tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69554288310300893412024-03-04T23:54:53.720-05:00Through the J.Cruz LensJanethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-20917004326998539072017-03-13T00:55:00.004-04:002017-03-13T09:13:08.780-04:00This is Me<div style="line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "belastoria script";">I’m a wife, stepmom, NaNa, Pitbull lover, cousin, niece, sister and daughter in law, best friend and neighbor</span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; line-height: normal;">… </span><span style="font-family: "belastoria script";">I’m also everyone’s favorite Aunt Janet! I’m a Photographer! I love to shoot families, pets, births and beautiful vistas</span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; line-height: normal;">…</span><span style="font-family: "belastoria script";">(“shooting families</span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; line-height: normal;">…</span><span style="font-family: "belastoria script";">” just doesn’t sound right, but you know what I mean). I will jump at any opportunity to travel, meet new people and make beautiful art. All of this and a little sunshine makes me happy.... this is me... in a nutshell!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm all about my relationships. I know so well that through no fault of our own, relationships come and go. I know the value of the relationships I have each and every day. I've had and have many wonderful relationships that have changed over the years due to this thing called life. Today I focus on the relationships I have here and now.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am a wife. My first and most incredible relationship is with my husband, Jay (or as I like to call him, "Jay Cruz"... has a ring to it, don't cha think??). Jay Cruz started hanging out at our house with my brother, Andrew. As time went on, he was there more and more. I thought he was there because of Andrew. Tracy and Andrew were quick to point out it may have started that he came around because of Andrew, but it was clear to them he was there for me! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jay Cruz was one of my brother's greatest gifts to me. He is my rock, my everything. We met, let's just say when we were mature adults! We got all of our experimenting, craziness, ups and downs out of the way, then Andrew introduced us. We've been together now for 15 years. What a 15 years it has been. Good, bad and ugly. The ugly has come from the garbage life throws at you. We've stood together through it all. I love this man with every cell in my body. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, he always makes me feel alright! Jay Cruz makes me a better person.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am a step mom. My stepson, Josh is one of Jay's gifts to me! While I </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">have many young people whose lives I am a part of, I have only one person in this world I get to call my "son". I love him to pieces. He is a kind, sweet, thoughtful young man with a heart of gold. I love the relationship we have. It is one of a kind and it is uniquely ours. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am "NaNa". My niece and nephews have given me the joy of being "NaNa" to their seven little ones (as time goes on, I'm sure that number will grow). These little people are my sunshine. There is nothing that makes my heart melt as it does when I hear them call me "NaNa"! They bring pure joy into my life. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pitbull lover...yes, I'm a pit bull lover. I don't even know how that happened. Well I do and it's all my brother Andrew's fault. I love blaming things on him. It's not often I can do this given he passed away 8 years ago, but when I can, I do! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The day I bought my house, I was so excited because I could finally get a dog. I wanted a little Doxie so bad. Andrew knew this. One day he came home and announced that he found the "perfect dog" for me. He even put a deposit on her. He was sure she was the dog for me. Andrew was a "dog man" so I trusted him. A few days later we went to get her. She was a little black pit bull. What didn't he understand about I wanted a "little Doxie"? Well, let me tell you... I quickly fell in love with my Sadie girl. He was right, she was perfect for me. She was my soul dog. Sadie was with me through some of the worst days of my adult life. Then, at 13 years old, after getting me through those days, she joined Andrew and his pack. My Sadie girl was one of a kind. When she was gone, I knew I could never replace her... a few days later I saw "My Little Red Rose", </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rosie.... she is no Sadie Girl, but she is a sweet, pretty, little lovable, licking pit bull. She's one of a kind. So much for Doxie's! Thanks to Andrew, I love, I mean LOVE my pit bulls! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am a cousin and a niece. My parents left this world as we know it at a very early age, my brother and sister did the same, leaving me a sibling-less orphan. I am lucky to have grown up with a close extended family. Birthdays, holidays, Sundays and fishing days, to name a few were all spent with aunts, uncles and cousins. We have all moved to different corners of the country over the years, but thanks to Facebook, email, snap chat and so on, (as well as occasional cheap airfare) we have found ways to stay connected. These are the people who have known me all of my life and still love me! They are my roots. I need roots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am a sister and daughter in law. I have to say I have the best in laws anyone could ever want. They were another gift from my Jay Cruz. He brought me into the family and they welcomed me with open arms. My sister and mother in law are two of the strongest, kindest, most loving women I know. Knowing them, it's no wonder that Jay Cruz is Jay Cruz....so kind and loving. I married into an amazing family! Is that not the greatest thing? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am a best friend and neighbor. I grew up in a place where you knew your neighbors. Kids played out front, we came home at night when the street lights went on. We didn't have TV's with 5000 channels, video games or texting. Life happened on the front stoop. We knew our neighbors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When it came time to buy a house, I wanted a neighborhood like where I grew up. I found my little place in the world and I think I hit the neighborhood lottery! My neighbors are the best. We all know each other, can count on each other and actually talk face to face now and again! It's a great place to live and I call it home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have many friends, and some are better and closer than others. I treasure all my friendships particularly my friendships with Chris, Cindy, Joyce, Maurya & Cristine. They have been by my side through the good and bad. They know the best and the worst of me. They are always there for me. They are incredible women and I am proud they call me friend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's talk about Tracy. What can I say? He is the best! </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can't explain it, he just is. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He's a gift from my brother. Some 20 years ago Andrew brought him home. I met him early one morning in my basement and he's been a part of my life ever since. As time has gone on Tracy has become family. He has stepped in where Andrew could not be. I know he will always be there for me. To top it all off, he and Jay Cruz are also the best of friends! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not to be outdone by Andrew and his gifts to me, Tracy gave me Kosti. Konstantin to most, (to formal) Kosti to me! He is my best girlfriend, partner in crime and confidant. Life is good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Okay, then there is life as "Aunt Janet". I'm not sure if I am really everyone's "favorite Aunt Janet" but it sounds good if I do say so myself! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My Mom and Dad were my everything. While I only had them but a very short time it was the best time. They gave me the gift of life, love, family, friendship and of respect for life. I learned so much from them during my short time with them and in the legacy they left. My personal mission in life it to be someone who justifies their short time on earth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My parents gave me my sister Carol and in a round about way, Andrew. After my parents died, Carol and her husband David gave us a home and a family. They didn't have to do that, but they did and never complained or looked back and wish they hadn't. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While we were still living with them they began to have children of their own. First Jason, then Kristen, Mark and Michael. I was their Aunt Janet!!! Wow!!! While I was, am their Aunt Janet, they have never called me that (I really never wanted them too!). They all always do introduced me however as their "Aunt Janet". While they don't call me aunt Janet, all their friends do. It is hilarious! I love when I'm in a store and I hear, "Hi Aunt Janet"! To this day, I'm known as Aunt Janet to many. So why not be everyone's favorite Aunt Janet? It's a good thing to be. Aunts can be best friends, confidants, like a mom without the day to day responsibility. Aunts are loving and nurturing. Aunts are the best! I try to be the best Aunt Janet there is!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...Me and the roles I play...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stay happy, remember that life is good, people are good. Love each other.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bad things don't need us to do a thing to happen, they just happen. We need to compensate for the bad that happens by loving one another and being kind. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Hugs from,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Your Favorite Aunt Janet</span><br />
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-16603639645884838142017-02-03T15:39:00.002-05:002017-02-07T10:00:05.898-05:00Plumbing, Pokemon Go and Tacos....Where does the time go? I don't know but it sure seems to be moving faster and faster each day. We have all been together this season for a little over a month now and there are oh so many stories. How do I choose? ~ I'll take a stab at starting.....<br />
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We got here in enough time to ring in 2017 and celebrate Tracy's Birthday. Each decade, Tracy does something memorable to celebrate. In the past it has been a tattoo. This year to ring in half a century, with Kosti, his Mom and her husband, his Sister, his Daughter, her fiancé and his grand-babies, he decided to celebrate in St. Croix! Jay and I sat out this trip.....</div>
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Two weeks apart... seemed like an eternity.... but it ended and the boys made it back home safe and sound after a glorious and fun vacation. </div>
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Wednesdays are for walking.... and Pokemon Go! </div>
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Actually, I've been walking at least 5 miles each day. I am determined to leave a bunch of all this extra weight I have been hanging on to in Florida this year. It's been over a month and you would think I would have lost a ton, but NOOOooooo...... Yesterday I realized that the more I walk the hungrier I am. The hungrier I am, the more I eat. At first I thought it was okay to eat lots of lean protein, yogurt, fruit etc. It has now dawned on me that calories are calories and I'm eating to many! I'm obviously not eating right as not a pound has disappeared yet. Time to do some research and see what I can fix to get this right. There has to be a way! I do feel good about the fact that 21 days of doing something makes a habit. I've been walking at least 5 miles each day for more than 21 days! I got a Fitbit to use and it has made a monster out of me! If you have a <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/store" target="_blank">Fitbit</a> and are up to some challenges message me here and I'll add you as a friend!</div>
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Getting back to Wednesdays are for Walking..... Tracy is a Pokemon Go player.... On Wednesdays he heads down to <a href="http://www.cityftmyers.com/facilities/facility/details/Centennial-Park-9" target="_blank">Centennial Park</a> to do some walking, play some Pokemon, get some balls... (guess you have to play to understand). I do try to help him out from time to time. I carry his phone with me, quasi playing Pokemon while I walk each day. I don't understand the game. I do try to "play" since it's in my hand. I know it helps if the game is on and I'm logging miles while carrying it, so I do. Our Kosti man goes to school by day to learn to be a plumber. After school he heads down to a really sweet second hand boutique to put in a few hours of work. He does this Monday through Friday. Around 6 on Wednesdays, we head down to Centennial Park and wait for Kosti to get out of work. Tracy Pokemons and Jay and I wander. Tracy racks up the miles and balls, and I rack up the steps! We wander until Kosti is done with work. Then we head to downtown Fort Myers for Wednesday Tacos! You'd think we'd do this on Taco Tuesday, but noooo, we do Taco Wednesdays! Dare to be different, right....</div>
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So, our Kosti loves plumber school. He's loving all the testosteroney. He's learning tons. He's having fun!!! On walking Wednesday, it was so exciting for him as he was sent out into the field. While he was excited, his skin wasn't quite prepared to be out in the blazing sun all day. He got a little burnt to say the least. Before we left for the night, we got a call to bring him some aloe leaves to soothe his burning head. We did head out to Dick's Sporting goods first to pick up some supplies for him. We figured we'd get him a sun blocking shirt and hat. That in and of itself was an adventure. I am here to tell the people at Dick's that if someone comes in and asks for a sun-blocking shirt, it doesn't matter if it's for swimming or fishing. It really doesn't! We found a brilliant sales person who showed us all the short sleeve sun blocking shirts in the swimming section. Tracy asked if there were any long sleeve ones anywhere else to be told "Nope, that'a all we have". Wandering through we found ourselves in the fishing department, with all kinds of sun-blocking clothing you could imagine..... Dick's please share this info with your sales folks ~ There's more to sunblocking than swimming! </div>
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We headed out to Centennial Park...Tracy took off on his Pokemon marathon and Jay and I hung out to wait for Kosti to get out of work. We did have the aloe ready and waiting for him when he got there. I decided that I need to put some time into adding steps to my daily total. Jay stayed behind. By the time I added another 1000 steps and headed back, Kosti was there... I wish I had a camera with me so I could have captured the sight in the park that night! Use your imagination....Kosti sitting on a picnic table. He and Jay rubbing an aloe directly from aloe leaves on his head. His bright red, now shiny head....I guess you really had to be there to appreciate the sight. Oh if I could only hear what others in the park that night were thinking!</div>
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I did break from the walk last week and headed out to an incredible Conference in Orlando. One of the best I've ever been to! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/983391661703016/" target="_blank"> The Southeast Photo Conference</a>. I just can't stop talking about it! If you're a photographer, you should check it out! I'm already signed up for next year..... I can't wait! I tried to keep up with my 18-20k steps each day and in the process, I did learn that if you don't do it right, you can hurt yourself. The first two days I got all my steps in. I did about 5k each day in my room, running or marching in place. I did some damage. I had to knock down my steps for a few days so my knees could recover..... lesson learned.</div>
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Well today is Friday. Yesterday Tracy and Jay gave me a long list of 5 things I had to do. Oh how they were over working me! They didn't feel bad about it, even though I did remind them it is because of the two of them I get to enjoy this lifestyle they have provided me with! Oh yeah, I am accustomed to it! I'm getting older, I was only able to remember 3, got them done..... Life is tough. I do know how fortunate I am. I am grateful to my boys/men for everything they have given me and do for me. They did tell me that it was my day to cook dinner, oh yeah that was one of the "to do"s. Pizza! (and I didn't make it) . </div>
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I am no cook, I will not pretend to be a cook. I don't like cooking, I can't cook... that's all there is to it! Well this was not such and exciting post. </div>
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Hold tight..... Tracy and I are heading to Key West next week. That is a "Bucket List" place for me. I can't wait.... there are a few men I love and don't know..... <span style="font-family: inherit;">Michelangelo</span>, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Ernest Hemingway! Ernest Hemingway ~ here I come! Stay tuned!!!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-10291290113587304982017-01-04T14:14:00.005-05:002017-01-04T16:47:26.738-05:00Hello 2017...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope you are enjoying this great year we have been given. We certainly are here. Only a few glitches so far, but nothing we can't handle!<br />
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This the first time we are celebrating the New Year together since Tracy and Kosti moved to Florida 3 years ago. In years past with the boys, Jay and I would welcome the New Year (midnight) with everyone and then head up to bed by 12:30am. We decided that given our history, we'd need a plan. We would drop a car off downtown Fort Myers, once the New Year rang in, we'd kiss, have some champagne, and then Jay and I could head home sooner rather than later. We all know how Tracy likes to ring in the New Year straight through to sunrise. A good plan.... or so we thought.<br />
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The Beach was calling, that's were we decided to ring in 2017, Fort Myers Beach with some friends! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXFDOS3kbnX2KBmo8EeHUrDukni-aoOrRSQZFnoEgQHZpyfoVpSnt7VEEGg-p7NKgxMoJggO6qgsw7tnEHFaVwA3IkoSDh7qxQ2aQoJgM4CKJnpZZC7WO_dMiMRiNKbePay7eLUJTDMA/s1600/15727351_1112249945539642_6768459306301333709_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXFDOS3kbnX2KBmo8EeHUrDukni-aoOrRSQZFnoEgQHZpyfoVpSnt7VEEGg-p7NKgxMoJggO6qgsw7tnEHFaVwA3IkoSDh7qxQ2aQoJgM4CKJnpZZC7WO_dMiMRiNKbePay7eLUJTDMA/s320/15727351_1112249945539642_6768459306301333709_n.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Thinking it was probably going to be very busy there and knowing that traffic on a regular day is bad, we figured we'd be spending hours getting there. We left extra early ~ giving ourselves enough time to get there, settle in and ring in the New Year!<br />
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First, drop off the car, pick up The BOYS! We usually refer to Tracy and Kosti as 'the boys', but these two ~ Jon & Colin are "the boys". Cute, young, fun, sweet! Did I say young? I could have given birth to them! The Boys! ( I think I love them!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TXvdvq67CbmGwee_yoEmgGlAJsoGN50pgJy2wQ1m3Xo_ANWTyfSjXujUMbtIi7NUvtf1e3iEZjkJEkD_syltaUX2rd9yAtIXDDlqnZtXtLOPfl4xtAspxlTwrJDnOeZaKT3yiAdoUgo/s1600/3K4B3948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TXvdvq67CbmGwee_yoEmgGlAJsoGN50pgJy2wQ1m3Xo_ANWTyfSjXujUMbtIi7NUvtf1e3iEZjkJEkD_syltaUX2rd9yAtIXDDlqnZtXtLOPfl4xtAspxlTwrJDnOeZaKT3yiAdoUgo/s400/3K4B3948.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
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The process of dropping off the car was one for the books. Jay's eyes are playing tricks on him so I had to drive. Okay ~ not so bad you think however, I was following "Tracy Andretti"! Keep in mind, I had no idea where we were going, actually I don't think Tracy did either. After a couple of detours through Home Depot parking lot, almost running down some snowbirds, a U turn or two, we ended up at the correct plaza and Popeye's Chicken. (we had to have something to snack on at the Beach) Brainstorm! Kosti, would drive our car and Jay would ride with Trace ~ I wouldn't have to keep up with Andretti. Better plan!<br />
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I had my Sippy cup filled with<a href="http://www.rumchata.com/age-gate" target="_blank"> RumChata</a>, <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7BraDPKfdzyrjV7dpkcmYz_vqQohzv98gv0iwEMuPGRGQtaWXcsfc2dVzHD999a-QWDg-eybJweakVQ3GsPRARNWWBvUrJKFm9069xJr0zOi7pDJp8vnAeZcF6M24wFpl3O8p9e2Zvk/s1600/15741061_1112326488865321_7228407531125962769_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7BraDPKfdzyrjV7dpkcmYz_vqQohzv98gv0iwEMuPGRGQtaWXcsfc2dVzHD999a-QWDg-eybJweakVQ3GsPRARNWWBvUrJKFm9069xJr0zOi7pDJp8vnAeZcF6M24wFpl3O8p9e2Zvk/s400/15741061_1112326488865321_7228407531125962769_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
(my favorite). Since I was driving,<br />
I wouldn't sip (killing' me!). With Kosti driving, I could sip... a lot! <br />
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Before we got to our destination I emptied my<br />
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Made it to Jon & Colin's house, safe and sound. After packing and piling everyone into the jeep we were off!<br />
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Whew..... ready for traffic ... guess what... we breezed through. No traffic. A~mazing. It's going to be a good year! Our plan was for Tracy to drop us all off at <a href="http://lanikaiislandresort.com/" target="_blank">The Lani Kai</a>, and then he would go search for parking. Amazing! No need to drop us off, we found a parking spot right out front! It is really going to be a good year! <br />
