Just said goodbye to my honey for the next two weeks. Mr. Wonderful is on his way home .....back to where he is King of Castle. Visiting is a good thing but he likes his structure, his bed, and his schedule.

Poor man is not a social butterfly like his beloved wife who loves nothing better than being with the kids and grands. While he has been here he has been liked a cage Lion, pacing, roaring and napping. He is ready to get back into action and as hard as it was to let him go I know it was the right choice.

Say a prayer for his safety and think of me sacrificing my time with the new man in my life. Who knew the man of my dreams would be short, balding, and toothless? I'm sure the next two weeks will fly by much too quickly on one hand. Praise the Lord for cell phones and the internet so I can post pictures and here from Mr. Wonderful.

Today is my first trip to Ikea and I'm really excited about it. I've always wanted to go. Pictures to follow. Have a great day.

Labels: Mr. Wonderful, travel

Just got back for the orthopedist. Mr. Wonderful had his big toe x-rayed and it's still in 4 pieces. It may never heal but it doesn't bother him very much. He says he can predict cold and rainy weather now. This is the volley ball base that he dropped on it. It weighs over 100 pounds.

We almost got through the year injury free! We are just thankful that he has been able to function without much pain. He will tell you that it looks like his dream of being a toe dancer is gone now. I don't have the heart to tell him that he wouldn't look good in tights.

Keep our Becky and Emma prayed up today as they fly into New York City.

Labels: Mr. Wonderful, toe news

Just got back from seeing the Orthopedist concerning Mr. Wonderful's mangled and broken big toe. The new x-ray revealed two breaks but no bone displacement. He has a purple big toe with no toe nail but remarkably no pain. Good news is that no pinning will be necessary.

We asked when he could wear a shoe again as today was rainy and cold and the little canvas sandal provides no protection. He was told as long as he isn't having pain he can wear his shoes. So of course I insisted that we go immediately and buy him some steel toed safety shoes.

He bought a really nice pair of Timberlines that look really nice and feel even better. I feel much better knowing that his bare naked nail less toe now has some protection should anyone decided to drop something on it or should he accidentally hit it against something in the warehouse.

We go back in two weeks unless he develops pain or infection. We praise God for his remarkable healing ability and his amazing goodness to us. Thank you for praying.....it's working!

Labels: Mr. Wonderful, safety shoes, toe

We had a wonderful romantic getaway in Philadelphia this past weekend. It was very hot and the fountain behind us looked very inviting. This was taken at Love Park in downtown Philadelphia on Sunday. The heat index was about 100 degrees that day and for a lark I wore a pedometer hoping to get at least 10,000 steps. Would you believe we ended up with 19,384? (that translates into about 9 and 1/2 miles!)

We stayed in the Historical District and walked the square mile of history. We rode a double decker tour bus to see most of the sites, we also rode a ferry over to Camden, New Jersey to see the Aquarium. We got our share of cheese steaks, history, crazy pictures, Ben Franklin, as well as sore muscles and blisters.

Mr. Wonderful and I read several books on Ben Franklin, his politics, and inventions. My favorite was called, "Stealing God's Thunder". Isn't that a great title? As you can see I'm still quite smitten with the man and his accomplishments. I was very disappointed not to be able to see the huge statue of him that has been on display at the Franklin Institute. It is not on display while they are renovating the building and won't be till 2010.





I caught up with Ben at the National Constitution Center where I whispered to him some words of advice on how to vote. He seemed most appreciative.






We saw the Constitution Cow (located in the Visitors Center) and as you can see Mr. Wonderful decided to "milk it for all it was worth".







I got to see what Rosie the Riveter must have felt like at the Independence Sea Museum .







Mr. Wonderful had the opportunity to "bring out his inner Shark" at the Aquarium.










Over all we decided that we make a pretty good team in the game of life. We have some really wonderful memories of Philadelphia . Hope you are making some great memories this summer too. More later....just wanted you all to know we are back safely.

Labels: me, Mr. Wonderful, Philadelphia trip

When most people drive down a country lane they look at the landscape, the flowers, the animals and houses. Not me.....I check out the roof for weather vanes. I have become quite fascinated by them and have been doing some research on them.

When Mr. Wonderful asked me what I wanted for "Mother's Day" I promptly told him a weather vane and even showed him the web site , which one I wanted and he SURPRISED me and ordered it. My weather vane has been sitting in the box waiting for just the right time to be put on the roof.

