Home Ties

Never have I taken so few pictures on a US trip.  I'm thinking of blaming Werner since he wasn't here to pose for me. 

It was a family visit.  Hanging with the sisters and the BiLs - stripes optional.

 
We shopped and ate and visited and ate and walked and ate and ate some more.  But food is communion and that's what we did.

There was one afternoon with Nancy.  We visited a couple of antique/lots-of-used-stuff stores.  Always fun. And we ate, too. 

After a week in Atlanta, it was off to Panama City, or more accurately Lynn Haven.  Hunter and Hannah had just been let out of school, so they slept a lot, hung with friends, watched TV, texted, stuff.  There were new point slippers to buy.  So pretty!

 Poor Riley needed a bath.  He's happy to cooperate, but not so happy being wet!

Hunter spent a fair amount time driving here and there, visiting friends and the girlfriend, and took a test at the local university so he could do university courses next school year along with the regular school work.  He passed!  Yeah!

 
Otherwise, I chilled.  Easy to do in this setting.

Then off to Orlando!  Little kids!   Here's Dylan talking to Werner in far-far-away Germany, and then, holding a big bowl of jalapenos she picked with Dad from the little garden!

Hayden wasn't always so quiet and calm as this, but he did sit and read and work and build railroad complexes.  He's an engineer!

And the night before I left, there was a lovely sky to remind me I have to come back again.  There's nothing like Florida and nothing like family. And next time, we need more time for both!

U.S. of A. - Version 2011.1

We're half way through our month-long US visit, and it seems past time for an update!  I'm having to squeeze this in between sleeping in, taking walks, visiting with family and eating.  Tough life.

Arriving in Orlando means one less stop along the way, but it doesn't seem to mean getting to the final destination a whole lot sooner - I think we waited half past forever for our bags to arrive.  Then it took the rest of forever to decide which of all the choices of cars we could live with for four weeks.  Werner finally decided on a cool-looking Chrysler.

It was too late for the kids too greet us, but they were well-primed so Dylan and Hayden welcomed us the next morning.  Sweet!  This photo is "posterized" - cool effect.

After just three nights, we headed to Atlanta so we wouldn't miss seeing Julia and Larry who were heading off on their anuual Cancun-in-winter trip.  Naturally, there was a get together with the whole crew, this time at a local Mexican restaurant. 

The highlight for me is always my sisters .....

But everyone gets attention.  Mother was the proud recipient of yet another unique Werner-made birdhouse.  It will have to compete with lots of others that she and Daddy had put up over the years.  Not to mention lots of natural places for birds to build homes!

Then off to Florida again and Hunter and Hannah.  What a hoot!  We arrived while they were in school but they came in jumping up and down like they used to do meeting us at the airport.  Love it!!

Here's Hannah cleaning up after a muffin-making spree,



and Hunter trying out Dad's glasses.  You can see he still has a head full of thick curls. And BRACES!

On the weekend we hit Five Guys at Pier Park for hamburgers and checked out the beach.  It's still there, still white, still wonderful. 

Home Again Blog

Introduction

Blogging. This is a blog and I blog. But there are 1. bloggers and there are 2. bloggers. I'm the second sort.

The 1. sort are the ones who do it for a wide audience, either 1) for a living or 2) to

substitute for living or 3) those who do it all

the time and think they can make a living

from it. Needless to say, this is not any of those sorts of blogs.

So, the 2. sort is this sort: a blog that makes me feel like I have to update it regularly and take care of it though I have no idea who reads it or who cares what I write but at the same time if I don't do it it feels like I'm letting someone down, even if it is only me. I've been somewhat irregular lately.

Here is a little catch up, I guess mostly for me so that I know where I am in my life the next time I write.

Atlanta -- All family all the time. Mother came to Gina and Steve's with waffle irons and batter and all of us were so busy eating I didn't get pictures of the food or the cookette. We chatted, took Mother to lunch and then had more food at Julia's. We ate a lot on this trip. A lot. The strange guy is Eli in his Spiderman swim gear. Naturally, he LOVED it!

Lynn Haven -- Getting back to Florida in time for the 4th meant another great fireworks show at the Mallory's - along with more food (A LOT) and time on the Wave Runners and then another great day at Shell Island. There was enough time to sew an outfit for Hannah's doll - I'll have to do more of that! Fun!

Cedar Key -- This is one of our favorite Florida spots - the Island Hotel in Cedar Key. It's only

got better since our last visit in 1993 - the village is more spruced up, there are a few more craft and art studios, the kitchen at the hotel has been upgraded. NO TV. NO PHONE. NO INTERNET ACCESS. The place is quiet - actually quieter since they now have central air instead of window units. We met a really friendly and talkative guy in the bar at the hotel - there on his 10th consecutive vacation. He even met his future wife there! What a recommendation.

Orlando -- Dylan and Hayden just keep growing! Dylan is talking up a storm, they both love the pool in the backyard (who wouldn't!) and I got more projects done - finished the bed covers, curtain and pillows for Dylan's big girl bed. Lee and Crissy had been painting downstairs - looks great - and naturally they offered plenty of food while we were there.

Needless to say, the return trip was fine, except for the service on the plane; it just gets worse and worse. "Is orange juice enough for you?" "Some coffee would be nice." "Oh ok. Black ok?" "Some milk would be nice." Heavy sigh. "Here." NOT Delta this time - Northwest. I guess someone was having a bad day and it wasn't me.

We've done the laundry, cleaned the house, got our sleep cycle corrected and are now waiting for the next round: Amina arrives this afternoon for a week with Oma und Opa!

Sisters in Atlanta

You've seen all the family, ad infinitum. You will see them again, but here is a slightly different take.

We sisters took our husbands to lunch one day at JCT - the Junction. Good and a good bit elevated southern cooking. Visit them if you have a chance, but if you want the organic free-range fried chicken, don't show up late or it will be gone. Y - U - M.

After indulging ourselves on the food, we poked around the little shops there and Julia found some wax lips, just like the ones we loved when we were kids. Not just any wax lips, of course, but the ultimate Angelina Jolie Maxi Maxi Wax Lips. We all tried them on and stopped traffic, both foot and motor! Red and Big, lips will draw attention.

So, I made a collage.

Hey, it's Artist style. Love it?? Of course you do.