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We had given ourselves a 2 hour window to get through traffic and find a parking spot. Piled out of the car and found our spot on the beach, settled in and waited for the New Year! We were early. The Beach was kind of empty. Hmmmm.... did we miss something? Are there fireworks? <br />
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It was fun getting to know Jon and Colin. Two little cuties! Jon, I found out is a hug fan of Miss <a href="http://www.dariennelake.com/" target="_blank">Darienne Lake</a>. Well of course, so am I! Could we can get her to come to Fort Myers? I kind of selfishly want her to come to SWF! She's the only one I let touch my hair and in a few weeks... let's just say she'll need to touch it! We messaged her to check! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmjrTAseFpVocBQD9rCxXhq2DtlVA8SXLazjY1HI3Dldg0GDUAH4dbw0QnbLVXCQnojQnQuS_vWjihgwOyi7YeOIdpkKObsUyYvdQ6WSasCUK3Ts7MlQ7ReR4_iV2Tjgk4h21iirgFU0/s1600/15820674_407126429618392_258116613_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmjrTAseFpVocBQD9rCxXhq2DtlVA8SXLazjY1HI3Dldg0GDUAH4dbw0QnbLVXCQnojQnQuS_vWjihgwOyi7YeOIdpkKObsUyYvdQ6WSasCUK3Ts7MlQ7ReR4_iV2Tjgk4h21iirgFU0/s320/15820674_407126429618392_258116613_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss Darianne Lake</td></tr>
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Yay, on her way on stage, she answered our plea!!! She'd come if we can get a club to book her! We have a mission! Bring Darienne Lake to South West Florida!!!!<br />
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Oh so much excitement for the night and it wasn't even 2017 yet!<br />
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Around 11:15 ~ 11:30 the beach started to fill up around us. The ice cream man showed up, people setting off fireworks, laughing, lighting Chinese lanterns, getting married! What fun!!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ice Cream Man!</td></tr>
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Yay a festive night for sure. So much fun! There was a sweet young couple on the beach next to us who just happened to celebrate their wedding that night. Lucky me! Tracy asked if I could take some pictures. I tried to explain to him, it was to dark to take anything worth wild, he wouldn't hear it, he insisted I could take it! I gave in, perhaps if he would shine his cell phone light on them, maybe, just maybe I could get something..... It worked! Who knew? They were so cute!!</div>
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....then it happened! People, kissing, fireworks!!!! 2017!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2017, what a great year!</span><br />
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.... a change in plans.... the beach was so crowded, we decided we'd let the crowd and traffic calm down before we left. Okay, we could do that, so... Jay and I wouldn't get to bed at 12:30 ... we could stay up a little later.....<br />
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We packed our stuff in the car and headed to the club in the Lani Kai. Some drinks, some dancing and then they spot it! Henna Tattoos! Tracy decided all the guys needed to get matching "Turtle Clan Tattoos!" (hmmmm feeling a little left out!). Seemed like a good idea at the time. Have ya ever gotten a henna tattoo? Me neither, with these it took about an hour for them to dry. Ummmm, celebrating New Year, sitting still for an hour while your henna tattoo dries.... good idea? Jay got his done then someone bumped into him, it smeared. He washed it off (or so he thought) and went and had the other arm done....and on the ride home going over a bump, it smeared again......Tracy was the only sober one, so he says that's why his didn't't smear as much! (okay, sure!) The rest smear city!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNYMbBP2l79Rye6REqBqNlSEb0LCYkZhO8b94238tpjY4abDvTWb5Ygr4SXzWYgwqU69XO9Hx1u4n6YhKt7ZZi82VCBpRz6BW5RFEY1Lbn56WBPVYPgG0blhhQ2Ap6kPS59gAaG_V7Vg/s1600/15910122_1115417841889519_337861038_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNYMbBP2l79Rye6REqBqNlSEb0LCYkZhO8b94238tpjY4abDvTWb5Ygr4SXzWYgwqU69XO9Hx1u4n6YhKt7ZZi82VCBpRz6BW5RFEY1Lbn56WBPVYPgG0blhhQ2Ap6kPS59gAaG_V7Vg/s400/15910122_1115417841889519_337861038_n.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Turtle Clan Boys..... (fresh)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and here they are a few days later!</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Two to three weeks with these ink smears..... fun! We made it home, Jay & I that is by 3:30am. W</span><span style="text-align: left;">hat a year....first time in a long time, this <i>mature</i> couple stayed out that late! Our boys, Tracy and Kosti saw the sunrise. January 1, 2017 was a lazy day at our house!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Welcome to 2017! Happy Happy New Year! </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <i>Janet</i></span></div>
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-49698837033493724752016-12-29T08:01:00.001-05:002016-12-29T08:01:25.078-05:00Earlier in the lives of "Us" Japan 2001 <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2001 Tracy was working in Japan. That summer his daughter Ashley and I went to visit him for three weeks. We left on August 6th. Looking back, the funny thing is, the day before I left on this trip, JR and Chicken got married. (friends of my brother's). I had offered to do the wedding photo's as Andrew's gift. He was the sweating, nervous best man. I shot the wedding and left. Those were film days. I dropped the film off and gave instructions to Andrew to pick it up and deliver them to the Bride and Groom. I went home and packed, woke up the next day and left for Japan. One of the people, I met that day, of the many, was a man named Jay Cruz.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The world was different back then. Ashley and I travelled back by plane in the end of August 2001 Tracy flew back a few weeks later, just prior to 9/11....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This trip, while it was not our first trip together was a memorable one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have always kept a journal of all my trips. Below is a summary I wrote to share with friends when we got home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tokyo August 2001</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, let me start by telling you that I love America and I am so glad to be back home. Tokyo is on the other side of the globe, traveling there takes it’s toll. Our plane left Rochester at 10:30am on Monday and we touched down at 2:30pm on Tuesday, Tokyo time, (that would have been 1:30am Tuesday Rochester time). Out return trip, I think was even more grueling, we left Tokyo at 2:30pm Thursday, Tokyo time, which would have been 1:30am Thursday Rochester time and arrived in Rochester at 6pm after 14 hours in the air and a two hour layover in Chicago. Our flight from Chicago actually left Chicago at 1:10pm Thursday, an hour earlier then when we left Tokyo, so we got to live through Thursday twice last week!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When we arrived in Tokyo, we immediately became the minority with a disability. They called us “guy-jing”, (foreigners). Japan is, obviously all Japanese. I have never experienced this before, I soon realized the other countries I have traveled to were all western countries, where for the most part, if I did not speak, I could “blend in”. This was not the case in Japan. I am too big and my hair too curly, not to mention my eyes look nothing like theirs. The language is very difficult to pick up and the writing is almost impossible to decipher, although we did learn some helpful sight words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Japanese are very nice people. They are very polite and very proud. In direct contrast to their politeness however was the fact that they did not like or accept “guy-jing”. I would venture to say that about 80% of the time when we would get on a train or subway and would sit down (when there was a seat) who ever we sat next to would get up and move. They actually would rather stand, then sit next to us. It happened time and time again. One time I was standing in front of an older lady and she grabbed me by my blouse sleeve and pushed me to the back of the crowd. One night when we were out, I was denied access two clubs because I was female and American. Tracy bribed the doorman double the entry fee at the second club and got me in. (3400 yen, about $30). I’m not exactly sure, but I think it was a “sex club”, I got this impression from the videos playing and the activity occurring in the back room. It was by Shijuku, where the explosion was last week.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tokyo is a very, very large, populated, neon city. People, whole families actually, live in very small apartments, one on top of the other. The Japanese love their plants. The front of just about all apartments are loaded with potted plants. It was very pretty walking down some of the smaller streets, like the one our apartment was on. During our stay we spent some time at The Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, “guy-jing” are not allowed into the palace, but we were able to walk around the gardens. The Japanese gardens are not so much about flowers, but more about meticulous grooming and shaping. The gardens were beautiful. The city is very clean. While people smoke like crazy, you never see a cigarette butt on the ground or any paper/ trash. Very rarely did we see any graffiti. They take great pride in their environment, and that was evident in how they keep it so very clean.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately we did not have a car, (too expense to have there), and the other modes of transportation were so expensive that we did not leave the city much. We walked about five miles each day. Tokyo has done an excellent job of making itself accessible to people who are blind. All the streets, subways, sidewalks have different grooved patterns specifically to let them know where they are. Streetlights have voices that say when it is safe to cross. That is the extent of accessibility for Tokyo. The rest of the city is vertical with no elevators or ramps.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While there we lived in a “western apartment”. We laughed at ourselves each morning when we got up and left the apartment, we had created such a western atmosphere in there that when we walked out the door, one of us would often comment, “oh yeah, we’re in Japan”, once we hit the “unwestern street”. The apartment was about 500 square feet, it had a small kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, modern toilet room (we had a very modern space aged toilet – thank God! Which in Japan is a luxury I soon found out), a shower room and a room with a sink and mirror. The last three rooms were no bigger than a closet. The shower room was about four feet by four feet. Half was a shower and then there was a tub about three feet long by two feet wide and three feet deep. What you are suppose to do is fill the tub, take a shower then dip yourself in the tub after you are clean. You are not suppose to empty the tub, the whole family uses the same water to “dip” into. We didn’t use the tub in that manner. The apartment cost $2000 a month. Everything in Japan is half the size it is in America, for the most part including the people. The refrigerators there we call “dorm” size here. Our apartment didn’t have a stove; it had a fish oven. (we never used it). Our disability came in when we realized that in Japan we didn’t know how to use the washer and dryer, run the dishwasher, or use the microwave. All the buttons and knobs to operate these appliances were written in Japanese (there were no pictures). In an attempt to use them we just began turning knobs and pushing buttons until something would happen at which point we liked to believe we turned on the machines correctly and everything would turn out the way we wanted. After three weeks, I believe I got the correct sequence down for operating the washing machine (even though we laugh, because we’re still not sure I didn’t just put it on to the rinse cycle each time).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We did have a television, but no cable so everything for the most part was in Japanese. We had gotten to the point that we would make up the news as we were watching it in the evening. Particularly the weather report. While we were there, a typhoon hit Tokyo. I had called that weather report correct, much to our surprise. We spent that evening visiting with friends on the US Airforce Base. Most of the movies on TV and in the theaters are American movies and interestingly they sub title them in Japanese, so we were able to watch videos and movies, and understand them!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The streets in Tokyo are very narrow. They drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. That took getting used to when catching buses and crossing streets. The subway station that we took most frequently was about a mile away from the apartment. We walked that at least once a day there and home again. I could summarize my trip as three weeks spent on a treadmill and stairmaster. There were always, ALWAYS stairs to climb, and no matter where we went or how we were getting there we always had to walk a distance to our mode of transportation. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each time we would head towards the subway we passed a little pet store, among other types of shops. Once the stores open each day, they expand out onto the sidewalk. The sidewalks were crowded with people to begin with, now add groceries, produce, pets, plants and they were very tight. The sun was very strong there so, whether it was raining or not, people used umbrellas. While walking down the street we frequently had to duck to keep from being poked in the eye by an umbrella, or we had to step aside to the ringing of a bicycle bell. Bicycles are very popular modes of transportation and they ride them on the sidewalks. The pet store was our favorite to pass each day because of the caged animals, domestic pets that we stopped to play with daily. The most interesting of which were the cute little caged squirrels, that would reach their little paws out to us crying to be freed, (we thought anyway). Yes, squirrels. We would stop and rub their bellies and they would hold our fingers in their little paws. I have a new love of squirrels. Ashley and I were trying to plot a way that we could free the squirrels before we left, but we never had the nerve to follow through. We even considered buying them to set them free, but they wanted 2980 yen per squirrel, (about $270).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Tracy worked a portion of the time we were there, so Ashley and I took to exploring the city on our own. It is a very safe city, so we never worried about being mugged or harmed. We had mastered the subway system there. The city is broken up into districts or sections. We lived in the Hiro-o district. We knew the symbols for that and Rapongi, (the stop on the subway prior to Hiro-o), so we always could figure out how to get home, even when we couldn’t find a subway map with English on it. Japanese people, as I had mentioned are very polite and proud. There were a few times we had gotten lost and would attempt to ask someone for directions. We had our address written on a card in Japanese, so we could always show that and ask for help if we were really in trouble. However rather than say, “I don’t know”, the Japanese would give you some sort of information, even if it was wrong, so we never knew if the directions we were given were actually correct. We learned quickly to ask several different people and head in the direction most often given.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">When Ashley and I were our own, we ate many of our meals in a good old American chain, like McDonalds, KFC, Subway or Pizza Hut. The reason we did that was, you go into a Japanese restaurant and the menu is all in Japanese and you have no idea what you are getting, as I was traveling with a 14 year old, her tolerance for surprise food was very limited. Go into an American Chain and there is always pictures with the menu. Not only were there pictures, but 90% of the employees in them spoke English.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My standard drink is ice tea. The Japanese drink ice tea with milk in it. I tried everything once, the milk in ice tea I wasn’t really crazy about. In Tokyo there are pop, juice, water, cigarette and beer machines on every corner. Smoking is a popular thing in Japan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Early in our trip, Ashley and I though it was very nice of the people in Tokyo to give out little packs of tissue on the street. The packs had advertising on them. Soon we found out that they did that because the public restrooms do not provide toilet paper. Not only that, there were no male/female restrooms for the most part and there are no porcelain bowls. You squat to use the facilities consisting of a hole in the floor. You also squat in most homes and establishments, unless they are “westernized”. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The second week of our trip we ventured out to tackle Fujisan. (Mt. Fuji). Mt Fuji is the highest point in Japan. It is about two hours outside of Tokyo. It is a beautiful mountain, which even though I bonded with it, I never saw the whole thing from a distance (except for pictures) as the weather never allowed. We tackled the mountain the day after the Typhoon hit. We headed out to Fujisan about 7am. We had to take a subway to the JR, (Japanese Railroad) to a bus. The ride out was beautiful. We passed beautiful countryside and many many rice paddies. We arrived at the mountain and headed up on our way. Climbing Fujisan is a popular activity in July and August. It was, by the way about 85 degrees that day. My description of the climb will never do it justice; the pictures may help to explain what I mean. Mt Fuji is 3776 meters straight up!(that’s 12,388.45feet, or 2.34miles above sea level). There are ten rest stations along the way.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hike starts out kind!. Actually it was quite beautiful. Lush trees, mild incline and millions, I mean millions of butterflies. It made me smile. Then it struck, we passed the tree line and I believe that I found hell on earth. Yes, it was pure hell. The terrain quickly turned black, and rocky. You know the lava rocks in your gas grill, enlarge them 100 times, that’s what we were climbing. At the sixth rest station the mild incline disappeared we began about an 80 degree rock climb up. IT SUCKED. Pure hell. At the start of the climb we bought walking sticks, every station you make brands your stick. That was a little fun. There were many people on the climb with us, not actually with us, but climbing also. I noticed that most of the Japanese were in climbing groups with guides. This was one place that the Japanese were extremely accepting and helpful to us. Everyone we climbed with, passed or passed us greeted us with “good afternoon” “good luck” or “you can do it!” of course in Japanese. We quickly learned to greet them, “ka-ne-chee- wa”. This climb was pure torture. I knew that every cell in my body was alive. At one point I was struggling so much that a tour guide, (my hero) adopted me as part of his group. He was very much like a mountain goat. He ran up and down that mountain like he was born there. He was dressed all in white, with jeannie pants on and an embroidered vest. He wore shoes that looked like mittens. He showed me how I should be climbing. I didn’t have climbing gloves and he gave me his. He didn’t speak English, but spent a lot of time with me. He routinely would check with me to make sure I was all right. When his group would make a station before I did, he would stand at the top and cheer me on until I got up there, then he would congratulate me. He was my “sensei”, my personal teacher. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a difficult climb, but what got me was when 70 and 80 year olds would pass me up. Unbelievable! As it turns out, the Japanese know how tackle the mountain. They do it in two days, where as we were trying to do it in one. You can stay in the huts, different stations for 7000 yen a night, ($64). The accommodations consisted of a straw mat on the floor that you shared with maybe thirty or forty other people. It cost 100 yen a squat on the mountain, (80cents). Fluids were quickly going through my body by way of sweat; I didn’t have to worry about squatting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">At the 8</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> station, about 3100 meters up (7 hours into the climb), I started to get altitude sickness. My head was throbbing; I was dizzy, nauseous and crying. I actually told Tracy (you get a little loopy at this altitude) that I would rather lay down and die on the mountain than go one step further. At that point it was dusk and we headed back down. I think if we had made provisions to stay overnight, we could have made it. We didn’t have reservations, so couldn’t stay. Who would have thought, you need reservations to sleep on a straw mat 3100 meters in the sky with 30 others! My sensei and his group stopped to sleep at the 8</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; line-height: normal;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> station. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Because of the typhoon, the mountain as very rough. It had also wiped out the “slide” down. So we had to climb down the same way we went up. While I found hell on earth going up, I found God coming down. It took us three hours to climb down, we all fell hard at least once. The whole three hours coming down I prayed to God to get me off the mountain alive. My body was shot, it was indeed God who got me down! Getting home we took a bus, a train, the “bullet” and a subway. While it was free to climb the mountain, transportation that day cost us $400.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The following day our friends in the airforce made it to the top in 7 and a half-hours. I am so proud our armed forces are in such good shape! Our Japanese friend, Joon made it in 4 and a half-hours. (unbelievable).