I believe the children are our future....

Thank you Betty, Frank, Mike, Robin, Sarah, Rachael and Emma for all the lovely gifts and cards. I am so blessed to have such a beautiful and caring family.


and thank you Salt for the beautiful African Violets, as well as the trip to my favorite florist "Petals and Pots" to pick up my first bunch of flowers to plant!!!

This is what I will be doing tomorrow....

there's booze in the blender and soon it will render that frozen concoction that helps me hang on...

Busy day today...Emma and I started out on our 4 wheeler to check out what we might have missed over the winter. I had so much fun with Em this weekend. I always chuckle and think of that old saying...."Grandchildren are God's gift for not killing your teenager".

I always ask her what she is going to be when she grows up....since it changes weekly. She informed me today that she does not want to be a cow. The reason she says is because when people want to get milk they pull your gutters (udders). OK...... She guesses she might be a fisherman. That comes from the fact that her other grandmother is taking her to the lower bridge tonight to fish for bullhead.



Emma insisted on going up to one of her favorite houses which we refer to as the "glass house"....for obvious reasons. It is pretty cool inside!




When Salt and I decided to travel and live in Florida winters, Emma took our cat (Doc) and made him her own. Does he look like he might just be a little spoiled???




Received these pictures from my sister-in-law, Mary (below). This is Ben at his prom. Ben is my youngest brother's (Steve) son. Here he is with his mom, Mary.




and his date.....

And now the end to a perfect day....Dr. McPhail (out of the office) brews a whole bunch of "Margaritas". And of course Janice made sure there were plenty of "Virgin" ones for the non-drinkers.

And here is the gang....I don't know when the last time I have laughed so much as with this gang. Dan informed us we made more noise than his entire school cafeteria!! Great time Dan and Janice....thanks!

Sunrise, sunset...Swiftly flow the days

First of all, welcome to the blog Tia and Laurie. Now that Robin is back in Virginia Beach, we are adding new blog watchers to the list.

Wow...check out the picture from the coffee visitors yesterday. I thought we were having a good time but it sure doesn't look like it from the picture. SMILE....this 50 degree weather will end soon (we hope).

Here is the start of some of the magnificent sunsets. I am hanging a copy on the refrigerator so Salt will see how important it is to get the trees down. I really can't complain too much, as he is back to work and putting in some long hours. Shane has already informed me he is packing his chain saw ( if he still has room after packing about 20 fishing poles) so maybe we will just wait for him. These kind of things are always easier with help!!!

This picture is taken from the front deck....

Emma is here for the night....and happy to have Grandma and Pop back on the island. She trucked right into "her" bedroom, put away her clothes and settled into her rocking chair. One of the first things she told me is she never wanted to be a cow because Grandma Uma told her that they pull your "gutters" to get the milk. She is such a cut-up!

Once again we are trying to let the bangs grow out.....I hate this in between stage when they are always in her eyes. I do love her without the bangs. She has such beautiful eyes and perfect "Angelina Jolie" lips!

The geese are back in the bay...we can expect to see their babies any day.

Emma and I are off on a 4 wheeler ride. She wants to go check out the "glass house" and I want to check out the downed trees at the Rossmasslers. Will post pictures!

So all you gamblers wherever you might be, the moral of this story is very plain to see....

If you have emailed me asking "why I haven't blogged" it's simply because my life is boring right now as I am doing all the things that fell to the wayside while we were traveling.

I know the kids want their daily checkup on the Aero.....so here is day 7. I can't believe the lettuce is starting to look like lettuce. I am loving this thing....thanks Mike and Robin!!!

Monday we took the motor home over to Gananoque, as planned. By time we got there and went through the list and of course toured a few new coaches (I still like mine best) it was after 1:00 pm. We were both starving and still had to go to Watertown to do a bunch of errands there. So....we decided to do lunch in Canada. I thought Chineese but Salt said he didn't feel like it so we decided on lunch at the Casino....just lunch of course...ha ha. Well, we set a given amount or time and or money, whichever ran out first and actually stuck to it. Of course the money went (not much) before the time. I ended up loosing $5.00 so I told Salt I would take him out to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse with my winnings. He was like "wait, you didn't win" and I said "OH YES I did, if I only lost $5.00 I won!!!

We went on to Watertown where Salt needed to purchase a new alternator for the island truck. I am SO glad he is such a good mechanic. Living on an island can get very expensive if you can't fix you own vehicles.

