Orlando with my bro

The PGA merchandising show comes to Orlando every January. My brother, a PGA professional, attends most of them. Last year, he and his family came to Florida, and when I suggested that my family come too, he declined. It hurt. My kids were hurt. My husband was pissed. And I was resigned. Been there, done that. 

This year, he had a change of heart and invited me to stay and attend the show. While his kids weren't coming, his wife was, and she and I made plans for her to help up my step count for my 2024 resolutions.

They came for a week. I went for a few days, arriving in time to head out with them for dinner. 

We were up bright and early the next day for the merchandising show. I'm unsure what I expected, but it wasn't what I got. While I knew the Orlando Convention Center was big (I'd been to the NRA convention when I bought tickets to see Toby Keith perform), I didn't realize it was ACRES of land. This thing went for MILES with rows upon rows, each labeled to work with the PGA app. He scheduled appointments with vendors while we ate breakfast and had coffee in a little food court area. Then we were off, and Susan made good on the increase in the step count. I was lucky I was still mobile the next day.

We went down almost every row. Each row had several vendors, all related to golf in some way. If I didn't know anything about the sport, I certainly did after today. My brother chatted with salesmen and women, exchanged business cards, got his badge scanned multiple times, and asked a million questions. Watching him do his thing was cool, and I might have been a bit proud. We should've run a country club together. I bet we would've been a success.

I chatted up some salespeople, but my main focus was scoring free loot. I got tons of pens, but I also snagged some men's socks (my husband loves them), hair ties, and odd things like beads I'll never wear. Still, a convention isn't a convention without coming home with free crap. Plus, I love pens! It became a game of how many pens I could get and how stealthy I could be in claiming them. My brother was impressed.

Lunch was at another food court, sitting at tables with strangers. Susan and I wandered when my brother had his meetings. The last one was in an interactive area, but we chose not to participate because our legs were shaking from so much walking.

Unfortunately, this was at the end of the convention center, which meant we had to walk back to the entrance. Then, we had to walk miles away to the car. I had over 15,000 steps. That is double what I try to get daily, and something I have NEVER done since owning an Apple watch. I had to use the massage gun on my feet that night in our Wyndham.

Thursday morning, those two were up early for breakfast at the outside cafe at our resort. They tagged my phone, but I opted to chill in the unit and have coffee. I was on a deadline for an anthology my writing group, The Write Spice, is putting out next month. I had a vague notion of my story but did not have the damn thing written. 

My time was short-lived. These two returned to the room, and we were off. We hit the pool. We took a hike around the resort. Later, we went for an early dinner, and before we retired for the night, I asked what the plan was for the next day.

Rusty: "Nothing. We're chilling here."

I asked again to make sure, and getting the same response, I wrote long into the night.

Ah, you know how I like to foreshadow...

Toilet paper hack

My refrigerator smells.

It's not a rotting food smell, but more like a chemical odor, and apparently, my nose is the only one that detects it. The hubby thinks I’m nuts. Madison, not wanting to say that I’m crazy, can “sort of smell something off.”

It first started with the ice. I thought something was wrong with the new water bottle I’d purchased for the gym. The water tasted icky. I kept pouring it out and starting new, and it finally took Darcy using the ice in her water bottle to diagnosis the problem. From there, it went into the smell and now it’s seeping into dairy items.

Google warned me of a Freon leak. That set off the hubby, who treated me to a gas, solid, liquid lecture that rivaled any college science course. Of course, all I heard was science and you’re wrong. Good thing there will not be a test.

I removed everything from the refrigerator and cleaned it from top to bottom. Then, I put a carton of baking soda in it, and because I’d heard this hack on a radio show a month ago, a roll of toilet paper. It supposedly absorbs excess moisture, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. That is not my problem, hello, CHEMICAL scent, but I'm desperate.

The question is, how long do you think it will take before Tom or Maddy notices?

Venues, dresses, and invitations.

Today, we shopped for wedding dresses. It's a good thing this date was on the docket long before the change. After an outdoor brunch where we froze to death, the bridesmaids, the groom’s family, and I went to help Darcy find a dress.

