The boardwalk was begun; an old acquaintance has passed away...

Sadly, I found out that a woman who I knew through the Arthritis Foundation has passed away, a truly lovely person who became our Acquacize coordinator as well as a statuesque model for our fund raising fashion shows that I would put together. She was a beautiful woman who had never modeled before I asked her to, which was quite a surprise to me, since she was a natural. She was a retired nutritionist and was originally from New York, her nephew had been killed on 911 since he worked in one of the towers in a financial office in that profession. How she loved her family and many of them had moved down to Florida with her too. She passed away on January 12th suddenly at the age of seventy-two, and the person who wrote about it was told that is all they knew. I found out from the newsletter that I received today from a national organization I belong to called H2u but our chapter does everything on a local level. Good-bye dear good sweet A, you will be sorely missed.

Hubby started on the boardwalk today, eight foot garden ties, a dozen in all that will be tying the whole project together were around four bucks a piece. You see Hubby will be using the left over cedar fencing again for the cross decking and the reason for such a construction of this monumental passageway… so I can roll around the back yard, but of course! You see my walker or scooter according to the texture of the under ground soft or mushy low or high created an uneven terrain for me to maneuver the territory. This boardwalk will hopefully allow for me to go down to the dock without difficulty, and enjoy things I once had before like fishing perhaps, glaring at Otto the otter, dolphin, manatees, stingrays or mantas, or watching the sunset or whatever else I am so inclined to do. Won’t that be lovely? It has been well over a year since I could do any of that!

My new do has proven to be not difficult to manage it is basically a wash and dry type of cute cut!

I forgot to mention that yesterday on our errands I had one silly thing stuck in my mind that I wanted to free up my utensil drawer of clutter, and I thought the perfect way to do that is to take my stylishly useful stainless utensils that I had acquired over the years to put them perhaps in a flamboyantly colorful ceramic vase in the center of the stove.
And so as we went on our journey for necessities yesterday I would look for this somewhat obscure idea of mine. After traveling to approximately three shops that day I took one last look in the garden department of the home store where they did have quite a few not boring ceramic pots, but none were the right size or shape for what I felt was what I needed. Until I saw a brilliantly multi-colored one being sold for an indoor herb garden, but just below it in the same display was more in the color tones I was thinking of, but this one was for growing strawberries; it came with soil and seeds in a plastic bag within it, great I thought! Hubby can have the seeds and I could have the pot, a two-for!
So I easily removed the bag of soil and packet of seeds and scrubbed the pot in warm soapy water, dried it and enthusiastically installed my collection of stainless tools, which I put right in the middle of the stove! It looked just awful, too cluttered, and so guess what? I found the directions on planting the seeds in the pot and it now sits, planted with strawberries on my open bar to the kitchen, and doesn’t look half bad if I do say so myself!

I learned something folks, which is that, on occasion, what we dream or see in our heads, cannot always be realized and perhaps shouldn’t be.

On that educational note for me I will bid you all a pleasant good night and to all count those blessings and we will too!

Shear entertainment, and more...

Yes, that’s what I said, but what could I possibly mean you ask?
But of course, hair cuts today all around!
That’s what I meant, actually Hubby went for his shearing a few days ago, but Skipper and I went today for ours…and he looks just marvelous folks as always.
He hadn’t been this styled out since December, since we have cut-back, get the pun; on how often he goes due to financial cost effectiveness, of cost we did…dud, dah, dum..
In my case though it had been much, much longer and my mopped head showed that caring for it was way too shabby in intent, and lacked concern or interest at all.
Today was errands day and so we went to one of our favorite healthy food places, and the woman across from us had a really cute hair-do, and I asked if it was called, like years ago, the wedge, of Dorothy Hammill fame?
She said she wasn’t sure, but she just came down from New York and that is where she had it done. My heart sunk a wee bit, it was so adorable and she was a large woman too and it did not make her look at all like a pin-head, which seems to be my fear of late with this enormous body of mine, worrying about looking that way, yep, like a PIN HEAD! My heart sunk... with fear, because I wondered; could these local salons know how to do it?
And with me always going to the cheap chain ones?
My hopes were temporarily dashed.
But I had been thinking for a while that I needed something to turn this bummer of a depression into somehow making me feel better about me…looking in the mirror is too horrifying for me, because I literally don’t see me anymore, I see a very short fat ugly old woman, and if I had Alzheimer’s I would absolutely be lost on who that person is?
So I gave this lovely young woman a real challenge in that reasonable chain hairstyling place, and she came through!
I feel pretty, oh so pretty and witty and bright! (La, la, la etc…)
Well, that’s going a bit too far, but you women out there know what I mean, eh?
For less than twenty bucks, I don’t really have me back, but an older shorter fatter and not as pretty facsimile, and I suppose it will do for now!
At least when I now look into the mirror I smile back at that person, whoever she is?
Hubby got the boards needed to start the process of a board walk down to our dock, nails and all. The discount store provided me with a nighty a new blouse, and a very reasonable bathrobe; sadly, I didn’t have one that fit anymore…Company’s coming and we need to share the bathroom, in case you were wondering why!
It’s only polite to be properly attired when they come to visit, right?

