January 23, 2009

Quiet Mugsy, don't say anything to anybody, see? I'm going to Chicago next week; coming back on the last plane into town Wednesday night.........see? Here's the way it's going down.........see? We're springing Pop from the joint next week...........see? Keep your big mouth shut...........and nobody gets hurt...........see? Now ix-nay on the alking-tay..............see?

Wish us luck................see?

"There's Got to be a Morning After"

January 21, 2009

Sorry about that, now try not to think about that song the rest of the day (if we can hold on through the night..........was that Helen Reddy? Or Maureen McGovern? Or is that the girl that played Marcia on the Brady Bunch? Or was she Maureen McCormick? We're moving closer to the shoooooooooooooooore; but I digress, as usual)
Picture of the house which might be featured in your next Christmas card; believe it or not Mr. or Mrs. Realtor, there is a manicured lawn under this snow which was designed and installed by the head groundskeeper at Augusta National!

Close up of some of the shrubbery
From the east side of the house
And of course, "the room"
Big Holly bush in our backyard

OK, to answer your question, I have seen snow before; but this is the first time at home in six years so it's kind of special. Enjoy the pictures and try to get that song out of your head and get back to work (we'll escape the darkness, and won't be searching annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnny moooooooooooooooooooooooooooore)

January 20, 2009

A new president, a good inauguration and a great speech. Good luck President Obama.
Believe it or not, we had snow today. Not a bad day for it, as we had no plans except the inauguration and stay at home and work in the office....Jackson is snowboarding at Wintergreen for a few days.
Pop didn't have a good day; we stayed with him for an hour and a half at lunch, and about the same for dinner. He's had a lot of aches and pains, and some recurrent symptoms from his bladder cancer. He wants to get out of rehab but it might be a while until he gets well enough to go home; we're all pulling for him to do so ASAP.
OK, now for snow videos; forgive our enthusiasm; the weather service said we've had 2 inches; and that is 2 inches more than we've had here in the 6 years (hard to believe it has been that long isn't it?) that we've lived here.
Here's a shot from the front yard

And one from the back yard

And another from the front

After we left the rehab center we went to the Wal-Mart (of course, can't go home without a WallyWorld visit); pulled in front of Belk's and took this shot; at 7:00PM there was still a lot of snow coming down

Beautiful day, love the different weather; it's a new day in America

January 18, 2009

During lunch Saturday I decided to get some film of Pop and Dink for our friends and family overseas. I felt the frustrations of any director in trying to get my "actors" to say their lines. Terri likened it to a JohnBoy and Billy skit; well.............here goes:

Take one:
Action!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand cut; now, let's try that again
taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake two
Action!

annnnnnnnnnnnnnd cut

OK, I don't think we're putting on film what the writer wants; let's go around the table and tell us what you're thinking; and remember everyone, speak in complete sentences!

Action!

annnnnnnnnnnnd cut; No, don't speak in incomplete sentences, speak in complete sentences................oh well; OK crew, that's a wrap; I think we've got enough here to put a great storyline together; or maybe not. Remind me to never serve hard liquor for breakfast anymore!

On the way home from rehab Sunday we saw a car with an interesting sticker in the back window. Obviously someone has a very strong opinion about a person named Teresa Earnhardt and has gone to great lenghts to let everyone know.

Uncle Dave shared this holiday picture of Nephew Kevin in Iraq with Santa Claus. Uncle Dave surmised that nephew Kevin got what he wanted from this particular Santa; look closely and see if you can reach the same conclusion........

Let me know if you need the answer to this puzzle; I could have blown the picture up but that would have been too easy.
In town all week; leaving for Chicago next Sunday for the AHR Expo; wish us luck, the HVACR industry needs a bailout if you know anyone giving them............

January 16, 2009

Pop continues to improve and is taking his physical and occupational therapy daily. He looks well and seems about ready to go home, but we haven't talked with any of the decision makers about that yet. Dink spends most of the day with him and eats lunch with him in the dining room; an improvement from taking all of his meals in his room.
Had to go to VA this week for a quick trip; Jackson was out of school (since he was exempt from his exams) so he and Terri came with me to get out of town for a night.
After lunch Wednesday we visited William and Mary. The students were not in session so we could move around the campus pretty easily. We met with an assistant football coach and an ROTC adviser. We were impressed with the campus and academic offering; it would be quite a challenge for Jackson, but he's a pretty smart kid and has a good work ethic.
While cutting through one of Norfolk's finer neighborhoods; OK, maybe 60 years ago it was; saw an area which looked a little familiar. Here's a picture of my great Aunt (pronounced ahhhhhhhhhhhhhnt, not ain't) Bertie's house on Lafayette; been a long time since I've been in that area.

