Memorial Day...

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. Now you know!

MORE FLOWERS!

I went to work today more so to make the time go by. I kept thinking about my family at the lake enjoying the sun, water and each other and was getting homesick. Decided the office would take my mind off it for a few hours. When I got home some more flowers had bloomed. Today is the first day in EIGHT MONTHS that the temperature has been over 75!!





I just LOVE the pink and white ones. My neighbor tells me they are Peonies. I have a row of four huge bushes of them. I hope they stay bloomed all summer!

Last post 4/6?? Where has the time gone!!

I was shocked to see my last post was on April 6th! Probably no one will read this post because they think I have given up trying to keep this blog current. So, if you do stop by and read this, leave me a quick comment so I know I didn't do all this just for my sake.

Lots of things have happened since my last post. Don was sick and hospitalized for almost a week. He is doing better now and is enjoying Germany and getting in some golf games. He is excited as Jacob and Alex are going to make a quick trip to visit in July for four days. Let's see, what else....Don's parents, Pam and Jay, came for a week long visit and we had lots of fun with them, as always. We took them to a Cardinals v. Pirates game and although the Pirates won they still had a good time (they are Cardinal fans!) In fact, Jay caught a foul ball in his "Cardinal" baseball cap, much to the dismay of the Pirate fans. I attended a One-Stroke training camp the Saturday before Mother's Day and had lots of fun painting and playing with clay. Would like to go for my Level 2 OSCI certification if I can get Donna Dewberry to come to Pittsburgh for the seminar. If not, I will try and attend in Orlando maybe next year. I attended the H&R Block annual banquet and had fun seeing my teacher, classmates and co-workers. Should start my second year tax classes sometime next month. Don and I are enjoying our season tickets to the Pirates games every couple of weeks. Tonight we are playing the Cubs and since Don is in Germany I have invited a friend to go with me. Can't wait for that Primanti Bros. sandwich and some hot wings!

I have to say Happy Belated Birthday to my Niece, Andrea, who turned 19 in April. She is a freshman at the University of Alabama and is majoring in early childhood education. Happy Birthday Andrea!

I got myself a Wii video game and the new Wii Fit Balance Board. I love this machine. It is fantastic and now I can run, do yoga, aerobics, strength training, and balance exercises right at home and watch my progress on screen. I highly recommend the Wii Fit! It is so much fun and Don and I enjoy the healthy competition of hitting baseballs, playing tennis, etc. and seeing our Wii ages. The first time we played his Wii age was 45 and mine was 64!! Now my Wii age is 38 (I have been working out a lot while he is in Germany for a month) and I can't wait to see what his Wii age is when he returns.

Okay - updates on my blooming flowers. If you know the names of any of these flowers, let me know! I know the Iris and I think the first one is called a "bleeding heart", but have no idea about the other -

The Iris just bloomed this week and I have an entire bed of them getting ready to bloom. There is also four more bushes on the side of the house that are almost bloomed with the most beautiful pink and white flowers I have ever seen. I will post them when they bloom so you can help me figure out what they are.

Last weekend I saw the play "West Side Story" for the first time. It was a great play and I really enjoyed the afternoon in the City of Pittsburgh. Had brunch at the awesome "Renaissance Hotel" and had a great walk through downtown and a sunny Sunday afternoon. Sure wish Don had been with me. He would have loved brunch and the stroll through the cultural district, but I am afraid he would have hated the musical. To mushy for him....plus, he hates musicals. Tragic love story, but the music was fantastic! Especially if you love Puerto Rico like I do!

Lilo and Stitch are doing better, all things considered. They got their yearly shots and check ups last week and Lilo had a very serious allergic reaction to her shots and they very quickly had to start an IV and administer her some benadryl. No more getting all the shots in one day for her. It shocked her system and she was very sick for a few days. Then, just as she was getting over that, she somehow scratched her right eyeball very badly and could be looking (no pun intended) at loosing her site in her right eye. Back to the vet for more visits and she is now on two drugs, two eye medications (an ointment and drops) and has a funnel on her head.


Stitch is jealous and wants me to take it off of her. She is miserable and I can't believe all this has happened while I am here with them alone. Of course, as any military wife will tell you, things like this ALWAYS happen when the hubby is deployed or on a temporary duty assignment away from home.

Missed Birthdays...NoseArt...and Warmer Weather!

