Mary Ellen Hawk's blog

sweet sunshine

Hi all!    Nothing much happening around here.  Life is at a very slow pace.  It is hard to believe it is almost the middle of March already.  This weeks weather has been oh so glorious.  It has been sunny and in the low 80's.  The bad thing is tho that we are in desperate for rain.  the wildfires are so bad they end up having to shut down highways because the smoke is so bad.   Well I guess that is all for this post.  Just wanted to keep in touch!  Hey anybody from school know why Jeff Nietz resigned?  Email me if you do!  Thanks!  Have a great one!

still around

Well, I am still around and in Florida.  Life lately has been very slow, we really have not done anything exciting.  We are like to old farts - hehehe - but I am doing alot of reading and knitting, I know that sounds boring, but I am very relaxed.  I still shuffle 2 mornings a week, I don't win alot but sometimes I do win.  I am still singing in the choir, but no more karaokae.  My voice is not so sweet anymore to be singing solo.  I am sorry this seems so dull, but life is in a quiet mode right now, but I wanted to let anone who checks this - thanks barb, I know you do -I am still alive and well.  And brrrrrrr right now it is cold down here, lows at nite in the 30's and daytime highs in the 50's.  Not quite as cold as you at home, but cold for here!

my cruise

Wel, I am back from a fantastic vacation.  I urge everyone to take a cruise, altho, parents, you may want to go without your precious little ones.  We left Port Canaveral on Saturday at 4 p.m..  My first reaction to seeing the Carnival glory was "HOLY SHIT!"  It was a huge monster, but oh so glorious.  As we navigated out of the port I was able to zoom in and take pictures of NASA.  After getting on board and checking into our rooms we went for a late lunch on the Lido deck.  What delicious foods. I was very good tho and I didn't gain any weight.   We then settled into the rooms and went exploring.  All I can say is it was exceptional.Two of the mornings I went to the sit down restaurant for breakfast and had omelets, but mostly it was the breakfast buffets.  Most of my lunches during the week were salad and whatever fish was being served.  Sat by the pool for a little bit and read.  Then it was time for dinner - I had the 6 pm seating.  We had scrumptious foods.  During the week I had prime rib,  norwegian salmon, filet mignon, lobster, seafood pasta, blackened chicken, and the starters and sides were too numerous to mention.
   Sunday we put in port in Nassau, the water in the caribbean is such an exquisite shade of turquoise.  We took a small cruise on a ferry all around the bay, then to the resort, Atlantis.  We toured the whole area, including the casino - NO  I didn't gamble at all - we saw the massive aquariums, some went right over our heads.  I didn't know there were that many species of fish.  Monday was a day at sea and had fun and layed on the ship, read, and drank Bloody Mary's.  The evening shows were great and so were some of the Karaoke singers.  Tuesday was the day I was waiting for, the island of St. thomas,    It was an awesome feeling seeing sif
ghts my dad would have seen in the 40's when he was there in the navy.  The island is absolutely incredible.   We also went to the worlds famous Magen's bay and were on the beach for 2 hours.  Then our tour resumed and we went to Blackbeards castle and did a walking tour and then sampled some rum.  Our tour then took us downtown.  And yes I bought a sapphire ring, who could resist.   took a taxi back to the ship.  Wednesday was on to St. Maarten.  It was beautiful also, but not quite as much as St. Thomas. Lots of beautiful sights to see.  Thursday and Friday were at sea days.  Our weather was not wonderful.  It was sort of cool and very windy. and the sea was very choppy, but fortunately I had no seasickness.   Sitting out on deck was not enjoyable,so I sat in the lobby and read and sucked on more Bloody Marys-he he he- ate, went to shows, played and just had a "mah-velous" time.  I did so much but I won't tell it all, you wouldn't have to time to read it.  Saturday morning it was back to Port Canaveral and reality.  Cruising is wonderful.  I don't know when I will go again, I guess when they go somewhere I want to visit.  I am not adding pictures to this post tho, I will find some of the best and post again soon.

madelyn in florida

here are a few photos with madelyn on vacation in florida   we had an absolutely marvelous time

at the campground on a swing







madelyn and chrissy with Mickey







on splash mountain





me and madleyn and bill with mickey

Weekend with Madelyn..