We followed one of the Amish buggies again today. I remember when we used to have to go to Pennslvania or Ohio to see the Amish; now it seems as though you can't go to Watertown without seeing them. I know we are getting a lot of Amish moving into the area but not sure exactly how many families we have so far. Last year when I was so busy and didn't have a garden, we purchased a lot of vegetables from them. As a matter of fact I even bought my jams and pickles from them last year. They are very kind, polite and industrious. I am hoping to get our screened gazebo for the hot tub from them.

We are still wearing winter coats going across the river....and I am tired of it! Rain again today...more of the same tomorrow. I got a text message from our daughter-in-law today asking for "mom's recipes". I have been kind of puttering around with putting together a cookbook for the kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews for the last couple of years. I start it and then put it away when a bigger project comes along. This may just be the year I finish it.

Tomorrow coffee at our house....will be very small as not many of the summer friends are back yet.

We will be going to a cookout at my brother and sister-in-laws' (George and Cheryl Karpel) on Sunday. We have not seen them in over 7 months so are very excited to catch up on their lives.

Emily will be there with her fiancee who we have not yet met so we look forward to seeing them and hearing about plans for a September 2009 wedding.

Happy Birthday Jill (Karpel)! We are following you on your blog and your trip to California. I know you will have a great time with Jonny!!

We are hearing from all the nieces and nephews (and cousin Shane).....they are all tired of school and/or work and looking forward to their time on the island. Janna and Chelsea are pushing for another family reunion. We haven't done one since 1999 so it is certainly long overdue. There is no way we can put it all together this summer as everyone needs to plan for time off and it takes a huge amount of planning to get sleeping accomodations, food, etc for such a large crowd. Mike and Robin won't have any vacation time this year (other than a long weekend) so maybe next year.

Love is in the air....

Kudos to Nancy Marra for a spectacular job, planning and preparing Jacey's wedding shower. I believe she could be a professional party planner. The decorations (lots of beautiful flowers) were very tasteful and the food very tasty. Great job Nancy!

Here is Jacey Donaldson (the bride to be) with her soon to be stepdaughter Abbey. Jacey you are radiant and what a package deal you are getting with your 2 stepchildren. This little girl is just the cutest!


And here she is with Aunt Stephanie and Aunt Jamie....she couldn't stop hugging them either. I can't wait to see her in the wedding!!!


I LOVE this picture....I call it 4 generations. Yuvonne Marra, (Jacey's grandmother) Debbie Donaldson (Jacey's mother) and of course, Jacey and Abbey.

Lots of gifts....


And I guess girls do just want to have fun! Here they are admiring the "fancy pants".

Here are Dawn and Kelly Rusho. Kelly gets a special place of honor in the blog since she has been one of my most loyal followers since it's inception. Kelly is also one of my favorite people within the universe! I have known her since she was a small child but watched her grow into an admirable young woman during the time she was taking care of her grandfather (and our close friend) Leon Rusho. Kelly allowed her grandfather to obtain his last wish, which was to spend his final days on the island. As difficult as it was, Kelly persisted, always with a smile and incredible love.


Tomorrow we are off to Gananoque, Canada to drop the motor home off for a few repairs and a check-up before putting her away for the summer....that is with the exception of a few weekend trips to graduations, weddings and a 4th of July celebration at Sylvan Lake with our good friends from Florida.

How great Thou art.....

Today when I walked into our little island church for the first time this year, my favorite hymn How Great Thou Art was playing. Although in another 6 weeks the pews will be filled, today's attendance was just a handful of a few of us who returned to the island early. The service was led by Art Couch and Rex Ennis, and the warm feeling of being home with close friends could not have been any warm and fuzzier if I had attended a service in St. Patrick's Cathedral.

No heat, no problem!

Cheeseburger in Paradise....

Finally....the weather is changing for the better. Salt started cleaning the heavier junk so that Betty and I can get a handle on the brush removal. HUGE job ahead!

I took my first 4 wheeler ride of the season; the trees are finally starting to sprout buds and things are looking much greener.

The first get together was held this evening with burgers at the Ennis residence (Spook hollow). In attendance, the host and hostess, Janet and Rex Ennis, Janice and Dan McPhail and Art and Jerry Couch...and of course Salt and myself.

Janet spoiled all the fun by posting this sign....what a bummer....the "Conservatives" would certainly have won!!

Salt was voted chef....


and here is Rex....the "host with the most"!!

It was great to see everyone again. First church service will be held tomorrow morning, first "coffee" will be next Thursday at the Paxton's and first Margarita party next Saturday night at the McPhails. I will also be attending a wedding shower tomorrow for Jacey Donaldson, who will be married this July.

