Three Week Count Down

I can't believe it is only three weeks to Christmas. It seems like it should only be July 4th, what happened where did the months go????????????

There are things to do places to go, cards to make cookies to bake and eat. Presents to wrap and buy or make. Goodness I better get more organized.

SPA Week-end

What a great 4 day week-end. My daughters from Ohio and NJ and Fl all were in town to celebrate my baby girl's birthday. I ask Lana to come to town without knowing where we were going and what we were doing. Leah and I drove to Tampa to the Tahitian Inn and Spa on Wednesday October 29 th and checked in. We had Swedish massages at 5pm and at 6pm we felt like JELLO. We went to Chic a flic and had a quick bite and talked about how great the massage was. We then went to TIA to pick up the girls. Lana arrived from Philadelphia at 9 pm so we went into TGI FRIDAY'S for a bite to eat and wait for Leslie and Leanne who were arriving from Atlanta at 11:45.

We went back to the Tahitian Inn and slept. The three girls had their massages at 9am and 10am and then we checked out of the Inn and had brunch in their Cafe. The girl's enjoyed their massages very much. What a way to start a week-end.

We drove to Bradenton and Lana thought we maybe going to another town or east coast, or we might get on another plane and go to Las Vegas. We drove to Bradenton Beach and stayed at the Sand Pebbles. Our apartment/Condo was right on the beach and we walked out in the morning and had our coffee on the beach. I had the best time of my life just relaxing and laughing with the girls. We cooked on the grill and drank, martini's, margirita's, corono's and Michelob's. It took the girl's about 2 days to really wind down and enjoy completely. I had a friend of mine come and give everyone a massage again on Saturday so when Leanne went home Sunday she was relaxed. Leslie went sunday night and Lana Tuesday. All of us voted before they came and I voted on Tuesday AM and I was very impressed with how the results happened and the feelings of the whole world gave me goosebumps. It will be so interesting to see how the next four years unfolds. I feel this is all part of God's plan and it will unfold to everyone's advantage. What a chance to be a part of History. It is very Heartfelt by many.

More Surgeries

Maybe by the end of October I will have completed all surgeries and can get on with my life in a normal manner. On September 29th, I had the colonoscopy after drinking the nasty stuff all day on Sunday. So I went to the face doctor on Tuesday, for a piece of skin on my cheek just above my jaw bone. It looked like a skin tag. Well he took a piece of it and said return in two days. When I returned he said it was cancer and he would remove all of it. Now as you can see I have this three inch incision with stitches that will be removed in 10 days or actually October 13th. In the process of all this attention to my face I can't get the stitches wet so the Redness is showing on the forehead and the cheeks and nose. I will celebrate at the end of October with my girl's week-end planned to celebrate my baby girl's 40th birthday

WooHoo It's done.

It has taken months but I have finally finished the surgeries and the healing process is in good motion. I have crystall lens, no caterats, eye lids lifted so I can see, eye brows added and eye liner added. Now I can enjoy reading without glasses and I can leave for work 30 minutes earlier since I don't have to put my best face on because it is already the best it can get. but I have to work on the hair. Now i use the 30 minutes to give the white hair some lift and style.

Eye Surgery

I went through the altimate surgery with stitches and multi coloring. I have discovered that Purple is not my color, and Red is not my color, So of course yellow with a tinge of green does not work for me either. Keeping your hair away for the surgery and stitches was a challenge also. When I went to the doctor on the third day after surgery, he ask if I had a dog or a cat because there were white hairs stuck to my stitches. No doc, that would be my hair..............Pretty Swollen and purple on the first day. Normal eye lids are 21 cm and mine were 39 cm so it was hampering my eye sight. The second day it starts looking like it is real painful, but actually it is not painful at all. The second day was more purple and the third day more to the red and then yellow is on the fourth day. The stitches come out on July 24Th and I am going to have to do some serious weight loss because the stretching rack I was looking for is not available so I'm on my own will power and watching what and when I eat and more movement. Oh my gosh that sounds so easy but I'm so easily side tracked. Be strong Bonnie it is possible. After all the new thing is 70 today is the new 50, so lets see that makes me 47 instead of 67, yeah that's the ticket, you go girl. By the way these pictures will come in handy for Halloween to scare the goblins. LOL

Recital Time in Bradenton

Shelby Gail and Sarah Beth worked all year for the big recital and it was the same week-end I had to work and could not go to the recital but they did an outstanding job as always. They make me so proud. They both truly love dancing I always grew up with the same love dancing. Here are the latest pix on them.

