowers.

 

Dixie woke up and decided to be camera shy!

 

 

 

Later, Alligator

 

contributed by Tony

 

 



 



Two Sundays ago I was walking Dixie by the pond across the street from us when I noticed something floating about 20-30 feet from shore.  My first thought was that it was an alligator but they haven't been reported in the neighborhood since we've been here so I thought I'd take a closer but safe look.  Knowing that an alligator can run very quickly when on land, I decided to take Dixie home and grab Jan's camera with its 300mm telephoto lens for a close up picture.  I wanted proof of the gator because once I would tell neighbors about it they wouldn't believe me unless I had a picture of it.  Many of us here at Compass Pointe have dogs & cats and I didn't want someone to lose a pet because I didn't warn them.  When I got back to the pond he/she was still there, lazily soaking up the late morning sun, or worse, waiting for "Sunday brunch".  I took several shots including having identifiable homes framed in the background to prove where I was.  Judging from the size of the head I estimated it to be about 14' long but something just didn't seem right.  I've seen alligators in the Cape Fear River but you usually just see their eyes and snout at water level.  I picked up some 2-3" rocks and carefully walked down to the pond.  I tossed the first rock at the animal but since I didn't attend the Cleveland Indians Spring Training Camp my throw was short and so was the second shot.  Down to my third, and last rock, I hit the water just to the right of its snout.  "Kerplunk", I thought the gator would disappear to the bottom of the pond.  Instead I saw its head bob up and down in the water.  Lo and behold I realized it was a "fake" alligator head.  I looked around to see if any neighbors were watching and snickering.  If they were, they probably were in their house saying, "we scared another sucker!"

 

Well I felt I would rather be safe than sorry so I swallowed my pride and walked home to tell Jan about the adventure.  Of course I didn't tell her it was a fake until after we downloaded the pictures.

 

A few days later I talked to Emil, who lives by the pond, and has stocked the pond with fish so people could catch them.  Of course he laughed at my story but told me he bought the "head" to scare the otters away.  Otters!  I didn't know we had any in the neighborhood.  He said he's seen the otters in the early morning and that they feed on the fish.  Alligators are their predators so theoretically the otters just move on to another pond.  By the way, when he ordered the gator head the caption indicated the size of the gator would be approximately 13' long so I was pretty close on my guesstimate.

 

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking with it!