How Stupid Do You Have to Be to Pack a Wheel Chair......

 and leave the foot pedals at home??? 

My three children and I left here on Dec. 7th, for a trip out west, to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon and Zion National Park.  They know they have to push me, at least part of the time, in the wheel chair. It seems to me that at least one of us ought to have noticed that the foot pedals were not in place! I now have rock hard thighs from holding my legs up all the time....lol.

We arrived late Friday night in Las vegas, and I hate to have to tell you that it took us almost as long to get our rental car as it did to fly there! The lines, at 11pm, were horrendous. I  think there were at least 150+ people waiting!

On Saturday, we drove onto the Strip and parked ($50 at the Bellagio!!) and walked through their lobby, and the Conservatory, which was decorated for Christmas. If I ever figure out how to get back to posting photos on the blog - you'll be the first to know.  

 We went through the casino, and as I can never deny the call of a slot machine...we stopped...and I promptly lost $20. That was my limit, so we proceeded to walk down the strip and see other hotels and whatever sights presented to us.  It is an interesting place, to say the least.  I was told by a family member that it was somewhat tamer than she had noticed in the past - maybe due to the influence of Christmas and cooler weather.

On Saturday night, we had tickets to see The Eagles at The Sphere. It was a fabulous show and I recommend it wholeheartedly! The facility is magnificent of itself, and when the show starts....you are totally amazed.  Someone who planned it all is a technical wizard!! If you ever have an opportunity to so to the Sphere, don't pass it up! There are no bad seats, that I could see, although I would not want to sit on the floor, as your neck would be craned up and back throughout the show.  Check it out on utube.  

On Sunday morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we headed out to the Grand Canyon. Two of us had seen it before, but I would never turn down the opportunity to see it again! We got there about 5 minutes after sundown. So we decided to cancel our hotel at the next stop, and stay in Grand Canyon Village, so we could get up early and see the canyon at sunrise! We  recommend it, and I really wish I could show you my pics.  Luckily, we found a hotel with a room available, and free breakfast to boot! We ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant (I can't remember the name, but it was really good!)  The next morning when we set out to see the canyon, it was 21*, and windy. Soooooo cold! We saw it from several different vantage points, and then we left for our next stop....Page, AZ....where Antelope Canyon is, on Navajo lands. 

Antelope Canyon is a "slot canyon"....google it to see pics.....and very narrow in some places. The floor of it is sandy, and that sand is the consistency of baking powder....very fine. I am a bit wobbly and lose my balance easily, and it is especially true on such surfaces as that.  I had a cane, but it didn't help me at the time. 

The Indian Guide....named Arlee....was excellent, but she kept "herding" us. We were through the canyon, and I wanted to get a picture of the end of the trail (so to speak). She beckoned me to come closer to her, and when I did, I lost my footing and fell onto my left side (yet again), breaking my new glasses and losing my left hearing aid (although I didn't realize it at the time). I was bleeding like the proverbial stuck pig, and that was topmost on my mind.  My son lifted me to my feet, and they could see that I had not lost consciousness. Even though I hit my head on a rock, it apparently didn't affect my brain; not too much, at least.  The kids took me to an Urgent Care, where a P.A. named Joel stitched me up and bandaged me.  Joel gets a gold star, as it looks as though I will not have a scar!

We made it to our next hotel, a Spring Hill Suites in Springdale, UT, just outside of Zion National Park. It was a lovely place, surrounded by steep rocks, and reminiscent of  our time in the Canadian Rockies, back in May. They had a great breakfast, too. We set out early enough to catch the sunrise in Zion, and it was a great idea, as the sights were beautiful as the sun came up.  

After driving through Zion for a bit, we started the drive back to Las Vegas, to catch our plane back home.  It was a wonderful trip, full of interesting things to see, and lots of people watching (which I love), but the best thing for me was being with my three children all at once for an expended period. I see them individually fairly often, but only on holidays are we all together.....so this was a very special treat for me.  But, thanks to my being wobbly, there was never a dull moment! I know how lucky I am, and believe, me, I am most grateful!!

