My Toes in the Water, My Feet in the Sand

My beach-loving husband and I just got back from a few days soaking up the Florida sun and relaxing to the sound of the ocean waves.  It was heaven!  (But hot as $#@%^!)

This was our view as we walked in the front door of the gorgeous condo that we rented…

And this is where we spent each morning with coffee in hand.

We have rented the same condo for many years, but this year it was unavailable when we scheduled our vacation.  I was worried that we wouldn’t find a place we liked as much, but this condo and location were absolutely fabulous.  We couldn’t have been more pleased.  (Well, we could have done without the 15 steep stairs we had to climb whenever we left or returned to the condo!)

Of course, we devoured great seafood each night, and I (as always) enjoyed my walks on the beach picking up shells.  Every year I say I won’t collect any more, but somehow I just can’t resist.  I have to bring home just a few.

Last summer granddaughter “M” and I placed quotes and scriptures inside individual shells and left them on doorsteps and in mailboxes of friends and neighbors.  Just a little “random act of kindness” to make someone smile.

My husband is my very best shopping partner (he is sooo patient), and we always stop at this charity-owned thrift store not far from the beach.  I bought this beautiful glass platter for $2.00!  I think that’s a bargain as the platter is very heavy glass with etched flowers.  I also got some craft supplies (including some scrapbook page protectors for 50 cents…they are $10.00 at Hobby Lobby!  Wish we had great thrift shops near me, but we don’t.)

It was a wonderful trip and I’m so thankful to have spent some special time with the very special man that I married.  We will be celebrating our 48^th anniversary next week!  

Now we are home and “back to the real world”.  I think I may have to sleep with my sound machine tonight, turned to the waves rushing onto the shore!  And dream of next year when once again I’ll have…”my toes in the water, my feet in the sand.”

As "MY" WORLD TURNS

This post will probably not interest anyone (other than maybe family or a close friend)….so be forewarned!  When I started back writing my blog, I decided I wanted to use it at least partly as a journal so that one day my grandkids, as well as myself, could look back and see the memories we have made.  Therefore, this post will catch up my “journal” with some things that have been going on in our lives here in our neck of the woods.

*Mr. Chatter (my traveling-salesman husband) RETIRED at the end of 2017.  I was somewhat concerned about how I would adjust to his being home every night; after all, there were only a few nights per month when I didn’t have to cook and when I got to have control of the remote!  But we have adjusted!            

*Back in January we actually had a little tiny bit of SNOW!  That is a rare occurrence in our part of the country.

*Also in January we had a nice weekend visit with our niece, her husband, and little baby.  He is absolutely the happiest baby I’ve ever seen…smiles all the time!

*In Feb. Granddaughter M’s class did a WAX MUSEUM  presentation.  She was COCO CHANEL!  I helped her with part of her costume & she did a fabulous job.  This was right up her creative alley!😊

*Grandson R was on the middle school soccer team.

*In March we attended our annual WILD CHICKEN FESTIVAL.  It brings many people to our little town, and this year the weather for it was perfect.  Granddaughter M always likes to do this activity…she loves to tumble!

*Also that same week we attended an Aaron Tippin concert; we weren’t impressed.  I like some of his music but he talked more than he sang!  I didn’t spend that much money on a ticket for a music concert to hear someone talk!

*Granddaughter M had cheerleader tryouts and made it once again for both the football team and for competitive cheer.  I prayed all week!

*But the most important thing in March was that we celebrated Grandson R’s 15^th birthday!  It seems almost impossible that the past 15 years have gone by this quickly! 

 Of course, he got his Learner's License and is enjoying “Driving Miss Cheri” every chance I give him!

*The month of March brought a LOT of wind….it came in like a lion and went out like a….lion!!!  What happened to that lamb???  We have continued to have lots of wind in April as well but it hasn’t kept us from working in the yards and doing our yearly spring planting.  Neither of us are great at gardening but we sure work at it hard!

*During Spring Holidays we took the kids to 

WILD ADVENTURES

amusement park.  Sure glad I wore comfortable shoes that day!

So that’s what’s been going on in your little part of the world.  Time spent with family making memories is the best part of life!

LOVE LETTERS

I adore LOVE  LETTERS!  I met my husband in high school when we both transferred to a new school in 9^th grade.  These are NOTES that he passed to me during many classes...when we should have been paying attention to our teachers:)  Love the way he folded them!  I’ve kept them all these years in this little wooden box.

In 1971, a year after we were married, my DH was sent to National Guard training camp many states away.  I only saw him once in four months.  However, we kept the mailman busy with LOVE LETTERS back and forth several times a week.  I still have all the ones we each wrote to the other.  Just can’t bare to part with them.  Every few years I take them out and read them and fall in love with him all over again. 

