Bottle Borders

Those who know me, know I like to drink wine...a lot of wine! A few years ago, a friend told me about using empty wine bottles as landscape edging. I've got several flowerbeds edged with wine bottles, and now I'm starting a new project using empty Topo Chico bottles. For those of you who don't know, Topo Chico is a mineral water from Mexico, very fizzy. The bottles are pale green, with the Topo Chico label painted on. My husband drinks lots and lots of Topo Chico, and as a result, we have lots and lots of empty bottles on recycling day. As a result of this year's drought, I have a large section of grass in my front yard that has died. I've decided to edge this space with the bottles and plant cactus and agave, and fill in with pea gravel. If you do a search on the web for borders using bottles, you will find many results, all of which will tell you to dig a hole and bury the bottle neck down, with the top half of the bottle underground. In the beginning, I used this technique, but after hours of backbreaking labor, I figured there must be an easier way, and there was! Simply soak the ground where you want to put the bottles, set the bottle upside down, and pound it into the ground using a rubber mallet. You'll be amazed at how many bottles you can set using this method. I've set wine bottles, coke bottles, beer bottles, and Topo Chico bottles quickly and easily. Just make sure you use a rubber mallet!

Reunion Time!

Once again it is time for the annual reunion of my college dorm mates. We met at Texas Tech University in the fall of 1971 and became very good friends. When we graduated from college, some of us went our separate ways, but managed to stay in contact with each other. In the summer of 1982 we decided to have a reunion at Possum Kingdom Lake. We had so much fun we decided to meet again the next summer. Husbands and children were not allowed with nursing babies being the exception. We continued to meet every year, always on the weekend after July 4. My kids grew up knowing that mommy went away for one weekend every summer. It's what kept me sane through those years of child-rearing and professional volunteerism.

The really great thing about our group is the fact that we have remained close friends for over 40 years. And by close, I don't mean proximity. We don't all live in the same city; some of us don't even live in the same state. We have a bond, an emotional and spiritual tie that keeps us together through good times and bad. We've been there for each other through marriages and divorces; through sickness and health; through the deaths of parents and of children. We've lost one member to breast cancer. But each and every summer, regardless of what has gone on in our personal lives during the year, we gather the weekend after the 4th of July to rekindle and renew our friendship. This year was extra special. Not only was it our 30th reunion, but one of our members found out the weekend before the reunion that she had a half-sister she knew nothing about. It is an amazing story, and too long to go into here, but believe me, it is a beautiful and wonderful thing for everyone concerned. I guess the point I am trying to make is that our experiences, shared with each other, have helped us to navigate through this thing called life. I am truly blessed to be a part of this group of amazing women, and I thank God that I lived on the 5th floor of Clement Hall at Texas Tech in 1971.

Ireland, Part Three

A few weeks before our visit to Ireland, President Obama visited Moneygall, Ireland to reconnect with his Irish roots. As it turned out, Moneygall was only a few miles from Portumna, so naturally we had to visit and have a pint (or two) in Ollie Hayes' pub, the pub President and Mrs. Obama stopped in when they went to Moneygall. My husband Drew collects political memorabilia, so he gave me some posters and buttons to give the owners of the pub. The pub was quite charming, freshly cleaned and painted (as was the whole town, thanks to a donation of paint from Ireland's largest paint distributor). There was a tour bus parked outside, but the tourists were mostly Irish folk. We were regaled with stories of the event by two brothers who had been drinking in that pub for the past 50 years (so they said). We met the owner, Ollie Hayes, his lovely wife, and Henry Healy, who is President Obama's eighth cousin. The locals have dubbed him "Henry the Eighth." We presented them with the Obama poster from a campaign event held in Austin, and also handed out buttons to all the patrons in the pub. The town of Moneygall may not have been on the tour maps before, but it sure is now!

Ireland, Part Two

Portumna is only about 40 miles from Galway, so we made it a point to visit the gHotel in Galway City. The interiors were designed by Phillip Treacy, the same designer responsible for those fantastic hats worn by many women at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. We were not disappointed....the place was gorgeous. We had a drink in what I called "The Blue Lounge". The walls were blue, but the furnishings were a mix of deep purple and burnt orange. There was also a bright pink lounge with gold and white accents and a black and white op art carpet on the floor. It was a lovely place to have a nice cocktail. They also serve high tea there in the afternoons. Tres chic!

