You Won't Believe This One!

If you think this picture is wild, wait until you hear the "Rest of the story".....Tom and I purchased a 14' canoe a few weeks ago and took it out for our third voyage yesterday. It was a blistering 90 + degrees, but still beautiful on Lake Moultrie. We had been paddling the streams and canals for about 2 hours. These canals are known for their alligators, so we were careful to keep a watch out for them. I had my handy camera safely hanging around my neck so that I did not drop it in the water. I heard Tom (who was at the back of the boat) say " I think we are taking on water"...and we were. It was up to his feet. I wanted to quickly row for the safety of shore, but he wanted to row back to where we put the canoe in the water. About 2 minutes later, I looked back and the canoe was half full of water. Just as I got out the words "WE ARE SINKING" to Tom, the back half of the canoe sunk and Tom was in the water. Seconds later, so was I, with my camera hanging safely around my neck. All I could think of was the alligators. So I swam hard and fast for the shore, carefully climbing up on the grass careful to avoid any snakes. The contents of the canoe were merrily floating downstream......Tom managed to recover all of our goods, including the canoe. We lost a cell phone, but were grateful since we still had all of our limbs....the camera did not work, imagine that.......We piled everything back into the canoe and paddled safely to shore. The moral of the story is that you do not put all of your weight (sorry, Tom) in the back of the canoe. Between Tom, the trolling motor and the battery, the back end of the boat was sinking lower and lower as the day went on.
I know that my Guardian Angels are wanting to organize since they work so much overtime watching over us. I am so grateful for the outcome, knowing what COULD have happened. God is indeed good. And would you believe, the camera now works! Go Kodak!

Good Friends

Friends Forever....Literally!

There are so many great quotes about friends. But how many of us have a shortage of great friends? Or long-time friends? Friends that know you well and still love you. Friends that you know would be there, no matter what, no matter when.
I have such a friend that lives on the other side of the country (Arizona) but our relationship is not limited by distance, but nurtured by it. Our times together are short, but very meaningful. And well planned-out. Quality girl-time, if you know what I mean.
Ann and I met when we were 12 and in the 6th grade. If you do the math, that is more than 50 years ago. (Hard to believe when you look at this picture of 2 young chicks!). We went to school together in Clearfield, Pennsylvania and were great friends through junior high and high school. Then we parted ways in 1963 when we graduated. Ann went on to school (and now holds numerous degrees) and went on with her life. I got married and started a family and we lost track of each other for more than 20 years as our lives took very different turns. We reconnected at a class reunion and it was like we had never been apart. Our husbands became instant friends and we all became travel buddies. Ann and I have been to Hawaii 3 times, California, Vancouver BC, New Mexico and most of the Southwest, Florida, and have many more trips to come, I am sure. We both love art, music and especially DOGS!
If you are blessed to have such a friend, wonderful, if not...it may be time to make one!
"Friendship isn't a big thing, it's a million little things"....Author Unknown

Chickens, Chickens Everywhere!

I have been blessed to be able to vacationing on the beautiful island if Kaua'i , The Garden Isle, lush, beautiful and full of chickens....everywhere you look. The streets, parking lots, parks, alongside the road, you name it, there they are! They roam freely and don't seem to bother the people and the people don't bother them. Where, I wondered, did they all come from? So I began an effort to find out....
Well, it didn't take long. I asked a local who gave me the scoop. In the early 90's Hurricane Iniki hit the islands, and hit them hard. So hard that it ripped apart just about every chicken coop on the island--and the chickens roamed free. The best part is that many of the chickens were bred and raised for the horrendous and illegal sport of cockfighting. God doesn't miss a thing. Through the force of nature, He freed the beautiful birds that He had created for His pleasure, and not for criminal greed. These chickens now live in Paradise, free as a ......bird...I can't help but chuckle to myself as I see the gorgeous multi-colored roosters proudly strutting their stuff down the street. Thank you, God, for being the God of everything, even the chickens!

Aloha from Paradise!

Well, I never thought that I would make it to Hawaii one time, leave alone three....this is my third trip here, thanks to our dear friends, Ann and Bob. They invited up to share their timeshare the first two times, which got us here.....and we fell it love with it, who wouldn't? We arrived here last Saturday and spent 6 days on Kaua'i (the Garden Island), which is the most lush and green of all the islands, and the wettest. Even though we had rain, it did not last long and we have had mostly beautiful weather. Ann was my best friend from 6th-12th grade and we lost touch after high school, for 20 + years. We then reconnected and have been travel buddies ever since......and our husbands get along great! She is a great friend and we remain close even though she lives in Arizona and I live in South Carolina! We are now on the Big Island of Hawaii and will be doing a volcano hike tomorrow......It is hard to believe that any place can be so beautiful..I will post as many pictures as I can. Aloha for now!