Brides-to-be crowded the store. They were everywhere, as were flower girls, bridesmaids, and mothers. Unlike what one sees on television, it was chaos, but Darcy found her dress within an hour. I can't show that here.

Added after the wedding

In other wedding news, venue shopping is not for the faint at heart. I bet that by the time this is all done, Darcy will have shopped over fifty venues. How nuts is that? 

She asked me to meet her at a country club, and because she was late coming from work and the coordinator had another appointment, I went ahead and started the tour. It was a typical country club, and I am experienced in that; I grew up in one, worked for one, and now watch my brother run one. 

Darcy originally was not set on a club, but desperation has set in. This club was owned by the organization I once worked for, so we chatted while we walked from the inside wedding site to the two outside areas where they host weddings. 

There was already a visitor in the first area.

The coordinator was shocked. She'd never seen a gator this close and had never experienced one in the wedding area. 

Me: "This is Florida. Any body of water harbors alligators."

At this point, Darcy called me to find out where we were. She joined us, looked at the gator, and shook her head.

Darcy: "This is not a good selling point."

The second area was right in the middle of the golf course, under a shady tree and far from water. But we were told that they would stop the golfers during the ceremony. Meaning they would be sitting on their golf carts waiting and watching, most likely annoyed.

I'd rather have the alligator.

I toured another venue that I loved. I was ready to seal the deal and sign the papers. It was local and absolutely gorgeous, nestled off the beaten track on a horse farm. They'd redone the barn into a wedding venue and the horse stalls into hotel rooms! The venue also included using the four-bedroom house to get ready and had an option to rent. 

It was slightly out of the price range, but I didn't care. I loved it that much. Darcy, not so much. It took several days before she could tour it, and while she liked the reception venue, she didn't like the wedding areas. 

So, it's back to square one, but the invitations are being designed, and the bridal shower dates are confirmed!

We have three months

January started with a bang.

First, I got wired—for sleep.

I asked for it. Not because I think I have sleep apnea, but because I know my husband has it, and when I bring that up with him, his response is to tell me I snore. So, I figured if I did the test, maybe he would too?

I didn’t sleep.

It was one of those nights when I watched the clock, my mind roaring. Tom and the dog were restless. Our room was chilly. I finally succumbed at about 5:00, turning off my morning alarm.

Darcy woke me at 8:30 am.

Me: “What are you doing here?”

Darcy: “Why are you wearing oxygen? What happened? And why is it so cold in here? It’s FREEZING!”

Second came her news, delivered while we snuggled under the covers.

She and Oleg are getting married in April.

We have three months to plan a wedding.

That’s the last part.

We have three months to plan a wedding.

I’m already worn out.

There are color-coded spreadsheets. I’ve seen over a hundred websites, viewed the videos of their venue walk-throughs, and toured on my own in our county. I know so much about ceremonies and receptions that I’m contemplating turning our family farm into a wedding destination. It could be a family affair!

Whoever came up with this wedding nonsense never accompanied a bride-to-be from place to place, tasting food, and spending hours looking at chairs, tables, linens, and colored napkins. And we haven’t even gone dress shopping!

Funny enough, I did the same thing. We got engaged in December and were married in April.

I think. Maybe we waited a year, I don’t remember anymore. I barely remember the event itself! And we never glance at our photos except those on my living room wall. Those are great for a good laugh—the hairdos!

Still, it’s exciting. We’re having a wedding!

In three months!

Send well wishes and good vibes, and if any reader has ideas of venues, please forward them.

Hallmark Christmas movie tradition 2023

Years ago, my friend SueG, her daughter, and I started a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon tradition. The first few times we spent a weekend watching Hallmark movies and eating delicious and unhealthy foods. Eventually, we whittled it down to a day and then to a few hours. Some years we missed it altogether.

This year, we were determined to pick it back up again. We started after lunch and went until midnight. We wore our Hallmark Movies T-shirts, although the college kid refused to dig through boxes to find hers. The snacks were a mixture of healthy and unhealthy. Dinner was too.

