Wednesday, MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all my loving family and friends a very Merry Christmas.  May happiness, good health and God's blessings follow y'all through our new year.

My last two days have been pure joy!  So wonderful having Jacki and Geoff with us.  Yesterday, we  started the cold windy day with a trip to the Alabama Gulf Coastal Zoo.  It is a small zoo with most animals living in fenced areas.  Thought all the animals were very well maintained.  Here is an interesting tid-bit about the zoo...It has been in operation since 1989, starting with 290 animals, now housing over 500.  In 1997 the zoo was hit by Hurricane Danny causing flood damage.  Again in 1998 with Hurricane George, more flooding causing full scale evacuation.  They became the first zoo to have a full scale evacuation during a hurricane.  Clobbered again in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan, causing $500,000 damage, another evacuation and closing for 14 months.  Several animals were lost at this time.  Then in 2005 more evacuation from Hurricanes Dennis and Katrina.  But the zoo was able to reopen fairly quickly in Oct, 2005.

The flurry of all the activity around the zoo attracted media attention during Hurricane Ivan, the zoo was approached about doing a series for Animal Planet.  Shooting started for the series in 2005, and the first of 13 episodes of "The Little Zoo That Could" aired in 2006.  The series focused on the zoo's efforts to reopen after end being battered by 3 major hurricanes in  '04 and '05.  A one hour follow up on the series aired in 2007 about the same time the zoo reopened.

In 2009 the zoo unveiled a plan to move the zoo to new quarters that are farther inland and less susceptible to flooding.  The new facilities were scheduled to open in early 2013.  By the looks of the zoo...it is still the original zoo.  Maybe the new one will be coming next year.

Think I will complete the rest of this message with pictures...enjoy

                        My first animal sighting at the zoo...a huge beautiful swan

                                   Below, you will meet Millie and Boo da Bear

                                                                  Millie

                                                              Boo da Bear

                                         Some kind of a curly feathered fowl

                                                       Kangaroos sparring

                                 Guess who's finger this cute lemur is licking?

                                                       Capybara coming

                                       Jacki called this cappi an oversized rat
                                       And yes, he was also licking her fingers
              Jacki really knows when to and not to stick her fingers in the cage

                                               Dromedary, one-hump camel
                                       Common to Africa and the Middle East
                                  More common than 2-hump, Bactrian camels

I don't want to bore y'all with my gazillion animal pics, I'll stop for now.  Continue with my sweet darlings Jacki and Geoff

                                              Tuesday lunch at O'Charleys
                                        Jacki and Geoff ordered pasta meals

                                           Tim chose a blt and potato soup
                                            My choice, pecan chicken salad

                                     Christmas Eve afternoon at the Leichty's

                                              Guess what we're watching?
                                           National Lampoon's Christmas

                                              And our next movie was...

                                          Tim's bored with the next movie

                                               That's right...Polar Express

                                                       Next came dinner
                                               Crock pot beef stew and rolls
                                                    Cheesecake for dessert
                        
                           Ended the evening watching, Jingle All the Way.  Just ok

                                       CHRISTMAS MORNING SUNRISE

                                                          What a beauty

                       Breakfast was crock pot breakfast casserole, muffins, fruit
                                                               Yummy!!!!
                                                This meal was a first for me

                                                     Maggie and grandma

                                                          My baby and me

                                                       Dad and daughter

                                                Best mother in law I know
                                          I think that's what I heard Geoff say
                                                             Right Geoff

                                                      My two sweetie pies

                                 And closing this Christmas day with Tim and I
                                                   Ah, I just spotted Maggie

Sorry this was sooooo long.  Just want to share.


