Working Vacation (part 2)

We left the Fletcher family on Sunday afternoon traveling to Virginia Beach; checking into an Econo Lodge right on the boardwalk. Now, I have to tell you, I'm not a fan of Econo Lodges but the description sounded ok and it was going to be cheaper than our usual Quality Inn. Well, we slept ok once we got past the noise of the elevator right outside our door but in the AM decided to check out and head for the aforementioned Quality Inn. Whew! There is something nice about the familiar and this makes the 3rd time we've stayed here; on the 4th floor, overlooking the ocean.




Our dinners were delicious and at 3 different places; all seafood, of course :-) Crab cakes, scallops, shrimp, etc. Rockefellers down by Rudee Inlet is our favorite but each year we try to find one more place we have not been. This year it was Bubba's on the north shore. Fun and picturesque.





The beach was beautful and the water was cold. Very cold. Bill went in up to his knees. I went in up to my ankles. Lots of teeny tiny shells this year, probably dredged up from the inlet where they have been working all year. Interesting operation with a lot of the pipe work underground.


The weather was warm upon our arrival and the next day (after the fog wore off) but then it turned cooler ... still walked in the wet sand but the next day it was socks and snkeakers for the feet and fleece jackets for our bodies! We enjoyed our indoor pool with it's warmer than warm temperature ... not sure why it was so warm but there was no complaint from us!






We were able to visit Thomas, Rene' and their children. Just too much fun! Thanks, Rene' for the delicioius brownies and icecream! We also had the chance to visit Aunt Barbara and Uncle Bob, with their granddaughter Olivia to entertain us. She did a very good job and is an undending source of fun and pride for them. We met up with our niece and her husband, Cindy, Brandon and the boys Perry, Bryan and Braden at their new home in Newport News. Brandon is in the Army stationed at Ft. Eustice (they moved from Ft. Drum ... much snow to not much snow!) and treated them to dinner at Cracker Barrel. We had such a good time and was entertained mostly by Braden trying to get the pins out of the board, leaving only 1. He did it several times but not when the camera was rolling. LOL!!!



We headed for home by stopping for the night in Ocean City, MD .. on the boardwalk. The weather was not cooperative but the hotel was very nice and their pool was NOT across the street! Warm and inviting .. we spent awhile there after our chilly walk on the boardwalk in the morning. They gave us a late check out since we arrived so late. We finally got underway and reached home before midnight.


Whew! Fun as always but it's good to be home :-)

A Wonderful Afternoon and Evening

Yesterday Mom Pitcher and I had a wonderful afternoon and evening visiting her hometown, swapping stories with her cousin, Avis, who treated us to delicous chicken salad sandwiches and then a trip to the Odyssey Book Store across from Mt. Holyoke College to meet author, Saloma Furlong.

Meeting Saloma was a special treat for me as I have been following her blog and subsequently her story that she has written and published: "Why I Left the Amish". She was exactly the way I percieved her from her writings online. I told her we are like old friends who hadn't had the chance to meet before!

I have not read her book, yet, but from the excerpts she has shared and comments on her blog, I can know without a doubt, it's not going to be your average autobigraphy! Leaving her family and the only way of life she had ever known took incredible courage and I'm going to have to stop my own story here so I can begin reading :-)

Winter's End

Winter’s End

The sun streams warm upon my face
and spring birds tickle my ears.
My hat has wiggled itself from my head
and warm mittens have disappeared.

Puddles of cold water gather
where snowbanks were once piled high.
Mud clings to my shoes as I muddle on through
to play on the swings and slide.

Crocuses peek through the crusty, old snow;
a promising sign of spring.
Wispy clouds in the sky are flying quite high
no surprises this day, they’ll bring.

Though winter is fun with its sledding and skating;
It’s sure a delight to find spring patiently waiting!

