So how much snot can one person make? I don’t know, but I’ve been producing gobs and gobs of colorful stuff since Sunday, (yeah, I know, too much info…)when my sinus infection kicked into high gear. My best friend used to call this “snotting”… yeah, really cute — I have almost no sense of humor at the moment.

When will it end? I am on my second box of lotion packed tissues AND I have the oh so lovely ‘Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer’ look, including chapped lips- all this from so much blowing. Enough already – It feels like I have wads of cotton balls in my ears. I’m tired of my hearing coming and going — “eh, eh, whad didja say?” is becoing a stock phrase these days and I don’t like it one bit. I thought that was reserved for little old ladies in their 80’s – with legitimate hearing loss- I’m not even 40 yet!

At least I don’t feel like death warmed over — that was Monday — I’m afraid, though, I might look still look like it. Oy! What’s a girl to do?

So, I went home to Orlando for Valentine’s Weekend and it was special for a
number of reasons, not the least of which was my traveling companion, RJM —
a BIG thank you for a GREAT trip!

It was wonderful to wander the streets of Winter Park, even though I did experience
a moment of sadness when we went by my old house, and discovered it had finally
met its destined fate with the wrecking ball, and was reduced to an expensive
sandlot on Lake Virginia. Amazing, I’ve been gone for 5 years, and as much as
things have changed, most have stayed the same. I’m still homesick, as usual.

And while the weather was at least 80 degrees out when we landed Thursday night,
(it never seemed to rise above 75 the entire weekend) we really only had one
sunny day (Sunday)– but, as most folks know, a bad day in FL is better than
a good day virtually anywhere up North. Here’s a quick summary of my time spent in Florida:

My whirlwind trip included much time spent in WP, Finally took the WP scenic boat tour Ate at my fav little Park Ave eatery, the Briar Patch Strolled and window shopped along Park Ave Tried to have a "blend-in" at Thomas Sweet’s, but had to settle for a lemon sorbet Shopping for vinyl at Rock & Roll Heaven on Orange Avenue

A quick (2-3 hour) excursion to Daytona Beach to: Be stuck in I-4 traffic during speed weeks for almost all of the 49 mile trip Drive on the beach (and see if we could get the Ford Escape stuck in the sand- we couldn’t) Play a round of putt-putt golf at Congo River Adventure Golf, where the golf shark (that would be me) crushed RJM with a stunning 2 – count ’em 2 hole in 1’s in a single game, for a 51-66 victory. Ok, so the par was 46, but who’s really counting — we had a schmabulous time — see my golf shark pix –>

A slightly longer excursion to Oldsmar for

• Valentine’s Dinner with Susan, Brian & Nicholas
• The di-riguer trip to Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks
• Wistful trip back to Orlando for a last night in town

All in all, it was a wonderful, albeit, short trip home. Here’s to many more!

Ok, so Abby doesn’t talk (although if she did, life would be so much easier…) but this is just another good Friday morning snicker…

A guy sees a sign in front of a house: “Talking Dog for Sale.”He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees a black mutt just sitting there.

“You talk?” he asks.

“Sure do.” The dog replies.

“So, what’s your story?”

The dog looks up and says, “Well, I discovered my gift of talking pretty young and I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time they had me jetting from country to country, sitting
in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies eight years running. The jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn’t getting any younger and I wanted to settle down! So I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings there and was awarded a batch of medals.”Had a wife, a mess of puppies, and now I’m just retired.”

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. The owner says, “Ten dollars.”

The guy says, “This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?”

“Cause he’s a liar. He didn’t do any of that shit.”

I just received this from my friend Tim. I’d seen this before, and never really had a place to express my fondness for the sentiments espoused here (and George Carlin himself) but now I do. So, to all my friends and family: I am truly grateful for your presence in my life. *sob!* (just kidding!)
CH

GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died…) Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin – gross and mouthy comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent… A wonderful Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.

We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less even though computers and other hardware is developed more and more, we have better computers and better monitors with new technologies we can find online at sites like http://themonitormonitor.com/is-g-sync-worth-it/ and then can be use for playing video games or or reading OverWatch News online. In addition, look at here now – WebDesign499 to fine out more information.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ” An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. If you don’t send this to at least 8 people…. who cares?
-George Carlin