Life is good
God is Love
Nite all

                                           MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Monday, From Sad to Glorious

Oh glorious day...Jacki, Geoff and Maggie arrived last night about 5 minutes after I returned home from the Ugly Sweater activity/dinner.  Perfect timing.  It was sooooooo great seeing them again.  Seems like a year, only really a couple months since we were together last.  They are staying at the Gulf Shores beach.  It's a mini vacation for them.  Their trip here from Atlanta on, greeted them with heavy rain, rain, and more rain.  Hopefully the rain here in Foley AL has subsided for a few days.  If not, it still will not dampen our wonderful time together with Jacki and Geoff and can't forget Maggie.  Dinner out last night was Jacki's choice, The Oyster House.  And I might add, a great choice.  Jacki chose, a tuna steak, Geoff...mahi mahi, Tim ordered stuffed flounder, and I had DELISH crab cakes.  It was all wonderful but no one did oysters, WONDER WHY!

Tim and I both work till 12 today, so our kids will return to us around 1.  Then it's fun...fun...fun.
Will keep in touch and share our happenings.

Hope y'all will have a wonderful day, as I know I will.

Return to me later, hopefully for lots of pics.

                    MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

I'm back...had a marvelous day.  Jacki and Geoff came early, took Maggie to the resort's dog park.  Then the three just walked around, I think they were trying to wear Maggie out.  By the looks of Jacki, she is the one who got tinkered out.  We decided on LuLu's for lunch.  It is one of our favorite dining out spots. It's on the Intracoastal Waterway and when it's warmer, dolphins can be seem swimming.  Awesome! As is their food. My usual is fried green tomatoes and a salad.  Tim's fave...BLT made with fried green tomatoes and onion rings.  Jacki decided on gumbo soup.  Geoff loves shrimp and grits.  So that was his choice.  Another wonderful meal was had by all. 

I need to start by sharing the temp for today's outing.  COLD, CLOUDY, BREEZY!!!! Not sure of the number, just know the four of us were definitely NOT dressed for what was out there.  But, we went to the Wharf at Orange Beach.  It has an amphitheater, a marina with direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway, shopping, restaurants, movie theater, and the South's tallest ferris wheel.  We stopped for some coffee/latte/hot chocolate to warm us up.  Thought there was also a small ice rink for skating.  That is, until we were close enough to observe the ice was really either wood or plastic.  The folks had on skates with blades.  And the floor base was ice white.  And a great big and...the weather was perfect for ice to be there.  Another first for me.

After our freezing walk, Jacki and Geoff went back to their hotel to feed Maggie and get warm.  We also went home to take care of Cleo, Tim's knees and my frozen body.  Met again for dinner, no we really were not very hungry.  But we managed to put a big dent in each of our choices...grilled fish, shrimp, and fish sandwich with all the trimmings.  We sat and visited a while before departing each other.  What a marvelous day we had..I had, hoping the rest also agree with me. 

Tomorrow is another day planned with more good times.  Come back then and check them out.  Enjoy a few pics

                This is Maggie, training to be a service dog for Jacki, if ever need be

                                                 Just chillin' at the coach

                                                            More chillin'

                                                               And more

                                              Don't look so innocent Geoff
                                        You were playing on your phone also

                                                      Geoff is such a hoot
                                        Check out them fried green tomatoes
                                                  They are/were fantastic

                                             Southern Alabama style ice rink

                                             Tallest ferris wheel in the south
                                                              So they say

                  Jacki and Maggie resting and freezing while I popped a few pics

                                              Christmas décor at the Wharf

                                                              One more
                                   The Wharf is a lovely entertainment resort

 Well guys, that's it for tonight.  Please return for tomorrow's fun events.  Thanks for stopping by.


Life is good
God is Love
God is so good to me
Nite all

Friday, From Glorious to Sad

Morning to all my family and friends.  With much sadness I need to share...Jacki and Geoff lost another one of their babies last night, Murphy.   He was such a great little guy.  So smart!  Murphy had been with Jacki since her college days at Clemson. With the exception of Odysee, she and Geoff adopted, gave and are still giving All THEIR CHILDREN a wonderful life and home. They are awesome parents.  I love you both and can't wait to see y'all really soon.  LIKE SUNDAY!   And I love Maggie and Riley, also coming, I'll be seeing y'all, and the rest you will sadly be leaving at home.

            Will miss you Murphy, that little bump under the blanket. 

                                                                Love you!

