A Florida World: May 2009

Sunscreen should be optional

"Dermal nodule composed of nests of atypical basaloid keratinocytes surrounded by a myxoid stroma. Peripheral palasading individual nacrotic keratinocytes and notable mitotic figures are present."

OK OK OK...I get it...I'm supposed to wear sunscreen...I get it....next week I get to take a little trip to Mr. Plastic Surgeon and have the above mentioned little "dermal nodule" dug out from under my eye...I'm just thinking maybe while I am there he can whip out the botox......

Sushi Bus is out

Ok...this is a Sushi Bus...I named it....but when we got to Tony's Sushi....they were closed...ahhhhhhhhhh, how could they? Ha, ha...not to worry ...this is a Sushi Bus...so it promptly took us to another Sushi Restaurant. It was only AFTER we arrived that I found out my fellow sushi bus riders were NOT having Sushi...they were having things like shrimp and steak and chicken...they are not real Sushi lovers...but I still love them so it was ok...mine was outstanding!

Heaven's doors are open!

Heaven welcomes another Saint....my sweet friend "Kahroll's" Mama went to see Jesus just last nite....the battle is over...victory is hers....she's dancing on the streets of gold this very moment...yesterday she couldn't see or hear well and didn't do much walking either...today she is free! Hooray for her....remember Carol, Tim, Anna, Kate and James in your prayers...they will miss her!

Miracle & Paint Day

Today is a two-fold day...yep...today is miracle AND paint day.

First, my buddy Cyndi's "one-eyed" kitty "winky" came home....after being gone for ...TWO YEARS....that's the miracle. First you need to know the background story of one-eyed kitty. My buddy lives on a farm with, I think, 3 horses, 3 outside dogs, and 1 inside dog. They use to have more horses, a rabbit, more cats and sometimes birds that they keep....Mr. Cyndi (also known as Mr. NASCAR) does not really like pets...he doesn't really even like the country...but they have a great estate (in NC and it's for sale too!) and he's a good sport! My buddy Cyndi likes to..how shall we say it???hmmm...

rescue & collect things...one eyed kitty was literally scraped from the pavement of the highway after she saw him runover...she promptly took him to the vet and said, "fix him"....he did....Mr. Cyndi got the bill....it wasn't pretty.....then one eyed kitty fell in love with the Hosey family and lived there...for awhile...then disappeared....since they live waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out...everyone assumed...well, don't say it outloud...just whisper the word coyote......but...today....Winky came home...he's a "Hosey-cat" again....luckeeeey!

Welcome home Winky!

Next, it is paint day...and it's the last paint class of the Summer...we had 4...I missed 2...but here is today's masterpiece....It's a barn, at sunset, with a white picket fence....look at those windows (ahhhh) I was sitting there painting, secretly hating the whole process since everytime the Instructor would ask, "do you see it?" I knew I saw nothing...but kept painting away inspite of my inner turmoil. When she asked if we needed any help...knowing I was beyond help I kept quiet...but Gator Valerie said she thought she might just go home now....she was having as much fun as me.....

Our Instructor tried to encourage us with these words she gave us in the form of a handout. It read:

Do not compare yourself to others...painting is fun!

Ok...I think all real Artists say that..it's because it is easy and fun for them...I think it would be fun if there weren't so many rules ...but rules MAKES paintings look right...it's like snow skiing...you can't just wing it!

So we press on....living outside the comfortable box!!

tryin not to be jealous

OK...it rained again today...but not until 10 minutes after I finished handwashing the beemer...yep, wheels and all...I thought it was a pretty day...a slow Sunday afternoon...get the car washed....then head out for a leisurely, top-down drive in sunny Florida...it was not to be.

I have tentative plans to go to the beach tomorrow with very fun friends....will the sun shine or will it rain?..or will it do both? That is the question....all the while....our much missed Pastor and his wife are posting these pics ...they've obviously left town....and all of us in our raingear and, I think, rubbing it in :)

My daughter is also reporting in from Destin...saying today was the best day ever...great sun, great seafood....wonderful time.....my "unfair meter" in blinking wildly...I think I will watch ANOTHER movie....I've been reduced to watching cartoons....instead of the drive I had planned, I made Whitney watch BOLT with me...she made plans and left....why?

Tomorrow Scarlet, will be a better day....I just know it!!!

Suns out

Finally....after 5 full days of solid...and I truly mean solid rain...the sun is out...that means "poolside day" for me. Marc is on the golfcourse, (a fundraiser for Whit's School...he's playing with some of her classmates....below is Teddy and Skinner)

Adrianne is in Destin,

Whit is with Kelly "sleeping in"....so "I am free" to stay alllllllllllllllllllllll day if I choose...hurrah!

...because later tonite is one of the last graduation parties we will be attending. Mr. Kuykendall is finished and is AUBURN bound...War Eagle!!!

Last nite was FUN...there was dinner out...yeah "Bonefish" (my love), and garage band jammin!

My buddy "buff-Cyndi" is sending in pics of her NASCAR man

and celebratory birthday time from Charlotte....

Adah is texting me that at 11:50 PM

she and her Auburn friends are going out dancing ('scuse me but isn't that bedtime?)...I think the world was out last nite....doing what I like best...being with others!

Happy Saturday...sun's out...I'm not mad anymore!