We accomplished all we set out to do, including returning those two new books that were due back to the library place of all returns.

So on that upbeat note of due diligence I will bid you all a very good night, and ask you not to forget to count those blessings and we will too!

Keep Charlotte Beautiful the home edition continued today

Hubby was gaining momentum today with the continuance of the beautification of the outer limits of our property. Translation: more yard-work ensued today!

Even Hubby’s next generation of tomato plants were planted, seedlings about six inches tall, a dozen in all. The varieties are Big Boy and Romas. Our lettuce is still abundant, carrots also, and the peas are starting to pod, cucumbers are slower, but growing.


Ah… farming in the south in March, are you all jealous?
Today Hubby also grabbed one of our tangelos from our tree, and we shared its sweet pulp together. The Ponderosa lemons are flowering as well as our Key limes!
The avocado tree somehow appeared untouched by our short nasty weather of the previous months.
Our Gardenia bush, nearly ten feet in height received a major pruning, although none of it was harmed by the awful cold spell, the colder weather seemed to make it become overgrown.
The Hibiscus bushes all but two of the seven appear to be coming back, hooray!
How I love them too, almost as much as my two Gardenia bushes, one is in the front yard another anchoring the pond, which is the one we worked on today. Mostly clearing away the under growth.


I physically did help today with the aid of the rolling garden bench/cart we have, nearly forgot that we had it.
With it, it allowed me to roll around to accomplish everything from weeding to helping to prune the Gardenia bush, not too shabby in the assistant helper department huh, oh make that eh?

Mom’s car made the list of recalls it’s 2008 Cobalt, and so an email went up to her neighbor. He already was aware of it and had plans to take care of it, what a guy!

Last night I got slightly upset with an email we received from a real estate person who Hubby has contacted in trying to find Mom maybe a condo not far from us, and we would then have a professional company, http://www.grannynannies.com/ take care of her a few days a week.
Anywho, the woman emailed back with eight properties that looked just like what Hubby had requested, but she thought it was for his Mother-in-law not his Mother, and that bothered me.
You see, my Mom passed away way back in 1982, and you only get one, you know?
And so I wanted Hubby to straighten her out about the mistake, but he couldn’t see the problem, and didn’t understand at first why it was such a big deal to me but it was.
I composed a return email that was acceptable to both of us, letting the woman know of her mistake and she emailed back that she was sorry!
I also wonder if she wonders if we are heartless palming his Mom off on strangers but I don’t really think that I am physically capable to take care of her properly, if I did I would. And we have not met the realtor in person yet.
As I have said many times before she is physically healthier than her son or I, him being disabled from his back injury and me with my MS and arthritis. But she is eighty-nine and has some form of dementia that creates extreme bouts of forgetfulness, which frustrates Hubby something awful. I just repeat everything to her, which I do sometimes anyway, LOL!

Sorry for not being so funny tonight…tomorrow is another day!
Good night to all and to all count those blessings and we will too!

Welcome to March peeps!

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb?
Sure hope so.
It’s an idiom you know?
I am speaking about the above theory about March; which is an idiom that is a cultural/regional or artistic manner of speech.
Whew, that’s a mouthful, you know?
I hope that was as plain as day, more like mud… you say!