What I am Reading

When I take take time to dream (while I am awake, that kind), I like to dream of Tuscany. Why Tuscany, you say? Well, a few years ago I saw a movie called "Under the Tuscan Sun" and fell in love with it, as did millions of others. Ever since then, I have dreamed of eating my way through the Tuscany region of Italy. I have read every book I could find on this part of the world, and each description makes me want to go there more. On a recent trip to Boston, I walked into a cozy little travel bookstore in the freezing cold, and found this book with the most enticing cover that made me feel like I was there. It tells the story of Americans that move to Italy and buy a falling down, ancient friary, convert it to a house, and plant a vineyard. What a fun story that involves unimaginable labors of love. But it makes me feel as if I was there. Hopefully I will be someday! So I come back 20 pounds heavier, so what? The experience will be worth all of the extra exercise!

Name of book: "A Vineyard in Tuscany"

Author: Ferenc Mate

Welcome to South Carolina! BRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Who says that it does not get cold in South Carolina? Here is a picture from outside our Amenities Center in our community. It was a balmy 20 degrees last night and is expected to break records tonight, into the TEENS! I thought I moved away from this! Oh well, when I get to deep into my pity party, I turn on the news and look at what is going on in Minnesota, where it is 30 below! How easy it is to complain when we know good and well, that we really have things GOOD, I mean, really GOOD! The temps are already warming with the goodness of the sun. How much like our lives, when we complain at the slightest indication of discomfort, knowing that it is temporary and all will be well before you know it. When we compare our trivial and temporary concerns with what others are experiencing, it should bring a conviction that we just need to walk in someone else's shoes, perhaps somone in a colder climate with no heat, or warm clothes, or even a place to live. I need to remind myself of this frequently..so if you hear me whining.....please do me a favor, and remind me!

Bridget loves to read!

On a recent trip to Boston, I got to spend some time with my oldest son, Terry and his wife, Amy, along with grandchildren Kiernan and Bridget. What a neat family! It was a wonderful time for me, getting to know the grandkids a little better, and to have them get to know me, living so far away. One of the highlights of my visit was sharing a love of reading with my grandaughter. Bridget has a love of books that I hope never leaves her. Having been a bookworm all of my life, I love being able to spend time reading with grandchildren especially when I can see their eyes light up while taking in new words, sounds and characters. I must have read 30 or 40 little books with Bridget in the time that I was there and I enjoyed it every bit as much as her! I can only hope that her love of reading stays with her always. Her parents are readers and encourage her to do the same, so I am sure that she is well on her way to bibliophilia!
"Book-love...never flags or fails, but, like Beauty itself, is a joy forever"....Holbrook Jackson
from the book, "The Little Guide toYour Well-Read Life" by Steve Leveen

The Awe Factor of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ya12I036lg

A video by Francis Chan, author of the book "Crazy Love".....I don't need to say a thing, just take a look......God is bigger and greater than our little minds can ever imagine...

Back from the Tundra!

Well, the Amazing Race has nothing on me! In 11 days, I:

• Drove with Tom to Ocean City, Md., to see kids and grandkids-3 days and cool


• Drove with Tom to Lancaster, PA to see kids and grandkids-3 days and COLD


• Drove with Tom to DC to board a plane to Boston to see kids and Grandkids-2 1/2 days and cold and snowy


• Flew home to SC to kiss the tarmac after feeling the balmy 70-ish temps-PRICELESS!

What a great whirlwind trip I had seeing family. I wish I could have seen them all, but ran out of time. Only family would cause me to leave South Carolina in December to return to the weather that I love to hate. But the time with the kids was SO worth it. To see my kids raising their kids is hard to describe. I am so blessed to see what wonderful parents they are. Their homes are filled with love and all are well and healthy. Playing games, putting together puzzles, eating good food, walking in the snow, browsing in Cambridge, eating pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day, playing Wii bowling, reading to grandkids and so much more will make for wonderful Chrismas memories. The trip was so worth it, and look forward to doing it again, but in warmer weather!