I have had the most wonderful weekend!    Madelyn was here!   She and her friend Chrissy got here Saturday.  They went to a 50's sock hop dinner and dance with Bill and me at the clubhouse here.  She has found out what really happens in a seniors RV park.  We really rock!!!!   On Sunday we went to Disney.  the day there began with a character breakfast at the Grand Floridian.  While there we met, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Alice and The Mad Hatter.   The Mad Hatter was quite outrageous and loud, so right before we left, Madelyn tapped him on the back and yelled in his face and then ran, he chased her around and out of the restaurant.  Then on to Hollywood Studios!   Madelyn is her Mothers daughter tho, not 5 minutes into the park, she was fooling around to the MI music and tripped on chrissy's foot and fell and bounced her head off of the concrete!   Yikes, what a bump she got. After a few moments we were off.  She and Chrissy rode the aerosmith Rockin roller coaster, then we did the Tower of Terror!    Madelyn was thrilled.  she was last in Disney when she was 11 and the Tot T was closed, scheduled to re open the week after she left, so she got it today.  We also did The Great Movie Ride.  Then it was over to Epcot, we went to Soarin' and waited in line for 2 hours to ride it, Bill and I never do that but to see the looks on the girls faces made it so worth it.   We then went to Big River for supper and some Steelers time.
   chrissy had to leave on Sunday nite.   On Monday, Bill and I shufled early shift and Madelyn got a chacne to see her mom onaction, hehe.   then it was off to the Magic Kingdom.  We rode Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, got drenched on that one.  Then we went to Tomorowland and did alot of rides there.  We went to The Haunted Mansion,  and went back to the Carousel of Progress, The transportion ride there, Buss Lightyear, twice, Its a small world twice, met some characters and took some pictures.  We ate supper at Liberty Tree Hill tavern.  It was a delicious family style meal.  while there the Spectro magic light parade passed by.  We then saw the fireworks at cinderella's castle.
   Today started with coffee and doughtnuts, and then to Epcot.  We did Soarin, Test Track, The Malestrom, saw the China 360 movie, and The French movie.  Walked the whole round of the countries. she again is her mothers daughter.  In England we found Eeyore, Tigger and Pooh and after pictures with the 3 of them she asked for one with just Eeyore and of course Tigger and Pooh were hurt and walked away, but she made up with them quickly. We ate in Mexico, and out last visit beofre leaving for the aiport was spaceship earth.
  It was an absolutely amazing time.   After 26 years of her life, I was finally able to spend time in disney World with my daughter, and I owe that opportunity to Bill.
   It was sad at the airport tho, saying Good BYe to her and sending her off to Virginia. 

Brrrr shivery cold!!!Well I...

Brrrr   shivery cold!!!
Well I am back in sunny, albeit shivery cold, Florida!  Out lows are getting into the low 30's for the next several nights.  There hasn't been much since I got back from PA.  I was home from the 4th to the 11th for Christmas!  I loved watching the snow on Saturday, but not so much when I was out snowblowing on Sunday at 7 a.m. so i could get to church.  I just kept repeating that the next day I would be back in FL, but it seems that the cold has followed me here - boohoo!
Tonight we are going into Orlando to see Riverdance - the tickets were part of my Christmas present from BIl.  I am so excited to see this show!!!!   Madelyn is coming down for the weekend.  She has Monday and Tuesday off frm work so she is coming to visit with her Momma!  I can't wait to do Disney with my babydoll!!!!
  That is all for this posting!   Lets get together on here again soon!  hehe : )  : )

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY...

