HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTIE, SANDY, & MY BROTHER, CHARLIE, IN HEAVEN

Wow!

A lot of years have flown by since

Sandy and I were kids and

 first met in a laundromat

in North Fort Myers, Florida

in the Fall of 1970.

Little did we know the day we met

that we would become best friends

for life.

Friends that would see each other

through marriages,

 the births of children,

divorces that we weren't expecting

and re-marriages.

We have both moved all over the 

country but have always lived 

within driving distance of each other.

Let me tell you how good of a friend 

 I am.

When she went to remarry 

she asked me to be matron of honor.

The long distance tolls started

adding up.

Me:  Did you get your dress yet?

Sandy:  I found a nice pants suit.
Me: WHAT?

Sandy: Yes! You heard me right!

A PANTS SUIT!

Me: You can't get married in a pants suit.

Sandy: Watch me! (sensing an "attitude"

here are you?;>)

Me:  I am wearing a soft pink dress as 

your matron of honor.

Sandy:  Great!  I'm wearing a pants suit.

Me:  Really?

Sandy:  Yes! REALLY!!!

hmmmmmmffff

The day before the wedding I went shopping.

I bought a wedding dress in her size.

I took it to her home in Illinois.

Me:  I have a present for you.

Sandy:  What it is?

Me:  It's your wedding dress~

Sandy: (the red head in her making her face flush)

I have a nice pants suit!

Me:  MOM!!! MOM!!!! Come here, Mom!

Look at this- I bought Sandy a REAL wedding dress.

Sandy: Oh, Crap!  Don't get my Mom in on this.

Mom: (timidly) Well, it wouldn't hurt to try it on.

Sandy: (glaring at me) I don't like wedding dresses.

Me:  You'll like this one!

Door to bathroom SLAMS shut.

Door to bathroom opens.

Her Mom and I look at her and we are 

smiling from ear to ear.

Me: It's PERFECT

Mom:  It's PERFECT

Sandy: It's too big on the sides!

Mom:  You have four hours to get ready,

I'll take it in.

Sandy: FINE!!! 
(this is the closest we have ever come
to having a cross word with each other!;>) 

TA-DAH!

ps.  And THAT is what best friends are all about-picking your wedding dress out

for you whether you want one or not!

pffffftt.....A Pant's Suit!!!!
Happy Birthday Sandy!

Listen-she recently connected to the internet world down there in the wilds of Minnesota.

Wish her a Happy Birthday here for me-will you?

And Happy 66th birthday to my brother, Charlie.

He is celebrating his seventh birthday in Heaven

today- I miss you, buddy!
~You are forever in my heart~
Yep-my best friend in life and my brother
born on the same day-
What are the odds on that?
I hope they made him an
Angel Food Cake
up there where calories don't count!

Happy Birthday, Sandy...

I love you as much as if we were

blood sisters.

Who knows?

Maybe we are.....after all...

my Dad used to travel, you know!!!!

PLEASE PRAY FOR CONNIE'S HUSBAND, STEVE...AND FOR CONNIE.

Many of you know Connie from her blog
CRAFTY HOME COTTAGE

Connie and I are not only blogging friends.
We keep in touch because

we both have husbands

that deal with health issues.

Not only does it have an effect

on the patient,

it also takes its toll on the caregiver.

Steve is in need of prayer.

He is a very private person,

so it is hard to be open about

how ill he is.

Cancer has ravaged his body

and, at this point,

hospice has been called in.

Above he is shown with Connie

in happier times.
He is the love of Connie's life,
her soul mate, her courage,
her love and her life.

Please pray for Steve & for Connie.
There is a hard path ahead of them.
It is a path none of us wants to walk.
The days and nights will be long,
but still, too short.

If you don't pray, please send
good wishes and thoughts their way.
Connie will be happy to know that
she has people here standing beside her,
sending her love.

As always, thank you all so much
and I will keep you filled in as/when
I know more.

CHANGING THE BLOG-IT'S A BIG DECISION...THANKS FOR WEIGHING IN

Speaking of 

WEIGHING IN...

There are days when I feel

BIG 

and then seeing something like this

puts it in perspective.

