Hello Home!

Well, we arrived safely around 12:30 Monday afternoon and, as always, hit the ground running! Car is totally unloaded; suitcases unpacked and ALL clothes put away.  All that is left are Bob's golf clubs/etc and my art/sewing supplies to be put in their place!  That won't happen for me until the weekend...not sure when Bob will get to it either.  At least, the house looks like we never left!
After all the clothes were hung, I started some laundry, well actually dog blankets!  I'll do our bedding and clothes tomorrow, after I bath the dogs!

I also ran to the grocery store for staples and stopped to pick up a pizza!  I will need a WalMart run mid week but for today that's it!

Even the dogs are back to their normal routine of having their toys all over the living room floor!

They haven't stopped playing, running from room to room or looking out the windows!  I think they are happy to be home too.  BUT they are going to miss their golf cart ride when Bob gets home from golfing!  So will I!  And of course, we'll miss our friends!!!!
I am looking forward to seeing the kids this weekend...but right now I am ready for a bath and bed!

Bye bye Florida!

Well, we are headed home today!  Our first stop in Tenn. for the night, then on to Ohio...that gets us home early afternoon on Monday.  This was a hard year saying goodbye to so many of our friends.  I'm usually ready to go home and I am...but my emotions are running high this year just saying good bye to folks.
I guess as we age time does go by quickly (seems like we were just packing up to come down to Florida!) so hopefully, we'll be back before you know it!
My bud, Sally, got me a Dot to Dot book!  Have you seen these!  OK, yes, as a kid I'm sure you have but for adults!    How cool is this!

I already have pencils in my purse so I can play with this on the way home!  Thanks again, Sally!   So until next week....hopefully, it will be an uneventful trip home and I'll be posting soon artwork again!

Laughter aids digestion...

Well, I have heard that statement for years and I think it's true!  "Laughter aids digestion".   Thursday night the 'gang' (only 12 that night - missing Jan and Mac) ate at Savannah's Restaurant at Ocala National.  What a fun night and the food was great too!

I actually ate a burger!  The whole burger!!!  It was the Mexi Burger and delicious.  Bob had a beef/mushroom dish with cream sauce and mashed potatoes.  Others enjoyed their meals as well...but the most fun was paying a visit to the rest room with Jan M., Marilyn and Patricia!

 Of course the rooms looked more like someone's living areas....and this next picture you need to use your imagination and see Jan sitting on the couch!  I'm a good friend and will not post the picture I took...but for those who did see it, the picture will remain in our minds for a long, long time!

 We laughed so hard..we cried....but our food was digested well!!!!

 So next time you are at dinner with friends...don't go to the rest room alone...make sure you take at least 3 other woman with you!  I'll guarantee you that you'll laugh...especially if one of those friends is Jan Miller!  Just sayin'!

Happy Valentine's Day!

First off, this was a fiber Valentine I received from my Q bud, Susan, here in Florida!  She said she only makes one a year and I'm the lucky recipient!  Thanks again, Susan!

As you read this, I'll be heading to Apollo Beach to see my sister and some of my nieces and nephew!  My sister and Nancy are having a big celebration and the kids are flying in to see their mom!  I'm so excited to see them as I haven't been to Pennsylvania for about 15 years...or more!  All but one of my sister's kids, Mike, live in Pennsylvania.  Mike and his family just moved to Tenn.

I ended up making 36 Valentine fiber cards this year. The process was the same but the background fabric was different for about half of them.  I used either painted canvas or hand dyed cotton velveteen for the background.

I had two of my zentangle designs made into a thermofax screens through Lynn's web site and they came out great!  THANKS, Lynn! 
I screen printed the designs on top of one another.  I didn't just want the design to show totally.  In some cases you can see parts of the design and others just vague images.  

Lynn has made thermofax screens for me in the past and I've always been very, very happy with the results.  If you haven't tried thermofax screens to print with or you use them often, do check out Lynn's web site and have her make them for you! 



This group was the painted canvas that was screen printed, before I did the labels and edging.

Just some closeups of the printed design.

 This group is the painted cotton velveteen that was screen printed with the thermofax screens.

And this was the stack of cards ready to go.  I've heard from most that they have received them...which is better than last year!  

I mailed them out early (before Feb. 1st) just to make sure they arrived by Valentine Day.  One card I sent last year took a month to arrive!  At least it was stamped with the mail date so my friend knew when I sent it.  