But we saw some great movies. Hallmark has stepped up its game. We also watched non-Hallmark movies and agreed they’re off the list for next year.

It felt right to be back. Who knows. Maybe next year we'll make it a weekend.

Resolutions 2024

My family has kept resolutions since the 1980s. Each year, we mark them down, work on them, and then discuss whether we've kept them or not. I do a check-in on how I'm doing every two months. My math sucks, and last year's new scoring was wonky, so here's the deal for this year. 

Each two-month check-in receives a score between 0 (meaning nothing was worked on) - 2 (meaning both months were worked on) for a completion total at the end of the year of 

Here are the things I resolve to complete:

• Get our will done - I know, I know. This should have been done years ago. My reasoning was superstitious, and now I know I'm an idiot. My brother got his done last year. It's our turn now. Seriously!

• Create my author website - This is my year of getting a book finished and ready for publication. No more excuses. No more perfection. To get that off the ground, the website needs to be completed.

• Record 7500 steps five times a week and drink more water - I have to get into shape for a wedding. My body shames me. It's up to me.

• Stay in touch with my nieces and nephews - I enjoy these "kids." I want to have a better relationship with them whether they want it or not. They did give me their addresses though, so maybe I'm not so far off in left field.

• Once a month, I will work on an old resolution I never completed. - Because I have things that need to be completed and maybe this will help me?

• To face fears - I have many. This year I'm knocking them down.

• Visit Maya and Jay in Boston - enjoy fabulous dinners and amazing evenings plus day trips to the North Shore…these resolutions are on a Google Doc for the entire family to use. Most of us had someone add this last resolution to our list. Most of us are keeping it. Look out Maya, Jay, and Boston!

Happy New Year - Welcome 2024

 

Oleg's family knows how to put on a New Year's celebration. We had friends, food, games, fireworks, a visit from Santa Claus, and another Christmas unwrapping of gifts!

Happy New Year! I appreciate all of you hanging in with this crazy year of blog catch-up. I'll work harder at being more timely in 2024.

And no, that isn't a resolution.

May 2024 be a year of good friends, great health, and much laughter!

Resolution 2023 check

I came. I conquered. I lapsed. I failed. Same old, same old. Let's check in.

• Paint my home space - My ceilings haven't been painted since we first moved in. My living room and my hallway need an overhaul. My bedroom could use it too, but that isn't as important as the first two. -  COMPLETED 

• Entice Tom to build my shelves to display my playing card collection - I collect playing cards. I need somewhere to display them, and Tom drew out plans for what I found on Etsy. He claims he can knock it out, "don't waste your money." Once I get the paint done, this comes next. - He got it hung several days before the end of the year -  COMPLETED  

• Travel - Can't let those Wyndham points go to waste. - COMPLETED  

• Lower my cholesterol - I did lower it. Then it went back up. But technically...COMPLETED  

• Exercise/Healthy eating habits - I don't think I can say this was a yearly completed goal.

Total - 4 completions out of 5! I think that's one of the best years yet!

Anyone else do this well? Drop me a comment and let me know!

Christmas 2023

The first family member arrived on the 17th. Mark stayed with us, worked during the day, ate 24/7, and he and I watched Jeopardy every night. He won.

His brother Ted arrived in the wee hours of the 21st after multiple delays. Whether or not to pick him up at 2:00 am or pay for his Uber was discussed for way too long, and became a thread on Redditt's Was I an Asshole. 

It was a 50/50 split.

Tom picked up Ted and got the brownie points.

Their parents, Mark's wife Emily, and Tom's brother Dick arrived on the 22nd, followed on the next day by Tom's sister Nancy and her three children. Husband Brad arrived a couple days later after testing negative for COVID. 

Christmas Eve day was our Yankee Exchange. 

And the requisite photo ops.

Then, we left them at the rental house, and Oleg and I watched our traditional Die Hard movie before assisting Santa with stockings and filling the crockpot with breakfast.

Christmas morning our family ripped into our presents.