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tracy had found a nightclub spot where most of the “guy-jing” hung out. Some Japanese people hung out there, but for the most part it was full of people from all over the world. Our favorite spot, interestingly enough was a little corner bar called, “The Advocate”. It was there that we met our Japanese friends, Joon, and Hiro, and a few others. We met our Airforce and Navy friends. Even thought the Navy boys were young enough for me to have given birth to them, it was fun to be around Americans, comparing Japan experiences. We met and hung out with people from Australia, Malta, England, Germany, Brazil and Columbia. These were all people who were there working either with the US Armed Services or with some technology company. Hiro by the way is a concert pianist, who will be working as a translator at the Eastman in October. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Japan is caught between being high tech and very simple. The cell phones, “J phones” are in everyone’s hands over there. Not only are they cell phones, but also they connect you to the web, and they take pictures. I had a ball one night taking pictures with one of my friend’s phones and emailing them to my family. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One night we invaded a karoke bar. What an experience. The Japanese LOVE, I truly mean Love their karoke. It was fun to watch. Fashion is very westernized. The latest craze is kind of bizarre, I have no idea where it comes from. The girls, teens and 20-year-olds dressed in Shirley Temple type outfits with anklets, patent leather, lace and frills. They actually wore these outfits like crazy and styled their hair in pigtails. Periodically you saw a Japanese girl, woman on the street in a Kamono. I bought two at a second hand store. They are beautiful, silk and hand made. Japanese don’t like second hand things so I got the two of them for 3000 yen about $26.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">During the course of the trip, while I saw many many Japanese, I saw about 20 individuals with disabilities. At one point however, I realized that one young man I saw a few times on the subway at first I thought nothing of then it occurred to me that he had Down Syndrome, and I hadn’t realized it, because he looked like everyone else. Only once did I see a group with 5 people and two “staff” the rest were by themselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent a day with psychologists from the National Institute on Disabilities. They were wonderful. They all spoke English very well, and in fact all except one of them had studied in the United States. One of the functions of the Institute is to prepare teachers to work with children with disabilities. They were eager to hear and talk about inclusion. Children are not included in Japan. To go to school there children have to take and pass an entry exam. The average size of a “normal classroom” is 35 students. 40 is the maximum that can be in a class. All students wear uniforms to school. Children with disabilities are sent to special schools and facilities. They are also grouped by the severity of their disability. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I spent an afternoon and evening at an agency similar to The Advocacy Center. As similar as Japan can get. The Agency is located in Yokohama. So I also was able to see Japan’s beaches and the Pacific Ocean from the other side of the world. At this agency, they work with parents, supporting them to support their children. In Japan parents are responsible for their children their (the children’s) whole life. People do not become their own guardians once they turn 18. Financial support comes through the parents. If the government is going to provide funding it is through the local government where the parents live, no matter where the child lives. Most children live at home, with their families, in their communities. It is believed in Japan that when you have a child with a disability you will have good fortune. Families with children with disabilities are believed to be blessed, they are held in high esteem. About 50% of people with disabilities live in facilities. They told me that is where people go when their parents died. All go out into the community to work. There has been a recent turn in events over the past five years. Manual, traditional jobs are disappearing with the advancement of technology. Five years ago this agency placed 2000 people in farming and or fishing jobs. This past year they placed 200. They are facing a new challenge and are not sure where to take it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My meeting with the Agency people was a very eye opening experience. They did not speak English. I had brought a translator with me to assist with communication. To start out with 10 of us sitting in a big room around a large table. My translator, John was American. He has a child with a disability. He is fluent in Japanese, and recently took a job there. He is moving his son over in January, so he was very interested in the services available. What was interesting for me was how this meeting made me feel. It was so odd. Whether it is true or not, I feel that I didn’t get half the conversation. Nor do I feel that what I was saying was relayed the way I meant it to. I felt very stupid, inadequate and over whelmed. I sat there and smiled most of the time, nodding my head. With the translation, this group thought my transition training was a very odd thing, because it sounded as if we felt we had to be pro active and avoid problems before they occur. They told me that they didn’t expect problems with people with disabilities and when there was a problem, they handled them as they occurred.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We talked about self-advocacy. They have self-advocacy groups that meet four times a year. They are very proud of that. One of the groups wrote up a list of requests for the government to take care of. Number one and number three on their list had to do with transportation. They wanted more accessible transportation, (imagine that, a world wide problem) and the second one regarding transportation was that they wanted the people who you asked for directions in the subways to be more friendly and to give understandable, simplified directions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We all exchanged business cards. The Members of The Institute asked me to come back and spend more time with them in the future. Sho, who was my connection recently, spent a year at The Center for Human Policy in Syracuse. He is trying to come back for a few weeks next year. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My trip was a very interesting one, one I won’t soon forget. I had many new and educational, eye opening experiences. And Fujisan will forever haunt me!. While it was hell on earth, if for some odd reason, If I ever go back, I am going go conquer that mountain. For now, I think I’ll take a few weeks to get back into the western hemisphere time zone, stay on flat ground and show anyone who will look, my photos!</span></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-41384559265566649392016-12-26T12:25:00.000-05:002016-12-26T18:54:37.220-05:00 Our Chosen Family<div style="line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Family…. chosen family. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We are gay, straight, male, female, Puerto Rican, Russian, German and Italian. Two of us were born on Islands, one in a foreign land. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We are from 33 to 61 years old, two of us born in January, two in October. Two of us are Boomers, one a Gen X'er and one a Millennial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">One of us is an orphan…. three of our Mom’s are still living. Our closest Mom lives 1118 miles away by plane. Our furtherest Mom is 6259 miles away and we talk to her every day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We have five college degrees between us and too many different jobs and professions to list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We have been married four times, two marriages have been knowingly to lesbians (& I’m not one of the two lesbians nor have I ever been married to a lesbian). We've been divorced three times. One of us has never been married. We have two children and a niece and three nephews who I love as my own. We have eleven grandchildren of sorts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We have thirteen siblings of the thirteen only two who are full blooded siblings. They happen to both be sisters. We have ten step brothers and sisters, five of whom we have never met . We have one cousin who we consider a brother, he is responsible for bringing us together and we adore him. Eleven of our siblings are still living, that we know of…. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">We have lived in five states, one US territory and seven countries. Between us we have traveled to forty seven states, three territories, and thirty five countries. We are fluent in three languages, and can get by in four more. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">One of us has dual citizenship. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We have three pit bulls. Three of us love dogs, one of us prefers them stuffed!</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We’ve owned nine houses, we currently own four and today we are living together in one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">We have five vehicles, a BIG jeep, a pickup truck, an SUV, a family car and a sports car. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">We have two giant jet skis. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">We sit down to a family dinner every night. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Our favorite gifts are experiences,</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">okay…. two of us love jewels just as much!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Two of us started together nineteen years ago, one more joined us sixteen years ago and we became whole seven... </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none; font-size: medium;"><i>(you can read about some of our early antics in previous posts, going back to February 2011)</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We all greatly dislike cold weather, snow and ice...the other thing we all share is that our life stories so far are way better than any reality TV show and probably just as hard to believe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The only thing we ever argue about is who is going to pay for dinner. It’s always a race to the server to pay first. We have never been mad, angry or disappointed with each other… well except for that time halfway up Mt. Fuji, when I wanted to kill Tracy for deciding the night before while out drinking in Shinjuku that it might be fun to climb the mountain the next day. Oh yeah...then there's that time Tracy got mad because we asked about purchasing something from a person who came to the front door. (notice the pattern here, it's part of his charm!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">You can find us all together, in pairs, trios or solo. All and any combination of us works! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We love and adore our birth families….. We also love and cherish the family we have created here. We are colorful. We are diverse. We are us! </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"> </span>We wish you all a fabulous New Year!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Janet, Jay, Tracy & Kosti!</span></span></i></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-23789855263333444782016-12-22T10:47:00.000-05:002016-12-26T19:02:40.920-05:00The Ameri-ssian! Well, "the Ameri-ssian" keeps asking if I'm posting about him, so today will be a whole post about him His name is actually Konstantine, people call him Kostya for short.... Still to formal for me, I call him "Kosti". He is actually "Ameri-ssian", with a very heavy Russian accent. He says "no", I say "Yes".... I get to listen to him, I should know. <br />
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So what is there to say about him..... oh so much!<br />
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Let's start with communication. Communication can sometimes be fun.... We had a whole day craziness once due to "fifty" and "fifteen" in "Ameri-ssian"..... Fun fun funny!!!<br />
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We are sort of in paradise right now. Southwest Florida weather, living with good friends, lots of laughs, 2 blockheads (dogs).... but when it comes to communication it can all turn on a dime. That can be funny or it can be hell...depending on the circumstance. Here, we'll stick with the funny!<br />
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Kosti is a very kind soul. Loves his Moma..calls her every day! He is a very sensitive man, cute and stylish... He does have his own sense of style, all his very own...can be good...can be interesting. He and I have very very different tastes and that's what makes the world go round, right! He's a great cook and likes to take care of his man. And...most of all he likes to be the center of attention. Parties are always a story the next day when the women swoon all over him.... & they do! What can I say? We love him! He keeps life interesting.<br />
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He loves his Man, Me and Popi Jay his dogs and his Momma! Oh and let's not forget bling and mani-pedi's!<br />
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I wish you many good belly laughs every now and then! </div>
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Pacca pacca....</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i> Janet</i></b></span></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-78288971192375810672016-03-23T19:10:00.003-04:002016-03-23T19:10:49.835-04:00How to Get Over Yourself and Get Out There!!!All it takes is one step and then another and another and soon there you are... "out there". <br />
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In November I held my breath and took a leap.... here I am!!! The future is bright! We've been here in Florida since the end of January and life is oh so good. My husband has never been happier. What's not to be happy about? The weather is great! We're living with some crazy friends and the opportunities for "getting out there"abound!<br />
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I have been jumping on every opportunity I see to learn all I can about photography. I joined a few groups, and sign up for everything. I scour the paper and internet for anything that might be interesting. I'm taking steps all over the place. <br />
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I signed up and participated in a "photo walk" workshop in early February around beautiful Naples, Florida. The group was led by the incredible travel/landscape photographer, <a href="http://brianjannsen.com/about/" target="_blank">Brian Jannsen</a>. Check him out! His work is stunning. I was honored to be able to learn from him as we walked around this incredible town. During the walk, Brian mentioned that there would be an opportunity for a great shot of the full moon over the Naples Pier during the early morning hours on March 23, 2016. This was in February, I filed it somewhere back there in my brain. While gazing at the moon last night, I realized that today was the day for that photo opportunity! <br />
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Naples is a little over an hour away. To get there in time, I would have to wake up and get out of the house by 4:30 am! Yikes.... I thought about it all evening. Finally I decided I would just have to get up and go....so I did! <br />
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I stopped talking to myself about why it really wasn't a big deal, why I didn't have to go, why it really didn't matter. I started to remember that it might be a great opportunity for a once in a lifetime shot! All I had to do was to get over myself and go! I stopped thinking about it and just did it! I prepared everything before I went to sleep last night. Woke up this morning and went. I got there, tried to take some images of the moon and the pier, but really didn't like what I was getting. Then Brian showed up! Yay!!! After a brief conversation, he answered a few of my questions and voila !!! I was able to capture some okay images. (better than what I was taking before his guidance). Then taking what I had learned previously and doing some additional exploring in the area, I stumbled upon it ... some magic! <br />
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My husband looked at this image and thought I made it up! Silly guy, this is straight out of the camera. While I like it, I wish I could go back and do it over. I would do somethings a bit different. That's what it's all about isn't it? Getting over yourself, getting out there and taking a shot. Learning from you did and doing better the next time. </div>
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Now I want to get out there in the early morning hours more often! I still have over a month to explore this part of our country! Who knows what I will come up with. I do know I will revisit this location in the image and try it again!</div>
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Well thanks for checking in.... The crazy Russian we are living with keeps asking if I'm posting about him.... Stay tuned for the crazy Russian's story!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-20190400906195144582016-03-13T14:57:00.001-04:002016-03-24T06:40:42.104-04:00Balance...We've been down here in Florida living a "snow bird"life for over a month. Life is good! This change in lifestyle has given me the time to reflect on many things along with the time to spend on me! While I have been lax in posting here, I have been very active on Instagram and Facebook. There was a point early on that I feared my activity on social media would alienated some of my friends. At first I understood and felt bad. I stopped posting about how warm it is here, how happy I am and all the great experiences we're having..... Then I got to thinking....<br />
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I believe there is a natural balance to life. There are good periods and things in our lives and there are bad periods and experiences in our lives. We are all born into different families.... with that comes certain advantages or disadvantages... a variety of opportunities .... values.... skills.... I could go on. I also believe that by our mere existence, bad things will happen. We don't have to do anything and boom~someone we love has cancer or a tornato will blow through and we lose everything. We can't escape the bad, but we can minimize it. We can look for the "silver lining" we can appreciate the good when we can see or feel it. No matter how bad it seems at the time, there is always someone out there going through worse. I believe the we should not look to create bad, we should focus on creating a happiness and love around us.<br />
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I very strongly believe that there is a natural balance to life. We all go through tough times, but if we are open to it and recognize it, a period of good will follow. I hurt and am sad when I see people I love and or care about going through hard times. I hope I can offer some relief or understanding to their situation. I am happy and thrilled when things are going good for them.<br />
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I love my life.... I love the good, bad, happy and hard times. Everything I have been through has made me who I am. <br />
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My life is good right now, very very good! I hope that the people in my life are happy for me. Remember, I think life has a balance. I remember when I was 10 years old, I thought that was the best year in my life. I didn't think it could get any better! If my life was a novel, that would have been foreshadowing. Little did I know that probably was one of the best years of my life.... I had it all! I had a home, unconditional love of my family. I had a "traditional" family, (you know two loving parents, siblings) I had friends. We lived in a neighborhood where people talked to each other, visited and spent time together. I had Grandparents who adored me! I had Aunts and Uncles, cousins I loved and did things with. I had it all!!!!!! While some S#*t did happen earlier in my life, it was nothing compared to what I would face in future years.....Thinking back to that day I proclaimed 10 was the best year of my life, I now realize it was all those great people who made it the best year of my life!<br />
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As a young person I hit that balance really fast. I lived some really good times, and then the down. It took many years before I could see the good, but when it happened it was great. My sister and I were always determined to recognize the good when we found it. We would look for it. We knew that if we had roofs over our heads, people in our life who loved us and were alive and healthy that life was good! We knew it, celebrated it and let it happen. We knew at any moment the natural order of things could change, and tragedy could strike and all we did to cause it was wake up in the morning. We had a good 25 years! Life was good. Balance! The past 10 have been rough for me, really rough, but you know what..... right now life is good! Life is so so good! If you can stand it, and if you can be happy for me, come on this journey with me. I will let you into this good life we are living and share the joy! Please don't be jealous, or envious or hate me! Look for the balance in your own life. Take control of it, recognize it, call it out. <br />
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Today is one of those days, I can't help be seeing how good I have it! Tomorrow I will bring you up to speed on the life of a "snowbird".<br />
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Go fine some good in today! Hugs all around! <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span><br />
<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-9656178187665692562016-01-11T17:03:00.000-05:002016-01-12T14:43:53.516-05:00This year.....My word for 2016 is <b>"Transition"</b>. I am loving this word. I recently left a career of 32 years when I realized it had turned into a "job". Now don't get me wrong, jobs are good and jobs are necessary. People usually talk about jobs as a means to bring in money. I think if you choose a career and stay in it, you should love it. Slowly over the past 3 years it went from being a career ~ doing something I loved and believed in with every fiber of my being into a job, that I went to every day. I hated Sunday nights, and hurried through each day on a race to get to Friday. <br />
