Stuff Going On

 

Much has been going on since my last post in May.  Birdie's surgery is schedule for later this month and we are all hopeful that it will be quick and easy for her. 

Alex is getting bigger and bigger.  She is on a soccer team and plays very well.  In one game, she scored 3 goals--2 for her team and 1 for the other team.  She got turned around when she was running down field and kicked the ball into the other team's net. People laughed, but I thought it was very generous of her. 

Tony is a member of the Veteran's Club and took part in the Memorial Day celebration.  It was a beautiful day and a nice event.  We continue to gather with our neighbors once a month.  Another family is building in the Cottages so we will have new people to get to know in the next few months. 

It's gotten 'North Carolina Hot" since May.  Temperatures in the high '80's that feel like 100 degrees.   We're still enjoying the lanai, but we open the sliding glass door to the living room and one of the windows in the dining area and turn down the thermostat--that way it cools the lanai so we can still use it in the summer. 

We're getting ready to have the carpet taken out of the office and put hardwood floors down.  I'm really looking forward to that, but I'm not looking forward to taking all of my books out of the shelving unit and my cars and figurines out of the glass cabinet.  It will be a good excuse to purge stuff, but lots of work. 

The paper still keeps me busy.  This month I wrote about the storm in Cleveland in 1969 that killed 42 people and knocked down a bunch of trees.  The topic for August is, "The Moment It Became Crystal Clear....."  There are lots of ways I can go with that so we'll see what happens.   We are having a Writing Academy for students in the 7th grade and up  in August and so far have raised $2,400 to get it going.  The school systems in this area are graded "D" so this is really something that is needed.  

Fritz and her family are supposed to come to visit next week, but we have Hurricane Elsa also coming to visit, so we are on watch to see where it is headed and will it rain out their visit.  So far, it's going to be here on the second day they are here and who knows how long the rain will be in the area.   

We will be in Cleveland in August.  I've been planning the visit for so long and now it's right around the corner.  It will be good to catch up with everyone.  And now that there is a break in Covid stuff, I'll be able to hug the grandchildren.  OH BOY!!!

Here's a few pictures from us to you:

Soccer Champ!

Tony, unrolling the flag

A beautiful day!

The Grand Lanai

Little Birdie

This is the time of year when everything starts to move fast.   The weather starts to climb into the low '80's and the days are longer.  We have events coming up and are looking forward to seeing family very soon. 

We just got back from Lakeland, where we met our 9th and last grandchild, Elizabeth (Birdie) and boy is she cute.  David and Brenda asked me not to post pictures, but I took plenty of them. 

She has wispy hair that stands up like a Mohawk.  Her hair is black and so are her eyes at this point. She weighs 12 pounds now and is a great eater.  We had so much fun with her and Alex.  

Alex and I were in the lanai playing around one day and we started to talk like what we thought her dog, Bernie (bull dog) would sound like.  We came up with, "I'm a dawg," in a deep voice.  We did the same thing for Dixie, but Alex said it in a really high voice and then waved her hands up and down like Dixie does when she wants something.   So we heard, "I'm a dawg," a lot during our visit.  I also taught her to say, "Dad, don't harsh my mellow."  I'm sure David is pleased with me!

We went to some nice restaurants and Tony went to Alex's soccer practice and game.  She scored 3 goals--2 for her team and one for the other team, when she got turned around and ran the wrong way.  That's my granddaughter!!

Next up is Hilton Head with Donna and Bob and their family.  After that, my sister, Fritz is coming to visit and all of a sudden, it will be time to go to Cleveland.

I'm still writing for Cape Fear Voices (www.capefearvoices.org) and having a great time.  We are building a writing academy for teens that many of the schools in the area are supporting.  I helped to design our first marketing brochure and we will be looking for corporate sponsorship in the next few weeks.  

This is a fun time in my life. 

This Time of Year

This time of year is always a happy time for me.    Tony spends a great deal of time working in the yard and making it look nice.  Although we have landscapers doing the mowing and trimming stuff for us, he still likes to buy annuals of all colors and put them throughout the  yard.  