 (Did you notice the 11 cents stamp?)

I tend to be a pack rat with anything that is sentimental.  In this other little wooden box that my father brought back to me from one of his trips when I was a little girl, I still keep the box that held my engagement ring and the orchid that was part of my bouquet in our wedding.

My DH is also wonderful with cards.  He has this uncanny talent of choosing the most perfect card for my birthday, our anniversary, or Valentines Day.  It’s as if the card was written just for us. 

This one he gave me before we were ever even married...it’s huge.   I think I’ve kept every card he’s ever given me.

People don’t write letters of any kind much anymore due to email and cell phones, but to me there is something so special about a handwritten letter.  And a LOVE LETTER written in the hand of one you love is absolutely the best.

DH asked me this week what I wanted for VALENTINES DAY.  Although I always love his beautiful cards, a LOVE LETTER would be even better.

Instead of giving your Sweetie a card or gift this year, why not write a LOVE LETTER instead?  We can never hear I LOVE YOU too much.

Hope all of you have a lovely and sweet VALENTINES DAY...share some love with someone special.      And to the wonderful man I married...HAPPY VALENTINES DAY...you are the best husband in the world and I am so blessed to be married to you. 

Happy Wedding Anniversary

Today is our 40th Wedding Anniversary!  So please allow me this post to say a few things about the wonderful man I had the good sense to marry........

*He is not only my husband but also my soulmate, my best friend, my mentor, my "other half."
*He is a wonderful father, grandfather, and friend.
*He is strong, sure, positive, fearless, young-at-heart, fun-loving, trustworthy....and so many other things.
*He loves me in spite of all my flaws.
*He at least tries to understand my moods!
*He is a good provider and never questions how or why I spend our money, trusting me to know when to spend and when not to.
*He doesn't share the remote very much, but would if I asked :)
*Everyday (usually more than once) he tells me he loves me.
*He always kisses me good-night.
*He always compliments me on how I look or the meal I prepared or something I have accomplished.
*He snuggles really good!
*He goes shopping with me and never complains about how long I keep him waiting.
*He's a Christian man who attends Sunday School and church with me almost every Sunday.
*He's funny and laughs often.
*He's still sexy at 61...and has these beautiful blue eyes.
*He helps with chores around the house and yard...definitely not lazy.
*He is generous to anyone and everyone...would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you really needed it.
*He is tender-hearted about many things but tough as nails about others.
*He is EVERYTHING I could ever ask for in a husband.
So....to the man I married "thank you" for EVERYTHING; thank you for loving me, marrying me, and growing old with me.   I  LOVE  YOU and appreciate you and I hope we have many more years together:

"If you live to be a hundred,

I want to live to be

a hundred minus one day,

so I never have to live without you."

 Winnie the Pooh

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my HONEY

I wanted to take this opportunity to say

HAPPY  FATHER'S  DAY

to my wonderful husband.  I am so thankful that

YOU

were the one God chose to be the father of my children, both

the awesome son that we've raised and the beautiful daughter that's waiting for us in Heaven. You were and are a

GREAT  DADDY!

Spending the Day with My Hubby

The hubby decided he wanted to go to the mall today in search of a new pair of khakis.  In order to visit any decent mall we have to drive at least 70 miles.  It was a nice trip though.  He likes to travel the back roads so we were able to see the countryside as we traveled through some neighboring little towns.  I always enjoy looking at other people's yards...some give me inspiration; others make me feel proud of my own!

We found his khakis and, of course, I got to do a little shopping too.  Wanna see?
I found a few things on sale such as this cute top...

I love black & white...it looks better "on" than "off".  Wanna see what I paid for it?

I love bargains!  I almost never buy any apparell if it's not on sale.  Of course, I had to buy SHOES (my addiction).  I also got a bargain on these...BOGO (Buy One, Get One 1/2 off)! 

Which do you like best?

(I have UGLY feet!)

We also went by SAM'S and got this:

I love the green color!

And we got these....

Have you tried them?  If not, DON'T! 

They're addictive!

On the way home we stopped by a U-PICK Strawberry Patch.  It was closed but we noticed a sign that said "When closed, just fill up your bucket and leave the money in the drop box.  One gallon=$7.00"

So, even though hubby hadn't planned on picking his own, we did and don't they look yummy?

They are soooo sweet.  If we can keep our fingers out of them, maybe we'll make some homemade ice cream!

After sweating under the hot sun in the strawberry patch, we headed home.  And my sweet, darling guy fell sound asleep.  Isn't he cute?  He really is the greatest! 

Life is slow in our little part of the universe, but there's nothing like spending a day with the man I love.  I am blessed!

See my right side bar for a fun give-away!