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I still believe that what I was doing was important and necessary. I still believe it could be something I would commit myself to, but and this is a great big BUT..... change began 3 years ago in the environment. It first started out slow, then snowballed into an environment that I didn't feel comfortable in. I noticed my health was being effected. I wasn't sleeping. I hated getting up and going into work each day. That was the biggest issue for me, (aside from my health) I had spend the past 29-30 years loving going into work.... What I did love and what kept me going and hoping things would change was the people. I loved the people I was working with, both the people on my team and the customers..... I just loved them so!!</div>
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Now let's step back 40 + years.... I have always had a camera in my hand. I have always been snapping pictures... My original major in collage was fine art, with a concentration in Photography. I went to school in Rochester, NY and was fortunate, thanks to my professor <a href="http://richardmargolis.com/" target="_blank">Richard Margolis</a> ~ to do an internship in the darkroom of the <a href="https://www.eastman.org/" target="_blank">George Eastman House</a>!!!! That was amazing. It was also 30 years ago and the house and museum have undergone renovations since. Midway through my Sophomore year of school the Dean called me in and asked my "Why" photography and where I thought I was going in Rochester as a Photographer? She had good reason, I had another passion where I was excelling. She had suggested I look more into that and keep photography as a hobby....</div>
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I took her advice and graduated with a degree in Special Education.</div>
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Zinggggg.... let's fast forward now to today. I have always been shooting, people, weddings, events, landscapes etc. This year I am going to <i>transition</i> into taking pictures for "a living". I am trying to be plan full. I am trying to take it step by step. I do think I need to find a happy medium here and not be to plan full leaving space for flexibility and creativity. Come back here to check and see how this journey is going.</div>
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To continue with the <b>"Transition"</b>.... I want to <i>transition </i>into a simple life. I have so much "stuff". Who needs all these "things" and this much "stuff"? I don't think I do. We shall see. The first step towards the "simple life" I want to take is that of moving to a "Capsule Wardrobe". Whew.... let me tell you, this is a process. I started out by taking everything out of my closet, peppered by making a list of what I think I am going to want and need. I think I want to limit my capsule wardrobe to 40 items. I've been reading a lot about capsule wardrobes and I am going to put my own spin on it. So, 40 items, not counting PJ's ~ (work out clothes don't count either, but let's be honest here, I don't work out! ). We'll see how this goes. I think I'm going to like it!</div>
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The third part of my <b>"Transition"</b> ... I am going to be 56 years old in 2 weeks folks! 56! I love my age whatever it is, but let's be honest, if I want to make it to 100, I need to start paying attention to health, nutrition, cardiovascular health etc. I am going to <i>transition</i> into paying attention to that. Not sure how, other than by trying to eat better nutritionally and walking more. This will evolve and the year goes on. Let the 2016 Journey begin! </div>
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That's my planning so far for the year. It's Monday night and that means, "The Bachelor" ! So I am going to go and prepare for my night with my sister and "the Bachelor"!!! Yay!!!!</div>
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See you soon.....</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Janet</i></span></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-32935807369486818002016-01-04T21:04:00.001-05:002016-01-04T21:59:32.196-05:00Welcome 2016!<br />
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Well today is the first "work day" of the new year, my new career, a new direction. It's also the season premiere of .... Drum roll..... "The Bachelor"!!! Yeah, now you may think I am crazy or silly but I love this day.... and I'll tell you why later....<br />
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First, let's talk about the first day of work for me as a Photographer.... I watched 2 on line classes, did some editing and I spoke to my "I.T. Vice President"! :) That would be my russian, the Kosti Man!!!!!!! <br />
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In my previous post, I walked away from a career of 37+ years. Whewwww. That was big. It is sad as during the last 2-3 years of my career the situation took a turn for the worst. It was a perfect storm if you will of things moving in a direction where I did not fit. A direction that did not align with my integrity, I tried, but I couldn't do it. After much soul searching and a great deal of support from my Husband <3 Love of my life, I walked away. That folks was in November. The next day we left for Florida. Great big YAY!... fill my days surround by love! My husband ~ Jay, my "day husband" ~ Tracy and "my wife" (who also doubles as my I.T. VP) Kosti..... They all fill rolls, they all love me to no end, they all make me happy and they all treat me like gold. I am a lucky person to have the three of them love me unconditionally.<br />
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Before we get into "The Bachelor" which is an important part of this post.... Let's talk about <b>2016</b>. <br />
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2016 is going to be a great year. Almost 40 years ago, I thought I wanted to be a photographer. I began my collage career in a Fine Arts Program for photography. Even though fate took me in another direction completely, I never put down my camera. Today it becomes my focus!<br />
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I've made some decisions about this year. First, it is going to be a great year. I am going to take every opportunity to enjoy every minute. I am going to really focus on loving for nothing. I'm going to build a business. I know there is more, I am will come back to that later this week. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/meet-bachelor-ben-higgins/story?id=36089155" target="_blank">"The Bachelor"</a> is starting so let's go there!<br />
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Way back when when the series started, by sister ~ Carol, got caught up in it. She loved watching it, never missed an episode. I used to give her some much s&*t for watching it. It seemed like such a silly premise.... It was also at a time when reality TV was fairly young. Aside from "MTV's REAL World", you could count the reality shows on one hand. I think it was just "American Idol" (which Carol loved also), Survivor and The Bachelor. Given she loved the show so much, it was so far out a concept, I thought as the little sister it was my job to pick on her relentlessly. ...and I did! Teehee... She loved it and watched, it was fun. Shortly after The Bachelor began a spoof on it hit the airways! <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Millionaire" target="_blank">"Joe Millionaire"</a>. What a stinking hoot! <br />
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It just so happened that the night of the "Joe Millionaire" debut, Carol and I were on a trip together. That night we were both to tired to go out so we stayed in our hotel room and came upon this show, we decided to watch. It was hilarious. We laughed so hard and so much!!! I have to say, that night is truly one of my very very favorite adult memories that I have with my sister. We laughed and laughed and laughed..... Okay so what does that have to do with "The Bachelor? Fast forward a few years and Carol was diagnosed with cancer. During her illness I often found myself next to her watching The Bachelor. I stopped making fun of her and began to enjoy our time together watching this show that she enjoyed so much. At times we would reference Joe Millionaire and laugh. We laughed, we cried, we smiled and we spent time together, her and I sharing the show. Carol lost her battle with Cancer. She fought the good fight. She had a good life, short ~ but good. She left an incredible mark on the world. I love her so.<br />
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Let's step back in time again... when we started watching The Bachelor back then, there was no <a href="http://realitysteve.com/" target="_blank">Reality Steve</a> , we had to watch the season to the end to see who he (or she) chose to see if they chose our favorite.... to experience the insanity each week. (Today I fast forward via Reality Steve! :))<br />
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Carol and I would watch and would make our predictions.... We would laugh, cry and watch the show together. That's my point. It's one of my last activities I did with my sister. As corny as it was and as much ridiculousness as there was, I loved it and I love my memories with Carol from that time....<br />
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It's been 9 years since I spent that time with Carol, but every season of The Bachelor, I look forward to the season opener. I prepare for an evening with my sister, even if it is in my mind. I make myself all comfy. I make some tea and sit back and watch. Sometimes I even have a conversation with her about the girls (or guys) and who I like. It is a silly happy place for me. Isn't that what life is all about? Find what makes you smile and do it! Now, at the end of the night I check out Reality Steve and decide how many episodes Carol and I will watch or will we just watch the reunion, the final rose and after the final rose ceremony....<br />
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So folks here we go....I've set the night aside, so looked forward to it, sit here with Carol and watch!!!! (on a side note, my incredible husband just made banana bread and the house smells so darn good!!!) I do think Ben is a cutie! So far a russian, a big rose head, twins and a little pony....<br />
Oh wait, he's calling his Dad.... oh nice new twist! Cute.....<br />
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Okay. Let me go have some one on one time with Carol and The Bachelor.... my fun, my smile, way to start the new year! Call me crazy, call me silly! <br />
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Go out and do something that makes you smile! Who cares how silly it seems. You're the only one who matters when you smile! Go find your smile!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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{{{{{{{{{HUGS to You ALL}}}}}}}}} (oh no, the big rose is a dentist? and she's doing an exam????? oh it's gonna be crazy!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span><br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-76242385810421851972015-11-17T12:07:00.000-05:002015-11-17T12:07:56.651-05:00T minus 3 days, but who is counting.T minus three days until I "retire".... hmmm. Really?<br />
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No, T minus three days until the real adventure begins..... I am leaving the field I have loved and been a part of for 37 years of my life... Why? long story, let's skip it. </div>
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I will pick up my camera and start on a new adventure..... stay tuned.</div>
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To go along with that, my incredible, adorable husband has agreed to get out of Western NY for the winter.... Hallelujah! </div>
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We are heading south to hang with the boys, so you know that will be fun. We have a 2 week test drive starting on Sunday.... I will blog it, don't you worry! </div>
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I can not wait! I am posting this quickly, gotta get into the habit of posting. Jay said I can't sit home and do nothing..... why I ask? Well hang on, it is about to get adventurous, fun, relaxing, can you say Warm? Yay!!!!</div>
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be back real soon now!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-60653286701604487222015-05-20T05:14:00.005-04:002015-05-20T05:37:04.472-04:00I'm Back....Wow! Who knew getting a "domain name" would add so much headache and confusion? Who knew? Apparently not me. I think this whole "purchase a domain name" is a money maker for someone, who knows who, but it is.... So now if you search, 'Through the J Cruz Lens" you will end up at my blog.... whew..... that took long enough. Kind of like the summer of 2015 getting to Western New York. It took a long time to get here this year, and it stays for a few days and then back into fall.<br />
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This week we're in Fall in May. </div>
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Right now it's way early in the morning... I can't sleep. Didn't know what to do with myself, so I set out to figure out this blog thing with my "domain name".... I feel very accomplished today since I figured it out.<br />
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Tonight I also figured out how to use my new "app" for creating collages with "BlogStomp". I'm lovin' it! Look what I did! <br />
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Pretty fun isn't it?! These are my favorites from the 2015 PR trip.... What do you think?</div>
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Now, I'll go take a cat nap and head off to work for another day....</div>
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Check back soon, since the link is working again, I can promise new blogs in the coming days.....</div>
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The Rose is waiting for me to snuggle for a bit, so toodles!</div>
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<b> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Janet</i></span></span></b></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-58014952835344328782015-03-13T18:45:00.001-04:002016-12-31T08:20:50.831-05:00The 2015 Trip with My Men<div class="MsoNormal">
It's Morning and The Boys Aren't Home Yet..... it must be
Wednesday</div>
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March 11, 2015</div>
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Jay and I had planned to wake up early Wednesday morning
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We woke up, got
ready, came out of our room and found that the boys weren't home yet. First issue, we couldn't leave the girls
alone in the condo. Then it hits me, and
HITS me! To get into the condo you need
a key. That's a good thing right? Yes..... keep in mind there are 5 adults, two
tweens and two vehicles. There is one
key to the condo. If that isn't
inconvenient, let's throw in there that
you also need the key to get out of the condo.
Once you are inside, the only way to lock the door is with the key. </div>
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Guess where the keys were....with the boys. Nice safe condo huh? Here we are locked in the condo.... what if there was a fire inside, we stuck on
the top floor, were stuck. What if one
of us fell down the steps (the broken step) and broke a limb.... couldn't get
out to get to the hospital. Good
design.... to say I was upset would be an understatement. The boys strolled in around 7am.... they
spent the night with some locals at Steps Beach. Sounds like fun for Tracy and Sean.... Kosti
not so much! Headmaster Hendershott
cancelled school for the day and headed to bed.
</div>
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A little after 7 Jay
and I headed out to the Salt Flats to explore.
We were too late to catch the sunrise but did get some really fun
images. It's hard to upload images here on the
hotspot. When I uploaded the images this
am to the blog, it used all the available data, so to avoid that, I'm not going
to upload any until we get home.</div>
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After the Salt Flats, we drove around exploring. Let me tell you, I love my husband! Every time I saw a "shot" and
asked him to stop or back up so I could jump out and take a picture, he did! We saw another fun Puerto Rico sign, (Krazy Fish) and decided to explore and find
the Krazy Fish. Took us down the road to
the pescadaria. On our way back to the
condo, we stopped at a local "bakery" to pick up milk and ended up
having breakfast there. We got home
and it turned out to be another lazy day.
</div>
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Seems like a basic boring day, right? Always something. While moving the shower head during hi
shower, the whole pipe broke off the wall.
The pipe actually broke in the wall.
GIven the fact there is no one around at this complex, Jay and Kosti
decided they would fix it themselves.
Off to the hardware store to buy tools. Jay and Kosti worked on it for a while,
that is until Sean went in to help and within minutes (just short of the boys
knocking down the wall) he had it fixed!
Yeah!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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On to our evening adventure......It just so happens 2 of the
3 bioluminescent bays in the world are in Puerto Rico (the 3rd is in Austrailia). One is in Vieques. Been there done that numerous times, the 2nd
~ here in the Boqueron area! Before I
get to the actual bio bay tour, I realize now that Mark Martin and his bio bay tours on Vieques
have really spoiled us. We know that the Vieques Bio Bay is the brightest in
the world, but this one is suppose to be great!</div>
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Digression ~ We always start the Vieques Bio Bay
tours with an exciting yellow school bus
ride down a dirt road in pitch black. You
arrive at the destination, get off the bus and walk a wooden plank onto a
little party barge boat. Our guides are
always very entertaining. If you're
lucky and get Mark Martin on the tour, he not only explains all the facts of
the bio bay, he also knows all the stars and constellations. To help with sky night sky tour, he has these
really cool laser pointers. I
always thought it was better than a trip to a planetarium! All
that entertainment and the part of the bio bay tour we go for hadn't even
begun. That part of the tour is always a
phenomenal. So with these past bio bay
experiences in mind, I had high hopes. I
should have been clued in when I realized that the ticket price in Vieques is
like $30 and the ticket price here is $8 ~
You can imagine the difference in the experience.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Jay had called and made our reservations. He had gotten general directions to our
location. He was told the tour starts at
8pm. After checking the map, we decided
we have to leave by 7 the latest to get there.
We left at 7:15.... (it takes a while to get everyone moving in the same
direction). About 7:40 when we realized
we didn't have exact directions and were kind of going in circles around the
general area that the boat was to be in, we decided to call for exact
directions. Not bad, we were actually
very close! Got there in 5
minutes. Time to spare, bought our
tickets and got on line all by 7:55. ...and we waited... and waited and
waited. Not sure for what. Oh yeah the actual tickets say the tour
starts at 8:30pm..... 8:40 they let us
on the boat. No crew, no captain, only
the guy taking the tickets.... 8:55 the captain and crew show up. The captain just made his way out of the bar
next door. No biggie....</div>
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It was a pretty big party barge. About 5 times the size of the ones in
Vieques. It is also a "glass bottom
boat". Something different. The captain turns on the music and off we
go. WAIT, MUSIC..... BLARING loud Latin
music. That wouldn't be so bad except
for the fact it was a radio station with not great reception (think crackling).....
LOUD BLARING crackling MUSIC.... Please
keep in mind, it was a beautiful star filled warm night.... we are heading out
to a bio bay tour and the music....</div>
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We get out to the bay, the deck hands jump in and start
splashing around for so you can experience the glow. It
looked pretty neat. Every once in a
while, the captain would come on the loud speaker to share some information....
in Spanish. That's alright, we are in
Puerto Rico, that wasn't the unbelievable part, the unbelievable part was that
he didn't turn the radio station down, or off when he spoke. When the guys boarded the boat from the
water, they tossed what they called a "jelly fish" up on deck. They just happened to throw it where I was
standing. I don't think it was a
"jelly fish" but more like a sponge that they use to show folks the
dynoflagilates. That was the
tour. Over. Back
to the dock. </div>
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The stars out there on the dark dark bay were
spectacular. Headmaster Hendershott
taught us in class the day before that there are 200,000,000 stars in the Milky
Way. I think we saw them all. The girls enjoyed it. I guess if you've never been on the Vieques
tour, it would have been ~ maybe
impressive? ~ I don't know. So like I said earlier, I should have
expected it for an $8 ~ 45 minute boat ride. If you ever get the opportunity to come to
Puerto Rico, I recommend making the trip to Vieques and taking Mark Martin's
Bio Bay tour!</div>
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Jay and I decided we would try to make the sunrise on Thursday. We needed to be up by 5:30 to get to the Salt
Flats. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Thursday ~ March 12, 2015</div>
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Didn't happen. We
woke up at 6:30am. Sun was already in
the sky. Too late, we'd try again tomorrow. Today was Sean and the girls last day. They needed to leave tonight by 6 or 7 to
drive around the other side of the Island (through Ponce) to San Juan to catch
their red eye flight home.</div>
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We were all up and ready early enough to hit the beach. We made our way to the beach at the state park. Jay, Tracy and I tumbled upon it last year
and really loved it, so we thought we'd try it again. It
was just as beautiful today as it was last year. </div>
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I am very impressed with what we saw. On our walk down the beach we found an area
that was built for wheelchair accessibility.
