there IS a blog!!!

Thanks to our friend (and hostess) Mandi, I have a computer to send my blogs out from the south!!! so now you don't have to wait to read the stories, and I won't have to remember it all and try to write them when we get back home.
Our day began very early... 2;30 am in fact. I actually went to Kas and Nate's last night after I finished with dog classes (talk about a "weird thing" sleeping in my old house!!) I sacked out on the couch for a few hours, and then we were up and headed to Manchester. Our flight to Philadelphia started out late, because there was some glitch with the plane... that was a little nerve wracking for us (who do not fly that often), but whatever it was, they got it fixed and we were in the air. The flight went fine and we arrived only six minutes late. Once in Philly, we got some breakfast and sat and waited for our next flight. Both kas and I were very happy to see that the plane to Raleigh was much larger than the plane we had from Manchester!! And that flight was very comfortable and quick. Mandi and baby Maya were waiting for us at the airport, and from there we went and had lunch with my friend Barb.

Now, Barb was a gal I met back in 1979, my first summer after graduating from high school. She and I were working that summer at the Cliff House, a resort in Ogunquit, Maine. Actually it was a very fun summer as they hired lots of college kids, so there were lots of "kids" our age. We did all sorts of fun things - dinners out, horse back riding, all sorts of different things. In the fall, Barb headed back to school and I went to work, but over the years we have stayed in touch. Barb ended up attending school in the south, met her hubby, and made her home there. We have had the chance to visit once in a while, but it's been a least 15 years since we last saw each other. In all the years that Kas lived in Jacksonville, we never made it Raleigh,(where Barb lives) but once I knew that Kas and I would be landing there for this trip, I just had to take the time and look up my old friend.


Barb has a beautiful home!!! However, one thing I noticed right away was SNOW that she had on her back deck!! They got some on Monday here in the south... not a totally uncommon event, but certainly not a common one either!!!!

Look at how pretty her back yard is... I can just imagine it in the spring and summer months... and it was SO wonderful to hear the birds singing.... I can't wait until they (the birds) fly back home and sing for me!!!




Barb made a wonderful lunch for us....and it was so fun to catch up on all the news!!! The afternoon flew by and the visit was much too short!!! I hope it won't be another 15 years before we see each other again. Here is a photo of the two of us, with her darling dogs, Rocky and Henry....







And then with a cherry goodbye from Barb, we were headed south to Jacksonville. Even though spring hasn't really arrived here yet, the grass is green and some of the hardy flowers are appearing!!! It feels so good to wear just a light coat, and shoes (no boots) and the sun sets so much later here. It feels a bit like summer!!!!

I feel sad that Ed isn't here with me (hi Honey)... but I am so going to enjoy these four days of southern sunshine!!!! Jacksonville is much the same, a busy town just outside of Camp Lejuene... lots of traffic, planes and helicopters flying overhead... tons of great place to eat that we don't have at home.... it will be a fast four days, and we probably won't do everything that we have planned.... but I will keep you up to date on all the news..

so, as you all tuck into bed up there in the North East.... we cuddle in here in the south.....and send some warm wishes your way....