Welcome to the Weekend

It is payday here in Paradise. Our pension checks are in the bank and that means time to sit down and pay some bills. I need to learn how to do on-line banking because I absolutely hate to write checks for anything but lovely scrapbook supplies...lol. In a perfect world...right? And speaking of scrapbook supplies, my favorite lss, Ruban Rouge, is having a huge sale. It will be hard waiting until Mama Jayne gets here next Thurs. before I go and shop. I promised I'd take her to RR as she has not been...she will be in scrappers' heaven.

Speaking of Ruban Rouge, my class "Things that touch my Heart" is scheduled for Aug. 11 at ten am. I love living this close to this place but will probably spend my entire check before I leave the store that Sat...lol.

We don't have any big plans for this weekend...float in the pool, grill something yummy, or maybe pick up a couple of movies from Blockbuster for during the afternoon rains.

Got a couple of projects sitting on my worktable, both for Hang Ten Paper Arts. If you haven't seen Di's July project, oooh la la. She previewed it for us at the Hilltop Birthday crop last weekend and the response was fantastic. Her color choices for the summer album are perfect! To see the kit, go to www.hilltopmemories.com and scroll down until you see the Hang Ten logo. Click on it and it will take you to the kits. July should be up today or tomorrow. Di and I have been working on a surprise for September's kit as September is the one year anniversary of our company...we're putting the icing on the top of the cake for sure!

My biker/hiker bridge over the Anclote River is almost done. This is the one I crossed about a month ago on the road and had great fear of making it to the other side. At that time, the work crews had not yet finished the bike path across this very narrow bridge from my house to the Sponge Docks but coming home yesterday, I saw a guy ride his bike all the way across and the guard rails are in place so I can't fall off! I am adding crossing to my list of fun things to do for the weekend. We've got to get E a bike that fits so we can bike together.

Enjoy your Sat., Jules

Morning World...what's new?

My honey and I had a wonderful day yesterday. We visited 2 nursery places and bought 3 hibiscus plants, a crepe jasmine (looks like a cross between a rose and a gardenia) and a gardenia bush. I have been missing the color and aroma that we had at our other house.

After the nurseries, we headed to the old downtown area of Palm Harbor for lunch. We thought about trying a new place and found two. The first one appeared to be more of a bar with a place for live music and we elected to save that one, Hookers, for another day. We had a beer at the Doyle's Backyard which was a cute, fun place. I loved the bikes in the tree! Their menu was nice but pretty standard so we headed up the street to Peggy O'Neals (probably spelling that wrong) where we had lunch before. The picture is of my choice, Tuscan shrimp salad and it was amazing!

We got home, had a swim and left overs for supper and watched a little t.v. Just another day here in Paradise.

Upon turning "Sexy Sixty"....

I have noticed how I deal with things a bit differently. Granted, I have only been "sexy sixty" for a couple of weeks now but some things have happened recently and, instead of my usual knee jerk reaction, I've just shrugged and metaphorically hit "delete".

It seems the bullsh-t detector, while still in high gear, does not generate the same need to get answers, explain myself, justify my actions or make nice any more. I've always been a people pleaser and I hate for people to be unhappy with me. But lately, it hasn't been that way. Either my priorities have shifted or (which is more likely) I am choosier about what I expend my energies upon.

A recent instance comes to mind. My adult children received a missive (for lack of a better word) from their father. I asked to see a copy. It went on and on and on along the theme of I'm a good father/you are bad children. His view of history is at such a variance with the life the kids and I lived during and after the divorce as to leave me wondering where he was during this. I know we all view the past (and the present for that matter) in a manner that best supports our self image so I wasn't terribly surprised by his version. I knew him well.

The pre Sixty me would have fired off a response to him which, of course, would have generated WWIII. No one says the things he did about the kids, says Mama Bear! I did rebutt the missive but sent it only to the kids. They are good kids and didn't deserve the guilt he was assigning them. That is the post Sixty me.

The post-Sixty me has also been reacting differently to things which go on around me. I find I like life in the slow lane far better than that in the fast. I've let go of some aspirations. I'll never be a big name in the sb industry. I am, however, a damn good teacher and not a half bad designer. I love teaching others so that is what I shall continue to do as long as I can. This is a cut throat industry which is a shame because women should support other women so we all find a measure of success. Instead, the general rule seems to be do whatever it takes, walk on whomever you need to to get ahead. I elect not to play on that team, thank you!