I think I should add here that :

1. Mr. Wonderful is not good with heights and especially roofs.
2. Mr. Wonderful is not good at asking for help.
3. We have a tin roof which gets hotter as the day progresses.
4. Mr. Wonderful was already tired from loading a container on Thursday.
5. I am simply ground control, hold the ladder, and call EMS.

By now you are probably thinking that I should make my weather vane a garden ornament an
call it a day. I am nothing if not persistent, so I called my good friend and neighbor Beckie and she talks to her hubby Mike and the next thing I know I hear the pitter -patter of little feet on the roof (no, it wasn't Santa).

What followed was a lot of male bonding and anxiety. We call our home the Nest so I choose a Hen with chicks to top our cottage. I'm happy to announce the mother hen is now properly displayed on the roof summit and no one was hurt in the process.

Labels: Mr. Wonderful, weather vane

This is my Mr. Wonderful. We have been married for the the last 34 years and he still makes me smile. He has a goofy sense of humor (note the hat) , has an amazing mind, and can repair just about anything with his leatherman and ingenuity.

He protects me from wild animals, makes sure there is gas in the car, and wood in the heater. He is a hard worker and has a deep thirst for knowledge. He is thoughtful, kind and a man of integrity. He is a wonderful father, friend and playmate. No matter how difficult the journey, I know he will always be by my side to offer help, comfort and encouragement. I can't imagine my life without him being a vital part. I am truly blessed.

Labels: Mr. Wonderful, People who make me smile

Poor Mr. Wonderful has had a hard day. The trip to the doctor's on our country roads is like going on a roller coaster ride and it only made him dizzier and more nauseated. I had to bring him into the doctor's office in a wheelchair as he couldn't even walk. They put him in an exam room right away as no one wanted to sit near him while he was retching!

They gave him a shot to help with the nausea and prescriptions for vertigo medication and nausea medication. So far it is helping and he is starting to feel better. His color is better and he has been able to keep down fluids. Sure hope this is a viral infection that is short term.

We are very thankful that he wasn't sick on our 5 hour trip back home or during his interview. I'm not used to him being sick and like most men, when they are sick, there is no one in the world that is sicker. My poor baby!

Got to go check on him.....sure hope tonight is better than yesterday night!

Labels: Mr. Wonderful

Today is our anniversary. Thirty four years ago today I walked down the aisle to a very nervous groom and made impossible promises about loving, honoring and cherishing him for the rest of my life.

Wow! It amazes me that at that time I thought I was an expert on the care and feeding of Mr. Wonderful. I was sure that I could never love anyone as much as I loved him at that exact moment.

We had no money, no experience, but lots of enthusiasm.

Now, 34 years later, 3 kids, one grandchild, lots of experience and still no money, I find that I have barely even scratched the surface of loving this man.

That sweet boy that I married, is now a seasoned veteran of life. There are days when the energy and enthusiasm are missing but not a day goes by that I don't know that I'm loved and adored.

He shows me love by bringing me a cup of coffee to the bedside every morning. My gas tank is always full, the house has heat in the winter, cool in the summer. He makes sure that anything mechanical works, and allows me time to be with friends and family. He is very protective of me and constantly surprises me with little gifts he finds that he knows will make me giggle or delight me. (such as the stuffed gorilla that sings "I Go Ape over you")

It a practical kind of love....very little roses, and romantic dinners or walks on the beach. He doesn't read me poetry or worship at my feet but he can make a great pecan waffle in a pinch and he never complains when I spend too much money at the Green Valley Book Fair.

So Happy Anniversary Mr. Wonderful.....you are so much more than I ever dreamed or even hoped for. I love you more now than I ever thought was possible.

Labels: Mr. Wonderful

After spending our morning in the 17 Century we spent the afternoon and evening in Manhattan. Andy joined us and I finally got to see some of the City that I had missed viewing earlier.

We walked all over the city and it was amazing. I certainly felt like a tourist as I spent most of time looking up at all the tall buildings, signs and sights.

Mr. Wonderful does not like crowds so he had his "don't mess with me" face on. We did get him to loosen up a little especially when we went to F.A.O. Schwarz toy store.

Times Square always gives me "goose bumps". There is always so much going on and the city is in constant motion. We went to the new M&M store at Times Square as well as the Hershey Store. The store smells like chocolate and reminded us of the chocolate factory in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Wonderful is a Fox News guy so he and Andy had to have a picture in front of the studio. They took it especially for our Becky's amusement (they just wished she could have been there!) This one's for you babe!