We also had our taxes done the other day and were pleased to find out that we get refunds this year.  Usually, we have to pay either the federal or state and sometimes both, but this time, they are paying us.  Whoopee!!

We have a trip to Charlotte coming up.  Coleton and Anthony are on the same little league baseball team and they are playing this weekend.  Marie is out of town, so we can help Tony Jr., out a bit, as he is a coach on their team.  Tony and I will take care of Owen which will be a blast.  

Tony and I went to the Cape Fear Voices Writer's Award Dinner on the 10th.  I won an honorable mention for my article about 9-11.  It was called, "Another Day That Will Live in Infamy."  It was nice to be recognized.  I am still writing for the paper and doing some support work.  Check out the website at www.capefearvoices.org.  It's still being developed, but we like it. 

I'm having lunch with one of the editors tomorrow as well as a candidate for a sales position we have.  The editor said he wasn't great at interviewing so he asked me to go along.  I'm looking forward to it.  Interviewing people was one of my favorite things to do when I was working.  It's fun seeing if the skills people have fit the type of work associated with the opening.  

May will mark out 32 anniversary as well as the first time we will see Elizabeth in Florida.  

So, today was a good day.  Hope yours was too. 

This is what you do when your tax lady says, "Refund!!!!"

You go to one of your favorite restaurants for lunch!

The backyard with flowers and plants

A beautiful day for planting

Tony vacates one of his pots so I can plant my flowers

Yellow flowers--they are supposed to appeal to the hummingbirds!

Our Last Grandbaby

 

Yesterday at 11:23, our last grandbaby was born.  We got a message from David saying, "Mom and baby doing fine."   Wonderful, happy to hear it, but is it a boy or a girl?  

A few hours later, he told us that Elizabeth Claire Swegle, 8 pounds, 11 ounces was doing well.  

We don't have pictures to post yet, but she has dark hair and eyes and we're sure she is beautiful.

Thanks to Brenda for evening up the boy/girl mix a little bit!!

Shot Reaction

 

Tony and I got our second shot on Saturday.  Immediately after, we felt fine and went shopping.   Later that evening and going into the next day, we didn't feel 100%.  Both of us had low grade fevers and were really, really tired.  Today we feel better.  I'm still tired and achy, but Tony is up and moving!  

Not much is going on.  We see the effects of the decline in the virus down here.  Masks are still required everywhere, but it feels like we are moving in the right direction.  

It's good to see Dr. Faucci smiling on TV now even if he is delivering another warning about spiking.  

We bought a new office chair a few weeks ago that was supposed to be delivered today, but has been pushed back for the 3rd time until Thursday.   I think the excitement about getting a new chair is giving way to frustration.  Promise me the truth in delivery and I will be happy.  One more delay and I will be looking to cancel the order.   

The C section Brenda is supposed to have is now on for Tuesday, March 23.  Another delay!   OK, I admit it, I hate waiting.   I'm not a "pace" person.  I want it and I want it now.  

Dixie is well.  She goes with Tony to resupply the dog poop bag stations and really loves it.  She sits in the front seat in her car seat and barks as people going by and enjoys the sights and smells of the dog park.  She is quite a character and people just love her.   Dixie is convinced that she is human.  If Tony and I are sitting on the lanai with snacks, Dixie has to be there with us.   If it's 6:00 a.m. and we're still sleeping, she will jump up her doggie steps and settle right in.   We rarely call her a dog, she gets offended. 

Warmer weather is creeping up on us and it isn't a day too soon.  The landscapers are preparing new pine straw for our yard and trimming trees for spring.  All in all, it's really pretty down here. 

And so, I better get back to cleaning.  That never changes no matter what the temperature is!

I hope the worst of Covid is behind us and people all over the world are safe. 

Another beautiful day

Dixie chillin'

I love the beach!