While my friends have always been important to me, they become more precious to me every day. These women are strong, funny, courageous and more over, loyal to a fault if that is possible. They are my supporters, my role models and my faith in womankind. I am truly blessed...you all know who you are.

and to those who claim to be my friend and talk the talk but don't walk the walk, the post Sixty me says,

DELETE

(back to our usual scheduled programming tomorrow...I promise!)

I'm taking the day off!

I am heading down to St. Pete's to spend a few hours with the Kipster and her beloved Pool Girls! No scrapping, no im'ing, no internet...just a few fun hours floating and chatting.
This is one of the kits I have for sale. It is done with both kids and adults in mind. Remember how you had to write that dreaded back to school essay, "What I did on my Summer Vacation"? Well, this will not be a dread to do but rather a treat. I used the Decor boardz by Junkitz, the Zoom papers by Crate Paper and threw in some secret ingredients. There is tons of room for pics and journaling and just plain fun with pockets and flips and ...well, you'll have to take the class and see for yourself.*
You can order a kit by e-mailing me at eeickmeier@hotmail.com.

Smoochie Girls

Long ago and far away, I had two girlfriends who always said hello and goodbye to me with a smack on the lips. One would say to me, "Don't tell So and So(the other one), which is what the other one would also say. I was describing this to another friend who promptly joined in as well.

I was working a convention and another Smoochie Girl and I were telling some pals over dinner about this strange thing where my friends are drawn to kiss me hello and goodbye. I told the new girls that they too would want to join the club by the end of the evening and sure enough...3 more Smoochie Girls were added to the rooster.

This past weekend at the Hilltop Crop, about 3 new members joined. Suzie, Jayne's sister, was one of them. Welcome Suzie...Jayne bought some of us lips to celebrate and Kip figured out a way to attach these to the totes. I'll post a pic of mine if I can find my camera amongst the chaos here.

I still have not unpacked, nor done laundry. I got started on one of my classes for Kim Hodges' (www.scrapbooksnstickers.com) Scrapvivor Retreat on Marco Island in September. My class, done with the Junkitz Boardz book and the Zoom Crate Papers, is called, "What I did on my Summer Vacation" and is coming along quite nicely thank you. I want to design it so it would work for both kids and adults.

The solar panel people will be here soon so I'd better get some clothes on besides my jammies. My bed head hair is enough to scare them away. We are hoping the panels and the heat blanket that comes with will help us keep the heat bills lower on the pool this winter. I'll keep ya posted on that one...it is suppose to be in the low 90s here in Paradise today! lol

Hilltop Memories Birthday Crop

About 3 years ago all I ever heard from my pal Kip was Hilltop Hilltop Hilltop. Boy, did she ever talk about these weekend and one day crops! She would go on and on about how much fun she had, how cool the make n takes were, how much she got done, how yummy the food was and how she laughed and laughed. I thought to myself, she is hallucinating as no crops can be all that.

Little did I know! This was my first Birthday Crop and the 4 year anniversary for Linda Jenkins' Hilltop Memories (www.hilltopmemories) and the Kipster was not exaggerating a hair. And the more of the members I meet, the more I laugh and celebrate friends. I have been a "card carrying" Hilltop girl for close to two years now myself and I can't imagine not having these wonderful women in my life.

A recent recruit was asked by someone not at the crop what she thought of these wild, demented, crazed scrapping gals (my adjectives and they are all positive ones in my book)! This 'virgin' Hilltopper was heard to say, "They are raunchy and I love them!". (Of course, she was placed at the Bad Girl Table, sort of a baptism by fire. If you can handle the Bad Girl Table, you can do almost anything). It is true for many of us in that there are few restraints in place besides the love of our craft and for our fellow Hilltoppers. It is one of the few times we can let down our hair, not have to filter our words, give up bras and make up and scrap from dusk to dawn if we so desire.

Here are a few snaps from the crop. At Kip's suggestion we all lined up our totes both little and big and took a "group shot" of them. We never got around to the group shot of us...shows where our priorities are, doesn't it? There is a picture of Dee and Miss Elle's baby Taco, Our Beloved Leader, Miss Linda, Mary Mary and my dear friend from Ft. Myers, Barbara!


And now begins the long wait until the next Hilltop Memories crop which is in Sebring
Fl on Aug. 3-5th, The Fried Green Tomatoes Crop. I shall practice patience but not willingly!

