Still the One

Driving to Cincinnati yesterday to spend some time in antique stores with the Pirate Husband, an old '70's song came to mind:

  Still the One

How much he is a part of me and how much I miss him when he is absent from me, I cannot express adequately.  

"Nelly, I am Heathcliff - he's always, always in my mind -not as a pleasure any more than I am always a pleasure to myself - but as my own being."  

Emily Bronte', Wuthering Heights

"The LORD watch between you and me while we are absent one from another."
Genesis 32:49

Truly, Madly, Deeply - A Plethora of Feelings

It's Been A While

 

It's Been A While

What can you do when you have reached your limit?  Then you go one more week and you know you have really reached your limit?  Not gonna dissolve into a puddle of tears.....pull yourself up and remember who you are.

Long, Cool Woman

Time Keeps on Ticking and Waits for No Man (or Woman)

Eh, well, the house is up for sale and we shall see what happens.  Things to consider: How will I live life if it sells?  How will I live life if it does not sell?  These kind of major life questions aren't part of every day thoughts, when just the typical daily living and its urgent demands rule most waking hours.  I need time to think.  There's just so much static right now.  

While I am living through the joys of selling a house, the Pirate Husband prepares Sixteen Tons for another journey.  He leaves Monday for ...well, to begin his trip to the Bahamas.  Great Loop - check!  Possibly the Panama Canal next year; but this year he will head east across Lake Erie, again through the Erie Canal, out through the Hudson River, down the Inter-coastal Atlantic Waterways, and off he goes.  Because a pirate's got to do what a pirate's got to do, and time and pirates wait for no man or woman. 

Tomorrow he will be home to collect clean laundry and to make sure the gift he bought me arrives safely...forecast says more snow than last year:

 

Happy and Blessed

Sometimes you have one of those really great weekends and it is always such a blessing after a week you'd rather not repeat.

Friday evening after work I kicked off my shoes, showered, and hit the hay.  Saturday I got up at 4:30 to be ready for "Whistler's Day", the educational and fun event for kids interested in hunting, held in northern Kentucky.  It was wonderful!

This is in conjunction with the National Quail Association and our chapter is called Quail Forever.  We used to be part of the National Wild Turkey Federation but for various reasons the menfolk in our chapter decided to change to quail.  I don't hunt, so I don't mind.

My sister's husband is the treasurer of this gang and he takes all of his duties seriously.  He makes me crazy but he is a good man.  Mike had originally asked my Pirate Husband to photograph the event but....well, the Pirate Husband is not one of those kind of guys who just loves to spend loads of time with children.  Anyway, this put me second in line for the photography request and I loved it!

Moms and dads and kids and grandparents all participating in archery, shooting shotguns and rifles, skinning a raccoon, fishing, and learning to respect God and nature; it was wonderful with about 350 participants.  The best part was watching our three-year-old grandson shoot a .22 rifle for the first time.  He did it!!!  

I drove home from Kentucky, packed a red nightie and my toothbrush, and headed to the boat to spend the rest of the weekend with my Pirate Husband.  I dearly love and adore that man.  Let me just say that my life is not complete without him by my side.  



Now, sleeping in a tiny bunk with him is just not practical.  We have shared so many nights in a twin bed at times over the years, and that is acceptable and doable.  However, being in that bunk is coffin-like!  And with age creeping up on us, it is just not practical.  Flexibility without injury is required!

But through it all we keep devouring each other!   I love him and I know he loves me.  I just love to look at that man, listen to his plans, argue with him, and make his coffee.  He made me laugh so many times over the last 24 hours.  We didn't head out on Lake Erie but rather ended up at a really nice WalMart a few miles away and made sure he had a few tasty and healthy things in his fridge.  We walked the aisles singing out our arguement:

His:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxKy1_c6DeM  Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal

Mine:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukUL_I14GPw   Country Roads

Then I had to head home.  Missing him but smiling ear to ear and feeling so blessed.  Thank You, LORD, for my husband and family. Country roads, take me home....

As the Thunder Rumbles

I love thunderstorms.  There is a big one stirring up just west of us right here in "Cornfield County".  What is it about me that likes violent weather?  Maybe because it can't be harnessed, it can't be stopped, it can't be controlled, nor can it be manipulated.  (While none of that is true thanks to geoengineering, I still like to imagine it is true!)

While the wind is whipping the leaves inside out on the trees around our yard, I am contemplating.  What would it be like to take a year off from the secure life in a safe world with solid work with the "root system" of surrounding family keeping me grounded?  