Memorial Day...a day to remember

It's Memorial Day Weekend...the first thing that comes to mind is hot-dogs, bar-b-q's, picnics, day at the beach or time on the water....ouch....I was reminded by something I heard on the radio....we've made Memorial Day all the above...but what it is supp0sed to be is a day set aside to remember our fallen soldiers...those brave men and women who gave their lives so we could be free...so Barrack Hussein

could have the right to free speech, allowing him to bash publicly and often everything great about our country...so he can continue to complain about how terrible the grand USA is....I am free too to say, "I would like for him to pack his bags and go where he could be happier....maybe India". We would be happier if he took his complaining elsewhere. We the people are proud to be Americans and proud of America!!

This Memorial Day I am going to remember and be glad....that I am free !! My freedom came at a great price. Soldiers.... I salute you... thank you!!

Charles Allen Moseby

Keith Snider

Collin George (serving right now in Iraq)

Matthew Council (active now)

Randy Vincent

Gary J. Donnelly

Lilburn Ramsey

Joseph S. Algranti

James B. McKinney

Christian L. Fuchs

Ralph P. Fuchs

May's verse

Here's May's verse...it's getting more difficult to keep the verses straight...I find that I am able to memorize the words...it's keeping chapter and verse straight that my brain can't seem to grasp....no age jokes here ok!

Jeremiah 32:17

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."

Nothing!...so I have a request list! Show me your favor Lord.

A rainy day in the life....

Ok....today, if I close my eyes while I am outside and I just take in the elements.....I believe I am in Ashevegas...but I am quickly reminded that I am not by a text from an Ash-vegan that says the temp there is in the 50's....ok....so why is it so incredibly cold and rainy HERE? I actually put a jacket on with my shorts.....I hate rain and cold. I am a hater. My little dog Ollie is a hater too.

He hasn't been outside in hours (refuses to go out alone)...so I prompted him to go out with me....he ran out all excited, took 10 steps, stopped dead in his tracks as if to say, "what the heck is all that rain, wind AND cold?"...he did a 180 and bolted back inside....he will continue to just "hold it". Poor little guy...been in Sunny Fla for only 1 year and he's a cold weather hater too!

On another note. We at the Miller-abode had a little green visitor last nite. It was as if he knew Adah was back in town.....she named him within seconds of seeing him on the door (Croakie). She reminded me that if she was still 8 she would have had him in a box and inside by now. I'm glad she is not 8....for many reasons.

Also, just want to let the world know we have discovered a new drug....yep, frosted animal crackers....once the bag is opened....well, they disappear into the mouth of whoever opens the bag....maybe it is because it has the word "crack" in the label...that makes them addicting. I'm just putting out the warning...we are a healthy family....but we MUST eat these. Buyer beware is all I'm saying!

Finally, had to go to the dermatologist today...a little "something-something" growing under my left eye....had to be removed to be biopsied (I can't even spell it)...now I have to wear a band-aid....for 2 WEEKS...right...that will work....ahhhhh why is everyone trying to spoil my time in the sunshine? Sunshine haters! :)

Home time

Shoooweee...I've been gone a long time....and I've been home since Wednesday and I still haven't recovered.

I traveled to Auburn to gather my Tiger-Nole and Alllllllllllllllllll her "stuff", bringing her home to FL permanently AFTER we cleaned the dorm. Oh my goodness sakes....I won't even go into it...I can't bare to even re-think it in my mind...so I'll drop it. We made it home late Friday nite...

We got up on Saturday to head to Tamper to celebrate Mother's Day AND Marc's "real" birthday...we decided to go to the Tamper Mall (yes, on a Saturday) to do some M-day shopping for me (ahhhh I hate that)...we left w/o anything..too much pressure to love something...shopping takes T-I-M-E....so we headed over to the Bungalow to visit the Aunties....they had already decided to allow us to just take my Mom out to be celebrated...that was sweet. I brought them all coursages to wear to church since none of their children were there. They were thrilled.

Aunt Eileen and her painted
bark-elephant

Aunt Vee, Aunt Evie & my Mamasita

We decided on "Macaroni Grill" for dinner...super YUM! We told the waitress about Marc's b-day so he could be seranaded AND get cake....when then Italian Suprano Opera Singer came over to sing HB to Marc....my Mother sang along...Grandma in English...she in Italian......it was sweet.

The Macaroni Grillers and Seranador Extraordinaire!

Next day...Mother's Day at Church then off to Charleston.....4 days in the would-be sun with 8 of my gal-pals...no children...no husbands....no cooking..unless you do it all yourself and you want to .....I forget how much it rains in SC...especially in May...we still had fun...plenty to eat and drink...now I'm home again and glad of it!

Cyndi & Kat Party Bus

Carol's birthday cake

I like driving because you see lots of interesting things along the way (I make lots of bathroom breaks because I drink LOTS of vita-water and perrier.....this was my favorite...goes well with the Texaco counter grunge)....

Oh...and almost forgot...as I was going over...hmmmm, what bridge????...ahh can't remember..BUT..in the middle of the road was some road kill....a 5 foot long ALIGATOR....IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.....I wanted to stop right there and take a pitcha....but I couldn't. I was so mad...too much traffic...my Pastor and Gator Valerie and Gator Scott would've been getting out their knives and dressing it...for Gator Gumbo...not to be confused with Chili (haha).