Today was the day that Hubby decided to make the exterior trees and shrubs pay for their freezing into the uglies, and he tortured them to become presentable once more by severe pruning of their dead heads and twiggy protruding spindly wooden bare grotesque branches.
Got that?
Now, I was sort of like the quarterback in the game, and perhaps with an injury, but from the sidelines, since I couldn’t really get into the game, but I was able to call the plays suitably from there.
Hubby, seemed to really want my input, and so I did do my best judgmental determinations of what should stay and what should go… flora wise…
And I must admit it looks quite a bit better but there is still much more to go…yep go.
Some from that ungodly weather of cold, and dare I say freeze are renewing all by themselves but others are looking a bit more than a little bit dead?
The Princess Bride circa 1987 comes to mind with that line of Billy Crystals'.
Hopefully they are just that…only a little bit dead; time will tell.
I figure by hurricane season we should know for sure, buda, dum, dum.
Some of the palms have yellow fronds but have perked up so there’s the rub, a little dead seems to be an appropriate diagnosis.

My Hubby did an experiment and it worked.
Dinner was a trial by fire, actually electric … what Hubby did is he tried to duplicate the recipe of one of the oldest fast food restaurants (of 88 years), their comfort food burgers.
You know the one with the royal home as their logo and their buildings are also in that shape of where the royals roam.
Anywho, I must admit that his steaming of the little meaty gems with also chopping away those little tiny onions in the food processor and steaming them as well; did work!
The proper combination of pickles and cheese, mustard and ketchup with the tiny buns were too good to be true. You see we don’t have this chain anywhere around here.
But they were a fond memory from our childhoods.
Previously they were only to be had frozen in the warehouse stores, but now we have some more freshly made ones in our own freezer made by Hubby’s own hands!
The secret is still pretty much safe but if I told you a rolling pin was used in the process would that be cheating?
That’s all folks!

I miss those days that we both enjoyed figuring out recipes from restaurants we took pleasure in and on occasion improved upon them to make them at home.
Although, at this point in time of my life I do so prefer going out to be waited on, and kick back without worry of mess up or cleanup, just get up and go home and see my kitchen as I left it; all clean and neat. But wait Hubby did that; but I did make the sides though and cleaned all the dishes in the sink that were there when I had finished…Hubby finished up his; team work is good too!

On that pleasant thought I will wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and we will too!

How quickly three weeks pass...

The Olympics are officially over tonight with closing ceremonies to prove it.
Will you be watching?

To be honest we have watched more highlights than actual competitions. The fact is that so many networks’ regular programs have been running repeats or worse being pre-empted. And I truly wonder how the world feels about that, now on the possibility of being accused of blasphemy, the assumption that we on the whole, plethora of human beings, from all walks of life prefer to watch sports 24/7? Remember what assume means folks? For those naive ones, separate the word into three syllables, nah that doesn’t work, when someone says that they actually mean that ‘assuming’ is to make an ass of you and me, got that? Now if network programming can also get that point for future reference.


I personally would appreciate that, although they have stated in the media that the games have beaten out American Idol in the ratings for these last three weeks. Wow, did you think that would be earth shattering by changing the earth’s axis?

Haven’t Idols ratings been going down anyway these last few years? That’s why they are playing with using a switch around of musical judges, ha I made a funny! And for next year have decided, along with Simon’s input, to let him move on?
Ellen was supposed to create the part of filling of the void after the departure of Paula with her sweetness and light in handling people, identical twins, right, LOL? Are they going to continue to do well or not this week with the games finally over and no one to blame but themselves if those ratings still aren’t what they had hoped for? Only time will tell.
For their sake I hope all goes well, it’s a great entertainment show, and gives the people what they need in these hard times, free laughs and cries, and a reason to have hope for the underdog, and to cheer on the real talent and have a meaningful say on the outcome by voting more than once! Too bad we can’t do that in elections. LOL although many have tried, oops, did I say that? Not me of course…

Anywho, Canada just won the gold in men’s hockey against the USA the score 3-2, if anyone was to beat us in the US at least it was the one who was expected to, and besides we have enough metals anyway! And they are our friends. TA DA!

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and we will too!

PS I recommend the James Patterson book that I am nearly done with, just 23 more pages that I am savoring until tomorrow morning, Trial, its powerful and poignant; read it you won’t be sorry.

Don't touch your dial...

