Holiday Updates

 

 

We live in a seasonal dilemma.  On one hand, we get excited about the holidays and look forward to spending time with our families. On the other hand, there are so many things we have to do to prepare.   We run around shopping look for the perfect gifts.  We eat out.  We rush to send out cards.  We haul down decorations and after a day or two, all of them blend into the scenery and the initial "ah" moment is gone.  By January, we are beat, poor and overweight.

 

But, no matter what, being with our families is the best the season has to offer.  We headed back to Cleveland early in December and got to see the grandchildren, our sisters/brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews and old friends.  It was great. 

 

We did not go to our Financial Planner's Christmas party this year, opting  rather to  support a  family member with some serious health issues.  It was a good choice, as things are getting better now. 

 

We also got to see Jenna and Jon's new house and how beautiful it is.   The kids took us on a tour of their bedrooms.  When we got to the boy's room (all 3 share a huge room), Sam pulled up his bedspread and said, "look, Momo, box springs, they bounce better."  And then he proceeded to get up on the bed and jump up and down....which, of course, meant that Zack, Ben and Ellie had to do the same thing.    The kitchen was so much better than the one they had in their Lakewood house, like Jon said, "hey, now more than one person can be in the kitchen at the same time!" 

 

We got some updated pictures and had a really good time. I just can't believe how big they are all getting.  Zack warmed up to us and even gave hugs and kisses.   Ellie is a princess and enjoyed her piggyback rides on Papa.  She is very proud of having her own room.  Ben is huge.  He is growing up so fast, but is just as thin as always.  Sam is wild.  He is a tornado with a big grin.  That is one, happy kid. 

 

We also got to see Chris, Shannon and Emma--who is just as beautiful as always.  She is talking well and is a real character.    She calls Dixie, "Dipsey." 

 

On this visit, we were able to see my niece, Sarah and her significant other, Steven.  They rented an apartment together in Parma that is really nice.  Watching her and Tony in the kitchen talking about pans was a real hoot.  Our nephew, Joey, came to sister lunch so I got to see him before he went to work.  He is much like Ben--tall and very narrow!!

 

From Cleveland, with a one day stop at our house, we went to Charlotte to babysit for the kids so Tony and Marie could go to their company holiday party.  Poor Anthony has some acid reflux problems and cries a lot after eating.  When he is not suffering and in pain, he is all smiley and vocal.  It's like he's trying to carry on a conversation with you.  Coleton is one beautiful boy.  His school had their gift exchange and Tony got some good pictures of him and his classmates enjoying their new toys.   Tony is back in Charlotte today, helping out and I am home with Dixie. 

 

Behold our beautiful family:

 

Marie and Coleton at his school party

Look at that face!!

Dixie give Lynn kisses after opening her new dog toys and puppy outfits

 

Ben is getting SO big

Ellie and Sam line up for piggyback rides....poor Papa

 

Zack liked his transformer!!  Sam is trying to transform Papa!

 

Zack wasn't ready for a photo op yet

Ellie and Daddy

 

Beautiful children

 

Chris, Miss Emma and Shannon

Emma, contemplating her options with Nana, Donna

Dixie, up on Tony's shoulders while he drives home...."I'm pooped, Daddy, let's go home," she says.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When David Comes To Town

David and Bernie came to see us for Thanksgiving and what a good time we had.  Unfortunately, I had to work a lot of the time they were here, but I know each of them had a good time and we shared some nice dinners and conversation, which made it even more special. 

 

David sported a moustache....something new for him.  Something he is doing in conjunction with work.  I'm not sure I liked it, but he did look different....something like Tony, but something uniquely him.  I think I like the un-moustached David more. 

 

David and Tony ate oysters, played golf and ping pong together and had a good time.   The three of us went to dinner at an Italian restaurant downtown, Aubrianna's, and that was really nice.  We spent some time at the City Club and on Sunday, David and Tony went to the Browns Backer's club downtown to see the Browns play.  David won either way, as the Browns were playing his old team, the Buffalo Bills. 

 

Thanksgiving dinner ala Tony was terrific as always and we enjoyed it for days after.  He is the stuffing King, as well as turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables and everything else...of course, I burned the rolls, but they were still...ok, they were still...burned. 

 

I am working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but David is flying to Charlotte to meet Anthony and see his Godson, Coleton (ok...Tony and Marie, too!!)  Tony and Dixie will go to Charlotte on Christmas Eve to see the kids open their presents and will be back when I am not working.  I am thankful that I was able to get "Christmas" off at the beginning of the month so we can see Jenna, Jon, the kids and their new house.  We have lots planned on our Cleveland trip and are truly looking forward to it. 