No News

 There is no news to report.I have not been able to figure out how to add photos again. When I try, it says I must sign in to my Google account, and when I click on that link, there is no sign-in area. So, I am stumped.  

Our Granddaughter's Wedding

 was really special and all of us enjoyed the festivities!  Starting with the rehearsal dinner at Gravy, a local Italian place. They have a large room on the second floor where you can have parties, and it was perfect for the rehearsal dinner. My BIL came in from Cleveland, and Jim's cousin Robin came from NYC. All my children and grandchildren were there, and I was very pleased to be with them.  

The wedding was nearly perfect. The only problem was excessive heat, something we have been dealing with for months. At least there was not a monsoon - that was the day before.  The ceremony was outside on the terrace at The Grove, in downtown Raleigh. Locals can find it to the right of Big Ed's, a breakfast/lunch restaurant, just behind what used to be the former Greenshield's, at City Market. It is perfect for smaller weddings. Ours had about 75 people, and it was not too crowded.  I have to say the food was outstanding! The Owner/Chef outdid himself, and the service was excellent, too.  The DJ was great, the string quartet was excellent, The cake was one of the best I have ever had!  It came from Publix, and some of you may already know how good their cakes are. It was pretty, too.  Once I can show you photos, you will see how good the flowers are!  My long-time friend, Pam Hartigan, (Flowers by Design) did them, and we got many compliments throughout the night. I did the bouts and corsages, per the bride's request. I only wish I could have been more involved....

The ceremony went well; I was tapped as the "flower grandma", as we have no small girls in the family (at present) who could do it.  The tiny ring bearer (nephew of the groom) was adorable, and did just as he was taught, running down the aisle to give the ring to "Unka Matt". The officiant came from Durham, and I am sorry that I did not catch her name, as the ceremony was lovely!  

After the recessional, the guests went inside, seeking relief from the heat and a cocktail or two.  Families stayed outside to have photos taken. The photographer did a great job, if the "sneak peek" was any indication....and none of us can wait to see the rest of the photos.  

After the excellent dinner, dancing proceeded and a good time was had by all. I stayed in my seat (the best place to be, as my balance is not the best these days.) For me, the best parts of a wedding consist of seeing family and good friends who you may not get to see often. We had a few of those present,  and it was so nice to sit and chat. We also met all of Matt's family and they are very nice people. Of course they are - they raised him - and he is one of the nicest young men who I've had the pleasure to know.  I welcomed him into the family, but truth be told, he has been considered a member of our family since we first met him. Jim thought the world of him, too, and it is such a shame he did not live long enough to see Jessica and Matt joined in matrimony, or her brother James, who married last October to a lovely woman named Caitlin. We all love her too!

It seems that I am being prohibited from uploading photos to my blog. I'm not sure why, but I will investigate. It says I need to sign in to my google account before I can access photos, but when I try to....it sends me to a different page. YIKES!

Anyway, I thought you should know. If I ever get to the bottom of it, I'll post pics.

The Latest Trip....

 Those of you who are my friends on Facebook have already heard a lot about my latest trip; to Canada and western USA. I will try to tell you all about it, without boring those who have seen the pics already.  My daughter and I left Raleigh on  sunny, very warm day, and flew to Minneapolis (where it was monsooning, and the rain was sideways.) After a short layover, we boarded a plane for Calgary, Alberta, where we landed about 11 pm. It was rainy there too, but only slightly.  

After spending the night in a really nice Residence Inn, we drove to Banff, a distance of about 127.6 kilometers or nearly 80 miles. The scenery is spectacular (as long as it is not rainy and cloudy, as it was for us.) The Canadian Rockies get notably higher the further north or east you go from Calgary, at least, that is what we saw.   The landscape is beautiful, no matter where you look, and waterfalls and streams are plentiful and well marked for tourists. We saw 3 black bears on this part of the journey, and when I say 'black', you must understand that it is the blackest anything you've ever seen, especially in the sun!

One thing I must say about Canada is that there are absolutely NO potholes in their roads and no litter on the roadsides.  Oh how I wish that were true in the USA.  The people were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed every aspect of the trip.  

