Report from the beach

Happy Saturday everyone. Linda, Rocky and I are having a relaxing time at the beach and really enjoying her cousin's very nice home that is sitting high on stilts and has a view of the ocean over the dunes. Pictures will come later.

It rained most of the day yesterday and was quite windy but that didn't bother us. We went out a couple of times to eat but mostly just relaxed. Last night the winds picked up and we could feel the house moving and loose tin on the house next to us kicked up quite a racket. Then about 10 PM the wind started this howling noise coming past the side of the house where the bedroom is and it was freaking out poor little Rocky because it was really loud.

It's not howling this morning but the wind is still rocking the house and the tin noise next door is even worse. Anyone that really knows Odie knows that I do not like strong winds, especially at night when I cannot see what is happening. I will be relieved when the sun comes up and at least I can tell what is going on around me.

Last night we ate supper at O'Henrys and Linda had her fill of oysters and I had scrimp and it was excellent. What really made out time there special was our waitress. I can't pronounce her name but she is small, very pretty, is from the Ukraine and has the loveliest accent. Just meeting her and talking to her made our trip down here worthwhile. She is the kind of person that you meet and instantly think that there is no negatives about her. We just love meeting very sweet and polite people. Needless to say I made her evening with a more than proper tip.

Linda & Rocky are still snoozing and the sun hasn't made it's appearance yet so have a great weekend everyone and I'll check back later.

What's really important- Revisited

All this time I was thinking & saying that I started blogging last June when actually my first post was on May 23rd of 2010. So I missed my anniversary and went back for a peak at how all this got started and thought I would reprint the very first post I ever did. It has been a great year and I have so many new friends that have enriched my life. Thanks to all you that have followed along this journey with me.


Sunday, May 23, 2010 and it has been a stormy afternoon here in Halifax, NC. I just turned 63 and realize now that I spent a majority of my life expending energy on stuff that was not really worth the effort. I understand more and more how important just enjoying the beauty of nature, family and friends is instead of craming too much stuff into each day.

This coming friday my wife Linda and our little dog, Rocky, will be heading to Maggie Valley, NC for a much needed 3 day vacation. I am at peace when I am in the mountains of NC and especially in Maggie Valley as that is where we got married back in 2004. We made friends there and it will be great to see them again and enjoy the slowed down peace of just being there. I also love the simplicity of cooking and will be sharing some of my recipes here soon.

Mountain Vacation

Pictures are a little late getting on here but I am just getting used to downloading from our camera & wanted everyone to see some of what we enjoyed while on vacation in Maggie Valley, NC Memorial Day weekend.

The top picture is a view of the other cabins that were there. They are much newer than the one we stayed in and I liked our's much better.

Next was Rocky and his newly found friend, a Jack Russell terrier. They were doing the dog thing checking each other out. Rocky actually got along with him very well which we were glad of.

There was a stream that ran past our cabin that kept a wonderful sound going the whole time we were there. I love being near running water and it made our stay there much more enjoyable.

The inside view of the cabin show the rustic, flat, large logs giving our cabin the look I like in log cabins. They are called Country Cabins as the last picture shows. \

Definately a place to return to someday.

Four Months To Wait

I haven't been counting the days but I suddenly realized that I now have only 4 months until my bride and I board the Carnival Glory for our third cruise. If you have never been on a cruise you really can't understand how exciting it is to approach the departure time. So far we have been on all Carnival cruises. First it was the Celebration that visited Key West and Nausau. Key West is one of the prettiest places I have ever seen and will forever have the picture in my memory of looking down from the deck at the adorable town with roosters and chickens walking around doing their own thing. Nausau was not as memorable but we did have a good time touring the Atlantis Resort.
The next ship was the Holiday which is one of Carnival's older ships and interestingly enough was used off the Gulf coast for temporary housing after so many were left homeless after a hurricane. The ship was then rebuilt inside and took us to Mexico which was awesome.
All that was fine but the real joy of cruising is the "time on the ship". The crew always manages to exceed our expectations and have us thinking about the next cruise even before we finish the one we are on. As soon as I get on board thoughts of anything on the mainland leave me and a sense of peace comes over me. I get to our cabin which always has a window so we can see out. One of my joys is to place into the electronic safe all the "stuff" I carry around like keys, wallet, cell phone, etc.
Exploring the ship is always an adventure and of course snapping pictures everywhere for our photo albums that somehow never seem to be opened after we put the pictures in them. There is always a couple of days at sea so there is plenty of time to just sit and enjoy peace to read or simply do nothing. The food is always wonderful and is available in some form 24/7. Meeting interesting people is another great thing about cruises. I simply can't wait but must until October.