Off to the Hilltop Birthday Crop

I think I am all packed...trying to travel light this time as you can see. Oh, wait! I forgot the table for my XXL and I HAVE to have that. And, oh yes, I forgot my snack food (not that Linda doesn't always have way lots of yummy food). OOPS...then there is my laptop, Minnie, and all her connections. Have to take Minnie...she loves going to crops and I need her to pull up pics to print.

I just feel like I am forgetting something important....oh yeah! My clothes! Off to pack the bare necessities so I have room for my mini cooler and a couple of brews! See you all Sunday with lots of fun pics, I hope, and tons of new stories. Also look for the BIG NEWS that will be announced at the crop!

Love to all, Jules

Our first over night guest...

Janet arrived early yesterday and off we went on the 25 cent tour of Tarpon Springs. A neighbor had recommended Rusty Bellies restaurant so that is where we went for supper. The rustic restaurant sits on the end of the Sponge Docks and has a fantastic view of the river. A big semi-submerged shrimp boat sits to one side. Rusty Bellies, according to the info on the front of the menu, is a fisherman's term for a certain mid-sized grouper. I'd show pictures of the place but I left my camera at home (hanging head in shame) and we can't get my card reader to read the one from Janet's camera.

The food was great and the company even better. We chatted a bit when we got home and then all headed to bed.

E is cooking us Baked Apple Pancakes with Caramel sauce for breakfast and around eleven we will run Janet to the airport for her trip home. Her house on Ana Maria Island is coming along and we were treated to pictures of it. It is going to be beautiful!

This picture is for the Kipster who had previously claimed the guest room as hers...but it looks to me like she may have to sub lease it from Janet in visits to come! We love ya, Kip!

Time slows down when

you are waiting for something good; have you noticed that or is it just me? I have a dear friend coming to visit this evening through tomorrow when we will take her to the airport. I've known Janet for eons. She and I and a few others were some of the original Early Birds on the old ckmb and, with about ten other women formed the Cabana Boy Club for a CKU event. I am really looking forward to showing her around our new little town here. We're taking her out to supper down on the Sponge Docks tonight and then E will cook something wonderous for breakfast tomorrow.

The other thing I am really excited about is the upcoming Birthday Crop for Hilltop Memories this weekend. Mama Jayne, a good friend, and her sister are driving in from Pensacola and my pals Barb and her daughter Gerry-Anne are coming up from Ft. Myers. I don't get to hang out with these fun ladies much so I am really looking forward to the crop. Hilltop's Miss Linda, does the best crops ever! (www.hilltopmemories.com).

I am almost all packed for the crop and have a couple of projects to do for a friend who is making a big announcement this weekend at the crop. Can't wait til I can spill the beans here! Meanwhile, mum's the word!

Belated Blogging about Dad's Day

It was a hot one here in Paradise! We spent most of our time in the pool playing our own warped version of dodgeball/keepaway/red rover red rover. The kids cooked brats and burgers for E and I managed to get a pic of the family with almost everyone's mouth full of food. The kids gave E cards and some manual labor which is about all he asked for. His favorite refrain is, "Tell the kids I don't need anything!"

You can see our new toy that E won for us at Pool School...it only took us 4 days to assemble. Chris helped E and it was done in fifteen minutes. Rob is floating in the lounger. He had gone floating on the Crystal River the day before and eveyone in his car left the inner tubes they had to buy to float. We are now the proud owners of one large and two small plastic inner tubes in addition to the other toys I bought for us at Pinch-a-Penny and Wally World. We now have more toys than pool!!!

Enjoy yur day!

The whole she-bang!

Over a year ago, I was asked for one of my projects by Somerset Memories. I was thrilled. To me, this company and their magazines represent the epitome of getting published. I raced up to UPS, had them specially box and ship the project and then waited and waited and waited some more.

I knew from women at The Owl and the Pussy Cat Stamp Art Store in Ft. Myers, that Somerset sometimes waited eons to publish a piece they had requested. One woman said they still had a card or two of hers after two years.

I am a true believer in the old adage that good things are worth waiting for so I waited some more. Then yesterday, after buying the magazine and checking it faithfully every month, voila! There is was...well, almost all of it. They elected to publish the last 3 of the panels, leaving off my grandmother and great grandmother's panels. So, here it is! I did embellish both sides of the hinged panels and what you see is the only view I can find...the back. I'll try to take a better pic when I get the project back.