Banff is quaint and has good shops and places to eat, plus places to rent boats, canoes and kayaks. You can do rapids or slow floats down the rivers or lakes. The famed Hotel Fairmont in Banff has to be seen to be believed...and we had a lovely luncheon there.  They have a number of gift shops ranging from moderately priced goods to items in the range of thousands (jewelry and furs), but it is fun to window shop and dream!

After seeing all the sights in Banff, we drove to Jasper, and bit northwest from Banff and just as quaint. The scenery there is gorgeous too, and on the way, you can visit the famous Lake Louise (of aqua waters) , and another Fairmont Hotel, which is not as large as that in Banff, but good to see. The temperatures in these areas ranged fro 33* to mid-sixties while we were there, but it did snow a bit at Lake Louise. There was a bride there, having photos made in her strapless gown, and I feared for her body temp, but apparently, it didn't bother her greatly, as she was there for over an hour and appeared to be none the worse for it.  Warmed by love, no doubt.

To be continued....after my granddaughter's wedding in a few weeks!

Happy Mothers Day to All!

 My three children took me out for Mothers Day yesterday, as that fit all our schedules better than today. We went to Kanki Japanese Steak House, a long-time favorite of mine.  It has been quite a few years since we went there, and many things have changed. Notably, the menu offerings and their usual service, including soup,salad, appetizers, entree(s) and dessert, which was usually sherbet. They no longer include dessert, the ginger dressing for the salad has changed a bit, the soup has fewer veggies in it, and yet, it was a good meal and an interesting experience. 

The chef cooks on a large flat grill right by your seats, and sometimes they put on a show; knocking the salt and pepper shakers together in rhythm, laying out the veggies in a heart pattern, etc. We used to see a guy who could flip a hard-boiled egg off the grill and catch it in the top of his toque (chef's hat). But our guy yesterday didn't do that. He did, however, delight the children at the table with fire:

The children belonged to another family, not ours.  We went on to enjoy our onions, zucchini, mushrooms, rice, shrimp, steak and salmon.  Way too much food (salty food) for one person to consume in one sitting  -  but who's telling the doc? No one.  

When we left, I asked if we could get a photo. I was prepared to take one of the three of them, but hoping some nice person would come along and offer to get all four of us in the pic.  Lo and behold, he appeared....and we lined up.  

Of course, my baby said if I posted it, she'd tear me limb from limb, or some such threat, but I am not thoroughly dissuaded she would carry it out....so....I blocked her face so you can see the others....LOL 

I hope all of you had a great Mothers Day, and if your mother is not with you any longer, think of all the good memories you have of her, and give thanks for the time you had together. 

My New Garden

 The last post was about the tear out and replanting of my  front garden. This is an update.

The tree is growing and leafing out:   

The rose bush I was worried about losing has resurrected itself and sent up shoots to announce its impending arrival:   

The peony  shoot has turned into 5-6 different shoots and now, I will have to move one of the camellias out of the way, to make room for them:

Liriope lines the walkway on both sides.....much better than the scratchy low-growing evergreen that was there before! 

Spring always gets me thinking about planting and transplanting. I bought a beautiful red begonia (half-price at Lowe's)...

I'm not sure why it was on the sale table; it looks great as it is. 

and my croton, which is at least 14 years old and has never been put into a larger pot. Also, the croton has been inside the house all that time;never getting enough sun, and it has lost all its bright color because of it.  I am hoping that after being outside for a while, it will start to gain color again.  Here is what it should resemble: 

My latest house guest, Jim's cousin Robin, gave me a basket of beautiful blue hydrangeas. I have decided to put two of them in pots by the front entry, and one will go in the back garden, near the sun-room door.  Here are the pots I bought for them, at Home Goods. I decided on pots because if they get too much sun in the front, they can be moved to a shadier location easily. 

Robin, I hope you approve! Here is a pic of the hydrangeas in the basket:

I think they will look great in the white pots!

I didn't mention, in the earlier post, that the back garden area, though very small, has been partially redone as well. The gardener put in day lilies, and you can see that they are already setting buds (after just one month in place):

The next plants are something I'd never heard of before....loropetalum, alias Chinese fringe flower: 

Here''s what Mr. Google has to say about them:

My red climbing rose, the one that usually puts on a gorgeous show every spring, but not this year since it was severely pruned, has spun off a baby!  Apparently, it like being pruned.  Who knew?  