Paula Deen

I have shared that I have a passion for cooking and have really enjoyed being able to view the Food Network for years now.

A few years ago my wife and I decided that we like Paula Deen so much that we should take our vacation in Savannah, GA and eat at her restaurant. I might add that this was prior to owning a navigation system so it was a little intimidating getting around in Savannah.

The drill for eating at The Lady & Sons Restaurant is to get there early, about 9:30, to get in line and believe me the line gets quite long. I did get an opportunity to meet and have a picture taken with Bobby outside the front door which was awesome but didn't see anymore of the family while there. The restaurant has 3 floors and it stays full 7 days a week.

We got seated and they bring you their signature items, cheese biscuit and hoe cake. The buffet was awesome and the service was great. Everyone should try it at least once. We left there feeling like would need no supper after all the fried chicken and vegetable we consumed.

Later we ventured into the country and stopped at Uncle Bubba's Seafood Restaurant which is much easier to access and has a parking lot vs the parking deck we had to use for Paula's place. If we get an opportunity to return I would like to try his restaurant.

Continuing on our journey towards the coast we ended up at Tybee Island. It has a beautiful beach but the sand was surely too hot on that late summer day. I understand that Paula has opened a B & B there called Y'al Come Inn with lots of items included to make the stay a very special one.

The one recipe of her's that I enjoy the most would have to be the pumpkin gooey butter cake. The flavors and textures are unbeatable and you can get her recipe on www.foodnetwork.com along with other great mouth watering recipes.

After completing our "Paula" time we did get to go out on a boat to watch dolphins and really enjoyed that experience. If you get a chance you need to visit Savannah.

Birch Beer & Bratwurst

If there is one thing I really appreciate my sweet wife for it would have to be introducing me to the fun of traveling. In my previous life I really never took time off to go anywhere in particular and it was a pretty dull existence. One of the places we both love to go is Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and we have been there numerous times. We feel a peace there that I have found nowhere else in our journeys and I have been thinking about it a lot lately. Of course when you talk about Lancaster County you immediately think of the Amish and we have the deepest respect for their way of life and so appreciate the way they make us feel everytime we are near them. In the little community of Bird-In-Hand there is a farmers market that offers everything imagineable from fresh fruits & meat to packaged, prepared bake goods, crafts, canned vegetables, etc. One of my "have to do" events on every trip there is to sit at the counter and order a bratwurst sandwich and a birch beer. Birch beer is kind of a cross between a Dr. Pepper and Root Beer and is red in color. Not really one of my favorite things to drink but when I am there it makes me feel like I am experiencing their culture in a more real sense. I have an empty Birch Beer can sitting on my desk at work to keep their memory close. I can almost smell the "exhaust" from the horse & buggys that fill the streets and have fond memories of the cute children riding in the back of the buggy smiling and waving to us. It was a fun memory the first time I spotted a metal rail at the only supermarket in the community where the Amish would tie up their horse while shopping. For anyone who may be thinking about visiting Lancaster they have other attractions that they are noted for. One is the awesome Sight and Sound Theater that has spectacular performances throughout the year. People come from long distances to enjoy their shows. In Lancaster there is a full scale model of the Tabernacle that is truly amazing. On the road leading to Bird-In-Hand there is a home on the right side of the street with a carving of a bear holding a baby bear carved out of the trunk of a tree with the roots still in the ground. It is large and beautifully done and well kept. Seems to look better every time we go there. One of the fun things you can do there is take a tour of the Amish countryside on a buggy. Most of the horses they use are former race horses that are living a calmer life now. One last thing I will mention is the largest "flea market" I have ever seen in Ephrata called the "Green Dragon" and only open on fridays. It is so large that the first time Linda and I went there we got lost and had a hard time finding where we parked our car so it is a good idea to remember well where you parked. It isn't what most folks think about flea markets in that the sites you see are beautiful vegetables, crafts and unusual items that will make you want to shop until you drop. Try Lancaster County, Pa. you will like it, I promise.