Pool Party!

So, before I left my fun rental for my new digs (more on that later), I threw a little pool party with the gang. We had wine and snacks and lots of laughs and good conversation. Here are a few shots from that night:

The hot tub was NOT hot and one of us who shall not be named complained bitterly but as you can see, it didn't keep her out.





I always have such a good time with these kids!

And, just one more. Here she is: The Queen of the Pool! Does anyone NOT love this woman?? Looking good, Sue!

So, danger lurks in my canal! This, my friends, is a CROCODILE! A 12-foot crocodile. Lucy said let me at him and I said sorry girls, there will be no swimming here!  He sunbathed off of my dock all day long. I took this picture from a distance - no way I was going out on the dock to snap his photo!

Yesterday, I saw two manatees in the canal so apparently crocodiles do not eat manatees! However, I have it on good authority that if you see one of these guys, there are a good 7 or 8 in the same area! Holy crapoli! I was planning to do a little kayaking. Not!

Ok, so here is my cute rental for this week. It has a sweet little pool and Stacy Krupa painted palm trees here and there throughout the house.

  Paula and her girls came over and we ordered chinese food which 4-year-old Mattie LOVES. Here is a picture of my pretty friend, Paula, and daughter Caroline.

It is so nice to be back with my peeps. I've been going to water aerobics in the mornings and catching up on all the news. On Wednesday, Mary talked me into going to a Bunco party to benefit Mariner's Hospital (well I couldn't say no to the Auxiliary, right?) For those of you not in the know, it is a dice game played with four people to a table and at the close of each game, two of you move to the next table so you get to socialize with a whole bunch of people. I not only snagged a door prize, I won a raffle prize as well.  woo hoo!!

Next up? Lizzie throws a pool party!

Sorry for the time-out but I have no wifi at my rental this week which is wicked irritating! Makes me realize how spoiled I am. I am writing this from the library.

So, anyhoo, backing up to last week, here are a few photos to share:  I just love this picture of the girls. They were not too happy with all of the packing going on. Lucy is gazing at the beach while Sophie looks a bit malevolent, doesn't she? Lucy: Do Not make me leave here.  Sophie: I will rip your throat out.

I title these next pictures: The Case for an RV!

Here is where we pulled off the road for lunch. 

I was trying to get to Cocoa, but once I hit Orlando I just couldn't drive any further so we stopped at La Quinta which is never ever my first choice but it was the only place that would take dogs. I must say I was surprised. So, a shout out to La Quinta Airport West. Very clean and nice. The girls were suitably impressed and needed a little nap after the long slog on the road. (talk about spoiled!)

So, it is so wonderful to be back in the Fabulous Florida Keys! The panhandle was really lovely but those are just not my people. I feel like I'm home now. 

Tomorrow, I will show you my rental for the week and tell you about the dark force floating in the canal out back. (queue twilight zone music . . . )

So, I just couldn't stay in Podunk for another week - my beach was no longer my beach and, alas, the Spring Breakers had arrived with a vengeance. Check it out and remember my older pictures:

Now, I don't begrudge them their drunken noisy antics, in fact it brought back some fun memories of me in the day. It was not the kids - yes they were rambunctious but totally self involved. No, it was the parents of the younger children. Mostly the fathers. What a bunch of idiots and worse. I am not going to have another diatribe (again, apologies for my (now deleted) post of last week.) Suffice to say I do not like mean spirited redneck southerners and leave it at that.

Moving right along, I had my last Zumba class with Ele on Wednesday. She is so awesome and that girl has rhythm - OMG! My girlfriends - you must try out Zumba! You can get an idea here (and FYI, being of advanced age, I do take an Advil before I go!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm7DyRjtWRc&feature=fvw

I love Zumba (hello? Ditch the workout and join the party!) and it will be interesting to see how the latin flavor translates in Maine-huh? because they apparently offer it at the Y there. Ele was awesome and I will miss her.  Then, yesterday I had my last yoga class with Jenny. I met Jenny when I was a college student, dontcha know, and followed her to Windmark Beach and to here on the Cape. I just love her and one reason, I suspect, is that she reminds me a lot of my friend, Stacy. Yoga quiets the mind. My grandma did it into her 90's. My dad does it (his version) every night.

Anyhoo, I spent two hellish days packing and cleaning. The dogs were totally freaked out, of course, and every time I had to open the hatch or one of the doors of the Prius, in one or both jumped. And, then you have me yelling, I've had it, get out, get out!

They were pretty good travelers today. It was a long slog thru NOWHERE. I mean, you think of Florida as packed with snowbirds and tourists but not up in the panhandle (they call it "the big bend") and towards Orlando. No sir. Old trailers and decrepit towns. Not pretty but for the multiple signs of spring - flowers and new green leaves everywhere. Just beautiful in that regard.

My pizza just arrived . . . More anon . . .

My bad

Apologies for yesterday's post. I was forgetting my own rules. Here they are:

LizzieAlone HANDBOOK 

Health:

1.          Drink plenty of water.

2.          Eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a beggar.

3.         Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is  manufactured in plants.

4.         Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

5.            Make time to meditate.

6.         Play more games.

7.         Read more books than you did in 2009.

8.          Be in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

9.          Sleep for 7 hours.

10.         Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11.         Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12.         Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13.         Don't overdo. Keep your limits.

14.         Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15.         Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16.         Dream more while you are awake.

17.         Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

18.         Forget issues of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

19.         Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20.          Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 

21.         No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

22.         Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23.         Smile and laugh more.

Society:

24.          Call your family often.

25.         Each day give something good to others.

26.         Forgive everyone for everything. 

27.         Try to make at least three people smile each day.

28.         What other people think of you is none of your business.

29.         Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

30.         Do the right thing!

31.         Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32.         However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

33.         No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

34.         The best is yet to come. 

I finished my quilt top for the Wounded Warriors Project. They'll be in Key Largo next month and a veteran will be going home with this quilt. FYI, the WWP provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life. If you want to see more, check out woundedwarriorsproject.org.

So, my quilt kind of grew and grew and grew (get it? it's a tree?) from a lap size until it has become a queen.

Here it is:

Sweet!

(I hide my email address in these quilts but so far haven't heard from anybody  . . . )

I'm baaaaaaaack

So, I was going to tell you about the new holiday which takes place on March 26th. It was going to be called Retail Therapy Day. But, I realize now that next year it will not even be a blip on the calendar so we'll call it a one time holiday. Anyhoo, the point is moot as I was able to restrain myself.   Here is what I almost bought last Thursday:

I did take this 30-foot beauty out for a test drive and, other than a few low hanging branches (Gary, the salesguy kept saying, you have to look up, look up!) I did a stellar job AND I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think something like this may be in my future. If you are in the market, this Lexington is a good buy and you can see the details here: http://www.rvconnections.com/SEARCHINVENTORY/tabid/26655/Show/View/RV/13036/2008-Class-B-Forest-River-Lexington.aspx


And this, showing remarkable restraint, is what I splurged on for the one time only holiday, Retail Therapy Day, on March 26, 2010.  Ta da

How cute is this little Springtime handbag by Fossil?!!