I cannot wait until they bloom next year!

Lastly, my wind chime, that was given to me my our Best Man, Matron of Honor and their daughter, right after Jim died.....continues to remind me of Jim and all of them. It hangs in the crape myrtle outside my bedroom window.  It's quiet today.....but when it rocks back and forth and chimes riotously, I know who's ringing my bell!

There were some big changes here today....

 My front "garden", and I use the term loosely, was torn out today, to make room for a new tree and some plants of my choosing.  Here are some before photos: 

Can you spot the nearly dead trees;  a rosemary plant, a rose bush, and some others I cannot name?  Here's another view, where the damage to the trees shows up better. 

You can't see these in the large photo, but this is the first time in the nearly nine years I've lived here that they have bloomed:

It's too bad we could not save the bulbs.  Believe it or not, there is/was a peony plant there too.  

This pink tree (I don't know the name of it) is half-dead, and it is blooming better than it ever has. Seems odd....as if it knew its days were numbered!

 

And here is the area now:

The crew is coming back tomorrow; they will plant a Japanese maple and I'm not sure what else....

but I will post how it looks later on.

Any suggestions for what to plant?

Despite being a widow, I am Blessed in this neighborhood....

 When we moved here in 2015, I will admit to being a bit unsure of how I would fit in, since many of my neighbors had been here for years. For any of you who are considering moving to an age 55+ neighborhood.....I say DO IT! We joined a few clubs in the beginning, and then Jim ((too) soon was unable to participate in much. So my participation was also limited.  I did and still do play Scrabble at our clubhouse almost every week; a game I have always loved. It allowed me to make a few good friends and the rest of them are friendly also.  I see a movie almost every Saturday, on a big screen, with captions (a must for my ears and eyes). And one a month I get to see a documentary or foreign movie (also with subtitles). These are owned by residents,who nicely share them with the whole neighborhood. 

Classes are offered by local professors, at a nominal fee. In January, I saw two lectures about the Foibles of the English family and one on the history of American art, which will be followed by 3 more classes in the coming months.  Last week, I went with the Singles club to the Cary Theater to see a Danish movie, titled "Fallen Leaves," and then we all went to a local restaurant for an early dinner. Add to this lunches with friends, haircuts, massages, mani-pedis and doctors appointments.....you can see my life is full!

I failed to mention my physical therapy twice a week, and meals or trivia nights with family. 

There are over 100 clubs that residents can join; such as clubs for those who came from areas of New York, or the midwest, those who play bridge, chess, canasta, hand and foot, Mah Jong, Scrabble (as I mentioned), Singles, religious or political groups, "Care" groups, whose purpose is to help others.  I will admit that there are some cliques, which apparently formed with the earliest residents, and they are hard to penetrate (I'm told, but I have not tried). There are groups for Italians and for African Americans.....and the best part is, you don't have to be from Italy or have come from African ancestry to join any of them.  In fact, they all invite cross-participation. You can join cooking classes, estate planning, exercise classes, dance classes....nearly anything you can think of. I had not played bridge since 1971, and I am now taking classes to relearn it. Unfortunately, the bridge club plays at the same time as the Scrabble club, so I will have to deal with that at some point.

We have two pools, a hot tub, tennis courts, pickleball courts, Bocce courts, a first-class gym, pool tables, dance studios, pottery and art galore!

You can opt to stay in your home and be alone - if that is what you want - and no one will bother you. But if you need a social life, to keep educating yourself, to keep yourself fit.....Here is where you need to be.  

And when you are widowed, and you need something done or a light bulb replaced, you can have someone do that for you; you only have to ask. 

Plus, there is no yard work or gardening necessary, unless you want to do it.

I thought my old neighborhood was perfect (and it was), but I am growing used to the idea that I am well-placed in my latter years. I am beyond grateful to be here!

A Pause in the Biltmore tales, to tell you about movies.....