Half the Surgery done

Well 1/2 of the surgery is over and the other 1/2 will be July 14th. When that surgery is over we go two weeks and the final stage will be done and wal-la your beautiful. But I'm still looking for the stretching rack so I can be 6' 5" and my weight will be just right ha ha.

My family is doing well and the weather is Florida like in Ohio and NJ, so they are all in heaven, no school, nice weather and summertime at the shores, bible school and summer camps.

The condo's are so quiet since most of the owners are up north, it is like a ghost town. I keep in contact by e-mail and snail mail. I have made some really nice friends these past two years.

New Jersey Visit

Her dance Recital in June was so cute. It was on the Boardwalk at the Pavilion with the waves coming in and the smells of the board walk, French Fries, Taffy, Salt Air. I enjoyed it so much. I only stayed three days and had to return to work for Saturday and Sunday.


On May 3rd and again on June 1st I visited my grand daughter Alyssa for her first communion in May. She was beautiful and so sweet. This is in front of their new house in Mamora, New Jersey. The neighborhood is beautiful and their house is so comfortable.

Oh My Goodness I can See !

I had no idea my cataracts were so bad until I had surgery in the left eye and lens put in to correct my astigmatism from grade school. I never expected to see so well without glasses. I will have the right eye done on May 27th and then I will be free of glasses forever. I may need glasses for the phone book but I will just use google.com My left eye is 20/25 so far but each day since surgery May 8th it is getting better. When the right eye is done it will be amazing I'm sure. Next should be lift eye lids so you can see my new lens and then I have to start wearing makeup or have my eyebrows permanently installed.

I want to make major changes in my everyday life and this is a great beginning, next is the weight. I get so side tracked so easily. I will have to take it a day at a time. Someone suggested a body cleanse of all caffeine, then sugar, then gluten, meats, poultry, fish. Start with 21 days and meditation daily. If I start with caffeine for 21 days then sugar 21 days and so on I guess it will all fall in place. I need to do something to get my body and mind in sink. I'm not a runner, and I have tried walking but I get bored so easily. I joined the gym and have gone to the way side already. I'm hoping the sight will give me incentive to get the rest in order.

The Lalos Girl's

George and Leanne's daughters are the funniest two little girl's that I have enjoyed so much. I talk with Mackenzie the other day since they have had so much snow. I ask Mackenzie if she built a snowman? She said well we built a "snowdaddy" and we built a "snow family".

Did you take pictures to send yiayia? No... Well can you build another snowdaddy or family and send me a picture? No, that's not going to happen she said, she is done with the snow. They are so ready for Spring in Ohio. Spring without more snow.

Ohio March Blizzard

This will go down in history as the biggest snow fall for the Akron-Canton-Medina area for years to come. They received 20-24 inches in all three areas. Churches, Malls, Restaurants, everything was closed including gas stations. The roads were at a stand still and the salt and plows could not get out to clear the roads.


Time to clean out your freezer and cook what ever you have available. I so remember the storm of 1979 and 1974 and before that was 1945. So getting heavy blizzard conditions was far and few between, but so easy to remember the fun of being in the warm house and playing board games and drinking hot chocolate with marshmellows.

My Grand Children are so much Fun

We had such fun on the beach this past December and they were laughing when I told them this is our SNOW and you can make castles with our SNOW.

Well Ohio is under 20 inches of snow and it is continuing until March 9th in the afternoon. They could end up with additional 18 inches. New Jersey is getting continuous rain and flooding. We are getting high winds, and cool temps.

My sister in Ohio sent me pictures of her front yard and porch with the high snows, and she was staying home since all roads, malls, restaurants were closed. I remember a storm in 1974 that was 19 inches, but certainly not 20 and still coming. This will be a record breaking winter for Ohio for sure. My grand kids in Ohio are having the days off school and the fun of sledding, building snowmen and snowball fights, angels in the snow. Oh the memories I have are good and I don't believe I could handle the weather today.

