Saint Augustine

A Fresnel lens from the light house.

The Saint Augustine Lighthouse

Half way up the 219 steps

Papa at the beach

We went to St. Augustine for the day. It is about three hours from Valdosta, so it was not much of a drive at all. We had been to St. Augustine a year ago and thought it would be nice to go back and do a couple of things in a little more detail. The main thing we wanted to do was revisit the lighthouse and climb to the top. When we were there last year, it was raining and no one go go up for obvious reasons. Today we went up all the way. I have to insert here that my exercise program has really paid off, it was not hard at all. The view from the top is spectacular, you can see for miles up and down the coast. Doing that was worth the trip.

Afterwards, we went to the old city and ate at the Cracker Cafe. I had crab cakes, love, love, love them Now we are back in Valdosta, we will get organized and leave for Galveston on Sunday.

Andrew in the hospital

Here is my gross out photos for the month. Andrew had surgery on his leg on the 23rd of January. The rod in his lower leg was removed. The break above his ankle had not healed and the ends of the bone were not alive. The doctor scraped the bone down to live bone, but in bone stimulant and did a bone graft from Andrew's right hip. Then a plate and screws were put on the location and the screws were removed from his femur. All of this should finally get the bone to heal and allow Andrew to walk again.

It has been eight months since the accident. I really hope this fixes his leg. His arm is pretty much back to normal. We are down here till Sunday to be sure the first week after the surgery is OK. So far I think he will be fine when we have to go home.

Ray's Mom

My mother in law Pauline is in the hospital right now with pneumonia. The pneumonia is just part of her ongoing decline. She is suffering from vascular dementia which has left her very confused a lot of the time. Luckily, she still can remember who we are. The nursing home got authorization from Ray and his sister to call in hospice, so they feel that she is slipping away from this world. I wanted to take this picture because of this sense of time slipping away. Pauline was always careful with her appearance and I know that in previous times I wouldn't have been able to take this photo. Knowing your parent is dying is always very hard, having them fade away while their body is still alive is the hardest.

First page of 2010

This is my first page of the new year. I used the last of my Basic Gray Eskimo Kisses paper. I think I have one sheet and scraps left of the pack. I have to say I really liked this paper and all the work I created with it.

Nook and Pantry Cards

I will be teaching card class the 27th of February making these cards at Scrapbook Garden. Basic Gray Nook and Pantry is kitchen and food oriented paper. However, I think several of these cards would make good valentines. Too bad that Valentines Day will be over before the class.

Freezing Fog

The terrible cold is gone for at least a while. Now we have freezing fog. It wasn't that bad early this morning when I went to my Pilate's class, but by eight o'clock, all the trees and plants were frosted with ice crystals. Normally, this only happens in the early morning here, but since it hasn't gotten above freezing yet, the pretty sight is still around to be enjoyed.

Andrea's First Birthday Party

We celebrated Andrea's first birthday today. Her party was held at Burger King, which pleased her brother and the other children invited to the party greatly. Andrea didn't really know what was happening, but she did like the presents she was given. All in all a good time was had by all.
Notice Papa the Burger King, Ray was not amused by me putting the crown on his hat, but I liked it.

Andrea and Gabriel

When Andrea was born, Gabe ignored her. She didn't have an effect on his life. This was and is not the case with Wyatt. Wyatt comes in the house and Gabe vanishes. Wyatt is now at the point where he wants to be friends, but he is having trouble with the being quiet and slow. He is a little boy who does things loudly and at high speed.

When Andrea started crawling, Gabe still put up with her touching him and pulling his fur, for a little while. Then he decided he would not be available for her to manhandle any more. Now it seems he is relenting some, she can touch him and he tolerates it for a while and then leaves. She follows him, and he tries to intimidate her with a kitty glare, but it doesn't work. I hope I can teach Andrea how to be gentle, so she will be able to play with the kitty as she gets older.

It is so cold.....

That I think the cat is smart for refusing to go outside. Actually, he went out for about three minutes and then was frantically scratching on the door to come in. He is built for the cold, he has hair growing out of the bottom of his feet an inch long, but he does not want to be uncomfortable in the least. I am refusing to go outside as well. It is ten degrees out there and the wind chill is in the minuses. The bottom photo is of my back yard. This is what cold looks like. From the warmth of my patio door, it doesn't look all that bad. But the wind is blowing and there is not any warmth anywhere. Sometimes you can sit in sheltered place and feel almost comfortable, not today. It is strange that everywhere is cold right now. Even my friends in Florida are suffering from the cold, and it doesn't take much of a temperature drop to make them suffer.
I went out and filled the bird feeders, of course they are squirrel feeders as well. I don't mind, I find the squirrels entertaining and I always provide enough for every one, bird or squirrel to eat.
This weather is going to be hard on the wild life if it doesn't warm up soon. We are blessed to be safe, dry, warm and fed.

Thank you very much

I had a very nice Christmas. I was given a number of really cool gifts this year, but none of them has exceeded the use and appreciation I have for this pair of sheepskin boots Ray gave me. I actually got them and brought them home for Ray to give to me. I don't want to spend the money required to get UGGS, and Sam's had these back in November. As you all know, if you see something at Sam's, you buy it or it will be gone. That was the case with these boots. I had pictured myself playing in the snow with Andrea and Wyatt. However, with the awfully cold weather we have been having, I don't go outside without these on. These boots keep my feet warm and toasty, and are really comfortable. I guess I am sort of stylish too. Anyway, I love my boots.

Goals for 2010

I have never been a person for resolutions. However, this year, I do have some goals I want to achieve. I had thought that goal setting was behind me once I quit working, but I am finding it easier when the goals are important to me and not part of a corporate planning requirement. If you think that is an anti-work comment it is.

I have been working at losing weight since August of last year. I have about 15 pounds to go and doing that is my first goal. The holidays have been a challenge, but for the most part I have been able to work my way through that.

Next, I want to be able to do curl ups for Pilates without my feet coming off the floor. I have made real headway since I started Pilates in October, I couldn't even do a curl up. These are sit ups if you are wondering. A minor thought in the back of my mind is "tighten your core". I also want to be able to run a whole mile without walking. I figure a good curl up will not happen until March. Who knows when I will be able to do a whole mile. I will shoot for June and maybe I will be lucky and make it sooner.

The surprise to me is that I am exercising, I never did when I was younger. I am inherently lazy, but for the last four years I have been progressing through fitness levels where now I am able to set goals like this. I have amazed myself.

Another goal is to finish some of my scrapbook pages from the past and try to stay more current on the new pages.

Either way, once I meet these goals, I will be more than able to set new ones, I will enjoy reaching. Happy New Year to all of my friends and family.