Racing Go-Carts With Family

Monday it was the pool....

                                Tuesday it was go-cart riding. 

Another first time thing for me...

The gang takes to the track. The woman in car 23 isn't one of us! 

Look out, we are being passed. Step on the gas.

Car 12 is checking out their competion

Here we come around a curve, the wind in our hair, We are on a roll.

Finally, the cars slow down and it's time for our fun to stop.

The younger ones especially are sad it's over.

No. 26 isn't ready to quit just yet.

Oh... it's over.

And, here we come (Susan and me) down to the finish line.

More New Things I Did

                                                 Monday was Pool Day.

       I never learned to swim, not in all my 85 years. Or even float.

                  Every time I would try to float my butt would sink. 😎

                           Besides (or maybe) because of that I am afraid of water.

But, that did not stop me from getting into the pool. Daughter Shirley had a floaty chair and my butt fit right in it. So, I just did my own thing.

                   I am afraid I was a bit ,more like a lot, silly....

                   I announced that all I needed was a glass of wine.

          So help me, here comes granddaughter Brittany with wine for me.

         It was the wine ... I swear it was, giving me a sense of courage. 

        So, I asked my son to stand on one side of me, my son-in-law on the other and I slid out of that floaty chair. 

         They held on tight.... and once I got enough confidence they let go.

                                                ME FLOATING

         Again, more things to add to my 'have never done before' list.

It would be fun if you wanted to post pictures on your blog about things you have never done before.... or just tell me about them in your comments here.

Little Bitty Adventures

I am on a mission....

I am trying to do things I've never done before - - -
                                                      little bitty things even.

Like buying a bag of ice out of a store dispenser... Don't ask me why!! Guess I just never needed to before but I finally went into the store, plunked my money down, walked out, got my ice and handed it to my son so he could put it in the cooler. Now, that's not a big deal.
                     I know... you all are making fun of me! 😀
Hey, cut me some slack...It was something new...

My son and I got to Nags Head. We are on the beach and my great-grands are having a blast trying to pop huge bubbles that my s-i-l was making.

I did not want to be left out so I joined in the fun.

Then I got to be the bubble maker. It was so much fun. Two more things I had never done. I oughta keep a list.

I am a full believer that people, regardless of their age, should fill their every waking moment with new discoveries. Even if it is something so minute as buying a bag of ice or blowing a bubble.                                                                             😃

Last Day of My Birthday Celebration

                                                 My Birthday - Installment 4

The day was slipping away. We'd done the carriage ride already. At 3 we went for tea. I guess I expected an English style afternoon tea, which it was not, so that was a disappointment. The room where it was held was cold so we grabbed up our cups of tea and cookies and found us a roaring fire to enjoy it by.

My birthday dinner was supposed to be in the main dining room but 'best laid plans of mine and men' sort of thing happened. The dining room was closed. So, back to the Jefferson room to celebrate.

I had the BEST roast chicken ever! and the mashed potatoes... well, they were the best, too. The Homestead has one heck of a great chef. I pretty much cleared my plate!

 And, then this yummy whatever it was... I think mousse covered in chocolate with, gee was that whipped cream or ice cream. I can't remember. and those edible gold beads and wafers imprinted with Happy Birthday. This is quite a celebration. 

To bed, but not to sleep. We just don't want to sleep when we can be having fun so we stay up late doing the snapchat thing again. And, laughing our fool heads off.

Monday.... we head home. We are all packed and wait on the porch for the car to be brought around.

One last hurrah!

We did it!

A Ride Through The Wintry Woods

                                                I continue with my birthday surprise!
                               (be sure to check out the two previous posts for more on my birthday)

On Sunday afternoon, after a very delightful breakfast buffet and a donut with a candle in it and the staff singing happy birthday,
                                                  We took a carriage ride. 

It's January, for goodness sakes, sunny, cold and we are going for a ride through the Virginia woods.

                                                    Sounds like fun to me!

                                                    Our shuttle takes us to the stables....

Mike, our jovial driver, is busy getting the horses and carriage ready for our ride.