I have seen three movies this weekend. Listing them in my order of choice:

#1, is The Holdovers, which has been in theaters, and is now streaming on Peacock. The story is about an aging teacher at a boys boarding school in Massachusetts. The "holdovers" refers to the boys who cannot go home for Christmas (for one reason or another) and the teacher who has to stay with them at the school. Paul Giamatti is the teacher, and since he is always a terrific actor, he does the part justice. Others prominent in the movie are Da'vine Joy Randolph, whom I have not seen in another role, but she is wonderful in this one. she plays the school cook. The boy we see on screen more than any other is Dominic Sessa. 

 I don't want to tell you more about the story because I am hoping that you will

search out a way to see it on your own. Believe me, it is worth the time. 

# 2:  A documentary about Bill Cunningham, who was a NY Times photographer for over 30 years, taking photos of people in the streets, showing the fashions of the day and new trends.  He was a fascinating character, and he knew everyone in the fashion industry, as well as all the prominent photographers of the day. You can find the link to this documentary up above when you click on his name. This one is also worth your time. He was a kind man, who lived very frugally (which is hard in NYC), sought to hurt no one, and he had a spark about him that seemingly fired up everyone he met.

#3:  Eat, Pray, Love, which was filmed in 2010, so it's an oldie. I had read the book

by Elizabeth Gilbert, but somehow the movie had eluded me until it was playing this weekend at our neighborhood clubhouse. I was happy that I went to see it on Saturday. Some of the scenery is so lovely, especially in Italy and Bali.  

I don't usually see so many movies in a short time, but I recommend all three of these, if you have the time and interest.

One reason I have not posted much lately is that my fingernails have gotten so long that it is hard to type without errors; indeed, I spent most of the time doing this post by correcting errors and it is infuriating!  Abut 6 months ago, my daughter recommended that I get "dip" nails, as they help with brittle, easily broken nails. I love the dip nails, but now, they are growing so well and so rapidly that I need to trim them very 2-3 weeks. I cannot afford to go to the salon that often, so they get too long very quickly.  

Biltmore, Part 2

Leaving the dining room, we meandered toward the library....seeing some random decor along the way; a lovely floral arrangement below two important Impressionist paintings, by Monet, I believe.

Below are two trees at one entry into the Solarium 

Next is the hall of tapestries. I'm sorry I didn't get a closeup, but there were too many people. 

Now, I can't seem to make them larger.....what's next?  

This is a portrait by John Singer Sargeant, but I don't remember who the lady is. 

This large tree stood in the hall of tapestries.

Our Trip to Biltmore....

On Wednesday, my daughter, granddaughter and her fiance piled into a car and drove to Asheville, to see Biltmore in all its Christmas finery. Biltmore is a treat to see at any time of the year, but they go all out at Christmas! The guides told us there are 67 decorated Christmas trees in the house. And the cluster of trees on the grounds in front of the house have 50,000 kights on them. It is definitely brilliant! We had reservations for a 9 pm candlelight tour. We parked in the lot and got on a shuttle bus to take us to the house. Can you believe the driveway is a mile long? In Vanderbuilts' days, it was gravel, but now it is paved, so it takes considerably less than the one hour it took them in the late 1890's, to do it in a horse and buggy. The shuttle let us out right in front of the security entrance (which did not stand there when it was built, nor did the large public bathrooms or the shops. Here are the entry gates (from inside).

Here is the cluster of trees out front. It is a bit blurry, as the shuttle was moving.

Here is one of the turrets on the house. My daughter took this pic, catching the moon above. The house is truly a magnificent sight, whether in daylight or nighttime.

Here is the entry way to the house, all decked out with trees, garlands and lights galore.

The first stop is the solarium, which has many plants and that night, a choir was singing carols. Some were dressed in costumes from the early days of the house.

Next was the billiards room, complete with two tables and a viewing post, elevated so the people could see the play and tell if anyone was cheating.

The first view of the impressive dining room:

There are three fireplaces on the end - keeping guests as toasty as possible in the huge room. The second view of the dining room:

It is impossible for me to convey in a photo just how large this room is. That table holds 26 people, if I counted correctly, and it is beautifully set. The magnificent centerpiece! I wonder how many times they have to redo it during the holiday season?