At noon, Oleg's family arrived for brunch and stockings, and we ate, drank, and unwrapped Santa's gifts.

We ended the night with all of us back at the rental house for Christmas dinner, cards, and games. 

Favorite game: Monikers

Craziest gift: I received two massage guns. Apparently, I must complain about pain.

Most Anticipated gift: My daily hunk calendar. All my SnapChat peeps look forward to that!

Steelers gifts: A new flag, a new shirt, and a new mailbox.

Highlights: Conversations with my nieces and nephews.

And yes, there was crying. Because it isn't Christmas until someone cries. 

Merry, Merry to all! Hope everyone had a safe and memorable holiday.

Nostalgia 2023

I loved decorating for Christmas as a child, seeing my saved school projects and family possessions. The construction paper Santa glued to the coffee can with his cotton ball beard and eyebrows. A styrofoam snowman held together with toothpicks. The pinecone tree with red fuzzy balls, the white Christmas candle inside the fake greenery, and the glittery gold mini tree and angels belonging to my grandmother.

For a child who wanted the Norman Rockwell painted family, Christmas was as close to that as I would get, and with each passing year, those nostalgic decorations transported me to a time of peace in the house and goodwill between the parents. 

1969

1970

1972

We lost those family heirlooms to a flood. Not one childhood ornament survived.

Luckily, I married a man whose yearly tradition was buying a new set of ornaments. He was gracious in including me when we dated, despite my mocking of his artificial tree and insistence on a real one, especially after we married. 

1992

1993

1994

We now have a tree full of nostalgia, and even when I’m the lone decorator, I happily reminisce.

2004

2009

2010

This year, Tom and Maddy joined me in putting together our Christmas tree. As they did in the past, the two of them strung the lights.

Maddy stayed to help me hang the ornaments. I made sure to tell stories. One day these decorations and ornaments will be a link to her childhood. If they aren't taken out by a flood, or in our case a hurricane.

Let the holidays commence!

Christmas 2023 has arrived

Is it me, or is the Christmas holiday starting earlier and earlier each year? Going on the assumption that, yes, it is, my theory is that people are kinder during the December holidays, and we are desperate for that cheerfulness. 

It makes me nuts when retail puts out Thanksgiving stuff in October before we've even passed out Halloween candy and Christmas stuff before we've given thanks in November. So, imagine my dismay when the husband announced the day after Thanksgiving that we should get our tree.

Me: "Absolutely not!"

He went through the points he throws at me yearly when he wants to get a tree, and I object.

The best trees are the ones selling now.

All of the trees will be gone by next weekend.

Most places are already sold out.

I did what I do every year he wants to get an early tree, and I object. 

Me: "You are full of holiday crap."

Hmm. What was I saying about kindness? The man may have a point about starting earlier.

Still, I just cleaned and put away my Thanksgiving and birthday decorations. Can't I have a week to enjoy that?

But then, we had a blast of cool weather blow through, and knowing it would feel like the season, I dug out the Christmas boxes and sifted through them instead of going to the gym. I donated, tossed, and decorated the inside of the house very minimally, earning my steps walking to and from the garage. 

The husband could have cared less, which is why I refuse the early tree thing.

I do all the work!

I relented on December 1st. 

Madison had plans and was a bit bummed we went without her, but this man was determined. The two of us went to Lowe's and entered the outside tent, STUFFED to the gills with various varieties of trees. 

Me: "I thought you said they wouldn't have trees."

Him: "They won't by this weekend."

Maddy is usually our tree finder, Tom is the holder, and I'm the final decision-maker. Without her, we wandered. Tom looked at trees that would not fit our sized living room. I had to steer him toward the smaller trees. The ones I liked someone else held, so I helped a few families find their trees. 

Eventually, Tom returned to a tree he liked, and finding nothing to rival it, I agreed.

It took us less than thirty minutes.

Tom: "Sorry you didn't get to chop your own."

Me: "Yeah, but it wouldn't have compared to last year's experience, and this is the Florida way."

It smells divine. Tomorrow we will decorate it.