And Here We Come Back!

So off we went to Baltimore to board the Carnival PRIDE for a 7 day cruise to Florida and the Bahamas. We dragged Larry kicking and screaming.

This is him after one hour. Oh so HAPPY!

This is him after an hour and a half with Miss Kara. Even happier! She was our little shadow for a week.

The seas out of Baltimore were choppy 'cause the wind was so bad.

But once we landed in Florida and went to Cocoa Beach, look what happened! It's LARRY! In the Atlantic Ocean! Waving! Ah....warmth.

Our friends who moved to Port St. Lucie drove to Cocoa Beach to spend the day with us and we had a blast. Robbie and I chased the waves and he built sand castles and trenches with Uncle Larry.

THEN, this........is the closest I got to the Bahamas. Ya know why?

I had another bout of the spastic unmentionables. So while Larry and KayLee went parasailing and shopping in Nassau, I stayed in bed all day.

Literally.

I didn't eat but an apple and a roll the entire day.

I was a little better in Freeport the next day but our glass bottom boat excursion was cancelled due to rough seas. The little kids were very sad not to see the fish. Their family went on a bus tour of Freeport instead.

Friday after we left Freeport, we spent a nice leisurely afternoon on the ship, with a fancy schmancy dress up dinner that night. We took pictures on the deck with the sun setting.

Our little "family" - we all had such a good time!!

This is our last night. Can you stand this? Carter loves Larry. Lookit how cute he is all cuddled up by Brother Locke on the FLOOR!

So, we had a blast.

And now of course I have to go back so I can actually SHOP in Nassau instead of sleep.

Off We Go!

The Sea. Warmth. Reading. Good Food. Parasailing. Much Needed Time Away.

WITH LARRY!!!

And many, many thanks to our friends the Schneiders for their kindness in helping us get away.

Reading on vacation

What do you think of these selections?

I'm bringing with me to read:

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

The May Ensign (conference talks.) I always have such good intentions of reading the talks and never do it. I guess I figure that if I watched conference, reading the talks won't be as good. But last year conference was on Easter weekend so I missed most of it.

So lounging in the sun, reading a classic, a woman book and inspired words should keep me happy!

P.S. Have any of you ever read Main Street???

More snow

I remember the days that all I wanted to do was READ and there was not enough time out there.

Well these past several weeks have been what I had longed for - quiet time enough that I can READ!

These are the books I have read so far this year:

HOME TO HOLLY SPRINGS by Jan Karon

ROOM by Emma Donoghue (I would recommend this one for sure)

IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS by Jan Karon (this was uncharacteristically terrible.)

I STILL DREAM ABOUT YOU by Fannie Flagg (funny as usual!)

MOTHERS AND OTHER LIARS by Amy Bourret (very, very good)

GOODNIGHT, BEAUTIFUL by Dorothy Koomson (weird and unsatisfying)

DAY AFTER NIGHT by Anita Diamant (quite interesting)

Plus, I finished NEW YORK by Edward Rutherfurd which was absolutely outstanding.

I've reviewed my books on my Shelfari page. Feel free to look!

And by the way, it's snowing again. And cold. And windy. I need some WARMTH!!

Boring is Still Good

This is what has been going on:

Nothing.

I do have an infection in my finger. It hurts.

That's about all.

BUT,

for your viewing pleasure, here is our cat Elbie, age 17, in the upstairs hallway, basking in the sun.

And THIS, this is my mother's kitty Tammy. Mom got her from a rescue shelter here in Greece. She's adorable.

And she is now being squished with love.