Off to look at my project in the magazine once more...it automatically opens to pg. 62 now! lol.

Better sit down...I actually scrapped today!

I have decided to pull photos at random out of my stash and scrap them just the size they are. I started with my artist friend, Maya Bryant. She and I go months some times without talking to one another but, when we do get together, it is just like no time has passed at all. She is one of the things I miss about Ft. Myers.

She would love it here though. The Sponge Docks would keep her painting for weeks and the wonderful houses that Kip and I saw yesterday would send her into painting heaven.

The kids arrive around 1:30 today and i can't wait as my scanners will be hocked up correctly and I won't have to mess with digi prints of my layouts. So, happy Father's Day to all you dads out there and a special big happy happy day to my honey who sure stepped up to the plate with this dad thing even though he took on mine when they were 19 and 24. He has been the man they look up to and the man they trusted to take good care of their mom. He has not let them down.

Kip and Jules Amazing Adventure

or Just Another Day in Paradise.

Kip got here about one and off we went in search of a good sandwich for lunch. After a bit of debate (a/c vs. no a/c) we decided on Lime N Coconut about a block off the Sponge Docks. E and I met the kids there for lunch Sat. a week or so ago and had good food. Since our last visit, the bathtub fountain in the front of the restaurant had been repainted (I think Kip got a good pic of the fountain)and the yard had been de-weeded. What hadn't changed was the yummy Tarpon Springs Cuban sandwiches w/roasted garlic potatoes and creamy cole slaw. That is what Kip and I had and E had a Mojo pork sandwich which was juicy and flavorful, just like the establishment...lot of flavor and character! Kip says no one will recognize us as we have ice tea to drink and not a wine glass in our hands....lol.

Kip and I dropped E off at home and headed up to a new scrapbook store the next town away. The store is cute but her stock is very limited. She has lots of theme paper and did good job of separating her seasonal stock but in this area, it is going to take more than an organized store to compete w/Ruban Rouge and Whims. The owner was a very sweet woman but seemed to draw a blank when Kip and I asked her about the new BG papers being released at summer CHA...

We took a tour of Tarpon Springs after leaving the lss. We toured through the sponge docks, visited Howard Park and the beach and then drove slowly through the big old homes along Spring Bayou and another bayou whose name escapes me. We found this old church that was being renovated into a private home and marveled at how beautiful all the stained glass must be from the inside.

Kip took lots of pics so you can roam over to her blog when she gets them posted. We fell in love with small cottages and huge old Victorians alike. I love this town!

E is watching golf and we are trying to decide what to have for supper...we were doing pasta w/left over pork from the other night but neither of us is very hungry. Maybe we'll just snack.

I have Times of the Island (my last issue) which is a mag about Sanibel/Captiva and this month's Coastal Living luring me away from the computer. Have a good one and see you tomorrow.

If cats could talk...

This is my baby, The Goof. Gene named him the day Kristen and I brought The Boys home from shelter. My cat raced around the house, throwing himself hither and yon and doing mid air wirleys.

As you can see,after about 7.5 years, he has slowed down a tad. Goof has his daily ritual. After he gets his early morning snuggle, he walks perimeter around the pool hunting for the intruders...beetles and lizards to name two. Then he retires to E's closet for his mid morning nap unless, like the morning pictured, I didn't make the bed ASAP. He loves to burrow down amidst the covers of the unmade bed. We keep the beach towel on it at night but he is not wild about that.

He eats at six am, eleven, two, and six and probably a lot in between. He has to have ice cubes in his water or he makes his wishes know LOUDLY. Mid afternoon naps occur before and after all meals.

His favorite show is anything Law and Order which he and I often watch together since E is usually sound asleep within 2 min. of his head hitting the pillow. Goof also is fond of the remote...he is a guy, you know.

I can't wait to scrap these pics of him!

(This post is for Auntie Dee2 and Auntie Deb and the Kipster who says I haven't blogged much lately)!

Memo to self

charge camera batteries!

I'll post pics and update blog in a bit.

Pool School

Last night we headed up to our local Pinch-a-Penny pool supply store on Alt. 19 for Pool School. We are first time pool owners and really don't want to screw up the pool. The class lasted for about an hour and a half and over 3/4 of the people attending do this every year.