We talked to the lifeguard about it, because it was
"closed". He explained that
it was full of some type of "slime", I thought algae, but Jay said it
was something else. They had to close it
down to fix. They also rent beach
wheelchairs. How stinkin' cool is
that? 10 Points Puerto Rico for
accessibility!! We had a great day at
the beach. </div>
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Kosti wanted oysters today, off to Gallaways where there's an oyster shack
across the street. He was in his glory,
4 dozen oysters later. After our meal
we headed home for Sean and the girls to get ready to begin their journey home.</div>
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Whew.... up to date!
Two more days here, then the boys leave.
Jay and I are here with Mom until Wednesday. Let's hope Spring follows us!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am missing my little red Rose, but know she is in great hands.... and
loving the time she </div>
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is spending with Charles Barkley!</div>
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Friday the 13th On the Beautiful Island of Puerto Rico!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sean and the girls
pulled out last night about 7. They
headed towards Ponce and then to San Juan.
They had a 12:30am flight to JFK, then a 4 hour layover. Long journey home....</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jay and I did get up this morning at 5am to go chase the sunrise. I love this man. No, I mean it, I really really love him. Everything he does, he does it to make me
happy. In turn I want to make him happy
and we end up with one big love fest! Up
and off we were to the salt flats. We
made it there before the sun. I have so
much respect for landscape photographers and might I add, I loved playing with
the light and chasing the sun, bending, twisting, moving to get just the right
angle. I is amazing how just one slight
move right or left the whole image changes.
I will do a whole post of images when we get home, until then, believe
me there are some beautiful ones in there.
</div>
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On our way home we stopped to pick up some breakfast, and
headed home to the boys.</div>
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Everyone had to much sun yesterday, so it was a good day to
explore. We took the boys out to see the
Krazy Fish place and then North and a day of turning down roads we have never
seen. We had simple goals for our trip
of the day.... find jewelry for Kosti, lunch and explore some new roads. We stopped in Rincon for lunch at the Harbor
View. It was a cute little surfer hang
out. At laaaaassssssttttttt...... a great salad! Reader/traveler to PR take note, Rincon
Harbor View Restaurant makes a good Cesar salad with chicken. Lunch was good, off to find jewelry.....
Found a little, I mean little jewelry shop in the village. Kosti did find a bracelet he liked. I on the other hand found nothing. I am a jewelry snob, it's hard to please me
when it comes to jewelry......</div>
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In our exploration with
Kosti navigating we ended up at Tres Brother's Beach. Unbelievable! Unbelievable. Miles and miles of un disturbed, beautiful
beach.... Mile and miles...... On our
trip home, it started to rain, made it back to the condo and now, in the home
stretch. </div>
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<br /></div>
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This will be my last post until we get home to
Rochester. Tracy and Kosti are heading
back tomorrow and Jay and I will be with Mom for a few more days. Tracy is taking his hot spot, (imagine that)
and at Mom's we are off the grid.... Jay
has promised we would do some landscape exploring while we're at Mom's. </div>
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It has been a good, but fast time together. Another yr down.... I'm sure there will be
getting home stories for me to add next week, there always is. For now
~ we're all going to be together.</div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span><br />
</div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-47349787610968190862015-03-12T09:50:00.000-04:002015-03-12T09:50:13.216-04:00....Monday Continues....I spent a good part of the day thinking would I really,
really enjoy a life like this? Mondays
in the sun. Searching for a beach. Spending all my time with my husband and my
friends.... would I get bored? Well I decided
I would be willing to research it, given I would have an opportunity to go see
the Kids and Babies whenever I want.....<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday evening, after dropping Sean and the girls off home,
we ~my men and I (~ Popi Cruz ((the love of my life)) Tracy ((my replacement
"brother" ~ family is SOOOO so important to me)) and Kosti ((my best girlfriend))~)
headed out in search of a view (for pictures) of the sunset, drinks and dinner
~ in that order. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Digression ~ Over our years traveling around our world,
Puerto Rico for the most part we find ourselves looking for a place to eat that
has good salads. The boys humor me, they
could care less about salads, but my system needs them. It is always an adventure searching for a
good salad here. Whenever I order a
salad, whether side or otherwise, I get a chunk of iceberg lettuce, an unripe
tomato sometimes topped with a ketchup and mayonnaise mix, sometimes not.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to the end of Monday story.....The place we stopped at
for drinks and dinner, "Annie's" showed promise. It
was the local/tourist place at the end of the strip of beach we were at on
Sunday. You walked in and there was one
of my favorite signs of Puerto Rico..... "no wifi, talk to each other, get
drunk... it's 1993". We chose a
table with a great view of the sunset, ordered up some drinks and waited for it
to happen! This is said to be the best
local (area) on the Island for sunsets.
If you are there at the right time, it is said you will see the elusive
"green flash" before the sun disappears. Two sangria's, a watermelon and a mango
daiquiri later, I didn't see it.... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dinner was good. I
did order a side salad for $5.95 expecting for that price I might even get a
salad.... but no ~ chunk of iceberg
lettuce on my plate, with a not yet ripe tomato, no dressing..... Have not found that all elusive good salad
yet on this trip. Dinner and drinks
were pretty good for the most part, although the boys said the drinks were
light on alcohol. I couldn't tell. And then when we got home, I realized it
was 44 steps up to our condo....</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Tuesday ~ March 10, 2015....</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday morning, bright and early.... well perhaps not so
early, 9-10am (I guess that's early on an Island in the sun). Kosti greeted us with Karribean or should I
say Kaz Ma Kosti, Kosti's for breakfast..... Delicious! We had the day all planned out. Get up, school for an hour and a half, off
to the beach.</div>
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Professor Hendershott did hold class for an hour and a half,
hmmm... perhaps he missed his calling. Since
breakfast was liquid for the adults, we ate the sandwiches from the day before
to wash breakfast down. And then the
Kaz M Kosti Kosti's hit us all (well except for the girls) time for a nap. When we all came to around 3pm it was time to
head to the beach. We decided to head
to Rincon and find "Steps Beach".
As we all piled in to the car, with Kosti up front navigating, turns out
it was actually Sean who best knew the way around these parts of the Island.
(you'd think it was Rush how well he knew it!)
I think it was the police escort from his first night here.</div>
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It was 4 pm by the time we got to the beach. Good time to start a "day" at the
beach. Some good snorkeling on Steps
Beach. Tracy says it is some of the best
Elkhorn Coral he has ever seen.
Hmmm, who knew we had our big fish, Kosti and Kenzie... the little fish. She got right out there and tried to keep
up. Impossible. Kosti was off exploring and as usual.... he touched a sea urchin and need
to do some surgery to remove the quills, (or whatever they are called that they
have to discourage others for touching
them!)</div>
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When it was time to leave, back into the van we piled and
headed out. Tracy spotted a small side
road he wanted to explore and off we went.
Of course the road went straight up, I mean straight up the
mountain. At one point, Jay ~ who was
driving, couldn't even see the pavement.
Oh my. I was thankfully in the
third row with Kosti. Poor guy's leg was
turning blue from my hanging on. The
exploration took us up one of the one lane twisty turny mountain roads that I
love so much. This time, I was stuck in
the third seat and couldn't even get out to walk if I wanted to. </div>
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Once we hit the summit, Kosti spotted a little gift shop,
who knew? he wanted to stop at to see if they had his needed sarong..... They did and then some.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was getting pretty late and time to start thinking of
dinner. Sean to the rescue! He really knew his way around Rincon! Right from the summit, took us to The Lazy
Parrot Hotel and Bar. They had stayed
there when they first arrived. Knew all
the staff, were right at home. Dinner
was good. The chef apparently had made a
trip to Italy to learn how to make brick oven pizza. The
guys and little girls loved their pizza!
I decided to try to salad
there. No bad. So far this trip, The Lazy Parrot has the
best salad. We did have to laugh as I
was asking the waitress, (who grew up in Jersey) if it was a real salad, or....
and she finished the sentence, "a wedge of iceberg, with a tomato and
catsup and mayo"... no, it's a real salad". We dropped Tracy and Kosti at a local bar
and headed home. Sean dropped us off and
headed back to pick up the boys. Fast
forward to Wednesday!</div>
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Given the limited internet access, I am going to take the opportunity to upload some images. Fair warning, they are random, Not adding captions or locations until I get home. I have not editing capabilities and they have all been taken with my Canon Elph point and shoot. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHDqEU-NWEPVSc7OAwxa08lu3SguSKZg1EIr1IPxSfoOLWt3fWlPCqAjy-Hzs2mLc_NT6unQzvufgtBFXD90SZres1nfQRRKeqwEmqMiIt4tp_r1z2fRLasOjpJtoeCiKpIfPRvj1QZo/s1600/IMG_0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHDqEU-NWEPVSc7OAwxa08lu3SguSKZg1EIr1IPxSfoOLWt3fWlPCqAjy-Hzs2mLc_NT6unQzvufgtBFXD90SZres1nfQRRKeqwEmqMiIt4tp_r1z2fRLasOjpJtoeCiKpIfPRvj1QZo/s1600/IMG_0365.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the salt flats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQQ9TY2_ZLmCuUnMFAl2l62vBPxYN6CeGZSzy3KHp7btnlpBs6e9RxahRKS-ftCjahtzHwY6TPsDTlKJ29RHbUEUDF73rm7hwSH5_0zui1ehSKMK040NS6SDFUkSX2s0SwgT-ZotDeGA/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQQ9TY2_ZLmCuUnMFAl2l62vBPxYN6CeGZSzy3KHp7btnlpBs6e9RxahRKS-ftCjahtzHwY6TPsDTlKJ29RHbUEUDF73rm7hwSH5_0zui1ehSKMK040NS6SDFUkSX2s0SwgT-ZotDeGA/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kensie"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhcfterp2AhyT3wNjnX9_X9UiNWIxf27mv5vIwTaaESjTLhHlXjT1qTBM0em6FJ8QQZRbDx4oASFtmKnytiWCU3B5dg2BWwzqr3TJxjeUJfErwzi4_ra-T5uOUByBWnf_WvW6eINNBbo/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhcfterp2AhyT3wNjnX9_X9UiNWIxf27mv5vIwTaaESjTLhHlXjT1qTBM0em6FJ8QQZRbDx4oASFtmKnytiWCU3B5dg2BWwzqr3TJxjeUJfErwzi4_ra-T5uOUByBWnf_WvW6eINNBbo/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boys! <3<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Check back tomorrow! Time to head to the beach.... it's Sean and the girls last day with us, they need beach time! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-837504454879435862015-03-11T11:21:00.001-04:002015-03-11T11:21:22.996-04:00Healthy Eating!<div class="MsoNormal">
Phase II</div>
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So we left you (or I stopped writing) after our first night
here....or when we arrived and entered the condo. It's really not bad, We have the penthouse, but now a couple of days in and no people to be
seen. We did find the pool.... it is a
very pretty pool. All to ourselves. We found one of the benefits of being some of
the only residents is that we can stand on our balacony and call to those of us
in the pool that it's time to come home.... (the pool is about a 5 minute walk
from the condo!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday started with our traditional mamosia's, and writing
of the vacation house rules! Rules are
important. They include stuff like,
singing, dancing and being kind. We
didn't have any tape to hang the rules, but The Russian McGiver used toothpaste
to hang them. Getting ready for the
beach will be fun on this trip as we have to motivate 5 adults and 2 tweens to
get moving and get out of here. While waiting
for the other half of our our group, the
music was playing the Cupid Shuffle....
You need to see the video. I can
not do it justice to try to use words to describe myself, Kosti and Popi doing
the Cupid Shuffle in the kitchen while waiting to head to the beach. Belly laugh fun!!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Off to the beach!
Knowing it's winter here we headed to what is suppose to be the most beautiful beach.... (winter usually means beaches are empty). We wanted to find Bahia Sucia. (translation ~ Dirty Beach). The name I think is to discourage folks to
from going to it! When we arrived in
the general vacinity, we were instructed (by the local police) to park about a 20
minute walk from the beach. Hmmmmm, 20
minutes in the sun and 85 degrees, not happening. Jay had a little conversation with the
officer directing us, he explained that it was Sunday and all the locals were
out. He suggested we come back "tomorrow" it would be empty and we'd be able to park in
the parking lot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
U turn and in search of another beach..... We made it to
Playa Combate ...... Pretty, lots of
people... good music. A bar down the
beach a ways for libations. Nice day in
the sun. On our way back to our car we found
a very fruitful (full) tamarind tree. We
love tamarind...... had to stop and pick some.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We did do some grocery shopping the night before, one of our little traveling buddies wanted steak
real badly. ~ digression ~ When met up with her, her sister and her dad
on saturday, the girls stayed with us as Sean when to pick up Tracy and Kosti
at the airport. They hadn't eaten and
wanted breakfast. We had met them in a
McDonald's parking lot. Great, both Jay
and I thought, we'd get McD's. Nope, she
announced she is on a health eating program, and had to eat good healthy foods,
not junk food..... okay.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We headed off to find somewhere where we could get a
"healthy breakfast". Found
IHop. The girls had steak and eggs. Jay and I split and omlette and pancake
breakfast. $50.00 later, the girls were
happy with their "healthy breakfasts" of steak and eggs. (they didn't eat the fruit however that came
with it!). They did eat the whole steak
and eggs..... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That night we had steaks for dinner. (healthy eating at it's finest!) We thought it would be fun to eat on our top
deck, under the stars. Tracy got eaten
alive by mosquitos..... never again is he eating outside! EVER! We were all tired.... early night for
everyone.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Monday morning mamosias!
I love Mondays, Mamosias, 80 degrees, sunshine..... Sean is a cooking machine, he made breakfast
for everyone. Kosti and I headed off to the pool. I did some laps (yeah right) and Kosti
practiced his diving moves. Lovely. Since we have two young students here with lots
of school work to do, Sensei Hendershott
called school into session. An hour and
a half of school work under his tutalage,
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once school was out, it was time start to corral the crew to
head off to the beach...... a few hours later we were out the door heading to
Bahia Sucia. I can't wait until you can
see the pictures. On our way to Bahia
Sucia we passed through the oldest salt flats in the western hemisphere. It was neat, kind of surreal. Kind of funny as well given Tracy's need,
affection and obsession with salt.
Around the same local was a very out of the worldly mud area. We needed to stop and explore. Walking across this was like walking in mucky
quick sand. Coulda lost a leg..... I did get some beautiful pictures. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Down the road there were some pretty pink, yes pink salt
corrals. And then out of now where,
Bahia Sucia! It is just a beautiful
little bay area, with warm aqua blue waters..... ahhhh.... Mondays..........</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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There is a lot more fun to come, but I need to take a nap,
so I'll continue later! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Janet</i></span></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-36799611388698319882015-03-11T10:23:00.002-04:002015-03-11T10:23:45.681-04:00As always Planes trains and automobiles.......<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 2015 Trip With My Boys
* disclaimer.... we have no internet, so will be using a "hotspot"
off Tracy's phone. We do not have spell check.
Giiven these two things, there will be spelling errors and there will be
no pictures. I may fix these things when
I make it home, I may not.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Planes, trains and automobiles..... Okay no trains, but everything else..... We all got here, not without issues, or a
story to tell. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jay and I were scheduled to leave Rochester at 6am on
Wednesday, February 4, 2015. I thought
we were safe, no snow for days.... just
really cold. Or so we thought. Little did we realize the rest of the country
was experinecing a terrible storm.
Flights were being delayed and cancelled all over the place. When I went to "Check in" at home,
we found that our flights had been
delayed. At first glance, it was only
delayed by a few minutes. Not bad. No, at closer look it was delayed 12 hours and 15 minutes. We would arrive in San Juan at 2am. An even closer look we found it left us with 20 minutes to change
planes at JFK. Given the fact that we
would be changing from one terminal to another, I thought it wasn't going to
happen. When we looked a the new seat
assignments, Jay was in row 5 and I was in row 25..... Saddness, but hey we
would both arrive in Puerto Rico at the same time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got to the Rochester airport and inquired as to if we could
get on a different flight. The guy at
the counter told us that perhaps through a different airport we could get to PR
sooner. He said that we could drive to
Buffalo and get an ealier flight, not happening! He did
say that once we got to JFK, there may be more optSions, or we could wait until
tomorrow, Thursday.</div>
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Given the weather and the forcast of of bad weather, we
didn't want to chance it. Off we
go. We made it to JFK. The scheduled arrival by the time we took off
had us landing gave us 10 minutes to
make our connecgting flight. I have
this wonderful husband who says, so no big deal, if we miss the flight we take
the next one. No stress. I
didn't stress. We landed, got off the
plane and headed to the terminal.
