Look, Maw! No stove!!

Look, Maw! No stove!! Yes. Had to go out to eat tonight. I do think my husband will want me to make up for lost time once the appliances are installed. I found out today that the double ovens won't be in until the 15th of this month. At least it wasn't the cooktop. The other appliances will be delivered tomorrow morning.

Very strange when the carpenter and my husband pulled out the old cooktop. I felt a little sad. It had served us well. 26 years to be exact. How nice to know that retirement can be in your future.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

Time out to show pictures from the Halloween party in Mexico

Carmen is on the right. She was a black cat!

David was a ghost. We had bought a ghost costume for him but he was afraid of it. Oh well... he's not even two yet.

We had a "fishing booth" for the kids to fish for toys. That is so new to them. Some of the children bobbed for apples. This little pirate had such a great time with this.

My son and his wife (in blue) and their friends were part of the party. My daughter-in-law (sans wig) read a "scary" story (that I write) to the children. Even the parents really get into the spirit of things and we have a good time. We served pizza and snacks.

Lovely mess!

I hear the electric saw and the dust is flying but it's all going to be worth it... right???

Bye-bye Old Kitchen

Tomorrow around 9 A.M. I will say "adios" to my 26 year old kitchen. Yes... the Formica that was only supposed to be in this kitchen for a couple of years until I  would have tile put in is going to be replaced by granite. I still like tile but I'm so lazy about upkeep I would probably not do right by it. So, the bar is going to be lowered to be level with the counter tops... thus, allowing for more space for buffet serving. I have picked out a dark sink and faucets that I drooled over. The double ovens are being replaced as well as a new cooktop. With all that came a free dishwasher... the only thing I did not need. But ya can't say "no"... so, I said "yes"! I'll try to document the progress. The man in charge of this project has promised speed and little mess. We'll see...

(Yes, that is me in the picture... fresh off the plane from Mexico... my excuse for looking a little weary!)

Our Grandchildren

I just have to squeeze these two extra pictures in here tonight.

These are our grandchildren: David (almost 18 months old) and Carmen (6 years old in January). They truly are the light of our lives... as people say about their precious children and grandchildren! They truly are. They live in Mexico with their parents. Their father is out oldest son and our business partner in Mexico. The children are bilingual... something I must admit that I am very happy about. Carmen goes to a school that focuses on English. David is quite the little athlete and loves anything that he can kick. Soccer (futbol in Spanish) is his passion... so watch out Beckham! Carmen loves cooking with her mother and riding around the farms with her dad. We are truly enjoying getting to spend time with them... even though it is never enough.

Another flower of Mexico

Here is another beautiful and popular shrub in Mexico. It is very delicate looking but manages to handle the sun and heat just fine. I had one of these on my patio when we lived in Mexico. Wish I could bring a plant back to the States with me but, sadly, it is not allowed.