Of course, it probably is never really warm in that room, so perhaps they only have to do it once a week. I think that is all for today. Come back soon to see the rest of my photos.

How are things with you?

Nothing much going on around here - that's why I have been quiet. But I got a big surprise today. Last week, I had tried to close out Jim's checking account. The teller told me she couldn't close it because we still had a safety deposit box at the bank branch near where we used to live. Because it was one of the first accounts at that bank, they had not charged us for the use of it, but she assured me that if I closed the account without closing the deposit box account - they would begin to charge me for its use. I was sure that I had cleaned out the box and they had closed it about 10 years ago, when we moved to Cary. But at that time, I could only find one of the keys to the box. So the woman told me to bring back the key if I ever found it. A while back, in one of my cleaning out sprees, I found the extra key. I put it aside, intending to return it ASAP, but since don't drive that far any longer, it stayed put. So, my daughter and I went up there today and explained what we hoped to accomplish. We decided to open the box (whch I was certain was empty) and guess what??? We found our wills and my adoption papers. I was so surprised that you truly could have knocked me over with the proverbial feather. In short order, we emptied the box and signed a few papers and they said the account was closed for good. I sure hope so. We have one more chore to accomplish and then all of Jim's financial dealings will be taken care of. I am sure glad I found that key! Are you ready for Christmas? My small tree is decorated, thanks to my granddaughter Jessica. But the lights for another one have all gone bad. I think I will just decorate it without lights this year. I stll have to do the garland and ribbon on my mailbox. Many of my neighbors have decorated more than ever before this year. Due to, perhaps, the pandemic, the political climate and the war in the Middle East, we all need cheering up and something to look forward to. I hope that all of you will have a very Merry Christmas and a much happier New Year in 2024. (I never thought I'd live long enough to see 2024, but I sure am glad I did!

A Really Big Surprise…..

This morning, I got a text from a dear old friend, asking for my address. I thought she just wanted to send me a birthday card so I gave it to her. Much to my surprise, abut 30 minutes later, she and her husband showed up at my door. I tell you that if God himself rang my doorbell, I would not have been more surprised, nor any happier. You see, my friend has bad some major health concerns as of late and I had not been able to see or talk to her for a month or more. I had been so worried and this really had put my mind at ease. Topping her visit off, she came carrying a big bucket of gorgeous flowers for my birthday. I was so pleased and happy. She knows what I love (and she does too). We visited for about an hour, and then I had to leave to go play my favorite game - Scrabble. When I got back home, I spent the next 2 hours making flower arrangements. Thanks to my dear, dear friend, I had another great day. When I went to Scrabble, I took my leftover cupcakes from last night with me, and at break, we all shared 1/4 of a huge cupcake. All my Scrabble mates were happy to have them, and they sang Happy birthday to me. It was the 3rd time I had heard it in 2 days! It's always welcome no matter my age. I can truly say that this year has been one of my best ever birthdays, and I thank all of you who made it special for me. I love you all.

Our Family Wedding Weekend...

Our firstborn grandson, James Crowell, married the love of his life, Caitlin Vereen, on 10-21-23 (my grandmother's birthday).  We traveled to Charleston, SC, on Thursday, to prepare for the festivities.  

Jamie (he prefers James, but he allows me, and his aunt to call him Jamie) introduced us to Caitlin about 10 years ago. We all loved her little giggles, which pepper her speech often, and we loved her almost from the time she crossed our threshold.  As the Best Man said, we can't think of a better wife for James. 

Jim (Jamie's Papa) wanted mightily to be able to attend the wedding, but it was not to be.  However, I am certain his spirit was there, as were his photos and in mentions by the Best Man, James' brother Jordan.  The rest of the family was well represented, except for Jim's brother, who was not able to attend due to family illness.  

The weather was iffy on Friday; storms were forecast, but it only sprinkled during the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  We were lucky!  The rehearsal dinner took place at a venue called Sweetgrass Pavillion. It is in a public park under the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, and it turned out to be nearly the perfect place for the dinner, cooked by an Iron Chef:  brisket, pulled pork, potato salad, Mac & cheese, collard greens, banana pudding, iced tea, beer and wine.  All of it was delicious, and many people went back for seconds.  I enjoyed meeting the brides' parents and her sister, as well as some in the wedding party, and being with all my children and grandchildren.  I am never happier than when I am with all of them.  