Do I have a wild side that might enjoy the unknown adventure of letting go of the harness, becoming unstoppable, uncontrolled, and unscheduled?  I don't know.  That's why I am contemplating.

The Pirate Husband has completed his Great Loop journey a week and a half ago.  He has cut the grass twice, fixed the motor on the central air, chatted with a few neighbors, and is bored to distraction.  Thankfully he has a problem to tackle in finding the right antenna set up for his ham radio. 

We are discussing where he might journey next on his boat, Sixteen Tons.  Perhaps the Bahamas?  Maybe through the Panama Canal? Those dreams could just very well become grand life adventures.  One thing is for certain, he ain't gonna sit around the middle of "Cornfield County" perfecting his landscaping skills.  He needs to live.  

So, I am contemplating.  

 

Wow.

One personality trait of a good pirate is being able to handle life with sizzling romantic flare. Eeeeekkkkkk!!!!  What a superb weekend!!! This has been the most special weekend I have had in years. 

The Pirate Husband drove through fourteen hours of rain, sleet, and snow on Friday from Savannah, Georgia to come home for a hot weekend date.  It's 5am Monday and he's returning already.

Saturday we prepped and packed ourselves for our little get-away weekend, heading south to Cincinnati. This means the Pirate Husband put on a suit! Not only is he the most charming man I have ever met, he's also the most handsome.  Women young and old still swoon over him and they don't mind commenting, even to me! I have learned to curb the green-eyed monster and just gush along with them, as he pretends to blush.  That man!  For instance, the elderly lady who volunteers at the local library listened to his Great Loop adventures with relish; she actually asked me, "Does he need anyone to carry his suitcase?"  Hmph.  I'll be carrying his suitcase, thank you very much indeed!

We must have tossed around twenty-five different ideas for dinner before the youngest son and his wife suggested The Melting Pot.  

Fondue at The Melting Pot

It was quite tasty, quietly romantic, and we, of course ate more than we should....but skipped desert. 

We drove about twenty minutes into the heart of Cincinnati, climbed the hills into Eden Park to the Cincinnati Playhouse to see a really good production of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"  It was darling.  Kate Cook held her own as Miss Elizabeth Bennett and John Feltch was great as her father, Mr. Bennett.  The show was very good, even for pirates who aren't so interested in innocent, English romances.  The Pirate Husband behaved impeccably and we had such a memorable evening.(Eeeeekkkkk!)  How I do love him with all my heart.

Kate Cook as Miss Elizabeth Bennett

After the show ended we made our way into Northern Kentucky to the Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast in Burlington.  The proprietress, Mrs. Nancy Swartzell, was there to greet us at the door even though it was nearing midnight.  So sweet.  Not just with kindness but Nancy was also cheerful.  Our room was supplied with espresso and homemade cookies - just the thing for a couple who skipped the chocolate fondue at dinner!  We stayed in "Catherine's Room", which was cozy, impressively clean and tidy, smartly decorated, and adorned with every necessity we could imagine.  The home was originally built in 1830 and one might not think that in the tiny town of Burlington you'd find such upscale lodgings but the service, the home, the grounds, the food were excellent.  

Breakfast was amazing and Nancy blessed the five couples staying there with radiant smiles; her husband, Bob, working quietly and diligently by her side in the kitchen.  The Pirate Husband had the heavy-duty three cheese quiche and, as I couldn't decide between the creme brulee' French toast or the orange marmalade stuffed French toast, Nancy prepared one of each for me.  The small antique table was set just for us with fine linens and china, our own freshly brewed pot of French roast coffee, near the window overlooking the front lawn.  

Before checking out we spent almost an hour chatting with Bob and Nancy - great people, I hope to see again some time soon.  Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast

Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast 

The Dining Room

                         

"Catherine's Room"...and Our Room

Nancy Swarzell Whipping Up Breakfast

Creme Brulee French Toast Recipe

This is a very old picture of us taken probably ten or eleven years ago in Los Angeles but that same smitten joy on my face for having that man's arm around me is how I feel this morning.  

In Love with My Pirate Husband

Ypérochos

Today was a fabulous day!  Spent the better part of the afternoon in Mason at the new Greek restaurant, Remezo...kalyteros!!

www.remezo.com

A friend of mine from Greece is the general manager of Remezo and this was the first visit.  What's not to love about Greek food?! I can't even begin to describe the lamb - tasty just won't do to describe it!  The atmosphere was elegant but so comfortable. That's the way Nik (Nikolaos Sarlis) does things, though.  He likes to pull a chair up to the table, sit down and visit with you like you are an old friend, or even family...and before you know it, that's just what you are, old friends.  So happy for him!