Ripley's belive it or not, where we got off the plane in Terminal 4B,
there were no monitors with flight information. We knew based on an app I have that we had to get to
Terminal 4C. Jay spotted a "bus
stop" for getting to terminal 4C, and asked if it would get us to the
Puerto Rico flight. To our pleasure the
woman "manning" the bus stop was New Yorican"! Yes she said in Spanglish. She assured us we would make the flight. We boarded the bus with the other Puerto
Rican bound travelers. As we got to
terminal 4C, Jay over heard a conversation between this lovely woman and the
terminal saying the terminal for the Puerto Rico flight changed from terminal
4C to terminal 4B. Back to where we
started! She told us just stay on the bus, he'd take us
there. Apparently no one else on the bus
heard the conversation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got back to terminal 4B and were first to the gate for
our plane. ....and I was worried. Everyone else at the gate in terminal 4C had
to change to terminal 4B, in addition to the people who got off the plane with
us, got on the bus, got off the bus and didn't get back on the bus. (follow that?)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Fast forward... we land
1:30am in San Juan. Jay had
called to change our rental car the night before when we heard our trip had
been delayed. We get to the rental car
desk and they have us arriving at 2pm on Thursday. My sweet husband being who he is, was able to turn it around and
get us al car. We made it home to Moms
at 3am. We went right to the house
thinking she may be up. Hey never
know! She wasn't. At this hour, our only option was to make our way the local Walmart parking lot and
sleep until morning. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a really nice visit with Mom in Arecibo. I do need to point out that I have noticed
since watching modern family, that Mom sounds a lot like Sofia Vegaria's character when she says
"Jaaayyyy". Close your eyes,
hear her say it and that's what Mom sounds like! Love her to peices!!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sean and his girls arrived as expected on wednesday
evening. (The twist to our trip ~ traveling
with 9 and 11 year old girls). They arrived in Puerto Rico on Wednesday evening
at 9 pm. Got their rental car. Drove 2 hours west to Rincon and couldn't
find their hotel. They did find the
local Police station, at which point Sean
realized he couldn't speak Spanish and the officers (3 of them) didn't speak
English. After much going back and forth, with McKenzie in tears the police
escorted them to the hotel only to find out it wasn't open at that hour. The police had already left them. Sean and the girls drove around for a while
until they found "2 beautiful girls from New Jersey", who knew of the
security guard at a bar, who knew some people at a hotel who then went over to
open the office for them. (following this?), After the cost of two hotel rooms later they
made it to a room. The price of driving
around an Island where you don't know the language. The joys of Carribean travel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tracy and Kosti made it to the Island on Saturday. We spend some time visiting Mom and then
headed west. Prior to leaving Mom's the
girls made fast friends with Sally the salamander. Jay and I thought there was no way they were
catching it, but no they did.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We spent the day driving.
Please now if you ever travel to a Carribean Island that 90 miles takes
4+ hours. You think it has been fun
and an adventure til now. ... No, the fun is just starting! Thanks to Kosti's navigation skills we manage
to find our condo complex. Looks lovely
at first blush. We punch int he code at
the security gate. Our directions tell
us our unit is in the first building on the right. We pull in.
It just didn't look right. I
can't wait to load pics of this place.
First waring, there is not another soul or car or sign of life to be
seen..... looks likea modern version of a an old west ghost town. The build foundation was cracking. There were wires hanging out where light
fixtures should be. There were weeds
growing in the stairwells. No numbers on
the condo doors. Not looking good. We parked, Kosti and I explored. Not a soul anywhere. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After some walking Kosti and I did find a building in a bit
of better shape, with numbers on the parking spots and unit doors. We found it.
The first key box we tried did not work the second did. The until isn't bad. It is modern.
Pretty stark. but hey.... there
are no weeds growing in the stairwell.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where I leave you for today. It is 12 noon and I have too many Karribean
Kositi's to continue writing. Never fear
though, the stories continue... you are
going to have to check back for more. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I miss my little Red
Rose but I know she is having fun with Mikey, Sammy and Charles Barkley. I have my husband, Popi Cruz and Tracy,
Kosti and Sean and the girls for adventure!
We are so enjoying the sun and warm!
Check back soon as it all continues!
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Hugs to you all, enjoy the day! Be grateful for today!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-33409063635381319902015-03-04T13:38:00.002-05:002015-03-04T13:39:21.161-05:00...and so the adventure begins.....It all started with an ice storm last night, well late yesterday afternoon. Then flights got cancelled in the middle of the country. I thought we were good to go.....<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No, I thought wrong... Once I went on line to "check in", I noticed that there was an email saying they had been trying to contact us that our flight had been canceled. They did put us on another flight. Quickly reading I thought it was another flight this morning..... Nooooo, I thought wrong. It was a flight for 6pm tonight arriving in San Juan at 1:30 Thursday morning....<br />
<br />
My biggest fear is that we have a connecting flight in JFK. The itinerary shows our flight comes into one terminal and the next flight leaves from a different terminal. Oh Joy.... with 10 minutes in-between when we land and when boarding starts. Not gonna happen.<br />
<br />
My dear sweet husband Jay is on vacation already...... let it go, he tells me. If we miss the flight they'll get us on the next one and have to put us up over night..... okay dokey..... I love this man.<br />
Already I can tell he is on vacation, will come back to a new, they are promising to be less stressful job and he is ready to have fun! I just love him. <br />
<br />
He just checked in with me, of course I didn't finish packing when I saw our flights were cancelled and we weren't leaving until tonight, so that's what I've been up to.... <br />
<br />
Jay Cruz is so much fun when he is not stressed and right now, he is not stressed!<br />
<br />
The worst part of going away for me is always leaving my girl.... I hate going away from her. She knows we are leaving. She hasn't been more than 3 inches from me all day..... I know she is in good hands, my Mikey and his girlfriend Sammy are moving in to take care of the girl.... and extra treat for the Rose, they are bringing Charles Barkley. Rosie Girl loves Charles Barkley! <br />
<br />
...And so, I was hoping to have my toes in the sand real soon.....<br />
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This is just not quite the same.....little cold....</div>
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So stay tuned. We are off the grid until Saturday when Tracy and Kosti hit the Island and we head out West! </div>
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Share a smile, make someone's day! Gotta go get some more snuggles in with The Rose.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-90863945178980056182015-02-15T12:36:00.001-05:002015-02-15T13:31:20.845-05:00Winter in Western New York..... why I love it....It's winter in Rochester, New York..... Happens every year.... Some years we luck out, some years, I just have to ask, "why am I here?"<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of my first winters here was the winter of 1977. Anyone in Rochester remember that winter? Let me refresh your memory. It snowed so much one day that they wouldn't let us leave school. Yes, they did not cancel school that day. They let us come to school and once there, then they decided it was to much snow and the conditions were so bad that they were not going to send us home.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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My friends that was the time before cell phones and the internet. Technology consisted of phones attached to walls, handwritten letters, stamps, typewriters and mimeograph machines. What fun! I cried. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When I finally got home to Carol, I cried all night..... how could she "bring me to a place that keeps you in school overnight?" I was not having fun.... </div>
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That miserable winter was 38 years ago, and I am still here....Why? Because I really am a closet winter lover ? No... So to help me figure this out, during this record breaking winter, 38 years later, I am going to list 25 reason why I love living in Western New York. When I hit 25, I am going to push it one more to 26. just because.... Here we go...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>25 +1 reasons I love living in Western New York</u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. Just about all of the people I love the most in the whole entire world live here.</div>
<div>
(except for Josh, who has escaped to southern California for a few years, he'll be <br />
back!!and Tracy, and well, that's another post)</div>
<div>
2. I met my husband here.</div>
<div>
3. I love the people I have met here as friends and who have become "family".</div>
<div>
4. Wegmans.</div>
<div>
5. Rochester is a very pretty cool city.</div>
<div>
6. People who live here, don't know what traffic really is.</div>
<div>
7. No tsunamis</div>
<div>
8. You can get to a foreign country in an hour and a half by car.</div>
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9. Winter does end.</div>
<div>
10. After so much snow and cold, you really appreciate summer and warmth.</div>
<div>
11. George Eastman House.</div>
<div>
12. Rush is the sweetest little "Hometown".</div>
<div>
13. I know and love all my neighbors.</div>
<div>
14. When we say hello, the people in the local pizza joint know our voices and our order.</div>
<div>
15. Going to Wegmans is a social event.</div>
<div>
16. I love accessorizing with scarves.</div>
<div>
17. Lilacs.</div>
<div>
18. No mudslides.</div>
<div>
19. No sharks.</div>
<div>
20. Our house & The Tiki Bar.</div>
<div>
21. Chase's Farm Market.</div>
<div>
22. You can stay in all weekend and blame it on the snow and cold.</div>
<div>
23. Almost always a White Christmas. </div>
<div>
24. If it's not a white Christmas your happy about that too!</div>
<div>
25. Wegmans (I know that was #4 & #15, but I really really love Wegmans!).<br />
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
and</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
26. Carol and David welcomed Andrew and I into their lives and house and made it "Home".</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Okay, so I know why I am here....I know I will be living here at the end of my life, but I would like to live in 12 months of nice weather at some point in the middle here! Yes, I am in the "middle" of my life. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I digress...</div>
<div>
When Grandma Austin was alive, I used to spend time with her at her house. One night during one of our conversations, she told me she decided she would live to to be 100 years old and no more. She was 90 at the time. She said she thought that would be enough and it would be a good life. Grandma Austin lived to 100 years and 4 months. It was a good life. I am living my life in the shadows of Grandma Austin. I have internalized all she taught me. She taught me much. So, I think I will live to 101 years old. That will be a good life.....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And so, as Jay and I sit here in our living room, enjoying the warm and coziness of it, we are counting the days until we escape the last few weeks of winter on our yearly trip to Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Jay's hometown. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>3 reason's I love Arecibo, Puerto Rico</u></b> (since I'm making lists):</div>
<div>
1. Mom is there.</div>
<div>
2. The app on my phone (he he he, I have a phone with apps!) says it's 82 degrees in Arecibo and </div>
<div>
0 degrees in Rush at this very moment!</div>
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3. Palm Trees.</div>
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Hey, thanks for stopping by to read! Stop back soon. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Snuggling with the Little Red Rose!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Janet</i></b></span></div>
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Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-53114384283800631502015-02-04T23:08:00.000-05:002015-02-05T06:14:45.394-05:00And the count down begins...and my mind is all over the place!<br />
It's that time of year again. The count down begins for our Puerto Rico trip. Like all of our trips, there is a twist. To keep the suspense, I'm not going to share what it is until we get there! It will be interesting.... something new, something we have not experienced since our first year... and that was a doosey of a trip. <br />
<br />
This year I am going to try to keep the bloggity blog up to date and not just visit once a year....<br />
<br />
I love this bloggity blog. I love the memories we capture here. I miss my Sadie Girl. The blog has always started and ended with my Girl. I visit past entries and all I think about is her. She was my once in a lifetime Dog. The best friend I have ever had....I learned so much of life and love from her.<br />
<br />
I mark my life each year by our trips. What has happened since last year.... what are the possibilities in the up coming year. This year was a truly great year. So many good things happened but the best was our little precious girl. Our little Leah Rose was born! She is just such a living doll. I had a Leah ~ NaNa night yesterday. I saw the future in her eyes. I saw the making of great memories to come....<br />
<br />
While we don't have our Sadie Girl her with us anymore, we do have the crazy, little Red Rose. She's a nut! I will share more of the Rose and life with her down the road.<br />
<br />
So my dear friends out there.... I'm back... the bloggity blog lives on.... The Rose has taken over our hearts.... and the fun continues....<br />
<br />
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<br />
As I'm sitting here writing this, Rosie is upstairs with Jay snuggling. She is a different little pupper with a personality all her own.<br />
<br />
The blog .... check back soon.<br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-22187239840598260212014-02-27T18:33:00.001-05:002014-02-27T21:50:25.144-05:00And like always.... it's winding down....<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we are nearing the end of our trip, I think I’ll
bring you all up to speed on where we’ve been and what we’ve done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Tuesday we left Mom’s and headed
west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First destination, Cabo Rojo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Made it there, cute little town ~ Boquerón, and found
this great little eatery ~<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Galloways…..