 

We had tons of fun with David and Bernie and can't wait until their next visit.  Dixie just loves Bernie....well, unless Tyson is around and then she just loves him.   Hey, what can I say, she's fickle!!!

 

 

 

Bernie and "Daddy!!"

 

My dinner dates...the mustache men!!  What a lucky woman I am!!

 

 

 

Any Given Saturday....

Days at the hospital are pretty routine.   Sick people come in, get better and go home.  Well, at least some of them do.  I haven't worked since last Monday and I feel like I am in a retirement routine.  I have accomplished small things around the house, but, I've also started to read a new book, updated the blog, balanced my checkbook, wrapped some Christmas presents  for our upcoming trip and in general, enjoyed doing nothing.   Tony and I have coffee in the morning, sitting on our new chairs while we listen to light, instrumental music and eat fruit in heavy cream.  We ease into the day like people with no agenda and I love it. 

 

Tony and I have developed our own routines and rhythms since we moved down here--although, thinking back, his is a lot like it was in Strongsville.

 

Back then, on any given Saturday you could find him out in the yard, smoking his cigar, cleaning up debris, pruning, fixing, doing "poop patrol" and in general just enjoying being outside in nice weather.

 

Today is a beautiful day.  I have the windows wide open to catch the air.   The sky is "Carolina Blue" with no white, fluffy clouds and the air smells clean with just a tinge of coolness.  People were going to the mailbox in shorts and tee shirts while others wore long pants and a jacket.  Neighbors came out to enjoy the mild temperature and talk about how glad we all are that we don't live in  Buffalo.

 

Tony was cleaning up the yard, zapping bugs with his new "zapper,"  pulling out dead flowers and playing with Dixie.   She sat on him, rolled in the grass and nibbled on dirt--bath time, another Saturday thing,  is definitely on the agenda after that. 

 

My clothes are hanging on the closet door, seeming to scream at me...."iron us, you have to work tomorrow....."    I see dust that I thought I captured during my last cleaning session.  It has come back to taunt me again.   I could do so many things, but this is my last day of retirement routine before I go back to work so I'm going to enjoy it.  I scoff at the dust and will iron tomorrow.  Today is any given Saturday, a good day to read a book, do some yoga, play with Dixie and watch Tony work in the yard. 

 

Hi Mommy!  It's nice out here

Cigar in one hand, bug zapper in the other.....

Victory!!   He zapped a bug!  See it on the screen?

 

 

DON'T EAT THE BUG!!!  Guys are so gross!

Dixie says, "Well, if I'm getting a bath, I might as well enjoy my grass time!"

Sitting on Daddy

 

"Look, Dixie, do you see the helicopter?"

Two man military transport

Daddy is SO comfortable!

 

"Gee, I'm cute!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Qualify

 

 

Over the  years, Tony and I have heard about various tax breaks and incentives that were created to save the taxpayers money.  We would go to our tax lady with our fingers crossed, ready to take advantage of the incentive only to find out that due to one small detail buried in the fine print, we didn't qualify. 

 

That happened with taxes, student loans and grants and most of the other things that Washington threw out there to save the middle class money.

 

We grew cynical.  Who wouldn't?  Needless to say, I put little stock in  "Obamacare" or anything insurance related that Washington was pushing in recent times.

 

As I grow older, I find myself getting even  more cynical especially when money is concerned--and age, for that matter.  When I left New York Life to move down here, I could continue my insurance coverage with COBRA at $1,000.00 a month.  I haven't had an insurance claim in over 20 years, but that didn't seem to matter.  In 2012, I got my own insurance  (since I am part time, the hospital does  not offer insurance benefits) which was pricey, but good coverage.

 

A few weeks ago, with my 62nd birthday recently a memory, I was notified that my medical insurance coverage premium was increasing by more than $100.00 per month for 2015.  Same coverage--more bucks.

 

I decided to shop around and had a meeting today with an insurance broker.   We reviewed several plans and I found one that was comparable to what I have now but at a reduced  monthly premium rate once the government tax credit was applied.  Well, forget that, I told myself.  The insurance broker is going to crunch the numbers and tell me that I missed being able to get the tax credit because I make $10.00 over the limit or some ridiculous amount like that.  I waited while he went through the verification and eligibility process.  And now,  the best part--he hit enter and told me that I actually qualified for the tax credit.

 

For 2015, I will be paying less for insurance than I did in 2012.  Go figure--I qualify.  Washington finally put something out there that I can use to save money.  I qualify.  I wanted to run out of the office and into the streets yelling, "I QUALIFY!!!"   I make part time money and won't have to spend full time dollars for insurance because....I QUALIFY!!!