Ireland, Part One

I recently returned from a two-week trip to Ireland. I am more in love with that country than ever. We booked a cottage in the tiny hamlet of Ballycrissane, just outside of Portumna, County Galway. The cottage used to be the post office, and the building is 500 years old, located on a working sheep farm. It is so quiet there, you can hear the bees buzzing in the garden! The town of Portumna is so very quaint and charming...a real Irish town. This is my second visit to Portumna, and we've made friends there who look forward to our visits. One great friend in particular is Seamus Hayes, owner of Hayes Pub. Every evening, you can find Seamus pouring the perfect Guinness pint and holding court with the local gentry in the pub.
Some evenings, a rousing card game will go on into the wee hours. But the main attraction is the conversation going on around you. The rhythm of the voices, the Irish accents, the sounds of the glasses clinking...you get transported back in time. The pub has been in business since the early 1900's (it was a pharmacy prior to that), and aside from a few modern conveniences, nothing much has changed. It's a lovely place to drink a pint and pass the time.

Politics

I don't usually talk politics, unless it is with those who agree with me. It didn't used to be this way, but what has been happening in our country over the past 20 or so years has made polite political discourse a thing of the past. Politics has become more like a sport. Americans seem to have a "my team vs their team" mentality when it comes to politics. I understand that there are differing points of view, and that is a good thing. We need those differences in order to survive. But instead of having a meaningful discussion of the issues, we see more of a "I'm right, your're wrong" attitude. And civility has disappeared from the mix. Shouting, cursing, name-calling, mud-slinging...it's what's expected now. And once a story gets out on the internet, it takes on a life of its own. Misinformation and pure fabrication is passed on as gospel truth, and the facts are distorted by the talking heads on the cable networks. Americans used to pull together despite their differences; now we pull in opposite directions based on which political party we choose to follow. Liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, Green Party or Tea Party.....we're all Americans....let's act like it!

Royal Wedding

I did not get up at 3 a.m. to watch the royal wedding, but I admit to being somewhat curious about the royal wedding dress, so first thing this morning, I logged on to the internet to check out photos of the bride. I was not disappointed; in fact, I was quite pleased to see Kate Middleton wearing such a beautiful and classic design. The dress evokes memories of the dress Grace Kelly wore when she married Prince Ranier of Monaco. It also reminded me somewhat of the wedding dress worn by Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music" when she got hitched to Captain Von Trapp, nobly played by one of my favorite actors, Christopher Plummer. But I digress. Kate's dress was simple, elegant, tasteful, and devestatingly beautiful. I hope that future brides will be influenced by this dress and put the strapless gowns to rest. I was also impressed with the lack of over-the-top extravagance which has permeated so many weddings lately. From what I could see, the whole event was done in a tasteful, elegant, understated fashion. Perhaps it was done that way in deference to the economy, and to the fact that so many people are in economic straits. I hope that Kate and William are happy, and will remain so. And now the world will wait to see if Kate will provide an heir to the throne. Ah, royalty!

Fitness & Training Update

After another 9 weeks of the FIT (Fitness Institute of Texas) program, I'm happy to find I've lost another 6 pounds and gained 2 more pounds of muscle mass! This brings me back to my ideal weight, and I am so pleased that I stuck with the program and got the results I was hoping for. I have to thank the trainers at FIT and my employer, Texas Medical Association, for working together to bring this program to my work place. I honestly don't think I would have done this if I had to go offsite to do it. However, since I am seeing positive results, I independently enrolled in a boot camp that meets on Saturday mornings, so I've augmented my program and I do believe that made the difference in my gaining more muscle mass. I still have my weekly yoga class, which I love, and I ran my first-ever 3 mile race this past weekend. I honestly feel healthier and stronger than I have in years, and I give complete credit to the exercise and nutrition habits I've gained since starting FIT last August. I haven't given up everything, though! I still enjoy a glass (or two!) of wine in the evenings, and love a pint of good dark beer. But the good news is I can still enjoy these things and maintain my weight loss and fitness level by continuing the good techniques and healthy choices I've learned from my FIT classes. I feel like I'm 23 again!

Diva Dash!

Today I completed my first-ever 3 mile run! Shape Magazine held the first Diva Dash here in Austin, and my sister-in-law Veray and I participated. It was hard work, but fun, and I'm proud of myself for a)signing up, and b)actually completing the course. There were 6 obstacles along the way, including rope climbing, a maze, tightrope, and one of those tire runs you see football players doing all the time (don't know what that's called). Anyway, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning, and I feel really good about it. One year ago, I never would have even considered such a thing, so this is a big deal for me. It kinda makes me want to do another event like this!

Moving Day

Today's the day my daughter and her family move to their new home in San Marcos. They've been living with us since arriving back in the US from Central America on December 1. It has been and interesting 4 months, and I am proud to say we all got along quite well, despite the close quarters. And it was great to be able to spend so much time with my grandchildren. When they were living in Central America, visits were few and far between. With them living in my home, I got to see them every day and participate in all the daily adventures 2- and 4-year olds have. I am happy that they will have their own place now, so we've all got more room to spread out. And their new home is only 25 minutes away, so visits will be much more frequent than when we had to board an airplane to visit them.

Spring!

