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.

Spring Luncheon

                                      

So, to celebrate the event and to also get some of my girlfriends together, my daughter hosted a Spring Luncheon

I moved away five years ago and don't see them very often.

We laughed and ate and laughed some more.

The table was beautifully set

The food scrumptious

What a way to welcome Spring!

         
                                                                                               

Animals In Alabama

I haven't been to visit my son in several months. 
                 He lives down south... further south than me in Virginia. 

 I get to make pictures when I am there that I don't get where I live. 

                                     Like the alpaca

                                    
                                  that live in the pasture next to his backyard.   

I mean, I could walk up and pet them through the fence but I don't do that. They are the ones that spit, aren't they? Well, maybe that's camels or giraffes or something. I am just not taking my chances. 

                             His boat is tied up at the marina in a state park 
                               

       near where he lives and we always see deer when we go there. 

         I used to see one occasionally where I live but not anymore. 

                                  And, then there is his dog, Sadie. 

She has such a cute personality. I am pretty sure she thinks she's human. 👩   But, I know better. 

Linking up with Saturday Critters and Camera Critters

                                                                                      Be seeing you again real soon!                                                                                                                                                                                                      Latane 
                                                 

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