 

For once, retiring in early 2016 seems like a reality.  Thank God, I qualify.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tis The Season....Again!!

We put the Christmas tree up today...on the patio, Southern style!

Doesn't everyone have a Christmas tree under grape cluster lights next to a small palm tree on their patio.....

....and stockings under the nudes!

 

Coming Together

Our second living room chair that we got in South Carolina finally came in.  We picked it up last week and it looks great in the living room.  We put a square table between the two chairs and got some beachy knick knacks to put on the table and it looks very coastal.

 

Now that we have all of the furniture, we're planning on inviting some of our neighbors/friends  over for appetizers and wine for the holidays.  The new couch is smaller than our old one, so we have more room to entertain. 

 

Today we did some Christmas/Birthday shopping for our Cleveland trip.  I can't believe that it's coming up so quickly and I'm getting more and more excited to see the grandkids. 

 

Our "pre-winter" weather is fantastic!  Today, it got up to the mid 70's.  I love shopping and walking around the mall  in short sleeves and no coats.   Tony and I are still having our morning coffee on the Lanai with soothing music and Dixie.   It's a nice way to start the day.

 

Tomorrow, I'm working the 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. shift.  Since I stopped working full time, I forgot that there was a 6:00 on the "early" side of the clock.  Not looking forward to a 4:45 a.m. wake up, but I'll be done for the day  in daylight instead of midnight, so that is good.  Since I am off the first week in December, I have to work the 3 to midnight shift the Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.   I'm not totally happy about that, but that's what being a part time person with low seniority is all about.  Maybe next year I will only pull New Year's Day!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed. 

 

Dixie had her "spa" day yesterday and looks so cute.  It's amazing how thin she looks after her haircut. 

 

We hope to see Coleton and Anthony before Tony and Marie take them to Cleveland for Thanksgiving with Marie's family, but it's hard to juggle work schedules, child commitments and doctor visits.    We'll get there, just not sure when!

 

Take a look at our new and improved living room, and our newly trimmed baby.

 

Looking past the chairs and on to the Lanai

Our "beachy" knick knacks

The view from the front door

Puppy Cut!

 

 

 

A Part of History

I think that in every man is a little boy who still enjoys forts, battles and bunkers.  Tony is one of those.  Today, I wasn't working so we went to Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson,  a place that started out as a village and thriving trading port.   North Carolina is rich with history--not only the Civil War, but with battles with the Spanish forces and later with the Revolutionary War.   Its location and terrain make it a strategic naval base.

The walking tour of the fort and village took us between giant mounds that were used to store ammunition and supplies.    Cannons and gun mounts were most likely positioned on top of the mounds pointed at the Cape Fear River. 

The town of Brunswick, which was ultimately home to Fort Anderson, had a mixture of elite merchants and government officials,  tailors and even slaves.   That was evident by the instruments of "correction" that we saw on the property.    Their homes were one and two stories but only about 29 feet by 22 feet in dimensions. 

There is a shell of a church that holds a dozen or so old graves and an early "motel" that housed six rooms and was later a tailor shop. 

It was an adventure filled with "what ifs" and feeling very small in an area that was once massive and the cornerstone of what North Carolina is all about--growth, commerce, pride and a "never give up" attitude.

Take the tour with us....

A battle scene mosaic greets us as we enter Fort Anderson

 

Artifacts discovered from the town of Brunswick in the 1951 expedition

Dishes from the 1700's in great shape

This was called "The Faces of War,"  they are cousins....not more than 16

This is one of the commanders of Fort Anderson (where the Town of Brunswick started)....look at how young he looks...no beard

 

A Naval cannon

One of the cannon balls

A church in the town of Brunswick, destroyed, but still the home of 12 graves

 

Coffins of the era...when you were buried in this, you didn't go anywhere!

A home site...usually 22x29 feet

The women of Brunswick outnumbered the men (not slaves) by 2 to 1

 

Another home site, with fireplace in tact

Bad husband....bad, bad, husband...some 1700's justice!

 

 

When Tony put me in this to get my picture taken, my claustrophobia took over.  I didn't let the thing come all the way down and started to holler, "that's enough, no more, don't put it down, that's enough."  At that point, a Fort Anderson volunteer appeared from no where and asked if he could help.  Was he rescuing me or helping Tony "punish" me?????

 

That's more like it!!  I can breathe again

 

I'm stuck

 

 

Or, there's the well for punishment!!

 

 

The trees were beautiful

So was the water...

 

They were crooked....

This gives you a perspective of the size of the mounds as Tony walks among them

A possible gun site?

 

 The cannon faces the parking lot....even after all of these years, the Fort is on guard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I