Sweet little sea side restaurant in Boquerón... and it is.... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The food was great, I was able to get an actual salad. A chicken ceasar
salad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years of experience has taught
me that when In Puerto Rico and I order a salad, I usually get a wedge of iceberg
lettuce a slice of tomato and some thousand island dressing. (aka catsup and
mayo).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good salads are hard to come by
on this sweet little island and like gold when we find a place that serves
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jay and Trace had fish or something
or other and the drinks there were second to none!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rum was flowing, drinks were good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entertainment was great… we had these
large, extremely large fish swimming around, and the fun was in the feeding
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Playing with my fisheye lens, I
took what I think is one of the more fun pics of the trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After eating we went out on an adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Headed down the road to find a beach, any
beach. We ended up at a park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently
a national park, </span><a href="http://www.fws.gov/caribbean/refuges/caborojo/default.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">National Wildlife Refuge</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beautiful seaside park, with cabins beach side to rent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since it’s winter right now the place was
pretty empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just us and the birds and occasional
perro. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We spent the day in the sun, on
the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sweet little inlet, very
much like the ones we know on Vieques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On the road again, heading east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so twisted with my directions here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always associate the shore on the east
coast, not the north or west or south….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was supposed to be a simple trip from Cabo Rojo to Ponce, but like
all our road trips here on the island, the actual roads don’t match the roads
on the map,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the signs are either covered
by foliage or nonexistent and it ends up taking much longer that anticipated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Made it to our hotel in Ponce and headed out to explore the
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given it was the night before
Carnaval, not much was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did
get the lay of the land, ate at the Ramada in town and headed back for a good night rest. I did learn I can be a Martini girl at dinner. Seems the drink I really wanted wasn't in season. So I ended up with a Lola Martini.... Tracy said given it was made with Rum, Rum and fruit juices, there wasn't any trace of martini in the glass, I did love it though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wednesday we spent the day by the pool resting up for
Carnaval!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We headed into town around 3,
grabbed some pinchos, and mask shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had the treat of the trip when we started talking to one little shop
owner who had a beautiful art gallery upstairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tracy convinced the owner to give us a private tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The artwork was beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hidden gem… beautiful paintings,
huge ornate masks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned a little
about the masks and how they were made and how they are valued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most expensive are the most ornate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like with teeth, and tongs, and many
horns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He showed us one for a few
thousand dollars that is being sent to a designer in Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to buy a mask or two, but the cost
and the difficulty transporting it made us decide not to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jay did buy a pretty painting of a yellow
flamboyant tree by Ponce artist Jorge Romero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He decided to have it
shipped home and carrying it would not have worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> After our food and shopping we found the best
seat in town (AT 4pm!) in anticipation of Carnaval starting at 7:30pm!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Right! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The masks were incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was really fun was walking around
afterward seeing all the young men dressed in the costumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even found a puppy dressed up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was a long night, made it home really tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This morning we set out for our final
adventure and adventure it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front desk staff gave us accurate
directions to the </span><a href="http://ponce.inter.edu/tibes/ingles/conozca.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An ancient Ceremonial site uncovered in 1975
after tropical storm Eloisa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the
storm and eventual excavation, it was thought the the Tainos were the first
tribes of Puerto Rico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This finding
showed that there were pre-Taino tribes dating back to 300 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The site was incredible and our tour guide,
Louis Martinez was a walking college course on archaeology with a little botany
thrown in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also knew how to
entertain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We saw a replica of what the village would look like,
however this was not a site where the Igneri or Saladoids (the pre-Taino’s)
lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was where they celebrated and
or worshiped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was kind of like a town
square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw and experienced trees
with fruit they used as red and yellow paint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was even a tree whose leaves when crumbled turned into soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Louis showed the us the berries the kings
used to help them speak with the gods, the Jojoba beans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tracy took notes on all we learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure he would explain it all in much
better detail than I could here.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One neat tree we saw, and none of us had ever seen anything like it was the tree with what looked like thorns.... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Louis cut one of the thorns off for us to examine. It created not only a yellow dye but a beautiful clean, light scent.... Hmmm, how can we bottle this. Louis said there is no need to when you have Ralph Lauren for men and women.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Louis told us about a coffee plantation, “just down the road”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course in search we went of the elusive
Coffee plantation in Puerto Rico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last trip, Tracy and Kosti spent 5 hours in
the mountains searching for a coffee plantation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent another 2 today to no avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure what it is with me and
mountains, but I just don’t enjoy the rides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, twisty turny, two way traffic roads, one car width.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy… I had no options but to buckle up and
try to keep my eyes closed and not look out the window, and the steep drop
beneath us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did happen on a thick
bamboo forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was neat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never seen bamboo so old, large and so
much of it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We never did find the
plantation that was “just down the road”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am beginning to believe there is no such thing as a coffee plantation
in Puerto Rico!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo in the mountains but no coffee!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’re down to our last few hours together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time to eat, relax, pack<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> . We have long trips ahead of us. Tracy will leave the hotel tonight from Ponce at midnight to catch his 4am flight out. Then wait catch a bus out of Fort Lauderdale home, only to wait until Kosti gets out of work to pick him up.... He has almost 24 hours of traveling ahead of him. Us.... Here's hoping we get snowed in here! A girl can wish. Planes perhaps not flying due to weather, crazier things have happened! </span>Until next time, thanks for reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"></a>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-18461009252182334102014-02-26T08:47:00.002-05:002014-02-28T06:06:41.320-05:00 Camuy and then some....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our Trip to Camuy was on Saturday... The only way I remember that now is through my photo's. (thank goodness they are dated!) Here is our man Trace on the way down into the caves. Thankfully we took a tram most of the way down, but we entered the caves on foot. I am having way too much fun with this fisheye lens Kristen gave me to use. I thought the caves would be the <br />
perfect spot to use it!<br />
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I had a bit of fun playing with images and the lens.... bet you can't guess who that is above!<br />
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I tried to get a portrait of the three of us on the way out... didn't quite work the way I wanted.... but I like it of my Men!<br />
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Before we hit the caves on Saturday, I spent some time hummingbird hunting at Mom's . She has a pack of hummingbirds who come each morning for breakfast and late each afternoon for dinner. Okay, maybe not a pack but a couple of them are humming around her flowers! I didn't to too good with capturing them, but I did get two.<br />
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On one of my day dreaming trips, while internet surfing I found a condo for sale on the beach in Arecibo. That afternoon we went on a drive by to see what they looked like. Oh my, I am in love! The road they are on reminded Tracy and I of a mix between Vieques and East Lake Road in Conseus... if you could imagine that.<br />
We made our way all to the end of the road to a biker bar and restaurant. It was<br />
kinda like an open air Creekside Inn. It wasn't your everyday dead end. It actually<br />
ended at an inlet. With a little piece of land separating it from the Atlantic Ocean.<br />
Great place, just off the beaten path, we would have to bring people here to see it,<br />
no one would find in on their own, except for the bikers.<br />
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We stopped on our way out to check out the beach across from my beautiful condo... <br />
Lovely, lovely, lovely.... we decided to run home, get our beach attire and return.<br />
That was Sunday. While I did take many pictures, none worth posting. It was a fun<br />
beach day. Lots of people, and as Tracy pointed out.... many many beautiful<br />
muscled young Puerto Rican Men! Many.<br />
We did dip our toes in the water.... had some pinchos from a truck, our favorite<br />
food, enjoyed the music being shared by all the parked cars, (although Jay tells us<br />
it's a good thing we don't understand Spanish, cause the music we were tapping our<br />
toes in the sand to was all about, putting things in and out, female dogs and garden<br />
tools) and just plain enjoyed the day in the sun on the beach across from my condo!<br />
It is clear that it is a young person beach on this beautiful Sunday. No families in<br />
sight. There were dogs with people on the beach. Three caught my attention right<br />
away. There was the big blockhead (pibble) who had a life vest on and enjoyed <br />
swimming, there was the little Chihuahua with two young girls who kept wandering<br />
to visit other parties and then there was the young man with the body who didn't <br />
quit, walking around with a tiny, newborn blue nose pittie in a towel. I did manage <br />
to talk to him, the pup didn't have a name yet and probably shouldn't have been <br />
away from his moma just yet.<br />
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Tracy was kinda tired of going to bed so early each evening, so he decided to head out on the town of Factor 2 to see what the locals had to offer. He made it partly down the road, the local local bar was not open, it was too dark to venture on. Jay decided he would head out with him. They found a pizza joint with a TV, a beautiful Ricky Martin and some beers.<br />
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Sunday evening before it got dark, Jay and Tracy captured a tree chicken. Well, they didn't really capture it, more like chased it into it's hole in the ground a buried it. Little bugger, look what popped it's head up Monday morning...<br />
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The Tree Chicken!</div>
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Enough chasing chickens.... we decided we wanted to see what our beach looked like during the week. Low and behold.... it was almost empty.....<br />
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Above is the picture from the parking lot of my condo! I only had the fisheye with me, but I still like it! The unit I want is on the left corner, top unit. It also has a roof top deck, can you see it? I love it! We weren't able to get in to see it, but a girl can dream. Then I turn around to capture the view in the other direction and violia!<br />
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Beach, beach beach..... beautiful beach! Complete with Turtuga nesting areas.<br />
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Such a beautiful, beautiful beach on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Island.<br />
I love it!<br />
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My boys are getting antsy now, time to go do something. I will continue as the adventure continues....<br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-57732738991012033992014-02-25T17:06:00.003-05:002014-02-25T17:06:42.818-05:00Tracy Arrives.... February 22 & 23, 2014
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pretty good, the days are all mixed up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t take long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have not been wearing watches, have not
seen a calendar… have no idea what day or time it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it is early morning as I am writing
this, as the sun is shining and I hear construction work going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loud outside construction work only happens
here in PR is the early morning hours, before it gets too hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jay, Moma Cruz and Tracy are all still
sleeping, me ~ I figured since we are going in search of an internet café
(A.K.A. fast food joint) I’d better catch you all up on the happening down
here!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Early Friday morning, waaaayy early Friday morning, Jay and
I set out to pick Tracy up at the Aguadilla airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tiny little airport on an old military base
a bit west of Arecibo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His flight arrived
at 3:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jay figured it would take us
about an hour to get there, so we set out around 2:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As always, we learn something new here just
about every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Driving to the airport
we learned that between the hours of midnight and 6am red lights are just a
suggestion. We were told later that day, that you don’t want to be sitting at a
red light during those hours and have a couple cars pull up to you and block
you in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want that to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you slow down at a red light, looks all
ways, then go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard for Jay to do
that, we are so conditioned to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a while it became clear, we were the only ones stopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began to do that on the way home.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like every good trip we take, it is always an adventure in
getting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finally made it to the
turn off for the airport, but that’s when the signs stopped. It took us a half
hour to get here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we drove, and
drove until we spotted a plane off to the left… we knew we had to be close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After another half hour of driving we found a
sign indicating the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sign we
right across the street from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran in to see if Tracy had
arrived yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place was packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently this cheap Spirit Air flight from
Florida to Puerto Rico is pretty popular!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yeah Tracy made it!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friday was uneventful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were all tired, and needed to get our heads in the game, so to
speak…. We made it home and all went right to bed….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vacation mode here we come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday we decided to hit the Caves of Camuy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Previous years friends Dawn and Darren
repelled down into the caves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew
that was not for us, so we took the real tourist route and hit the tram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We strongly recommend if you are in Puerto
Rico and have the opportunity to tour Camuy, do it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some spectacular sights down
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our way home began the adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tracy and Jay navigating through the interior
back hills of Puerto Rico to get us home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh My.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it is a beautiful
tropical island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is that a beautiful
tropical island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The interior of it is
mountainous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get it? MOUNTAINOUS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roads are tiny, barely fit one car, very
twisty and turny, up and down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once
again, we are reminded that road, street signs, directional signs are not
abundant down here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To say they are
virtually nonexistent would be an accurate statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we drove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jay figured we would either hit the Atlantic or the Caribbean eventually
and we would go from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did, hit
the Atlantic and made our way home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not much else exciting went on, wanted to take Moma out for
dinner to her favorite place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out
to be a Chinese restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we came
home and sat out front for a while watching for the ponies and their Saturday
night riders to pass by.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We will be here a few more days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s goal is the internet café.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For among other reasons, we will be able to
upload a few movies onto my kindle so we can watch them tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We looked into going to a movie yesterday,
but nothing good was playing…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
So as not to call it a night at 7:30pm, Tracy and I snuggled close together to watch "The Butler" on my Kindle Fire. Great incredible movie... interesting snuggling on a bed trying to watch a kindle.... <br />
<br />
Well folks, that's it for today. Hopefully excitement will follow soon. One thing is for sure... we are relaxed! <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-66491504304509798532014-02-25T16:58:00.004-05:002014-02-25T17:43:15.828-05:00All is right with the World.... Puerto Rico 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">February 20, 2014<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">~ Reader beware… these dates won’t correlate with the posting dates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are off the grid here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me to post, we have to find a local fast
food establishment that has free wifi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With that being the case, there may be two or three posts in a row on any
given date</span></i>. <em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">We tried and tried to make it work at a few fast food places, to no avail. Had to wait until today at the Ponce Holiday Inn!</span></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year is perhaps one of, if not the coldest winters on
record in Rochester, NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Waking up to
temps below zero gets old real quick. Originally we were planning a trip to Hawaii.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things being what they may, it didn’t
happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tracy and the Russian, which
would be my little Kosti Masti….packed up and moved to southern Florida.
Hmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that in mind and a few other
events which we won’t get into here, Hawaii plans were put on hold.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00ix34wH3t8553muFkVaWTfhpvQD7rMJsQIkCRs_raV3tt9dXsQZysWmAQL7gZfFkZFc4UcyhC_5zDLhfUVcw7p9g4Ifuilhz27K7cN7JkBsbA0heuo7I5fVxJ5PsPONl304-VR3Mmkg/s1600/untitled-0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00ix34wH3t8553muFkVaWTfhpvQD7rMJsQIkCRs_raV3tt9dXsQZysWmAQL7gZfFkZFc4UcyhC_5zDLhfUVcw7p9g4Ifuilhz27K7cN7JkBsbA0heuo7I5fVxJ5PsPONl304-VR3Mmkg/s1600/untitled-0005.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Earlier this year ~ that would be the beginning of last month,
Jay (AKA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Papi, Papi Cruz, My husband)
decided we would not take a vacation this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been putting off a new roof each
year in the name of a vacation…this year it looked like the new roof won.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won that is until ridiculous amounts of
snow, crazy number of days in a row of subzero temperatures, grey skies…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Papi Cruz couldn’t take it anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helllllooooooooooo Puerto Rico!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to get out of dodge (at least the
subzero weather and endless snow) as soon as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday we woke up to a balmy 25 degrees at home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me when you wake up with the temp at
10 below zero every morning for what seems like endless days, 25 degrees seems
warm ~ Giving new meaning to the phrase, “it’s all relative”. ~<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had every intention of packing last
weekend, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on Monday night after work,
then Tuesday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well Tuesday night
snuck up on me and I couldn’t find my summer clothes, they were absolutely nowhere
to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think wishful thinking
got the best of me last fall when I started on the Dash Diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thinking I would lose a crazy amount of
weight before this season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I seem to
remember that I donated most of my summer clothes,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(don’t tell Papi).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can probably guess the rest of the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lost maybe 15 pounds, felt
great and stopped paying attention, gained 5 back...and so the story goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back on the wagon (or at least the DASH Diet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh wait, we’re on vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Packing, yes let me get back to packing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have read previous any entries on any previous
trips, you know packing is always a story with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is no different this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I was not worried about packing,
because #1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years ago we discovered
that Moma Cruz (who we are visiting is Jay ~ Papi Cruz’ Mother) lives very
close to an outlet mall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes that is the
truth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knew…. And #2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every year when we visit Moma Cruz, I leave
things here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(toiletry type
things).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing #1 & #2, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I packed underwear, magazines, my three
favorite pair of pedal pushers (aka. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Capris) two comfy dresses, powdered ice tea
mix, almonds and almond and cranberry protein bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Papi of course packed his usual 3, 3 and 3,
and a banana, a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bagel and two
muffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3 shirts, 3 shorts, 3 pair of
underwear) and a big credit card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life
IZZZZZZZZZZ good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY24lNZMfXTNRKDxv2RQ9PNF9RIJ-_faJbRUzgjIdWhRWJFvw3B8xWzoY1_4Bxs1W__0Pp3IDShrABzn9Vcw5IkgEsxpjAGQJDzNsAYwfvDmuRkNEf-13p_ieRCU0W5u0VGpz7lcoHWoM/s1600/untitled-0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY24lNZMfXTNRKDxv2RQ9PNF9RIJ-_faJbRUzgjIdWhRWJFvw3B8xWzoY1_4Bxs1W__0Pp3IDShrABzn9Vcw5IkgEsxpjAGQJDzNsAYwfvDmuRkNEf-13p_ieRCU0W5u0VGpz7lcoHWoM/s1600/untitled-0009.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my way to Puerto Rico!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We arrived in San Juan around 2:30 yesterday afternoon and
headed straight to Casa Barcardi for our annual drink and purchase of the 12
year bottles of rum for the Tiki Bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mission accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got to
Moma’s about 4 -4:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course she had
dinner for us and then, and then…. We both went in for naps and didn’t see Moma
until this morning around 7am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are on
Vacation!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is a beautiful day here in Arecibo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>85 and sunny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our big accomplishment today was a trip to the Outlet Center for some
shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what I was thinking…..
