Ordinary Life : December 2007

Welcome 2008!

HAPPY 2008!

Nothing brings in the New Year quite like organized delinquency.
(In GA, they keep us grounded- no airborne explosives)

(Fisher not pictured as he was irritable/konked out)

New Year's Eve: Quality Control

Logan joined me on the Volunteer Quality Control team. We tested all of the goodies for the night's festivites for "poison"

(it was all tainted- we made the sacrifice of disposing of it for the good of the whole family)

RESOLVED

" *I am resolved, no longer to linger..."

This week, my thoughts were aimed at the coming "blank slate" that is the New Year and subsequently those notorious "resolutions" we are all so fond of making (then breaking!)

I looked RESOLVE up over @ Dictionary.com and got the following definitions:

While definition #1 is the general thought behind New Year's resolving, I rather like definition #10 "MUSIC- to cause to progress from dissonance (or disharmony) into consonance (harmony)"

In 2008, that is what I'd like to accomplish with my own life song. And I'd kind of like a little bit of #9 mixed in there too- to be able to divide something into separate, yet active parts- sounds like better organization to me...school from work, work from play, got to from want to, etc

I started to pen a list the other day while we were traveling- it is still lost in luggage land- so until it is unearthed, I share from my very rusty memory (in an effort to hold myself publicly accountable) --((ha!))--

2008 Regret -Less Living

(or Less Regret Living)

Wake up earlier...aim for 5 AM regularly by March 31 (if you can't laugh to yourself, you may leave!)

Increased interaction with kids as a parent and teacher...30 minutes one-on-one time, per day, per child, minimum

Lose that last 10 (15?)/eat the way I know I'm s'posed to

Walk 3 times a day...aim for 5 miles regularly by March 31

Re-Schedule home school-stick to it like glue

Commit to certain forms of organization like bad religion

Memorize scripture regularly and with purpose...aim for one verse per week by March 31

Learn something new- Daily

Keep a journal/Blog with purpose

Write real letters...aim for one per month

Find a church, settle into it, get busy, keep mouth shut, learn to trust the Right One on this

Be a better friend to my spouse

Take a class- make it count for some real goal

Figure out real goals

Let go of certain ghosts- people & circumstances. (TBA @ a later date)

Continue to pursue "good stuff", "research" forgiveness and look for opportunities to be Hands & Feet

Stop plucking things so vehemently (hair, eyelashes, lint)

Minimize Sailor's Tongue Disease

Launch SoHo (TBA @ a later date)

Spend Less Money

Create more Everything ( except Children!)

Ah! well, that seems like enough to keep me busy for awhile. Will keep you updated as to how miserably I fail ( perhaps this is best posted over at FaltLife?)

Auld Lang Syne, Ya'll!

Happy 2008!

*Click here for rousing hymn currently stuck in Kelly's head

Day 3

Ponte Vedra Beach

12/29/2007

Day 3

On day three in Florida, we shunned the hotel's "Great American Grill" breakfast buffet and made a beeline for The Player's Cafe instead.

(conveniently located across the street from Woody's BBQ)

Now, before we go much further, I have to admit that, short of stopping next door at Tiffany's Closet for a bargain priced "designer" handbag and pair of shades, The Player's Cafe is pretty much the only highlight of Day 3- we returned home shortly after breakfast- postponing our Disney trip for a time later on, a time when I95 isn't jammed with football traffic. Be that as it may, if only for the walls, this cafe is a spot worth highlighting.

This guy is the owner- he makes rounds ensuring customer satisfaction. He both resembles his cartoon and doesn't.

The Player's Cafe- TPC hereafter- caters to golfers, locals and families alike. If there isn't a crowd when you arrive, hang on- they are on the way!

The dining room furniture could pass for any small town clubhouse "19th hole"- plastic lawn chairs, plastic condiment containers of butter, jelly and coffee creamer and lattice work in varying places.

The food is good in a very basic breakfast kind of way. It may not be grandma's grits, but you're sure to eat them all up anyhow.

Most remarkable at TPC- and I'm sure you knew I'd have to mention this- is the caricatures of local folks and assorted resident celebrities alike.

Check out this autograph by Johnny Rembert, (#52 N.E. Patriots '83-'91):

"To the Player's Cafe-keep the good food coming and I will keep eating. Best of Luck, Johnny"

King Arnie's signature, too:

And who doesn't know DREW?

I'm afraid this concludes Day 3. I took no photos of Tiffany's Closet, nor the outlets in Darien either. It is a depressing thing to leave Florida for home- I wasn't in a shutterbug mood :)

But...I'll be Back!

Day2, Part 2

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

12/28/2007

Day 2, Part 2

We stayed at the Garden Inn

(gotta earn those HHonors points!)

and stopped there after our beach stroll to freshen up

(and take a quick cat nap)

Windblown Beach Bums
I guess the nap was very much in order because (and I'm sure you'll be able to see where I'm coming from here, just not "WHY") I rather thought the light fixtures looked as if they were decorated with squirrels. And I also thought that perhaps they were worshipping a giant acorn, or more honestly, a carrot- but that didn't make much sense so I settled on acorn:

see it?

Another small bit of trivia I noted during our stay was that the curtain rods, shaped like arrows, pointed in different directions on different floors. On the fifth floor, they faced away from each other, but on the second floor they faced point to point. Imagine every possible combination- divide that by six floors and you have yourself a mini scavenger hunt!

5th floor

After a little regrouping, we took a scenic drive out past Guana Tolomato to look at twisty trees and witness a(nother) beautiful sunset.

By now, it was time for dinner- we chose Sierra Grill, naturally.

There are plenty of "fast food" chains out there that claim vested interests in quality ingredients and quality food. Some deliver, some don't.

Sierra is one that definitely delivers.

Undoubtedly, my favorite thing at Sierra Grill is the Salsa Bar. If any of our local 'average fare' Mexican/southwestern restaurants would employ this idea, they'd buy my loyalty instantly.

With the sun already set and bellies full of good food, it was time for another siesta at the hotel til morning.

Stay Tuned for Day 3!

Florida, Day 2

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

12/28/2007

Uncle Eddie bid us farewell as we headed for PVB on Friday morning.

(It will never make sense-it is an inside joke- just nod, grin and read on)

We pulled into Ponte Vedra just in time for lunch at Woody's BBQ. A place with wit and wisdom covering the walls and plenty of fried things on the menu. (namely, deep fried corn on the cob and creamed corn nuggets)