Happy Birthday RYAN

SUPER SPECIAL EXCITING BIRTHDAY - happy b'day to you, to you, to you dear RYAN. Today you turn 15 years old and I can remember how thrilled and excited we all were when you arrived. You have brought so much joy and pleasure to all of us. My Mother and Daddy (Gigi & Dada to you) loved you so much. You were their first great grandson and they delighted in everything about you. Especially when you became old enough to talk to them on the phone and the pleasure they had when you were in H'town visiting. You were the light of their eyes. For myself, you have been always the most wonderful grandson. Kind and loving and always happy to talk on the phone or email me. As cute of a little kid that you were, you have become charming, still kind, loving and always special. You delight your parents and your sister and I know that all of the family wishes you a special day and year. GO FOR IT!

See you soon and love you very very very very much.

Gran

Salad queen

My dinner salad the other evening was so pretty I couldn't resist taking a pic of it. Mixed greens, (romaine and iceberg lettuce) yellow and orange peppers, tomatoes, olives and fresh cooked salmon from the evening's dinner the night before. So easy and so good. I've always enjoyed eating salads and preparing them. In the days of working, I used to take salad almost every day and friends in the office would drool over my salads. Maybe I followed the wrong line of work. Salad Chef Me...sounds pretty good. And the salmon wasn't bad either, both hot and cold. Fresh parsley, rosemary, garlic, black pepper sauteed in a pan, then the salmon. Quick toss after a couple of minutes and whiz bang, delish!

thought for the day from Martin Luther King, Jr. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands, in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

enjoy and check my 2nd blog for today - it's special!

More flowers

When BF and I arrived home the other day from San Antonio and we had time to catch our breath, we took a ride out to Willis to the Conroe Growers Outlets. Yards and yards of every type, colour and fragrance of flower, shrub, plant, etc was waiting for our inspection and enjoyment. Since I have been on a geranium kick this season, I purchased two more beautiful salmon coloured geraniums. BF found some double inpatients (ruby coloured) that he wanted, so we returned home happy. As I knew I had a busy couple of days coming up, I potted mine that evening. Yesterday and today we've had horrific storms (we need the rain tho) and all of the plants got plenty of water. Unfortunately, there is plenty of mess to clean up also. Good news, another cold front came thru and as of this minute the temperature has dropped to about 45....gonna be a nice weekend.

from Life's Little Instruction Book, today # 221 "Don't major in minor things" :-)

Quick Trip

Quick trip to and from San Antonio. BF's sister-in-law passed away and we drove to San Antonio for the service. Sharon was only 61. She was very well liked in her church and there was a very moving service, more a celebration of her life than a mourning of her loss. Today's funerals are almost like weddings, in the fact that there is no "wrong or right". It's whatever the deceased and/or family wants to do. After the service and trip to the cemetery, we returned to the church for a reception. The ladies of the church were in charge and it was tastefully done and very nice. We visited until almost 7:00 p.m. and then decided to return home. The highway was buzzing with lots of big trucks, the night was pleasant and BF and I had plenty of time to talk and relax. Somewhere on I10 there was a convoy of police and guide trucks as this very very large item moved down the highway. All the flashing lights and slow downs were not fun but we eventually got off of I10 and headed home.

Sharon Kay Schulmann
12/30/47 - 3/19/09
Rest in Peace.

Sunday Brunch

So, it's Sunday and my buddies, Ben, Gerri & Tom came for brunch. It's amazing how hungry they always seem to be and always happy to have whatever I'm serving. They are not fancy guys and I certainly would never serve them pate' or such, but I'd bet they would eat it. Their favorites seem to be plain ole' wheat bread or any type of cracker although they are not fond of matoz. I had a box in the freezer and thought I would share, no interest. (the little birds enjoyed it tho, so it wasn't a total waste). btw, Gerri is the smaller brown female.

Just another fringe benefit of April Sound, the marina and a beautiful day.

With all the problems in the morning paper, it's nice to take a few seconds in my day and come to the realization that life is good. Enjoy your Sunday.! :-) :-)

lost the 2nd pet

but never fear, here he is.............

1st Day of Spring

Fall is my favorite season but spring comes in second and with it, Pet adoption day at Petsmart in the new shopping center. Even tho I've decided not to have another pet until I'm reallyyyy a little old lady - I can't resist a stop-by and say "hi" to the pets. These were both males so no need for me to even consider because if I were to adopt, it would strictly be a female. Anyway, as always, all of the kids were really into the pets. I'm sure some of them (pets) went home today to new families.

It's definitely spring in Montgomery. Flowers, trees everything in bloom, warm and slightly breezy, a wonderful day.

From Victor Hugo - "Life is the flower for which love is the honey"....a little on the sweet side but it seemed good for today. Enjoy your weekend...:-)

Round and round we go

Among other things yesterday, I made a trip to The Woodlands Mall. Not for anything particular but BF had plans for yard work and it was a beautiful day, so I drove over to the mall. After walking around I decided to have lunch at the food court. Forgetting that it was school break and the mall would be full of young folks, I braved the crowd and had my lunch sitting by the beautiful merry-go-round. The music was lively and loud, the squeals of the kids having fun was great and I enjoyed those few moments. Reminded me of my trip last year to Portland, OR. and the merry-go-round at that mall. Probably made by different manufacturers but very similar in colour, style of horses, tigers, etc. All in all, a fun mid-day.