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!   Things have been sort of quiet here in preparation for todays festivities.  If I haven't talked about what we did for Bill's birthday. I will know.  Our friends from Jacksonville came down and we went to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner.  What an incredible meal.  I had salmon cooked medium rare adn it was sucha wonderful delicate flavor.  We also went to see ICE, but as I type this I am thinking I already wrote about this.   I got Bill a digital picture frame for christmas.  It als can do mives and also has a MP3 player in it.  He got me tickets to go see RIVERDANCE  I am so excited!  I can hardly wait.  He also got me th Jeff Dunham Christmas DVD.  We went to see Jeff for my birthday at the Bryce Jordan center in State College and I laughed my a** off.  He is a ventriloquist and has some unique characters, Walter, a crochity old man, Achmed the dead terrorist, Peanut, Bubba J, and Jose the jalapena on a stick.  He is just so very funny.  We had a wonderful concert here last nite, put on by the choir - which I am a part of, and then the Christmas Eve service.  It was beautiful.  As we left it was precipitating just a little and even tho is was in the 70's I closed my eyes and pretended it was snow.  I do miss cold snowy Christmas days,just a little.   Well again, Merry Christmas to all who read this!

It has been a busy...

It has been a busy week, I was snowed on twice, yes really, once in Celebration, a community that Disney started but is now independent. They block off their main street which is all decorated, and it snows every hour on the hour from 6 to 10 nightly during the month of December.  It really is fun.  then last night we went to Hollywood Studios (formerly known as MGM) to see the Osbourne Family Light display and they make it snow there too.  We just have been doing alot of things.  shopping for the fish fry tonite, which Bill and our friend Paul are in charge of.  I get to make hush puppies!  Have been out to dinner several times, last nite to a place called smoky bones.  I had the best staek and baked potato.  What a wonderful  flavor on the potato.  Just a quick update!   Have a great weekend!!!!

Back in FL

Well I am back in FL after an absolutely wonderful visit home for Thanksgiving.   I cooked the meal at my moms and even taught everyone how to play "chicken foot" with dominoes.   I was not thrilled with the weather tho. One nice snowfall would have been great, but it was not to be.  Oh well maybe when I come home in Jan for my christmas it will snow. It is chilly here, it is only supposed to get into the low 60's and into the 30's at night for a nite or 2.  My flight down last nite was delayed but an hour and a half and I didn't land until 11:35p.m.  I am a retiree, that is too late to be awake and functioning - heehee - but we managed.  December is filled with activity down here in our little park so i will keep you updated on here.  Take care and have a great week!

food fun

I realize I just posted yesterday, but I have to tell you this.  You know that retirees are on "fixed incomes", and have to watch what they spend on, well we are learning how to work the system, so to speak.  Let me take you back to election day, we went to Krispy Kreme for the free donuts they were giving out, we took the donut to Starbucks for the free cup of coffee they were giving , then we went to Ben & Jerrys  for free ice cream. While at Ben and Jerry's we discoverd that a place across the way called Shanes Rib shack was giving away free chicken finger meals. Well we thought it was a joke but we went anyway and much to our pleasant surprise, it was true, 3 chicken fingers, fries and a drink, for free.  We just had to eat it there.  We then went to a different Starbucks for another coffee.  All of this just for voting.  On Friday and Saturday of this past weekend we had coupons from the newspaper and went to Ikea for a free dinner.  On Friday I had chicken marsala, mashed potatoes and vegetables, and Saturday I had pasta & meatballs in marinara sauc, salad and garlic bread and the meals included unlimited drinks..  There is grocery store chain down here called PUBLIX and today they were giving free samples away. It was to show off the offerings they sell for holiday entertaining. We had wine, Irish cream drinks, desserts, sushi, shrimp, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, carnberry sauce, mini quiches, pastries, fruit and veggies with dip.  We did 2 different PUBLIX stores.  No need to cook supper!  Isn't life grand?!?!?!!!