In town all of next week; hope Chicago gets all of that bad weather out of its system before the AHR Expo the next week. Send orders!

Only two years old, and already a media star!
January 8, 2009

From the front page of this morning's Sanford Herald, we find the headline article featuring young Cooper Riley and his lovely mother about reading. Way to go young reader!

Imagination Library exceeds its goal of free books for children

By ERIN ZUREICK
ezureick@sanfordherald.com
Jan 9,2009

ERIN ZUREICK/The Sanford Herald Holly Riley reads "Pigs Love Potatoes" to her 2-year-old son Cooper at the Lee County Partnership for Children's Imagination Library in Sanford Thursday.

By ERIN ZUREICK

ezureick@sanfordherald.com



SANFORD — Two-year-old Cooper Riley might not be able to read yet, but he has already picked out "Pigs Love Potatoes" as his favorite book.

"He's constantly asking for the pig book," said his mother, Holly. "I just love reading to him. His face lights up."

Cooper received the children's book for free this fall after signing up for Imagination Library, a nationwide reading program that is sponsored locally by the Lee County Partnership for Children.

Imagination Library, started by singer Dolly Parton in 1996, provides a free book each month to children younger than 5 years old.

Since implementing the program in late September, Lee County Partnership for Children has signed up 571 children — far exceeding its goal of 500 children within the program's first year, said Cortney McCullough, the partnership's outreach coordinator.

"I think it's had astonishing success," McCullough said. "It shows that Lee County is really open to a new program that helps the children."

The cost of funding a child for one year is $28.08. With 571 children signed up, that adds up to just more than $16,000.

Lee County Partnership for Children Executive Director Lyn Hankins said the ultimate goal is to reach all of the county's 4,000 children she estimates are eligible.

"Reading and learning don't start when they enter kindergarten; it starts the minute they're born," Hankins said. "The sooner they have exposure to books and listen to someone reading to them, the greater that vocabulary is going to expand and the quicker that vocabulary is going to expand."

The partnership's board of directors set aside some start-up funds for Imagination Library's first year, but the program will rely largely on donations.

Hankins said the partnership has raised about $6,000 since September.

"We certainly have to raise more than that to keep the program afloat over a long period of time," she said. "I think there will be a positive response."

McCullough said because of high demand, the partnership will probably have to cut off sign-ups at some point and add more participants once children turn 5 and leave the program.

"Basically we really hope that through the program parents will take the opportunity to read to children and understand how important literacy is," she said.

Holly Riley said she tries to read to Cooper several times a day. Even though he can't read yet, she said the books help him associate words with pictures.

So far, Cooper has received four books. Holly said that she and her husband, Jay, buy their son other books as well but that the costs can start to add up.

"It's quite an expense once you factor in clothes and food," she said. "It's been wonderful to be able to have that resource."

ezureick@sanfordherald.com

Oh Christmas Tree!

January 7, 2009
Pop turned 87 today and we will celebrate with dinner tonight at Crystal Bluffs. He is having therapy sessions each day and is getting worn out; however I went over there at lunch and he looked great.
Many of you know that we added on the house so that we could display uncomfortable antique wicker furniture and have a nine foot Christmas tree. OK, just kidding, calm down; we have all enjoyed the new rooms. As we are to keep Christmas in our lives year-round I thought I would share that nine foot tree along with some pretty ornaments.
First off, the tree!
An ornament from 10 years ago
Jay's first ornament
Not sure who LE is
Ocean Reef Club north of Key Largo
Another from 1979
One from Dink from 1982, probably the last time I was on skis
Jackson in 1991

One from Earl with our boat name
Jay in 1983
One from San Francisco, not sure what year
A nice picture of Jackson which I'll bet was taken by Pam Jessup. She took several pictures of Jackson and Stuart at the beach one year; one of which is framed and around here somewhere. Great shot!
Lighthouse ornament
Another family ornament, not sure from whom
And one for Jackson from 1991
And a new heirloom from Kevin's wife Heather. See a common denominator anywhere here?
Merry Christmas all year long.