To top things off was the most delectable dessert, galaktoboureko!  That was a lot of fun trying to learn the correct pronunciation but I sure gave it several tries!  (Do not roll the "R"!)  This particular galaktoboureko came from the owner's grandmother's recipe; you know grandmas always keep their best recipes secret!  I sure hope Remezo's becomes the best kept Greek restaurant secret in the Cincinnati area!

                                 

Mechanic

I either need a mechanic or I have to become a mechanic.

Romantic, right?

Charlie Allnut: Well, Miss, ‘ere we are, everything ship shape, like they say. Ah, it's a great thing to have a lady aboard with clean habits. It sets the man a good example. A man alone, he gets to livin' like a hog. Ha, ha. Then, too, with me, it's always: 'Put things off. Never do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow.' But with you: 'Business before pleasure.' Every time. Do all your personal laundry. Make yourself spic-and-span, get all the mending out of the way, and then - and only then - sit down for a nice quiet hour with the Good Book. I tell you, it's a model - like an inspiration......http://www.reelz.com/trailer-clips/51049/the-african-queen-clip/?ap=1 

Tu Me Manques

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkA-64dDC7w

"Tell me right away if I’m disturbing you,” he said as he stepped inside my door, “and I’ll leave at once.”“You not only disturb me,” I said, “you shatter my entire existence. Welcome.”

Do I Look Like a Plumber?

It fell to me to once again put on my plumber's hat and unclog a drain.  This was .... awful.  The shower in the main bathroom was beginning to drain very slowly and what's a lone lady to do? Grab the rubber gloves, the red bucket, a screwdriver, baking soda, vinegar, and a Turbo Snake.  That's right, a Turbo Snake.  

My daughter-in-law heard that I'd be digging in and removing loads of nastiness out of the shower drain and she brought this handy little tool over.  

It worked very well.  The Velcro end attaches itself to the great big globs of greasy, grimy (gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, chopped up baby birdie feet) hair and "soot".  The stiff wire feeds well through the drain pipe; I think I need to invest the $3.95 in my own little Turbo Snake.  

I finished off with lots of baking soda and vinegar, followed by a hot water chaser.  The smell, though, is burned on my brain, stamped forever in my olfactory system.  Yuck.  

God bless all plumbers every where.  

Penn Sings It Best

Winter Storm Titan

6pm Eastern Standard Time

Double darn it.  Big fat flakes have started pouring from the sky once again.  I drove to six places before finding any salt for the driveway.  Most people prepare when they have ten days notice that a major snowstorm is headed their way.  Me?  Well, I'll believe when I see it.  I'm believing it now.  

My favorite variety of flakes are falling - the ginormous fluffy ones that quickly build up.  The kind that makes you feel all Narnia-like and you expect that Mr. Tumnus will pop around the corner with his many packages, inviting you in for tea and biscuits - only to lure you to sleep....guess I'll make that cup of tea for myself.

 

Sisu

Sisu - A Finnish Character Trait

I really don't know if it is me that won't give up or this eternal winter that just keeps lingering.  Maybe both.  Again, I grabbed my trusty shovel and just cleared inches of snow off the three-car-wide driveway into piles feet high....well, at least a foot high!

Sisu is a Finnish word generally meaning determination, bravery, and resilience. However, the word is widely considered to lack a proper translation into any other language. Sisu is about taking action against the odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity.

It's my darned pride that keeps me going.  The guys from the city who clear the snow from the roads just smile and wave and for the life of me I can't stand it.  Do they pity me?  Ugh, I hope not. Are they laughing?  No problem. Whatever they do, I hope they're not looking at my backside while I work.  

There's a part of me that wants someone else to clear the driveway.  The women in my life are not clearing their driveways of all this snow.  There's a tiny spark of jealousy that burns inside that I really wish I could extinguish.  Why should I resent shoveling snow?  I actually enjoy it while I'm out there alone...as long as no one is watching, smiling, and waving.  

The thought hit me that no one in this neighborhood helps anyone else.  That's quite sad.  Not that I want any of these neighborhood fellas to look at me as some damsel in distress who needs help - I don't.  But if I was the one with a fancy snow blower, I'd be out clearing driveways for the sheer joy of helping someone else and making their day a little brighter in the land of Ohio winters.  Next year; I'll look for a snow blower in the spring and make plans for next year.  I contemplated taking my trusty shovel and helping someone clear their driveway; but who would it be?  Mike had shoveled his, Dave had his fancy snow blower out earlier, Jack had all his adult kids visiting, the other Mike (no, he mocked my organic dandelion yard at the associational meeting), the pastor wouldn't like that, Bill is in Florida with his snowbird wife, the others either have snow blowers or they pay $50 for a service to remove it....fifty dollars.