Warmer Weather

I know I shouldn't complain about weather because I get pictures from Cleveland showing a foot of snow and huge ice chunks hanging from windows and trees.  We have had a ton of rain this year so far and it has been unusually cold.   But all of that is changing and we are starting to enjoy warmer weather again.  It was 79 degrees yesterday and again today.  We went to the beach yesterday and it was wonderful.  There were dozens of people out, many with dogs.   We didn't take Dixie with us, she isn't a beach kind of dog.  She tends to stay under our chairs and watch the water instead of playing in it.  

So we had our wine and cheese and watched sky divers land on the beach, dogs parading by, kids face planting in the sand and lots of women who should have worn suits that covered more!

We have been social butterflies of late.  We got our first Covid shot February 20 and go back for the second on March 13.  We went out for Tony's birthday to Joseph's, a favorite Italian restaurant, we had Donna and Bob over for a last dinner on Friday since they are going back to Cleveland on Monday and yesterday we went to the Palm Pointe Social, our neighborhood get together.  We always have a good time there, meeting new people and hearing about what everyone is doing. 

Our newest baby will be born sometime in March and we are getting more and more excited.  I can't wait to go to Florida to see Alex and the new baby.  Oh, I guess David and Brenda will be there too!!

I am still working with Cape Fear Voices and enjoying the creative outlet it gives me.  They are having a writer's award dinner in April and I have been nominated in three categories for best story.  Stay tuned for the results!

So, that's our story.  Busy, but enjoying things.  Hopefully, I'll be posting pictures of the new baby soon.

Here are some beach pictures:

If you look real close, you'll see an orange dot

near the two clouds in the middle of the page.

That's a sky diver!  

Tony checks out the water temperature

Lots of dogs enjoying the day!

I thought this was a hyena.  Turns out it was just a 

dog who loves the beach!

What a beautiful day.

Alex, Dixie and Brenda

Well, one thing you can say about Alex, Dixie and  Brenda is that they are all strong females!  

David sent us a video the other day showing Alex helping him put together a bookcase for her "apartment"  (her new room!)  There she was in Florida wearing just her unders with a drill in her little hand, applying the drill to a screw to join one section to another.   At 3 years old, she's helping to make furniture!!  OK, Daddy was there to lend a hand, but it was fun to hear her laugh because the drill was vibrating in her hand.  She did pretty well, telling Daddy once, "I need a little bit of help."  She was trying to put in the screw on the bottom of the bookcase and she turned the drill upside down.  Smart, I thought!

As far as Dixie is concerned, she and Tony had a tough time last night.  We were at Donna and Bob's condo in Sunset Beach watching the Super Bowl and Dixie had to go out.  Tony took her out front and it seemed like a long time before they came back.  It turns out that Dixie was mugged by two larger dogs--one on a leash and one who had flipped his lead.    Tony stepped in and picked her up during the fray and got roughed up a bit himself, but they both came through like troupers.  The owner was  extremely apologetic, but the larger dog just got away from him when the dog saw Dixie.   Dixie was a bit traumatized after the event.  After it was all over, she did a large poop.  We guessed that the dogs scared the shit right out of her!   She was quiet and hid the rest of the night.  Today she is fine.  When I took her out this morning, she wanted to go in the direction of where the dogs were last night.  It was like she was saying, "let me at 'em.  Now that I know how they roll, I can take them."  We didn't go that way!  Tony is fine--more worried about Dixie and his leather jacket than himself. 

And then, there is Brenda.  Strong, smart, beautiful, wise, Brenda.  She will give us (probably) our last grandbaby in March--just around the corner.  Tony and I don't know the sex of the baby.  I'm on the fence--both Brenda and David are such great "girl" parents, it would be nice to have another one.  And, we are "boy heavy" in terms of grandsons.  Still, it would be nice to have a Lakeland Swegle boy.  We'll just have to wait and see.  I know when the time comes, Brenda will have everything in good order at home and at work and then she will put her mind to giving us a beautiful new baby.  

So, there are the "women" that we love.  I can see Alex putting furniture together in her dorm room on Freshman move in day with her own drill and tools.  Dixie will not be fooled again by dogs she thinks are coming to play her and Brenda will, as always, be a wonderful mom, wife, attorney and person in general.  

We are lucky to have all of them in our lives.