We walked in to tons of pizza and soda and took a seat up front. We soon discovered what the allure (or part of it) is about Pool School. In addition to being given great information in a practical and understandable way, there were dozens of prizes given out. These varied from a tube of o ring lubricant, which my honey won, to the grand prize of an oxidation system (whatever that is) to the tune of about a thou. We also won a chlorinator, which we already had and the store owner graciously allowed us to swap it out for a replacement parts kit for our pool cleaner. E did win one of the top 3 prizes and was kind enough to give it to me...

This is a big webbed floating lounger for the pool. And I can't wait to try it out.
Will we go next year? You betcha. Everyone who attended won something nice and there was even a discount on anything you bought after the class. I really like the owners, Patty and Joseph as they don't make us feel stupid when we do screw up on something but patiently tell us how to fix the problem.

And no, we didn't get to meet our new best friend to be, the winery owner. Maybe next year..lol.

To those interested in buying the Tampa Expo kit

Please e-mail me at eeickmeier@hotmail.com. I've had requests but also need your e-mail addy to give prices etc. Thanks, Jules

Dinner out...

To celebrate special occasions when we lived in Ft. Myers, we always headed to Vincenzo's on the bay in Bonita Springs. The food was appealing, the atmosphere serene and romantic. Now that we are living in Tarpon Springs, we've had to hunt for a new "our place". On the advise of a young waitress at The Thirsty Marlin in Palm Harbor where we stopped for lunch one day, we gave Casa de Ludivico a try.

Thank you thank you thank you young waitress. The Italian restaurant is located on Alt. 19 in Palm Harbor and is in an old house that is painted yellow. The inside is rich in wood and paintings of southern Italy. Our waitress, Celia, was amazing. She was friendly, helpful and was a native of southern Italy. Our feeble attempts with our oh so limited Italian were met with smiles. She even gave us the number of a friend who gives private Italian lessons as the language is something we have always wanted to learn.

And then there was the food. Magnifico! I had chicken that appeared to be smoked in a white wine sauce w/artichokes and asparagus. E had a veal dish that just made me want to cry it was so good. Wish I could remember the names of our dishes but I will be enjoying a last bit of mine for lunch so what is in a name anyway, right?

We were given olives in a dipping sauce the likes of which I have never had before. Celia said the closest we could get here is a calamata but I've had those and these were a thousand times more flavorful!

I was given a birthday treat for desert and we were hard pressed to even taste it let alone finish the whole thing...lots of almond and cream whatever it was and very good.

We stopped off for a toddy on our way home at the Eagle's Nest...a bar near our house we have been wanting to try. It is a nice neighborhood bar. It doesn't serve much food and, therefore, the patrons can smoke inside. E quit about four or five years ago and I have not smoked in about ten. We could sure smell the odor on our clothes when we got home and my eyes were affected while we were in there. Not sure how often we'll be going back despite how nice it was.

One rose for every decade...

that is what my honey said when he gave me these yesterday...3 red and 3 white and lots of love. We are off to supper at a romantic Italian place in Palm Harbor tonight...see ya all tomorrow!

What a great day...

It has been said that the true measure of wealth is the quality of one's friends. I have to be the richest woman on earth! My friends are the bestest! They have the biggest hearts and the funniest senses of humor. Thanks to all for being my friend.

I was serenaded, hugged, smooched on and well wished from morning until night on my 60th. birthday. Cyber pals posted b'day greetings, scrapping students both past and present gave salutations, and a bunch of the Smoochie Girls took me out for a wonderful lunch, complete with lovely cards and some of the cutest gifts! I had a bunch of the Hilltop Memories gals take my class and laugh with me while we created.

The first pic is of my friend Norma. We met eons ago on the old ckmb as I have said before. The next few are of the Hilltop Memories branch of the Smoochie Girls Society and assorted other names...lol. Linda, Kip, Dee, Teri, Michele, Alice, Ginni and our good friend Kim Hodges from Scrapbooks N Stickers, who came after she taught her class at the Expo.

Today, is family day. The kids are due over around one and we'll swim and hang out. E has steaks and assorted grilled goodies planned for our supper. This is a nice, relaxing celebration planned.

Also, many thanks to my favorite (and only niece) Jennifer and to my favorite (and only sister) Janet for the lovely cards. Can't wait for you both to come visit our new home.

Love to all, Jules