So Happy Valentine day!  I'm off to be an Aunt again!

Christmas lights!

I forgot to post pictures of the Christmas lights in downtown Ocala!  Bob and I have been coming to Florida for 12 years and never went to the town square to see the lights!  So on our way home New Years Eve we were going right by the town square and we did a loop around!  What a sight!
The pictures don't do it justice but I'm posting as a reminder of how much we enjoyed the lights!

Florida - Day 5

Yep, day 5 already!  Time sure does fly!  But when you're busy it flies even faster!!  Saturday night we were invited to dinner with Howard and Karah at the community restaurant, Blanca's, which is one of our favorite places to eat.   And, yes, she makes a great margarita!  She knows I don't like them strong so they are perfect!  Just about as good as 99cent margarita night but a tad more expensive!

Our picture looks a little washed out..probably shouldn't even post it but what the heck.















 We had a great meal and drinks, but the highlight was the entertainment!  This is what retirees do on a Saturday night!

Who says "we" old folks can't have a good time!
We had a blast listening to the music, talking with everyone...Sally and Dan were there as well with some company from back 'home' that were spending the night.  Nice chatting with them too.
You never know day to day so you have to enjoy each day!!  And that we do.

The restaurant was packed and everyone was having such a good time.  Saturday night they have two folks singing and it just so happened there was a wedding reception being held too.

I actually cooked dinner on Sunday!  Roasted pork tenderloin, baked potato and asparagus with Balsamic syrup on top.  Yum...really a good dinner and nice to eat at home.  OK, so I'm ready to eat out again!  HA  Which we'll be doing on Thursday for sure...not sure about any other day but Bob can twist my arm easily.  Tuesday, I'm meeting up with Marcia for a day out and lunch.  It's her BD on Monday so we'll celebrate on Tuesday as well!

We had rain all day Sunday up until 6 p.m.  I took the dogs for a walk after dinner just because they've been cooped up all day.  Of course, they needed to have their feet bathed (again!) but at least they got to walk and stretch their legs.  Me too!!  Although, I did do 4 loads of laundry, some sewing, dinner, dishes and now it's time for mom to sit!  Whew!  My legs don't need any more stretching!

We're here!

Well, we arrived on Tuesday a little wet from driving in the rain for 2 1/2 days but safe and sound.  We did have some dry hours but more rain than ever! Poor dogs (& ME) had to walk in the rain so often.  One night just as I started to get dogs on the grass it poured!  And I mean a downpour like you wouldn't believe.  My shirt was soaked from the rain going through my raincoat! And this is what our girls looked like!  This was after their towel dry!

Of course, Wed. was margarita night out with Karah, Howard, Sally and Dan!  We had a ball eating some good food and enjoying our 99 cent margarita's!  Oh how I missed those!!

Karah and Sally enjoying a beverage!  Food was delicious!!  

Dan, Howard and the back of Bob's head!  Just a fun night of laughing and talking!  We're actually meeting up with both couples for dinner on Saturday at the restaurant here in the community.  Yum!  Can't wait!



Thursday, New Year's Eve, was spent with our 'gang' at a great Italian restaurant, Mesa de Notte!  Food was delicious but did take some time...the place was packed..

John was being our waiter!  No, he's not a real waiter, he's one of the gang!  HA

I almost forgot!  Before dinner we headed to Verna and Ron's for appetizers and drinks!  How nice of them to entertain us again!

This is my quilting bud, Susan and John's wife, Marilyn!

Back of Patricia's head, Verna, Jan and a partial view  of Marilyn!

Women were in the kitchen and men jabbed on the Lanai.  








Today, the gang and a few other couples were guests at John and Marilyn's for a wonderful brunch!  Food was so good!!!  As was the company.  We had such a nice time and never did eat dinner tonight...although, I ended up eating a piece of cheese and two Windmill cookies at 7!

Weather has been beautiful, high 80s, which isn't my favorite...plus, lots of humidity, which we normally don't have.  It will be turning cooler based on forecast, which is ok with me.  Bob won't like the cooler weather.

so that's my  life right now...eating out and spending time with friends.  Not a bad life but I do have some art to create!  I'm starting on my fiber Valentines so tomorrow I'll make a run to JoAnn's to pick up some Pellon for the sandwich. Until then, hope everyone had a great New Year celebration!!!