The crisp winter air helped clear my head and the workout was actually exhilarating as I sang this old tune:   

Tuff Enough

Living Well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g&feature=related

Little Man in Training

Love my family.  The littlest man in the group did not shirk the task of clearing the ice and snow from the drive way.  He insisted on being outside with the men, as well as bringing his own helmet to get the job done.  

Ivan - 3 year old little man.

Learning from Daddy and Poppi
how to get the job done!

Bonfire in Ohio Tonight

I Could Not Ask For More

Look who popped in for just a few days.... 

Moments, Days, Time You Can't Recover

The trouble with life is that the old clock just keeps ticking away.  You can't stop it. You can't slow it down.  You can't get back the time that is gone from you.

Some people express their love through the gift of time.  I'm like that.  If I give you part of my day, it's huge.  

These days and weeks and months; it's a sacrifice.  It's not that I don't enjoy the life I live, I do.  But there are things of great importance that are missing.

I'd rather be doing this every day.

But find myself doing this instead.

Come Away With Me

Adjusting the Sails

Thank You, Jack!

Here comes the next polar vortex to the middle of nowhere Ohio. Eh, well, it is winter after all.  Sometimes I think these young meteorologists have never seen real snowfall; like the blizzard of '78.  Now that was snow.  And cold.  But today we have fancy terminology like, "polar vortex", as if winter should be a balmy 57 degrees here in Ohio.

I was out shoveling the snow from the driveway and feeling mighty confident when I was sweetly reminded of a phrase that has never been forgotten..."Confidence is so very sexy, don't ya think?" Yes, Jack, you got that right.

Three Cars Wide Driveway - Feeling Confident...and Sexy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ5spLy22mg

I was not about to be shown up by the retired police officer with his fancy snow blower, nor by the grumpy retired pastor with his bright orange parka and shovel.  If they can get their driveways cleared, you better believe I'm going to push that shovel and tote that barge, too.  I cleared it in record time and I have to say enjoyed it, while chuckling and remembering Jack Palance with his one-armed push-ups!  What an inspiration...and so confident.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGxL5AFzzMY

You know, I really enjoy snowball fights.  But all the neighbors were already tucked inside their homes by the fire with hot cocoa.  Next time...but in lieu of a good snowball fight, I put together this little guy.

My Little Snow MAN

Taking It All For Granted

Why is it when we're sick we suddenly notice that we've taken our health for granted?  They say you cannot appreciate something until it is gone.  It's true.  I never appreciate my good health until I'm sick.

Gratefully I am feeling fantastic today!  

This week brought the move of my grandpups.  I cannot believe how it broke my heart.  That is until they saw my son, their daddy, and they jumped for joy...on top of me....in my car.  It's so quiet here once again with just the little 4.5lb Chihuahua, but we're good. 

This rowdy pair, Reno and Sister, would run upstairs, downstairs for a couple of hours every night.  Until they wore each other out and then would try to rest on top of me. They are truly companion dogs. I'm glad for the time I had with them.  Now if I can just get the smell of them out of the carpet!         

Reno is the most loving, loyal dog but he is also the leader of the pack.  Here he is on the deck after having eaten lots of snowballs, just surveying the neighborhood.  Crazy pup!  Such a sweetheart, though.

During the moving of these pups my son told me it was time to turn the computer off and get out there and live my life.  I think I'm feeling up to that - here's to a great weekend!

Love J.C.'s Smile

Why is it that when we humans are sick we just want someone to take care of us, to hold us, and assure us that, "this too shall pass"?  

It all started the first Monday night in December, the very same day that the Pirate Husband came home.  He took me to dinner at our hometown favorite diner and I felt it coming on before we'd finished our meal.  This progressed until I spent the last two weeks of December in bed trying to get well.

I would have loved to have had the pleasure of spending the month with my husband and I lost that.  He left for Mobile, Alabama where Sixteen Tons was waiting for him on December 31st.  He planned that I would spend the first week of 2014 with him on his boat.  

Today I began the second round of antibiotics - and I don't even take antibiotics.  But something's gotta kill this super bug.   The Pirate Husband took the flu shot; I don't take the flu shot.  He's perfectly fine.  I'm fighting some strain that the first round of antibiotics failed to kill with its half-hearted fight.

Tonight I could use a hand to hold or to pass a tissue, a strong voice to assure me that I'm going to be alright.  

Hold me tight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iol0B-clFFM