I stand by my right to speak freely....

A two part interview with my hero (Bill O'Reilly) and Hillary Clinton (no comment). John McCain will be on next week and Obama still hasn't come forward. Who is he, and can he enter the "No Spin Zone"???? Time will tell.....

Speaking of "The No Spin Zone".....I am hoping one of my kids come through with a "Don't be a Pinhead" shirt for their mom for Mother's Day!!! I told Salt to drop a hint! The kids always ask what I want and I never really want "stuff" but I do want one of those shirts! I would prefer one that says "I am a Bill O'Reilly Groupie" but I don't think they are offered...maybe I will create one!

Salt helped Jim (Adamson) do some lugging last night as he moved back to the island. Jim joined us for dinner (stroganoff) and will be back tonight for homemade chicken soup and cornbread. This is the one good part of being back on the island....homemade food! Since there are no restaurants here...the creative cooking is back on track. Tomorrow night we will join the Ennis family over at "Spook hollow" for burgers. Will be fun to start seeing all our island friends again.

OK....the caps are off the Aero Garden....4 days!

I know I'm a lucky man...God gave me a pretty fair hand!

OK Mike and Robin...I did some cleaning/organizing, so here are a few more pictures. This is my office in the loft...

and this is my view from one of my office windows.....the protruding island is Deathdealer, which is a Canadian island. The dividing line is somewhere between my computer and that island.

Here are a few shots of the master bedroom and bath. Not having a wide angle lens on my camera it is hard to get decent pictures. I wish I knew what I did with the ones that Rich took last year?????

This is our bathroom....I LOVE my antique tub!

Spare bedroom with trundle bed which makes into either 2 twin beds or attaches to make a queen size.

More on the house later.

We had SNOW yesterday....flakes the size of quarters. It didn't last long but it was unwelcome the last day of April.

Jim Adamson returning to the island today. He will be over for dinner, so will be fun to catch up on the Adamson family winter. We do know that Laura graduated from Penn State in December and has taken a job in Texas. Will get more detail this evening.

I said I was baking bread...he asked me what I was really doing

Baking bread...and cake and spare ribs.

The weather is COLD here so I am taking advantage of the down time to do some baking. It's very cozy, with the wood fire blazing and the smell of fresh bread baking. Will also get some bookwork and filing done. Hopefully it will warm up within a few days.

Had some sad news this morning...our friend Rolf Bergenn passed away. Ralph and Marie are friends who live near Poughkeepsie, NY and own a summer home here on the island. All our best to the family.

Here is a check on the Aero....from sprouts to little bitty leafs in another 24 hours!!!

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.....

After being home for a day and a half, both Salt and I have a list of things we forgot, ran out of or just need. So.....we are headed to Watertown in the RAIN. My boat is not in the water yet so we are headed out in Salt's Lund, which has no top. Now the real fun part of living on an island begins......

Oh Yeah....he's got a "thumbs up" here but you should have heard him complain as he loaded everything in the boat in the POURING rain!!!

And here we are back in NY where they don't even list the diesel prices...

Salt filled his truck and came back with his piggy bank....looking a little thinner!

Check out the Aero Garden after only 16 hours....already sprouting. I am SO fascinated with this little machine (it reminds me of the Hydroponic Gardens at EPCOT). You all must realize by now you are going to have to watch the progress until I cut the greens and make my first gourmet salad! I can't wait until we can take the caps off and watch them (7 pods) really take off.

Everyone has been asking me what I plan to do this year now that the house is finished and I am not working.....well you can watch the progress (or lack of??) as we start the landscaping. This is pretty much how the whole exterior looks right now. LOTS of clearing and then trying to figure what I can plant that the deer won't eat. I have a pretty extensive list right now but need to keep researching......ah the beauty of the Internet.

This is the beach area which we plan to clear. We will cut enough trees to be able to watch the spectacular Canadian sunsets from the sun deck. After that we need to put in floating docks and actually make it into a beach. Needless to say I won't be bored. I am hoping Salt will have some time to help with the chainsaw work and heavy clearing before he is totally swamped. This is just a small portion of the beach area; it is actually 217' of waterfront.

And last but not least for the evening....here is Emma in yet another hand-me-down from her cousin Rachael. She loves everything and now wants to wear only the clothes she got from Rachael. As you might guess...she loves Rachael so they are very special to her!! Thanks Rachael!!!

We finished the evening with a visit to Erma's to catch up on some of the winter happenings and a good cup of coffee.