We go by the falconry. No falcons there today.

There are clubs that bring their falcons there for special events.

The ride through the wintry woods is delightful.

The journey over, we head back to the stables.

Duke (the one nearest the camera) and Duchess pulled our carriage. Mike kept snapping the reins over Dukes back. He says Duke is lazy and let's Duchess do all the work. Isn't that just like a male? Okay. that's a joke. Sort of. he he

Linking with Our World Tuesday, Nature Notes

The Homestead

                           I could not believe it... such a wonderful place to spend my birthday.

                                         We paused to take our picture at the entrance.

Susan had gotten us a suite...

I have awaiting  my arrival a huge welcome/happy birthday basket. Look at all those goodies!!

We start exploring. On display at one end of that long Grand Hall was a Christmas tree.

And, we find the shops! Didn't buy much but it was lovely to look at.

That's my Friday Five with Tom. Check out the other entries on his blog.

and I am also linking with Friday Photo Journal

Surprise!!

                                                      My birthday was Jan. 6th.

My daughter, Susan, called from New York to say she was flying down to Richmond to help me celebrate. I was to choose where I wanted to eat, stay and what to do.

Daughter Shirley and I drove to the airport to pick her up. But, then we didn't head to downtown Richmond!!

                                       Shirley headed WEST.... and drove and drove.

      We got to Charlottesville... still driving... over Afton Mt. , through Waynesboro and on.

Where are these girls taking me?

                     We come to an overlook and stop to take in the view. It is Windy! and Cold!

               We are in the mountains and it is getting what my Mother called "Dusky Dark".

   We have passed lots of farms, barns, a couple wide places in the road, but no towns to speak of.

 The road is winding and narrow. 

We climb up and up and then there before us is this huge building on the side of a mountain. The sign says "Homestead Resort".

My golly gumdrops!! What a surprise. I loved it.

More of this adventure to come.

Stay tuned.

Linking to Thankful Thursday and Little Things

Alabama Hills Are Alive

Michael announced yesterday noonish that we should go shopping for a chair that I would be more comfortable in.. his couch is definately man-caveish and hard for me to get out of.

So, we started a trip into Tennessee, Leoma to be exact. And, I am excited. Some of my ancient kin settled in Leoma and nearby Lawrenceburg. Maybe I'd run into one of their descendants. NOT.

But, the trip was camera friendly. I took pictures of a dozen barns and there were so many I missed. I need to go back. I'll share some of those barns with you later but right now I have three pics I have to show you.

The first one is of a lighthouse. Now, I never figured I'd see a lighthouse and true, it isn't a working lighthouse, just advertisement for a restaurant, but such fun for me to discover along the way.

Next is a killdeer that was hopping along in the grass next to the parking lot at the furniture store. Two of them, but I just got one. They both froze in place until we pulled out into the highway and then they scooted off. I guess they thought we wouldn't see them if they didn't move!

And, I loved this sign by the side of the road. We saw several and finally decided that it was advertising some event that perhaps a religious group was having or perhaps a musical production.
But, just look at the 'post' holding the sign. So inventive, so unique.

A Thankful Life

I am eighty four years old. Yep, 84. How did that happen?

But, you know, I wake up every morning so thankful that God has given me another day to live. I am healthy, happy and full of living so I just want to say to all of you.... get up off your couch, outta your chair, get doing... go about each day filled with gratitude and fun. 

These days it doesn't take much to make me happy... just little things most times. Like spending time with people I enjoy, having some good food, listening to good music, reading, traveling, trying something new. You are not too old... so live a little.

                                                   Here I am boating with my son.

Take time to enjoy your grandchildren. Having a game of Scrabble with my grandson.

Try something new... Here is my grandson and his girlfriend helping me set up a new Instagram account where I encourage us older folks to live life to the fullest. I am an active Blogger, Facebook user, have Pinterest and Instagram. So, I dabble a bit in the tech world. 

Don't be afraid to step through a new door. You might be surprised at what you find on the other side.

Joining with Thankful Thursday and Little Things