Imagine your worse nightmare gone bad…
And the one you love is really not who you think they are…
They are two people in thought and deed…
One the charmer you fell in love with and the other a cold repulsive monster with no heart at all who feels that you are this mirror image.
Hold on to your mouses folks you are about to enter the ‘Dusk Sector’, a time of the day, make that night where everything has a different glow to it…the ones you care about have no idea who you are or even themselves…
Your reality has been quantified into a realm of unfamiliarity.

Terror tonight consists of your world turning topsy turvy, or more precisely upside down, and all that you hold near and dear no longer exists… for this is the ‘Dusk Sector’ where night betrays your reality into an unnatural way of un-unified synopsis of negativity of mystery and havoc.

Think carefully about what that would mean to you. No more love from your one and only… no more trust, suspicion becomes the norm, distrust is your way of life, mean cruelty in word and deed and daily angry words spewing in the conversations and it is the only way to endure your life from now on, scary, eh? (Decided to continue to use that Canadian ditty, sounds better than huh, eh?) Hold onto your love potions folks all is not lost, hope is not forsaken, and change of that reality is possible, but is it?
Fear is your pre-requisite of unwholesomeness of your survival; whatever you say or do to try to change this non loving environment has failed terribly and you are at your wit’s end on what to do, what to do?
You wish unrealistically that you can turn the clock back to a calmer gentler more loving time, but no, that is not possible…
Closing your eyes does not work to make it all go away to change it back to a time where it was all alright.
Screaming and pinching yourself has proved not to be the answer either.
Bringing the outside world into this hopefully parallel world of unjust turmoil has proven to not to be helpful.
So what is the answer you all ask?
WAKE UP!
As I started this whole little methodical story that I said it was JUST A ‘NIGHTMARE’ FOLKS!
Now don’t you feel so much better?

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and we will too!

EYES WIDE OPEN….ha, ha, ha…BOO! LOL!

How nice is that?

You betcha! Now you are all asking yourselves; what the heck… is Tobi talking about?
Recognition, my friends and that rhymes with cognition, which doesn’t mean a thing for what I am discussing this evening, but it is all that any of us really want or need which is validation that we are being heard, and yesterday I finally got it, hooray, I say!

A gentleman from Batteries Plus, batteriesplus.com that is, noticed my Blog and that I had mentioned his company, which by the way is a Fortune 500 one!
He took the time to put me on his Facebook page: just copy and paste and you will see it too: http://www.facebook.com/BatteriesPlus#! with a link to my site about what I had said, how nice is that?

Enough already! I could go on and on, on and on about how genuinely thankful I am for the great heads up for my mentioning them.
Let’s get back to basics, and I truly believe that I am all done gushing…
Due to the reasonable batteries that Hubby acquired at the afore mentioned above local company store we had the ability to pick up where we had left off just yesterday due to a bum set of dual batteries that came with my mobility scooter from the manufacturer that had fried and cut our outing sadly too short, and yes they had reached their end of their life cycle being over a year old and being used quite often.
So today we journeyed with the gas chariot to conquer the world of literary masterpieces that are on loan from our county library, and we did succeed on this, some may call an ordinary mission, but without any glitches this time…due to our Battery Plus batteries doing their job at an economical price to boot! Ooops another gush, sorry!
You are very welcome again company of the Fortune 500 genre!

Some times we think or over-think things and we are all guilty of that; why that could be my mantra. But when some one does something nice for me without expecting anything in return I take it for what its worth, generosity, at least I hope so…LOL

And yes, Hubby and I both found novel novels in the type we do enjoy, mystery and sci-fi. After that we took a short lunch break too, since our library is connected to our cultural center. Hubby just reminded me that we were breaking bread with Republicans at the center’s cafeteria, but were unaware until this evening’s news came on the air. You see it seems that our Governor Crist will be speaking there tonight, he’s running for the senate, and they were all setting up for him. PS we are registered as non-partisans, in case you were wondering; which means we don’t get annoying phone calls during the election season and we can vote for whomever we so desire, whenever we care to, so long as we go to the proper election booths and there is an election going on that is, got that?

Anywho, we did have a pleasant day without any unnecessary bumps in the day which is always triple A in my book… enough with the battery references already!

And so on that note of positivity I will bid you all a very good night and to all count those blessings and we will too!