Working Vacation (part 1)

The snow flurries are dancing past my window but the robins cheerio'ing their greeting woke me this morning. This can only mean one thing: Spring is just around the corner! I know, I know ... the calendar already says "spring" but in the north country, we must wait just a little longer. Some of our biggest snow storms have occured in March!

We have just returned from our annual "Let's find Spring!" vacation to Virginia and we weren't dissapointed. We stopped in Gettysburg, PA the first night, finding a pretty awesome sunset and sunrise the following morning.

We travelled on to Spotsylvania to spend a few days with missionary friends of ours. My husband, a long time police officer and martial arts instructor, had 3 demonstrations for their first "Home Safety Fair" and the weather was just perfect! We enjoyed our visit immensely, especially Brenda's good cooking!

Vacation!

We just returned from a vacation looking for signs of spring. We found them and can assure all of our northern friends that it truly is on the way!

I WON!

I could hardly believe it! My blogging friend www.joyfulchaos.blogspot.com used "Random Generator" to pull my name/number for the subscription to the Amish Family Magazine! I am really looking forward to reading them and trying out some of the recipes :-) Thanks again, Mary Ann!

Blogging Give-Away

Another nice give-away from my blogging friend http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/ who has a terrific true story blog. She is very interesting, informative, and can also make me laugh on a drizzly winter day :-)

Socks 'n Boots

A little early, I know, as spring is not for another week and a few days; but the warmer, rainy weather was just begging for me to post this little favorite of mine, sure to bring back memories for many:

Socks ‘n Boots

Splishing, sploshing,
squishing, squoshing;
my boots are singing
this fine spring day

Wishing, washing,
fishing, sloshing;
Mom’s not singing
this fine spring day

For my stinky,
soggy socks are
stuck in muck
this fine spring day

21 Thoughts Before Bedtime

1. I've been neglecting my poetry... and my housework. Both will survive.

2. Friends are buried under 24 inches of snow up north and I felt a bit guilty with only 10; but only a little.

3. Taking a working vacation and hoping for good weather so we can enjoy a taste of spring; then headed to the beach.

4. Planning my garden and hoping to start it inside. Mustn't forget to water it.


5. Remember those 10 inches of snow? Well it's mostly about 6 inches of slush, now.


6. Remember our friends with 24 inches of snow? They have flood warnings every day.


7. Our friends are safe but their friends have a mess to clean up. Been praying for them, though I don't know them.


8. I love my husband. We were chosen for each other and our relationship is based on God's love, not our own.


9. Humans have been disappointing humans since shortly after time began but God does not disappoint!


10. I need to work extra for a few weeks to pay a dental bill. Kids, brush and floss your teeth!


11. Grownups, brush and floss your teeth and make sure your kids and YOU go to the dentist regularly!


12. Erika has a short boogie board in the garage right in plain sight that keeps reminding me of summer.


13. There are snow shoes protruding from a snowbank outside our back door reminding me that summer is a ways off. Belle's saucer is next to them just to drive the point home!


14. Working at school today, reminded me how blessed I am to have had well behaved (for the most part) children to raise. Now they are successful adults :-)


15. I am also reminded how blessed I was to have been raised by a mom and dad who thought manners were as important as breathing.


16. Thinking, how is it that God in all of His majestic splendor in Heaven would want to bother creating the likes of us... knowing full well how we would treat each other and Him as well?


17. Amazed that God, being eternal and having infinite knowledge of all that He created, chose to create me, in particular, and give me such a blessed life!


18. Grateful that our perfect God, seeking to have a relationship with us; more than just being our creator, provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins, promised a Comforter and an everlasting life with Him!


19. Thankful that a Sunday School teacher took the time to lead me into understanding what it takes to be a true Christian; one who not only "believes" in Jesus Christ but who is trusting in His finished work at the cross.


20. Many people don't agree with me but according to God's Word if it weren't for His shed blood, there would be no forgiveness of sins.


21. My final authority is not mine but God and His Word.