it is winter here in PR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the clothes
they have out are winter clothes, long sleeves, sweaters, jackets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to find a few things, not as much
as I was hoping… (actually not only was everything winterized, but big girl ~
as in Misses sizes were nowhere to be found).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t worry ~ Walmart came through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was able to pick up a few big girl tees there!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That and what I left here last year, I’m good
to go.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was a long day, it’s getting late,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we are going to sleep early tonight for Tracy
arrives at 3:30am or so and we have to go pick him up at the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot even imagine how stinkin’ excited
I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be like the early years …
Jay, Tracy and I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have come to realize that home is where you are the most
comfortable with the people who know the worst of you and love you anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYTsEbmalXsWIrrmbBzx8K8yE7DlbVy6MNxtQfwRZ5U1aC_YZoYWZF-Gs_pssVAxYiDZJilukZfGsOnM_6fh4Fu1x3itdg5swLMRGEvix4I_O_PK7oCIqZTR7C1oMUFvazd-d9SSf-3w/s1600/untitled-0076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYTsEbmalXsWIrrmbBzx8K8yE7DlbVy6MNxtQfwRZ5U1aC_YZoYWZF-Gs_pssVAxYiDZJilukZfGsOnM_6fh4Fu1x3itdg5swLMRGEvix4I_O_PK7oCIqZTR7C1oMUFvazd-d9SSf-3w/s1600/untitled-0076.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Well we are finally at a location with WiFi so the posts should start coming....</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <em><span style="font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em></span></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-45448489933657749902014-02-25T16:46:00.003-05:002014-02-25T22:52:12.360-05:00My Black Mercedes January 22, 2000 ~ May 15, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OWXBh7nH88JruUTjunWkXdQJXViGo6I9jMD1AuiFnQWaErZ1y4TD5ODXh9sVVfNooOHqMJVnJGSKc9jrRr8P85YCC7VKU0kvXdNWSDEGN82Y5scsYaHtrUjA3u6I6iiQWSZb_B-Idsw/s1600/untitled-0810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OWXBh7nH88JruUTjunWkXdQJXViGo6I9jMD1AuiFnQWaErZ1y4TD5ODXh9sVVfNooOHqMJVnJGSKc9jrRr8P85YCC7VKU0kvXdNWSDEGN82Y5scsYaHtrUjA3u6I6iiQWSZb_B-Idsw/s1600/untitled-0810.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Sadie Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was that once in a lifetime Dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
one that all the others will have to live up to but will never be able to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>( I know the longer she is gone, the better
she was~ for some reason time intensifies memories, but that’s okay!) Sadie
was my Soul Dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved me like no
other…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My blog since the beginning started and ended with my Sadie
Girl. When my Sadie’s life on earth ended, my heart was broken once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has not only taken me a while to get back
here, but even just deciding if I wanted to come back here. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I have found my new normal
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I can handle it , so here
I am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not be able to
write this without crying, feeling sad, missing my sweet girl, but here goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This post is going to be long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie was my sidekick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where I went, if dogs were allow, there was
Sadie. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew my every move, responded
to all my moods and loved me no matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I learn what true unconditional love is from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
deserves to be remembered and memorialized here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is for me, it will help me to remember
her when I am old and my memory fails me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will always be able to come here and read all about her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Sadie Girl fought the good fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like everything, nothing in my life is
without meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight, I sit here in
Mami’s kitchen in Puerto Rico writing about my Sadie Girl. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Papi & Jay are one in the same ~my
Husband,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mami is Jay’s Mother~ my dear
Mother in Law). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Growing up, we always had a dog or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My brother loved animals more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found a solace in them which has taken me
a while to understand, now I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew
that no matter what he did, or how he did it ~ his pets, would always love
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was about 6 or 7 years
old, my mom took him to a therapist to help with some of the PSTD
symptoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, it didn’t have a
name, but I believe that’s what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My brother had a classic case of PSTD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you lived through what he did, you would as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the fact that during one of the
sessions, he talked about “his pets” ~ Tiny, Patrick and Janet”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The therapist had to check with my mother at
his next session as he had thought Janet was a person and not a pet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this story and know it is true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have most of my family history on paper in
the form of my mother’s love letters to my sister when she was away at college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story appears in one of the
letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this story, because I
know that Andrew, my brother knew I loved him unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which brings me to my Sadie Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the late 90’s, Andrew found himself without a home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew of course he was always welcome
where ever I lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time I had a
sweet deal living in the upper part of an old home in West Henrietta, NY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of mine from high school owned the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked if my brother could
live with me for a while, he was fine with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course he didn’t know at the time, my
brother came with two adult pit bulls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
couple of weeks was fine, but after about 6 months, the welcome was wearing
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to do something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our older Sister, Carol came through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is probably the only person in the world
who knew me better than I knew myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
found a perfect house for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Old home
with character, in the village of Rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perfect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mine and I could
bring Andrew and the dogs with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides, I always wanted my own pup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A dashound, like Patrick and Snuffy ~ the dogs I loved from my
childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Andrew, Buddy, Keisha and I moved into our new home….. life
was alright. Not great, as adult siblings were probably not meant to live
together!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was
alright.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward to my 40<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 6 weeks after my birthday Andrew
announced he found the perfect dog for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I indulged him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to see
her, a little black pitbull 6 weeks old ~ born on my 40<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> birthday,
in the year 2000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me digress here a bit (it’s my blog ~ indulge me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up until I was about 15 years old, I used to
wonder if I would be alive at the turn of the century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know 40 is really old!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm look at that ~ 14 years later than the
turn of the century, still here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well back to Sadie girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was not my dashound, but she was cute. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided I would name her Mercedes, Sadie for
short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the fact I wanted a doxie
and didn’t get one, I thought I would take advantage of the fact I also want a
black Mercedes and probably will never get one of those either, so I had my
little black Mercedes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie for short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Sadie arrived, we were down to just one dog,
Buddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew was not working, he was
home all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew ~ if you didn’t
know him was the real dog whisperer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
love, patience and ability to train the pups was second to none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie and I reaped the benefits of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and Buddy set out to train my Sadie
Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though Andrew trained her,
she was still my dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loved me like
no other and I loved her just the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As the years went by Sadie became a better and better dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew never stopped training her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also took every opportunity he had to
train me as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made me read books,
watch videos and never stopped preaching about how I needed to be “a
responsible pit bull owner” and what that meant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am going to digress here and share some Andrew
stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew being the dog whispered,
resulted in our home come to be known as the “Dog Ranch” in our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone knew their dog was welcome at our
home, for it was decorated and modified to meet the needs of our pups!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, but anyone who brought their
dogs to visit also had the benefit of some free dog training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never forget one day I came home from work
and Andrew had Buddy, Sadie and Cheyanne lined up on the edge of our yard
facing the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew was in the road
facing them making all kinds of crazy hand signals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked him what he was doing, he simply
told me, teaching them not to go in the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He explained that he did it frequently and that they would, if they didn’t
already understand and not go in the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You know what, “Road School” as we call it now, worked!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie Girl only went in the road once when
she thought another dog was going to attack her property and people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from that one time, in 13 years, she
only went in the road when she was on a leash.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you for letting me share one of my favorite
Andrew’s…. Now back to my Sadie Girl,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my
love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadie was with me though some of the hardest days of my
adult life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she was 6 years old, my
sister passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My only sister ~
the one my mother wrote love letters to, the same one who knew me
better then I knew myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It </span>rocked my world, but there were so many others impacted by this that I had to
hold it together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew offered the
best advice, when I was feeling lowest, he would say, “when all is wrong with
the world, go hug the dog”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie let me cry on, she let me talk, she
never tired of me needing her near me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I have other supports (my Husband
and Tracy and the kids, but this post is about Sadie Girl and Andrew kind ofl!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN0mZ3bUFqc10ASYJEHOUoTaJNPojta1wCIBPBOmrpocaHnWueBB9K9q01aXLq1ZdYel4KbhyphenhyphenNbQ3tWpqIKDOvcVGglKBTPqaUIE45XANw7Sm7e-9UNKPdyfN3UUhEDBtdBj-9m9_O7Q/s1600/image-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN0mZ3bUFqc10ASYJEHOUoTaJNPojta1wCIBPBOmrpocaHnWueBB9K9q01aXLq1ZdYel4KbhyphenhyphenNbQ3tWpqIKDOvcVGglKBTPqaUIE45XANw7Sm7e-9UNKPdyfN3UUhEDBtdBj-9m9_O7Q/s1600/image-15.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite pictures of Carol and My Sadie Girl!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two years later Sadie turned 8 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you, we should all take care of
ourselves as well as I take care of my pups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At her 8 year checkup, our vet~ who is just the best there is
told me since “Sadie is 8 years old, she is considered a senior
dog”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gave me some reading materials
to look at, and things to watch out for and told me now I should bring her in
every six months for "senior check ups".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That night I went home
and cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried to Jay, I cried to
Tracy, I cried to Andrew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even cried to
Sadie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to will her to be the
oldest living dog ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked if she
could try to make 20 or 25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn't
be a senior dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A senior dog means
someday she will die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not the same
from that day forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It then dawned on me that dogs don’t live that long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never given it much thought before
then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That year when Papi (Jay and Papi are one in the same) Tracy
and I were in Puerto Rico, Andrew was taking care of the Sadie Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found a small lump on her belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we got home (those days we came
for 3 weeks) the lump had grown. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
feared the worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrew sat me down and
gave me some cold hard truths, Sadie would not live forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to face it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He suggest I get involved with a rescue and
when the time came, find a rescue dog that needed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still inconsolable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would never be able to replace or find
another Sadie girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He assured me I had
time, he thought I had a good 4 or 5 more years with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She still had the lump though and that
worried me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, being the crazy Sadie lover I am ~ got her
to the vets as soon as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our regular
vet was on vacation, the one filling in for her didn’t think it was anything
to worry about, but to be sure, she’d did a needle biopsy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, nothing to worry about she told us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJszTJKC6bY6zGFKLml-PP8F_P9HsGZEiY0ujiIrOIJ3AVy93TyPojdRfdghK7dM0p1mH0wfzTxKWbmMmxLj9ICpCorkKiIjCWkzsXE1oWJww0IriYnxusVfJFcY_DJiaXIyU3M32cR8/s1600/untitled-6552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJszTJKC6bY6zGFKLml-PP8F_P9HsGZEiY0ujiIrOIJ3AVy93TyPojdRfdghK7dM0p1mH0wfzTxKWbmMmxLj9ICpCorkKiIjCWkzsXE1oWJww0IriYnxusVfJFcY_DJiaXIyU3M32cR8/s1600/untitled-6552.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the 2009 went on, Andrew had an accident and passed
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My world was once again
rocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would I ever find my new
normal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I’d get close ~
something would happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think
life would ever feel normal again, too many holes in my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did what I could, used what I had and life
went on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hugged Sadie, turned to Jay
and Tracy and came out the other side alright!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The following year Sadie’s lump grew to grapefruit size
proportions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At her semi annual check up
that year, my vet thought it might be good to remove it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did, she felt she got as much as she
could, not sure she got it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sent it
to Cornell for a biopsy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grrrrrrrrrr,
the biopsy came back it was <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Hemangiosarcoma</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She gave us 3 to 6 months at the most together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went home and got on the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read all I could, found a rescue group full
of wonderful knowledgably supportive people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People who understood/understand what my Sadie girl means to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They listened, assured me they would be there
for me, told me their stories gave me hints on supplements and food, they
became my internet family and they gave me the greatest advice anyone ever
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day with her is a gift, love
her, enjoy her and make the most of each minute together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that advice I am ever grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped worrying about her dying and lived
each day to the fullest with her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JVaHa_hFS4GMi05xKv-ZEAJwvf-kWc2v4Z_1DggmqKUW4g5zO6v1Hq4DEFctnFaS1G-FDm0iC8nYUVZBRRJ7KD-_c48xEJQ3nVrrkMLLrouup6I0Wb_8pt0N1uNdsZD9k3m8SbBJ9qo/s1600/untitled-6004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JVaHa_hFS4GMi05xKv-ZEAJwvf-kWc2v4Z_1DggmqKUW4g5zO6v1Hq4DEFctnFaS1G-FDm0iC8nYUVZBRRJ7KD-_c48xEJQ3nVrrkMLLrouup6I0Wb_8pt0N1uNdsZD9k3m8SbBJ9qo/s1600/untitled-6004.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s fast forward to 2012…. My Sadie Girl was still with
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going strong, until I found some
lumps on her leg…. The wind was knocked from me. Our amazing vet was able to
operate and get as much as she could again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Off to Cornell with the biopsy, only to verify the cancer had
returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we could treat it
aggressively, we decided that at 12 years old, I didn’t want to put her through
chemo and or radiation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would just
take it all one day at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had 9
months of love before the cancer took my girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was a trooper to the end, and she went peacefully with Jay and I
holding her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May 15, 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the 3 hardest days in my adult life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My Black Mercedes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was my
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We knew each other backwards and
forwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadie Girl spoiled me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a good girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She slept in each morning until I woke her
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be 7:30am or noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes she slept with us most times she
slept in her own room on her own bed, until she couldn’t jump that high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never ate what she shouldn’t have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although she did eat our couch once when she
was a puppy and believe me, she never ate anything again without me telling she
could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never left my side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never left the yard without one of us.
She was afraid of cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(baaa hahahaah,
I had a pitbull who was afraid of cats!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think she understood every word I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood guard next to me whenever I was
sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never let another dog between
her and I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was my Sadie Girl, my
normal, my love!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa7fgZxbfZUC80tV6nu7kIl9Wgc1y57W_2jN9kijobnIHzLmWPlAQ2xKK-7DnfTG0TH0pWh5VKaJpbWdKumyQKruytYvAmBhw0v6qIZpienIP0u8isGOm0NpH0dlvhR8WvLIbyp1mJV8/s1600/untitled-8299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa7fgZxbfZUC80tV6nu7kIl9Wgc1y57W_2jN9kijobnIHzLmWPlAQ2xKK-7DnfTG0TH0pWh5VKaJpbWdKumyQKruytYvAmBhw0v6qIZpienIP0u8isGOm0NpH0dlvhR8WvLIbyp1mJV8/s1600/untitled-8299.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today she is part of Gagliardo’s Gladiators in heaven with
the rest of the pack!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Waiting for us to
join them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t be sad, I am not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have one million pictures of Sadie and lots
of memories that make me smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
believe that Andrew had the perfect pup waiting in the wings and was even able
to lead us to her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That story will have
to wait for another day, for this post is all about my Sadie Girl!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it has always started and ended with my
Sadie Girl, tonight it has ended, I’ve decided to come back and Sadie Girl
lives on in my heart….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(I usually go back and proof read my posts before I put them
up, I don’t have the energy to do that tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are on vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am in a
good spot and was able to write this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t have it in me to re-read what I have written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will soon and make corrections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there are typos, or mistakes in grammar
please over look that for now and know my heart still aches a little for my
sweet Black Mercedes, my Sadie Girl)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The End.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOL3PbVTSelqmktuouKghKJz5mWPWZY2aCqH6F0pC8gDxg9GpRGnuTREjKruWvxRCGwqhtiWThXCGcw8FzBSuUnMe-3yPdtzKu5OH9Fw26GEmPnm4NDTORZFPrlzjK0vzu5QaGt415go/s1600/untitled-6401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOL3PbVTSelqmktuouKghKJz5mWPWZY2aCqH6F0pC8gDxg9GpRGnuTREjKruWvxRCGwqhtiWThXCGcw8FzBSuUnMe-3yPdtzKu5OH9Fw26GEmPnm4NDTORZFPrlzjK0vzu5QaGt415go/s1600/untitled-6401.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sunset on May 15, 2013 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I so miss my Sadie Girl... and so it ends with Sadie.</span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955428831030089341.post-83564666381831908372013-05-12T09:34:00.000-04:002013-05-12T21:03:18.410-04:00Happy Mother's DayI have the sweetest, most incredible, compassionate, loving creative Mother. Early on I decided to be as best a person as I could be to honor my parent's lives. My Mother and Father gave me the world. From them I have two strong remarkable Grandmothers, who stuck with me as I fought the growing up process. They gave me the sweetest person I know as my sister. They gave me my biggest fan in my brother. <br />
My experience with my Mother and Father has made me who I am today. <br />
<br />
Today being Mother's Day, I miss my Mom. I have missed her every day of my life for the past 42 years.<br />
<br />
Of course as the years have moved on, my 12 year old memory of my Mother has intensified. She was beautiful. She was loving. People flocked to her. Her life was not easy, she never complained, she did what she had to do and with a smile. She loved her family with all her heart and then some.<br />
<br />
Mom was one of four children and the only girl. She was the second born to my Italian immigrant grandparents. She was the center of their universe. Her Brother's adored her. She had a close relationship with all of them, she had a special bond with her youngest brother.<br />
<br />
Mom was very beautiful. Growing up, she never wore the same outfit twice to High School. She married my Dad, a military man at the time. Mom had three children. <br />
<br />
My Mother was a very creative person. Her house was always beautiful. She loved to decorate it. We had themed bedrooms growing up. Not only that, we also had winter themes and summer themes. Mom made Birthdays and Holidays a big deal. <br />
<br />
Mom welcomed everyone into our home. People met her, they loved her and wanted to spend time with her. She was talented and resourceful. She loved children and would care for and take in as many as she could. <br />
<br />
Our house was the one on the block all the kids wanted to play at, we had all the cool things. We had a life size play house, a pool, in the winter a flooded backyard for ice skating.<br />
<br />
Mom sewed most of our clothes. We had outfits for every Holiday, we had couture wardrobes. Matching shoes and pocket books, hats and gloves.<br />
<br />
Mom loved pictures of us. She liked to dress us up to take "studio" like pictures in various locations inside and out of our home.<br />
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When my sister went away to college, she wrote her every day. I still have all the letters, and I know what a wonderful gift it is to be able to read my Mother's words.<br />
The crazy thing is, when she wrote those letters, I was 10, 11 and 12 years old. Not my best, sweetest years as I am seeing through my Mother's eyes. I was at the, "I'm not going to wear" that stage, "you like it so much, you wear it" and "all my friends are doing it, your so mean, not letting me". Grrrrrr, it was the age right!<br />
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I have come to realize that I strive so hard to be such a good person because I didn't like the behavior of that 10, 11, 12 year old in my Mom's letters. I've also come to realize that had we had the gift of time, my Mom would have written me every day as well when I went off to college. I know this, because I talked to my sister everyday of my life from when Mom passed away until the day my sister died.<br />
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There is a yearning so deep in my heart to have an adult relationship with my Mom. It is the one thing I have always wanted but can never really have.<br />
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Last night pep talking myself into the right state of mind for yet another Mother's Day, I realized the most amazing thing. My sister's greatest gift me me was letting me play an active role in her children's lives, and in turn, them letting me play an active role in their children's lives. I spent some time thinking about each and everyone of them, Jason, Kristen, Mark and Michael and how they mean the world to me. I started to think about the people they are. They are each so different and wonderful. I love them so.<br />
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My sister had four children, the second being her only daughter. My sister and her husband "immigrated" to Western NY from other parts of the state. Carol's children are "first generation Western New Yorkers". Kristen is beautiful. She is sweet and funny and smart. She is creative. She never wore the same outfit twice in High School. While Kristen's life growing up was a good one, it is never an easy life when you lose your mother so young. Kristen has taken it in stride, making the best of everything. She doesn't complain.<br />
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Kristen has close relationships with all of her brothers, but she has a special bond with Michael, her youngest brother. Kristen is the apple of her Dad's eye. Kristen married Jeff, a military man at the time and a great Dad to their children.<br />
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She is a wonderful, loving mother. She has three beautiful loving children, (her second is particularly loving :) ) Her children are her world. She is an incredible teacher. Kids love her. People love her. <br />
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Kristen is creative. Her house is beautiful. Her children all have themed rooms. She makes birthdays and holidays extra special. Neighborhood kids want to play at their house. Who wouldn't, they have a wrestling mat and bounce house in the basement!<br />
Kristen is an exceptional photographer and it all started with loving to take pictures of her own children.<br />
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Kristen is my best friend. Last night I realized that Kristen by her presence reminds me of my sister, by who she is reminds me of my Mom... and that yearning, so deep in my heart as been lightened.<br />
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Happy Mother's Day Miss Kris! I love you and am grateful for the gift of You!<br />
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Sadie loves you too! <br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Janet</span></em></strong>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540033234465210156noreply@blogger.com0