OK. The mesquites are wearing their fresh green leaves, and even though the pecan trees are still shy about donning their spring greenery, I'm ready to do some planting. I've cleaned out the flower beds and trimmed all the dead branches from the plants that survived winter, so I'm anxious to make the yard pretty again. I'm also going to clean the pond and get some fish now that the waterlily has grown large enough to give them a place to hide. There's just something so wonderful about putting out new plants and seeing the colorful flowers and foliage change what was drab and dull into a spot of beauty. I want to be able to enjoy the backyard before the mosquitoes and heat of summer drive me back indoors.

Since I do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers in my yard, it has become a habitat of sorts for all kinds of birds and other critters. I'm going to apply for certification as a wildlife habitat since my yard meets all the qualifications. Every little bit we can do to help the environment helps us all!

A new season

March has arrived, more like a lamb than a lion. The temperatures have been very mild, and it makes me want to begin replacing the plants I lost earlier this year during the freezing temperatures we had in February. However, I've lived in Texas long enough to know that spring is not officially here until the mesquite and pecan trees put out their new leaves, so I'm trying to be patient and ignore the loads and loads of shrubs and flowers beckoning me from every nursery and home improvement store. I have cleaned out my flower beds, and already the river ferns have started raising their curly heads in anticipation of spring days. I just hope they are not too early!

I'm also anxious to replace the fish in my pond. Unbelieveably, my water lily survived the freeze and has started putting out new growth. I plan to wait until it provides more cover for fish before I add them to the pond. This year I plan to just use feeder goldfish to keep the algae down. I get too attached to the koi.

Down Memory Lane.....

I graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas in May of 1971. I attended the 10-year reunion held in 1981, but haven't been to another reunion since. Our 40th class reunion is on the horizon, and with the help of Facebook and Classmates and other social networking websites, a few folks from our class are trying to organize a reunion in October. Class mixers have been organized and held in San Antonio on the second Saturday of the month for about a year now. I finally went to one last Saturday night. I was a bit apprehensive, because I haven't really been keeping in touch with former classmates, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Well, it was interesting, to say the least, and I had a great time. I knew some of the people there, others I was just acquainted with, and some were unknown to me until that evening. We had about 925 in our graduating class, so it would have been really difficult, if not impossible, to know them all! Anyway, we had a great time reminiscing about teachers and events and stuff we all had in common by virtue of being in high school at the same time in the same school. I had such a good time that I'm actually looking forward to the next one on March 12! Hopefully, word will spread and we'll have more folks who will come, either out of curiousity (as I did) or just to catch up and re-acquaint themselves with old friends. I even made new friends that night! I'm glad I got over my apprehension and took the plunge!

Totally Random

I decided to wear black pearls to work today. The song "Black Pearl" by Sonny Charles & The Checkmates popped into my head. I hadn't thought of that song in years. I got in the car to go to work and turned on the radio. Yep, you guessed it..."Black Pearl" was playing on the radio. What're the odds?

Story time

My 4 year old granddaughter has been sleeping with me, and likes to have a story read to her before she goes to sleep. I've been reading the usual assortment of stories (Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Goodnight, Moon, etc.) Sometimes those stories aren't enought to make her sleepy, so sometimes I will read to her from whatever book I happen to be reading. Right now I'm reading the Sidney Howard script for "Gone With The Wind", my favorite movie. The other night, Tierra was not quite sleepy enough, so I picked up my book and began to read. It was at the part where Scarlett and Prissy are delivering Melanie's baby, and the Yankees are invading Atlanta. I read all the parts, using appropriate voices for all the characters. Tierra listened quietly for several minutes, then tugged on my sleeve and said, "Gramma, what's a Yankee look like?" I didn't think she was paying much attention, much less be interested in Yankees! She did fall asleep, though. The next night we read her story books, and when we were done, she asked me to read about the Yankees again. Just like her mom and gramma, she's become a member of the cult of "Gone With The Wind."

A New Year

2010 is over. We've just begun 2011. Each new year's day gives us the proverbial "clean slate" to start fresh. Out with the old, in with the new. I don't usually make new year's resolutions, but I've decided this year to set some goals for myself. Right at the top of the list is to keep up the progress I've made with regard to my weight and fitness. Our FIT classes will resume this month, and I've made the commitment to continue with the class, so I feel like this is a goal I can accomplish. Another goal I've set for myself is to be more in control of my life. I've learned just recently that being too dependent on one person is not a good thing for either of you. I've resolved to take control of my own destiny and to make decisions based on what I need rather than on the needs of others. This is not to say I've become self-centered or egocentric, rather that I am aware that in order to be happy, I need to rely on myself, not on someone else. True happiness and contentment comes from within, and I am going to keep this thought foremost in my mind in the coming months. It's a new year, and I'm determined to be a better person for myself and those around me. I'm optimistic that this year will be better than last year in all ways. Oh, and one more goal I've got this year....if all goes well, I'll be spending 2 weeks in Ireland this summer!