We all need to live each day...each minute with LOVE.  Love for God, our family, friends and acquaintances, and for strangers that may cross our paths.  That day just may be their last or ours.  Try to live with no regrets.  My sister taught me that.

I'll be back tomorrow...come join me then.


Life is always good
God is always Love
Have a great day

Tuesday, Oh Glorious Day

The beautiful warm shiny sun is and has been all day bursting across the sky.  Just a tad of breeze and this day has to be titled glorious.  I have the day off today because events in the evening this week will occupy my time.  They are very good here not wanting us to work over 15 hrs.  It's ok with management if our hours are a little short.  Just don't go over.  That's pretty cool.  I surely can oblige them in that area.

Caught up on my laundry today.  Somehow I missed two days.  Because of the size of my washer/dryer, really need to wash a load a day.  Also took a little, me time, and played CANDY CRUSH.  I have been stuck on level 70 for way over a month, maybe two.  I was patiently waiting for Jacki and Geoff to come during Christmas and ask for pointers.  But this morning, magic happened.  I not only passed 70, proceeded on to 74.  Yahoooooo!   Been working on that a few times.  No luck so far.  When level 70 gave me a forever road block, I would only try a time or two, then say bye bye.  Don't want to addicted to it.  It can do that to ya.

Yesterday afternoon we drove to the Gulf again.  Tim received an email from Playa Del Rio RV Resort in Perdido Key, FL.  That was our first place to stay after Lake Norman when we first started this new life style.  It was an awful place.  Sites were too close together.  Had to park the coach and jeep in the sand.  We shortened our month reservation to just three weeks.  We drove around until we found a better place.  The email stated new owners, and much improvements.  So Tim wanted to see all the improvements the email stated.  And by george, what an excellent job they are doing.  They combined two sites into one.  Added a concrete pad for the rv to park.  Also covered the sandy area around the site with pavers.  Added palm trees and bushes to separate each site.  The changes have made it look like an upscale resort now.  Not completed yet, but on its way.  They also added a walkway on the other side of the road directly to the beach.  I used to walk in a mess of bushy, scraggly, dying foliage of some kind in a sink hole.  Now, a very well built, safe walkway will give you direct access to the beach.

Not much news for today.  So I think I will post a few pics from Dayton Beach.  Tim has been wanted to me do that.  I will have to review my blog so not to duplicate any.

Y'all have a wonderful evening!  Miss everyone so much!  Guess it's that time of year.

Enjoy...

                                              I'll start with a beautiful sunset

                                                                My Love

                                       Our neighbor had this Cushman 1950's

                                       Big beautiful waves at Daytona Beach

                   Koa Daytona Beach was really full the Thanksgiving weekend

                                            Meet this adorable piggy, Gracie
                                        She is 7 years old, lives in the house,
                                    Goes to the door when she needs to go out

                            2013 Camaro...only 900 of this special model made
                                                                   500 HP

                                                    1952 Willy's Jeepster

                                                         1939 Ford PU
                                                    Mike, this is for you
                                                Yes, yours is much better

                                               How bout this 57 Chevy
                                                 Think its long enough
                                                  Thought of you, Lori

                                              OK guys, are you ready for this
                       BUGATTI...French made, 2009, 1200 hp, $2.9 million
                                           Will go 0-124 mph in 7.3 seconds
                                                              Internet info
                                                            Top comes off
                                                       I soooooo want one

                                               It was very hard to get a pic
                                             Everyone was wanting a look
                                                            AWESOME

                                                  Rare 1936, 5 Window Chevy
                              You really need to click this pic in a bigger view
                                                                $225,000
                                                          Buy 1 Get 4 Free
                                                                Too funny

                                                          Luke's dream car
                              Cadillac CTS-V, 556 hp  moves 0-60 in 4.0 second
                                      It's yours darling, soon as I hit the lottery

                                                     Charlotte's first car

                                     Hey girl, it's for sale...good Christmas gift
                                             Her baby was in brown, though

                                            And an old fire truck for Jacki
                                               I'm always looking for one

I will stop there.  More another time.  Hope I didn't bore you!


Life is good
God is Love
Nite all