Envolvement

I have lived here two years, and I'm still working but yet I have become a member of the Board of Directors of the Association. On March 15th I will welcomed at the Vice President of the Board for the next two years. What have I got myself into?

I am a strong believer that to accomplish anything, you must be involved with your surroundings and introduce your self to your neighbors and friends and make a difference in your surroundings. So here I am..........

My children were surprised that I have stepped forward and got involved. Maybe they think I'm living in a retirement building and I should sit back and retire. Not ready for that, I want to have fun and be involved in all that I can while I feel good and able to go and do. There are a lot of my neighbors that are like the energizer bunny and just keep going and going, and they are my inspiration.

Open House

Had to invite my neighbors to see what all the noise was about. So I introduced the Bayshore on the Lake folks to Greek Food, Scotch Irish style. We have greek meat balls made of ground lamb, kalamata olives, two kinds of greek cheese. Stuffed grape leaves with lamb and rice. Pastiso, a macaroni and cheese with eggs and milk and butter, oh yum. Spinach pie and lots of greek pastries and 4 kinds of cheese cake. A little wine and decaf ice tea or or decaf coffee. The Greek dancer in the middle of table was a gift from my girl friend who had just visited the Greek Glenda at St. Barbara's Church in Sarasota. They celebrate a festival every year the first week of February. It just so happened I chose a Greek theme, because it is food I enjoy serving to friends and family so I wanted to show off my new kitchen with the labors of love from my kitchen.

My open house was a great success

My Baby Sister Came to Visit

In January while we were still torn up with construction to our much needed kitchen, Betty Llewellyn came from Ohio to visit Norma and me. The end of December is a hard time for Betty since she lost her husband a year ago, so a visit to the sunshine state was a welcome visit for her and for us. She was only able to stay 4 days and poor Norma was sick with a head cold that settled in her chest. We did get to go shopping and breakfast and a lovely dinner at the Outback with the girls I work with, Myra Donnelly and Karen Clerkin. I was able to cook in my almost complete kitchen. I made Clams and Linguine and Salad and fresh fruit with Cointreau drizzled over it.

Betty is very busy in Ohio with Hartville Kitchen's as Banquet Manager and Concert Organizer for Gospel Concerts. Every show is a sell out for the 500 seat room. She is very busy and the trip to Florida was well used and very much enjoyed by her. Betty Lou had to return to Akron and we had to settle into our weight loss program and plenty of exercise. This is a year dedication for me and I will stick with it by golly by gee. My goal is October of 2008 a big change..............

Hey Houston we have a Kitchen !!!!

The Kitchen is finally complete..............We have counter tops that match the grouting in the floor tile, terracotta, we have a deeper sink and a garbage disposal, a light over the sink. New Refrigerator with French doors and ice maker. A microwave, a flattop stove with self cleaning oven, a warmer tray. The burners on top are six one is a warmer. We added a new counter with storage underneath the counter and cupboards above. At the end is book shelves for recipe books.

I just can't stop saying Nice Kitchen, Nice cupboards, Nice job Brian!!!! my Contractor Guru, Thank You so much for your Beautiful work.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Holidays are over but a new year is on the move. The kids came in from Ohio and NJ and we had a great Christmas together. The grandchildren were so much fun and so really funny. We had beautiful sunny weather on the beach and we had pictures taken as a group and by families. Butch's daughter in law Connie was kind enough to take pictures on the beach of all of us and they turned out so great. My family is growing by leaps and bounds. The grand kids are growing like weeds.

Now the new year brings the resolutions that no one likes to keep but again I will make the same resolution to loose weight and be healthier so I can have my picture taken with my kids and grand kids again next year. Lana and Philip could only stay 3 days so hopefully they can spend more time with the family next year. George and Leanne and the girls drove home on Saturday December 29th at 3:30 am and arrived in Ohio at 9:15 pm 18 hours later. Wow! I can't do the straight trough trips anymore. But they wanted to be home in time for NEW YEAR'S, and they did.