I have to get caught up on all the birthdays in my family since my last post - A VERY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY goes out to my Nephew J.D., and to all three of my Sister-in-laws Darla, Jodi and Jaimi. J.D. and his Mother Jaimi celebrated their birthdays the last week of March. Darla and Jodi share a birthday on April 1st. Sorry I didn't post these earlier guys, but I hope you all had a great birthday! I have more birthdays to post in April so stay tuned....

The maintenance guys at Don's squadron repainted the nose art on his planes last week. I just loved the new look!
We are very excited about Pirates baseball starting this week!

What a beautiful day we had....65 degrees! Things are starting to sprout from the ground and I can't wait to see what surprises await me in my flower gardens this spring.

Not much else to report. Don and I are working hard and getting ready for his parents to come for a visit the last week of April. We can't wait to see them!

HAPPY EASTER FROM WILD & WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA

I hope all of you have a Happy & SPRING like Easter. The Easter bunny wont be able to get to Palisades Drive beacause of the snow we got last night, and more is suppose to fall today. Of course, it will make it easier to see those colorful eggs on the Easter egg hunt, huh?

Have a Hoppy weekend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB & RYDER, New Glasses, Blue Teeth and Tropical Islands!

My Nephew Ryder is ONE today! My stepson Jacob is 17!!!! That is so hard to believe. Sorry Jake, but the latest picture I had of you was in 2005. Hope they both have a very Happy Birthday and know how much I love and miss them.





Yesterday didn't turn out at all like we had planned. Don had a flight physical yesterday morning and while he was gone I lost one of the lens out of my reading glasses. After looking everywhere (I think maybe a puppy got it)I realized I had to do something quick, as I can't work without my glasses. Don called a Lenscrafters about an hour away in Pennsylvania and got me an appointment. The good news I did get some new glasses, AND we found and AWESOME BBQ restaurant! We have missed southern bbq since we got here. We also found a Verizon store and decided it was time to jump on the "bluetooth" wagon. I hope I can get used to having this air traffic controller thingy in my ear while I drive...isn't techonology amazing.

"You Who"....Alex? I got your Bath and Body, so watch the mail for a package this week. Heidi - I finally got the cookbook to go with your crockpot, so you will be getting another package this week as well.

Don will be TDY to various tropical islands for a week. I sure am glad I don't have his job...who in their right mind would want to leave the snow, ice and freezing temperatures to go to the Caribbean in all that sunshine, sand and saltwater? (I am trying very hard to pretend that "I" am the lucky one!) Not to mention the dump of a hotel they are staying in.



Yes my friends, that IS the Atlantis Hotel in Nassau. I mean really, don't you think they could stay in a better place on our tax dollars? Glad I don't have to stay there! (sob, sob....)

Happy Birthday to Don, Happy Birthday to Don....

Saturday was Donny's 44th Birthday. We were iced/snowed in with a winter storm. We had great plans, but had to postpone them. We stayed home, played with the puppies, fixed camp stew, homemade bread pudding and watched a movie. We were grateful to be together, but wished the weather had cooperated with our plans to go to Pittsburgh and celebrate. Today the weather was so pretty. It was still cold (freezing temps), but the sun was shinning and the roads were clear, so we got out of the house. Don wanted lunch at "Joe's Crab Shack" and then we went and had him custom fitted for some new golf clubs (a set of irons) for this birthday present. He is so excited about the irons, and we cant wait until the weather warms up and he can golf with them. They should arrive in about two weeks and I will be sure to update my blog with a current picture of him with the new irons. We hit "Sams Club" for a few must haves and came home to enjoy a glass of wine, the puppies, the newspaper and the tv. We gotta hit the sack though and get ready for work this week. Don is flying a couple of nights this week and has a social function at the club on Thursday. Hopefully the snow will go away this week and next weekend we can get to the City of Pittsburgh and celebrate Don's Birthday at the Penn Brewery like we originally planned. I loved having lunch at Joe's Crab Shack, but eating seafood and listening to Jimmy Buffet made me SO HOMESICK for the beach I almost cried! Don is planning to take me to Key West this summer, but I am not sure I can wait until then to get out of this winter weather. Just might have to make a weekend trip to Florida/Nassau if I can find some good priced plane tickets. Wish we would win the BIG lottery and then we could move to Key West and live like beach bums!! Ha Ha...in my dreams!

Thanks anyway!

Or airline tickets to a tropical climate! Just kidding. This has been one very rough winter for Don and I, but we are on the mend and hoping to have a great weekend celebrating Don's birthday. Hope everyone is doing well, and I will update this weekend with the birthday post.