Not the greatest picture-

taken from the road this 

misty morning.

I imagine this is here waiting

for the Daytona 500

to officially kick-off.

So---the results of my poll~

Between my blog, 

Facebook & personal emails,

I had about 120 responses.

Here is the breakdown:

8-Voted for a Condo Blog

14-Voted for a Camping Blog

31-Voted to combine Condo & Camping

23-Keep blog and add to it

44-WHATEVER or ANYTHING

 Some suggested calling it The Next Chapter.

There were several suggestions of 

names I might use.

So- I think, at this point in time,

I will add to the blog I have

and just headline different subjects.

I have lots of fodder for both

camping and condo living

(or will have after we move and start camping)

Think March and Early Summer.

So, bear with me.

For now I will continue with my 

USUAL NONSENSE.

And show you pictures of

whatever happens to strike my fancy.

Condo Update:

I asked my son to show me a peek

of what was happening at the condo.

He showed me a 4" square of quartz countertop

and a close up of his teeth.

uh-huh

Gotta love a kid man son like that.

Kid has a million dollar smile

(literally-check the invoices)....

He is keeping me in suspense like

Chip Gaines

waiting for 

THE FINAL REVIEW.

Is it time to go home yet?

Okay-back to the matter at hand~

Thanks again for weighing in.

I will be back soon....pinky promise!

LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK & OPINIONS-NANA DIANA IS GOING PLACES.....

Hello to all my

WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS.

I think I am at a 

CROSSROADS IN LIFE!

I have been blogging for

10 YEARS THIS WEEK!

I can hardly believe it.

During that 10 years,

a lot has changed.

We moved three times,

(counting the upcoming move on March 1st)

John has survived 3 bouts of cancer,

I retired once and went back to work-

now 'retired' a second time. (maybe)

My local grandkids are growing up

and don't depend on Nana like 

they once did.

(Well, except for little CJK who is

always up for some homework help-lol)

and I do see him often.

My other daughter and her 3 kids

live 6+ hours away so I don't 

have the hands on with them

like I did/do with the local kids.

Other grandkids are grown and gone.

So--while

Nana Diana Takes A Break

was a good escape from all

the rigors of daily life,

life is changing.

First off-

I have no intention of 

quitting blogging.

(you can smile now)

but---here are my questions for you -

with some input 

from me.

I am thinking of taking the blog

in a new direction.

I have searched online and cannot

find a blog dedicated to 

CONDO LIVING

(which is a bit different from 

living in a regular home).

I have been thinking about 

doing a blog that would show

the ins & outs of condo living,

the remodeling we are doing,

adapting to a new lifestyle,

along with all my daily stuff as well.

(you know--my usual nonsense)

(Nana Diana Conquers Condo Living)

My 2nd idea is this~

We bought a 30' Class C

Minnie Winnie Camper.

I will be driving us around

as we 

LEARN TO CAMP-

omg-IMAGINE THAT!!!

Can't wait to get my first

spray-down during

PUMP OUT.

I already have her named-

MINNIE MANOR!

(Nana Diana On The Road With Minnie Manor)

OR-

3rd Choice-

I could combine the two-

depending on what I am doing-

or where I am-

and call it something like

Nana Diana's 

Condo & Camping -

or

Nana Diana's 

Condo & Camping Comical Chronicles,

or something along those lines.

So-throw it at me-

what do you think?

I would leave the old blog in place,

but close the comments to it

with a link to the new blog.

I think I am ready for a change-

but don't want to lose touch

with any of you.

I have seen that happen 

too many times

in Blogland.

Would you follow along if I

take a new direction?

I will still do the 

Pick Your Favorites

(cuz I know you all love that)

and feature family moments

but will make some changes.

Now if I could only change/erase these 

wrinkles....sigh.....

Be back in a few days with the

Pick Your Favorite Results-

I like to give it a few days so 

that bloggers have a chance to weigh in.

Still on vacation.

I am not so good at 

'resting and relaxing'...lol...

Happy Thursday-

Love you guys!

(blog names I tossed out are only suggestions-

open to input)