On Saturday, the weather was nearly perfect, although I might have preferred it a bit warmer.  We dressed early, as were were required for photos at 2:30 pm.  The wedding venue - Alhambra Hall was lovely and the grounds were perfect for an outdoor wedding:

The roses were dropped into the ground (in vials, I assume)....

Do you love these live oak trees as much as I do?  What a great backdrop for a wedding! 

                     The newlywed couple signs their marriage license.

                         James and his precious sister Jessica, before the ceremony. 

                    My beautiful daughter, Shannon, Mother of the Groom.

                                                        The interior of the Alhambra

The place cards were oyster shells, each inscribed with the names of attendees. I kept mine!  The centerpieces were strings of oyster shells on table scarves (like the ones from the rehearsal dinner).  

                                      Shannon and James......

                                      Cutting the cake!  Yummy!

I have a few more pics, but I think this is enough for this post.  The dance floor was hopping all evening, and I had great fun watching all my grandchildren show off their dancing skills. They are pretty good, especially the girls.  I danced a few with them, but my style is strictly 1950's and far removed.from the music we hear today. 

I'm looking forward to see the professional pics and those of the rest of the family!

Remainders.....

 Photos taken on the way home from NYC:

 

              Taken inside the terminal at  La Guardia airport....New York City

                    Shortly after take off...showing the density of New York

         Approaching Raleigh Durham......intense sunset......over Jordan Lake

  The people we met up with in Pennsylvania....we didn't get photos then, but this                       one was taken in the early 90's. Joe, Fern, Judy and Jim

The Rest of the Trip

 I last mentioned Venchis Ice Cream, and here I am sitting outside, waiting for my order.....

I had told the kids to get some pistachio sorbet, if they had it, but no one remembered to order mine. So my older daughter gave me her tiramisu, which was very good.  The next thing we saw was the William Tecumseh Sherman monument. the Civil War General.......

We turned another direction, so we didn't walk close to it.  After that, we went back to our hotel. Mind you, I was being pushed in a wheelchair/transport chair the whole time and it felt as if I were in a group of bumper cars at a carnival. The streets and sidewalks are so bumpy, and there are so many people to steer around.  Yikes!

The next day, we passed the Flatiron Building, which is covered in scaffolding at present.....

A short time later, we saw a commotion on a street nearby. It was strikers from Sag-Aftra, marching in the street in front of the group offices.....

We watched for a while, hoping to see a famous actor - but no such luck. They were all in hiding that day.  

Later, we passed by the One World Trade Center, which we had toured a few years back. We also saw the Occulus.....

Here it is from the inside....

I hope that woman didn't mind being in the pic, but since she had a mask on, I suppose it is okay.  Here, I am looking from the 3rd floor down to the bottom floor, where they had placed some very odd looking benches for people to sit.  

That evening, we went to a Spanish restaurant, called ...

Among other things, they serve Tapas....Only one or two of us knew what to order, so we left it to the experts...I liked all but one thing and I don't remember what that was.  Of course, I had to have a Margarita..... It was delicious!  

Almost as soon as we left Boqueria, we saw another commotion in the streets (can you ever go to NYC and not see some kind of commotion???) There was a police car, an ambulance and a whole squadron of EMS people milling about. A crowd had formed, holding up their phones, and I thought they were watching the EMS crew. But as soon as we passed the police car, I saw what had them enthralled.....

It was the Super Blue Moon - shining between buildings. I was so happy that we saw it and that I was able to get a photo.  I posted this on Facebook, so some of you have already seen it.

The next day, we were flying back to Raleigh, so we cooled it that morning, eating breakfast at the hotel and for lunch, we walked down a few buildings to Burgerology, where we all had burgers and fries.  It was so thick I could hardly get it in my mouth!

I had opted for sauteed mushrooms as a topping; they were good, but didn't sit well on my stomach for some reason.   Then we got a cab to go to the airport (La Guardia). I will tell you about that in my next post.