Today's thought (even tho this was actually suppose to be yesterday's blog) - I think this fits tho

From Life Little Instruction Book #502 - "After you've worked hard to get what you want, take the time to enjoy it". And that's just one more reason I love retirement.....enjoy your day :-)

It's all about the GREEN

Today's Saint Pat's day and it's all about the "GREEN".

I went to Lowe's today to do the deal on the carpet and lo and behold I met Mike. A real Irishman. and he was wearing this great green hat. He was nice enough to pose and said that he hoped it would make him famous. I assured him that all of my readers would definitely enjoy seeing his pic.

HAPPY GREEN DAY - and I wore green and did not get pinched, or kissed (except for BF when he came over for dinner)

Have fun - Charlie's on the news...gotta dash...more tomorrow. :-)

All's well on a rainy Saturday

One of the main reasons I purchased my condo was because it has a fireplace. For all the years that the kids and I lived in our home, we enjoyed the fireplace. My condo in H'town did not have a fireplace and I missed it alot. Now I have one and I use it as much as possible. At least in the fall and winter. Summer, it's just a decoration....but at the first hint of cold weather, I start it up. Next to the marina, I enjoy the warmth and cozy feelings that the fire gives me. Makes my condo feel like home. and that's a very nice feeling.

Today's thought from Carl Sandburg "Our lives are like a candle in the wind". I know Elton John used these words in several songs, but it felt good for me for tonight. Enjoy your weekend...:-)

Here they are, my new Geraniums

Sweet, sorry I didn't purchase more. Guess I'll have to make another trip on a pretty day.

:-)

Soooo, I ask, do you want the good news or bad news first

Good news - We finally got rain, and rain, and rain, and lots more to come. Last reported rainfall in Montgomery was about February 12th or so. And not much before that either. It came by the bucket full today. Cold to boot. About low to middle 40's-50's. Slushy, puddles, and very blowing rain.

Bad news - It was Garden Gals day to go to the Conroe Outlet Growers to look, seek, and purchase plants. We were promised great discounts and hugh selections. All in all, that was true. But....who wants to slosh around in 1.5" of water, and cold water at that, hanging on to your 'brella and trying to juggle plants. It was, in a word, a MESS! The largest outlet, about an acre or two, with roughly 30 growers tents was full of wonderful plants, flowering plants, etc. We didn't stay long because it just wasn't fun. There was about 25 of us dedicated gardeners. The rest of the Garden Gals are now referred to as "chickens". Rather than wait to go to the Pizza Shack, we stopped at the Waverly Coffee Shop and had a second breakfast. By then the rain had slowed and we stopped at one more outlet. I was able to secure some beautiful peach coloured Geraniums. The lady I rode with had a large vehicle so there was plenty of room in the back for plants. Anyhoooo, we paid and then headed back home.

I came in, made a fire, settled down to move a few more items in my work related chores of getting ready for new carpet and then stopped to read a few chapters in my latest book. so much for today.

From Life's Little Instruction Book # 422 - "Turn on your headlights when it begins to rain". Not hard to remember that one, particularly when most cars have auto headlights that turn on when you start the car. A good reminder never the less. 'Brellas up! :-(

BF and I are on an eating out jag

So much fun, BF and I are trying alot of the new restaurants in our area. The flowers are in front of Caddy Shack which is on the golf course in Walden. You might remember our Garden Gals had lunch there in January. Such a relaxful and pleasant atmosphere, the food was very good and not expensive (for a restaurant in Walden). That was last night. Tonight we tried the new 7 Leguas (sp?) restaurant in Montgomery. Not your usual Tex-Mex restaurant, we both had seafood which I really enjoyed. I believe BF enjoyed his also although he never received his requested soft corn tortillas. It was very crowded and the sign proclaimed that this was their new location so obviously they have been in Montgomery for awhile. Then off for a quick walk-around in Wal-Mart to digest. I believe we will definitely return there, probably to try their Tex-Mex.

Tomorrow the Garden Gals are out and about (it's now in the 40's and raining) with no exceptions for the weather. We'll venture to two growers and then have lunch at the Pizza Shack in Willis. I'll take more pics....me and my trusty telephone/camera.

Spring has sprung

ahhhh, how nice. Beautiful, bright and cheerful flowers. Up close and personal, they are even prettier. The fields are beginning to bloom with the Texas flowers, Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, Buttercups. Can't wait to have more time to take pictures. Tomorrow I make a trip in to H'town for a few appointments but on Thursday I'll be on the road with the Garden Gals. We are going to two grower's areas and lunch in Willis, TX. I'll hopefully be able to post even more pics.

"Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give" compliments of Norman Macewan, 11/8/1881-1/29/53. From 1936-1949 he was Chairman of the Soldier's, Sailor's & Airman's Family Association. Perfect quote for today's thought. Enjoy :-)

First Saturday in Montgomery

First Saturday in Montgomery is always fun. Local vendors, farmers, neighbors bring their wares to downtown Montgomery and offer great prices. It's all fresh and/or homemade. I purchased some fresh beets, including the greens, that I will roast tonight for dinner. The greens will be stir-fried for another night with some other stuff thrown in. The orchids were lovely, and not terribly expensive. and of course, the Bluebonnets (Texas state flower) are beginning to bloom and it's always such a cheerful sight to see them each spring. There was also another bazaar today at one of the local storage facilities. Caught that first and purchased a pristine white cowboy hat with lots of glam and sequins for next years ASLA luncheon. Everyone in our community is always very friendly and it's fun.

Last night BF and I drove to Walden to see "The Follies at Walden", directed by a former co-worker and friend (still). Grand dinner and the show was alot of fun. Lo and behold, saw my cousin and his wife there, added benefit. Their club house at the Yacht Club is really really really nice. I hope the new April Sound Country Club (we had a fire almost 3 year ago) will be as nice.

and today is only Saturday, I can hardly wait to see what's happening tomorrow.

from Life's Little Instructions - #94 "Make it a habit to do nice things for people who'll never find out".

Finally some work is being done

After much debate and talk, the old realty office at the entrane to April Sound is being demolished. The realty company officed was there for probably 20 or 30 years and the lease finally expired. The company moved across the highway and the building has sat empty for about a year. Not sure yet what they are going to put there, it is still up for debate, but anything will be better than the old building....sad in a way, because it was a very nice building way back when. I guess that can be said for alot of things, people, etc.



Today's thought from Andre Gide (1869-1951) born in Paris. A French writer, humanist & moralist who received the Nobel Prize in 1947 "The most decisive actions of our life....are most often unconsidered actions".



Another outstanding day in Montgomery, sunny and 80 degrees and no sign of rain....:-)

On your mark, ready, set, GO!

Today,is Square Root Day. Dust off the slide rules and recharge the calculators. The math-buffs' holiday, which only occurs nine times each century is today. 3/3/09 ( three is the square root of nine). The last such day was five years ago, 2/2/2004 which coincided with Groundhog Day. The next is seven years away on April 4, 2016... Remember that will you!

I'm not really that much of a math person, although almost 30 years of my working history was in financial instutions, of one sort or another. I was not a good math student in school but I found practical application, not to mention, repetition was the answer for me. In fact, I learned to really enjoy the challenges math provided for me, particularly when calculating interest, doing loan modifications and workouts and working draws for commercial and residential construction and lending. Today's young people learn math in such a different way. When my grandson Ryan ask me quite a few years back to look at his math during one of my Seattle visits, I was amazed at how easy and how much sense it made as opposed to my math education. With the advent of the calculator, I hope the young folks still learn the basics...

Ponder this as my question today, "how long ago did some cashier actually count back your change rather than look at the register and say, your change is $3.41"?

Happy Birthday to TEXAS

Happy Birthday to you, to you, to you, proud state of TEXAS. 1836-2009, 173 years old. When delegates convened on March 1, 1836, they appointed a committee headed by George Childress to draw up a declaration. He most liked had one ready, since it was presented and adopted the very next day. The order for copies was quickly drawn up and sent by horseback to the printers. Five handwritten copies were to be made and sent to six different towns. How five copies were to go to six different places isn't explained. They were to go the Bexar (San Antonio), Goliad, Nacogdoches (the oldest town in Texas), Brazoria and San Felipe in Texas and one to Natchitoches, LA. None of the handwritten letters exist today. The original declaration was sent to Washington, D.C. where it remained with the U.S. State Department until 1896, when it was returned to Texas. Today, only 12 known examples of the printed declaration are known to exist. March 2 was also Same Houston's 43rd birthday, but he had little to celebrate that year. Texans met horrible defeat at the Alamo and Goliad and Houston's rag-tag army was pushed almost out of Texas. It won the final battle at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Btw, Montgomery is the home of the TEXAS flag. I made the drive to "the city" this a.m. so I could have the above pic.

LONG LIVE TEXAS.....

Lucky Me!

Happy March 1st....How fast time flies.!

Upon my return from Columbus, the April Sound Ladies Association had their "go western" luncheon. Lucky me, I won a door prize. As anyone that knows me knows, nobody loves flowers like I do. Imagine how nice that my prize was a lovely pot of vibrant colour. And lots of new buds just waiting to bloom. I'm very thrilled! The luncheon was fun, lots of ladies dressed to kill in their find western wear. The entertainment was a hoot! A western singer, dressed as an Elvis impersonator (he will do Elvis at the June luncheon) with jet black hair sang his heart out, about trucks, dogs, guns, his mom, you get the drift. We have a new chef at the club, not half bad, considering the luncheon was on Ash Wednesday and no meat was served. The dessert looked best but I passed.

On this beautiful Sunday, with bright skies and lots of sunshine here in Montgomery, this thought comes to mind - "The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime! It is never too late to become what you might have been"...I've had that quote around for along time and today just seemed to be the right time to use it. I have become exactly what I wanted to be - retired....:-)