Suzy and I are hamming it up with the door man at F.A.O. Schwarz .

Who doesn't enjoy a toy store? It certainly brings out the kid in all of us (even Mr. Wonderful). Mr. Wonderful enjoys calamari and is always talking about eating octopus. So he enjoyed hanging out with this stuffed Octopus version. (They do look like pals, don't they?)




Not to be out done by Dad....Andy and Suzy look like they have the catch of the day.


I even got to "hang With Hagrid" who is made entirely of Lego's. Do you see a family resemblance?

We ate at John's Pizza and had New York style pizza thanks to connections of our son Andy. We had the best booth and great service. It was a great day full of fun and great memories.

Labels: Andy, Mr. Wonderful, New York, Suzy

Ah....Yes, Spring was definitely in the air in New York this past weekend. We had such a good time that it was hard to leave. Miss Suzy (the ultimate tour guide and hostess) had a variety of activities for us to chose from.

Of course this daisy had to see the Botanical Gardens! It doesn't matter how many times you've been there ....there's always something new in bloom. We got in on the early spring program called "Mud, Bud and Bloom" which included blooming cherry trees, daffodils walk, tulips and early varieties of lilacs. (pure heaven!)

As you can see even Mr. Wonderful got in the "spirit" of the beautiful blooms and started serenading me. What more could a girl wish for?

Labels: botanical gardens, Mr. Wonderful, New York

Were back home at the Daisy Patch! Surgery went well and except for some dizziness and nausea from the anesthesia ( I'm sure the long ride over bumpy hilly country roads probably didn't help either.)

Mr. Wonderful is safely tucked away in his own bed with the remote control right next to him and our two cats as well.

The surgeon told me everything went well. He can do what ever he feels up to doing . The hard part will be trying to keep him down so he can heal, so don't stop your praying yet!

We appreciate your prayers and well wishes!

Labels: Mr. Wonderful

Is it ever right to be too right? You know, is it ever politically, morally or spiritually correct to tell someone who is already frustrated and irritated that if they had only listen to you in the first place they would not be in their present circumstances?

Years ago I remember reading about a curse the Greek gods placed on a man that he would always know what was going to happen in the future. The curse.....No one would believe him!

Some times I think that my mister has been cursed with the same affliction. He invariably knows the right way, the right timing, the right road, the right answer, the right course, the right equipment, the right tools etc.

However, he fails to factor in the human element...... emotions, lack of motivation, unforeseen circumstances, mechanical failures, procrastination and airplanes being over booked.

This was the situation this afternoon when we drove two hours to Richmond to get my Canadians on a plane bound for the frozen north land. We left in plenty of time despite having to turn around once for a forgotten pillow and blanket. We had a lovely meal and even did the some shopping.......Thus the problem.

You can't always make the line at the check out counter go faster. By the time we got to the airport a wild dash ensued to the ticket counter to get bags aboard. That's when it turned ugly.

There was only one counter person with 6 disgruntled consumers with lost luggage from a previous flight, the current flight was over-booked and they were not letting any one else check their baggage.

It was a very intense scene with lots of emotions and no satisfaction to my travelers. Oldest daughter in tears, having to pay extra to ensure they have tickets for tomorrow's flight leaving at the same time, lost wages from not being able to go to work, his parents inconvenienced as they were to pick them up at the airport, another two hour trip back home and the road trip continues tomorrow to get them back to the airport.

The mister taking all this in......begins venting that he knew this was going to happen, that's why he didn't want to leave later than.....how he hates to be late......why he always allows extra time especially at the airport.....and especially during a holiday! (I'm sure there was more to follow, but no one heard , especially me, as Mount Saint Lazy Daisy erupted.)

I have always been told that everyone carries two buckets with them.....one filled with water, one filled with gasoline. Whenever a fire breaks out we have the choice of which bucket we will throw on the fire......water, or gasoline!

The fire is already blazing......My child already feels bad enough about the whole situation. Is telling her how she messed up really the right time for a teaching opportunity?

I have learned many things from doing things badly. Failure has taught me to change certain habits. I remember harsh words said to me in anger, and frustration.......words that still haunt me even as an adult......words that were never quite erased from the "tape that starts playing in my head whenever things go wrong."

To the Mister's credit......Kindness won out! My child knows that we love them enough to be inconvenienced. (That Family does come first.....that even though the skies may not be so friendly they will always have a soft landing place in us.)

Labels: Christmas 2005, Mr. Wonderful